the wheels of chance-第23章
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〃Make the best of it；〃 and presently； when it came to hair…brushing； he had to smooth his troubled locks with his hands。 It was a poor result。 〃Sneak out and get a shave； I suppose； and buy a brush and so on。 Chink again！ Beard don't show much。〃
He ran his hand over his chin； looked at himself steadfastly for some time； and curled his insufficient moustache up with some care。 Then he fell a…meditating on his beauty。 He considered himself； three…quarter face； left and right。 An expression of distaste crept over his features。 〃Looking won't alter it； Hoopdriver；〃 he remarked。 〃You're a weedy customer； my man。 Shoulders narrow。 Skimpy； anyhow。〃
He put his knuckles on the toilet table and regarded himself with his chin lifted in the air。 〃Good Lord！〃 he said。 〃WHAT a neck！ Wonder why I got such a thundering lump there。〃
He sat down on the bed； his eye still on the glass。 〃If I'd been exercised properly； if I'd been fed reasonable； if I hadn't been shoved out of a silly school into a silly shopBut there！ the old folks didn't know no better。 The schoolmaster ought to have。 But he didn't； poor old fool！Still； when it comes to meeting a girl like thisIt's 'ARD。
〃I wonder what Adam'd think of meas a specimen。 Civilisation； eigh？ Heir of the ages！ I'm nothing。 I know nothing。 I can't do anythingsketch a bit。 Why wasn't I made an artist？
〃Beastly cheap； after all； this suit does look； in the sunshine。〃
〃No good； Hoopdriver。 Anyhow； you don't tell yourself any lies about it。 Lovers ain't your game；anyway。 But there's other things yet。 You can help the young lady； and you willI suppose she'll be going homeAnd that business of the bicycle's to see to； too； my man。 FORWARD； Hoopdriver！ If you ain't a beauty； that's no reason why you should stop and be copped； is it？〃
And having got back in this way to a gloomy kind of self…satisfaction； he had another attempt at his hair preparatory to leaving his room and hurrying on breakfast； for an early departure。 While breakfast was preparing he wandered out into South Street and refurnished himself with the elements of luggage again。 〃No expense to be spared；〃 he murmured； disgorging the half…sovereign。
THE DEPARTURE FROM CHICHESTER
XXVIII
He caused his 'sister' to be called repeatedly； and when she came down； explained with a humorous smile his legal relationship to the bicycle in the yard。 〃Might be disagreeable； y' know。〃 His anxiety was obvious enough。 〃Very well；〃 she said （quite friendly）； 〃hurry breakfast； and we'll ride out。 I want to talk things over with you。〃 The girl seemed more beautiful than ever after the night's sleep； her hair in comely dark waves from her forehead； her ungauntleted finger…tips pink and cool。 And how decided she was！ Breakfast was a nervous ceremony； conversation fraternal but thin； the waiter overawed him； and he was cowed by a multiplicity of forks。 But she called him 〃Chris。〃 They discussed their route over his sixpenny county map for the sake of talking； but avoided a decision in the presence of the attendant。 The five…pound note was changed for the bill； and through Hoopdriver's determination to be quite the gentleman； the waiter and chambermaid got half a crown each and the ostler a florin。 〃'Olidays；〃 said the ostler to himself； without gratitude。 The public mounting of the bicycles in the street was a moment of trepidation。 A policeman actually stopped and watched them from the opposite kerb。 Suppose him to come across and ask： 〃Is that your bicycle； sir？〃 Fight？ Or drop it and run？ It was a time of bewildering apprehension； too； going through the streets of the town； so that a milk cart barely escaped destruction under Mr。 Hoopdriver's chancy wheel。 That recalled him to a sense of erratic steering； and he pulled himself together。 In the lanes he breathed freer； and a less formal conversation presently began。
〃You've ridden out of Chichester in a great hurry；〃 said Jessie。
〃Well； the fact of it is； I'm worried； just a little bit。 About this machine。〃
〃Of course；〃 she said。 〃I had forgotten that。 But where are we going？〃
〃Jest a turning or two more； if you don't mind；〃 said Hoopdriver。
