hr.thecarpetbaggers-第112部分

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　〃Jennie's　a　good　girl。　She　wouldn't　do　a　thing　like　that。〃
　〃I'm　not　too　sure。　Sometimes　a　taste　of　temptation　is　like　a　spoonful　of　honey。　Just　enough　to　sweeten　your　tongue　but　not　enough　to　fill　your　whole　mouth。　And　we　both　know　she's　tasted　temptation。〃
　〃You　still　don't　believe　her；　do　you？〃　he　asked　bitterly。　〃You'd　rather　take　the　word　of　those　two　hoodlums　than　your　own　daughter。〃
　〃Then　why　didn't　she　go　into　court？　If　there　wasn't　just　a　little　truth　in　what　they　said；　she　wouldn't　have　been　afraid。　But　no；　she　takes　the　thousand　dollars　and　lets　herself　be　labeled　a　whore。〃
　〃You　know　as　well　as　I　why　she　didn't；〃　Tom　answered。　〃And　you　can　thank　your　church　for　it。　They'd　not　even　e　into　court　to　say　she　was　a　good　girl。　No；　they　were　afraid　the　boys'　parents　might　not　like　it　and　cut　off　their　weekly　contributions。〃
　〃The　church　sent　her　to　college。　And　they　found　her　this　job。　They　did　their　duty。〃
　〃Then　what　are　you　plaining　about？〃
　
　She　sat　there　quietly　for　a　moment；　listening　to　him　drop　his　shoes　angrily　to　the　floor　as　he　undressed　in　the　bedroom。　Then　she　got　out　of　the　chair　and　felt　the　hot…water　heater。　A　hot　bath　would　soothe　her　aches　and　pains　a　little；　all　this　damp　fall　weather　was　bringing　out　her　arthritis。　She　took　a　match　and　kneeled　down　beside　the　heater。　Striking　the　match；　she　turned　the　pet　cock。　The　flame　caught　for　a　moment；　then　died　out　in　a　tiny　yellow　circle。　She　looked　up　at　the　meter。　They　were　out　of　gas。　The　red　flag　was　up。　She　got　to　her　feet　and　walked　over　to　her　pocketbook。　She　opened　the　small　change　purse　and　searched　through　it。　She　had　no　quarters；　only　nickels　and　dimes。　For　a　moment；　she　thought　of　asking　Tom　for　a　quarter；　then　shrugged　her　shoulders。　She'd　had　enough　of　his　blasphemous　tongue。　She'd　do　without　her　bath。　She　could　take　it　in　the　morning；　when　she　came　back　from　Mass。　She　went　into　the　bathroom　and　used　the　last　of　the　hot　water　to　wash　her　face。　Tom　was　standing　in　the　kitchen　when　she　came　out；　his　chest　bare　above　his　trousers。　She　swept　by　him　silently　and　closed　the　bedroom　door　behind　her。
　Tom　went　into　the　bathroom　and　washed　up　noisily。　Suddenly；　the　water　went　cold。　He　swore　and　dried　himself　quickly；　then　fished　in　his　pocket　for　a　quarter。　He　reached　up　and　put　the　quarter　into　the　meter；　then　watched　the　red　on　the　dial　disappear。　He　nodded；　satisfied。
　In　the　morning；　he'd　turn　on　the　heater　and　in　a　few　minutes；　he'd　have　enough　hot　water　for　his　shave。　He　went　into　the　bedroom；　leaving　the　door　open　behind　him；　unaware　of　the　slight　hiss　ing　from　under　the　heater。
　He　draped　his　pants　on　the　chair　and　sat　down　on　the　bed。　After　a　moment；　he　stretched　out　with　a　sigh。　His　shoulder　touched　Ellen　and　he　felt　her　turn　away。
　Ah；　the　hell　with　her；　he　thought；　turning　on　his　side；　his　back　to　her。　Maybe　the　mies　were　right　with　their　ideas　of　free　love。　At　least　a　man　wouldn't　have　to　put　up　with　a　woman　like　her。
　His　eyes　began　to　feel　heavy。　He　could　hear　the　soft；　even　sounds　of　her　breath。　She　was　asleep　already。　He　smiled　to　himself　in　the　dark。　With　free　love；　he'd　have　his　pick　of　women。　She'd　act　different　then；　all　right。　His　eyelids　drooped　and　closed　and　he　joined　his　wife　in　slumber。　And　death。
　
