his own people- 第4部分

IV。　　Good　Fellowship

He　confessed　his　wickedness　to　Madame　de　Vaurigard　the　next
afternoon　as　they　drove　out　the　Appian　Way。　　〃A　fellow　must　have
just　a　bit　of　a　fling；　you　know；〃　he　said；　〃and；　really；　Salone
Margherita　isn't　so　tremendously　wicked。〃

She　shook　her　head　at　him　in　friendly　raillery。　　〃Ah；　that　may　be；
but　how　many　of　those　little　dancing…girl'　have　you　invite　to
supper　afterward？〃

This　was　a　delicious　accusation；　and　though　he　shook　his　head　in
virtuous　denial　he　was　before　long　almost　convinced　that　he　~had~
given　a　rather　dashing　supper　after　the　vaudeville　and　had　~not~
gone　quietly　back　to　the　hotel；　only　stopping　by　the　way　to　purchase
an　orange　and　a　pocketful　of　horse…chestnuts　to　eat　in　his　room。

It　was　a　happy　drive　for　Robert　Russ　Mellin；　though　not　happier　than
that　of　the　next　day。　　Three　afternoons　they　spent　driving　over　the
Campagna；　then　back　to　Madame　de　Vaurigard's　apartment　for　tea　by
the　firelight；　till　the　enraptured　American　began　to　feel　that　the
dream　in　which　he　had　come　to　live　must　of　happy　necessity　last
forever。

On　the　fourth　afternoon；　as　he　stepped　out　of　the　hotel　elevator
into　the　corridor；　he　encountered　Mr。　Sneyd。

〃Just　stottin'；　eh？〃　said　the　Englishman；　taking　an　envelope　from
his　pocket。　　〃Lucky　I　caught　you。　　This　is　for　you。　　I　just　saw　the
Cantess　and　she　teold　me　to　give　it　you。　　Herry　and　read　it　and　kem
on　t'　the　Amairikin　Baw。　　Chap　I　want　you　to　meet。　　Eold　Cooley's
thyah　too。　　Gawt　in　with　his　tourin'…caw　at　noon。〃


　　〃You　will　forgive；　dear　friend；〃　wrote　Madame　de　Vaurigard；　〃if
　　I　ask　you　that　we　renounce　our　drive　to…day。　　You　see；　I　wish　to
　　have　that　little　dinner　to…night　and　must　make　preparation。
　　Honorable　Chandler　Pedlow　arrived　this　morning　from　Paris　and　that
　　droll　Mr。　Cooley　I　have　learn　is　coincidentally　arrived　also。　　You
　　see　I　think　it　would　be　very　pleasant　to　have　the　dinner　to　welcome
　　these　friends　on　their　arrival。　　You　will　come　surelyor　I　shall
　　be　so　truly　miserable。　　You　know　it　perhaps　too　well！　　We　shall
　　have　a　happy　evening　if　you　come　to　console　us　for　renouncing　our
　　drive。　　A　thousand　of　my　prettiest　wishes　for　you。
　　　　〃Helene。〃


The　signature　alone　consoled　him。　　To　have　that　note　from　her；　to
own　it；　was　like　having　one　of　her　gloves　or　her　fan。　　He　would
keep　it　forever；　he　thought；　indeed；　he　more　than　half　expressed　a
sentiment　to　that　effect　in　the　response　which　he　wrote　in　the
aquarium；　while　Sneyd　waited　for　him　at　a　table　near　by。　　The
Englishman　drew　certain　conclusions　in　regard　to　this　reply；　since
it　permitted　a　waiting　friend　to　consume　three　long　tumblers　of
brandy…and…soda　before　it　was　finished。　　However；　Mr。　Sneyd　kept
his　reflections　to　himself；　and；　when　the　epistle　had　been
dispatched　by　a　messenger；　took　the　American's　arm　and　led　him　to
the　〃American　Bar〃　of　the　hotel；　a　region　hitherto　unexplored　by
Mellin。

Leaning　against　the　bar　were　Cooley　and　the　man　whom　Mellin　had
seen　lolling　beside　Madame　de　Vaurigard　in　Cooley's　automobile　in
Paris；　the　same　gross　person　for　whom　he　had　instantly　conceived
a　strong　repugnance；　a　feeling　not　at　once　altered　by　a　closer
view。

Cooley　greeted　Mellin　uproariously　and　Mr。　Sneyd　introduced　the
fat　man。　　〃Mr。　Mellin；　the　Honorable　Chandler　Pedlow；〃　he　said；
nor　was　the　shock　to　the　first…named　gentleman　lessened　by　young
Cooley's　adding；　〃Best　feller　in　the　world！〃

