the white moll-第24节

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He　was　frankly　a　thief；　wasn't　he？　　And　he　was　at　his　pitiful
calling　now　…　down　to　the　lowest　dregs　of　it。　　What　else　did　she
expect？　　Because　he　had　the　appearance　of　a　gentleman；　was　it　that
her　sense　of　gratitude　for　what　she　owed　him　had　made　her；　deep
down　in　her　soul；　actually　cherish　the　belief　that　he　really　was
one　…　made　her　hope　it；　and　nourish　that　hope　into　belief？　　Tighter
her　hand　clenched。　　Her　lips　parted；　and　her　breath　came　in　short；
hard　inhalations。　　Was　it　true？　　Was　it　all　only　an　added　misery；
where　it　had　seemed　there　could　be　none　to　add　to　her　life　in　these
last　few　days？　　Was　it　true　that　there　was　no　price　she　would　not
have　paid　to　have　found　him　in　any　role　but　this　abased　one　that
he　was　playing　now？

The　Adventurer　broke　the　silence。

〃Quite　so；　my　dear　Mr。　Viner！〃　he　agreed　smoothly。　　〃It　would　appear；
then；　from　what　you　say　that　I　have　been　mistaken　…　even　stupidly　so；
I　am　afraid。　　And　in　that　case；　I　can　only　apologize　for　my　intrusion；
and；　as　you　so　delicately　put　it；　get　out。〃　　He　slipped　the　papers；
with　a　philosophic　shrug　of　his　shoulders；　into　his　inside　coat
pocket；　and　took　a　backward　step　toward　the　door。　　〃I　bid　you
good…night；　then；　Mr。　Viner。　　The　papers；　as　you　state；　are　doubtless
of　no　value　to　you；　so　you　can；　of　course；　have　no　objection　to　my
handing　them　over　to　the　police；　who　…〃

〃No；　no！　　Wait！　　Wait！〃　the　other　whispered　wildly。　　〃Wait！〃

〃Ah！〃　murmured　the　Adventurer。

〃I　…　I'll〃　…　the　bent　old　figure　was　clawing　at　his　beard　…　〃I'll　…〃

〃Buy　them？〃　suggested　the　Adventurer　pleasantly。

〃Yes；　I'll　…　I'll　buy　them。　　I　…　I've　got　a　little　money；　only　a
little；　all　I've　been　able　to　save　in　years；　a　…　a　hundred　dollars。

〃How　much　did　you　say？〃　inquired　the　Adventurer　coldly。

〃Two　hundred。〃　　The　voice　was　a　maudlin　whine。

The　Adventurer　took　another　backward　step　toward　the　door。

〃Three　hundred！〃

Another　step。

〃Five　…　a　thousand！〃

The　Adventurer　laughed　suddenly。

〃That's　better！〃　he　said。　　〃Where　you　keep　a　thousand；　you　keep　the
rest。　　Where　is　the　thousand；　Mr。　Viner？〃

The　bent　figure　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then；　with　what　sounded　like
a　despairing　cry；　pointed　to　the　table。

〃It's　there；〃　he　whimpered。　　〃God's　curses　on　you；　for　the　thief
you　are。〃

Rhoda　Gray　found　her　eyes　fixed　in　sudden；　strained　fascination　on
the　table　…　as；　she　imagined；　the　Adventurer's　were　too。　　It　was
bare　of　any　covering；　nor　were　there　any　articles　on　its　surface；
nor；　as　far　as　she　could　see；　was　there　any　drawer。　　And　now　the
Adventurer；　his　right　hand　still　in　his　coat　pocket；　and　bulging
there　where　she　knew　quite　well　it　grasped　his　revolver；　stepped
abruptly　to　the　table；　facing　the　other　with　the　table　between　them。

The　bent　old　figure　still　hesitated；　and　then；　with　the　despairing
cry　again；　grasped　at　the　top　of　the　table；　and　jerked　it　toward
him。　　The　surface　seemed　to　slide　sideways　a　little　way；　a　matter
of　two　or　three　inches；　and　then　stick　there；　but　the　Adventurer；
in　an　instant；　had　thrust　the　fingers　of　his　left　hand　into　the
crevice。　　He　drew　out　a　number　of　loose　banknotes；　and　thrust
his　fingers　in　again　for　a　further　supply。

