pgw.adamselindistress-第41章

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　seemed　to　be　revolted　at　the　idea　that　he　should　stroll　off　and　get　a　bite　to　eat　somewhere　else。
　〃Stick　by　us；　laddie；〃　Reggie　had　said　pleadingly；　〃for　there　is　much　to　discuss；　and　we　need　the　counsel　of　a　man　of　the　world。　　We　are　married　all　right〃
　〃Though　it　didn't　seem　legal　in　that　little　registrar's　office；〃　put　in　Alice。
　〃But　that；　as　the　blighters　say　in　books；　is　but　a　beginning；　not　an　end。　We　have　now　to　think　out　the　most　tactful　way　of　letting　the　news　seep　through；　as　it　were；　to　the　mater。〃
　〃And　Lord　Marshmoreton；〃　said　Alice。　〃Don't　forget　he　has　lost　his　secretary。〃
　〃And　Lord　Marshmoreton；〃　amended　Reggie。　〃And　about　a　million　other　people　who'll　be　most　frightfully　peeved　at　my　doing　the　Wedding　Glide　without　consulting　them。　Stick　by　us；　old　top。　Join　our　simple　meal。　And　over　the　old　coronas　we　will　discuss　many　things。〃
　The　arrival　of　a　waiter　with　dishes　broke　up　the　silent　munion　between　husband　and　wife；　and　lowered　Reggie　to　a　more　earthly　plane。　He　refilled　the　glasses　from　the　stout　bottle　that　nestled　in　the　ice…bucket…（〃　Only　this　one；　dear！〃　murmured　the　bride　in　a　warning　undertone；　and　〃All　right　darling！〃　replied　the　dutiful　groom）…and　raised　his　own　to　his　lips。
　〃Cheerio！　Here's　to　us　all！　Maddest；　merriest　day　of　all　the　glad　New　year　and　so　forth。　And　now；〃　he　continued；　being　sternly　practical；　〃about　the　good　old　sequel　and　aftermath；　so　to　speak；　of　this　little　binge　of　ours。　What's　to　be　done。　　You're　a　brainy　sort　of　feller；　Bevan；　old　man；　and　we　look　to　you　for　suggestions。　How　would　you　set　about　breaking　the　news　to　mother？〃
　〃Write　her　a　letter；〃　said　George。
　Reggie　was　profoundly　impressed。
　〃Didn't　I　tell　you　he　would　have　some　devilish　shrewd　scheme？〃　he　said　enthusiastically　to　Alice。　〃Write　her　a　letter！　　What　could　be　better？　Poetry；　by　Gad！〃　His　face　clouded。　　〃But　what　would　you　say　in　it？　That's　a　pretty　knotty　point。〃
　〃Not　at　all。　Be　perfectly　frank　and　straightforward。　Say　you　are　sorry　to　go　against　her　wishes〃
　〃Wishes；〃　murmured　Reggie；　scribbling　industrially　on　the　back　of　the　marriage　licence。
　〃But　you　know　that　all　she　wants　is　your　happiness〃
　Reggie　looked　doubtful。
　〃I'm　not　sure　about　that　last　bit；　old　thing。　You　don't　know　the　mater！〃
　〃Never　mind；　Reggie；〃　put　in　Alice。　〃Say　it；　anyhow。　Mr。　　Bevan　is　perfectly　right。〃
　〃Right　ho；　darling！　All　right；　laddie'happiness'。　And　then？〃
　〃Point　out　in　a　few　well…chosen　sentences　how　charming　Mrs。　Byng　is　。　。　。〃
　〃Mrs。　Byng！〃　Reggie　smiled　fatuously。　〃I　don't　think　I　ever　heard　anything　that　sounded　so　indescribably　ripping。　　That　part'll　be　easy　enough。　Besides；　the　mater　knows　Alice。〃
　〃Lady　Caroline　has　seen　me　at　the　castle；〃　said　his　bride　doubtfully；　〃but　I　shouldn't　say　she　knows　me。　She　has　hardly　spoken　a　dozen　words　to　me。〃
　〃There；〃　said　Reggie；　earnestly；　〃you're　in　luck；　dear　heart！　　The　mater's　a　great　speaker；　especially　in　moments　of　excitement。　　I'm　not　looking　forward　to　the　time　when　she　starts　on　me。　　Between　ourselves；　laddie；　and　meaning　no　disrespect　to　the　dear　soul；　when　the　mater　is　moved　and　begins　to　talk；　she　uses　up　most　of　the　language。〃
　〃Outspoken；　is　she？〃
　〃I　should　hate　to　meet　the　person　who　could　out…speak　her；〃　said　Reggie。
　George　sought　information　on　a　delicate　point。
　〃And　financially？　Does　she　exercise　any　authority　over　you　in　that　way？〃
　〃You　mean　has　the　mater　the　first　call　on　the　family　doubloons？〃　said　Reggie。　〃Oh；　absolutely　not！　You　see；　when　I　call　her　the　mater；　it's　using　the　word　in　a　loose　sense；　so　to　speak。　She's　my　step…mother　really。　She　has　her　own　little　collection　of　pieces　of　eight；　and　I　have　mine。　That　part's　simple　enough。〃
　〃Then　the　whole　thing　is　simple。　I　don't　see　what　you've　been　worrying　about。〃
　〃Just　what　I　keep　telling　him；　Mr。　Bevan；〃　said　Alice。
　〃You're　a　perfectly　free　agent。　She　has　no　hold　on　you　of　any　kind。〃
　Reggie　Byng　blinked　dizzily。
