Every day he saw Maggie; sometimes he was in her company for an hour or more. He had the natural hunger of a young man to talk to a young woman; and, moreover, it is a severe strain for a man to be living under the same roof with the girl he loves and not to be on terms of friendship with her. But Maggie maintained her aloofness4. She spoke5 only when she was pressed into it, and her speech was usually no more than a “yes” or a “no,” or a flashing phrase of disdain6.
At times Larry had the feeling that, for all her repression7, Maggie would have been glad to be more free with him. And he knew enough of human nature not to be too disheartened by her attitude. Had he been a nonentity8 to her, she would have ignored him. Her very insults were proof that he was a positive personality with real significance in her life. And so he counseled himself to have patience and await a thawing9 or an awaking. Besides, he kept repeating to himself, there would be small chance of effecting a conversion10 in this militant11 young orthodoxist of cynicism until he had proved the soundness of contrary views by his own established success.
And thus the days drifted by. But on the fifth day after his interview with Barlow things began to happen. First of all, he noticed in a morning paper that Red Hannigan and Jack12 Rosenfeldt, members of his old outfit13 and suggested by Old Jimmie as participants in his proposed new enterprise, had just been arrested by Gavegan and Casey on the charge of alleged14 connection with the sale of fraudulent mining stock.
Second, on his return at the end of the afternoon, he saw standing15 before the house a taxicab with a trunk beside the chauffeur16. In the musty museum of a room behind the pawnshop he found Hunt and the Duchess and Old Jimmie and Barney; and also Maggie, coming down the stairway, hat and coat on and carrying a suitcase. A sharp pain throbbed17 through him as he recognized the significance of Maggie's hat and coat and baggage.
“Maggie—you're going away?” he exclaimed.
“Yes.”
She had paused at the foot of the stairway, and at sight of him had gone a little pale and wide-eyed. But in an instant she had recovered her accustomed flair18; there came a proud lift to her head, a flash of scorn into her dark eyes.
“At last I'm leaving this street for good,” she said. “I told you that some day I was going out into the world and do big things. The time's come—I'm graduated—I'm going to begin real work. And I'm going to succeed—you see!”
“Maggie!” he breathed. Then impulsively19 he started toward her authoritatively20. “Maggie, I'm not going to let you do anything of the sort!”
But swiftly Barney had stepped in between them, Old Jimmie just behind him.
“Keep out of this!” Barney snapped at Larry, a reddish blaze in his eyes. “Maggie's going away and you can't stop her. D'you think her father is going to let her stay down here any longer, where you can spout21 your preaching at her!—and you all the time a stool and a squealer22!”
“What's that?” cried Larry.
“I called you a stool!” repeated the malignantly23 exultant24 Barney, alert for any move on the part of the suddenly tensed Larry. “And you are a stool! Didn't I see you myself go into Headquarters with Casey and Gavegan where you sold yourself to Chief Barlow!”
“Why, you damned—”
Even before he spoke Larry launched a furious swing straight from the hip3 at Barney's twisted face. But Barney had been expecting exactly that, and was even the quicker. He caught Larry's wrist before it was fairly started, and thrust a dull-hued automatic into Larry's stomach.
“Behave; damn you,” gritted25 Barney, “or I'll blow your damned guts26 out! No—go ahead and try to hit me. I'd like nothing better than to kill you, you rat, and have a good plea of self-defense!”
Larry let his hands unclench and fall to his sides. “You've got the drop on me, Barney—but you're a liar27.”
“You bet I got the drop on you! And not only with my gun. I've got it on you about being a stool. Everybody knows you are a stool. And what's more, they know you are a squealer!”
“A squealer!” Larry stiffened28 again.
“A stool and a squealer!” Barney fairly hurled29 at Larry these two most despised epithets30 of his world. “You've done your job swell31 as a stool, and squealed32 on Red Hannigan and Jack Rosenfeldt and turned them up for the police!”
“You believe I had anything to do with their arrest?” exclaimed Larry.
Barney laughed in his derision.
“Of course we believe it,” put in Old Jimmie, his seamed, cunning face now ruthlessly hard. “And what's more, we know it!”
“And what's still more,” Barney taunted33, “Maggie believes it, too!”
Larry turned to Maggie. Her face was now drawn34, with staring eyes.
“Maggie—do you believe it?” he demanded.
For a moment she neither spoke nor moved. Then slowly she nodded.
“But, Maggie,” he protested, “I didn't do it! Barlow did ask me to be a stool, but I turned him down! Aside from that, I know no more of this than you do!”
