pgw.threemenandamaid-第2节
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a pretty sound egg； and it was too bad that he had allowed his mother to coop him up down in the country miles away from anywhere。
〃Eustace is returning to England on Saturday；〃 said Mrs。 Hignett。 She spoke a little wistfully。 She had not been parted from her son since he had e down from Oxford； and she would have liked to keep him with her till the end of her lecturing tour。 That； however； was out of the question。 It was imperative that； while she was away； he should be at Windles。 Nothing would have induced her to leave the place at the mercy of servants who might trample over the flower…beds； scratch the polished floors； and forget to cover up the canary at night。 〃He sails on the Atlantic 。〃
〃That's splendid；〃 said Sam。 〃I'm sailing on the Atlantic myself。 I'll go down to the office and see if we can't have a state…room together。 But where is he going to live when he gets to England？〃
〃Where is he going to live？ Why； at Windles； of course。 Where else？〃
〃But I thought you were letting Windles for the summer？〃
Mrs。 Hignett stared。
〃Letting Windles！〃 She spoke as one might address a lunatic。 〃What put that extraordinary idea into your head？〃
〃I thought father said something about your letting the place to some American。〃
〃Nothing of the kind！〃
It seemed to Sam that his aunt spoke somewhat vehemently； even snappishly； in correcting what was a perfectly natural mistake。 He could not know that the subject of letting Windles for the summer was one which had long since begun to infuriate Mrs。 Hignett。 People had certainly asked her to let Windles。 In fact people had pestered her。 There was a rich fat man； an American named Bennett； whom she had met just before sailing at her brother's house in London。 Invited down to Windles for the day； Mr。 Bennett had fallen in love with the place and had begged her to name her own price。 Not content with this； he had pursued her with his pleadings by means of the wireless telegraph while she was on the ocean； and had not given up the struggle even when she reached New York。 He had egged on a friend of his； a Mr。 Mortimer； to continue the persecution in that city。 And； this very morning； among the letters on Mrs。 Hignett's table； the buff envelope of a cable from Mr。 Bennett had peeped out； nearly spoiling her breakfast。 No wonder； then； that Sam's allusion to the affair had caused the authoress of 〃The Spreading Light〃 momentarily to lose her customary calm。
〃Nothing will induce me ever to let Windles；〃 she said with finality； and rose significantly。 Sam； perceiving that the audience was at an endand glad of italso got up。
〃Well； I think I'll be going down and seeing about that state…room；〃 he said。
〃Certainly。 I am a little busy just now； preparing notes for my next lecture。〃
〃Of course； yes。 Mustn't interrupt you。 I suppose you're having a great time； gassing awayI meanwell； good…bye！〃
〃Good…bye！〃
Mrs。 Hignett； frowning； for the interview had ruffled her and disturbed that equable frame of mind which is so vital to the preparation of lectures on Theosophy； sat down at the writing…table and began to go through the notes which she had made overnight。 She had hardly succeeded in concentrating herself when the door opened to admit the daughter of Erin once more。
〃Ma'am there was a gentleman。〃
〃This is intolerable！〃 cried Mrs。 Hignett。 〃Did you tell him that I was busy？〃
〃I did not。 I loosed him into the dining…room。〃
〃Is he a reporter from one of the newspapers？〃
〃He is not。 He has spats and a tall…shaped hat。 His name is Bream Mortimer。〃
〃Bream Mortimer！〃
〃Yes； ma'am。 He handed me a bit of a kyard； but I dropped it； being slippy from the dishes。〃
Mrs。 Hignett strode to the door with a forbidding expression。 This； as she had justly remarked； was intolerable。 She remembered Bream Mortimer。 He was the son of the Mr。 Mortimer who was the friend of the Mr。 Bennett who wanted Windles。 This visit could only have to do with the subject of Windles； and she went into the dining…room in a state of cold fury； determined to squash the Mortimer family once and for all。
Bream Mortimer was tall and thin。 He had small； bright eyes and a sharply curving nose。 He looked much more like a parrot than most parrots do。 It gave strangers a momentary shock of surprise when they saw Bream Mortimer in restaurants eating roast beef。 They had the feeling that he would have preferred sun…flower seeds。
〃Morning； Mrs。 Hignett。〃
〃Please sit down。〃
