the lost road-第19节

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the　worst　that　can　happen　to　me　is　to　be　told　to　mind　my　own
business；　and　I　can　always　answer　back：　'I　was　only　trying　to
help　you。'　　If　I　don't　speak；　the　man　breaks　his　neck。　　Between
the　two；　it　seems　to　me；　sooner　than　have　any　one's　life　on　my
hands；　I'd　rather　be　told　to　mind　my　own　business。〃

Hemingway　stared　into　his　glass。　　His　expression　was　distinctly
disapproving；　but；　undismayed；　the　consul　continued。

〃Now；　we　all　know　that　this　morning　you　gave　that　polo　pony
to　Lady　Firth；　and　one　of　us　guesses　that　you　first　offered　it　to
some　one　else；　who　refused　it。　　One　of　us　thinks　that　very　soon；
to…morrow；　or　even　to…night；　at　this　party　you　may　offer　that
same　person　something　else；　something　worth　more　than　a　polo
pony；　and　that　if　she　refuses　that；　it　is　going　to　break　you　all
up；　is　going　to　hurt　you　for　the　rest　of　your　life。〃

Lifting　his　eyes　from　his　glass；　Hemingway　shot　at　his　friend　a
glance　of　warning。　　In　haste；　Harris　continued：

〃I　know；〃　he　protested；　answering　the　look；　〃I　know　that　this　is
where　Mr。　Buttinsky　is　told　to　mind　his　business。　　But　I'm　going
right　on。　　I'm　going　to　state　a　hypothetical　case　with　no　names
mentioned　and　no　questions　asked；　or　answered。　　I'm　going　to
state　a　theory；　and　let　you　draw　your　own　deductions。〃

He　slid　into　a　chair；　and　across　the　table　fastened　his　eyes　on　those
of　his　friend。　　Confidently　and　undisturbed；　but　with　a　wry　smile
of　dislike；　Hemingway　stared　fixedly　back　at　him。　

〃What；〃　demanded　Harris；　〃is　the　first　rule　in　detective　work？〃

Hemingway　started。　　He　was　prepared　for　something　unpleasant；　but
not　for　that　particular　form　of　unpleasantness。　　But　his　faith　was
unshaken；　and　he　smiled　confidently。　　He　let　the　consul　answer　his
own　question。

〃It　is　to　follow　the　woman；〃　declared　Harris。　　〃And；　accordingly；
what　should　be　the　first　precaution　of　a　man　making　his　get…away？
To　see　that　the　woman　does　not　follow。　　But　suppose　we　are　dealing
with　a　fugitive　of　especial　intelligence；　with　a　criminal　who　has
imagination　and　brains？　He　might　fix　it　so　that　the　woman　could
follow　him　without　giving　him　away；　he　might　plan　it　so　that　no　one
would　suspect。　　She　might　arrive　at　his　hiding…place　only　after　many
months；　only　after　each　had　made　separately　a　long　circuit　of　the
globe；　only　after　a　journey　with　a　plausible　and　legitimate　object。
She　would　arrive　disguised　in　every　way；　and　they　would　meet　as
total　strangers。　　And；　as　strangers　under　the　eyes　of　others；　they
would　become　acquainted；　would　gradually　grow　more　friendly；
would　be　seen　more　frequently　together；　until　at　last　people　would
say：　'Those　two　mean　to　make　a　match　of　it。'　　And　then；　one　day；
openly；　in　the　sight　of　all　men；　with　the　aid　of　the　law　and　the
church；　they　would　resume　those　relations　that　existed　before　the
man　ran　away　and　the　woman　followed。〃

There　was　a　short　silence。

Hemingway　broke　it　in　a　tone　that　would　accept　no　denial。

〃You　can't　talk　like　that　to　me；〃　he　cried。　　〃What　do　you　mean？〃

Without　resentment；　the　consul　regarded　him　with　grave　solicitude。
His　look　was　one　of　real　affection；　and；　although　his　tone　held　the
absolute　finality　of　the　family　physician　who　delivers　a　sentence
of　death；　he　spoke　with　gentleness　and　regret。

