vera, the medium-第14章

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the　nature　of　what　she　had　said。

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

After　a　pause　of　an　instant；　the　girl　accepted　the　cue　his
manner　gave　her；　and　answered　as　before。

〃Through　my　aunt；〃　she　said。　〃she　was　a　medium　too。〃

〃Of　course！〃　cried　Winthrop。　〃I　remember　now。　that's　why　we
called　it　the　haunted　house。〃

〃My　aunt；〃　said　the　girl；　regarding　him　steadily　and　with；　in
her　manner；　a　certain　defiance；　〃was　a　great　medium。　All　the
spiritualists　in　that　part　of　the　State　used　to　meet　at　our
house。　I've　witnessed　some　wonderful　manifestations　in　that
front　parlor。〃　She　turned　to　Winthrop　and　smiled。　〃So；　you　see；〃
she　exclaimed；　〃I　was　born　and　brought　up　in　this　business。　I　am
the　seventh　daughter　of　a　seventh　daughter。　My　grandmother　was　a
medium；　my　mother　was　a　medium　　she　worked　with　the　Fox
sisters　before　they　were　exposed。　But；　my　aunt；〃　she　added
thoughtfully；　judicially；　〃was　the　greatest　medium　I　have　ever
seen。　She　did　certain　things　I　couldn't　understand；　and　I　know
every　trick　in　the　trade　　unless；〃　she　explained；　〃you　believe
the　spirits　helped　her。〃

Winthrop　was　observing　the　girl　intently；　with　a　new　interest。

〃And　you　don't　believe　that？〃　he　asked；　quietly。

〃How　can　I？〃　Vera　said。　〃I　was　brought　up　with　them。〃　She　shook
her　head　and　smiled。　〃I　used　to　play　around　the　kitchen　stove
with　Pocahontas　and　Alexander　the　Great；　and　Martin　Luther　lived
in　our　china　closet。　You　see；　the　neighbors　wouldn't　let　their
children　come　to　our　house；　so；　the　only　playmates　I　had　were
　ghosts。〃　She　laughed　wistfully。　〃My！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃I　was　a
queer；　lonely　little　rat。　I　used　to　hear　voices　and　see　visions。
I　do　still；〃　she　added。　With　her　elbows　on　the　arms　of　her
chair；　she　clasped　her　hands　under　her　chin　and　leaned　forward。
She　turned　her　eyes　to　Winthrop　and　nodded　confidentially。

〃Do　you　know；〃　she　said；　〃sometimes　I　think　people　from　the
other　world　do　speak　to　me。〃

〃But　you　said；〃　Winthrop　objected；　〃you　didn't　believe。〃

〃I　know；〃　returned　Vera。　〃I　can't！〃　Her　voice　was　perplexed；
impatient。　〃Why；　I　can　sit　in　this　chair；〃　she　declared
earnestly；　〃and　fill　this　room　with　spirit　voices　and　rappings；
and　you　sitting　right　there　can't　see　how　I　do　it。　And　yet；
inspite　of　all　the　tricks；　sometimes　I　believe　there's　something
in　it。〃

She　looked　at　Winthrop；　her　eyes　open　with　inquiry。　He　shook　his
head。

〃Yes；〃　insisted　the　girl。　〃When　these　women　come　to　me　for
advice；　I　don't　invent　what　I　say　to　them。　It's　as　though
something　told　me　what　to　say。　I　have　never　met　them　before；　but
as　soon　as　I　pass　into　the　trance　state　I　seem　to　know　all　their
troubles。　And　I　seem　to　be　half　in　this　world　and　half　in
another　world　　carrying　messages　between　them。　Maybe；〃　her
voice　had　sunk　to　almost　a　whisper；　she　continued　as　though
speaking　to　herself；　〃I　only　think　that。　I　don't　know。　I
wonder。〃

There　was　a　long　pause。

〃I　wish；〃　began　Winthrop　earnestly；　〃I　wish　you　were　younger；　or
I　were　older。〃

〃Why？〃　asked　Vera。

〃Because；〃　said　the　young　man；　〃I'd　like　to　talk　to　you　　like
a　father。〃

Vera　turned　and　smiled　on　him　securely；　with　frank　friendliness。
〃Go　ahead；〃　she　assented；　〃talk　to　me　like　a　father。〃

Winthrop　smiled　back　at　her；　and　then　frowned。

〃You　shouldn't　be　in　this　business；〃　he　said。

The　girl　regarded　him　steadily。

〃What's　the　matter　with　the　business？〃　she　asked。

Winthrop　felt　she　had　put　him　upon　the　defensive；　but　he　did　not
hesitate。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃there　may　be　some　truth　in　it。　But　we　don't
know　that。　We　do　know　that　there's　a　lot　of　fraud　and　deceit　in
it。　Now；〃　he　declared　warmly；　〃there's　nothing　deceitful　about
you。　You're　fine；〃　he　cried　enthusiastically；　〃you're　big！　That
boy　who　was　in　here　told　me　one　story　about　you　that　showed　　〃

Vera　stopped　him　sharply。

〃What　do　you　know　of　me？〃　she　asked　bitterly。　〃The　first　time
you　ever　saw　me　I　was　in　a　police　court；　and　this　morning　　you
heard　that　man　threaten　to　put　me　in　jail　　〃

