the dust-第56章

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h　their　beautiful　dresses　and　their　sweet；　soft　faces。〃

He　and　Norman　lunched　together　in　an　out…of…the　way　restaurant。　　After　a　busy　and　a　happy　afternoon；　Norman　returned　early　to　the　hotel。　　He　had　cashed　his　check。　　He　was　in　funds。　　He　would　give　her　another　and　more　thrilling　taste　of　the　joy　that　was　to　be　hers　through　himand　soon　she　would　be　giving　even　as　she　gotfor　he　would　teach　her　not　to　fear　love；　not　to　shrink　from　it；　but　to　rejoice　in　it　and　to　let　it　permeate　and　complete　all　her　charms。

He　ascended　to　the　apartment　and　knocked。　　There　was　no　answer。　　He　searched　in　vain　for　a　chamber…　maid　to　let　him　in。　　He　descended　to　the　office。　　〃Oh；　Mr。　Norman；〃　said　one　of　the　clerks。　　〃Your　wife　left　this　note　for　you。〃

Norman　took　it。　　〃She　went　out？〃

〃About　three　o'clockwith　a　young　gentleman　who　called　on　her。　　They　came　back　a　while　ago　and　she　left　the　note。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Norman。　　He　took　his　key；　went　up　to　the　apartment。　　Not　until　he　had　closed　and　locked　the　door　did　he　open　the　note。　　He　read：


〃Last　night　you　broke　your　promise。　　So　I　am　going　away。　　Don't　look　for　me。　　It　won't　be　any　use。　When　I　decide　what　to　do　I'll　send　you　word。〃


He　was　standing　at　the　table。　　He　tossed　the　note　on　the　marble；　threw　open　the　bedroom　door。　　The　black　chiffon　dress；　the　big　plumed　hat；　and　all　the　other　articles　they　had　bought　were　spread　upon　the　bed；　arranged　with　the　obvious　intention　that　he　should　see　at　a　glance　she　had　taken　nothing　away　with　her。

〃Hell！〃　he　said　aloud。　　〃Why　didn't　I　let　her　go　yesterday　morning？〃



XVIII


A　FEW　days　later；　Tetlow；　having　business　with　Norman；　tried　to　reach　him　by　telephone。　　After　several　failures　he　went　to　the　hotel；　and　in　the　bar　learned　enough　to　enable　him　to　guess　that　Norman　was　of　on　a　mad　carouse。　　He　had　no　difficulty　in　finding　the　trail　or　in　following　it；　the　difficulty　lay　in　catching　up；　for　Norman　was　going　fast。　　Not　until　late　at　nightthat　is；　early　in　the　morningof　the　sixth　day　from　the　beginning　of　his　search　did　he　get　his　man。

He　was　prepared　to　find　a　wreck；　haggard；　wildly　nervous　and　disreputably　disheveled；　for；　so　far　as　he　could　ascertain　Norman　had　not　been　to　bed；　but　had　gone　on　and　on　from　one　crowd　of　revelers　to　another；　in　a　city　where　it　is　easy　to　find　companions　in　dissipation　at　any　hour　of　the　twenty…four。　　Tetlow　was　even　calculating　upon　having　to　put　off　their　business　many　weeks　while　the　crazy　man　was　pulling　through　delirium　tremens　or　some　other　form　of　brain　fever。

An　astonishing　sight　met　his　eyes　in　the　Third　Avenue　oyster　house　before　which　the　touring　car　Norman　had　been　using　was　drawn　up。　　At　a　long　table；　eating　oysters　as　fast　as　the　opener　could　work；　sat　Norman　and　his　friend　Gaskill；　a　fellow　member　of　the　Federal　Club；　and　about　a　score　of　broken　and　battered　tramps。　　The　supper　or　breakfast　was　going　forward　in　admirable　order。　　Gaskill；　whom　Norman　had　picked　up　a　few　hours　before；　showed　signs　of　having　done　some　drinking。　　But　not　Norman。　　It　is　true　his　clothing　might　have　looked　fresher；　but　hardly　the　man　himself。

〃Just　in　time！〃　he　cried　out　genially；　at　sight　of　Tetlow。　　〃Sit　down　with　us。　　Waiter；　a　chair　next　to　mine。　　Gentlemen；　Mr。　Tetlow。　　Mr。　Tetlow；　gentlemen。　What'll　you　have；　old　man？〃

Tetlow　declined　champagne；　accepted　half　a　dozen　of　the　huge　oysters。　　〃I've　been　after　you　for　nearly　a　week；〃　said　he　to　Norman。

〃Pity　you　weren't　WITH　me；〃　said　Norman。　　〃I've　been　getting　acquainted　with　large　numbers　of　my　fellow　citizens。〃

〃From　the　Bowery　to　Yonkers。〃

〃Exactly。　　Don't　fall　asleep；　Gaskill。〃

But　Gaskill　was　snoring　with　his　head　on　the　back　of　his　chair　and　his　throat　presented　as　if　for　the　as　of　the　executioner。　　〃He's　all　in；〃　said　Tetlow。

〃That's　the　way　it　goes；〃　complained　Norman。　〃I　can't　find　anyone　to　keep　me　company。〃

Tetlow　laughed。　　〃You　look　as　if　you　had　just　started　out；〃　said　he。　　〃Tell　meWHERE　have　you　slept？〃

〃I　haven't　had　time　to　sleep　as　yet。〃

〃I　dropped　in　to　suggest　that　a　little　sleep　wouldn't　do　any　harm。〃

〃Not　quite　yet。　　Watch　our　friends　eat。　　It　gives　me　an　appetite。　　Waiter；　another　dozen　all　roundand　some　more　of　this　carbonated　white　wine　you've　labeled　champagne。〃

