the fifth string-第12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！



another　has　commanded　you。''



‘‘Mildred；　Mildred；　if　you　love　me　do

not　speak　thus！''



And　she；　with　imagination　greater　than

reasoning　power；　at　once　saw　a　Tuscan

beauty　and　Diotti　mutually　pledging　their

love　with　their　lives。



‘‘Go；''　she　said；　pointing　to　the　door；

‘‘go　to　the　one　who　owns　you；　body　and

soul；　then　say　that　a　foolish　woman　threw

her　heart　at　your　feet　and　that　you

scorned　it！''　She　sank　to　the　sofa。



He　went　toward　the　door；　and　in　a

voice　that　sounded　like　the　echo　of

despair；　protested：　‘‘Mildred；　I　love　you；

love　you　a　thousand　times　more　than　I

do　my　life。　If　I　should　destroy　the

string；　as　you　ask；　love　and　hope　would

leave　me　forevermore。　Death　would

not　be　robbed　of　its　terror！''　and　with

bowed　head　he　went　forth　into　the　twilight。



She　ran　to　the　window　and　watched

his　retreating　figure　as　he　vanished。

‘‘Uncle　Sanders　was　right；　he　loves

another　woman；　and　that　string　binds　them

together。　He　belongs　to　her！''　Long

and　silently　she　stood　by　the　window；

gazing　at　the　shadowing　curtain　of　the

coming　night。　At　last　her　face　softened。

‘‘Perhaps　he　does　not　love　her　now；　but

fears　her　vengeance。　No；　no；　he　is　not

a　coward！　I　should　have　approached

him　differently；　he　is　proud；　and　maybe

he　resented　my　imperative　manner；''

and　a　thousand　reasons　why　he　should

or　should　not　have　removed　that　string

flashed　through　her　mind。



‘‘I　will　go　early　to　the　concert　to…

night　and　see　him　before　he　plays。

Uncle　Sanders　said　he　did　not　touch　that

string　when　he　played。　Of　course　he

will　play　on　it　for　me；　even　if　he　will　not

cut　it　off；　and　then　if　he　says　he　loves

me；　and　only　me；　I　will　believe　him。　I

want　to　believe　him；　I　want　to　believe

him；''　all　this　in　a　semi…hysterical　way

addressed　to　the　violinist's　portrait　on

the　piano。



When　she　entered　her　carriage　an　hour

later；　telling　the　coachman　to　drive　direct

to　the　stage…door　of　the　Academy；　she

appeared　more　fascinating　than　ever　before。



She　was　sitting　in　his　dressing…room

waiting　for　him　when　he　arrived。　He

had　aged　years　in　a　day。　His　step　was

uncertain；　his　eyes　were　sunken　and　his

hand　trembled。　His　face　brightened　as

she　arose；　and　Mildred　met　him　in　the

center　of　the　room。　He　lifted　her　hand

and　pressed　a　kiss　upon　it。



‘‘Angelo；　dear；''　she　said　in　repentant　tone；

‘‘I　am　sorry　I　pained　you　this　afternoon；

but　I　am　jealous；　so　jealous　of　you。''



‘‘Jealous？''　he　said　smilingly；　‘‘there

is　no　need　of　jealousy　in　our　lives；　we

love　each　other　truly　and　only。''



‘‘That　is　just　what　I　think；　we　will

never　doubt　each　other　again；　will　we？''



‘‘Never！''　he　said　solemnly。



He　had　placed　his　violin　case　on　the

table　in　the　room。　She　went　to　it　and

tapped　the　top　playfully；　then　suddenly

said：　‘‘I　am　going　to　look　at　your　violin；

Angelo；''　and　before　he　could　interfere；

she　had　taken　the　silken　coverlet　off　and

was　examining　the　instrument　closely。

‘‘Sure　enough；　it　has　five　strings；　the

middle　one　stands　higher　than　the　rest

and　is　of　glossy　blackness。　Uncle　Sanders

was　right；　it　is　a　woman's　hair！



‘‘Why　is　that　string　made　of　hair？''

she　asked；　controlling　her　emotion。



‘‘Only　a　fancy；''　he　said；　feigning

indifference。



‘‘Though　you　would　not　remove　it　at　my　wish

this　afternoon；　Angelo；　I　know　you　will　not

refuse　to　play　on　it　for　me　now。''



He　raised　his　hands　in　supplication。

‘‘Mildred！　Mildred！　Stop！　do　not　ask　it！''



‘‘You　refuse　after　I　have　come

repentant；　and　confessing　my　doubts　and

fears？　Uncle　Sanders　said　you　would

not　play　upon　it　for　me；　he　told　me　it

was　wrapped　with　a　woman's　hair；　the

hair　of　the　woman　you　love。''



‘‘I　swear　to　you；　Mildred；　that　I　love　but　you！''



