"Cutty, something dreadful has happened to this poor young woman. That's
what makes him cry out the name. Caught in that horror, and probably he
alone escaped. Is it heartless to be glad I'm an American? Do they let
in these Russians?"
"Not since the Trotzky regime. I imagine Two-Hawks slipped through on
some British passport. He'll probably tell us all about it when he comes
round. But how do you feel after last night's bout?"
"Alive! And I'm going on being alive, forever and ever! Oh, those awful
drums! They look like dead eyes in those dim corners. Tumpitum-tump!
Tumpitum-tump!" she cried, linking her arm in his. "What a gorgeous
view! Just what I'm going to do when my ship comes in--live in a loft. I
really believe I could write up here--I mean worth-while things I could
enjoy writing and sell."
"It's yours if you want it when I leave."
"And I'd have a fine time explaining to my friends! You old innocent!
... Or are you so innocent?"
"We do live in a cramped world. But I meant it. Don't forget to whistle
down to Tony Bernini when you get back home to-night."
"I promise.
"Why the gurgle?"
"Because I'm tremendously excited. All my life I've wanted to do
mysterious things. I've been with the audience all the while, and I want
to be with the actors."
"You'll give some man a wild dance."
"If I do I'll dance with him. Now lead me to the cookies."
She was the life of the tea table. Her wit, her effervescence, her
whimsicalities amused even the prim Miss Frances. When she recounted
the exploit of the camouflaged fan, Cutty and Harrison laughed so loudly
that the nurse had to put her linger on her lips. They might wake the
patient.
"I am really interested in him," went on Kitty. "I won't deny it. I want
to see how it's going to turn out. He was very nice after I let him into
the kitchen. A perfectly English manner and voice, and Italian gestures
when off his guard. I feel so sorry for him. What strangers we races are
to each other! Until the war we hardly knew the Canadians. The British
didn't know us at all, and the French became acquainted with the British
for the first time in history. And the German thought he knew us all
and really knew nobody. All the Russians I ever saw were peasants of
the cattle type; so that the word Russian conjures up two pictures--the
grand duke at Monte Carlo and a race of men who wear long beards and
never bathe except when it rains. Think of it! For the first time since
God set mankind on earth peoples are becoming acquainted. I never saw a
Russian of this type before.".