hr.thecarpetbaggers-第45节

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ld　not　be　full。
　Geraldine　Marlowe　lifted　hers　to　her　lips。　She　wrinkled　her　nose　in　approval。　〃It's　delicious。〃
　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said；　lifting　his　own　glass。　〃Your　good　health；　my　dear。〃
　He　put　his　glass　down　wonderingly　and　looked　at　his　wife。　Perhaps　what　he　had　heard　was　true　…　that　women　didn't　really　bloom　until　they　were　older；　and　then　their　desire　increased。　He　calculated　swiftly。　He　was　thirty…four；　that　made　Geraldine　thirty…one。　They　had　been　married　seven　years　and　with　the　exception　of　their　honeymoon；　their　life　had　assumed　a　pattern　of　regularity。　But　now；　twice　in　less　than　a　week。　Perhaps　it　was　true。
　If　it　was；　it　was　all　right　with　him。　He　loved　his　wife。　That　was　the　only　reason　he　went　down　to　that　house　on　South　Street。　To　spare　her　the　humiliation　of　having　to　endure　him　more　than　she　wanted。　He　lifted　his　drink　again。
　〃Did　you　find　out　anything　about　Bertha's　family　today？〃　she　asked。
　Harrison　Marlowe　shook　his　head。　〃There's　no　family　anywhere。　Perhaps　in　Europe；　but　we　don't　even　know　what　town　she　came　from。〃
　Geraldine　looked　down　at　her　drink。　Its　pale　golden　color　glowed　in　the　glass。　〃How　terrible；〃　she　said　quietly。　〃What　will　happen　to　the　child　now？〃
　Harrison　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃I　don't　know。　I　suppose　I'll　have　to　notify　the　authorities。　She'll　probably　go　to　the　county　orphanage。〃
　〃We　can't　let　that　happen！〃　The　words　burst　from　Geraldine's　lips　involuntarily。
　Harrison　stared　at　her　in　surprise。　〃Why　not？〃　he　asked。　〃I　don't　see　what　else　we　can　do。〃　
　〃Why　can't　we　just　keep　her？〃
　〃You　just　can't；〃　he　said。　〃There　are　certain　legalities　involved。　An　orphaned　child　isn't　like　a　chattel。　You　can't　keep　her　because　she　happens　to　be　left　at　your　house。〃
　〃You　can　speak　to　the　authorities；〃　Geraldine　said。　〃I'm　sure　they　would　prefer　to　leave　her　with　us　rather　than　have　her　bee　a　public　charge。〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Harrison　said。　〃They　might　want　us　to　adopt　her　to　make　sure　that　she　doesn't　bee　a　charge。〃
　〃Harry；　what　a　wonderful　idea！〃　Geraldine　smiled　and　got　out　of　her　chair；　then　walked　to　her　husband。　〃Now；　why　didn't　I　think　of　that？〃　
　〃Think　of　what？〃
　〃Adopting　Rina；〃　Geraldine　said。　〃I'm　so　proud　of　you。　You　have　such　a　wonderful　mind。　You　think　of　everything。〃　
　He　stared　at　her　speechlessly。
　She　placed　her　arms　around　his　neck。　〃But　then　you　always　wanted　a　little　girl　around　the　house；　didn't　you？　And　Laddie　would　be　so　happy　to　have　a　little　sister。〃
　He　felt　the　soft　press　of　her　body　against　him　and　the　answering　surge　of　warmth　well　up　inside　him。
　She　kissed　him　quickly　on　the　lips；　then；　as　quickly；　turned　her　face　away　from　him　almost　shyly　as　she　felt　his　immediate　response。
　〃Suddenly；　I'm　so　excited；〃　she　whispered　meaningfully；　her　face　half　hidden　against　his　shoulder。　〃Do　you　think　it　would　be　all　right　if　we　had　another　Martini？〃
　
　Dandy　Jim　Callahan　stood　in　the　middle　of　his　office；　looking　at　them。　He　rubbed　his　chin　thoughtfully。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said　slowly。　〃It's　a　difficult　thing　you　ask。〃
