the white moll-第26章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
blackness began to shriek and clamor in her ears； as she knew they
would do with pitifully little provocation； urging her to turn and
flee incontinently。
The staircase； she remembered； was at her right； and feeling out
before her with her hands； she reached the stairs； and began to
mount them。 She went slowly； very slowly。 They were bare； the
stairs； and unless one were extremely careful they would creak out
through the silence with a noise that could be heard from top to
bottom of the tenement。 But she was not making any noise； she
dared not make any noise。
Halfway up she halted and pressed her body close against the wall。
Was that somebody coming？ She held her breath in expectation。
There wasn't a sound now； but she could have sworn she had heard
a footstep on the hallway above； or on the upper stairs。 She bit
her lips in vexation。 Panic noises！ That's what they were！ That；
and the thumping of her heart！ Why was it that alarms and
exaggerated fancies came and tried to unnerve her？ What； after all；
was there really to be afraid of？ She had almost a clear two hours
before she need even anticipate any actual danger here； and； if
Nicky Viner were in； she would be away from the tenement again in
another fifteen minutes at the latest。
Rhoda Gray went on again； and gaining the landing； halted once more。
And here she smiled at herself with the tolerant chiding she would
have accorded a child that was frightened without warrant。 She
could account for those whisperings and that footstep now。 The door
to the left； the one next to Nicky Viner's squalid； two…room
apartment； was evidently partially open； and occasionally some one
moved within； and the voices came from there too； and； low…toned to
begin with； were naturally muffled into whispers by the time they
reached her。
She had only； then； to step the five or six feet across the narrow
hall in order to reach Nicky Viner's door； and unless by some
unfortunate chance whoever was in that room happened to come out
into the hall at the same moment； she would … Yes； it was all right！
She was trying Nicky Viner's door now。 It was unlocked； and as she
opened it for the space of a crack； there showed a tiny chink of
light； so faint and meager that it seemed to shrink timorously back
again as though put to rout by the massed blackness … but it was
enough to evidence the fact that Nicky Viner was at home。 It was
all simple enough now。 Old Viner would undoubtedly make some
exclamation at her sudden and stealthy entrance； but once she was
inside without those in the next room either having heard or seen
her； it would not matter。
Another inch she pushed the door open； another … and then another。
And then quickly； silently； she tip…toed over the threshold and
closed the door softly behind her。 The light came from the inner
room and shone through the connecting door； which was open； and
there was movement from within； and a low； growling voice； petulant；
whining； as though an old man were mumbling complainingly to himself。
She smiled coldly。 It was very like Nicky Viner … it was a habit
of his to talk to himself； she remembered。 And； also； she had never
heard Nicky Viner do anything else but grumble and complain。
But she could not see fully into the other room； only into a corner
of it； for the two doors were located diagonally across from one
another； and her hand； in a startled way； went suddenly to her lips；
as though mechanically to help choke back and stifle the almost
overpowering impulse to cry out that arose within her。 Nicky Viner
was not alone in there！ A figure had come into her line of vision
in that other room； not Nicky Viner； not any of the gang … and she
stared now in incredulous amazement； scarcely able to believe her
eyes。 And then； suddenly cool and self…possessed again； relieved
in a curious way because the element of personal danger was as a
consequence eliminated； she began to understand why she had been
forestalled in her efforts at Perlmer's office when she had been so
sure that she would be first upon the scene。 It was not Danglar；
or the Cricket； or Skeeny； or any of the band who had forestalled
her … it was the Adventurer。 That was the Adventurer standing in
there now； side face to her； in Nicky Viner's inner room！
X。 ON THE BRINK
Rhoda Gray moved quietly； inch by inch； along the side of the wall
to gain a point of vantage more nearly opposite the lighted doorway。
And then she stopped again。 She could see quite clearly now … that
is； there was nothing now to obstruct her view； but the light was
miserable and poor； and the single gas…jet that wheezed and flickered
did little more than disperse the shadows from its immediate
neighborhood in that inner room。 But she could see enough … she
could see the bent and ill…clad figure of Nicky Viner； as she
remembered him； an old； gray…bearded man； wringing his hands in
groveling misery； while the mumbling voice； now whining and pleading；
now servile； now plucking up courage to indulge in abuse； kept on
without even； it seemed； a pause for breath。 And she could see the
Adventurer； quite unmoved； quite debonair； a curiously patient smile
on his face； standing there； much nearer to her； his right hand in
the side pocket of his coat； a somewhat significant habit of his；
his left hand holding a sheaf of folded； legal…looking documents。
And then she heard the Adventurer speak。
〃What a flow of words！〃 said the Adventurer； in a bored voice。
〃You will forgive me； my dear Mr。 Viner； if I appear to be facetious；
which I am not … but money talks。〃
〃You are a thief； a robber！〃 The old gray…bearded figure rocked on
its feet and kept wringing its hands。 〃Get out of here！ Get out！
Do you hear？ Get out！ You come to steal from a poor old man； and …〃
〃Must we go all over that again？〃 interrupted the Adventurer wearily。
〃I have not come to steal anything； I have simply come to sell you
these papers； which I am quite sure； once you control yourself and
give the matter a little calm consideration； you are really most
anxious to buy … at any price。
〃It's a lie！〃 the other croaked hoarsely。 〃Those papers are a lie！
I am innocent。 And I haven't got any money。 None！ I haven't any。
I am poor … an old man … and poor。〃
Rhoda Gray felt the blood flush hotly to her cheeks。 Somehow she
could feel no sympathy for that cringing figure in there； but she
felt a hot resentment toward that dapper； immaculately dressed and
self…possessed young man； who stood there； silently now； tapping the
papers with provoking coolness against the edge of the plain deal
table in front of him。 And somehow the resentment seemed to take a
most peculiar phase。 She resented the fact that she should feel
resentment； no matter what the man did or said。 It was as though；
instead of anger； impersonal anger； at this low； miserable act of
his； she felt ashamed of him。 Her hand clenched fiercely as she
crouched there against the wall。 It wasn't true！ She felt nothing
of the sort！ Why should she be ashamed of him？ What was he to her？
He was frankly a thief； wasn't he？ And he was at his pitiful
calling now … down to the lowest dregs of it。 What else did she
expect？ Because he had the appearance of a gentleman； was it that
her sense of gratitude for what she owed him had made her； deep
down in her soul； actually cherish the belief that he really was
one … made her hope it； and nourish that hope into belief？ Tighter
her hand clenched。 Her lips parted； and her breath came in short；
hard inhalations。 Was it true？ Was it all only an added misery；
where it had seemed there could be none to add to her life in these
last few days？ Was it true that there was no price she would not
have paid to have found him in any role but this abased one that
he was playing now？
The Adventurer broke the silence。
〃Quite so； my dear Mr。 Viner！〃 he agreed smoothly。 〃It would appear；
then； from what you say that I have been mistaken … even stupidly so；
I am afraid。 And in that case； I can only apologize for my intrusion；
and； as you so delicately put it； get out。〃 He slipped the papers；
with a philosophic shrug of his s
