"That was brave."
"It certainly was. I imagine that Hawksley's journey has that of Ulysses
laid away on the shelf. Karlov was the head of the society which had
voted Gregor's death. So he had agents watching Hawksley. And Karlov
himself undertook the chase across Russia, China, and the Pacific."
"I'm glad I gave him something to eat. But Gregor, a valet in a hotel,
with all that money!"
"The red tape."
"What a dizzy world we live in, Cutty!"
"Dizzy is the word." Cutty sighed. His yarn had passed a very shrewd
censor. "Karlov feels it his duty to kill off all his countryman who do
not agree with his theories. He wanted these funds here, but Hawksley
was too clever for him. Remember, now, not a word of this to Hawksley. I
tell you this in confidence."
"I promise."
"You'll have to spend the night here. It's round four, and the power has
been shut off. There's the stairs, but it would be dawn before you reach
the street."
"Who cares?"
"I do. I don't believe you're in a good mood to send back to that
garlicky warren. I wish to the Lord you'd leave it!"
"It's difficult to find anything desirable within my means. Rents are
terrifying. I'll sleep on the divan. A rug or a blanket. I'm a silly
fool, I suppose."
"You can have a guest room."
"I'd rather the divan; less scandalous. Cutty, I forgot. He played for
me."
"What? He did?"
"I had to run out of the room because some things he said choked me up.
Didn't care whether he died or not. He was even lonelier than I. I lay
down on the divan, and then I heard music. Funny, but somehow I fancied
he was calling me back; and I had to hang on to the divan. Cutty, he is
a great violinist."
"Are you fond of music?"
"I am mad about it! I'm always running round to concerts; and I'd walk
from Battery to Bronx to hear a good violinist."
Fiddles and Irish hearts. Swiftly came the vision of Hawksley fiddling
the heart out of this lonely girl--if he had the chance. And he, Cutty,
was going to fascinate her--with what? He rose and took her by the
shoulders, bringing her round so that the light was full in her face.
Slate-blue eyes.
"Kitty, what would you say if I kissed you?" Inwardly he asked: "Now,
what the devil made me say that?"