one basket(一个篮子)-第3章
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Snooky； regretful eyes on the toothsome dainties； turned away aggrieved。
The Very Young Wife； her lips set； her eyes flashing； advanced and seized
the shrieking Snooky by one arm and dragged her away toward home and
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safety。
Blanche Devine stood there at the fence； holding the saucer in her
hand。 The saucer tipped slowly； and the three cookies slipped off and fell
to the grass。 Blanche Devine stood staring at them a moment。 Then she
turned quickly； went into the house； and shut the door。
It was about this time we noticed that Blanche Devine was away much
of the time。 The little white cottage would be empty for weeks。 We
knew she was out of town because the expressman would come for her
trunk。 We used to lift our eyebrows significantly。 The newspapers and
handbills would accumulate in a dusty little heap on the porch； but when
she returned there was always a grand cleaning； with the windows open；
and Blancheher head bound turbanwise in a towelappearing at a
window every few minutes to shake out a dustcloth。 She seemed to put
an enormous amount of energy into those cleaningsas if they were a sort
of safety valve。
As winter came on she used to sit up before her grate fire long； long
after we were asleep in our beds。 When she neglected to pull down the
shades we could see the flames of her cosy fire dancing gnomelike on the
wall。 There came a night of sleet and snow； and wind and rattling hail
one of those blustering； wild nights that are followed by morning…paper
reports of trains stalled in drifts； mail delayed； telephone and telegraph
wires down。 It must have been midnight or past when there came a
hammering at Blanche Devine's doora persistent； clamorous rapping。
Blanche Devine； sitting before her dying fire half asleep； started and
cringed when she heard it； then jumped to her feet； her hand at her breast
her eyes darting this way and that； as though seeking escape。
She had heard a rapping like that before。 It had meant bluecoats
swarming up the stairway； and frightened cries and pleadings； and wild
confusion。 So she started forward now； quivering。 And then she
remembered； being wholly awake nowshe remembered； and threw up
her head and smiled a little bitterly and walked toward the door。 The
hammering continued； louder than ever。 Blanche Devine flicked on the
porch light and opened the door。 The half…clad figure of the Very Young
Wife next door staggered into the room。 She seized Blanche Devine's
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arm with both her frenzied hands and shook her； the wind and snow
beating in upon both of them。
〃The baby！〃 she screamed in a high； hysterical voice。 〃The baby！
The baby！〃
Blanche Devine shut the door and shook the Young Wife smartly by
the shoulders。
〃Stop screaming；〃 she said quietly。 〃Is she sick？〃
The Young Wife told her； her teeth chattering：
〃Come quick！ She's dying！ Will's out of town。 I tried to get the
doctor。 The telephone wouldn't I saw your light！ For God's sake〃
Blanche Devine grasped the Young Wife's arm； opened the door； and
together they sped across the little space that separated the two houses。
Blanche Devine was a big woman； but she took the stairs like a girl and
found the right bedroom by some miraculous woman instinct。 A dreadful
choking； rattling sound was coming from Snooky's bed。
〃Croup；〃 said Blanche Devine； and began her fight。
It was a good fight。 She marshaled her inadequate forces； made up of
the half…fainting Young Wife and the terrified and awkward hired girl。
〃Get the hot water onlots of it！〃 Blanche Devine pinned up her
sleeves。 〃Hot cloths！ Tear up a sheetor anything！ Got an oilstove？ I
want a tea… kettle boiling in the room。 She's got to have the steam。 If
that don't do it we'll raise an umbrella over her and throw a sheet over； and
hold the kettle under till the steam gets to her that way。 Got any ipecac？〃
The Young Wife obeyed orders； white…faced and shaking。 Once
Blanche Devine glanced up at her sharply。
〃Don't you dare faint！〃 she commanded。
And the fight went on。 Gradually the breathing that had been so
frightful became softer； easier。 Blanche Devine did not relax。 It was
not until the little figure breathed gently in sleep that Blanche Devine sat
back； satisfied。 Then she tucked a cover at the side of the bed； took a last
satisfied look at the face on the pillow； and turned to look at the wan；