〃Open　it　wider！〃　he　commanded　curtly。

〃I　…　I'm　trying　to；〃　the　other　mumbled；　and　bent　down　to　peer　under
the　table。　　〃It's　stuck。　　The　catch　is　underneath；　and　…〃

It　seemed　to　Rhoda　Gray；　gazing　into　that　dimly　lighted　room；　as
though　she　were　suddenly　held　spellbound　as　in　some　horrible　and
amazing　trance。　　Like　a　hideous　jack…in…the…box　the　gray　head　popped
above　the　level　of　the　table　again；　and　quick　as　a　flash；　a　revolver
was　thrust　into　the　Adventurer's　face；　and　the　Adventurer；　caught　at
a　disadvantage；；　since　his　hand　in　his　coat　pocket　was　below　the
intervening　table　top；　stood　there　as　though　instantaneously
transformed　into　some　motionless；　inanimate　thing；　his　fingers　still
gripping　at　another　sheaf　of　banknotes　that　he　had　been　in　the　act
of　scooping　out　from　the　narrow　aperture。

And　then　again　Rhoda　Gray　stared；　and　stared　now　as　though　bereft
of　her　senses；　and　upon　her　crept；　cold　and　deadly；　a　fear　and　a
terror　that　seemed　to　engulf　her　very　soul　itself。　　That　head　that
looked　like　a　jack…in…the…box　was　gone；　the　gray　beard　seemed
suddenly　to　be　shorn　away；　and　the　gray　hair　too；　and　to　fall　and
flutter　to　the　table；　and　the　bent　shoulders　were　not　bent　any　more；
and　it　wasn't　Nicky　Viner　at　all　…　only　a　clever；　a　wonderfully
clever；　impersonation　that　had　been　helped　out　by　the　poor　and
meager　light。　　And　terror　gripped　at　her　again；　for　it　wasn't　Nicky
Viner。　　Those　narrowed　eyes；　that　leering；　gloating　face；　those
working　lips　were　Danglar's。

And；　as　from　some　far　distance；　dulled　because　her　consciousness
was　dulled；　she　heard　Danglar　speak。

〃Perhaps　you'll　take　your　hand　out　of　that　right…hand　coat　pocket
of　yours　now！〃　sneered　Danglar。　　〃And　take　it　out　…　empty！〃

The　Adventurer's　face；　as　nearly　as　Rhoda　Gray　could　see；　had　not
moved　a　muscle。　　He　obeyed　now；　coolly；　with　a　shrug　of　his
shoulders。

Danglar　appeared　to　experience　no　further　trouble　with　the　surface
of　the　table　now。　　He　suddenly　jerked　it　almost　off；　displaying
what　Rhoda　Gray　now　knew　to　be　the　remainder　of　the　large　package
of　banknotes　he　had　taken　from　the　garret　earlier　in　the　evening。

〃Help　yourself　to　the　rest！〃　he　invited　caustically。　　〃There　isn't
fifty　thousand　there；　but　you　are　quite　welcome　to　all　there　is　…　in
return　for　those　papers。

The　Adventurer　was　apparently　obsessed　with　an　inspection　of　his
finger　nails；　he　began　to　polish　those　of　one　hand　with　the　palm
of　the　other。

〃Quite　so；　Danglar！〃　he　said　coolly。　　〃I　admit　it　…　I　am　ashamed
of　myself。　　I　hate　to　think　that　I　could　be　caught　by　you；　but　I
suppose　I　can　find　some　self…extenuating　circumstances。　　You　seem　
o　have　risen　to　an　amazingly　higher　order　of　intelligence。　　In　fact；
for　you；　Danglar；　it　is　not　at　all　bad！〃　　He　went　on　polishing　his
nails。　　〃Would　you　mind　taking　that　thing　out　of　my　face？　　Even　you
ought　to　be　able　to　handle　it　effectively　a　few　inches　farther　away。〃

