one basket(一个篮子)-第7章
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contemptuous nieces。 He sent them gorgeous furs； and watch bracelets；
and bags。 He took two expensive rooms at a downtown hotel； and there
was something more tear…compelling than grotesque about the way he
gloated over the luxury of a separate ice…water tap in the bathroom。 He
explained it。
〃Just turn it on。 Any hour of the day or night。 Ice water！〃
He bought a car。 Naturally。 A glittering affair； in color a bright blue；
with pale…blue leather straps and a great deal of gold fittings； and special
tires。 Eva said it was the kind of thing a chorus girl would use； rather
than an elderly businessman。 You saw him driving about in it； red…faced
and rather awkward at the wheel。 You saw him； too； in the Pompeian
Room at the Congress Hotel of a Saturday afternoon when roving…eyed
matrons in mink coats are wont to congregate to sip pale…amber drinks。
Actors grew to recognize the semibald head and the shining； round； good…
natured face looming out at them from the dim well of the theater； and
sometimes； in a musical show； they directed a quip at him； and he liked it。
He could pick out the critics as they came down the aisle； and even had a
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nodding acquaintance with two of them。
〃Kelly； of the Herald；〃 he would say carelessly。 〃Bean。 of the Trib。
They're all afraid of him。〃
So he frolicked； ponderously。 In New York he might have been
called a Man About Town。
And he was lonesome。 He was very lonesome。 So he searched
about in his mind and brought from the dim past the memory of the
luxuriously furnished establishment of which he used to dream in the
evenings when he dozed over his paper in the old house on Calumet。 So
he rented an apartment； many…roomed and expensive； with a manservant
in charge； and furnished it in styles and periods ranging through all the
Louis。 The living room was mostly rose color。 It was like an unhealthy
and bloated boudoir。 And yet there was nothing sybaritic or uncleanly in
the sight of this paunchy； middle…aged man sinking into the rosy…
cushioned luxury of his ridiculous home。 It was a frank and naive
indulgence of long…starved senses； and there was in it a great resemblance
to the rolling…eyed ecstasy of a schoolboy smacking his lips over an all…
day sucker。
The war went on； and on； and on。 And the money continued to roll
in a flood of it。 Then； one afternoon； Eva； in town on shopping bent；
entered a small； exclusive； and expensive shop on Michigan Avenue。
Eva's weakness was hats。 She was seeking a hat now。 She described
what she sought with a languid conciseness； and stood looking about her
after the saleswoman had vanished in quest of it。 The room was
becomingly rose…illumined and somewhat dim； so that some minutes had
passed before she realized that a man seated on a raspberry brocade settee
not five feet away a man with a walking stick； and yellow gloves； and
tan spats； and a check suitwas her brother Jo。 From him Eva's wild…
eyed glance leaped to the woman who was trying on hats before one of the
many long mirrors。 She was seated； and a saleswoman was exclaiming
discreetly at her elbow。
Eva turned sharply and encountered her own saleswoman returning
hat…laden。 〃Not today；〃 she gasped。 〃I'm feeling ill。 Suddenly。〃 And
almost ran from the room。
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That evening she told Stell； relating her news in that telephone pidgin
English devised by every family of married sisters as protection against
the neighbors。 Translated； it ran thus：
〃He looked straight at me。 My dear； I thought I'd die！ But at least
he had sense enough not to speak。 She was one of those limp； willowy
creatures with the greediest eyes that she tried to keep softened to a baby
stare； and couldn't； she was so crazy to get her hands on those hats。 I saw
it all in one awful minute。 You know the way I do。 I suppose some
people would call her pretty。 I don't。 And her color。 Well！ And the
most expensive… looking hats。 Not one of them under seventy…five。
Isn't it disgusting！ At his age！ Suppose Ethel had been with me！〃
The next time it was Stell who saw them。 In a restaurant。 She said
it spoiled her evening。 And the third time it was Ethel。 She was one of
the guests at a theater party given by Nicky Overton II。 The North Shore
Overtons。 Lake Forest。 They came in late； and occupied the entire third
