eugene pickering-第2章

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innocence　with　a　single；　rapid；　upward　smile。　　He　had　innocence

enough　left；　however；　to　look　round　the　table　with　a　gleeful；

conscious　laugh；　in　the　midst　of　which　his　eyes　encountered　my　own。

Then　suddenly　the　familiar　look　which　had　vanished　from　his　face

flickered　up　unmistakably；　it　was　the　boyish　laugh　of　a　boyhood's

friend。　　Stupid　fellow　that　I　was；　I　had　been　looking　at　Eugene

Pickering！



Though　I　lingered　on　for　some　time　longer　he　failed　to　recognise　me。

Recognition；　I　think；　had　kindled　a　smile　in　my　own　face；　but；　less

fortunate　than　he；　I　suppose　my　smile　had　ceased　to　be　boyish。　　Now

that　luck　had　faced　about　again；　his　companion　played　for　herself

played　and　won；　hand　over　hand。　　At　last　she　seemed　disposed　to　rest

on　her　gains；　and　proceeded　to　bury　them　in　the　folds　of　her　muslin。

Pickering　had　staked　nothing　for　himself；　but　as　he　saw　her　prepare

to　withdraw　he　offered　her　a　double　napoleon　and　begged　her　to　place

it。　　She　shook　her　head　with　great　decision；　and　seemed　to　bid　him

put　it　up　again；　but　he；　still　blushing　a　good　deal；　pressed　her　with

awkward　ardour；　and　she　at　last　took　it　from　him；　looked　at　him　a

moment　fixedly；　and　laid　it　on　a　number。　　A　moment　later　the　croupier

was　raking　it　in。　　She　gave　the　young　man　a　little　nod　which　seemed

to　say；　〃I　told　you　so；〃　he　glanced　round　the　table　again　and

laughed；　she　left　her　chair；　and　he　made　a　way　for　her　through　the

crowd。　　Before　going　home　I　took　a　turn　on　the　terrace　and　looked

down　on　the　esplanade。　　The　lamps　were　out；　but　the　warm　starlight

vaguely　illumined　a　dozen　figures　scattered　in　couples。　　One　of　these

figures；　I　thought；　was　a　lady　in　a　white　dress。



I　had　no　intention　of　letting　Pickering　go　without　reminding　him　of

our　old　acquaintance。　　He　had　been　a　very　singular　boy；　and　I　was

curious　to　see　what　had　become　of　his　singularity。　　I　looked　for　him

the　next　morning　at　two　or　three　of　the　hotels；　and　at　last　I

discovered　his　whereabouts。　　But　he　was　out；　the　waiter　said；　he　had

gone　to　walk　an　hour　before。　　I　went　my　way；　confident　that　I　should

meet　him　in　the　evening。　　It　was　the　rule　with　the　Homburg　world　to

spend　its　evenings　at　the　Kursaal；　and　Pickering；　apparently；　had

already　discovered　a　good　reason　for　not　being　an　exception。　　One　of

the　charms　of　Homburg　is　the　fact　that　of　a　hot　day　you　may　walk

about　for　a　whole　afternoon　in　unbroken　shade。　　The　umbrageous

gardens　of　the　Kursaal　mingle　with　the　charming　Hardtwald；　which　in

turn　melts　away　into　the　wooded　slopes　of　the　Taunus　Mountains。　　To

the　Hardtwald　I　bent　my　steps；　and　strolled　for　an　hour　through　mossy

glades　and　the　still；　perpendicular　gloom　of　the　fir…woods。

Suddenly；　on　the　grassy　margin　of　a　by…path；　I　came　upon　a　young　man

stretched　at　his　length　in　the　sun…checkered　shade；　and　kicking　his

heels　towards　a　patch　of　blue　sky。　　My　step　was　so　noiseless　on　the

turf　that；　before　he　saw　me；　I　had　time　to　recognise　Pickering　again。

He　looked　as　if　he　had　been　lounging　there　for　some　time；　his　hair

was　tossed　about　as　if　he　had　been　sleeping；　on　the　grass　near　him；

beside　his　hat　and　stick；　lay　a　sealed　letter。　　When　he　perceived　me

he　jerked　himself　forward；　and　I　stood　looking　at　him　without

introducing　myselfpurposely；　to　give　him　a　chance　to　recognise　me。

He　put　on　his　glasses；　being　awkwardly　near…sighted；　and　stared　up　at

me　with　an　air　of　general　trustfulness；　but　without　a　sign　of　knowing

me。　　So　at　last　I　introduced　myself。　　Then　he　jumped　up　and　grasped

my　hands；　and　stared　and　blushed　and　laughed；　and　began　a　dozen

random　questions；　ending　with　a　demand　as　to　how　in　the　world　I　had

known　him。



〃Why；　you　are　not　changed　so　utterly；〃　I　said；　〃and　after　all；　it's

but　fifteen　years　since　you　used　to　do　my　Latin　exercises　for　me。〃



〃Not　changed；　eh？〃　he　answered；　still　smiling；　and　yet　speaking　with

a　sort　of　ingenuous　dismay。



Then　I　remembered　that　poor　Pickering　had　been；　in　those　Latin　days；

