the wheels of chance-第14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！


the　orthodox　development　of　the　Adventure。　He　perceives　he　was　too　precipitate。　But　he　feels　his　honour　is　involved；　and　meditates　the　development　of　a　new　attack。　And　the　girl？　She　is　unawakened。　Her　motives　are　bookish；　written　by　a　haphazard　syndicate　of　authors；　novelists；　and　biographers；　on　her　white　inexperience。　An　artificial　oversoul　she　is；　that　may　presently　break　down　and　reveal　a　human　being　beneath　it。　She　is　still　in　that　schoolgirl　phase　when　a　talkative　old　man　is　more　interesting　than　a　tongue…tied　young　one；　and　when　to　be　an　eminent　mathematician；　say；　or　to　edit　a　daily　paper；　seems　as　fine　an　ambition　as　any　girl　need　aspire　to。　Bechaniel　was　to　have　helped　her　to　attain　that　in　the　most　expeditious　manner；　and　here　he　is　beside　her；　talking　enigmatical　phrases　about　passion；　looking　at　her　with　the　oddest　expression；　and　once；　and　that　was　his　gravest　offence；　offering　to　kiss　her。　At　any　rate　he　has　apologised。　She　still　scarcely　realises；　you　see；　the　scrape　she　has　got　into。



THE　ENCOUNTER　AT　MIDHURST

XVII

We　left　Mr。　Hoopdriver　at　the　door　of　the　little　tea；　toy；　and　tobacco　shop。　You　must　not　think　that　a　strain　is　put　on　coincidence　when　I　tell　you　that　next　door　to　Mrs。　Wardor'sthat　was　the　name　of　the　bright…eyed；　little　old　lady　with　whom　Mr。　Hoopdriver　had　stoppedis　the　Angel　Hotel；　and　in　the　Angel　Hotel；　on　the　night　that　Mr。　Hoopdriver　reached　Midhurst；　were　'Mr。'　and　'Miss'　Beaumont；　our　Bechamel　and　Jessie　Milton。　Indeed；　it　was　a　highly　probable　thing；　for　if　one　goes　through　Guildford；　the　choice　of　southward　roads　is　limited；　you　may　go　by　Petersfield　to　Portsmouth；　or　by　Midhurst　to　Chichester；　in　addition　to　which　highways　there　is　nothing　for　it　but　minor　roadways　to　Petworth　or　Pulborough；　and　cross…cuts　Brightonward。　And　coming　to　Midhurst　from　the　north；　the　Angel's　entrance　lies　yawning　to　engulf　your　highly　respectable　cyclists；　while　Mrs。　Wardor's　genial　teapot　is　equally　attractive　to　those　who　weigh　their　means　in　little　scales。　But　to　people　unfamiliar　with　the　Sussex　roadsand　such　were　the　three　persons　of　this　storythe　convergence　did　not　appear　to　be　so　inevitable。

Bechamel；　tightening　his　chain　in　the　Angel　yard　after　dinner；　was　the　first　to　be　aware　of　their　reunion。　He　saw　Hoopdriver　walk　slowly　across　the　gateway；　his　head　enhaloed　in　cigarette　smoke；　and　pass　out　of　sight　up　the　street。　Incontinently　a　mass　of　cloudy　uneasiness；　that　had　been　partly　dispelled　during　the　day；　reappeared　and　concentrated　rapidly　into　definite　suspicion。　He　put　his　screw　hammer　into　his　pocket　and　walked　through　the　archway　into　the　street；　to　settle　the　business　forthwith；　for　he　prided　himself　on　his　decision。　Hoopdriver　was　merely　promenading；　and　they　met　face　to　face。

At　the　sight　of　his　adversary；　something　between　disgust　and　laughter　seized　Mr。　Hoopdriver　and　for　a　moment　destroyed　his　animosity。　〃'Ere　we　are　again！〃　he　said；　laughing　insincerely　in　a　sudden　outbreak　at　the　perversity　of　chance。

The　other　man　in　brown　stopped　short　in　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　way；　staring。　Then　his　face　assumed　an　expression　of　dangerous　civility。　〃Is　it　any　information　to　you；〃　he　said；　with　immense　politeness；　〃when　I　remark　that　you　are　following　us？〃

Mr。　Hoopdriver；　for　some　occult　reason；　resisted　his　characteristic　impulse　to　apologise。　He　wanted　to　annoy。the　other　man　in　brown；　and　a　sentence　that　had　come　into　his　head　in　a　previous　rehearsal　cropped　up　appropriately。　〃Since　when；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　catching　his　breath；　yet　bringing　the　question　out　valiantly；　nevertheless；〃since　when　'ave　you　purchased　the　county　of　Sussex？〃

〃May　I　point　out；〃　said　the　other　man　in　brown；　〃that　I　object　we　object　not　only　to　your　proximity　to　us。　To　be　frankyou　appear　to　be　following　uswith　an　object。〃

〃You　can　always；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　〃turn　round　if　you　don't　like　it；　and　go　back　the　way　you　came。〃

〃Oh…o！〃　said　the　other　man　in　brown。　〃THAT'S　it！　I　thought　as　much。〃

〃Did　you？〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　quite　at　sea；　but　rising　pluckily　to　the　unknown　occasion。　What　was　the　man　driving　at？

