Spy & Mystery Collection: Major-General Hannay Novels, Dickson McCunn Trilogy & Sir Edward Leithen Series (Complete Edition). Buchan John. Читать онлайн. Newlib. NEWLIB.NET

Автор: Buchan John
Издательство: Bookwire
Серия:
Жанр произведения: Языкознание
Год издания: 0
isbn: 9788075833396
Скачать книгу
and then I opened that door again. For I had a notion that the light within did not come from anything in the room. I found myself in a little empty chamber, dusty and cheerless, like one of those cubbyholes you see in the Strand, where the big plate-glass front window reaches higher than the shop; and there is a space between the ceiling and the next floor. All one side was of glass, in which a casement was half open, and through the glass came the glare of a hundred lights from somewhere beyond. Very gingerly I moved forward till I could look down on what was happening below.

      For the last few seconds I think I had known what I was going to see. It was the dancing-club which I had visited some weeks before with Archie Roylance. There were the sham Chinese decorations, the blaze of lights, the nigger band, the whole garish spectacle. Only the place was far more crowded than on my previous visit. The babble of laughter and talk which rose from it added a further discord to the ugly music, but there was a fierce raucous gaiety about it all, an overpowering sense of something which might be vulgar but was also alive and ardent. Round the skirts of the hall was the usual rastaquouère crowd of men and women drinking liqueurs and champagne, and mixed with fat Jews and blue-black dagos the flushed faces of boys from barracks or college who imagined they were seeing life. I thought for a moment that I saw Archie, but it was only one of Archie’s kind, whose lean red visage made a queer contrast with the dead white of the woman he sat by.

      The dancing was madder and livelier than on the last occasion. There was more vigour in the marionettes and I was bound to confess that they knew their trade, little as I valued it. All the couples were expert, and when now and then a bungler barged in he did not stay long. I saw no sign of the girl in green whom Archie had admired, but there were plenty like her. It was the men I most disliked, pallid skeletons or puffy Latins, whose clothes fitted them too well, and who were sometimes as heavily made-up as the women.

      One especially I singled out for violent disapproval. He was a tall young man, with a waist like a wasp, a white fact, and hollow drugged eyes. His lips were red like a chorus-girl’s and I would have sworn that his cheeks were rouged. Anyhow he was a loathsome sight. But ye gods! he could dance. There was no sign of animation in him, so that he might have been a corpse, galvanised by some infernal power and compelled to move through an everlasting dance of death. I noticed that his heavy eyelids were never raised.

      Suddenly I got a bad shock. For I realised that this mannequin was no other than my ancient friend, the Marquis de la Tour du Pin.

      I hadn’t recovered from that when I got a worse. He was dancing with a woman whose hair seemed too bright to be natural. At first I could not see her face clearly, for it was flattened against his chest, but she seemed to be hideously and sparsely dressed. She too knew how to dance, and the slim grace of her body was conspicuous even in her vulgar clothes. Then she turned her face to me, and I could see the vivid lips and the weary old pink and white enamel of her class. Pretty, too…

      And then I had a shock which nearly sent me through the window. For in this painted dancer I recognised the wife of my bosom and the mother of Peter John.

