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第43节

whirligigs-第43节

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are not in sympathy with my argument。  But I will

answer you so。  If I could reach my particular star; to

drag it down; I would not do it; but if it were fallen; I

would pick it up; and thank Heaven for the privilege。〃



They were silent for some minutes。  Norah shivered;

and thrust her hands deep into the pockets of her jacket。

Lorison uttered a remorseful exclamation。



〃I'm not cold;〃 she said。  〃I was just thinking。  I

ought to tell you something。  You have selected a strange

confidante。  But you cannot expect a chance acquain…

ance; picked up in a doubtful restaurant; to be an angel。〃



〃Norah!〃  cried Lorison。



〃Let me go on。  You have told me about yourself。

We have been such good friends。  I must tell you now

what I never wanted you to know。  I am  worse than

you are。  I was on the stage 。 。 。 I sang in the

chorus 。 。 。 I was pretty bad; I guess 。 。 。 I

stole diamonds  from the prima donna    。 。 。 they

arrested me     。 。 。 I gave most of them up; and they

let me go 。 。   。 I drank wine every night      。 。 。 a

great deal 。 。 。 I was very wicked; but  〃



Lorison knelt quickly by her side and took her

hands。



〃Dear Norah!〃  he said; exultantly。  〃It is you; it is

you I love!  You never guessed it; did you?  'Tis you

I meant all the time。  Now I can speak。  Let me make

you forget the past。  We have both suffered; let us shut

out the world; and live for each other。  Norah; do you

hear me say I love you?〃



〃In spite of  〃



〃Rather say because of it。  You have come out of

your past noble and good。  Your heart is an angel's;

Give it to me。〃



〃A little while ago you feared the future too much to

even speak。〃



〃But for you; not for myself。  Can you love me?〃



She cast herself; wildly sobbing; upon his breast。



〃Better than life  than truth itself  than every…

thing。〃



〃And my own past;〃 said Lorison; with a note of

solicitude  〃can you forgive and  〃



〃I answered you that;〃 she whispered; 〃when I told

you I loved you。〃  She leaned away; and looked thought…

fully at him。  〃If I had not told you about myself; would

you have  would you  〃



〃No;〃 he interrupted; 〃I would never have let you

know I loved you。  I would never have asked you this

 Norah; will you be my wife?〃



She wept again。



〃Oh; believe me; I am good now  I am no longer

wicked!  I will be the best wife in the world。  Don't

think I am  bad any more。  If you do I shall die; I

shall die!〃



While he was consoling; her; she brightened up; eager

and impetuous。  〃Will vou marry me to…night?〃  she

said。  〃Will you prove it that way。  I have a reason for

wishing it to be to…night。  Will you?〃



Of one of two things was this exceeding frankness the

outcome: either of importunate brazenness or of utter

innocence。  The lover's perspective contained only the

one。



〃The sooner;〃 said Lorison; 〃the happier I shall be。〃



〃What is there to do?〃  she asked。  〃What do you

have to get?  Come!  You should know。〃



Her energy stirred the dreamer to action。



〃A city directory first;〃 he cried; gayly; 〃to find where

the man lives who gives licenses to happiness。  We will

go together and rout him out。  Cabs; cars; policemen;

telephones and ministers shall aid us。〃



〃Father Rogan shall marry us;〃 said the girl; with

ardour。  〃I will take you to him。〃



An hour later the two stood at the open doorway of an

immense; gloomy brick building in a narrow and lonely

street。  The license was tight in Norah's hand。



〃Wait here a moment;〃 she said; 〃till I find Father

Rogan。〃



She plunged into the black hallway; and the lover was

left standing; as it were; on one leg; outside。  His impa…

tience was not greatly taxed。  Gazing curiously into

what seemed the hallway to Erebus; he was presently

reassured by a stream of light that bisected the darkness;

far down the passage。  Then he heard her call; and

fluttered lampward; like the moth。  She beckoned him

through a doorway into the room whence emanated the

light。  The room was bare of nearly everything except

books; which had subjugated all its space。  Here and

there little spots of territory had been reconquered。  An

elderly; bald man; with a superlatively calm; remote eye;

