hr.thecarpetbaggers-第139部分

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　〃Just　a　minute；　Miss　Denton；〃　he　said　suddenly。
　She　opened　the　door　and　looked　at　him。　〃Yes；　Doctor？〃
　He　smiled　again。　〃We've　been　so　busy；　I　haven't　had　time　to　ask。　Are　you　happy　here？〃
　She　nodded。　〃Yes；　Doctor。　Very。〃
　〃I'm　glad。〃
　〃You　ought　to　be　getting　home；　Doctor。　You　look　exhausted。〃
　〃Home？〃　he　asked；　a　wry　smile　ing　to　his　lips。　〃This　is　my　home；　Miss　Denton。　I　just　sleep　in　that　other　place。〃
　〃I…　I　don't　understand；　Doctor。〃
　〃Of　course　you　don't；〃　he　said　gently。　〃I　wouldn't　expect　you　to。　You're　much　too　young　and　beautiful　to　worry　about　the　likes　of　me。〃　He　got　to　his　feet。　〃Go　back　upstairs　now；　Miss　Denton。　I'll　try　to　be　very　quiet　and　not　disturb　you。〃
　The　light　from　the　lamp　on　his　desk　shining　up　onto　his　face　made　him　look　even　more　handsome　than　usual。　She　stood　in　the　doorway；　staring　at　him。　She　felt　her　heart　pumping　strangely　within　her。　〃But　I　do　worry　about　you；　Doctor。　You　work　too　hard。〃
　〃I'll　be　all　right；〃　he　said　in　a　toneless　voice。　He　turned　to　look　at　her　and　their　eyes　locked　and　held。　It　seemed　as　if　she　were　spinning　into　a　swirling　vortex　deep　in　his　gentle　brown　eyes。　She　felt　a　trembling　in　her　legs　and　placed　her　hand　on　the　doorjamb　quickly；　to　support　herself。　No　words　came　to　her　lips；　she　stared　at　him；　speechless。
　〃Is　anything　wrong；　Miss　Denton？〃
　It　took　a　desperate　effort　for　her　to　shake　her　head。　〃No；〃　she　whispered；　forcing　her　eyes　to　turn　away。　〃No。〃　Suddenly；　she　turned　and　ran　toward　the　stairway。
　She　wasn't　even　aware　that　he　had　e　after　her　until　he　caught　her　in　the　doorway　of　her　apartment。　The　warmth　of　his　hand　touching　her　shoulder　came　through　the　thin　robe。　〃Are　you　afraid　of　me；　Jennie？〃　he　asked　harshly。
　She　looked　up　into　his　face　and　saw　the　anguish　in　his　eyes。　A　curious　weakness　came　over　her　and　she　would　have　fallen　if　he　had　not　been　holding　her。　〃No；〃　she　whispered。
　〃Then　what　is　it？〃
　She　looked　down；　not　speaking；　the　warmth　from　his　hand　beginning　to　radiate　into　a　fire　inside　her。　〃Tell　me！〃　he　urged；　shaking　her。
　She　looked　up　at　him；　the　tears　ing　into　her　eyes。　〃I　can't。〃
　〃You　can；　Jennie；　you　can；〃　he　said　insistently。　〃I　know　what　you　feel。　You　feel　the　same　things　I　feel。　I　can't　sleep　without　dreaming　of　you；　without　feeling　you　close　to　me。〃
　〃No。　Please！　It's　not　right。〃
　His　strong　surgeon's　hand　held　her　chin。　〃I　love　you；　Jennie；〃　he　said。　〃I　love　you。〃
　She　stared　up　into　his　eyes；　seeing　his　face　ing　closer　and　closer；　then　his　mouth　pressed　down　on　hers。　She　closed　her　eyes　for　a　moment；　feeling　the　fire　envelop　her。　Abruptly　she　tore　her　face　away。　She　backed　into　the　apartment。　He　stepped　in　after　her；　kicking　the　door　shut　with　his　foot。　〃You　love　me；〃　he　said。　〃Say　it！〃
　Her　eyes　were　wide　as　she　stared　up　at　him。　〃No；〃　she　whispered。
　He　stepped　forward　again；　his　strong　fingers　digging　deep　into　her　shoulders。　〃Say　it！〃　he　manded　harshly。
　She　felt　the　weakness　as　his　touch　flowed　through　her　again。　She　couldn't　turn　her　face　from　his　eyes。　〃I　love　you；〃　she　said。
　He　pressed　his　mouth　to　hers　again　and　kissed　her。　She　felt　his　hands　inside　her　robe；　his　fingers　on　her　back　unfastening　her　brassière；　her　breasts　rising　from　their　restraint；　the　nipples　leaping　joyfully　into　his　hands。　A　shiver　of　ecstasy　raced　through　her　and　she　almost　fell。　〃Please　don't；〃　she　whispered；　her　lips　moving　under　his。　〃It's　wrong。〃
　He　picked　her　up　in　his　arms　and　carried　her　across　the　room　to　the　bed。　He　placed　her　on　it　gently　and　knelt　beside　her。　〃When　a　man　and　a　woman　are　in　love；〃　he　whispered；　〃nothing　they　do　in　the　privacy　of　their　own　home　is　ever　wrong。　And　this　is　our　home。〃
　He　pressed　his　lips　down　on　her　mouth　again。
　
　Tom　looked　across　the　table　at　the　kitchen　clock。　It　was　a　few　minutes　past　ten。　He　folded　his　newspaper。　〃I　guess　she　won't　be　ing　now；〃　he　said；　〃so　I　might　as　well　be　turning　in。〃　He　got　to　his　feet。　〃The　boys　down　at　the　Alliance　tell　me　I'll　be　making　supervisor　any　day　now；　so　I　better　get　my　sleep。　It　won't　do　for　me　to　be　showing　up　late　to　work。〃