　〃Why；　now　you　put　it　like　that；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I　can　see　that　I　jolly　well　am！　It's　an　amazing　thing；　you　know；　habit　and　all　that。　I've　been　so　accustomed　for　years　to　jumping　through　hoops　and　shamming　dead　when　the　mater　lifted　a　little　finger；　that　it　absolutely　never　occurred　to　me　that　I　had　a　soul　of　my　Own。　I　give　you　my　honest　word　I　never　saw　it　till　this　moment。〃
　〃And　now　it's　too　late！〃
　〃Eh？〃
　George　indicated　Alice　with　a　gesture。　The　newly…made　Mrs。　Byng　smiled。
　〃Mr。　Bevan　means　that　now　you've　got　to　jump　through　hoops　and　sham　dead　when　I　lift　a　little　finger！〃
　Reggie　raised　her　hand　to　his　lips；　and　nibbled　at　it　gently。
　〃Blessums　'ittle　finger！　It　shall　lift　it　and　have　'ums　Reggie　jumping　through。　。　。　。〃　He　broke　off　and　tendered　George　a　manly　apology。　〃Sorry；　old　top！　Forgot　myself　for　the　moment。　Shan't　occur　again！　Have　another　chicken　or　an　eclair　or　some　soup　or　something！〃
　Over　the　cigars　Reggie　became　expansive。
　〃Now　that　you've　lifted　the　frightful　weight　of　the　mater　off　my　mind；　dear　old　lad；〃　he　said；　puffing　luxuriously；　〃I　find　myself　surveying　the　future　in　a　calmer　spirit。　It　seems　to　me　that　the　best　thing　to　do；　as　regards　the　mater　and　everybody　else；　is　simply　to　prolong　the　merry　wedding…trip　till　Time　the　Great　Healer　has　had　a　chance　to　cure　the　wound。　Alice　wants　to　put　in　a　week　or　so　in　Paris。　。　。　。〃
　〃Paris！〃　murmured　the　bride　ecstatically。
　〃Then　I　would　like　to　trickle　southwards　to　the　Riviera。　。　。〃
　〃If　you　mean　Monte　Carlo；　dear；〃　said　his　wife　with　gentle　firmness；　〃no！〃
　〃No；　no；　not　Monte　Carlo；〃　said　Reggie　hastily；　〃though　it's　a　great　place。　Airsceneryand　what　not！　But　Nice　and　Bordighera　and　Mentone　and　other　fairly　ripe　resorts。　You'd　enjoy　them。　And　after　that　。　。　。　I　had　a　scheme　for　buying　back　my　yacht；　the　jolly　old　Siren；　and　cruising　about　the　Mediterranean　for　a　month　or　so。　I　sold　her　to　a　local　sportsman　when　I　was　in　America　a　couple　of　years　ago。　But　I　saw　in　the　paper　yesterday　that　the　poor　old　buffer　had　died　suddenly；　so　I　suppose　it　would　be　difficult　to　get　hold　of　her　for　the　time　being。〃　Reggie　broke　off　with　a　sharp　exclamation。
　〃My　sainted　aunt！〃
　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　Both　his　panions　were　looking　past　him；　wide…eyed。　　George　occupied　the　chair　that　had　its　back　to　the　door；　and　was　unable　to　see　what　it　was　that　had　caused　their　consternation；　but　he　deduced　that　someone　known　to　both　of　them　must　have　entered　the　restaurant；　and　his　first　thought；　perhaps　naturally；　was　that　it　must　be　Reggie's　〃mater〃。　Reggie　dived　behind　a　menu；　which　he　held　before　him　like　a　shield；　and　his　bride；　after　one　quick　look；　had　turned　away　so　that　her　face　was　hidden。　　George　swung　around；　but　the　newer；　whoever　he　or　she　was；　was　now　seated　and　indistinguishable　from　the　rest　of　the　lunchers。
　〃Who　is　it？〃
　Reggie　laid　down　the　menu　with　the　air　of　one　who　after　a　momentary　panic　rallies。
　〃Don't　know　what　I'm　making　such　a　fuss　about；〃　he　said　stoutly。　〃I　keep　forgetting　that　none　of　these　blighters　really　matter　in　the　scheme　of　things。　I've　a　good　mind　to　go　over　and　pass　the　time　of　day。〃
　〃Don't！〃　pleaded　his　wife。　〃I　feel　so　guilty。〃
　〃Who　is　it？〃　asked　George　again。　〃Your　step…mother？〃
　〃Great　Scott；　no！〃　said　Reggie。　〃Nothing　so　bad　as　that。　　It's　old　Marshmoreton。〃
　〃Lord　Marshmoreton！〃
　〃Absolutely！　And　looking　positively　festive。〃
　〃I　feel　so　awful；　Mr。　Bevan；〃　said　Alice。　〃You　know；　I　left　the　castle　without　a　word　to　anyone；　and　he　doesn't　know　yet　that　there　won't　be　any　secretary　waiting　for　him　when　he　gets　back。〃
　Reggie　took　another　look　over　George's　shoulder　and　chuckled。
　〃It's　all　right；　darling。　Don't　worry。　We　can　nip　off　secretly　by　the　other　door。　He's　not　going　to　stop　us。　He's　got　a　girl　with　him！　The　old　boy　has　e　to　lifeabsolutely！　　He's　gassing　away　sixteen　to　the　dozen　to　a　frightfully　pretty　girl　with　gold　hair。　If　you　slew　the　old　bean　round　at　an　angle　of　about　forty…five；　Bevan；　old　top；　you　can　see　her。　Take　a　look。　　He　won't　see　you。　He's　got　his　back　to　us。〃
　〃Do　you　call　her　pretty？〃　asked　Alice　disparagingly。
　〃Now　that　I　take　a　good　look；　precious；〃　replied　Reggie　with　alacrity；　〃no！　Absolutely　not！　Not　my　style　at　all！〃
　His　wife　crumbled　bread。
　〃I　thin