roads of destiny-第13节

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r　heart　was　mine；　and　spoke　of　having　seen　me　every　afternoon　when　she　drove　in　the　plaza。　It　was　Fergus　she　had　seen；　of　course。　But　it　was　my　talk　that　won　her。　Suppose　Fergus　had　gone　there；　and　tried　to　make　a　hit　in　the　dark　with　his　beauty　all　invisible；　and　not　a　word　to　say　for　himself！

〃On　the　last　night　she　promised　to　be　minethat　is；　Fergus's。　And　she　put　her　hand　between　the　bars　for　me　to　kiss。　I　bestowed　the　kiss　and　took　the　news　to　Fergus。

〃'You　might　have　left　that　for　me　to　do；'　says　he。

〃'That'll　be　your　job　hereafter；'　says　I。　'Keep　on　doing　that　and　don't　try　to　talk。　Maybe　after　she　thinks　she's　in　love　she　won't　notice　the　difference　between　real　conversation　and　the　inarticulate　sort　of　droning　that　you　give　forth。'

〃Now；　I　had　never　seen　Senorita　Anabela。　So；　the　next　day　Fergus　asks　me　to　walk　with　him　through　the　plaza　and　view　the　daily　promenade　and　exhibition　of　Oratama　society；　a　sight　that　had　no　interest　for　me。　But　I　went；　and　children　and　dogs　took　to　the　banana　groves　and　mangrove　swamps　as　soon　as　they　had　a　look　at　my　face。

〃'Here　she　comes；'　said　Fergus；　twirling　his　moustache'the　one　in　white；　in　the　open　carriage　with　the　black　horse。'

〃I　looked　and　felt　the　ground　rock　under　my　feet。　For　Senorita　Anabela　Zamora　was　the　most　beautiful　woman　in　the　world；　and　the　only　one　from　that　moment　on；　so　far　as　Judson　Tate　was　concerned。　I　saw　at　a　glance　that　I　must　be　hers　and　she　mine　forever。　I　thought　of　my　face　and　nearly　fainted；　and　then　I　thought　of　my　other　talents　and　stood　upright　again。　And　I　had　been　wooing　her　for　three　weeks　for　another　man！

〃As　Senorita　Anabela's　carriage　rolled　slowly　past；　she　gave　Fergus　a　long；　soft　glance　from　the　corners　of　her　night…black　eyes；　a　glance　that　would　have　sent　Judson　Tate　up　into　heaven　in　a　rubber…tired　chariot。　But　she　never　looked　at　me。　And　that　handsome　man　only　ruffles　his　curls　and　smirks　and　prances　like　a　lady…killer　at　my　side。

〃'What　do　you　think　of　her；　Judson？'　asks　Fergus；　with　an　air。

〃'This　much；'　says　I。　'She　is　to　me　Mrs。　Judson　Tate。　I　am　no　man　to　play　tricks　on　a　friend。　So　take　your　warning。'

〃I　thought　Fergus　would　die　laughing。

〃'Well；　well；　well；'　said　he；　'you　old　doughface！　Struck　too；　are　you？　That's　great！　But　you're　too　late。　Francesca　tells　me　that　Anabela　talks　of　nothing　but　me；　day　and　night。　Of　course；　I'm　awfully　obliged　to　you　for　making　that　chin…music　to　her　of　evenings。　But；　do　you　know；　I've　an　idea　that　I　could　have　done　it　as　well　myself。'

〃'Mrs。　Judson　Tate；'　says　I。　'Don't　forget　the　name。　You've　had　the　use　of　my　tongue　to　go　with　your　good　looks；　my　boy。　You　can't　lend　me　your　looks；　but　hereafter　my　tongue　is　my　own。　Keep　your　mind　on　the　name　that's　to　be　on　the　visiting　cards　two　inches　by　three　and　a　half　〃Mrs。　Judson　Tate。〃　That's　all。'

〃'All　right；'　says　Fergus；　laughing　again。　'I've　talked　with　her　father；　the　alcalde；　and　he's　willing。　He's　to　give　a　/baile/　to…morrow　evening　in　his　new　warehouse。　If　you　were　a　dancing　man；　Jud；　I'd　expect　you　around　to　meet　the　future　Mrs。　McMahan。'