〃I　mean；〃　he　said；　〃that　Mrs。　Adair　is　not　a　widow；　that　the　man
she　speaks　of　as　her　late　husband　is　not　dead；　that　that　man　is
Fearing！〃

Hemingway　felt　afraid。　　A　month　before　a　rhinoceros　had　charged
him　and　had　dropped　at　his　feet。　　At　another　time　a　wounded　lioness
had　leaped　into　his　path　and　crouched　to　spring。　　Then　he　had　not
been　afraid。　　Then　he　had　aimed　as　confidently　as　though　he　were
firing　at　a　straw　target。　　But　now　he　felt　real　fear：　fear　of　something
he　did　not　comprehend；　of　a　situation　he　could　not　master；　of　an
adversary　as　strong　as　Fate。　　By　a　word　something　had　been　snatched
from　him　that　he　now　knew　was　as　dear　to　him　as　life；　that　was　life；
that　was　what　made　it　worth　continuing。　　And　he　could　do　nothing
to　prevent　it；　he　could　not　help　himself。　　He　was　as　impotent　as　the
prisoner　who　hears　the　judge　banish　him　into　exile。　　He　tried　to　adjust
his　mind　to　the　calamity。　　But　his　mind　refused。　　As　easily　as　with　his
finger　a　man　can　block　the　swing　of　a　pendulum　and　halt　the　progress
of　the　clock；　Harris　with　a　word　had　brought　the　entire　world　to　a　full
stop。

And　then；　above　his　head；　Hemingway　heard　the　lazy　whisper　of　the
punka；　and　from　the　harbor　the　raucous　whistle　of　the　Crown　Prince
Eitel；　signalling　her　entrance。　　The　world　had　not　stopped；　for　the
punka…boy；　for　the　captain　of　the　German　steamer；　for　Harris　seated
with　face　averted；　the　world　was　still　going　gayly　and　busily　forward。
Only　for　him　had　it　stopped。

In　spite　of　the　confident　tone　in　which　Harris　had　spoken；　in　spite　of
the　fact　that　unless　he　knew　it　was　the　truth；　he　would　not　have　spoken；
Hemingway　tried　to　urge　himself　to　believe　there　had　been　some
hideous；　absurd　error。　　But　in　answer　came　back　to　him　snatches
of　talk　or　phrases　the　girl　had　last　addressed　to　him：　〃You　can
command　the　future；　but　you　cannot　change　the　past。　　I　cannot
marry　you；　or　any　one！　I　am　not　free！〃

And　then　to　comfort　himself；　he　called　up　the　look　he　had　surprised
in　her　eyes　when　he　stood　holding　her　hands　in　his。　　He　clung　to　it；
as　a　drowning　man　will　clutch　even　at　a　piece　of　floating　seaweed。

When　he　tried　to　speak　he　found　his　voice　choked　and　stifled；　and
that　his　distress　was　evident；　he　knew　from　the　pity　he　read　in　the
eyes　of　Harris。

In　a　voice　strange　to　him；　he　heard　himself　saying：　〃Why　do　you
think　that？　You've　got　to　tell　me。　　I　have　a　right　to　know。　　This
morning　I　asked　Mrs。　Adair　to　marry　me。〃

The　consul　exclaimed　with　dismay　and　squirmed　unhappily。　　〃I
didn't　know；〃　he　protested。　　〃I　thought　I　was　in　time。　　I　ought　to
have　told　you　days　ago；　but〃

〃Tell　me　now；〃　commanded　Hemingway。　

〃I　know　it　in　a　thousand　ways；〃　began　Harris。

Hemingway　raised　his　eyes　hopefully。

But　the　consul　shook　his　head。　　〃But　to　convince　you；〃　he　went　on；
〃I　need　tell　you　only　one。　　The　thousand　other　proofs　are　looks　they
have　exchanged；　sentences　I　have　chanced　to　overhear；　and　that　each
of　them　unknown　to　the　other　has　told　me　of　little　happenings　and
incidents　which　I　found　were　common　to　both。　　Each　has　described
the　house　in　which　he　or　she　lived；　and　it　was　the　same　house。　　They
claim　to　come　from　different　cities　in　New　England；　they　came　from
the　same　city。　　They　claim〃