　Jennie　sat　up　in　the　bed；　clutching　the　sheet　to　her　naked　body　and　staring　with　wide；　frightened　eyes　at　the　woman　who　stood　in　the　doorway。　On　the　other　side　of　the　bed；　Bob　was　already　hurriedly　buttoning　his　shirt。
　〃Did　you　think　he'd　leave　me　for　you？〃　she　screamed　at　Jennie。　〃Did　you　think　you　were　the　first？　Hasn't　he　told　you　how　many　times　I've　caught　him　like　this？〃　Her　voice　grew　contemptuous。　〃Or　do　you　think　he's　really　in　love　with　you？〃
　Jennie　didn't　answer。
　〃Tell　her；　Robert；〃　his　wife　said　angrily。　〃Tell　her　you　wanted　to　make　love　to　me　tonight　and　when　I　refused；　you　came　running　over　here。　Tell　her。〃
　Jennie　stared　at　him。　His　face　was　white　and　he　didn't　look　in　her　direction。　He　grabbed　his　coat　from　the　chair　and　walked　over　to　his　wife。　〃You're　all　upset。　Let　me　take　you　home。〃
　Home。　Jennie　felt　a　sick　feeling　in　her　stomach。　This　was　home　…　his　and　hers。　He　had　said　so。　It　was　here　they　had　loved；　here　they　had　been　together。　But　he　was　talking　about　someplace　else。　Another　place。
　〃I'm　always　upset；　aren't　I；　Robert？　Every　time　you　promise　it　will　never　happen　again。　But　I　know　better；　don't　I？　All　right；〃　she　said　suddenly；　her　voice　hard　and　cold。　〃We'll　go。　But　not　until　you　tell　her。〃
　〃Please；　dear；〃　he　said　quickly。　〃Another　time。　Not　now。〃
　〃Now；　Robert；〃　she　said　coldly。　〃Now　…　or　the　whole　world　will　know　about　Dr。　Grant；　the　quack；　the　abortionist；　the　great　lover。〃
　He　turned　and　looked　back　at　Jennie　on　the　bed。　〃You'll　have　to　leave；　Miss　Denton；〃　he　said　huskily。　〃You　see；　I　don't　love　you；〃　he　said　in　a　strained　voice。　〃I　love　my　wife。〃
　And　almost　at　the　same　moment　that　the　door　closed　behind　him；　there　was　an　explosion　in　an　old　tenement　on　the　other　side　of　the　city。　After　the　firemen　pulled　the　charred　bodies　from　the　fire；　they　gave　their　verdict。　The　victims　had　been　fortunate。　They　were　already　dead　before　the　fire　started。
　
　9
　
　CHARLES　STANDHURST　WAS　EIGHTY…ONE　YEARS　OLD　WHEN　HE　MET　JENNIE　DENTON。　It　was　eight　o'clock　of　a　spring　morning　in　1936　and　he　was　in　the　operating　room　of　the　Colton　Sanitarium　at　Santa　Monica。　He　was　the　patient　just　being　placed　on　the　operating　table　and　she　was　acting　as　Chief　Nurse　in　Surgery。
　He　felt　them　place　his　legs　over　the　stirrups　and　quickly　arrange　a　sheet　so　that　even　if　he　moved　his　head；　he　could　not　see　his　lower　half。　When　they　had　finished；　he　saw　her　e　from　somewhere　behind　him　and　walk　down　to　the　foot　of　the　table。　She　lifted　up　the　sheet。
　He　felt　a　moment's　embarrassment　at　the　impersonal　manner　in　which　she　scrutinized　his　private　parts。　After　five　wives；　countless　mistresses　and　more　than　forty　children　that　he　was　sure　about；　only　eight　of　whom　were　the　result　of　his　marriages；　it　seemed　strange　to　him　that　anyone　could　look　at　him　in　such　a　detached　manner。　So　much　life　had　sprung　from　that　fountain。
　She　let　the　covering　fall　around　him　again　and　looked　up。　A　glint　of　humor　flickered　in　her　intelligent　gray　eyes　and　he　knew　that　she　understood。
　She　came　around　to　the　side　of　the　table　and　reached　for　his　pulse。　He　looked　up　at　her　as　she　studied　her　watch。　〃Where's　Dr。　Colton？〃
　〃He'll　be　along　in　a　minute。　He's　washing　up。〃
　She　let　go　of　his　wrist　and　said　something　to　someone　behind　him。　He　rolled　his　eyes　back　and　caught　a　glimpse　of　another　nurse。　Feeling　the　prick　of　a　needle　in　his　arm；　he　turned　his　head　back　quickly。　Already；　she　was　taking　the　small　hypodermic　out　of　his　arm。　〃Hey；　you're　fast；〃　he　said。
　〃That's　my　job。〃
　〃I　am；　too。〃
