the messengers(信使)-第2节
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with his love for her。 He was trembling； laughing； jubilant。
〃And if you should！〃 he begged。 〃How soon will I know？ You will
cable；〃 he commanded。 〃You will cable 'Come；' and the same hour I'll
start toward you。 I'll go home now；〃 he cried； 〃and pack！〃
The girl drew away。 Already she regretted the admission she had
made。 In fairness and in kindness to him she tried to regain the position
she had abandoned。
〃But a change like that；〃 she pleaded； 〃might not come for years； may
never come！〃 To recover herself； to make the words she had uttered
seem less serious； she spoke quickly and lightly。
〃And how could I CABLE such a thing！〃 she protested。 〃It would be
far too sacred； too precious。 You should be able to FEEL that the change
has come。〃
〃I suppose I should；〃 assented Ainsley； doubtfully； 〃but it's a long way
across two oceans。 It would be safer if you'd promise to use the cable。
Just one word： 'Come。'〃
The girl shook her head and frowned。
〃If you can't feel that the woman you love loves you； even across the
world； you cannot love her very deeply。〃
〃I don't have to answer that！〃 said Ainsley。
〃I will send you a sign；〃 continued the girl； hastily； 〃a secret wireless
message。 It shall be a test。 If you love me you will read it at once。
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THE MESSENGERS
You will know the instant you see it that it comes from me。 No one else
will be able to read it； but if you love me； you will know that I love you。
Whether she spoke in metaphor or in fact； whether she was 〃playing
for time；〃 or whether in her heart she already intended to soon reward him
with a message of glad tidings； Ainsley could not decide。 And even as he
begged her to enlighten him the last whistle blew； and a determined officer
ordered him to the ship's side。
〃Just as in everything that is beautiful；〃 he whispered eagerly； 〃I
always see something of you； so now in everything wonderful I will read
your message。 But；〃 he persisted； 〃how shall I be SURE？〃
The last bag of mail had shot into the hold； the most reluctant of the
visitors were being hustled down the last remaining gangplank。 Ainsley's
state was desperate。
〃Will it be in symbol； or in cipher？〃 he demanded。 〃Must I read it in
the sky； or will you hide it in a letter； orwhere？ Help me！ Give me just
a hint！〃
The girl shook her head。
〃You will read itin your heart；〃 she said。
From the end of the wharf Ainsley watched the funnels of the ship
disappear in the haze of the lower bay。 His heart was sore and heavy； but
in it there was still room for righteous indignation。 〃Read it in my heart！〃
he protested。 〃How the devil can I read it in my heart？ I want to read it
PRINTED in a cablegram。〃
Because he had always understood that young men in love found
solace for their misery in solitude and in communion with nature； he at
once drove his car to Lone Lake。 But his misery was quite genuine； and
the emptiness of the brick house only served to increase his loneliness。
He had built the house for her； though she had never visited it； and was
associated with it only through the somewhat indefinite medium of the
telephone box。 But in New York they had been much together。 And
Ainsley quickly decided that in revisiting those places where he had been
happy in her company he would derive from the recollection some
melancholy consolation。 He accordingly raced back through the night to
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THE MESSENGERS
the city； nor did he halt until he was at the door of her house。 She had
left it only that morning； and though it was locked in darkness； it still
spoke of her。 At least it seemed to bring her nearer to him than when he
was listening to the frogs in the lake； and crushing his way through the
pines。
He was not hungry； but he went to a restaurant where； when he was
host； she had often been the honored guest； and he pretended they were at
supper together and without a chaperon。 Either the illusion； or the supper
cheered him； for he was encouraged to go on to his club。 There in the
library； with the aid of an atlas； he worked out where； after thirteen hours
of moving at the rate of twenty…two knots an hour； she should be at that
moment。 Having determined that fact to his own satisfaction； he sent a
wireless after the ship。 It read： 〃It is now midnight and you are in
latitude 40 degrees north； longitude 68 degrees west； and I have grown old
and gray waiting for the sign。〃
The next morning； and for many days after； he was surprised to find
that the city went on as though she still were in it。 With unfeeling
regularity the sun rose out of the East River。 On Broadway electric…light
signs flashed； street…cars pursued each other； taxicabs bumped and skidded；
women； and even men； dared to look happy； and had apparently taken
some thought to their attire。 They did not respect even his widowerhood。
They smiled upon him； and asked him jocularly about the farm and his
〃crops；〃 and what he was doing in New York。 He pitied them； for
obviously they were ignorant of the fact that in New York there were art
galleries； shops； restaurants of great interest； owing to the fact that Polly
Kirkland had visited them。 They did not know that on upper Fifth
Avenue were houses of which she had deigned to approve； or which she
had destroyed with ridicule； and that to walk that avenue and halt before
each of these houses was an inestimable privilege。
Each day； with pathetic vigilance； Ainsley examined his heart for the
promised sign。 But so far from telling him that the change he longed for
had taken place； his heart grew heavier； and as weeks went by and no sign
appeared； what little confidence he had once enjoyed passed with them。
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But before hope entirely died； several false alarms had thrilled him
with happiness。 One was a cablegram from Gibraltar in which the only
words that were intelligible were 〃congratulate〃 and 〃engagement。〃 This
lifted him into an ecstasy of joy and excitement； until； on having the cable
company repeat the message； he learned it was a request from Miss
Kirkland to congratulate two mutual friends who had just announced their
engagement； and of whose address she was uncertain。 He had hardly
recovered from this disappointment than he was again thrown into a
tumult by the receipt of a mysterious package from the custom…house
containing an intaglio ring。 The ring came from Italy； and her ship had
touched at Genoa。 The fact that it was addressed in an unknown
handwriting did not disconcert him； for he argued that to make the test
more difficult she might disguise the handwriting。 He at once carried the
intaglio to an expert at the Metropolitan Museum； and when he was told
that it represented Cupid feeding a fire upon an altar； he reserved a
stateroom on the first steamer bound for the Mediterranean。 But before
his ship sailed； a letter； also from Italy； from his aunt Maria； who was
spending the winter in Rome； informed him that the ring was a Christmas
gift from her。 In his rage he unjustly condemned Aunt Maria as a
meddling old busybody； and gave her ring to the cook。
After two months of pilgrimages to places sacred to the memory of
Polly Kirkland； Ainsley found that feeding his love on post…mortems was
poor fare； and； in surrender； determined to evacuate New York。 Since her
departure he had received from Miss Kirkland several letters； but they
contained
