the vision spendid(美景)-第32节
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gulf that separated this girl from them。
A year ago her laughter had been light as theirs。 Life had been a thing
beautiful； full of color。 She had come to it eagerly； like a lover； glad
because it was so good。
But it had not been good to her。 By the cluster lights he could see how
fearfully it had mauled her； how cruelly its irony had kissed hollows in her
young cheeks。 All the bloom of her was gone； all the brave pride and joy
of youthgone beyond hope of resurrection。 Why must such things be？
Why so much to the few； so little to the many？ And why should that little
be taken away？ He saw as in a vision the infinite procession of her
hopeless sisters who had traveled the same road； saw them first as sweet
and carefree children bubbling with joy； and again； after the _World_ had
misused them for its pleasure； haggard； tawdry； with dragging steps
trailing toward the oblivion that awaited them。 Good God； how long must
life be so terribly wasted？ How long a bruised and broken thing instead of
the fine； brave adventure for which it was meant？
Across his mind flashed Realf's words：
〃Amen！〃 I have cried in battle…time； When my beautiful heroes
perished； The earth of the Lord shall bloom sublime By the blood of his
martyrs nourished。 〃Amen！〃 I have said； when limbs were hewn And our
wounds were blue and ghastly The flesh of a man may fail and swoon But
God shall conquer lastly。
PART 4
As Jeff helped her from the cab in front of the block where he lived a
limousine flashed past。 It caught his glance for an instant； long enough for
him to recognize his Cousin James； Mrs。 Van Tyle and Alice Frome。 The
arm which supported Nellie did not loosen from her waist； though he
knew they had seen him and would probably draw conclusions。
The young woman was trembling violently。
〃My rooms are in the second story。 Can you walk？ Or shall I carry
you？〃 Farnum asked。
〃I can walk；〃 she told him almost in a whisper。
He got her upstairs and into the big armchair in front of the gas log。
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Now that she had slipped out of his rain coat he saw that she was wet to
the skin。 From his bedroom he brought a bathrobe； pajamas； woolen
slippers； anything he could find that was warm and soft。 In front of her he
dumped them all。
〃I'm going down to the drug store to get you something that will warm
you； Nellie。 While I'm away change your clothes and get into these
things；〃 he told her。
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes。 〃You're good。〃
A lump rose in his heart。 He thought of those evenings before the grate
alone with her and of the desperate fight he had had with his passions。
Good！ He accused himself bitterly for the harm that he had done her。 But
before her his smile was bright and cheerful。
〃We're all going to be so good to you that you'll not know us。 Haven't
we been waiting two months for a chance to spoil you？〃
〃Do you 。 。 。 know？〃 she whispered； color for an instant in her wan
face。
〃I know things aren't half so bad as they seem to you。 Dear girl； we are
your friends。 We've not done right by you。 Even your mother has been
careless and let you get hurt。 But we're going to make it up to you now。〃
A man on the other side of the street watched Jeff come down and
cross to the drug store。 Billie Gray； ballot box stuffer； detective； and
general handy man for Big Tim O'Brien； had been lurking in that entry
when Jeff came home。 He had sneaked up the stairs after them and had
seen the editor disappear into his rooms with one whom he took to be a
woman of the street。 Already a second plain clothes man was doing sentry
duty。 The policeman whose beat it was sat in the drug store and kept an
eye open from that quarter。
To the officer Jeff nodded casually。 〃Bad weather to be out all night in；
Nolan。〃
〃Right you are； Mr。 Farnum。〃
The editor ordered a bottle of whiskey and while it was being put up
passed into the telephone booth and closed the door behind him。 He called
up Olive 43I。
Central rang again and again。
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〃Can't get your party；〃 she told him at last。
〃You'll waken him presently。 Keep at it； please。 It's very important。〃
At last Sam Miller's voice answered。 〃Hello！ Hello！ What is it？〃
〃I've found Nellie。 。 。 。 Just in time。 thank God。 。 。She's at my
rooms。 。 。 。 Have Mrs。 Anderson bring an entire change of clothing for
her。 。 。 。 Yes； she's very much exhausted。 I'll tell you all about it later。。。。
Come quietly。 She may be asleep when you get here。〃
Jeff hung up the receiver； paid for the whiskey； and returned to his
rooms。 He did not know that he had left three good and competent
witnesses who were ready to take oath that he had brought to his rooms at
midnight a woman of the half world and that he had later bought liquor
and returned with it to his apartment。
Billie Gray thumped his fist into his open palm。 〃We've got him。 We've
got him right。 He can't get away from it。 By Gad； we've got him at last！〃
Jeff found Nellie wrapped in his bathrobe in the big chair before the
gas log。 Her own wet clothes were out of sight behind a screen。
〃You locked the door when you went out；〃 she charged。
〃Some of my friends might have dropped in to see me；〃 he explained
with his disarming smile。
But he could see in her eyes the unreasoning fear of a child that has
been badly hurt。 He had locked the door on the outside。 She was going to
be dragged home whether she wanted to go or not。 Dread of that hour was
heavy on her soul。 Jeff knew the choice must be hers； not his。 He spoke
quietly。
〃You're not a prisoner； of course。 You may go whenever you like。 I
would have no right to keep you。 But you will hurt me very much if you
go before morning。〃
〃Where will you stay？〃 she asked。
〃I'll sleep on the lounge in this room；〃 he answered in his most matter
of fact voice。
While he busied himself preparing a toddy for her she began to tell
brokenly； by snatches； the story of her wanderings。 She had gone to
Portland and had found work in a department store at the notion counter。
After three weeks she had lost her place。 Days of tramping the streets
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looking for a job brought her at last to an overall factory where she found
employment。 The foreman had discharged her at the end of the third day。
Once she had been engaged at an agency as a servant by a man； but as
soon as his wife saw her Nellie was told she would not do。 Bitter
humiliating experiences had befallen her。 Twice she had been turned out of
rooming houses。 Jeff read between the lines that as her time drew near
some overmastering impulse had drawn her back to Verden。 Already she
was harboring the thought of death； but she could not die in a strange
place so far from home。 Only that morning she had reached town。
After she had retired to the bedroom Jeff sat down in the chair she had
vacated。 He heard her moving about for a short time。 Presently came
silence。
It must have been an hour and a half later that Sam and Mrs。 Anderson
knocked gently on the door。
〃Cars stopped running。 Had to 'phone for a taxi；〃 Miller whispered。
The agitation of the mother was affecting。 Her fingers twitched with
nervousness。 Her eyes strayed twenty times in five minutes toward the
door behind which her daughter slept。 Every little while she would tip…toe
to it and listen breathlessly。 In whispers Jeff told them the story； answering
a hundred eager trembling questions。
Slowly the clock ticked out the seconds of the endless night。 Gray day
began to sift into the room。 Mrs。 Anderson's excursions to the bedroom
door grew more frequent。 Sometimes sh
