the white moll-第2节

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home。　　And　then　the　sphere　of　her　activities　had　broadened；　slowly
at　first；　not　through　any　preconceived　intention　on　her　part；　but
naturally；　and　as　almost　an　inevitable　corollary　consequent　upon
her　relations　with　the　Bussard　and　his　ill…fortuned　family。

The　Bussard's　circle　of　intimates　was　amongst　those　who　lay　outside
the　law；　those　who　gambled　for　their　livelihood　by　staking　their
wits；　to　win　against　the　toils　of　the　police；　and　so；　more　and　more；
she　had　come　into　close　and　intimate　contact　with　the　criminal
element　of　New　York；　until　to…day；　throughout　its　length　and　breadth；
she　was　known；　and；　she　had　reason　to　believe；　was　loved　and　trusted
by　every　crook　in　the　underworld。　　It　was　a　strange　eulogy；
self…pronounced！　　But　it　was　none　the　less　true。　　Then；　she　had
been　Rhoda　Gray；　now；　even　the　Bussard；　doubtless；　had　forgotten
her　name　in　the　one　with　which　he　himself；　at　that　queer　baptismal
font　of　crimeland；　had　christened　her　…　the　White　Moll。　　It　even
went　further　than　that。　　It　embraced　what　might　be　called　the
entourage　of　the　underworld；　the　police　and　the　social　workers　with
whom　she　inevitably　came　in　contact。　　These；　too；　had　long　known
her　as　the　White　Moll；　and　had　come；　since　she　had　volunteered　no
further　information；　tacitly　to　accept　her　as　such；　and　nothing　more。

Again　she　shook　her　head。　　It　wasn't　altogether　a　normal　life。　　She
was　only　a　woman；　with　all　the　aspirations　of　a　woman；　with　all　the
yearning　of　youth　for　its　measure　of　gayety　and　pleasure。　　True；　she
had　not　made　a　recluse　of　herself　outside　her　work；　but；　equally；
on　the　other　hand；　she　had　not　made　any　intimate　friends　in　her　own
station　in　life。　　She　had　never　purposed　continuing　indefinitely　the
work　she　was　doing；　nor　did　she　now；　but；　little　by　little；　it　had
forced　its　claims　upon　her　until　those　claims　were　not　easy　to
ignore。　　Even　though　the　circumstances　in　which　her　father　had　left
her　were　barely　more　than　sufficient　for　a　modest　little　flat　uptown；
there　was　still　always　a　little　surplus；　and　that　surplus　counted
in　certain　quarters　for　very　much　indeed。　　But　it　wasn't　only　that。
The　small　amount　of　money　that　she　was　able　to　spend　in　that　way
had　little　to　do　with　it。　　The　bonds　which　linked　her　to　the　sordid
surroundings　that　she　had　come　to　know　so　well　were　stronger　far
than　that。　　There　wasn't　any　money　involved　in　this　visit；　for
instance；　that　she　was　going　now　to　make　to　Gypsy　Nan。　　Gypsy　Nan
was。。。

Rhoda　Gray　had　halted　before　the　doorway　of　a　small；　hovel…like；
two…story　building　that　was　jammed　in　between　two　tenements；　which；
relatively；　in　their　own　class；　were　even　more　disreputable　than
was　the　little　frame　house　itself。　　A　secondhand…clothes　store
occupied　a　portion　of　the　ground　floor；　and　housed　the　proprietor
and　his　family　as　well；　permitting　the　rooms　on　the　second　floor
to　be　〃rented　out〃；　the　garret　above　was　the　abode　of　Gypsy　Nan。

There　was　a　separate　entrance；　apart　from　that　into　the
secondhand…clothes　store；　and　she　pushed　this　door　open　and　stepped
forward　into　an　absolutely　black　and　musty…smelling　hallway。　　By
feeling　with　her　hands　along　the　wall　she　reached　the　stairs　and
began　to　make　her　way　upward。　　She　had　found　Gypsy　Nan　last　night
huddled　in　the　lower　doorway；　and　apparently　in　a　condition　that
was　very　much　the　worse　for　wear。　　She　had　stopped　and　helped　the
woman　upstairs　to　her　garret；　whereupon　Gypsy　Nan；　in　language　far
more　fervent　than　elegant；　had　ordered　her　to　begone；　and　had
slammed　the　door　in　her　face。

