beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第44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！
〃Won't it go？〃 said Eshley。
〃If it was anxious to go；〃 said Adela Pingsford rather angrily； 〃I
should not have come here to chat with you about it。 I'm practically all
alone； the housemaid is having her afternoon out and the cook is lying
down with an attack of neuralgia。 Anything that I may have learned
at school or in after life about how to remove a large ox from a small
garden seems to have escaped from my memory now。 All I could think
of was that you were a near neighbour and a cattle painter； presumably
more or less familiar with the subjects that you painted； and that you
might be of some slight assistance。 Possibly I was mistaken。〃
〃I paint dairy cows； certainly；〃 admitted Eshley； 〃but I cannot claim
to have had any experience in rounding…up stray oxen。 I've seen it done
on a cinema film； of course； but there were always horses and lots of
other accessories； besides； one never knows how much of those pictures
are faked。〃
Adela Pingsford said nothing； but led the way to her garden。 It was
normally a fair…sized garden； but it looked small in comparison with the
ox； a huge mottled brute； dull red about the head and shoulders； passing
to dirty white on the flanks and hind…quarters； with shaggy ears and
large blood…shot eyes。 It bore about as much resemblance to the dainty
paddock heifers that Eshley was accustomed to paint as the chief of a
135
… Page 136…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
Kurdish nomad clan would to a Japanese tea…shop girl。 Eshley stood
very near the gate while he studied the animal's appearance and
demeanour。 Adela Pingsford continued to say nothing。
〃It's eating a chrysanthemum；〃 said Eshley at last； when the silence
had become unbearable。
〃How observant you are；〃 said Adela bitterly。 〃You seem to notice
everything。 As a matter of fact； it has got six chrysanthemums in its
mouth at the present moment。〃
The necessity for doing something was becoming imperative。
Eshley took a step or two in the direction of the animal； clapped his
hands； and made noises of the 〃Hish〃 and 〃Shoo〃 variety。 If the ox
heard them it gave no outward indication of the fact。
〃If any hens should ever stray into my garden；〃 said Adela； 〃I should
certainly send for you to frighten them out。 You 'shoo' beautifully。
Meanwhile； do you mind trying to drive that ox away？ That is a
MADEMOISELLE LOUISE BICHOT that he's begun on now；〃 she
added in icy calm； as a glowing orange head was crushed into the huge
munching mouth。
〃Since you have been so frank about the variety of the
chrysanthemum；〃 said Eshley； 〃I don't mind telling you that this is an
Ayrshire ox。〃
The icy calm broke down； Adela Pingsford used language that sent
the artist instinctively a few feet nearer to the ox。 He picked up a pea…
stick and flung it with some determination against the animal's mottled
flanks。 The operation of mashing MADEMOISELLE LOUISE
BICHOT into a petal salad was suspended for a long moment； while the
ox gazed with concentrated inquiry at the stick…thrower。 Adela gazed
with equal concentration and more obvious hostility at the same focus。
As the beast neither lowered its head nor stamped its feet Eshley
ventured on another javelin exercise with another pea…stick。 The ox
seemed to realise at once that it was to go； it gave a hurried final pluck at
the bed where the chrysanthemums had been； and strode swiftly up the
garden。 Eshley ran to head it towards the gate； but only succeeded in
quickening its pace from a walk to a lumbering trot。 With an air of
136
… Page 137…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
inquiry； but with no real hesitation； it crossed the tiny strip of turf that
the charitable called the croquet lawn； and pushed its way through the
open French window into the morning…room。 Some chrysanthemums
and other autumn herbage stood about the room in vases； and the animal
resumed its browsing operations； all the same； Eshley fancied that the
beginnings of a hunted look had come into its eyes； a look that
counselled respect。 He discontinued his attempt to interfere with its
choice of surroundings。
〃Mr。 Eshley；〃 said Adela in a shaking voice； 〃I asked you to drive
that beast out of my garden； but I did not ask you to drive it into my
house。 If I must have it anywhere on the premises I prefer the garden
to the morning…room。〃
〃Cattle drives are not in my line；〃 said Eshley； 〃if I remember I told
you so at the outset。〃 〃I quite agree；〃 retorted the lady； 〃painting pretty
pictures of pretty little cows is what you're suited for。 Perhaps you'd
like to do a nice sketch of that ox making itself at home in my morning…
room？〃
This time it seemed as if the worm had turned； Eshley began striding
away。
〃Where are you going？〃 screamed Adela。
〃To fetch implements；〃 was the answer。
〃Implements？ I won't have you use a lasso。 The room will be
wrecked if there's a struggle。〃
But the artist marched out of the garden。 In a couple of minutes he
returned； laden with easel； sketching…stool； and painting materials。
〃Do you mean to say that you're going to sit quietly down and paint
that brute while it's destroying my morning…room？〃 gasped Adela。
〃It was your suggestion；〃 said Eshley； setting his canvas in position。
〃I forbid it； I absolutely forbid it！〃 stormed Adela。
〃I don't see what standing you have in the matter；〃 said the artist；
〃you can hardly pretend that it's your ox； even by adoption。〃
〃You seem to forget that it's in my morning…room； eating my
flowers；〃 came the raging retort。
〃You seem to forget that the cook has neuralgia；〃 said Eshley； 〃she
137
… Page 138…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
may be just dozing off into a merciful sleep and your outcry will waken
her。 Consideration for others should be the guiding principle of people
in our station of life。〃
〃The man is mad！〃 exclaimed Adela tragically。 A moment later it
was Adela herself who appeared to go mad。 The ox had finished the
vase…flowers and the cover of 〃Israel Kalisch；〃 and appeared to be
thinking of leaving its rather restricted quarters。 Eshley noticed its
restlessness and promptly flung it some bunches of Virginia
