the riverman-第60部分
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XLV
Orde did not return to the office； he felt unwilling to face Newmark
until he had a little more thoroughly digested the situation。 He
spent the rest of the afternoon about the place； picking up the tool
house； playing with Bobby； training Duke； the black and white setter
dog。 Three or four times he called up Carroll by telephone； and
three or four times he passed Dr。 McMullen's house to shout his half
of a long…distance and fragmentary conversation with her。 He ate
solemnly with Bobby at six o'clock； the two quite subdued over the
vacant chair at the other end of the table。 After dinner they sat
on the porch until Bobby's bed…time。 Orde put his small son to bed；
and sat talking with the youngster as long as his conscience would
permit。 Then he retired to the library； where； for a long time； he
sat in twilight and loneliness。 Finally； when he could no longer
distinguish objects across the room； he arose with a sigh； lit the
lamp； and settled himself to read。
The last of the twilight drained from the world； and the window
panes turned a burnished black。 Through the half…open sashes sucked
a warm little breeze； swaying the long lace curtains back and forth。
The hum of lawn…sprinklers and the chirping of crickets and tree…
frogs came with it。
One by one the lawn…sprinklers fell silent。 Gradually there
descended upon the world the deep slumbrous stillness of late night；
a stillness compounded of a thousand and one mysterious little
noises repeated monotonously over and over until their identity was
lost in accustomedness。 Occasionally the creak of timbers or the
sharp scurrying of a mouse in the wall served more to accentuate
than to break this night silence。
Orde sat lost in reverVy you do dot to the peoples dot safe your Mina？'
And ven she look at me； her eyes say it； and in the night everything
cry out at me； and I get sick； and I can't stand it no longer； and I
don't care if he send me to prison or to hell； no more。〃
His excitement died。 He sat listless； his eyes vacant； his hands
between his knees。
ie； his book in his lap。 At stated intervals
the student lamp at his elbow flared slightly； then burned clear
again after a swallow of satisfaction in its reservoir。 These
regular replenishments of the oil supply alone marked the flight of
time。
Suddenly Orde leaned forward； his senses at the keenest attention。
After a moment he arose and quietly walked toward the open window。
Just as he reached the casement and looked out； a man looked in。
The two stared at each other not two feet apart。
〃Good Lord！ Heinzman！〃 cried Orde in a guarded voice。 He stepped
decisively through the window； seized the German by the arm； and
drew him one side。
〃What are you doing here？〃 he demanded。
Heinzman was trembling violently as though from a chill。
〃Dake me somewheres；〃 he whispered hoarsely。 〃Somewheres quick。 I
haf broke quarantine； and dey vill be after me。〃
〃The place for you is at your own house；〃 said Orde； his anger
rising。 〃What do you mean by coming here and exposing my house to
infection？〃
Heinzman began to blubber； choked； shivered all over； and cried
aloud with an expression of the greatest agony：
〃You must dake me somewheres。 I must talk with you and your goot
wife。 I haf somedings to say to you。〃 He in his turn grasped Orde
by the arm。 〃I haf broke quarantine to gome and tell you。 Dey are
dere mit shotguns to kill me if I broke quarantine。 And I haf left
my daughter； my daughter Mina； all alone mit dose people to come and
tell you。 And now you don't listen。〃
He wrung his hands dramatically； his soft pudgy body shaking。
〃Come with me；〃 said Orde briefly。
He led the way around the house to the tool shed。 Here he lit a
lantern； thrust forward one nail keg； and sat down on another。
Heinzman sat down on the nail keg； almost immediately arose； walked
up and down two or three times； and resumed his seat。
Orde looked at him curiously。 He was half dressed； without a
collar； his thin hair unkempt。 The usual bright colour of his
cheeks had become livid； and the flesh； ordinarily firm and elastic；
had fallen in folds and wrinkles。 His eyes burned bright as though
from some internal fire。 A great restlessness possessed him。
Impulsively Orde leaned forward to touch his hand。 It was dry and
hot。
〃What is it； Heinzman？〃 he asked quietly； fully prepared for the
vagaries of a half delirium。
〃Ach； Orde！〃 cried the German； 〃I am tortured mit HOLLENQUALLEwhat
you call？hell's fire。 You； whose wife comes in and saves my Mina
when the others runs away。 You； my best friends！ It is
SCHRECKLICH！ She vas the noblest； the best； the most kindest〃
〃If you mean Mrs。 Orde's staying with Mina；〃 broke in Orde； 〃it was
