the drums of jeopardy-第41章
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I fancy。 And they've killed him！〃
〃No；〃 said Cutty； slowly。 〃But this is for your ear alone： He's
alive； and one of these days I'll bring him to you。 So buck up。〃
〃Alive！ Stefani alive！〃 whispered Hawksley。 He stretched out his
hand rather blindly； and Cutty was surprised at the strength of the
grip。 〃Makes me feel choky。 I say； are all Americans good
Samaritans？〃
Cutty put this aside because he did not care to disillusion Hawksley。
〃I found an appraiser's receipt in your wallet。 You carried some
fine jewels。 Did you hide them or did Karlov get them？ It struck
me as odd that you haven't inquired about them。〃 The change that
came into Hawksley's face alarmed Cutty。 The rich olive skin became
chalky and the eyes closed。 〃What is it？ Shall I call Miss Frances？〃
〃No。〃 Hawksley opened his eyes； but looked dully straight ahead。
〃The stones！ I was trying to forget！ My God； I was trying to forget！〃
〃But they were yours？〃 Cutty was mystified beyond expression。
〃Yes； mine； mine； mine！〃 … panting。 〃Damn them！ Some day I'll tell
you。 But just now I can't toe the mark。 I was trying to forget
them！ Against my heart； gnawing into my soul like the beetle of the
Spanish Inquisition！〃 Silence。 〃But they were future bread and
butter … for Gregor as well as for myself。 They got them； and may
they damn Karlov as they have damned me！ I had no chance when I
returned to Gregor's。 They were on me instantly。 I put up a fight；
but I'd come from a lighted room and was practically blind。 Let
them go。 Most of those stones came out of hell； anyhow。 Let them
go。 There is an unknown grave between those stones and me。〃
The level despair of the tone appalled Cutty。 A crime somewhere？
There was still a bottom to this affair he had not plumbed？ He rose；
deeply agitated。
〃I'll fetch those togs for you。 Miss Conover will breakfast with us；
and the sight of her will give you a brace。 I'm sorry。 I had to
ask you。〃
〃Beefsteak and a pretty girl！ That's something。 I suppose she was
trapped by the lift not running。〃 Hawksley was trying to meet Cutty
halfway to cover up the tragedy。 〃I say； why the deuce do you let
her live where she does？〃
〃Because I'm not legally her guardian。 She is the daughter of the
man and woman I loved best。 All I can do is to watch over her。 She
lives on her earnings as a newspaper writer。 I'd give her half of
all I have if I had the least idea she would accept it。〃
〃Fond of her？〃
〃Fond of her！〃 repeated Cutty。 〃Why； of course I'm fond of her！〃
There was a touch of indignation in his tone。
〃Is she fond of you？〃
〃I suppose so。〃 What was the chap driving at？
〃Then marry her；〃 suggested Hawksley with a cynical smile； 〃make a
settlement and give her her freedom。 Simple enough。 What？〃
Cutty stepped back； stunned and terrified。 〃She would laugh at me！〃
〃You never can tell；〃 replied Hawksley； maintaining the crooked
smile。 The devil was blazing in his eyes now。 〃Try it。 It's being
done every day； even here in this big America of yours。 From the
European point of view you have compromised her … or she has
compromised herself； by spending the night here。 Convention has
been disregarded。 A ripping good chance； I call it。 You tell me
she wouldn't accept benefits； and you want to help her。 If she's
the kind I believe her to be； even if she refuses you she will not
be angry。 You never can tell what woman will or won't do。〃
An old and forgotten bit of mental machinery began to set up a
ditter…datter in Cutty's brain。 Marry Kitty？ Make a settlement；
and then give her her freedom？ Rot！ Girls of Kitty's calibre were
above such expediencies。 He tried to resurrect his interest in the
drums of jeopardy； which he might now appropriate without having to
shanghai his conscience。 The clitter…clatter smothered it； indeed；
this new racket upset and demoralized the well…ordered machinery of
his thinking apparatus as applied daily。 Marry Kitty！
〃I'm old enough to be her father。〃
〃What's that to do with it so long as convention is satisfied？〃
