part 6-第7部分

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had。　　He　was　not　used　to　being　questioned　by　hall　boys。



Archie　sat　first　in　one　tapestry　chair　and　then　in　another；



keeping　a　sharp　eye　on　the　people　who　came　in　and　went



up　in　the　elevators。　　He　walked　about　and　looked　at　his



watch。　　An　hour　dragged　by。　　No　one　had　come　in　from　the



street　now　for　about　twenty　minutes；　when　two　women　en…



tered；　carrying　a　great　many　flowers　and　followed　by　a　tall



young　man　in　chauffeur's　uniform。　　Archie　advanced　to…



ward　the　taller　of　the　two　women；　who　was　veiled　and



carried　her　head　very　firmly。　　He　confronted　her　just　as



she　reached　the　elevator。　　Although　he　did　not　stand　di…



rectly　in　her　way；　something　in　his　attitude　compelled　her



to　stop。　　She　gave　him　a　piercing；　defiant　glance　through



the　white　scarf　that　covered　her　face。　　Then　she　lifted　her



hand　and　brushed　the　scarf　back　from　her　head。　　There



was　still　black　on　her　brows　and　lashes。　　She　was　very　pale



and　her　face　was　drawn　and　deeply　lined。　　She　looked；　the



doctor　told　himself　with　a　sinking　heart；　forty　years　old。



Her　suspicious；　mystified　stare　cleared　slowly。







　　　　　〃Pardon　me；〃　the　doctor　murmured；　not　knowing　just



how　to　address　her　here　before　the　porters；　〃I　came　up















from　the　opera。　　I　merely　wanted　to　say　good…night　to



you。〃







　　　　　Without　speaking；　still　looking　incredulous；　she　pushed



him　into　the　elevator。　　She　kept　her　hand　on　his　arm　while



the　cage　shot　up；　and　she　looked　away　from　him；　frowning；



as　if　she　were　trying　to　remember　or　realize　something。



When　the　cage　stopped；　she　pushed　him　out　of　the　elevator



through　another　door；　which　a　maid　opened；　into　a　square



hall。　　There　she　sank　down　on　a　chair　and　looked　up　at



him。







　　　　　〃Why　didn't　you　let　me　know？〃　she　asked　in　a　hoarse



voice。







　　　　　Archie　heard　himself　laughing　the　old；　embarrassed



laugh　that　seldom　happened　to　him　now。　　〃Oh；　I　wanted



to　take　my　chance　with　you；　like　anybody　else。　　It's　been



so　long；　now！〃







　　　　　She　took　his　hand　through　her　thick　glove　and　her　head



dropped　forward。　　〃Yes；　it　has　been　long；〃　she　said　in　the



same　husky　voice；　〃and　so　much　has　happened。〃







　　　　　〃And　you　are　so　tired；　and　I　am　a　clumsy　old　fellow　to



break　in　on　you　to…night；〃　the　doctor　added　sympathetic…



ally。　　〃Forgive　me；　this　time。〃　　He　bent　over　and　put　his



hand　soothingly　on　her　shoulder。　　He　felt　a　strong　shudder



run　through　her　from　head　to　foot。







　　　　　Still　bundled　in　her　fur　coat　as　she　was；　she　threw　both



arms　about　him　and　hugged　him。　　〃Oh；　Dr。　Archie；



DR。　ARCHIE；〃she　shook　him；〃don't　let　me　go。　　Hold



on；　now　you're　here；〃　she　laughed；　breaking　away　from



him　at　the　same　moment　and　sliding　out　of　her　fur　coat。



She　left　it　for　the　maid　to　pick　up　and　pushed　the　doctor



into　the　sitting…room；　where　she　turned　on　the　lights。　　〃Let



me　LOOK　at　you。　　Yes；　hands；　feet；　head；　shouldersjust



the　same。　　You've　grown　no　older。　　You　can't　say　as　much



for　me；　can　you？〃







　　　　　She　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　in　a　white



