part 6-第12章

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at　five。〃











　　　　　When　Howard　Archie　was　admitted　to　Thea's　apart…



ment　that　afternoon；　he　was　shown　into　the　music…room



back　of　the　little　reception　room。　　Thea　was　sitting　in　a



davenport　behind　the　piano；　talking　to　a　young　man　whom



she　later　introduced　as　her　friend　Mr。　Landry。　　As　she



rose；　and　came　to　meet　him；　Archie　felt　a　deep　relief；　a



sudden　thankfulness。　　She　no　longer　looked　clipped　and



plucked；　or　dazed　and　fleeing。









　　　　　Dr。　Archie　neglected　to　take　account　of　the　young　man



to　whom　he　was　presented。　　He　kept　Thea's　hands　and



held　her　where　he　met　her；　taking　in　the　light；　lively　sweep



of　her　hair；　her　clear　green　eyes　and　her　throat　that　came



up　strong　and　dazzlingly　white　from　her　green　velvet　gown。



The　chin　was　as　lovely　as　ever；　the　cheeks　as　smooth。



All　the　lines　of　last　night　had　disappeared。　　Only　at　the



outer　corners　of　her　eyes；　between　the　eye　and　the　temple；



were　the　faintest　indications　of　a　future　attackmere















kitten　scratches　that　playfully　hinted　where　one　day　the



cat　would　claw　her。　　He　studied　her　without　any　embar…



rassment。　　Last　night　everything　had　been　awkward；　but



now；　as　he　held　her　hands；　a　kind　of　harmony　came　between



them；　a　reestablishment　of　confidence。







　　　　　〃After　all；　Thea；in　spite　of　all；　I　still　know　you；〃　he



murmured。







　　　　　She　took　his　arm　and　led　him　up　to　the　young　man　who



was　standing　beside　the　piano。　　〃Mr。　Landry　knows　all



about　you；　Dr。　Archie。　　He　has　known　about　you　for　many



years。〃　　While　the　two　men　shook　hands　she　stood　between



them；　drawing　them　together　by　her　presence　and　her



glances。　　〃When　I　first　went　to　Germany；　Landry　was



studying　there。　　He　used　to　be　good　enough　to　work　with



me　when　I　could　not　afford　to　have　an　accompanist　for



more　than　two　hours　a　day。　　We　got　into　the　way　of　work…



ing　together。　　He　is　a　singer；　too；　and　has　his　own　career　to



look　after；　but　he　still　manages　to　give　me　some　time。　　I



want　you　to　be　friends。〃　　She　smiled　from　one　to　the



other。







　　　　　The　rooms；　Archie　noticed；　full　of　last　night's　flowers；



were　furnished　in　light　colors；　the　hotel　bleakness　of　them



a　little　softened　by　a　magnificent　Steinway　piano；　white



bookshelves　full　of　books　and　scores；　some　drawings　of



ballet　dancers；　and　the　very　deep　sofa　behind　the　piano。







　　　　　〃Of　course；〃　Archie　asked　apologetically；　〃you　have



seen　the　papers？〃







　　　　　〃Very　cordial；　aren't　they？　　They　evidently　did　not



expect　as　much　as　I　did。　　ELSA　is　not　really　in　my　voice。



I　can　sing　the　music；　but　I　have　to　go　after　it。〃







　　　　　〃That　is　exactly；〃　the　doctor　came　out　boldly；　〃what



Fred　Ottenburg　said　this　morning。〃







　　　　　They　had　remained　standing；　the　three　of　them；　by　the



piano；　where　the　gray　afternoon　light　was　strongest。　　Thea



turned　to　the　doctor　with　interest。　　〃Is　Fred　in　town？



They　were　from　him；　thensome　flowers　that　came　last















night　without　a　card。〃　　She　indicated　the　white　lilacs　on



the　window　sill。　　〃Yes；　he　would　know；　certainly；〃　she　said



thoughtfully。　　〃Why　don't　we　sit　down？　　There　will　be



some　tea　for　you　in　a　minute；　Landry。　　He's　very　depend…



ent　upon　it；〃　disapprovingly　to　Archie。　　〃Now　tell　me；



Doctor；　did　you　really　have　a　good　time　last　night；　or　were



you　uncomfortable？　　Did　you　feel　as　if　I　were　trying　to



hold　my　hat　on　by　my　eyebrows？〃







　　　　　He　smiled。　　〃I　had　all　kinds　of　a　time。　　But　I　had　no　feel…



ing　of　that　sort。　　I　couldn't　be　quite　sure　that　it　was　you　at



all。　　That　was　why　I　came　up　here　last　night。　　I　felt　as　if



I'd　lost　you。〃







　　　　　She　leaned　toward　him　and　brushed　his　sleeve　reassur…



