the crusade of the excelsior-第32章

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feigned　carelessness。　　〃Do　you　know　her？〃



〃Slightly。〃



〃You　didn't　say　so！〃



〃You　didn't　ask　me；〃　said　Brimmer。　　〃She　came　to　consult　me　about

South　American　affairs。　　It　seems　that　filibuster　General　Leonidas；

alias　Perkins；　whose　little　game　we　stopped　by　that　Peruvian

contract；　actually　landed　in　Quinquinambo　and　established　a

government。　　It　seems　she　knows　him；　has　a　great　admiration　for　him

as　a　Liberator；　as　she　calls　him。　　I　think　they　correspond！〃



〃She's　a　wonderful　woman；　by　jingo；　Brimmer！　　I'd　like　to　hear　whom

she　don't　know；〃　said　Markham；　beaming　with　a　patronizing　vanity。

〃There's　you；　and　there's　that　filibuster；　and　old　Governor　Pico；

that　she's　just　snatched　bald…headedI　mean；　you　know；　that　he

recognizes　her　worth；　don't　you　see？　　Not　like　this　cattle　you　see

here。〃



〃Are　you　coming　with　me？〃　said　Brimmer；　gravely　buttoning　up　his

coat；　as　if　encasing　himself　in　a　panoply　of　impervious

respectability。



〃I'll　join　you　at　the　hotel；〃　said　Markham　hurriedly。　　〃There's　a

man　over　there　in　the　parquet　that　I　want　to　say　a　word　to；　don't

wait　for　me。〃



With　a　slight　inclination　of　the　head　Mr。　Brimmer　passed　out　into

the　lobby；　erect；　self…possessed；　and　impeccable。　　One　or　two　of

his　commercial　colleagues　of　maturer　age；　who　were　loitering

leisurely　by　the　wall；　unwilling　to　compromise　themselves　by

actually　sitting　down；　took　heart　of　grace　at　this　correct

apparition。　　Brimmer　nodded　to　them　coolly；　as　if　on　'Change；　and

made　his　way　out　of　the　theatre。　　He　had　scarcely　taken　a　few　steps

before　a　furious　onset　of　wind　and　rain　drove　him　into　a　doorway

for　shelter。　　At　the　same　moment　a　slouching　figure；　with　a　turned…

up　coat…collar；　slipped　past　him　and　disappeared　in　a　passage　at

his　right。　　Partly　hidden　by　his　lowered　umbrella；　Mr。　Brimmer

himself　escaped　notice；　but　he　instantly　recognized　his　late

companion；　Markham。　　As　he　resumed　his　way　up　the　street　he　glanced

into　the　passage。　　Halfway　down；　a　light　flashed　upon　the　legend

〃Stage　Entrance。〃　　Quincy　Brimmer；　with　a　faint　smile；　passed　on　to

his　hotel。



It　was　striking　half…past　eleven　when　Mr。　Brimmer　again　issued　from

his　room　in　the　Oriental　and　passed　down　a　long　corridor。　　Pausing

a　moment　before　a　side　hall　that　opened　from　it；　he　cast　a　rapid

look　up　and　down　the　corridor；　and　then　knocked　hastily　at　a　door。

It　was　opened　sharply　by　a　lady's　maid；　who　fell　back　respectfully

before　Mr。　Brimmer's　all…correct　presence。



Half　reclining　on　a　sofa　in　the　parlor　of　an　elaborate　suite　of

apartments　was　the　woman　whom　Mr。　Brimmer　had　a　few　hours　before

beheld　on　the　stage　of　the　theatre。　　Lifting　her　eyes　languidly

from　a　book　that　lay　ostentatiously　on　her　lap；　she　beckoned　her

visitor　to　approach。　　She　was　a　woman　still　young；　whose　statuesque

beauty　had　but　slightly　suffered　from　cosmetics；　late　hours；　and

the　habitual　indulgence　of　certain　hysterical　emotions　that　were

not　only　inconsistent　with　the　classical　suggestions　of　her　figure；

but　had　left　traces　not　unlike　the　grosser　excitement　of　alcoholic

stimulation。　　She　looked　like　a　tinted　statue　whose　slight

mutations　through　stress　of　time　and　weather　had　been　unwisely

repaired　by　freshness　of　color。



〃I　am　such　a　creature　of　nerves；〃　she　said；　raising　a　superb　neck

and　extending　a　goddess…like　arm；　〃that　I　am　always　perfectly

exhausted　after　the　performance。　　I　fly；　as　you　see；　to　my　first

lovepoetryas　soon　as　Rosina　has　changed　my　dress。　　It　is　not

generally　knownbut　I　don't　mind　telling　YOUthat　I　often　nerve

myself　for　the　effort　of　acting　by　reading　some　well…remembered

passage　from　my　favorite　poets；　as　I　stand　by　the　wings。　　I　quaff；

as　one　might　say；　a　single　draught　of　the　Pierian　spring　before　I

go　on。〃



The　exact　relations　between　the　humorous　〃walk　round；〃　in　which

Miss　Montgomery　usually　made　her　first　entrance；　and　the　volume　of

