'The Blue Hotel,' by Stephen Crane, Part Two

01I think you are tongue-tied, says Scully finally to his son, the cowboy, and the Easterner.

02And at the end of this sentence, he left the room.

03Upstairs, the Swede was closing his bag.

04His back was half-turned toward the door.

05And hearing a noise there, he turned and jumped up, uttering a loud cry.

06Scully's face was frightening in the light of the small lamp he carried.

07This yellow shine, streaming upward, left his eyes in deep shadows.

08He looked like a murderer.

09Man!

10Man!

11exclaimed Scully.

12Have you gone mad?

13Oh no!

14Oh no!

15answered the other.

16There are people in this world who know nearly as much as you do, understand?

17For a moment, they stood gazing at each other.

18Then Scully placed the light on the table and sat himself on the edge of the bed.

19He spoke slowly.

20I never heard of such a thing in my life.

21It's a complete mystery.

22I can't think how you ever got this idea into your head.

23Then Scully lifted his eyes and asked, And did you really think they were going to kill you?

24The Swede looked at the old man as if he wished to see into his mind.

25I did, he said at last.

26He apparently thought that this answer might cause an attack.

27As he worked on his bag, his whole arm shook, the elbow trembling like a bit of paper.

28Having finished with his bag, the Swede straightened himself.

29Mr.

30Scully?

31He said with sudden courage.

32How much do I owe you?

33You don't owe me anything.

34Said the old man angrily.

35Yes, I do.

36Answered the Swede.

37He took some money from his pocket and held it out to Scully.

38But the latter moved his hand away in firm refusal.

39I won't take your money.

40Said Scully.

41Not after what's been happening here.

42Then a plan seemed to come to him.

43Here!

44He cried, picking up his lamp and moving towards the door.

45Here!

46Come with me a minute!

47No!

48Said the Swede in great alarm.

49Yes!

50Urged the old man.

51Come on!

52I want you to come just across the hall, in my room.

53The Swede must have decided that the hour of his death had come.

54His mouth dropped open, and his teeth showed like a dead man's.

55He at last followed Scully across the hall.

56But he had the step of one hung in chains.

57Now, said the old man.

58He dropped suddenly to the floor and put his head beneath the bed.

59The Swede could hear his dulled voice.

60I'd keep it under my pillow if it weren't for that boy Johnny.

61Where is it now?

62I never put it twice in the same place.

63There!

64Now, come out!

65Finally, he came out from under the bed, dragging with him an old coat.

66I've got it!

67He whispered.

68Still on the floor on his knees, he unrolled the coat and took from it a large yellow-brown whiskey bottle.

69His first act was to hold the bottle up to the light.

70The Swede, satisfied apparently that nobody had touched it, he pushed it with a generous movement toward the Swede.

71The weak-kneed Swede was about to eagerly grasp this element of strength.

72But he suddenly pulled his hand away and cast a look of terror upon Scully.

73Drink!

74Said the old man in a friendly tone.

75He had risen to his feet and now stood facing the Swede.

76There was a silence.

77Then again, Scully said, Drink!

78The Swede laughed wildly.

79Ha ha ha!

80He seized the bottle, put it to mouth.

81And as his lips curled foolishly around the opening and his throat worked, he kept his glance, burning with hate upon the old man's face.

82After the departure of Scully, the three men, still at the table, sat for a long moment in surprised silence.

83Then Johnny said, I don't know, but it seems to me this man has been reading cheap novels about the West, and he thinks he's in the middle of it.

84The shooting and killing and all.

85But, said the cowboy, deeply shocked.

86This isn't a wild place.

87This is Nebraska.

88Yes, added Johnny.

89And why doesn't he wait until he really gets out West?

90The traveled Easterner laughed.

91Ha ha ha!

92Things aren't bad even there.

93Not in these days.

94But he thinks he's right in the middle of hell.

95Johnny and the cowboy thought for a long while.

96It's strange, remarked Johnny at last.

97Yes?

98Said the cowboy.

99This is a queer game.

100I hope we don't get a lot of snow, because then we'd have to have this man with us all the time.

101That wouldn't be any good.

102Soon, they heard a loud noise on the stairs, accompanied by jokes in the voice of old Scully, and laughter, evidently, from the Swede.

103The men around the stove stared in surprise at each other.

104The door swung open, and Scully and the Swede came into the room.

105Five chairs were now placed in a circle about the stove.

106The Swede began to talk, loudly and angrily.

107Johnny, the cowboy, and the Easterner, remained silent, while old Scully appeared to be eager, and full of sympathy.

108Finally, the Swede announced, that he wanted a drink of water.

109He moved in his chair, and said that he would go, and get some.

110I'll get it for you.

111Said Scully at once.

112No.

113Refused the Swede roughly.

114I'll get it for myself.

115He got up and walked with the manner of an owner into another part of the hotel.

116As soon as the Swede was out of the room, Scully jumped to his feet and whispered quickly to the others.

117Upstairs.

118He thought I was trying to poison him.

119This makes me sick, said Johnny.

120Why don't you throw him out in the snow?

121He's all right now, declared Scully.

122He was from the east, and he thought this was a rough place.

123That's all.

124He's all right now.

125The cowboy looked with admiration upon the Easterner.

126You were right, he said.

127Well, said Johnny to his father.

128He may be all right now, but I don't understand it.

129Before, he was afraid, but now he's too brave.

130Scully now spoke to his son.

131What do I keep?

132What do I keep?

133What do I keep?

134He demanded in a voice like thunder.

135He struck his knees sharply to indicate he himself was going to make reply, and that all should listen.

136I keep a hotel.

137He shouted.

