his own people-第10节

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Most　people　have　had　dreams　of　approaching　dangers　in　the　path　of
which　their　bodies　remained　inert；　when；　in　spite　of　the　frantic
wish　to　fly；　it　was　impossible　to　move；　while　all　the　time　the
horror　crept　closer　and　closer。　　This　was　Mellin's　state　as　he　saw
the　young　man　going。　　It　was　absolutely　necessary　to　ask　Cooley　for
help；　to　beg　him　for　a　loan。　　But　he　could　not。

He　saw　Cooley's　hand　on　the　doorknob；　saw　the　door　swing　open。

〃Good…by；　again；〃　Cooley　said；　〃and　good　luck　to　you！〃

Mellin's　will　strove　desperately　with　the　shame　that　held　him
silent。

The　door　was　closing。

〃Oh；　Cooley；〃　called　Mellin　hoarsely。

〃Yes。　　What？〃

〃J…j…just　good…by；〃　said　Mellin。

And　with　that　young　Cooley　was　gone。





IX。　Expiation

A　multitudinous　clangor　of　bells　and　a　dozen　neighboring　chimes　rang
noon；　then　the　rectangular　oblongs　of　hot　sunlight　that　fell　from
the　windows　upon　the　carpet　of　Mellin's　room　began　imperceptibly
to　shift　their　angles　and　move　eastward。　　From　the　stone　pavement
of　the　street　below　came　the　sound　of　horses　pawing　and　the　voices
of　waiting　cabmen；　then　bells　again；　and　more　bells；　clamoring　the
slow　and　cruel　afternoon　into　the　past。　　But　all　was　silent　in
Mellin's　room；　save　when；　from　time　to　time；　a　long；　shuddering
sigh　came　from　the　bed。

The　unhappy　young　man　had　again　drawn　the　coverlet　over　his　head；
but　not　to　sleep：　　it　was　more　like　a　forlorn　and　desperate　effort
to　hide；　as　if　he　crept　into　a　hole；　seeking　darkness　to　cover　the
shame　and　fear　that　racked　his　soul。　　For　though　his　shame　had　been
too　great　to　let　him　confess　to　young　Cooley　and　ask　for　help；　his
fear　was　as　great　as　his　shame；　and　it　increased　as　the　hours　passed。
In　truth　his　case　was　desperate。　　Except　the　people　who　had　stripped
him；　Cooley　was　the　only　person　in　all　of　Europe　with　whom　he　had
more　than　a　very　casual　acquaintance。　　At　home；　in　Cranston；　he　had
no　friends　susceptible　to　such　an　appeal　as　it　was　vitally　necessary
for　him　to　make。　　His　relatives　were　not　numerous：　there　were　two
aunts；　the　widows　of　his　father's　brothers；　and　a　number　of　old…maid
cousins；　and　he　had　an　uncle　in　Iowa；　a　country　minister　whom　he　had
not　seen　for　years。　　But　he　could　not　cable　to　any　of　these　for
money；　nor　could　he　quite　conjure　his　imagination　into　picturing　any
of　them　sending　it　if　he　did。　　And　even　to　cable　he　would　have　to
pawn　his　watch；　which　was　an　old…fashioned　one　of　silver　and　might
not　bring　enough　to　pay　the　charges。

He　began　to　be　haunted　by　fragmentary；　prophetic　visionsconfused
but　realistic　in　detail；　and　horridly　probableof　his　ejectment
from　the　hotel；　perhaps　arrest　and　trial。　　He　wondered　what　they
did　in　Italy　to　people　who　〃beat〃　hotels；　and；　remembering　what　some
one　had　told　him　of　the　dreadfulness　of　Italian　jails；　convulsive
shudderings　seized　upon　him。

