children of the whirlwind-第6章

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〃He'll　square　things　in　some　other　way；〃　said　Hunt。

〃I　suppose　he'll　try；〃　Larry　responded　carelessly。　〃Where's　the　first…　aid　room？〃

Hunt　showed　him　through　the　curtains。　When　he　came　out；　Hunt；　Maggie；　and　the　Duchess　were　all　engaged　in　getting　the　dinner　upon　the　table。　Additional　help　would　only　be　interference；　so　Larry's　eyes　wandered　casually　to　the　canvases　standing　in　the　shadows　against　the　walls。

〃Mr。　Hunt；〃　he　remarked；　〃you　seem　to　have　earned　a　very　real　reputation　of　its　sort　in　the　neighborhood。　Old　Isaac　downstairs　told　me　you　were　crazysaid　they　called　you　'Nuts'said　you　were　the　worst　painter　that　ever　happened。〃

〃Yeh；　that's　what　they　say；〃　agreed　Hunt。

〃They　certainly　are　awful；　Larry；〃　put　in　Maggie；　coming　to　his　side。　〃Father　thinks　they　are　jokes；　and　father　certainly　knows　pictures。　Just　look　at　a　few　of　them。〃

〃Yeh；　look　at　'em　and　have　a　good　laugh；〃　invited　Hunt。

Larry　carried　the　portrait　of　the　Duchess　to　beneath　the　swinging　electric　bulb　and　examined　it　closely。　Maggie；　at　his　shoulder；　waited　for　his　mirth；　and　Hunt　regarded　him　with　a　sidelong　gaze。　But　Larry　did　not　laugh。　He　silently　returned　the　picture；　and　then　examined　the　portrait　of　Old　Jimmiethen　of　Maggiethen　of　the　Italian　madonna；　throned　on　her　curbstone。　He　replaced　this　last　and　crossed　swiftly　to　Hunt。　Maggie　watched　this　move　in　amazement。

Larry　faced　the　big　painter。　His　figure　was　tense；　his　features　hard　with　suspicion。　That　moment　one　could　understand　why　he　was　sometimes　called　〃Terrible　Larry〃；　just　then　he　looked　a　devastating　explosion　that　was　still　unexploded。

〃What's　your　game　down　here；　Hunt？〃　he　demanded　harshly。

〃My　game？〃　repeated　the　big　painter。　〃I　don't　get　you。〃

〃Yes；　you　do！　You're　down　here　posing　as　a　boob　who　smears　up　canvases！〃

〃What's　wrong　with　that？〃

〃Only　this：　those　are　not　crazy　daubs。　They're　real　pictures！〃

〃Eh！〃　exclaimed　Hunt。　Maggie　stared　in　bewilderment　at　the　two　men。

Hunt　spoke　again。　〃What　the　dickens　do　you　know　about　pictures？　Old　Jimmie；　who's　said　to　be　a　shark；　thinks　all　these　things　are　just　comics。〃

〃Jimmie　only　thinks　a　picture's　good　after　a　thousand　press…agents　have　said　it's　good；〃　Larry　returned。　〃I　studied　at　the　Academy　of　Design　for　two　years；　till　I　learned　I　could　never　paint。　But　I　know　pictures。〃

〃And　you　think　mine　are　good？〃

〃Not　in　the　popular　mannerthey're　too　original。　But　they're　great。　And　you're　a　great　painter。　And　I　want　to　know〃

〃Hurray！〃　shouted　Hunt；　and　flung　an　enthusiastic　arm　about　Larry；　and　began　to　pound　his　back。　〃Oh；　boy！　Oh；　boy！〃

Larry　wrenched　himself　free。　〃Cut　that　out。　Then　you　admit　you're　a　great　painter？〃

〃Of　course　I'm　a　great　painter！〃　shouted　Hunt。　〃Who　should　know　it　better　than　I　do？〃

〃Then　what's　a　great　painter　doing　down　here？　What's　the　game　you're　trying　to　put　over；　posing　as〃

〃Listen；　son；〃　Hunt　grinned。　〃You've　called　me　and　I've　got　to　show　my　cards。　Only　you　mustn't　ever　tellnor　must　Maggie；　the　Duchess　doesn't　talk；　anyway。　No　need　bothering　you　just　now　with　a　lot　of　details　about　myself。　It's　enough　to　say　that　people　wouldn't　pay　me　except　when　I　did　the　usual　pretty　rot；　no　one　believed　in　the　other　stuff　I　wanted　to　do。　I　wanted　to　get　away　from　that　bunch；　I　wanted　to　do　real　studies　of　human　people；　with　their　real　nature　showing　through。　So　I　beat　it。　Understand　so　far？〃

〃But　why　pose　as　a　dub　down　here？〃

〃I　never　started　the　yarn　that　I　was　a　dub。　The　people　who　looked　at　my　work；　and　laughed；　started　that　talk。　I　didn't　shout　out　that　I　was　a　great　artist　for　the　mighty　good　reason　that　if　I　had；　and　had　been　believed；　the　people　who　posed　for　me　either　wouldn't　have　done　it　or　would　have　been　so　self…conscious　that　they　would　have　tried　to　look　like　some　one　else；　and　would　never　have　shown　me　themselves　at　all。　Thinking　me　a　joke；　they　just　acted　natural。　Which；　young　man；　is　about　all　you　need　to　know。〃

Maggie　looked　on　breathlessly　at　the　two　men；　bewildered　by　this　new　light　in　which　Hunt　was　presented；　and　fascinated　by　the　tense　alertness　of　her　hero；　Larry。

