太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > vera, the medium >

第16节

vera, the medium-第16节

小说: vera, the medium 字数: 每页4000字

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!



mother; and you don't want any trouble to come to her; do you?〃

〃I don't;〃 cried the woman。 〃Oh!〃 she exclaimed miserably; 〃I
told them there'd be trouble!〃

Winthrop laughed reassuringly。

〃Well; there won't be any trouble;〃 he declared; 〃if I can help
it。 And if you want to help her; help me。 Persuade her to let
me talk to her。 Don't mind what the Professor says。〃

〃I will;〃 declared Mrs。 Vance with determination; 〃I will。〃
She started eagerly toward the hall; and then paused and
returned。 Her hands were clasped; her round; baby eyes; wet
with tears; were fixed upon Winthrop appealingly。

〃Oh; please;〃 she pleaded; 〃you're not going to hurt him; are
you? Paul; my husband;〃 she explained; 〃he's been such a good
husband to me。〃

Winthrop laughed uneasily。

〃Why; that'll be all right;〃 he protested。

〃He doesn't mean any harm; insisted Mrs。 〃Vance; 〃he's on the
level; true; he is!〃

〃Why; of course; of course;〃 Winthrop assented。

Unsatisfied; Mrs。 Vance burst into tears。 〃It's this spirit
business that makes the trouble!〃 she cried。 〃I tell them to cut
it out。 Now; the mind reading at the theatre;〃 she sobbed;
〃there's no harm in that; is there? And there's twice the money
in it。 But this ghost raising〃  she raised her eyes
appealingly; as though begging to be contradicted  〃it's sure
to get him into trouble; isn't it?〃

Winthrop shook his head; and smiled。

〃It may;〃 he said。 Mrs。 Vance broke into a fresh outburst of
tears。 〃I knew it;〃 she cried; 〃I knew it。〃 Winthrop placed
his hand upon her arm and turned her in the direction of
the door。

〃Don't worry;:〃 he said soothingly。 〃Go send Miss Vera
here。 And;〃 he called after her; 〃don't worry。〃

As Mabel departed upon his errand; Rainey reentered from the
bedroom。 He carefully closed the door and halted with his hand
upon the knob; and shook his head。

〃It's no use;〃 he said; 〃he will go on with it。 It's not my
fault;〃 he whined; 〃I told him it would kill him。 I couldn't
make it any stronger than that; could I?〃

Rainey was not looking at Winthrop; but; as though fearful of
interruption; toward the door。 His eyes were harassed; furtive;
filled with miserable indecision。 Many times before Winthrop had
seen men in such a state。 He knew that for the sufferer it
foretold a physical break down; or that he would seek relief in
full confession。 To give the man confidence; he abandoned his
attitude of suspicion。

〃That certainly would be strong enough for me;〃 he said
cheerfully。 〃Did you tell him what I advised?〃

〃Yes; yes;〃 muttered Rainey impatiently。 〃He said you were
invited here to give advice to his niece; not to him。〃 For the
first time his eyes met those of Winthrop boldly。 The District
Attorney recognized that the man had taken his fears by the
throat; and had arrived at his decision。〃

〃See here;〃 exclaimed Rainey; 〃could I give you some
information?〃

〃I'm sure you could;〃 returned Winthrop briskly。 〃Give it to
me now。〃

But Rainey; glancing toward the door; shrank back。 Winthrop;
following the direction of his eyes; saw Vera。 Impatiently he
waved Rainey away。

〃At the office; tomorrow morning;〃 he commanded。 With a sigh of
relief at the reprieve; Rainey slipped back into the bedroom。

Winthrop had persuaded himself that in seeking to speak with
Vera; he was making only a natural choice between preventing the
girl from perpetrating a fraud; or; later; for that fraud;
holding her to account。 But when she actually stood before him;
he recognized how absurdly he had deceived himself。 At the mere
physical sight of her; there came to him a swift relief; a
thrill of peace and deep content; and with delighted certainty
he knew that what Vera might do or might not do concerned him
not at all; that for him all that counted was the girl herself。
With something of this showing in his face; he came eagerly
toward her。

〃Vera!〃 he exclaimed。 In the word there was delight; wonder;
tenderness; but if the girl recognized this she concealed her
knowledge。 Instead; her eyes looked into his frankly; her manner
was that of open friendliness。

〃Mabel tells me you want to talk to me;〃 she said evenly 〃but I
don't want you to。 I have something I want to say to you。 I
could have written it; but this〃  for an instant the girl
paused with her lips pressed together; when she spoke; her voice
carried the firmness and finality of one delivering a verdict 
〃but this;〃 she repeated; 〃is the last time you shall hear from
me; or see me again。〃