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4RSSRXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgADAEAAAMAAAABB9AAAAEBAAMAAAABDIAAAAECAAMAAAADAAAA ngEGAAMAAAABAAIAAAESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEVAAMAAAABAAMAAAEaAAUAAAABAAAApAEbAAUAAAAB AAAArAEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAhAAAAtAEyAAIAAAAUAAAA1YdpAAQAAAABAAAA7AAAASQA CAAIAAgACvyAAAAnEAAK/IAAACcQQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIDIyLjAgKE1hY2ludG9zaCkAMjAy MDoxMTowMiAxODoxOTo0MAAAAAAABJAAAAcAAAAEMDIzMaABAAMAAAABAAEAAKACAAQAAAABAAAD hKADAAQAAAABAAAFoAAAAAAAAAAGAQMAAwAAAAEABgAAARoABQAAAAEAAAFyARsABQAAAAEAAAF6 ASgAAwAAAAEAAgAAAgEABAAAAAEAAAGCAgIABAAAAAEAABMIAAAAAAAAAEgAAAABAAAASAAAAAH/ 2P/tAAxBZG9iZV9DTQAB/+4ADkFkb2JlAGSAAAAAAf/bAIQADAgICAkIDAkJDBELCgsRFQ8MDA8V GBMTFRMTGBEMDAwMDAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAENCwsNDg0QDg4QFA4O DhQUDg4ODhQRDAwMDAwREQwMDAwMDBEMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwM/8AAEQgA oABkAwEiAAIRAQMRAf/dAAQAB//EAT8AAAEFAQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAMAAQIEBQYHCAkKCwEAAQUB AQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAQACAwQFBgcICQoLEAABBAEDAgQCBQcGCAUDDDMBAAIRAwQhEjEFQVFhEyJx gTIGFJGhsUIjJBVSwWIzNHKC0UMHJZJT8OHxY3M1FqKygyZEk1RkRcKjdDYX0lXiZfKzhMPTdePz RieUpIW0lcTU5PSltcXV5fVWZnaGlqa2xtbm9jdHV2d3h5ent8fX5/cRAAICAQIEBAMEBQYHBwYF NQEAAhEDITESBEFRYXEiEwUygZEUobFCI8FS0fAzJGLhcoKSQ1MVY3M08SUGFqKygwcmNcLSRJNU oxdkRVU2dGXi8rOEw9N14/NGlKSFtJXE1OT0pbXF1eX1VmZ2hpamtsbW5vYnN0dXZ3eHl6e3x//a AAwDAQACEQMRAD8A8qSTwlCSlkklOtzq7G2NALmEOAcA5sgz7q7A5j2/yHpKeuu/xeFtr8anON2Q x9zQz0g0OFY6l9n2vffta679iX+r6nsx/Xp/SZHvQsv6hjHs6eG5/qV9Rzx09r/Rgsd61uNZY5nr O+hXXRf6f+E+0/8ABrLyPrV9YMhrm35e8WG1z/0dfu9f1/XDor9zP13L9Jn0Mf7Td9n9LeoW/Wnr 9r632ZZc6nJbnVexkNyG6tv27Nu7/oJKdl31CYL3Vt6gSAZk1NnYG9NtefZk2UOfs6s7b6V9mNZZ jf0r0r/VphV9SG30YeZR1APwc29tTMg1bdte/qLb8l9TrfUb9nxuk/aHsd/3I9L1f1f1LMw/W/6w kAfag1osbY1raqmtGxtNTKmsZU1jcX08XGa/C/olno1+pQpf87vrI603jOc20yRY1rGuBcctxdW9 jGuqd/lXP2en/Nev+j/mqfTSk/Vvqlf0zolfVrbw8uyTiPoDILbGWZtNm5+8/R/Z7H/zf/aj/gf0 uAtHP671jqNT6czI9Wu20XvZtY0GwOyLfU/RsZ7vUz8tzv3/AFf+DqWftKKlkk+0pbSkpikpbSkg p//Q8sSTwlBSUya2dVIN8k9YViundCRXANY1SguaQVstxZbPgqGVVBkBAFRi1FJh1TRCQ5RWpEko TwipaE8JwFKEFMYSUtuiSSX/0fLoTwnJhMHBJKWoarRxK+CqeMwOMDVa2PS4RAlArouhj4Qtr0Cq 53ShXU55at/o9W4ajVaHUsBj8F/t1ATE2+WX1w86cIQ5Wj1KsV2ObGsrPjVSBYQkhPCQ4UgEULAK bWykAisYUEhjs0SR/TSQtNP/0vMCAnbWXHQKVVL7DoJWt0/phc4Gz2juSgSuAamLi3NMtErc6bc4 fo3sB+IWx0/G6axrW2OBI5+CXWMPCZQMjEIDhroiO60no6fRMcE+M8Qti/FPoPbHZc/9WM5rnta6 Jlds6ttlMjuE4RBCwk2+M9fxSzJskcErCcIK7j634Jbmx9EO1XH5lba7No7Jg00ZDrqiaptbKgwK 