one basket(一个篮子)-第9节
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again； quickly。
〃Who's the old bird？〃 Nicky had asked。 Ethel had pretended not to
hear； so he had asked again。
〃My uncle；〃 Ethel answered； and flushed all over her delicate face； and
down to her throat。 Nicky had looked at the blonde； and his eyebrows
had gone up ever so slightly。
It spoiled Ethel's evening。 More than that； as she told her mother of it
later； weeping； she declared it had spoiled her life。
Eva talked it over with her husband in that intimate hour that precedes
bedtime。 She gesticulated heatedly with her hairbrush。
〃It's disgusting； that's what it is。 Perfectly disgusting。 There's no
fool like an old fool。 Imagine！ A creature like that。 At his time of
life。〃
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〃Well； I don't know；〃 Ben said； and even grinned a little。 〃I suppose a
boy's got to sow his wild oats sometime。〃
〃Don't be any more vulgar than you can help；〃 Eva retorted。 〃And I
think you know； as well as I； what it means to have that Overton boy
interested in Ethel。〃
〃If he's interested in her；〃 Ben blundered； 〃I guess the fact that Ethel's
uncle went to the theater with someone who isn't Ethel's aunt won't cause
a shudder to run up and down his frail young frame； will it？〃
〃All right；〃 Eva had retorted。 〃If you're not man enough to stop it； I'll
have to； that's all。 I'm going up there with Stell this week。〃
They did not notify Jo of their coming。 Eva telephoned his apartment
when she knew he would be out； and asked his man if he expected his
master home to dinner that evening。 The man had said yes。 Eva
arranged to meet Stell in town。 They would drive to Jo's apartment
together； and wait for him there。
When she reached the city Eva found turmoil there。 The first of the
American troops to be sent to France were leaving。 Michigan Boulevard
was a billowing； surging mass： flags； pennants； banners； crowds。 All the
elements that make for demonstration。 And over the whole…quiet。 No
holiday crowd； this。 A solid； determined mass of people waiting patient
hours to see the khaki…clads go by。 Three years had brought them to a
clear knowledge of what these boys were going to。
〃Isn't it dreadful！〃 Stell gasped。
〃Nicky Overton's too young； thank goodness。〃
Their car was caught in the jam。 When they moved at all； it was by
inches。 When at last they reached Jo's apartment they were flushed；
nervous； apprehensive。 But he had not yet come in。 So they waited。
No； they were not staying to dinner with their brother； they told the
relieved houseman。
Stell and Eva； sunk in rose…colored cushions； viewed the place with
disgust and some mirth。 They rather avoided each other's eyes。
〃Carrie ought to be here；〃 Eva said。 They both smiled at the thought
of the austere Carrie in the midst of those rosy cushions； and hangings；
and lamps。 Stell rose and began to walk about restlessly。 She picked up
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a vase and laid it down； straightened a picture。 Eva got up； too； and
wandered into the hall。 She stood there a moment； listening。 Then she
turned and passed into Jo's bedroom； Stell following。 And there you
knew Jo for what he was。
This room was as bare as the other had been ornate。 It was Jo； the
clean…minded and simplehearted； in revolt against the cloying luxury with
which he had surrounded himself。 The bedroom； of all rooms in any
house； reflects the personality of its occupant。 True； the actual furniture
was paneled； cupid…surmounted； and ridiculous。 It had been the fruit of
Jo's first orgy of the senses。 But now it stood out in that stark little room
with an air as incongruous and ashamed as that of a pink tarlatan danseuse
who finds herself in a monk's cell。 None of those wall pictures with
which bachelor bedrooms are reputed to be hung。 No satin slippers。 No
scented notes。 Two plain…backed military brushes on the chiffonier （and he
so nearly hairless！）。 A little orderly stack of books on the table near the
bed。 Eva fingered their titles and gave a little gasp。 One of them was
on gardening。
〃Well； of all things！〃 exclaimed Stell。 A book on the war； by an
Englishman。 A detective story of the lurid type that lulls us to sleep。 His
shoes ranged in a careful row in the closet； with a shoe tree in every one of
them。 There was something speaking about them。 They looked so human。
Eva shut the door on them quickly。 Some bottles on the dresser。 A jar
of pomade。 An ointment such as a man uses who is growing bald and is
panic… stricken too late。 An insurance calendar on the wall。 Some
rhubarb…and… soda mixture on the shelf in the bathroom； and a little box of
pepsin tablets。
〃Eats all kinds of things at all hours of the night；〃 Eva said； and
wandered out into the rose…colored front room again with the air of one
who is chagrined at her failure to find what she has sought。 Stell
followed her furtively。
〃Where do you suppose he can be？〃 she demanded。 〃It's〃she
glanced at her wrist〃why； it's after six！〃
And then there was a little click。 The two women sat up； tense。 The
door opened。 Jo came in。 He blinked a little。 The two women in the
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rosy room stood up。
〃WhyEve！ Why； Babe！ Well！ Why didn't you let me know？〃
〃We were just about to leave。 We thought you weren't coming
home。〃
Jo came in slowly。
〃I was in the jam on Michigan； watching the boys go by。〃 He sat
down； heavily。 The light from the window fell on him。 And you saw
that his eyes were red。
He had found himself one of the thousands in the jam on Michigan
Avenue； as he said。 He had a place near the curb； where his big frame
shut off the view of the unfortunates behind him。 He waited with the
placid interest of one who has subscribed to all the funds and societies to
which a prosperous； middle…aged businessman is called upon to subscribe
in war…time。 Then； just as he was about to leave； impatient at the delay；
the crowd had cried； with a queer； dramatic； exultant note in its voice；
〃Here they come！ Here come the boys！〃
Just at that moment two little； futile； frenzied fists began to beat a mad
tattoo on Jo Hertz's broad back。 Jo tried to turn in the crowd； all
indignant resentment。 〃Say； looka here！〃
The little fists kept up their frantic beating and pushing。 And a voice…
…a choked； high little voicecried； 〃Let me by！ I can't see！ You MAN；
you！ You big fat man！ My boy's going byto warand I can't see！ Let
me by！〃
Jo scrooged around； still keeping his place。 He looked down。 And
upturned to him in agonized appeal was the face of Emily。 They stared at
each other for what seemed a long； long time。 It was really only the
fraction of a second。 Then Jo put one great arm firmly around Emily's
waist and swung her around in front of him。 His great bulk protected her。
Emily was clinging to his hand。 She was breathing rapidly； as if she had
been running。 Her eyes were straining up the street。
〃Why； Emily； how in the world！〃
〃I ran away。 Fred didn't want me to come。 He said it would excite
me too much。〃
〃Fred？〃
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〃My husband。 He made me promise to say good…by to Jo at home。〃
〃J