disheveled Young Wife。
〃She's all right now。 We can get the doctor when morning comes
though I don't know's you'll need him。〃
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The Young Wife came round to Blanche Devine's side of the bed and
stood looking up at her。
〃My baby died；〃 said Blanche Devine simply。 The Young Wife gave
a little inarticulate cry； put her two hands on Blanche Devine's broad
shoulders； and laid her tired head on her breast。
〃I guess I'd better be going；〃 said Blanche Devine。
The Young Wife raised her head。 Her eyes were round with fright。
〃Going！ Oh； please stay！ I'm so afraid。 Suppose she should take
sick again！ That awfulbreathing〃
〃I'll stay if you want me to。〃
〃Oh； please！ I'll make up your bed and you can rest〃
〃I'm not sleepy。 I'm not much of a hand to sleep anyway。 I'll sit up
here in the hall； where there's a light。 You get to bed。 I'll watch and see
that everything's all right。 Have you got something I can read out here
something kind of livelywith a love story in it？〃
So the night went by。 Snooky slept in her white bed。 The Very
Young Wife half dozed in her bed； so near the little one。 In the hall； her
stout figure looming grotesque in wall shadows； sat Blanche Devine；
pretending to read。 Now and then she rose and tiptoed into the bedroom
with miraculous quiet； and stooped over the little bed and listened and
lookedand tiptoed away again； satisfied。
The Young Husband came home from his business trip next day with
tales of snowdrifts and stalled engines。 Blanche Devine breathed a sigh
of relief when she saw him from her kitchen window。 She watched the
house now with a sort of proprietary eye。 She wondered about Snooky；
but she knew better than to ask。 So she waited。 The Young Wife next
door had told her husband all about that awful nighthad told him with
tears and sobs。 The Very Young Husband had been very； very angry with
her angry； he said； and astonished！ Snooky could not have been so sick！
Look at her now！ As well as ever。 And to have called such a woman！
Well； he did not want to be harsh； but she must understand that she must
never speak to the woman again。 Never！
So the next day the Very Young Wife happened to go by with the
Young Husband。 Blanche Devine spied them from her sitting…room
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window； and she made the excuse of looking in her mailbox in order to go
to the door。 She stood in the doorway and the Very Young Wife went by
on the arm of her husband。 She went byrather white…facedwithout a
look or a word or a sign！
And then this happened！ There came into Blanche Devine's face a
look that made slits of her eyes； and drew her mouth down into an ugly；
narrow line； and that made the muscles of her jaw tense and hard。 It was
the ugliest look you can imagine。 Then she smiledif having one's lips
curl away from one's teeth can be called smiling。
Two days later there was great news of the white cottage on the corner。
The curtains were down； the furniture was packed； the rugs were rolled。
The wagons came and backed up to the house and took those things that
had made a home for Blanche Devine。 And when we heard that she had
bought back her interest in the House with the Closed Shutters； near the
freight depot； we sniffed。
〃I knew she wouldn't last！〃 we said。
〃They never do！〃 said we。
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The Gay Old Dog ＇1917＇
Those of you who have dweltor even lingeredin Chicago； Illinois；
are familiar with the region known as the Loop。 For those others of you
to whom Chicago is a transfer point between New York and California
there is presented this brief explanation：
The Loop is a clamorous； smoke…infested district embraced by the iron
arms of the elevated tracks。 In a city boasting fewer millions； it would be
known familiarly as downtown。 From Congress to Lake Street； from
Wabash almost to the river； those thunderous tracks make a complete
circle； or loop。 Within it lie the retail shops； the commercial hotels； the
theaters； the restaurants。 It is the Fifth Avenue and the Broadway of
Chicago。
And he who frequents it by night in search of amusement and cheer is
known； vulgarly； as a Loop…hound。
Jo Hertz was a Loop…hound。 On the occasion of those sparse first
nights granted the metropolis of the Middle West he was always present；
third row； aisle； left。 When a new Loop cafe' was opened； Jo's table
always commanded an unobstructed view of anything worth vie
