Роберт Чамберс: The King in Yellow and Other Horror Stories

“At midday after the market.”

“Take this rose-bush with them, and”—here he glared at the gardener, “don’t you dare say from whom they came.” The gardener’s eyes were like saucers, but Selby, calm and victorious, said: “Send the others to the Hôtel du Sénat, 7 rue de Tournon. I will leave directions with the concierge.”

Then he buttoned his glove with much dignity and stalked off, but when well around the corner and hidden from the gardener’s view, the conviction that he was an idiot came home to him in a furious blush. Ten minutes later he sat in his room in the Hôtel du Sénat repeating with an imbecile smile: “What an ass I am, what an ass!”

An hour later found him in the same chair, in the same position, his hat and gloves still on, his stick in his hand, but he was silent, apparently lost in contemplation of his boot toes, and his smile was less imbecile and even a bit retrospective.

About five o’clock that afternoon, the little sad-eyed woman who fills the position of concierge at the Hôtel du Sénat, held up her hands in amazement to see a wagon-load of flower-bearing shrubs draw up before the doorway. She called Joseph, the intemperate garçon who, while calculating the value of the flowers in petit verres, gloomily disclaimed any knowledge as to their destination.

“ Voyons,” said the little concierge, “ cherchons la femme! ”

“You?” he suggested.

The little woman stood a moment pensive and then sighed. Joseph caressed his nose, a nose which for gaudiness could vie with any floral display.

Then the gardener came in, hat in hand, and a few minutes later Selby stood in the middle of his room, his coat off, his shirt-sleeves rolled up. The chamber originally contained, besides the furniture, about two square feet of walking room, and now this was occupied by a cactus. The bed groaned under crates of pansies, lilies and heliotrope, the lounge was covered with hyacinths and tulips, and the washstand supported a species of young tree warranted to bear flowers at some time or other.

Clifford came in a little later, fell over a box of sweet peas, swore a little, apologized, and then as the full splendor of the floral fête burst upon him, sat down in astonishment upon a geranium. The geranium was a wreck, but Selby said, “don’t mind,” and glared at the cactus.

“Are you going to give a ball?” demanded Clifford.

“N—no,—I’m very fond of flowers,” said Selby, but the statement lacked enthusiasm.

“I should imagine so.” Then, after a silence, “That’s a fine cactus.”

Selby contemplated the cactus, touched it with the air of a connaisseur, and pricked his thumb.

Clifford poked a pansy with his stick. Then Joseph came in with the bill, announcing the sum total in a loud voice, partly to impress Clifford, partly to intimidate Selby into disgorging a pourboire which he would share if he chose, with the gardener. Clifford tried to pretend that he had not heard, while Selby paid bill and tribute without a murmur. Then he lounged back into the room with an attempt at indifference which failed entirely when he tore his trousers on the cactus.

Clifford made some commonplace remark, lighted a cigarette and looked out of the window to give Selby a chance. Selby tried to take it, but getting as far as—“Yes, spring is here at last,” froze solid. He looked at the back of Clifford’s head. It expressed volumes. Those little perked up ears seemed tingling with suppressed glee. He made a desperate effort to master the situation, and jumped up to reach for some Russian cigarettes as an incentive to conversation, but was foiled by the cactus to whom again he fell a prey. The last straw was added.

“Damn the cactus.” This observation was wrung from Selby against his, will,—against his own instinct of self-preservation, but the thorns on the cactus were~long and sharp and at their repeated prick, his pent-up wrath escaped. It was too late now; it was done, and Clifford had wheeled around.

“See here, Selby, why the deuce did you buy those flowers?”

“I’m fond of them,” said Selby.

“What are you going to do with them? You can’t sleep here.”

“I could, if you’d help me take the pansies off the bed.”

“Where can you put them?”

“Couldn’t I give them to the concierge?”

As soon as he said it he regretted it. What in Heaven’s name would Clifford think of him! He had heard the amount of the bill. Would he believe that he had invested in these luxuries as a timid declaration to his concierge? And would the Latin Quarter comment upon it in their own brutal fashion? He dreaded riclicule, and he knew Clifford’s reputation.

Then somebody knocked.

Selby looked at Clifford with a hunted expression which touched that young man’s heart. It was a confession and at the same time a supplication. Clifford jumped up, threaded his way through the floral labyrinth, and putting an eye to the crack of the door, said, “Who the devil is it?”

This graceful style of reception is indigenous to the Quarter.

“It’s Elliott,” he said looking back, “and Rowden, too, and their bulldogs.” Then he addressed them through the crack.

“Sit down on the stairs; Selby and I are coming out directly.”

Discretion is a virtue. The Latin Quarter possesses few, and discretion seldom figures on the list. They sat down and began to whistle.

Presently Rowden called out, “I smell flowers. They feast within!”

“You ought to know Selby better than that,” growled Clifford behind the door, while the other hurriedly exchanged his torn trousers for others.

“ We know Selby,” said Elliott with emphasis.

“Yes,” said Rowden, “he gives receptions with floral decorations and invites Clifford, while we sit on the stairs.”

“Yes, while the youth and beauty of the Quarter revel,” suggested Rowden; then, with sudden misgiving, “Is Odette there?”

“See here,” demanded Elliott, “is Colette there?”

Then he raised his voice in a plaintive howl, “Are you there, Colette, while I’m kicking my heels on these tiles?”

“Clifford is capable of anything,” said Rowden; “his nature is soured since Rue Barrée sat on him.”

Elliott raised his voice; “I say, you fellows, we saw some flowers carried into Rue Barrée’s house at noon.”

“Posies and roses,” specified Rowden.

“Probably for her,” added Elliott, caressing his bulldog.

Clifford turned with sudden suspicion upon Selby. The latter hummed a tune, selected a pair of gloves and, choosing a dozen cigarettes, placed them in a case. Then walking over to the cactus, he deliberately detached a blossom, drew it through his buttonhole and picking up hat and stick, smiled upon Clifford, at which the latter was mightily troubled.

Monday morning at Julian’s, students fought for places; students with prior claims drove away others who had been anxiously squatting on coveted tabourets since the door was opened in hopes of appropriating them at roll-call; students squabbled over palettes, brushes, portfolios, or rent the air with demands for Ciceri and bread. The former, a dirty ex-model, who had in palmier days posed as Judas, now dispensed stale bread at one sou and made enough to keep himself in cigarettes. Monsieur Julian walked in, smiled a fatherly smile and walked out. His disappearance was followed by the apparition of the clerk, a foxy creature who flitted through the battling hordes in search of prey.

Three men who had not paid dues were caught and summoned. A fourth was scented, followed, outflanked, his retreat towards the door cut off, and finally captured behind the stove. About that time the revolution assuming an acute form, howls rose for “Jules!”