whirligigs-第12部分
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Was this that same woman now palpitating； warm；
eager； throbbing with conscious life and charm； feminine
to her finger…tips？ Pondering over this； Armstrong
felt certain misgivings intrude upon his thoughts。 He
wished he could stop there with this changing creature；
descending no farther。 Here was the elevation and
environment to which her nature seemed to respond with
its best。 He feared to go down upon the man…dominated
levels。 Would her spirit …not yield still further in that
artificial zone to which they were descending？
Now from a little plateau they saw the sea flash at the
edge of the green lowlands。 Mile。 Giraud gave a little；
catching sigh。
〃Oh！ look； Mr。 Armstrong； there is the sea！ Isn't
it lovely？ I'm so tired of mountains。〃 She heaved a
pretty shoulder in a gesture of repugnance。 〃Those
horrid Indians！ Just think of what I suffered！ Although
I suppose I attained my ambition of becoming a stellar
attraction； I wouldn't care to repeat the engagement。 It
was very nice of you to bring me away。 Tell me； Mr。
Armstrong honestly； now do I look such an awful；
awful fright？ I haven't looked into a mirror； you know；
for months。〃
Armstrong made answer according to his changed
moods。 Also he laid his hand upon hers as it rested upon
the horn of her saddle。 Luis was at the head of the pack
train and could not see。 She allowed it to remain there；
and her eyes smiled frankly into his。
Then at sundown they dropped upon the coast level
under the palms and lemons among the vivid greens and
searlets and ochres of the tierra caliente。 They rode
into Macuto； and saw the line of volatile bathers frolick…
ing in the surf。 The mountains were very far
away。
Mlle。 Giraud's eyes were shining with a joy that could
not have existed under the chaperonage of the mountain…
tops。 There were other spirits calling to her nymphs
of the orange groves； pixies from the chattering surf；
imps； born of the music； the perfumes； colours and the
insinuating presence of humanity。 She laughed aloud；
musically； at a sudden thought。
〃Won't there be a sensation？〃 she called to Armstrong。
〃Don't I wish I had an engagement just now； though！
What a picnic the press agent would have！ 'Held a
prisoner by a band of savage Indians subdued by the
spell of her wonderful voice' wouldn't that make great
stuff？ But I guess I quit the game winner； anyhow
there ought to be a couple of thousand dollars in
that sack of gold dust I collected as encores； don't you
think？〃
He left her at the door of the little Hotel de Buen
Descansar； where she had stopped before。 Two hours
later he returned to the hotel。 He glanced in at the
open door of the little combined reception room and
cafe。
Half a dozen of Macuto's representative social and
official caballeros were distributed about the room。
Sefior Villablanca； the wealthy rubber concessionist；
reposed his fat figure on two chairs； with an emollient
smile beaming upon his chocolate…coloured face。 Guil…
bert； the French mining engineer； leered through his
polished nose…glasses。 Colonel Mendez； of the regular
army； in gold…laced uniform and fatuous grin； was busily
extracting corks from champagne bottles。 Other pat…
terns of Macutian gallantry and fashion pranced and
posed。 The air was hazy with cigarette smoke。 Wine
dripped upon the floor。
Perched upon a table in the centre of the room in an
attitude of easy preeminence was Mlle。 Giraud。 A
chic costume of white lawn and cherry ribbons supplanted
her travelling garb。 There was a suggestion of lace； and
a frill or two； with a discreet； small implication of hand…
embroidered pink hosiery。 Upon her lap rested a guitar。
In her face was the light of resurrection； the peace of
elysium attained through fire and suffering。 She was
singing to a lively accompaniment a little song：
〃When you see de big round moon
Comin' up like a balloon；
Dis nigger skips fur to kiss de lips
Ob his stylish； black…faced coon。〃
The singer caught sight of Armstrong。
〃Hi！ there； Johnny；〃 she called； 〃I've been expecting
you for an hour。 What kept you？ Gee！ but these
smoked guys are the slowest you ever saw。 They ain't
on； at all。 Come along in； and I'll make this coffee…
coloured old sport with the gold epaulettes open one for
you right off the ice。〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Armstrong； 〃not just now； I
believe。 I've several things to attend to。〃
He walked out and down the street； and met Rucker
coming up from the Consulate。
〃Play you a game of billiards；〃 said Armstrong。 〃I
want something to take the taste of the sea level out of
my mouth。〃
〃GIRL〃
IN GILT letters on the ground glass of the door of
room No。 962 were the words： 〃Robbins & Hartley；
Brokers。〃 The clerks had gone。 It was past five； and
