登陆注册
6259400000022

第22章

"I think it must be perfectly fascinating to talk that way to persons miles off," said Evadna, eying the chittering sounder with something approaching awe. "I watched your fingers, and tried to imagine what it was they were saying--but I couldn't even guess."Miss Georgie Howard laughed queerly. "No, I don't suppose you could," she murmured, and added, with a swift glance at the other: "They said, 'You go to the devil.'" She held up the offending hand and regarded it intently. "You wouldn't think it of them, would you? But they have to say things sometimes--in self-defense. There are two or three fresh young men along the line that can't seem to take a hint unless you knock them in the head with it."She cast a malevolent look at the clicking instrument. "He's trying to square himself," she observed carelessly. "But, unfortunately, I'm out. He seems on the verge of tears, poor thing."She poked investigatingly among the chocolates, and finally selected a delectable morsel with epicurean care.

"You haven't told me about the polysyllabic young man," she reminded. "He has held my heart in bondage since he said to Pete Hamilton yesterday in the store--ah--" She leaned and barely reached a slip of paper which was lying upon a row of books. "Iwrote it down so I wouldn't forget it," she explained parenthetically. "He said to Pete, in the store, just after Pete had tried to say something funny with the usual lamentable failure--um--'You are mentally incapable of recognizing the line of demarcation between legitimate persiflage and objectionable familiarity.' Now, I want to know what sort of a man, under fifty and not a college professor, would--or could--say that without studying it first. It sounded awfully impromptu and easy--and yet he looks--well, cowboyish. What sort of a young man is he?""He's a perfectly horrid young man." Evadna leaned to help herself to more chocolates. "He--well, just to show you how horrid, he calls me a--a Christmas angel! And--""Did he!" Miss Georgie eyed her measuringly between bites. "Tag him as being intelligent, a keen observer, with the ability to express himself--" She broke off, and turned her head ungraciously toward the sounder, which seemed to be repeating something over and over with a good deal of insistence. "That's Shoshone calling," she said, frowning attentively. "They've got an old crank up there in the office--I'd know his touch among a million--and when he calls he means business. I'll have to speak up, I suppose." She sighed, tucked a chocolate into her cheek, and went scowling to the table. "Can't the idiot see I'm out?"she complained whimsically. "What's that card for, I wonder?"She threw the switch, rattled a reply, and then, as the sounder settled down to a steady click-clickety-click-click, she drew a pad toward her, pulled up the chair with her foot, sat down, and began to write the message as it came chattering over the wire.

When it was finished and the sounder quiet, her hand awoke to life upon the key. She seemed to be repeating the message, word for word. When she was done, she listened, got her answer, threw off the switch with a sweep of her thumb, and fumbled among the papers on the table until she found an envelope. She addressed it with a hasty scrawl of her pencil, sealed it with a vicious little spat of her hand, and then sat looking down upon it thoughtfully.

"I suppose I've got to deliver that immediately, at once, without delay," she said. "There's supposed to be an answer. Chicken, some queer things happen in this business. Here's that weak-eyed, hollow-chested Saunders, that seems to have just life enough to put in about ten hours a day reading 'The Duchess,'

getting cipher messages like the hero of a detective story. And sending them, too, by the way. We operators are not supposed to think; but all the same--" She got her receipt-book, filled rapidly a blank line, tucked it under her arm, and went up and tapped Evadna lightly upon the head with the envelope. "Want to come along? Or would you rather stay here? I won't be more than two minutes."She was gone five; and she returned with a preoccupied air which lasted until she had disposed of three chocolates and was carefully choosing a fourth.

"Chicken," she said then, quietly, "do you know anything about your uncle and his affairs?" And added immediately: "The chances are ten to one you don't, and wouldn't if you lived there till you were gray?""I know he's perfectly lovely," Evadna asserted warmly. "And so is Aunt Phoebe.""To be sure." Miss Georgie smiled indulgently. "I quite agree with you. And by the way, I met that polysyllabic cowboy again--and I discovered that, on the whole, my estimate was incorrect. He's emphatically monosyllabic. I said sixteen nice things to him while I was waiting for Pete to wake up Saunders;and he answered in words of one syllable; one word, of one syllable. I'm beginning to feel that I've simply got to know that young man. There are deeps there which I am wild to explore. I never met any male human in the least like him. Did you? So absolutely--ah--inscrutable, let us say.""That's just because he's part Indian," Evadna declared, with the positiveness of youth and inexperience. "It isn't inscrutability, but stupidity. I simply can't bear him. He's brutal, and rude. He told me--told me, mind you--that he doesn't like women. He actually warned me against thinking his politeness--if he ever is polite, which I doubt--means more than just common humanity. He said he didn't want me to misunderstand him and think he liked me, because he doesn't. He's a perfect savage. I simply loathe him!""I'd certainly see that he repented, apologized, and vowed eternal devotion," smiled Miss Georgie. "That should be my revenge.""I don't want any revenge. I simply want nothing to do with him.

