pgw.threemenandamaid-第11节

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　〃We　have　known　each　other　all　our　lives；〃　continued　Billie。　〃Father　thinks　a　tremendous　lot　of　Bream。　I　suppose　it　was　because　Bream　was　sailing　by　her　that　father　insisted　on　my　ing　over　on　this　boat。　I'm　in　disgrace；　you　know。　I　was　cabled　for　and　had　to　sail　at　a　few　days'　notice。　I。。。。〃
　〃Oh；　hello！〃
　〃Why；　Bream！〃　said　Billie；　looking　at　him　as　he　stood　on　the　old　spot　in　the　same　familiar　attitude　with　rather　less　affection　than　the　son　of　her　father's　best　friend　might　have　expected。　〃I　thought　you　said　you　were　going　down　to　the　Promenade　Deck。〃
　〃I　did　go　down　to　the　promenade　deck。　And　I'd　hardly　got　there　when　a　fellow　who's　getting　up　the　ship's　concert　to…morrow　night　nobbled　me　to　do　a　couple　of　songs。　He　wanted　to　know　if　I　knew　anyone　else　who　would　help。　I　came　up　to　ask　you；〃　he　said　to　Sam；　〃if　you　would　do　something。〃
　〃No；〃　said　Sam。　〃I　won't。〃
　〃He's　got　a　man　who's　going　to　lecture　on　deep…sea　fish　and　a　couple　of　women　who　both　want　to　sing　'The　Rosary'　but　he's　still　an　act　or　two　short。　Sure　you　won't　rally　round？〃
　〃Quite　sure。〃
　〃Oh；　all　right。〃　Bream　Mortimer　hovered　wistfully　above　them。　〃It's　a　great　morning；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Sam。
　〃Oh；　Bream！〃　said　Billie。
　〃Hello？〃
　〃Do　be　a　pet　and　go　and　talk　to　Jane　Hubbard。　I'm　sure　she　must　be　feeling　lonely。　I　left　her　all　by　herself　down　on　the　next　deck。〃
　A　look　of　alarm　spread　itself　over　Bream's　face。
　〃Jane　Hubbard！　Oh；　say；　have　a　heart！〃
　〃She's　a　very　nice　girl。〃
　〃She's　so　darned　dynamic。　She　looks　at　you　as　if　you　were　a　giraffe　or　something　and　she　would　like　to　take　a　pot　at　you　with　a　rifle。〃
　〃Nonsense！　Run　along。　Get　her　to　tell　you　some　of　her　big…game　hunting　experiences。　They　are　most　interesting。〃
　Bream　drifted　sadly　away。
　〃I　don't　blame　Miss　Hubbard；〃　said　Sam。
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃Looking　at　him　as　if　she　wanted　to　pot　at　him　with　a　rifle。　I　should　like　to　do　it　myself。　What　were　you　saying　when　he　came　up？〃
　〃Oh；　don't　let's　talk　about　me。　Read　me　some　Tennyson。〃
　Sam　opened　the　book　very　willingly。　Infernal　Bream　Mortimer　had　absolutely　shot　to　pieces　the　spell　which　had　begun　to　fall　on　them　at　the　beginning　of　their　conversation。　Only　by　reading　poetry；　it　seemed　to　him；　could　it　be　recovered。　And　when　he　saw　the　passage　at　which　the　volume　had　opened　he　realised　that　his　luck　was　in。　Good　old　Tennyson！　He　was　all　right。　He　had　the　stuff。　You　could　send　him　to　hit　in　a　pinch　every　time　with　the　fortable　knowledge　that　he　would　not　strike　out。
　He　cleared　his　throat。
　　　　〃'Oh　let　the　solid　ground　　　　　　　Not　fail　beneath　my　feet　　　　　Before　my　life　has　found　　　　　　　What　some　have　found　so　sweet；　　　　　Then　let　e　what　e　may；　　　　　What　matter　if　I　go　mad；　　　　　I　shall　have　had　my　day。
　　　　Let　the　sweet　heavens　endure；　　　　　　　Not　close　and　darken　above　me　　　　　Before　I　am　quite　quite　sure　　　　　　　That　there　is　one　to　love　me。。。。'〃
