five tales-第50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！
to work！〃 His wife； raising one eyebrow； smiled。 〃And I to weep！〃 Mr。 Bosengate laughedshe had a pretty wit！ And stroking his comely moustache where it had been kissed； he moved out into the sunshine。 All the evening； throughout his labours； not inconsiderable； for this jury business had put him behind time； he was afflicted by that restless pleasure in his surroundings； would break off in mowing the lower lawn to look at the house through the trees； would leave his study and committee papers； to cross into the drawing…room and sniff its dainty fragrance； paid a special good…night visit to the children having supper in the schoolroom； pottered in and out from his dressing room to admire his wife while she was changing for dinner； dined with his mind perpetually on the next course； talked volubly of the war； and in the billiard room afterwards； smoking the pipe which had taken the place of his cigar； could not keep still； but roamed about； now in conservatory； now in the drawing…room； where his wife and the governess were still making swabs。 It seemed to him that he could not have enough of anything。 About eleven o'clock he strolled out beautiful night； only just dark enoughunder the new arrangement with Timeand went down to the little round fountain below the terrace。 His wife was playing the piano。 Mr。 Bosengate looked at the water and the flat dark water lily leaves which floated there； looked up at the house； where only narrow chinks of light showed； because of the Lighting Order。 The dreamy music drifted out； there was a scent of heliotrope。 He moved a few steps back； and sat in the children's swing under an old lime tree。 Jollyblissfulin the warm； bloomy dark！ Of all hours of the day； this before going to bed was perhaps the pleasantest。 He saw the light go up in his wife's bed room； unscreened for a full minute； and thought： 'Aha！ If I did my duty as a special； I should 〃strafe〃 her for that。' She came to the window； her figure lighted； hands up to the back of her head； so that her bare arms gleamed。 Mr。 Bosengate wafted her a kiss； knowing he could not be seen。 'Lucky chap！' he mused； 'she's a great joy！' Up went her arm； down came the blind the house was dark again。 He drew a long breath。 'Another ten minutes；' he thought； 'then I'll go in and shut up。 By Jove！ The limes are beginning to smell already！' And； the better to take in that acme of his well…being； he tilted the swing； lifted his feet from the ground； and swung himself toward the scented blossoms。 He wanted to whelm his senses in their perfume； and closed his eyes。 But instead of the domestic vision he expected； the face of the little Welsh soldier； hare…eyed； shadowy； pinched and dark and pitiful； started up with such disturbing vividness that he opened his eyes again at once。 Curse！ The fellow almost haunted one！ Where would he be now poor little devil！lying in his cell； thinkingthinking of his wife！ Feeling suddenly morbid； Mr。 Bosengate arrested the swing and stood up。 Absurd！all his well… being and mood of warm anticipation had deserted him！ 'A d…d world！' he thought。 'Such a lot of misery！ Why should I have to sit in judgment on that poor beggar； and condemn him？' He moved up on to the terrace and walked briskly； to rid himself of this disturbance before going in。 'That commercial traveller chap；' he thought； 'the rest of those fellowsthey see nothing！' And； abruptly turning up the three stone steps； he entered the conservatory； locked it； passed into the billiard room； and drank his barley water。 One of the pictures was hanging crooked； he went up to put it straight。 Still life。 Grapes and apples； andlobsters！ They struck him as odd for the first time。 Why lobsters？ The whole picture seemed dead and oily。 He turned off the light； and went upstairs； passed his wife's door； into his own room； and undressed。 Clothed in his pyjamas he opened the door between the rooms。 By the light coming from his own he could see her dark head on the pillow。 Was she asleep？ Nonot asleep； certainly。 The moment of fruition had come； the crowning of his pride and pleasure in his home。 But he continued to stand there。 He had suddenly no pride； no pleasure； no desire； nothing but a sort of dull resentment against everything。 He turned back； shut the door； and slipping between the heavy curtains and his open window； stood looking out at the night。 'Full of misery！' he thought。 'Full of d…d misery！'
II
Filing into the jury box next morning； Mr。 Bosengate collided slightly with a short juryman； whose square figure and square head of stiff yellow…red hair he had only vaguely noticed the day before。 The man looked angry； and Mr。 Bosengate thought： 'An ill…bred dog； that！'
He sat down quickly； and； to avoid further recognition of his fellows； gazed in front of him。 His appearance on Saturdays was always military； by reason of the route march of his Volunteer Corps in the afternoon。 Gentleman Fox； who belonged to the corps too； was also looking square； but that commercial traveller on his other side seemed more louche； and as if surprised in immorality； than ever； only the proximity of Gentleman Fox on the other side kept Mr。 Bosengate from shrinking。 Then he saw the prisoner being brought in； shadowy and dark behind the brightness of his buttons； and he experienced a sort of shock； this figure was so exactly that which had several times started up in his mind。 Somehow he had expected a fresh sight of the fellow to dispel and disprove what had been haunting him； had expected to find him just an outside phenomenon； not； as it were； a part of his own life。 And he gazed at the carven immobility of the judge's face； trying to steady himself； as a drunken man will； by looking at a light。 The regimental doctor； unabashed by the judge's comment on his absence the day before； gave his evidence like a man who had better things to do； and the case for the prosecution was forthwith rounded in by a little speech from counsel。 The matterhe saidwas clear as daylight。 Those who wore His Majesty's uniform； charged with the responsibility and privilege of defending their country； were no more entitled to desert their regiments by taking their own lives than they were entitled to desert in any other way。 He asked for a conviction。 Mr。 Bosengate felt a sympathetic shuffle passing through all feet； the judge was speaking：
〃Prisoner； you can either go into the witness box and make your statement on oath； in which case you may be cross…examined on it； or you can make your statement there from the dock； in which case you will not be cross…examined。 Which do you elect to do？〃
〃From here； my lord。〃
Seeing him now full face； and； as it might be； come to life in the effort to convey his feelings； Mr。 Bosengate had suddenly a quite different impression of the fellow。 It was as if his khaki had fallen off； and he had stepped out of his own shadow； a live and quivering creature。 His pinched clean…shaven face seemed to have an irregular； wilder； hairier look； his large nervous brown eyes darkened and glowed； he jerked his shoulders； his arms； his whole body； like a man suddenly freed from cramp or a suit of armour。
He spoke； too； in a quick； crisp； rather high voice； pinching his consonants a little； sharpening his vowels； like a true Welshman。
〃My lord and misters the jury；〃 he said： 〃I was a hairdresser when the call came on me to join the army。 I had a little home and a wife。 I never thought what it would be like to be away from them； I surely never did； and I'm ashamed to be speaking it out like this how it can squeeze and squeeze a man； how it can prey on your mind； when you're nervous like I am。 'Tis not everyone that cares for his homethere's lots o' them never wants to see their wives again。 But for me 'tis like being shut up in a cage； it is！〃 Mr。 Bosengate saw daylight between the skinny fingers of the man's hand thrown out with a jerk。 〃I cannot bear it shut up away from wife and home like what you are in the army。 So when I took my razor that morning I was wildan' I wouldn't be here now but for that man catching my hand。 There was no reason in it； I'm willing to confess。 It was foolish； but wait till you get f
