the lost road-第75章

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absolute　finality　of　the　family　physician　who　delivers　a　sentence
of　death；　he　spoke　with　gentleness　and　regret。

〃I　mean；〃　he　said；　〃that　Mrs。　Adair　is　not　a　widow；　that　the　man
she　speaks　of　as　her　late　husband　is　not　dead；　that　that　man　is
Fearing！〃

Hemingway　felt　afraid。　　A　month　before　a　rhinoceros　had　charged
him　and　had　dropped　at　his　feet。　　At　another　time　a　wounded　lioness
had　leaped　into　his　path　and　crouched　to　spring。　　Then　he　had　not
been　afraid。　　Then　he　had　aimed　as　confidently　as　though　he　were
firing　at　a　straw　target。　　But　now　he　felt　real　fear：　fear　of　something
he　did　not　comprehend；　of　a　situation　he　could　not　master；　of　an
adversary　as　strong　as　Fate。　　By　a　word　something　had　been　snatched
from　him　that　he　now　knew　was　as　dear　to　him　as　life；　that　was　life；
that　was　what　made　it　worth　continuing。　　And　he　could　do　nothing
to　prevent　it；　he　could　not　help　himself。　　He　was　as　impotent　as　the
prisoner　who　hears　the　judge　banish　him　into　exile。　　He　tried　to　adjust
his　mind　to　the　calamity。　　But　his　mind　refused。　　As　easily　as　with　his
finger　a　man　can　block　the　swing　of　a　pendulum　and　halt　the　progress
of　the　clock；　Harris　with　a　word　had　brought　the　entire　world　to　a　full
stop。

And　then；　above　his　head；　Hemingway　heard　the　lazy　whisper　of　the
punka；　and　from　the　harbor　the　raucous　whistle　of　the　Crown　Prince
Eitel；　signalling　her　entrance。　　The　world　had　not　stopped；　for　the
punka…boy；　for　the　captain　of　the　German　steamer；　for　Harris　seated
with　face　averted；　the　world　was　still　going　gayly　and　busily　forward。
Only　for　him　had　it　stopped。

In　spite　of　the　confident　tone　in　which　Harris　had　spoken；　in　spite　of
the　fact　that　unless　he　knew　it　was　the　truth；　he　would　not　have　spoken；
Hemingway　tried　to　urge　himself　to　believe　there　had　been　some
hideous；　absurd　error。　　But　in　answer　came　back　to　him　snatches
of　talk　or　phrases　the　girl　had　last　addressed　to　him：　〃You　can
command　the　future；　but　you　cannot　change　the　past。　　I　cannot
marry　you；　or　any　one！　I　am　not　free！〃

And　then　to　comfort　himself；　he　called　up　the　look　he　had　surprised
in　her　eyes　when　he　stood　holding　her　hands　in　his。　　He　clung　to　it；
as　a　drowning　man　will　clutch　even　at　a　piece　of　floating　seaweed。

When　he　tried　to　speak　he　found　his　voice　choked　and　stifled；　and
that　his　distress　was　evident；　he　knew　from　the　pity　he　read　in　the
eyes　of　Harris。

In　a　voice　strange　to　him；　he　heard　himself　saying：　〃Why　do　you
think　that？　You've　got　to　tell　me。　　I　have　a　right　to　know。　　This
morning　I　asked　Mrs。　Adair　to　marry　me。〃

The　consul　exclaimed　with　dismay　and　squirmed　unhappily。　　〃I
didn't　know；〃　he　protested。　　〃I　thought　I　was　in　time。　　I　ought　to
have　told　you　days　ago；　but〃

〃Tell　me　now；〃　commanded　Hemingway。　

〃I　know　it　in　a　thousand　ways；〃　began　Harris。

Hemingway　raised　his　eyes　hopefully。

But　the　consul　shook　his　head。　　〃But　to　convince　you；〃　he　went　on；
〃I　need　tell　you　only　one。　　The　thousand　other　proofs　are　looks　they
have　exchanged；　sentences　I　have　chanced　to　overhear；　and　that　each
of　them　unknown　to　the　other　has　told　me　of　little　happenings　and
incidents　which　I　found　were　common　to　both。　　Each　has　described
the　house　in　which　he　or　she　lived；　and　it　was　the　same　house。　　They
claim　to　come　from　different　cities　in　New　England；　they　came　from
the　same　city。　　They　claim〃

〃That　is　no　proof；〃　cried　Hemingway；　〃either　that　they　are　married；
or　that　the　man　is　a　criminal。〃

For　a　moment　Harris　regarded　the　other　in　silence。　　Then　he　said：
〃You're　making　it　very　hard　for　me。　　I　see　I've　got　to　show　you。
It's　kindest；　after　all；　to　cut　quick。〃　　He　leaned　farther　forward；
and　his　voice　dropped。　　Speaking　quickly；　he　said：