　This　was　absolutely　topping。　It　was　like　diving　off　a　spring…board。　He　could　see　the　girl　sitting　with　a　soft　smile　on　her　face；　her　eyes；　big　and　dreamy；　gazing　out　over　the　sunlit　sea。　He　laid　down　the　book　and　took　her　hand。
　〃There　is　something；〃　he　began　in　a　low　voice；　〃which　I　have　been　trying　to　say　ever　since　we　met；　something　which　I　think　you　must　have　read　in　my　eyes。〃
　Her　head　was　bent。　She　did　not　withdraw　her　hand。
　〃Until　this　voyage　began；〃　he　went　on；　〃I　did　not　know　what　life　meant。　And　then　I　saw　you！　It　was　like　the　gate　of　heaven　opening。　You're　the　dearest　girl　I　ever　met；　and　you　can　bet　I'll　never　forget。。。。〃　He　stopped。　〃I'm　not　trying　to　make　it　rhyme；〃　he　said　apologetically。　〃Billie；　don't　think　me　silly　。。。　I　mean　。。。　if　you　had　the　merest　notion；　dearest　。。。　I　don't　know　what's　the　matter　with　me　。。。　Billie；　darling；　you　are　the　only　girl　in　the　world！　I　have　been　looking　for　you　for　years　and　years　and　I　have　found　you　at　last；　my　soul…mate。　Surely　this　does　not　e　as　a　surprise　to　you？　That　is；　I　mean；　you　must　have　seen　that　I've　been　keen　。。。　There's　that　damned　Walt　Mason　stuff　again！〃　His　eyes　fell　on　the　volume　beside　him　and　he　uttered　an　exclamation　of　enlightenment。　〃It's　those　poems！〃　he　cried。　〃I've　been　boning　them　up　to　such　an　extent　that　they've　got　me　doing　it　too。　What　I'm　trying　to　say　is；　Will　you　marry　me？〃
　She　was　drooping　towards　him。　Her　face　was　very　sweet　and　tender；　her　eyes　misty。　He　slid　an　arm　about　her　waist。　She　raised　her　lips　to　his。
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　Suddenly　she　drew　herself　away；　a　cloud　on　her　face。
　〃Darling；〃　she　said；　〃I've　a　confession　to　make。〃
　〃A　confession？　You？　Nonsense！〃　　〃I　can't　get　rid　of　a　horrible　thought。　I　was　wondering　if　this　will　last。〃
　〃Our　love？　Don't　be　afraid　that　it　will　fade　。。。　I　mean　。。。　why；　it's　so　vast；　it's　bound　to　last　。。。　that　is　to　say；　of　course；　it　will。〃
　She　traced　a　pattern　on　the　deck　with　her　shoe。
　〃I'm　afraid　of　myself。　You　see；　once　beforeand　it　was　not　so　very　long　ago；I　thought　I　had　met　my　ideal；　but。。。。〃
　Sam　laughed　heartily。
　〃Are　you　worrying　about　that　absurd　business　of　poor　old　Eustace　Hignett？〃
　She　started　violently。
　〃You　know！〃
　〃Of　course！　He　told　me　himself。〃
　〃Do　you　know　him？　Where　did　you　meet　him？〃
　〃I've　known　him　all　my　life。　He's　my　cousin。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　we　are　sharing　a　stateroom　on　board　now。〃
　〃Eustace　is　on　board！　Oh；　this　is　awful！　What　shall　I　do　when　I　meet　him？〃
　〃Oh；　pass　it　off　with　a　light　laugh　and　a　genial　quip。　Just　say：　'Oh；　here　you　are！'　or　something。　You　know　the　sort　of　thing。〃
　〃It　will　be　terrible。〃
　〃Not　a　bit　of　it。　Why　should　you　feel　embarrassed？　He　must　have　realised　by　now　that　you　acted　in　the　only　possible　way。　It　was　absurd　his　ever　expecting　you　to　marry　him。　I　mean　to　say；　just　look　at　it　dispassionately　。。。　Eustace　　。。。　poor　old　Eustace　。。。　and　　you　！　The　Princess　and　the　Swineherd！〃　　〃Does　Mr。　Hignett　keep　pigs？〃　she　asked；　surprised。