〃I　see；〃　said　the　other　man。　〃I　see。　I　half　suspected〃　His　manner　changed　abruptly　to　a　quality　suspiciously　friendly。　〃Yes…　…a　word　with　you。　You　will；　I　hope；　give　me　ten　minutes。〃

Wonderful　things　were　dawning　on　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　What　did　the　other　man　take　him　for？　Here　at　last　was　reality！　He　hesitated。　Then　he　thought　of　an　admirable　phrase。　〃You　'ave　some　communication〃

〃We'll　call　it　a　communication；〃　said　the　other　man。

〃I　can　spare　you　the　ten　minutes；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　with　dignity。

〃This　way；　then；〃　said　the　other　man　in　brown；　and　they　walked　slowly　down　the　North　Street　towards　the　Grammar　School。　There　was；　perhaps；　thirty　seconds'　silence。　The　other　man　stroked　his　moustache　nervously。　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　dramatic　instincts　were　now　fully　awake。　He　did　not　quite　understand　in　what　role　he　was　cast；　but　it　was　evidently　something　dark　and　mysterious。　Doctor　Conan　Doyle；　Victor　Hugo；　and　Alexander　Dumas　were　well　within　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　range　of　reading；　and　he　had　not　read　them　for　nothing。

〃I　will　be　perfectly　frank　with　you；〃　said　the　other　man　in　brown。

〃Frankness　is　always　the　best　course；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。

〃Well；　thenwho　the　devil　set　you　on　this　business？〃

〃Set　me　ON　this　business？〃

〃Don't　pretend　to　be　stupid。　Who's　your　employer？　Who　engaged　you　for　this　job？〃

〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　confused。　〃NoI　can't　say。〃

〃Quite　sure？〃　The　other　man　in　brown　glanced　meaningly　down　at　his　hand；　and　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　following　him　mechanically；　saw　a　yellow　milled　edge　glittering　in　the　twilight。　Now　your　shop　assistant　is　just　above　the　tip…receiving　class；　and　only　just　above　itso　that　he　is　acutely　sensitive　on　the　point。

Mr。　Hoopdriver　flushed　hotly；　and　his　eyes　were　angry　as　he　met　those　of　the　other　man　in　brown。　〃Stow　it！〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　stopping　and　facing　the　tempter。

〃What！〃　said　the　other　man　in　brown；　surprised。　〃Eigh？〃　And　so　saying　he　stowed　it　in　his　breeches　pocket。

〃D'yer　think　I'm　to　be　bribed？〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　whose　imagination　was　rapidly　expanding　the　situation。　〃By　Gosh！　I'd　follow　you　now〃

〃My　dear　sir；〃　said　the　other　man　in　brown；　〃I　beg　your　pardon。　I　misunderstood　you。　I　really　beg　your　pardon。　Let　us　walk　on。　In　your　profession〃

〃What　have　you　got　to　say　against　my　profession？〃

〃Well；　really；　you　know。　There　are　detectives　of　an　inferior　descriptionwatchers。　The　whole　class。　Private　InquiryI　did　not　realiseI　really　trust　you　will　overlook　what　was；　after　allyou　must　admita　natural　indiscretion。　Men　of　honour　are　not　so　common　in　the　worldin　any　profession。〃

It　was　lucky　for　Mr。　Hoopdriver　that　in　Midhurst　they　do　not　light　the　lamps　in　the　summer　time；　or　the　one　they　were　passing　had　betrayed　him。　As　it　was；　he　had　to　snatch　suddenly　at　his　moustache　and　tug　fiercely　at　it；　to　conceal　the　furious　tumult　of　exultation；　the　passion　of　laughter；　that　came　boiling　up。　Detective！　Even　in　the　shadow　Bechamel　saw　that　a　laugh　was　stifled；　but　he　put　it　down　to　the　fact　that　the　phrase　〃men　of　honour〃　amused　his　interlocutor。　〃He'll　come　round　yet；〃　said　Bechamel　to　himself。　〃He's　simply　holding　out　for　a　fiver。〃　He　coughed。

〃I　don't　see　that　it　hurts　you　to　tell　me　who　your　employer　is。〃

〃Don't　you？　I　do。〃

〃Prompt；〃　said　Bechamel；　appreciatively。　〃Now　here's　the　thing　I　want　to　put　to　youthe　kernel　of　the　whole　business。　You　need　not　answer　if　you　don't　want　to。　There's　no　harm　done　in　my　telling　you　what　I　want　to　know。　Are　you　employed　to　watch　meor　Miss　Milton？〃

〃I'm　not　the　leaky　sort；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　keeping　the　secret　he　did　not　know　with　immense　enjoyment。　Miss　Milton！　That　was　her　name。　Perhaps　he'd　tell　some　more。　〃It's　no　good　pumping。　Is　that　all　you're　after？〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。

Bechamel　respected　himself　for　his　diplomatic　gifts。　He　tried　to　catch　a　remark　by　throwing　out　a　confidence。　〃I　take　it　there　are　two　people　concerned　in　watching　this　affair。〃

〃Who's　the　other？〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　calmly；　but　controlling　with　enormous　internal　tension　his　selfappreciation。　〃Who's　the　other？〃　was　really　brilliant；　he　thought。

〃There's　my　wife　and　HER　step