the voice of the city- 第32部分

former　affection　was　a　spiritual　one；　in　fact。　　Al…

though　the　lady　aroused　my　deepest　sentiments；　and

was；　as　I　thought；　my　ideal　woman；　I　never　met　her；

and　never　spoke　to　her。　　It　was　an　ideal　love。　　My

love　for　you；　while　no　less　ideal；　is　different。　　You

wouldn't　let　that　come　between　us。'



〃'Was　she　pretty？'　i　asked。



〃'　She　was　very　beautiful；'　said　Arthur。



〃'Did　you　see　her　often？'　　I　asked。



〃'　Something　like　a　dozen　times；'　says　he。



〃'Always　from　a　distance？'　　says　I。



〃'Always　from　quite　a　distance；'　says　he。



〃'And　you　loved　her？'　　I　asked。



〃'She　seemed　my　ideal　of　beauty　and　grace　　and

soul；〃　says　Arthur。



〃'And　this　keepsake　that　you　keep　under　lock　and

key；　and　moon　over　at　times；　is　that　a　remembrance

from　her？'



〃'A　memento；'　says　Arthur；　'that　I　have

treasured。'



〃'Did　she　send　it　to　you？'



〃'It　came　to　me　from　her'　says　be。



〃'In　a　roundabout　way？'　I　asked。



〃'Somewhat　roundabout；'　says　he；　　'and　yet　rather

direct。'



〃'Why　didn't　you　ever　meet　her？'　I　asked。

'Were　your　positions　in　life　so　different？'



〃She　was　far　above　me；'　says　Arthur。　　'Now；

Ida；'　he　goes　on；　'this　is　all　of　the　past。　　You're　not

going　to　be　jealous；　are　you？'



'Jealous！'　says　I。　'Why；　man；　what　are　you

talking　about？　　It　makes　me　think　ten　times　as　much

of　you　as　I　did　before　I　knew　about　it。'



〃And　it　did；　Lynn　…　if　you　can　understand　it。

That　ideal　love　was　a　new　one　on　me；　but　it　struck　me

as　being　the　most　beautiful　and　glorious　thing　I'd

ever　heard　of。　　Think　of　a　man　loving　a　woman　he'd

never　even　spoken　to；　and　being　faithful　just　to　what

his　mind　and　heart　pictured　her！　　Oh；　it　sounded

great　to　me。　　The　men　I'd　always　known　come　at

you　with　either　diamonds；　knock…out…drops　or　a　raise

of　salary；　　and　their　ideals！　　well；　we'll　say　no

more。〃



〃Yes；　it　made　me　think　more　of　Arthur　than　I　did

before。　　I　couldn't　be　jealous　of　that　far…away　divin…

ity　that　he　used　to　worship；　for　I　was　going　to　have

him　myself。　　And　I　began　to　look　upon　him　as　a　saint

on　earth；　just　as　old　lady　Gurley　did。



〃About　four　o'clock　this　afternoon　a　man　came　to

the　house　for　Arthur　to　go　and　see　somebody　that　was

sick　among　his　church　bunch。　　Old　lady　Gurley　was

taking　her　afternoon　snore　on　a　couch；　so　that　left　me

pretty　much　alone。



〃In　passing　by　Arthur's　study　I　looked　in；　and

saw　his　bunch　of　keys　hanging　in　the　drawer　of　his

desk；　where　he'd　forgotten　'em。　　Well；　I　guess　we're

all　to　the　Mrs。　Bluebeard　now　and　then；　ain't　we；

Lynn？　　I　made　up　my　mind　I'd　have　a　look　at　that

memento　he　kept　so　secret。　　Not　that　I　cared　what　it

was　　it　was　just　curiosity。



〃While　I　was　opening　the　drawer　I　imagined　one

or　two　things　it　might　be。　　I　thought　it　might　be　a

dried　rosebud　she'd　dropped　down　to　him　from

a　balcony；　or　maybe　a　picture　of　her　he'd　cut

out　of　a　magazine；　she　being　so　high　up　in　the

world。



〃I　opened　the　drawer；　and　there　was　the　rosewood

casket　about　the　size　of　a　gent's　collar　box。　　I　found

the　little　key　in　the　bunch　that　fitted　it；　and　unlocked

it　and　raised　the　lid。



〃I　took　one　look　at　that　memento；　and　then　I　went

to　my　room　and　packed　my　trunk。　　I　threw　a　few

things　into　my　grip；　gave　my　hair　a　flirt　or　two　with

a　side…comb；　put　on　my　hat；　and　went　in　and　gave　the

old　lady's　foot　a　kick。　　I'd　tried　awfully　hard　to　use

proper　and　correct　language　while　I　was　there　for

Arthur's　sake；　and　I　had　the　habit　down　pat；　but　it

left　me　then。



〃Stop　sawing　gourds；〃　says　I；　〃and　sit　up　and

take　notice。　　The　ghost's　about　to　walk。　　I'm　going

away　from　here；　and　I　owe　you　eight　dollars。　　The

expressman　will　call　for　my　trunk。'



〃I　handed　her　the　money。



〃'Dear　me；　Miss　Crosby！'　says　she。　　'Is　any…

thing　wrong？　　I　thought　you　were　pleased　here。

Dear　me；　young　women　are　so　hard　to　understand；

and　so　different　from　what　you　expect　'em

to　be。'



〃'You're　damn　right；'　says　I。　　'Some　of　'em　are。

But　you　can't　say　that　about　men。　　When　you　know

one　man　you　know　'em　all！　　That　settles　the　human…

race　question。'



〃And　then　I　caught　the　four…thirty…eight；　soft…

coal　unlimited；　and　here　I　am。〃



〃You　didn't　tell　me　what　was　in　the　box；　Lee；〃　said

Miss　D'armande；　anxiously。



〃One　of　those　yellow　silk　garters　that　I　used　to

kick　off　my　leg　into　the　audience　during　that　old

vaudeville　swing　act　of　mine。　　Is　there　any　of　the

cocktail　left；　Lynn？〃











End