〃But　on　the　next　evening；　when　the　music　was　playing　loudest　at　the　Alcade　Zamora's　/baile/；　into　the　room　steps　Judson　Tate　in　a　new　white　linen　clothes　as　if　he　were　the　biggest　man　in　the　whole　nation；　which　he　was。

〃Some　of　the　musicians　jumped　off　the　key　when　they　saw　my　face；　and　one　or　two　of　the　timidest　senoritas　let　out　a　screech　or　two。　But　up　prances　the　alcalde　and　almost　wipes　the　dust　off　my　shoes　with　his　forehead。　No　mere　good　looks　could　have　won　me　that　sensational　entrance。

〃'I　hear　much；　Senor　Zamora；'　says　I；　'of　the　charm　of　your　daughter。　It　would　give　me　great　pleasure　to　be　presented　to　her。'

〃There　were　about　six　dozen　willow　rocking…chairs；　with　pink　tidies　tied　on　to　them；　arranged　against　the　walls。　In　one　of　them　sat　Senorita　Anabela　in　white　Swiss　and　red　slippers；　with　pearls　and　fireflies　in　her　hair。　Fergus　was　at　the　other　end　of　the　room　trying　to　break　away　from　two　maroons　and　a　claybank　girl。

〃The　alcalde　leads　me　up　to　Anabela　and　presents　me。　When　she　took　the　first　look　at　my　face　she　dropped　her　fan　and　nearly　turned　her　chair　over　from　the　shock。　But　I'm　used　to　that。

〃I　sat　down　by　her；　and　began　to　talk。　When　she　heard　me　speak　she　jumped；　and　her　eyes　got　as　big　as　alligator　pears。　She　couldn't　strike　a　balance　between　the　tones　of　my　voice　and　face　I　carried。　But　I　kept　on　talking　in　the　key　of　C；　which　is　the　ladies'　key；　and　presently　she　sat　still　in　her　chair　and　a　dreamy　look　came　into　her　eyes。　She　was　coming　my　way。　She　knew　of　Judson　Tate；　and　what　a　big　man　he　was；　and　the　big　things　he　had　done；　and　that　was　in　my　favour。　But；　of　course；　it　was　some　shock　to　her　to　find　out　that　I　was　not　the　pretty　man　that　had　been　pointed　out　to　her　as　the　great　Judson。　And　then　I　took　the　Spanish　language；　which　is　better　than　English　for　certain　purposes；　and　played　on　it　like　a　harp　of　a　thousand　strings。　I　ranged　from　the　second　G　below　the　staff　up　to　F…sharp　above　it。　I　set　my　voice　to　poetry；　art；　romance；　flowers；　and　moonlight。　I　repeated　some　of　the　verses　that　I　had　murmured　to　her　in　the　dark　at　her　window；　and　I　knew　from　a　sudden　soft　sparkle　in　her　eye　that　she　recognized　in　my　voice　the　tones　of　her　midnight　mysterious　wooer。

〃Anyhow；　I　had　Fergus　McMahan　going。　Oh；　the　vocal　is　the　true　artno　doubt　about　that。　Handsome　is　as　handsome　palavers。　That's　the　renovated　proverb。

〃I　took　Senorita　Anabela　for　a　walk　in　the　lemon　grove　while　Fergus；　disfiguring　himself　with　an　ugly　frown；　was　waltzing　with　the　claybank　girl。　Before　we　returned　I　had　permission　to　come　to　her　window　in　the　/patio/　the　next　evening　at　midnight　and　talk　some　more。

〃Oh；　it　was　easy　enough。　In　two　weeks　Anabela　was　engaged　to　me；　and　Fergus　was　out。　He　took　it　calm；　for　a　handsome　man；　and　told　me　he　wasn't　going　to　give　in。

〃'Talk　may　be　all　right　in　its　place；　Judson；'　he　says　to　me；　'although　I've　never　thought　it　worth　cultivating。　But；'　says　he；　'to　expect　mere　words　to　back　up　successfully　a　face　like　yours　in　a　lady's　good　graces　is　like　expecting　a　man　to　make　a　square　meal　on　the　ringing　of　a　dinner…bell。'

