the parlor-car-第4部分

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MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Do　you　acknowledge　it　now？〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Why；　how　can　I；　when　I　haven't　BEEN　rash？　　WHAT
have　I　been　rash〃　…

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃About　the　cigar…case；　for　example。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Oh！　THAT！　　That　was　a　great　while　ago！　　I　thought
you　meant　something　quite　recent。〃　　A　sound　as　of　the　approaching
tram　is　heard　in　the　distance。　　She　gives　a　start；　and　then　leaves
her　chair　again　for　one　a　little　nearer　his。　　〃I　thought　perhaps　you
meant　aboutlast　night。〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Well。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH；　very　judicially：　　〃I　don't　think　it　was　RASH；
exactly。　　No；　not　RASH。　　It　might　not　have　been　very　KIND　not　toto…
…trust　you　more；　when　I　knew　that　you　didn't　mean　anything；　butNo；
I　took　the　only　course　I　could。　　Nobody　could　have　done　differently
under　the　circumstances。　　But　if　I　caused　you　any　pain；　I'm　very
sorry；　oh；　yes；　very　sorry　indeed。　　But　I　was　not　precipitate；　and　I
know　I　did　right。　　At　least　I　TRIED　to　act　for　the　best。　　Don't　you
believe　I　did？〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Why；　if　you　have　no　doubt　upon　the　subject；　my
opinion　is　of　no　consequence。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Yes。　　But　what　do　you　think？　　If　you　think
differently；　and　can　make　me　see　it　differently；　oughtn't　you　to　do
so？〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃I　don't　see　why。　　As　you　say；　all　is　over　between
us。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Yes。〃　　After　a　pause；　〃I　should　suppose　you　would
care　enough　for　yourself　to　wish　me　to　look　at　the　matter　from　the
right　point　of　view。〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃I　don't。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH；　becoming　more　and　more　uneasy　as　the　noise　of　the
approaching　train　grows　louder：　　〃I　think　you　have　been　very　quick
with　me　at　times；　quite　as　quick　as　I　could　have　been　with　you　last
night。〃　　The　noise　is　more　distinctly　heard。　　〃I'm　sure　that　if　I
could　once　see　it　as　you　do；　no　one　would　be　more　willing　to　do
anything　in　their　power　to　atone　for　their　rashness。　　Of　course　I
know　that　everything　is　over。〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃As　to　that；　I　have　your　word；　and；　in　view　of　the
fact；　perhaps　this　analysis　of　motive；　of　character；　however
interesting　on　general　grounds；　is　a　little〃　…

MISS　GALBRAITH；　with　sudden　violence：　　〃Say　it；　and　take　your
revenge！　　I　have　put　myself　at　your　feet；　and　you　do　right　to　trample
on　me！　　Oh；　this　is　what　women　may　expect　when　they　trust　to　men's
generosity！　　Well；　it　IS　over　now；　and　I'm　thankful；　thankful！
Cruel；　suspicious；　vindictive；　you're　all　alike；　and　I'm　glad　that
I'm　no　longer　subject　to　your　heartless　caprices。　　And　I　don't　care
what　happens　after　this；　I　shall　alwaysOh！　　You're　sure　it's　from
the　front；　Allen？　　Are　you　sure　the　rear　signal　is　out？〃

MR。　RICHARDS；　relenting：　　〃Yes；　but　if　it　will　ease　your　mind；　I'll
go　and　look　again。〃　　He　rises；　and　starts　towards　the　rear　door。