138A hotel, do you hear?

139A guest under my roof has special privileges.

140He is not to be threatened.

141Not one word shall he hear that would make him want to go away.

142There's no place in this town where they can say they took in a guest of mine because he was afraid to stay here.

143He turned suddenly upon the cowboy and the Easterner.

144Am I right?

145Yes, Mr.

146Scully, said the cowboy.

147I think you're right.

148Yes, Mr.

149Scully, said the Easterner.

150I think you're right.

151At supper that evening, the Swede burned with energy.

152He sometimes seemed on the point of bursting into loud song, and in all of his madness, he was encouraged by old Scully.

153The Easterner was quiet.

154The cowboy sat in wide-mouth wonder, forgetting to eat, while Johnny angrily finished great plates of food.

155The daughters of the house, when they were obliged to bring more bread, approached as carefully as rabbits.

156Having succeeded in their purpose, they hurried away with poorly hidden fear.

157The Swede controlled the whole feast, and he gave it the appearance of a cruel affair.

158He seemed to have grown suddenly taller.

159He gazed bitterly into every face.

160His voice rang through the room.

161After supper, as the men went toward the other room, the Swede hit Scully hard on the shoulder.

162Well, old boy, that was a good meal.

163Johnny looked hopefully at his father.

164He knew that the old man's shoulder was still painful from an old hurt.

165And indeed, it appeared for a moment as if Scully were going to flame out in anger about it.

166But Scully only smiled a sickly smile and remained silent.

167The others understood that he was admitting his responsibility for the Swede's new attitude.

168When they were gathered about the stove, the Swede insisted on another game of cards.

169In his voice, there was always a great threat.

170The cowboy and the Easterner both agreed without interest to play.

171Scully said that he would soon have to go to meet the evening train, and so the Swede turned to Johnny.

172For a moment, their glances crossed like swords, and then Johnny smiled and said, Yes, I'll play.

173They formed a square around the table.

174The Easterner and the Swede again played together.

175As the game continued, it was noticeable that the cowboy was not playing as noisily as before.

176Scully left to meet the train.

177In spite of his care, an icy wind blew into the room as he opened the door.

178It scattered the cards and froze the players.

179The Swede cursed frightfully.

180When Scully returned, his icy entrance interrupted a comfortable and friendly scene.

181The Swede cursed again, but soon they were once more giving attention to their game, their heads bent forward and their hands moving fast.

182Scully took up a newspaper, and as he slowly turned from page to page, it made a comfortable sound.

183Then suddenly, he heard three awful words.

184You are cheating!

185The little room was now filled with terror.

186After the three words, the first sound in the room was made by Scully's paper as it fell forgotten to his feet.

187His eyeglasses had fallen from his nose, but by a grasp, he had caught them.

188He stared at the card players.

189Probably the silence was only an instant long.

190Then, if the floor had been suddenly pulled out from under the men, they could not have moved more quickly.

191The five had thrown themselves at a single point.

192Johnny, as he rose to throw himself upon the Swede, almost fell.

193The loss of the moment allowed time for the arrival of Scully.

194It also gave the cowboy time to give the Swede a good push which sent him backwards.

195The men found voices together, and shouts of anger, appeal, or fear burst from every throat.

196The cowboy pushed and pulled feverishly at the Swede, and the Easterner and Scully held wildly to Johnny.

197But through the smoky air, above the straining bodies of the peace propellers, the eyes of the enemies steadily warned each other.

198Scully's voice was loudest.

199Stop now!

200Stop, I say!

201Stop now!

202Johnny, as he struggled to break away from Scully and the Easterner, was crying.

203Well, he says I cheated.

204He says I cheated.

205I won't allow any man to say I cheated.

206If he says I cheated him, he's a...

207The cowboy was telling the Swede, Stop now!

208Do you hear?

209The screams of the Swede never ceased.

210He did cheat!

211I saw him!

212I saw him!

213As for the Easterner, he was begging in a voice that was not heard.

214Wait a moment, can't you?

215Oh, wait a moment!

216What's the use of fighting over a game of cards?

217Wait a moment!

218In this noisy quarrel, no complete sentence was clear.

219Cheat!

220Stop!

221He says...

222These pieces cut the screaming and rang out sharply.

223It was remarkable that Scully, who undoubtedly made the most noise, was the least heard.

224Then suddenly, there was a great stillness.

225It was as if each man had paused for breath.

226Although the room still filled with the anger of men, it could be seen there was no danger of immediate fighting.

227At once, Johnny pushed forward.

228Why did you say I cheated?

229Why did you say I cheated?

230I don't cheat, and I won't let any man say I do.

231The Swede said, I saw you!

232I saw you!

233Well, cried Johnny, I'll fight any man who says I cheat.

234No, you won't, said the cowboy.

235Not here.

236Johnny spoke to the Swede again.

237Did you say I cheated?

238The Swede showed his teeth.

239Yes.

240Then, said Johnny, we must fight.

241Yes, fight!

242roared the Swede.

243He was like a mad devil.

244Yes, fight!

245I'll show you what kind of a man I am.

246I'll show you who you want to fight.

247Maybe you think I can't fight.

248Maybe you think I can't.

249I'll show you, you criminal.

250Yes, you cheated.

251You cheated!

252You cheated!

253Well, let's start then, fella, said Johnny coolly.

254The cowboy turned in despair to Scully.

255What are you going to do now?

256A change had come over the old man.

257He now seemed all eagerness, his eyes glowed.

258We'll let them fight, he answered bravely.

259I can't watch this any longer.

260I've endured this cursed Swede till I'm sick.

261We'll let them fight.

262We'll let them fight.