‘‘Love　me？　Bah！　And　another　woman's

tresses　sacred　to　you？　Another

woman's　pledge　sacred　to　you？　I　asked

you　to　remove　the　string；　you　refused。

I　ask　you　now　to　play　upon　it；　you　re…

fuse；''　and　she　paced　the　room　like　a

caged　tigress。



‘‘I　will　watch　to…night　when　you

play；''　she　flashed。　‘‘If　you　do　not　use

that　string　we　part　forever。''



He　stood　before　her　and　attempted　to

take　her　hand；　she　repulsed　him　savagely。



Sadly　then　he　asked：　‘‘And　if　I　do

play　upon　it？''



‘‘I　am　yours　foreveryours　through

lifethrough　eternity；''　she　cried

passionately。



The　call…boy　announced　Diotti's　turn；

the　violinist　led　Mildred　to　a　seat　at　the

entrance　of　the　stage。　His　appearance

was　the　signal　for　prolonged　and　enthusiastic

greeting　from　the　enormous　audience

present。　He　clearly　was　the　idol

of　the　metropolis。



The　lights　were　lowered；　a　single

calcium　playing　with　its　soft　and　silvery

rays　upon　his　face　and　shoulders。　The

expectant　audience　scarcely　breathed　as

he　began　his　theme。　It　was　pitypity

molded　into　a　concord　of　beautiful

sounds；　and　when　he　began　the　second

movement　it　was　but　a　continuation　of

the　first；　his　fingers　sought　but　one

string；　that　of　pity。　Again　he　played；

and　once　more　pity　stole　from　the　violin。



When　he　left　the　stage　Mildred　rushed

So　him。　‘‘You　did　not　touch　that　string；

you　refuse　my　wish？''　and　the　sounds

of　mighty　applause　without　drowned　his

pleading　voice。



‘‘I　told　you　if　you　refused　me　I　was

lost　to　you　forever！　Do　you　understand？''



Diotti　returned　slowly　to　the　center　of

the　stage　and　remained　motionless　until

the　audience　subsided。　Facing　Mildred；

whose　color　was　heightened　by　the　in…

tensity　of　her　emotion；　he　began　softly

to　play。　His　fingers　sought　the　string

of　Death。　The　audience　listened　with

breathless　interest。　The　composition

was　weirdly　and　strangely　fascinating。



The　player　told　with　wondrous　power

of　despair；of　hope；　of　faith；　sunshine

crept　into　the　hearts　of　all　as　he　pictured

the　promise　of　an　eternal　day；　higher

and　higher；　softer　and　softer　grew　the

theme　until　it　echoed　as　if　it　were　afar　in

the　realms　of　light　and　floating　o'er　the

waves　of　a　golden　sea。



Suddenly　the　audience　was　startled　by

the　snapping　of　a　string；　the　violin　and

bow　dropped　from　the　nerveless　hands　of

the　player。　He　fell　helpless　to　the　stage。



Mildred　rushed　to　him；　crying；

‘‘Angelo；　Angelo；　what　is　it？　What　has

happened？''　Bending　over　him　she

gently　raised　his　head　and　showered　un…

restrained　kisses　upon　his　lips；

oblivious　of　all　save　her　lover。



‘‘Speak！　Speak！''　she　implored。



A　faint　smile　illumined　his　face；　he

gazed　with　ineffable　tenderness　into　her

weeping　eyes；　then　slowly　closed　his　own

as　if　in　slumber。







The　Conspirators



Arriving　opposite　the　Franklin

house；　Tom　Foley　took　position　in　a

near…by　alley；　where　he　could　keep　close

watch　on　the　front　gate。　After　hours　of

nervous　waiting；　little　Lillian　Franklin

came　out；　and　Tom's　heart　gave　a　jump。

She　was　alone；　and　began　to　roll　a　hoop；

which　her　friend　Sandy　had　given　her

that　morning。　Down　the　street　she

tripped；　all　smiles　and　happiness。



Tom　watched　her　until　she　had　turned

a　corner；　then　he　rushed　up　the　alley

to　intercept　her。　When　he　emerged　into

the　street；　he　saw　her　resting　on　a　rustic

bench；　and　hastened　to　join　her。　As　he

came　up；　he　was　greeted　with：



‘‘Why；　Tom；　I　thought　you　went　fishing

with　Gil；　and　papa；　and　Sandy；　and

the　rest。''



‘‘No；　Lily。　I　felt　so　bad　'bout　my

dad　being　arrested　yest'day　I　couldn't　git

up　no　courage　to　go；''　answered　the　boy

with　simulated　contrition。　What　d'yer

say？　let's　s'prise　Gil；　and　go　down　to

the　landin'　an'　meet　him　when　he　comes

in　from　fishin'；''　suggested　Foley；　knowing

the　intense　love　she　had　for　her　brother。



‘‘That'll　be　lovely；　won't　it？　And

Gil　will　be　so　glad　if　I　come。''



Lillian　whipped　the　hoop　rapidly；　and

Tom　kept　pace　with　her。



‘‘Gil　will　be　surprised；　sure　enough；

when　he　sees　me　coming；　won't　he？''



‘‘Yes；