第28章WhiletheAutoWaits

第28章whiletheautowaits

promptlyatthebeginningoftwilight,cameagaintothatqui-etcornerofthatquiet,smallparkthegirlingrey.shesatuponabenchandreadabook,fortherewasyettocomeahalfhourinwhichprintcouldbeaccomplished.

torepeat:herdresswasgrey,andplainenoughtomaskitsimpeccancyofstyleandfit.alarge-meshedveilimprisonedherturbanhatandafacethatshonethroughitwithacalmandunconsciousbeauty.shehadcomethereatthesamehouronthedayprevious,andonthedaybeforethat;andtherewasonewhoknewit.

theyoungmanwhoknewithoverednear,relyinguponburntsacrificestothegreatjoss,luck.hispietywasrewarded,for,inturningapage,herbookslippedfromherfingersandboundedfromthebenchafullyardaway.

theyoungmanpounceduponitwithinstantavidity,returningittoitsownerwiththatairthatseemstoflourishinparksandpublicplaces—acompoundofgallantryandhope,temperedwithrespectforthepolicemanonthebeat.inapleasantvoice,heriskedaninconsequentremarkupontheweather—thatintroductorytopicresponsibleforsomuchoftheworld'sunhappiness—andstoodpoisedforamoment,awaitinghisfate.

thegirllookedhimoverleisurely;athisordiuary,neatdressandhisfeaturesdistinguishedbynothingparticularinthewayofexpression.

"youmaysitdown,ifyoulike,"shesaid,inafull,deliberatecontralto."really,iwouldliketohaveyoudoso.thelightistoobadforreading.iwouldprefertotalk."

thevassalofluckslidupontheseatbyhersidewithcomplaisance.

"doyouknow,"hesaid,speakingtheformulawithwhichparkchairmenopentheirmeetings"thatyouarequitethestunningestgirlihaveseeninalongtime?ihadmyeyeonyouyesterday.didn'tknowsomebodywasbowledoverbythoseprettylampsofyours,didyou,honeysuckle?"

"whoeveryouare,"saidthegirl,inicytones,"youmustremem-berthatiamalady.iwillexcusetheremarkyouhavejustmadebecausethemistakewas,doubtless,notanunnaturalone—inyourcircle.iaskedyoutositdown,iftheinvitationmustconstitutemeyourhoneysuckle,consideritwithdrawn."

"iearnestlybegyourpardon,"pleadedtheyoungran.hisexpressionofsatisfactionhadchangedtooneofpenitenceandhumility."itwasmyfault,youknow—imean,therearegirlsinparks,youknow—thatis,ofcourse,youdon'tknow,but—"

"abandonthesubject,ifyouplease.ofcourseiknow.now,tellmeaboutthesepeoplepassingandcrowding,eachway,alongthesepaths.wherearetheygoing?whydotheyhurryso?aretheyhappy?"

theyoungmanhadpromptlyabandonedhisairofcoquetry.hiscuewasnowforawaitingpart;hecouldnotguesstherolehewouldbeexpectedtoplay.

"itisinterestingtowatchthem,"hereplied,postulatinghermood."itisthewonderfuldramaoflife.somearegoingtosupperandsometo—er—otherplaces.onewonderswhattheirhistoriesare."

"idonot,"saidthegirl;"iamnotsoinquisitive.icomeheretositbecausehere,only,canibenearthegreat,common,throbbingheartofhumanity.mypartinlifeiseastwhereitsbeatsareneverfelt.canyousurmisewhyispoketoyou,mr.—?"

"parkenstacker,"suppliedtheyoungman.thenhelookedeagerandhopeful.

"no,"saidthegirl,holdingupaslenderfinger,andsmilingslightly."youwouldrecognizeitimmediately.itisimpossibletokeepone'snameoutofprint.orevenone'sportrait.thisveilandthishatofmymaidfurnishmewithanincog.youshouldhaveseenthechauffeurstareatitwhenhethoughtididnotsee.candidly,therearefiveorsixnamesthatbelongintheholyofholies,andmine,bytheaccidentofbirth,isoneofthem.ispoketoyou,mr.stackenpot—"

"parkenstacker,"correctedtheyoungmanmodestly.

"—mr.parkenstacker,becauseiwantedtotalk,foronce,withanaturalman—oneunspoiledbythedespicableglossofwealthandsupposedsocialsuperiority.oh!youdonotknowhowwearyiamofit—money,money,money!andofthemenwhosurroundme,dancinglikelittlemarionettesallcutbythesamepattern.iamsickofpleasure,ofjewels,oftravel,ofsociety,ofluxuriesofallkinds."

"ialwayshadanidea,"venturedtheyoungmanhesitatingly,"thatmoneymustbeaprettygoodthing."

"acompetenceistobedesired.butwhenyouhavesomanymillionsthat—!"sheconcludedthesentencewithagestureofdespair."itisthemonotonyofit,"shecontinued,"thatpalls.drives,dinners,theatres,balls,suppers,withthegildingofsuperfluouswealthoveritall.sometimestheverytinkleoftheiceinmychampagneglassnearlydrivesmemad."

mr.parkenstackerlookedingenuouslyinterested.

"ihavealwaysliked,"hesaid,"toreadandhearaboutthewaysofwealthyandfashionablefolks.isupposeiamabitofasnob.butiliketohavemyinformationaccurate.now,ihadformedtheopinionthatchampagneiscooledinthebottleandnotbyplacingiceintheglass."

thegirlgaveamusicallaughofgenuineamusement.

