whirligigs-第2节

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was　using　her　as　an　antidote　for　remorse；　until　he　found；

too　late；　that　he　had　acquired　the　habit。　　During　that　time

he　had　received　no　news　from　home。　　Wade　did　not　know

where　he　was；　and　he　was　not　sure　of　Wade's　exact

address；　and　was　afraid　to　write。　　He　thought　he　had

better　let　matters　rest　as　they　were　for　a　while。



One　afternoon　he　and　Mrs。　Conant　hired　two　ponies

and　rode　out　along　the　mountain　trail　as　far　as　the　little

cold　river　that　came　tumbling　down　the　foothills。　　There

they　stopped　for　a　drink；　and　Merriam　spoke　his　piece　

he　proposed；　as　Bibb　had　prophesied。



Mrs。　Conant　gave　him　one　glance　of　brilliant　tenderness；

and　then　her　face　took　on　such　a　strange；　haggard　look

that　Merriam　was　shaken　out　of　his　intoxication　and

back　to　his　senses。



〃I　beg　your　pardon；　Florence；〃　he　said；　releasing　her

hand；　〃but　I'll　have　to　hedge　on　part　of　what　I　said。　　I

can't　ask　you　to　marry　me；　of　course。　　I　killed　a　man

in　New　York　　a　man　who　was　my　friend　…　shot　him

down　　in　quite　a　cowardly　manner；　I　understand。　　Of

course；　the　drinking　didn't　excuse　it。　　Well；　I　couldn't

resist　having　my　say；　and　I'll　always　mean　it。　　I'm　here

as　a　fugitive　from　justice；　and　　I　suppose　that　ends

our　acquaintance。〃



Mrs。　Conant　plucked　little　leaves　assiduously　from　the

low…hanging　branch　of　a　lime　tree。



〃I　suppose　so；〃　she　said；　in　low　and　oddly　uneven

tones；　〃but　that　depends　upon　you。　I'll　be　as　honest　as

you　were。　　I　poisoned　my　husband。　　I　am　a　self…made

widow。　　A　man　cannot　love　a　murderess。　　So　I　suppose

that　ends　our　acquaintance。〃



She　looked　up　at　him　slowly。　　His　face　turned　a　little

pale；　and　he　stared　at　her　blankly；　like　a　deaf…and…dumb

man　who　was　wondering　what　it　was　all　about。



She　took　a　swift　step　toward　him；　with　stiffened　arms

and　eyes　blazing。



〃Don't　look　at　me　like　that！〃　she　cried；　as　though　she

were　in　acute　pain。　　〃Curse　me；　or　turn　your　back

on　me；　but　don't　look　that　way。　　Am　I　a　woman　to　be

beaten？　　If　I　could　show　you　　here　on　my　arms；　and

on　my　back　are　scars　　and　it　has　been　more　than　a　year

　scars　that　he　made　in　his　brutal　rages。　　A　holy　nun

would　have　risen　and　struck　the　fiend　down。　　Yes；　I

killed　him。　　The　foul　and　horrible　words　that　he　hurled

at　me　that　last　day　are　repeated　in　my　ears　every　night

when　I　sleep。　　And　then　came　his　blows；　and　the　end　of

my　endurance。　　I　got　the　poison　that　afternoon。　　It

was　his　custom　to　drink　every　night　in　the　library　before

going　to　bed　a　hot　punch　made　of　rum　and　wine。　　Only

from　my　fair　hands　would　he　receive　it　　because　he　knew

the　fumes　of　spirits　always　sickened　me。　　That　night

when　the　maid　brought　it　to　me　I　sent　her　downstairs

on　an　errand。　　Before　taking　him　his　drink　I　went　to　my

little　private　cabinet　and　poured　into　it　more　than　a　tea…

spoonful　of　tincture　of　aconite　　enough　to　kill　three

men；　so　I　had　learned。　　I　had　drawn　6；000　that　I　had