Slowly　Larry's　tensity　dissipated。　〃I　don't　know　about　the　rest　of　your　make…up；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃but　as　a　painter　you're　a　whale。〃

〃The　rest　of　him's　all　right；　too；〃　put　in　the　dry；　unemotional　voice　of　the　Duchess。　〃Dinner's　ready。　Come　on。〃

As　they　moved　to　the　table　Hunt　clapped　a　big　hand　on　Larry's　shoulder。　〃And　to　think；〃　he　chuckled；　〃it　took　a　crook　fresh　from　Sing　Sing　to　discover　me　as　a　great　artist！　You're　clever；　Larry　clever！　Maggie；　get　the　corkscrew　into　action　and　fill　the　glasses　with　the　choicest　vintage　of　H2O。　A　toast。　Here's　to　Larry！〃




CHAPTER　V


The　dinner　was　simple：　beef　stewed　with　potatoes　and　carrots　and　onions；　and　pie；　and　real　coffee。　But　it　measured　up　to　Hunt's　boast：　the　chef　of　the　Ritz；　limited　to　so　simple　a　menu；　could　indeed　have　done　no　better。　And　Larry；　after　his　prison　fare；　was　dining　as　dine　the　gods。

The　irrepressible　Hunt；　trying　to　read　this　new　specimen　that　had　come　under　his　observation；　sought　to　draw　Larry　out。　〃Barney　Palmer　and　Old　Jimmie　were　here　this　afternoon；　wanting　to　see　you。　They've　got　something　big　waiting　for　you。　I　suppose　you're　all　ready　to　jump　in　and　put　it　over　with　a　wallop。〃

〃I'm　going　to　put　something　over　with　a　wallopbut　I　guess　business　will　have　to　wait　until　Barney；　Jimmie；　and　I　have　a　talk。　Can　you　spare　me　a　little　more　of　that　stew？〃

His　manner　of　speaking　was　a　quiet　announcement　to　Hunt　that　his　plans　were　for　the　present　a　closed　subject。　Hunt　felt　balked；　for　this　lean；　alert；　much…talked…of　adventurer　piqued　him　greatly；　but　he　switched　to　other　subjects；　and　during　the　rest　of　the　meal　did　most　of　the　talking。　The　Duchess　was　silent；　and　seemingly　was　concerned　only　with　her　food。　Larry　got　in　a　fair　portion　of　speech；　but　for　the　most　part　his　attention；　except　for　that　required　for　eating；　was　fixed　upon　Maggie。

How　she　had　sprung　up　since　he　had　last　seen　her！　Almost　a　woman　now　and　destined　to　be　a　beauty！　And　more　than　just　a　beauty：　she　was　colorful；　vital；　high…strung。　Before　he　had　gone　away　he　had　regarded　her　with　something　akin　to　the　negligent　affection　of　an　older　brother。　But　this　thing　which　was　already　beginning　to　surge　up　in　him　was　altogether　different；　and　he　knew　it。

As　for　Maggie；　when　she　looked　at　him；　she　flushed　and　her　eyes　grew　bright。　Larry　was　back！the　brilliant；　daring　Larry。　She　was　aware　that　she　had　been　successful　in　startling　and　gripping　his　attention。　Yes；　they　would　do　great　things　together！

When　the　dinner　was　finished　and　the　dishes　washed；　Larry　gave　voice　to　this　new　urge　that　had　so　quickly　grown　up　within　him。

〃What　do　you　say；　Maggie；　to　a　little　walk？〃

〃All　right；〃　she　replied　eagerly。

They　went　down　the　narrow　stairway　together。　On　the　landing　of　the　second　floor；　which　contained　only　Maggie's　bedroom　and　the　Duchess's　and　a　tiny　kitchen；　Maggie　started　to　leave　him　to　change　into　street　clothes；　but　he　caught　her　arm　and　said；　〃Come　on。〃　They　descended　the　next　flight　and　came　into　the　back　room　behind　the　pawnshop；　which　the　Duchess　used　as　a　combination　of　sitting…room；　office；　and　storeroom。　About　this　musty　museum　hung　or　stood　unredeemed　seamen's　jackets；　men　and　women's　evening　wear；　banjos；　guitars；　violins；　umbrellas；　and　one　huge　green　stuffed　parrot　sitting　on　top　of　the　Duchess's　safe。

〃I　wanted　to　talk；　not　walk；〃　he　said。　〃Let's　stay　here。〃

He　took　her　hands　and　looked　down　on　her　steadily。　Under　the　yellow　gaslight　her　face　gleamed　excitedly　up　into　his；　her　breath　came　quickly。

〃Well；　sir；　what　do　you　think　of　me？〃　she　demanded。　〃Have　I　changed　much？〃

〃Changed？　Why；　it's　magic；　Maggie！　I　left　you　a　schoolgirl；　you're　a　woman　now。　And　a　wonder！〃

〃You　think　so？〃　She　flushed　with　pride　and　pleasure；　and　a　wildness　of　spirit　possessed　her　and　demanded　expression　in　action。　She　freed　her　left　hand　and　slipped　it　over　Larry's　shoulder。　〃Come　onlet's　two…　step。〃

〃But；　Maggie；　I've　forgotten。〃

〃Come　on！〃

Instantly　she　was　dragging　him　over　the　scanty　floor　space。　But　after　a　moment　he　halted；　protesting。

〃These　prison　brogans　were　not　intended　by　their　b