Rhoda　Gray　smiled　a　little　wearily；　as；　on　the　second　floor　now；
she　groped　her　way　to　the　rear；　and　began　to　mount　a　short；
ladder…like　flight　of　steps　to　the　attic。　　Gypsy　Nan's　lack　of
cordiality　did　not　absolve　her；　Rhoda　Gray；　from　coming　back
to…night　to　see　how　the　woman　was　…　to　crowd　one　more　visit　on　her
already　over…expanded　list。　　She　had　never　had　any　personal
knowledge　of　Gypsy　Nan　before；　but；　in　a　sense；　the　woman　was　no
stranger　to　her。　　Gypsy　Nan　was　a　character　known　far　and　wide
in　the　under…world　as　one　possessing　an　insatiable　and　unquenchable
thirst。　　As　to　who　she　was；　or　what　she　was；　or　where　she　got　her
money　for　the　gin　she　bought；　it　was　not　in　the　ethics　of　the　Bad
Lands　to　inquire。　　She　was　just　Gypsy　Nan。　　So　that　she　did　not
obtrude　herself　too　obviously　upon　their　notice；　the　police
suffered　her；　so　that　she　gave　the　underworld　no　reason　for
complaint；　the　underworld　accepted　her　at　face　value　as　one　of　its
own！

There　was　no　hallway　here　at　the　head　of　the　ladder…like　stairs；
just　a　sort　of　narrow　platform　in　front　of　the　attic　door。　　Rhoda
Gray；　groping　out　with　her　hands　again；　felt　for　the　door；　and
knocked　softly　upon　it。　　There　was　no　answer。　　She　knocked　again。
Still　receiving　no　reply；　she　tried　the　door；　found　it　unlocked；
and；　opening　it；　stood　for　an　instant　on　the　threshold。　　A　lamp；
almost　empty；　ill…trimmed　and　smoking　badly；　stood　on　a　chair
beside　a　cheap　iron　bed；　it　threw　a　dull；　yellow　glow　about　its
immediate　vicinity；　and　threw　the　remainder　of　the　garret　into
deep；　impenetrable　shadows；　but　also　it　disclosed　the　motionless
form　of　a　woman　on　the　bed。

Rhoda　Gray's　eyes　darkened；　as　she　closed　the　door　behind　her；
and　stepped　quickly　forward　to　the　bedside。　　For　a　moment　she
stood　looking　down　at　the　recumbent　figure；　at　the　matted　tangle
of　gray…streaked　brown　hair　that　straggled　across　a　pillow　which
was　none　too　clean；　at　the　heavy…lensed；　old…fashioned；　steel…bowed
spectacles；　awry　now；　that　were　still　grotesquely　perched　on　the
woman's　nose；　at　the　sallow　face；　streaked　with　grime　and　dirt；　as
though　it　had　not　been　washed　for　months；　at　a　hand；　as　ill…cared
for；　which　lay　exposed　on　the　torn　blanket　that　did　duty　for　a
counterpane；　at　the　dirty　shawl　that　enveloped　the　woman's　shoulders；
and　which　was　tightly　fastened　around　Gypsy　Nan's　neck…and　from　the
woman　her　eyes　shifted　to　an　empty　bottle　on　the　floor　that
protruded　from　under　the　bed。

〃Nan！〃　she　called　sharply；　and；　stooping　over；　shook　the　woman's
shoulder。　　〃Nan！〃　she　repeated。　　There　was　something　about　the
woman's　breathing　that　she　did　not　like；　something　in　the　queer；
pinched　condition　of　the　other's　face　that　suddenly　frightened
her。　　〃Nan！〃　she　called　again。

Gypsy　Nan　opened　her　eyes；　stared　for　a　moment　dully；　then；　in　a
curiously　quick；　desperate　way；　jerked　herself　up　on　her　elbow。

