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第13章

vera, the medium-第13章

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you;〃 he said simply; sincerely; 〃there ain't anything I
wouldn't do for her。 I guess that's right; hey?〃 he added。

The eyes of the cruel cross…examiner; veiled under half…closed
lids; were regarding the boy with so curious an expression that
under their scrutiny Mannie; in embarrassment; moved uneasily。
〃I guess that's right;〃 he repeated。

To his surprise; the District Attorney rose from his comfortable
position and; leaning across the table; held out his hand。
Mannie took it awkwardly。

〃That's all right;〃 he said。

〃Sure; it's all right;〃 said the District Attorney。

From the hall there was the sound of light; quick steps; and
Mannie; happy to escape from a situation he did not understand;
ran to the door。

〃She's coming;〃 he said。 He opened the door and; as Vera
entered; he slipped past her and closed it behind him。

Vera walked directly to the chair at the top of the centre
table。 She was nervous; and she was conscious that that fact was
evident。 To avoid shaking hands with her visitor; she carried
her own clasped in front of her; with the fingers interlaced。
She tried to speak in her usual suave; professional tone。 〃How
do you do?〃 she said。

But Winthrop would not be denied。 With a smile that showed his
pleasure at again seeing her; he advanced eagerly; with his hand
outstretched。 〃How are you?〃 he exclaimed。 〃Aren't you going to
shake hands with me?〃 he demanded。 〃With an old friend?〃

Vera gave him her hand quickly; and then; seating herself at the
table; picked up the ivory pointer。

〃I didn't know you were coming as an old friend;〃 she murmured
embarrassedly。 〃You said you were coming to consult Vera; the
medium。〃

〃But you said that was the only way I could come;〃 protested
Winthrop。 〃Don't you remember; you said  〃

Vera interrupted him。 She spoke distantly; formally。 〃What kind
of a reading do you want?〃 she asked。 〃A hand reading; or a
crystal reading?〃

Winthrop leaned forward in his chair; frankly smiling at her。 He
made no attempt to conceal the pleasure the sight of her gave
him。 His manner was that of a very old and dear friend; who; for
the first time; had met her after a separation of years。

〃Don't want any kind of a reading;〃 he declared。 〃I want a
talking。 You don't seem to understand;〃 he objected; 〃that I am
making an afternoon call。〃 His good humor was unassailable。
Looking up with a perplexed frown; Vera met his eyes and saw
that he was laughing at her。 She threw the ivory pointer down
and; leaning back in her chair; smiled at him。

〃I don't believe;〃 she said doubtfully; 〃that I know much about
afternoon calls。 What would I do; if we were on Fifth Avenue?
Would I give you tea?〃 she asked; 〃because;〃 she added hastily;
〃there isn't any tea。〃

〃In that case; it is not etiquette to offer any;〃 said Winthrop
gravely。

〃Then;〃 said Vera; 〃I'm doing it right; so far?〃

They both laughed; Vera because she still was in awe of him; and
Winthrop because he was happy。

〃You're doing it charmingly;〃 Winthrop assured her。

〃Good!〃 exclaimed Vera。 〃Well; now;〃 she inquired; 〃now we talk;
don't we?〃

〃Yes;〃 assented Winthrop promptly; 〃we talk about you。〃

〃No; I  I don't think we do;〃 declared Vera; in haste。 〃I
think we talk about  Geneva。〃 She turned to him with real
interest。 〃Is the town much changed?〃 she asked。

As though preparing for a long talk; Winthrop dropped his hat to
the floor and settled himself comfortably。 〃Well; it is; and it
isn't;〃 he answered。 〃Haven't you been back lately?〃 he asked。
Vera looked quickly away from him。

〃I have never been back!〃 she answered。 There was a pause and
when she again turned her eyes to his; she was smiling。 〃But I
always take the Geneva Times;〃 she said; 〃and I often read that
you've been there。 You're a great man in Geneva。〃

Winthrop nodded gravely。

〃Whenever I want to be a great man;〃 he said; 〃I go to Geneva。〃

〃Why; yes;〃 exclaimed Vera。 〃Last June you delivered the oration
to the graduating class;〃 she laughed; 〃on The College Man in
Politics。 Such an original subject! And did you point to
yourself?〃 she asked mockingly; 〃as the  the bright example?〃