stood by a table with a book in his hand; his finger still

marking a page。  His dress was sombre and appertained

to a religious order。  His eye denoted an acquaintance

with the perspective。



〃Father Rogan;〃 said Norah; 〃this is he。〃



〃The two of ye;〃 said Father Rogan; 〃want to get

married?〃



They did not deny it。  He married them。  The cere…

mony was quickly done。  One who could have witnessed

it; and felt its scope; might have trembled at the terrible

inadequacy of it to rise to the dignity of its endless chain

of results。



Afterward the priest spake briefly; as if by rote; of

certain other civil and legal addenda that either might or

should; at a later time; cap the ceremony。  Lorison

tendered a fee; which was declined; and before the door

closed after the departing couple Father Rogan's book

popped open again where his finger marked it。



In the dark hall Norah whirled and clung to her com…

panion; tearful。



〃Will you never; never be sorry?〃



At last she was reassured。



At the first light they reached upon the street; she asked

the time; just as she had each night。  Lorison looked at

his watch。  Half…past eight。



Lorison thought it was from habit that she guided their

steps toward the corner where they always parted。  But;

arrived there; she hesitated; and then released his arm。

A drug store stood on the corner; its bright; soft light

shone upon them。



〃Please leave me here as usual to…night;〃 said Norah;

sweetly。  〃I must  I would rather you would。  You

will not object?  At six to…morrow evening I will meet

you at Antonio's。  I want to sit with vou there once more。

And then  I will go where you say。〃  She gave him a

bewildering; bright smile; and walked swiftly away。



Surely it needed all the strength of her charm to carry

off this astounding behaviour。  It was no discredit to

Lorison's strength of mind that his head began to whirl。

Pocketing his hands; he rambled vacuously over to the

druggist's windows; and began assiduously to spell over

the names of the patent medicines therein displayed。



As soon as be had recovered his wits; he proceeded

along the street in an aimless fashion。  After drifting for

two or three squares; he flowed into a somewhat more

pretentious thoroughfare; a way much frequented by him

in his solitary ramblings。  For here was a row of slops

devoted to traffic in goods of the widest range of choice 

handiworks of art; skill and fancy; products of nature

and labour from every zone。



Here; for a time; he loitered among the conspicuous

windows; where was set; emphasized bv congested floods

of light; the cunningest spoil of the interiors。  There

were few passers; and of this Lorison was glad。  He was

not of the world。  For a long time he had touched his

fellow man only at the gear of a levelled cog…wheel  at

right angles; and upon a different axis。  He had dropped

into a distinctly new orbit。  The stroke of ill fortune had

acted upon him; in effect; as a blow delivered upon the

apex of a certain ingenious toy; the musical top; which…

when thus buffeted while spinning; gives forth; with

scarcely retarded motion; a complete change of key and

chord。



Strolling along the pacific avenue; he experienced

singular; supernatural calm; accompanied by an unusual a

activity of brain。  Reflecting upon recent affairs; be

assured himself of his happiness in having won for a bride

the one he had so greatly desired; yet he wondered mildly

at his dearth of active emotion。  Her strange behaviour

in abandoning him without valid excuse on his bridal eve

aroused in him only a vague and curious speculation。

Again; he found himself contemplating; with complaisant

serenity; the incidents of her somewhat lively career。  His

perspective seemed to have been queerly shifted。



As he stood before a window near a corner; his ears

were assailed by a waxing clamour and commotion。  He

stood close to the window to allow passage to the cause

of the hubbub  a procession of human beings; which

rounded the corner aid headed in his direction。  He 

perceived a salient hue of blue and a glitter of brass about

a central figure of dazzling white and silver; and a ragged

wake of black; bobbing figures。



Two ponderous policemen Were conducting between

them a woman dressed as if for the stage; in a short; white;

satiny skirt reaching to the knees; pink stockings; and a

sort of sleeveless bodice bright with relucent; armour…like

scales。  Upon her curly; light hair was perched; at a

rollicking angle; a shining tin helmet。  The costume was

to be instantly recognized as one of those ama

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