manalive-第4章
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It's the symbol that counts； old cock。 Take your hat；
because it is your hat after all； its nap rubbed all off
by the bark； dears； and its brim not the least bit curled；
but for old sakes' sake it is still； dears； the nobbiest tile
in the world。〃
Speaking thus； with a wild comfortableness； he settled or smashed
the shapeless silk hat over the face of the disturbed physician；
and fell on his feet among the other men； still talking；
beaming and breathless。
〃Why don't they make more games out of wind？〃 he asked in some excitement。
〃Kites are all right； but why should it only be kites？ Why； I thought
of three other games for a windy day while I was climbing that tree。
Here's one of them： you take a lot of pepper〃
〃I think；〃 interposed Moon； with a sardonic mildness；
〃that your games are already sufficiently interesting。
Are you； may I ask； a professional acrobat on a tour；
or a travelling advertisement of Sunny Jim？ How and why do you
display all this energy for clearing walls and climbing trees
in our melancholy； but at least rational； suburbs？〃
The stranger； so far as so loud a person was capable of it；
appeared to grow confidential。
〃Well； it's a trick of my own；〃 he confessed candidly。
〃I do it by having two legs。〃
Arthur Inglewood； who had sunk into the background of this scene of folly；
started and stared at the newcomer with his short…sighted eyes screwed up
and his high colour slightly heightened。
〃Why； I believe you're Smith；〃 he cried with his fresh； almost boyish voice；
and then after an instant's stare； 〃and yet I'm not sure。〃
〃I have a card； I think；〃 said the unknown； with baffling solemnity〃a card
with my real name； my titles； offices； and true purpose on this earth。〃
He drew out slowly from an upper waistcoat pocket a scarlet
card…case； and as slowly produced a very large card。
Even in the instant of its production； they fancied it was
of a queer shape； unlike the cards of ordinary gentlemen。
But it was there only for an instant； for as it passed from
his fingers to Arthur's； one or another slipped his hold。
The strident； tearing gale in that garden carried away
the stranger's card to join the wild waste paper of the universe；
and that great western wind shook the whole house and passed。
Chapter II
The Luggage of an Optimist
We all remember the fairy tales of science in our infancy； which played
with the supposition that large animals could jump in the proportion
of small ones。 If an elephant were as strong as a grasshopper； he could
（I suppose） spring clean out of the Zoological Gardens and alight
trumpeting upon Primrose Hill。 If a whale could leap from the sea
like a trout； perhaps men might look up and see one soaring above
Yarmouth like the winged island of Laputa。 Such natural energy；
though sublime； might certainly be inconvenient； and much of this
inconvenience attended the gaiety and good intentions of the man in green。
He was too large for everything； because he was lively as well as large。
By a fortunate physical provision； most very substantial creatures
are also reposeful； and middle…class boarding…houses in the lesser
parts of London are not built for a man as big as a bull and excitable
as a kitten。
When Inglewood followed the stranger into the boarding…house；
he found him talking earnestly （and in his own opinion privately）
to the helpless Mrs。 Duke。 That fat； faint lady could only
goggle up like a dying fish at the enormous new gentleman；
who politely offered himself as a lodger； with vast gestures
of the wide white hat in one hand； and the yellow Gladstone bag
in the other。 Fortunately； Mrs。 Duke's more efficient niece
and partner was there to complete the contract； for； indeed；
all the people of the house had somehow collected in the room。
This fact； in truth； was typical of the whole episode。
The visitor created an atmosphere of comic crisis； and from
the time he came into the house to the time he left it； he somehow
got the company to gather and even follow （though in derision）
as children gather and follow a Punch and Judy。 An hour ago；
and for four years previously； these people had avoided
each other； even when they had really liked each other。
They had slid in and out of dismal and deserted rooms in search
of particular newspapers or private needlework。 Even now they
all came casually； as with varying interests； but they all came。
There was the embarrassed Inglewood； still a sort of red shadow；
there was the unembarrassed Warner； a pallid but solid substance。
There was Michael Moon offering like a riddle the contrast
of the horsy crudeness of his clothes and the sombre sagacity
of his visage。 He was now joined by his yet more comic crony；
Moses Gould。 Swaggering on short legs with a prosperous
purple tie； he was the gayest of godless little dogs；
but like a dog also in this； that however he danced and
wagged with delight； the two dark eyes on each side of his
protuberant nose glistened gloomily like black buttons。
There was Miss Rosamund Hunt； still with the find white hat
framing her square； good…looking face； and still with her native
air of being dressed for some party that never came off。
She also； like Mr。 Moon； had a new companion； new so far as this
narrative goes； but in reality an old friend and a protegee。
This was a slight young woman in dark gray； and in no way
notable but for a load of dull red hair； of which the shape
somehow gave her pale face that triangular； almost peaked；
appearance which was given by the lowering headdress and deep rich
ruff of the Elizabethan beauties。 Her surname seemed to be Gray；
and Miss Hunt called her Mary； in that indescribable tone
applied to a dependent who has practically become a friend。
She wore a small silver cross on her very business…like
gray clothes； and was the only member of the party who went
to church。 Last； but the reverse of least； there as Diana Duke；
studying the newcomer with eyes of steel； and listening
carefully to every idiotic word he said。 As for Mrs。 Duke；
she smiled up at him； but never dreamed of listening to him。
She had never really listened to any one in her life； which； some said；
was why she had survived。
Nevertheless； Mrs。 Duke was pleased with her new guest's
concentration of courtesy upon herself； for no one ever spoke
seriously to her any more than she listened seriously to any one。
And she almost beamed as the stranger； with yet wider and almost
whirling gestures of explanation with his huge hat and bag；
apologized for having entered by the wall instead of the front door。
He was understood to put it down to an unfortunate family tradition
of neatness and care of his clothes。
〃My mother was rather strict about it； to tell the truth；〃
he said； lowering his voice； to Mrs。 Duke。 〃She never liked
me to lose my cap at school。 And when a man's been taught
to be tidy and neat it sticks to him。〃
Mrs。 Duke weakly gasped that she was sure he must have had a good mother；
but her niece seemed inclined to probe the matter further。
〃You've got a funny idea of neatness；〃 she said； 〃if it's
jumping garden walls and clambering up garden trees。
A man can't very well climb a tree tidily。〃
〃He can clear a wall neatly；〃 said Michael Moon； 〃I saw him do it。〃
Smith seemed to be regarding the girl with genuine astonishment。
〃My dear young lady；〃 he said； 〃I was tidying the tree。 You don't want
last year's hats there； do you； any more than last year's leaves？
The wind takes off the leaves； but it couldn't manage the hat； that wind；
I suppose； has tidied whole forests to…day。 Rum idea this is； that tidiness
is a timid； quiet sort of thing； why； tidiness is a toil for giants。
You can't tidy anything without untidying yourself； just look at my trousers。
Don't you know that？ Haven't you ever had a spring cleaning？〃
〃Oh yes； sir；〃 said Mrs。 Duke； almost eagerly。 〃You will find
everything of that sort quite nice。〃 For the first time she
had heard two words that she could understand。
Miss Diana Duke seemed to be studying the stranger with a sort of spasm
of calculation； then her black eyes snapped with decis
