some short stories-第19部分

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married？〃

〃Why　haven't　YOU？〃　she　retorted。　　〃Do　you　think　that　if　I　had　it
would　have　been　better　for　you？that　my　husband　would　for　a　moment
have　put　up　with　you？　　Do　you　mind　my　asking　you　if　you'll　kindly
go　NOW？〃　she　went　on　after　a　glance　at　the　clock。　　〃I'm　expecting　a
friend；　whom　I　must　see　alone；　on　a　matter　of　great　importance〃

〃And　my　being　seen　with　you　may　compromise　your　respectability　or
undermine　your　nerve？〃　　He　sprawled　imperturbably　in　his　place；
crossing　again；　in　another　sense；　his　long　black　legs　and　showing；
above　his　low　shoes；　an　absurd　reach　of　parti…coloured　sock。　　〃I
take　your　point　well　enough；　but　mayn't　you　be　after　all　quite
wrong？　　If　you　can't　do　anything　for　me　couldn't　you　at　least　do
something　with　me？　　If　it　comes　to　that；　I'm　clever　and　amusing　and
charming　too！　　I've　been　such　an　ass　that　you　don't　appreciate　me。
But　people　like　meI　assure　you　they　do。　　They　usually　don't　know
what　an　ass　I've　been；　they　only　see　the　surface；　which〃and　he
stretched　himself　afresh　as　she　looked　him　up　and　down〃you　CAN
imagine　them；　can't　you；　rather　taken　with？　　I'M　'what　I　am'　too；
nothing　less　and　nothing　more。　　That's　true　of　us　as　a　family；　you
see。　　We　ARE　a　crew！〃　　He　delivered　himself　serenely。　　His　voice
was　soft　and　flat；　his　pleasant　eyes；　his　simple　tones　tending　to
the　solemn；　achieved　at　moments　that　effect　of　quaintness　which　is；
in　certain　connexions；　socially　so　known　and　enjoyed。　　〃English
people　have　quite　a　weakness　for　memore　than　any　others。　　I　get
on　with　them　beautifully。　　I've　always　been　with　them　abroad。　　They
think　me；〃　the　young　man　explained；　〃diabolically　American。〃

〃You！〃　　Such　stupidity　drew　from　her　a　sigh　of　compassion。

Her　companion　apparently　quite　understood　it。　　〃Are　you　homesick；
Mamie？〃　he　asked；　with　wondering　irrelevance。

The　manner　of　the　question　made　her；　for　some　reason；　in　spite　of
her　preoccupations；　break　into　a　laugh。　　A　shade　of　indulgence；　a
sense　of　other　things；　came　back　to　her。　　〃You　are　funny；　Scott！〃

〃Well；〃　remarked　Scott；　〃that's　just　what　I　claim。　　But　ARE　you　so
homesick？〃　he　spaciously　inquired；　not　as　to　a　practical　end；　but
from　an　easy　play　of　intelligence。

〃I'm　just　dying　of　it！〃　said　Mamie　Cutter。

〃Why　so　am　I！〃　　Her　visitor　had　a　sweetness　of　concurrence。

〃We're　the　only　decent　people；〃　Miss　Cutter　declared。　　〃And　I　know。
You　don'tyou　can't；　and　I　can't　explain。　　Come　in；〃　she　continued
with　a　return　of　her　impatience　and　an　increase　of　her　decision；
〃at　seven　sharp。〃

She　had　quitted　her　seat　some　time　before；　and　now；　to　get　him　into
motion；　hovered　before　him　while；　still　motionless；　he　looked　up　at
her。　　Something　intimate；　in　the　silence；　appeared　to　pass　between
thema　community　of　fatigue　and　failure　and；　after　all；　of
intelligence。　　There　was　a　final　cynical　humour　in　it。　　It
determined　him；　in　any　case；　at　last；　and　he　slowly　rose；　taking　in
again　as　he　stood　there　the　testimony　of　the　room。　　He　might　have
been　counting　the　photographs；　but　he　looked　at　the　flowers　with
detachment。　　〃Who's　coming？〃

〃Mrs。　Medwin。〃

〃American？〃

〃Dear　no！〃

〃Then　what　are　you　doing　for　her？〃

〃I　work　for　every　one；〃　she　promptly　returned。

〃For　every　one　who　pays？　　So　I　suppose。　　Yet　isn't　it　only　we　who
do　pay？〃

There　was　a　drollery；　not　lost　on　her；　in　the　way　his　queer
presence　lent　itself　to　his　emphasised　plural。

