the research magnificent-第42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！


！　　Adesso　noi　andiamo　con　questa　cattivissimo　cavallo　a　Piedimulera。　　Si　noi　arrivero　in　safety；　securo　that　is；　pagaremo。　　Non　altro。　　Si　noi　abbiamo　accidento　DioDio　have　mercy　on　your　sinful　soul。　　See！　　Capisce？　　That's　all。〃　*

*　〃Now　we　will　go　with　this　beastly　horse　to　Piedimulera。　　If　we　get　there　safely　I　will　pay。　　If　we　have　an　accident；　then〃

He　turned　to　Amanda。　　〃Get　back　into　the　thing；〃　he　said。　　〃We　won't　have　these　stinking　beasts　think　we　are　afraid　of　the　job。　　I've　just　made　sure　he　won't　have　a　profit　by　it　if　we　smash　up。　　That's　all。　　I　might　have　known　what　he　was　up　to　when　he　wanted　the　money　beforehand。〃　　He　came　to　the　doorway　and　with　a　magnificent　gesture　commanded　the　perplexed　driver　to　turn　the　carriage。　While　that　was　being　done　he　discoursed　upon　his　adjacent　fellow…　creatures。　　〃A　man　who　pays　beforehand　for　anything　in　this　filthy　sort　of　life　is　a　fool。　　You　see　the　standards　of　the　beast。　　They　think　of　nothing　but　their　dirty　little　tricks　to　get　profit；　their　garlic；　their　sour　wine；　their　games　of　dominoes；　their　moments　of　lust。　　They　crawl　in　this　place　like　cockroaches　in　a　warm　corner　of　the　fireplace　until　they　die。　　Look　at　the　scabby　frontage　of　the　house。　　Look　at　the　men's　faces。　。　。　。　　Yes。　　So！　　Adequato。　Aspettate。　。　。　。　　Get　back　into　the　carriage；　Amanda。〃　〃You　know　it's　dangerous；　Cheetah。　　The　horse　is　a　shier。　　That　man　is　blind　in　one　eye。〃　〃Get　back　into　the　carriage；〃　said　Benham；　whitely　angry。　　〃I　AM　GOING　TO　DRIVE！〃　〃But！〃　Just　for　a　moment　Amanda　looked　scared。　　Then　with　a　queer　little　laugh　she　jumped　in　again。　Amanda　was　never　a　coward　when　there　was　excitement　afoot。　　〃We'll　smash！〃　she　cried；　by　no　means　woefully。　〃Get　up　beside　me；〃　said　Benham　speaking　in　English　to　the　driver　but　with　a　gesture　that　translated　him。　　Power　over　men　radiated　from　Benham　in　this　angry　mood。　　He　took　the　driver's　seat。　　The　little　driver　ascended　and　then　with　a　grim　calmness　that　brooked　no　resistance　Benham　reached　over；　took　and　fastened　the　apron　over　their　knees　to　prevent　any　repetition　of　the　jumping　out　tactics。　The　recovering　landlord　became　voluble　in　the　doorway。　〃In　Piedimulera　pagero；〃　said　Benham　over　his　shoulder　and　brought　the　whip　across　the　white　outstanding　ribs。　　〃Get　up！〃　said　Benham。　Amanda　gripped　the　sides　of　the　seat　as　the　carriage　started　into　motion。　He　laid　the　whip　on　again　with　such　vigour　that　the　horse　forgot　altogether　to　shy　at　the　urchin　that　had　scared　it　before。　〃Amanda；〃　said　Benham　leaning　back。　　〃If　we　do　happen　to　go　over　on　THAT　side；　jump　out。　　It's　all　clear　and　wide　for　you。　　This　side　won't　matter　so〃　〃MIND！〃　screamed　Amanda　and　recalled　him　to　his　duties。　　He　was　off　the　road　and　he　had　narrowly　missed　an　outstanding　chestnut　true。　〃No；　you　don't；〃　said　Benham　presently；　and　again　their　career　became　erratic　for　a　time　as　after　a　slight　struggle　he　replaced　the　apron　over　the　knees　of　the　deposed　driver。　　It　had　been　furtively　released。　　After　that　Benham　kept　an　eye　on　it　that　might　have　been　better　devoted　to　the　road。　The　road　went　down　in　a　series　of　curves　and　corners。　　Now　and　then　there　were　pacific　interludes　when　it　might　have　been　almost　any　road。　　Then；　again；　it　became　specifically　an　Italian　mountain　road。　Now　and　then　only　a　row　of　all　too　infrequent　granite　stumps　separated　them　from　a　sheer　precipice。　　Some　of　the　corners　were　miraculous；　and　once　they　had　a　wheel　in　a　ditch　for　a　time；　they　shaved　the　parapet　of　a　bridge　over　a　gorge　and　they　drove　a　cyclist　into　a　patch　of　maize；　they　narrowly　missed　a　goat　and　jumped　three　gullies；　thrice　the　horse　stumbled　and　was　jerked　up　in　time；　there　were　sickening　moments；　and　withal　they　got　down　to　Piedimulera　unbroken　and　unspilt。　　It　helped　perhaps　that　the　brake；　with　its　handle　like　a　barrel　organ；　had　been　screwed　up　before　Benham　took　control。　　And　when　they　were　fairly　on　the　level　outside　the　town　Benham　suddenly　pulled　up；　relinquished　the　driving　into　the　proper　hands　and　came　into　the　carriage　with　Amanda。　〃Safe　now；〃　he　said　compactly。　　The　driver　appeared　to　be　murmuring　prayers　very　softly　as　he　examined　the　brake。　Amanda　was　struggling　with　profound　problems。　　〃Why　didn't　you　drive　down　in　the　first　place？〃　she　asked。　　〃Without　going　back。〃　〃The　landlord　annoyed　me；〃　he　said。　　〃I　had　to　go　back。　。　。　。　　I　wish　I　had　kicked　him。　　Hairy　beast！　　If　anything　had　happened；　you　see；　he　would　have　had　his　mean　money。　　I　couldn't　bear　to　leave　him。〃　〃And　why　didn't　you　let　HIM　drive？〃　　She　indicated　the　driver　by　a　motion　of　the　head。　〃I　was　angry；〃　said　Benham。　　〃I　was　angry　at　the　whole　thing。〃　〃Still〃　〃You　see　I　think　I　did　that　because　he　might　have　jumped　off　if　I　hadn't　been　up　there　to　prevent　himI　mean　if　we　had　had　a　smash。　I　didn't　want　him　to　get　out　of　it。〃　〃But　you　too〃　〃You　see　I　was　angry。　。　。　。〃　〃It's　been　as　good　as　a　switchback；〃　said　Amanda　after　reflection。　〃But　weren't　you　a　little　careless　about　me；　Cheetah？〃　〃I　never　thought　of　you；〃　said　Benham；　and　then　as　if　he　felt　that　inadequate：　〃You　seeI　was　so　annoyed。　　It's　odd　at　times　how　annoyed　one　gets。　　Suddenly　when　that　horse　shied　I　realized　what　a　beastly　business　life　wasas　those　brutes　up　there　live　it。　　I　want　to　clear　out　the　whole　hot；　dirty；　little　aimless　nest　of　them。　。　。　。〃　〃No；　I'm　sure；〃　he　repeated　after　a　pause　as　though　he　had　been　digesting　something　〃I　wasn't　thinking　about　you　at　all。〃

