按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
if you don't move on。〃
〃Who gave you your job？〃 demanded the fat man。
〃Nobody。 I picked it myself。 You can have it if you want it。〃
〃Can't you take a joke？〃
〃Label yours。〃
As the crowd dwindled she played less feverishly； but there was
nothing slipshod about her performance。 The chubby songster found
time to proffer brief explanations in asides。 〃They want the patriotic
stuff。 It used to be all that Hawaiian dope； and Wild Irish Rose stuff； and
songs about wanting to go back to every place from Dixie to Duluth。 But
now seems it's all these here flag wavers。 Honestly； I'm so sick of 'em I
got a notion to enlist to get away from it。〃
Terry eyed him with withering briefness。 〃A little training wouldn't
ruin your figure。〃
49
… Page 50…
ONE BASKET
She had never objected to Orville's embonpoint。 But then； Orville
was a different sort of fat man； pink…cheeked； springy； immaculate。
At four o'clock； as she was in the chorus of 〃Isn't There Another Joan
of Arc？〃 a melting masculine voice from the other side of the counter said
〃Pardon me。 What's that you're playing？〃
Terry told him。 She did not look up。 〃I wouldn't have known it。
Played like thata second ‘Marseillaise。' If the wordsWhat are the
words？ Let me see a〃
〃Show the gentleman a ‘Joan；'〃 Terry commanded briefly； over her
shoulder。 The fat man laughed a wheezy laugh。 Terry glanced around；
still playing； and encountered the gaze of two melting masculine eyes that
matched the melting masculine voice。 The songster waved a hand
uniting Terry and the eyes in informal introduction。
〃Mr。 Leon Sammett； the gentleman who sings the Gottschalk songs
wherever songs are heard。 And Mrs。that isand Mrs。 Sammett〃
Terry turned。 A sleek； swarthy world…old young man with the
fashionable concave torso； and alarmingly convex bone…rimmed glasses。
Through them his darkly luminous gaze glowed upon Terry。 To escape
their warmth she sent her own gaze past him to encounter the arctic stare
of the large blonde who had been included so lamely in the introduction。
And at that the frigidity of that stare softened； melted； dissolved。
〃Why； Terry Sheehan！ What in the world！〃
Terry's eyes bored beneath the layers of flabby fat。 〃It'swhy； it's Ruby
Watson； isn't it？ Eccentric Song and Dance〃
She glanced at the concave young man and faltered。 He was not Jim；
of the Bijou days。 From him her eyes leaped back to the fur…bedecked
splendor of the woman。 The plump face went so painfully red that the
make…up stood out on it； a distinct layer； like thin ice covering flowing
water。 As she surveyed that bulk Terry realized that while Ruby might
still claim eccentricity； her song…and…dance days were over。 〃That's
ancient history； m' dear。 I haven't been working for three years。
What're you doing in this joint？ I'd heard you'd done well for yourself。
That you were married。〃
〃I am。 That is Iwell； I am。 I〃
50
… Page 51…
ONE BASKET
At that the dark young man leaned over and patted Terry's hand that
lay on the counter。 He smiled。 His own hand was incredibly slender；
long； and tapering。
〃That's all right；〃 he assured her； and smiled。 〃You two girls can have
a reunion later。 What I want to know is can you play by ear？〃
〃Yes； but〃
He leaned far over the counter。 〃I knew it the minute I heard you
play。 You've got the touch。 Now listen。 See if you can get this； and
fake the bass。〃
He fixed his somber and hypnotic eyes on Terry。 His mouth screwed
up into a whistle。 The tunea tawdry but haunting little melodycame
through his lips。 Terry turned back to the piano。 〃Of course you know
you flatted every note；〃 she said。
This time it was the blonde who laughed； and the man who flushed。
Terry cocked her head just a little to one side； like a knowing bird； looked
up into space beyond the piano top； and played the lilting little melody
with charm and fidelity。 The dark young man followed her with a
wagging of the head and little jerks of both outspread hands。 His
expression was beatific； enraptured。 He hummed a little under his breath
and anyone who was music…wise would have known that he was just a half
beat behind her all the way。
When she had finished he sighed deeply； ecstatically。 He bent his
lean frame over the counter and； despite his swart coloring； seemed to
glitter upon herhis eyes； his teeth； his very fingernails。
〃Something led me here。 I never come up on Tuesdays。 But
something〃
〃You was going to complain；〃 put in his lady； heavily； 〃about that
Teddy Sykes at the Palace Gardens singing the same songs this week that
you been boosting at the Inn。〃
He put up a vibrant； peremptory hand。 〃Bah！ What does that matter
now！ What does anything matter now！ Listen MissahMiss？〃
〃Pl…Sheehan。 Terry Sheehan。〃
He gazed off a moment into space。 〃Hm。 ‘Leon Sammett in Songs。
Miss Terry Sheehan at the Piano。' That doesn't sound bad。 Now
51
… Page 52…
ONE BASKET
listen； Miss Sheehan。 I'm singing down at the University Inn。 The
Gottschalk song hits。 I guess you know my work。 But I want to talk to
you； private。 It's something to your interest。 I go on down at the Inn at
six。 Will you come and have a little something with Ruby and me？
Now？〃
〃Now？〃 faltered Terry； somewhat helplessly。 Things seemed to be
moving rather swiftly for her； accustomed as she was to the peaceful
routine of the past four years。
〃Get your hat。 It's your life chance。 Wait till you see your name in
two… foot electrics over the front of every big…time house in the country。
You've got music in you。 Tie to me and you're made。〃 He turned to the
woman beside him。 〃Isn't that so； Rube？〃
〃Sure。 Look at ME！〃 One would not have thought there could be
so much subtle vindictiveness in a fat blonde。
Sammett whipped out a watch。 〃Just three quarters of an hour。
Come on； girlie。〃
His conversation had been conducted in an urgent undertone； with side
glances at the fat man with the megaphone。 Terry approached him now。
〃I'm leaving now；〃 she said。
〃Oh； no； you're not。 Six o'clock is your quitting time。〃
In which he touched the Irish in Terry。 〃Any time I quit is my
quitting time。 She went in quest of hat and coat much as the girl had
done whose place she had taken early in the day。 The fat man followed
her； protesting。 Terry； putting on her hat； tried to ignore him。 But he
laid one plump hand on her arm and kept it there； though she tried to shake
him off。
〃Now； listen to me。 That boy wouldn't mind grinding his heel on
your face if he thought it would bring him up a step。 I know'm。 See
that walking stick he's carrying？ Well； compared to the yellow stripe
that's in him； that cane is a Lead pencil。 He's a song tout； that's all he is。〃
Then； more feverishly； as Terry tried to pull away： 〃Wait a minute。
You're a decent girl。 I want toWhy； he can't even sing a note without
you give it to him first。 He can put a song over； yes。 But how？ By
flashing that toothy grin of his and talking every word of it。 Don't you…
52
… Page 53…