lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第9章

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It　occurred　to　young　Holliday；　the　moment　he　heard　these　words；

that　the　stranger　had　been　asked　an　exorbitant　price　for　a　bed　at

The　Two　Robins；　and　that　he　was　unable　or　unwilling　to　pay　it。　　The

moment　his　back　was　turned；　Arthur；　comfortably　conscious　of　his

own　well…filled　pockets；　addressed　himself　in　a　great　hurry；　for

fear　any　other　benighted　traveller　should　slip　in　and　forestall

him；　to　the　sly…looking　landlord　with　the　dirty　apron　and　the　bald

head。



'If　you　have　got　a　bed　to　let；'　he　said；　'and　if　that　gentleman　who

has　just　gone　out　won't　pay　your　price　for　it；　I　will。'



The　sly　landlord　looked　hard　at　Arthur。



'Will　you；　sir？'　he　asked；　in　a　meditative；　doubtful　way。



'Name　your　price；'　said　young　Holliday；　thinking　that　the

landlord's　hesitation　sprang　from　some　boorish　distrust　of　him。

'Name　your　price；　and　I'll　give　you　the　money　at　once　if　you　like？'



'Are　you　game　for　five　shillings？'　inquired　the　landlord；　rubbing

his　stubbly　double　chin；　and　looking　up　thoughtfully　at　the　ceiling

above　him。



Arthur　nearly　laughed　in　the　man's　face；　but　thinking　it　prudent　to

control　himself；　offered　the　five　shillings　as　seriously　as　he

could。　　The　sly　landlord　held　out　his　hand；　then　suddenly　drew　it

back　again。



'You're　acting　all　fair　and　above…board　by　me；'　he　said：　　'and；

before　I　take　your　money；　I'll　do　the　same　by　you。　　Look　here；　this

is　how　it　stands。　　You　can　have　a　bed　all　to　yourself　for　five

shillings；　but　you　can't　have　more　than　a　half…share　of　the　room　it

stands　in。　　Do　you　see　what　I　mean；　young　gentleman？'



'Of　course　I　do；'　returned　Arthur；　a　little　irritably。　　'You　mean

that　it　is　a　double…bedded　room；　and　that　one　of　the　beds　is

occupied？'



The　landlord　nodded　his　head；　and　rubbed　his　double　chin　harder

than　ever。　　Arthur　hesitated；　and　mechanically　moved　back　a　step　or

two　towards　the　door。　　The　idea　of　sleeping　in　the　same　room　with　a

total　stranger；　did　not　present　an　attractive　prospect　to　him。　　He

felt　more　than　half　inclined　to　drop　his　five　shillings　into　his

pocket；　and　to　go　out　into　the　street　once　more。



'Is　it　yes；　or　no？'　asked　the　landlord。　　'Settle　it　as　quick　as　you

can；　because　there's　lots　of　people　wanting　a　bed　at　Doncaster　to…

night；　besides　you。'



Arthur　looked　towards　the　court；　and　heard　the　rain　falling　heavily

in　the　street　outside。　　He　thought　he　would　ask　a　question　or　two

before　he　rashly　decided　on　leaving　the　shelter　of　The　Two　Robins。



'What　sort　of　a　man　is　it　who　has　got　the　other　bed？'　he　inquired。

'Is　he　a　gentleman？　　I　mean；　is　he　a　quiet；　well…behaved　person？'



'The　quietest　man　I　ever　came　across；'　said　the　landlord；　rubbing

his　fat　hands　stealthily　one　over　the　other。　　'As　sober　as　a　judge；

and　as　regular　as　clock…work　in　his　habits。　　It　hasn't　struck　nine；

not　ten　minutes　ago；　and　he's　in　his　bed　already。　　I　don't　know

whether　that　comes　up　to　your　notion　of　a　quiet　man：　　it　goes　a

long　way　ahead　of　mine；　I　can　tell　you。'



