his own people-第4节

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She　laid　her　finger　on　her　lips；　shaking　her　head　gently；　and　he
was　silent；　while　the　intelligent　maidat　that　moment　entering
arranged　a　tea…table　and　departed。

〃American　an'　Russian；　they　are　the　worse；〃　said　the　Countess
thoughtfully；　as　she　served　him　with　a　generous　cup；　laced　with
rum；　〃but　the　American　he　is　the　bes'　to　play　~wiz~。〃　　Mellin
found　her　irresistible　when　she　said　〃wiz。〃

〃Why　is　that？〃

〃Oh；　the　Russian　play　high；　yesbut　the　American〃she　laughed
delightedly　and　stretched　her　arms　wide〃he　make'　it　all　a　joke！
He　is　beeg　like　his　beeg　country。　　If　he　win　or　lose；　he　don'　care！
Ah；　I　mus'　tell　you　of　my　great　American　frien'；　that　Honor…able
Chanlair　Pedlow；　who　is　comin'　to　Rome。　　You　have　heard　of
Honor…able　Chanlair　Pedlow　in　America？〃

〃I　remember　hearing　that　name。〃

〃Ah；　I　shall　make　you　know　him。　He　is　a　man　of　distinction；　he
did　sit　in　your　Chamber　of　Deputieswhat　you　call　it？yes；　your
Con…gress。　　　He　is　funny；　eccentricalways　he　roar　like　a　lion
Boum！but　so　simple；　so　good；　a　man　of　such　fine　heartso
lovable！〃

〃1'll　be　glad　to　meet　him；〃　said　Mellin　coldly。

〃An'；　oh；　yes；　I　almos'　forget　to　tell　you；〃　she　went　on；　〃your
frien'；　that　dear　Cooley；　he　is　on　his　way　from　Monte　Carlo　in
his　automobile。　I　have　a　note　from　him　to…day。〃

〃Good　sort　of　fellow；　little　Cooley；　in　his　way；〃　remarked　her
companion　graciously。　　〃Not　especially　intellectual　or　that；　you
know。　　His　father　was　a　manufacturer　chap；　I　believe；　or　something
of　the　sort。　　I　suppose　you　saw　a　lot　of　him　in　Paris？〃

〃Eh；　I　thought　he　is　dead！〃　cried　Madame　de　Vaurigard。

〃The　father　is。　　I　mean；　little　Cooley。〃

〃Oh；　yes；〃　she　laughed　softly。　　〃We　had　some　gay　times；　a　little
party　of　us。　　We　shall　be　happy　here；　too；　you　will　see。　　I　mus'
make　a　little　dinner　very　soon；　but　not　unless　you　will　come。　　You
will？〃

〃Do　you　want　me　very　much？〃

He　placed　his　empty　cup　on　the　table　and　leaned　closer　to　her；
smiling。　　She　did　not　smile　in　response；　instead；　her　eyes　fell
and　there　was　the　faintest；　pathetic　quiver　of　her　lower　lip。

〃Already　you　know　that；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice。

She　rose　quickly；　turned　away　from　him　and　walked　across　the　room
to　the　curtains　which　opened　upon　the　hall。　　One　of　these　she　drew
back。

〃My　frien'；　you　mus'　go　now；〃　she　said　in　the　same　low　voice。
〃To…morrow　I　will　see　you　again。　　Come　at　four　an'　you　shall　drive
with　mebut　notnot　more~now~。　　Please！〃

She　stood　waiting；　not　looking　at　him；　but　with　head　bent　and　eyes
veiled。　　As　he　came　near　she　put　out　a　limp　hand。　　He　held　it　for
a　few　seconds　of　distinctly　emotional　silence；　then　strode　swiftly
into　the　hall。

She　immediately　let　the　curtain　fall　behind　him；　and　as　he　got　his
hat　and　coat　he　heard　her　catch　her　breath　sharply　with　a　sound
like　a　little　sob。

Dazed　with　glory；　he　returned　to　the　hotel。　　In　the　lobby　he
approached　the　glittering　concierge　and　said　firmly：