3i0m21rB3MJyGePg33asaXDyV+vo+XH804/AEr1b6q/VvDp6XW22trnObLiRzK3aej4VLS2utrZ8 B4pEIBL4R9jt9TZsO7wgpL2L/mjT+0vtm88ztgJIUE8R7P8A/9PnG9EzcOouFJkCS9w0AVDKsyq6 i47h4kGB+CuZP1n6hkuNGRc51T9C3gR8lZow7MzGfTIdLZafHwTWTo8sOo5QOrz8JVqvqd9jCxzi R4JsnomVXTZkFhDK3bHHwJkj/qVTx2y6EVjvdHzbce1ples9HymZGIwzJ2ryLBoc57QAvSfq7vqx 2NOmmqdHdbMaPOf4wWhmTW4eC8+yHF1hJXoP+MO5gsr7wF55Y/e8nsgdyobBlWNV0n1Z6d6mTXc8 Sxrgucr5XV/VzquJi1Obfz+ainTq+y9MLfsjNvEBW1x31T+sn2132atshnJnsuxHCSFJJ0klP//U 4LKbXMh34H+5bX1Z6rj1WejkWljTwdpdB+5VrMNlzdOVVrxnUXtJ0g8oUkS6PR/WnqXT24LqcV27 1nNc8lhbq0Hxa36UrksN2ObJeYHwK2erUjIwt4PuZr8QsjpeC/L6hiYIf6Tsy+rHFkbtvqvbT6m3 Tds3olUS9D0q/AZkAusIb47HH/vq7Gjr/RaKv58zH+jf/wCQWT1XpH1Vwaup4nTzdi9T6Max+tWh 32ve1tjvRpe76TGO3/oKqv8AB/4Oxa131a+rmRmU9DqOVR1LLwfttOQHh9II9m2xjz+/+Z6f83/h a0hotkLLwv1x6xjZ2QTS8uaNBLSP+qC5bc2eV2dX1Ywes9J+rfUMPe1/UM37B1VoeXkPnd6tTX+2 r9WouyNn/CVrm/rLR07G6/n43TGOZhY9zqag53qE+n+iss9T85ttrH2MSS1GPaO6Oy9gPP4FVA1w aHFpDXfRJBAMfulFprdY4NaJJ4CSnu/qH1rp+HlE32lgIgnY53/UNK9J/wCd31fiTkn/ALat/wDS a8Qw8TMxrRZ9ADkqxmdevINTHRGhcEVPs3/PL6uf9yj/ANtW/wDpNJeE/b75n1HczyeUkkP/1eWw bw7RXbqG2MmNVgYVxY8Suhpta6uSdI1KIQRRc/Iba2lzD9FUaca7Jy8fExTGRfayqg7tkWPcG1H1 PzP0n566DP6Zn1GujIxbqrbzFNb2Oa55kN21NI/SO3vY1ZdvR+s05RrZiZVWXjtGTtbW9ttbGn2Z WnvYxljPbb++gQkF6/Odb1rofU8nqtTKfrH9XIx83Iq0ryKzO3dAa31P5x/t+hb/ADPp0ZPoKz9b PrbgfVvPw76unfaOtP6VW3HzHWkV11vNgDXY/uY/ZbX6n0fUs/mvVXPZH1q+s/WOllvUX+p0svDL siukVsssADmMvvZ7HWfQf6VXpLH+u1f1kvuoz+s4t1VTKmYuNc+k1M2N3211f8b7rXe/9Ikrq9B/ iw6tZidD+sA2Nt/ZlJ6liBwBDbm03VWO/wCuMrrZ/wBuLzkkkEkyTqT5ldJ0zB+vfSsfOxsPpOay rqVJx8oOw7HE1kOaQ1zqvZ7bH/RWXifV7r+ZQzIxOmZeRj2Tsuqosex0HY7bYxhY7a5qSnt/8Y2H TbgX9QfnXvvxs+nDHTgZxMYuxW2242L7at2z0/6S2un/AEf2f/DrgqLnVO3t0I4W9m5v17+smI/H uxMnNx68gPu9DDAP2mqv7M519uNS2x2Q2l3p2eq7/RrEr6b1J7clzMS9wwTGYRW4+jBcP1nT9B/N 2fzn7iSmdnUsuxpY55LT2VYuPdGdh5leLXmWY9rMS8ltOQ5hFb3NJD21WkbLNu130UDlJNL7ikl2 SSU//9bz2pxJC1sa1wpeCfzT+RYdNmq0qbh6TgNSWlIJI0fZevUV5nV+i3HRuBmvZa49h9m/aU/+ y1aw+p9TGJ/jL6dku0qzcSnFubzLch1/pNP/AKFfZ0fN+sXSj/zj9PLotnGZb05zHtd6l7sa3Fez Hg/pLW7a2Pa3/Srjv8YPUsO/rtFuDkV31V42K31qXhzWvrfY5zd7Povq9j/5CSHS616X1UH1d6Fa N9eBlv6pmNYJLmfaHMxHfy7G4vrez/gkb6+ZPWmYeexlw6h0Lr5qtxMkuc9tXp7Lvs+PtPp0vc6r 1P3L6/8AhvXWJ9cuqdJy/r8cmy5mb0nditvdS/e00hrftLK7KHfm73u/ROWzm39C6T9XOrdOw+rY 3UMfqWSy3pWDjv8AUdjs312v9aX2WVbNv+F/Pr/02R6aSXNv6/19n+LSrN/aWUMw9XNRyPWf6np+ jY70fV3b/S3jdsWhhdN+tmf9QPq9/wA28l+Maftbsksv+zyDdZ6W73M9T6NixurvxG/4vGYTLmfa v2scj7PuHqCs12s9X0vp+l7vpqzV07o/XvqX0DCt65g9NyMA5JuqyHt3/pbnFnt3s2e1m73pIbn1 Tp+s3UfqI89ButHUXdaNt1wtFbiz063XPvssd+lZ6jmOtr/Ser/o7FbZ1PEzP8aHWukBzjidZxn9 OuOrR61dDWOcd+136P0sjHr/AK