cw.blackalibi-第34部分

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let　anyone　try　to　talk　you　out　of　doing　anything；　and　you're　surer　than　ever　to　go　ahead　and　do　it。〃
　　〃Steam…roller　Sal；〃　grinned　the　smaller　girl　beside　her。　〃Here　it　is　now。〃
　　They　got　in；　settled　themselves　on　the　back　seat；　left　open　to　the　sky　with　the　hood　thrown　back。
　　〃What'd　he　say　it　was　called；　again？〃
　　Marjorie　gave　the　order　to　the　coachman　for　her。　〃The　Madrid。〃　He　turned　and　gave　them　a　glance　of　brief　curiosity；　then　flicked　his　whip　and　they　started　to　roll　down　the　street　with　velvety　smoothness。　Marjorie　had　noted　the　look　in　passing。　It　might　have　been　elicited　by　their　festive　attire　or　their　lack　of　male　escort；　but　she　was　inclined　to　think　not；　she　had　an　idea　it　was　their　destination　that　had　caused　it。
　　〃Was　I　right？〃　Sally　exulted。　〃Isn't　this　nice　for　a　change？〃
　　The　gait　of　the　vehicle　was　a　lot　more　even　and　lulling　than　a　car　would　have　been；　there　was　no　denying　that；　and　it　gave　them　a　much　better　chance　to　take　in　the　sights　around　them。　These　carriages；　although　no　longer　used　for　practical　purposes　during　the　daylight　hours；　were　far　from　being　broken…down　museum　pieces。　They　were　rubber…tired；　their　bodies　kept　in　gleaming　condition；　and　they　were　anything　but　an　unmon　sight　in　Ciudad　Real；　particularly　after　dark　and　on　Sunday　afternoons。
　　After　ten　or　fifteen　minutes　of　slow　coursing　through　the　vivacious；　brightly　lighted　streets；　they　came　out　finally　upon　a　large　glorieta；　or　rounded　open　space　of　pavement；　ringed　about　with　multiglobed　lampposts。　This　was　the　Puerta　Mayor；　one　of　the　city　〃gates；〃　although　it　had　neither　wall　nor　gate　to　show　for　it。　Facing　them　across　it　was　the　main　entrance　to　the　Bosque；　a　vast　natural　park　in　imitation　of　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　in　Paris；　mute　testimony　of　the　days　when　Paris　had　set　the　style　in　cities　as　well　as　in　women's　clothes。
　　The　main　driveway　of　the　Bosque；　when　they　entered　it；　was　filled　with　taxis；　roadsters；　and　sedans。　In　fact　the　stream　of　traffic　was　fully　as　heavy　as　on　some　of　the　city　thoroughfares　behind　them。
　　〃Now　what's　wrong　with　this？〃　Sally　queried　delightedly。　〃Do　you　see　anything　so　lonely　or　scary　about　this？　I'd　like　to　give　that　clerk　a　piece　of　my　mind！〃
　　〃It's　lonely　like　Times　Square　on　Election　Night；〃　admitted　Marjorie　with　a　chuckle。
　　〃What　a　night！〃　Sally　exulted。　She　lowered　the　bracketed　seat　opposite；　put　both　feet　up　on　it；　and　stared　overhead　and　rearward　at　a　pomegranate　of　a　moon　which　was　beginning　to　work　its　way　through　the　trees　into　open　sky。
　　Presently　innumerable　colored　lanterns；　like　toy　balloons　staked　low　above　the　ground　at　the　end　of　taut；　upright　strings；　began　to　peer　out　at　them　here　and　there。　The　carriage　made　a　turn　into　a　private　siding；　the　trees　thinned　off；　and　a　whole　vast　expanse　of　them；　like　a　flower　bed　dangling　upside　down；　burgeoned　into　view。　Beneath　was　a　sea　of　tables　in　the　open　air；　centering　around　a　pavilion；　open　at　the　sides；　containing　still　others。　And　all　alike；　inside　and　out；　were　filled　with　a　vivaciously　chattering；　typically　Latin　outdoor　crowd。　The　nostalgic　wail　of　a　tango　sounded　disembodiedly　on　the　night　air；　without　seeming　to　have　any　source；　and　you　could　tell　that　those　upright　under　the　pavilion　roof　in　a　small　pact　cluster　were　dancing；　and　not　just　standing　there　between　the　tables；　only　because　each　two　were　turned　to　face　one　another。
　　〃Now　this；〃　said　Sally；　when　they　had　finally　obtained　a　table　far　out　toward　the　perimeter；　〃is　what　I　really　call　something。　You　can　have　your　stuffy　city　night　clubs。　Look　at　that。〃　She　picked　up　a　leaf　that　had　fallen　to　the　cloth　from　above；　and　held　it　out　almost　reverently　for　Marjorie　to　see。
　　〃Sally；　the　hard…to…please；　the　chronic　plainer；〃　observed　Marjorie；　with　reverse　implication。
　　Sally　was　usually　good　pany　at　all　times；　pleasant　to　be　out　with；　that　was　why　they　had　made　the　trip　together　in　the　first　place。　Tonight　she　was　in　especially　fine　fettle。
