cw.imarriedadeadman-第24部分

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ithout　seeing　the　hand　or　arm　or　person　it　belonged　to。
　A　voice　said：　〃May　I　cut　in　on　this　one？〃
　And　suddenly　they'd　stopped。　Bill　had　stopped；　so　she　had　to；　too。
　His　arms　left　her。　A　shuffling　motion　took　place；　Bill　stepped　aside；　and　there　was　someone　else　there　in　his　place。　It　was　like　a　double　exposure；　where　one　person　dissolves　into　another。
　Their　eyes　met；　hers　and　the　new　pair。　His　had　been　waiting　for　hers；　and　hers　had　foolishly　run　into　his。　They　couldn't　move　again。
　The　rest　was　horror；　sheer　and　unadulterated。　Horror　such　as　she'd　never　known　she　could　experience。　Horror　under　the　electric　lights。　Death　on　the　dance　floor。　Her　body　stayed　upright；　but　otherwise　she　had　every　feeling　of　death　coursing　through　it。
　〃Georgesson's　the　name；〃　he　murmured　unobtrusively　to　Bill。　His　lips　hardly　seemed　to　stir　at　all。　His　eyes　didn't　leave　hers。
　Bill　pleted　the　ghastly　parody　of　an　introduction。　〃Mrs。　Hazzard；　Mr。　Georgesson。〃
　〃How　do　you　do？〃　he　said　to　her。
　Somehow　there　was　even　worse　horror　in　the　trite　phrase　than　there　had　been　in　the　original　confrontation。　She　was　screaming　in　silent　inward　panic；　her　lips　locked　tight；　unable　even　to　speak　Bill's　name　and　prevent　the　transfer。
　〃May　I？〃　Georgesson　said；　and　Bill　nodded；　and　the　transfer　had　been　pleted；　it　was　too　late。
　Then　for　a　moment；　blessed　reprieve。　She　felt　his　arms　close　about　her；　and　her　face　sank　into　the　sheltering　shadow　of　his　shoulder；　and　she　was　dancing　again。　She　no　longer　had　to　stand　upright；　unsupported。　There；　that　was　better。　A　minute　to　think　in。　A　minute　to　get　your　breath　in。
　The　music　went　on；　their　dancing　went　on。　Bill's　face　faded　away　in　the　background。
　〃We've　met　before；　haven't　we？〃
　Keep　me　from　fainting；　she　prayed；　keep　me　from　falling。
　He　was　waiting　for　his　answer。
　Don't　speak；　don't　answer　him。
　〃Who'd　he　say　you　were？〃
　Her　feet　faltered；　missed。
　〃Don't　make　me　keep　on　doing　this；　I　can't。　Help　me…outside　someplace…or　I'm…〃
　〃Too　warm　for　you？〃　he　said　politely。
　She　didn't　answer。　The　music　was　dying。　She　was　dying。
　He　said；　〃You　went　out　of　step；　just　then。　My　fault；　I'm　afraid。〃
　〃Don't…〃　she　whimpered。　〃Don't…〃
　The　music　stopped。　They　stopped。
　His　arm　left　her　back；　but　his　hand　stayed　tight　about　her　wrist；　holding　her　there　beside　him　for　a　moment。
　He　said；　〃There's　a　veranda　outside。　Over　there；　out　that　way。　I'll　go　out　there　and　wait　for　you；　and　we　can…go　ahead　talking。〃
　She　hardly　knew　what　she　was　saying。　〃I　can't…You　don't　understand…〃　Her　neck　wouldn't　hold　firm；　her　head　kept　trying　to　lob　over　limply。
　〃I　think　I　do。　I　think　I　understand　perfectly。　I　understand　you；　and　you　understand　me。〃　Then　he　added　with　a　grisly　sort　of　emphasis　that　froze　her　to　the　marrow：　〃I　bet　we　two　understand　one　another　better　than　any　other　two　people　in　this　whole　ballroom　at　the　moment。〃
　Bill　was　ing　back　toward　them　from　the　sidelines。
　〃I'll　be　out　there　where　I　said。　Don't　keep　me　waiting　too　long；　or…I'll　simply　have　to　e　in　and　look　you　up　again。〃　His　face　didn't　change。　His　voice　didn't　change。　〃Thanks　for　the　dance；〃　he　said；　as　Bill　arrived。
　He　didn't　let　go　her　wrist；　he　transferred　it　to　Bill's　keeping；　as　though　she　were　something　inanimate；　a　doll；　and　bowed；　and　turned；　and　left　them。
　〃Seen　him　around　a　few　times。　Came　here　stag；　I　guess。〃　Bill　shrugged　in　dismissal。　〃e　on。〃
　〃Not　this　one。　The　one　after。〃
　〃Are　you　all　right？　You　look　pale。〃
　〃It's　the　lights。　I'm　going　in　and　powder。　You　go　and　dance　with　someone　else。〃
　He　grinned　at　her。　〃I　don't　want　to　dance　with　someone　else。〃
　〃Then　you　go　and…and　e　back　for　me。　The　one　after。〃
　〃The　one　after。〃
　She　watched　him　from　just　outside　the　doorway。　He　went　out　front　toward　the　bar。　She　watched　him　go　in　there。　She　watched　him　sit　down　on　one　of　the　tall　stools。　Then　she　turned　and　went　the　other　way。
　She　walked　slowly　over　to　the　doors　leading　outside　onto　the　veranda；　and　stood　in　one　of　them；　looking　out　into　the　fountainpen…ink　blueness　of　the　night。　There　were　wicker　chairs；　in　groups　of　twos　and　threes；　spaced　every　few　yards；　encircling　small　tables。