I don't want to speak to him, even."

"He's awfully good--looking," mused Miss Georgie.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 千年调

    千年调

    弟子汐诺见过师傅,汐儿定会铭记师傅进入的教诲不愧于天不愧于地。不愧于师傅,汐诺在心中默默加了一句。师傅,你千万别不要汐儿,惜儿会听话的。我从来没说过不要你。师傅,你说的是真的吗?为师从不妄言。汐诺直直的跪在子夜面前,连磕三个响头,神色哀戚的说:求天帝救救师傅,汐诺什么都愿意做,只要你救救师傅。九转莲心便是自己的心脉,心脏,在百年前这颗心已经给了师傅,现在只不过是将这颗心拿出来,这颗满是师傅的心。你是何人?汐诺身子一颤,望着坐在首位熟悉的身影,缓缓说道:我叫汐诺。下次不许再接近这里。但那句不允许,那冷漠疏离的声音,却生生撕扯着汐诺的心。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 天行

    天行

    号称“北辰骑神”的天才玩家以自创的“牧马冲锋流”战术击败了国服第一弓手北冥雪,被誉为天纵战榜第一骑士的他,却受到小人排挤,最终离开了效力已久的银狐俱乐部。是沉沦,还是再次崛起?恰逢其时,月恒集团第四款游戏“天行”正式上线,虚拟世界再起风云!
  • 变成对家霸总小奶喵

    变成对家霸总小奶喵

    豪门霸总顾元权势滔天,高冷绝情,却是个绒毛控。豪门美少年(伪)总裁君以凌,帅气张扬,年少有为,唯一愿望就是压过顾元。某日,君以凌醉酒,一觉醒来发现自己变成顾元在大街上捡的一只小奶猫。天天被死对头吸怎么破?在线等,挺急的QAQ1.女主君以凌女扮男装2.大型真香现场3.1v14.爪爪没得脑子,逻辑有错求轻喷(??ω?`)5.不虐6.本文纯属虚构7.略带玄幻
  • 腹黑千金:倒追男神36计

    腹黑千金:倒追男神36计

    ——这一生,因你而灿烂。备注:男主梁一生,女主祝灿烂。
  • 双生凡尘劫

    双生凡尘劫

    观音大士慈悲为怀,以净瓶之水滋养天庭一枯草,百年之后,枯草重生开出一朵双生花,经千年修炼,双生花修炼成两仙,一位冰清玉洁唤为寒儿,一位骄阳似火唤为焰儿。寒儿与无隐互生情愫,奈何有天条阻碍,只可远远相望焰儿遇到魔尊夜无阙,大胆追求,魔尊对其用情至深,奈何到九天之上,焰儿竟发现自己被利用……天庭刑场,焰儿即将被天雷所劈,寒儿为救姐妹与无隐宁犯天条铸玉镯锁住焰儿魂魄……四人更因此入轮回道,这正是凡尘一劫,看人间百态,叹世间真情。
  • 气踪

    气踪

    取无所不在之气为已用,夺万千造化于吾身。
  • 凡人意识

    凡人意识

    什么是意识?是所有生物都拥有意识,还是人类独有?察觉杀气果断反杀,遭遇GANK提前离开,意识存在万物之间。在不断萎缩的世界反面,少年背负起旧神的灵龛,从灰暗的历史中走了出来,决定带给凡人们新生。
  • 向阳的葵

    向阳的葵

    起点不是你,但愿余生都是你!青春一起奋斗,人生一起努力!青春甜甜的恋爱~
  • 神奇的发明

    神奇的发明

    未来的我竟然成了一个发明家,发明了许许多多新奇古怪的东西