his own people-第8节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


blue　paper；　closed　down　once　more；　and　again　liftedout…of…doors
this　timeto　show　him　a　lunatic　ballet　of　moons　dancing　streakily
upon　the　horizon。

He　heard　himself　say　quite　clearly；　〃All　right；　old　man；　thank　you；
but　don't　bother　about　me；〃　to　a　pallid　but　humorous　Cooley　in
evening　clothes；　the　fog　thickened；　oblivion　closed　upon　him　for
a　seeming　second。。。。




VII。　　The　Next　Morning

Suddenly　he　sat　up　in　bed　in　his　room　at　the　Magnifique；　gazing　upon
a　disconsolate　Cooley　in　gray　tweeds　who　sat　heaped　in　a　chair　at
the　foot　of　the　bed　with　his　head　in　his　hands。

Mellin's　first　sensation　was　of　utter　mystification；　his　second
was　more　corporeal：　　the　consciousness　of　physical　misery；　of
consuming　fever；　of　aches　that　ran　over　his　whole　body；　converging
to　a　dreadful　climax　in　his　head；　of　a　throat　so　immoderately
partched　it　seemed　to　crackle；　and　a　thirst　so　avid　it　was　a
passion。　　His　eye　fell　upon　a　carafe　of　water　on　a　chair　at　his
bedside；　he　seized　upon　it　with　a　shaking　hand　and　drank　half　its
contents　before　he　set　it　down。　　The　action　attracted　his
companion's　attention　and　he　looked　up；　showing　a　pale　and
haggard　countenance。

〃How　do　you　feel？〃　inquired　Cooley　with　a　wan　smile。

Mellin's　head　dropped　back　upon　the　pillow　and　he　made　one　or　two
painful　efforts　to　speak　before　he　succeeded　in　finding　a　ghastly
semblance　of　his　voice。

〃I　thought　I　was　at　Madame　de　Vaurigard's。〃

〃You　were；〃　said　the　other；　adding　grimly：　　〃We　both　were。〃

〃But　that　was　only　a　minute　ago。〃

〃It　was　six　hours　ago。　　It's　goin'　on　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning。〃

〃I　don't　understand　how　that　can　be。　　How　did　I　get　here？〃

〃I　brought　you。　　I　was　pretty　bad；　but　youI　never　saw　anything
like　you！　　From　the　time　you　kissed　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke〃

Mellin　sat　bolt　upright　in　bed；　staring　wildly。　　He　began　to
tremble　violently。

〃Don't　you　remember　that？〃　asked　Cooley。

Suddenly　he　did。　　The　memory　of　it　came　with　inexorable　clarity；　he
crossed　forearms　over　his　horror…stricken　face　and　fell　back　upon
his　pillow。

〃Oh；〃　he　gasped。　　〃Un…speakable！　　Un…speakable！〃

〃Lord！　　Don't　worry　about　that！　　I　don't　think　she　minded。〃

〃It's　the　thought　of　Madame　de　Vaurigardit　kills　me！　　The　horror
of　itthat　I　should　do　such　a　thing　in　her　house！　　She'll　never
speak　to　me　again；　she　oughtn't　to；　she　ought　to　send　her　groom　to
beat　me！　　You　can't　think　what　I've　lost〃

〃Can't　I！〃　　Mr。　Cooley　rose　from　his　chair　and　began　to　pace　up　and
down　the　chamber。　　〃I　can　guess　to　within　a　thousand　francs　of　what
~I~'ve　lost！　　I　had　to　get　the　hotel　to　cash　a　check　on　New　York
for　me　this　morning。　　I've　a　habit　of　carrying　all　my　money　in
bills；　and　a　fool　trick；　too。　　Well；　I'm　cured　of　it！〃

〃Oh；　if　it　were　only　a　little　~money~　and　nothing　else　that　I'd
lost！　　The　money　means　nothing。〃　　Mellin　choked。

〃I　suppose　you're　pretty　well　fixed。　　Well；　so　am　I；〃　Cooley　shook
his　head；　〃but　money　certainly　means　something　to　me！〃