〃Do　you　consider　that　YOU　do？〃

〃At　this；　with　his　deliberation；　he　came　back　to　his　charming　idea。
〃Only　try　me；　and　see　if　I　can't　be　MADE　to。　　Work　me　in。〃　　On　her
sharply　presenting　her　back　he　stared　a　little　at　the　clock。　　〃If　I
come　at　seven　may　I　stay　to　dinner？〃

It　brought　her　round　again。　　〃Impossible。　　I'm　dining　out。〃

〃With　whom？〃

She　had　to　think。　　〃With　Lord　Considine。〃

〃Oh　my　eye！〃　Scott　exclaimed。

She　looked　at　him　gloomily。　　〃Is　THAT　sort　of　tone　what　makes　you
pay？　　I　think　you　might　understand；〃　she　went　on；　〃that　if　you're
to　sponge　on　me　successfully　you　mustn't　ruin　me。　　I　must　have　SOME
remote　resemblance　to　a　lady。〃

〃Yes？　　But　why　must　_I_？〃　　Her　exasperated　silence　was　full　of
answers；　of　which　however　his　inimitable　manner　took　no　account。
〃You　don't　understand　my　real　strength；　I　doubt　if　you　even
understand　your　own。　　You're　clever；　Mamie；　but　you're　not　so
clever　as　I　supposed。　　However；〃　he　pursued；　〃it's　out　of　Mrs。
Medwin　that　you'll　get　it。〃

〃Get　what？〃

〃Why　the　cheque　that　will　enable　you　to　assist　me。〃

On　this；　for　a　moment；　she　met　his　eyes。　　〃If　you'll　come　back　at
seven　sharpnot　a　minute　before；　and　not　a　minute　after；　I'll　give
you　two　five…pound　notes。〃

He　thought　it　over。　　〃Whom　are　you　expecting　a　minute　after？〃

It　sent　her　to　the　window　with　a　groan　almost　of　anguish；　and　she
answered　nothing　till　she　had　looked　at　the　street。　　〃If　you　injure
me；　you　know；　Scott；　you'll　be　sorry。〃

〃I　wouldn't　injure　you　for　the　world。　　What　I　want　to　do　in　fact　is
really　to　help　you；　and　I　promise　you　that　I　won't　leave　youby
which　I　mean　won't　leave　Londontill　I've　effected　something
really　pleasant　for　you。　　I　like　you；　Mamie；　because　I　like　pluck；
I　like　you　much　more　than　you　like　me。　　I　like　you　very；　VERY
much。〃　　He　had　at　last　with　this　reached　the　door　and　opened　it；
but　he　remained　with　his　hand　on　the　latch。　　〃What　does　Mrs。　Medwin
want　of　you？〃　he　thus　brought　out。

She　had　come　round　to　see　him　disappear；　and　in　the　relief　of　this
prospect　she　again　just　indulged　him。

〃The　impossible。〃

He　waited　another　minute。　　〃And　you're　going　to　do　it？〃

〃I'm　going　to　do　it；〃　said　Mamie　Cutter。

〃Well　then　that　ought　to　be　a　haul。　　Call　it　THREE　fivers！〃　he
laughed。　　〃At　seven　sharp。〃　　And　at　last　he　left　her　alone。



CHAPTER　II



Miss　Cutter　waited　till　she　heard　the　house…door　close；　after
which；　in　a　sightless　mechanical　way；　she　moved　about　the　room
readjusting　various　objects　he　had　not　touched。　　It　was　as　if　his
mere　voice　and　accent　had　spoiled　her　form。　　But　she　was　not　left
too　long　to　reckon　with　these　things；　for　Mrs。　Medwin　was　promptly
announced。　　This　lady　was　not；　more　than　her　hostess；　in　the　first
flush　of　her　youth；　her　appearancethe　scattered　remains　of　beauty
manipulated　by　tasteresembled　one　of　the　light　repasts　in　which
the　fragments　of　yesterday's　dinner　figure　with　a　conscious　ease
that　makes　up　for　the　want　of　presence。　　She　was　perhaps　of　an
effect　still　too　immediate　to　be　called　interesting；　but　she　was
candid；　gentle　and　surprisednot　fatiguingly　surprised；　only　just
in　the　right　degree；　and　her　white　faceit　was　too　whitewith　the
fixed　eyes；　the　somewhat　touzled　hair　and　the　Louis　Seize　hat；
might　at　the　end　of　the　very　long　neck　have　suggested　the　head　of　a
princess　carried　on　a　pike　in　a　revolution。　　She　immediately　took
up　the　business　that　had　brought　her；　with　the　air　however　of
drawing　from　the　omens　then　discernible　less　confidence　than　she
had　hoped。　　The　complication　lay　in　the　fact　that　if　it　was　Mamie's
part　to　present　the　omens；　that　lady　yet　had　so　to　colour　them　as
to　make　her　own　service　large。　　She　perhaps　over…coloured；　for　her
friend　gave　way　to　momentary　despair。

