按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I reckoned ez much；〃 returned his interrogator； smiling
significantly at the other passengers。 〃But in what place？〃
〃Oh； many；〃 said Demorest； smiling also。
〃But what place war ye last livin' at？〃
〃Well；〃 said Demorest； descending the steps； but lingering for a
moment with his hand on the door of the coach； 〃oddly enough； now
you remind me of itat Hymettus！〃
He closed the door； and the coach rolled on。 The passenger
reddened； glanced indignantly after the departing figure of
Demorest and suspiciously at the others。 The lady was looking from
the window with a faint smile on her face。
〃He might hev given me a civil answer；〃 muttered the passenger； and
resumed his novel。
When the coach drew up before Carter's Hotel the lady got down； and
the curiosity of her susceptible companions was gratified to the
extent of learning from the register that her name was Horncastle。
She was shown to a private sitting…room； which chanced to be the
one which had belonged to Mrs。 Barker in the days of her
maidenhood； and was the sacred； impenetrable bower to which she
retired when her daily duties of waiting upon her father's guests
were over。 But the breath of custom had passed through it since
then； and but little remained of its former maiden glories； except
a few schoolgirl crayon drawings on the wall and an unrecognizable
portrait of herself in oil； done by a wandering artist and still
preserved as a receipt for his unpaid bill。 Of these facts Mrs。
Horncastle knew nothing； she was evidently preoccupied； and after
she had removed her outer duster and entered the room； she glanced
at the clock on the mantel…shelf and threw herself with an air of
resigned abstraction in an armchair in the corner。 Her traveling…
dress； although unostentatious； was tasteful and well…fitting； a
slight pallor from her fatiguing journey； and； perhaps； from some
absorbing thought； made her beauty still more striking。 She gave
even an air of elegance to the faded； worn adornments of the room；
which it is to be feared it never possessed in Miss Kitty's
occupancy。 Again she glanced at the clock。 There was a tap at the
door。
〃Come in。〃
The door opened to a Chinese servant bearing a piece of torn paper
with a name written on it in lieu of a card。
Mrs。 Horncastle took it； glanced at the name； and handed the paper
back。
〃There must be some mistake；〃 she said。 〃it do not know Mr。
Steptoe。〃
〃No； but you know ME all the same；〃 said a voice from the doorway
as a man entered； coolly took the Chinese servant by the elbows and
thrust him into the passage； closing the door upon him。 〃Steptoe
and Horncastle are the same man； only I prefer to call myself
Steptoe HERE。 And I see YOU'RE down on the register as 'Horncastle。'
Well； it's plucky of you； and it's not a bad name to keep； you might
be thankful that I have always left it to you。 And if I call myself
Steptoe here it's a good blind against any of your swell friends
knowing you met your HUSBAND here。〃
In the half…scornful； half…resigned look she had given him when he
entered there was no doubt that she recognized him as the man she
had come to see。 He had changed little in the five years that had
elapsed since he entered the three partners' cabin at Heavy Tree
Hill。 His short hair and beard still clung to his head like curled
moss or the crisp flocculence of Astrakhan。 He was dressed more
pretentiously； but still gave the same idea of vulgar strength。
She listened to him without emotion； but said； with even a
deepening of scorn in her manner：
〃What new shame is this？〃
〃Nothing NEW；〃 he replied。 〃Only five years ago I was livin' over
on the Bar at Heavy Tree Hill under the name of Steptoe； and folks
here might recognize me。 I was here when your particular friend；
Jim Stacy； who only knew me as Steptoe； and doesn't know me as
Horncastle； your HUSBAND；for all he's bound up my property for
you；made his big strike with his two partners。 I was in his
cabin that very night； and drank his whiskey。 Oh； I'm all right
there！ I left everything all right behind meonly it's just as
well he doesn't know I'm Horncastle。 And as the boy happened to be
there with me〃 He stopped； and looked at her significantly。
The expression of her face changed。 Eagerness； anxiety； and even
fear came into it in turn； but always mingling with some scorn that
dominated her。 〃The boy！〃 she said in a voice that had changed
too； 〃well； what about him？ You promised to tell me all；all！〃
〃Where's the money？〃 he said。 〃Husband and wife are ONE； I know；〃
he went on with a coarse laugh； 〃but I don't trust MYSELF in these
matters。〃
She took from a traveling…reticule that lay beside her a roll of
notes and a chamois leather bag of coin； and laid them on the table
before him。 He examined both carefully。
〃All right；〃 he said。 〃I see you've got the checks made out 'to
bearer。' Your head's level； Conny。 Pity you and me can't agree。〃
〃I went to the bank across the way as soon as I arrived；〃 she said；
with contemptuous directness。 〃I told them I was going over to
Hymettus and might want money。〃
He dropped into a chair before her with his broad heavy hands upon
his knees； and looked at her with an equal； though baser； contempt：
for his was mingled with a certain pride of mastery and possession。
〃And； of course； you'll go to Hymettus and cut a splurge as you
always do。 The beautiful Mrs。 Horncastle！ The helpless victim of
a wretched； dissipated； disgraced； gambling husband。 So dreadfully
sad； you know； and so interesting！ Could get a divorce from the
brute if she wanted； but won't； on account of her religious
scruples。 And so while the brute is gambling； swindling；
disgracing himself； and dodging a shot here and a lynch committee
there； two or three hundred miles away； you're splurging round in
first…class hotels and watering…places； doing the injured and
abused； and run after by a lot of men who are ready to take my
place； and； maybe； some of my reputation along with it。〃
〃Stop！〃 she said suddenly； in a voice that made the glass
chandelier ring。 He had risen too； with a quick； uneasy glance
towards the door。 But her outbreak passed as suddenly； and sinking
back into her chair； she said； with her previous scornful
resignation； 〃Never mind。 Go on。 You KNOW you're lying！〃
He sat down again and looked at her critically。 〃Yes； as far as
you're concerned I WAS lying！ I know your style。 But as you know；
too； that I'd kill you and the first man I suspected； and there
ain't a judge or a jury in all Californy that wouldn't let me go
free for it； and even consider； too； that it had wiped off the
whole slate agin meit's to my credit！〃
〃I know what you men call chivalry；〃 she said coldly； 〃but I did
not come here to buy a knowledge of that。 So now about the child？〃
she ended abruptly； leaning forward again with the sa