Part 110 (1/2)
”Won't you?” she asked.
”I think she will cable. But even if she doesn't, I know she always cares very much what happens to you and me. Nothing would ever make me doubt that.”
”No, of course not. But I do want her to show it, to prove it to us to-day. It is such a day in our lives! Never, so long as we live, can we have such another day. It is the day I dreamed of, the day I foresaw, that night at Covent Garden.”
She felt a longing, which she checked, to add, ”It is the day I decreed when I looked at Henriette Sennier!” But though she checked the longing, its birth had brought to her hope. She, a girl, had decreed this day and her decree had been obeyed. Her will had been exerted, and her will had triumphed. Nothing could break down that fact. Nothing could ever take from her the glory of that achievement. And it seemed to point to the ultimate glory for which she had been living so long, for which she had endured so patiently. Suddenly her restlessness increased, but it was no longer merely the restlessness of unquiet nerves. Antic.i.p.ation whipped her to movement, and she sprang up abruptly from the sofa.
”Claude, I can't stay in here! I can't rest. Don't ask me to. Anything else, but not that!”
She went to him, put her hands on his shoulders.
”Be a dear! Take me out!”
”Where to?”
”Anywhere! Fifth Avenue, Central Park! Let us walk! I know! Let us walk across the park and look at the theater, our theater. A walk will do me more good than you can dream of, genius though you are. And the time will pa.s.s quickly. I want it to fly. I want it to be night. I want to see the crowd. I want to hear it. How can we sit here in this hot red room waiting? Take me out!”
Claude was glad to obey her. They wrapped themselves up, for it was a bitter day, and went down to the hall. As they pa.s.sed the bureau the well-dressed, smooth-faced men behind the broad barrier looked at them with a certain interest and smiled. Charmian glanced round gaily and nodded to them.
”I am sure they are all wis.h.i.+ng us well!” she said to Claude. ”I quite love Americans.”
”A taxi, sir?” asked a big man in uniform outside.
”No, thank you.”
They went to the left and turned into Fifth Avenue.
How it roared that day! An endless river of motor-cars poured down it.
Pedestrians thronged the pavements, hurrying by vivaciously, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with life, with vigor, with purpose. The nations, it seemed, were there.
For the types were many, and called up before the imagination a great vision of the world, not merely a conception of New York or of America.
Charmian looked at the faces flitting past and thought:
”What a world it is to conquer!”
”Isn't it splendid out here!” she said. ”What an almost maddening whirl of life. Faces, faces, faces, and brains and souls behind them. I love to see all these faces to-day. I feel the brains and the souls are wanting something that you are going to give them.”
”Let us hope one or two out of the mult.i.tude may be!”
”One or two! Claudie, you miserable n.i.g.g.ard! You always think yourself unwanted. But you will see to-night. Every reserved seat and every box is taken, every single one! Think of that--and all because of what you have done. Are we going to Central Park?”
”Unless you wish to promenade up and down Fifth Avenue.”
”No, I did say the Park, and we will go there. But let us walk near the edge, not too far away from this marvellous city. Never was there a city like New York for life. I'm sure of that. It's as if every living creature had quicksilver in his veins--or her veins. For I never saw such vital women as one sees here anywhere else! Oh, Claude! When you conquer these wonderful women!”
Her vivacity and excitement were almost unnatural.
”New York intoxicates me to-day!” she exclaimed.
”How are you going to do without it?”