صفحة 417 من 490

Two red sparks flashed for a moment in the woman's sodden eyes,

then flickered out and left them dull and glazed. She tossed her

head and raked the coins off the counter with greedy fingers. Her

companion watched her enviously.

"It's no use," sighed Adrian Singleton. "I don't care to go back.

What does it matter? I am quite happy here."

"You will write to me if you want anything, won't you?" said

Dorian, after a pause.

"Perhaps."

"Good night, then."

"Good night," answered the young man, passing up the steps and

wiping his parched mouth with a handkerchief.

Dorian walked to the door with a look of pain in his face. As he

drew the curtain aside, a hideous laugh broke from the painted

lips of the woman who had taken his money. "There goes the

devil's bargain!" she hiccoughed, in a hoarse voice.

"Curse you!" he answered, "don't call me that."

She snapped her fingers. "Prince Charming is what you like to be

called, ain't it?" she yelled after him.