It was not that she was suddenly conscience-stricken, or that she thought her mistress had suffered enough without having the skeleton in the cupboard dangled2 in front of the public. The woman was incapable3 of any real love save self love, but she liked Juliet, and would have inflicted4 upon her no great gratuitous5 pain. The pain to be inflicted in this instance, however (as well as other instances in the past), was not gratuitous. Simone would be magnificently paid for inflicting6 it, and so far as Juliet was concerned, she could earn the reward without a qualm. It was for herself that she hesitated; and she did not quite know why.
That was the trouble! If she had known, she could have argued out the two sides of the matter, for and against. But it was only a vague sort of presentiment7 she felt, that she would somehow be sorry if she gave this story to the paper she served. And it might not be a proper presentiment at all, but only a form of indigestion. She had (she too vividly8 recalled) taken at luncheon9 three helpings10 of lobster11 salad, a dish which never agreed with her. Besides, she was naturally excited over her part in the events of the day. And then she had telephoned the office. She had camouflaged12 her message, lest it should be overheard, but what she had said would inform the editor that she had up her sleeve the best tit-bit he had ever got from her.
To-morrow afternoon the Inner Circle (a weekly publication) would be on sale, and the "Whisperer's" columns were always kept back till the latest possible moment, on account of just such morsels13 dropping in.
But to-night the last paragraphs were to be held up expressly for Simone almost beyond the time-limit. She was bound to "make good" or she would never be trusted again, and if the editor were satisfied she was to receive exactly five times the sum she got for more or less valuable items supplied each week.
With a vague, uneasy presentiment in one scale, and five hundred dollars in the other (notes, not a cheque; the Inner Circle never paid cheques for "Whisperer" stuff) the presentiment was outweighed14. Simone had in any case a dinner engagement which nothing short of death would have induced her to miss; and the Duchess had not been gone quite ten minutes when she flew out to keep it.
She said nothing to her dinner companion, however, about the later appointment, and excused herself early on the plea that it would be "like Madame to flash in at home, clamouring for her maid, between Mrs. Van Esten's party and the opera, if only for a minute."
Certainly it was little more than a minute that Simone remained at the Phayre house after being brought back after dinner in a taxi. At the end of that time she was out again, and on her way to the office of the Inner Circle.
About this place there was always something mysterious even to Simone's practical and unimaginative mind, and the private office of the editor was the heart of the mystery—the inner circle of the Inner Circle. For years she had been a highly paid contributor to the scandalous little paper, ever since she had entered her first "smart" situation in New York, and had been approved by a man whose outward business was straightforward15 reporting for the "Society" columns of a reputable daily. When in town, Simone had been in the habit of calling in person instead of trusting to the post, and since her value had become recognized, she was invariably received by the editor himself in that very private sanctuary16 of his. Yet to this day she had never seen his face, and did not know his real name.
"Mr. Jones will speak to you," was the message telephoned down from regions above to the amateurish17 little reception room, where an elderly, mild-faced lady in old-fashioned dress received visitors and tapped a typewriter.
But the Frenchwoman was sure that outside the office HE was other than "Mr. Jones," as sure as that Simone Amaranthe was at home Simonetta Amaranti.
The editor's private office was divided practically into two by means of a fixed18 screen or partition of match-boarding so high that even if an enterprising caller jumped on to a chair he (or she) could not see what lay on the other side. There was no door in this screen, therefore no danger existed that the editor could be "rushed." Against the partition was placed a table and a chair of the ordinary "office furniture" type; and other decoration there was none. On the table were writing materials, and a small house-telephone. By means of this instrument one spoke19 to the Presence on the other side, and he spoke in return. That it was always the same Presence, Simone knew by the voice. It was peculiar20, mincing21, and rather effeminate, and though she shrewdly attributed this quality to disguise, it could not well have been imitated by an understudy.