with the solid tramp of a drove of prize Percherons； scrub…
women were invading the cloud…capped twenty…story
office building。 A puff of red…hot air flavoured with
lemon peelings； soft…coal smoke and train oil came in
through the half…open windows。
Robbins； fifty； something of an overweight beau； and
addicted to first nights and hotel palm…rooms； pretended
to be envious of his partner's commuter's joys。
〃Going to be something doing in the humidity line
to…night；〃 he said。 〃You out…of…town chaps will be the
people； with your katydids and moonlight and long drinks
and things out on the front porch。〃
Hartley； twenty…nine； serious； thin； good…looking； ner…
vous； sighed and frowned a little。
〃Yes；〃 said he； 〃we always have cool nights in Floral…
hurst； especially in the winter。〃
A man with an air of mystery came in the door and
went up to Hartley。
〃I've found where she lives；〃 he announced in the
portentous half…whisper that makes the detective at
work a marked being to his fellow men。
Hartley scowled him into a state of dramatic silence
and quietude。 But by that time Robbins had got his
cane and set his tie pin to his liking； and with a debonair
nod went out to his metropolitan amusements。
〃Here is the address；〃 said the detective in a natural
tone； being deprived of an audience to foil。
Hartley took the leaf torn out of the sleuth's dingy
memorandum book。 On it were pencilled the words
〃Vivienne Arlington； No。 341 East th Street； care of
Mrs。 McComus。〃
〃Moved there a week ago；〃 said the detective。 〃Now；
if you want any shadowing done； Mr。 Hartley； I can do
you as fine a job in that line as anybody in the city。 It
will be only 7 a day and expenses。 Can send in a daily
typewritten report； covering 〃
〃You needn't go on；〃 interrupted the broker。 〃It
isn't a case of that kind。 I merely wanted the address。
How much shall I pay you？〃
〃One day's work；〃 said the sleuth。 〃A tenner will
cover it。〃
Hartley paid the man and dismissed him。 Then he
left the office and boarded a Broadway car。 At the first
large crosstown artery of travel he took an eastbound car
that deposited him in a decaying avenue； whose ancient
structures once sheltered the pride and glory of the town。
Walking a few squares； he came to the building that he
sought。 It was a new flathouse； bearing carved upon its
cheap stone portal its sonorous name； 〃The Vallambrosa。〃
Fire…escapes zigzagged down its front these laden
with household goods； drying clothes； and squalling
children evicted by the midsummer heat。 Here and
there a pale rubber plant peeped from the miscellaneous
mass； as if wondering to what kingdom it belonged
vegetable； animal or artificial。
Hartley pressed the 〃McComus〃 button。 The door
latch clicked spasmodically now hospitably； now doubt…
fully； as though in anxiety whether it might be admitting
friends or duns。 Hartley entered and began to climb the
stairs after the manner of those who seek their friends in
city flat…houses which is the manner of a boy who
climbs an apple…tree； stopping when he comes upon what
he wants。
On the fourth floor he saw Vivienne standing in an
open door。 She invited him inside； with a nod and a
bright； genuine smile。 She placed a chair for him near
a window； and poised herself gracefully upon the edge
of one of those Jekyll…and…Hyde pieces of furniture that
are masked and mysteriously hooded； unguessable bulks
by day and inquisitorial racks of torture by night。
Hartley cast a quick； critical； appreciative glance at
her before speaking； and told himself that his taste in
choosing had been flawless。
Vivienne was about twenty…one。 She was of the purest
Saxon type。 Her hair was a ruddy golden； each filament
of the neatly gathered mass shining with its own lustre
and delicate graduation of colour。 In perfect harmony
were her ivory…clear complexion and deep sea…blue eyes
that looked upon the world with the ingenuous calmness
of a mermaid or the pixie of an undiscovered mountain
stream。 Her frame was strong and yet possessed the
grace of absolute naturalness。 And yet with all her North…
ern clearness and frankness of line and colouring； there
seemed to be something of the tropics in her something
of languor in the droop of her pose； of love of ease in her
ingenious complacency of satisfaction and comfort in
the mere act of breathing something that seemed to
claim for her a right as a perfect work of nature to exist
and be admired equally with a rare flower or some beauti…
ful； milk…white dove among its sober…hued companions。
She was dressed in a white waist and dark skirt … that
discreet masquerade of goose…girl and duchess。
〃Vivienne；〃 said Hartley； looking at her pleadingly；
〃you did not answer my last letter。 It was only by nearly
a week's search that I found