　Ellen　sniffed　contemptuously。　〃If　ye　keep　listenin'　to　them　munists　down　at　the　Workers'　Alliance；　you'll　be　lucky　even　to　hold　your　job　with　the　WPA。〃
　〃They're　in　pretty　good；　you　can't　deny　that。　It　was　them　that　got　me　onto　full　time　instead　of　half　time　and　you　know　it。　It's　them　that's　for　the　working　man。〃
　〃munists　are　heathens；〃　she　said。　〃Father　Hadley　told　me　they're　against　the　church　because　they　don't　believe　in　God。　He　says　they're　only　playing　up　to　the　workin'　man　until　they　get　in　power；　like　in　Russia。　Then　they'll　close　the　churches　and　make　slaves　out　of　us　all。〃
　〃What　if　they　are？〃　he　asked。　〃I　don't　see　Father　Hadley　getting　me　a　job　or　paying　our　bills。　No；　it　was　the　Alliance　that　put　me　to　work　and　saw　to　it　I　earned　enough　to　pay　rent　and　buy　food。　I　don't　care　what　Father　Hadley　calls　them；　as　long　as　they　do　good　for　me。〃
　She　smiled　bitterly。　〃A　fine　family　I　have。　A　husband　who's　a　munist　and　a　daughter　who　never　has　the　time　to　e　home。〃
　〃Maybe　she's　busy；〃　Tom　said　lamely。　〃You　know　it's　a　responsible　position　she's　got。　Didn't　the　sister　at　St。　Mary's　say；　when　she　graduated；　that　she　was　very　lucky　to　be　working　for　such　an　important　doctor？〃
　〃Yes；　but　she　still　should　e　home　once　in　a　while。　I'm　willin'　to　bet　she　hasn't　been　to　Mass　since　she　left　St。　Mary's。〃
　〃How　do　you　know？〃　Tom　asked　angrily。　〃St。　Paul's　ain't　the　only　church　in　San　Francisco。〃
　〃I　know；〃　she　said。　〃I　feel　it。　She　doesn't　want　to　e　see　us。　She's　makin'　so　much　money　now；　she's　ashamed　of　us。〃
　〃And　what　has　she　got　to　be　proud　of？　With　you　preaching　religion　at　her　all　the　time　and　the　boys　on　the　street　still　sniggering　and　laughing　behind　her　back　when　she　walks　by？　Do　you　think　that's　something　to　make　a　young　girl　want　to　e　home？〃
　Ellen　ignored　him。　〃It's　not　right　that　a　girl　should　stay　away　like　this；〃　she　said　stubbornly。　〃We　both　know　what　goes　on　up　there　on　the　hill；　with　everybody　sleepin'　with　each　other's　wives　and　the　drink。　I　read　the　papers；　too；　ye　know。〃
　〃Jennie's　a　good　girl。　She　wouldn't　do　a　thing　like　that。〃
　〃I'm　not　too　sure。　Sometimes　a　taste　of　temptation　is　like　a　spoonful　of　honey。　Just　enough　to　sweeten　your　tongue　but　not　enough　to　fill　your　whole　mouth。　And　we　both　know　she's　tasted　temptation。〃
　〃You　still　don't　believe　her；　do　you？〃　he　asked　bitterly。　〃You'd　rather　take　the　word　of　those　two　hoodlums　than　your　own　daughter。〃
　〃Then　why　didn't　she　go　into　court？　If　there　wasn't　just　a　little　truth　in　what　they　said；　she　wouldn't　have　been　afraid。　But　no；　she　takes　the　thousand　dollars　and　lets　herself　be　labeled　a　whore。〃
　〃You　know　as　well　as　I　why　she　didn't；〃　Tom　answered。　〃And　you　can　thank　your　church　for　it。　They'd　not　even　e　into　court　to　say　she　was　a　good　girl。　No；　they　were　afraid　the　boys'　parents　might　not　like　it　and　cut　off　their　weekly　contributions。〃
　〃The　church　sent　her　to　college。　And　they　found　her　this　job。　They　did　their　duty。〃
　〃Then　what　are　you　plaining　about？〃
　
　She　sat　there　quietly　for　a　moment；　listening　to　him　drop　his　shoes　angrily　to　the　floor　as　he　undressed　in　the　bedroom。　Then　she　got　out　of　the　chair　and　felt　the　hot…water　heater。　A　hot　bath　would　soothe　her　aches　and　pains　a　little；　all　this　damp　fall　weather　was　bringing　out　her　arthritis。　She　took　a　match　and　kneeled　down　beside　the　heater。　Striking　the　match；　she　turned　the　pet　cock。　The　flame　caught　for　a　moment；　then　died　out　in　a　tiny　yellow　circle。　She　looked　up　at　the　meter。　They　were　out　of　gas。　The　red　flag　was　up。　She　got　to　her　feet　and　walked　over　to　her　pocketbook。　She　opened　the　small　change　purse　and　searched　through　it。　She　had　no　quarters；　only　nickels　and　dimes。　For　a　moment；　she　thought　of　asking　Tom　for　a　quarter；　then　shrugged　her　shoulders。　She'd　had　enough　of　his　blasphemous　tongue。　She'd　do　without　her　bath。　She　could　take　it　in　the　morning；　when　she　came　back　from　Mass。　She　went　into　the　bathroom　and　used　the　last　of　the　hot　water　to　wash　her　face。　Tom　was　standing　in　the　kitchen　when　she　came　out；　his　chest　bare　above　his　trousers。　She　swept　by　him　silently　and　closed　the　bedroom　door　behind　her