〃What　you　mean　is　then　that　it's　simply　impossible？〃

〃Oh　no；〃　said　Mamie　with　a　qualified　emphasis。　　〃It's　POSSIBLE。〃

〃But　disgustingly　difficult？〃

〃As　difficult　as　you　like。〃

〃Then　what　can　I　do　that　I　haven't　done？〃

〃You　can　only　wait　a　little　longer。〃

〃But　that's　just　what　I　HAVE　done。　　I've　done　nothing　else。　　I'm
always　waiting　a　little　longer！〃

Miss　Cutter　retained；　in　spite　of　this　pathos；　her　grasp　of　the
subject。　　〃THE　thing；　as　I've　told　you；　is　for　you　first　to　be
seen。〃

〃But　if　people　won't　look　at　me？〃

〃They　will。〃

〃They　WILL？〃　Mrs。　Medwin　was　eager。

〃They　shall；〃　her　hostess　went　on。　　〃It's　their　only　having　heard
without　having　seen。〃'

〃But　if　they　stare　straight　the　other　way？〃　Mrs。　Medwin　continued
to　object。　　〃You　can't　simply　go　up　to　them　and　twist　their　heads
about。〃

〃It's　just　what　I　can；〃　said　Mamie　Cutter。

But　her　charming　visitor；　heedless　for　the　moment　of　this
attenuation；　had　found　the　way　to　put　it。　　〃It's　the　old　story。
You　can't　go　into　the　water　till　you　swim；　and　you　can't　swim　till
you　go　into　the　water。　　I　can't　be　spoken　to　till　I'm　seen；　but　I
can't　be　seen　till　I'm　spoken　to。〃

She　met　this　lucidity；　Miss　Cutter；　with　but　an　instant's　lapse。
〃You　say　I　can't　twist　their　heads　about。　　But　I　HAVE　twisted
them。〃

It　had　been　quietly　produced；　but　it　gave　her　companion　a　jerk。
〃They　say　'Yes'？〃

She　summed　it　up。　　〃All　but　one。　　SHE　says　'No。'〃

Mrs。　Medwin　thought；　then　jumped。　　〃Lady　Wantridge？〃

Miss　Cutter；　as　more　delicate；　only　bowed　admission。　　〃I　shall　see
her　either　this　afternoon　or　late　to…morrow。　　But　she　has　written。〃

Her　visitor　wondered　again。　　〃May　I　see　her　letter？〃

〃No。〃　　She　spoke　with　decision。　　〃But　I　shall　square　her。〃

〃Then　how？〃

〃Well〃and　Miss　Cutter；　as　if　looking　upward　for　inspiration；
fixed　her　eyes　a　while　on　the　ceiling〃well；　it　will　come　to　me。〃

Mrs。　Medwin　watched　herit　was　impressive。　　〃And　will　they　come　to
youthe　others？〃　　This　question　drew　out　the　fact　that　they　would…
…so　far　at　least　as　they　consisted　of　Lady　Edward；　Lady　Bellhouse
and　Mrs。　Pouncer；　who　had　engaged　to　muster；　at　the　signal　of　tea；
on　the　14thprepared；　as　it　were；　for　the　worst。　　There　was　of
course　always　the　chance　that　Lady　Wantridge　might　take　the　field；
in　such　force　as　to　paralyse　them；　though　that　danger；　at　the　same
time；　seemed　inconsistent　with　her　being　squared。　　It　didn't
perhaps　all　quite　ideally　hang　together；　but　what　it　sufficiently
came　to　was　that　if　she　was　the　one　who　could　do　most　FOR　a　person
in　Mrs。　Medwin's　position　she　was　also　the　one　who　could　do　most
against。　　It　would　therefore　be　distinctly　what　our　friend
familiarly　spoke　of　as　〃collar…work。〃　　The　effect　of　these　mixed
considerations　was　at　any　rate　that　Mamie　eventually　acquiesced　in
the　idea；　handsomely　thrown　out　by　her　client；　that　she　should　have
an　〃advance〃　to　go　on　with。　　Miss　Cutter　confessed　that　it　seemed
at　times　as　if　one　scarce　COULD　go　on；　but　the　advance　was；　in
spite　of　this　delicacy；　still　more　d