As　he　called　out　this　order；　a　grunt　of　satisfaction　ran　round　the　row　of　human　derelicts。　　Tetlow　shuddered；　yet　was　moved　and　thrilled；　too；　as　he　glanced　from　face　to　facethose　hideous　hairy　countenances；　begrimed　and　beslimed；　each　countenance　expressing　in　its　own　repulsive　way　the　one　emotion　of　gratified　longing　for　food　and　drink。　　〃Where　did　you　get　'em？〃　inquired　he。

〃From　the　benches　in　Madison　Square；〃　replied　Norman。　　He　laughed　queerly。　　〃Recognize　yourself　in　any　of　those　mugs；　Tetlow？〃　he　asked。

Tetlow　shivered。　　〃I　should　say　not！〃　he　exclaimed。

Norman's　eyes　gleamed。　　〃I　see　myself　in　all　of　'em；〃　said　he。

〃Poor　wretches！〃　muttered　Tetlow。

〃Pity　wasted；〃　he　rejoined。　　〃You　might　feel　sorry　for　a　man　on　the　way　to　where　they've　got。　　But　once　arrivedas　well　pity　a　dead　man　sleeping　quietly　in　his　box　with　three　feet　of　solid　earth　between　him　and　worries　of　every　kind。〃

〃Shake　this　crowd；〃　said　Tetlow　impatiently。　　〃I　want　to　talk　with　you。〃

〃All　right；　if　it　bores　you。〃　　He　sent　the　waiter　out　for　enough　lodging…house　tickets　to　provide　for　all。　He　distributed　them　himself；　to　make　sure　that　the　proprietor　of　the　restaurant　did　not　attempt　to　graft。　Then　he　roused　Gaskill　and　bundled　him　into　the　car　and　sent　it　away　to　his　address。　　The　tramps　gathered　round　and　gave　Norman　three　cheersthey　pressed　close　while　four　of　them　tried　to　pick　his　and　Tetlow's　pockets。　　Norman　knocked　them　away　good…　naturedly；　and　he　and　Tetlow　climbed　into　Tetlow's　hansom。

〃To　my　place；〃　suggested　Tetlow。

〃No；　to　minethe　Knickerbocker；〃　replied　Norman。

〃I'd　rather　you　went　to　my　place　first；〃　said　Tetlow　uneasily。

〃My　wife　isn't　with　me。　　She　has　left　me；〃　said　Norman　calmly。

Tetlow　hesitated；　extremely　nervous；　finally　acquiesced。　　They　drove　a　while　in　silence；　then　Norman　said；　〃What's　the　business？〃

〃Galloway　wants　to　see　you。〃

〃Tell　him　to　come　to　my　office　to…morrowthat　means　to…dayat　any　time　after　eleven。〃

〃But　that　gives　you　no　chance　to　pull　yourself　together；〃　objected　Tetlow。

Norman's　face；　seen　in　the　light　of　the　street　lamp　they　happened　to　be　passing；　showed　ironic　amusement。　〃Never　mind　about　me；　Billy。　　Tell　him　to　come。〃

Tetlow　cleared　his　throat　nervously。　　〃Don't　you　think；　old　man；　that　you'd　better　go　to　see　him？　　I'll　arrange　the　appointment。〃


Norman　said　quietly：　　〃Tetlow；　I've　dropped　pretty　far。　　But　not　so　far　that　I　go　to　my　clients。　　The　rule　of　calls　is　that　the　man　seeking　the　favor　goes　to　the　man　who　can　grant　it。〃

〃But　it　isn't　the　custom　nowadays　for　a　lawyer　to　deal　that　way　with　a　man　like　Galloway。〃

〃And　neither　is　it　the　custom　for　anyone　to　have　any　self…respect。　　Does　Galloway　need　my　brains　more　than　I　need　his　money；　or　do　I　need　his　money　more　than　he　needs　my　brains？　　You　know　what　the　answer　to　that　is；　Billy。　　We　are　partnersyou　and　I。　　I'm　training　you　for　the　position。〃

〃Galloway　won't　come；〃　said　Tetlow　curtly。

〃So　much　the　worse　for　him；〃　retorted　Norman　placidly。　　〃NoI've　not　been　drinking　too　much；　old　manas　your　worriedold…maid　look　suggests。　　Do　a　little　thinking。　　If　Galloway　doesn't　get　me；　whom　will　he　get？〃

〃You　know　very　well；　Norman；　there　are　scores　of　lawyers；　good　ones；　who'd　crawl　at　his　feet　for　his　business。　　Nowadays；　most　lawyers　are　always　looking　round　for　a　pair　of　rich　man's　boots　to　lick。〃

〃But　I　am　not　‘most　lawyers；'　〃　said　Norman。　〃Of　course；　if　Galloway　could　make　me　come　to　him；　he'd　be　a　fool　to　come　to　me。　　But　when　he　finds　I'm　not　coming；　why；　he'll　behave　himselfif　his　business　is　important　enough　for　me　to　bother　with。〃

〃But　if　he　doesn't　come；　Fred？〃

〃Thenmy　Universal　Fuel　scheme；　or　some　other　equally　good。　　But　you　will　never　see　me　limbering　my　knees　in　the　anteroom　of　a　rich　man；　when　he　needs　me　and　I　don't　need　him。〃

〃Well；　we'll　see；〃　said　Tetlow；　with　the　air　of　a　sober　man　patient　with　one　who　is　not　sober。

〃By　the　way；〃　continued　Norman；　〃if　Gallowa