　〃I　mean　that　poor　old　Eustace　is　so　far　below　you；　darling；　that；　with　the　most　charitable　intentions；　one　can　only　look　on　his　asking　you　to　marry　him　in　the　light　of　a　record　exhibition　of　pure　nerve。　A　dear；　good　fellow；　of　course；　but　hopeless　where　the　sterner　realities　of　life　are　concerned。　A　man　who　can't　even　stop　a　dog…fight！　In　a　world　which　is　practically　one　seething　mass　of　fighting　dogs；　how　could　you　trust　yourself　to　such　a　one？　Nobody　is　fonder　of　Eustace　Hignett　than　I　am；　but　。。。　well；　I　mean　to　say！〃
　〃I　see　what　you　mean。　He　really　wasn't　my　ideal。〃
　〃Not　by　a　mile。〃
　She　mused；　her　chin　in　her　hand。
　〃Of　course；　he　was　quite　a　dear　in　a　lot　of　ways。〃
　〃Oh；　a　splendid　chap；〃　said　Sam　tolerantly。
　〃Have　you　ever　heard　him　sing？　I　think　what　first　attracted　me　to　him　was　his　beautiful　voice。　He　really　sings　extraordinarily　well。〃
　A　slight　but　definite　spasm　of　jealousy　afflicted　Sam。　He　had　no　objection　to　praising　poor　old　Eustace　within　decent　limits；　but　the　conversation　seemed　to　him　to　be　confining　itself　too　exclusively　to　one　subject。
　〃Yes？〃　he　said。　〃Oh　yes；　I've　heard　him　sing。　Not　lately。　He　does　drawing…room　ballads　and　all　that　sort　of　thing　still；　I　suppose？〃
　〃Have　you　ever　heard　him　sing　'My　love　is　like　a　glowing　tulip　that　in　an　old…world　garden　grows'？〃
　〃I　have　not　had　that　advantage；〃　replied　Sam　stiffly。　〃But　anyone　can　sing　a　drawing…room　ballad。　Now　something　funny；　something　that　will　make　people　laugh；　something　that　really　needs　putting　across　。。。　that's　a　different　thing　altogether。〃
　〃Do　you　sing　that　sort　of　thing？〃
　〃People　have　been　good　enough　to　say。。。。〃
　〃Then；〃　said　Billie　decidedly；　〃you　must　certainly　do　something　at　the　ship's　concert　to…morrow！　The　idea　of　your　trying　to　hide　your　light　under　a　bushel！　I　will　tell　Bream　to　count　on　you。　He　is　an　excellent　acpanist。　He　can　acpany　you。〃
　〃Yes；　but　。。。　well；　I　don't　know；〃　said　Sam　doubtfully。　He　could　not　help　remembering　that　the　last　time　he　had　sung　in　public　had　been　at　a　house…supper　at　school；　seven　years　before；　and　that　on　that　occasion　somebody　whom　it　was　a　lasting　grief　to　him　that　he　had　been　unable　to　identify　had　thrown　a　pat　of　butter　at　him。
　〃Of　course　you　must　sing；〃　said　Billie。　〃I'll　tell　Bream　when　I　go　down　to　lunch。　What　will　you　sing？〃
　〃Weller〃
　〃Well；　I'm　sure　it　will　be　wonderful　whatever　it　is。　You　are　so　wonderful　in　every　way。　You　remind　me　of　one　of　the　heroes　of　old！〃
　Sam's　disposure　vanished。　In　the　first　place；　this　was　much　more　the　sort　of　conversation　which　he　felt　the　situation　indicated。　In　the　second　place　he　had　remembered　that　there　was　no　need　for　him　to　sing　at　all。　He　could　do　that　imitation　of　Frank　Tinney　which　had　been　such　a　hit　at　the　Trinity　smoker。　He　was　on　safe　ground　there。　He　knew　he　was　good。　He　clasped　the　girl　to　him　and　kissed　her　sixteen　times。
　Suddenly；　as　he　released　her；　the　cloud　came　back　into　her　face。
　〃My　angel；〃　he　asked　solicitously；　〃what's　the　matter？〃
　〃I　was　thinking　of　father；〃　she　said。
　The　glowing　splendour　of　the　morning　took　on　a　touch　of　chill　for　Sam。
　〃Father！〃　he　said　thoughtfully。　〃Yes；　I　see　what　you　mean！　He　will　think　that　we　have　been　a　little　precipitate；　eh？　He　will　require　a　little　time　in　order　to　learn　to　love　me；　you　think？〃
　〃He　is　sure