pgw.adamselindistress-第29章
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his bedroom。 These Percy did not hear； for he was sound asleep and had had a late night。 The first sound that was able to penetrate his heavy slumber and rouse him to a realization that his birthday had arrived was the piercing cry of Reggie Byng on his way to the bath…room across the corridor。 It was Reggie's disturbing custom to urge himself on to a cold bath with encouraging yells； and the noise of this performance； followed by violent splashing and a series of sharp howls as the sponge played upon the Byng spine； made sleep an impossibility within a radius of many yards。 Percy sat up in bed； and cursed Reggie silently。 He discovered that he had a headache。
Presently the door flew open； and the vocalist entered in person； clad in a pink bathrobe and very tousled and rosy from the tub。
〃Many happy returns of the day； Boots； old thing！〃
Reggie burst rollickingly into song。
〃I'm twenty…one today！ Twenty…one today！ I've got the key of the door！ Never been twenty…one before！ And father says I can do what I like！ So shout Hip…hip…hooray！ I'm a jolly good fellow； Twenty…one today。〃
Lord Belpher scowled morosely。
〃I wish you wouldn't make that infernal noise！〃
〃What infernal noise？〃
〃That singing！〃
〃My God！ This man has wounded me！〃 said Reggie。
〃I've a headache。〃
〃I thought you would have； laddie； when I saw you getting away with the liquid last night。 An X…ray photograph of your liver would show something that looked like a crumpled oak…leaf studded with hob…nails。 You ought to take more exercise； dear heart。 Except for sloshing that policeman； you haven't done anything athletic for years。〃
〃I wish you wouldn't harp on that affair！〃
Reggie sat down on the bed。
〃Between ourselves； old man；〃 he said confidentially； 〃I alsoI myselfReginald Byng； in personwas perhaps a shade polluted during the evening。 I give you my honest word that just after dinner I saw three versions of your uncle； the bishop； standing in a row side by side。 I tell you； laddie； that for a moment I thought I had strayed into a Bishop's Beano at Exeter Hall or the Athenaeum or wherever it is those chappies collect in gangs。 Then the three bishops sort of congealed into one bishop； a trifle blurred about the outlines； and I felt relieved。 But what convinced me that I had emptied a flagon or so too many was a rather rummy thing that occurred later on。 Have you ever happened； during one of these feasts of reason and flows of soul； when you were bubbling over with joie…de…vivrehave you ever happened to see things？ What I mean to say is； I had a deuced odd experience last night。 I could have sworn that one of the waiter…chappies was that fellow who knocked off your hat in Piccadilly。〃
Lord Belpher； who had sunk back on to the pillows at Reggie's entrance and had been listening to his talk with only intermittent attention； shot up in bed。
〃What！〃
〃Absolutely！ My mistake； of course； but there it was。 The fellow might have been his double。〃
〃But you've never seen the man。〃
〃Oh yes； I have。 I forgot to tell you。 I met him on the links yesterday。 I'd gone out there alone； rather expecting to have a round with the pro。； but； finding this lad there； I suggested that we might go round together。 We did eighteen holes； and he licked the boots off me。 Very hot stuff he was。 And after the game he took me off to his cottage and gave me a drink。 He lives at the cottage next door to Platt's farm； so； you see； it was the identical chappie。 We got extremely matey。 Like brothers。 Absolutely！ So you can understand what a shock it gave me when I found what I took to be the same man serving bracers to the multitude the same evening。 One of those nasty jars that cause a fellow's head to swim a bit； don't you know； and make him lose confidence in himself。〃
Lord Belpher did not reply。 His brain was whirling。 So he had been right after all！
〃You know；〃 pursued Reggie seriously； 〃I think you are making the bloomer of a lifetime over this hat…swatting chappie。 You've misjudged him。 He's a first…rate sort。 Take it from me！ Nobody could have got out of the bunker at the fifteenth hole better than he did。 If you'll take my advice； you'll conciliate the feller。 A really first…class golfer is what you need in the family。 Besides； even leaving out of the question the fact that he can do things with a niblick that I didn't think anybody except the pro。 could do； he's a corking good sort。 A stout fellow in every respect。 I took to the chappie。 He's all right。 Grab him； Boots； before he gets away。 That's my tip to you。 You'll never regret it！ From first to last this lad didn't foozle a single drive； and his approach…putting has to be seen to be believed。 Well； got to dress； I suppose。 Mustn't waste life's springtime sitting here talking to you。 Toodle…oo； laddie！ We shall meet anon！〃
Lord Belpher leaped from his bed。 He was feeling worse than ever now； and a glance into the mirror told him that he looked rather worse than he felt。 Late nights and insufficient sleep； added to the need of a shave； always made him look like something that should have been swept up and taken away to the ash…bin。 And as for his physical condition； talking to Reggie Byng never tended to make you feel better when you had a headache。 Reggie's manner was not soothing； and on this particular morning his choice of a topic had been unusually irritating。 Lord Belpher told himself that he could not understand Reggie。 He had never been able to make his mind quite clear as to the exact relations between the latter and his sister Maud； but he had always been under the impression that； if they were not actually engaged； they were on the verge of being so； and it was maddening to have to listen to Reggie advocating the claims of a rival as if he had no personal interest in the affair at all。 Percy felt for his plaisant friend something of the annoyance which a householder feels for the watchdog whom he finds fraternizing with the burglar。 Why； Reggie； more than anyone else； ought to be foaming with rage at the insolence of this American fellow in ing down to Belpher and planting himself at the castle gates。 Instead of which； on his own showing； he appeared to have adopted an attitude towards him which would have excited remark if adopted by David towards Jonathan。 He seemed to spend all his spare time frolicking with the man on the golf…links and hobnobbing with him in his house。
Lord Belpber was thoroughly upset。 It was impossible to prove it or to do anything about it now； but he was convinced that the fellow had wormed his way into the castle in the guise of a waiter。 He had probably met Maud and plotted further meetings with her。 This thing was being unendurable。
One thing was certain。 The family honour was in his hands。 Anything that was to be done to keep Maud away from the intruder must be done by himself。 Reggie was hopeless： he was capable； as far as Percy could see； of escorting Maud to the fellow's door in his own car and leaving her on the threshold with his blessing。 As for Lord Marshmoreton； roses and the family history took up so much of his time that he could not be counted on for anything but moral support。 He； Percy； must do the active work。
He had just e to this decision； when； approaching the window and gazing down into the grounds； he perceived his sister Maud walking rapidlyand； so it seemed to him； with a furtive airdown the east drive。 And it was to the east that Platt's farm and the cottage next door to it lay。
At the moment of this discovery； Percy was in a costume ill adapted for the taking of country walks。 Reggie's remarks about his liver had struck home； and it had been his intention； by way of a corrective to his headache and a general feeling of swollen ill…health； to do a little work before his bath with a pair of Indian clubs。 He had arrayed himself for this purpose in an old sweater； a pair of grey flannel trousers； and patent leather evening shoes。 It was not the garb he would have chosen himself for a ramble； but time was flying： even to put on a pair of boots is a matter of minutes： and in another moment or two Maud would be out of sight。 Percy ran downstairs；