〃It　wouldn't　if　you'd　thrown　away　the　most　precious　friendship　of
your　life。〃

〃See　here；〃　said　Cooley；　halting　at　the　foot　of　the　bed　and　looking
at　his　stricken　companion　from　beneath　frowning　brows；　〃I　guess　I
can　see　how　it　is　with　you；　and　I'll　tell　you　frankly　it's　been　the
same　with　me。　　I　never　met　such　a　fascinating　woman　in　my　life：　she
throws　a　reg'ler　ole…fashioned　~spell~　over　you！　　Now　I　hate　to　say
it；　but　I　can't　help　it；　because　it　plain　hits　me　in　the　face　every
time　I　think　of　it；　the　truth　iswell；　sir；　I'm　afraid　you　and　me
have　had　little　red　soldier…coats　and　caps　put　on　us　and　strings
tied　to　our　belts　while　we　turned　somersets　for　the　children。〃

〃I　don't　understand。　　I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。〃

〃No？　　It　seems　to　get　more　and　more　simple　to　me。　　I've　been
thinking　it　all　over　and　over　again。　　I　can't　~help~　it！　　See　here：
I　met　Sneyd　on　the　steamer；　without　any　introduction。　　He　sort　of
warmed　into　the　game　in　the　smoking…room；　and　he　won　straight　along
the　trip。　　He　called　on　me　in　London　and　took　me　to　meet　the
Countess　at　her　hotel。　　We　three　went　to　the　theatre　and　lunch　and
so　forth　a　few　times；　and　when　I　left　for　Paris　she　turned　up　on
the　way：　　that's　when　you　met　her。　　Couple　of　days　later；　Sneyd
came　over；　and　he　and　the　Countess　introduced　me　to　dear　ole　friend
Pedlow。　　So　you　see；　I　don't　rightly　even　know　who　any　of　'em　really
~are~：　　just　took　'em　for　granted；　as　it　were。　　　We　had　lots　of　fun；
I　admit　that；　honkin'　about　in　my　car。　　We　only　played　cards　once；
and　that　was　in　her　apartment　the　last　night　before　I　left　Paris；
but　that　one　time　Pedlow　won　fifteen　thousand　francs　from　me。　When
I　told　them　my　plans；　how　I　was　goin'　to　motor　down　to　Rome；　she
said　~she~　would　be　in　Romeand；　I　tell　you；　I　was　happy　as　a
poodle…pup　about　it。　　Sneyd　said　he　might　be　in　Rome　along　about
then；　and　open…hearted　ole　Pedlow　said　not　to　be　surprised　if　~he~
turned　up；　too。　　Well；　he　did；　almost　to　the　minute；　and　in　the
meantime　she'd　got　~you~　hooked　on；　fine　and　tight。〃

〃I　don't　understand　you；〃　　Mellin　lifted　himself　painfully　on　an
elbow。　　〃I　don't　know　what　you're　getting　at；　but　it　seems　to　me
that　you're　speaking　disrespectfully　of　an　angel　that　I've　insulted；
and　I〃

〃Now　see　here；　Mellin；　I'll　tell　you　something。〃　　The　boy's　white
face　showed　sudden　color　and　there　was　a　catch　in　his　voice。　　〃I
wasI've　been　mighty　near　in　~love~　with　that　woman！　　But　I've　had
a　kind　of　a　shock；　I've　got　my　common…sense　back；　and　I'm　~not~；　any
more。　　I　don't　know　exactly　how　much　money　I　had；　but　it　was　between
thirty…five　and　thirty…eight　thousand　francs；　and　Sneyd　won　it　all
after　we　took　off　the　limitover　seven　thousand　dollarsat　her
table　last　night。　　Putting　two　and　two　together；　honestly　it　looks
bad。　　It　looks　~mighty~　bad！　　Now；　I'm　pretty　well　fixed；　and
yesterday　I　didn't　care　whether　school　kept　or　not；　but　seven
thousand　dollars　is　real　money　to　anybody！　　My　old　man　worked　pretty
hard　for　his　first　seven　thousand；　I　guess；　and〃he　gulped〃he'd
think　a　lot　of　me　for　lettin'　go　of　it　the　way　I　did　last　night；
~wouldn't~　he？　　You　never　~see~　things　like　this　till　the　next
morning！　　And　you　remember　that　other　woman　sat　where　she　could　see
every　hand　~you~　drew；　and　the　Countess〃

