buttered side down(抹黄油的一面朝下)-第3部分
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sprinkling the grass and weeding the radishes。 I'm the greatest kid to fool
around with a hose。 And flowers！ Say； they just grow for me。 You ought to
have seen my pansies and nasturtiums last summer。〃
The fingers of the Kid Next Door wandered until they found Gertie's。
They clasped them。
〃This thing just points one way； little one。 It's just as plain as a path
leading up to a cozy little three…room flat up here on the North Side
somewhere。 See it？ With me and you married； and playing at
housekeeping in a parlor and bedroom and kitchen？ And both of us going
down town to work in the morning just the same as we do now。 Only not
the same； either。〃
〃Wake up； little boy；〃 said Gertie； prying her fingers away from those
other detaining ones。 〃I'd fit into a three…room flat like a whale in a kitchen
sink。 I'm going back to Beloit； Wisconsin。 I've learned my lesson all right。
There's a fellow there waiting for me。 I used to think he was too slow。 But
say； he's got the nicest little painting and paper…hanging business you ever
saw； and making money。 He's secretary of the K。 P。's back home。 They
give some swell little dances during the winter； especially for the married
members。 In five years we'll own our home； with a vegetable garden in the
back。 I'm a little frog； and it's me for the puddle。〃
Gus stood up slowly。 Gertie felt a little pang of compunction when she
saw what a boy he was。
〃I don't know when I've enjoyed a talk like this。 I've heard about these
dawn teas； but I never thought I'd go to one；〃 she said。
〃Good…night； girlie；〃 interrupted Gus； abruptly。 〃It's the dreamless
couch for mine。 We've got a big sale on in tan and black seconds to…
morrow。〃
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PART。 II
THE MAN WHO CAME BACK
There are two ways of doing battle against Disgrace。 You may live it
down； or you may run away from it and hide。 The first method is heart…
breaking； but sure。 The second cannot be relied upon because of the
uncomfortable way Disgrace has of turning up at your heels just when you
think you have eluded her in the last town but one。
Ted Terrill did not choose the first method。 He had it thrust upon him。
After Ted had served his term he came back home to visit his mother's
grave； intending to take the next train out。 He wore none of the prison
pallor that you read about in books； because he had been shortstop on the
penitentiary all…star baseball team； and famed for the dexterity with which
he could grab up red…hot grounders。 The storied lock step and the clipped
hair effect also were missing。 The superintendent of Ted's prison had been
one of the reform kind。
You never would have picked Ted for a criminal。 He had none of those
interesting phrenological bumps and depressions that usually are shown to
such frank advantage in the Bertillon photographs。 Ted had been assistant
cashier in the Citizens' National Bank。 In a mad moment he had attempted
a little sleight…of…hand act in which certain Citizens' National funds were
to be transformed into certain glittering shares and back again so quickly
that the examiners couldn't follow it with their eyes。 But Ted was
unaccustomed to these now…you…see…it…and…now…you…don't feats and his
hand slipped。 The trick dropped to the floor with an awful clatter。
Ted had been a lovable young kid； six feet high； and blonde； with a
great reputation as a dresser。 He had the first yellow plush hat in our town。
It sat on his golden head like a halo。 The women all liked Ted。 Mrs。
Dankworth； the dashing widow （why will widows persist in being
dashing？）； said that he was the only man in our town who knew how to
wear a dress suit。 The men were forever slapping him on the back and
asking him to have a little something。
Ted's good looks and his clever tongue and a certain charming Irish
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way he had with him caused him to be taken up by the smart set。 Now； if
you've never lived in a small town you will be much amused at the idea of
its boasting a smart set。 Which proves your ignorance。 The small town
smart set is deadly serious about its smartness。 It likes to take six…hour
runs down to the city to fit a pair of shoes and hear Caruso。 Its clothes are