4

The　suppression　of　his　discovery　that　his　honeymoon　was　not　in　the　least　the　great　journey　of　world　exploration　he　had　intended；　but　merely　an　impulsive　pleasure　hunt；　was　by　no　means　the　only　obscured　and　repudiated　conflict　that　disturbed　the　mind　and　broke　out　upon　the　behaviour　of　Benham。　　Beneath　that　issue　he　was　keeping　down　a　far　more　intimate　conflict。　　It　was　in　those　lower；　still　less　recognized　depths　that　the　volcanic　fire　arose　and　the　earthquakes　gathered　strength。　　The　Amanda　he　had　loved；　the　Amanda　of　the　gallant　stride　and　fluttering　skirt　was　with　him　still；　she　marched　rejoicing　over　the　passes；　and　a　dearer　Amanda；　a　soft　whispering　creature　with　dusky　hair；　who　took　possession　of　him　when　she　chose；　a　soft　creature　who　was　nevertheless　a　fierce　creature；　was　also　interwoven　with　his　life。　　But　　But　there　was　now　also　a　multitude　of　other　Amandas　who　had　this　in　common　that　they　roused　him　to　opposition；　that　they　crossed　his　moods　and　jarred　upon　his　spirit。　And　particularly　there　was　the　Conquering　Amanda　not　so　much　proud　of　her　beauty　as　eager　to　test　it；　so　that　she　was　not　unmindful　of　the　stir　she　made　in　hotel　lounges；　nor　of　the　magic　that　may　shine　memorably　through　the　most　commonplace　incidental　conversation。　This　Amanda　was　only　too　manifestly　pleased　to　think　that　she　made　peasant　lovers　discontented　and　hotel　porters　unmercenary；　she　let　her　light　shine　before　men。　　We　lovers；　who　had　deemed　our　own　subjugation　a　profound　privilege；　love　not　this　further　expansiveness　of　our　lady's　empire。　　But　Benham　knew　that　no　aristocrat　can　be　jealous；　jealousy　he　held　to　be　the　vice　of　the　hovel　and　farmstead　and　suburban　villa；　and　at　an　enormous　expenditure　of　will　he　ignored　Amanda's　waving　flags　and　roving　glances。　　So；　too；　he　denied　that　Amanda　who　was　sharp　and　shrewd　about　money　matters；　that　flash　of　an　Amanda　who　was　greedy　for　presents　and　possessions；　that　restless　Amanda　who　fretted　at　any　cessation　of　excitement；　and　that　darkly　thoughtful　Amanda　whom　chance　observations　and　questions　showed　to　be　still　considering　an　account　she　had　to　settle　with　Lady　Marayne。　　He　resisted　these　impressions；　he　shut　them　out　of　his　mind；　but　still　they　worked　into　his　thoughts；　and　presently　he　could　find　himself　asking；　even　as　he　and　she　went　in　step　striding　side　by　side　through　the　red…　scarred　pinewoods　in　the　most　perfect　outward　harmony；　whether　after　all　he　was　so　happily　mated　as　he　declared　himself　to　be　a　score　of　times　a　day；　whether　he　wasn't　catching　glimpses　of　reality　through　a　veil　of　delusion　that　grew　thinner　and　thinner　and　might　leave　him　disillusioned　in　the　face　of　a　relationship　Sometimes　a　man　may　be　struck　by　a　thought　as　though　he　had　been　struck　in　the　face；　and　when　the　name　of　Mrs。　Skelmersdale　came　into　his　head；　he　glanced