row at the opening performance of Believe Me！ And Ethel was Nicky's
partner。 She was glowing like a rose。 When the lights went up after the
first act Ethel saw that her uncle Jo was seated just ahead of her with what
she afterward described as a blonde。 Then her uncle had turned around；
and seeing her； had been surprised into a smile that spread genially all
over his plump and rubicund face。 Then he had turned to face forward
again； quickly。
〃Who's the old bird？〃 Nicky had asked。 Ethel had pretended not to
hear； so he had asked again。
〃My uncle；〃 Ethel answered； and flushed all over her delicate face； and
down to her throat。 Nicky had looked at the blonde； and his eyebrows
had gone up ever so slightly。
It spoiled Ethel's evening。 More than that； as she told her mother of it
later； weeping； she declared it had spoiled her life。
Eva talked it over with her husband in that intimate hour that precedes
bedtime。 She gesticulated heatedly with her hairbrush。
〃It's disgusting； that's what it is。 Perfectly disgusting。 There's no
fool like an old fool。 Imagine！ A creature like that。 At his time of
life。〃
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〃Well； I don't know；〃 Ben said； and even grinned a little。 〃I suppose a
boy's got to sow his wild oats sometime。〃
〃Don't be any more vulgar than you can help；〃 Eva retorted。 〃And I
think you know； as well as I； what it means to have that Overton boy
interested in Ethel。〃
〃If he's interested in her；〃 Ben blundered； 〃I guess the fact that Ethel's
uncle went to the theater with someone who isn't Ethel's aunt won't cause
a shudder to run up and down his frail young frame； will it？〃
〃All right；〃 Eva had retorted。 〃If you're not man enough to stop it； I'll
have to； that's all。 I'm going up there with Stell this week。〃
They did not notify Jo of their coming。 Eva telephoned his apartment
when she knew he would be out； and asked his man if he expected his
master home to dinner that evening。 The man had said yes。 Eva
arranged to meet Stell in town。 They would drive to Jo's apartment
together； and wait for him there。
When she reached the city Eva found turmoil there。 The first of the
American troops to be sent to France were leaving。 Michigan Boulevard
was a billowing； surging mass： flags； pennants； banners； crowds。 All the
elements that make for demonstration。 And over the whole…quiet。 No
holiday crowd； this。 A solid； determined mass of people waiting patient
hours to see the khaki…clads go by。 Three years had brought them to a
clear knowledge of what these boys were going to。
〃Isn't it dreadful！〃 Stell gasped。
〃Nicky Overton's too young； thank goodness。〃
Their car was caught in the jam。 When they moved at all； it was by
inches。 When at last they reached Jo's apartment they were flushed；
nervous； apprehensive。 But he had not yet come in。 So they waited。
No； they were not staying to dinner with their brother； they told the
relieved houseman。
Stell and Eva； sunk in rose…colored cushions； viewed the place with
disgust and some mirth。 They rather avoided each other's eyes。
〃Carrie ought to be here；〃 Eva said。 They both smiled at the thought
of the austere Carrie in the midst of those rosy cushions； and hangings；
and lamps。 Stell rose and began to walk about restlessly。 She picked up
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a vase and laid it down； straightened a picture。 Eva got up； too； and
wandered into the hall。 She stood there a moment； listening。 Then she
turned and passed into Jo's bedroom； Stell following。 And there you
knew Jo for what he was。
This room was as bare as the other had been ornate。 It was Jo； the
clean…minded and simplehearted； in revolt against the cloying luxury with
which he had surrounded himself。 The bedroom； of all rooms in any
house； reflects the personality of its occupant。 True； the actual furniture
was paneled； cupid…surmounted； and ridiculous。 It had been the fruit of
Jo's first orgy of the senses。 But now it stood out in that stark little room
with an air as incongruous and ashamed as that of a pink tarlatan danseuse
who finds herself in a monk's cell。 None of those wall pictures with
which bachelor bedrooms are reputed to be hung。 No satin slippers。 No
scented notes。 Two plain…backed military brushes on the chiffonier （and he
so nearly hairless！）。 A little orderly stack of books on the table near the
bed。 Eva fingered their titles and gave a little gasp。 One of them was
on gardening。
〃We
