pgw.uneasymoney-第31章

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of　Claire's。　At　the　suggestion　that　he　should　meet　Claire　he　had　dashed　away　in　a　panic。　And　Claire；　both　then　and　later；　had　denied　absolutely　any　knowledge　of　him。
　As　for　the　apparently　blameless　beekeeping　that　was　going　on　at　the　place　where　he　lived；　that　was　easily　discounted。　Mr　Pickering　had　heard　somewhere　or　read　somewherehe　rather　thought　that　it　was　in　those　interesting　but　disturbing　chronicles　of　Rafflesthat　the　first　thing　an　intelligent　burglar　did　was　to　assume　some　open　and　innocent　occupation　to　avert　possible　inquiry　into　his　real　mode　of　life。　Mr　Pickering　did　not　put　it　so　to　himself；　for　he　was　rarely　slangy　even　in　thought；　but　what　he　felt　was　that　he　had　caught　The　Man　and　his　confederate　with　the　goods。
　If　Mr　Pickering　had　had　his　boyhood　at　the　proper　time　and　finished　with　it；　he　would　no　doubt　have　acted　otherwise　than　he　did。　He　would　have　contented　himself　with　conducting　a　war　of　defence。　He　would　have　notified　the　police；　and　considered　that　all　that　remained　for　him　personally　to　do　was　to　stay　in　his　room　at　night　with　his　revolver。　But　boys　will　be　boys。　The　only　course　that　seemed　to　him　in　any　way　satisfactory　in　this　his　hour　of　rejuvenation　was　to　visit　the　bee　farm；　the　hotbed　of　crime；　and　keep　an　eye　on　it。　He　wanted　to　go　there　and　prowl。
　He　did　not　anticipate　any　definite　oute　of　his　visit。　In　his　boyish；　elemental　way　he　just　wanted　to　take　a　revolver　and　a　pocketful　of　cartridges；　and　prowl。
　It　was　a　great　night　for　prowling。　A　moon　so　little　less　than　full　that　the　eye　could　barely　detect　its　slight　tendency　to　bee　concave；　shone　serenely；　creating　a　desirable　bination　of　black　shadows　where　the　prowler　might　hide　and　great　stretches　of　light　in　which　the　prowler　might　reveal　his　wickedness　without　disguise。　Mr　Pickering　walked　briskly　along　the　road；　then　less　briskly　as　he　drew　nearer　the　farm。　An　opportune　belt　of　shrubs　that　ran　from　the　gate　adjoining　the　road　to　a　point　not　far　from　the　house　gave　him　just　the　cover　he　needed。　He　slipped　into　this　belt　of　shrubs　and　began　to　work　his　way　through　them。
　Like　generals；　authors；　artists；　and　others　who；　after　planning　broad　effects；　have　to　get　down　to　the　detail　work；　he　found　that　this　was　where　his　troubles　began。　He　had　conceived　the　journey　through　the　shrubbery　in　rather　an　airy　mood。　He　thought　he　would　just　go　through　the　shrubbery。　He　had　not　taken　into　account　the　branches；　the　thorns；　the　occasional　unexpected　holes；　and　he　was　both　warm　and　dishevelled　when　he　reached　the　end　of　it　and　found　himself　out　in　the　open　within　a　short　distance　of　what　he　recognized　as　beehives。　It　was　not　for　some　time　that　he　was　able　to　give　that　selfless　attention　to　exterior　objects　which　is　the　prowler's　chief　asset。　For　quite　a　while　the　only　thought　of　which　he　was　conscious　was　that　what　he　needed　most　was　a　cold　drink　and　a　cold　bath。　Then；　with　a　return　to　clear…headedness；　he　realized　that　he　was　standing　out　in　the　open；　visible　from　three　sides　to　anyone　who　might　be　in　the　vicinity；　and　he　withdrew　into　the　shrubbery。　He　was　not　fond　of　the　shrubbery；　but　it　was　a　splendid　place　to　withdraw　into。　It　swallowed　you　up。
　This　was　the　last　move　of　the　first　part　of　Mr　Pickering's　active　campaign。　He　stayed　where　he　was；　in　the　middle　of　a　bush；　and　waited　for　the　enemy　to　do　something。　What　he　expected　him　to　do　he　did　not　know。　The　subconscious　thought　that　animated　him　was　that　on　a　night　like　this　something　was　bound　to　happen　sooner　or　later。　Just　such　a　thought　on　similarly　stimulating　nights　had　animated　men　of　his　acquaintance　thirty　years　ago；　men　who　were　as　elderly　and　stolid　and　unadventurous　now　as　Mr　Pickering　had　been　then。　He　would　have　resented　the　suggestion　profoundly；　but　the　truth　of　the　matter　was　that　Dudley　Pickering；　after　a　late　start；　had　begun　to　play　Indians。