〃That　is　no　proof；〃　cried　Hemingway；　〃either　that　they　are　married；
or　that　the　man　is　a　criminal。〃

For　a　moment　Harris　regarded　the　other　in　silence。　　Then　he　said：
〃You're　making　it　very　hard　for　me。　　I　see　I've　got　to　show　you。
It's　kindest；　after　all；　to　cut　quick。〃　　He　leaned　farther　forward；
and　his　voice　dropped。　　Speaking　quickly；　he　said：

〃Last　summer　I　lived　outside　the　town　in　a　bungalow　on　the　Pearl
Road。　　Fearing's　house　was　next　to　mine。　　This　was　before　Mrs。
Adair　went　to　live　at　the　agency；　and　while　she　was　alone　in
another　bungalow　farther　down　the　road。　　I　was　ill　that　summer；
my　nerves　went　back　on　me。　　I　couldn't　sleep。　　I　used　to　sit　all　night
on　my　veranda　and　pray　for　the　sun　to　rise。　　From　where　I　sat　it　was
dark　and　no　one　could　see　me；　but　I　could　see　the　veranda　of　Fearing's
house　and　into　his　garden。　　And　night　after　night　I　saw　Mrs。　Adair
creep　out　of　Fearing's　house；　saw　him　walk　with　her　to　the　gate；　saw
him　in　the　shadow　of　the　bushes　take　her　in　his　arms；　and　saw　them
kiss。〃　　The　voice　of　the　consul　rose　sharply。　　〃No　one　knows　that　but
you　and　I；　and；〃　he　cried　defiantly；　〃it　is　impossible　for　us　to　believe
ill　of　Polly　Adair。　　The　easy　explanation　we　refuse。　　It　is　intolerable。
And　so　you　must　believe　as　I　believe；　that　when　she　visited　Fearing
by　night　she　went　to　him　because　she　had　the　right　to　go　to　him；
because　already　she　was　his　wife。　　And　now　when　every　one　here
believes　they　met　for　the　first　time　in　Zanzibar；　when　no　one　will　be
surprised　if　they　should　marry；　they　will　go　through　the　ceremony
again；　and　live　as　man　and　wife；　as　they　are；　as　they　were　before　he
fled　from　America！〃

Hemingway　was　seated　with　his　elbows　on　the　table　and　his　face　in
his　hands。　　He　was　so　long　silent　that　Harris　struck　the　table　roughly
with　his　palm。

〃Well；〃　he　demanded；　〃why　don't　you　speak？　Do　you　doubt　her？
Don't　you　believe　she　is　his　wife？〃

〃I　refuse　to　believe　anything　else！〃　said　Hemingway。　　He　rose；　and
slowly　and　heavily　moved　toward　the　door。　　〃And　I　will　not　trouble
them　any　more；〃　he　added。　　〃I'll　leave　at　sunrise　on　the　Eitel。〃

Harris　exclaimed　in　dismay；　but　Hemingway　did　not　hear　him。　　In
the　doorway　he　halted　and　turned　back。　　From　his　voice　all　trace
of　emotion　had　departed。　　〃Why；〃　he　asked　dully；　〃do　you　think
Fearing　is　a　fugitive？　Not　that　it　matters　to　her；　since　she　loves
him；　or　that　it　matters　to　me。　　Only　I　would　like　to　think　you　were
wrong。　　I　want　her　to　have　only　the　best。〃

Again　the　consul　moved　unhappily。

〃I　oughtn't　to　tell　you；〃　he　protested；　〃and　if　I　do　I　ought　to　tell　the
State　Department；　and　a　detective　agency　first。　　They　have　the　call。
They　want　him；　o