In　turn；　by　abruptly　rising　from　his　chair；　Winthrop　interrupted
her。　He　pushed　the　chair　out　of　his　way；　and；　shoving　his　hands
into　his　trousers'　pockets；　began　pacing　with　long；　quick
strides　up　and　down　the　room。　〃What　do　I　care　for　that？〃　he
cried　contemptuously。　He　tossed　the　words　at　her　over　his
shoulder。　〃I　put　lots　of　people　in　jail　myself　that　are　better
than　I　am。　Only；　they　won't　play　the　game。〃　He　halted；　and
turned　on　her。　〃Now；　you're　not　playing　the　game。　This　is　a　mean
business；　taking　money　from　silly　girls　and　old　men。　You're　too
good　for　that。〃　He　halted　at　the　table　and　stood　facing　her。
〃I've　got　two　sisters　uptown；〃　he　said。　He　spoke　commandingly；
peremptorily。　〃And　tomorrow　I　am　going　to　take　you　to　see　them。
And　we　fellow　townsmen；〃　he　smiled　at　her　appealingly；　〃will
talk　this　over；　and　we'll　make　you　come　back　to　your　own
people。〃

For　a　moment　the　two　regarded　each　other。　Then　the　girl　answered
firmly；　but　with　a　slight　hoarseness　in　her　voice；　and　in　a　tone
hardly　louder　than　a　whisper：

〃You　know　I　can't　do　that！〃

〃I　don't！〃　blustered　Winthrop。　〃Why　not？〃

〃Because；〃　said　the　girl　steadily；　〃of　what　I　did　in　Geneva。〃　As
though　the　answer　was　the　one　he　had　feared；　the　man　exclaimed
sharply；　rebelliously。

〃Nonsense！〃　he　cried。　〃You　didn't　know　what　you　were　doing。　No
decent　person　would　consider　that。〃

〃They　do；〃　said　the　girl；　〃they　are　the　very　ones　who　do。　And　
it's　been　in　the　papers。　Everybody　in　Geneva　knows　it。　And　here
too。　And　whenever　I　try　to　get　away　from　this〃　　she　stretched
out　her　hands　to　include　the　room　about　her　　〃Someone　tells！
Five　times；　now。　She　leaned　forward　appealingly；　not　as　though
asking　pity　for　herself；　but　as　wishing　him　to　see　her　point　of
view。　〃I　didn't　choose　this　business；〃　she　protested；　〃I　was
sort　of　born　in　it；　and；〃　she　broke　out　loyally；　〃I　hate　to　have
you　call　it　a　mean　business；　but　I　can't　get　into　any　other。
Whenever　I　have；　some　man　says；　That　girl　in　your　front　office
is　a　thief。〃　The　restraint　she　put　upon　herself；　the　air　of
disdain　which　at　all　times　she　had　found　the　most　convenient
defense；　fell　from　her。

〃It's　not　fair！〃　she　cried；　〃it's　not　fair。〃　To　her
mortification；　the　tears　of　self…pity　sprang　to　her　eyes；　and　as
she　fiercely　tried　to　brush　them　away；　to　her　greater　anger；
continued　to　creep　down　her　cheeks。　〃It　was　nine　years　ago；〃　she
protested；　〃I　was　a　child。　I've　been　punished　enough。〃　She
raised　her　face　frankly　to　his；　speaking　swiftly；　bitterly。

〃Of　course；　I　want　to　get　away！〃　she　cried。　〃Of　course；　I　want
friends。　I've　never　had　a　friend。　I've　always　been　alone。　I'm
tired；　tired！　I　hate　this　business。　I　never　know　how　much　I　hate
it　until　the　chance　comes　to　get　away　　and　I　can't。〃

She　stopped；　but　without　lowering　her　head　or　moving　her　eyes
from　his。

〃This　time；〃　said　the　man　quietly；　〃you're　going　to　get　away
from　it。〃

〃I　can't；〃　repeated　the　girl。　〃you　can't　help　me！〃

Winthrop　smiled　at　her　confidently。

〃I'm　going　to　try；〃　he　said。

〃No；　please！〃　begged　the　girl。　Her　voice　was　still　shaken　with
tears。　She　motioned　with　her　head　toward　the　room　behind　her。

〃These　are　my　people；〃　she　declared　defiantly；　as　though　daring
him　to　contradict　her。　〃And　they　are　good　people！　They've　tried
to　be　good　friends　to　me；　and　they've　been　true　to　me。〃

Winthrop　came　toward　her　and　stood　beside　her；　so　close　that　he
could　have　placed　his　hand　upon　her　shoulder。　He　wondered；
whimsically；　if　she　knew　how　cruel　she　seemed　in　appealing　with
her　tears；　her　helplessness　and　loveliness　to　what　was　generous
and　chivalric　in　him；　and；　at　the　same　time；　by　her　words；
treating　him　as　an　interloper　and　an　enemy。

〃That's　all　right；〃　he　said　gently。　〃But　that　doesn't　prevent　my
being　a　good　friend　to　you；　too；　does　it？　Or；〃　he　added；　his
voice　growing　tense　and　conscious　　〃my　being　true　to　you？　My
sisters　will　be　here　tomorrow；〃　he　announced　briskly。

Vera　had　wearily　dropped　her　arms　upon　the　table　and　lowered　her
head　upon　them。　From　a　place　down　in　the　depths　she　murmured　a
protest。

〃No；〃　contradicted　Winthrop　cheerfully；　〃this　time　you　are　going
to　win。　You'll　have　back　o