roads of destiny-第40节

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pe。　She　fetched　the　viands　from　a　vessel　set　by　the　smouldering　fire；　and　then　retired　to　a　tent；　dark　within；　that　stood　near　by。

Presently　Tansey　heard　a　turmoil　in　the　tent；　a　wailing；　broken…　hearted　pleading　in　the　harmonious　Spanish　tongue；　and　then　two　figures　tumbled　out　into　the　light　of　the　lanterns。　One　was　the　old　woman；　the　other　was　a　man　clothed　with　a　sumptuous　and　flashing　splendour。　The　woman　seemed　to　clutch　and　beseech　from　him　something　against　his　will。　The　man　broke　from　her　and　struck　her　brutally　back　into　the　tent；　where　she　lay；　whimpering　and　invisible。　Observing　Tansey；　he　walked　rapidly　to　the　table　where　he　sat。　Tansey　recognized　him　to　be　Ramon　Torres；　a　Mexican；　the　proprietor　of　the　stand　he　was　patronizing。

Torres　was　a　handsome；　nearly　full…blooded　descendant　of　the　Spanish；　seemingly　about　thirty　years　of　age；　and　of　a　haughty；　but　extremely　courteous　demeanour。　To…night　he　was　dressed　with　signal　magnificence。　His　costume　was　that　of　a　triumphant　/matador/；　made　of　purple　velvet　almost　hidden　by　jeweled　embroidery。　Diamonds　of　enormous　size　flashed　upon　his　garb　and　his　hands。　He　reached　for　a　chair；　and；　seating　himself　at　the　opposite　side　of　the　table；　began　to　roll　a　finical　cigarette。

〃Ah；　Meester　Tanse；〃　he　said；　with　a　sultry　fire　in　his　silky；　black　eyes；　〃I　give　myself　pleasure　to　see　you　this　evening。　Meester　Tansee；　you　have　many　times　come　to　eat　at　my　table。　I　theenk　you　a　safe　man　a　verree　good　friend。　How　much　would　it　please　you　to　leeve　forever？〃

〃Not　come　back　any　more？〃　inquired　Tansey。

〃No；　not　leave/leeve/；　the　not…to…die。〃

〃I　would　call　that；〃　said　Tansey；　〃a　snap。〃

Torres　leaned　his　elbows　upon　the　table；　swallowed　a　mouthful　of　smoke；　and　spakeeach　word　being　projected　in　a　little　puff　of　gray。

〃How　old　do　you　theenk　I　am；　Meester　Tansee？〃

〃Oh；　twenty…eight　or　thirty。〃

〃Thees　day；〃　said　the　Mexican；　〃ees　my　birthday。　I　am　four　hundred　and　three　years　of　old　to…day。〃

〃Another　proof；〃　said　Tansey；　airily；　〃of　the　healthfulness　of　our　climate。〃

〃Eet　is　not　the　air。　I　am　to　relate　to　you　a　secret　of　verree　fine　value。　Listen　me；　Meester　Tansee。　At　the　age　of　twenty…three　I　arrive　in　Mexico　from　Spain。　When？　In　the　year　fifteen　hundred　nineteen；　with　the　/soldados/　of　Hernando　Cortez。　I　come　to　thees　country　seventeen　fifteen。　I　saw　your　Alamo　reduced。　It　was　like　yesterday　to　me。　Three　hundred　ninety…six　year　ago　I　learn　the　secret　always　to　leeve。　Look　at　these　clothes　I　warat　these　/diamantes/。　Do　you　theenk　I　buy　them　with　the　money　I　make　with　selling　the　/chili…con…carne/；　Meester　Tansee？〃