silk　shirtwaist　and　a　short　black　velvet　skirt；　which　some…















how　suggested　that　they　had　‘cut　off　her　petticoats　all



round　about。'　　She　looked　distinctly　clipped　and　plucked。



Her　hair　was　parted　in　the　middle　and　done　very　close　to



her　head；　as　she　had　worn　it　under　the　wig。　　She　looked



like　a　fugitive；　who　had　escaped　from　something　in　clothes



caught　up　at　hazard。　　It　flashed　across　Dr。　Archie　that　she



was　running　away　from　the　other　woman　down　at　the



opera　house；　who　had　used　her　hardly。







　　　　　He　took　a　step　toward　her。　　〃I　can't　tell　a　thing　in　the



world　about　you；　Theaif　I　may　still　call　you　that。〃







　　　　　She　took　hold　of　the　collar　of　his　overcoat。　　〃Yes；　call



me　that。　　Do：　I　like　to　hear　it。　　You　frighten　me　a　little；



but　I　expect　I　frighten　you　more。　　I'm　always　a　scarecrow



after　I　sing　a　long　part　like　thatso　high；　too。〃　　She



absently　pulled　out　the　handkerchief　that　protruded　from



his　breast　pocket　and　began　to　wipe　the　black　paint　off　her



eyebrows　and　lashes。　　〃I　can't　take　you　in　much　to…night；



but　I　must　see　you　for　a　little　while。〃　　She　pushed　him　to　a



chair。　　〃I　shall　be　more　recognizable　to…morrow。　　You



mustn't　think　of　me　as　you　see　me　to…night。　　Come　at　four



to…morrow　afternoon　and　have　tea　with　me。　　Can　you？



That's　good。〃







　　　　　She　sat　down　in　a　low　chair　beside　him　and　leaned　for…



ward；　drawing　her　shoulders　together。　　She　seemed　to　him



inappropriately　young　and　inappropriately　old；　shorn　of



her　long　tresses　at　one　end　and　of　her　long　robes　at　the



other。







　　　　　〃How　do　you　happen　to　be　here？〃　she　asked　abruptly。



〃How　can　you　leave　a　silver　mine？　　I　couldn't！　　Sure



nobody'll　cheat　you？　　But　you　can　explain　everything　to…



morrow。〃　　She　paused。　　〃You　remember　how　you　sewed



me　up　in　a　poultice；　once？　　I　wish　you　could　to…night。　　I



need　a　poultice；　from　top　to　toe。　　Something　very　disagree…



able　happened　down　there。　　You　said　you　were　out　front？



Oh；　don't　say　anything　about　it。　　I　always　know　exactly



how　it　goes；　unfortunately。　　I　was　rotten　in　the　balcony。















I　never　get　that。　　You　didn't　notice　it？　　Probably　not；　but



I　did。〃







　　　　　Here　the　maid　appeared　at　the　door　and　her　mistress



rose。　　〃My　supper？　　Very　well；　I'll　come。　　I'd　ask　you　to



stay；　doctor；　but　there　wouldn't　be　enough　for　two。　　They



seldom　send　up　enough　for　one；〃she　spoke　bitterly。



〃I　haven't　got　a　sense　of　you　yet；〃turning　directly　to



Archie　again。　　〃You　haven't　been　here。　　You've　only　an…



nounced　yourself；　and　told　me　you　are　coming　to…morrow。



You　haven't　seen　me；　either。　　This　is　not　I。　　But　I'll　be



here　waiting　for　you　to…morrow；　my　whole　works！　　Good…



night；　till　then。〃　　She　patted　him　absently　on　the　sleeve



and　gave　him　a　little　shove　toward　the　door。



























　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　V











　　　　　WHEN　Archie　got　back　to　his　hotel　at　two　o'clock　in



the　morning；　he　found　Fred　Ottenburg's　card　under



his　door；　with　a　message　scribbled　across　the　top：　〃When



you　come　in；　please　call　up　room　811；　this　hotel。〃　　A　mo…



