NO STORY[1]
One day Tripp came in and stopped at my table. Tripp was working in the printing department. I think he had something to do[4] with pictures, because he always smelled of photographers` chemicals and his hands were always stained and burnt with acids. He was about twenty-five but looked forty. Half of his face was covered with a short red beard, which looked like a door-mat. He looked pale, miserable and unhealthy.
He used to borrow monet from all of us. He asked for a small sum – from twenty-five cents to a dollar. One dollar was his limit. He knew that nobody would give him more then one dollar. He sat on my table holding one hand with the other with difficulty. But it was no use:[5] both hands were shaking. Whisky!
He used to borrow monet from all of us. He asked for a small sum – from twenty-five cents to a dollar. One dollar was his limit. He knew that nobody would give him more then one dollar. He sat on my table holding one hand with the other with difficulty. But it was no use:[5] both hands were shaking. Whisky!
That day I had got five new silver dollars as an advance on a story I was writing for the paper. So I was feeling at peace with the world.[6]
“Well, Tripp,’ said I looking up at him, “how are you?”
“Have you got[7] a dollar?” asked Tripp. He was looking more miserable than ever.
“I have”, said I. And again I said: “I have five dollars in fact. And I got them with great difficulty, I can tell you. And I am very glad I got them because I need them very much.” I was afraid he would ask me to give him a dollar. So I made everything clear.
“I don`t wont to borrow any money,” said Tripp, and I was glad to hear those words. “I can give you some facts for a story and you can write it up and get a lot of money. It will make an interesting story.[8] It will cost you a dollar or two to get the facts for the story. But I don`t want any money for myself.”
“What are the facts?” I asked him.
“I`ll tell you,” said Tripp. “It`s a girl. A beauty. You have never seen a girl like her. She is a flower… she has lived in a village for twenty years and never saw New York City before. I met her on Thirty-fourth Street. I tell you, she is the most beautiful girl in the world. She stopped me in the street and asked me where she could find George Brown. Asked me where she could find GEORGE BROWN IN NEW YORK CITY! What do you think of that?
I talked to her, and found out that she was going to marry a young farmer named Hiram Dodd next week. But she cannot forget her first love – George Brown. George left his village some years ago, and came to the city to make his fortune.[9] But he forget to go back to his village, so after some time she agreed to marry Hiram Dodd. And now a few days before the wedding Ada – her name is Ada Lowery – suddenly went to the railroad station and took the train for New York City. She is looking for her George. You understand women, I hope: George was not there, so she wanted him[10].
Well, you know, I couldn`t leave her in the streets of New York. She was sure that the first person she asked about George Brown would say: ‘George Brown? – Let me see…[11] Is he a short man with light-blue eyes? Yes? Then you will find him on One-hundred and Twenty-fifth Street a little way from the bakery.’ Do you see now what a child she is? A beautiful child! But you must see her!”
“What should I do?” – Tripp continued. “I never have money in the morning. And she has paid last cent for her railroad ticket. So I took her to a board-house on Thirty-second Street where I used to live. I left her there. We shall have to pay one dollar for her room. That is the price per day.[12] I`ll show you the house.”
I was angry. “What are you talking about, Tripp?” I said. I thought you had facts for a story. Every train brings in or takes out[13] hundreds of young girls! What kind of story[14] can I make out of this?”
“I am sorry you don`t see what an interesting story you could write,”[15] said Tripp. “You could describe the beauty of the girl; you could write about true love! Well, you know how to do it. I am sure you could get fifteen dollars for the story. And it will cost you only four dollars.”
“How will it cost me four dollars?” I asked him.
“One dollars for the room, and two dollars to pay for the girl`s ticket home.”
“And the fourth dollar?”
“One dollar to me,” said Tripp, “for whisky. Do you agree?”
I did not answer him but only smiled and began writing again.
“You don`t understand,” said Tripp, looking more miserable than before. “This girl must be sent home to-day. Not to-night nor to-morrow, but to-day. I can`t do anything for her. I thought you could make a newspaper story out of it and get some money for it. But no matter[16] whether you want to write the story or not – she must get back home before night!”
And then I began to feel sorry for the girl. I knew that my three dollars would be spent on Ada Lowery. But I promised myself that Tripp would not get his dollar for whisky. Very angry I put on my coat and hat.
It took us half an hour to get to the boarding-house. Tripp rang the bell.
“Give me one of the dollars – quick!” he said.
A woman opened the door a little. Tripp give her the dollar without a word, and she let us in.[17]
“She is in the parlor,” said the woman, turning her back on us.[18]
In the dark parlor a girl was sitting at a table. She was crying. Yes, she was beauty! Crying had only made her beautiful eyes brighter.[19]
“Miss Lowery, this is my friend Mr. Chalmers,” said Tripp. He looked like a beggar in his old coat and I was ashamed when he called me his “friend”.
