chapter 18 derek lunches

derek kettering went straight to the negresco, where he ordered a couple of cocktails and disposed of them rapidly; then he stared moodily out over the dazzling blue sea. he noted the passers-by mechanically - a damned dull crowd, badly dressed, and painfully uninteresting; one hardly ever saw anything worth while

nowadays. then he corrected this last impression rapidly, as a woman placed herself at a table a little distance away from him. she was wearing a marvellous confection of orange and black, with a little hat that shaded her face. he ordered a third cocktail; again he stared out to sea, and then suddenly he started. a well- known perfume assailed his nostrils, and he looked up to see the orange-and-black lady standing beside him. he saw her face now, and recognized her - it was mirelle. she was smiling that insolent, seductive smile he knew so well.

"dereek!" she murmured. "you are pleased to see me, no?"

she dropped into a seat the other side of the table.

"but welcome me, then, stupid one," she mocked.

"this is an unexpected pleasure," said derek. "when did you leave london?"

she shrugged her shoulders.

"a day or two ago."

"and the parthenon?"

"i have, how do you say it? - given them the chuck!"

"really?"

"you are not very amiable, dereek."

"do you expect me to be?"

mirelle lit a cigarette and puffed at it for a few minutes before saying:

"you think, perhaps, that it is not prudent so soon?"

derek stared at her, then he shrugged his shoulders, and remarked formally:

"you are lunching here?"

"mais oui. i am lunching with you."

"i am extremely sorry," said derek. "i have a very important engagement."

"mon dieu! but you men are like children," exclaimed the dancer.

"but yes, it's the spoilt child that you act to me, ever since that day in london when you flung yourself out of my flat, you sulk. ah!

mais c'est inou?!"

"my dear girl," said derek, "i really don't know what you are talking about. we agreed in london that rats desert a sinking ship, that is all that there is to be said."

in spite of his careless words, his face looked haggard and strained. mirelle leaned forward suddenly.

"you cannot deceive me," she murmured. "i know - i know what you have done for me."

he looked up at her sharply. some undercurrent in her voice arrested his attention.

she nodded her head at him.

"ah! have no fear; i am discreet. you are magnificent! you have a superb courage, but, all the same, it was i who gave you the idea that day, when i said to you in london that accidents sometimes happened. and you are not in danger? the police do not suspect you?"

"what the devil -"

"hush!"

she held up a slim olive hand with one big emerald on the little finger.

"you are right; i should not have spoken in so a public place. we will not speak of the matter again, but our troubles are ended; our life together will be wonderful - wonderful!"

derek laughed suddenly - a harsh, disagreeable laugh.

"so the rats come back, do they? two million makes a difference - of course it does. i ought to have known that." he laughed again.

"you will help me to spend that two million, won't you, mirelle? you know how, no woman better." he laughed again.

"hush!" cried the dancer. "what is the matter with you, dereek?

see - people are turning to stare at you."

"me? i will tell you what is the matter. i have finished with you, mirelle. do you hear? finished!"

mirelle did not take it as he expected her to do. she looked at him for a minute or two, and then she smiled softly.

"but what a child! you are angry - you are sore, and all because i am practical. did i not always tell you that i adored you?"

she leaned forward.

"but i know you, dereek. look at me? - see, it is mirelle who speaks to you. you cannot live without her, you know it. i loved you before, i will love you a hundred times more now. i will make life wonderful for you - but wonderful. there is no one like mirelle." her eyes burned into his. she saw him grow pale and draw in his breath, and she smiled to herself contentedly. she knew her own magic and power over men.

"that is settled," she said softly, and gave a little laugh. "and now, dereek, will you give me lunch?"

"no."

he drew in his breath sharply and rose to his feet.

"i am sorry, but i told you - i have got an engagement."

"you are lunching with someone else? bah! i don't believe it."

"i am lunching with that lady over there."

he crossed abruptly to where a lady in white had just come up the steps. he addressed her a little breathlessly.

"miss grey, will you - will you have lunch with me? you met me at lady tamplin's, if you remember."

katherine looked at him for a minute or so with those thoughtful grey eyes that said so much.

"thank you," she said, after a moment's pause, "i should like to very much."