The　ruddy　oblongs　of　sunlight　crawled　nearer　to　the　east　wall　of　the
room；　stretching　themselves　thinner　and　thinner；　until　finally　they
were　not　there　at　all；　and　the　room　was　left　in　deepening　grayness。
Carriages；　one　after　the　other；　in　unintermittent　succession；
rumbled　up　to　the　hotel…entrance　beneath　the　window；　bringing
goldfish　for　the　Pincio　and　the　fountains　of　Villa　Borghese。　　Wild
strains　from　the　Hungarian　orchestra；　rhapsodical　twankings　of
violins；　and　the　runaway　arpeggios　of　a　zither　crazed　with　speed…
mania；　skipped　along　the　corridors　and　lightly　through　Mellin's
door。　　In　his　mind's　eye　he　saw　the　gay　crowd　in　the　watery　light；
the　little　tables　where　only　five　days　ago　he　had　sat　with　the
loveliest　of　all　the　anemone…like　ladies。。。。

The　beautifully…dressed　tea…drinkers　were　there　now；　under　the　green
glass　dome；　prattling　and　smiling；　those　people　he　had　called　his
own。　　And　as　the　music　sounded　louder；　faster；　wilder　and　wilder
with　the　gipsy　madnessthen　in　that　darkening　bedchamber　his　soul
became　articulate　in　a　cry　of　humiliation

〃God　in　His　mercy　forgive　me；　how　raw　I　was！〃


A　vision　came　before　his　closed　eyes；　the　maple…bordered　street　in
Cranston；　the　long；　straight；　wide　street　where　Mary　Kramer　lived；
a　summer　twilight；　Mary　in　her　white　muslin　dress　on　the　veranda
steps；　and　a　wistaria　vine　climbing　the　post　beside　her；　half…
embowering　her。　　How　cool　and　sweet　and　good　she　looked！　　How　dear
and　how　~kind~！she　had　always　been　to　him。


Dusk　stole　through　the　windows：　　the　music　ceased　and　the　tea…hour
was　over。　　The　carriages　were　departing；　bearing　the　gay　people
who　went　away　laughing；　calling　last　words　to　one　another；　and；
naturally；　quite　unaware　that　a　young　man；　who；　five　days　before；
had　adopted　them　and　called　them　〃his　own；〃　was　lying　in　a　darkened
room　above　them；　and　crying　like　a　child　upon　his　pillow。





X。　　The　Cab　at　the　Corner

A　ten　o'clock；　a　page　bearing　a　card　upon　a　silver　tray　knocked　upon
the　door；　and　stared　with　wide…eyed　astonishment　at　the　disordered
gentleman　who　opened　it。

The　card　was　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke's。　　Underneath　the　name　was
written：

　　If　you　are　there　will　you　give　me　a　few　minutes？　　I　am　waiting
　　in　a　cab　at　the　next　corner　by　the　fountain。

Mellin's　hand　shook　as　he　read。　　He　did　not　doubt　that　she　came　as
an　emissary；　probably　they　meant　to　hound　him　for　payment　of　the
note　he　had　given　Sneyd；　and　at　that　thought　he　could　have　shrieked
with　hysterical　laughter。

〃Do　you　speak　English？〃　he　asked。

〃Spik　little。　Yes。〃

〃Who　gave　you　this　card？〃

〃Coachman；〃　said　the　boy。　〃He　wait　risposta。〃

〃Tell　him　to　say　that　I　shall　be　there　in　five　minutes。〃

〃Fi'　minute。　　Yes。　　Good…by。〃

Mellin　was　partly　dressedhe　had　risen　half　an　hour　earlier　and
had　been　distractedly　pacing　the　floor　when　the　page　knockedand
he　completed　his　toilet　quickly。　　He　passed　down　the　corridors；
descended　by　the　stairway　（feeling　that　to　use　the　elevator　would
be　another　abuse　of　the　confidence　of　the　hotel　company）　and　slunk
across　the　lobby　with　the　look　and　the　sensations　of　a　tramp　who
knows　that　he　will　be　kicked　into　the　street　if　anybody　catches
sight　of　him。

A　closed　cab　stood　near　the　fountain　at　the　next　corner。　　There　was
a　trunk　on　the　box　by　the　driver；　and　the　roof　was　piled　with　bags
and　rugs。　He　approached　uncertainly。

