登陆注册
14720000000008

第8章

Although Monday was practically a holiday for the Sunday-supplement staff of "The Times," Condy Rivers made a point to get down to the office betimes the next morning. There were reasons why a certain article descriptive of a great whaleback steamer taking on grain for famine-stricken India should be written that day, and Rivers wanted his afternoon free in order to go to Laurie Flagg's coming-out tea.

But as he came into his room at "The Times" office, which he shared with the exchange and sporting editors, and settled himself at his desk, he suddenly remembered that, under the new order of things, he need not expect to see Travis at the Flaggs'.

"Well," he muttered, "maybe it doesn't make so much difference, after all. She was a corking fine girl, but--might as well admit it--the play is played out. Of course, I don't love her--any more whan she loves me. I'll see less and less of her now. It's inevitable, and after a while we'll hardly even meet. In a way, it's a pity; but, of course, one has to be sensible about these things....Well, this whaleback now."He rang up the Chamber of Commerce, and found out that the "City of Everett," which was the whaleback's name, was at the Mission Street wharf. This made it possible for him to write the article in two ways. He either could fake his copy from a clipping on the subject which the exchange editor had laid on his desk, or he could go down in person to the wharf, interview the captain, and inspect the craft for himself. The former was the short and easy method. The latter was more troublesome, but would result in a far more interesting article.

Condy debated the subject a few minutes, then decided to go down to the wharf. San Francisco's water-front was always interesting, and he might get hold of a photograph of the whaleback. All at once the "idea" of the article struck him, the certain underlying notion that would give importance and weight to the mere details and descriptions. Condy's enthusiasm flared up in an instant.

"By Jove!" he exclaimed; "by Jove!"

He clapped on his hat wrong side foremost, crammed a sheaf of copy-paper into his pocket, and was on the street again in another moment. Then it occurred to him that he had forgotten to call at his club that morning for his mail, as was his custom, on the way to the office. He looked at his watch. It was early yet, and his club was but two blocks' distance. He decided that he would get his letters at the club, and read them on the way down to the wharf.

For Condy had joined a certain San Francisco club of artists, journalists, musicians, and professional men that is one of the institutions of the city, and, in fact, famous throughout the United States. He was one of the younger members, but was popular and well liked, and on more than one occasion had materially contributed to the fun of the club's "low jinks."In his box this morning he found one letter that he told himself he must read upon the instant. It bore upon the envelope the name of a New York publishing house to whom Condy had sent a collection of his short stories about a month before. He took the letter into the "round window" of the club, overlooking the street, and tore it open excitedly. The fact that he had received a letter from the firm without the return of his manuscript seemed a good omen. This was what he read:

Conde Rivers, Esq., Bohemian Club, San Francisco, Cal.

DEAR SIR: We return to you by this mail the manuscript of your stories, which we do not consider as available for publication at the present moment. We would say, however, that we find in several of them indications of a quite unusual order of merit.

The best-selling book just now is the short novel--say thirty thousand words--of action and adventure. Judging from the stories of your collection, we suspect that your talent lies in this direction, and we would suggest that you write such a novel and submit the same to us.

Very respectfully, THE CENTENNIAL CO., New York.

Condy shoved the letter into his pocket and collapsed limply into his chair.

"What's the good of trying to do anything anyhow!" he muttered, looking gloomily down into the street. "My level is just the hack-work of a local Sunday supplement, and I am a fool to think of anything else."His enthusiasm in the matter of the "City of Everett" was cold and dead in a moment. He could see no possibilities in the subject whatever. His "idea" of a few minutes previous seemed ridiculous and overwrought. He would go back to the office and grind out his copy from the exchange editor's clipping.

Just then his eye was caught by a familiar figure in trim, well-fitting black halted on the opposite corner waiting for the passage of a cable car. It was Travis Bessemer. No one but she could carry off such rigorous simplicity in the matter of dress so well: black skirt, black Russian blouse, tiny black bonnet and black veil, white kids with black stitching. Simplicity itself.

Yet the style of her, as Condy Rivers told himself, flew up and hit you in the face; and her figure--was there anything more perfect? and the soft pretty effect of her yellow hair seen through the veil--could anything be more fetching? and her smart carriage and the fling of her fine broad shoulders, and--no, it was no use; Condy had to run down to speak to her.

"Come, come!" she said as he pretended to jostle against her on the curbstone without noticing her; "you had best go to work.

Loafing at ten o'clock on the street corners--the idea!""It IS not--it can not be--and yet it is--it is SHE," he burlesqued; "and after all these years!" Then in his natural voice: "Hello T.B.""Hello, C.R."

"Where are you going?'

"Home. I've just run down for half an hour to have the head of my banjo tightened.""If I put you on the car, will you expect me to pay your car-fare?"

