the drums of jeopardy-第60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！


the　sides　of　his　chair。

〃He　is　fainting！〃　cried　Kitty；　her　love　outweighing　her　resolves。
〃Cutty！〃　…　desperately；　fearing　to　touch　Hawksley　herself。

〃No！　　The　stones；　the　stones！　　Take　them　away　…　out　of　sight！　　I'm
too　done　in！　　I　can't　stand　it！　　I　can't　…　The　Red　Night！　　Torches
and　hobnailed　boots！〃



CHAPTER　XXXIII


Her　fingers　seemingly　all　thumbs；　her　heart　swelling　with　misery
and　loneliness；　wanting　to　go　to　him　but　fearing　she　would　be
misunderstood；　Kitty　scooped　up　the　dazzling　stones　and　poured
them　hastily　into　the　tobacco　pouch；　which　she　thrust　into　Cutty's
hands。　　What　she　had　heard　was　not　the　cry　of　a　disordered　brain。
There　was　some　clear　reason　for　the　horror　in　Hawksley's　tones。
What　tragedy　lay　behind　these　wonderful　prisms　of　colour　that　the
legitimate　owner　could　not　look　upon　them　without　being　stirred　in
this　manner？

〃Take　them　into　the　study；〃　urged　Kitty。

〃Wait！〃　interposed　Hawksley。　　〃I　give　one　of　the　emeralds　to　you；
Cutty。　　They　came　out　of　hell　…　if　you　want　to　risk　it！　　The　other
is　for　Miss　Conover；　with　Mister　Hawksley's　compliments。〃　　He　was
looking　at　Kitty　now；　his　face　drawn；　his　eyes　bloodshot。　　〃Don't
be　apprehensive。　　They　bring　evil　only　to　men。　　With　one　in　your
possession　you　will　be　happy　ever　after；　as　the　saying　goes。　　Oh；
they　are　mine　to　give；　mine　by　right　of　inheritance。　　God　knows　I
paid　for　them！〃

〃If　I　said　Mister　…　〃　began　Kitty；　her　brain　confused；　her　tongue
clumsy。

〃You　haven't　forgiven！〃　he　interrupted。　　〃A　thoroughbred　like　you；
to　hold　last　night　against　me！　　Mister　…　after　what　we　two　have
shared　together！　　Why　didn't　you　leave　me　there　to　die？〃

Cutty　observed　that　the　drama　had　resolved　itself　into　two
characters；　he　had　been　relegated　to　the　scenes。　　He　tiptoed　toward
his　study　door；　and　as　he　slipped　inside　he　knew　that　Gethsemane　was
not　an　orchard　but　a　condition　of　the　mind。　　He　tossed　the　pouch　on
his　desk；　eyed　it　ironically；　and　sat　down。　　His；　one　of　them　…　one
of　those　marvellous　emeralds　was　his！　　He　interlaced　his　fingers
and　rested　his　brow　upon　them。　　He　was　very　tired。

Kitty　missed　him　only　when　she　heard　the　latch　snap。

She　was　alone　with　Hawksley；　and　all　her　terror　returned。　　Not　to
touch　him；　not　to　console　him；　to　stand　staring　at　him　like　a　dumb
thing！

〃I　do　forgive　…　Johnny！　　But　your　world　and　my　world　…〃

〃Those　stains！　　The　wretches　hurt　you！〃

〃What？　　Where？〃　…　bewildered。

〃The　blood　on　your　waist！〃

Kitty　looked　down。　　〃That　is　not　my　blood；　Johnny。　　It　is　yours。〃

〃Mine？〃　Johnny。　　Something　in　the　way　she　said　it。　　〃Mine？〃　…　trying
to　solve　the　riddle。

〃Yes。　　It　is　where　your　cheek　rested　when　…　I　thought　you　were　dead。〃

The　sense　of　misery；　of　oppression；　of　terror；　all　fell　away
miraculously；　leaving　only　the　flower　of　glory。　　She　would　be　his
plaything　if　he　wanted　her。

Silence。

〃Kitty；　I　came　out　of　a　dark　world　…　to　find　you。　　I　loved　you　the
moment　I　entered　your　kitchen　that　night。　　But　I　did　not　know　it。
I　loved　you　the　night　you　brought　the　wallet。　　Still　I　did　not
understand。　　It　was　when　I　heard　the　lift　door　and　knew　you　had　gone
forever　that　I　understood。　　Loved　you　with　all　my　heart；　with　all
that　poor　old　Stefani　had　fashioned　out　of　muck　and　clay。　　If　you
held　my　head　to　your　heart；　if　that　is　my　blood　there　…　　Do　you；　can
you　care　a　little？〃

〃I　can　and　do　care　very　much；　Johnny。〃

Her　voice　to　his　ears　was　like　the　G　string　of　the　Amati。　　〃Will
you　go　with　me？〃

〃Anywhere。　　But　you　are　a　prince　of　some　great　Russian　house；　Johnny；
and　I　am　nobody。〃

〃What　am　I；　Kitty？　　Less　than　nobody　…　a　homeless　outcast；　with　only
you　and　Cutty。　　An　American！　　Well；　when　I'm　that　it　will　be
different；　I'll　be　somebody。　　God　forgive　me　if　I　do　not　give　it
absolute　loyalty；　this　new　country！　。。。　Never　call　me　anything　but
Johnny。〃

〃Johnny。〃　　Anywhere；　whatever　he　willed　her　to　be。

〃I'm　a　child；　Kitty。　　I　want　to　grow　up　…　if　I　can　…　to　be　an
American；　something　like　that　ripping　old　thoroughbred　yonder。〃

