whirligigs-第22节

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Western　city　of　Chandler。　　The　horses　of　pursuers　and

pursued　were　starved　and　weary。　　There　was　one　hotel

that　offered　danger　to　man　and　entertainment　to　beast；

so　the　four　of　us　met　again　in　the　dining　room　at　the

ringing　of　a　bell　so　resonant　and　large　that　it　had　cracked

the　welkin　long　ago。　　The　dining　room　was　not　as　large

as　the　one　at　Guthrie。



Just　as　we　were　eating　apple　pie　　how　Ben　Davises

and　tragedy　impinge　upon　each　other！　　　I　noticed　Sam

looking　with　keen　intentness　at　our　quarry　where　they

were　seated　at　a　table　across　the　room。　　The　girl　still

wore　the　brown　dress　with　lace　collar　and　cuffs；　and　the

veil　drawn　down　to　her　nose。　　The　man　bent　over　his

plate；　with　his　close　cropped　head　held　low。



〃There's　a　code；〃　I　heard　Sam　say；　either　to　me　or　to

himself；　〃that　won't　let　you　shoot　a　man　in　the　company

of　a　woman；　but；　by　thunder；　there　ain't　one　to　keep　you

from　killing　a　woman　in　the　company　of　a　man！〃



And；　quicker　than　my　mind　could　follow　his　argument；

he　whipped　a　Colt's　automatic　from　under　his　left　arm

and　pumped　six　bullets　into　the　body　that　the　brown

dress　covered　　the　brown　dress　with　the　lace　collar　and

cuffs　and　the　accordion…plaited　skirt。



The　young　person　in　the　dark　sack　suit；　from　whose

head　and　from　whose　life　a　woman's　glory　had　been

clipped；　laid　her　head　on　her　arms　stretched　upon　the

table；　while　people　came　running　to　raise　Ben　Tatum

from　the　floor　in　his　feminine　masquerade　that　had　given

Sam　the　opportunity　to　set　aside；　technically；　the　obliga…

tions　of　the　code。







　　　　　SUITE　HOMES　AND　THEIR　ROMANCE



FEW　young　couples　in　the　Big…City…of…Bluff　began

their　married　existence　with　greater　promise　of　happiness

than　did　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Claude　Turpin。　　They　felt　no

