Reason made one more vain cry as she paused at the door below to draw on her gloves.
“You have refused every invitation to see or know the unconventional world into which thousands of women in New York, clear-eyed and unafraid, enter daily. You'd sooner die than pose an hour in Gordon's studio, and on a Sabbath morning you cut your church and go on a day's wild ride with a man you have known but fifteen hours!”
And the voice inside quickly answered:
“But that's different! Gordon's a married man. My chevalier is not! I have the right to go, and he has the right.”
It was settled anyhow before this little controversy1 arose at the street door, but the ready answer she gave eased her conscience and cleared the way for a happy, exciting trip.
He leaped from the big, ugly racer to help her in, stopped and looked at her light clothing.
“That's your heaviest coat?”
“Yes. It isn't cold.”
“I've one for you.”
He drew an enormous fur coat from the car and held it up for her arms.
“You think I'll need that?” she asked.
His white teeth gleamed in a friendly smile.
“Take it from me, Kiddo, you certainly will!”
She winced2 just a little at the common expression, but he said it with such a quick, boyish enthusiasm, she wondered whether he were quoting the expression from the Bowery boy's vocabulary or using it in a facetious3 personal way.
“I knew you'd need it. So I brought it for you,” he added genially4.
“Thanks,” she murmured, lifting her arms and drawing the coat about her trim figure.
He helped her into the car and drew from his pocket a light pair of goggles5.
“Now these, and you're all hunky-dory!”
“Will I need these, too?” she asked incredulously.
“Will you!” he cried. “You wouldn't ask that question if you knew the horse we've got hitched6 to this benzine buggy today. He's got wings—believe me! It's all I can do to hold him on the ground sometimes.”
“You'll drive carefully?” she faltered7.
He lifted his hand.
“With you settin' beside me, my first name's `Caution.'”
She fumbled8 the goggles in a vain effort to lift her arms over her head to fasten them on. He sprang into the seat by her side and promptly9 seized them.
“Let me fix 'em.”
His slender, skillful fingers adjusted the band and brushed a stray ringlet of hair back under the furs. The thrill of his touch swept her with a sudden dizzy sense of excitement. She blushed and drew her head down into the collar of the shaggy coat.
He touched the wheel, and the gray monster leaped from the curb10 and shot down the street. The single impulse carried them to the crossing. He had shut off the power as the machine gracefully11 swung into Fourth Avenue. The turn made, another leap and the car swept up the Avenue and swung through Twenty-sixth Street into Fifth Avenue. Again the power was off as he made the turn into Fifth Avenue at a snail's pace.
“Can't let her out yet,” he whispered apologetically. “Had to make these turns. There's no room for her inside of town.”
Mary had no time to answer. He touched the wheel, and the car shot up the deserted12 Avenue. She gasped13 for breath and braced14 her feet, her whole being tingling15 with the first exhilarating consciousness that she too was possessed16 of the devil of speed madness. It was glorious! For the first time in her life, space and distance lost their meaning. She was free as the birds in the heavens. She was flying on the wings of this gray, steel monster through space. The palaces on the Avenue whirled by in dim ghost-like flashes. They flew through Central Park into Seventy-second Street and out into the Drive. The waters of the river, broad and cool, flashing in the morning sun, rested her eyes a moment and then faded in a twinkling. They had leaped the chasm17 beyond Grant's Tomb, plunged19 into Broadway and before she could get her bearings, swept up the hill at One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Street, slipped gracefully across the iron bridge and in a jiffy were lost in a gray cloud of dust on the Boston Turnpike.
When the first intoxicating21 joy of speed had spent itself, she found herself shuddering22 at the daring turns he made, missing a curb by a hair's breadth—grazing a trolley23 by half an inch. Her fears were soon forgotten.
The hand on the wheel was made of steel, too.
The throbbing24 demon25 encased within the hood26 obeyed his slightest whim27. She glanced at the square, massive jaw28 with furtive29 admiration30.
Without turning his head he laughed.
“You like it, teacher?”
“I'm in Heaven!”
“You won't worry about church then, will you?”
“Not today.”
They stopped at a road-house, and he put in more gasoline, lifted the casing from the engine, touched each vital part, examined his tires, and made sure that his machine was at its best.
