第 4 节
作者:人生几何      更新:2021-09-25 11:12      字数:9321
  She laid her finger on her lips; shaking her head gently; and he
  was silent; while the intelligent maidat that moment entering
  arranged a tea…table and departed。
  〃American an' Russian; they are the worse;〃 said the Countess
  thoughtfully; as she served him with a generous cup; laced with
  rum; 〃but the American he is the bes' to play ~wiz~。〃  Mellin
  found her irresistible when she said 〃wiz。〃
  〃Why is that?〃
  〃Oh; the Russian play high; yesbut the American〃she laughed
  delightedly and stretched her arms wide〃he make' it all a joke!
  He is beeg like his beeg country。  If he win or lose; he don' care!
  Ah; I mus' tell you of my great American frien'; that Honor…able
  Chanlair Pedlow; who is comin' to Rome。  You have heard of
  Honor…able Chanlair Pedlow in America?〃
  〃I remember hearing that name。〃
  〃Ah; I shall make you know him。 He is a man of distinction; he
  did sit in your Chamber of Deputieswhat you call it?yes; your
  Con…gress。   He is funny; eccentricalways he roar like a lion
  Boum!but so simple; so good; a man of such fine heartso
  lovable!〃
  〃1'll be glad to meet him;〃 said Mellin coldly。
  〃An'; oh; yes; I almos' forget to tell you;〃 she went on; 〃your
  frien'; that dear Cooley; he is on his way from Monte Carlo in
  his automobile。 I have a note from him to…day。〃
  〃Good sort of fellow; little Cooley; in his way;〃 remarked her
  companion graciously。  〃Not especially intellectual or that; you
  know。  His father was a manufacturer chap; I believe; or something
  of the sort。  I suppose you saw a lot of him in Paris?〃
  〃Eh; I thought he is dead!〃 cried Madame de Vaurigard。
  〃The father is。  I mean; little Cooley。〃
  〃Oh; yes;〃 she laughed softly。  〃We had some gay times; a little
  party of us。  We shall be happy here; too; you will see。  I mus'
  make a little dinner very soon; but not unless you will come。  You
  will?〃
  〃Do you want me very much?〃
  He placed his empty cup on the table and leaned closer to her;
  smiling。  She did not smile in response; instead; her eyes fell
  and there was the faintest; pathetic quiver of her lower lip。
  〃Already you know that;〃 she said in a low voice。
  She rose quickly; turned away from him and walked across the room
  to the curtains which opened upon the hall。  One of these she drew
  back。
  〃My frien'; you mus' go now;〃 she said in the same low voice。
  〃To…morrow I will see you again。  Come at four an' you shall drive
  with mebut notnot more~now~。  Please!〃
  She stood waiting; not looking at him; but with head bent and eyes
  veiled。  As he came near she put out a limp hand。  He held it for
  a few seconds of distinctly emotional silence; then strode swiftly
  into the hall。
  She immediately let the curtain fall behind him; and as he got his
  hat and coat he heard her catch her breath sharply with a sound
  like a little sob。
  Dazed with glory; he returned to the hotel。  In the lobby he
  approached the glittering concierge and said firmly:
  〃What is the Salone Margherita?  Cam you get me a box there
  to…night?〃
  IV。  Good Fellowship
  He confessed his wickedness to Madame de Vaurigard the next
  afternoon as they drove out the Appian Way。  〃A fellow must have
  just a bit of a fling; you know;〃 he said; 〃and; really; Salone
  Margherita isn't so tremendously wicked。〃
  She shook her head at him in friendly raillery。  〃Ah; that may be;
  but how many of those little dancing…girl' have you invite to
  supper afterward?〃
  This was a delicious accusation; and though he shook his head in
  virtuous denial he was before long almost convinced that he ~had~
  given a rather dashing supper after the vaudeville and had ~not~
  gone quietly back to the hotel; only stopping by the way to purchase
  an orange and a pocketful of horse…chestnuts to eat in his room。
  It was a happy drive for Robert Russ Mellin; though not happier than
  that of the next day。  Three afternoons they spent driving over the
  Campagna; then back to Madame de Vaurigard's apartment for tea by
  the firelight; till the enraptured American began to feel that the
  dream in which he had come to live must of happy necessity last
  forever。
  On the fourth afternoon; as he stepped out of the hotel elevator
  into the corridor; he encountered Mr。 Sneyd。
  〃Just stottin'; eh?〃 said the Englishman; taking an envelope from
  his pocket。  〃Lucky I caught you。  This is for you。  I just saw the
  Cantess and she teold me to give it you。  Herry and read it and kem
  on t' the Amairikin Baw。  Chap I want you to meet。  Eold Cooley's
  thyah too。  Gawt in with his tourin'…caw at noon。〃
  〃You will forgive; dear friend;〃 wrote Madame de Vaurigard; 〃if
