the vision spendid(美景)-第26章
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down from a pyramid of them。 Jeff whirled； was upon her in an instant
before she could escape。
She was shrinking against the wall of the warehouse； her face a tragic
mask in its haggard pallor； a white outline clenched hard against the
driving rain。 One hand was at her heart； the other beat against the air to
hold him back。
〃Nellie！〃 he cried。
〃What do you want？ Let me alone！ Let me alone！〃 She was panting
like a spent deer； and in her wild eyes he saw the hunted look of a forest
creature at bay。
〃We've looked everywhere for you。 I've come to take you home。〃
〃Home！〃 Her strange laughter mocked the word。 〃There's no home for
folks like me in this world。〃
〃Your mother is breaking her heart for you。 She thinks of nothing else。
All night she keeps a light burning to let you know。〃
She broke into a sob。 〃I've seen it。 To…night I saw itfor the last time。〃
〃It is pitiful how she waits and waits；〃 he went on quietly。 〃She takes
out your dresses and airs them。 All the playthings you used when you were
a little girl she keeps near her。 She〃
〃Don't！ Don't！〃 she begged。
〃Your place is set at the table every day； so that when you come in it
may be ready。〃
At that she leaned against the crates and broke down utterly。 Jeff knew
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that for the moment the battle was won。 He slipped out of his rain coat and
made her put it on； coaxing her gently while the sobs shook her。 He led her
by the hand back to Pacific Avenue； talking cheerfully as if it were a
matter of course。
Here Marchant met them。
〃I want a cab； Oscar；〃 Jeff told him。
While he was gone they waited in the entrance to a store that sheltered
them from the rain。
Suddenly the girl turned to Jeff。 〃II was going to do it to… night；〃 she
whispered。
He nodded。 〃That's all past now。 Don't think of it。 There are good days
aheadhappy days。 It will be new life to your mother to see you。 We've all
been frightfully anxious。〃
She shivered； beginning to sob once more。 Not for an instant had he
withdrawn the hand to which she clung so desperately。
〃It's all right； Nellie。 。 。All right at last。 You're going home to those that
love you。〃
〃Not to…nightnot while I'm looking like this。 Don't take me home to…
night；〃 she begged。 〃I can't stand it yet。 Give me to…night； please。 I 。 。 。〃
She trembled like an aspen。 Jeff could see she was exhausted； in
deadly fear； ready to give way to any wild impulse that might seize her。 To
reason with her would do no good and might do much harm。 He must
humor her fancy about not going home at once。 But he could not take her
to a rooming house and leave her alone while her mind was in this
condition。 She must be watched； protected against herself。 Otherwise in
the morning she might be gone。
〃All right。 You may have my rooms。 Here's the cab。〃
Jeff helped her in； thanked Marchant with a word； got in himself； and
shut the door。 They were driven through streets shining with rain beneath
the light clusters。 Nellie crouched in a corner and wept。 As they swung
down Powers Avenue they passed motor car after motor car filled with gay
parties returning from the theaters。 He glimpsed young women in furs；
wrapped from the cruelty of life by the caste system in which wealth had
incased them。 Once a ripple of merry laughter floated to him across the
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gulf that separated this girl from them。
A year ago her laughter had been light as theirs。 Life had been a thing
beautiful； full of color。 She had come to it eagerly； like a lover； glad
because it was so good。
But it had not been good to her。 By the cluster lights he could see how
fearfully it had mauled her； how cruelly its irony had kissed hollows in her
young cheeks。 All the bloom of her was gone； all the brave pride and joy
of youthgone beyond hope of resurrection。 Why must such things be？
Why so much to the few； so little to the many？ And why should that little
be taken away？ He saw as in a vision the infinite procession of her
hopeless sisters who had traveled the same road； saw them first as sweet
and carefree children bubbling with joy； and again； after the _World_ had
misused them for its pleasure； haggard； tawdry； with dragging steps
trailing toward the oblivion that awaited them。 Good God； how long must
life be so terribly wasted？ How long a bruised and broken thing instead of
the fine； brave adventure for which it was meant？
Across his mind flashed Realf's words：
〃Amen！〃 I have cried in battle…time； When my beautiful heroes
perished； The earth of the Lord shall bloom sublime By the blood of his
martyrs nourished。 〃Amen！〃 I have said； when limbs were hewn And our
