would his mother think if she knew? His mother! He dared not
think of his mother or his father either at this time, and put them
both resolutely out of his mind.
"Oh, say, Kinsella," called Higby. "Do you remember that little
red head in that Pacific Street joint that wanted you to run away
to Chicago with her?"
"Do I?" replied the amused Kinsella, taking up the Martini that was
just then served him. "She even wanted me to quit the hotel game
and let her start me in a business of some kind. 'I wouldn't need
to work at all if I stuck by her,' she told me."
"Oh, no, you wouldn't need to work at all, except one way," called
Ratterer.
The waiter put down Clyde's glass of Rhine wine and seltzer beside
him and, interested and intense and troubled and fascinated by all
that he heard, he picked it up, tasted it and, finding it mild and
rather pleasing, drank it all down at once. And yet so wrought up
were his thoughts that he scarcely realized then that he had drunk
it.
"Good for you," observed Kinsella, in a most cordial tone. "You
must like that stuff."
"Oh, it's not so bad," said Clyde.
And Hegglund, seeing how swiftly it had gone, and feeling that
Clyde, new to this world and green, needed to be cheered and
strengthened, called to the waiter: "Here Jerry! One more of
these, and make it a big one," he whispered behind his hand.
And so the dinner proceeded. And it was nearly eleven before they
had exhausted the various matters of interest to them--stories of
past affairs, past jobs, past feats of daring. And by then Clyde
had had considerable time to meditate on all of these youths--and
he was inclined to think that he was not nearly as green as they
thought, or if so, at least shrewder than most of them--of a better
mentality, really. For who were they and what were their
ambitions? Hegglund, as he could see, was vain and noisy and
foolish--a person who could be taken in and conciliated by a little
flattery. And Higby and Kinsella, interesting and attractive boys
both, were still vain of things he could not be proud of--Higby of
knowing a little something about automobiles--he had an uncle in
the business--Kinsella of gambling, rolling dice even. And as for
Ratterer and Shiel, he could see and had noticed for some time,
that they were content with the bell-hop business--just continuing
in that and nothing more--a thing which he could not believe, even
now, would interest him forever.
At the same time, being confronted by this problem of how soon they
would be wanting to go to a place into which he had never ventured
before, and to be doing things which he had never let himself think
he would do in just this way, he was just a little disturbed. Had
he not better excuse himself after they got outside, or perhaps,
after starting along with them in whatsoever direction they chose
to go, quietly slip away at some corner and return to his own home?
For had he not already heard that the most dreadful of diseases
were occasionally contracted in just such places--and that men died
miserable deaths later because of low vices begun in this fashion?
He could hear his mother lecturing concerning all this--yet with
scarcely any direct knowledge of any kind. And yet, as an argument
per contra, here were all of these boys in nowise disturbed by what
was in their minds or moods to do. On the contrary, they were very
gay over it all and amused--nothing more.
In fact, Ratterer, who was really very fond of Clyde by now, more
because of the way he looked and inquired and listened than because
of anything Clyde did or said, kept nudging him with his elbow now
and then, asking laughingly, "How about it, Clyde? Going to be
initiated to-night?" and then smiling broadly. Or finding Clyde
quite still and thinking at times, "They won't do more than bite
you, Clyde."
And Hegglund, taking his cue from Ratterer and occasionally
desisting from his own self-glorifying diatribes, would add: "You
won't ever be de same, Clyde. Dey never are. But we'll all be wid
you in case of trouble."
And Clyde, nervous and irritated, would retort: "Ah, cut it out,
you two. Quit kidding. What's the use of trying to make out that
you know so much more than I do?"
And Ratterer would signal Hegglund with his eyes to let up and
would occasionally whisper to Clyde: "That's all right, old man,
don't get sore. You know we were just fooling, that's all." And
Clyde, very much drawn to Ratterer, would relent and wish he were
not so foolish as to show what he actually was thinking about.
