第 19 节
作者:一米八      更新:2021-02-20 18:33      字数:9322
  〃How do you do it?〃 she asked with a gesture。
  〃Do what?〃
  〃Manage a place like this?  In a busy office district。  It's the
  most wonderful apartment in New York。  Riverside has nothing like
  it。  It must cost。 like sixty。〃
  〃The building is mine; Kitty。  That makes it possible。  An uncle
  who knew I hated money and the responsibilities that go with it; died
  and left it to me。〃
  〃Why; Cutty; you must be rich!〃
  〃I'm sorry。  What can I do?  I can't give it away。〃
  〃But you don't have to work!〃
  〃Oh; yes; I do。  I'm that kind。  I'd die of a broken heart if I had
  to sit still。  It's the game。〃
  〃Did mother know?〃
  〃Yes。〃
  With the toe of a snug little bronze boot Kitty drew an outline round
  a pattern in the rug。
  〃Love is a funny thing;〃 was her comment。
  〃It sure is; old…timer。  But what put the thought into your head?〃
  〃I was thinking how very much mumsy must have been in love with
  father。〃
  〃But she never knew that I loved her; Kitty。〃
  〃What's that got to do with it?  If she had wanted money you wouldn't
  have had the least chance in the world。〃
  〃Probably not!  But what would you have done in your mother's place?〃
  〃Snapped you up like that!〃 Kitty flashed back。
  〃You cheerful little … little … 〃
  〃Liar。  Say it!〃 Kitty laughed。  〃But am I a cheerful little liar?
  I don't know。  It would be an awful temptation。  Somebody to wait
  on you; heaps of flowers when you wanted them; beautiful gowns and
  thingummies and furs and limousines。 I've often wondered what I
  should do if I found myself with love and youth on one side and
  money and  attraction on the other。  I've always been in straitened
  circumstances。  I never spent a dollar in all my days when I didn't
  think I ought to have held back three or four cents of it。  You
  can't know; Cutty;  what it is to be poor and want beautiful things
  and good times。  Of course。  I couldn't marry just money。  There
  would have to be some kind of a man to go with it。  Someone
  interesting enough to make me forget  sometimes that I'd thrown away
  a lover for a pocket…book。〃
  〃Would you marry me; Kitty?〃
  〃Are you serious?〃
  〃Let's suppose I am〃
  〃No。  I couldn't marry you; Cutty I should always be having my
  mother's ghost as a rival。〃
  〃But supposing I fell in love with you?〃
  〃Then I'd always be doubting your constancy。  But what queer talk!〃'
  〃Kitty; you're a joy;!  Lordy; my luck in dropping in to see you
  yesterday!〃
  〃And a little whippersnapper like me calling a great man like you
  Cutty!〃
  〃Well; if it embarrasses you; you might switch to papa once in a
  while。〃
  Kitty's laughter rang down the corridor。  〃I'll remember that
  whenever I want to make you mad。  Who's here?〃
  〃Nobody but Harrison and the nurse。  Both good citizens; and I've
  taken them into my confidence to a certain extent。  You can talk
  freely before them。〃
  〃Am I to see the patient?〃
  〃Harrison says not。  About Wednesday your Two…Hawks will be sitting
  up。  I've determined to keep the poor devil here until he can take
  care of himself。  But he is flat broke。〃
  〃He said he had money。〃
  〃Well; Karlov's men stripped him clean。〃
  〃Have you any idea who he is?〃
  〃To be honest; that's one of the reasons why I want to keep him here。
  He's Russian; for all his Oxford English and his Italian gestures;
  and from his babble I imagine he's been through seven kinds of hell。
  Torches and hobnailed boots and the incessant call for a woman named
  Olga … a young woman about eighteen。〃
  〃How did you find that out?〃
  〃From a photograph I found in the lining of his coat。  A pretty
  blonde girl。〃
  〃Good heavens!〃 … recollecting her dream。  〃Where was it printed?〃
  〃Amateur photography。  I'll pick it up on the way to the living
  room。〃
  It was nothing like the blonde girl of her dream。  Still; the girl
  was charming。  Kitty turned over the photograph。  There was writing
  on the back。
  〃Russian?  What does it say?〃
  〃'To Ivan from Olga with all her love。'〃
  Cutty was conscious of the presence of an indefensible malice in
  his tones。  Why the deuce should he be bitter … glad that the chap
  had left behind a sweetheart?  He knew exactly the basis of Kitty's
  interest; as utterly detached as that of a reporter going to a fire。
  On the day the patient could explain himself; Kitty's interest
  would automatically cease。  An old dog in the manger?  Malice。
  〃Cutty; something dreadful has happened to this poor young woman。
  That's what makes him cry out the name。  Caught in that horror; and
  probably he alone escaped。  Is it heartless to be glad I'm an
  American?  Do they let in these Russians?〃
  〃Not since the Trotzky regime。  I imagine Two…Hawks slipped through
  on some British passport。  He'll probably tell us all about it when
  he comes round。  But how do you feel after last night's bout?〃
  〃Alive!  And I'm going on being alive; forever and ever!  Oh; those
  awful drums!  They look like dead eyes in those dim corners。
  Tumpitum…tump!  Tumpitum…tump!〃 she cried; linking her arm in his。
  〃What a gorgeous view!  Just what I'm going to do when my ship comes
  in … live in a loft。  I really believe I could write up here … I mean
  worth…while things I could enjoy writing and sell。〃
  〃It's yours if you want it when I leave。〃
  〃And I'd have a fine time explaining to my friends!  You old innocent!