"youshouldknow,"sheexplained,inanindulgenttone,"thatweofthenon-usefulclassdependforouramusementupondeparturefromprecedent.justnowitisafadtoputiceinchampagne.theideawasoriginatedbyavisitingprinceoftartarywhilediningatthewaldorf.itwillsoongivewaytosomeotherwhim.justasatadinnerpartythisweekonmadisonavenueagreenkidglovewaslaidbytheplateofeachguesttobeputonandusedwhileeatingolives."

"isee,"admittedtheyoungmanhumbly."thesespecialdiversionsoftheinnercircledonotbecomefamiliartothecommonpublic."

"sometimes,"continuedthegirl,acknowledginghisconfessionoferrorbyaslightbow,"ihavethoughtthatifievershouldloveamanitwouldbeoneoflowlystation.onewhoisaworkerandnotadrone.but,doubtless,theclaimsofcasteandwealthwillprovestrongerthanmyinclination.justnowiambesiegedbytwo.oneisagranddukeofagermanprincipality.ithinkhehas,orhashad,awife,somewhere,drivenmadbyhisintemperanceandcruelty.theotherisanenglishmarquis,socoldandmercenarythatievenpreferthediabolismoftheduke.whatisitthatimpelsmetotellyouthesethings,mr.packenstacker?"

"parkenstacker,"breathedtheyoungman."indeedyoucannotknowhowmuchiappreciateyourconfidences."

thegirlcontemplatedhimwiththecalm,impersonalregardthatbefittedthedifferenceintheirstations.

"whatisyourlineofbusiness,mr.parkenstacker?"sheasked.

"averyhumbleone.butihopetoriseintheworld.wereyoureallyinearnestwhenyousaidthatyoucouldloveamanoflowlyposition?"

"indeediwas.butisaid'might.’thereisthegranddukeandthemarquis,youknow.yes;nocallingcouldbetoohumblewerethemanwhatiwouldwishhimtobe."

"iwork,"declaredmr.parkenstacker,"inarestaurant."

thegirlshranksligbtly.

"notasawaiter?"shesaid,alittleimploringly."laborisnoble,butpersonalattendance,youknow—valetsand—"

"iamnotawaiter.iamcashierin"—onthestreettheyfacedthatboundedtheoppositesideoftheparkwasthebrilliantelectricsign"restaurant"—"iamcashierinthatrestaurantyouseethere."

thegirlconsultedatinywatchsetinabraceletofrichdesignuponherleftwrist,androse,hurriedly.shethrustherbookintoaglitteringreticulesuspendedfromherwaist,forwhich,however,thebookwastoolarge.

"whyareyounotatwork?"sheasked.

"iamonthenightturn,"saidtheyoungman;"itisyetanhourbeforemyperiodbegins.mayinothopetoseeyouagain?"

"idonotknow.perhaps—butthewhimmaynotseizemeagain.imustgoquicklynow.thereisadinner,andaboxattheplay—and,oh!thesameoldround.perhapsyounoticedanautomobileattheuppercorneroftheparkasyoucame.onewithawhitebody."

"audredrunninggear?"askedtheyoungman,knittinghisbrowsreflectively.

"yes.ialwayscomeinthat.pierrewaitsformethere.hesupposesmetobeshoppinginthedepartmentstoreacrossthesquare.conceiveofthebondageofthelifewhereinwemustdeceiveevenourchauffeurs.goodnight."

"butitisdarknow,"saidmr.parkenstaeker,"andtheparkisfullofrudemen.mayinotwalk—"

"ifyouhavetheslightestregardformywishes,"saidthegirl,firmly,"youwillremainatthisbenchfortenminutesafterihaveleft.idonotmeantoaccuseyou,butyouareprobablyawarethatautosgenerallybearthemonogramoftheirowner.again,goodnight."

swiftandstatelyshemovedawaythroughthedusk.theyoungmanwatchedhergracefulformasshereachedthepavementatthepark'sedge,andturnedupalongittowardthecornerwherestoodtheautomobile.thenhetreacherouslyandunhesitatinglybegantododgeandskimamongtheparktreesandshrubberyinacourseparalleltoherroute,keepingherwellinsight.

whenshereachedthecornersheturnedherheadtoglanceatthemotorcar,andthenpassedit,continuingonacrossthestreet.shelteredbehindaconvenientstandingcab,theyoungmanfollowedhermovementscloselywithhiseyes.passingdownthesidewalkofthestreetoppositethepark,sheenteredtherestaurantwiththeblazingsign.theplacewasoneofthosefranklyglaringestablishments,allwhitepaintandglass,whereonemaydinecheaplyandconspicuously.thegirlpenetratedtherestauranttosomeretreatatitsrear,whenceshequicklyemergedwithoutherbatandveil.

thecashier'sdeskwaswelltothefront.ared-hairedgirlonthestoolclimbeddown,glancingpointedlyattheclockasshedidso.

thegirlingreymountedinherplace.

theyoungmanthrusthishandsintohispocketsandwalkedslowlyhackalongthesidewalk.atthecornerhisfootstruckasmall,paper-coveredvolumelyingthere,sendingitslidingtotheedgeoftheturf.byitspicturesquecoverherecognizeditasthebookthegirlhadbeenreading.hepickeditupcarelessly,andsawthatitstitlewas"newarabiannights",theauthorbeingofthenameofstevenson.hedroppeditagainuponthegrass,andlounged,irresolute,foraminute.thenhesteppedintotheautomobile,reclineduponthecushions,andsaidtwowordstothechauffeur:

"club,henri."