At last, however, by eleven o'clock, they had had their fill of
conversation and food and drink and were ready to depart, Hegglund
leading the way. And instead of the vulgar and secretive mission
producing a kind of solemnity and mental or moral self-examination
and self-flagellation, they laughed and talked as though there was
nothing but a delicious form of amusement before them. Indeed,
much to Clyde's disgust and amazement, they now began to reminisce
concerning other ventures into this world--of one particular one
which seemed to amuse them all greatly, and which seemed to concern
some "joint," as they called it, which they had once visited--a
place called "Bettina's." They had been led there originally by a
certain wild youth by the name of "Pinky" Jones of the staff of
another local hotel. And this boy and one other by the name of
Birmingham, together with Hegglund, who had become wildly
intoxicated, had there indulged in wild pranks which all but led to
their arrest--pranks which to Clyde, as he listened to them, seemed
scarcely possible to boys of this caliber and cleanly appearance--
pranks so crude and disgusting as to sicken him a little.
"Oh, ho, and de pitcher of water de girl on de second floor doused
on me as I went out," called Hegglund, laughing heartily.
"And the big fat guy on the second floor that came to the door to
see. Remember?" laughed Kinsella. "He thought there was a fire or
a riot, I bet."
"And you and that little fat girl, Piggy. 'Member, Ratterer?"
squealed Shiel, laughing and choking as he tried to tell of it.
"And Ratterer's legs all bent under his load. Yoo-hoo!" yelled
Hegglund. "And de way de two of 'em finally slid down de steps."
"That was all your fault, Hegglund," called Higby from Kinsella's
side. "If you hadn't tried that switching stuff we never woulda
got put out."
"I tell you I was drunk," protested Ratterer. "It was the red-eye
they sold in there."
"And that long, thin guy from Texas with the big mustache, will you
ever forget him, an' the way he laughed?" added Kinsella. "He
wouldn't help nobody 'gainst us. 'Member?"
"It's a wonder we weren't all thrown in the street or locked up.
Oh, gee, what a night!" reminisced Ratterer.
By now Clyde was faintly dizzy with the nature of these revelations.
"Switchin'." That could mean but one thing.
And they expected him to share in revels such as these, maybe. It
could not be. He was not that sort of person. What would his
mother and father think if they were to hear of such dreadful
things? And yet--
Even as they talked, they had reached a certain house in a dark and
rather wide street, the curbs of which for a block or more on
either side were sprinkled with cabs and cars. And at the corner,
only a little distance away, were some young men standing and
talking. And over the way, more men. And not a half a block
farther on, they passed two policemen, idling and conversing. And
although there was no light visible in any window, nor over any
transom, still, curiously, there was a sense of vivid, radiant
life. One could feel it in this dark street. Taxis spun and
honked and two old-time closed carriages still in use rolled here
and there, their curtains drawn. And doors slammed or opened and
closed. And now and then a segment of bright inward light pierced
the outward gloom and then disappeared again. Overhead on this
night were many stars.
Finally, without any comment from any one, Hegglund, accompanied by
Higby and Shiel, marched up the steps of this house and rang the
bell. Almost instantly the door was opened by a black girl in a
red dress. "Good evening. Walk right in, won't you?" was the
affable greeting, and the six, having pushed past her and through
the curtains of heavy velvet, which separated this small area from
the main chambers, Clyde found himself in a bright and rather gaudy
general parlor or reception room, the walls of which were
ornamented with gilt-framed pictures of nude or semi-nude girls and
some very high pier mirrors. And the floor was covered by a bright
red thick carpet, over which were strewn many gilt chairs. At the
back, before some very bright red hangings, was a gilded upright
piano. But of guests or inmates there seemed to be none, other
than the black girl.
"Jest be seated, won't you? Make yourselves at home. I'll call
the madam." And, running upstairs to the left, she began calling:
"Oh, Marie! Sadie! Caroline! They is some young gentlemen in the
parlor."
