第47章 带家具出租的房间〔2〕

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ncethehousesofthisdistrict,havinghadathousanddwellers,shouldhaveathousandtalestotell,mostlydullones,nodoubt;butitwouldbestrangeiftherecouldnotbefoundaghostortwointhewakeofallthesevagrantguests.

Oneeveningafterdarkayoungmanrowledamongthesecrumblingredmansions,ringingtheirbells.Atthetwelfthherestedhisleanhand-baggageuonthesteandwiedthedustfromhishatbandandforehead.Thebellsoundedfaintandfarawayinsomeremote,hollowdeths.

Tothedoorofthis,thetwelfthhousewhosebellhehadrung,cameahousekeeerwhomadehimthinkofanunwholesome,surfeitedwormthathadeatenitsnuttoahollowshellandnowsoughttofillthevacancywithediblelodgers.

Heaskediftherewasaroomtolet.

"Comein,

"saidthehousekeeer.Hervoicecamefromherthroat;herthroatseemedlinedwithfur.

"Ihavethethirdfloorback,vacantsinceaweekback.Shouldyouwishtolookatit?

"

Theyoungmanfollowedheruthestairs.Afaintlightfromnoarticularsourcemitigatedtheshadowsofthehalls.Theytrodnoiselesslyuonastaircaretthatitsownloomwouldhaveforsworn.Itseemedtohavebecomevegetable;tohavedegeneratedinthatrank,sunlessairtolushlichenorsreadingmossthatgrewinatchestothestaircaseandwasviscidunderthefootlikeorganicmatter.Ateachturnofthestairswerevacantnichesinthewall.Perhaslantshadoncebeensetwithinthem.Ifsotheyhaddiedinthatfoulandtaintedair.Itmaybethatstatuesofthesaintshadstoodthere,butitwasnotdifficulttoconceivethatimsanddevilshaddraggedthemforthinthedarknessanddowntotheunholydethsofsomefurnisheditbelow.

"Thisistheroom,

"saidthehousekeeer,fromherfurrythroat.

"It'saniceroom.Itisn'toftenvacant.Ihadsomemosteleganteoleinitlastsummer—notroubleatall,andaidinadvancetotheminute.Thewater'sattheendofthehall.SrowlsandMooneyketitthreemonths.Theydoneavaudevillesketch.MissB'rettaSrowls—youmayhaveheardofher—Oh,thatwasjustthestagenames—rightthereoverthedresseriswherethemarriagecertificatehung,framed.Thegasishere,andyouseethereislentyofclosetroom.It'saroomeverybodylikes.Itneverstaysidlelong.

"

"Doyouhavemanytheatricaleoleroominghere?

"askedtheyoungman.

"Theycomeandgo.Agoodroortionofmylodgersisconnectedwiththetheatres.Yes,sir,thisisthetheatricaldistrict.Actoreoleneverstayslonganywhere.Igetmyshare.Yes,theycomeandtheygo.

"

Heengagedtheroom,ayingforaweekinadvance.Hewastired,hesaid,andwouldtakeossessionatonce.Hecountedoutthemoney.Theroomhadbeenmadeready,shesaid,eventotowelsandwater.Asthehousekeeermovedawayheut,forthethousandthtime,thequestionthathecarriedattheendofhistongue.

"Ayounggirl—MissVashner—MissEloiseVashner—doyouremembersuchaoneamongyourlodgers?Shewouldbesingingonthestage,mostlikely.Afairgirl,ofmediumheightandslender,withreddish,goldhairandadarkmolenearherlefteyebrow.

"

"No,Idon'trememberthename.Thestageeolehavenamestheychangeasoftenastheirrooms.Theycomeandtheygo.No,Idon'tcallthatonetomind.

"

No.Alwaysno.Fivemonthsofceaselessinterrogationandtheinevitablenegative.Somuchtimesentbydayinquestioningmanagers,agents,schoolsandchoruses;bynightamongtheaudiencesoftheatresfromall-starcastsdowntomusichallssolowthathedreadedtofindwhathemosthoedfor.Hewhohadlovedherbesthadtriedtofindher.Hewassurethatsinceherdisaearancefromhomethisgreat,water-girtcityheldhersomewhere,butitwaslikeamonstrousquicksand,shiftingitsarticlesconstantly,withnofoundation,itsuergranulesoftodayburiedtomorrowinoozeandslime.

Thefurnishedroomreceiveditslatestguestwithafirstglowofseudo-hositality,ahectic,haggard,erfunctorywelcomelikethesecioussmileofademire.Thesohisticalcomfortcameinreflectedgleamsfromthedecayedfurniture,theraggedbrocadeuholsteryofacouchandtwochairs,afootwidecheaierglassbetweenthetwowindows,fromoneortwogiltictureframesandabrassbedsteadinacorner.

Theguestreclined,inert,uonachair,whiletheroom,confusedinseechasthoughitwereanaartmentinBabel,triedtodiscoursetohimofitsdiverstenantry.

Aolychromaticruglikesomebrilliant-floweredrectangular,troicalisletlaysurroundedbyabillowyseaofsoiledmatting.Uonthegay-aeredwallwerethoseicturesthatursuethehomelessonefromhousetohouse—TheHuguenotLovers,TheFirstQuarrel,TheWeddingBreakfast,PsycheattheFountain.Themantel'schastelysevereoutlinewasingloriouslyveiledbehindsomeertdraerydrawnrakishlyaskewlikethesashesoftheAmazonianballet.Uonitwassomedesolateflotsamcastasidebytheroom'smaroonedwhenaluckysailhadbornethemtoafreshort—atriflingvaseortwo,icturesofactresses,amedicinebottle,somestraycardsoutofadeck.