vera, the medium-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


phenomena　Vera　promised　seemed　to　fill　him　with　delightful
expectations。　〃Be　very　quiet；〃　he　cautioned；　〃do　not　disturb
her。〃

Deeply　impressed；　Mr。　Hallowell　struggled　from　his　chair。
Unaided；　he　moved　to　below　the　table　and　leaning　against　it
looked；　with　unwilling　but　fascinated　interest；　at　Vera's
uplifted　face。

〃Some　one　in　the　spirit；〃　Vera　chanted；　in　an　unemotional；
drugged　voice；　〃wishes　to　speak　to　Mr。　Hallowell。　Give　me　your
hand。〃

〃Quick！〃　directed　Vance；　〃give　her　your　hand。　Take　her　hand。〃

〃Yes；　he　is　here；〃　Vera　continued。　〃A　woman　has　a　message　for
you；　she　is　standing　close　beside　you。　She　is　holding　out　her
arms。　And　she　is　trying；　so　hard；　to　tell　you　something。　What　is
it？〃　the　girl　questioned。　〃Oh；　what　is　it？　Tell　me；〃　she　begged。
〃Can't　you　tell　me？〃

Hallowell　eyed　her　greedily；　waiting　almost　without　breathing
for　her　words。　The　hand　with　which　he　held　hers　crushed　her
rings　into　her　fingers。

〃What　sort？〃　　whispered　the　old　man。　〃What　sort　of　a　woman？〃

With　eyes　still　closed；　swaying　slightly　and　with　abrupt
shudders　running　down　her　body；　the　girl　continued　in　dull；
fateful　tones。

〃She　is　a　fair　woman；　about　forty…five。　She　is　speaking。　She
calls　to　you；　Brother；　brother。〃　Vera's　voice　rose　excitedly。
〃It　is　the　woman　in　the　picture；　your　sister！　Catherine！　I　see
it　written　above　her　head　　Catherine。　In　letters　of　light。〃
She　turned　suddenly　and　fiercely。　〃Ask　her　your　question！〃　she
commanded。　〃Ask　her　your　question；　now！〃

By　the　sudden　swaying　forward　of　Vance　and　Rainey；　in　the　intent
look　in　their　eyes；　it　was　evident　that　a　crisis　had　approached。
But　Mr。　Hallowell；　terrified　and　trembling；　shrank　back。　His
voice　broke　hysterically。　〃No；　no！〃　he　pleaded。　Both　anger　and
disappointment　showed　in　the　face　of　Vance　and　Rainey；　but　the
girl；　as　though　detached　from　any　human　concerns；　continued
unmoved。　〃I　see　another　figure；〃　she　recited。　〃A　young　girl；　but
she　is　of　this　world。　I　seem　to　get　an　H。　Yes。　Helen；　in　letters
of　fire。〃

〃My　niece；　Helen！〃　Hallowell　whispered　hoarsely。

〃Yes；　your　niece；〃　chanted　the　girl。　Her　voice　rose　and
thrilled。　〃And　I　see　much　gold；〃　she　cried。　〃Between　the　two
women；　heaps　of　gold。　Everywhere　I　look　I　see　gold。　And；　now；
the　other　woman；　your　sister；　is　trying　to　speak　to　you。　Listen！
She　calls　to　you；　Brother！〃

So　centered　was　the　interest　of　those　in　the　room；　so　compelling
the　sound　of　the　girl's　voice；　that；　unnoticed；　the　sliding
doors　to　the　library　were　slipped　apart。　Unobserved；　Judge
Gaylor　and　Winthrop　halted　in　the　doorway。　To　the　Judge　the
meaning　of　the　scene　was　instantly　apparent。　His　face　flushed
furiously。　Winthrop；　uncomprehending；　gazed　unconcerned　over
Gaylor's　shoulder。　The　voice　of　Vera　rose　hysterically　to　her
climax。

〃She　bids　me　tell　you；〃　Vera　cried；　〃　Tell　my　brother　　〃

Gaylor　swept　toward　her。

〃What　damned　farce　is　this？〃　he　shouted。

The　effect　of　the　interruption　was　instant　and　startling。　Mr。
Hallowell；　who；　in　the　last　few　minutes；　had　believed　he　was
listening　to　a　voice　from　the　dead；　collapsed　upon　the　shoulder
of　Rainey；　who　sprang　to　support　him。　Like　a　somnambulist
wrenched　from　sleep；　Vera　gave　a　scream　of　fright；　half　genuine；
half　assumed；　and　swayed　as　though　about　to　fall。　Vance　caught
her　in　his　arms。　He　turned　on　Gaylor；　his　cunning　red　eyes
flashing　evilly。

〃You　brute！〃　he　cried；　〃you　might　have　killed　her。〃

Between　her　sobs；　Vera；　her　head　upon　the　shoulder　of　Vance；
whispered　a　question。　As　quickly；　under　cover　of　muttered
sympathy；　Vance　answered：　〃Gaylor。　The　Judge。〃

Still　slightly　swaying；　Vera　stood　upright。　She　passed　her　hand
vaguely　before　her　eyes。　〃Where　am　I？〃　she　asked　feebly。　〃Where
am　I？〃

Gaylor　shook　his　fist　at　the　girl。

〃You　know　where　you　are！〃　he　thundered；　〃and　you　know　where
you're　going　　you're　going　to　jail！〃

In　the　hush　that　followed　Vera　drew　herself　to　her　full　height。
She　regarded　Gaylor　wonderingly；　haughtily；　as　though　he　were
some　drunken　intruder　from　the　street。

