登陆注册
15441200000008

第8章 CHAPTER III(3)

Mary put her hand over his mouth and began to chide him for his awfulness, whereupon he kissed the palm of her hand and put his head closer to hers.

The merry clatter of dishes was increasing as the dining-room filled up. Here and there voices were raised in snatches of song.

There were shrill squeals and screams and bursts of heavier male laughter as the everlasting skirmishing between the young men and girls played on. Among some of the men the signs of drink were already manifest. At a near table girls were calling out to Billy. And Saxon, the sense of temporary possession already strong on her, noted with jealous eyes that he was a favorite and desired object to them.

"Ain't they awful?" Mary voiced her disapproval. "They got a nerve. I know who they are. No respectable girl 'd have a thing to do with them. Listen to that!"

"Oh, you Bill, you," one of them, a buxom young brunette, was calling. "Hope you ain't forgotten me, Bill."

"Oh, you chicken," he called back gallantly.

Saxon flattered herself that he showed vexation, and she conceived an immense dislike for the brunette.

"Goin' to dance?" the latter called.

"Mebbe," he answered, and turned abruptly to Saxon. "Say, we old Americans oughta stick together, don't you think? They ain't many of us left. The country's fillin' up with all kinds of foreigners."

He talked on steadily, in a low, confidential voice, head close to hers, as advertisement to the other girl that he was occupied.

From the next table on the opposite side, a young man had singled out Saxon. His dress was tough. His companions, male and female, were tough. His face was inflamed, his eyes touched with wildness.

"Hey, you!" he called. "You with the velvet slippers. Me for you."

The girl beside him put her arm around his neck and tried to hush him, and through the mufflement of her embrace they could hear him gurgling:

"I tell you she's some goods. Watch me go across an' win her from them cheap skates."

"Butchertown hoodlums," Mary sniffed.

Saxon's eyes encountered the eyes of the girl, who glared hatred across at her. And in Billy's eyes she saw moody anger smouldering. The eyes were more sullen, more handsome than ever, and clouds and veils and lights and shadowe shifted and deepened in the blue of them until they gave her a sense of unfathomable depth. He had stopped talking, and he made no effort to talk.

"Don't start a rough house, Bill," Bert cautioned. "They're from across the hay an' they don't know you, that's all."

Bert stood up suddenly, stepped over to the other table, whispered briefly, and came back. Every face at the table was turned on Billy. The offendor arose brokenly, shook off the detaining hand of his girl, and came over. He was a large man, with a hard, malignant face and bitter eyes. Also, he was a subdued man.

"You're Big Bill Roberts," he said thickly, clinging to the table as he reeled. "I take my hat off to you. I apologire. I admire your taste in skirts, an' take it from me that's a compliment; but I did'nt know who you was. If I'd knowed you was Bill Roberts there wouldn't been a peep from my fly-trap. D'ye get me? I apologize. Will you shake hands?"

Gruffly, Billy said, "It's all right--forget it, sport;" and sullenly he shook hands and with a slow, massive movement thrust the other back toward his own table.

Saxon was glowing. Here was a man, a protector, something to lean against, of whom even the Butchertown toughs were afraid as soon as his name was mentioned.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 七度摩登之落魄女王

    七度摩登之落魄女王

    地处西北30岁的金领女王,突然遭遇外企办事处关闭的惨况。这个年纪的女王没车、没房、没感情,这下又没了工作,家人朋友为其忐忑不安,流言蜚语在那个本就不大的地方,四处传唱。无奈下,女王决定留下自己的积蓄,远走他方。她选择了上海这个被称作世界之眼的国际大都市。女王刚来上海时,兜里揣着有限的经费,国外的游历经历丰富的让她想起高性价比的Airbnb。于是乎,女王大人在两个月内,用着少得可怜的经费,搬了7次家,遇见了7种不同人的生活,与外国友人、外来移民、上海本地人、新上海人等发生了很多趣事,并经历善良、希望、狡诈、抠门、欺骗,并陷入绝望,正当她再也无法忍受之时……
  • 我的冷魅女王