〃Stop！〃　　Mellin　flung　one　arm　up　violently；　striking　the　headboard
with　his　knuckles。　　〃I　won't　hear　a　syllable　against　Madame　de
Vaurigard！〃　　Young　Cooley　regarded　him　steadily　for　a　moment。
〃Have　you　remembered　yet；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃how　much　~you~　lost
last　night？〃

〃I　only　remember　that　I　behaved　like　an　unspeakable　boor　in　the
presence　of　the　divinest　creature　that　ever〃

Cooley　disregarded　the　outburst；　and　said：

〃When　we　settled；　you　had　a　pad　of　express　company　checks　worth
six　hundred　dollars。　　You　signed　all　of　'em　and　turned　'em　over
to　Sneyd　with　three　one…hundred…lire　bills；　which　was　all　the　cash
you　had　with　you。　　Then　you　gave　him　your　note　for　twelve　thousand
francs　to　be　paid　within　three　days。　　You　made　a　great　deal　of
fuss　about　its　being　a　'debt　of　honor。'〃　　He　paused。　　〃You　hadn't
remembered　that；　had　you？〃

Mellin　had　closed　his　eyes。　　He　lay　quite　still　and　made　no　answer。

〃No；　I'll　bet　you　hadn't；〃　said　Cooley；　correctly　deducing　the　fact。
〃You're　well　off；　or　you　wouldn't　be　at　this　hotel；　and；　for　all　I
know；　you　may　be　fixed　so　you　won't　mind　your　loss　as　much　as　I　do
mine；　but　it　ought　to　make　you　kind　of　charitable　toward　my
suspicions　of　Madame　de　Vaurigard's　friends。〃

The　six　hundred　dollars　in　express　company　checks　and　the　three
hundred…lire　bills　were　all　the　money　the　unhappy　Mellin　had　in
the　world；　and　until　he　could　return　to　Cranston　and　go　back　to
work　in　the　real…estate　office　again；　he　had　no　prospect　of　any
more。　　He　had　not　even　his　steamer　ticket。　　In　the　shock　of　horror
and　despair　he　whispered　brokenly：

〃I　don't　care　if　they　're　the　worst　people　in　the　world；　they're
better　than　I　am！〃

The　other's　gloom　cleared　a　little　at　this。　　〃Well；　you　~have~　got
it！〃　he　exclaimed　briskly。　　〃You　don't　know　how　different　you'll
feel　after　a　long　walk　in　the　open　air。〃　　He　looked　at　his　watch。
〃I've　got　to　go　and　see　what　that　newspaper…man；　Cornish；　wants；
it's　ten　o'clock。　　I'll　be　back　after　a　while；　I　want　to　reason
this　out　with　you。　　I　don't　deny　but　it's　possible　I'm　wrong；
anyway；　you　think　it　over　while　I'm　gone。　　You　take　a　good　hard
think；　will　you？〃

As　he　closed　the　door；　Mellin　slowly　drew　the　coverlet　over　his
head。　　It　was　as　if　he　covered　the　face　of　some　one　who　had
just　died。




VIII。　　What　Cornish　Knew


Two　hours　passed　before　young　Cooley　returned。　He　knocked　twice
without　a　reply；　then　he　came　in。

The　coverlet　was　still　over　Mellin's　head。

〃Asleep？〃　asked　Cooley。

〃No。〃

The　coverlet　was　removed　by　a　shaking　hand。

〃Murder！〃　exclaimed　Cooley　sympathetically；　at　sight　of　the　other's
face。　　〃A　night　off　certainly　does　things　to　you！　　Better　let　me　get
you　some〃

〃No。　　I'll　be　all　rightafter　while。〃

〃Then　I'll　go　right　ahead　with　our　little　troubles。　　I've　decided
to　leave　for　Paris　by　the　one…thirty　and　haven't　got　a　whole　lot
of　time。　　Cornish　is　here　with　me　in　the　hall：　h