第 34 节
作者:月寒      更新:2024-04-14 09:15      字数:9322
  if he wanted a new pair of gloves or a hair…cut。 For Philip Endicott; while
  rich   in   birth   and   education   and   charm   of   manner;   had   no   money   at   all。
  When; in May; he came from New York to lay siege to London and to the
  heart   of   Helen   Carey   he   had   with   him;   all   told;   fifteen   hundred   dollars。
  That was all he possessed in the world; and unless the magazines bought
  his stories there was no prospect of his getting any more。
  Friends who knew London told him that; if you knew London well; it
  was easy to live comfortably there and to go about and even to entertain
  modestly on three sovereigns a day。 So; at that rate; Philip calculated he
  could stay three months。 But he found that to know London well enough
  to be able to live there on three sovereigns a day you had first to spend so
  many five…pound notes in getting acquainted with London that there were
  no sovereigns left。 At the end of one month he had just enough money to
  buy him a second…class passage back to New York; and he was as far from
  Helen as ever。
  Often he had read in stories and novels of men who were too poor to
  marry。 And he had laughed at the idea。 He had always said that when two
  people truly love each other it does not matter whether they have money
  or not。 But when in London; with only a five…pound note; and face to face
  with the actual proposition of asking Helen Carey not only to marry him
  but   to   support   him;   he   felt   that   money   counted   for   more   than   he   had
  supposed。 He found money was many different thingsit was self…respect;
  and proper pride; and private honors and independence。 And; lacking these
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  things;   he   felt   he   could   ask   no   girl   to   marry   him;   certainly   not   one   for
  whom he cared as he cared for Helen Carey。 Besides; while he knew how
  he   loved   her;   he   had   no   knowledge   whatsoever   that   she   loved   him。   She
  always seemed extremely glad to see him; but that might be explained in
  different ways。 It might be that what was in her heart for him was really a
  sort of 〃old home week〃 feeling; that to her it was a relief to see any one
  who spoke her own language; who did not need to have it explained when
  she was jesting; and who did not think when she was speaking in perfectly
  satisfactory phrases that she must be talking slang。
  The Ambassador and his wife had been very kind to Endicott; and; as a
  friend of Helen's; had asked him often to dinner and had sent him cards for
  dances at which Helen was to be one of the belles and beauties。 And Helen
  herself had been most kind; and had taken early morning walks with him
  in Hyde Park and through the National Galleries; and they had fed buns to
  the bears in the Zoo; and in doing so had laughed heartily。 They thought it
  was   because   the   bears   were   so   ridiculous   that   they   laughed。   Later   they
  appreciated      that  the   reason    they   were    happy    was   because     they   were
  together。 Had the bear pit been empty; they still would have laughed。
  On   the   evening   of   the   thirty…first   of   May;   Endicott   had   gone   to   bed
  with his ticket purchased for America and his last five…pound note to last
  him until the boat sailed。 He was a miserable young man。 He knew now
  that   he   loved   Helen   Carey  in   such   a   way  that   to put   the   ocean   between
  them was liable to unseat his courage and his self…control。 In London he
  could;     each   night;   walk    through    Carlton    House     Terrace    and;   leaning
  against the iron rails of the Carlton Club; gaze up at her window。 But; once
  on the other side of the ocean; that tender exercise must be abandoned。 He
  must even consider her pursued by most attractive guardsmen; diplomats;
  and belted earls。 He knew they could not love her as he did; he knew they
  could   not   love   her   for   the   reasons   he   loved   her;   because   the   fine   and
  beautiful things in her that he saw and worshipped they did not seek; and
  so   did   not   find。   And   yet;   for   lack   of   a   few   thousand   dollars;   he   must
  remain silent; must put from him the best that ever came into his life; must