“Of course you'd deny it—we were waiting for that,” sneered35 Barney. “Jimmie, we've wasted enough time here. Take Maggie's bag and let's be moving on.”
Old Jimmie picked up Maggie's suitcase, and slipping a hand through her arm led her across the room. She did not even say good-bye to Hunt or the Duchess, or even glance at them; but went out silently, her drawn, staring look on Larry alone.
Barney backed after them, his automatic still held in readiness. “I'm letting you down damned easy, Brainard,” he said, hate glittering in his eyes. “But there's some who won't be so nice!”
With that he closed the door. Until that moment both Hunt and the Duchess had said nothing. Now the Duchess spoke up:
“I'm glad they've taken Maggie away, Larry. I've seen the way you've come to feel about her, and she's not the right sort for you.”
But Larry was still too dazed by the way in which Maggie had walked out of his life to make any response.
“But there's a lot in what Barney said about there being some who wouldn't be easy on you,” continued the Duchess. “That word had been brought me before Barney showed up. So I had this ready for you.”
From a slit36 pocket in her baggy37 skirt the Duchess drew out a pistol and handed it to Larry.
“What's this for?” Larry asked.
“I was told that word had gone out to the Ginger38 Buck39 Gang to get you,” answered the Duchess. “Barney has some secret connection with the Ginger Bucks40. His saying that you were a stool and a squealer is not the only thing he's got against you; he's jealous of you on account of everything—especially Maggie. So you'll need that gun.”
“What's this I've fallen into the middle of?” exclaimed Hunt. “A Kentucky feud41?”
“It's very easy to understand when you know the code,” Larry explained grimly. “Down here when an outfit thinks one of its members has squealed on them, it's their duty to be always on the watch for their chance to finish him off. I'm to be finished off—that's all.”
“Say, young fellow, the life of a straight crook42 doesn't seem to be getting much simpler! Why, man, you hardly dare to stir from the house! What are you going to do?”
“Going to go around my business, always with the pleasant anticipation43 of a bullet in my back when some fellow thinks it safe for him to shoot.”
The three of them discussed this latest development over their dinner, which they had together up in Hunt's studio. But despite all their talk of his danger, a very real and near danger, Larry's mind was more upon Maggie who had thus suddenly been wrenched44 out of his life. He remembered her excited, boastful talk of their first evening. Her period of schooling45 was indeed now over; she was now committed to her rosily46 imagined adventure, in which she saw herself as a splendid lady. And with Barney Palmer as her guiding influence!...
Dinner had been finished and Hunt was trying to give Larry such cheer as “Buck up, young fellow—you know the worst—there's nothing else that can happen,” when the lie direct was given to his phrases by heavy steps running up the stairway and the opening and closing of the door. There stood Officer Casey, heaving for breath.
Instinctively47 Larry drew his pistol. “Casey! What're you here for?”
“Get rid of that gat—don't be found with a gun on,” ordered Casey. “And beat it. You've got less than five minutes to make your get-away.”
“My get-away! What's up?”
“You haven't come across as the Chief ordered you to, and he's out to give you just what he said he would,” Casey said rapidly, his speech broken by panting. “There's been a stick-up, with assault that may be changed to attempted manslaughter, and the Chief has three men who swear you're the guilty party. It's a sure-fire case against you, Larry—and it'll mean five to ten years if you're caught. Gavegan and I got the order to arrest you. I've beat Gavegan to it so's to tip you off, but he's only a few minutes behind. Hurry, Larry! Only—only—”
Casey paused, gasping48 for his wind.
“Only what, Casey?”
“Only alibi49 me, Larry, by slipping over a haymaker on me like you did on Gavegan. So's I can say I tried to get you, but you were too quick and knocked me cold. Quick! Only not too hard—I know how to play possum.”
Larry handed the pistol to Hunt. “Casey, you're a real scout50! Thanks!” He grasped Casey's hand, then swiftly relaxed his grip. “Ready?”
“Fire,” said Casey.
Larry held his open left hand close to Casey's jaw51, and drove his right fist into his palm with a thudding smack52. Casey went sprawling53 to the floor, and lay there loosely, with mouth agape, in perfect simulation of a man who has been knocked out.
Larry turned quickly. “You two will testify that I beat Casey up and then made my escape?”
“Sure, I'll testify to anything for the sake of a good old goat like Casey!” cried Hunt. “But hurry, boy—beat it!”
The Duchess held out Larry's hat to him, and thrust into his coat pocket a roll of bills which had come from her capacious skirt. “Hurry, Larry—and be careful—for you're all I've got.”
