his own people-第12章

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I　wonder　you　were　willin'　to　come！〃

〃I　wasI　was　afraid　not　to。〃　　He　choked　out　the　confession　with
the　recklessness　of　final　despair。

〃So？〃　she　said；　with　another　short　laugh。　　Then　she　resumed　her
even；　tired　monotone：　　〃Your　little　friend　Cooley's　note　this
morning　gave　us　all　a　rather　fair　notion　as　to　what　you　must　be
thinkin'　of　us。　　He　seems　to　have　found　a　sort　of　walkin'　'Who's…
Who…on…the…Continent'　since　last　night。　　Pity　for　some　people　he
didn't　find　it　before！　　I　don't　think　I'm　sympathetic　with　your
little　Cooley。　　I　'guess；'　as　you　Yankees　say；　'he　can　stand　it。'
But〃her　voice　suddenly　became　louder〃I'm　not　in　the　business
of　robbin'　babies　and　orphans；　no；　my　dear　friends；　nor　of　helpin'
anybody　else　to　rob　them　either！Here　you　are！〃

She　thrust　into　his　hand　a　small　packet；　securely　wrapped　in　paper
and　fastened　with　rubber　bands。　　〃There's　your　block　of　express
checks　for　six　hundred　dollars　and　your　I　0　U　to　Sneyd　with　it。
Take　better　care　of　it　next　time。〃

He　had　been　tremulous　enough；　but　at　that　his　whole　body　began　to
shake　violently。

〃~What~！〃　he　quavered。

〃I　say；　take　better　care　of　it　next　time；〃　she　said；　dropping　again
into　her　monotone。　　〃I　didn't　have　such　an　easy　time　gettin'　it　back
from　them　as　you　might　think。　　I've　got　rather　a　sore　wrist；　in
fact。〃

She　paused　at　an　inarticulate　sound　from　him。

〃Oh；　that's　soon　mended；〃　she　laughed　drearily。　　〃The　truth　is；　it's
been　a　good　thing　for　meyour　turning　up。　　They're　gettin'　in　too
deep　water　for　me；　Helene　and　her　friends；　and　I've　broken　with　the
lot；　or　they've　broken　with　me；　whichever　it　is。　　We　couldn't　hang
together　after　the　fightin'　we've　done　to…day。　　I　had　to　do　a　lot
of　threatenin'　and　things。　　Welch　was　ugly；　so　I　had　to　be　ugly　too。
Never　mind〃she　checked　an　uncertain　effort　of　his　to　speak〃I
saw　what　you　were　like；　soon　as　we　sat　down　at　the　table　last　night
how　new　you　were　and　all　that。　　It　needed　only　a　glance　to　see
that　Helene　had　made　a　mistake　about　you。　　She'd　got　a　notion　you
were　a　millionaire　like　the　little　Cooley；　but　I　knew　better　from
your　talk。　　She's　clever；　but　she's　French；　and　she　can't　get　it
out　of　her　head　that　you　could　be　an　American　and　not　a　millionaire。
Of　course；　they　~all~　knew　better　when　you　brought　out　your　express
checks　and　talked　like　somebody　in　one　of　the　old…time　story…books
about　'debts　of　honor。'　　Even　Helene　understood　then　that　the
express　checks　were　all　you　had。〃　　She　laughed。　　〃I　didn't　have
any　trouble　gettin'　the　~note~　back！〃

She　paused　again　for　a　moment；　then　resumed：　　〃There　isn't　much
use　our　goin'　over　it　all；　but　I　want　you　to　know　one　thing。　　Your
little　friend　Cooley　made　it　rather　clear　that　he　accused　Helene　and
me　of　signalin'。　　Well；　I　didn't。　　Perhaps　that's　the　reason　you
didn't　lose　as　much　as　he　did；　I　can't　say。　　And　one　thing　more：
all　this　isn't　goin'　to　do　you　any　harm。　　I'm　not　very　keen　about
philosophy　and　religion　and　that；　but　I　believe　if　you're　let　in
for　a　lot　of　trouble；　and　it　only　~half~　kills　you；　you　can　get
some　good　of　it。〃

〃Do　you　think；〃　he　stammered〃do　you　think　I'm　worth　saving？〃

She　smiled　faintly　and　said：

〃You've　probably　got　a　sweetheart　in　the　States　somewherea　nice
girl；　a　pretty　young　thing　who　goes　to　church　and　thinks　you're　a
great　man；　perhaps？　　Is　it　so？〃

〃I　am　not　worthy；〃　he　began；　choked　suddenly；　then　finished〃to
breathe　the　same　air！〃

〃That's　quite　right；〃　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke　assured　him。　　〃Think
what　you'd　think　of　her　if　she'd　got　herself　into　the　same　sort　of
scrape　by　doin'　the　things　you've　been　doin'！　　And　remember　~that~
if　you　ever　feel　impatient　with　her；　or　have　any　temptations　to
superiority　in　times　to　come。　　And　yet〃for　the　moment　she　spoke
earnestly〃you　go　back　to　your　little　girl；　but　don't　you　tell
her　a　word　of　this。　　You　couldn't　even　tell　her　that　meetin'　you
has　helped　me；　because　she　wouldn't　understand。〃

〃Nor　do　I。　　I　can't。〃

〃Oh；　it's　simple。　　I　saw　that　if　I　was　gettin'　down　to　where　I　was
robbin'　babies　and　orphans。。。。〃　　The　cab　halted。　　〃Here's　your
corner。　　I　told　him　only　to　go　round　the　block　and　come　back。
Good…by。　　I'm　off　for　Amalfi。　　It's　a　good　place　to　rest。〃

He　got　out　dazedly；　and　the　driver　cracked　his　whip　over　the　little
horse；　but　Mellin　lifted　a　detaining　hand。

〃~A　spet~；〃　called　Lady　Mount…Rhyswicke　to　the　driver。　　〃What　is　it；
Mr。　Mellin？〃

〃I　can'tI　can't　look　you　in　the　face；〃　he　stammered；　his　attitude
perfectly　corroborative　of　his　words。　　〃I　wouldoh；　I　would　kneel
in　the　dust　here　before　you〃

〃Some　of　the　poetry　you　told　me　you　write？〃

〃I've　never　written　any　poetry；〃　he　said；　not　looking　up。　　〃Perhaps
I　cannow。　　What　I　want　to　say　isI'm　so　ashamed　of　itI　don't
know　how　to　get　the　words　out；　but　I　must。　　I　may　never　see　you
again；　and　I　must。　　I　'm　sorryplease　try　to　forgive　meI　wasn't
myself　when　I　did　it？〃

〃Blurt　it　out；　that's　the　best　way。〃

〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　floundered〃I'm　sorry　I　kissed　you。〃

She　laughed　her　tired　laugh　and　said　in　her　tired　voice　the　last
words　he　was　ever　destined　to　hear　from　her：

〃Oh；　I　don't　mind；　if　you　don't。　　It　was　so　innocent；　it　was　what
decided　me。〃

One　of　the　hundreds　of　good　saints　that　belong　to　Rome　must　have
overheard　her　and　pitied　the　young　man；　for　it　is　ascribable　only
to　some　such　special　act　of　mercy　that　Mellin　understood　（and　he
did）　exactly　what　she　meant。







End