pgw.threemenandamaid-第15节

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　〃I　don't　see　what　right　you　have　to　say　you　can't　marry　me　and　try　to　load　me　up　with　golliwogs；〃　he　retorted　with　equal　heat。
　〃Oh；　can't　you　understand？〃
　〃No；　I'm　dashed　if　I　can。〃
　She　looked　at　him　despondently。
　〃When　I　said　I　would　marry　you；　you　were　a　hero　to　me。　You　stood　to　me　for　everything　that　was　noble　and　brave　and　wonderful。　I　had　only　to　shut　my　eyes　to　conjure　up　the　picture　of　you　as　you　dived　off　the　rail　that　morning。　Now〃her　voice　trembled〃if　I　shut　my　eyes　now；I　can　only　see　a　man　with　a　hideous　black　face　making　himself　the　laughing　stock　of　the　ship。　How　can　I　marry　you；　haunted　by　that　picture？〃
　〃But；　good　heavens；　you　talk　as　if　I　made　a　habit　of　blacking　up！　You　talk　as　if　you　expected　me　to　e　to　the　altar　smothered　in　burnt　cork。〃
　〃I　shall　always　think　of　you　as　I　saw　you　to…night。〃
　She　looked　at　him　sadly；　〃There's　a　bit　of　black　still　on　your　left　ear。〃
　He　tried　to　take　her　hand。　But　she　drew　it　away。　He　fell　back　as　if　struck。
　〃So　this　is　the　end；〃　he　muttered。
　〃Yes。　It's　partly　on　your　ear　and　partly　on　your　cheek。〃
　〃So　this　is　the　end；〃　he　repeated。
　〃You　had　better　go　below　and　ask　your　steward　to　give　you　some　more　butter。〃
　He　laughed　bitterly。
　〃Well；　I　might　have　expected　it；　I　might　have　known　what　would　happen！　Eustace　warned　me。　Eustace　was　right。　He　knows　womenas　I　donow。　Women！　What　mighty　ills　have　not　been　done　by　women？　Who　was't　betrayed　the　what's…its…name？　A　woman！　Who　lost　。。。　lost　。。。　who　lost　。。。　who　erand　so　on？　A　woman　。。。　So　all　is　over！　There　is　nothing　to　be　said　but　good…bye？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃Good…bye；　then；　Miss　Bennett！〃
　〃Good…bye；〃　said　Billie　sadly。　〃II'm　sorry。〃
　〃Don't　mention　it！〃
　〃You　do　understand；　don't　you？〃
　〃You　have　made　everything　perfectly　clear。〃
　〃I　hopeI　hope　you　won't　be　unhappy。〃
　〃Unhappy！〃　Sam　produced　a　strangled　noise　from　his　larynx；　like　the　cry　of　a　shrimp　in　pain。　〃Unhappy！　I'm　not　unhappy！　Whatever　gave　you　that　idea？　I'm　smiling！　I'm　laughing！　I　feel　I've　had　a　merciful　escape。〃
　〃It's　very　unkind　and　rude　of　you　to　say　that。〃
　〃It　reminds　me　of　a　moving　picture　I　saw　in　New　York。　It　was　called　'Saved　from　the　Scaffold。'〃
　〃Oh！〃
　〃I'm　not　unhappy。　What　have　I　got　to　be　unhappy　about？　What　on　earth　does　any　man　want　to　get　married　for？　I　don't　。。。　Give　me　my　gay　bachelor　life！　My　uncle　Charlie　used　to　say　'It's　better　luck　to　get　married　than　it　is　to　be　kicked　in　the　head　by　a　mule。'　But　　he　　was　an　optimist。　Good…night；　Miss　Bennett。　And　good…byefor　ever。〃
　He　turned　on　his　heel　and　strode　across　the　deck。　From　a　white　heaven　the　moon　still　shone　benignantly　down；　mocking　him。　He　had　spoken　bravely：　the　most　captious　critic　could　not　but　have　admitted　that　he　had　made　a　good　exit。　But　already　his　heart　was　aching。
　As　he　drew　near　to　his　stateroom；　he　was　amazed　and　disgusted　to　hear　a　high　tenor　voice　raised　in　song　proceeding　from　behind　the　closed　door。
　　　〃I　fee…er　naw　faw　in　shee…ining　arr…mor；　　　　Though　his　lance　be　sharrrp　and…er　keen；　　　　But　I　fee…er；　I　fee…er　the　glah…mour　　　　Therough　thy　der…rooping　lashes　seen：　　　　I　fee…er；　I　fee…er　the　glah…mour。。。。〃
