whirligigs-第44节

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rollicking　angle；　a　shining　tin　helmet。　　The　costume　was

to　be　instantly　recognized　as　one　of　those　amazing　con…

ceptions　to　which　competition　has　harried　the　inventors

of　the　spectacular　ballet。　　One　of　the　officers　bore　a　long

cloak　upon　his　axm；　which；　doubtless；　had　been　intended

to　veil　the　I　candid　attractions　of　their　effulgent　prisoner；

but；　for　some　reason；　it　had　not　been　called　into　use；　to

the　vociferous　delight　of　the　tail　of　the　procession。



Compelled　by　a　sudden　and　vigorous　movement　of　the

woman；　the　parade　halted　before　the　window　by　which

Lorison　stood。　　He　saw　that　she　was　young；　and；　at　the

first　glance；　was　deceived　by　a　sophistical　prettiness　of　her

face；　which　waned　before　a　more　judicious　scrutiny。

Her　look　was　bold　and　reckless；　and　upon　her　countenance；

where　yet　the　contours　of　youth　survived；　were　the　finger…

marks　of　old　age's　credentialed　courier；　Late　Hours。



The　young　woman　fixed　her　unshrinking　gaze　upon

Lorison；　and　called　to　him　in　the　voice　of　the　wronged

heroine　in　straits：



〃Say！　　You　look　like　a　good　fellow；　come　and　put　up

the　bail；　won't　you？　　I've　done　nothing　to　get　pinched

for。　　It's　all　a　mistake。　　See　how　they're　treating　me！

You　won't　be　sorry；　if　you'll　help　me　out　of　this。　　Think

of　your　sister　or　your　girl　being　dragged　along　the　streets

this　way！　　I　say；　come　along　now；　like　a　good　fellow。〃



It　may　be　that　Lorison；　in　spite　of　the　unconvincing

bathos　of　this　appeal；　showed　a　sympathetic　face；　for　one

of　the　officers　left　the　woman's　side；　and　went　over　to

him。



〃It's　all　right；　Sir；〃　he　said；　in　a　husky；　confidential

tone；　〃she's　the　right　party。　　We　took　her　after　the　first

act　at　the　Green　Light　Theatre；　on　a　wire　from　the　chief

of　police　of　Chicago。　　It's　only　a　square　or　two　to　the

station。　　Her　rig's　pretty　bad；　but　she　refused　to　change

clothes　　or；　rather；〃　added　the　officer；　with　a　smile；

〃to　put　on　some。　　I　thought　I'd　explain　matters　to

you　so　you　wouldn't　think　she　was　being　imposed

upon。〃



〃What　is　the　charge？〃　　asked　Lorison。



〃Grand　larceny。　　Diamonds。　　Her　husband　is　a

jeweller　in　Chicago。　　She　cleaned　his　show　case　of　the

sparklers；　and　skipped　with　a　comic…opera　troupe。〃



The　policeman；　perceiving　that　the　interest　of　the　entire

group　of　spectators　was　centred　upon　himself　and　Lorison

　their　conference　being　regarded　as　a　possible　new　com…

plication　　was　fain　to　prolong　the　situation　　which

reflected　his　own　importance　　by　a　little　afterpiece　of

philosophical　comment。



〃A　gentleman　like　you；　Sir；〃　he　went　on　affably；

〃would　never　notice　it；　but　it　comes　in　my　line　to　observe

what　an　immense　amount　of　trouble　is　made　by　that　com…

bination　　I　mean　the　stage；　diamonds　and　light…headed

women　who　aren't　satisfied　with　good　homes。　　I　tell

you；　Sir；　a　man　these　days　and　nights　wants　to　know　what

his　women　folks　are　up　to。〃



The　policeman　smiled　a　good　night；　and　returned　to

the　side　of　his　charge；　who　had　been　intently　watching

Lorison's　face　during　the　conversation；　no　doubt　for

some　indication　of　his　intention　to　render　succour。　　Now；

at　the　failure　of　the　sign；　and　at　the　movement　made　to

continue　the　ignominious　progress；　she　abandoned　hope；

and　addressed　him　thus；　pointedly：



〃You　damn　chalk…faced　quitter！　　You　was　thinking

of　giving　me　a　hand；　but　you　let　the　cop　talk　you　out　of

it　the　first　word。　　You're　a　dandy　to　tie　to。　　Say；　if　you

ever　get　a　girl；　she'll　have　a　picnic。　　Won't　she　work

you　to　the　queen's　taste！　　Oh；　my！〃　　She　concluded

with　a　taunting；　shrill　laugh　that　rasped　Lorison　like　a

saw。　　The　policemen　urged　her　forward；　the　delighted

train　of　gaping　followers　closed　up　the　rear；　and　the

captive　Amazon；　accepting　her　fate；　extended　the　scope

of　her　maledictions　so　that　none　in　hearing　might　seem

to　be　slighted。



Then　there　came　upon　Lorison　an　overwhelming

revulsion　of　his　perspective。　　It　may　be　that　he　had

been　ripe　for　it；　that　the　abnormal　condition　of　mind　in

which　he　had　for　so　long　existed　was　already　about　to

revert　to　its　balance；　however；　it　is　certain　that　the　events

of　the　last　few　minutes　had　furnished　the　channel；　if　not

the　impetus；　for　the　change。



The　initial　determining　influence　had　been　so　small

a　thing　as　the　fact　and　manner　of　his　having　been

approached　by　the　officer。　　That　agent　had；　by　the　style

of　his　accost；　restored　the　loiterer　to　his　former　place　in

