whirligigs-第46节

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but　this　time　in　another　direction。　　His　conductor　was

serenely　silent；　and　Lorison　followed　his　example　to　the

extent　of　seldom　speaking。　　Serene　he　could　not　be。　　His

heart　beat　suffocatingly　in　his　breast。　　The　following　of

this　blind；　menacing　trail　was　pregnant　with　he　knew　not

what　humiliating　revelation　to　be　delivered　at　its　end。



They　came　into　a　more　pretentious　street；　where　trade；

it　could　be　surmised；　flourished　by　day。　　And　again　the

priest　paused；　this　time　before　a　lofty　building；　whose

great　doors　and　windows　in　the　lowest　floor　were　carefully

shuttered　and　barred。　　Its　higher　apertures　were　dark；

save　in　the　third　story；　the　windows　of　which　were　bril…

liantly　lighted。　　Lorison's　ear　caught　a　distant；　regular；

pleasing　thrumming；　as　of　music　above。　　They　stood　at

an　angle　of　the　building。　　Up；　along　the　side　nearest　them；

mounted　an　iron　stairway。　　At　its　top　was　an　upright；

illuminated　parallelogram。　　Father　Rogan　had　stopped；

and　stood；　musing。



〃I　will　say　this　much；〃　he　remarked；　thoughtfully：

〃I　believe　you　to　be　a　better　man　than　you　think　yourself

to　be；　and　a　better　man　than　I　thought　some　hours　ago。

But　do　not　take　this；〃　he　added；　with　a　smile；　〃as　much

praise。　　I　promised　you　a　possible　deliverance　from　an

unhappy　perplexity。　　I　will　have　to　modify　that　promise。

I　can　only　remove　the　mystery　that　enhanced　that　per…

plexity。　　Your　deliverance　depends　upon　yourself。

Come。〃



He　led　his　companion　up　the　stairway。　　Halfway　up；

Lorison　caught　him　by　the　sleeve。　　〃Remember；〃　he

gasped；　〃I　love　that　woman。〃



〃You　desired　to　know。



〃I　　Go　on。〃



The　priest　reached　the　landing　at　the　top　of　the　stairway。

Lorison；　behind　him；　saw　that　the　illuminated　space　was

the　glass　upper　half　of　a　door　opening　into　the　lighted

room。　　The　rhythmic　music　increased　as　they　neared

it；　the　stairs　shook　with　the　mellow　vibrations。



Lorison　stopped　breathing　when　he　set　foot　upon　the

highest　step；　for　the　priest　stood　aside；　and　motioned　him

to　look　through　the　glass　of　the　door。



His　eye；　accustomed　to　the　darkness；　met　first　a　blind…

ing　glare；　and　then　he　made　out　the　faces　and　forms　of

many　people；　amid　an　extravagant　display　of　splendid

robings　　billowy　laces；　brilliant…hued　finery；　ribbons；

silks　and　misty　drapery。　　And　then　he　caught　the　mean。

ing　of　that　jarring　hum；　and　he　saw　the　tired；　pale；　happy

face　of　his　wife；　bending；　as　were　a　score　of　others；　over

her　sewing　machine　　toiling；　toiling。　　Here　was　the

folly　she　pursued；　and　the　end　of　his　quest。



But　not　his　deliverance；　though　even　then　remorse

struck　him。　　His　shamed　soul　fluttered　once　more　before

it　retired　to　make　room　for　the　other　and　better　one。

For；　to　temper　his　thrill　of　joy；　the　shine　of　the　satin　and

the　glimmer　of　ornaments　recalled　the　disturbing　figure

of　the　bespangled　Amazon；　and　the　base　duplicate　histories

it　by　the　glare　of　footlights　and　stolen　diamonds。　　It　is

past　the　wisdom　of　him　who　only　sets　the　scenes；　either　to

praise　or　blame　the　man。　　But　this　time　his　love　over…

came　his　scruples。　　He　took　a　quick　step；　and　reached

out　his　hand　for　the　doorknob。　　Father　Rogan　was

quicker　to　arrest　it　and　draw　him　back。



〃You　use　my　trust　in　you　queerly；〃　said　the　priest

sternly。　　〃What　are　you　about　to　do？〃



〃I　am　going　to　my　wife；〃　said　Lorison。　　〃Let　me　pass。〃



〃Listen；〃　said　the　priest；　holding　him　firmly　by　the

arm。　　〃I　am　about　to　put　you　in　possession　of　a　piece　of

knowledge　of　which；　thus　far；　you　have　scarcely　proved

deserving。　　I　do　not　think　you　ever　will；　but　I　will　not

dwell　upon　that。　　You　see　in　that　room　the　woman　you

married；　working　for　a　frugal　living　for　herself；　and　a

generous　comfort　for　an　idolized　brother。　　This　building

belongs　to　the　chief　costumer　of　the　city。　　For　months　the

advance　orders　for　the　coming　Mardi　Gras　festivals　have

kept　the　work　going　day　and　night。　　I　myself　secured

employment　here　for　Norah。　　She　toils　here　each　night

from　nine　o'clock　until　daylight；　and；　besides；　carries

home　with　her　some　of　the　finer　costumes；　requiring　more

delicate　needlework；　and　works　there　part　of　the　day。

Somehow；　you　two　have　remained　strangely　ignorant　of

each　other's　lives。　　Are　you　convinced　now　that　your

wife　is　not　walking　the　streets？〃



〃Let　me　go　to　her；〃　cried　Lorison；　again　struggling；

〃and　beg　her　forgiveness！'