Under　the　studied　insult　Danglar's　face　had　grown　a　mottled　red。

〃Damn　you！〃　he　snarled。　　〃I'll　take　it　away　when　I　get　good　and
ready；　and　by　that　time　I'll　have　you　talking　out　of　the　other　side
of　your　mouth！　　See？　Do　you　know　what　you're　up　against；　you　slick
dude？〃

〃I　have　a　fairly　good　imagination；〃　replied　the　Adventurer　smoothly。

〃You　have；　eh？〃　mimicked　Danglar　wickedly。　　〃Well；　you　don't　need
to　imagine　anything！　　I'll　give　you　the　straight　goods　so's　there
won't　be　any　chance　of　a　mistake。　　And　never　mind　about　the　higher
order　of　intelligence！　　It　was　high　enough；　and　a　little　to　spare；
to　make　you　walk　into　the　trap！　　I　hoped　I'd　get　you　both；　you　and
your　she…pal；　the　White　Moll；　that　you'd　come　here　together　…　but
I'm　not　kicking。　　It's　a　pretty　good　start　to　get　you！〃

〃Is　it　necessary　to　make　a　speech？〃　complained　the　Adventurer
monotonously。　　〃I　can't　help　listening；　of　course。〃

〃You　can　make　up　your　mind　for　yourself　when　I'm　through　…　whether
it's　necessary　or　not！〃　retorted　Danglar　viciously。　　〃I've　got　a
little　proposition　to　put　up　to　you；　and　maybe　it'll　help　you　to
add　two　and　two　together　if　I　let　you　see　all　the　cards。　　Understand？
You've　had　your　run　of　luck　lately；　quite　a　bit　of　it；　haven't　you；
you　and　the　White　Moll？　　Well；　it's　my　turn　now！　　You've　been
queering　our　game　to　the　limit；　curse　you！〃　　Danglar　thrust　his
working　face　a　little　farther　over　the　table；　and　nearer　to　the
Adventurer。　　〃Well；　what　was　the　answer？　　Where　did　you　get　the　dope
you　made　your　plays　with？　　It　was　a　cinch；　wasn't　it；　that　there　was
a　leak　somewhere　in　our　own　crowd？〃　　He　laughed　out　suddenly。　　〃You
poor　fool！　　Did　you　think　you　could　pull　that　sort　of　stuff　forever？
Did　you？　　Well；　then；　how　do　you　like　the　'leak'　to…night？　　You　get
the　idea；　don't　you？　　Everybody；　every　last　soul　that　is　in　with　us；
got　the　details　of　what　they　thought　was　a　straight　play　to…night
…　and　it　leaked　to　you；　as　I　knew　it　would；　and　you　walked　into　the
trap；　as　I　knew　you　would；　because　the　bait　was　good　and　juicy；　and
looked　the　easiest　thing　to　annex　that　ever　happened。　　Fifty　thousand
dollars！　　Fifty　thousand　…　nothing！　　All　you　had　to　do　was　to　get　a
few　papers　that　it　wouldn't　bother　any　crook　to　get；　even　a　near
…　crook　like　you；　and　then　come　here　and　screw　the　money　out　of　a
helpless　old　man；　who　was　supposed　to　have　been　discovered　to　be　a
miser。　　Easy；　wasn't　it？　　Only　Nicky　Viner　wasn't　a　miser！　　We　chose
Nicky　because　of　what　happened　two　years　ago。　　It　made　things　look
pretty　near　right；　didn't　it？　　Looked　straight；　that　part　about
Perlmer；　too；　didn't　it？　　That　was　the　come…on。　　Perlmer　never　saw
those　papers　you've　got　there　in　your　pocket。　　I　doped　them　out；
and　we　planted　them　nice　and　handy　where　you　could　get　them　without
much　trouble　in　the　drawer　of　Perlmer's　desk；　and　…〃

〃It's　a　long　story；〃　interrupted　the　Adventurer；　with　quiet
insolence。

〃It's　got　a　short　ending；〃　said　Danglar；　with　an　ugly　leer。　　〃We
could　have　bumped　you　off　when　you　went　for　those　papers；　but　if
you　went　that　far　you