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