暖小昕编译提示您:看后求收藏(宜小说jmvip6.com),接着再看更方便。
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.