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！
smiling down at her with the same radiant； beseeching；
worshipping smile。 In Helen's ears Latimer's commands to the
sailorman rang as clearly as though Latimer stood before her and
had just spoken。 Only now they were no longer a jest； they were a
vow； a promise； an oath of allegiance that brought to her peace；
and pride； and happiness。
〃So long as I love this beautiful lady；〃 had been his foolish
words； 〃you will guard this place。 It is a life sentence！〃
With one hand Helen Page dragged down the branch on which the
sailorman stood； with the other she snatched him from his post of
duty。 With a joyous laugh that was a sob； she clutched the
sailorman in both her hands and kissed the beseeching；
worshipping smile。
An hour later her car； on its way to Boston； passed through Fair
Harbor at a rate of speed that caused her chauffeur to pray
between his chattering teeth that the first policeman would save
their lives by landing them in jail。
At the wheel； her shoulders thrown forward； her eyes searching
the dark places beyond the reach of the leaping head…lights Helen
Page raced against time； against the minions of the law； against
sudden death； to beat the midnight train out of Boston； to assure
the man she loved of the one thing that could make his life worth
living。
And close against her heart； buttoned tight beneath her
great…coat； the sailorman smiled in the darkness； his long watch
over； his soul at peace； his duty well performed。
Chapter 6。 THE MIND READER
When Philip Endicott was at Harvard； he wrote stories of
undergraduate life suggested by things that had happened to
himself and to men he knew。 Under the title of 〃Tales of the
Yard〃 they were collected in book form； and sold surprisingly
well。 After he was graduated and became a reporter on the New
York Republic； he wrote more stories； in each of which a reporter
was the hero； and in which his failure or success in gathering
news supplied the plot。 These appeared first in the magazines；
and later in a book under the title of 〃Tales of the Streets。〃
They also were well received。
Then came to him the literary editor of the Republic； and said：
〃There are two kinds of men who succeed in writing fictionmen
of genius and reporters。 A reporter can describe a thing he has
seen in such a way that he can make the reader see it； too。 A man
of genius can describe something he has never seen； or any one
else for that matter； in such a way that the reader will exclaim：
'I have never committed a murder； but if I had； that's just the
way I'd feel about it。' For instance； Kipling tells us how a
Greek pirate； chained to the oar of a trireme； suffers； how a
mother rejoices when her baby crawls across her breast。 Kipling
has never been a mother or a pirate； but he convinces you he
knows how each of them feels。 He can do that because he is a
genius； you cannot do it because you are not。 At college you
wrote only of what you saw at college； and now that you are in
the newspaper business all your tales are only of newspaper work。
You merely report what you see。 So； if you are doomed to write
only of what you see； then the best thing for you to do is to see
as many things as possible。 You must see all kinds of life。 You
must progress。 You must leave New York； and you had better go to
London。〃
〃But on the Republic；〃 Endicott pointed out； 〃I get a salary。 And
in London I should have to sweep a crossing。〃
〃Then；〃 said the literary editor； 〃you could write a story about
a man who swept a crossing。〃
It was not alone the literary editor's words of wisdom that had
driven Philip to London。 Helen Carey was in London； visiting the
daughter of the American Ambassador； and； though Philip had known
her only one winter； he loved her dearly。 The great trouble was
that he had no money； and that she possessed so much of it that；
unless he could show some unusual quality of mind or character；
his asking her to marry him； from his own point of view at least；
was quite impossible。 Of course； he knew that no one could love
her as he did； that no one so truly wished for her happiness； or
would try so devotedly to make her happy。 But to him it did not
seem possible that a girl could be happy with a man who was not
able to pay for her home； or her clothes； or her food； who would
have to borrow her purse if he wanted a new pair of gloves or a
hair…cut。 For Philip Endicott； while rich in birth and education
and charm of manner； had no money at all。 When； in May； he came
from New York to lay siege to London and to the heart of Helen
Carey he had with him； all told； fifteen hundred dollars。 That
was all he possessed in the world； and unless the magazines
bought his stories there was no prospect of his getting any more。
Friends who knew London told him that； if you knew London well；
it was easy to live comfortably there and to go about and even to
entertain modestly on three sovereigns a day。 So； at that rate；
Philip calculated he could stay three months。 But he found that
to know London well enough to be able to live there on three
sovereigns a day you had first to spend so many five…pound notes
in getting acquainted with London that there were no sovereigns
left。 At the end of one month he had just enough money to buy him
a second…class passage back to New York； and he was as far from
Helen as ever。
Often he had read in stories and novels of men who were too poor
to marry。 And he had laughed at the idea。 He had always said that
when two people truly love each other it does not matter whether
they have money or not。 But when in London； with only a
five…pound note； and face to face with the actual proposition of
asking Helen Carey not only to marry him but to support him； he
felt that money counted for more than he had supposed。 He found
money was many different thingsit was self…respect； and proper
pride； and private honors and independence。 And； lacking these
things； he felt he could ask no girl to marry him； certainly not
one for whom he cared as he cared for Helen Carey。 Besides； while
he knew how he loved her； he had no knowledge whatsoever that she
loved him。 She always seemed extremely glad to see him； but that
might be explained in different ways。 It might be that what was
in her heart for him was really a sort of 〃old home week〃
feeling； that to her it was a relief to see any one who spoke her
own language； who did not need to have it explained when she was
jesting； and who did not think when she was speaking in perfectly
satisfactory phrases that she must be talking slang。
The Ambassador and his wife had been very kind to Endicott； and；
as a friend of Helen's； had asked him often to dinner and had
sent him cards for dances at which Helen was to be one of the
belles and beauties。 And Helen herself had been most kind； and
had taken early morning walks with him in Hyde Park and through
the National Galleries； and they had fed buns to the bears in the
Zoo； and in doing so had laughed heartily。 They thought it was
because the bears were so ridiculous that they laughed。 Later
they appreciated that the reason they were happy was because they
were together。 Had the bear pit been empty； they still would have
laughed。
On the evening of the thirty…first of May； Endicott had gone to
bed with his ticket purchased for America and his last five…pound
note to last him until the boat sailed。 He was a miserable young
man。 He knew now that he loved Helen Carey in such a way that to
put the ocean between them was liable to unseat his courage and
his self…control。 In London he could； each night； walk through
Carlton House Terrace and； leaning against the iron rails of the
Carlton Club； gaze up at her window。 But； once on the other side
of the ocean； that tender exercise must be abandoned。 He must
even consider her pursued by most attractive guardsmen；
diplomats； and belted earls。 He knew they could not love her as
he did； he knew they could not love her for the reasons he loved
her； because the fine and beautiful things in her that he saw and
worshipped they did not seek； and so did not find。 And yet； for
lack of a few thousand dollars； he must remain silent； must put
from him t