earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第25部分

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ellow　at　a　party　…　that　kind。　Then　the　door　opened　and　the　boy　got　a　shock。　For　the　figure　outlined　against　the　light　was　young　and　slender；　and　the　face；　dimly　seen；　suggested　fragile　loveliness。
　〃Is　this　Mrs。　pton？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Yeah　…　I'm　Mrs。　pton。　What　do　you　want？〃　John　Quincy　was　sorry　she　had　spoken。　For　she　was；　obviously；　one　of　those　beauties　so　prevalent　nowadays；　the　sort　whom　speech　betrays。　Her　voice　recalled　the　myna　birds。
　〃My　name　is　John　Quincy　Winterslip。〃　He　saw　her　start。　〃May　I　speak　with　you　for　a　moment？〃
　〃Sure　you　can。　e　in。〃　She　led　the　way　along　a　low　narrow　passage　into　a　tiny　living…room。　A　pasty…faced　young　man　with　stooped　shoulders　stood　by　a　table；　fondling　a　cocktail　shaker。
　〃Steve；〃　said　the　woman；　〃this　is　Mr。　Winterslip。　Mr。　Leatherbee。〃
　Mr。　Leatherbee　grunted。　〃Just　in　time　for　a　little　snifter；〃　he　remarked。
　〃No；　thanks；〃　John　Quincy　said。　He　saw　Mrs。　pton　take　a　smoking　cigarette　from　an　ash　tray；　start　to　convey　it　to　her　lips；　then；　evidently　thinking　better　of　it；　crush　it　on　the　tray。
　〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Leatherbee；　〃your　poison's　ready；　Arlene。〃　He　proffered　a　glass。
　She　shook　her　head；　slightly　annoyed。　〃No。〃
　〃No？〃　Mr。　Leatherbee　grinned。　〃The　more　for　little　Stevie。〃　He　lifted　a　glass。　〃Here's　looking　at　you；　Mr。　Winterslip。〃
　〃Say；　I　guess　you're　Dan's　cousin　from　Boston；〃　Mrs。　pton　remarked。　〃He　was　telling　me　about　you。〃　She　lowered　her　voice。　〃I've　been　meaning　to　get　over　to　your　place　all　day。　But　it　was　such　a　shock　…　it　knocked　me　flat。〃
　〃I　understand；〃　John　Quincy　replied。　He　glanced　at　Mr。　Leatherbee；　who　seemed　not　to　have　heard　of　prohibition。　〃My　business　with　you；　Mrs。　pton；　is　private。〃
　Leatherbee　stiffened　belligerently。　But　the　woman　said：　〃That's　all　right。　Steve　was　just　going。〃
　Steve　hesitated　a　moment；　then　went。　His　hostess　acpanied　him。　John　Quincy　heard　the　low　monotone　of　their　voices　in　the　distance。　There　was　a　bined　odor　of　gin　and　cheap　perfume　in　the　air；　the　boy　wondered　what　his　mother　would　say　if　she　could　see　him　now。　A　door　slammed；　and　the　woman　returned。
　〃Well？〃　she　said。　John　Quincy　perceived　that　her　eyes　were　hard　and　knowing；　like　her　voice。　He　waited　for　her　to　sit　down；　then　took　a　chair　facing　her。
　〃You　knew　my　Cousin　Dan　rather　intimately；〃　he　suggested。
　〃I　was　engaged　to　him；〃　she　answered。　John　Quincy　glanced　at　her　left　hand。　〃He　hadn't　e　across　…　I　mean；　he　hadn't　given　me　a　ring；　but　it　was　…　you　know　…　understood　between　us。〃
　〃Then　his　death　is　a　good　deal　of　a　blow　to　you？〃