　Sam　flung　open　the　door　wrathfully。　That　Eustace　Hignett　should　still　be　alive　was　badhe　had　pictured　him　hurling　himself　overboard　and　bobbing　about；　a　pleasing　sight；　in　the　wake　of　the　vessel；　that　he　should　be　singing　was　an　outrage。　Remorse；　Sam　thought　should　have　stricken　Eustace　Hignett　dumb。　Instead　of　which；　here　he　was　porting　himself　like　a　blasted　linnet。　It　was　all　wrong。　The　man　could　have　no　conscience　whatever。
　〃Well；〃　he　said　sternly；　〃so　there　you　are！〃
　Eustace　Hignett　looked　up　brightly；　even　beamingly。　In　the　brief　interval　which　had　elapsed　since　Sam　had　seen　him　last；　an　extraordinary　transformation　had　taken　place　in　this　young　man。　His　wan　look　had　disappeared。　His　eyes　were　bright。　His　face　wore　that　beastly　self…satisfied　smirk　which　you　see　in　pictures　advertising　certain　makes　of　fine…mesh　underwear。　If　Eustace　Hignett　had　been　a　full…page　drawing　in　a　magazine　with　〃My　dear　fellow；　I　always　wear　Sigsbee's　Superfine　Featherweight！〃　printed　underneath　him；　he　could　not　have　looked　more　pleased　with　himself。
　〃Hullo！〃　he　said。　〃I　was　wondering　where　you　had　got　to。〃
　〃Never　mind；〃　said　Sam　coldly；　〃where　I　had　got　to！　Where　did　you　get　to；　and　why？　You　poor；　miserable　worm；〃　he　went　on　in　a　burst　of　generous　indignation；　〃what　have　you　to　say　for　yourself？　What　do　you　mean　by　dashing　away　like　that　and　killing　my　little　entertainment？〃
　〃Awfully　sorry；　old　man。　I　hadn't　foreseen　the　cigar。　I　was　bearing　up　tolerably　well　till　I　began　to　sniff　the　smoke。　Then　everything　seemed　to　go　blackI　don't　mean　you；　of　course。　You　were　black　alreadyand　I　got　the　feeling　that　I　simply　must　get　on　deck　and　drown　myself。〃
　〃Well；　why　didn't　you？〃　demanded　Sam；　with　a　strong　sense　of　injury。　〃I　might　have　forgiven　you　then。　But　to　e　down　here　and　find　you　singing。。。。〃
　A　soft　light　came　into　Eustace　Hignett's　eyes。
　〃I　want　to　tell　you　all　about　that；〃　he　said；　〃It's　the　most　astonishing　story。　A　miracle；　you　might　almost　call　it。　Makes　you　believe　in　Fate　and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　A　week　ago　I　was　on　the　Subway　in　New　York。。。。〃
　He　broke　off　while　Sam　cursed　him；　the　Subway；　and　the　city　of　New　York；　in　the　order　named。
　〃My　dear　chap；　what　is　the　matter？〃
　〃What　is　the　matter？　Ha！〃
　〃Something　is　the　matter；〃　persisted　Eustace　Hignett；　〃I　can　tell　it　by　your　manner。　Something　has　happened　to　disturb　and　upset　you。　I　know　you　so　well　that　I　can　pierce　the　mask。　What　is　it？　Tell　me；〃
　〃Ha；　ha！〃
　〃You　surely　can't　still　be　brooding　on　that　concert　business？　Why；　that's　all　over。　I　take　it　that　after　my　departure　you　made　the　most　colossal　ass　of　yourself；　but　why　let　that　worry　you？　These　things　cannot　affect　one　permanently。〃
　〃Can't　they？　Let　me　tell　you　that　as　a　result　of　that　concert　my　engagement　is　broken　off。〃
　Eustace　sprang　forward　with　outstretched　hand。
　〃Not　really？　How　splendid！　Accept　my　congratulations！　This　is　the　finest　thing　that　could　possibly　have　happened。　These　are　not　idle　words。　As　one　who　has　been　engaged　to　the　girl　himself；　I　speak　feelingly。　You　are　well　out　of　it；　Sam。〃