as well made； and its scandals as crisp； and its pace as hasty； and its golf
club as dull as the clothes； and scandals； and pace； and golf club of its city
cousins。
The hasty pace killed Ted。 He tried to keep step in a set of young folks
whose fathers had made our town。 And all the time his pocketbook was
yelling； 〃Whoa！〃 The young people ran largely to scarlet…upholstered
touring cars； and country…club doings； and house parties； as small town
younger generations are apt to。 When Ted went to high school half the
boys in his little clique spent their after…school hours dashing up and down
Main street in their big； glittering cars； sitting slumped down on the
middle of their spines in front of the steering wheel； their sleeves rolled up；
their hair combed a militant pompadour。 One or the other of them always
took Ted along。 It is fearfully easy to develop a taste for that kind of thing。
As he grew older； the taste took root and became a habit。
Ted came out after serving his term； still handsome； spite of all that
story…writers may have taught to the contrary。 But we'll make this
concession to the old tradition。 There was a difference。
His radiant blondeur was dimmed in some intangible； elusive way。
Birdie Callahan； who had worked in Ted's mother's kitchen for years； and
who had gone back to her old job at the Haley House after her mistress's
death； put it sadly； thus：
〃He was always th' han'some divil。 I used to look forward to ironin'
day just for the pleasure of pressin' his fancy shirts for him。 I'm that partial
to them swell blondes。 But I dinnaw； he's changed。 Doin' time has taken
the edge off his hair an' complexion。 Not changed his color； do yuh mind；
but dulled it； like a gold ring； or the like； that has tarnished。〃
Ted was seated in the smoker； with a chip on his shoulder； and a sick
horror of encountering some one he knew in his heart； when Jo Haley； of
the Haley House； got on at Westport； homeward bound。 Jo Haley is the
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most eligible bachelor in our town； and the slipperiest。 He has made the
Haley House a gem； so that traveling men will cut half a dozen towns to
Sunday there。 If he should say 〃Jump through this！〃 to any girl in our town
she'd jump。
Jo Haley strolled leisurely up the car aisle toward Ted。 Ted saw him
coming and sat very still； waiting。
〃Hello； Ted！ How's Ted？〃 said Jo Haley； casually。 And dropped into
the adjoining seat without any more fuss。
Ted wet his lips slightly and tried to say something。 He had been a
breezy talker。 But the words would not come。 Jo Haley made no effort to
cover the situation with a rush of conversation。 He did not seem to realize
that there was any situation to cover。 He champed the end of his cigar and
handed one to Ted。
〃Well； you've taken your lickin'； kid。 What you going to do now？〃
The rawness of it made Ted wince。 〃Oh； I don't know；〃 he stammered。
〃I've a job half promised in Chicago。〃
〃What doing？〃
Ted laughed a short and ugly laugh。 〃Driving a brewery auto truck。〃
Jo Haley tossed his cigar dexterously to the opposite corner of his
mouth and squinted thoughtfully along its bulging sides。
〃Remember that Wenzel girl that's kept books for me for the last six
years？ She's leaving in a couple of months to marry a New York guy that
travels for ladies' cloaks and suits。 After she goes it's nix with the lady
bookkeepers for me。 Not that Minnie isn't a good； straight girl； and honest；
but no girl can keep books with one eye on a column of figures and the
other on a traveling man in a brown suit and a red necktie； unless she's
cross…eyed； and you bet Minnie ain't。 The job's yours if you want it。 Eighty
a month to start on； and board。〃
〃Ican't； Jo。 Thanks just the same。 I'm going to try to begin all over
again； somewhere else； where nobody knows me。〃
〃Oh yes；〃 said Jo。 〃I knew a fellow that did that。 After he came out he
grew a beard； and wore eyeglasses； and changed his name。 Had a quick；
crisp way of talkin'； and he cultivated a drawl and went west and started in
business。 Real estate； I think。 Anyway； the second month he was there in
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walks a fool he used to know and bellows： ‘Why if it ain't Bill！ Hello； Bill！
I thought you was doing time yet。' That was enough。 Ted； you can black
your face； and dye your hair； and squint； and som
