Page:Manhattan Transfer (John Dos Passos, 1925).djvu/227

Rh mirror. "Gosh I'm an indecent sight in this dress Ish gebibble."

"I've never seen anything so disgusting looking No you look very sweet, a little tough perhaps Now for God's sake keep your face towards me when you go past eld Barney."

"My shoes are all squudgy."

"It cant be helped Thank Heaven I had this cape here Milly you're an angel to clear up all this mess."

"Good night deary, and remember what I said I'm tellin ye that's all"

"Stan take little steps and if we meet anybody go right on and jump in a taxi You can get away with anything if you do it quick enough." Ellen's hands were trembling as they came down the steps. She tucked one in under Stan's elbow and began talking in a low chatty voice "You see dear, daddy came round to see the show two or three nights ago and he was shocked to death. He said he thought a girl demeaned herself showing her feelings like that before a lot of people Isn't it killing? Still he was impressed by the writeups the Herald and World gave me Sunday Goodnight Barney, nasty night My God Here's a taxi, get in. Where are you going?" Out of the dark of the taxi, out of his long face muffled in the blue hood, his eyes were so bright black they frightened her like coming suddenly on a deep pit in the dark.

"All right we'll go to my house. Might as well be hanged for a sheep Driver please go to Bank Street. The taxi started. They were jolting through the crisscross planes of red light, green light, yellow light beaded with lettering of Broadway. Suddenly Stan leaned over her and kissed her hard very quickly on the mouth.

"Stan you've got to stop drinking. It's getting beyond a joke."

"Why shouldn't things get beyond a joke? You're getting beyond a joke and I dont complain."

"But darling you'll kill yourself."

"Well?"