〃But　I　haven't　begun　on　the　story　I　was　going　to　tell　you　yet。

〃One　day　I　took　a　long　ride　in　the　hot　sunshine；　and　then　took　a　bath　in　the　cold　waters　of　a　lagoon　on　the　edge　of　the　town　before　I'd　cooled　off。

〃That　evening　after　dark　I　called　at　the　alcalde's　to　see　Anabela。　I　was　calling　regular　every　evening　then；　and　we　were　to　be　married　in　a　month。　She　was　looking　like　a　bulbul；　a　gazelle；　and　a　tea…rose；　and　her　eyes　were　as　soft　and　bright　as　two　quarts　of　cream　skimmed　off　from　the　Milky　Way。　She　looked　at　my　rugged　features　without　any　expression　of　fear　or　repugnance。　Indeed；　I　fancied　that　I　saw　a　look　of　deep　admiration　and　affection；　such　as　she　had　cast　at　Fergus　on　the　plaza。

〃I　sat　down；　and　opened　my　mouth　to　tell　Anabela　what　she　loved　to　hearthat　she　was　a　trust；　monopolizing　all　the　loveliness　of　earth。　I　opened　my　mouth；　and　instead　of　the　usual　vibrating　words　of　love　and　compliment；　there　came　forth　a　faint　wheeze　such　as　a　baby　with　croup　might　emit。　Not　a　wordnot　a　syllablenot　an　intelligible　sound。　I　had　caught　cold　in　my　laryngeal　regions　when　I　took　my　injudicious　bath。

〃For　two　hours　I　sat　trying　to　entertain　Anabela。　She　talked　a　certain　amount；　but　it　was　perfunctory　and　diluted。　The　nearest　approach　I　made　to　speech　was　to　formulate　a　sound　like　a　clam　trying　to　sing　'A　Life　on　the　Ocean　Wave'　at　low　tide。　It　seemed　that　Anabela's　eyes　did　not　rest　upon　me　as　often　as　usual。　I　had　nothing　with　which　to　charm　her　ears。　We　looked　at　pictures　and　she　played　the　guitar　occasionally；　very　badly。　When　I　left；　her　parting　manner　seemed　cool　or　at　least　thoughtful。

〃This　happened　for　five　evenings　consecutively。

〃On　the　sixth　day　she　ran　away　with　Fergus　McMahan。

〃It　was　known　that　they　fled　in　a　sailing　yacht　bound　for　Belize。　I　was　only　eight　hours　behind　them　in　a　small　steam　launch　belonging　to　the　Revenue　Department。

〃Before　I　sailed；　I　rushed　into　the　/botica/　of　old　Manuel　Iquito；　a　half…breed　Indian　druggist。　I　could　not　speak；　but　I　pointed　to　my　throat　and　made　a　sound　like　escaping　steam。　He　began　to　yawn。　In　an　hour；　according　to　the　customs　of　the　country；　I　would　have　been　waited　on。　I　reached　across　the　counter；　seized　him　by　the　throat；　and　pointed　again　to　my　own。　He　yawned　once　more；　and　thrust　into　my　hand　a　small　bottle　containing　a　black　liquid。

〃'Take　one　small　spoonful　every　two　hours；'　says　he。

〃I　threw　him　a　dollar　and　skinned　for　the　steamer。

〃I　steamed　into　the　harbour　at　Belize　thirteen　seconds　behind　the　yacht　that　Anabela　and　Fergus　were　on。　They　started　for　the　shore　in　a　dory　just　as　my　skiff　was　lowered　over　the　side。　I　tried　to　order　my　sailormen　to　row　faster；　but　the　sounds　died　in　my　larynx　before　they　came　to　the　light。　Then　I　thought　of　old　Iquito's　medicine；　and　I　got　out　his　bottle　and　took　a　swallow　of　it。

〃The　two　boats　landed　at　the　same　moment。　I　walked　straight　up　to　Anabela　and　Fergus。　Her　eyes　rested　upon　me　for　an　instant；　then　she　turned　them；　full　of　feeling　and　confidence；　upon　Fergus。　I　knew　I　c