She watched him with a growing sense of his strength of character, his poise31 and executive ability. He was an awkward, stammering32 boy in the Library yesterday. Today with this machine in his hand he was the master of Time and Space.
She yielded herself completely to the delicious sense of his protection. The extraordinary care he was giving the machine was a plain avowal33 of his deep regard for her comfort and happiness. She had been in one or two moderately moving cars driven by careful chauffeurs34 through Central Park. She had always felt on those trips with Jane Anderson like a poor relation from the country imposing36 on a rich friend.
This trip was all her own. The car and its master were there solely37 for her happiness. Her slightest whim was law for both. It was sweet, this sense of power. She began to lift her body with a touch of pride.
She laughed now at fears. What nonsense! No Knight38 of the Age of Chivalry39 could treat her with more deference40. He had tried already to get her to stop for a bite of lunch.
“Don't you want a thing to eat?” he persisted.
“Not a thing. I've just had my breakfast. It's only nine o'clock——”
“I know, but we've come thirty miles and the air makes you hungry. We ought to eat about six good meals a day.”
She shook her head.
“No—not yet. I'm too happy with these new wings. I want to fly some more—come on——”
He lifted his hand in his favorite gesture of obedience41.
“'Nuff said—we'll streak42 it back now by another road, hump it through town and jump over the Brooklyn Bridge. I'll show you Coney Island and then I know you'll want a hot dog anyhow.”
He crossed the country and darted43 into Broadway. Before she could realize it, the last tree and field were lost behind in a cloud of dust, and they were again in the crowded streets of the city. The deep growl44 of his horn rang its warnings for each crossing and Mary watched the timid women scramble45 to the sidewalks five and six blocks ahead.
It was delicious. She had always been the one to scramble before. Her heart went out in a wave of tenderness to the man by her side, strong, daring, masterful, her chevalier, her protector and admirer.
Yes, her admirer! There was no doubt on that point. The moment he relaxed the tension of his hand on the wheel, his deep, mysterious eyes beneath the drooping46 lids were fixed47 on hers in open, shameless admiration. Their cold fire burned into her heart and thrilled to her finger-tips.
In spite of his deference and his obedience to her whim, she felt the iron grip of his personality on her imagination. Whatever his education, his origin or his environment, he was a power to be reckoned with.
No other type of man had ever appealed to her. Her conception of a real man had always been one who did his own thinking and commanded rather than asked the respect of others.
She had thrown the spell of her beauty over this headstrong, masterful man. He was wax in her hands. A delicious sense of power filled her. She had never known what happiness meant before. She floated through space. The spinning lines of towering buildings on Broadway passed as mists in a dream.
As the velvet48 feet of the car touched the great bridge she lazily opened her eyes for a moment and gazed through the lace-work of steel at the broad sweep of the magnificent harbor. The dark blue hills of Staten Island framed the picture.
He was right. She had never seen New York before. Never before had its immense panorama49 been swept within two hours. Never before had she realized its dimensions. She had always felt stunned50 and crushed in the effort to conceive it. Today she had wings. The city lay at her feet, conquered. She was mistress of Time and Space.
Again her sidelong glance swept the lines of Jim Anthony's massive jaw. She laughed softly.
“What's the matter?” he asked.
“Nothing. I'm just happy.”
She blushed and wondered if he had read her thoughts by some subtle power of clairvoyance51. She was speculating on the effects of love at first sight on such a man. Would he hesitate, back and fill and hang on for months trying in vain to gain the courage to speak? Or would he spring with the leap of a young tiger the moment he realized what he wanted?
Her own attitude was purely52 one of joyous53 expectancy54. It would, of course, be a long time before her feelings could take any definite attitude toward a man. For the moment she was supremely55 happy. It was enough. She made no effort to probe her feelings. She might return to earth tomorrow. Today she was in Heaven. She would make the most of it.
They skimmed the wooded cliffs of Bay Ridge20, her heart beating in ecstasy56 at the revelation of beauty of whose existence she had not dreamed.
“I bet you never saw this drive before, now did you?” he asked with boyish enthusiasm.
“No—it's wonderful.”
“Some view—eh?”
“Entrancing!”
“You know when I make my pile, I'd like a palace of white marble perched on this cliff with the windows on the south looking out over Sandy Hook, and the windows on the west looking over that fort on the top of Staten Island with its black eyes gazing over the sea. How would you like that?”
