his own people-第5章
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have a happy evening if you come to console us for renouncing our
drive。 A thousand of my prettiest wishes for you。
〃Helene。〃
The signature alone consoled him。 To have that note from her； to
own it； was like having one of her gloves or her fan。 He would
keep it forever； he thought； indeed； he more than half expressed a
sentiment to that effect in the response which he wrote in the
aquarium； while Sneyd waited for him at a table near by。 The
Englishman drew certain conclusions in regard to this reply； since
it permitted a waiting friend to consume three long tumblers of
brandy…and…soda before it was finished。 However； Mr。 Sneyd kept
his reflections to himself； and； when the epistle had been
dispatched by a messenger； took the American's arm and led him to
the 〃American Bar〃 of the hotel； a region hitherto unexplored by
Mellin。
Leaning against the bar were Cooley and the man whom Mellin had
seen lolling beside Madame de Vaurigard in Cooley's automobile in
Paris； the same gross person for whom he had instantly conceived
a strong repugnance； a feeling not at once altered by a closer
view。
Cooley greeted Mellin uproariously and Mr。 Sneyd introduced the
fat man。 〃Mr。 Mellin； the Honorable Chandler Pedlow；〃 he said；
nor was the shock to the first…named gentleman lessened by young
Cooley's adding； 〃Best feller in the world！〃
Mr。 Pedlow's eyes were sheltered so deeply beneath florid rolls of
flesh that all one saw of them was an inscrutable gleam of blue；
but； small though they were； they were not shifty； for they met
Mellin's with a squareness that was almost brutal。 He offered a
fat paw； wet by a full glass which he set down too suddenly on the
bar。
〃Shake；〃 he said； in a loud and husky voice； 〃and be friends！
Tommy；〃 he added to the attendant； 〃another round of Martinis。〃
〃Not for me；〃 said Mellin hastily。 〃I don't often〃
〃~What！~〃 Mr。 Pedlow roared suddenly。 〃Why； the first words
Countess de Vaurigard says to me this afternoon was； 'I want you
to meet my young friend Mellin；' she says； 'the gamest little Indian
that ever come down the pike！ He's game；' she says'he'll see you
~all~ under the table！' That's what the smartest little woman in
the world； the Countess de Vaurigard； says about you。〃
This did not seem very closely to echo Madame de Vaurigard's habit
of phrasing； but Mellin perceived that it might be only the fat
man's way of putting things。
〃You ain't goin' back on ~her~； are you？〃 continued Mr。 Pedlow。
〃You ain't goin' to make her out a liar？ I tell you； when the
Countess de Vaurigard says a man 's game； he is game！〃 He laid his
big paw cordially on Mellin's shoulder and smiled； lowering his
voice to a friendly whisper。 〃And I'll bet ten thousand dollars
right out of my pants pocket you ~are~ game； too！〃
He pressed a glass into the other's hand。 Smiling feebly； the
embarrassed Mellin accepted it。
〃Make it four more； Tommy；〃 said Pedlow。 〃And here；〃 continued
this thoughtful man； 〃I don't go bandying no ladies' names around
a bar…roomthat ain't my stylebut I do want to propose a toast。
I won't name her； but you all know who I mean。〃
〃Sure we do；〃 interjected Cooley warmly。 〃Queen！ That's what she
is。〃
〃Here's ~to~ her；〃 continued Mr。 Pedlow。 〃Here's to herbrightest
and bestand no heel…taps！ And now let's set down over in the
corner and take it easy。 It ain't hardly five o'clock yet； and we
can set here comfortable； gittin' ready for dinner； until half…past
six； anyway。〃
Whereupon the four seated themselves about a tabouret in the corner；
and； a waiter immediately bringing them four fresh glasses from the
bar； Mellin began to understand what Mr。 Pedlow meant by 〃gittin'
ready for dinner。〃 The burden of the conversation was carried
almost entirely by the Honorable Chandler； though Cooley； whose
boyish face was deeply flushed； now and then managed to interrupt
by talking louder than the fat man。 Mr。 Sneyd sat silent。
〃Good ole Sneyd；〃 said Pedlow。 〃~He~ never talks； jest saws wood。
