his own people-第7章
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〃If Lady Mount…Rhyswicke sat at ~my~ table；〃 returned Mellin
dashingly； 〃I should wish all the light in the world to shine upon
so happy an event。〃
〃Hear the man！〃 she drawled。 〃He's proposing to me。 Thinks I'm
a widow。〃
There was a chorus of laughter； over which rose the bellow of Mr。
Pedlow。
〃'He's game！' she saysand ~ain't~ he？〃
Across the table Madame de Vaurigard's eyes met Mellin's with a
mocking intelligence so complete that he caught her message without
need of the words she noiselessly formed with her lips： 〃I tol' you
you would be making love to her！〃
He laughed joyously in answer。 Why shouldn't he flirt with Lady
Mount…Rhyswicke？ He was thoroughly happy； his Helene； his ~belle
Marquise~； sat across the table from him sending messages to him
with her eyes。 He adored her； but he liked Lady Mount…Rhyswicke
…梙e liked everybody and everything in the world。 He liked Pedlow
particularly； and it no longer troubled him that the fat man should
be a friend of Madame de Vaurigard。 Pedlow was a 〃character〃 and
a wit as well。 Mellin laughed heartily at everything the Honorable
Chandler Pedlow said。
〃This is life；〃 remarked the young man to his fair neighbor。
〃What is？ Sittin' round a table； eatin' and drinkin'？〃
〃Ah； lovely skeptic！〃 She looked at him strangely； but he continued
with growing enthusiasm： 〃I mean to sit at such a table as this；
with such a chef； with such winesto know one crowded hour like
this is to live！ Not a thing is missing； all this swagger furniture；
the rich atmosphere of smartness about the whole place； best of all；
the company。 It's a great thing to have the ~real~ people around
you； the right sort； you know； socially； people you'd ask to your
own table at home。 There are only seven； but every one ~distingue~；
every one〃
She leaned both elbows on the table with her hands palm to palm；
and； resting her cheek against the back of her left hand； looked
at him steadily。
〃And youare you distinguished； too？〃
〃Oh； I wouldn't be much known over ~here~；〃 he said modestly。
〃Do you write poetry？〃
〃Oh； not professionally； though it is published。 I suppose〃he
sipped his champagne with his head a little to one side as though
judging its quality〃I suppose I 've been more or less a dilettante。
I've knocked about the world a good bit。〃
〃Helene says you're one of these leisure American billionaires like
Mr。 Cooley there；〃 she said in her tired voice。
〃Oh； none of us are really quite billionaires。〃 He laughed
deprecatingly。
〃No； I suppose not？not really。 Go on and tell me some more about
life and this distinguished company。〃
〃Hey； folks！〃 Mr。 Pedlow's roar broke in upon this dialogue。
〃You two are gittin' mighty thick over there。 We're drinking a
toast； and you'll have to break away long enough to join in。〃
〃Queen！ That's what she is！〃 shouted Cooley。
Mellin lifted his glass with the others and drank to Madame de
Vaurigard； but the woman at his side did not change her attitude
and continued to sit with her elbows on the table； her cheek on
the back of her hand； watching him thoughtfully。
VI。 Rake's Progress
Many toasts were uproariously honored； the health of each member
of the party in turn； then the country of each： France and England
first； out of courtesy to the ladies； Italy next； since this
beautiful and extraordinary meeting of distinguished people （as
Mellin remarked in a short speech he felt called upon to make） took
place in that wonderful land； then the United States。 This last
toast the gentlemen felt it necessary to honor by standing in their
chairs。
＇~Song： The Star…Spangled Bannerwithout wordsby Mr。 Cooley and
chorus。~＇
When the cigars were brought； the ladies graciously remained； adding
tiny spirals of smoke from their cigarettes to the layers of blue
haze which soon overhung the table。 Through this haze； in the
gentle light （which seemed to grow softer and softer） Mellin saw the
face of Helene de Vaurigard； luminous as an angel's。 She ~was~ an