“My friend,” said Tripp again, “will tell you, Miss Lowery, the same that I did. He is a reporter and he can talk better than I can. That`s why I have brought him here. He is a very clever man. He will tell you what is the best things to do.”
“Miss Lowery,” I began and stopped. I did not know what to say. “I shall be glad to help you, of course, but first tell me your story, please…”
“It`s the first time I have ever been to New York[20],” said the girl. “I had no idea that it was such a big place. And I met Mr…. Mr. Tripp in the street and asked him about a friend of mine, and the brought me here and asked me to wait.”
“I advise you, Miss Lowery,’ said Tripp, “to tell Mr. Chalmers all. He is a friend of mine, and he will tell you what to do.”
“Why, of course,” said Ada. “There is nothing to tell… only… that I was going to marry Hiram Dodd next Thursday evening. He has got two hundred acres of land and one of the best farms in our village. But this morning I told my mother that I was going to spend the day with Susie Adams. It was a lie, of course… but I don`t care.[21] And I came to New York by train, and I met Mr… Mr. Flip in the street and asked him if he knew where I could find G-G-G… George…”
“Miss Lowery,” Tripp stopped her, “you told me that you liked this young man, Hiram Dodd. You also told me that he was in love with you and was very good to you.”[22]
“Of course I like him,” said Miss Lowery. “And of course he is good to me. Everybody is good to me.”
Of course all men were good to Ada. I was sure that men would always be good to her: she was so beautiful!
“But,” continued Miss Lowery, “last night I began thinking about G… - George… and I…”
And she began to cry again. Such a beautiful spring storm! I was sorry that I could not be of great help to her. I was not George. And I was glad that I was not Hiram. I was glad and sorry at the same time.
By and by[23] the storm passed. She smiled and continue her story.
“George Brown and I were in love with each other since he was eight and I was five. When he was nineteen – that was four years ago – he left out village and went to the city. He said he was going to be a policeman or a president of a railroad company or something like that.[24] He promised to come back for me. But I have never heard from him[25] any more. And I… I liked him.”
She was going to cry again. But then Tripp said quickly to me: “Mister Chalmers, can you tell the lady what is the best thing to do now?”
“Miss Lowery,” said I, “life is hard for all of us. We seldom marry those whom we first love.[26] You say that Mr. Dodd is very good to you and that you like him. I am sure you will be happy when you marry him.”
“Yes,” said Miss Lowery, “I can get along with him.[27] He promised me an automobile and a motor-boat. And still, when the time of our wedding was so close – I began thinking about George. I know, he doesn`t write me because something was happened to him. On the day he left he and I got a hammer and a chisel and cut a dime into two pieces. I took one piece and he took the other. We promised to be true to each other and always keep the pieces till we meet again. I keep my piece at home. I see now that it was silly to come up here looking for him. I didn`t know what a big place it is.”
Tripp laughed. I saw he was trying to be of help in order to get his whisky dollar.
“Oh”, he said, “the boys from the country forget their girls when they come to the city. I am afraid he is in love with other girl now, or may be he has gone to the dogs because of whisky.[28] You listen to Mr. Chalmers and go home, and everything will be all right.”
At last she agreed to go home. The three of us went to the station. The price of a ticket to her village was only a dollar and eighty cents. I bought the ticket and also a red, red rose for Miss Lowery. We said good-bye for her.
It was over at last.[29] Tripp and I looked at each other. He looked more miserable than ever.
“Can you make a story out of it?” he asked.
“Not a line,”[30] said I. “ This is nothing interesting in all this. But we should be glad that we have helped the little girl. That`s all.”
“I`m sorry,” said Tripp softly. “I`m sorry you`ve had to spend money.”
“Let`s try to forget it,” I said. I was not going to give him a dollar for whisky.
Tripp unbuttoned his coat to take a handkerchief out of his pocket. As he did so I noticed a cheap watch-chain across his vest. Something was hanging from the chain. I took it in my hand. It was half of a dime. It had been cut in halves[31] with a chisel.
“What?” I said, looking at him in surprise.
“Oh, yes,” he answered, softly. “George Brown, now Tripp. What`s the use?”[32]
I took out a dollar from my pocket and put it into Tripp`s hand.
[6] I was feeling at peace with the world – я чувствовал умиротворение, чувствовал себя в мире со вселенной
[7] have you got = have you
[19] Crying had only made her beautiful eyes brighter – слезы только усилили блеск ее прекрасных глаз
[26] We seldom marry those whom we first love. – Мы редко женимся на тех, кто был нашей первой любовью.
[28] he has gone to the dogs because of whisky – он опустился из-за виски; его жизнь загублена, так как он спился
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