society。　　In　an　instant　he　had　been　transformed　from

a　somewhat　rancid　prowler　along　the　fishy　side　streets　of

gentility　into　an　honest　gentleman；　with　whom　even　so

lordly　a　guardian　of　the　peace　might　agreeably　exchange

the　compliments。



This；　then；　first　broke　the　spell；　and　set　thrilling　in　him

a　resurrected　longing　for　the　fellowship　of　his　kind；　and

the　rewards　of　the　virtuous。　　To　what　end；　he　vehemently

asked　himself；　was　this　fanciful　self…accusation；　this

empty　renunciation；　this　moral　squeamishness　through

which　he　had　been　led　to　abandon　what　was　his　heritage

in　life；　and　not　beyond　his　deserts？　　Technically；　he　was

uncondemned；　his　sole　guilty　spot　was　in　thought　rather

than　deed；　and　cognizance　of　it　unshared　by　others。　　For

what　good；　moral　or　sentimental；　did　he　slink；　retreating

like　the　hedgehog　from　his　own　shadow；　to　and　fro　in　this

musty　Bohemia　that　lacked　even　the　picturesque？



But　the　thing　that　struck　home　and　set　him　raging　was

the　part　played　by　the　Amazonian　prisoner。　　To　the

counterpart　of　that　astounding　belligerent　　identical

at　least；　in　the　way　of　experience　　to　one；　by　her　own

confession；　thus　far　fallen；　had　he；　not　three　hours　since；

been　united　in　marriage。　　How　desirable　and　natural　it

had　seemed　to　him　then；　and　how　monstrous　it　seemed

now！　　How　the　words　of　diamond　thief　number　two　yet

burned　in　his　ears：　〃If　you　ever　get　a　cirl；　she'll　have　a

picnic。　　What　did　that　that　this　women　instinc…

tively　knew　him　for　one　they　could　hoodwink？　　Still　again；

there　reverberated　the　policeman's　sapient　contribution

to　his　agony：　〃A　man　these　days　and　nights　wants　to

know　what　his　women　folks　are　up　to。〃　　Oh；　yes；　he　had

been　a　fool；　he　had　looked　at　things　from　the　wrong

standpoint。



But　the　wildest　note　in　all　the　clamour　was　struck　by

pain's　forefinger；　jealousy。　　Now；　at　least；　he　felt　that

keenest　sting　　a　mounting　love　unworthily　bestowed。

Whatever　she　might　be；　he　loved　her；　he　bore　in　his　own

breast　his　doom。　　A　grating；　comic　flavour　to　his　pre…

dicament　struck　him　suddenly；　and　he　laughed　creakingly

as　he　swung　down　the　echoing　pavement。　　An　impetuous

desire　to　act；　to　battle　with　his　fate；　seized　him。　　He

stopped　upon　his　heel；　and　smote　his　palms　together

triumphantly。　　His　wife　was　　where？　　But　there　was

a　tangible　link；　an　outlet　more　or　less　navigable；　through

which　his　derelict　ship　of　matrimony　might　yet　be　safely

towed　　the　priest！



Like　all　imaginative　men　with　pliable　natures；　Lorison

was；　when　thoroughly　stirred；　apt　to　become　tempest…

uous。　　With　a　high　and　stubborn　indignation　upon　him；

be　retraced　his　steps　to　the　intersecting　street　by　which

he　had　come。　　Down　this　he　hurried　to　the　corner　where

he　had　parted　with　　an　astringent　grimace　tinctured　the

thought　　his　wife。　　Thence　still　back　he　harked；　follow…

ing　through　an　unfamiliar　district　his　stimulated　recollec…

tions　of　the　way　they　had　come　from　that　preposterous

wedding。　　Many　times　he　went　abroad；　and　nosed　his

way　back　to；　the　trail；　furious。



At　last；　when　he　reached　the　dark；　calamitous　building

in　which　his　madness　had　culminated；　and　found　the

black　hallway；　he　dashed　down　it；　perceiving　no　light

or　sound。　　But　he　raised　his　voice；　hailing　loudly；　reckless

of　everything　but　that　he　should　find　the　old　mischief…

maker　with　the　eyes　that　looked　too　far　awav　to　see　the

disaster　he　had　wrought。　　The　door　opened；　and　in　the

stream　of　light　Father　Rogan　stood；　his　book　in　hand；

with　his　finger　marking　the　place。



〃Ah！〃　　cried　Lorison。　　〃You　are　the　man　I　want。　　I

had　a　wife　of　you　a　few　hours　ago。　　I　would　not　trouble

you；　but　I　neglected　to　note　how　it　was　done。　　Will　you

oblige　me　with　the　information　whether　the　business　is

beyond　remedy？〃



〃Come　inside；〃　said　the　priest；　　〃there　are　other　lodgers

in　the　house；　who　might　prefer　sleep　to　even　a　gratified

curiosity。〃



Lorison　entered　the　room　and　took　the　chair　offered

him。　　The　priest's　eyes　looked　a　courteous　interrogation。



〃I　must　apologize　again；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃for　so

soon　intruding　upon　you　with　my　marital　infelicities；

but；　as　my　wife　has　neglected　to　furnish　me　with　her

address；　I　am　deprived　of　the　legitimate　recourse　of　a

family　row。〃



〃I　am　quite　a　plain　man；〃　said　Father　Rogan；　pleas…

antly；　〃but　I　do　not　see　how　I　am　to　ask　you　questions。〃



〃Pardon　my　indirectness；〃　said　Lorison；　〃I　will　ask

one。　　In　this　room　to…night　you　pronounced　me　to　b