whirligigs-第3节

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either。



Inside；　the　purser　was　untying　a　great　roll　of　newspapers；

many　of　them　weeks　old；　gathered　in　the　lower　ports　by

the　Pajaro　to　be　distributed　at　casual　stopping…places。

Thus　do　the　beneficent　voyagers　scatter　news　and　enter…

tainment　among　the　prisoners　of　sea　and　mountains。

Tio　Pancho；　the　hotel　proprietor；　set　his　great　silver…

rimmed　aiteojos　upon　his　nose　and　divided　the　papers

into　a　number　of　smaller　rolls。　　A　barefooted　muchacho

dashed　in；　desiring　the　post　of　messenger。



〃Bien　venido；〃　said　Tio　Pancho。　　〃This　to　Se駉ra

Conant；　that　to　el　Doctor　S…S…Schlegel　　Dios！　what　a

name　to　say！　…　that　to　Se駉r　Davis　　one　for　Don

Alberto。　　These　two　for　the　Casa　de　Huespedes；　Numero

6；　en　la　calle　de　las　Buenas　Gracias。　　And　say　to　them　all；

muchacho；　that　the　Pajaro　sails　for　Panama　at　three　this

afternoon。　　If　any　have　letters　to　send　by　the　post；　let

them　come　quickly；　that　they　may　first　pass　through　the

correo。〃



Mrs。　Conant　received　her　roll　of　newspapers　at　four

o'clock。　　The　boy　was　late　in　delivering　them；　because

he　had　been　deflected　from　his　duty　by　an　iguana　that

crossed　his　path　and　to　which　he　immediately　gave　chase。

But　it　made　no　hardship；　for　she　had　no　letters　to　send。



She　was　idling　in　a　hammock　in　the　patio　of　the　house

that　she　occupied；　half　awake；　half　happily　dreaming　of　the

paradise　that　she　and　Merriam　had　created　out　of　the

wrecks　of　their　pasts。　　She　was　content　now　for　the　horizon

of　that　shimmering　sea　to　be　the　horizon　of　her　life。　　They

had　shut　out　the　world　and　closed　the　door。



Merriam　was　coming　to　her　house　at　seven；　after　his

dinner　at　the　hotel。　　She　would　put　on　a　white　dress　and

an　apricot…coloured　lace　mantilla；　and　they　would　walk

an　hour　under　the　cocoanut　palms　by　the　lagoon。　　She

smiled　contentedly；　and　chose　a　paper　at　random　from

the　roll　the　boy　had　brought。



At　first　the　words　of　a　certain　headline　of　a　Sunday

newspaper　meant　nothing　to　her；　they　conveyed　only

a　visualized　sense　of　familiarity。　　The　largest　type　ran

thus：　〃Lloyd　B。　Conant　secures　divorce。〃　And　then　the

subheadings：　〃Well…known　Saint　Louis　paint　manufac…

turer　wins　suit；　pleading　one　year's　absence　of　wife。〃

〃Her　mysterious　disappearance　recalled。〃　〃Nothing　has

been　heard　of　her　since。〃



Twisting　herself　quickly　out　of　the　hammock；　Mrs。

Conant's　eye　soon　traversed　the　half…column　of　the

〃Recall。〃　It　ended　thus：　〃It　will　be　remembered　that

Mrs。　Conant　disappeared　one　evening　in　March　of　last

year。　　It　was　freely　rumoured　that　her　marriage　with

Lloyd　B。　　Conant　resulted　in　much　unhappiness。　　Stories

were　not　wanting　to　the　effect　that　his　cruelty　toward

his　wife　had　more　than　once　taken　the　form　of　physical

abuse。　　After　her　departure　a　full　bottle　of　tincture　of

aconite；　a　deadly　poison；　was　found　in　a　small　medicine

cabinet　in　her　bedroom。　　This　might　have　been　an

indication　that　she　meditated　suicide。　　It　is　supposed

