the secret places of the heart-第5章

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　heavenward　stare　was　highly　suggestive　of　a　forced　and　tactful　disregard　of　current　unpleasantness。　Nothing　was　said；　however；　to　confirm　or　dispel　this　suspicion　of　a　disagreement　between　the　man　and　the　car。　Sir　Richmond　directed　and　assisted　Dr。　Martineau's　man　to　adjust　the　luggage　at　the　back；　and　Dr。　Martineau　watched　the　proceedings　from　his　dignified　front　door。　He　was　wearing　a　suit　of　fawn　tweeds；　a　fawn　Homburg　hat　and　a　light　Burberry；　with　just　that　effect　of　special　preparation　for　a　holiday　which　betrays　the　habitually　busy　man。　Sir　Richmond's　brown　gauntness　was；　he　noted；　greatly　set　off　by　his　suit　of　grey。　There　had　certainly　been　some　sort　of　quarrel。　Sir　Richmond　was　explaining　the　straps　to　Dr。　Martineau's　butler　with　the　coldness　a　man　betrays　when　he　explains　the　uncongenial　habits　of　some　unloved　intimate。　And　when　the　moment　came　to　start　and　the　little　engine　did　not　immediately　respond　to　the　electric　starter；　he　said：　〃Oh！　COME　up；　you！〃　His　voice　sank　at　the　last　word　as　though　it　was　an　entirely　confidential　communication　to　the　little　car。　And　it　was　an　extremely　low　and　disagreeable　word。　So　Dr。　Martineau　decided　that　it　was　not　his　business　to　hear　it。　。　。　。　It　was　speedily　apparent　that　Sir　Richmond　was　an　experienced　and　excellent　driver。　He　took　the　Charmeuse　out　into　the　traffic　of　Baker　Street　and　westward　through　brisk　and　busy　streets　and　roads　to　Brentford　and　Hounslow　smoothly　and　swiftly；　making　a　score　of　unhesitating　and　accurate　decisions　without　apparent　thought。　There　was　very　little　conversation　until　they　were　through　Brentford。　Near　Shepherd's　Bush；　Sir　Richmond　had　explained；　〃This　is　not　my　own　particular　car。　That　was　butted　into　at　the　garage　this　morning　and　its　radiator　cracked。　So　I　had　to　fall　back　on　this。　It's　quite　a　good　little　car。　In　its　way。　My　wife　drives　it　at　times。　It　has　one　or　two　constitutional　weaknessesincidental　to　the　makegear…box　over　the　back　axle　for　examplegets　all　the　vibration。　Whole　machine　rather　on　the　flimsy　side。　Still〃　He　left　the　topic　at　that。　Dr。　Martineau　said　something　of　no　consequence　about　its　being　a　very　comfortable　little　car。　Somewhere　between　Brentford　and　Hounslow；　Sir　Richmond　plunged　into　the　matter　between　them。　〃I　don't　know　how　deep　we　are　going　into　these　psychological　probings　of　yours；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　doubt　very　much　if　we　shall　get　anything　out　of　them。〃　〃Probably　not；〃　said　Dr。　Martineau。　〃After　all；　what　I　want　is　a　tonic。　I　don't　see　that　there　is　anything　positively　wrong　with　me。　A　certain　lack　of　energy　〃　〃Lack　of　balance；〃　corrected　the　doctor。　〃You　are　wasting　energy　upon　internal　friction。　〃But　isn't　that　inevitable？　No　machine　is　perfectly　efficient。　No　man　either。　There　is　always　a　waste。　Waste　of　the　type；　waste　of　the　individual　idiosyncrasy。　This　little　car；　for　instance；　isn't　pulling　as　she　ought　to　pullshe　never　does。　She's　low　in　her　class。　So　with　myself；　there　is　a　natural　and　necessary　high　rate　of　energy　waste。　Moods　of　apathy　and　indolence　are　natural　to　me。　（Damn　that　omnibus！　All　over　the　road！）〃　〃We　don't　deny　the　imperfection〃　began　the　doctor。　〃One　has　to　fit　oneself　to　one's　circumstances；〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　opening　up　another　line　of　thought。　〃We　don't　deny　the　imperfection〃　the　doctor　stuck　to　it。　〃These　new　methods　of　treatment　are　based　on　the　idea　of　imperfection。　We　begin　with　that。　I　began　with　that　last　Tuesday。　。　。　。〃　Sir　Richmond；　too；　was　sticking　to　his　argument。　〃A　man；　and　for　that　matter　the　world　he　lives　in；　is　a　tangle　of　accumulations。　Your　psychoanalyst　starts；　it　seems　to　me；　with　a　notion　of　stripping　down　to　something　fundamental。　The　ape　before　was　a　tangle　of　accumulations；　just　as　we　are。　So　it　was　with　his　forebears。　So　it　has　always　been。　All　life　is　an　endless　tangle　of　accumulations。〃　〃Recognize　it；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃And　then？〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　controversially。　〃Recognize　in　particular　your　own　tangle。〃　〃Is　my　particular　tangle　very　different　from　the　general　tangle？　（Oh！　Damn　this　feeble　little　engine！）　