pgw.adamselindistress-第31章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　The　eyes　that　had　settled　George's　fate　for　all　eternity　flashed　upon　the　curate；　who　blinked。　He　squared　his　shoulders　and　drew　himself　up。　He　was　perfectly　willing　to　die　for　her。
　〃If　you　will　wait　here；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　go　and　send　him　about　his　business。　It　is　disgraceful　that　the　public　highways　should　be　rendered　unsafe　in　this　manner。〃
　〃Thank　you　ever　so　much；〃　said　Maud　gratefully。　〃I　can't　help　thinking　the　poor　fellow　may　be　a　little　crazy。　It　seems　so　odd　of　him　to　follow　me　all　that　way。　Walking　in　the　ditch　too！〃
　〃Walking　in　the　ditch！〃
　〃Yes。　He　walked　most　of　the　way　in　the　ditch　at　the　side　of　the　road。　He　seemed　to　prefer　it。　I　can't　think　why。〃
　Lord　Belpher；　leaning　against　the　wall　and　trying　to　decide　whether　his　right　or　left　foot　hurt　him　the　more　excruciatingly；　became　aware　that　a　curate　was　standing　before　him；　regarding　him　through　a　pair　of　gold…rimmed　pince…nez　with　a　disapproving　and　hostile　expression。　Lord　Belpher　returned　his　gaze。　　Neither　was　favourably　impressed　by　the　other。　Percy　thought　he　had　seen　nicer…looking　curates；　and　the　curate　thought　he　had　seen　more　prepossessing　tramps。
　〃e；　e！〃　said　the　curate。　〃This　won't　do；　my　man！〃　A　few　hours　earlier　Lord　Belpher　had　been　startled　when　addressed　by　George　as　〃sir〃。　To　be　called　〃my　man〃　took　his　breath　away　pletely。
　The　gift　of　seeing　ourselves　as　others　see　us　is；　as　the　poet　indicates；　vouchsafed　to　few　men。　Lord　Belpher；　not　being　one　of　these　fortunates；　had　not　the　slightest　conception　how　intensely　revolting　his　personal　appearance　was　at　that　moment。　　The　red…rimmed　eyes；　the　growth　of　stubble　on　the　cheeks；　and　the　thick　coating　of　mud　which　had　resulted　from　his　rambles　in　the　ditch　bined　to　render　him　a　horrifying　object。
　〃How　dare　you　follow　that　young　lady？　I've　a　good　mind　to　give　you　in　charge！〃
　Percy　was　outraged。
　〃I'm　her　brother！〃　He　was　about　to　substantiate　the　statement　by　giving　his　name；　but　stopped　himself。　He　had　had　enough　of　letting　his　name　e　out　on　occasions　like　the　present。　　When　the　policeman　had　arrested　him　in　the　Haymarket；　his　first　act　had　been　to　thunder　his　identity　at　the　man：　and　the　policeman；　without　saying　in　so　many　words　that　he　disbelieved　him；　had　hinted　scepticism　by　replying　that　he　himself　was　the　king　of　Brixton。　〃I'm　her　brother！〃　he　repeated　thickly。
　The　curate's　disapproval　deepened。　In　a　sense；　we　are　all　brothers；　but　that　did　not　prevent　him　from　considering　that　this　mud…stained　derelict　had　made　an　impudent　and　abominable　mis…statement　of　fact。　Not　unnaturally　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　he　had　to　do　with　a　victim　of　the　Demon　Rum。
　〃You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；〃　he　said　severely。　　〃Sad　piece　of　human　wreckage　as　you　are；　you　speak　like　an　educated　man。　Have　you　no　self…respect？　Do　you　never　search　your　heart　and　shudder　at　the　horrible　degradation　which　you　have　brought　on　yourself　by　sheer　weakness　of　will？〃
　He　raise　his　voice。　The　subject　of　Temperance　was　one　very　near　to　the　curate's　heart。　The　vicar　himself　had　plimented　him　only　yesterday　on　the　good　his　sermons　against　the　drink　evil　were　doing　in　the　village；　and　the　landlord　of　the　Three　Pigeons　down　the　road　had　on　several　occasions　spoken　bitter　things　about　blighters　who　came　taking　the　living　away　from　honest　folks。
　〃It　is　easy　enough　to　stop　if　you　will　but　use　a　little　resolution。　You　say　to　yourself；　'Just　one　won't　hurt　me！'　Perhaps　not。　　But　can　you　be　content　with　just　one？　Ah！　No；　my　man；　there　is　no　middle　way　for　such　as　you。　It　must　be　all　or　nothing。　　Stop　it　nownow；　while　you　still　retain　some　semblance　of　humanity。　Soon　it　will　be　too　late！　Kill　that　craving！　Stifle　it！　Strangle　it！　Make　up　your　mind　nownow；　that　not　another　drop　of　the　accursed　stuff　shall　pass　your　lips。。。　。〃
　The　curate　paused。　He　perceived　that　enthusiasm　was　leading　him　away　from　the　main　issue。　〃A　little　perseverance；〃　he　concluded　rapidly；　〃and　you　will　soon　find　that　cocoa　gives　you　exactly　the　same　pleasure。　And　now　will　you　please　be　getting　along。　You　have　frightened　the　young　lady；　and　she　cannot　continue　her　walk　unless　I　assure　her　that　you　have　gone　away。〃