abandoned　such　an　intention　if　she　possessed

it；　and　left　her　home　instead。〃



Mrs。　Conant　slowly　dropped　the　paper；　and　sat　on　a

chair；　clasping　her　hands　tightly。



〃Let　me　think　　O　God！　　let　me　think；〃　she　whis…

pered。　　〃I　took　the　bottle　with　me　　。　。　。　　I　threw　it

out　of　the　window　of　the　train　　。　。　。　　I　　　。　。　。

there　was　another　bottle　in　the　cabinet　　。　。　。　　there

were　two；　side　by　side　　the　aconite　　and　the　valerian

that　I　took　when　I　could　not　sleep　　。　。　。　　If　they

found　the　aconite　bottle　full；　why　　but；　he　is　　alive；　of

course　　I　gave　him　only　a　harmless　dose　of　valerian

。　。　。　　I　am　not　a　murderess　in　fact　　。　。　。　　Ralph；　I

　0　God；　don't　let　this　be　a　dream！〃



She　went　into　the　part　of　the　house　that　she　rented　from

the　old　Peruvian　man　and　his　wife；　shut　the　door；　and

walked　up　and　down　her　room　swiftly　and　feverishly

for　half　an　hour。　　Merriam's　photograph　stood　in　a　frame

on　a　table。　　She　picked　it　up；　looked　at　it　with　a　smile

of　exquisite　tenderness；　and　　dropped　four　tears　on　it。

And　Merriam　only　twenty　rods　away！　　Then　she　stood

still　for　ten　minutes；　looking　into　space。　　She　looked　into

space　through　a　slowly　opening　door。　　On　her　side　of　the

door　was　the　building　material　for　a　castle　of　Romance　

love；　an　Arcady　of　waving　palms；　a　lullaby　of　waves　on

the　shore　of　a　haven　of　rest；　respite；　peace；　a　lotus　land

of　dreamy　ease　and　security　　a　life　of　poetry　and　heart's

ease　and　refuge。　　Romanticist；　will　you　tell　me　what

Mrs。　Conant　saw　on　the　other　side　of　the　door？　　You

cannot？　　that　is；　you　will　not？　　Very　well；　then　listen。

She　saw　herself　go　into　a　department　store　and　buy　five

spools　of　silk　thread　and　three　yards　of　gingham　to　make

an　apron　for　the　cook。　　〃Shall　I　charge　it；　ma'am？〃

asked　the　clerk。　　As　she　walked　out　a　lady　whom　she　met

greeted　her　cordially。　　〃Oh；　where　did　you　get　the　pattern　for

those　sleeves；　dear　Mrs。　Conant？〃　she　said。　　At　the　corner

a　policeman　helped　her　across　the　street　and　touched　his

helmet。　　〃Any　callers？〃　she　asked　the　maid　when　she

reached　home。　　〃Mrs。　Waldron；〃　answered　the　maid；

and　the　tqvo　Misses　Jenkinson。〃　〃Very　well；〃　she　said。

You　may　bring　me　a　cup　of　tea；　Maggie。〃



Mrs。　Conant　went　to　the　door　and　called　Angela；　the　old

Peruvian　woman。　　〃If　Mateo　is　there　send　him　to　me。〃

Mateo；　a　half…breed；　shuffling　and　old　but　efficient；　came。

〃Is　there　a　steamer　or　a　vessel　of　any　kind　leaving

this　coast　to…night　or　to…morrow　that　I　can　get　passage

on？〃　she　asked。



Mateo　considered。



〃At　Punta　Reina；　thirty　miles　down　the　coast；　se駉ra；〃

he　answered；　〃there　is　a　small　steamer　loading　with

cinchona　and　dyewoods。　　She　sails　for　San　Francisco

to…morrow　at　sunrise。　　So　says　my　brother；　who　arrived

in　his　sloop　to…day；　passing　by　Punta　Reina。〃



〃You　must　take　me　in　that　sloop　to　that　steamer

to…night。　　Will　you　do　that？〃



〃Perhaps　　〃　Mateo　shrugged　a　suggestive　shoul…

der。　　Mrs。　Conant　took　a　handful　of　money　from　a