　〃But；　surely；　Mr。　Mayor；〃　Geraldine　Marlowe　said　quickly；　〃you　can　do　it。〃
　The　mayor　shook　his　head。　〃It's　not　so　easy　as　you　think；　my　dear　lady。　You　forget　the　church　has　something　to　say　about　this；　too。　After　all；　the　mother　was　Catholic　and　you　just　can't　take　a　Catholic　child　and　turn　it　over　to　a　Protestant　family。　At　least；　not　in　Boston。　They'd　never　stand　for　it。〃
　Geraldine　turned　away；　the　disappointment　showing　clearly　in　her　face。　It　was　then　for　the　first　time　that　she　saw　her　husband　as　something　other　than　the　nice　young　Harvard　boy　she　had　married。
　He　stepped　forward　and　there　appeared　in　his　voice　a　quality　of　strength　that　she　had　never　heard　before。　〃The　church　would　like　it　even　less　if　I　were　to　prove　that　the　mother　was　never　a　Catholic。　They'd　look　pretty　foolish　then；　wouldn't　they？〃
　The　mayor　turned　to　him。　〃You　have　such　proof？〃　
　〃I　have；〃　Marlowe　said。　He　took　a　sheet　of　paper　out　of　his　pocket。　〃The　mother's　passport　and　the　child's　birth　certificate。　Both　clearly　state　they　were　Protestant。〃
　Dandy　Jim　took　the　papers　from　him　and　studied　them。　〃If　you　had　these；　why　didn't　you　stop　them？〃
　〃How　could　I？〃　Marlowe　asked。　〃I　didn't　receive　them　until　today。　The　servants　and　Father　Nolan　made　all　the　arrangements　last　night。　Besides；　what　difference　does　it　make　to　the　poor　woman？　She's　getting　a　Christian　burial。〃
　Dandy　Jim　nodded　and　gave　the　papers　back。　〃This　will　be　very　embarrassing　to　Father　Nolan；〃　he　said。　〃A　young　priest　with　his　first　church　making　a　mistake　like　that。　The　Bishop　won't　like　it　at　all。〃
　〃The　Bishop　need　never　know；〃　Marlowe　said。　
　Dandy　Jim　stared　at　him　thoughtfully　but　didn't　speak。　
　Marlowe　pressed。　〃There's　an　election　ing　up　next　year。〃
　Dandy　Jim　nodded；　〃There's　always　an　election。〃　
　〃That's　true；〃　Marlowe　said。　〃There　will　be　other　elections　and　campaigns。　A　candidate　needs　contributions　almost　as　much　as　he　needs　votes。〃
　Dandy　Jim　smiled。　〃Did　I　ever　tell　you　I　met　your　father？〃　
　Marlowe　smiled　back。　〃No；　you　didn't。　But　my　father　often　mentioned　it。　He　told　me　many　times　how　he　threw　you　out　of　his　office。〃
　Dandy　Jim　nodded。　〃That's　true。　Your　father　has　a　wild　temper。　One　would　almost　take　him　for　an　Irishman。　And　all　I　did　was　ask　him　for　a　small　campaign　contribution。　That　was　about　twenty　years　ago。　I　was　running　for　City　Council　then。　Do　you　know　what　he　said　to　me　then？〃　
　Marlowe　shook　his　head。
　〃He　swore　that　if　ever　I　was　so　much　as　elected　to　the　post　of　dog…catcher；　he'd　take　his　family　and　move　out。〃　Dandy　Jim　was　smiling。　〃He　won't　like　it　when　he　hears　you've　contributed　to　my　campaign　fund。〃
　Marlowe　stood　his　ground。　〃My　father　is　my　father　and　I　respect　him　very　much；〃　he　said；　〃but　what　I　do　with　my　money　and　my　politics　is　my　concern；　not　his。〃　
　〃You　have　other　children？〃　Dandy　Jim　asked。　
　〃A　boy；〃　Geraldine　answered　quickly。　〃Laddie　is　eight。〃　
　Dandy　Jim　smiled。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said。　〃Someday　women　will　have　the　vote　and　if　that　little　girl　is　brought　up　on　the　hill；　that's　one　vote　I　may　never　get。〃