〃I　should　think　not；〃　said　Tansey；　promptly。　Torres　laughed　loudly。

〃/Valgame　Dios/！　but　I　do。　But　it　not　the　kind　you　eating　now。　I　make　a　deeferent　kind；　the　eating　of　which　makes　men　to　always　leeve。　What　do　you　think！　One　thousand　people　I　supply/diez　pesos/　each　one　pays　me　the　month。　You　see！　ten　thousand　/pesos/　everee　month！　/Que　diable/！　how　not　I　wear　the　fine　/ropa/！　You　see　that　old　woman　try　to　hold　me　back　a　little　while　ago？　That　ees　my　wife。　When　I　marry　her　she　is　youngseventeen　year/bonita/。　Like　the　rest　she　ees　become　old　andwhat　you　say！tough？　I　am　the　sameyoung　all　the　time。　To…night　I　resolve　to　dress　myself　and　find　another　wife　befitting　my　age。　This　old　woman　try　to　scr…r…ratch　my　face。　Ha！　ha！　Meester　Tansee　same　way　they　do　/entre　los　Americanos/。〃

〃And　this　health…food　you　spoke　of？〃　said　Tansey。

〃Hear　me；〃　said　Torres；　leaning　over　the　table　until　he　lay　flat　upon　it；　〃eet　is　the　/chili…con…carne/　made　not　from　the　beef　or　the　chicken；　but　from　the　flesh　of　the　/senorita/young　and　tender。　That　ees　the　secret。　Everee　month　you　must　eat　of　it；　having　care　to　do　so　before　the　moon　is　full；　and　you　will　not　die　any　times。　See　how　I　trust　you；　friend　Tansee！　To…night　I　have　bought　one　young　ladee　verree　prettyso　/fina；　gorda；　blandita/！　To…morrow　the　/chili/　will　be　ready。　/Ahora　si/！　One　thousand　dollars　I　pay　for　thees　young　ladee。　From　an　/Americano/　I　have　boughta　verree　tip…top　man/el　Capitan　Peek//que　es；　Senor/？〃

For　Tansey　had　sprung　to　his　feet；　upsetting　the　chair。　The　words　of　Katie　reverberated　in　his　ears：　〃They're　going　to　eat　me；　Sam。〃　This；　then；　was　the　monstrous　fate　to　which　she　had　been　delivered　by　her　unnatural　parent。　The　carriage　he　had　seen　drive　up　from　the　Plaza　was　Captain　Peek's。　Where　was　Katie？　Perhaps　already

Before　he　could　decide　what　to　do　a　loud　scream　came　from　the　tent。　The　old　Mexican　woman　ran　out；　a　flashing　knife　in　her　hand。　〃I　have　released　her；〃　she　cried。　〃You　shall　kill　no　more。　They　will　hang　you　/ingrato//encatador/！〃

Torres；　with　a　hissing　exclamation；　sprang　at　her。

〃Ramoncito！〃　she　shrieked；　〃once　you　loved　me。〃

The　Mexican's　arm　raised　and　descended。　〃You　are　old；〃　he　cried；　and　she　fell　and　lay　motionless。

Another　scream；　the　flaps　of　the　tent　were　flung　aside；　and　there　stood　Katie；　white　with　fear；　her　wrists　still　bound　with　a　cruel　cord。

〃Sam！〃　she　cried；　〃save　me　again！〃

Tansey　rounded　the　table；　and　flung　himself；　with　superb　nerve；　upon　the　Mexican。　Just　then　a　clangour　began；　the　clocks　of　the　city　were　tolling　the　midnight　hour。　Tansey　clutched　at　Torres；　and；　for　a　moment；　felt　in　his　grasp　the　crunch　of　velvet　and　the　cold　facets　of　the　glittering　gems。　The　next　instant；　the　bedecked　caballero　turned　in　his　hands　to　a　shrunken；　leather…visaged；　white…bearded；　old；　old；　screaming　mummy；　sandalled；　ragged；　and　four　hundred　and　three。　The　Mexican　woman　was　crawling　to　her　feet；　and　laughing。　She　shook　her　brown　hand　in　the　face　of　the　whining　/viejo/。

〃Go；　now；〃　she　cried；　〃and　seek　your　senorita。　It　was　I；　Ramoncito；　who　brought　you　to　this。　Within　each　moon　you　eat　of　the　life…giving　/chili/。　It　was　I　that　kept　the　wrong　time　for　you。　You　should　have　eaten　/yesterday/　instead　of　/to…morrow/。　It　is　too　late。　Off　with　you；　/hombre/！　You　are　too　old　for　me！〃