　Nothing　had　happened　for　a　long　timefor　such　a　long　time　that；　in　spite　of　the　ferment　within　him；　Mr　Pickering　almost　began　to　believe　that　nothing　would　happen。　The　moon　shone　with　unutterable　calm。　The　crickets　and　the　tree　frogs　performed　their　interminable　duet；　apparently　unconscious　that　they　were　attacking　it　in　different　keysa　fact　that；　after　a　while；　began　to　infuriate　Mr　Pickering。　Mosquitoes　added　their　reedy　tenor　to　the　concert。　A　twig　on　which　he　was　standing　snapped　with　a　report　like　a　pistol。　The　moon　went　on　shining。
　Away　in　the　distance　a　dog　began　to　howl。　An　automobile　passed　in　the　road。　For　a　few　moments　Mr　Pickering　was　able　to　occupy　himself　pleasantly　with　speculations　as　to　its　make；　and　then　he　became　aware　that　something　was　walking　down　the　back　of　his　neck　just　beyond　the　point　where　his　fingers　could　reach　it。　Disfort　enveloped　Mr　Pickering。　At　various　times　by　day　he　had　seen　long…winged　black　creatures　with　slim　waists　and　unpleasant　faces。　Could　it　be　one　of　these？　Or　a　caterpillar？　Orand　the　maddening　thing　was　that　he　did　not　dare　to　slap　at　it；　for　who　knew　what　desperate　characters　the　sound　might　not　attract？
　Well；　it　wasn't　stinging　him；　that　was　something。
　A　second　howling　dog　joined　the　first　one。　A　wave　of　sadness　was　apparently　afflicting　the　canine　population　of　the　district　to…night。
　Mr　Pickering's　vitality　began　to　ebb。　He　was　ageing；　and　imagination　slackened　its　grip。　And　then；　just　as　he　had　begun　to　contemplate　the　possibility　of　abandoning　the　whole　adventure　and　returning　home；　he　was　jerked　back　to　boyhood　again　by　the　sound　of　voices。
　He　shrank　farther　back　into　the　bushes。　A　manThe　Manwas　approaching；　acpanied　by　his　female　associate。　They　passed　so　close　to　him　that　he　could　have　stretched　out　a　hand　and　touched　them。
　The　female　associate　was　speaking；　and　her　first　words　set　all　Mr　Pickering's　suspicions　dancing　a　dance　of　triumph。　The　girl　gave　herself　away　with　her　opening　sentence。
　'You　can't　think　how　nervous　I　was　this　afternoon；'　he　heard　her　say。　She　had　a　soft　pleasant　voice；　but　soft；　pleasant　voices　may　be　the　vehicles　for　conveying　criminal　thoughts。　'I　thought　every　moment　one　of　those　newspaper　men　would　look　in　here。'
　Where　was　here？　Ah；　that　outhouse！　Mr　Pickering　had　had　his　suspicions　of　that　outhouse　already。　It　was　one　of　those　structures　that　look　at　you　furtively　as　if　something　were　hiding　in　them。
　'James！　James！　I　thought　I　heard　James　in　those　bushes。'
　The　girl　was　looking　straight　at　the　spot　occupied　by　Mr　Pickering；　and　it　had　been　the　start　caused　by　her　first　words　and　the　resultant　rustle　of　branches　that　had　directed　her　attention　to　him。　He　froze。　The　danger　passed。　She　went　on　speaking。　Mr　Pickering　pondered　on　James。　Who　was　James？　Another　of　the　gang；　of　course。　How　many　of　them　were　there？
　'Once　I　thought　it　was　all　up。　One　of　them　was　about　a　yard　from　the　window；　just　going　to　look　in。'
　Mr　Pickering　thrilled。　There　was　something　hidden　in　the　outhouse；　then！　Swag？
　'Thank　goodness；　a　bee　stung　him　at　the　psychological　moment；　andoh！'
　She　stopped；　and　The　Man　spoke：
　'What's　the　matter？'
　It　interested　Mr　Pickering　that　The　Man　retained　his　English　accent　even　when　talking　privately　with　his　associates。　For　practice；　no　doubt。
　'e　and　get　a　banana；'　said　the　girl。　And　they　went　off　together　in　the　direction　of　the　house；　leaving　Mr　Pickering　bewildered。　Why　a　banana？　Was　it　a　slang　term　of　the　underworld　for　a　pistol？　It　must　be　that。
　But　he　had　no　time　for　speculation。　Now　was　his　chance；　the　only　chance　he　would　ever　get　of　looking　into　that　outhouse　and　finding　out　its　mysterious　contents。　He　had　seen　the　girl　unlock　the　door。　A　few　steps　would　take　him　there。　All　it　needed　was　nerve。　With　a　strong　effort　Mr　Pickering　succeeded　in　obtaining　the　nerve。　He　burst　from　his　bush　and　trotted　to　the　outhouse　door；　opened　it；　and　looked　in。　And　at　that　moment　something　touched　his　leg。
　At　the　right　time　and　in　the　right　frame　of　mind　man　is　capable　of　stoic　endurances　that　excite　wonder　and　admiration。　Mr　Pickering　was　no　weakling。　He　had　once　upset　his　automobile　in　a　ditch；　and　had　waited　for　twenty　minutes　until　help　came　to　relieve　a　broken　arm；　and　he　had　done　it　without　a　murmur。　But　on　the　present　occasion　there　was　a　difference。　His　mind　was　not　adjusted　for　the　occurrence。　There　a