five tales-第49章

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'No；　by　George！'　thought　Mr。　Bosengate。

The　evidence　of　the　first　witness；　a　room…mate　who　had　caught　the　prisoner's　hand；　and　of　the　sergeant；　who　had　at　once　been　summoned；　was　conclusive　and　he　began　to　cherish　a　hope　that　they　would　get　through　without　withdrawing；　and　he　would　be　home　before　five。　　But　then　a　hitch　occurred。　　The　regimental　doctor　failed　to　respond　when　his　name　was　called；　and　the　judge　having　for　the　first　time　that　day　showed　himself　capable　of　human　emotion；　intimated　that　he　would　adjourn　until　the　morrow。

Mr。　Bosengate　received　the　announcement　with　equanimity。　　He　would　be　home　even　earlier！　　And　gathering　up　the　sheets　of　paper　he　had　scribbled　on；　he　put　them　in　his　pocket　and　got　up。　　The　would…be　suicide　was　being　taken　out　of　the　courta　shambling　drab　figure　with　shoulders　hunched。　　What　good　were　men　like　that　in　these　days！　What　good！　　The　prisoner　looked　up。　　Mr。　Bosengate　encountered　in　full　the　gaze　of　those　large　brown　eyes；　with　the　white　showing　underneath。　　What　a　suffering；　wretched；　pitiful　face！　　A　man　had　no　business　to　give　you　a　look　like　that！　　The　prisoner　passed　on　down　the　stairs；　and　vanished。　　Mr。　Bosengate　went　out　and　across　the　market　place　to　the　garage　of　the　hotel　where　he　had　left　his　car。　The　sun　shone　fiercely　and　he　thought：　'I　must　do　some　watering　in　the　garden。'　　He　brought　the　car　out；　and　was　about　to　start　the　engine；　when　someone　passing　said：　'Good　evenin'。　　Seedy…lookin'　beggar　that　last　prisoner；　ain't　he？　　We　don't　want　men　of　that　stamp。〃　　It　was　his　neighbour　on　the　jury；　the　commercial　traveller；　in　a　straw　hat；　with　a　little　brown　bag　already　in　his　hand　and　the　froth　of　an　interrupted　drink　on　his　moustache。　　Answering　curtly：　〃Good　evening！〃　and　thinking：　'Nor　of　yours；　my　friend！'　　Mr。　Bosengate　started　the　car　with　unnecessary　clamour。　　But　as　if　brought　back　to　life　by　the　commercial　traveller's　remark；　the　prisoner's　figure　seemed　to　speed　along　too；　turning　up　at　Mr。　Bosengate　his　pitifully　unhappy　eyes。　　Want　of　his　wife！queer　excuse　that　for　trying　to　put　it　out　of　his　power　ever　to　see　her　again！　　Why！　　Half　a　loaf；　even　a　slice；　was　better　than　no　bread。　Not　many　of　that　neurotic　type　in　the　Armythank　Heaven！　　The　lugubrious　figure　vanished；　and　Mr。　Bosengate　pictured　instead　the　form　of　his　own　wife　bending　over　her　〃G3oire　de　Dijon　roses〃　in　the　rosery；　where　she　generally　worked　a　little　before　tea　now　that　they　were　short　of　gardeners。　　He　saw　her；　as　often　he　had　seen　her；　raise　herself　and　stand；　head　to　one　side；　a　gloved　hand　on　her　slender　hip；　gazing　as　it　were　ironically　from　under　drooped　lids　at　buds　which　did　not　come　out　fast　enough。　　And　the　word　'Caline；'　for　he　was　something　of　a　French　scholar；　shot　through　his　mind：　'Kath3een…　Caline！'　If　he　found　her　there　when　he　got　in；　he　would　steal　up　on　the　grass　andah！　but　with　great　care　not　to　crease　her　dress　or　disturb　her　hair！　　'If　only　she　weren't　quite　so　self…contained；'　he　thought；　'It's　like　a　cat　you　can't　get　near；　not　really　near！'

The　car；　returning　faster　than　it　had　come　down　that　morning；　had　already　passed　the　outskirt　villas；　and　was　breasting　the　hill　to　where；　among　fields　and　the　old　trees；　Charm3eigh　lay　apart　from　commoner　life。　　Turning　into　his　drive；　Mr。　Bosengate　thought　with　a　certain　surprise：　'I　wonder　what　she　does　think　of！　　I　wonder！'　　He　put　his　gloves　and　hat　down　in　the　outer　hall　and　went　into　the　lavatory；　to　dip　his　face　in　cool　water　and　wash　it　with　sweet…　smelling　soapdelicious　revenge　on　the　unclean　atmosphere　in　which　he　had　been　stewing　so　many　hours。　　He　came　out　again　into　the　hall　dazed　by　soap　and　the　mellowed　light；　and　a　voice　from　half…way　up　the　stairs　said：　〃Daddy！　　Look！〃　　His　little　daughter　was　standing　up　there　with　one　hand　on　the　banisters。　　She　scrambled　on　to　them　and　came　sliding　down；　her　frock　up　to　her　eyes；　and　her　holland　knickers　to　her　middle。　　Mr。　Bosengate　said　mildly：

〃Well；　that's　elegant！〃

〃Tea's　in　the　summer…house。　　Mummy's　waiting。　　Come　on！〃

With　her　hand　in　his；　Mr。　Bosengate　went　on；　through　the　drawing…　room；　long　and　cool；　with　sun…blinds　down；　through　the　billiard…room；　high　and　cool；　through　the　conservatory；　green　and　sweet…smelling；　out　on　to　the　terrace　and　the　upper　lawn。　　He　had　never　felt　such　sheer　exhilarated　joy　in　his　home　surroundings；　so　cool；　glistening　and　green　under　the　July　sun；　and　he　said：