Cutty！　　Johnny　wanted　to　be　something　like　Cutty。　　Johnny　would　have
to　grow　up　to　be　his　own　true　self；　for　nobody　could　ever　be　like
Cutty。　　He　was　as　high　and　far　away　from　the　average　man　as　this
apartment　was　from　hers。　　Would　he　understand　her　attitude？　　Could
she　say　anything　until　it　would　be　too　late　for　him　to　interfere？
She　was　this　man's　woman。　　She　would　have　her　span　of　happiness；
come　ill；　come　good；　even　if　it　hurt　Cutty；　whom　she　loved　in　another
fashion。　　But　for　Johnny　dropping　through　that　trap　she　might　never
have　really　known；　married　Cutty；　and　been　happy。　　Happy　until　one
or　the　other　died；　never　gloriously；　never　furiously；　but　mildly
happy；　perhaps　understanding　each　other　far　better　than　Johnny　and
she　would　understand　each　other。　　The　average　woman's　lot。　　But　to
give　her　heart；　her　mind；　her　body　in　a　whirlwind　of　emotions；
absolute　surrender；　to　know　for　once　the　highest　state　of　exaltation
　…　to　love！

All　this　tender　exchange　with　half　a　dozen　feet　between　them。　　Kitty
had　not　stirred　from　the　far　side　of　the　tea　cart；　and　he　had　not
opened　his　arms。　　She　had　given　herself　with　magnificent　abandon；
for　the　present　that　satisfied　her　instincts。　　As　for　him；　he　was
not　quite　sure　this　miracle　might　not　be　a　dream；　and　one　false　move
might　cause　her　to　vanish。

〃Johnny；　who　is　Olga？〃　The　question　was　irrepressible。　　Perhaps　it
was　the　last　shred　of　caution　binding　her。　　All　of　him　or　none　of
him。　　There　must　be　no　other　woman　intervening。

Hawksley　stiffened　in　his　chair。　　His　hands　closed　convulsively　and
his　eyes　lost　their　brightness。　　〃Johnny？〃　　Kitty　ran　round　the　tea
cart。　　〃What　is　it？〃　　She　knelt　beside　the　chair；　alarmed；　for　the
horror　had　returned　to　his　face。　　〃What　did　they　do　to　you　back
there？〃　　She　clasped　one　of　his　hands　tensely　in　hers。

〃In　my　dreams　at　night！〃　he　said；　staring　into　space。　　〃I　could　run
away　from　my　pursuers；　but　I　could　not　run　away　from　my　dreams！
Torches　and　hobnailed　boots！　。。。　　They　trampled　on　her；　and　I；　up
there　in　the　gallery　with　those　damned　emeralds　in　my　hands！　　Ah；
if　I　hadn't　gone　for　them；　if　I　hadn't　thought　of　the　extra　comforts
their　sale　would　bring！　　There　would　have　been　time　then；　Kitty。
I　had　all　the　other　jewels　in　the　pouch。　　Horses　were　ready　for　us
to　flee　on；　loyal　servants　ready　to　help　us；　but　I　thought　of　the
drums。　　A　few　more　worldly　comforts　…　with　hell　forcing　in　the
doors！

〃I　didn't　tell　her　where　I　was　going。　　When　I　came　back　it　was　to
see　her　die！　　They　saw　me；　and　yelled。　　I　ran　away。　　I　hadn't　the
courage　to　go　down　there　and　die　with　her！　　She　thought　I　was　in
that　hell　pit。　　She　went　down　there　to　die　with　me　and　died
horribly；　alone！　　Ah；　if　I　could　only　shut　it　out；　forget！　　Olga；
my　tender　young　sister；　Kitty；　the　last　one　of　my　race　I　could　love。
And　I　ran　away　like　a　yellow　dog；　like　a　yellow　dog！　　I　don't　know
where　her　grave　is；　and　I　could　not　seek　it　if　I　did！　　I　dared　not
write　Stefani；　tell　him　I　had　seen　Olga　go　down　under　Karlov's
heels；　and　then　ran　away！　。。。　　Day　by　day　to　feel　those　stones
against　my
heart！〃

Nothing　is　more　terrible　to　a　woman　than　the　sight　of　a　brave　man
weeping。　　For　she　knew　that　he　was　brave。　　The　sudden　recollection
of　the　emeralds；　a　little　more　comfort　for　himself　and　sister　if
they　were　permitted　to　escape。　　Not　a　cowardly　instinct；　not　even
a　greedy　one；　a　normal　desire　to　fortify　them　additionally　against
an　unknown　future；　and　he　had　surrendered　to　it　impulsively；　without
explaining　to　Olga　where　he　was　going。

〃Johnny；　Johnny；　you　mustn't！〃　　She　sprang　up；　seizing　his　head　and
wildly　kissing　him。　　〃You　mustn't！　　God　understands；　and　Olga。　　Oh；
you　mustn't　sob　like　that！　　You　are　tearing　my　heart　to　pieces！〃

〃I　ran　away　like　a　yellow　dog！　　I　didn't　go　down　there　and　die　with
her！〃

〃You　didn't　run　away　to…night　when　you　offered　your　life　for　my
liberty。　　Johnny；　you　mustn't！〃

Under　her　tender　ministrations　the　sobs　began　to　die　away　and　soon
resolved　into　little　catching　gasps。　　He　was　weak　and　spent　from
his　injuries；　otherwise　he　would　not　have　given　way　like　this；
discovered　to　her