〃What　is　the　Salone　Margherita？　　Cam　you　get　me　a　box　there
to…night？〃





IV。　　Good　Fellowship

He　confessed　his　wickedness　to　Madame　de　Vaurigard　the　next
afternoon　as　they　drove　out　the　Appian　Way。　　〃A　fellow　must　have
just　a　bit　of　a　fling；　you　know；〃　he　said；　〃and；　really；　Salone
Margherita　isn't　so　tremendously　wicked。〃

She　shook　her　head　at　him　in　friendly　raillery。　　〃Ah；　that　may　be；
but　how　many　of　those　little　dancing…girl'　have　you　invite　to
supper　afterward？〃

This　was　a　delicious　accusation；　and　though　he　shook　his　head　in
virtuous　denial　he　was　before　long　almost　convinced　that　he　~had~
given　a　rather　dashing　supper　after　the　vaudeville　and　had　~not~
gone　quietly　back　to　the　hotel；　only　stopping　by　the　way　to　purchase
an　orange　and　a　pocketful　of　horse…chestnuts　to　eat　in　his　room。

It　was　a　happy　drive　for　Robert　Russ　Mellin；　though　not　happier　than
that　of　the　next　day。　　Three　afternoons　they　spent　driving　over　the
Campagna；　then　back　to　Madame　de　Vaurigard's　apartment　for　tea　by
the　firelight；　till　the　enraptured　American　began　to　feel　that　the
dream　in　which　he　had　come　to　live　must　of　happy　necessity　last
forever。

On　the　fourth　afternoon；　as　he　stepped　out　of　the　hotel　elevator
into　the　corridor；　he　encountered　Mr。　Sneyd。

〃Just　stottin'；　eh？〃　said　the　Englishman；　taking　an　envelope　from
his　pocket。　　〃Lucky　I　caught　you。　　This　is　for　you。　　I　just　saw　the
Cantess　and　she　teold　me　to　give　it　you。　　Herry　and　read　it　and　kem
on　t'　the　Amairikin　Baw。　　Chap　I　want　you　to　meet。　　Eold　Cooley's
thyah　too。　　Gawt　in　with　his　tourin'…caw　at　noon。〃


　　〃You　will　forgive；　dear　friend；〃　wrote　Madame　de　Vaurigard；　〃if
　　I　ask　you　that　we　renounce　our　drive　to…day。　　You　see；　I　wish　to
　　have　that　little　dinner　to…night　and　must　make　preparation。
　　Honorable　Chandler　Pedlow　arrived　this　morning　from　Paris　and　that
　　droll　Mr。　Cooley　I　have　learn　is　coincidentally　arrived　also。　　You
　　see　I　think　it　would　be　very　pleasant　to　have　the　dinner　to　welcome
　　these　friends　on　their　arrival。　　You　will　come　surelyor　I　shall
　　be　so　truly　miserable。　　You　know　it　perhaps　too　well！　　We　shall
　　have　a　happy　evening　if　you　come　to　console　us　for　renouncing　our
　　drive。　　A　thousand　of　my　prettiest　wishes　for　you。
　　　　〃Helene。〃


The　signature　alone　consoled　him。　　To　have　that　note　from　her；　to
own　it；　was　like　having　one　of　her　gloves　or　her　fan。　　He　would
keep　it　forever；　he　thought；　indeed；　he　more　than　half　expressed　a
sentiment　to　that　effect　in　the　response　which　he　wrote　in　the
aquarium；　while　Sneyd　waited　for　him　at　a　table　near　by。　　The
Englishman　drew　certain　conclusions　in　regard　to　this　reply；　since
it　permitted　a　waiting　friend　to　consume　three　long　tumblers　of
brandy…and…soda　before　it　was　finished。　　However；　Mr。　Sneyd　kept
his　reflections　to　himself；　and；　when　the　epistle　had　been
dispatched　by　a　messenger；　took　the　American's　arm　and　led　him　to
the　〃American　Bar〃　of　the　hotel；　a　region　hitherto　unexplored　by
Mellin。

Leaning　against　the　bar　were　Cooley　and　the　man　whom　Mellin　had
seen　lolling　beside　Madame　de　Vaurigard　in　Cooley's　automobile　in
Paris；　the　same　gross　person　for　whom　he　had　instantly　conceived
a　strong　repugnance；　a　feeling　not　at　once　altered　by　a　closer
view。