Impulsively Larry stooped and kissed the thin, shriveled lips of his grandmother—the first kiss he had ever given her. Then he turned and ran down the stairway, Hunt just behind him. He turned out the light in the back room, and called to Old Isaac to darken the pawnshop proper. He was going forth54 with two forces in arms against him, the police and his pals55, and he had no desire to be a shining mark for either or both by stepping through a lighted doorway56.
“Larry, my son, you're all right!” said Hunt, gripping his hand in the darkness. “Listen, boy: if ever you're trapped and can get to a telephone, call Plaza57 nine-double-o-one and say 'Benvenuto Cellini.'”
“All right.”
“Remember, you're to say 'Benvenuto Cellini,' and the telephone is Plaza nine-double-o-one. Luck to you!” Again they gripped hands. Then Larry slipped through the darkened doorway into whatever might lie beyond.
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1
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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hip
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| n.臀部，髋；屋脊 | |
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aloofness
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| 超然态度 | |
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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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6
disdain
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| n.鄙视，轻视；v.轻视，鄙视，不屑 | |
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7
repression
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| n.镇压，抑制，抑压 | |
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8
nonentity
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| n.无足轻重的人 | |
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thawing
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| n.熔化，融化v.（气候）解冻( thaw的现在分词 )；（态度、感情等）缓和；（冰、雪及冷冻食物）溶化；软化 | |
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conversion
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| n.转化，转换，转变 | |
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militant
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| adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士 | |
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12
jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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13
outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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14
alleged
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| a.被指控的，嫌疑的 | |
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15
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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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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17
throbbed
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| 抽痛( throb的过去式和过去分词 )； （心脏、脉搏等）跳动 | |
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18
flair
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| n.天赋，本领，才华；洞察力 | |
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impulsively
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| adv.冲动地 | |
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authoritatively
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| 命令式地，有权威地，可信地 | |
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21
spout
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| v.喷出，涌出；滔滔不绝地讲；n.喷管；水柱 | |
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22
squealer
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| 发出尖叫声的人；雏鸽；小松鸡；小鹌鹑 | |
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malignantly
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| 怀恶意地； 恶毒地； 有害地； 恶性地 | |
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exultant
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| adj.欢腾的，狂欢的，大喜的 | |
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25
gritted
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| v.以沙砾覆盖（某物），撒沙砾于( grit的过去式和过去分词 )；咬紧牙关 | |
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26
guts
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| v.狼吞虎咽，贪婪地吃，飞碟游戏（比赛双方每组5人，相距15码，互相掷接飞碟）；毁坏（建筑物等）的内部( gut的第三人称单数 )；取出…的内脏n.勇气( gut的名词复数 )；内脏；消化道的下段；肠 | |
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27
liar
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| n.说谎的人 | |
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stiffened
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| 加强的 | |
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29
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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epithets
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| n.（表示性质、特征等的）词语( epithet的名词复数 ) | |
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31
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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32
squealed
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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33
taunted
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| 嘲讽( taunt的过去式和过去分词 )； 嘲弄； 辱骂； 奚落 | |
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34
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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35
sneered
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| 讥笑，冷笑( sneer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
slit
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| n.狭长的切口；裂缝；vt.切开，撕裂 | |
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37
baggy
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| adj.膨胀如袋的，宽松下垂的 | |
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38
ginger
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| n.姜，精力，淡赤黄色；adj.淡赤黄色的；vt.使活泼，使有生气 | |
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39
buck
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| n.雄鹿，雄兔；v.马离地跳跃 | |
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40
bucks
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| n.雄鹿( buck的名词复数 )；钱；（英国十九世纪初的）花花公子；（用于某些表达方式）责任v.（马等）猛然弓背跃起( buck的第三人称单数 )；抵制；猛然震荡；马等尥起后蹄跳跃 | |
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41
feud
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| n.长期不和；世仇；v.长期争斗；世代结仇 | |
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42
crook
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| v.使弯曲；n.小偷，骗子，贼；弯曲(处) | |
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43
anticipation
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| n.预期，预料，期望 | |
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44
wrenched
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| v.（猛力地）扭( wrench的过去式和过去分词 )；扭伤；使感到痛苦；使悲痛 | |
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45
schooling
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| n.教育；正规学校教育 | |
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46
rosily
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| adv.带玫瑰色地，乐观地 | |
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47
instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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48
gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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49
alibi
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| n.某人当时不在犯罪现场的申辩或证明；借口 | |
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50
scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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51
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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52
smack
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| vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍 | |
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53
sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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pals
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| n.朋友( pal的名词复数 )；老兄；小子；（对男子的不友好的称呼）家伙 | |
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56
doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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plaza
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| n.广场，市场 | |
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