whirligigs-第13节

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tierra　templada；　the　zona　of　the　table　lands　and　foot　hills。

The　mountains　were　receding　in　their　rear；　but　still

towered；　exhibiting　yet　impressively　their　formidable

heads。　　Here　they　met　signs　of　man。　　They　saw　the

white　houses　of　coffee　plantations　gleam　across　the　clear…

ings。　　They　struck　into　a　road　where　they　met　travellers

and　pack…mules。　　Cattle　were　grazing　on　the　slopes。

They　passed　a　little　village　where　the　round…eyed　ni駉s

shrieked　and　called　at　sight　of　them。



Mlle。　Giraud　laid　aside　her　leopard…skin　robe。　　It

seemed　to　be　a　trifle　incongruous　now。　　In　the　moun…

tains　it　had　appeared　fitting　and　natural。　　And　if　Arm…

strong　was　not　mistaken　she　laid　aside　with　it　something

of　the　high　dignity　of　her　demeanour。　　As　the　country

became　more　populous　and　significant　of　comfortable

life　he　saw；　with　a　feeling　of　joy；　that　the　exalted　princess

and　priestess　of　the　Andean　peaks　was　changing　to　a

woman　　an　earth　woman　but　no　less　enticing。　　A

little　colour　crept　to　the　surface　of　her　marble　cheek。

She　arranged　the　conventional　dress　that　the　removal　of

the　robe　now　disclosed　with　the　solicitous　touch　of　one

who　is　conscious　of　the　eyes　of　others。　　She　smoothed

the　careless　sweep　of　her　hair。　　A　mundane　interest；

long　latent　in　the　chilling　atmosphere　of　the　ascetic　peaks；

showed　in　her　eyes。



This　thaw　in　his　divinity　sent　Armstrong's　heart　going

faster。　　So　might　an　Arctic　explorer　thrill　at　his　first　ken

of　green　fields　and　liquescent　waters。　　They　were　on

a　lower　plane　of　earth　and　life　and　were　succumbing　to

its　peculiar；　subtle　influence。　　The　austerity　of　the　hills

no　longer　thinned　the　air　they　breathed。　　About　them

was　the　breath　of　fruit　and　corn　and　builded　homes；

the　comfortable　smell　of　smoke　and　warm　earth　and　the

consolations　man　has　placed　between　himself　and　the

dust　of　his　brother　earth　from　which　he　sprung。　　While

traversing　those　awful　mountains；　Mile。　Giraud　had

seemed　to　be　wrapped　in　their　spirit　of　reverent　reserve。

Was　this　that　same　woman　　now　palpitating；　warm；

eager；　throbbing　with　conscious　life　and　charm；　feminine

to　her　finger…tips？　Pondering　over　this；　Armstrong

felt　certain　misgivings　intrude　upon　his　thoughts。　　He

wished　he　could　stop　there　with　this　changing　creature；

descending　no　farther。　　Here　was　the　elevation　and

environment　to　which　her　nature　seemed　to　respond　with

its　best。　　He　feared　to　go　down　upon　the　man…dominated

levels。　　Would　her　spirit　…not　yield　still　further　in　that

artificial　zone　to　which　they　were　descending？



Now　from　a　little　plateau　they　saw　the　sea　flash　at　the

edge　of　the　green　lowlands。　　Mile。　Giraud　gave　a　little；

catching　sigh。



〃Oh！　　look；　Mr。　Armstrong；　there　is　the　sea！　　Isn't

it　lovely？　I'm　so　tired　of　mountains。〃　　She　heaved　a

pretty　shoulder　in　a　gesture　of　repugnance。　　〃Those

horrid　Indians！　　Just　think　of　what　I　suffered！　　Although

I　suppose　I　attained　my　ambition　of　becoming　a　stellar

attraction；　I　wouldn't　care　to　repeat　the　engagement。　　It

was　very　nice　of　you　to　bring　me　away。　　Tell　me；　Mr。

Armstrong　　honestly；　now　　do　I　look　such　an　awful；

awful　fright？　I　haven't　looked　into　a　mirror；　you　know；

for　months。〃



Armstrong　made　answer　according　to　his　changed

moods。　　Also　he　laid　his　hand　upon　hers　as　it　rested　upon

the　horn　of　her　saddle。　　Luis　was　at　the　head　of　the　pack

train　and　could　not　see。　　She　allowed　it　to　remain　there；

and　her　eyes　smiled　frankly　into　his。



Then　at　sundown　they　dropped　upon　the　coast　level

under　the　palms　and　lemons　among　the　vivid　greens　and

searlets　and　ochres　of　the　tierra　caliente。　　They　rode

into　Macuto；　and　saw　the　line　of　volatile　bathers　frolick…

ing　in　the　surf。　　The　mountains　were　very　far

away。



Mlle。　Giraud's　eyes　were　shining　with　a　joy　that　could

not　have　existed　under　the　chaperonage　of　the　mountain…

tops。　　There　were　other　spirits　calling　to　her　　nymphs

of　the　orange　groves；　pixies　from　the　chattering　surf；

imps；　born　of　the　music；　the　perfumes；　colours　and　the

insinuating　presence　of　humanity。　　She　laughed　aloud；

musically；　at　a　sudden　thought。



〃Won't　there　be　a　sensation？〃　　she　called　to　Armstrong。

〃Don't　I　wish　I　had　an　engagement　just　now；　though！

What　a　picnic　the　press　agent　would　have！　　'Held　a

prisoner　by　a　band　of　savage　Indians　subdued　by　the

spell　of　her　wonderful　voice'　　wouldn't　that　make　great

stuff？　But　I　guess　I　quit　the　game　winner；　anyhow　

