登陆注册
5224500000072

第72章 CHAPTER 4 The Supercilious Sacrifice(2)

The girl had stolen to the bed and tumbled upon it; lay there listening wretchedly to the knocking which had grown gradually to a pounding. Then came a man's voice, angry and imperative:

"Open up or we'll break the door in!"

In the silence when this voice ceased Amory realized that there were other things in the room besides people ... over and around the figure crouched on the bed there hung an aura, gossamer as a moonbeam, tainted as stale, weak wine, yet a horror, diffusively brooding already over the three of them ... and over by the window among the stirring curtains stood something else, featureless and indistinguishable, yet strangely familiar....

Simultaneously two great cases presented themselves side by side to Amory; all that took place in his mind, then, occupied in actual time less than ten seconds.

The first fact that flashed radiantly on his comprehension was the great impersonality of sacrificehe perceived that what we call love and hate, reward and punishment, had no more to do with it than the date of the month. He quickly recapitulated the story of a sacrifice he had heard of in college: a man had cheated in an examination; his roommate in a gust of sentiment had taken the entire blamedue to the shame of it the innocent one's entire future seemed shrouded in regret and failure, capped by the ingratitude of the real culprit. He had finally taken his own lifeyears afterward the facts had come out. At the time the story had both puzzled and worried Amory. Now he realized the truth; that sacrifice was no purchase of freedom. It was like a great elective office, it was like an inheritance of powerto certain people at certain times an essential luxury, carrying with it not a guarantee but a responsibility, not a security but an infinite risk. Its very momentum might drag him down to ruinthe passing of the emotional wave that made it possible might leave the one who made it high and dry forever on an island of despair.

...Amory knew that afterward Alec would secretly hate him for having done so much for him....

...All this was flung before Amory like an opened scroll, while ulterior to him and speculating upon him were those two breathless, listening forces: the gossamer aura that hung over and about the girl and that familiar thing by the window.

Sacrifice by its very nature was arrogant and impersonal; sacrifice should be eternally supercilious.

Weep not for me but for thy children.

That-thought Amory-would be somehow the way God would talk to me.

Amory felt a sudden surge of joy and then like a face in a motion-picture the aura over the bed faded out; the dynamic shadow by the window, that was as near as he could name it, remained for the fraction of a moment and then the breeze seemed to lift it swiftly out of the room. He clinched his hands in quick ecstatic excitement ... the ten seconds were up....

"Do what I say, Alec-do what I say. Do you understand?"

Alec looked at him dumblyhis face a tableau of anguish.

"You have a family," continued Amory slowly. "You have a family and it's important that you should get out of this. Do you hear me?" He repeated clearly what he had said. "Do you hear me?"

"I hear you." The voice was curiously strained, the eyes never for a second left Amory's.

"Alec, you're going to lie down here. If any one comes in you act drunk. You do what I sayif you don't I'll probably kill you."

There was another moment while they stared at each other. Then Amory went briskly to the bureau and, taking his pocket-book, beckoned peremptorily to the girl. He heard one word from Alec that sounded like "penitentiary," then he and Jill were in the bathroom with the door bolted behind them.

"You're here with me," he said sternly. "You've been with me all evening."

She nodded, gave a little half cry.

In a second he had the door of the other room open and three men entered. There was an immediate flood of electric light and he stood there blinking.

"You've been playing a little too dangerous a game, young man!"

Amory laughed.

"Well?"

The leader of the trio nodded authoritatively at a burly man in a check suit.

"All right, Olson."

"I got you, Mr. O'May," said Olson, nodding. The other two took a curious glance at their quarry and then withdrew, closing the door angrily behind them.

The burly man regarded Amory contemptuously.

"Didn't you ever hear of the Mann Act? Coming down here with her," he indicated the girl with his thumb, "with a New York license on your carto a hotel like this." He shook his head implying that he had struggled over Amory but now gave him up.

"Well," said Amory rather impatiently, "what do you want us to do?"

"Get dressed, quick-and tell your friend not to make such a racket." Jill was sobbing noisily on the bed, but at these words she subsided sulkily and, gathering up her clothes, retired to the bathroom. As Amory slipped into Alec's B. V. D.'s he found that his attitude toward the situation was agreeably humorous.

