U.S.A_ - John Dos Passos [329]
hawed and said that Stevens was a very sil y young man who talked too much about things he didn't understand, but that he supposed he'd have to do the best he could to try to get him out but that after al , he hadn't shown the proper spirit. . . . That made Miss Hutchins very angry,
"But they're going to shoot him . . . suppose it had hap-pened to you . . ." she kept saying. "Can't you under-stand that we've got to save his life?" Daughter couldn't seem to think of anything to say as
-411-she didn't know what they were talking about; she sat there in the restaurant looking at the waiters and the lights and the people at the tables. Opposite there was a party of attractive looking young French officers. One of them, a tal man with a hawk nose, was looking at her. Their eyes met and she couldn't help grinning. Those boys looked as if they were having a fine time. A party of Americans dressed up like plush horses crossed the floor between her and the Frenchmen. It was Dick and the pale woman and J. Ward Moorehouse and a big middleaged woman in a
great many deep pink ruffles and emeralds. They sat down at the table next to Daughter's table where there had been
.a sign saying Reservée al evening. Everybody was intro-duced and she and Dick shook hands very formal y, as if they were the merest acquaintances. Miss Stoddard, whom she'd been so friendly with in Rome, gave her a quick inquisitive cold stare that made her feel terrible. Miss Hutchins immediately went over and began talk-ing about Don Stevens and trying to get Mr. Moorehouse to cal up Colonel House right away and get him to take some action in his case. Mr. Moorehouse acted very quiet and calm and said he was sure she need have no anxiety, he was probably only being held for investigation and in any case he didn't think the courtmartial in the Army of Occupation would take extreme measures against a civilian and an American citizen. Miss Hutchins said al she wanted was a stay because his father was a friend of La Fol ette's and would be able to get together considerable influence in Washington. Mr. Moorehouse smiled when he heard that. "If his life depended on the influence of Senator La Fol ette, I think you would have cause to be alarmed, Eveline, but I think I can assure you that it doesn't." Miss Hutchins looked very cross when she heard that and settled back to glumly eating her supper. Any-way the party was spoiled. Daughter couldn't imagine what, it was that had made everybody so stiff and constrained;
-412-maybe she was imagining it on account of her and Dick. Now and then she gave him a sideways glance. He looked so different from the way she'd known him sitting there so prim and prissylooking, talking to the stout woman in pink in a low pompous whisper now and then. It made her want to throw a plate at him.
It was a relief when the orchestra started playing dance music. Mr. Barrow wasn't a very good dancer and she didn't like the way he kept squeezing her hand and patting her neck. After they were through dancing they went into the bar to have a gin fizz. The ceiling was hung with tricolor decoration; the four French officers were in there; there were people singing La Madelon de la Victoire and al the tough little girls were laughing and talking loud shril French. Mr. Barrow was whispering in her ear al the time, "Darling girl, you must let me take you home tonight. . . . You mustn't sail . . . I'm sure I can ar-range everything with the Red Cross or whatever it is.
. . . I've led such an unhappy life and I think I'd kil myself if I had to give you up . . . couldn't you love me just a little . . . I've dedicated my life to unattainable ideals and here I am getting old without grasping true happiness for a moment. You're the only girl I've ever known who seemed real y a beautiful pagan at heart . . . appreciate the art of life." Then he kissed her wetly in the ear.
"But, George, I can't love anybody now . . . I hate everybody."
"Let me teach you just give me a chance."
"If you knew about me, you wouldn't want me," she said coldly. She caught again a funny scared look on his face and a thinning of his lips over his widely spaced teeth. They went back to the table. She sat there fidgeting while everybody talked careful y, with long pauses, about the Peace Treaty, when it was going to be signed, whether the Germans would sign. Then she couldn't stand it any