I　am　a　creature　of　undecided　will；　urged　on　by　my　tangled　heredity　to　do　a　score　of　entirely　incompatible　things。　Mankind；　all　life；　is　that。〃　〃But　our　concern　is　the　particular　score　of　incompatible　things　you　are　urged　to　do。　We　examine　and　weighwe　weigh〃　The　doctor　was　still　saying　these　words　when　a　violent　and　ultimately　disastrous　struggle　began　between　Sir　Richmond　and　the　little　Charmeuse　car。　The　doctor　stopped　in　mid…sentence。　It　was　near　Taplow　station　that　the　mutual　exasperation　of　man　and　machine　was　brought　to　a　crisis　by　the　clumsy　emergence　of　a　laundry　cart　from　a　side　road。　Sir　Richmond　was　obliged　to　pull　up　smartly　and　stopped　his　engine。　It　refused　an　immediate　obedience　to　the　electric　starter。　Then　it　picked　up；　raced　noisily；　disengaged　great　volumes　of　bluish　smoke；　and　displayed　an　unaccountable　indisposition　to　run　on　any　gear　but　the　lowest。　Sir　Richmond　thought　aloud；　unpleasing　thoughts。　He　addressed　the　little　car　as　a　person；　he　referred　to　ancient　disputes　and　temperamental　incompatibilities。　His　anger　betrayed　him　a　coarse；　ill…bred　man。　The　little　car　quickened　under　his　reproaches。　There　were　some　moments　of　hope；　dashed　by　the　necessity　of　going　dead　slow　behind　an　interloping　van。　Sir　Richmond　did　not　notice　the　outstretched　arm　of　the　driver　of　the　van；　and　stalled　his　engine　for　a　second　time。　The　electric　starter　refused　its　office　altogether。　For　some　moments　Sir　Richmond　sat　like　a　man　of　stone。　〃I　must　wind　it　up　〃　he　said　at　last　in　a　profound　and　awful　voice。　〃I　must　wind　it　up。〃　〃I　get　out；　don't　I？〃　asked　the　doctor；　unanswered；　and　did　so。　Sir　Richmond；　after　a　grim　search　and　the　displacement　and　replacement　of　the　luggage；　produced　a　handle　from　the　locker　at　the　back　of　the　car　and　prepared　to　wind。　There　was　a　little　difficulty。　〃Come　UP！〃　he　said；　and　the　small　engine　roared　out　like　a　stage　lion。　The　two　gentlemen　resumed　their　seats。　The　car　started　and　then　by　an　unfortunate　inadvertency　Sir　Richmond　pulled　the　gear　lever　over　from　the　first　speed　to　the　reverse。　There　was　a　metallic　clangour　beneath　the　two　gentlemen；　and　the　car　slowed　down　and　stopped　although　the　engine　was　still　throbbing　wildly；　and　the　dainty　veil　of　blue　smoke　still　streamed　forward　from　the　back　of　the　car　before　a　gentle　breeze。　The　doctor　got　out　almost　precipitately；　followed　by　a　gaunt　madman；　mouthing　vileness；　who　had　only　a　minute　or　so　before　been　a　decent　British　citizen。　He　made　some　blind　lunges　at　the　tremulous　but　obdurate　car；　but　rather　as　if　he　looked　for　offences　and　accusations　than　for　displacements　to　adjust。　Quivering　and　refusing；　the　little　car　was　extraordinarily　like　some　recalcitrant　little　old　aristocratic　lady　in　the　hands　of　revolutionaries；　and　this　made　the　behaviour　of　Sir　Richmond　seem　even　more　outrageous　than　it　would　otherwise　have　done。　He　stopped　the　engine；　he　went　down　on　his　hands　and　knees　in　the　road　to　peer　up　at　the　gear…box；　then　without　restoring　the　spark；　he　tried　to　wind　up　the　engine　again。　He　spun　the　little　handle　with　an　insane　violence；　faster　and　faster　foras　it　seemed　to　the　doctorthe　better　part　of　a　minute。　Beads　of　perspiration　appeared　upon　his　brow　and　ran　together；　he　bared　his　teeth　in　a　snarl；　his　hat　slipped　over　one　eye。　He　groaned　with　rage。　Then；　using　the　starting　handle　as　a　club；　he　assailed　the　car。　He　smote　the　brazen　Mercury　from　its　foothold　and　sent　it　and　a　part　of　the　radiator　cap　with　it　flying　across　the　road。　He　beat　at　the　wings　of　the　bonnet；　until　they　bent　in　under　his　blows。　Finally；　he　hurled　the　starting…handle　at　the　wind…screen　and　smashed　it。　The　starting…handle　rattled　over　the　bonnet　and　fell　to　the　ground。　。　。　。　The　paroxysm　was　over。　Ten　seconds　later　this　cataclysmal　lunatic　had　reverted　to　sanitya　rather　sheepish　sanity。　He　thrust　his　hands　into　his　trouser　pockets　and　turned　his　back　on　the　car。　He　remarked　in　a　voice　of　melancholy　detachment：　〃It　was　a　mistake　to　bring　that　coupe。〃　Dr。　Martineau　had　assumed　an　attitude　of　trained　observation　on　the　side　path。　His　hands　rested　on　his　hips　and　his　hat　was　a　little　on　one　side。　He　was　inclined　to　agree　with　Sir　Richmond。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　considered。　〃You　wanted　some　such　blow…off