the white moll-第3章
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〃Don't！？〃 leered Gypsy Nan。 The revolver held； swaying a little
unsteadily； on Rhoda Gray。 There was silence for a moment； then
Gypsy Nan spoke again； evidently through dry lips； for she wet them
again and again with her tongue： 〃Say； youse are de White Moll；
ain't youse？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Rhoda Gray。
Gypsy Nan appeared to ponder this for an instant。
〃Well den； come back here an' sit down on de foot of de bed；〃
she commanded finally。
Rhoda Gray obeyed without hesitation。 There was nothing to do
but humor the woman in her present state； a state that seemed one
bordering on delirium and complete collapse。
〃Nan；〃 she said； 〃you …〃
〃De White Moll！〃 mumbled Gypsy Nan。 〃I wonder if de dope dey hands
out about youse is all on de level？ My Gawd； I wonder if wot dey
says is true？〃
〃What do they say？〃 asked Rhoda Gray gently。
Gypsy Nan lay back on her pillow as though her strength； over…taxed；
had failed her； her hand； though it still clutched the revolver；
seemed to have been dragged down by the weapon's weight； and now
rested upon the blanket。
〃Dey say；〃 said Gypsy Nan slowly； 〃dat youse knows more on de
inside here dan anybody else … t'ings youse got from de spacers'
molls； an' from de dips demselves when youse was lendin' dem a
hand； dey say dere ain't many youse couldn't send up de river just
by liftin' yer finger； but dat youse're straight； an' dat youse've
kept yer map closed； an' dat youse' re safe。〃
Rhoda Gray's dark eyes softened； as she leaned forward and laid a
hand gently over the one of Gypsy Nan that held the revolver。
〃It couldn't be any other way； could it； Nan？〃 she said simply。
〃Wot yer after？〃 demanded Gypsy Nan； with sudden mockery。 〃De gun？
Well； take it！〃 She let go her hold of the weapon。 〃But don't kid
yerself dat youse're kiddin' me into givin' it to youse because
youse have got a pretty smile an' a sweet voice！ Savvy？ I〃 … she
choked suddenly； and caught at her throat … 〃I guess youse're de
only chance I got…dat's all。〃
〃That's better；〃 said Rhoda Gray encouragingly。 〃And now you'll
let me go and get a doctor； won't you； Nan？〃
〃Wait！〃 said Gypsy Nan hoarsely。 〃Youse're de only chance I got。
Will youse swear youse won't t'row me down if I tells youse
somet'ing？ I ain't got no other way。 Will youse swear youse'll
see me through？〃
〃Of course； Nan；〃 said Rhoda Gray soothingly。 〃Of course； I will；
Nan。 I promise。
Gypsy Nan came up on her elbow。
〃Dat ain't good enough！〃 she cried out。 〃A promise ain't good
enough！ For Gawd's sake； come across all de way！ Swear youse'll
keep mum an' see me through！〃
〃Yes； Nan〃 … Rhoda Gray's eyes smiled reassurance …〃I swear it。
But you will be all right again in the morning。〃
〃Will I？ You think so； do you？ Well； I can only say that I wish
I did！〃
Rhoda Gray leaned sharply forward； staring in amazement at the
figure on the bed。 The woman's voice was the same； it was still
hoarse； still heavy； and the words came with painful effort； but
the English was suddenly perfect now。
〃Nan； what is it？ I don't understand！〃 she said tensely。 〃What
do you mean？〃
〃You think you know what's the matter with me。〃 There was a
curious mockery in the weak voice。 〃You think I've drunk myself
into this state。 You think I'm on the verge of the D。T。's now。
That empty bottle under the bed proves it； doesn't it？ And anybody
around here will tell you that Gypsy Nan has thrown enough empties
out of the window there to stock a bottle factory for years； some
of them on the flat roof just outside the window； some of them on
the roof of the shed below； and some of them down into the yard；
just depending on how drunk she was and how far she could throw。
And that proves it； too； doesn't it？ Well； maybe it does； that's
what I did it for； but I never touched the stuff； not a drop of it；
from the day I came here。 I didn't dare touch it。 I had to keep
my wits。 Last night you thought I was drunk when you found me in
the doorway downstairs。 I wasn't。 I was too sick and weak to get
