the sleeping-car(卧车)-第4章
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and up at the dangling hats and bags and bonnets； and down at the chaos
of boots of both sexes on the floor。＇ I don't know HOW I expected to
find her。
＇MR。 ROBERTS'S countenance falls； and he visibly sinks so low in
his own esteem and an imaginary public opinion that THE PORTER
begins to have a little compassion。＇
THE PORTER。 Dey's so many ladies on board _I_ couldn't find her。
MR。 ROBERTS。 Oh； no； no； of course not。 I didn't expect that。
THE PORTER。 Don't like to go routing 'em all up； you know。 I
wouldn't be allowed to。
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THE SLEEPING…CAR
MR。 ROBERTS。 I don't ask it； that would be preposterous。
THE PORTER。 What sort of looking lady was she？
MR。 ROBERTS。 Well； I don't know； really。 Not very tall； rather
slight； blue eyes。 II don't know what you'd call her nose。 And stop！
Oh yes； she had a child with her； a little boy。 Yes！
THE PORTER （thoughtfully looking down the aisle）。 Dey was three
ladies had children。 I didn't notice whether dey was boys or girls； or
WHAT dey was。 Didn't have anybody with her？
MR。 ROBERTS。 No； no。 Only the child。
THE PORTER。 Well； I don't know what you are going to do； sah。
It won't be a great while now till morning； you know。 Here comes the
conductor。 Maybe he'll know what to do。
＇MR。 ROBERTS makes some futile； inarticulate attempts to prevent
The PORTER from laying the case before THE CONDUCTOR； and then
stands guiltily smiling； overwhelmed with the hopeless absurdity of his
position。＇
THE CONDUCTOR （entering the car； and stopping before THE
PORTER； and looking at MR。 ROBERTS）。 Gentleman want a berth？
THE PORTER （grinning）。 Well； no； sah。 He's lookin' for his wife。
THE CONDUCTOR （with suspicion）。 Is she aboard this car？
MR。 ROBERTS （striving to propitiate THE CONDUCTOR by a
dastardly amiability）。 Oh； yes； yes。 There's no mistake about the car
the Governor Marcy。 She telegraphed the name just before you left
Albany； so that I could find her at Boston in the morning。 Ah！
THE CONDUCTOR。 At Boston。 ＇Sternly。＇ Then what are you
trying to find her at Worcester in the middle of the night for？
MR。 ROBERTS。 WhyIthat is …
THE PORTER （taking compassion on MR。 ROBERTS'S inability to
continue）。 Says he wanted to surprise her。
MR。 ROBERTS。 Hayes； exactly。 A little caprice； you know。
THE CONDUCTOR。 Well； that may all be so。 ＇MR。 ROBERTS
continues to smile in agonized helplessness against THE CONDUCTOR'S
injurious tone； which becomes more and more offensively patronizing。＇
But _I_ can't do anything for you。 Here are all these people asleep in
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THE SLEEPING…CAR
their berths； and I can't go round waking them up because you want to
surprise your wife。
MR。 ROBERTS。 No； no； of course not。 I never thought …
THE CONDUCTOR。 My advice to YOU is to have a berth made up；
and go to bed till we get to Boston； and surprise your wife by telling her
what you tried to do。
MR。 ROBERTS （unable to resent the patronage of this suggestion）。
Well； I don't know but I will。
THE CONDUCTOR （going out）。 The porter will make up the berth
for you。
MR。 ROBERTS （to THE PORTER； who is about to pull down the
upper berth over a vacant seat）。 Ah！ ErII don't think I'll trouble you
to make it up； it's so near morning now。 Just bring me a pillow； and I'll
try to get a nap without lying down。
＇He takes the vacant seat。＇
THE PORTER。 All right； sah。
＇He goes to the end of the car and returns with a pillow。＇
MR。 ROBERTS。 Ahporter！
THE PORTER。 Yes； sah。
MR。 ROBERTS。 Of course you didn't notice； but you don't think you
DID notice who was in that berth yonder？
＇He indicates a certain berth。＇
THE PORTER。 Dat's a gen'leman in dat berth； I think； sah。
MR。 ROBERTS （astutely）。 There's a bonnet hanging from the hook
at the top。 I'm not sure； but it looks like my wife's bonnet。
THE PORTER （evidently shaken by this reasoning； but recovering his
firmness）。 Yes； sah。 But you can't depend upon de ladies to hang deir
bonnets on de right hook。 Jes' likely as not dat lady's took de hook at de
foot of her berth instead o' de head。 Sometimes dey takes both。
MR。 ROBERTS。 Ah！ ＇After a pause。＇ Porter！
THE PORTER。 Yes； sah。
MR。 ROBERTS。 You wouldn't feel justified in looking？
THE PORTER。 I couldn't； sah； I couldn't； indeed。
MR。 ROBERTS （reaching his left hand toward THE PORTER'S； and
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THE SLEEPING…CAR
pressing a half dollar into his instantly responsive palm）。 But there's
nothing to prevent MY looking if I feel perfectly sure of the bonnet？
THE PORTER。 N…no； sah。
MR。 ROBERTS。 All right。
＇THE PORTER retires to the end of the car； and resumes the work of
polishing the passengers' boots。 After an interval of quiet； MR。
ROBERTS rises； and； looking about him with what he feels to be
melodramatic stealth； approaches the suspected berth。 He unloops the
curtain with a trembling hand； and peers ineffectually in； he advances his
head further and further into the darkened recess； and then suddenly
dodges back again； with THE CALIFORNIAN hanging to his neckcloth
with one hand。＇
THE CALIFORNIAN （savagely）。 What do you want？
MR。 ROBERTS （struggling and breathless）。 III want my wife。
THE CALIFORNIAN。 Want your wife！ Have _I_ got your wife？
MR。 ROBERTS。 Noahthat isah； excuse meI thought you
WERE my wife。
THE CALIFORNIAN （getting out of the berth； but at the same time
keeping hold of MR。 ROBERTS）。 Thought I was your WIFE！ Do I
look like your wife？ You can't play that on me； old man。 Porter！
conductor！
MR。 ROBERTS （agonized）。 Oh； I beseech you； my dear sir； don't
don't！ I can explain itI can indeed。 I know it has an ugly look； but if
you will allow me two wordsonly two words …
MRS。 ROBERTS （suddenly parting the curtain of her berth； and
springing out into the aisle； with her hair wildly dishevelled）。 Edward！
MR。 ROBERTS。 Oh； Agnes； explain to this gentleman！
＇Imploringly。＇ Don't you know me？
A VOICE。 Make him show you the strawberry mark on his left arm。
MRS。 ROBERTS。 Edward！ Edward！ ＇THE CALIFORNIAN
mechanically looses his grip； and they fly into each other's embrace。＇
Where did you come from？ A VOICE。 Centre door； left hand； one
back。
THE CONDUCTOR （returning with
