options-第30章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
coast of one of the Central American republics； a few hundred miles south of the port to which he had engaged to convey me。 But I was wearied of movement and exotic fancies； so I leaped contentedly upon the firm sands of the village of Mojada； telling myself I should be sure to find there the rest that I craved。 After all； far better to linger there （I thought）； lulled by the sedative plash of the waves and the rustling of palm…fronds； than to sit upon the horsehair sofa of my parental home in the East； and there； cast down by currant wine and cake； and scourged by fatuous relatives； drivel into the ears of gaping neighbors sad stories of the death of colonial governors。
When I first saw Chloe Greene she was standing； all in white； in the doorway of her father's tile…roofed 'dobe house。 She was polishing a silver cup with a cloth； and she looked like a pearl laid against black velvet。 She turned on me a flatteringly protracted but a wiltingly disapproving gaze； and then went inside； humming a light song to indicate the value she placed upon my existence。
Small wonder： for Dr。 Stamford （the most disreputable professional man between Juneau and Valparaiso） and I were zigzagging along the turfy street； tunelessly singing the words of Auld Lang Syne to the air of Muzzer's Little Coal…Black Coon。 We had come from the ice factory； which was Mojada's palace of wickedness； where we had been playing billiards and opening black bottles； white with frost； that we dragged with strings out of old Sandoval's ice…cold vats。
I turned in sudden rage to Dr。 Stamford； as sober as the verger of a cathedral。 In a moment I had become aware that we were swine cast before a pearl。
〃You beast；〃 I said； 〃this is half your doing。 And the other half is the fault of this cursed country。 I'd better have gone back to Sleepy…town and died in a wild orgy of currant wine and buns than to have had this happen。〃
Stamford filled the empty street with his roaring laughter。
〃You too！〃 he cried。 〃And all as quick as the popping of a cork。 Well； she does seem to strike agreeably upon the retina。 But don't burn your fingers。 All Mojada will tell you that Louis Devoe is the man。
〃We will see about that；〃 said I。 〃And； perhaps； whether he is a man as well as the man。〃
I lost no time in meeting Louis Devoe。 That was easily accomplished； for the foreign colony in Mojada numbered scarce a dozen； and they gathered daily at a half…decent hotel kept by a Turk； where they managed to patch together the fluttering rags of country and civilization that were left them。 I sought Devoe before I did my pearl of the doorway； because I had learned a little of the game of war； and knew better than to strike for a prize before testing the strength of the enemy。
A sort of cold dismay…something akin to fear…filled me when I had estimated him。 I found a man so perfectly poised； so charming； so deeply learned in the world's rituals； so full of tact； courtesy； and hospitality； so endowed with grace and ease and a kind of careless； haughty power that I almost overstepped the bounds in probing him； in turning him on the spit to find the weak point that I so craved for him to have。 But I left him whole…I had to make bitter acknowledgment to myself that Louis Devoe was a gentleman worthy of my best blows； and I swore to give him them。 He was a great merchant of the country； a wealthy importer and exporter。 All day he sat in a fastidiously appointed office； surrounded by works of art and evidences of his high culture； directing through glass doors and windows the affairs of his house。
In person he was slender and hardly tall。 His small； well…shaped head was covered with thick； brown hair； trimmed short； and he wore a thick； brown beard also cut close and to a fine point。 His manners were a pattern。
Before long I had become a regular and a welcome visitor at the Greene home。 I shook my wild habits from me like a worn…out cloak。 I trained for the conflict with the care of a prize…fighter and the self…denial of a Brahmin。
As for Chloe Greene； I shall weary you with no sonnets to her eyebrow。 She was a splendidly feminine girl； as wholesome as a November pippin； and no more mysterious than a windowpane。 She had whimsical little theories that she had deduced from life； and that fitted the maxims of Epictetus like princess gowns。 I wonder； after all； if that old duffer wasn't rather wise！
Chloe had a father； the Reverend Homer Greene； and an intermittent mother； who sometimes palely presided over a twilight teapot。 The Reverend Homer was a burr…like man with a life…work。 He was writing a concordance to the Scriptures； and had arrived as far as Kings。 Being； presumably； a suitor for his daughter's hand； I was timber for his literary outpourings。 I had the family tree of Israel drilled into my head until I used to cry aloud in my sleep： 〃And Aminadab begat Jay Eye See；〃 and so forth； until he had tackled another book。 I once made a calculation that the Reverend Homer's concordance would be worked up as far as the Seven Vials mentioned in Revelations about the third day after they were opened。
Louis Devoe； as well as I； was a visitor and an intimate friend of the Greenes。 It was there I met him the oftenest； and a more agreeable' man or a more accomplished I have never hated in my life。
Luckily or unfortunately； I came to be accepted as a Boy。 My appearance was youthful； and I suppose I had that pleading and homeless air that always draws the motherliness that is in women and the cursed theories and hobbies of pater…familiases。
Chloe called me 〃Tommy；〃 and made sisterly fun of my attempts to woo her。 With Devoe she was vastly more reserved。 He was the man of romance； one to stir her imagination and deepest feelings had her fancy leaned toward him。 I was closer to her； but standing in no glamour； I had the task before me of winning her in what seems to me the American way of fightingwith cleanness and pluck and everyday devotion to break away the barriers of friendship that divided us； and to take her； if I could； between sunrise and dark； abetted by neither moonlight nor music nor foreign wiles。
Chloe gave no sign of bestowing her blithe affections upon either of us。 But one day she let out to me an inkling of what she preferred in a man。 It was tremendously interesting to me； but not illuminating as to its application。 I had been tormenting her for the dozenth time with the statement and catalogue of my sentiments toward her。
〃Tommy；〃 said she； 〃I don't want a man to show his love for me by leading an army against another country and blowing people off the earth with cannons。〃
〃If you mean that the opposite way；〃 I answered； 〃as they say women do； I'll see what I can do。 The papers are full of this diplomatic row in Russia。 My people know some big people in Washington who are right next to the army people； and I could get an artillery commission and〃
〃I'm not that way；〃 interrupted Chloe。 〃I mean what I say。 It isn't the big things that are done in the world； Tommy； that count with a woman。 When the knights were riding abroad in their armor to slay dragons； many a stay…at…home page won a lonesome lady's hand by being on the spot to pick up her glove and be quick with her cloak when the wind blew。 The man I am to like best； whoever he shall be； must show his love in little ways。 He must never forget； after hearing it once； that I do not like to have any one walk at my left side； that I detest bright…colored neckties； that I prefer to sit with my back to a light； that I like candied violets； that I must not be talked to when I am looking at the moonlight shining on water； and that I very； very often long for dates stuffed with English walnuts。〃
〃Frivolity；〃 I said； with a frown。 〃Any well…trained servant would be equal to such details。〃
〃And he must remember；〃 went on Chloe； to remind me of what I want when I do not know； myself； what I want。〃
〃You're rising in the scale；〃 I said。 〃What you seem to need is a first…class clairvoyant。〃
〃And if I say that I am dying to hear a Beethoven sonat