    我的冷魅女王

    她是一个孤儿。没有家人,没有朋友,没有美好童年的她,非常孤独。因为她天生的紫发紫眸,被一些人说成是怪物。所以才造成她拒人千里的性格。她也曾宣扬过:她不需要朋友。当她遇上传说中霸道的冷酷王子,难缠的花心王子,温柔的冷漠王子,如春风般的温柔王子后。她会不会有所改变呢?拭目以待!
  • 创世演变

    创世演变

    一块偶然得到的石子,让我来到了这片黑暗的天地,这里没有物质,没有空间,没有时间。而我要做的是就是创造!小说《位面旅行之路》前传,世界大背景!努力搭建一个完美大世界!
  • 指点苍穹:逆世浮沉

    指点苍穹:逆世浮沉

    她是逆天般的存在,一出生天空异彩纷呈,七大主色夹杂着其他色彩。她成长的速度让全世界震惊,最终,她是一代至尊。他是背负使命转世为人的神帝,却不想因一场误会人生彻底逆转,当他遇上了她,呵呵,好狂妄的女子!“我狂?我有资本!你狂!你不配!”一语惊醒天人,惊天阴谋酿造的异世风云依旧遮掩不了她们的爱情传奇。姐就是这么逆天!你于我来说,渣渣一枚,我本就是傲世王者!挡我者,瞬间化为灰。挫折?难得到我?你不屑,我比你还不屑!可当她遇上了他,最后的那一刻,她竟只留下一句话:“若有来世,我宁愿从没遇到过你!”当他明白一切的时候,是否还为时不晚?
  • 修之殇

    修之殇

    所谓背弃者的未来,就是被大火淹没和自我救赎。2022年,特异病毒——修病毒,无声出现,无人知道他的来历,亦无人知道它所带来的恐怖,这是一场人类的浩劫,也是大自然的自救。相信,灾厄如期而至!
  • 逃离风岛

    逃离风岛

    书上写道:一个被命运折磨的人;一个打破命运的人。你的选择是什么“走出这个岛,我想听听你的答案。
  • 鬼王夫君,快变身!

    鬼王夫君,快变身!

    无双重生成阴年阴月阴日阴时的招阴废材,一来就遇上美男骷髅,什么鬼!姨娘讨厌妹妹害,还要她嫁给整日用汤药养着的他国质子!行,她一咬牙嫁了,说不定她嫁过去他两脚一伸就去了,她也就自由了呢,欢欢喜喜拜了堂,但是,眼前生龙活虎得像头狼,脸色比她还滋润的人是谁啊……什么?夫君的怪病竟然是每逢月圆就变鬼!要吸她的血才能变回人?雾草,这种被坑了的感觉一点都不好,导演!我走错片场了!
  • 宇宙很大

    宇宙很大

    无意中打开异界的大门,本以为自己是人,结果却是老傲卡的作品!
  • 倾凰绝魅,杀手女王太嚣张

    倾凰绝魅,杀手女王太嚣张

    她是黑道帝国的主宰,人人闻之丧胆、谈之色变的杀手女王,手里掌控的,是无数人的生死。她本是天之骄女,豆蔻年华,一道圣旨她嫁与被称为“第一公子”的他为妻。这本该是一件大喜事,她却从此变得疯疯癫癫,痴傻不堪……因一次意外,她的灵魂穿越到了被人谋害致死的她身上。当那双美眸再次睁开时,一切的一切将由她重新主宰!国宴上,她一曲鸾舞倾城惊艳天下,同时也向天下人证明,她不再是从前的那个风鸾舞!从前欺她的,辱她的,她将十倍百倍甚至是千倍偿还!本以为她可以从此逍遥江湖,快意人生,可这个突然冒出来的无良王爷是怎么回事?第一次见面,给她留下一大堆谜团;第二次见面就夺去了她的初吻……【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 小海蒂

    小海蒂

    小海蒂是著名儿童文学作家斯比丽的代表作之一。主人公海蒂是一个天真、活泼、可爱、灿漫并心地善良的小女孩。一天她被姨妈带到一个叫德尔芙里的小村庄,暂时交给他爷爷啊鲁姆大叔,在海蒂的种种感化下,性精古怪的的阿鲁姆大叔重新点燃了生活激情。