She turned away to mask the smile she couldn't repress.
“That would be splendid, wouldn't it?”
“I like the water, don't you?”
“I love it.”
“Water and hills both right together! I reckon my father must 'a' been a sea-captain and my mother from the mountains——”
He said this with a pathos57 that found the girl's heart. What a pitiful, lonely life, a boy's without even the memory of a mother or father! The mother instinct rose in a resistless flood of pity. Her eyes grew suddenly dim.
“Well,” he said briskly, “now for the dainty job! I've got to jump my way through that Coney Island bunch. You see my low speed's a racing58 pace for an everyday car. All I can do in a crowd is to jump from one crossing to the next and cut her power off every time. You can bet I'll make a guy or two jump with me——”
“You won't hurt anyone?” she pleaded.
“Lord, no! I wouldn't dare to put her through that mob in the afternoon. I'd kill a regiment59 of 'em. But it's early—just the shank of the morning. There's nobody down here yet.”
The car suddenly leaped into the Avenue that runs through the heart of Coney Island, the deep-throated horn screaming its warning. The crowd scattered60 like sheep before a lion.
The girl laughed in spite of her effort at self-control.
“Watch 'em hump!” Jim grunted61.
“It's funny, isn't it?”
“When you're in the car—yes. It don't seem so funny when you're on foot. Well, some people were made to walk and some to ride. I had to hoof62 it at first. I like riding better—don't you?”
“To be perfectly63 honest—yes!”
The car leaped forward again, the horn screaming. The wheel passed within a foot of a fat woman's skirt. With a cry of terror she fled to the sidewalk and shook her fist at Jim, her face purple with anger.
He waved his hand back at her:
“Never touched you, dearie! Never touched you!”
Mary lost all fear of accident and watched him handle the machine with the skill of a master. She could understand now the spirit of deviltry in a chauffeur35 who knows his business. It seemed a wicked, cruel thing from the ground—this swift plunge18 of a car as if bent64 on murder. But now that she felt the sure, velvet grip of the brake in a master's hand, she saw that the danger was largely a myth.
It was fun to see people jump at the approach of an avalanche65 of steel that always stopped just short of harm. Of course, it took a steady nerve and muscle to do the trick. The man by her side had both. He was always smiling. Nothing rattled66 him.
Her trust was now implicit67. She relaxed the tension of the first two hours of doubt and fear, and yielded to the spell of his strength. It seemed inseparable from the throbbing will of the giant machine. He was its incarnate68 spirit. She was being swept through space now on the wings of omnipotent69 power—but power always obedient to her whim.
With steady, even pulse they glided70 down the long, broad Avenue to Prospect71 Park, swung through its winding72 lanes, on through the streets of Brooklyn and once more into the open road.
“Now for Long Beach and a good lunch!” he cried. “I'll show you something—but you'll have to shut your eyes to see it.”
With a sudden bound, the car leaped into the air, and shot through the sky with the hiss73 and shriek74 of a demon.
The girl caught her breath and instinctively76 gripped his arm.
“Look out, Kiddo!” he shouted. “Don't touch me—or we'll both land in Kingdom Come. I ain't ready for a harp77 just yet. I'd rather fool with this toy for a while down here.”
She braced her feet and gripped the sides of the car, gasping78 for breath, steadied herself at last and crouched79 low among the furs to guard her throat from the icy daggers80 of the wind.
The landscape whirled in a circle of trees and sky, while above the dark line of hills hung the boiling cauldron of cloud-banked heavens.
“Are you game?” he called above the roar.
“Yes,” she gasped. “Don't stop——”
Her soul had risen at last to the ecstasy of the mania81 for speed that fired the man's spirit and nerved his hand. It was inconceivable until experienced—this awful joy! Her spirit sank with childish disappointment as he slowly lowered the power.
“Got to take a sharp curve down there,” he explained. “We turn to the right for the meadows and the Beach—how was that?”
“Wonderful,” she cried, with dancing eyes. “Let her go again if you want to—I'm game—now.”
Jim laughed.
“A little rattled at first?”
“Yes——”
“Well, we can't let her out on this road. It's too narrow—have to take a ditch sometimes to pass. That wouldn't do for an eighty-mile clip, you know—now would it?”
“Hardly.”