〃Last　summer　I　lived　outside　the　town　in　a　bungalow　on　the　Pearl
Road。　　Fearing's　house　was　next　to　mine。　　This　was　before　Mrs。
Adair　went　to　live　at　the　agency；　and　while　she　was　alone　in
another　bungalow　farther　down　the　road。　　I　was　ill　that　summer；
my　nerves　went　back　on　me。　　I　couldn't　sleep。　　I　used　to　sit　all　night
on　my　veranda　and　pray　for　the　sun　to　rise。　　From　where　I　sat　it　was
dark　and　no　one　could　see　me；　but　I　could　see　the　veranda　of　Fearing's
house　and　into　his　garden。　　And　night　after　night　I　saw　Mrs。　Adair
creep　out　of　Fearing's　house；　saw　him　walk　with　her　to　the　gate；　saw
him　in　the　shadow　of　the　bushes　take　her　in　his　arms；　and　saw　them
kiss。〃　　The　voice　of　the　consul　rose　sharply。　　〃No　one　knows　that　but
you　and　I；　and；〃　he　cried　defiantly；　〃it　is　impossible　for　us　to　believe
ill　of　Polly　Adair。　　The　easy　explanation　we　refuse。　　It　is　intolerable。
And　so　you　must　believe　as　I　believe；　that　when　she　visited　Fearing
by　night　she　went　to　him　because　she　had　the　right　to　go　to　him；
because　already　she　was　his　wife。　　And　now　when　every　one　here
believes　they　met　for　the　first　time　in　Zanzibar；　when　no　one　will　be
surprised　if　they　should　marry；　they　will　go　through　the　ceremony
again；　and　live　as　man　and　wife；　as　they　are；　as　they　were　before　he
fled　from　America！〃

Hemingway　was　seated　with　his　elbows　on　the　table　and　his　face　in
his　hands。　　He　was　so　long　silent　that　Harris　struck　the　table　roughly
with　his　palm。

〃Well；〃　he　demanded；　〃why　don't　you　speak？　Do　you　doubt　her？
Don't　you　believe　she　is　his　wife？〃

〃I　refuse　to　believe　anything　else！〃　said　Hemingway。　　He　rose；　and
slowly　and　heavily　moved　toward　the　door。　　〃And　I　will　not　trouble
them　any　more；〃　he　added。　　〃I'll　leave　at　sunrise　on　the　Eitel。〃

Harris　exclaimed　in　dismay；　but　Hemingway　did　not　hear　him。　　In
the　doorway　he　halted　and　turned　back。　　From　his　voice　all　trace
of　emotion　had　departed。　　〃Why；〃　he　asked　dully；　〃do　you　think
Fearing　is　a　fugitive？　Not　that　it　matters　to　her；　since　she　loves
him；　or　that　it　matters　to　me。　　Only　I　would　like　to　think　you　were
wrong。　　I　want　her　to　have　only　the　best。〃

Again　the　consul　moved　unhappily。

〃I　oughtn't　to　tell　you；〃　he　protested；　〃and　if　I　do　I　ought　to　tell　the
State　Department；　and　a　detective　agency　first。　　They　have　the　call。
They　want　him；　or　a　man　damned　like　him。〃　　His　voice　dropped　to　a
whisper。　　〃The　man　wanted　is　Henry　Brownell；　a　cashier　of　a　bank　in
Waltham；　Mass。；　thirty…five　years　of　age；　smooth…shaven；　college…bred；
speaking　with　a　marked　New　England　accent；　andand　with　other
marks　that　fit　Fearing　like　the　cover　on　a　book。　　The　department　and
the　Pinkertons　have　been　devilling　the　life　out　of　me　about　it　for　nine
months。　　They　are　positive　he　is　on　the　coast　of　Africa。　　I　put　them　off。
I　wasn't　sure。〃　

〃You've　been　protecting　them；〃　said　Hemingway。

〃I　wasn't　sure；〃　reiterated　Harris。　　〃And　if　I　were；　the　Pinkertons　can　do
their　own　sleuthing。　　The　man's　living　honestly　now；　anyway；　isn't　he？〃
he　demanded；　〃and　she　loves　him。　　At　least　she's　stuck　by　him。　　Why
should　I　punish　her？〃

His　tone　seemed　to　challenge　and　upbraid。

〃Good　God！〃　cried　the　other；　〃I'm　not　blaming　you！　I'd　be　proud　of　the
chance　to　do　as　much。　　I　asked　because　I'd　like　to　go　away　thinking　she's
content；　thinking　she's　happy　with　him。〃

〃Doesn't　it　look　as　though　she　were？〃　Harris　protested。　　〃She's　followed
himfollowed　him　half　around　the　globe。　　If　she'd　been　happier　away
from　him；　she'd　have　stayed　away　from　him。〃

So　intent　had　been　the　men　upon　their　talk　that　neither　had　noted
the　passing　of　the　minutes　or；　what　at　other　times　was　an　event
of　moment；　that　the　mail　steamer　had　distributed　her　mail　and
passengers；　and　when　a　servant　entered　bearing　lamps；　and　from
the　office　the　consul's　clerk　appeared　with　a　bundle　of　letters
from　the　Eitel；　both　were　taken　by　surprise。

〃So　late？〃　exclaimed　Hemingway。　　〃I　must　go。　　If　I'm　to　sail　with
the　Eitel　at　daybreak；　I've　little　time！〃

But　he　did　not　go。

As　he　advanced　toward　Harris　with　his　hand　outstretched　in　adieu；
the　face　of　the　consul　halted　him。　　With　the　letters；　the　clerk
had　placed　upon　the　table　a　visiting…card；　and　as　it　lay　in　the
circle　of　light　from　the　lamp　the　consul；　as　though　it　were　alive
and　menacing；　stared　at　it　in　fascination。　　Moving　stiffly；　he
turned　it　so　that　Hemingway　could　see。　　On　it　Hemingway　read；
〃George　S。　Sheyer；〃　and；　on　a　lower　line；　〃Representing　Will