ment　later　Fred's　voice　reached　him　over　the　telephone。







　　　　　〃That　you；　Archie？　　Won't　you　come　up？　　I'm　having



some　supper　and　I'd　like　company。　　Late？　　What　does　that



matter？　　I　won't　keep　you　long。〃







　　　　　Archie　dropped　his　overcoat　and　set　out　for　room　811。



He　found　Ottenburg　in　the　act　of　touching　a　match　to　a



chafing…dish；　at　a　table　laid　for　two　in　his　sitting…room。



〃I'm　catering　here；〃　he　announced　cheerfully。　　〃I　let　the



waiter　off　at　midnight；　after　he'd　set　me　up。　　You'll　have



to　account　for　yourself；　Archie。〃







　　　　　The　doctor　laughed；　pointing　to　three　wine…coolers　under



the　table。　　〃Are　you　expecting　guests？〃







　　　　　〃Yes；　two。〃　　Ottenburg　held　up　two　fingers；〃you；



and　my　higher　self。　　He's　a　thirsty　boy；　and　I　don't　invite



him　often。　　He　has　been　known　to　give　me　a　headache。



Now；　where　have　you　been；　Archie；　until　this　shocking



hour？〃







　　　　　〃Bah；　you've　been　banting！〃　the　doctor　exclaimed；



pulling　out　his　white　gloves　as　he　searched　for　his　handker…



chief　and　throwing　them　into　a　chair。　　Ottenburg　was　in



evening　clothes　and　very　pointed　dress　shoes。　　His　white



waistcoat；　upon　which　the　doctor　had　fixed　a　challenging



eye；　went　down　straight　from　the　top　button；　and　he　wore



a　camelia。　　He　was　conspicuously　brushed　and　trimmed



and　polished。　　His　smoothly　controlled　excitement　was



wholly　different　from　his　usual　easy　cordiality；　though　he



had　his　face；　as　well　as　his　figure；　well　in　hand。　　On　the















serving…table　there　was　an　empty　champagne　pint　and　a



glass。　　He　had　been　having　a　little　starter；　the　doctor　told



himself；　and　would　probably　be　running　on　high　gear　before



he　got　through。　　There　was　even　now　an　air　of　speed　about



him。







　　　　　〃Been；　Freddy？〃the　doctor　at　last　took　up　his　ques…



tion。　　〃I　expect　I've　been　exactly　where　you　have。　　Why



didn't　you　tell　me　you　were　coming　on？〃







　　　　　〃I　wasn't；　Archie。〃　　Fred　lifted　the　cover　of　the　chafing…



dish　and　stirred　the　contents。　　He　stood　behind　the　table；



holding　the　lid　with　his　handkerchief。　　〃I　had　never　thought



of　such　a　thing。　　But　Landry；　a　young　chap　who　plays　her



accompaniments　and　who　keeps　an　eye　out　for　me；　tele…



graphed　me　that　Madame　Rheinecker　had　gone　to　Atlantic



City　with　a　bad　throat；　and　Thea　might　have　a　chance　to



sing　ELSA。　　She　has　sung　it　only　twice　here　before；　and　I



missed　it　in　Dresden。　　So　I　came　on。　　I　got　in　at　four　this



afternoon　and　saw　you　registered；　but　I　thought　I　would



n't　butt　in。　　How　lucky　you　got　here　just　when　she　was



coming　on　for　this。　　You　couldn't　have　hit　a　better　time。〃



Ottenburg　stirred　the　contents　of　the　dish　faster　and　put



in　more　sherry。　　〃And　where　have　you　been　since　twelve



o'clock；　may　I　ask？〃







　　　　　Archie　looked　rather　self…conscious；　as　he　sat　down　on　a



fragile　gilt　chair　that　rocked　under　him；　and　stretched　out



his　long　legs。　　〃Well；　if　you'll　believe　me；　I　had　the　bru…



tality　to　go　to　see　her。　　I　wanted　to　identify　her。　　Couldn't



wait。〃







　　　　　Ottenburg　placed　the　cover　quickly　on　the　chafing…dis