Byron　she　held　in　her　hand；　did　not　trouble　Mr。　Brimmer　so　much　as

the　beautiful　arm　with　which　she　emphasized　it。　　Neither　did　it

strike　him　that　the　distinguishing　indications　of　a　poetic

exaltation　were　at　all　unlike　the　effects　of　a　grosser　stimulant

known　as　〃Champagne　cocktail〃　on　the　less　sensitive　organization　of

her　colleagues。　　Touched　by　her　melancholy　but　fascinating　smile；

he　said　gallantly　that　he　had　observed　no　sign　of　exhaustion；　or

want　of　power　in　her　performance　that　evening。



〃Then　you　were　there！〃　she　said；　fixing　her　eyes　upon　him　with　an

expression　of　mournful　gratitude。　　〃You　actually　left　your　business

and　the　calls　of　public　duty　to　see　the　poor　mountebank　perform　her

nightly　task。〃



〃I　was　there　with　a　friend　of　yours；〃　answered　Brimmer　soberly；

〃who　actually　asked　me　to　the　supper　to　which　Mr。　Keene　had　already

invited　me；　and　which　YOU　had　been　kind　enough　to　suggest　to　me　a

week　ago。〃



〃True；　I　had　forgotten；〃　said　Miss　Montgomery；　with　a　large

goddess…like　indifference　that　was　more　effective　with　the　man

before　her　than　the　most　elaborate　explanation。　　〃You　don't　mind

themdo　you？for　we　are　all　friends　together。　　My　position；　you

know；〃　she　added　sadly；　〃prevents　my　always　following　my　own

inclinations　or　preferences。　　Poor　Markham；　I　fear　the　world　does

not　do　justice　to　his　gentle；　impressible　nature。　　I　sympathize

with　him　deeply；　we　have　both　had　our　afflictions；　we　have　both

lost。　　Good　heavens！〃　she　exclaimed；　with　a　sudden　exaggerated

start　of　horror；　〃what　have　I　done？　　Forgive　my　want　of　tact；　dear

friend；　I　had　forgotten；　wretched　being　that　I　am；　that　YOU；　too〃



She　caught　his　hand　in　both　hers；　and　bowed　her　head　over　it　as　if

unable　to　finish　her　sentence。



Brimmer；　who　had　been　utterly　mystified　and　amazed　at　this　picture

of　Markham's　disconsolate　attitude　to　the　world；　and　particularly

to　the　woman　before　him；　was　completely　finished　by　this　later

tribute　to　his　own　affliction。　　His　usually　composed　features；

however；　easily　took　upon　themselves　a　graver　cast　as　he　kept；　and

pressed；　the　warm　hands　in　his　own。



〃Fool　that　I　was；〃　continued　Miss　Montgomery；　〃in　thinking　of　poor

Markham's　childlike；　open　grief；　I　forgot　the　deeper　sorrow　that

the　more　manly　heart　experiences　under　an　exterior　that　seems　cold

and　impassible。　　Yes；〃　she　said；　raising　her　languid　eyes　to

Brimmer；　〃I　ought　to　have　felt　the　throb　of　that　volcano　under　its

mask　of　snow。　　You　have　taught　me　a　lesson。〃



Withdrawing　her　hands　hastily；　as　if　the　volcano　had　shown　some

signs　of　activity；　she　leaned　back　on　the　sofa　again。



〃You　are　not　yet　reconciled　to　Mr。　Keene's　expedition；　then？〃　she

asked　languidly。



〃I　believe　that　everything　has　been　already　done；〃　said　Brimmer；

somewhat　stiffly；　〃all　sources　of　sensible　inquiry　have　been

exhausted　by　me。　　But　I　envy　Keene　the　eminently　practical

advantages　his　impractical　journey　gives　him；〃　he　added；　arresting

himself；　gallantly；　〃he　goes　with　you。〃



〃Truly！〃　said　Miss　Montgomery；　with　the　melancholy　abstraction　of　a

stage　soliloquy。　　〃Beyond　obeying　the　dictates　of　his　brotherly

affection；　he　gains　no　real　advantage　in　learning　whether　his

sister　is　alive　or　dead。　　The　surety　of　her　death　would　not　make

him　freer　than　he　is　nowfreer　to　absolutely　follow　the　dictates

of　a　new　affection；　free　to　make　his　own　life　again。　　It　is　a

sister；　not　a　wife；　he　seeks。〃



Mr。　Brimmer's　forehead　slightly　contracted。　　He　leaned　back　a

little　more　rigidly　in　his　chair；　and　fixed　a　critical；　half

supercilious　look　upon　her。　　She　did　not　seem　to　notice　his　almost

impertinent　scrutiny；　but　sat　silent；　with　her　eyes　bent　on　the

carpet；　in　gloomy　abstraction。



〃Can　you　keep　a　secret？〃　she　said；　as　if　with　a　sudden　resolution。



〃Yes；〃　said　Brimmer　briefly；　without　changing　his　look。



〃You　know　I　am　a　married　woman。　　You　have　heard　the　story　of　my

wrongs？〃



〃I　have　heard　them；〃　said　Brimmer　dryly。



〃Well；　the　husband　who　abused　and　deserted　me　was；　I　have　re