第十八章 德里克的晚宴

德里克·凯特林直接回到了内格列斯库饭店的餐厅，买了几杯酒，以最快的速度喝了下去。然后，他消失在熙熙攘攘的人群之中。他闷闷不乐，感到这些人既无聊透顶又穿戴粗俗，对每件事都毫无兴味。可是当他走近一个妇女的时候，他的这种懊恼的心情便立即烟消云散。她穿着桔黄色和黑色搭配起来的衣服，头上的小帽遮住了她的脸蛋。

凯特林又要了第四杯酒，凝视着海面。正当他望得出神的时候，一股强烈的香水味刺激着他的嗅觉，他发现了站在他身旁的那个女士，身子不由自主地抽动了一下。此时他看清了她的面孔。她就是米蕾。女士以挑衅和要挟的眼光看着他嫣然一笑，这是凯特林早就熟悉的笑容。

“德里克，”她轻声说，“见到我你高兴吗？”

女士靠近他坐下，可是凯特林却呆呆地站在那里。

“对我不表示欢迎？”

“真是想象不出的高兴！”德里克说，“你是什么时候离开伦敦的？”

她耸了一下肩膀。

“两、三天以前。”

“那么帕泰农饭店呢？”

“帕泰农饭店把我盗得精光。”

“是吗？”

“怎么，你不为我的出现而高兴吗？”

“你期待着的高兴吗？”

米蕾吸了几口烟说道：

“您是否认为，事情干得有点匆忙，太早了？”

德里克看着她，然后耸了一下肩膀生硬地问道：

“你在这里进便餐吗？”

“当然，同你在一起。”

“非常遗憾。”德里克说，“我有一个特别重要的约会。”

“唉，你们这些男人都是孩子。”舞女说，“是的，你在我的面前象个有病的孩子，从你那天没好气地离开我的房间的时候起，你一直象个有病的孩子，真不能忍受！”

“亲爱的宝贝，”德里克说，“我真不懂你说的是什么！我们在伦敦的时候已经说过：老鼠将要离开沉没的船了。的确没有别的什么可说的！”

这番话他似乎是无所谓和随便说说的，可是脸上的表情却很忧虑和紧张。米蕾突然弯下腰来说：“你不要担心我。我知道，你是为了我才那样做的。”

他死盯着她。她在德里克的耳边低声说了些什么，德里克安静了些，米蕾点了一下头。

“你不要怕，我会保持沉默的。你太好了！你表现得很有勇气。但是，那个想法毕竟是我想出来的。你记得我在伦敦说过的话，可能发生意外的事故。你现在不是很安全吗？警察不是还没有怀疑你吗？”

“见鬼！”

“嘘！”她把那带着宝石戒指的桔黄色的手举了一下。“我们还是不谈这些吧。使人担心的时刻已经过去了。我们共同生活一定会特别美好，特别美好！”

德里克突然大笑起来——这是一种沙哑和令人不快的笑声。

“老鼠又回到船上了！两百万英镑很起作用，是吗？我早就想到这一点了！”他大笑起来。“你会帮我把这两百万英镑花光，是吗，米蕾？你具有一种神话般的天才——能花钱！”

“嘘，嘘！”舞女低声嘘了起来，“你怎么了？人们都把我们围起来了。”

“我怎么了？我正要对你说：我们的关系要一刀两断！米蕾，一刀两断！”

米蕾对这番话感到有些意外，她看了德里克一眼，又微微一笑。

“你真是个孩子！你现在很烦恼，你病了，病因是由于我太讲究实际。我不是一直对你说嘛，我离开你是活不成的。”她低下头又继续说道：

“但是我了解你，德里克。看着我！你应该知道，你离开我也不能活。我将使你的生活进入美妙的梦境。你要知道，没有任何人象米蕾那样爱你。”

她的双眼闪闪发光。她看到德里克脸色苍白，呼吸短促。她的脸上开始现出得意的笑容。她又一次感到自己是个胜利者。

“我们说妥了，是吗？”她低声说。“现在怎样？我们一起用餐吧？”

“不！”

他长长地叹了口气，站立起来。

“真抱歉。我已经同你说过，我今天有约会。”

“你和别人吃饭？我不信！”

“我要同对面的那位女士一起吃饭。”

接着他离开桌子，走向那位正走下楼梯的身着白色衣裳的女士。他们寒暄了一阵。

“格蕾小姐，允许我请您吃饭吗？我们在坦普林女士那里见过面，当然您还记得。”

卡泰丽娜以一种忧伤而深思的目光注视着他，给人一种特殊的印象。

“非常高兴。”她沉默了片刻回答说。“您真好。”