ingly。　　〃Then　I　didn't　give　you　an　impression　of　painful



struggle？　　Landry　was　singing　at　Weber　and　Fields'　last



night。　　He　didn't　get　in　until　the　performance　was　half



over。　　But　I　see　the　TRIBUNE　man　felt　that　I　was　working



pretty　hard。　　Did　you　see　that　notice；　Oliver？〃







　　　　　Dr。　Archie　looked　closely　at　the　red…headed　young　man



for　the　first　time；　and　met　his　lively　brown　eyes；　full　of　a



droll；　confiding　sort　of　humor。　　Mr。　Landry　was　not　pre…



possessing。　　He　was　undersized　and　clumsily　made；　with　a



red；　shiny　face　and　a　sharp　little　nose　that　looked　as　if　it



had　been　whittled　out　of　wood　and　was　always　in　the　air；



on　the　scent　of　something。　　Yet　it　was　this　queer　little



beak；　with　his　eyes；　that　made　his　countenance　anything



of　a　face　at　all。　　From　a　distance　he　looked　like　the　grocery…



man's　delivery　boy　in　a　small　town。　　His　dress　seemed　an



acknowledgment　of　his　grotesqueness：　a　short　coat；　like　a



little　boys'　roundabout；　and　a　vest　fantastically　sprigged



and　dotted；　over　a　lavender　shirt。







　　　　　At　the　sound　of　a　muffled　buzz；　Mr。　Landry　sprang　up。







　　　　　〃May　I　answer　the　telephone　for　you？〃　　He　went　to　the



writing…table　and　took　up　the　receiver。　　〃Mr。　Ottenburg　is



downstairs；〃　he　said；　turning　to　Thea　and　holding　the



mouthpiece　against　his　coat。



















　　　　　〃Tell　him　to　come　up；〃　she　replied　without　hesitation。



〃How　long　are　you　going　to　be　in　town；　Dr。　Archie？〃







　　　　　〃Oh；　several　weeks；　if　you'll　let　me　stay。　　I　won't　hang



around　and　be　a　burden　to　you；　but　I　want　to　try　to　get



educated　up　to　you；　though　I　expect　it's　late　to　begin。〃







　　　　　Thea　rose　and　touched　him　lightly　on　the　shoulder。



〃Well；　you'll　never　be　any　younger；　will　you？〃







　　　　　〃I'm　not　so　sure　about　that；〃　the　doctor　replied　gal…



lantly。







　　　　　The　maid　appeared　at　the　door　and　announced　Mr。　Fred…



erick　Ottenburg。　　Fred　came　in；　very　much　got　up；　the



doctor　reflected；　as　he　watched　him　bending　over　Thea's



hand。　　He　was　still　pale　and　looked　somewhat　chastened；



and　the　lock　of　hair　that　hung　down　over　his　forehead　was



distinctly　moist。　　But　his　black　afternoon　coat；　his　gray　tie



and　gaiters　were　of　a　correctness　that　Dr。　Archie　could



never　attain　for　all　the　efforts　of　his　faithful　slave；　Van



Deusen；　the　Denver　haberdasher。　　To　be　properly　up　to



those　tricks；　the　doctor　supposed；　you　had　to　learn　them



young。　　If　he　were　to　buy　a　silk　hat　that　was　the　twin　of



Ottenburg's；　it　would　be　shaggy　in　a　week；　and　he　could



never　carry　it　as　Fred　held　his。







　　　　　Ottenburg　had　greeted　Thea　in　German；　and　as　she



replied　in　the　same　language；　Archie　joined　Mr。　Landry　at



the　window。　　〃You　know　Mr。　Ottenburg；　he　tells　me？〃







　　　　　Mr。　Landry's　eyes　twinkled。　　〃Yes；　I　regularly　follow



him　about；　when　he's　in　town。　　I　would；　even　if　he　didn't



send　me　such　wonderful　Christmas　presents：　Russian　vodka



by　the　half…dozen！〃







　　　　　Thea　called　to　them；　〃Come；　Mr。　Ottenburg　is　calling　on



all　of　us。　　Here's　the　tea。〃







　　　　　The　maid　opened　the　door　and　two　waiters　from　down…



stairs　appeared　with　covered　trays。　　The　tea…table　was　in



the　parlor。　　Thea　drew　Ottenburg　with　her　and　went　to



inspect　it。　　〃Where's　the　rum？　　Oh；　yes；　in　that　thing！



Everything　seems　to　be　here；　but　send　up　some　currant















preserves　and　cream　cheese　for　Mr。　Ottenburg。　　And　in



about　fifteen　minutes；　bring　some　fresh　toast。　　That's　all；



thank　you。〃







　　　　　For　the　next　few　minutes　there　was　a　clatter　of　teacups



and　responses　about　sugar。　　〃Landry　always　takes　rum。



I'm　glad　the　rest　of　you　don't。　　I'm　sure　it's　bad。〃　　Thea



poured　the　tea　standing　and　got　through　with　it　as　quickly