〃Sir；〃　said　the　priest；　〃do　you　owe　me　nothing？　　Be

quiet。　　It　seems　so　often　that　Heaven　lets　fall　its　choicest

gifts　into　hands　that　must　be　taught　to　hold　them。　　Listen

again。　　You　forgot　that　repentant　sin　must　not　comprom…

ise；　but　look　up；　for　redemption；　to　the　purest　and　best。

You　went　to　her　with　the　fine…spun　sophistry　that　peace

could　be　found　in　a　mutual　guilt；　and　she；　fearful　of　losing

what　her　heart　so　craved；　thought　it　worth　the　price　to

buy　it　with　a　desperate；　pure；　beautiful　lie。　　I　have　known

her　since　the　day　she　was　born；　she　is　as　innocent　and

unsullied　in　life　and　deed　as　a　holy　saint。　　In　that　lowly

street　where　she　dwells　she　first　saw　the　light；　and　she

has　lived　there　ever　since；　spending　her　days　in　generous

self…sacrifice　for　others。　　Och；　ye　spalpeen！〃　　continued

Father　Rogan；　raising　his　finger　in　kindly　anger　at　Lorison。

〃What　for；　I　wonder；　could　she　be　after　making　a　fool

of　hersilf；　and　shamin'　her　swate　soul　with　lies；　for　the

like　of　you！〃



〃Sir；〃　said　Lorison；　trembling；　〃say　what　you　please

of　me。　　Doubt　it　as　you　must；　I　will　yet　prove　my　gratitude

to　you；　and　my　devotion　to　her。　　But　let　me　speak　to　her

once　now；　let　me　kneel　for　just　one　moment　at　her　feet；

and　　〃



〃Tut；　tut！〃　　said　the　priest。　　〃How　many　acts　of　a

love　drama　do　you　think　an　old　bookworm　like　me　capable

of　witnessing？　　Besides；　what　kind　of　figures　do　we　cut；

spying　upon　the　mysteries　of　midnight　millinery！　　Go

to　meet　your　wife　to…morrow；　as　she　ordered　you；　and　obey

her　thereafter；　and　maybe　some　time　I　shall　get　forgive…

ness　for　the　part　I　have　played　in　this　night's　work。　　Off

wid　yez　down　the　shtairs；　now！　　'Tis　late；　and　an　ould

man　like　me　should　be　takin'　his　rest。〃







　　　　　　　　　　MADAME　BO…PEEP；　OF　THE　RANCHES

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

〃AUNT　ELLEN；〃　said　Octavia；　cheerfully；　as　she　threw

her　black　kid　gloves　carefully　at　the　dignified　Persian　cat

on　the　window…seat；　〃I'm　a　pauper。〃



〃You　are　so　extreme　in　your　statements；　Octavia；

dear；〃　said　Aunt　Ellen；　mildly；　looking　up　from　her　paper。



〃If　you　find　yourself　temporarily　in　need　of　some　small

change　for　bonbons；　you　will　find　my　purse　in　the　drawer

of　the　writing　desk。〃



