Последний отзыв
Так получилось, что книга ко мне попала в тяжелый эмоциональный кризис и многое мне дала. Написано актуально, тут многих полезных вещей, никакого злоу...
Далее
По всем вопросам обращайтесь на: info@litportal.ru
(©) 2003-2024.
✖
The Restless Sex
Настройки чтения
Размер шрифта
Высота строк
Поля
"Got anything on?" she asked, approaching with her mirthless smile.
"Yes, a few casual garments."
She looked him over with the uncanny wisdom of her caste, and, young as she was, she divined in this man only the opportunity to waste her time.
"What's the matter?" she asked, glancing at his shabby dressing gown. "Up against it?"
"What I'm up against," he said, absently, "will look good to you, too, some day."
"What's that?"
"Death, my dear."
"Quit kiddin'!" she retorted, with an uneasy laugh. "You got your looks yet." She stepped nearer, looking at him curiously. "Nothing like that," she said. "You're a looker. Buck up, old scout!"
She was leaning against the railing where he stood resting his back. Presently he turned, leisurely, and surveyed her.
"You are young," he said. "You'll be a tired girl before you're up against what I am."
"What have you done?" she enquired curiously.
"Nothing."
"Sure. That's why we all go up the river."
"I'm going across the river," he remarked, smiling.
"Which?"
"The Styx. You never heard of it, I suppose."
"One of them dirty rivers in Jersey?"
He nodded gravely.
"What's out there?" she enquired.
"I don't know, my dear."
"Then what's the idea?"
She waited for an answer, but his golden eyes were dreamily remote.
The girl lingered. Once or twice professional sense suggested departure, but when her tired eyes of a child rested on him something held her inert.
When she again interrupted his revery he looked around at her as though he had never before seen her, and she repeated what she had said.
"What?" he asked sharply.
"I got a fiver that ain't workin'," she said again. "You can use it in your business if it's any good."
"My dear child," he said pleasantly, "you're very kind, but that's not what the matter is." He turned, dropped his arm on the railing, facing her: "What's your name?"
"Gloria Cameron."
"Come on," he said, good-humouredly, "what's your other name?"
"Anne."
"Anne, what?"
"O'Hara."
"Will you wait a minute?"
She nodded uncertainly.
He went back through the area, entered his studio and dressed in his shabby street clothes.
The cheque was still lying on a small table where Cleland had placed it at his request. And now he picked it up, dipped a rusty pen into an ink-bottle, and indorsed the cheque, making it payable to Anne O'Hara. Then he took his straw hat and went out.
The girl was waiting.
"Anne," he said, "I want you to read what's written on this pretty perforated piece of paper." He held it so that the electric light fell on it.
"Is it good?" she asked in an awed voice.
"Perfectly." He turned the cheque over and showed her the indorsement.
She found her voice presently:
"What are you putting over on me?"
He said:
"I'd give this cheque to you now, but it wouldn't be any good when the banks open to-morrow."
She stared her question, and he laughed:
"It's a law concerning cheques. Never mind. But there's a way to beat it. I had a lot of money once. They'll take my paper at Square Jack Hennesey's. Shall we stroll up that way?"
She did not understand. It was quite evident that she had no faith in the scrap of paper either. But it was still more evident that she was willing to remain with him, even at the loss of professional opportunities – even though she was facing the obloquy of being "kidded."
"Come into my studio first," he said.
She went without protest. In the brightly lighted basement he turned and scrutinized her coolly from head to foot.
"How old?" he asked bluntly.
Другие электронные книги автора Robert Chambers
Другие аудиокниги автора Robert Chambers
Последний отзыв
Так получилось, что книга ко мне попала в тяжелый эмоциональный кризис и многое мне дала. Написано актуально, тут многих полезных вещей, никакого злоу...
Далее