the lost road-第66节

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felt　that　for　the　present　to　continue　might　lose　him　the　chance　to
fight　again。　　But；　to　deliver　an　ultimatum；　he　turned　back。

〃As　long　as　you　are　alive；　and　I　am　alive；〃　he　told　her；　〃all
things　are　possible。　　I　don't　give　up　hope。　　I　don't　give　up　you。〃

The　girl　exclaimed　with　a　gesture　of　despair。　　〃He　won't　understand！〃
she　cried。

Hemingway　advanced　eagerly。

〃Help　me　to　understand；〃　he　begged。

〃You　won't　understand；〃　explained　the　girl；　〃that　I　am　speaking
the　truth。　　You　are　right　that　things　can　change　in　the　future；
but　nothing　can　change　the　past。　　Can't　you　understand　that？〃

〃What　do　I　care　for　the　past？〃　cried　the　young　man　scornfully。　　〃I
know　you　as　well　as　though　I　had　known　you　for　a　thousand　years
and　I　love　you。〃

The　girl　flushed　crimson。

〃Not　my　past；〃　she　gasped。　　〃I　meant〃

〃I　don't　care　what　you　meant；〃　said　Hemingway。　　〃I'm　not　prying
into　your　little　secrets。　　I　know　only　one　thingtwo　things；　that
I　love　you　and　that；　until　you　love　me；　I　am　going　to　make　your
life　hell！〃　

He　caught　at　her　hands；　and　for　an　instant　she　let　him　clasp　them
in　both　of　his；　while　she　looked　at　him。　

Something　in　her　face；　other　than　distress　and　pity；　caused　his
heart　to　leap。　　But　he　was　too　wise　to　speak；　and；　that　she　might
not　read　the　hope　in　his　eyes；　turned　quickly　and　left　her。　　He
had　not　crossed　the　grounds　of　the　agency　before　he　had　made　up
his　mind　as　to　the　reason　for　her　repelling　him。

〃She　is　engaged　to　Fearing！〃　he　told　himself。　　〃She　has　promised
to　marry　Fearing！　She　thinks　that　it　is　too　late　to　consider　another
man！〃　　The　prospect　of　a　fight　for　the　woman　he　loved　thrilled　him
greatly。　　His　lower　jaw　set　pugnaciously。

〃I'll　show　her　it's　not　too　late；〃　he　promised　himself。　　〃I'll　show　her
which　of　us　is　the　man　to　make　her　happy。　　And；　if　I　am　not　the
man；　I'll　take　the　first　outbound　steamer　and　trouble　them　no　more。
But　before　that　happens；〃　he　also　promised　himself；　〃Fearing　must
show　he　is　the　better　man。〃

In　spite　of　his　brave　words；　in　spite　of　his　determination；　within　the
day　Hemingway　had　withdrawn　in　favor　of　his　rival；　and；　on　the
Crown　Prince　Eitel；　bound　for　Genoa　and　New　York；　had　booked　his
passage　home。

On　the　afternoon　of　the　same　day　he　had　spoken　to　Polly　Adair；
Hemingway　at　the　sunset　hour　betook　himself　to　the　consulate。　　At
that　hour　it　had　become　his　custom　to　visit　his　fellow　countryman
and　with　him　share　the　gossip　of　the　day　and　such　a　cocktail　as
only　a　fellow　countryman　could　compose。　　Later　he　was　to　dine　at
the　house　of　the　Ivory　Company　and；　as　his　heart　never　ceased
telling　him；　Mrs。　Adair　also　was　to　be　present。

〃It　will　be　a　very　pleasant　party；〃　said　Harris。　　〃They　gave　me　a
bid；　too；　but　it's　steamer　day　to…morrow；　and　I've　got　to　get　my
mail　ready　for　the　Crown　Prince　Eitel。　　Mrs。　Adair　is　to　be
there。〃

Hemingway　nodded；　and　with　pleasant　anticipation　waited。　　Of　Mrs。
Adair；　Harris　always　spoke　with　reverent　enthusiasm；　and　the　man
who　loved　her　delighted　to　listen。　　But　this　time　Harris　disappointed
him。

〃And　Fearing；　too；〃　he　added。

Again　Hemingway　nodded。　　The　conjunction　of　the　two　names　surprised
him；　but　he　made　no　sign。　　Loquacious　as　he　knew　Harris　to　be；　he　never
before　had　heard　his　friend　even　suggest　the　subject　that　to　Zanzibar
had　become　of　acute　interest。

Harris　filled　the　two　glasses；　and　began　to　pace　the　room。　　When
he　spoke　it　was　in　the　aggrieved　tone　of　one　who　feels　himself
placed　in　a　false　position。

〃There's　no　one；〃　he　complained　suddenly；　〃so　popularly　unpopular
as　the　man　who　butts　in。　　I　know　that；　but　still　I've　always　taken　his
side。　　I've　always　been　for　him。〃　　He　halted；　straddling　with　legs
apart　and　hands　deep　in　his　trousers　pockets；　and　frowned　down
upon　his　guest。

〃Suppose；〃　he　began　aggressively；　〃I　see　a　man　driving　his　car
over　a　cliff。　　If　I　tell　him　that　road　will　take　him　over　a　cliff；
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　stoo