〃Isis　thisis　it　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke？〃　he　stammered　pitifully。

She　opened　the　door。

〃Yes。　　Will　you　get　in？　　We'll　just　drive　round　the　block　if　you
don't　mind。　　I'll　bring　you　back　here　in　ten　minutes。〃　　And　when　he
had　tremulously　complied；　〃~Avanti；　cocchiere~；〃　she　called　to　the
driver；　and　the　tired　little　cab…horse　began　to　draw　them　slowly
along　the　deserted　street。

Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke　maintained　silence　for　a　time；　while　her
companion　waited；　his　heart　pounding　with　dreadful　apprehensions。
Finally　she　gave　a　short；　hard　laugh　and　said：

〃I　saw　your　face　by　the　corner　light。　　Been　havin'　a　hard　day
of　it？〃

The　fear　of　breaking　down　kept　him　from　answering。　　He　gulped
painfully　once　or　twice；　and　turned　his　face　away　from　her。　　Light
enough　from　a　streetlamp　shone　in　for　her　to　see。

〃I　was　rather　afraid　you'd　refuse；〃　she　said　seriously。　　〃Really；
I　wonder　you　were　willin'　to　come！〃

〃I　wasI　was　afraid　not　to。〃　　He　choked　out　the　confession　with
the　recklessness　of　final　despair。

〃So？〃　she　said；　with　another　short　laugh。　　Then　she　resumed　her
even；　tired　monotone：　　〃Your　little　friend　Cooley's　note　this
morning　gave　us　all　a　rather　fair　notion　as　to　what　you　must　be
thinkin'　of　us。　　He　seems　to　have　found　a　sort　of　walkin'　'Who's…
Who…on…the…Continent'　since　last　night。　　Pity　for　some　people　he
didn't　find　it　before！　　I　don't　think　I'm　sympathetic　with　your
little　Cooley。　　I　'guess；'　as　you　Yankees　say；　'he　can　stand　it。'
But〃her　voice　suddenly　became　louder〃I'm　not　in　the　business
of　robbin'　babies　and　orphans；　no；　my　dear　friends；　nor　of　helpin'
anybody　else　to　rob　them　either！Here　you　are！〃

She　thrust　into　his　hand　a　small　packet；　securely　wrapped　in　paper
and　fastened　with　rubber　bands。　　〃There's　your　block　of　express
checks　for　six　hundred　dollars　and　your　I　0　U　to　Sneyd　with　it。
Take　better　care　of　it　next　time。〃

He　had　been　tremulous　enough；　but　at　that　his　whole　body　began　to
shake　violently。

〃~What~！〃　he　quavered。

〃I　say；　take　better　care　of　it　next　time；〃　she　said；　dropping　again
into　her　monotone。　　〃I　didn't　have　such　an　easy　time　gettin'　it　back
from　them　as　you　might　think。　　I've　got　rather　a　sore　wrist；　in
fact。〃

She　paused　at　an　inarticulate　sound　from　him。

〃Oh；　that's　soon　mended；〃　she　laughed　drearily。　　〃The　truth　is；　it's
been　a　good　thing　for　meyour　turning　up。　　They're　gettin'　in　too
deep　water　for　me；　Helene　and　her　friends；　and　I've　broken　with　the
lot；　or　they've　broken　with　me；　whichever　it　is。　　We　couldn't　hang
together　after　the　fightin'　we've　done　to…day。　　I　had　to　do　a　lot
of　threatenin'　and　things。　　Welch　was　ugly；　so　I　had　to　be　ugly　too。
Never　mind〃she　checked　an　uncertain　effort　of　his　to　speak〃I
saw　what　you　were　like；　soon　as　we　sat　down　at　the　table　last　night
how　new　you　were　and　all　that。　　It　needed　only　a　glance　to　see
that　Helene　had　made　a　mistake　about　you。　　She'd　got　a　notion　you
were　a　millionaire　like　the