〃No;〃 protested Winthrop; 〃I knew they'd see that。〃

Much to her relief; Vera found that of Winthrop she was no
longer afraid。

〃Oh!〃 she protested; 〃didn't you say; twelve years ago; a humble
boy played ball for Hobart College。 That boy now stands before
you? Didn't you say that?〃

〃Something like that;〃assented the District Attorney。 〃Oh!〃 he
exclaimed; 〃that young man who showed me in here  your
confederate or fellow…conspirator or lookout man or whatever he
is  told me you used to be a regular attendant at those
games。〃

〃I never missed one!〃 Vera cried。 She leaned forward; her eyes
shining; her brows knit with the effort of recollection。

〃I used to tell Aunt;〃 she said; 〃I had to drive in for the
mail。 But that was only an excuse。 Aunt had an old buggy; and an
old white horse called Roscoe Conkling。 I called him Rocks。 He
was blind in one eye; and he would walk on the wrong side of the
road; you had to drive him on one rein。〃 The girl was speaking
rapidly; eagerly。 She had lost all fear of her visitor。 With
satisfaction Winthrop recognized this; and unconsciously he was
now frankly regarding the face of the girl with a smile of
pleasure and admiration。

〃And I used to tie him to the fence just opposite first base;〃
Vera went on excitedly; 〃and shout  for you!〃

〃Don't tell me;〃 interrupted Winthrop; in burlesque excitement;
〃that you were that very pretty little girl; with short dresses
and long legs; who used to sit on the top rail and kick and
cheer。〃

Vera shook her head sternly。

〃I was;〃 she said; 〃but you never saw me。〃

〃Oh; yes; we did;〃 protested Winthrop。 〃We used to call you our
mascot。〃

〃No; that was some other little girl;〃 said Vera firmly。 〃You
never looked at me; and I〃  she laughed; and then frowned at
him reproachfully  〃I thought you were magnificent! I used to
have your pictures in baseball clothes pinned all around my
looking glass; and whenever you made a base hit; I'd shout and
shout  and you'd never look at me! And one day  〃 she
stopped; and as though appalled by the memory; clasped her
hands。 〃Oh; it was awful!〃 she exclaimed; 〃one day a foul ball
hit the fence; and I jumped down and threw it to you; and you
said; Thank you; sis! And I;〃 she cried; 〃thought I was a young
lady!〃

〃Oh! I couldn't have said that;〃 protested Winthrop; 〃maybe I
said sister。〃

〃No;〃 declared Vera energetically shaking her head; 〃not
sister; sis。 And you never did look at me; and I used to drive
past your house every day。 We lived only a mile below you。〃

〃Where?〃 asked Winthrop。

〃On the lake road from Syracuse;〃 said Vera。 〃Don't you remember
the farm a mile below yours  the one with the red barn right
on the road? Yes; you do;〃 she insisted; 〃the cows were always
looking over the fence right into the road。〃

〃Of course!〃 exclaimed Winthrop delightedly。 〃Was that your
house?〃

〃Oh; no;〃 protested Vera; 〃ours was the little cottage on the
other side  〃

〃With poplars round it?〃 demanded Winthrop。

〃That's it!〃 cried Vera triumphantly; 〃with poplars round it。〃

〃Why; I know that house well。 We boys used to call it the
haunted house。〃

〃That's the one;〃 assented Vera。 She smiled with satisfaction。
〃Well; that's where I lived until Aunt died;〃 she said。

〃And then; what?〃 asked Winthrop。

For a moment the girl did not answer。 Her face had grown grave
and she sat motionless; staring beyond her。 Suddenly; as though
casting her thoughts from her; she gave a sharp toss of her
head。

〃Then;〃 she said; speaking quickly; 〃I went into the mills; and
was ill there; and I wrote Paul and Mabel to ask if I could join
them; and they said I could。 But I was too ill; and I had no
money  nothing。 And then;〃 she raised her eyes to his and
regarded him steadily; 〃then I stole that cloak to get the money
to join them; and you  you helped me to get away; and  and〃
Winthrop broke in hastily。 He disregarded both her manner and
the nature of what she had said。

〃And how did you come to know the Vances?〃 he asked。

After a pau

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