The aggrieved virtue of the burly man made him want to laugh.

"Anybody else here?" demanded Olson, trying to look keen and ferret-like.

"Fellow who had the rooms," said Amory carelessly. "He's drunk as an owl, though. Been in there asleep since six o'clock."

"I'll take a look at him presently."

"How did you find out?" asked Amory curiously.

"Night clerk saw you go up-stairs with this woman."

Amory nodded; Jill reappeared from the bathroom, completely if rather untidily arrayed.

"Now then," began Olson, producing a note-book, "I want your real namesno damn John Smith or Mary Brown."

"Wait a minute," said Amory quietly. "Just drop that big-bully stuff. We merely got caught, that's all."

Olson glared at him.

同类推荐
  • 元始无量度人上品妙经四注

    元始无量度人上品妙经四注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说方等泥洹经

    佛说方等泥洹经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Commission in Lunacy

    The Commission in Lunacy

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 中寒论辩证广注

    中寒论辩证广注

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 净土十疑论

    净土十疑论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 冷颜笑

    冷颜笑

    从小就看透了人情冷暖,看透了人性的丑恶所以她无心,无情,无爱,对任何事都不在乎她很淡,淡的就像是一杯水,没有颜色,没有味道原本只是想很小心与世隔绝的活着,只是老天却偏偏不如她的愿他安定国的三皇子,俊美无双,只要见过他的女子无不倾心于他喜怒无常,天生的恶魔在他一步一步的逼迫下,她当真可以无心,无情,无爱吗?具体内容亲亲们自己看吧,我也不怎么会写~————————————————————————————————————本文看完花费3.7元,还是老规矩,一瓶饮料钱~!推荐本人已完成作品《穿越爱上十三岁的你》地址:
  • 重生之凤女归来

    重生之凤女归来

    前世一生尊荣,难得一人真心。父死弟欺,毁她姻缘,坏她名声,害她性命。她纵然躲不过一死,也要拉昏君当垫背!重生归来,处心积虑报前世之仇,人道弱女子若狠起来,可比铁血将军千军万马。她一双纤手,一副柔弱女儿身,一副狠辣无情心肠,终将大仇报!囚君弑母,妖后说她大逆不道,必遭天谴。公主冷漠:“你又非我生母,不过一个继母而已。”皇帝骂她蛇蝎心肠,他死也不会放过她,定要冤魂纠缠她生生世世。公主冷笑:“把你镇在佛寺之下,我看你还能不能超生。”◇◇◇片段一◇◇◇“将军不好了,太后宣公主进宫了。”将军淡定道:“有太皇太后在,公主无事!”“将军不好了,公主让人把八王妃打了。”将军淡定道:“大姑子打弟媳,那是家规,本将军管不了皇家家规。”“将军不好了,丞相请公主去了酒楼吃饭……”被丞相未婚妻撞上了。将军已如一阵风般离开,再也淡定不了。◇◇◇片段二◇◇◇公主问:“我当年痴呆之名在外,你为何不拒婚?”将军答:“师父说过,姻缘天定,不可躲!”公主一笑:“你师父乃我皇祖母故人,出家人亦会打诳语。”将军点头:“我知道!”公主叹道:“知道你还娶,傻子。”将军眸含柔情:“不娶当初的你,又如何得到而今的你?”公主嫣然一笑:“你倒是个聪明的,夫君!”将军淡笑不语,就算当初傻,遇上她也变聪明了。
  • 绝世鬼修

    绝世鬼修

    六道皆可修真,唯我鬼修独尊!冥界是死者的国度,这里有一望无际的荒野与黑暗浑浊的冥河,但却没有丝毫生气。这里没有草木,没有动物,有的只是躺在荒野之中,数之不尽的遗骸白骨,以及被冥河吞噬,不断挣扎,哭喊的死者亡魂。而我们的故事就是在这个死气森森的冥界开始的。
  • 你这思想已入魔