This happened to be the first time Simone had ever been to the office at night. It was in a cross-town street, within possible walking distance of the Phayre house; and this was luck for her, as she would have taken a taxi with great reluctance22. This errand of hers was the most ticklish23 she had ever carried out, and she could not afford to leave the least detail to chance, in case a hue24 and cry should be raised by the Claremanaghs. Twenty minutes' brisk walk brought her to the door of what had once been a private house, and was now given up to offices. The Inner Circle occupied the two lower floors, and above was quite a well-known, though not very fashionable, manicurist, Madame Veno. Still higher, the fourth (and top) floor was tenanted by a wig25 maker26 who widely advertised a hair-dye "Goldenglints"; and once, when a wave of rage against the "Whisperer" swept New York, it was rumoured27 that both these businesses were secretly owned by the Inner Circle. No proof was obtainable, however, and since then several new managers had come and gone, both for Madame Veno and "Goldenglints."
To-night the whole house front looked so darkly brooding to Simone's worried eyes that she could have believed anything of it, especially anything that was hideous28 and evil.
There were no lights in the windows, and the front door, always open by day, was closed. But the voice which answered Simone's call on the 'phone that afternoon had warned her that this would be so, and had told her what to do. Following instructions, she descended29 the steps to a basement door, and touched an electric bell above which, on a small brass30 plate, was the word "Janitor31."
Two or three minutes passed, and brought no answer. But suddenly, as Simone was about to ring again, the door opened on a chain.
"What do you want?" a woman's voice demanded through the aperture32.
"To see the editor of the Inner Circle," replied Simone. "I have an appointment with him."
"Oh! What is your name?" questioned the voice.
"Mademoiselle Simone Amaranthe."
The chain fell, and the door opened as if the Frenchwoman, challenged, had given the countersign33. Simone squeezed through the small space allowed her, and the door instantly shut.
It was dark in the basement passage except for the light that came from a room at the back. The woman—the janitor's wife, perhaps—had a little knitted shawl over her head, as though she were suffering from neuralgia. Simone could not see what she was like, whether old or young, except that her silhouette34 loomed35 tall and slender against the dim light.
"Can you find your way up?" asked the voice.
"Yes," said Simone, "I was told it would be dark,—and that I must bring an electric torch. I have brought it."
"Very well. Go up, and knock when you come to the door. Mr. Jones is expecting you."
Simone switched on the flame of her torch, and went up.
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1
superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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incapable
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| adj.无能力的，不能做某事的 | |
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inflicted
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gratuitous
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| adj.无偿的，免费的；无缘无故的，不必要的 | |
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inflicting
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| 把…强加给，使承受，遭受( inflict的现在分词 ) | |
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presentiment
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| n.预感，预觉 | |
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vividly
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| adv.清楚地，鲜明地，生动地 | |
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luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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helpings
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| n.（食物）的一份( helping的名词复数 )；帮助，支持 | |
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lobster
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| n.龙虾，龙虾肉 | |
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12
camouflaged
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| v.隐蔽( camouflage的过去式和过去分词 )；掩盖；伪装，掩饰 | |
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13
morsels
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| n.一口( morsel的名词复数 )；（尤指食物）小块，碎屑 | |
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14
outweighed
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| v.在重量上超过( outweigh的过去式和过去分词 )；在重要性或价值方面超过 | |
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15
straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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sanctuary
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| n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区 | |
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amateurish
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| n.业余爱好的，不熟练的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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mincing
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| adj.矫饰的；v.切碎；切碎 | |
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reluctance
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| n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿 | |
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ticklish
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| adj.怕痒的；问题棘手的；adv.怕痒地；n.怕痒，小心处理 | |
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hue
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| n.色度；色调；样子 | |
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wig
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| n.假发 | |
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maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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rumoured
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| adj.谣传的；传说的；风 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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janitor
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| n.看门人，管门人 | |
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32
aperture
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| n.孔，隙，窄的缺口 | |
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33
countersign
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| v.副署，会签 | |
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34
silhouette
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| n.黑色半身侧面影，影子，轮廓；v.描绘成侧面影，照出影子来，仅仅显出轮廓 | |
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35
loomed
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| v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的过去式和过去分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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