one basket(一个篮子)-第8节
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mother had an eye on society。
That did away with Jo's Thursday dinners。 Then Stell's husband
bought a car。 They went out into the country every Sunday。 Stell said it
was getting so that maids objected to Sunday dinners； anyway。 Besides；
they were unhealthful； old…fashioned things。 They always meant to ask
Jo to come along； but by the time their friends were placed； and the lunch；
and the boxes； and sweaters； and George's camera； and everything； there
seemed to be no room for a man of Jo's bulk。 So that eliminated the
Sunday dinners。
〃Just drop in any time during the week；〃 Stell said； 〃for dinner。
Except Wednesdaythat's our bridge nightand Saturday。
And； of course； Thursday。 Cook is out that night。 Don't wait for me
to phone。〃
And so Jo drifted into that sad…eyed； dyspeptic family made up of
those you see dining in second…rate restaurants； their paper propped up
against the bowl of oyster crackers； munching solemnly and with
indifference to the stare of the passer…by surveying them through the
brazen plate…glass window。
And then came the war。 The war that spelled death and destruction to
millions。 The war that brought a fortune to Jo Hertz； and transformed
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him； overnight； from a baggy…kneed old bachelor whose business was a
failure to a prosperous manufacturer whose only trouble was the shortage
in hides for the making of his product。 Leather！ The armies of Europe
called for it。 Harnesses！ More harnesses！ Straps！ Millions of straps。
More！ More！
The musty old harness business over on Lake Street was magically
changed from a dust…covered； dead…alive concern to an orderly hive that
hummed and glittered with success。 Orders poured in。 Jo Hertz had
inside information on the war。 He knew about troops and horses。 He
talked with French and English and Italian buyers commissioned by their
countries to get American…made supplies。 And now； when he said to Ben
or George； 〃Take； f'rinstance； your raw hides and leathers；〃 they listened
with respectful attention。
And then began the gay…dog business in the life of Jo Hertz。 He
developed into a Loop…hound； ever keen on the scent of fresh pleasure。
That side of Jo Hertz which had been repressed and crushed and ignored
began to bloom； unhealthily。 At first he spent money on his rather
contemptuous nieces。 He sent them gorgeous furs； and watch bracelets；
and bags。 He took two expensive rooms at a downtown hotel； and there
was something more tear…compelling than grotesque about the way he
gloated over the luxury of a separate ice…water tap in the bathroom。 He
explained it。
〃Just turn it on。 Any hour of the day or night。 Ice water！〃
He bought a car。 Naturally。 A glittering affair； in color a bright blue；
with pale…blue leather straps and a great deal of gold fittings； and special
tires。 Eva said it was the kind of thing a chorus girl would use； rather
than an elderly businessman。 You saw him driving about in it； red…faced
and rather awkward at the wheel。 You saw him； too； in the Pompeian
Room at the Congress Hotel of a Saturday afternoon when roving…eyed
matrons in mink coats are wont to congregate to sip pale…amber drinks。
Actors grew to recognize the semibald head and the shining； round； good…
natured face looming out at them from the dim well of the theater； and
sometimes； in a musical show； they directed a quip at him； and he liked it。
He could pick out the critics as they came down the aisle； and even had a
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nodding acquaintance with two of them。
〃Kelly； of the Herald；〃 he would say carelessly。 〃Bean。 of the Trib。
They're all afraid of him。〃
So he frolicked； ponderously。 In New York he might have been
called a Man About Town。
And he was lonesome。 He was very lonesome。 So he searched
about in his mind and brought from the dim past the memory of the
luxuriously furnished establishment of which he used to dream in the
evenings when he dozed over his paper in the old house on Calumet。 So
he rented an apartment； many…roomed and expensive； with a manservant
in charge； and furnished it in styles and periods ranging through all the
Louis。 The living room was mostly rose color。 It was like an unhealthy
and bloated boudoir。 And yet there was nothing sybaritic or uncleanly in
the sight of this paunchy； middle…aged man sinking into the rosy…
cushioned luxury of his ridiculous home。 It was a frank and naive
indulgence of long…starved senses； and there was in it a great resemblance
to the rolling…eyed ecstasy of a schoolboy smacking his lips over an all…
day sucker。
The war went on； and on； and on。 And the money continued to roll
in a flood of it。 Then； one afternoon； Eva； in town on shopping bent；
entered a small； exclusive； and expensive shop on Michigan Avenue。
Eva's weakness was hats。 She was seeking a hat now。 She described
what she sought with a languid conciseness； and stood looking about her
after the saleswoman had vanished in quest of it。 The room was
becomingly rose…illumined and somewhat dim； so that some minutes had
passed before she realized that a man seated on a raspberry brocade settee
not five feet away a man with a walking stick； and yellow gloves； and
tan spats； and a check suitwas her brother Jo。 From him Eva's wild…
eyed glance leaped to the woman who was trying on hats before one of the
many long mirrors。 She was seated； and a saleswoman was exclaiming
discreetly at her elbow。
Eva turned sharply and encountered her own saleswoman returning
hat…laden。 〃Not today；〃 she gasped。 〃I'm feeling ill。 Suddenly。〃 And
almost ran from the room。
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That evening she told Stell； relating her news in that telephone pidgin
English devised by every family of married sisters as protection against
the neighbors。 Translated； it ran thus：
〃He looked straight at me。 My dear； I thought I'd die！ But at least
he had sense enough not to speak。 She was one of those limp； willowy
creatures with the greediest eyes that she tried to keep softened to a baby
stare； and couldn't； she was so crazy to get her hands on those hats。 I saw
it all in one awful minute。 You know the way I do。 I suppose some
people would call her pretty。 I don't。 And her color。 Well！ And the
most expensive… looking hats。 Not one of them under seventy…five。
Isn't it disgusting！ At his age！ Suppose Ethel had been with me！〃
The next time it was Stell who saw them。 In a restaurant。 She said
it spoiled her evening。 And the third time it was Ethel。 She was one of
the guests at a theater party given by Nicky Overton II。 The North Shore
Overtons。 Lake Forest。 They came in late； and occupied the entire third
row at the opening performance of Believe Me！ And Ethel was Nicky's
partner。 She was glowing like a rose。 When the lights went up after the
first act Ethel saw that her uncle Jo was seated just ahead of her with what
she afterward described as a blonde。 Then her uncle had turned around；
and seeing her； had been surprised into a smile that spread genially all
over his plump and rubicund face。 Then he had turned to face forward
again； quickly。
〃Who's the old bird？〃 Nicky had asked。 Ethel had pretended not to
hear； so he