    你这思想已入魔

    有些人,表面温和,内心却喜欢血淋淋的感情。嘴上说着岁月静好,心中巴不得一刀子捅进爱人的心里,看着她悲痛哀嚎,看着她在恐惧中抓紧他的手。她很精明,也很坚强。正因如此,他翘首以盼舔舐她的眼泪,瓦解她的城池,享受她的依偎。“别怕,你还有我哦!”男主病娇、腹黑、城府深/女主有心机、伪绿茶、善于操控人心。他成长在一个爱情观扭曲的商人世家,有着商人的绝对敏锐,善与发现商机。这一次,他发现的“商机”是一个自作聪明的女人,她热爱摄影、喜欢耍小聪明,她自恃清高、惹事生非、虚伪狡诈。都说爱情是个套路的过程,目标已选定,“五步曲”他可以慢慢来,只等猎物上套的那一天。
  • 竹马诱宠:小太妹,你别跑

    竹马诱宠:小太妹,你别跑

    安康有毒,刘梦琪一直都知道,小时候就能看出的腹黑气质,刘梦琪竟然等到再次见面才看清。场景一:小太妹刘梦琪旁若无人趾高气扬的从安康身边走过去。“喂,同学,你有东西掉地上了。”安康出声叫住她。刘梦琪慌忙四顾:“啊??”安康唇角一勾,然后悠然朝她伸出手,“你男朋友掉地上了,不捡一下吗?”场景二:刘梦琪看着那个拿着戒指半跪在在自己面前的男人,忍不住想给十年前的自己一耳光清醒清醒,老子真是信了你的邪!“刘梦琪,你老公掉地上了,不捡一下吗?”
  • 杂事

    杂事

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 食物圣经0—6岁完全食物手册

    食物圣经0—6岁完全食物手册

    可以帮助父母们解决下列问题 :·如何避免宝宝经常出现的饮食问题, 如偏食、挑食以及一系列因为吃得不 当导致的疾病,为宝宝一生的健康打 下基础。了解宝宝0~6岁每个阶段的营养需求,并 获得最实用、最有效的建议,而不至于被铺天盖地的广告所误导。 提供最新的食物营养信息,帮助父母 了解每种食物的营养价值,学会每餐的食物搭配,让宝宝吃得开心,吃得 健康。 当你的宝宝喜欢吃一些没营养的食物 时,你要学会一些特别有用的技巧。
  • 明星老公是萌物

    明星老公是萌物

    “筱沫,你是我最重要的朋友”“筱沫,我的粉丝说我萌哎”“筱沫,……”不知从什么时候开始我就习惯了他啰里啰嗦,是幼儿园?还有可能更早。苏然,13岁出道有了首张专辑,14岁拍了第一部电影,15岁参加各种节目活动,16岁……19岁获得人生中第一个影帝。用演艺圈前辈的话就是:苏然是为这个舞台而生!沐筱沫,从小和苏然一起长大,一直支持苏然做的所有决定,是苏然的忠实粉丝,天使的外表,身材嘛一般,但是苏然满意就可以了。当武林萌主黏上小天使,当影帝撞上忠实粉丝,又该碰出怎样的火花呢?点进来看看就知道啦!
  • 旱年里的人和羊

    旱年里的人和羊

    温亚军,现为北京武警总部某文学杂志主编。著有长篇小说伪生活等六部,小说集硬雪、驮水的日子等七部。获第三届鲁迅文学奖,第十一届庄重文文学奖,《小说选刊》《中国作家》和《上海文学》等刊物奖,入选中国小说学会排行榜。中国作家协会会员。
  • 追梦之侣

    追梦之侣

    Elise Roberts梦想成为一名流行歌手,却从高中毕业就留在了家乡,当了一名秘书。自从被解雇后,她的日子似乎变得极其无聊、毫无新意。带着自己心爱的吉他,Elise来到了纽约,成了一名服务员,但仍坚持在自由麦克风活动上献唱。一天晚上,她偶遇了魅力非凡的Dylan,他在一个声名渐起的乐队里担任主唱。除了魅力不凡,Dylan还很自大,Elise最初很不喜欢他。他们每晚在同一个自由麦克风活动场地上争夺风头,相互之间冲突不断,然而在这冲突中,他们之间暗暗滋生了更强烈的情感。正当Elise与Dylan陷入热恋之际,他们的梦想也成真了,一家著名唱片公司和他们分别签订了合约。