  I ask you that we renounce our drive to…day。  You see; I wish to
  have that little dinner to…night and must make preparation。
  Honorable Chandler Pedlow arrived this morning from Paris and that
  droll Mr。 Cooley I have learn is coincidentally arrived also。  You
  see I think it would be very pleasant to have the dinner to welcome
  these friends on their arrival。  You will come surelyor I shall
  be so truly miserable。  You know it perhaps too well!  We shall
  have a happy evening if you come to console us for renouncing our
  drive。  A thousand of my prettiest wishes for you。
  〃Helene。〃
  The signature alone consoled him。  To have that note from her; to
  own it; was like having one of her gloves or her fan。  He would
  keep it forever; he thought; indeed; he more than half expressed a
  sentiment to that effect in the response which he wrote in the
  aquarium; while Sneyd waited for him at a table near by。  The
  Englishman drew certain conclusions in regard to this reply; since
  it permitted a waiting friend to consume three long tumblers of
  brandy…and…soda before it was finished。  However; Mr。 Sneyd kept
  his reflections to himself; and; when the epistle had been
  dispatched by a messenger; took the American's arm and led him to
  the 〃American Bar〃 of the hotel; a region hitherto unexplored by
  Mellin。
  Leaning against the bar were Cooley and the man whom Mellin had
  seen lolling beside Madame de Vaurigard in Cooley's automobile in
  Paris; the same gross person for whom he had instantly conceived
  a strong repugnance; a feeling not at once altered by a closer
  view。
  Cooley greeted Mellin uproariously and Mr。 Sneyd introduced the
  fat man。  〃Mr。 Mellin; the Honorable Chandler Pedlow;〃 he said;
  nor was the shock to the first…named gentleman lessened by young
  Cooley's adding; 〃Best feller in the world!〃
  Mr。 Pedlow's eyes were sheltered so deeply beneath florid rolls of
  flesh that all one saw of them was an inscrutable gleam of blue;
  but; small though they were; they were not shifty; for they met
  Mellin's with a squareness that was almost brutal。  He offered a
  fat paw; wet by a full glass which he set down too suddenly on the
  bar。
  〃Shake;〃 he said; in a loud and husky voice; 〃and be friends!
  Tommy;〃 he added to the attendant; 〃another round of Martinis。〃
  〃Not for me;〃 said Mellin hastily。  〃I don't often〃
  〃~What!~〃 Mr。 Pedlow roared suddenly。  〃Why; the first words
  Countess de Vaurigard says to me this afternoon was; 'I want you
  to meet my young friend Mellin;' she says; 'the gamest little Indian
  that ever come down the pike!  He's game;' she says'he'll see you
  ~all~ under the table!'  That's what the smartest little woman in
  the world; the Countess de Vaurigard; says about you。〃
  This did not seem very closely to echo Madame de Vaurigard's habit
  of phrasing; but Mellin perceived that it might be only the fat
  man's way of putting things。
  〃You ain't goin' back on ~her~; are you?〃 continued Mr。 Pedlow。
  〃You ain't goin' to make her out a liar?  I tell you; when the
  Countess de Vaurigard says a man 's game; he is game!〃  He laid his
  big paw cordially on Mellin's shoulder and smiled; lowering his
  voice to a friendly whisper。  〃And I'll bet ten thousand dollars
  right out of my pants pocket you ~are~ game; too!〃
  He pressed a glass into the other's hand。  Smiling feebly; the
  embarrassed Mellin accepted it。
  〃Make it four more; Tommy;〃 said Pedlow。  〃And here;〃 continued
  this thoughtful man; 〃I don't go bandying no ladies' names around
  a bar…roomthat ain't my stylebut I do want to propose a toast。
  I won't name her; but you all know who I mean。〃
  〃Sure we do;〃 interjected Cooley warmly。  〃Queen!  That's what she
  is。〃
  〃Here's ~to~ her;〃 continued Mr。 Pedlow。  〃Here's to herbrightest
  and bestand no heel…taps!  And now let's set down over in the
  corner and take it easy。  It ain't hardly five o'clock yet; and we
  can set here comfortable; gittin' ready for dinner; until half…past
  six; anyway。〃
  Whereupon the four seated themselves about a tabouret in the corner;
  and; a waiter immediately bringing them four fresh glasses from the
  bar; Mellin began to understand what Mr。 Pedlow meant by 〃gittin'
  ready for dinner。〃  The burden of the conversation was carried
  almost entirely by the Honorable Chandler; though Cooley; whose
  boyish face was deeply flushed; now and then managed to interrupt
  by talking louder than the fat man。  Mr。 Sneyd sat silent。
  〃Good ole Sneyd;〃 said Pedlow。  〃~He~ never talks; jest saws wood。
  Only Britisher I ever liked。  Plays cards like a goat。〃
  〃He played a mighty good