　　〃Are　we　getting　looked　at！〃　she　reveled　presently；　not　in　the　least　disconcerted。　〃Very　dйclassйe；　I　suppose；　ing　out　alone　together　like　this。〃
　　〃You　know　it　isn't　that；〃　Marjorie　teased　her。　〃It's　probably　that　carrot　thatch　of　yours；　and　the　funny　little　phiz　that　goes　with　it。〃　She　undulated　her　wrist　watch　toward　her。　〃You're　beautiful；　my　dear。〃
　　Sally　squinted　at　one　of　the　lanterns。　〃I　must　owe　you　money；〃　she　said。　〃Trying　to　recall　if　I　do　or　not。　It's　the　only　way　I　can　account　for　it。　All　right；　you're　beautiful　too；　so　there。　I'm　beautiful；　you're　beautiful；　what　good　does　it　do　us？　Two　lonely　old　maids；　twenty…four　and　twentyfive；　all　by　themselves　in　the　middle　of　the　South　American　night。〃
　　〃You　shouldn't　have　said　that；〃　Marjorie　said　in　a　guarded　voice；　laughing　silently　down　her　chin。　〃Don't　look　up；　but　we're　about　to　be　accosted。〃
　　He　was　plete　even　down　to　white　kid　gloves。　He　bowed　low　between　them。　〃Would　one　of　the　sefloritas　care　to　do　me　the　honor　of　dancing？〃
　　The　corner　of　Sally's　mouth　was　twitching　in　spite　of　her　best　efforts　to　control　it。　Close　as　he　was；　she　managed　to　make　herself　audible　to　her　friend　without　appearing　to　say　anything。　〃Dare　me？〃　she　breathed。　〃Ow！　what　was　that　for？〃　she　exclaimed；　unabashed；　a　moment　later　as　the　point　of　her　friend's　toe　found　her　instep。
　　Marjorie　saw　that　she　would　have　to　answer　for　the　two　of　them。　〃No　thank　you；〃　she　said　with　what　gravity　she　could　muster。
　　〃Pardon；〃　the　canvasser　said　stiffly。　He　gave　another　bow　and　left　them。
　　〃You　hurt　the　poor　man's　feelings；〃　Marjorie　rebuked；　holding　her　napkin　to　the　side　of　her　own　mouth　to　keep　the　contagious　laughter　she　was　getting　from　the　other　girl　from　being　seen。
　　The　two　of　them　had　fallen　into　one　of　those　moods　of　giddy；　causeless　hilarity　that　at　times　sweep　over　two　women　alone；　they　were　laughing　at　nothing；　with　one　another；　at　one　another；　and　incited　by　one　another。
　　〃I　thought　you　were　feeling　so　romantic　tonight？〃
　　〃Yeah；〃　said　Sally；　shaking　her　head；　〃but　I　don't　like　'em　with　shoeshines　on　the　hair。〃
　　This　brought　on　another　gale　of　risibility。
　　〃Have　they　a　union？　They'll　be　picketing　this　table；　the　first　thing　we　know。〃
　　〃Say；　wouldn't　that　look　funny？〃　visualized　Marjorie。　〃Three　or　four　of　them　carrying　signs　and　doing　little　dance　steps　back　and　forth　in　front　of　us…〃　The　mental　image　she　managed　to　convey　sent　them　into　still　another　spasm。
　　〃e　on；　we're　going　to　have　wine　with　these　jokes！〃　Sally　said　masterfully；　beckoning　the　waiter。
　　〃Old　P。　J。　should　see　his　hard…working　secretary　now！〃　Marjorie　gloated　a　few　minutes　later；　tilting　a　ruddy　glass　toward　her　friend。
　　Sally　turned　and　looked　the　other　way；　away　from　the　crowd　out　into　the　marginal　darkness；　for　almost　the　first　time　since　they'd　seated　themselves。　She　decided　to　kid　her　panion　a　little。　〃It　may　be　hiding　out　there　right　now；　watching　us　through　the　trees；〃　she　said　mischievously。　〃Do　you　suppose　they　pick　out　whom　their　next　meal　is　going　to　be　ahead　of　time　and　then　follow　them　around？　I　heard　a　story　once…〃
　　〃Brrh！　Don't！〃　pleaded　Marjorie。　〃I　was　just　beginning　to　forget　it。　You　had　to　remind　me。〃
　　〃Nobody　else　here　seems　to　take　it　seriously；　why　should　we？　Look　at　the　mob　here　tonight。　That　alone　shows　it's　just　some　sort　of　an　idle　rumor。〃
　　Under　those　gay…colored　lanterns　strung　from　the　trees；　with　music　playing；　glasses　clinking；　waiters　hustling　around；　shoals　of　men　and　women　in　evening　dress　on　every　side　of　them；　Marjorie　had　to　admit　to　herself　it　was　hard　really　to　believe　that　there　was　violent　death　stalking　somewhere　about　the　city　at　that　very　moment；　on　four　velvety；　relentless　paws。
　　By　the　time　they　were　ready　to　leave；　an　hour　later；　they　had　both　forgotten　all　about　it　once　again。　They　returned　in　high　good　humor　to　where　their　carriage　was　waiting　for　them；　still　laughing　intermittently　and　for　as　little　reason　as　ever。
　　〃I　liked　that　place。　Aren't　you　glad　we　took　it　in？〃
　　〃Wouldn't　have　missed　it　for　the　world；〃　Marjorie　agreed。
　　〃Drive　us　around　awhile；　slowly；〃　Sally　told　the　coachman　as　they　got　in。　〃It's　a　shame　to　go　back　to　the　hotel　so　soon。　Isn't