After one of the maids had subjected him to a severe scrutiny8, possibly to be sure that he was thoroughly9 dry, John was conducted immediately into the presence of m'selle. M'selle was in her bedroom reclining on the chaise-longue among two dozen silk pillows that had accompanied her from the other side. John came into the room somewhat stiffly and greeted her with a formal bow.
"You look better," she said, raising herself from her pillows and staring at him appraisingly10. "It gave you a color."
He thanked her coldly for the compliment.
"You ought to go in every morning." And then she added irrelevantly11: "I'm going back to Paris to-morrow."
"I wrote you that I didn't intend to stay more than a week anyhow," she added.
"But, Rags——"
"Why should I? There isn't an amusing man in New York."
"But listen, Rags, won't you give me a chance? Won't you stay for, say, ten days and get to know me a little?"
"Know you!" Her tone implied that he was already a far too open book. "I want a man who's capable of a gallant13 gesture."
Rags uttered a disgusted sigh.
"I mean you haven't any imagination," she explained patiently. "No Americans have any imagination. Paris is the only large city where a civilized15 woman can breathe."
"Don't you care for me at all any more?"
"I wouldn't have crossed the Atlantic to see you if I didn't. But as soon as I looked over the Americans on the boat, I knew I couldn't marry one. I'd just hate you, John, and the only fun I'd have out of it would be the fun of breaking your heart."
She began to twist herself down among the cushions until she almost disappeared from view.
"I've lost my monocle," she explained.
After an unsuccessful search in the silken depths she discovered the illusive16 glass hanging down the back of her neck.
"I'd love to be in love," she went on, replacing the monocle in her childish eye. "Last spring in Sorrento I almost eloped with an Indian rajah, but he was half a shade too dark, and I took an intense dislike to one of his other wives."
"Don't talk that rubbish!" cried John, sinking his face into his hands.
"Well, I didn't marry him," she protested. "But in one way he had a lot to offer. He was the third richest subject of the British Empire. That's another thing—are you rich?"
"Not as rich as you."
"There you are. What have you to offer me?"
"Love."
"Love!" She disappeared again among the cushions. "Listen, John. Life to me is a series of glistening17 bazaars19 with a merchant in front of each one rubbing his hands together and saying 'Patronize this place here. Best bazaar18 in the world.' So I go in with my purse full of beauty and money and youth, all prepared to buy. 'What have you got for sale?' I ask him, and he rubs his hands together and says: 'Well, Mademoiselle, to-day we have some perfectly20 be-oo-tiful love.' Sometimes he hasn't even got that in stock, but he sends out for it when he finds I have so much money to spend. Oh, he always gives me love before I go—and for nothing. That's the one revenge I have."
John Chestnut rose despairingly to his feet and took a step toward the window.
"Don't throw yourself out," Rags exclaimed quickly.
"All right." He tossed his cigarette down into Madison Avenue.
"It isn't just you," she said in a softer voice. "Dull and uninspired as you are, I care for you more than I can say. But life's so endless here. Nothing ever comes off."
"Loads of things come off," he insisted. "Why, to-day there was an intellectual murder in Hoboken and a suicide by proxy21 in Maine. A bill to sterilize22 agnostics is before Congress——"
"I have no interest in humor," she objected, "but I have an almost archaic23 predilection24 for romance. Why, John, last month I sat at a dinner-table while two men flipped25 a coin for the kingdom of Schwartzberg-Rhineminster. In Paris I knew a man named Blutchdak who really started the war, and has a new one planned for year after next."
"Where to?" demanded Rags with scorn. "Do you think I still thrill at a night-club and a bottle of sugary mousseaux? I prefer my own gaudy27 dreams."
"I'll take you to the most highly-strung place in the city."
"What'll happen? You've got to tell me what'll happen."
John Chestnut suddenly drew a long breath and looked cautiously around as if he were afraid of being overheard.
"Well, to tell you the truth," he said in a low, worried tone, "if everything was known, something pretty awful would be liable to happen to me."
She sat upright and the pillows tumbled about her like leaves.
"Do you mean to imply that there's anything shady in your life?" she cried, with laughter in her voice. "Do you expect me to believe that? No, John, you'll have your fun by plugging ahead on the beaten path—just plugging ahead."
Her mouth, a small insolent28 rose, dropped the words on him like thorns. John took his hat and coat from the chair and picked up his cane29.
"For the last time—will you come along with me to-night and see what you will see?"
"See what? See who? Is there anything in this country worth seeing?"