Cooley　greeted　Mellin　uproariously　and　Mr。　Sneyd　introduced　the
fat　man。　　〃Mr。　Mellin；　the　Honorable　Chandler　Pedlow；〃　he　said；
nor　was　the　shock　to　the　first…named　gentleman　lessened　by　young
Cooley's　adding；　〃Best　feller　in　the　world！〃

Mr。　Pedlow's　eyes　were　sheltered　so　deeply　beneath　florid　rolls　of
flesh　that　all　one　saw　of　them　was　an　inscrutable　gleam　of　blue；
but；　small　though　they　were；　they　were　not　shifty；　for　they　met
Mellin's　with　a　squareness　that　was　almost　brutal。　　He　offered　a
fat　paw；　wet　by　a　full　glass　which　he　set　down　too　suddenly　on　the
bar。

〃Shake；〃　he　said；　in　a　loud　and　husky　voice；　〃and　be　friends！
Tommy；〃　he　added　to　the　attendant；　〃another　round　of　Martinis。〃

〃Not　for　me；〃　said　Mellin　hastily。　　〃I　don't　often〃

〃~What！~〃　Mr。　Pedlow　roared　suddenly。　　〃Why；　the　first　words
Countess　de　Vaurigard　says　to　me　this　afternoon　was；　'I　want　you
to　meet　my　young　friend　Mellin；'　she　says；　'the　gamest　little　Indian
that　ever　come　down　the　pike！　　He's　game；'　she　says'he'll　see　you
~all~　under　the　table！'　　That's　what　the　smartest　little　woman　in
the　world；　the　Countess　de　Vaurigard；　says　about　you。〃

This　did　not　seem　very　closely　to　echo　Madame　de　Vaurigard's　habit
of　phrasing；　but　Mellin　perceived　that　it　might　be　only　the　fat
man's　way　of　putting　things。

〃You　ain't　goin'　back　on　~her~；　are　you？〃　continued　Mr。　Pedlow。
〃You　ain't　goin'　to　make　her　out　a　liar？　　I　tell　you；　when　the
Countess　de　Vaurigard　says　a　man　's　game；　he　is　game！〃　　He　laid　his
big　paw　cordially　on　Mellin's　shoulder　and　smiled；　lowering　his
voice　to　a　friendly　whisper。　　〃And　I'll　bet　ten　thousand　dollars
right　out　of　my　pants　pocket　you　~are~　game；　too！〃

He　pressed　a　glass　into　the　other's　hand。　　Smiling　feebly；　the
embarrassed　Mellin　accepted　it。

〃Make　it　four　more；　Tommy；〃　said　Pedlow。　　〃And　here；〃　continued
this　thoughtful　man；　〃I　don't　go　bandying　no　ladies'　names　around
a　bar…roomthat　ain't　my　stylebut　I　do　want　to　propose　a　toast。
I　won't　name　her；　but　you　all　know　who　I　mean。〃

〃Sure　we　do；〃　interjected　Cooley　warmly。　　〃Queen！　　That's　what　she
is。〃

〃Here's　~to~　her；〃　continued　Mr。　Pedlow。　　〃Here's　to　herbrightest
and　bestand　no　heel…taps！　　And　now　let's　set　down　over　in　the
corner　and　take　it　easy。　　It　ain't　hardly　five　o'clock　yet；　and　we
can　set　here　comfortable；　gittin'　ready　for　dinner；　until　half…past
six；　anyway。〃

Whereupon　the　four　seated　themselves　about　a　tabouret　in　the　corner；
and；　a　waiter　immediately　bringing　them　four　fresh　glasses　from　the
bar；　Mellin　began　to　understand　what　Mr。　Pedlow　meant　by　〃gittin'
ready　for　dinner。〃　　The　burden　of　the　conversation　was　carried
almost　entirely　by　the　Honorable　Chandler；　though　Cooley；　whose
boyish　face　was　deeply　flushed；　now　and　then　managed　to　interrupt
by　talking　louder　than　the　fat　man。　　Mr。　Sneyd　sat　silent。

〃Good　ole　Sneyd；〃　said　Pedlow。　　〃~He~　never　talks；　jest　saws　wood。
Only　Britisher　I　ever　liked。　　Plays　cards　like　a　goat。〃

〃He　played　a　mighty　good