　Again　that　smile　in　her　gray　eyes。　〃I　know。　I　read　the　papers。〃
　Just　then；　Dr。　Colton　came　in。　〃Hello；　Mr。　Standhurst；〃　he　said　in　his　jovial　manner。　〃Did　we　pass　any　water　today？〃
　〃Maybe　you　did；　Doc；　but　you　know　damn　well　I　didn't；〃　Standhurst　said　dryly。　〃Or　they'd　never　have　got　me　back　in　this　slaughterhouse。〃
　Dr。　Colton　laughed。　〃Well；　you've　got　nothing　to　worry　about。　We'll　have　those　kidney　stones　out　in　a　jiffy。〃
　〃All　the　same；　Doc；　I'm　glad　we've　got　a　specialist　doing　it。　If　I　left　it　up　to　you；　God　knows　what　you'd　cut　out。〃
　His　sarcasm　didn't　disturb　Dr。　Colton。　They'd　known　each　other　for　too　long。　It　was　Charles　Standhurst　who'd　advanced　him　most　of　the　money　to　start　this　hospital。　He　laughed　again。
　The　surgeon　came　in　and　stood　beside　Dr。　Colton。　〃Ready；　Mr。　Standhurst？〃
　〃Ready　as　I'll　ever　be。　Just　leave　something　for　the　girls；　eh；　Doc？〃
　The　surgeon　nodded　and　Standhurst　felt　a　prick　in　his　other　arm。　He　turned　his　head　and　saw　Jennie　standing　there。　〃Gray　eyes；〃　he　said　to　her。　His　second　wife　had　had　gray　eyes。　Or　was　it　his　third？　He　didn't　remember。　〃I　suppose　you　wouldn't　take　your　mask　off　so　that　I　could　see　the　rest　of　your　face？〃
　Again　he　saw　the　glint　of　humor。　〃I　don't　think　the　doctors　would　approve；〃　she　said。　〃But　after　the　operation；　I'll　e　visit　you。　Will　that　do？〃
　〃Fine。　I've　got　a　feeling　you're　beautiful。〃
　He　didn't　see　the　anesthetist　behind　him　nod。　Jennie　leaned　over　his　face。　〃Now；　Mr。　Standhurst；〃　she　said；　〃count　down　from　ten　with　me。　Ten；　nine；　eight…　〃
　〃Seven；　six；　four；　five；　two；　nine。〃　His　lips　were　moving　slowly　and　everything　seemed　so　fortable　and　far　away。　〃Ten；　eight；　one；　three　。。。　six　。。。　four　。　。。　one　。　。。　two。。。。〃　His　voice　faded　away。
　The　anesthetist　looked　up　at　the　surgeon。　〃He's　under；〃　he　said。
　
　They　all　saw　it　at　the　same　time；　looking　down　into　the　cavity　the　surgeon　had　cut　into　his　body　…　the　mass　of　brackish　gray　covering　almost　the　entire　side　of　one　kidney　and　threading　its　way　in　thin；　radiating　lines　across　the　other。　Without　raising　his　head；　the　surgeon　dropped　the　two　pieces　of　matter　he'd　snipped　away　onto　the　slides　that　Jennie　held　under　his　hand。　She　gave　the　slides　to　a　nurse　standing　behind　her　without　turning　around。　〃Pathology；〃　she　whispered。
　The　nurse　left　quickly　and　Jennie；　with　the　same　deft　motion；　picked　up　two　hemostats。　The　assisting　surgeon　took　them　from　her　hand　and　tied　off　two　veins　as　the　surgeon's　knife　exposed　them。
　〃Aren't　you　going　to　wait　for　the　biopsy？〃　Dr。　Colton　asked　from　his　position　next　to　the　surgeon。　The　surgeon　didn't　look　up。　His　fingers　were　busy　probing　at　the　mass。　〃Not　unless　you　want　me　to；　Doctor。〃　He　held　out　his　hand　and　Jennie　placed　a　fine　curette　in　it。　He　was　working　quickly　now；　preparing　to　remove　the　infected　kidney。
　Colton　hesitated。　〃Charles　Standhurst　isn't　just　an　ordinary　man。〃　Everyone　around　the　operating　table　knew　that。　At　one　time　or　another；　the　old　man　quietly　lying　there；　could　have　been　almost　anything　he'd　wanted。　Governor；　senator；　anything。　With　more　than　twenty　major　newspapers　stretched　across　the　nation　and　a　fortune　founded　from　oil　and　gold；　he'd　never　really　wanted　anything　more　than　to　be　himself。　He　was　second　only　to　Hearst　in　the　state's　pride　for　its　home…grown　tycoons。
　The　surgeon；　a　paratively　young　man　who'd　rapidly　bee　one　of　the　foremost　GU　men　in　the　world　and　had　been　flown　out　from　New　York　esp