　The　red　sequin　of　a　cigarette…coal　had　risen　perpendicularly　above　one；　all　the　way　down　at　the　end；　imperiously　summoning　her。　Then　it　shot　over　the　balustrade　laterally；　cast　away　in　impatient　expectancy。
　She　walked　slowly　down　that　way；　with　the　strange　feeling　of　making　a　journey　from　which　there　was　to　be　no　return；　ever。　Her　feet　seemed　to　want　to　take　root；　hold　her　back　of　their　own　volition。
　She　came　to　a　halt　before　him。　He　slung　his　hip　onto　the　balustrade；　and　sat　there　askew；　in　insolent　informality。　He　repeated　what　he'd　said　inside。　〃Who'd　he　say　you　were？〃
　The　stars　were　moving。　They　were　making　peculiar　eddying　swirls　like　blurred　pinwheels　all　over　the　sky。
　〃You　abandoned　me；〃　she　said　with　leashed　fury。　〃You　abandoned　me；　with　five　dollars。　Now　what　do　you　want？〃
　〃Oh；　then　we　have　met　before。　I　thought　we　had。　Glad　you　agree　with　me。〃
　〃Stop　it。　What　do　you　want？〃
　〃What　do　I　want？　I　don't　want　anything。　I'm　a　little　confused；　that's　all。　I'd　like　to　be　straightened　out。　The　man　introduced　you　under　a　mistaken　name　in　there。〃
　〃What　do　you　want？　What　are　you　doing　down　here？〃
　〃Well；　for　that　matter；〃　he　said　with　insolent　urbanity；　〃what　are　you　doing　yourself　down　here？〃
　She　repeated　it　a　third　time。　〃What　do　you　want？〃
　〃Can't　a　man　show　interest　in　his　ex…protégée　and　child？　There's　no　way　of　making　children　ex；　you　know。〃
　〃You're　either　insane　or…〃
　〃You　know　that　isn't　so。　You　wish　it　were；〃　he　said　brutally。
　She　turned　on　her　heel。　His　hand　found　her　wrist　again；　flicked　around　it　like　a　whip。　Cutting　just　as　deeply。
　〃Don't　go　inside　yet。　We　haven't　finished。〃
　She　stopped；　her　back　to　him　now。　〃I　think　we　have。〃
　〃The　decision　is　mine。〃
　He　let　go　of　her；　but　she　stayed　there　where　she　was。　She　heard　him　light　another　cigarette；　saw　the　momentary　reflection　from　behind　her　own　shoulder。
　He　spoke　at　last；　voice　thick　with　expelled　smoke。　〃You　still　haven't　cleared　things　up；〃　he　purred。　〃I'm　as　mixed…up　as　ever。　This　Hugh　Hazzard　married…er…let's　say　you；　his　wife；　in　Paris；　a　year　ago　last　June　fifteenth。　I　went　to　considerable　expense　and　trouble　to　have　the　exact　date　on　the　records　there　verified。　But　a　year　ago　last　June　fifteenth　you　and　I　were　living　in　our　little　furnished　room　in　New　York。　I　have　the　receipted　rent…bills　to　show　for　this。　How　could　you　have　been　in　two　such　far…apart　places　at　once？〃　He　sighed　philosophically。　〃Somebody's　got　their　dates　mixed。　Either　he　had。　Or　I　have。〃　And　then　very　slowly；　〃Or　you　have。〃
　She　winced　unavoidably　at　that　Slowly　her　head　came　around；　her　body　still　remaining　turned　from　him。　Like　one　who　listens　hypnotized；　against　her　will。
　〃It　was　you　who's　been　sending　those…？〃
　He　nodded　with　mock　affability；　as　if　on　being　plimented　on　something　praiseworthy。　〃I　thought　it　would　be　kinder　to　break　it　to　you　gently。〃
　She　drew　in　her　breath　with　an　icy　shudder　of　repugnance。
　〃I　first　happened　on　your　name　among　the　train…casualties；　when　I　was　up　in　New　York；〃　he　said。　He　paused。　〃I　went　down　there　and　'identified'　you；　you　know；〃　he　went　on　matter…of…factly。　〃You　have　that　much　to　thank　me　for；　at　any　rate。〃
　He　puffed　thoughtfully　on　his　cigarette。
　〃Then　I　heard　one　thing　and　another；　and　put　two　and　two　together。　I　went　back　for　awhile　first…got　the　rent…receipts　together　and　one　thing　and　another…and　then　finally　I　came　on　the　rest　of　the　way　down　here；　out　of　curiosity。　I　became　quite　confused；〃　he　said　ironically；　〃when　I　learned　the　rest　of　the　story。〃
　He　waited。　She　didn't　say　anything。　He　seemed　to　take　pity　on　her　finally。　〃I　know；〃　he　said　indulgently；　〃this　isn't　the　time　nor　place　to…talk　over　old　times。　This　is　a　party；　and　you're　anxious　to　get　back　and　enjoy　yourself。〃
　She　shivered。
　〃Is　there　anywhere　I　can　reach　you？〃
　He　took　out　a　notebook；　clicked　a　lighter。　She　mistakenly　thought　he　was　waiting　to　write　at　her　dictate。　Her　lips　remained　frozen。
　〃Seneca　382；〃　he　read　from　the　notebook。　He　put　it　away　again。　His　hand　made　a　lazy　curve　bet