〃Jest a mile or so。 I have to think of you； you know。 I should feel more easy。 If we was locked up； you knowNot that I should mind on my own account〃
They rode with a streaky； grey sea coming and going on their left hand。 Every mile they put between themselves and Chichester Mr。 Hoopdriver felt a little less conscience…stricken； and a little more of the gallant desperado。 Here he was riding on a splendid machine with a Slap…up girl beside him。 What would they think of it in the Emporium if any of them were to see him？ He imagined in detail the astonishment of Miss Isaacs and of Miss Howe。 〃Why！ It's Mr。 Hoopdriver；〃 Miss Isaacs would say。 〃Never！〃 emphatically from Miss Howe。 Then he played with Briggs； and then tried the 'G。V。' in a shay。 〃Fancy introducing 'em to herMy sister pro tem。〃 He was her brother ChrisChris what？Confound it！ Harringon； Hartingtonsomething like that。 Have to keep off that topic until he could remember。 Wish he'd told her the truth nowalmost。 He glanced at her。 She was riding with her eyes straight ahead of her。 Thinking。 A little perplexed； perhaps； she seemed。 He noticed how well she rode and that she rode with her lips closeda thing he could never manage。
Mr。 Hoopdriver's mind came round to the future。 What was she going to do？ What were they both going to do？ His thoughts took a graver colour。 He had rescued her。 This was fine； manly rescue work he was engaged upon。 She ought to go home； in spite of that stepmother。 He must insist gravely but firmly upon that。 She was the spirited sort； of course； but stillWonder if she had any money？ Wonder what the second…class fare from Havant to London is？ Of course he would have to pay thatit was the regular thing； he being a gentleman。 Then should he take her home？ He began to rough in a moving sketch of the return。 The stepmother； repentant of her indescribable cruelties； would be present；even these rich people have their troubles；probably an uncle or two。 The footman would announce； Mr。（bother that name！） and Miss Milton。 Then two women weeping together； and a knightly figure in the background dressed in a handsome Norfolk jacket； still conspicuously new。 He would conceal his feeling until the very end。 Then； leaving； he would pause in the doorway in such an attitude as Mr。 George Alexander might assume； and say； slowly and dwindlingly： 〃Be kind to herBE kind to her；〃 and so depart； heartbroken to the meanest intelligence。 But that was a matter for the future。 He would have to begin discussing the return soon。 There was no traffic along the road； and he came up beside her （he had fallen behind in his musing）。 She began to talk。 〃Mr。 Denison；〃 she began； and then； doubtfully； 〃That is your name？ I'm very stupid〃
〃It is；〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver。 （Denison； was it？ Denison； Denison； Denison。 What was she saying？）
〃I wonder how far you are willing to help me？〃 Confoundedly hard to answer a question like that on the spur of the moment； without steering wildly。 〃You may rely〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver； recovering from a violent wabble。 〃I can assure you I want to help you very much。 Don't consider me at all。 Leastways； consider me entirely at your service。〃 （Nuisance not to be able to say this kind of thing right。）
〃You see； I am so awkwardly situated。〃
〃If I can only help youyou will make me very happy〃 There was a pause。 Round a bend in the road they came upon a grassy space between hedge and road； set with yarrow and meadowsweet； where a felled tree lay among the green。 There she dismounted； and propping her machine against a stone； sat down。 〃Here； we can talk；〃 she said。
〃Yes；〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver； expectant。
She answered after a little while； sitting； elbow on knee； with her chin in her hand； and looking straight in front of her。 〃I don't knowI am resolved to Live my Own Life。〃
〃Of course；〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver。 〃Naturally。〃
〃I want to Live； and I want to see what life means。 I want to learn。 Everyone is hurrying me； everything is hurrying me； I want time to think。〃
Mr。 Hoopdriver was puzzled； but admiring。 It was wonderful how clear and ready h
