his own people-第9章
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bedside； he seized upon it with a shaking hand and drank half its
contents before he set it down。 The action attracted his
companion's attention and he looked up； showing a pale and
haggard countenance。
〃How do you feel？〃 inquired Cooley with a wan smile。
Mellin's head dropped back upon the pillow and he made one or two
painful efforts to speak before he succeeded in finding a ghastly
semblance of his voice。
〃I thought I was at Madame de Vaurigard's。〃
〃You were；〃 said the other； adding grimly： 〃We both were。〃
〃But that was only a minute ago。〃
〃It was six hours ago。 It's goin' on ten o'clock in the morning。〃
〃I don't understand how that can be。 How did I get here？〃
〃I brought you。 I was pretty bad； but youI never saw anything
like you！ From the time you kissed Lady Mount…Rhyswicke〃
Mellin sat bolt upright in bed； staring wildly。 He began to
tremble violently。
〃Don't you remember that？〃 asked Cooley。
Suddenly he did。 The memory of it came with inexorable clarity； he
crossed forearms over his horror…stricken face and fell back upon
his pillow。
〃Oh；〃 he gasped。 〃Un…speakable！ Un…speakable！〃
〃Lord！ Don't worry about that！ I don't think she minded。〃
〃It's the thought of Madame de Vaurigardit kills me！ The horror
of itthat I should do such a thing in her house！ She'll never
speak to me again； she oughtn't to； she ought to send her groom to
beat me！ You can't think what I've lost〃
〃Can't I！〃 Mr。 Cooley rose from his chair and began to pace up and
down the chamber。 〃I can guess to within a thousand francs of what
~I~'ve lost！ I had to get the hotel to cash a check on New York
for me this morning。 I've a habit of carrying all my money in
bills； and a fool trick； too。 Well； I'm cured of it！〃
〃Oh； if it were only a little ~money~ and nothing else that I'd
lost！ The money means nothing。〃 Mellin choked。
〃I suppose you're pretty well fixed。 Well； so am I；〃 Cooley shook
his head； 〃but money certainly means something to me！〃
〃It wouldn't if you'd thrown away the most precious friendship of
your life。〃
〃See here；〃 said Cooley； halting at the foot of the bed and looking
at his stricken companion from beneath frowning brows； 〃I guess I
can see how it is with you； and I'll tell you frankly it's been the
same with me。 I never met such a fascinating woman in my life： she
throws a reg'ler ole…fashioned ~spell~ over you！ Now I hate to say
it； but I can't help it； because it plain hits me in the face every
time I think of it； the truth iswell； sir； I'm afraid you and me
have had little red soldier…coats and caps put on us and strings
tied to our belts while we turned somersets for the children。〃
〃I don't understand。 I don't know what you're talking about。〃
〃No？ It seems to get more and more simple to me。 I've been
thinking it all over and over again。 I can't ~help~ it！ See here：
I met Sneyd on the steamer； without any introduction。 He sort of
warmed into the game in the smoking…room； and he won straight along
the trip。 He called on me in London and took me to meet the
Countess at her hotel。 We three went to the theatre and lunch and
so forth a few times； and when I left for Paris she turned up on
the way： that's when you met her。 Couple of days later； Sneyd
came over； and he and the Countess introduced me to dear ole friend
Pedlow。 So you see； I don't rightly even know who any of 'em really
~are~： just took 'em for granted； as it were。 We had lots of fun；
I admit that； honkin' about in my car。 We only played cards once；
and that was in her apartment the last night before I left Paris；
but that one time Pedlow won fifteen thousand francs from me。 When
I told them my plans； how I was goin' to motor down to Rome； she
said ~she~ would be in Romeand； I tell you； I was happy as a
poodle…pup about it。 Sneyd said he might be in Rome along about
then； and open…hearted ole Pedlow said not to be surprised if ~he~
turned up； too。 Well； he did； almost to the minute； and in the
meantime she'd got ~you~ hooked on； fine and tight。〃