〃Well；　Kit；　what　have　you　all　been　doing？〃

〃I've　fed　my　rabbits　and　Harry's；　and　we've　been　in　the　attic；　Harry　got　his　leg　through　the　skylight。〃

Mr。　Bosengate　drew　in　his　breath　with　a　hiss。

〃It's　all　right；　Daddy；　we　got　it　out　again；　it's　only　grazed　the　skin。　　And　we've　been　making　swabsI　made　seventeen；　Mummy　made　thirty…three；　and　then　she　went　to　the　hospital。　　Did　you　put　many　men　in　prison？〃

Mr。　Bosengate　cleared　his　throat。　　The　question　seemed　to　him　untimely。

〃Only　two。〃

〃What's　it　like　in　prison；　Daddy？〃

Mr。　Bosengate；　who　had　no　more　knowledge　than　his　little　daughter；　replied　in　an　absent　voice：

〃Not　very　nice。〃

They　were　passing　under　a　young　oak　tree；　where　the　path　wound　round　to　the　rosery　and　summer…house。　　Something　shot　down　and　clawed　Mr。　Bosengate's　neck。　　His　little　daughter　began　to　hop　and　suffocate　with　laughter。

〃Oh；　Daddy！　　Aren't　you　caught！　　I　led　you　on　purpose！〃

Looking　up；　Mr。　Bosengate　saw　his　small　son　lying　along　a　low　branch　above　himlike　the　leopard　he　was　declaring　himself　to　be　（for　fear　of　error）；　and　thought　blithely：　'What　an　active　little　chap　it　is！'　〃Let　me　drop　on　your　shoulders；　Daddylike　they　do　on　the　deer。〃

〃Oh；　yes！　　Do　be　a　deer；　Daddy！〃

Mr。　Bosengate　did　not　see　being　a　deer；　his　hair　had　just　been　brushed。　　But　he　entered　the　rosery　buoyantly　between　his　offspring。　His　wife　was　standing　precisely　as　he　had　imagined　her；　in　a　pale　blue　frock　open　at　the　neck；　with　a　narrow　black　band　round　the　waist；　and　little　accordion　pleats　below。　　She　looked　her　coolest。　Her　smile；　when　she　turned　her　head；　hardly　seemed　to　take　Mr。　Bosengate　seriously　enough。　　He　placed　his　lips　below　one　of　her　half…drooped　eyelids。　　She　even　smelled　of　roses。　　His　children　began　to　dance　round　their　mother；　and　Mr。　Bosengate；firmly　held　between　them；　was　also　compelled　to　do　this；　until　she　said：

〃When　you've　quite　done；　let's　have　tea！〃

It　was　not　the　greeting　he　had　imagined　coming　along　in　the　car。　Earwigs　were　plentiful　in　the　summer…houseused　perhaps　twice　a　year；　but　indispensable　to　every　country　residenceand　Mr。　Bosengate　was　not　sorry　for　the　excuse　to　get　out　again。　　Though　all　was　so　pleasant；　he　felt　oddly　restless；　rather　suffocated；　and　lighting　his　pipe；　began　to　move　about　among　the　roses；　blowing　tobacco　at　the　greenfly；　in　war…time　one　was　never　quite　idle！　　And　suddenly　he　said：

〃We're　trying　a　wretched　Tommy　at　the　assizes。〃

His　wife　looked　up　from　a　rose。

〃What　for？〃

〃Attempted　suicide。〃

〃Why　did　he？〃

〃Can't　stand　the　separation　from　his　wife。〃

She　looked　at　him；　gave　a　low　laugh；　and　said：

〃Oh　dear！〃

Mr。　Bosengate　was　puzzled。　　Why　did　she　laugh？　　He　looked　round；　saw　that　the　children　were　gone；　took　his　pipe　from　his　mouth；　and　approached　her。

〃You　look　very　pretty；〃　he　said。　　〃Give　me　a　kiss！〃

His　wife　bent　her　body　forward　from　the　waist；　and　pushed　her　lips　out　till　they　touched　his　moustache。　　Mr。　Bosengate　felt　a　sensation　as　if　he　had　arisen　from　breakfast；　without　having　eaten　marmalade。　He　mastered　it；　and　said：

〃That　jury　are　a　rum　lot。〃

His　wife's　eyelids　flickered。　　〃I　wish　women　sat　on　juries。〃

〃Why？〃

〃It　would　be　an　experience。〃

Not　the　first　time　she　had　used　that　curious　expression！　　Yet　her　life　was　far　from　dull；　so　far　as　he　could　see；　with　the　new　interests　created　by　the　war；　and　the　constant　calls　on　her　time　made　by　the　perfection　of　their　home　life；　she　had　a　useful　and　busy　existence。　　Again　the　random　thought　passed　through　him：　'But　she　never　tells　me　anything！'　　And　suddenly　that　lugubrious　khaki…clad　figure　started　up　among　the　rose　bushes。　　〃We've　got　a　lot　to　be　thankful　for！〃　he　said　abruptly。　　〃I　must　go　to　work！〃　　His　wife；　raising　one　eyebrow；　smiled。　　〃And　I　to　weep！〃　　Mr。　Bosengate　laughedshe