Mr。　Pedlow's　eyes　were　sheltered　so　deeply　beneath　florid　rolls　of
flesh　that　all　one　saw　of　them　was　an　inscrutable　gleam　of　blue；
but；　small　though　they　were；　they　were　not　shifty；　for　they　met
Mellin's　with　a　squareness　that　was　almost　brutal。　　He　offered　a
fat　paw；　wet　by　a　full　glass　which　he　set　down　too　suddenly　on　the
bar。

〃Shake；〃　he　said；　in　a　loud　and　husky　voice；　〃and　be　friends！
Tommy；〃　he　added　to　the　attendant；　〃another　round　of　Martinis。〃

〃Not　for　me；〃　said　Mellin　hastily。　　〃I　don't　often〃

〃~What！~〃　Mr。　Pedlow　roared　suddenly。　　〃Why；　the　first　words
Countess　de　Vaurigard　says　to　me　this　afternoon　was；　'I　want　you
to　meet　my　young　friend　Mellin；'　she　says；　'the　gamest　little　Indian
that　ever　come　down　the　pike！　　He's　game；'　she　says'he'll　see　you
~all~　under　the　table！'　　That's　what　the　smartest　little　woman　in
the　world；　the　Countess　de　Vaurigard；　says　about　you。〃

This　did　not　seem　very　closely　to　echo　Madame　de　Vaurigard's　habit
of　phrasing；　but　Mellin　perceived　that　it　might　be　only　the　fat
man's　way　of　putting　things。

〃You　ain't　goin'　back　on　~her~；　are　you？〃　continued　Mr。　Pedlow。
〃You　ain't　goin'　to　make　her　out　a　liar？　　I　tell　you；　when　the
Countess　de　Vaurigard　says　a　man　's　game；　he　is　game！〃　　He　laid　his
big　paw　cordially　on　Mellin's　shoulder　and　smiled；　lowering　his
voice　to　a　friendly　whisper。　　〃And　I'll　bet　ten　thousand　dollars
right　out　of　my　pants　pocket　you　~are~　game；　too！〃

He　pressed　a　glass　into　the　other's　hand。　　Smiling　feebly；　the
embarrassed　Mellin　accepted　it。

〃Make　it　four　more；　Tommy；〃　said　Pedlow。　　〃And　here；〃　continued
this　thoughtful　man；　〃I　don't　go　bandying　no　ladies'　names　around
a　bar…roomthat　ain't　my　stylebut　I　do　want　to　propose　a　toast。
I　won't　name　her；　but　you　all　know　who　I　mean。〃

〃Sure　we　do；〃　interjected　Cooley　warmly。　　〃Queen！　　That's　what　she
is。〃

〃Here's　~to~　her；〃　continued　Mr。　Pedlow。　　〃Here's　to　herbrightest
and　bestand　no　heel…taps！　　And　now　let's　set　down　over　in　the
corner　and　take　it　easy。　　It　ain't　hardly　five　o'clock　yet；　and　we
can　set　here　comfortable；　gittin'　ready　for　dinner；　until　half…past
six；　anyway。〃

Whereupon　the　four　seated　themselves　about　a　tabouret　in　the　corner；
and；　a　waiter　immediately　bringing　them　four　fresh　glasses　from　the
bar；　Mellin　began　to　understand　what　Mr。　Pedlow　meant　by　〃gittin'
ready　for　dinner。〃　　The　burden　of　the　conversation　was　carried
almost　entirely　by　the　Honorable　Chandler；　though　Cooley；　whose
boyish　face　was　deeply　flushed；　now　and　then　managed　to　interrupt
by　talking　louder　than　the　fat　man。　　Mr。　Sneyd　sat　silent。

〃Good　ole　Sneyd；〃　said　Pedlow。　　〃~He~　never　talks；　jest　saws　wood。
Only　Britisher　I　ever　liked。　　Plays　cards　like　a　goat。〃

〃He　played　a　mighty　good　game　on　the　steamer；〃　said　Cooley　warmly。

〃I　don't　care　what　he　did　on　the　steamer；　he　played　like　a　goat　the
only　time　~I~　ever　played　with　him。　　You　know　he　did。　　I　reckon　you
was　~there！~〃

〃Should　say　I　~was~　there！　　He　played　mighty　well〃

〃Like　a　goat；〃　reiterated　the　fat　man　firmly。

〃Nothing　of　the　sort。　　You　had　a　run　of　hands；　that　was　all。　　Nobody
can　go　against　the　kind　of　luck　you　had　that　night；　and　you　took　it
away　from　Sneyd　and　me　in　rolls。　　But　we'll　land　you　pretty　soon；
won't　we；　ole　Sneydie？〃

〃We　sh'll　have　a　shawt　at　him；　at　least；〃　said　the　Englishman。

〃Perhaps　he　won't　want　us　to　try；〃　young　Cooley　pursued　derisively。
〃Perhaps　he　thinks　I　play　like　a　goat；　too！〃