And at that moment, from a door in the rear, there emerged a tall,
slim and rather pale-faced woman of about thirty-eight or forty--
very erect, very executive, very intelligent and graceful-looking--
diaphanously and yet modestly garbed, who said, with a rather wan
and yet encouraging smile: "Oh, hello, Oscar, it's you, is it?
And you too, Paul. Hello! Hello, Davis! Just make yourselves at
home anywhere, all of you. Fannie will be in in a minute. She'll
bring you something to drink. I've just hired a new pianist from
St. Joe--a Negro. Wait'll you hear him. He's awfully clever."
She returned to the rear and called, "Oh, Sam!"
As she did so, nine girls of varying ages and looks, but none
apparently over twenty-four or five--came trooping down the stairs
at one side in the rear, and garbed as Clyde had never seen any
women dressed anywhere. And they were all laughing and talking as
they came--evidently very well pleased with themselves and in
nowise ashamed of their appearance, which in some instances was
quite extraordinary, as Clyde saw it, their costumes ranging from
the gayest and flimsiest of boudoir negligees to the somewhat more
sober, if no less revealing, dancing and ballroom gowns. And they
were of such varied types and sizes and complexions--slim and stout
and medium--tall or short--and dark or light or betwixt. And,
whatever their ages, all seemed young. And they smiled so warmly
and enthusiastically.
"Oh, hello, sweetheart! How are you? Don't you want to dance with
me?" or "Wouldn't you like something to drink?"
Chapter 10
Prepared as Clyde was to dislike all this, so steeped had he been
in the moods and maxims antipathetic to anything of its kind, still
so innately sensual and romantic was his own disposition and so
starved where sex was concerned, that instead of being sickened, he
was quite fascinated. The very fleshly sumptuousness of most of
these figures, dull and unromantic as might be the brains that
directed them, interested him for the time being. After all, here
was beauty of a gross, fleshly character, revealed and purchasable.
And there were no difficulties of mood or inhibitions to overcome
in connection with any of these girls. One of them, a quite pretty
brunette in a black and red costume with a band of red ribbon
across her forehead, seemed to be decidedly at home with Higby, for
already she was dancing with him in the back room to a jazz melody
most irrationally hammered out upon the piano.
And Ratterer, to Clyde's surprise, was already seated upon one of
the gilt chairs and upon his knees was lounging a tall young girl
with very light hair and blue eyes. And she was smoking a
cigarette and tapping her gold slippers to the melody of the piano.
It was really quite an amazing and Aladdin-like scene to him. And
here was Hegglund, before whom was standing a German or
Scandinavian type, plump and pretty, her arms akimbo and her feet
wide apart. And she was asking--with an upward swell of the voice,
as Clyde could hear: "You make love to me to-night?" But
Hegglund, apparently not very much taken with these overtures,
calmly shook his head, after which she went on to Kinsella.
And even as he was looking and thinking, a quite attractive blonde
girl of not less than twenty-four, but who seemed younger to Clyde,
drew up a chair beside him and seating herself, said: "Don't you
dance?" He shook his head nervously. "Want me to show you?"
"Oh, I wouldn't want to try here," he said.
"Oh, it's easy," she continued. "Come on!" But since he would
not, though he was rather pleased with her for being agreeable to
him, she added: "Well, how about something to drink then?"
"Sure," he agreed, gallantly, and forthwith she signaled the young
Negress who had returned as waitress, and in a moment a small table
was put before them and a bottle of whisky with soda on the side--a
sight that so astonished and troubled Clyde that he could scarcely
speak. He had forty dollars in his pocket, and the cost of drinks
here, as he had heard from the others, would not be less than two
dollars each, but even so, think of him buying drinks for such a
woman at such a price! And his mother and sisters and brother at
home with scarcely the means to make ends meet. And yet he bought
and paid for several, feeling all the while that he had let himself