　〃I　promise　you　this；　Mr。　Mayor；〃　Geraldine　said　quickly。　〃If　that　day　ever　es；　the　women　of　my　household　will　always　vote　for　you！〃
　Dandy　Jim's　smile　grew　broader。　He　made　a　courtly　bow。　〃It　is　a　weakness　of　politicians　to　always　be　making　deals。〃
　The　next　day；　Timothy　Kelly；　the　mayor's　secretary；　appeared　at　Marlowe's　office　in　the　bank　and　picked　up　a　check　for　five　hundred　dollars。　He　suggested　that　Marlowe　talk　to　a　certain　judge　in　the　municipal　court。
　It　was　there　the　adoption　was　made。　Quickly；　quietly　and　legally。　When　Marlowe　departed　the　judge's　chambers；　he　left　with　the　judge　a　birth　certificate　for　one　white　female　child　named　Katrina　Osterlaag。
　In　his　pocket　was　a　birth　certificate　in　the　name　of　his　daughter；　Rina　Marlowe。
　
　4
　
　UNDERNEATH　THE　OVERSIZED　UMBRELLA　PLANTED　in　the　sand；　Geraldine　Marlowe　sat　in　a　canvas　chair；　her　parasol　at　her　side。　Slowly　she　moved　her　fan　back　and　forth。
　〃I　can't　remember　a　summer　as　hot　as　this；〃　she　said　breathlessly。　〃It　must　be　over　ninety　here　in　the　shade。〃
　Her　husband　grunted　from　the　chair　next　to　hers；　his　head　still　immersed　in　the　Boston　newspaper；　which　arrived　on　the　Cape　one　day　late。
　〃What　did　you　say。　Harry？〃
　He　folded　his　paper　and　looked　at　his　wife。　〃That　Wilson's　a　damn　fool！〃
　Geraldine　was　still　looking　at　the　ocean。　〃What　makes　you　say　that；　dear？〃
　He　tapped　the　paper　vigorously。　〃That　League　of　Nations　thing。　Now　he　says　he's　going　to　Europe　and　see　to　it　that　peace　is　insured。〃
　Geraldine　looked　at　him。　〃I　think　that's　a　wonderful　idea；〃　she　said　mildly。　〃After　all；　we　were　lucky　this　time。　Laddie　was　too　young　to　go。　The　next　time；　it　may　be　different。〃
　He　snorted　again。　〃There　won't　be　a　next　time。　Germany　is　through　forever。　Besides；　what　can　they　do　to　us？　They're　on　the　other　side　of　the　ocean。　We　can　just　sit　back　and　let　them　kill　each　other　off　if　they　want　to　start　another　war。〃
　Geraldine　shrugged　her　shoulders。　〃You　better　move　in　closer　under　the　umbrella；　dear；〃　she　said。　〃You　know　how　red　you　get　in　the　sun。〃
　Harrison　Marlowe　got　up　and　moved　his　chair　farther　under　the　umbrella。　He　settled　back　in　the　chair　with　a　sigh　and　buried　himself　in　the　newspaper　once　more。
　Rina　appeared　suddenly　in　front　of　her　mother。　〃It's　been　an　hour　since　I　had　lunch；　Mother；〃　she　said。　〃Can　I　go　into　the　water　now？〃
　〃May　I；〃　Geraldine　corrected　automatically。　She　looked　at　Rina。　She　had　grown　up　this　summer。　It　was　hard　to　believe　she　was　only　thirteen。
　She　was　tall　for　her　age；　almost　five　three；　only　one　inch　shorter　than　Laddie；　who　was　three　years　older。　Her　hair　was　bleached　pletely　white　from　the　sun　and　her　skin　was　deeply　tanned；　so　dark　that　her　almond…shaped　eyes　seemed　light　by　parison。　Her　legs　were　long　and　graceful；　her　hips　just　beginning　to　round　a　little　and　her　breasts　came　full　and　round　against　her　little　girl's　bathing　suit；　more　like　a　sixteen…year…old's。　
　〃May　I；　Mother？〃　Rina　asked。
　〃You　may；〃　Geraldine　nodded。　〃But　be　careful；　dear；　don't　swim　too　far　out。　I　don't　want　you　to　tire　yourself。〃
　But　Rina　was　already　gon