'Is　he　asleep；　do　you　think？'　asked　Arthur。



'I　know　he's　asleep；'　returned　the　landlord。　　'And　what's　more；

he's　gone　off　so　fast；　that　I'll　warrant　you　don't　wake　him。　　This

way；　sir；'　said　the　landlord；　speaking　over　young　Holliday's

shoulder；　as　if　he　was　addressing　some　new　guest　who　was

approaching　the　house。



'Here　you　are；'　said　Arthur；　determined　to　be　beforehand　with　the

stranger；　whoever　he　might　be。　　'I'll　take　the　bed。'　　And　he　handed

the　five　shillings　to　the　landlord；　who　nodded；　dropped　the　money

carelessly　into　his　waistcoat…pocket；　and　lighted　the　candle。



'Come　up　and　see　the　room；'　said　the　host　of　The　Two　Robins；

leading　the　way　to　the　staircase　quite　briskly；　considering　how　fat

he　was。



They　mounted　to　the　second…floor　of　the　house。　　The　landlord　half

opened　a　door；　fronting　the　landing；　then　stopped；　and　turned　round

to　Arthur。



'It's　a　fair　bargain；　mind；　on　my　side　as　well　as　on　yours；'　he

said。　　'You　give　me　five　shillings；　I　give　you　in　return　a　clean；

comfortable　bed；　and　I　warrant；　beforehand；　that　you　won't　be

interfered　with；　or　annoyed　in　any　way；　by　the　man　who　sleeps　in

the　same　room　as　you。'　　Saying　those　words；　he　looked　hard；　for　a

moment；　in　young　Holliday's　face；　and　then　led　the　way　into　the

room。



It　was　larger　and　cleaner　than　Arthur　had　expected　it　would　be。

The　two　beds　stood　parallel　with　each　other　…　a　space　of　about　six

feet　intervening　between　them。　　They　were　both　of　the　same　medium

size；　and　both　had　the　same　plain　white　curtains；　made　to　draw；　if

necessary；　all　round　them。　　The　occupied　bed　was　the　bed　nearest

the　window。　　The　curtains　were　all　drawn　round　this；　except　the

half　curtain　at　the　bottom；　on　the　side　of　the　bed　farthest　from

the　window。　　Arthur　saw　the　feet　of　the　sleeping　man　raising　the

scanty　clothes　into　a　sharp　little　eminence；　as　if　he　was　lying

flat　on　his　back。　　He　took　the　candle；　and　advanced　softly　to　draw

the　curtain　…　stopped　half…way；　and　listened　for　a　moment　…　then

turned　to　the　landlord。



'He's　a　very　quiet　sleeper；'　said　Arthur。



'Yes；'　said　the　landlord；　'very　quiet。'



Young　Holliday　advanced　with　the　candle；　and　looked　in　at　the　man

cautiously。



'How　pale　he　is！'　said　Arthur。



'Yes；'　returned　the　landlord；　'pale　enough；　isn't　he？'



Arthur　looked　closer　at　the　man。　　The　bedclothes　were　drawn　up　to

his　chin；　and　they　lay　perfectly　still　over　the　region　of　his

chest。　　Surprised　and　vaguely　startled；　as　he　noticed　this；　Arthur

stooped　down　closer　over　the　stranger；　looked　at　his　ashy；　parted

lips；　listened　breathlessly　for　an　instant；　looked　again　at　the

strangely　still　face；　and　the　motionless　lips　and　chest；　and　turned

round　suddenly　on　the　landlord；　with　his　own　cheeks　as　pale　for　the

moment　as　the　hollow　cheeks　of　the　man　on　the　bed。



'Come　here；'　he　whispered；　under　his　breath。　　'Come　here；　for　God's

sake！　　The　man's　not　asleep　…　he　is　dead！'



'You　have　found　that　out　sooner　than　I　thought　you　would；'　said　the

landlord；　composedly。　　'Yes；　he's　dead；　sure　enough。　　He　died　at

five　o'clock　to…day。'



'How　did　he　die？　　Who　is　he？'　asked　Arthur；　staggered；　for　a

moment；　by　the　audacious　coolness　of　the　answer。



'As　to　who　is　he；'　rejoined　the　landlord；　'I　know　no　more　about　him

than　you　do。　　There　are　his　books　and　letters　and　things；　all

sealed　up　in　that　brown…paper　parcel；　for　the　Coroner's　inquest　to

open　to…morrow　or　next　day。　　He's　been　here　a　week；　paying　his　way

fairly　enough；　and　stopping　in…doors；　for　the　most　part；　as　if　he

was　ailing。　　My　girl　brought　him　up　his　tea　at　five　to…day；　and　as

he　was　pouring　of　it　out；　he　fell　down　in　a　faint；　or　a　fit；　or　a

compound　of　both；　for　anything　I　know。　　We　could　not　bring　him　to　…

and　I　said　he　was　dead。　　And　the　doctor　couldn't　bring　him　to　…　and

the　doctor　said　he　was　dead。　　And　there　he　is。　　And　the　Coroner's

inquest's　coming　as　soon　as　it　can。　　And　that's　as　much　as　I　know

about　it。'



Arthur　held　the　candle　close　to　the　man's　lips。　　The　flame　still

burnt　straight　up；　as　steadily　as　before。　　There　was　a　moment　of

silence；　and　the　rain　pattered　drearily　through　it　against　the

panes　of　the　window。



'If　you　haven't　got　nothing　more　to　say　to　me；'　continued　the

landlord；　'I　suppose　I　may　go。　　You　don't　expect　your　five

shillings　back；　do　you？　　There's　the　bed　I　promised　you；　clean　and

comfortable。　　There's　the　man　I　warranted　not　to　disturb　you；　quiet

in　this　world　for　ever。　　If　you're　frightened　to　stop　alone　with

him；　that's　not　my　look　out。　　I've　kept　my　part　of　the　bargain；　and

I　mean　to　keep　the　money。　　I'm　not　Yorkshire；　myself；　young

gentleman；　but　I've　lived　long　enough　in　these　parts　to　have　my

wits　sharpened；　and　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　you　found　out　the　way　to

brighten　up　yours；　next　time　you　come　amongst　us。'　　With　these

words；　the　landlord　turned　towards　the　door；　and　laughed　to　himself

softly；　in　high　satisfaction　at　hi