Octavia　Beaupree　removed　her　hat　and　seated　herself

on　a　footstool　near　her　aunt's　chair；　clasping　her　hands

about　her　knees。　Her　slim　and　flexible　figure；　clad　in　a

modish　mourning　costume；　accommodated　itself　easily

and　gracefully　to　the　trying　position。　Her　bright　and

youthful　face；　with　its　pair　of　sparkling；　life…enamoured

eyes；　tried　to　compose　itself　to　the　seriousness　that　the

occasion　seemed　to　demand。



〃You　good　auntie；　it　isn't　a　case　of　bonbons；　it　is　abject；

staring；　unpicturesque　poverty；　with　ready…made　clothes；

gasolined　gloves；　and　probably　one　o'clock　dinners　all

waiting　with　the　traditional　wolf　at　the　door。　I've　just

come　from　my　lawyer；　auntie；　and；　'Please；　ma'am；　I

ain't　got　nothink　't　all。　Flowers；　lady？　Buttonhole；

gentleman？　Pencils；　sir；　three　for　five；　to　help　a　poor

widow？'　Do　I　do　it　nicely；　auntie；　or；　as　a　bread…winner

accomplishment；　were　my　lessons　in　elocution　entirely

wasted？〃



〃Do　be　serious；　my　dear；〃　said　Aunt　Ellen；　letting　her

paper　fall　to　the　floor；　〃long　enough　to　tell　me　what　you

mean。　Colonel　Beaupree's　estate　　〃



〃Colonel　Beaupree's　estate；〃　interrupted　Octavia；

emphasizing　her　words　with　appropriate　dramatic　ges…

tures；　〃is　of　Spanish　castellar　architecture。　Colonel

Beaupree's　resources　are　　wind。　Colonel　Beaupree's

stocks　are　　water。　Colonel　Beaupree's　income　is　

all　in。　The　statement　lacks　the　legal　technicalities　to

which　I　have　been　listening　for　an　hour；　but　that　is　what

it　means　when　translated。〃



〃Octavia！〃　　Aunt　Ellen　was　now　visibly　possessed　by

consternation。　〃I　can　hardly　believe　it。　And　it　was　the

impression　that　he　was　worth　a　million。　And　the　De

Peysters　themselves　introduced　him！〃



Octavia　rippled　out　a　laugh；　and　then　became　properly

grave。



〃De　mortuis　nil；　auntie　　not　even　the　rest　of　it。　The

dear　old　colonel　　what　a　gold　brick　he　was；　after　all！

I　paid　for　my　bargain　fairly　　I'm　all　here；　am　I　not？　

　items：　eyes；　fingers；　toes；　youth；　old　family；　unques…

tionable　position　in　society　as　called　for　in　the　contract

no　wild…cat　stock　here。〃　Octavia　picked　up　the

morning　paper　from　the　floor。　〃But　I'm　not　going　to

'squeal'　　isn't　that　what　they　call　it　when　you　rail　at

Fortune　because　you've；　lost　the　game？〃　She　turned

the　pages　of　the　paper　calmly。