同类推荐
  • TARTUFFE OR THE HYPOCRITE

    TARTUFFE OR THE HYPOCRITE

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 白朴元曲集

    白朴元曲集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 安南传

    安南传

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 堂东老劝破家子弟

    堂东老劝破家子弟

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 云光集

    云光集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 爱可以杀人吗

    爱可以杀人吗

    生命是宝贵的,爱是人的生命存活的基础,爱有强大的力量,然而这力量有时是狂暴的,以至于我们的生命难以承受。我是一名刑警看到过许多悲惨而奇特的案件,我深信爱是我们活着的必需品,也是威胁我们生命的恐怖力量。
  • 生死谋:极限列车

    生死谋:极限列车

    12个年轻人在准备出门旅行的时候买到了一张‘特殊’的火车票,车次LX-116913。在他们踏入火车的第一步起,属于他们的噩梦和极限一点一点逐渐拉开序幕,使12人陷入了绝望的死亡挣扎。他们不知道的是,在这当中有一名和组织这趟列车的那些人曾经‘出生入死,视如亲人’。无限流模式,最极限的冒险,最诡异而热血,甚至各种各样奇奇怪怪的原因一次又一次的发生在12个人身上。“可你不是别人,你要记住,你要知道,你是——深渊。”“你第一次爱上的人,他的名字里带着什么字。”“言。”游戏开始……
  • 都市爱情2有关欲望

    都市爱情2有关欲望

    人,往往都是这样:深陷其中时,找别人的缺点,跳出圈外,才会审视自己的问题,只是,有没有机会再回头?当你过尽千帆,还是觉得那个人最好的时候,命运,还会不会再给你一次重新来过的机会?他,是风流富家子,人送雅号“公共汽车”,她,是只爱钱不懂感情的妓女,这样原本两个注定没有爱情的人,会有怎样非凡的故事?敬请关注《都市爱情2有关欲望》韩计、蔡小华
  • 女将,本王宠你可好

    女将,本王宠你可好

    21世纪的普通女高中生,穿越成了将军府大小姐,天哪,这惊天逆转,怎么办?眼前这美男子是谁?虽然看不清楚,但是满身狠戾裹袭在周身,仿佛来自地狱的死神,令人窒息。还有,为什么自己满身的血啊?进错剧组了吧!天哪,不会一穿越就死吧,这么衰啊……算了,死在这么温暖的怀里,死,也值了……昏过去了。
  • 天堂回眸

    天堂回眸

    每个生在尘世的人,都有一段无法忘却的往事.那些曾经感动我们的人,影响我们一生的人,有的早已伴随时光而去.今天,当我们去思念,去怀想他们的时候,该是这样的一种心情?是的,我们应该心存感激!感谢他们曾陪伴我们走过的一段难忘的人生旅程,感谢他们让我们明白了该怎么样去面对未知的人生!
  • 请放下假面具

    请放下假面具

    街上凉风哗啦哗啦的吹着,异常的安静,马路上一辆出租车前面躺着一位妙龄少女,她穿着一身纯橙的连衣裙,如灵动的精灵,可这精灵披上血色,原本的灵动不再灵动。少女脖子上的玉石项链,碎了一地,也染上了鲜红的血色,再也合凑不了。
  • 泛娱乐英勇创世纪

    泛娱乐英勇创世纪

    LOL的RPG版,DNF的3D版,塔防,养成一大波大杂烩,演绎游戏泛娱乐。
  • 春花开

    春花开

    一个面带胎记的少女,在通往上界的道路上杀出一条血路!
  • 转生多界游

    转生多界游

    同一个灵魂,N段经历。网游..修仙...末世...异界...多次转生只为需求一红颜
  • 麻雀千金你别逃

    麻雀千金你别逃

    她,慕容思橙,早上刚分手,晚上却在VIP面具恋人之夜无意得罪四位性格各异的少爷,“恭喜你成为我的VIP恋人”。这是他们同时说的话,碍于游戏规则,他们不敢撕下她的面具;她不把他们放心上,他们为了寻她踏破铁鞋,却不知要找的人就在身边。她,慕容思橙本是只麻雀,因为妈妈二婚,进入了豪门,化身麻雀千金,成了冰冷少爷皇甫轩的妹妹;接着成了花心少爷上官然的女朋友;然后又成了可爱萌呆少爷凌哲瑞的未婚妻?再后来关于她的身世,什么?她的身世和温柔的南宫澈又有什么关系?她认识他们,也知道他们在VIP面具恋人之夜被自己耍了,她可不想那么早见阎王,巧合,是天注定?还是另有所谋?当真相发现之后,他们之间会有怎样的转变?