The White Moll

第24章

Andtheywerestillwithher,thosewords。Daylighthadcomeagain,andpassedagain,anditwaseveningoncemore;butthosewordsremained,insensibletochange,immutableintheirforeboding。AndRhodaGray,asGypsyNan,shudderednowasshescuffledalongashabbystreetdeepintheheartoftheEastSide。ShewasDanglar’swife-byproxy。Atdawnthatmorningwhenthegrayhadcomecreepingintothemiserableatticthroughthesmallanddirtywindowpanes,shehadfallenonherkneesandthankedGodshehadbeensparedthatfootstep。Itwasstrange!ShehadpouredouthersoulinpassionatethankfulnessthenthatDanglarhadnotcome-andnowshewasdeliberatelyonherwaytoseekDanglarhimself!Butthedaylighthaddonemorethandispersetheactual,physicaldarknessofthepastnight;ithadbrought,ifnotameasureofrelief,atleastasenseofguidance,andthefinaldecision,perilousthoughitwas,whichshemeantnowtoputintoexecution。

Therewasnootherway-unlessshewerewillingtoadmitdefeat,togiveupeverything,herowngoodname,herfather’sname,torunfromitallandlivehenceforthinhidinginsomeobscureplacefaraway,brandedinthelifeshewouldhaveleftbehindherasadespicablecriminalandthief。Andshecouldnot,wouldnot,dothiswhileherintuition,atleast,inspiredherwiththefaithtobelievethattherewasstillachanceofclearingherself。Itwasthethrowofthedice,perhaps-buttherewasnootherway。

Danglar,andthosewithhim,wereatthebottomofthecrimeofwhichshewasheldguilty。Shecouldnotgoonasshehadbeendoing,merelyinthehopeofstumblinguponsomeclewthatwouldservetoexonerateher。Therewasnottimeenoughforthat。

Danglar’strapsetforherselfandtheAdventurerlastnightinoldNickyViner’sroomprovedthat。AndthefactthatthewomanwhohadoriginallymasqueradedasGypsyNan-asshe,RhodaGray,wasmasqueradingnow-wasDanglar’swife,proveditathousandfoldmore。Shecouldnolongerremainpassive,arguingwithherselfthatittookallherwitsandallhereffortstomaintainherselfintheroleofGypsyNan,whichtemporarilywasallthatstoodbetweenherandprisonbars。Todosomeantthecertaintyofdisastersoonerorlater,andifitmeantthat,theneedforimmediateactionofanoffensivesortwasimperative。

Andsohermindwasmadeup。HeronlychancewastofindherwayintothefullintimacyofthecriminalbandofwhichDanglarwasapparentlythehead;tosearchoutitslairanditspersonnel;toreachtotheheartofit;toknowDanglar’sprivatemovements,andtodiscoverwherehelivedsothatshemightwatchhim。Itsurelywasnotsuchahopelesstask!True,sheknewbynameandsightscarcelymorethanthreeofthiscrimeclique,butatleastshehadastartingpointfromwhichtowork。TherewasShluker’sjunkshopwhereshehadturnedthetablesonDanglarandSkeenyonthenighttheyhadplannedtomaketheSparrowtheirpawn。Itwasobvious,therefore,thatShlukerhimself,theproprietorofthejunkshop,wasoneoftheorganization。ShewasgoingtoShluker’snow。

RhodaGrayhaltedsuddenly,andstaredwonderinglyalittlewayuptheblockaheadofher。Asthoughbymagicacrowdwascollectingaroundthedoorwayofapoverty-stricken,tumble-downframehousethatmadethecornerofanalleyway。Andwherebutaninstantbeforethestreet’sjostlinghumanityhadbeenimmersedinitswranglingwiththepush-cartmenwholinedthecurb,thecartswerenowdesertedbyeveryonesavetheirowners,whosecautionexceededtheircuriosity-andthecrowdgrewmomentarilylargerinfrontofthehouse。

ShedrewGypsyNan’sblack,greasyshawlalittlemorecloselyaroundhershoulders,andmovedforwardagain。Andnow,ontheoutskirtsofthecrowd,shecouldseequiteplainly。Thereweretwoorthreelowstepsthatleduptothedoorway,andamanandwomanwerestandingthere。Thewomanwaswretchedlydressed,butwithmoststrangeincongruitysheheldinherhand,obviouslysubconsciously,obviouslyquiteobliviousofit,ahugebasketfulltooverflowingwith,

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