drawer　and　gave　it　to　him。



〃Get　the　sloop　ready　behind　the　little　point　of　land　below

the　town；〃　she　ordered。　　〃Get　sailors；　and　be　ready

to　sail　at　six　o'clock。　　In　half　an　hour　bring　a　cart　partly

filled　with　straw　into　the　patio　here；　and　take　my　trunk

to　the　sloop。　　There　is　more　money　yet。　　Now；　hurry。〃



For　one　time　Mateo　walked　away　without　shuffling

his　feet。



〃Angela；〃　cried　Mrs。　Conant；　almost　fiercely；　〃come

and　help　me　pack。　　I　am　going　away。　　Out　with　this

trunk。　　My　clothes　first。　　Stir　yourself。　　Those　dark

dresses　first。　　Hurry。〃



From　the　first　she　did　not　waver　from　her　decision。

Her　view　was　clear　and　final。　　Her　door　had　opened

and　let　the　world　in。　　Her　love　for　Merriam　was　not

lessened；　but　it　now　appeared　a　hopeless　and　unrealizable

thing。　　The　visions　of　their　future　that　had　seemed　so

blissful　and　complete　had　vanished。　　She　tried　to　assure

herself　that　her　renunciation　was　rather　for　his　sake　than

for　her　own。　　Now　that　she　was　cleared　of　her　burden　

at　least；　technically　　would　not　his　own　weigh　too　heavily

upon　him？　　If　she　should　cling　to　him；　would　not　the

difference　forever　silently　mar　and　corrode　their　happiness？

Thus　she　reasoned；　but　there　were　a　thousand　little　voices

calling　to　her　that　she　could　feel　rather　than　hear；　like　the

hum　of　distant；　powerful　machinery　　the　little　voices

of　the　world；　that；　when　raised　in　unison；　can　send　their

insistent　call　through　the　thickest　door。



Once　while　packing；　a　brief　shadow　of　the　lotus　dream

came　back　to　her。　　She　held　Merriam's　picture　to　her　heart

with　one　hand；　while　she　threw　a　pair　of　shoes　into　the

trunk　with　her　other。



At　six　o'clock　Mateo　returned　and　reported　the　sloop

ready。　　He　and　his　brother　lifted　the　trunk　into　the　cart；

covered　it　with　straw　and　conveyed　it　to　the　point　of

embarkation。　　From　there　they　transferred　it　on　board

in　the　sloop's　dory。　　Then　Mateo　returned　for　additional

orders。



Mrs。　Conant　was　ready。　　She　had　settled　all　business

matters　with　Angela；　and　was　impatiently　waiting。　　She

wore　a　long；　loose　black…silk　duster　that　she　often　walked

about　in　when　the　evenino's　were　chilly。　　On　her　head

was　a　small　round　hat；　and　over　it　the　apricot…coloured

lace　mantilla。



Dusk　had　quickly　followed　the　short　twilight。　　Mateo

led　her　by　dark　and　grass…grown　streets　toward　the　point

behind　which　the　sloop　was　anchored。　　On　turning　a

corner　they　beheld　the　Hotel　Orilla　del　Mar　three　streets

away；　nebulously　aglow　with　its　array　of　kerosene　lamps。



Mrs。　Conant　paused；　with　streamin　eyes。　　〃I　must；

I　must　see　him　once　before　I　go；〃　she　murmured　in

anguish。　　But　even　then　she　did　not　falter　in　her　decision。

Quickly　she　invented　a　plan　by　which　she　might　speak　to

him；　and　yet　make　her　departure　without　his　knowing。

She　would　walk　past　the　hotel；　ask　some　one　to　call　him

out　and　talk　a　few　moments　on　some　trivial　excuse；

leaving　him　expecting　to　see　her　at　her　home　at　seven。



She