hr.thecarpetbaggers-第134部分

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　She　was　the　prettiest　girl　on　the　floor　that　night；　with　her　dark…brown　hair　and　blue　eyes　and　tiny　feet。　That　was　in　1912　and　they　were　married　the　next　year。　A　year　after　that；　Jennie　had　been　born。
　He　was　a　motorman　with　the　car　line　even　then；　and　when　he　came　back　from　the　war；　they　moved　into　this　apartment。　A　year　later；　a　son　was　born。
　Poor　tiny　little　Tommy。　The　world　was　not　long　for　him　and　when　he　was　two　years　old；　they　laid　him　to　rest　in　Calvary　Cemetery。　Jennie　was　eight　then　and　barely　understood　what　had　happened　to　her　brother；　but　Ellen　found　her　solace　in　the　quiet　of　the　church；　and　every　day　she　took　her　daughter　there　with　her。　At　first；　he　didn't　pay　much　attention。　Ellen's　overattachment　to　her　church　was　only　natural；　it　would　wear　off　soon　enough。
　But　it　didn't。　He　found　that　out　one　night；　when　he　reached　for　her　in　the　bed　and　found　her　cold　and　unresponsive。　He　felt　for　her　breast　inside　the　heavy　cotton　nightgown　but　she　turned　her　back　to　him。　〃You've　not　made　your　confession　in　months。　I'll　not　have　ye　planting　another　child　in　me。〃
　He　tried　to　make　a　joke　of　it。　〃Who　wants　to　make　a　baby？　All　I　want　is　a　bit　of　lovin'。〃
　〃That's　even　worse；　then；〃　she　said；　her　voice　muffled　by　the　pillow。　〃It's　sinful　and　I'll　share　no　part　of　that　sin。〃
　〃Is　that　what　the　priests　have　been　dunning　into　your　ears？　To　deny　your　husband？〃
　She　didn't　answer。　He　gripped　her　shoulder　and　forced　her　to　turn　toward　him。　〃Is　that　it？〃　he　asked　fiercely。
　〃The　priests　have　told　me　nothing。　What　I　do　is　of　me　own　doing。　I　know　the　Book　enough　to　know　right　from　wrong。　And　stop　your　shouting。　You'll　be　waking　Jennie　in　the　next　room。〃
　〃I'll　stop　shouting；〃　he　said　angrily；　as　the　heat　of　her　shoulder　came　warm　into　his　hands　and　the　fever　rose　up　in　him　and　he　took　her　by　force。　The　spasm　shook　him　and　he　subsided　into　a　heavy…breathing　quiet　atop　her；　his　eyes　staring　into　hers。
　She　looked　up　at　him　quietly；　not　moving；　passive　as　she　had　been　all　through　his　assault　upon　her。　A　last　shiver　drained　his　vitals。　Then　she　spoke。　Her　voice　was　calm　and　distant　and　detached；　as　if　he　weren't　there　at　all。　〃Are　ye　all　through　spending　your　filth　in　me？〃
　He　felt　a　cold　sickness　rising　in　his　stomach。　He　stared　at　her　for　a　moment　more；　then　rolled　off　her　onto　his　side　of　the　bed。　〃I'm　all　through；〃　he　said　tonelessly。
　She　got　out　of　the　bed　and　knelt　beside　the　tiny　crèche　she　had　placed　beneath　the　crucifix。　He　could　sense　her　face　turning　toward　him　in　the　darkness。　〃I　shall　pray　to　the　Virgin　Mother　that　your　seed　has　found　no　home　in　me；〃　she　whispered　harshly。
　He　closed　his　eyes　and　turned　his　back。　This　was　what　they'd　done　to　her；　spoiled　everything　between　them。　A　bitterness　began　to　gall　him。
　He　never　set　foot　in　a　church　again。
　
　5
　
　IT　WAS　QUIET　HERE　IN　THE　NAVE　OF　THE　CHURCH。　Ellen　Denton；　on　her　knees　before　the　holy　statuary；　her　head　bowed　and　her　beads　threaded　through　her　clasped　fingers；　was　at　peace。　There　was　no　prayer　on　her　lips；　no　disturbing　thoughts　in　her　mind　…　only　a　calm；　delicious　emptiness。　It　permeated　her　whole　being　and　closed　off　the　world；　beyond　the　forting　walls。
　The　sins　of　omission；　which　plagued　her　hours　while　she　was　outside　these　walls；　were　but　faint　distant　echoes。　Little　Tommy　lay　quiet　in　his　grave；　no　reproach　on　his　tiny　rosebud　lips；　for　her　neglect　during　his　illness。　No　memories　rose　to　torture　her　of　her　white；　naked　body；　writhing　in　passion　and　pleasure；　while　her　son　lay　dying　in　the　same　room。
　It　had　seemed　just　a　tiny　cold；　a　cold　such　as　children　have　so　often　and　awaken　free　from　in　the　morning。　How　was　she　to　know　that　while　she　lay　there；　whispering　her　delight　into　her　husband's　ear；　a　minute　piece　of　phlegm　had　lodged　in　her　son's　throat；　shutting　off　the　air　from　his　lungs？　So　that；　when　she　got　up　to　adjust　his　covers；　as　she　usually　did　before　she　closed　her　eyes　for　the　night；　she　found　him　strangely　cold　and　already　blue。　How　was　she　to　know　that　this　was　to　be　her　punishment　for　her　own　sins？