Winthrop gave an exclamation of impatience; of indignation。

〃No;〃 returned the girl; 〃it is quite final。 Maybe you will not
want to see me; but  〃

Winthrop again sharply interrupted her。 His voice was filled
with reproach。
〃Vera!〃 he protested。

〃Well;〃 said the girl more gently; 〃I'm glad to think you do;
but this is the last; and before I go; I  〃。

〃Go!〃 demanded Winthrop roughly。 〃Where?〃

〃Before I go;〃 continued the girl; 〃I want to tell you how much
you have helped me  I want to thank you  〃。

〃You haven't let me thank you;〃 broke in Winthrop; 〃and; now;
you pretend this is our last meeting。 It's absurd!〃。

〃It is our last meeting;〃 replied the girl。 Of the two; for the
moment; she was the older; the more contained。 〃On the
contrary;〃 contradicted the man。 He spoke sharply; in a tone he
tried to make as determined as her own。 〃Our next meeting will
be in ten minutes  at my sister's。 I have told her about this
afternoon; and about you; and she wants very much to meet you。
She has sent her car for you。 It's waiting in front of the
house。 Now;〃 he commanded masterfully; 〃you come with me; and
get in it; and leave all this〃  he gave an angry; contemptuous
wave of the hand toward the cabinet  〃behind you; as;〃 he
added earnestly; 〃you promised me you would。〃

As though closing from sight the possibility he suggested; the
girl shut her eyes quickly; and then opened them again to meet
his。

〃I can't leave these things behind me;〃 she said quietly。

〃I told you so this afternoon。 For a moment; you made me think I
could; and I did promise。 I didn't need to promise。 It's what
I've prayed for。 Then; you saw what happened; you saw I was
right。 Within five minutes that woman came  〃


〃That woman had a motive;〃 protested Winthrop。

〃That woman;〃 continued the girl patiently; 〃or some other
woman。 What does it matter? In five minutes; or five days; some
one would have told。〃 She leaned toward him anxiously。 〃I'm not
complaining;〃 she said; 〃it's my own fault。 It's the life I've
chosen。〃 She hesitated and then as though determined to carry
out a programme she had already laid down for herself; continued
rapidly: 〃And what I want to tell you; is; that what's best in
that life I owe to you。〃

〃Vera!〃 cried the man sharply。

〃Listen!〃 said the girl。 Her eyes were alight; eager。 She spoke
frankly; proudly; without embarrassment; without fear of being
misconstrued; as a man might speak to a man。

〃I'd be ungrateful; I'd be a coward;〃 said the girl; 〃if I went
away and didn't tell you。 For ten years I've been counting on
you。 I made you a sort of standard。 I said; as long as he keeps
to his ideals; I'm going to keep to mine。 Maybe you think my
ideals have not been very high; but anyway you've made it easy
for me。 Because I'm in this business; because I'm good…looking
enough; certain men〃  the voice of the girl grew hard and cool
 〃have done me the honor to insult me; and it was knowing you;
and that there are others like you; that helped me not to care。〃
The girl paused。 She raised her eyes to his frankly。 The look in
them was one of pride in him; of loyalty; of affection。 〃And
now; since I've met you;〃 she went on; 〃I find you're just as I
imagined you'd be; just as I'd hoped you'd be。〃 She reached out
her hand warningly; appealingly。 〃And I don't want you to
change; to let down; to grow discouraged。 You can't tell how
many more people are counting on you。〃 She hesitated and; as
though at last conscious of her own boldness; flushed
deprecatingly; like one asking pardon。 〃You men in high places;〃
she stammered; 〃you're like light houses showing the way。 You
don't know how many people you are helping。 You can't see them。
You can't tell how many boats are following your light; but if
your light goes out; they are wrecked。〃 She gave a sigh of
relief。 〃That's what I wanted to tell you;〃 she said; 〃and; so
thank you。〃 She held out her hand。 〃And; goodby。〃

Winthrop's answer was to clasp her hand quickly in both of his;
and draw her toward him。

〃Vera;〃 he begged; 〃come with me now!〃

The girl withdrew her hand and moved away from him; frowning。
〃No;〃 she said; 〃no; you do not want to understand。 I have my
work to do tonight。〃

Winthrop gave an exclamation of anger。

〃You don't mean to tell me;〃 he cried; 〃that you're going on
with this?〃

〃Yes;〃 she said; And then in sudden alarm cried: 〃But not if
you're here! I'll fail if you're here。 Promise me; you will not
be here。〃

〃Indeed;〃 cried the man indignantly; 〃I will not! But I'll be
downstairs when you need me。 And;〃 he added warningly; 〃you'll
need me。〃 〃No;〃 said the girl。 〃No matter what happens; I tell
you; between us; this 

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的