Only Britisher I ever liked。 Plays cards like a goat。〃
〃He played a mighty good game on the steamer；〃 said Cooley warmly。
〃I don't care what he did on the steamer； he played like a goat the
only time ~I~ ever played with him。 You know he did。 I reckon you
was ~there！~〃
〃Should say I ~was~ there！ He played mighty well〃
〃Like a goat；〃 reiterated the fat man firmly。
〃Nothing of the sort。 You had a run of hands； that was all。 Nobody
can go against the kind of luck you had that night； and you took it
away from Sneyd and me in rolls。 But we'll land you pretty soon；
won't we； ole Sneydie？〃
〃We sh'll have a shawt at him； at least；〃 said the Englishman。
〃Perhaps he won't want us to try；〃 young Cooley pursued derisively。
〃Perhaps he thinks I play like a goat； too！〃
Mr。 Pedlow threw back his head and roared。 〃Give me somep'n easy！
You don't know no more how to play a hand of cards than a giraffe
does。 I'll throw in all of my Blue Gulch gold…stockand it's worth
eight hundred thousand dollars if it's worth a centI'll put it up
against that tin automobile of yours； divide chips even and play you
freeze…out for it。 You play cards？ Go learn hop…scotch！〃
〃You wait！〃 exclaimed the other indignantly。 〃Next time we play
we'll make you look so small you'll think you're back in Congress！〃
At this Mr。 Pedlow again threw back his head and roared； his vast
body so shaken with mirth that the glass he held in his hand dropped
to the floor。
〃There；〃 said Cooley； 〃that's the second Martini you've spilled。
You're two behind the rest of us。〃
〃What of it？〃 bellowed the fat man。 〃There's plenty comin'； ain't
there？ Four more； Tommy； and bring cigars。 Don't take a cent from
none of these Indians。 Gentlemen； your money ain't good here。 I
own this bar； and this is my night。〃
Mellin had begun to feel at ease； and after a timeas they continued
to sithe realized that his repugnance to Mr。 Pedlow was wearing off；
he felt that there must be good in any one whom Madame de Vaurigard
liked。 She had spoken of Pedlow often on their drives； he was an
〃eccentric；〃 she said； an 〃original。〃 Why not accept her verdict？
Besides； Pedlow was a man of distinction and force； he had been in
Congress； he was a millionaire； and； as became evident in the course
of a long recital of the principal events of his career； most of the
great men of the time were his friends and proteges。
〃'Well； Mack；' says I one day when we were in the House together〃
（thus Mr。 Pedlow； alluding to the late President McKinley）〃'Mack；'
says I； 'if you'd drop that double standard business'he was
waverin' toward silver along then'I don't know but I might git the
boys to nominate you fer President。' 'I'll think it over；' he says
'I'll think it over。' You remember me tellin' you about that at
the time； don't you； Sneyd； when you was in the British Legation at
Washin'ton？〃
〃Pahfictly；〃 said Mr。 Sneyd； lighting a cigar with great calmness。
〃'Yes；' I says； 'Mack；' I says； 〃if you'll drop it； I'll turn in
and git you the nomination。'〃
〃Did he drop it？〃 asked Mellin innocently。
Mr。 Pedlow leaned forward and struck the young man's knee a
resounding blow with the palm of his hand。
〃He was ~nominated~； wasn't he？〃
〃Time to dress；〃 announced Mr。 Sneyd； looking at his watch。
〃One more round first；〃 insisted Cooley with prompt vehemence。
〃Let's finish with our first toast again。 Can't drink that too
often。〃
This proposition was received with warmest approval； and they drank
standing。 〃Brightest and best！〃 shouted Mr。 Pedlow。
〃Queen！ What she is！〃 exclaimed Cooley。
~〃Ma belle Marquise！〃~ whispered Mellin tenderly； as the rim touched
his lips。
A small； keen…faced man； whose steady gray eyes were shielded by
tortoise…rimmed spectacles； had come into the room and now stood
quietly at the bar； sipping a glass of Vichy。 He was sharply
observant of the party as it broke up； Pedlow and Sneyd preceding
the younger men to the corridor； and； as the latter turned to
follow； the stranger stepped quickly forward； speaking Cooley's
name。
〃What's the matter？〃
〃Perhaps you don't remember me。