angeland the others were gods。 What could be more appropriate in
Rome？ Lady Mount…Rhyswicke was Juno； but more beautiful。 For
himself； he felt like a god too； Olympic in serenity。
He longed for mysterious dangers。 How debonair he would stroll
among them！ He wished to explore the unknown； felt the need of a
splendid adventure； and had a happy premonition that one was coming
nearer and nearer。 He favored himself with a hopeful vision of the
apartment on fire； Robert Russ Mellin smiling negligently among the
flames and Madame de Vaurigard kneeling before him in adoration。
Immersed in delight； he puffed his cigar and let his eyes rest
dreamily upon the face of Helene。 He was quite undisturbed by an
argument； more a commotion than a debate； between Mr。 Pedlow and
young Cooley。 It ended by their rising； the latter overturning a
chair in his haste。
〃I don't know the rudiments； don't I！〃 cried the boy。 〃You wait！
Ole Sneydie and I'II trim you down！ Corni says he'll play； too。
Come on； Mellin。〃
〃I won't go unless Helene goes；〃 said Mellin。 〃What are you going
to do when you get there？〃
〃Alas； my frien'！〃 exclaimed Madame de Vaurigard； rising； 〃is it
not what I tol' you？ Always you are never content wizout your play。
You come to dinner an' when it is finish' you play； play； play！〃
〃~Play~？〃 He sprang to his feet。 〃Bravo！ That's the very thing
I've been wanting to do。 I knew there was something I wanted to do；
but I couldn't think what it was。〃
Lady Mount…Rhyswicke followed the others into the salon； but Madame
de Vaurigard waited just inside the doorway for Mellin。
〃~High~ play！〃 he cried。 〃We must play high！ I won't play any
other way。I want to play ~high~！〃
〃Ah； wicked one！ What did I tell you？〃
He caught her hand。 〃And you must play too； Helene。〃
〃No； no；〃 she laughed breathlessly。
〃Then you'll watch。 Promise you'll watch me。 I won't let you go
till you promise to watch me。〃
〃I shall adore it； my frien'！〃
〃Mellin；〃 called Cooley from the other room。 〃You comin' or not？〃
〃Can't you see me？〃 answered Mellin hilariously； entering with
Madame de Vaurigard； who was rosy with laughter。 〃Peculiar thing
to look at a man and not see him。〃
Candles were lit in many sconces on the walls； and the card…table
had been pushed to the centre of the room； little towers of blue；
white and scarlet counters arranged upon it in orderly rows like
miniature castles。
〃Now； then；〃 demanded Cooley； 〃are the ladies goin' to play？〃
〃Never！〃 cried Madame de Vaurigard。
〃All right；〃 said the youth cheerfully； 〃you can look on。 Come and
sit by me for a mascot。〃
〃You'll need a mascot； my boy！〃 shouted Pedlow。 〃That's right；
though； take her。〃
He pushed a chair close to that in which Cooley had already seated
himself； and Madame de Vaurigard dropped into it； laughing。
〃Mellin； you set there；〃 he continued； pushing the young man into
a seat opposite Cooley。 〃We'll give both you young fellers a
mascot。〃 He turned to Lady Mount…Rhyswicke； who had gone to the
settee by the fire。 〃Madge； you come and set by Mellin；〃 he
commanded jovially。 〃Maybe he'll forget you ain't a widow again。〃
〃I don't believe I care much about bein' anybody's mascot to…night；〃
she answered。 There was a hint of anger in her tired monotone。
〃What？〃 He turned from the table and walked over to the fireplace。
〃I reckon I didn't understand you；〃 he said quietly； almost gently。
〃You better come； hadn't you？〃
She met his inscrutable little eyes steadily。 A faint redness
slowly revealed itself on her powdered cheeks； then she followed
him back to the table and took the place he had assigned to her
at Mellin's elbow。
〃I'll bank；〃 said Pedlow； taking a chair between Cooley and the
Italian； 〃unless somebody wants to take it off my hands。 Now；
what are we playing？〃
〃Pokah；〃 responded Sneyd with mild sarcasm。
〃Bravo！〃 cried Mellin。 〃That's ~my~ game。 Ber…~ravo！~〃
This was so far true： it was the only game upon which he had ever
ventured money； he had played several times when the wagers were
allowed to reach a limit of twenty…five cents。
〃You know what