especial　animosity　toward　each　other；　they　were　comfort…

ably　established　in　a　handsome　apartment　house　that

had　a　name　and　accommodations　like　those　of　a　sleeping…

car；　they　were　living　as　expensively　as　the　couple　on

the　next　floor　above　who　had　twice　their　income；

and　their　marriage　had　occurred　on　a　wager；　a　ferry…

boat　and　first　acquaintance；　thus　securing　a

sensational　newspaper　notice　with　their　names　attached

to　pictures　of　the　Queen　of　Roumania　and　M。　Santos…

Dumont。



Turpin's　income　was　200　per　month。　　On　pay　day；

after　calculating　the　amounts　due　for　rent；　instalments

on　furniture　and　piano；　gas；　and　bills　owed　to　the　florist；

confectioner；　milliner；　tailor；　wine　merchant　and　cab

company；　the　Turpins　would　find　that　they　still　had　200

left　to　spend。　　How　to　do　this　is　one　of　the　secrets　of

metropolitan　life。



The　domestic　life　of　the　Turpins　was　a　beautiful　picture

to　see。　　But　you　couldn't　gaze　upon　it　as　you　could

at　an　oleograph　of　〃Don't　Wake　Grandma；〃　or　〃Brook…

lyn　by　Moonlight。〃



You　had　to　blink　when　looked　at　it；　and　you　heard

a　fizzing　sound　just　like　the　machine　with　a　〃scope〃　at

the　end　of　it。　　Yes；　there　wasn't　much　repose　about　the

picture　of　the　Turpins'　domestic　life。　　It　was　something

like　〃Spearing　Salmon　in　the　Columbia　River；〃　or　〃Jap…

anese　Artillery　in　Action。〃



Every　day　was　just　like　another；　as　the　days　are　in

New　York。　　In　the　morning　Turpin　would　take　bromo…

seltzer；　his　pocket　change　from　under　the　clock；　his　hat；

no　breakfast　and　his　departure　for　the　office。　　At　noon

Mrs。　Turpin　would　get　out　of　bed　and　humour；　put　on

a　kimono；　airs；　and　the　water　to　boil　for　coffee。



Turpin　lunched　downtown。　　He　came　home　at　6

to　dress　for　dinner。　　They　always　dined　out。　　They

strayed　from　the　chop…house　to　chop…sueydom；　from

terrace　to　table　d'h魌e；　from　rathskeller　to　roadhouse；

from　caf？to　casino；　from　Maria's　to　the　Martha　Wash…

ington。　　Such　is　domestic　life　in　the　great　city。　　Your

vine　is　the　mistletoe；　your　fig　tree　bears　dates。　　Your

household　gods　are　Mercury　and　John　Howard　Payne。

For　the　wedding　march　you　now　hear　only　〃Come　with

the　Gypsy　Bride。〃　　You　rarely　dine　at　the　same　place

twice　in　succession。　　You　tire　of　the　food；　and；　besides；

you　want　to　give　them　time　for　the　question　of　that　souve…

nir　silver　sugar　bowl　to　blow　over。



The　Turpins　were　therefore　happy。　　They　made　many

warm　and　delightful　friends；　some　of　whom　they　remem…

bered　the　next　day。　　Their　home　life　was　an　ideal　one；

according　to　the　rules　and　regulations　of　the　Book　of　Bluff。



There　came　a　time　when　it　dawned　upon　Turpin

that　his　wife　was　getting　away　with　too　much　money。

If　you　belong　to　the　near…swell　class　in　the　Big　City；

and　your　income　is　200　per　month；　and　you　find　at　the

end　of　the　month；　after　looking　over　the　bills　for　current

expenses；　that　you；　yourself；　have　spent　150；　you　very

naturally　wonder　what　has　become　of　the　other　50。

So　you　suspect　your　wife。　　And　perhaps　you　give　her

a　hint　that　something　needs　explanation。



〃I　say；　Vivien；〃　said　Turpin；　one　afternoon　when　they

were　enjoying　in　rapt　silence　the　peace　and　quiet　of　their

cozy　apartment；　〃you've　been　creating　a　hiatus　big

enough　for　a　dog　to　crawl　through　in　this　month's　hon…

orarium。　　You　haven't　been　paying　your　dressmaker

anything　on　account；　have　you？〃



There　was　a　moment's　silence。　　No　sounds　could　be

heard　except　the　breathing　of　the　fox　terrier；　and　the

subdued；　monotonous　sizzling　of　Vivien's　fulvous　locks

against　the　insensate　curling　irons。　　Claude　Turpin；

sitting　upon　a　pillow　that　he　had　thoughtfully　placed

upon　the　convolutions　of　the　apartment　sofa；　narrowly

watched　the　riante；　lovely　face　of　his　wife。



〃Claudie；　dear；〃　said　she；　touching　her　finger　to　her

ruby　tongue　and　testing　the　unresponsive　curling　irons；

〃you　do　me　an　injustice。　　Mme。　Toinette　has　not　seen　a

cent　of　mine　since　the　day　you　paid　your　tailor　ten　dollars

on　account。〃



Turpin's　suspicions　were　allayed　for　the　time。　　But

one　day　soon　there　came　an　anonymous　letter　to　him

that　read：



〃Watch　your　wife。　　She　is　blowing　in　your　money

secretly。　　I　was　a　sufferer　just　as　you　are。　　The　place

is　No。　345　Blank　Street。　　A　word　to　the　wise；　etc。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃A　MAN　WHO　KNOWS〃



Turpin　took　this　letter　to　the　captain　of　police　of

the　precinct　that　he　lived　in。



〃My　precinct　is　as　clean　as　a　hound's　tooth；〃　said　the

captain。　　〃The　lid's　shut　down　as　close　there　as　it　is

over　the　eye　of　a　Williamsburg　girl　when　she's　kissed　at

a　party。　　But　if　you　think　there's　anything　queer　at　the

address；　I'll　go　there　with　ye。〃



On　the　next　afternoon　at　3；　Turpin　and　the　captain

crept　softly　up　the　stairs　of　No。　345　Blank　Street。　　A

dozen　plain…clothes　men；　dressed　in　full　police　uniforms；

so　as　to　allay　suspicion；　waited　in　the　hall　below。



At　the　top　of　the　stairs　was　a　door；　which　was　found

to　be　locked。　　The　captain　took　a　key　from　his　pocket

and　unlocked　it。　　The　two　men　entered。



They　found　themselves　in　a　large　room；　occupied

by　twenty　or　twenty…five　elegantly　clothed　ladies。　　Racing

charts　hung　against　the　walls；　a　ticker　clicked　in　one

corner；　with　a　telephone　receiver　to　his　ear　a　man　was

calling　out　the　various　positions　of　the　horses　in　a　very

exciting　race。　　The　occupants　of　the　room　looked　up　at

the　intruders；　but；　as　if　reassured　by　the　sight　of　the

captain's　uniform；　they　reverted　their　attention　to　the

man　at　the　telephone。



〃You　see；〃　said　the　captain　to　Turpin；　〃the　value　of

an　anonymous　letter！　　No　high…minded　and　self…respect…

ing　gentleman　should　consider　one　worthy　of　notice。

Is　your　wife　among　this　assembly；　Mr。　Turpin？〃



〃She　is　not；〃　said　Turpin。



〃And　if　she　was；〃　continued　the　captain；　〃would　she

be　within　the　reach　of　the　tongue　of　slander？　　These

ladies　constitute　a　Browning　Society。　　They　meet　to

discuss　the　meaning　of　the　great　poet。　　The　telephone

is　connected　with　Boston；　whence　the　parent　society

transmits　frequently　its　interpretations　of　the　poems。　　Be

ashamed　of　yer　suspicions；　Mr。　Turpin。〃



〃Go　soak　your　shield；〃　said　Turpin。　　〃Vivien　knows

how　to　take　care　of　herself　in　a　pool…room。　　She's　not

dropping　anything　on　the　ponies。　　There　must　be　some…

thing　queer　going　on　here。〃



〃Nothing　but　Browning；〃　said　the　captain。　　〃Hear

that？〃



〃Thanatopsis　by　a　nose；〃　drawled　the　man　at　the

telephone。



〃That's　not　Browning；　that's　Longfellow；〃　said

Turpin；　who　sometimes　read　books。



〃Back　to　the　pasture！〃　　exclaimed　the　captain。　　〃long…

fellow　made　the　pacing…to…wagon　record　of　7。53　'way

back　in　1868。〃



〃I　believe　there's　something　queer　about　this　joint；〃

repeated　Turpin。



〃I　don't　see　it；〃　said　the　captain。



〃I　know　it　looks　like　a　pool…room；　all　right；〃　persisted

Turpin；　〃but　that's　all　a　blind。　　Vivien　has　been　dropping

a　lot　of　coin　somewhere。　　I　believe　there's　some　under…

handed　work　going　on　here。〃



A　number　of　racing　sheets　were　tacked　close　together；

covering　a　large　space　on　one　of　the　walls。　　Turpin；

suspicious；　tore　several