〃This；〃　decided　Tansey；　releasing　his　hold　of　the　gray…beard；　〃is　a　private　family　matter　concerning　age；　and　no　business　of　mine。〃

With　one　of　the　table　knives　he　hastened　to　saw　asunder　the　fetters　of　the　fair　captive；　and　then；　for　the　second　time　that　night　he　kissed　Katie　Peektasted　again　the　sweetness；　the　wonder；　the　thrill　of　it；　attained　once　more　the　maximum　of　his　incessant　dreams。

The　next　instant　an　icy　blade　was　driven　deep　between　his　shoulders；　he　felt　his　blood　slowly　congeal；　heard　the　senile　cackle　of　the　perennial　Spaniard；　saw　the　Plaza　rise　and　reel　till　the　zenith　crashed　into　the　horizonand　knew　no　more。

When　Tansey　opened　his　eyes　again　he　was　sitting　upon　those　self…same　steps　gazing　upon　the　dark　bulk　of　the　sleeping　convent。　In　the　middle　of　his　back　was　still　the　acute；　chilling　pain。　How　had　he　been　conveyed　back　there　again？　He　got　stiffly　to　his　feet　and　stretched　his　cramped　limbs。　Supporting　himself　against　the　stonework　he　revolved　in　his　mind　the　extravagant　adventures　that　had　befallen　him　each　time　he　had　strayed　from　the　steps　that　night。　In　reviewing　them　certain　features　strained　his　credulity。　Had　he　really　met　Captain　Peek　or　Katie　or　the　unparalleled　Mexican　in　his　wandershad　he　really　encountered　them　under　commonplace　conditions　and　his　over…　stimulated　brain　had　supplied　the　incongruities？　However　that　might　be；　a　sudden；　elating　thought　caused　him　an　intense　joy。　Nearly　all　of　us　have；　at　some　point　in　our　liveseither　to　excuse　our　own　stupidity　or　to　placate　our　consciencespromulgated　some　theory　of　fatalism。　We　have　set　up　an　intelligent　Fate　that　works　by　codes　and　signals。　Tansey　had　done　likewise；　and　now　he　read；　through　the　night's　incidents；　the　finger…prints　of　destiny。　Each　excursion　that　he　had　made　had　led　to　the　one　paramount　finaleto　Katie　and　that　kiss；　which　survived　and　grew　strong　and　intoxicating　in　his　memory。　Clearly；　Fate　was　holding　up　to　him　the　mirror　that　night；　calling　him　to　observe　what　awaited　him　at　the　end　of　whichever　road　he　might　take。　He　immediately　turned；　and　hurried　homeward。

*　*　*　*　*

Clothed　in　an　elaborate；　pale　blue　wrapper；　cut　to　fit；　Miss　Katie　Peek　reclined　in　an　armchair　before　a　waning　fire　in　her　room。　Her　little；　bare　feet　were　thrust　into　house…shoes　rimmed　with　swan's　down。　By　the　light　of　a　small　lamp　she　was　attacking　the　society　news　of　the　latest　Sunday　paper。　Some　happy　substance；　seemingly　indestructible；　was　being　rhythmically　crushed　between　her　small　white　teeth。　Miss　Katie　read　of　functions　and　furbelows；　but　she　kept　a　vigilant　ear　for　outside　sounds　and　a　frequent　eye　upon　the　clock　over　the　mantel。　At　every　footstep　upon　the　asphalt　sidewalk　her　smooth；　round　chin　would　cease　for　a　moment　its　regular　rise　and　fall；　and　a　frown　of　listening　would　pucker　her　pretty　brows。

At　last　she　heard　the　latch　of　the　iron　gate　click。　She　sprang　up；　tripped　softly　to　the　mirror；　where　she　made　a　few　of　those　feminine；　flickering　passes　at　her　front　hair　and　throat　which　are　warranted　to　hypnotize　the　approaching　guest。

The　door…bell　rang。　Miss　Katie；　in　her　haste；　turned　the　blaze　of　the　lamp　lower　instead　of　higher；　and　hastened　noiselessly　down　stairs　into　the　hall。　She　turned　the　key；　the　door　opened；　and　Mr。　Tansey　side…stepped　in。

〃Why；　the　i…de…a！〃