Evening star., 1935-08-25

Brooklyn stretched in hot summer sleep to
the east. Inside, the bar was square, almost
filling the room you entered directly from the
street and three sailors standing shoulder to
shoulder would have blocked the passages
between the bars rail and the walls, OF four
marines. Beyond the bar, cavern trimmed
with tables made dance floor with, balconied
at its further end, a very good band The spot
was known to the adjacent Navy Yard, to
certain coteries in New York City, and to
numerous merchant seamen everywhere as
Luigs. Its lighting struggled towards but
was duller than rose.
1t was kind light, Eleanor agreed with
Arthur and made everybody look young.
Even those who are" she said, and Won
dered whether that was clever, as Indifferent
whiskey hurt her throat and caught her
sharply at point just above her breastbone.
1t would stop (the nauseated feeling) after she
had drunk lot more whiskey and then her
mind and body would be whips, sleek and
keen whistling, with her smile as beautifully
deadly as that jungle plant which lmed and
nourshed itself on living meat. What's the
name of it, Arthur" she said
tOiC eyes uOIll d ILdIHlc. he
was forty, Arthur, and had been handsome
child. He wrote wickedly brilliant pieces for
a smart column and his conversation except
for eclectic angles on sex, was apt to be dull
Name of what?" he said.
She explained. 1T isn't the passion flower"
Certainly not. I'm tight"
She knew he was getting irritable and
sorry for having brought her. The idea had
amused him during their dinner at the Casino
in Central Park. the idea of one of the
worlds wealthiest young women doing Sand
Street, and she also knew that it would later
form the nucleus for one of his pieces, but this
didn't bother her.
Her life was of the Continent, and brief
dossier of it would show her orphaned at
eight, fashionably sChooled in Switzerland
and France, unrestricted mistress of large
fortune at twenty-one. married to the Mar
quis de la Jourmet at twenty -four widowed
the year following and that night, at twenty
seven, spoiled. oversexed, dangerously hand
some lump of safety.
She had constant acquaintance and no
friends, and the periods for which new people
amused her were shortening. There were no
roots; Barritz, Rio de Janeiro Melbourne,
Copenhagen, China, the South Seas, all knew
her momentarily. and none of them knew her
at all. About her only normal reaction toward
living was to consider herself law unto her
self, and ceaseless travelling helped her in this.
She had met Arthur last week in a crap
game on the Europa, and he had lasted after
landing. She thought absently that he would
last for about two more days. Although for
while that night his remarks had been an
amusing astringent on the scene, he soon be-
gan to size up the sailors
BE back in minute, he said.
He left their table. which was in one of
the rooms dark corners and stopped at the
bar. He bought beer for a merchant seaman
in dungarees and white shirt, who stared
at Eleanor hard, picking her out of the dark
corner, over the rim of his beer glass while
listening to Arthur chatter
He looked like an overgown, compactly
muscled choir boy, the sailor; he was Irish,
Eleanor decided, and about twenty one After
a while she saw Arthur leave him; she raised
her glass and smiled deliberately making the
smile carry through the smoky haze and the
dull dead rose.
The next drink didn't hurt her at all and
the sailor was coming over to her, with that
fluid motion of men whose walking is done
on ships.
''Sit down." she said