Part 38 (1/2)
”How long are you going to persist in this foolishness?” she asked at last irritably.
”Who knows?” he laughed. ”I think I've struck my proper level. Did you see my posters?” he asked, pointing proudly. ”Great, aren't they?”
”They're disgusting,” said Olga.
He smiled good-humoredly. ”That's too bad. I'm sorry. I thought you'd like 'em.”
She only shrugged contemptuously.
”And this is your Valhalla?” she sniffed. ”A kingdom of charlatans, and tinsel and clap-trap, of frica.s.sees and onions, and greasy mendicants. Ugh! You're rather overdoing the simple life, Monsieur er--Philidor. You're very ragged and--ah--a trifle soiled.”
”Outwardly only, _chre_ Olga,” he laughed. ”Inwardly my soul is lily-white.”
”I'm not so sure of that. No one's soul can be lily-white whose beard is two weeks old. Also, _mon ami_, you look half famished.”
”My soul--” he began.
”Your stomach!” she broke in. ”Come with me. At least I'm going to see you properly fed.”
”You're awfully kind, but--”
”You refuse?”
”I must--besides, you could hardly expect me to appear at your house party in these.”
She turned on her heel and walked away from him.
”I hardly expect you ever to do anything that I want you to do.”
”But, Olga,--”
Without turning her head she disappeared in the crowd.
CHAPTER XX
THE EMPTY HOUSE
Markham stood for a moment watching the white plume of Olga Tcherny's huge straw hat until it nodded its way out of sight. Then he turned back just in time to note a disturbance of the canvas barrier, from under which, her slouch hat pushed down over her ears, her gray coat hiding her finery, Hermia breathlessly emerged.
”I've never had such a fright since I was born,” she laughed nervously.
”She won't come back?”
”I think not.”
He helped her to her feet. ”It's lucky you weren't in the _roulotte_.”
”Not luck--forethought. I knew she'd never be content until she'd seen the inside of that wagon. She expected to find _me_ there.”
”You! She saw you--outside?”
”No--I'll take my oath on that--you see, I saw her first. But she expected to find me there just the same. I can't tell you why--a woman guesses these things. I watched her. She's a deep one.” She laughed again. ”I wouldn't have her find me here for anything in the world.”