a　victim　of　juvenile　irony。　　He　used　to　bring　a　bottle　of　medicine　to

school　and　take　a　dose　in　a　glass　of　water　before　lunch；　and　every

day　at　two　o'clock；　half　an　hour　before　the　rest　of　us　were

liberated；　an　old　nurse　with　bushy　eyebrows　came　and　fetched　him　away

in　a　carriage。　　His　extremely　fair　complexion；　his　nurse；　and　his

bottle　of　medicine；　which　suggested　a　vague　analogy　with　the

sleeping…potion　in　the　tragedy；　caused　him　to　be　called　Juliet。

Certainly　Romeo's　sweetheart　hardly　suffered　more；　she　was　not；　at

least；　a　standing　joke　in　Verona。　　Remembering　these　things；　I

hastened　to　say　to　Pickering　that　I　hoped　he　was　still　the　same　good

fellow　who　used　to　do　my　Latin　for　me。　　〃We　were　capital　friends；　you

know；〃　I　went　on；　〃then　and　afterwards。〃



〃Yes；　we　were　very　good　friends；〃　he　said；　〃and　that　makes　it　the

stranger　I　shouldn't　have　known　you。　　For　you　know；　as　a　boy；　I　never

had　many　friends；　nor　as　a　man　either。　　You　see；〃　he　added；　passing

his　hand　over　his　eyes；　〃I　am　rather　dazed；　rather　bewildered　at

finding　myself　for　the　first　timealone。〃　　And　he　jerked　back　his

shoulders　nervously；　and　threw　up　his　head；　as　if　to　settle　himself

in　an　unwonted　position。　　I　wondered　whether　the　old　nurse　with　the

bushy　eyebrows　had　remained　attached　to　his　person　up　to　a　recent

period；　and　discovered　presently　that；　virtually　at　least；　she　had。

We　had　the　whole　summer　day　before　us；　and　we　sat　down　on　the　grass

together　and　overhauled　our　old　memories。　　It　was　as　if　we　had

stumbled　upon　an　ancient　cupboard　in　some　dusky　corner；　and　rummaged

out　a　heap　of　childish　playthingstin　soldiers　and　torn　story…books；

jack…knives　and　Chinese　puzzles。　　This　is　what　we　remembered　between

us。



He　had　made　but　a　short　stay　at　schoolnot　because　he　was　tormented；

for　he　thought　it　so　fine　to　be　at　school　at　all　that　he　held　his

tongue　at　home　about　the　sufferings　incurred　through　the　medicine…

bottle；　but　because　his　father　thought　he　was　learning　bad　manners。

This　he　imparted　to　me　in　confidence　at　the　time；　and　I　remember　how

it　increased　my　oppressive　awe　of　Mr。　Pickering；　who　had　appeared　to

me　in　glimpses　as　a　sort　of　high　priest　of　the　proprieties。　　Mr。

Pickering　was　a　widowera　fact　which　seemed　to　produce　in　him　a　sort

of　preternatural　concentration　of　parental　dignity。　　He　was　a

majestic　man；　with　a　hooked　nose；　a　keen　dark　eye；　very　large

whiskers；　and　notions　of　his　own　as　to　how　a　boyor　his　boy；　at　any

rateshould　be　brought　up。　　First　and　foremost；　he　was　to　be　a

〃gentleman〃；　which　seemed　to　mean；　chiefly；　that　he　was　always　to

wear　a　muffler　and　gloves；　and　be　sent　to　bed；　after　a　supper　of

bread　and　milk；　at　eight　o'clock。　　School…life；　on　experiment；　seemed

hostile　to　these　observances；　and　Eugene　was　taken　home　again；　to　be

moulded　into　urbanity　beneath　the　parental　eye。　　A　tutor　was　provided

for　him；　and　a　single　select　companion　was　prescribed。　　The　choice；

mysteriously；　fell　on　me；　born　as　I　was　under　quite　another　star；　my

parents　were　appealed　to；　and　I　was　allowed　for　a　few　months　to　have

my　lessons　with　Eugene。　　The　tutor；　I　think；　must　have　been　rather　a

snob；　for　Eugene　was　treated　like　a　prince；　while　I　got　all　the

questions　and　the　raps　with　the　ruler。　　And　yet　I　remember　never

being　jealous　of　my　happier　comrade；　and　striking　up；　for　the　time；

one　of　those　friendships　of　childhood。　　He　had　a　watch　and　a　pony　and

a　great　store　of　picture…books；　but　my　envy　of　these　luxuries　was

tempered　by　a　vague　compassion　which　left　me　free　to　be　generous。　　I

could　go　out　to　play　alone；　I　could　button　my　jacket　myself；　and　sit

up　till　I　was　sleepy。　　Poor　Pickering　could　never　take　a　step　without

asking　leave；　or　spend　half　an　hour　in　the　garden　without　a　formal

report　of　it　when　he　came　in。　　My　parents；　who　had　no　desire　to　see

me　inoculated　with　importunate　virtues；　sent　me　back　to　school　at　the

end　of　six　months。　　After　that　I　never　saw　Eugene。　　His　father　went

to　live　in　the　country；　to　protect　t