there　ought　to　be　a　couple　of　thousand　dollars　in

that　sack　of　gold　dust　I　collected　as　encores；　don't　you

think？〃



He　left　her　at　the　door　of　the　little　Hotel　de　Buen

Descansar；　where　she　had　stopped　before。　　Two　hours

later　he　returned　to　the　hotel。　　He　glanced　in　at　the

open　door　of　the　little　combined　reception　room　and

cafe。



Half　a　dozen　of　Macuto's　representative　social　and

official　caballeros　were　distributed　about　the　room。

Sefior　Villablanca；　the　wealthy　rubber　concessionist；

reposed　his　fat　figure　on　two　chairs；　with　an　emollient

smile　beaming　upon　his　chocolate…coloured　face。　　Guil…

bert；　the　French　mining　engineer；　leered　through　his

polished　nose…glasses。　　Colonel　Mendez；　of　the　regular

army；　in　gold…laced　uniform　and　fatuous　grin；　was　busily

extracting　corks　from　champagne　bottles。　　Other　pat…

terns　of　Macutian　gallantry　and　fashion　pranced　and

posed。　　The　air　was　hazy　with　cigarette　smoke。　　Wine

dripped　upon　the　floor。



Perched　upon　a　table　in　the　centre　of　the　room　in　an

attitude　of　easy　preeminence　was　Mlle。　Giraud。　　A

chic　costume　of　white　lawn　and　cherry　ribbons　supplanted

her　travelling　garb。　　There　was　a　suggestion　of　lace；　and

a　frill　or　two；　with　a　discreet；　small　implication　of　hand…

embroidered　pink　hosiery。　　Upon　her　lap　rested　a　guitar。

In　her　face　was　the　light　of　resurrection；　the　peace　of

elysium　attained　through　fire　and　suffering。　　She　was

singing　to　a　lively　accompaniment　a　little　song：



　　　　　　　　　〃When　you　see　de　big　round　moon

　　　　　　　　　　Comin'　up　like　a　balloon；

　　　　　　　　　　Dis　nigger　skips　fur　to　kiss　de　lips

　　　　　　　　　　Ob　his　stylish；　black…faced　coon。〃



The　singer　caught　sight　of　Armstrong。



〃Hi！　　there；　Johnny；〃　she　called；　〃I've　been　expecting

you　for　an　hour。　　What　kept　you？　Gee！　　but　these

smoked　guys　are　the　slowest　you　ever　saw。　　They　ain't

on；　at　all。　　Come　along　in；　and　I'll　make　this　coffee…

coloured　old　sport　with　the　gold　epaulettes　open　one　for

you　right　off　the　ice。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Armstrong；　〃not　just　now；　I

believe。　　I've　several　things　to　attend　to。〃



He　walked　out　and　down　the　street；　and　met　Rucker

coming　up　from　the　Consulate。



〃Play　you　a　game　of　billiards；〃　said　Armstrong。　　〃I

want　something　to　take　the　taste　of　the　sea　level　out　of

my　mouth。〃







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃GIRL〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

IN　GILT　letters　on　the　ground　glass　of　the　door　of

room　No。　962　were　the　words：　〃Robbins　&　Hartley；

Brokers。〃　　The　clerks　had　gone。　　It　was　past　five；　and

with　the　solid　tramp　of　a　drove　of　prize　Percherons；　scrub…

women　were　invading　the　cloud…capped　twenty…story

office　building。　　A　puff　of　red…hot　air　flavoured　with

lemon　peelings；　soft…coal　smoke　and　train　oil　came　in

through　the　half…open　windows。



Robbins；　fifty；　something　of　an　overweight　beau；　and

addicted　to　first　nights　and　hotel　palm…rooms；　pretended

to　be　envious　of　his　partner's　commuter's　joys。



〃Going　to　be　something　doing　in　the　humidity　line

to…night；〃　he　said。　　〃You　out…of…town　chaps　will　be　the

people；　with　your　katydids　and　moonlight　and　long　drinks

and　things　out　on　the　front　porch。〃



Hartley；　twenty…nine；　serious；　thin；　good…looking；　ner…

vous；　sighed　and　frowned　a　little。



〃Yes；〃　said　he；　〃we　always　have　cool　nights　in　Floral…

hurst；　especially　in　the　winter。〃



A　man　with　an　air　of　mystery　came　in　the　door　and

went　up　to　Hartley。



〃I've　found　where　she　lives；〃　he　announced　in　the

portentous　half…whisper　that　makes　the　detective　at

work　a　marked　being　to　his　fellow　men。



Hartley　scowled　him　into　a　state　of　dramatic　silence

and　quietude。　　But　by　that　time　Robbins　had　got　his

cane　and　set　his　tie　pin　to　his　liking；　and　with　a　debonair

nod　went　out　to　his　metropolitan　amusements。



〃Here　is　the　address；〃　said　the　detective　in　a　natural

tone；　being　deprived　of　an　audience　to　foil。



Hartley　took　the　leaf　torn　out　of　the　sleuth's　dingy

memorandum　book。　　On　it　were　pencilled　the　words

〃Vivienne　Arlington；　No。　341　East　th　Street；　care　of

Mrs。　McComus。〃



〃Moved　there　a　week　ago；〃　said　the　detective。　　〃Now；

if　you　want　any　shadowing　done；　Mr。　Hartley；　I　can　do

you　as　fine　a　job　in　that　line　as　anybody　in　the　city。　　It

will　be　only　7　a　day　and　expenses。　　Can　send　in　a　daily

typewritten　report；　covering　　〃



〃You　needn't　go　on；〃　interrupted　the　broker。　　〃It

isn't　a　case　of　that　kind。　　I　merely　wanted　the　address。

How　much　sha