the voice of the city-第40章

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ity　that　he　used　to　worship；　for　I　was　going　to　have

him　myself。　　And　I　began　to　look　upon　him　as　a　saint

on　earth；　just　as　old　lady　Gurley　did。



〃About　four　o'clock　this　afternoon　a　man　came　to

the　house　for　Arthur　to　go　and　see　somebody　that　was

sick　among　his　church　bunch。　　Old　lady　Gurley　was

taking　her　afternoon　snore　on　a　couch；　so　that　left　me

pretty　much　alone。



〃In　passing　by　Arthur's　study　I　looked　in；　and

saw　his　bunch　of　keys　hanging　in　the　drawer　of　his

desk；　where　he'd　forgotten　'em。　　Well；　I　guess　we're

all　to　the　Mrs。　Bluebeard　now　and　then；　ain't　we；

Lynn？　　I　made　up　my　mind　I'd　have　a　look　at　that

memento　he　kept　so　secret。　　Not　that　I　cared　what　it

was　　it　was　just　curiosity。



〃While　I　was　opening　the　drawer　I　imagined　one

or　two　things　it　might　be。　　I　thought　it　might　be　a

dried　rosebud　she'd　dropped　down　to　him　from

a　balcony；　or　maybe　a　picture　of　her　he'd　cut

out　of　a　magazine；　she　being　so　high　up　in　the

world。



〃I　opened　the　drawer；　and　there　was　the　rosewood

casket　about　the　size　of　a　gent's　collar　box。　　I　found

the　little　key　in　the　bunch　that　fitted　it；　and　unlocked

it　and　raised　the　lid。



〃I　took　one　look　at　that　memento；　and　then　I　went

to　my　room　and　packed　my　trunk。　　I　threw　a　few

things　into　my　grip；　gave　my　hair　a　flirt　or　two　with

a　side…comb；　put　on　my　hat；　and　went　in　and　gave　the

old　lady's　foot　a　kick。　　I'd　tried　awfully　hard　to　use

proper　and　correct　language　while　I　was　there　for

Arthur's　sake；　and　I　had　the　habit　down　pat；　but　it

left　me　then。



〃Stop　sawing　gourds；〃　says　I；　〃and　sit　up　and

take　notice。　　The　ghost's　about　to　walk。　　I'm　going

away　from　here；　and　I　owe　you　eight　dollars。　　The

expressman　will　call　for　my　trunk。'



〃I　handed　her　the　money。



〃'Dear　me；　Miss　Crosby！'　says　she。　　'Is　any…

thing　wrong？　　I　thought　you　were　pleased　here。

Dear　me；　young　women　are　so　hard　to　understand；

and　so　different　from　what　you　expect　'em

to　be。'



〃'You're　damn　right；'　says　I。　　'Some　of　'em　are。

But　you　can't　say　that　about　men。　　When　you　know

one　man　you　know　'em　all！　　That　settles　the　human…

race　question。'



〃And　then　I　caught　the　four…thirty…eight；　soft…

coal　unlimited；　and　here　I　am。〃



〃You　didn't　tell　me　what　was　in　the　box；　Lee；〃　said

Miss　D'armande；　anxiously。



〃One　of　those　yellow　silk　garters　that　I　used　to

kick　off　my　leg　into　the　audience　during　that　old

vaudeville　swing　act　of　mine。　　Is　there　any　of　the

cocktail　left；　Lynn？〃











End