in　bank；　and　with　that　and　a　few　things　in　a　satchel

I　left　the　house　without　any　one　seeing　me。　　As　I　passed

the　library　I　heard　him　stagger　up　and　fall　heavily　on　a

couch。　　I　took　a　night　train　for　New　Orleans；　and　from

there　I　sailed　to　the　Bermudas。　　I　finally　cast　anchor

in　La　Paz。　　And　now　what　have　you　to　say？　　Can　you

open　your　mouth？〃



Merriam　came　back　to　life。



〃Florence；〃　he　said　earnestly；　〃I　want　you。　　I　don't

care　what　you've　done。　　If　the　world　　〃　



〃Ralph；〃　she　interrupted；　almost　with　a　scream；　〃be

my　world！〃



Her　eyes　melted；　she　relaxed　magnificentlv　and　swayed

toward　Merriam　so　suddenly　that　he　had　to　jump　to

catch　her。



Dear　me！　in　such　scenes　how　the　talk　runs　into　artificial

prose。　　But　it　can't　be　helped。　　It's　the　subconscious

smell　of　the　footlights'　smoke　that's　in　all　of　us。　　Stir

the　depths　of　your　cook's　soul　sufficiently　and　she　will

discourse　in　Bulwer…Lyttonese。



Merriam　and　Mrs。　Conant　were　very　happy。　　He

announced　their　engagement　at　the　Hotel　Orilla　del　Mar。

Eight　foreigners　and　four　native　Astors　pounded　his　back

and　shouted　insincere　congratulations　at　him。　　Pedrito；

the　Castilian…mannered　barkeep；　was　goaded　to　extra

duty　until　his　agility　would　have　turned　a　Boston　cherry…

phosphate　clerk　a　pale　lilac　with　envy。



They　were　both　very　happy。　　According　to　the　strange

mathematics　of　the　god　of　mutual　affinity；　the　shadows

that　clouded　their　pasts　when　united　became　only　half

as　dense　instead　of　darker。　　They　shut　the　world　out

and　bolted　the　doors。　　Each　was　the　other's　world。　　Mrs。

Conant　lived　again。　　The　remembering　look　left　her　eyes

Merriam　was　with　her　every　moment　that　was　possible。

On　a　little　plateau　under　a　grove　of　palms　and　calabash

trees　they　were　going　to　build　a　fairy　bungalow。　　They

were　to　be　married　in　two　months。　　Many　hours　of　the

day　they　had　their　heads　together　over　the　house　plans。

Their　joint　capital　would　set　up　a　business　in　fruit　or

woods　that　would　yield　a　comfortable　support。　　〃Good

night；　my　world；〃　would　say　Mrs。　Conant　every　evening

when　Merriam　left　her　for　his　hotel。　　They　were　very

happy。　　Their　love　had；　circumstantially；　that　element

of　melancholy　in　it　that　it　seems　to　require　to　attain

its　supremest　elevation。　　And　it　seemed　that　their　mutual

great　misfortune　or　sin　was　a　bond　that　nothing　could

sever。



One　day　a　steamer　hove　in　the　offing。　　Bare…legged　and

bare…shouldered　La　Paz　scampered　down　to　the　beach；

for　the　arrival　of　a　steamer　was　their　loop…the…loop；

circus；　Emancipation　Day　and　four…o'clock　tea。



When　the　steamer　was　near　enough；　wise　ones　pro…

claimed　that　she　was　the　Pajaro；　bound　up…coast　from

Callao　to　Panama。



The　Paiaro　put　on　brakes　a　mile　off　shore。　　Soon　a

boat　came　bobbing　shoreward。　　Merriam　strolled　down

on　the　beach　to　look　on。　　In　the　shallow　water　the　Carib

sailors　sprang　out　and　dragged　the　boat　with　a　mighty

rush　to　the　firm　shingle。　　Out　climbed　the　purser；　the