〃Youse　get　t'hell　outer　here！〃　she　croaked。　　〃Get　out！〃

〃I　am　going　to；〃　said　Rhoda　Gray　evenly。　　〃And　I'm　going　at　once。〃
She　turned　abruptly　and　walked　toward　the　door。　　〃I'm　going　to
get　a　doctor。　　You've　gone　too　far　this　time；　Nan；　and　…〃

〃No；　youse　don't！〃　Gypsy　Nan　s　voice　rose　in　a　sudden　scream。　　She
sat　bolt　upright　in　bed；　and　pulled　a　revolver　out　from　under　the
coverings。　　〃Youse　don't　bring　no　doctor　here！　　See！　　Youse　put
a　finger　on　dat　door；　an'　it　won't　be　de　door　youse'1l　go　out　by！〃

Rhoda　Gray　did　not　move。

〃Nan；　put　that　revolver　down！〃　she　ordered　quietly。　　〃You　don't
know　what　you　are　doing。〃

〃Don't！？〃　leered　Gypsy　Nan。　　The　revolver　held；　swaying　a　little
unsteadily；　on　Rhoda　Gray。　　There　was　silence　for　a　moment；　then
Gypsy　Nan　spoke　again；　evidently　through　dry　lips；　for　she　wet　them
again　and　again　with　her　tongue：　〃Say；　youse　are　de　White　Moll；
ain't　youse？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Rhoda　Gray。

Gypsy　Nan　appeared　to　ponder　this　for　an　instant。

〃Well　den；　come　back　here　an'　sit　down　on　de　foot　of　de　bed；〃
she　commanded　finally。

Rhoda　Gray　obeyed　without　hesitation。　　There　was　nothing　to　do
but　humor　the　woman　in　her　present　state；　a　state　that　seemed　one
bordering　on　delirium　and　complete　collapse。

〃Nan；〃　she　said；　〃you　…〃

〃De　White　Moll！〃　mumbled　Gypsy　Nan。　　〃I　wonder　if　de　dope　dey　hands
out　about　youse　is　all　on　de　level？　　My　Gawd；　I　wonder　if　wot　dey
says　is　true？〃

〃What　do　they　say？〃　asked　Rhoda　Gray　gently。

Gypsy　Nan　lay　back　on　her　pillow　as　though　her　strength；　over…taxed；
had　failed　her；　her　hand；　though　it　still　clutched　the　revolver；
seemed　to　have　been　dragged　down　by　the　weapon's　weight；　and　now
rested　upon　the　blanket。

〃Dey　say；〃　said　Gypsy　Nan　slowly；　〃dat　youse　knows　more　on　de
inside　here　dan　anybody　else　…　t'ings　youse　got　from　de　spacers'
molls；　an'　from　de　dips　demselves　when　youse　was　lendin'　dem　a
hand；　dey　say　dere　ain't　many　youse　couldn't　send　up　de　river　just
by　liftin'　yer　finger；　but　dat　youse're　straight；　an'　dat　youse've
kept　yer　map　closed；　an'　dat　youse'　re　safe。〃

Rhoda　Gray's　dark　eyes　softened；　as　she　leaned　forward　and　laid　a
hand　gently　over　the　one　of　Gypsy　Nan　that　held　the　revolver。

〃It　couldn't　be　any　other　way；　could　it；　Nan？〃　she　said　simply。

〃Wot　yer　after？〃　demanded　Gypsy　Nan；　with　sudden　mockery。　　〃De　gun？
Well；　take　it！〃　She　let　go　her　hold　of　the　weapon。　　〃But　don't　kid
yerself　dat　youse're　kiddin'　me　into　givin'　it　to　youse　because
youse　have　got　a　pretty　smile　an'　a　sweet　voice！　　Savvy？　　　I〃　…　she
choked　suddenly；　and　caught　at　her　throat　…　〃I　guess　youse're　de
only　chance　I　got…dat's　all。〃

〃That's　better；〃　said　Rhoda　Gray　encouragingly。　　〃And　now　you'll
let　me　go　and　get　a　doctor；　won't　you；　Nan？〃

〃Wait！〃　said