“I might risk it alone—but my first name's `Old Man Caution' today—you get me?”
Mary nodded and turned her head away again.
“I got you the first time, sir,” she answered playfully taking his tone.
He ran the car into the garage at the Beach, sprang out and lifted Mary to the ground with quick, firm hand. They threw off their heavy coats and left them.
“Look out for this junk now, sonny,” he cried to the attendant, tossing him a half dollar.
“Sure, Mike!”
“Fill her up to the chin by the time we get back.”
“Righto!”
Quickly they walked to the hotel and in five minutes were seated beside a window in the dining-room, watching the lazy roll of the sea sweep in on the sands at low tide.
“I'm hungry as a wolf!” he whispered.
“So am I——”
“We'll eat everything in sight—start at the top and come down.”
He handed her the menu card and watched her from the depths beneath the drooping eyelids82.
Conscious of his gaze and rejoicing in its frank admiration, she ordered the dinner with instinctive75 good taste. No effort at conversation was made by either. They were both too hungry. As Jim lighted his cigarette when the coffee was served, he leaned back in his chair and watched the breakers in silence.
“That's the best dinner I ever had in my life,” he said slowly.
“It was good. We were hungry.”
“I've been hungry before, many a time. It was something else, too.” He paused and rose abruptly83. “Let's walk up the Beach.”
“I'd love to,” she answered, slowly rising.
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收听单词发音
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1
controversy
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| n.争论，辩论，争吵 | |
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winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3
facetious
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| adj.轻浮的，好开玩笑的 | |
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genially
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| adv.亲切地，和蔼地；快活地 | |
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goggles
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| n.护目镜 | |
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6
hitched
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| （免费）搭乘他人之车( hitch的过去式和过去分词 )； 搭便车； 攀上； 跃上 | |
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faltered
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| （嗓音）颤抖( falter的过去式和过去分词 )； 支吾其词； 蹒跚； 摇晃 | |
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fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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curb
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| n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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12
deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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13
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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15
tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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chasm
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| n.深坑，断层，裂口，大分岐，利害冲突 | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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ridge
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| n.山脊；鼻梁；分水岭 | |
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21
intoxicating
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| a. 醉人的,使人兴奋的 | |
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shuddering
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| v.战栗( shudder的现在分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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trolley
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| n.手推车，台车；无轨电车；有轨电车 | |
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throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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hood
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| n.头巾，兜帽，覆盖；v.罩上，以头巾覆盖 | |
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27
whim
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| n.一时的兴致，突然的念头；奇想，幻想 | |
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jaw
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| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
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furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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30
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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poise
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| vt./vi. 平衡，保持平衡；n.泰然自若，自信 | |
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32
stammering
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的现在分词 ) | |
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33
avowal
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| n.公开宣称，坦白承认 | |
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chauffeurs
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| n.受雇于人的汽车司机( chauffeur的名词复数 ) | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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solely
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| adv.仅仅，唯一地 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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chivalry
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| n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤 | |
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deference
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| n.尊重，顺从；敬意 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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43
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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44
growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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45
scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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46
drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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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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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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49
panorama
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| n.全景，全景画，全景摄影，全景照片[装置] | |
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50
stunned
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| adj. 震惊的，惊讶的 动词stun的过去式和过去分词 | |
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51
clairvoyance
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| n.超人的洞察力 | |
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52
purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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54
expectancy
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| n.期望，预期，（根据概率统计求得）预期数额 | |
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55
supremely
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| adv.无上地，崇高地 | |
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56
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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57
pathos
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| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
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58
racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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61
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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62
hoof
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| n.(马，牛等的)蹄 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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65
avalanche
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| n.雪崩，大量涌来 | |
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rattled
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| 慌乱的，恼火的 | |
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implicit
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| a.暗示的，含蓄的，不明晰的，绝对的 | |
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incarnate
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| adj.化身的，人体化的，肉色的 | |
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omnipotent
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| adj.全能的，万能的 | |
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70
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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73
hiss
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| v.发出嘶嘶声；发嘘声表示不满 | |
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shriek
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| v./n.尖叫，叫喊 | |
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75
instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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harp
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| n.竖琴；天琴座 | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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80
daggers
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| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
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81
mania
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| n.疯狂；躁狂症，狂热，癖好 | |
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eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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83
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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