〃Are　you　speaking　to　me？〃　she　asked。

〃Yes；　to　you；〃　shouted　the　lawyer。　〃You're　an　imposter；　and　a
swindler；　and　　and　　〃

Winthrop　pushed　between　them。

〃Yes；　and　she's　a　woman；〃　he　said　briskly。　〃If　you　want　a　row；
talk　to　the　man。〃

To　this　point　the　scene　had　brought　to　Vera　no　emotion　save　the
excitement　that　is　felt　by　the　one　who　is　struggling　to　escape。
The　appearance　of　a　champion　added　a　new　interest。　Through　no
fault　of　her　own；　she　had　learned　by　experience　that　to　the　one
man　who　annoyed　her　there　always　were　six　to　spring　to　her
protection。　So　the　glance　she　covertly　turned　upon　Winthrop　was
one　less　of　gratitude　than　curiosity。

But　at　the　first　sight　of　him　the　girl　started；　her　eyes　lit
with　recognition；　her　face　flushed。　And　then；　although　the　man
was　in　no　way　regarding　her；　her　eyes　filled；　and　in
mortification　and　dismay　she　blushed　crimson。

His　anger　still　unsatisfied；　Gaylor　turned　upon　Vance。

〃And　you；〃　he　cried；　〃you're　going　to　jail　too。　I'll　drive　　〃

The　voice　of　Mr。　Hallowell；　shaken　with　pain　and　distress；　rose
feebly；　beseechingly。　〃Henry！〃　he　begged。　〃I　can't　stand　it！〃

〃Judge　Gaylor！〃　thundered　Rainey；　〃I　won't　be　responsible　if　you
keep　this　up。〃

With　an　exclamation　of　remorse；　Vera　ran　to　the　side　of　the　old
man。　With　Rainey　on　his　other　hand；　she　raised　him　upright　upon
his　feet。

〃Lean　on　me；〃　begged　the　girl　breathlessly。　〃I'm　very　strong。
Lean　on　me。〃

Mr。　Hallowell　shook　his　head。　〃No；　child；〃　he　protested；　〃not
you。〃　He　turned　to　his　old　friend。　〃You　help　me；　Henry；〃　he
begged。

With　the　authority　of　the　medical　man；　Rainey　waved　Vance　into
the　bedroom。　〃Close　those　windows；〃　he　ordered。　〃You　help　me！〃
he　commanded　of　Gaylor。　〃Put　your　arm　under　him。〃

Mr。　Hallowell；　protesting　feebly　and　leaning　heavily　upon　the
two　men；　stumbled　into　the　bedroom　；　and　the　door　was　shut
behind　him。

For　a　moment　the　girl　and　the　man　stood　in　silence；　and　then；　as
though　suddenly　conscious　of　her　presence；　Winthrop　turned　and
smiled。

The　girl　did　not　answer　his　smile。　From　under　the　shadow　of　the
picture　hat　and　the　ostrich　feathers　her　eyes　regarded　him
searchingly；　watchfully。

For　the　first　time；　Winthrop　had　the　chance　to　observe　her。　He
saw　that　she　was　very　young；　that　her　clothes　cruelly　disguised
her；　that　she　was　only　a　child　masquerading　as　a　brigand；　that
her　face　was　distractingly　lovely。　Having　noted　this；　the　fact
that　she　had　driven　several　grown　men　to　abuse　and　vituperation
struck　him　as　being　extremely　humorous；　nor　did　he　try　to
conceal　his　amusement。　But　the　watchfulness　in　the　eyes　of　the
girl　did　not　relax。

〃I'm　afraid　I　interfered　with　your　seance；〃　said　the　District
Attorney。

The　girl　regarded　him　warily；　like　a　fencer　fixing　her　eyes　on
those　of　her　opponent。　There　was　a　pause　which　lasted　so　long
that　had　the　silence　continued　it　would　have　been　rude。　〃Well；〃
the　girl　returned　at　last；　timidly；　〃that's　what　the　city
expects　you　to　do；　is　it　not？〃

Winthrop　laughed。　〃How　did　you　know　who　I　was？〃　he　asked；　and
then　added　quickly；　〃Of　course；　you're　a　mind　reader。〃

For　the　first　time　the　girl　smiled。　Winthrop　found　it　a　charming
smile；　wistful　and　confiding。

〃I　don't　have　to　ask　the　spirit　world；〃　she　said；　〃to　tell　me
who　is　District　Attorney　of　New　York。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　District　Attorney；　〃yes；　I　suppose　you　have　to
be　pretty　well　acquainted　with　some　of　the　laws　　those　about
mediums？〃

〃If　you　knew　as　much　about　other　laws；〃　began　Vera；　〃as　I　do
about　the　law　　〃　She　broke　off　and　again　smiled　upon　him。

〃Then　you　probably　know；〃　said　Winthrop；　〃that　what　our　excited
friend　said　to　you　just　now　is　legally　quite　true？〃

The　smile　passed　from　the　face　of　the　girl。　She　looked　at　the
young　man　with　fine　disdain；　as　a　great　lady　might　reprove　with
a　glance　the　man　who　snapped　a　camera　at　her。　〃Yes？〃　she　asked。
〃Well；　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it　　arrest　me？〃　Mocking
him；　in　a　burlesque　of　melodrama；　she　held　out　her　arms。　〃Don't
put　the　handcuffs　on　me；〃　she　begged。

Winthrop　found　her　impudence　amusing；　and；　with　the　charm　of　her
novelty；　he　was　conscious　of　a