  。。。 Or are you so innocent?〃
  〃We do live in a cramped world。  But I meant it。 Don't forget to
  whistle down to Tony Bernini when you get back home to…night。〃
  〃I promise。
  〃Why the gurgle?〃
  〃Because I'm tremendously excited。  All my life I've wanted to do
  mysterious things。  I've been with the audience all the while; and I
  want to be with the actors。〃
  〃You'll give some man a wild dance。〃
  〃If I do I'll dance with him。  Now lead me to the cookies。〃
  She was the life of the tea table。  Her wit; her effervescence; her
  whimsicalities amused even the prim Miss Frances。  When she recounted
  the exploit of the camouflaged fan; Cutty and Harrison laughed so
  loudly that the nurse had to put her linger on her lips。  They might
  wake the patient。
  〃I am really interested in him;〃 went on Kitty。  〃I won't deny it。
  I want to see how it's going to turn out。  He was very nice after I
  let him into the kitchen。  A perfectly English manner and voice; and
  Italian gestures when off his guard。  I feel so sorry for him。  What
  strangers we races are to each other!  Until the war we hardly knew
  the Canadians。  The British didn't know us at all; and the French
  became acquainted with the British for the first time in history。
  And the German thought he knew us all and really knew nobody。  All
  the Russians I ever saw were peasants of the cattle type; so that the
  word Russian conjures up two pictures … the grand duke at Monte Carlo
  and a race of men who wear long beards and never bathe except when it
  rains。  Think of it!  For the first time since God set mankind on
  earth peoples are becoming acquainted。  I never saw a Russian of this
  type before。〃。
  〃A leaf in the whirlpool。 … Anyhow; we'll keep him here until he's on
  his feet。  By the way; never answer any telephone call … I mean; go
  anywhere on a call … unless you are sure of the speaker。〃
  〃I begin to feel important。〃
  〃You are important。  You have suddenly become a connecting link
  between this Karlov and the man we wish to protect。  I'll confess I
  wanted you out of that apartment at first; but when I saw that you
  were bent on remaining; I decided to make use of you。〃
  〃You are going to give me a part in the play?〃
  〃Yes。  You are to go about your affairs as always; just as if nothing
  had happened。  Only when you wish to come here will you play any game
  like that of to…day。  Then it will be advisable。  Switch your route
  each time。  Your real part is to be that of lure。  Through you we shall
  gradually learn who Karlov's associates are。  If you don't care to play
  the role all you have to do is to move。〃
  〃The idea!  I'm grateful for anything。  You men will never understand。
  You go forth into the world each day … politics; diplomacy; commerce;
  war … while we women stay at home and knit or darn socks or take
  care of the baby or make over our clothes and hats or do household
  work or play the piano or read。  Never any adventure。  Never any
  games。  Never any clubs。  The leaving your house to go to the office
  is an adventure。  A train from here to Philadelphia is an adventure。
  We women are always craving it。  And about all we can squeeze out
  of life is shopping and hiding the bills after marriage; and going
  to the movies before marriage with young men our fathers don't like。
  We can't even stroll the street and admire the handsome gowns of our
  more fortunate sisters the way you men do。  When you see a pretty
  woman on the street do you ever stop to think that there are ten at
  home eating their hearts out?  Of course you don't。  So I'm going
  through with this; to satisfy suppressed instincts; and I shan't
  promise to trot along as usual。〃
  〃They may attempt to kidnap you; Kitty。〃
  〃That doesn't frighten me。〃
  〃So I observe。  But if they ever should have the luck to kidnap you;
  tell all you know at once。  There's only one way up here … the
  elevator。  I can get out to t