　Fatigue；　pain　and　the　annoyance　of　having　to　listen　to　this　man's　well…meant　but　ill…judged　utterances　had　bined　to　induce　in　Percy　a　condition　bordering　on　hysteria。　He　stamped　his　foot；　and　uttered　a　howl　as　the　blister　warned　him　with　a　sharp　twinge　that　this　sort　of　behaviour　could　not　be　permitted。
　〃Stop　talking！〃　he　bellowed。　〃Stop　talking　like　an　idiot！　I'm　going　to　stay　here　till　that　girl　es　out；　if　have　to　wait　all　day！〃
　The　curate　regarded　Percy　thoughtfully。　Percy　was　no　Hercules：　but　then；　neither　was　the　curate。　And　in　any　case；　though　no　Hercules；　Percy　was　undeniably　an　ugly…looking　brute。　　Strategy；　rather　than　force；　seemed　to　the　curate　to　be　indicated。　　He　paused　a　while；　as　one　who　weighs　pros　and　cons；　then　spoke　briskly；　with　the　air　of　the　man　who　has　decided　to　yield　a　point　with　a　good　grace。
　〃Dear；　dear！〃　he　said。　〃That　won't　do！　You　say　you　are　this　young　lady's　brother？〃
　〃Yes；　I　do！〃
　〃Then　perhaps　you　had　better　e　with　me　into　the　house　and　we　will　speak　to　her。〃
　〃All　right。〃
　〃Follow　me。〃
　Percy　followed　him。　Down　the　trim　gravel　walk　they　passed；　and　up　the　neat　stone　steps。　Maud；　peeping　through　the　curtains；　thought　herself　the　victim　of　a　monstrous　betrayal　or　equally　monstrous　blunder。　But　she　did　not　know　the　Rev。　　Cyril　Ferguson。　No　general；　adroitly　leading　the　enemy　on　by　strategic　retreat；　ever　had　a　situation　more　thoroughly　in　hand。　　Passing　with　his　panion　through　the　open　door；　he　crossed　the　hall　to　another　door；　discreetly　closed。
　〃Wait　in　here；〃　he　said。　Lord　Belpher　moved　unsuspectingly　forward。　A　hand　pressed　sharply　against　the　small　of　his　back。　　Behind　him　a　door　slammed　and　a　key　clicked。　He　was　trapped。　　Groping　in　Egyptian　darkness；　his　hands　met　a　coat；　then　a　hat；　then　an　umbrella。　Then　he　stumbled　over　a　golf…club　and　fell　against　a　wall。　It　was　too　dark　to　see　anything；　but　his　sense　of　touch　told　him　all　he　needed　to　know。　He　had　been　added　to　the　vicar's　collection　of　odds　and　ends　in　the　closet　reserved　for　that　purpose。
　He　groped　his　way　to　the　door　and　kicked　it。　He　did　not　repeat　the　performance。　His　feet　were　in　no　shape　for　kicking　things。
　Percy's　gallant　soul　abandoned　the　struggle。　With　a　feeble　oath；　he　sat　down　on　a　box　containing　croquet　implements；　and　gave　himself　up　to　thought。
　〃You'll　be　quite　safe　now；〃　the　curate　was　saying　in　the　adjoining　room；　not　without　a　touch　of　placent　self…approval　such　as　bees　the　victor　in　a　battle　of　wits。　〃I　have　locked　him　in　the　cupboard。　He　will　be　quite　happy　there。〃　An　incorrect　statement　this。　〃You　may　now　continue　your　walk　in　perfect　safety。〃
　〃Thank　you　ever　so　much；〃　said　Maud。　〃But　I　do　hope　he　won't　be　violent　when　you　let　him　out。〃
　〃I　shall　not　let　him　out；〃　replied　the　curate；　who；　though　brave；　was　not　rash。　〃I　shall　depute　the　task　to　a　worthy　fellow　named　Willis；　in　whom　I　shall　have　every　confidence。　Hehe　is；　in　fact；　our　local　blacksmith！〃
　And　so　it　came　about　that　when；　after　a　vigil　that　seemed　to　last　for　a　lifetime；　Percy　heard　the　key　turn　in　the　lock　and　burst　forth　seeking　whom　he　might　devour；　he　experienced　an　almost　instant　quieting　of　his　excited　nervous　system。　Confronting　him　was　a　vast　man　whose　muscles；　like　those　of　that　other　and　more　celebrated　village　blacksmith；　were　plainly　as　strong　as　iron　bands。
　This　man　eyed　Percy　with　a　chilly　eye。
　〃Well；〃　he　said。　〃What's　troublin'　you？〃
　Percy　gulped。　The　man's　mere　appearance　was　a　sedative。
　〃Ernothing！〃　he　replied。　〃Nothing！〃
　〃There　better　hadn't　be！〃　said　the　man　darkly。　〃Mr。　　Ferguson　give　me　this　to　give　to　you。　Take　it！〃
　Percy　took　it。　It　was　a　shilling。
　〃And　this。〃
　The　second　gift　was　a　small　paper　pamphlet。　It　was　entitled　〃Now's　the　Time！〃　and　seemed　to　be　a　story　of　some　kind。　　At　any　rate；　Percy's　eyes；　before　they　began　to　swim　in　a　manner　that　prevented　steady　reading；　caught　the　words　〃Job　Roberts　had　always　been　a　hard…drinking　man；　but　one　day；　as　he　was　ing　out　of　the　bar…parlour　。　。　。〃　He　was　about　to　hurl　it　from　him；　when　he　met　the　other's　eye　and　desi