  waste the wonderful devotion he longed to give; must starve the love that
  he could never summon for any other woman。
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  On   the   thirty…first   of   May   he   went   to   sleep   utterly   and   completely
  miserable。 On the first of June he woke hopeless and unrefreshed。
  And then the miracle came。
  Prichard;   the   ex…butler   who   valeted   all   the   young   gentlemen   in   the
  house where Philip had taken chambers; brought him his breakfast。 As he
  placed the  eggs   and   muffins on the tables   to Philip   it seemed   as   though
  Prichard had said: 〃I am sorry he is leaving us。 The next gentleman who
  takes   these   rooms   may   not   be   so   open…handed。   He   never   locked   up   his
  cigars or his whiskey。 I wish he'd   give me his old dress…coat。 It fits   me;
  except across the shoulders。〃
  Philip stared hard at Prichard; but the lips of the valet had not moved。
  In surprise and bewilderment; Philip demanded:
  〃How do you know it fits? Have you tried it on?〃
  〃I wouldn't take such a liberty;〃 protested Prichard。 〃Not with any of
  our gentlemen's clothes。〃
  〃How   did   you   know   I   was   talking   about   clothes;〃   demanded   Philip。
  〃You didn't say anything about clothes; did you?〃
  〃No; sir; I did not; but you asked me; sir; and I〃
  〃Were you thinking of clothes?〃
  〃Well;   sir;   you   might   say;   in   a   way;   that   I   was;   answered   the   valet。
  〃Seeing as you're leaving; sir; and they're not over…new; I thought 〃
  〃It's mental telepathy;〃 said Philip。
  〃I beg your pardon;〃 exclaimed Prichard。
  〃You needn't wait;〃 said Philip。
  The coincidence puzzled him; but by the time he had read the morning
  papers he had forgotten about it; and it was not until he had emerged into
  the street that it was forcibly recalled。 The street was crowded with people;
  and as Philip stepped in among them; It was as though every one at whom
  he looked began to talk aloud。 Their lips did not move; nor did any sound
  issue from between them; but; without ceasing; broken phrases of thoughts
  came to him as clearly as when; in passing in a crowd; snatches of talk are
  carried to the ears。 One man thought of his debts; another of the weather;
  and   of   what   disaster   it   might   bring   to   his   silk   hat;   another   planned   his
  luncheon; another was rejoicing over a telegram he had but that moment
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  received。   To   himself   he   kept   repeating   the   words   of   the   telegram〃No
  need   to   come;   out   of   danger。〃 To   Philip   the   message   came   as   clearly  as
  though he were reading it from the folded slip of paper that the stranger
  clutched in his hand。
  Confused and somewhat frightened; and in order that undisturbed he
  might     consider    what    had   befallen    him;   Philip   sought    refuge   from   the
  crowded street in the hallway of a building。 His first thought was that for
  some   unaccountable   cause   his   brain   for   the   moment   was   playing   tricks
  with him; and he was inventing the phrases he seemed to hear; that he was
  attributing thoughts   to  others of   which they  were  entirely  innocent。  But;
  whatever it was that had befallen him; he knew it was imperative that he
  should at once get at the meaning of it。
  The hallway in which he stood opened from Bond Street up a flight of
  stairs to the studio of a fashionable photographer; and directly in front of
  the   hallway   a    young   woman   of   charming   appearance   had   halted。   Her
  glance was troubled; her manner ill at ease。 To herself she kept repeating:
  〃Did I tell Hudson to be here at a quarter to eleven; or a quarter past? Will
  she get the telephone message to bring the ruff? Without the ruff it would
  be   absurd   to   be   photographed。   Without   her   ruff   Mary   Queen   of   Scots
  would look ridiculous!〃
  Although the   young   woman   had   spoken   not   a single   word;   although
  indeed she was biting impatiently at her lower lip; Philip had distinguished
  the   words   clearly。   Or;   if   he   had   not   distinguished   them;   he   surely   was
  going   mad。   It   was   a   matter   to   be   at   once   determined;   and   the   young
  woman should determi