up here。 I almost told you then； only I was afraid； and … and I
thought that perhaps I'd be all right to…day。〃
〃Oh； I didn't know！〃 Rhoda Gray was on her knees beside the bed。
There was no room to question the truth of the woman's words； it
was in Gypsy Nan's eyes； in the struggling； labored voice。
〃Yes。〃 Gypsy Nan clutched at the shawl around her neck； and
shivered。 〃I thought I might be all right to…day； and that I'd
get better。 But I didn't。 And now I've got about a chance in a
hundred。 I know。 It's my heart。〃
〃You mean you've been alone here； sick； since last night？〃 There
was anxiety； perplexity； in Rhoda Gray's face。 〃Why didn't you
call some one？ Why did you even hold me back a few minutes ago；
when you admit yourself that you need immediate medical assistance
so badly？〃
〃Because；〃 said Gypsy Nan； 〃if I've got a chance at all； I'd finish
it for keeps if a doctor came here。 I … I'd rather go out this way
than in that horrible thing they call the 'chair。' Oh； my God；
don't you understand that！ I've seen pictures of it！ It's a
horrible thing … a horrible thing … horrible！〃
〃Nan〃 … Rhoda Gray steadied her voice … you re delirious。 You do
not know what you are saying。 There isn't any horrible thing to
frighten you。 Now you just lie quietly here。 I'll only be a few
minutes； and …〃 She stopped abruptly as her wrists were suddenly
imprisoned in a frantic grip。
〃You swore it！〃 Gypsy Nan was whispering feverishly。 〃You swore
it！ They say the White Moll never snitched。 That's the one chance
I've got； and I'm going to take it。 I'm not delirious … not yet。
I wish to God it was nothing more than that！ Look！〃
With a low； startled cry； Rhoda Gray was on her feet。 Gypsy Nan
was gone。 A sweep of the woman's hand； and the spectacles were off；
the gray…streaked hair a tangled wig upon the pillow … and Rhoda Gray
found herself staring in a numbed sort of way at a dark…haired woman
who could not have been more than thirty； but whose face； with its
streaks of grime and dirt； looked grotesquely and incongruously old。
II。 SEVENTHREENINE
For a moment neither spoke； then Gypsy Nan broke the silence with
a bitter laugh。 She threw back the bedclothes； and； gripping at
the edge of the bed； sat up。
〃The White Moll！ The words rattled in her throat。 A fleck of blood
showed on her lips。 〃Well； you know now！ You're going to help me；
aren't you？ I … I've got to get out of here … get to a hospital。〃
Rhoda Gray laid her hands firmly on the other's shoulders。
〃Get back into bed；〃 she said steadily。 〃Do you want to make
yourself worse？ You'll kill yourself！〃
Gypsy Nan pushed her away。
〃Don't make me use up what little strength I've got left in talking；〃
she cried out piteously； and suddenly wrung her hands together。
〃I'm wanted by the police。 If I'm caught； it's … it's that 'chair。'
I couldn't have a doctor brought here； could I？ How long would
it be before he saw that Gypsy Nan was a fake？ I can't let you go
and have an ambulance； say； come and get me； can I； even with the
disguise hidden away？ They'd say this is where Gypsy Nan lives。
There's something queer here。 Where is Gypsy Nan？ I've got to get
away from here … away from Gypsy Nan … don't you understand？ It's
death one way； maybe it is the other； maybe it'll finish me to get
out of here； but it's the only thing left to do。 I thought some
one； some one that I could trust； never mind who； would have come
to…day； but…but no one came； and … and maybe now it s too late； but
there's just the one chance； and I've got to take it。〃 Gypsy Nan
tore at the shawl around her throat as though it choked her； and
flung it from her shoulders。 Her eyes were gleaming with an
unhealthy； feverish light。 〃Don't you see？ We get out on the
street。 I collapse there。 You find me。 I tell you my name is
Charlotte Green。 That's all you know。 There isn't much chance
that anybody at the hospital would recognize me。 I've got money。
I take a private room。 Don't you understand？〃
Rhoda Gray's face had gone a little white。 There was no doubt about
the woman's serious con