MISS　GALBRAITH；　quickly：　　〃Oh；　no！　　Don't　go！　　I　can't　bear　to　be
left　alone！〃　　The　sound　of　the　approaching　train　continually
increases　in　volume。　　〃Oh；　isn't　it　coming　very；　very；　VERY　fast？〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃No；　no！　　Don't　be　frightened。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH；　running　towards　the　rear　door。　　〃Oh；　I　MUST　get　out！
It　will　kill　me；　I　know　it　will。　　Come　with　me！　　Do；　do！〃　　He　runs
after　her；　and　her　voice　is　heard　at　the　rear　of　the　car。　　〃Oh；　the
outside　door　is　locked；　and　we　are　trapped；　trapped；　trapped！　　Oh；
quick！　　Let's　try　the　door　at　the　other　end。〃　　They　re…enter　the
parlor；　and　the　roar　of　the　train　announces　that　it　is　upon　them。
〃No；　no！　　It's　too　late；　it's　too　late！　　I'm　a　wicked；　wicked　girl；
and　this　is　all　to　punish　me！　　Oh；　it's　coming；　it's　coming　at　full
speed！〃　　He　remains　bewildered；　confronting　her。　　She　utters　a　wild
cry；　and　as　the　train　strikes　the　car　with　a　violent　concussion；　she
flings　herself　into　his　arms。　　〃There；　there！　　Forgive　me；　Allen！
Let　us　die　together；　my　own；　own　love！〃　　She　hangs　fainting　on　his
breast。　　Voices　are　heard　without；　and　after　a　little　delay　The
Porter　comes　in　with　a　lantern。

PORTER：　　〃Rather　more　of　a　jah　than　we　meant　to　give　you；　sah！　　We
had　to　run　down　pretty　quick　after　we　missed　you；　and　the　rain　made
the　track　a　little　slippery。　　Lady　much　frightened？〃

MISS　GALBRAITH；　disengaging　herself：　　〃Oh；　not　at　all！　　Not　in　the
least。　　We　thought　it　was　a　train　coming　from　behind；　and　going　to
run　into　us；　and　soweI〃　…

PORTER：　　〃Not　quite　so　bad　as　that。　　We'll　be　into　Schenectady　in　a
few　minutes；　miss。　　I'll　come　for　your　things。〃　　He　goes　out　at　the
other　door。

MISS　GALBRAITH；　in　a　fearful　whisper：　　〃Allen！　　What　will　he　ever
think　of　us？　　I'm　sure　he　saw　us！〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃I　don't　know　what　he'll　think　NOW。　　He　DID　think　you
were　frightened；　but　you　told　him　you　were　not。　　However；　it　isn't
important　what　he　thinks。　　Probably　he　thinks　I'm　your　long…lost
brother。　　It　had　a　kind　of　family　look。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Ridiculous！〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Why；　he'd　never　suppose　that　I　was　a　jilted　lover　of
yours！〃

MISS　GALBRAITH；　ruefully：　　〃No。〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Come；　Lucy；〃taking　her　hand；〃you　wished　to　die
with　me；　a　moment　ago。　　Don't　you　think　you　can　make　one　more　effort
to　live　with　me？　　I　won't　take　advantage　of　words　spoken　in　mortal
peril；　but　I　suppose　you　were　in　earnest　when　you　called　me　your　own…
…own〃Her　head　droops；　he　folds　her　in　his　arms　a　moment；　then　she
starts　away　from　him；　as　if　something　had　suddenly　occurred　to　her。

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Allen；　where　are　you　going？〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Going？　　Upon　my　soul；　I　haven't　the　least　idea。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Where　WERE　you　going？〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Oh；　I　WAS　going　to　Albany。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Well；　don't！　　Aunt　Mary　is　expecting　me　here　at
Schenectady；I　telegraphed　her；and　I　want　you　to　stop　here；　too；
and　we'll　refer　the　whole　matter　to　her。　　She's　such　a　wise　old　head。
I'm　not　sure〃　…

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃What？〃

MISS　GALBRAITH；　demurely：　　〃That　I'm　good　enough　for　you。〃

MR。　RICHARDS；　starting；　in　burlesque　of　her　movement；　as　if　a　thought
had　struck　HIM：　　〃Lucy！　how　came　you　on　this　train　when　you　left
Syracuse　on　the　morning　express？〃

MISS　GALBRAITH；　faintly：　　〃I　waited　over　a　train　at　Utica。〃　　She
sinks　into　a　chair；　and　averts　her　face。