only what any one should have done； in humanity； and I； for one； am
only too glad she had the chance。 You mustn't exaggerate。 And nhead。
〃She might take the disease。 She might die。 It vas noble。〃 He
shuddered。 〃My Mina left to die all alone！〃
Orde rose to his feet with decision。
〃That is all right；〃 said he。 〃Carroll was glad of the chance。 Now
let me get you home。〃
But Heinzman's excitement had suddenly died。
〃No；〃 said he； extending his trembling hand； 〃sit down。 I want to
talk business。〃
〃You are in no condition to talk business；〃 said Orde。
〃No！〃 cried Heinzman with unexpected vigour。 〃Sit down！ Listen to
me！ Dot's better。 I haf your note for sefenty…five t'ousand
dollars。 No？〃
Orde nodded。
〃Dot money I never lent you。 NO！ I'm not crazy。 Sit still！ I
know my name is on dot note。 But the money came from somewheres
else。 It came from your partner； Joseph Newmark。〃
Orde half rose from his keg。
〃Why？ What？〃 he asked in bewilderment。
〃Den ven you could not pay the note； I vas to foreclose and hand
over dot Northern Peninsula land to Joseph Newmark； your partner。〃
〃Impossible！〃 cried Orde。
〃I vas to get a share。 It vas a trick。〃
〃Go on；〃 said Orde grimly。
〃Dere is no go on。 Dot is all。〃
〃Why do you come to tell me now？〃
〃Because for more than one year now I say to mineself； 'Carl
Heinzman； you vas one dirty scoundrel。 You vas dishonest； a sneak；
a thief'； I don't like to call myself names like dose。 It iss all
righdt to be smart； but to be a thief！〃
〃Why didn't you pull out？〃 asked Orde。
〃I couldn't！〃 cried Heinzman piteously。 〃How could I？ He haf me
cold。 I paid Stanford five hundred dollars for his vote on the
charter； and Joseph Newmark； he know dot； he can PROVE it。 He tell
me if I don't do what he say； he put me in jail。 Think of dot！ All
my friends go back on me； all my money gone； maybe my daughter Mina
go back on me； too。 How could I？〃
〃Well； he can still put you in prison；〃 said Orde。
〃Vot I care？〃 cried Heinzman； throwing up both his arms。 〃You and
your wife are my friends。 She save my Mina。 DU LIEBER GOTT！ If my
daughter had died； vot good iss friends and money？ Vot good iss
anything？ I don't vant to live！ And ven I sit dere by her always
something ask me：
〃Vell； I go；〃 he said at last。
〃Have you that note？〃 asked Orde。
〃Joseph Newmark； he keeps it most times；〃 replied Heinzman； 〃but now
it is at my office for the foreclosure。 I vill not foreclose； he
can send me to the penitentiary。〃
〃Telephone Lambert in the morning to give it to me。 No； here。
Write an order in this notebook。〃
Heinzman wrote the required order。
〃I go；〃 said he； suddenly weary。
Orde accompanied him down the street。 The German was again light…
headed with the fever； mumbling about his daughter； the notes；
Carroll； the voices that had driven him to righteousness。 By some
manoeuvring Orde succeeded in slipping him through the improvised
quarantine without discovery。 Then the riverman with slow and
thoughtful steps returned to where the lamp in the study still
marked off with the spaced replenishments from its oil reservoir the
early morning hours。
XLVI
Morning found Orde still seated in the library chair。 His head was
sunk forward on his chest； his hands were extended listless； palms
up； along the arms of the chair； his eyes were vacant and troubled。
Hardly once in the long hours had he shifted by a hair's breadth his
position。 His body was suspended in an absolute inaction while his
spirit battered at the walls of an impasse。 For； strangely enough；
Orde did not once； even for a single instant； give a thought to the
business aspects of the situationwhat it meant to him and his
prospects or what he could do about it。 Hurt to the soul he stared
at the wreck of a friendship。 Nothing will more deeply sicken the
heart of a naturally loyal man than to discover baseless his faith
in some one he has thoroughly trusted。
Orde had liked Newmark。 He had admired heartily his clearness of
vision； his financial skill； his knowledge of business intricacies；
his imperturbable coolness； all the abilities that had brought him
to success。 With a man of Orde's temperament； to admire is to like；
and to like is to invest with all good qualities。 He had
constructed his ideal of a friend； with Newmark as a basis； and now
that this； which had seemed to him as solid a reality as a brick
block； had dissolved into nothing； he found himself in the necessity
of refashioning his whole world。 He was not angry at Newmark。 But
he was grieved down to the depths of his being。
When the full sun shone into the library； he aroused himself to
change his clothes。 Then； carrying those he had just discarded； he
slipped out of the house and down the street。 Duke； the black and
white setter dog； begged to