〃I don't understand you；〃 Mellin lifted himself painfully on an
elbow。 〃I don't know what you're getting at； but it seems to me
that you're speaking disrespectfully of an angel that I've insulted；
and I〃
〃Now see here； Mellin； I'll tell you something。〃 The boy's white
face showed sudden color and there was a catch in his voice。 〃I
wasI've been mighty near in ~love~ with that woman！ But I've had
a kind of a shock； I've got my common…sense back； and I'm ~not~； any
more。 I don't know exactly how much money I had； but it was between
thirty…five and thirty…eight thousand francs； and Sneyd won it all
after we took off the limitover seven thousand dollarsat her
table last night。 Putting two and two together； honestly it looks
bad。 It looks ~mighty~ bad！ Now； I'm pretty well fixed； and
yesterday I didn't care whether school kept or not； but seven
thousand dollars is real money to anybody！ My old man worked pretty
hard for his first seven thousand； I guess； and〃he gulped〃he'd
think a lot of me for lettin' go of it the way I did last night；
~wouldn't~ he？ You never ~see~ things like this till the next
morning！ And you remember that other woman sat where she could see
every hand ~you~ drew； and the Countess〃
〃Stop！〃 Mellin flung one arm up violently； striking the headboard
with his knuckles。 〃I won't hear a syllable against Madame de
Vaurigard！〃 Young Cooley regarded him steadily for a moment。
〃Have you remembered yet；〃 he said slowly； 〃how much ~you~ lost
last night？〃
〃I only remember that I behaved like an unspeakable boor in the
presence of the divinest creature that ever〃
Cooley disregarded the outburst； and said：
〃When we settled； you had a pad of express company checks worth
six hundred dollars。 You signed all of 'em and turned 'em over
to Sneyd with three one…hundred…lire bills； which was all the cash
you had with you。 Then you gave him your note for twelve thousand
francs to be paid within three days。 You made a great deal of
fuss about its being a 'debt of honor。'〃 He paused。 〃You hadn't
remembered that； had you？〃
Mellin had closed his eyes。 He lay quite still and made no answer。
〃No； I'll bet you hadn't；〃 said Cooley； correctly deducing the fact。
〃You're well off； or you wouldn't be at this hotel； and； for all I
know； you may be fixed so you won't mind your loss as much as I do
mine； but it ought to make you kind of charitable toward my
suspicions of Madame de Vaurigard's friends。〃
The six hundred dollars in express company checks and the three
hundred…lire bills were all the money the unhappy Mellin had in
the world； and until he could return to Cranston and go back to
work in the real…estate office again； he had no prospect of any
more。 He had not even his steamer ticket。 In the shock of horror
and despair he whispered brokenly：
〃I don't care if they 're the worst people in the world； they're
better than I am！〃
The other's gloom cleared a little at this。 〃Well； you ~have~ got
it！〃 he exclaimed briskly。 〃You don't know how different you'll
feel after a long walk in the open air。〃 He looked at his watch。
〃I've got to go and see what that newspaper…man； Cornish； wants；
it's ten o'clock。 I'll be back after a while； I want to reason
this out with you。 I don't deny but it's possible I'm wrong；
anyway； you think it over while I'm gone。 You take a good hard
think； will you？〃
As he closed the door； Mellin slowly drew the coverlet over his
head。 It was as if he covered the face of some one who had
just died。
VIII。 What Cornish Knew
Two hours passed before young Cooley returned。 He knocked twice
without a reply； then he came in。
The coverlet was still over Mellin's head。
〃Asleep？〃 asked Cooley。
〃No。〃
The coverlet was removed by a shaking hand。
〃Murder！〃 exclaimed Cooley sympathetically； at sight of the other's
face。 〃A night off certainly does things to you！ Better let me get
you some〃
〃No。 I'll be all rightafter while。〃
〃Then I'll go right ahead with our little troubles。 I've decided
to leave for Paris by the one…thirty and haven't got a whole lot
of ti