Mr。　Pedlow　threw　back　his　head　and　roared。　　〃Give　me　somep'n　easy！
You　don't　know　no　more　how　to　play　a　hand　of　cards　than　a　giraffe
does。　　I'll　throw　in　all　of　my　Blue　Gulch　gold…stockand　it's　worth
eight　hundred　thousand　dollars　if　it's　worth　a　centI'll　put　it　up
against　that　tin　automobile　of　yours；　divide　chips　even　and　play　you
freeze…out　for　it。　　You　play　cards？　　Go　learn　hop…scotch！〃

〃You　wait！〃　exclaimed　the　other　indignantly。　　〃Next　time　we　play
we'll　make　you　look　so　small　you'll　think　you're　back　in　Congress！〃

At　this　Mr。　Pedlow　again　threw　back　his　head　and　roared；　his　vast
body　so　shaken　with　mirth　that　the　glass　he　held　in　his　hand　dropped
to　the　floor。

〃There；〃　said　Cooley；　〃that's　the　second　Martini　you've　spilled。
You're　two　behind　the　rest　of　us。〃

〃What　of　it？〃　bellowed　the　fat　man。　　〃There's　plenty　comin'；　ain't
there？　　Four　more；　Tommy；　and　bring　cigars。　　Don't　take　a　cent　from
none　of　these　Indians。　　Gentlemen；　your　money　ain't　good　here。　　I
own　this　bar；　and　this　is　my　night。〃

Mellin　had　begun　to　feel　at　ease；　and　after　a　timeas　they　continued
to　sithe　realized　that　his　repugnance　to　Mr。　Pedlow　was　wearing　off；
he　felt　that　there　must　be　good　in　any　one　whom　Madame　de　Vaurigard
liked。　She　had　spoken　of　Pedlow　often　on　their　drives；　he　was　an
〃eccentric；〃　she　said；　an　〃original。〃　　Why　not　accept　her　verdict？
Besides；　Pedlow　was　a　man　of　distinction　and　force；　he　had　been　in
Congress；　he　was　a　millionaire；　and；　as　became　evident　in　the　course
of　a　long　recital　of　the　principal　events　of　his　career；　most　of　the
great　men　of　the　time　were　his　friends　and　proteges。

〃'Well；　Mack；'　says　I　one　day　when　we　were　in　the　House　together〃
（thus　Mr。　Pedlow；　alluding　to　the　late　President　McKinley）〃'Mack；'
says　I；　'if　you'd　drop　that　double　standard　business'he　was
waverin'　toward　silver　along　then'I　don't　know　but　I　might　git　the
boys　to　nominate　you　fer　President。'　　'I'll　think　it　over；'　he　says
'I'll　think　it　over。'　　You　remember　me　tellin'　you　about　that　at
the　time；　don't　you；　Sneyd；　when　you　was　in　the　British　Legation　at
Washin'ton？〃

〃Pahfictly；〃　said　Mr。　Sneyd；　lighting　a　cigar　with　great　calmness。

〃'Yes；'　I　says；　'Mack；'　I　says；　〃if　you'll　drop　it；　I'll　turn　in
and　git　you　the　nomination。'〃

〃Did　he　drop　it？〃　asked　Mellin　innocently。

Mr。　Pedlow　leaned　forward　and　struck　the　young　man's　knee　a
resounding　blow　with　the　palm　of　his　hand。

〃He　was　~nominated~；　wasn't　he？〃

〃Time　to　dress；〃　announced　Mr。　Sneyd；　looking　at　his　watch。

〃One　more　round　first；〃　insisted　Cooley　with　prompt　vehemence。
〃Let's　finish　with　our　first　toast　again。　　Can't　drink　that　too
often。〃

This　proposition　was　received　with　warmest　approval；　and　they　drank
standing。　　〃Brightest　and　best！〃　shouted　Mr。　Pedlow。

〃Queen！　　What　she　is！〃　exclaimed　Cooley。

~〃Ma　belle　Marquise！〃~　whispered　Mellin　tenderly；　as　the　rim　touched
his　lips。

A　small；　keen…faced　man；　whose　steady　gray　eyes　were　shielded　by
tortoise…rimmed　spectacles；　had　come　into　the　room　and　now　stood
quietly　at　the　bar；　sipping　a　glass　of　Vichy。　　He　was　sharply
observant　of　the　party　as　it　broke　up；　Pedlow　and　Sneyd　preceding
the　younger　men　to　the　corridor；　and；　as　the　latter　turned　to
follow；　the　stranger　stepped　quickly　forward；　speaking　Cooley's
name。

〃What's　the　matt