　She　managed　a　baby　stare；　full　of　pathos。　〃I'll　say　it　is。　Mr。　Winterslip　was　kind　to　me　…　he　believed　in　me　and　trusted　me。　A　lone　woman　way　out　here　don't　get　any　too　much　char　…　kindness。〃
　〃When　did　you　see　Mr。　Winterslip　last？〃
　〃Three　or　four　days　ago　…　last　Friday　evening；　I　guess　it　was。〃
　John　Quincy　frowned。　〃Wasn't　that　rather　a　long　stretch？〃
　She　nodded。　〃I'll　tell　you　the　truth。　We　had　a　little　…　misunderstanding。　Just　a　lover's　quarrel；　you　know。　Dan　sort　of　objected　to　Steve　hanging　around。　Not　that　he'd　any　reason　to　…　Steve's　nothing　to　me　…　just　a　weak　kid　I　used　to　know　when　I　was　trouping。　I　was　on　the　stage　…　maybe　you　heard　that。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　John　Quincy。　〃You　hadn't　seen　Mr。　Winterslip　since　last　Friday。　You　didn't　go　to　his　house　last　evening？〃
　〃I　should　say　not。　I　got　my　reputation　to　think　of　…　you've　no　idea　how　people　talk　in　a　place　like　this　…〃
　John　Quincy　laid　the　brooch　down　upon　the　table。　It　sparkled　in　the　lamplight　…　a　reading　lamp；　though　the　atmosphere　was　not　in　the　least　literary。　The　baby　stare　was　startled　now。　〃You　recognize　that；　don't　you？〃　he　asked。
　〃Why　…　yes　…　it's　…　I　…〃
　〃Just　stick　to　the　truth；〃　said　John　Quincy；　not　unkindly。　〃It's　an　old　piece　of　jewelry　that　Mr。　Winterslip　gave　you；　I　believe。〃
　〃Well　…〃
　〃You've　been　seen　wearing　it；　you　know。〃
　〃Yes；　he　did　give　it　to　me；〃　she　admitted。　〃The　only　present　I　ever　got　from　him。　I　guess　from　the　look　of　it　Mrs。　Noah　wore　it　on　the　Ark。　Kinda　pretty；　though。〃
　〃You　didn't　visit　Mr。　Winterslip　last　night；〃　persisted　John　Quincy。　〃Yet；　strangely　enough；　this　brooch　was　found　on　the　floor　not　far　from　his　dead　body。〃
　She　drew　in　her　breath　sharply。　〃Say　…　what　are　you？　A　cop？〃　she　asked。
　〃Hardly；〃　John　Quincy　smiled。　〃I　am　here　simply　to　save　you；　if　possible；　from　the　hands　of　the　…　er　…　the　cops。　If　you　have　any　real　explanation　of　this　matter；　it　may　not　be　necessary　to　call　it　to　the　attention　of　the　police。〃
　〃Oh！〃　She　smiled。　〃Say；　that's　decent　of　you。　Now　I　will　tell　you　the　truth。　That　about　not　seeing　Dan　Winterslip　since　Friday　was　bunk。　I　saw　him　last　night。〃
　〃Ah　…　you　did？　Where？〃
　〃Right　here。　Mr。　Winterslip　gave　me　that　thing　about　a　month　ago。　Two　weeks　ago　he　came　to　me　in　a　sort　of　excited　way　and　said　he　must　have　it　back。　It　was　the　only　thing　he　ever　give　me　and　I　liked　it　and　those　emeralds　are　valuable　…　so　…　well；　I　stalled　a　while。　I　said　I　was　having　a　new　clasp　put　on　it。　He　kept　asking　for　it；　and　last　night　he　showed　up　here　and　said　he　just　had　to　have　it。　Said　he'd　buy　me　anything　in　the　stores　in　place　of　it。　I　must　say　he　was　pretty　het　up。　So　I　finally　turned　it　over　to　him　and　he　took　it　and　went　away。〃
　〃What　time　was　that？〃
　〃About　nine…thirty。　He　was　happy　and　pleasant　and　he　said　I　could　go　to　a　jewelry　store　this　morning　and　take　my　pick　of　the　stock。〃　She　looked　pleadingly　at　John　Quincy。　〃That's　the　last　I　ever　saw　of　him。　It's　the　truth；　so　help　me。〃