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃May　I　ask　why？〃

MISS　GALBRAITH；　more　faintly　still：　　〃I　don't　like　to　tell。　　I〃　…

MR。　RICHARDS；　coming　and　standing　in　front　of　her；　with　his　hands　in
his　pockets：　　〃Look　me　in　the　eye；　Lucy！〃　　She　drops　her　veil　over
her　face；　and　looks　up　at　him。　　〃Did　youdid　you　expect　to　find　ME
on　this　train？〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃I　was　afraid　it　never　WOULD　get　along；it　was　so
late！〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Don'ttergiversate。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Don't　WHAT？〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Fib。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Not　for　worlds！〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃How　did　you　know　I　was　in　this　car？〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Must　I？　　I　thought　I　saw　you　through　the　window；
and　then　I　made　sure　it　was　you　when　I　went　to　pin　my　veil　on；I　saw
you　in　the　mirror。〃

MR。　RICHARDS；　after　a　little　silence：　　〃Miss　Galbraith；　do　you　want
to　know　what　YOU　are？〃

MISS　GALBRAITH；　softly：　　〃Yes；　Allen。〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃You're　a　humbug！〃

MISS　GALBRAITH；　springing　from　her　seat；　and　confronting　him。　　〃So
are　you！　　You　pretended　to　be　asleep！〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃III　was　taken　by　surprise。　　I　had　to　take　time　to
think。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃So　did　I。〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃And　you　thought　it　would　be　a　good　plan　to　get　your
polonaise　caught　in　the　window？〃

MISS　GALBRAITH；　hiding　her　face　on　his　shoulder：　　〃No；　no；　Allen！
That　I　never　WILL　admit。　　NO　woman　would！〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Oh；　I　dare　say！〃　　After　a　pause：　　〃Well；　I　am　a　poor；
weak；　helpless　man；　with　no　one　to　advise　me　or　counsel　me；　and　I
have　been　cruelly　deceived。　　How　could　you；　Lucy；　how　could　you？　　I
can　never　get　over　this。〃　　He　drops　his　head　upon　her　shoulder。

MISS　GALBRAITH；　starting　away　again；　and　looking　about　the　car：
〃Allen；　I　have　an　idea！　　Do　you　suppose　Mr。　Pullman　could　be　induced
to　SELL　this　car？〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Why？〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Why；　because　I　think　it's　perfectly　lovely；　and　I
should　like　to　live　in　it　always。　　It　could　be　fitted　up　for　a　sort
of　summer…house；　don't　you　know；　and　we　could　have　it　in　the　garden；
and　you　could　smoke　in　it。〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Admirable！　　It　would　look　just　like　a　travelling
photographic　saloon。　　No；　Lucy；　we　won't　buy　it；　we　will　simply　keep
it　as　a　precious　souvenir；　a　sacred　memory；　a　beautiful　dream；and
let　it　go　on　fulfilling　its　destiny　all　the　same。〃

PORTER；　entering；　and　gathering　up　Miss　Galbraith's　things：　　〃Be　at
Schenectady　in　half　a　minute；　miss。　　Won't　have　much　time。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH；　rising；　and　adjusting　her　dress；　and　then　looking
about　the　car；　while　she　passes　her　hand　through　her　lover's　arm：
〃Oh；　I　do　HATE　to　leave　it。　　Farewell；　you　dear；　kind；　good；　lovely
car！　　May　you　never　have　another　accident！〃　　She　kisses　her　hand　to
the　car；　upon　which　they　both　look　back　as　they　slowly　leave　it。

MR。　RICHARDS；　kissing　his　hand　in　the　like　manner：　　〃Good…by；　sweet
chariot！　　May　you　never　carry　any　but　bridal　couples！〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Or　engaged　ones！〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Or　husbands　going　home　to　their　wives！〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Or　wives　hastening　to　their　husbands。〃

MR。　RICHARDS：　　〃Or　young　ladies　who　have　waited　one　train　over；　so　as
to　be　with　the　young　men　they　hate。〃

MISS　GALBRAITH：　　〃Or　young　men　who　are　so　indifferent　that　they
pretend　to　be　asleep　when　the　young　ladies　come　in！〃　　They　pause　at
the　door　and　look　back　again。　　〃'And　must　I　leave　thee；　Paradise？'〃
They　both　kiss　their　hands　to　the　car　again；　and；　their　faces　being
very　close　together；　they　impulsively　kiss　each　other。　　Then　Miss
Galbraith　throws　back　her　head；　and　solemnly　confronts　him。　　〃Only
think；　Allen！　　If　this　car　hadn't　broken　ITS　engagement；　we　might
never　have　mended　ours。〃







End