captain　and　two　passengers；　ploughing　their　way　through

the　deep　sand　toward　the　hotel。　　Merriam　glanced　toward

them　with　the　mild　interest　due　to　strangers。　　There　was

something　familiar　to　him　in　the　walk　of　one　of　the　pas…

sengers。　　He　looked　again；　and　his　blood　seemed　to　turn

to　strawberry　ice　cream　in　his　veins。　　Burly；　arrogant；

debonair　as　ever；　H。　Ferguson　Hedges；　the　man　he　had

killed；　was　coming　toward　him　ten　feet　away。



When　Hedges　saw　Merriam　his　face　flushed　a　dark

red。　　Then　he　shouted　in　his　old；　bluff　way：　〃Hello；

Merriam。　　Glad　to　see　you。　　Didn't　expect　to　find　you

out　here。　　Quinby；　this　is　my　old　friend　Merriam；　of

New　York　　Merriam；　Mr。　Quinby。〃



Merriam　gave　Hedges　and　then　Quinby　an　ice…cold　hand。

〃Br…r…r…r！〃　said　Hedges。　　〃But　you've　got　a　frapp閐

flipper！　　Man；　you're　not　well。　　You're　as　yellow　as　a

Chinaman。　　Malarial　here？　　Steer　us　to　a　bar　if　there

is　such　a　thing；　and　let's　take　a　prophylactic。〃



Merriam；　still　half　comatose；　led　them　toward　the

Hotel　Orilla　del　Mar。



〃Quinby　and　I〃　explained　Hedges；　puffing　through

the　slippery　sand；　〃are　looking　out　along　the　coast　for

some　investments。　　We've　just　come　up　from　Concepci髇

and　Valparaiso　and　Lima。　　The　captain　of　this　sub…

sidized　ferry　boat　told　us　there　was　some　good　picking

around　here　in　silver　mines。　　So　we　got　off。　　Now；

where　is　that　caf？　Merriam？　　Oh；　in　this　portable　soda

water　pavilion？〃



Leaving　Quinby　at　the　bar；　Hedges　drew　Merriam

side。



〃Now；　what　does　this　mean？〃　he　said；　with　gruff

kindness。　　〃Are　you　sulking　about　that　fool　row　we　had？〃



〃I　thought；〃　stammered　Merriam　　〃I　heard　　they

told　me　you　were　　that　I　had　〃



〃Well；　you　didn't；　and　I'm　not；〃　said　Hedges。　　〃That

fool　young　ambulance　surgeon　told　Wade　I　was　a　can…

didate　for　a　coffin　just　because　I'd　got　tired　and　quit

breathing。　　I　laid　up　in　a　private　hospital　for　a　month；

but　here　I　am；　kicking　as　hard　as　ever。　　Wade　and　I

tried　to　find　you；　but　couldn't。　　Now；　Merriam；　shake

hands　and　forget　it　all。　　I　was　as　much　to　blame　as　you

were；　and　the　shot　really　did　me　good　　I　came　out　of

the　hospital　as　healthy　and　fit　as　a　cab　horse。　　Come　on；

that　drink's　waiting。〃



〃Old　man；〃　said　Merriam；　brokenly；　〃I　don't　know

how　to　thank　you　　I　　well；　you　know　　〃



〃Oh；　forget　it；〃　boomed　Hedges。　　〃Quinby'll　die　of

thirst　if　we　don't　join　him。〃



Bibb　was　sitting　on　the　shady　side　of　the　gallery　waiting

for　the　eleven…o'clock　breakfast。　　Presently　Merriam

came　out　and　joined　him。　　His　eye　was　strangely

bright。



〃Bibb；　my　boy；〃　said　he；　slowly　waving　his　hand；　〃do

you　see　those　mountains　and　that　sea　and　sky　and　sun…

shine？　　they're　mine；　Bibbsy　　all　mine。〃



〃You　go　in；〃　said　Bibb；　〃and　take　eight　grains　of

quinine；　right　away。　　It　won't　do　in　this　climate　for　a

man　to　get　to　thinking　he's　Rockefeller；　or　James　O'Neill

either。



Inside；　the　purser　was　untying　a　great　roll　of　newspapers；

many　of　them　weeks　old；　g