wounds were blue and ghastly The flesh of a man may fail and swoon But
God shall conquer lastly。
PART 4
As Jeff helped her from the cab in front of the block where he lived a
limousine flashed past。 It caught his glance for an instant； long enough for
him to recognize his Cousin James； Mrs。 Van Tyle and Alice Frome。 The
arm which supported Nellie did not loosen from her waist； though he
knew they had seen him and would probably draw conclusions。
The young woman was trembling violently。
〃My rooms are in the second story。 Can you walk？ Or shall I carry
you？〃 Farnum asked。
〃I can walk；〃 she told him almost in a whisper。
He got her upstairs and into the big armchair in front of the gas log。
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Now that she had slipped out of his rain coat he saw that she was wet to
the skin。 From his bedroom he brought a bathrobe； pajamas； woolen
slippers； anything he could find that was warm and soft。 In front of her he
dumped them all。
〃I'm going down to the drug store to get you something that will warm
you； Nellie。 While I'm away change your clothes and get into these
things；〃 he told her。
She looked up at him with tears in her eyes。 〃You're good。〃
A lump rose in his heart。 He thought of those evenings before the grate
alone with her and of the desperate fight he had had with his passions。
Good！ He accused himself bitterly for the harm that he had done her。 But
before her his smile was bright and cheerful。
〃We're all going to be so good to you that you'll not know us。 Haven't
we been waiting two months for a chance to spoil you？〃
〃Do you 。 。 。 know？〃 she whispered； color for an instant in her wan
face。
〃I know things aren't half so bad as they seem to you。 Dear girl； we are
your friends。 We've not done right by you。 Even your mother has been
careless and let you get hurt。 But we're going to make it up to you now。〃
A man on the other side of the street watched Jeff come down and
cross to the drug store。 Billie Gray； ballot box stuffer； detective； and
general handy man for Big Tim O'Brien； had been lurking in that entry
when Jeff came home。 He had sneaked up the stairs after them and had
seen the editor disappear into his rooms with one whom he took to be a
woman of the street。 Already a second plain clothes man was doing sentry
duty。 The policeman whose beat it was sat in the drug store and kept an
eye open from that quarter。
To the officer Jeff nodded casually。 〃Bad weather to be out all night in；
Nolan。〃
〃Right you are； Mr。 Farnum。〃
The editor ordered a bottle of whiskey and while it was being put up
passed into the telephone booth and closed the door behind him。 He called
up Olive 43I。
Central rang again and again。
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〃Can't get your party；〃 she told him at last。
〃You'll waken him presently。 Keep at it； please。 It's very important。〃
At last Sam Miller's voice answered。 〃Hello！ Hello！ What is it？〃
〃I've found Nellie。 。 。 。 Just in time。 thank God。 。 。She's at my
rooms。 。 。 。 Have Mrs。 Anderson bring an entire change of clothing for
her。 。 。 。 Yes； she's very much exhausted。 I'll tell you all about it later。。。。
Come quietly。 She may be asleep when you get here。〃
Jeff hung up the receiver； paid for the whiskey； and returned to his
rooms。 He did not know that he had left three good and competent
witnesses who were ready to take oath that he had brought to his rooms at
midnight a woman of the half world and that he had later bought liquor
and returned with it to his apartment。
Billie Gray thumped his fist into his open palm。 〃We've got him。 We've
got him right。 He can't get away from it。 By Gad； we've got him at last！〃
Jeff found Nellie wrapped in his bathrobe in the big chair before the
gas log。 Her own wet clothes were out of sight behind a screen。
〃You locked the door when you went out；〃 she charged。
〃Some of my friends might have dropped in to see me；〃 he explained
with his disarming smile。
But he could see in her eyes the unreasoning fear of a child that has
been badly hurt。 He had locked the door on the outside。 She was going to
be dragged home whether she wanted to go or not。 Dread of that hour was
heavy on her soul。 Jeff knew the choice must be hers； not his。 He spoke
quietly。
〃You're not a prisoner； of course。 You may go whenever you like。 I
would have no right to keep you。 But you will hurt me very much if you
go before morning。〃
〃Where will you stay？〃 she asked。
〃I'll sleep on the lounge in this room；〃 he answered in his most matter
of fact voice。
While he busied himself preparing a toddy for her she began to tell
brokenly； by snatches； the story of her wanderings。 She had gone to
Portland and had found w