"Well," he said, in a matter-of-fact tone, "for one thing you'll see the Prince of Wales."
"What?" She left the chaise-longue at a bound. "Is he back in New York?"
"He will be to-night. Would you care to see him?"
"Would I? I've never seen him. I've missed him everywhere. I'd give a year of my life to see him for an hour." Her voice trembled with excitement.
"He's been in Canada. He's down here incognito30 for the big prize-fight this afternoon. And I happen to know where he's going to be to-night."
Rags gave a sharp ecstatic cry:
"Dominic! Louise! Germaine!"
The three maids came running. The room filled suddenly with vibrations31 of wild, startled light.
"Dominic, the car!" cried Rags in French. "St. Raphael, my gold dress and the slippers32 with the real gold heels. The big pearls too—all the pearls, and the egg-diamond and the stockings with the sapphire33 clocks. Germaine—send for a beauty-parlor on the run. My bath again—ice cold and half full of almond cream. Dominic—Tiffany's, like lightning, before they close. Find me a brooch, a pendant, a tiara, anything—it doesn't matter—with the arms of the house of Windsor."
She was fumbling34 at the buttons of her dress—and as John turned quickly to go, it was already sliding from her shoulders.
"Orchids35!" she called after him, "orchids, for the love of heaven! Four dozen, so I can choose four."
And then maids flew here and there about the room like frightened birds. "Perfume, St. Raphael, open the perfume trunk, and my rose-colored sables36, and my diamond garters, and the sweet-oil for my hands! Here, take these things! This too—and this—ouch!—and this!"
With becoming modesty37 John Chestnut closed the outside door. The six trustees in various postures38 of fatigue39, of ennui40, of resignation, of despair, were still cluttering41 up the outer hall.
"Gentlemen," announced John Chestnut, "I fear that Miss Martin-Jones is much too weary from her trip to talk to you this afternoon."
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1
orphan
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| n.孤儿；adj.无父母的 | |
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2
suite
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| n.一套(家具)；套房；随从人员 | |
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fragrant
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| adj.芬香的，馥郁的，愉快的 | |
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dozed
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| v.打盹儿，打瞌睡( doze的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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5
chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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administrators
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| n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师 | |
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7
agitation
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| n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动 | |
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scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 | |
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9
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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10
appraisingly
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| adv.以品评或评价的眼光 | |
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11
irrelevantly
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| adv.不恰当地，不合适地；不相关地 | |
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12
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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13
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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14
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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15
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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illusive
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| adj.迷惑人的，错觉的 | |
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17
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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18
bazaar
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| n.集市，商店集中区 | |
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19
bazaars
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| （东方国家的）市场( bazaar的名词复数 )； 义卖； 义卖市场； （出售花哨商品等的）小商品市场 | |
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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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proxy
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| n.代理权，代表权；（对代理人的）委托书；代理人 | |
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sterilize
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| vt.使不结果实；使绝育；使无效；杀菌，消毒 | |
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23
archaic
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| adj.(语言、词汇等)古代的，已不通用的 | |
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24
predilection
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| n.偏好 | |
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flipped
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| 轻弹( flip的过去式和过去分词 )； 按（开关）； 快速翻转； 急挥 | |
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26
doggedly
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| adv.顽强地，固执地 | |
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27
gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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28
insolent
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| adj.傲慢的，无理的 | |
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29
cane
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| n.手杖，细长的茎，藤条；v.以杖击，以藤编制的 | |
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30
incognito
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| adv.匿名地；n.隐姓埋名；adj.化装的，用假名的，隐匿姓名身份的 | |
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31
vibrations
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| n.摆动( vibration的名词复数 )；震动；感受；（偏离平衡位置的）一次性往复振动 | |
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32
slippers
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| n. 拖鞋 | |
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sapphire
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| n.青玉，蓝宝石；adj.天蓝色的 | |
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34
fumbling
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| n. 摸索,漏接 v. 摸索,摸弄,笨拙的处理 | |
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35
orchids
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| n.兰花( orchid的名词复数 ) | |
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36
sables
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| n.紫貂( sable的名词复数 )；紫貂皮；阴暗的；暗夜 | |
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37
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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38
postures
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| 姿势( posture的名词复数 )； 看法； 态度； 立场 | |
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39
fatigue
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| n.疲劳，劳累 | |
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40
ennui
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| n.怠倦，无聊 | |
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41
cluttering
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| v.杂物，零乱的东西零乱vt.( clutter的现在分词 )；乱糟糟地堆满，把…弄得很乱；（以…） 塞满… | |
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