Bream Mortimer sat down。 He looked as though he would rather have hopped on to a perch； but he sat down。 He glanced about the room with gleaming； excited eyes。
〃Mrs。 Hignett； I must have a word with you alone！〃
〃You are having a word with me alone。〃
〃I hardly know how to begin。〃
〃Then let me help you。 It is quite impossible。 I will never consent。〃
Bream Mortimer started。
〃Then you have heard！〃
〃I have heard about nothing else since I met Mr。 Bennett in London。 Mr。 Bennett talked about nothing else。 Your father talked about nothing else。 And now；〃 cried Mrs。 Hignett fiercely； 〃you e and try to reopen the subject。 Once and for all nothing will alter my decision。 No money will induce me to let my house。〃
〃But I didn't e about that！〃
〃You did not e about Windles？〃
〃Good Lord； no！〃
〃Then will you kindly tell me why you have e？〃
Bream Mortimer looked embarrassed。 He wriggled a little and moved his arms as if he were trying to flap them。
〃You know；〃 he said； 〃I'm not a man who butts into other people's affairs。〃 。。。 He stopped。
〃No？〃 said Mrs。 Hignett。
Bream began again。
〃I'm not a man who gossips with servants。〃
〃No？〃
〃I'm not a man who。。。。〃
Mrs。 Hignett was never a very patient woman。
〃Let us take all your negative qualities for granted；〃 she said curtly。 〃I have no doubt that there are many things which you do not do。 Let us confine ourselves to issues of definite importance。 What is it； if you have no objection to concentrating your attention on that for a moment； that you wish to see me about？〃
〃This marriage。〃
〃What marriage？〃
〃Your son's marriage。〃
〃My son is not married。〃
〃No； but he's going to be。 At eleven o'clock this morning at the Little Church Round the Corner！〃
Mrs。 Hignett stared。
〃Are you mad？〃
〃Well； I'm not any too well pleased； I'm bound to say；〃 admitted Mr。 Mortimer。 〃You see； darn it all； I'm in love with the girl myself！〃
〃Who is this girl？〃
〃Have been for years。 I'm one of those silent； patient fellows who hang around and look a lot； but never tell their love。。。。〃
〃Who is this girl who has entrapped my son？〃
〃I've always been one of those men who。。。。〃
〃Mr。 Mortimer！ With your permission we will take your positive qualities； also； for granted。 In fact； we will not discuss you at all。 You e to me with this absurd story。。。。〃
〃Not absurd。 Honest fact。 I had it from my valet； who had it from her maid； and； though I'm not a man who gossips with servants； I'm bound to say。。。。〃
〃Will you please tell me who is the girl my misguided son wishes to marry？〃
〃I don't know that I'd call him misguided；〃 said Mr。 Mortimer； as one desiring to be fair； 〃I think he's a right smart picker！ She's such a corking girl； you know。 We were children together； and I've loved her for years。 Ten years at least。 But you know how it issomehow one never seems to get in line for a proposal。 I thought I saw an opening in the summer of nineteen…twelve； but it blew over。 I'm not one of these smooth； dashing guys； you see； with a great line of talk。 I'm not。。。。〃
〃If you will kindly；〃 said Mrs。 Hignett impatiently； 〃postpone this essay in psycho…analysis to some future occasion I shall be greatly obliged。 I am waiting to hear the name of the girl my son wishes to marry。〃
〃Haven't I told you？〃 said Mr。 Mortimer； surprised。 〃That's odd。 I haven't！ It's funny how one doesn't do the things one thinks one does。 I'm the sort of man。。。〃
〃What is her name？〃
〃Bennett。〃
〃Bennett？ Wilhelmina Bennett？ The daughter of Mr。 Rufus Bennett？ The red…haired girl I met at lunch one day at your father's house？〃
〃That's it。 You're a great guesser。 I think you ought to stop the thing。〃
〃I intend to。〃
〃Fine！〃
〃The marriage would be unsuitable in every way。 Miss Bennett and my son do not vibrate on the same plane。〃
〃That's right。 I've noticed it myself。〃
〃Their auras are not the same colour。〃
〃If I've thought that once；〃 said Bream Mortimer； 〃I've thought it a hundred times。 I wish I had a dollar for every time I've thought it。 Not the same colour！ That's the whole thing in a nutshell。〃
〃I am much obliged to you for ing and telling me of this。 I shall take immediate steps。〃
〃That's good！ But what's the procedure？ How are you going to form a flying…wedge and buck…centre？ It's getting late。 She'll be waiting at the church at eleven。 With bells on；〃 said Mr。 Mortimer。
〃Eustace will not be there。〃
〃You think you can fix it？〃
〃Eustace will not be there；〃 repeated Mrs。 Hignett。
Bream Mortimer hopped down from his chair。
〃Well； you've taken a weight off my mind。〃
〃A mind； I should imagine； scarcely constructed to bear great weights。〃
〃I'll be going。 Haven't had breakfast yet。 Too worried to eat b