　〃I　wonder；〃　mused　John　Quincy。
　She　moved　nearer。　〃Say；　you're　a　nice　kid；〃　she　said。　〃The　kind　I　used　to　meet　in　Boston　when　we　played　there。　The　kind　that's　got　some　consideration　for　a　woman。　You　ain't　going　to　drag　me　into　this。　Think　what　it　would　mean　…　to　me。〃
　John　Quincy　did　not　speak。　He　saw　there　were　tears　in　her　eyes。　〃You've　probably　heard　things　about　me；〃　she　went　on；　〃but　they　ain't　true。　You　don't　know　what　I　been　up　against　out　here。　An　unprotected　woman　don't　have　much　chance　anywhere；　but　on　this　beach；　where　men　e　drifting　in　from　all　over　the　world　…　I　been　friendly；　that's　my　only　trouble。　I　was　homesick　…　oh；　God；　wasn't　I　homesick！　I　was　having　a　good　time　back　there；　and　then　I　fell　for　Bill　pton　and　came　out　here　with　him；　and　sometimes　in　the　night　I'd　wake　up　and　remember　Broadway　was　five　thousand　miles　away；　and　I'd　cry　so　hard　I'd　wake　him。　And　that　made　him　sore　…〃
　She　paused。　John　Quincy　was　impressed　by　the　note　of　true　nostalgia　in　her　voice。　He　was；　suddenly；　rather　sorry　for　her。
　〃Then　Bill's　plane　crashed　on　Diamond　Head；〃　she　continued；　〃and　I　was　all　alone。　And　these　black　sheep　along　the　beach；　they　knew　I　was　alone　…　and　broke。　And　I　was　homesick　for　Forty…second　Street；　for　the　old　boardinghouse　and　the　old　gang　and　the　Automat　and　the　chewing…gum　sign；　and　try…outs　at　New　Haven。　So　I　gave　a　few　parties　just　to　forget；　and　people　began　to　talk。〃
　〃You　might　have　gone　back；〃　John　Quincy　suggested。
　〃I　know　…　why　didn't　I？　I　been　intending　to；　right　along；　but　every　day　out　here　is　just　like　any　other　day；　and　somehow　you　don't　get　round　to　picking　one　out　…　I　been　drifting　…　but　honest　to　God　if　you　keep　me　out　of　this　I'll　go　home　on　the　first　boat。　I'll　get　me　a　job；　and　…　and　…　If　you'll　only　keep　me　out　of　it。　You　got　a　chance　now　to　wreck　my　life　…　it's　all　up　to　you　…　but　I　know　you　ain't　going　to　…〃
　She　seized　John　Quincy's　hand　in　both　of　hers；　and　gazed　at　him　pleadingly　through　her　tears。　It　was　the　most　unfortable　moment　of　his　life。　He　looked　wildly　about　the　little　room；　so　different　from　any　in　the　house　on　Beacon　Street。　He　pulled　his　hand　away。
　〃I'll　…　I'll　see；〃　he　said；　rising　hastily。　〃I'll　think　it　over。〃
　〃But　I　can't　sleep　to…night　if　I　don't　know；〃　she　told　him。
　〃I'll　have　to　think　it　over；〃　he　repeated。　He　turned　toward　the　table　in　time　to　see　the　woman's　slim　hand　reach　out　and　seize　the　bit　of　jewelry。　〃I'll　take　the　brooch；〃　he　added。
　She　looked　up　at　him。　Suddenly　John　Quincy　knew　that　she　had　been　acting；　that　his　emotions　had　been　falsely　played　upon；　and　he　felt　again　that　hot　rush　of　blood　to　the　head；　that　quick　surge　of　anger；　he　had　experienced　in　Dan　Winterslip's　hall。