　Sam　thrust　aside　his　hand。　Had　it　been　his　neck　he　might　have　clutched　it　eagerly；　but　he　drew　the　line　at　shaking　hands　with　Eustace　Hignett。
　〃My　heart　is　broken；〃　he　said　with　dignity。
　〃That　feeling　will　pass；　giving　way　to　one　of　devout　thankfulness。　I　know！　I've　been　there。　After　all　。。。　Wilhelmina　Bennett　。。。　what　is　she？　A　rag　and　a　bone　and　a　hank　of　hair？〃
　〃She　is　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　said　Sam；　revolted。
　〃Pardon　me；〃　said　Eustace　firmly；　〃I　speak　as　an　expert。　I　know　her　and　I　repeat；　she　is　a　rag　and　a　bone　and　a　hank　of　hair！〃
　〃She　is　the　only　girl　in　the　world；　and　owing　to　your　idiotic　behaviour　I　have　lost　her。〃
　〃You　speak　of　the　only　girl　in　the　world；〃　said　Eustace　blithely。　〃If　you　want　to　hear　about　the　only　girl　in　the　world；　I　will　tell　you。　A　week　ago　I　was　in　the　Subway　in　New　York。。。。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　bed；〃　said　Sam　brusquely。
　〃All　right。　I'll　tell　you　while　you're　undressing。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　listen。〃
　〃A　week　ago；〃　said　Eustace　Hignett；　〃I　will　ask　you　to　picture　me　seated　after　some　difficulty　in　a　carriage　in　a　New　York　subway；　I　got　into　conversation　with　a　girl　with　an　elephant　gun。〃
　Sam　revised　his　private　mination　service　in　order　to　include　the　elephant　gun。
　〃She　was　my　soul…mate；〃　proceeded　Eustace　with　quiet　determination。　〃I　didn't　know　it　at　the　time；　but　she　was。　She　had　grave　brown　eyes；　a　wonderful　personality；　and　this　elephant　gun。　She　was　bringing　the　gun　away　from　the　down…town　place　where　she　had　taken　it　to　be　mended。〃
　〃Did　she　shoot　you　with　it？〃
　〃Shoot　me？　What　do　you　mean？　Why；　no！〃
　〃The　girl　must　have　been　a　fool！〃　said　Sam　bitterly。　〃The　chance　of　a　life…time　and　she　missed　it。　Where　are　my　pyjamas？〃
　〃I　haven't　seen　your　pyjamas。　She　talked　to　me　about　this　elephant　gun；　and　explained　its　mechanism。　You　can　imagine　how　she　soothed　my　aching　heart。　My　heart；　if　you　recollect；　was　aching　at　the　moment…quite　unnecessarily　if　I　had　only　known…because　it　was　only　a　couple　of　days　since　my　engagement　to　Wilhelmina　Bennett　had　been　broken　off。　Well；　we　parted　at　Sixty…sixth　Street；　and；　strange　as　it　may　seem；　I　forgot　all　about　her。〃
　〃Do　it　again！〃
　〃Tell　it　again？〃
　〃Good　heavens；　no！　Forget　all　about　her　again。〃
　〃Nothing；〃　said　Eustace　Hignett　gravely；　〃could　make　me　do　that。　Our　souls　have　blended。　Our　beings　have　called　to　one　another　from　their　deepest　depths；　saying　。。。　There　are　your　pyjamas；　over　in　the　corner　。。。　saying；　'You　are　mine！'　How　could　I　forget　her　after　that？　Well；　as　I　was　saying；　we　parted。　Little　did　I　know　that　she　was　sailing　on　this　very　boat！　But　just　now　she　came　to　me　as　I　writhed　on　deck。。。。〃
　〃Did　you　writhe？〃　asked　Sam　with　a　flicker　of　moody　interest。
　〃I　certainly　did。〃
　〃That's　good！〃
　〃But　not　for　long。〃
　〃That's　bad！〃
　〃She　came　to　me　and　healed　me。　Sam；　that　girl　is　an　angel。〃
　〃Switch　off　the　light　when　you've　finished。〃
　〃She　seemed　to　understand　without　a　word　how　I　was　feeling。　There　are　some　situations　which　do　not　need　word