按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Polinski； in the Ural Mountains。〃
〃I hear that Baden…Baden and Cannes are almost
deserted this season；〃 said Farrington。 〃Year by
year the old resorts fall in disrepute。 Perhaps many
others； like ourselves； are seeking out the quiet nooks
that are overlooked by the majority。〃
〃I promise myself three days more of this delicious
rest；〃 said Madame Beaumont。 〃On Monday the
Cedric sails。〃
Harold Farrington's eyes proclaimed his regret。
〃I too must leave on Monday；〃 he said； 〃but I do
not go abroad。〃
Madame Beaumont shrugged one round shoulder in
a foreign gesture。
〃One cannot bide here forever； charming though it
may be。 The chateau has been in preparation for me
longer than a month。 Those house parties that one
must give what a nuisance！ But I shall never for…
get my week in the Hotel Lotus。〃
〃Nor shall I；〃 said Farrington in a low voice；
and I shall never forgive the Cedric。〃
On Sunday evening； three days afterward； the two
sat at a little table on the same balcony。 A discreet
waiter brought ices and small glasses of claret cup。
Madame Beaumont wore the same beautiful even…
ing gown that she had worn each day at dinner。 She
seemed thoughtful。 Near her hand on the table lay a
small chatelaine purse。 After she had eaten her ice
she opened the purse and took out a one…dollar bill。
〃Mr。 Farrington；〃 she said； with the smile that
had won the Hotel Lotus； 〃I want to tell you some…
thing。 I'm going to leave before breakfast in the
morning； because I've got to go back to my work。
I'm behind the hosiery counter at Casey's Mammoth
Store； and my vacation's up at eight o'clock to…
morrow。 That paper…dollar is the last cent I'll see
till I draw my eight dollars salary next Saturday
night。 You're a real gentleman； and you've been
good to me； and I wanted to tell you before I went。
I've been saving up out of my wages for a year
just for this vacation。 I wanted to spend one week
like a lady if I never do another one。 I wanted to
get up when I please instead of having to crawl out
at seven every morning； and I wanted to live on the
best and be waited on and ring bells for things just
like rich folks do。 Now I've done it； and I've had the
happiest time I ever expect to have in my life。 I'm
going back to my work and my little hall bedroom
satisfied for another year。 I wanted to tell you
about it； Mr。 Farrington； because I I thought you
kind of liked me； and I I liked you。 But； oh； I
couldn't help deceiving you up till now； for it was all
just like a fairy tale to me。 So I talked about Eu…
rope and the things I've read about in other countries；
and made you think I was a great lady。
〃This dress I've got on it's the only one I have
that's fit to wear I bought from O'Dowd & Levin…
sky on the instalment plan。〃
〃Seventy…five dollars is the price； and it was made
to measure。 I paid 10 down； and they're to collect
1 a week till it's paid for。 That'll be about all I
have to say； Mr。 Farrington； except that my name is
Mamie Siviter instead of Madame Beaumont； and I
thank you for your attentions。 This dollar will pay
the instalment due on the dress to…morrow。 I guess
I'll go up to my room now。〃
Harold Farrington listened to the recital of the
Lotus's loveliest guest with an impassive countenance。
When she had concluded he drew a small book like a
checkbook from his coat pocket。 He wrote upon a
blank form in this with a stub of pencil； tore out the
leaf； tossed it over to his companion and took up the
paper dollar。
〃I've got to go to work； too； in the morning；〃 he
said； 〃and I might as well begin now。 There's a
receipt for the dollar instalment。 I've been a col…
lector for O'Dowd & Levinsky for three years。
Funny； ain't it； that you and me both had the same
idea about spending our vacation？ I've always
wanted to put up at a swell hotel； and I saved up out
of my twenty per； and did it。 Say； Mame； how about
a trip to Coney Saturday night on the boat
what？〃
The face of the pseudo Madame Heloise D'Arcy
Beaumont beamed。
〃Oh； you bet I'll go； Mr。 Farrington。 The store
closes at twelve on Saturdays。 I guess Coney'll be
all right even if we did spend a week with the swells。〃
Below the balcony the sweltering city growled and
buzzed in the July night。 Inside the Hotel Lotus
the tempered； cool shadows reigned； and the solicitous
waiter single…footed near the low windows； ready at
a nod to serve Madame and her escort。
At the door of the elevator Farrington took his
leave； and Madame Beaumont made her last ascent。
But before they reached the noiseless cage be said：
〃Just forget that 'Harold Farrington；' will you？
McManus is the name James McManus。 Some
call me Jimmy。〃
〃Good…night； Jimmy；〃 said Madame。
THE RATHSKELLER AND THE ROSE
Miss Posie Carrington had earned her suc…
cess。 She began life handicapped by the family name
of 〃Boggs；〃 in the small town known as Cranberry
Corners。 At the age of eighteen she had acquired
the name of 〃Carrington〃 and a position in the
chorus of a metropolitan burlesque company。
Thence upward she had ascended by the legitimate and
delectable steps of 〃broiler；〃 member of the famous
〃Dickey…bird〃 octette； in the successful musical
comedy； 〃Fudge and Fellows；〃 leader of the potato…
bug dance in 〃Fol…de…Rol；〃 and at length to the part
of the maid 〃'Toinette〃 in 〃The King's Bath…Robe；〃
which captured the critics and gave her her chance。
And when we come to consider Miss Carrington she
is in the heydey of flattery； fame and fizz； and that
astute manager； Herr Timothy Goldstein； has her
signature to iron…clad papers that she will star the
coming season in Dyde Rich's new play； 〃Paresis by
Gaslight。〃
Promptly there came to Herr Timothy a capable
twentieth…century young character actor by the name
of Highsmith； who besought engagement as 〃Sol
Haytosser；〃 the comic and chief male character part
in 〃Paresis by Gaslight。〃
〃My boy；〃 said Goldstein； 〃take the part if you
can get it。 Miss Carrington won't listen to any of
my suggestions。 She has turned down half a dozen
of the best imitators of the rural dub in the city。
She declares she won't set a foot on the stage un…
less 'Haytosser' is the best that can be raked up
She was raised in a village； you know； and when a
Broadway orchid sticks a straw in his hair and tries
to call himself a clover blossom she's on； all right。
I asked her； in a sarcastic vein； if she thought Den…
man Thompson would make any kind of a show in the
part。 'Oh； no；' says she。 'I don't want him or
John Drew or Jim Corbett or any of these swell
actors that don't know a turnip from a turnstile。 I
want the real article。' So； my boy； if you want to
play I 'Sol Haytosser' you will have to convince Miss
Carrington。 Luck be with you。〃
Highsmith took the train the next