　Father　Hadley　had　tried　to　fort　her　in　her　grief。　〃Do　not　blame　yourself；　my　child。　The　Lord　giveth；　the　Lord　taketh　away。　His　will　be　done。〃
　But　she'd　known　better。　The　memory　of　her　joy　in　her　sin　was　still　too　strong　within　her；　though　she　sought　to　free　her　soul　of　its　burden　by　a　thousand　visits　to　the　confessional。　But　all　the　soothing　words　of　the　priests　brought　no　solace　to　her　soul。　Her　guilt　was　her　own　and　only　she；　herself；　could　expunge　it。　But　here；　in　the　quiet　peace　of　the　nave；　beneath　the　silent；　sorrowing　Virgin；　there　was　calmness　and　emptiness　and　oblivion。
　
　Johnny　Burke　was　bored。　He　took　a　last　drag　on　the　butt　and　spun　it　out　into　the　gutter。　The　pimply…faced　boy　next　to　him　said；　〃Let's　go　over　and　see　if　Tessie　is　busy。〃
　〃Tessie　is　always　busy。　Besides；　I　hear　she　give　a　feller　a　dose。　I　ain't　takin'　any　chances。〃　Johnny　took　out　another　cigarette　and　lit　it；　his　eyes　nervously　looking　up　the　street。　〃Just　for　once；　I'd　like　to　get　me　a　dame　that　nobody　else　has　banged。〃
　〃How　yuh　goin'　do　that；　Johnny？〃
　〃There　are　ways；　Andy；〃　Johnny　said　mysteriously。　〃There　are　ways。〃
　Andy　looked　at　him　interestedly。　〃You　talk　like　yuh　know。〃
　Johnny　nodded。　He　tapped　his　pocket。　〃I　got　a　little　somethin'　in　here　that'll　make　any　girl　put　out。〃
　〃Yeah；　Johnny？〃　Andy　asked　quickly。　〃What？〃
　Johnny　lowered　his　voice　carefully。　〃Mosca　cantharides。〃
　〃What's　that？〃
　〃Spanish　fly；　yuh　dope；〃　Johnny　said。　〃I　stole　some　when　Doc　asked　me　to　watch　the　store　while　he　went　upstairs。〃
　〃Gee；〃　Andy　said；　impressed。　〃Will　it　work　on　any　girl？〃
　Johnny　nodded。　〃Sure。　If　yuh　can　slip　it　into　her　drink。　Just　a　little　an'　she's　as　hot　as　a　biscuit　right　out　of　the　oven。〃
　The　druggist　stuck　his　head　out　of　the　doorway。　〃Johnny；　watch　the　store　for　me；　will　you？　I　want　to　run　upstairs　a　minute。〃
　〃O。K。；　Doc。〃
　They　watched　him　turn　into　the　entrance　next　door；　then　went　into　the　drugstore。　Johnny　walked　behind　the　counter　and　leaned　carelessly　against　the　cash　register。
　〃How　about　a　Coke；　Johnny？〃
　〃Uh…uh；〃　Johnny　said。　〃No　handouts　while　I'm　watchin'　the　store　for　Doc。〃　Idly　Johnny　opened　and　closed　some　drawers　under　the　counter。　〃Hey；　Andy；〃　he　called。　〃Want　to　see　where　Doc　keeps　all　the　rubbers？〃
　〃Sure；〃　Andy　said。　He　walked　around　behind　the　counter。
　〃May　I　have　a　Coke；　please？〃
　The　girl's　voice　came　from　the　soda　fountain。　Both　boys　looked　up　guiltily。　Quickly　Johnny　snapped　the　drawer　shut。　〃Sure；　Jennie。〃
　〃Where's　Doc？〃
　〃He　went　upstairs　for　a　minute。〃
　〃She　saw　us；〃　Andy　whispered。　〃She　knows　what　we　were　lookin'　at。〃
　Johnny　looked　at　Jennie　as　he　walked　over　to　the　soda　fountain。　Maybe　she　did。　There　was　a　peculiar　smile　on　her　face。　He　pressed　the　plunger　on　the　Coke…sirup　pump　and　watched　the　dark　fluid　squirt　into　the　glass。　〃Yuh　hear　from　the　Champ　yet；　Jennie？〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃We　were　supposed　to　go　to　the　movies　tonight　but　he　didn't　get　back　from　Berkeley。　I　hope　nothing　went　wrong　with　his　scholarship。〃
　Johnny　smiled。　〃What　could　go　wrong　with　it？〃　he　said。　〃He　already　took　the　state　finals。〃
　Andy　came　up　behind　him。　〃Will　it　work　on　her？〃　he　whispered。　Johnny　knew　what　he　meant。　He　looked　up　suddenly。　All　at　once　it　seemed　to　him　that　he'd　never　really　seen　Jennie。　She　was　one　of　the　cherries　and　usually　he　paid　no　attention　to　them。　She　had　left　her　Coke　and　was　over　looking　at　the　magazines。　He　liked　the　way　the　thin　summer　dress　clung　to　her。　He　never　knew　she　had　such　big　ones。　No　wonder　Mike　Halloran　kept　her　on　the　leash。　Suddenly；　he　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket　and　took　out　the　little　piece　of　paper　and　emptied　the　pinch　of　powder　into　her　glass。
　Jennie　took　a　magazine　from　the　rack　and　went　back　to　the　fountain。　Johnny　looked　down　at　her　glass。　Some　traces　of　powder　were　still　floating　on　top。　He　took　it　and　put　in　another　squirt　of　sirup；　then　held　the　glass　under　the　soda　spigot　while　he　stirred　vigorously。　He　put　the　drink　down　in　front　of　her　and　looked　up　at　the　clock。　〃Kind　of　late　for　you　to　be　out；　isn't　it？〃
　〃It's　Saturday　night；〃　Jennie　answered。　〃It　was　so　hot　in　the　apartment；　I　thought　I'd　e　down