Cutty was so shaken and confused that he missed the tragic irony of
the voice。 All the receptive avenues to his brain seemed to have
shut down suddenly。 He was conscious only of the clitter…clatter。
Marry Kitty！
〃You can't settle money on her；〃 went on Hawksley； 〃without scandal。
You can't offer her anything without offending her。 And you can't
let her go to rust without having her bit of good times。〃
〃Utterly impossible；〃 said Cutty； to the idea rather than to his
tormentor。
〃Oh； of course； if you have an affair … No； God forgive me； I don't
mean that！ I'm a damned ingrate！ But your bringing up those stones
and knocking off the top of all the misery piling up in my heart！ I
was only trying to hurt you； hurt myself； everybody。 Please have a
little patience with me； for I've come out of hell！〃 Hawksley turned
aside his head。
〃Buck up；〃 said Cutty； his blazing wrath dropping to a smoulder。
〃I'll fetch those togs。〃
What had the boy done to fill him with such tragic bitterness？ Was
he Two…Hawks？ Cutty dismissed this doubt instantly。 He recalled
the episode of the boy's conduct when confronted by the photograph
of his mother。 No human being could be a play actor in such a
moment。 The boy's emotion had been deep and real。 Cutty recognized
the fact that he had become as a block in the middle of a Chinese
puzzle； only Fate could move him to his appointed place。
But offer marriage to Kitty so that he could provide for her！
Mechanically he rummaged his clothes press for the suit he was to
take to Hawksley。 Well； why not？ He could settle five thousand a
year on her。 His departure for the Balkans … he might be gone a
year or more … could be legally construed as desertion。 And with
pretty clothes and freedom she would soon find some young chap to
her liking。 But would a girl like Kitty see it from his point of
view？ The marriage could take place an hour or two before he went
aboard his ship。 Hang it； Hawksley wasn't so far off。 Kitty
couldn't possibly be offended if he laid the business squarely on
the table。 To provide for Molly's girl！
When Kuroki announced that breakfast was ready； Cutty went into the
living room for Kitty； whom he bad not yet seen。 He found her by a
window fascinated by the splendour of the panorama as seen in the
morning light。 Not a vestige of the tears and disorder in which
he had left her。 What had been behind those tears？ Dainty and
refreshing； to the eye as though she had stepped out of a bandbox。
Compromised？ That was utter rot！ Wasn't Miss Frances here？
Clitter…clatter； clitter…clatter。 But Cutty was not aware that it
was no longer in his head but in his heart。
〃Breakfast is served； Your Highness；〃 he announced with a grave
salaam。
Kitty pirouetted。 For some reason she could not explain to herself
she wanted to laugh； sing； dance。 Perhaps it was because she was
only twenty…four。 Or it might have had its origin in the tonicky
awakening among all these beautiful furnishings。
She assumed a haughty expression … such as the Duchess of Gerolstein
assumes when she appoints the private to the office of generalissimo
… and with a careless wave of the hand said： 〃Summon His Highness！〃
CHAPTER XXIV
Between Cutty's heart and his throat there was very little space at
that moment for the propelment of sound。 Kitty Conover had
innocently … he understood that almost immediately and recovered
his mental balance … Kitty had innocently thrown a bomb at his feet。
It did not matter that it was a dud。 The result was the same。 For
a second； then； all the terror； all the astounding suspension of
thought and action attending the arrival of a shell on the
battlefield were his。 As an aftermath he would have liked very
much to sit down。 Instead； maintaining the mock gravity of his
expression； he offered his arm； which Kitty accepted； still the
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein。 Pompously they marched into the
dining room。 But as Kitty saw Hawksley she dropped the air
confusedly； and hesitated。 〃Good gracious！〃 she whispered。
〃What's the matter？〃 Cutty w
