The Slayer of Souls. Robert W. ChambersЧитать онлайн книгу.
rose upon a familiar, yelling turbulence, including all that Gotham really understands and cares for—legs and noise.
Victor Cleves glanced up at the stage, then continued to study the name of the girl on the programme. It was featured in rather pathetic solitude under "Entr' acte." And he read further: "During the entr' acte Miss Tressa Norne will entertain you with several phases of Black Magic. This strange knowledge was acquired by Miss Norne from the Yezidees, among which almost unknown people still remain descendants of that notorious and formidable historic personage known in the twelfth century as The Old Man of the Mountain—or The Old Man of Mount Alamout.
"The pleasant profession of this historic individual was assassination; and some historians now believe that genuine occult power played a part in his dreadful record—a record which terminated only when the infantry of Genghis Khan took Mount Alamout by storm and hanged the Old Man of the Mountain and burned his body under a boulder of You-Stone.
"For Miss Norne's performance there appears to be no plausible, practical or scientific explanation.
"During her performance the curtain will remain lowered for fifteen minutes and will then rise on the last act of 'You Betcha Life.'"
The noisy show continued while Cleves, paying it scant attention, brooded over the programme. And ever his keen, grey eyes reverted to her name, Tressa Norne.
Then, for a little while, he settled back and let his absent gaze wander over the galloping battalions of painted girls and the slapstick principals whose perpetual motion evoked screams of approbation from the audience amid the din of the great god Jazz.
He had an aisle seat; he disturbed nobody when he went out and around to the stage door.
The aged man on duty took his card, called a boy and sent it off. The boy returned with the card, saying that Miss Norne had already dressed and departed.
Cleves tipped him and then tipped the doorman heavily.
"Where does she live?" he asked.
"Say," said the old man, "I dunno, and that's straight. But them ladies mostly goes up to the roof for a look in at the 'Moonlight Masque' and a dance afterward. Was you ever up there?"
"Yes."
"Seen the new show?"
"No."
"Well, g'wan up while you can get a table. And I bet the little girl will be somewheres around."
"The little girl" was "somewheres around." He secured a table, turned and looked about at the vast cabaret into which only a few people had yet filtered, and saw her at a distance in the carpeted corridor buying violets from one of the flower-girls.
A waiter placed a reserve card on his table; he continued on around the outer edge of the auditorium.
Miss Norne had already seated herself at a small table in the rear, and a waiter was serving her with iced orange juice and little French cakes.
When the waiter returned Cleves went up and took off his hat.
"May I talk with you for a moment, Miss Norne?" he said.
The girl looked up, the wheat-straw still between her scarlet lips. Then, apparently recognising in him the young man in the audience who had spoken to her, she resumed her business of imbibing orange juice.
The girl seemed even frailer and younger in her hat and street gown. A silver-fox stole hung from her shoulders; a gold bag lay on the table under the bunch of violets.
She paid no attention whatever to him. Presently her wheat-straw buckled, and she selected a better one.
He said: "There's something rather serious I'd like to speak to you about if you'll let me. I'm not the sort you evidently suppose. I'm not trying to annoy you."
At that she looked around and upward once more.
Very, very young, but already spoiled, he thought, for the dark-blue eyes were coolly appraising him, and the droop of the mouth had become almost sullen. Besides, traces of paint still remained to incarnadine lip and cheek and there was a hint of hardness in the youthful plumpness of the features.
"Are you a professional?" she asked without curiosity.
"A theatrical man? No."
"Then if you haven't anything to offer me, what is it you wish?"
"I have a job to offer if you care for it and if you are up to it," he said.
Her eyes became slightly hostile:
"What kind of job do you mean?"
"I want to learn something about you first. Will you come over to my table and talk it over?"
"No."
"What sort do you suppose me to be?" he inquired, amused.
"The usual sort, I suppose."
"You mean a Johnny?"
"Yes—of sorts."
She let her insolent eyes sweep him once more, from head to foot.
He was a well-built young man and in his evening dress he had that something about him which placed him very definitely where he really belonged.
"Would you mind looking at my card?" he asked.
He drew it out and laid it beside her, and without stirring she scanned it sideways.
"That's my name and address," he continued. "I'm not contemplating mischief. I've enough excitement in life without seeking adventure. Besides, I'm not the sort who goes about annoying women."
She glanced up at him again:
"You are annoying me!"
"I'm sorry. I was quite honest. Good-night."
He took his congé with unhurried amiability; had already turned away when she said:
"Please ... what do you desire to say to me?" He came back to her table:
"I couldn't tell you until I know a little more about you."
"What—do you wish to know?"
"Several things. I could scarcely ask you—go over such matters with you—standing here."
There was a pause; the girl juggled with the straw on the table for a few moments, then, partly turning, she summoned a waiter, paid him, adjusted her stole, picked up her gold bag and her violets and stood up. Then she turned to Cleves and gave him a direct look, which had in it the impersonal and searching gaze of a child.
When they were seated at the table reserved for him the place already was filling rapidly—backwash from the theatres slopped through every aisle—people not yet surfeited with noise, not yet sufficiently sodden by their worship of the great god Jazz.
"Jazz," said Cleves, glancing across his dinner-card at Tressa Norne—"what's the meaning of the word? Do you happen to know?"
"Doesn't it come from the French 'jaser'?"
He smiled. "Possibly. I'm rather hungry. Are you?"
"Yes."
"Will you indicate your preferences?"
She studied her card, and presently he gave the order.
"I'd like some champagne," she said, "unless you think it's too expensive."
He smiled at that, too, and gave the order.
"I didn't suggest any wine because you seem so young," he said.
"How old do I seem?"
"Sixteen perhaps."
"I am twenty-one."
"Then you've had no troubles."
"I don't know what you call trouble," she remarked, indifferently,