pgw.threemenandamaid-第23节
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！
not so much because he knew what he meant； for he would have been the first to admit that he did not； but because it sounded well。
〃Oh！〃 said Mr。 Bennett 〃You do； do you？〃
Mr。 Bennett sat down。 He put away his handkerchief； which had certainly earned a rest。 Then he fastened a baleful stare upon his newly…discovered son。 It was not the sort of look a proud and happy father…in…law…to…be ought to have directed at a prospective relative。 It was not； as a matter of fact； the sort of look which anyone ought to have directed at anybody except possibly an exceptionally prudish judge at a criminal in the dock； convicted of a more than usually atrocious murder。 Billie； not being in the actual line of fire； only caught the tail end of it； but it was enough to create a misgiving。
〃Oh； father！ You aren't angry。〃
〃Angry！〃
〃You can't be angry！〃
〃Why can't I be angry！〃 demanded Mr。 Bennett； with that sense of injury which es to self…willed men when their whims are thwarted。 〃Why the devil shouldn't I be angry？ I am angry！ I e here and find you likelike this； and you seem to expect me to throw my hat in the air and give three rousing cheers！ Of course I'm angry！ You are engaged to be married to an excellent young man of the highest character； one of the finest young men I have ever met。。。。〃
〃Oh； well！〃 said Sam； straightening his tie modestly。 〃Of course； if you say so 。。。 It's awfully good of you。。。。〃
〃But； father；〃 cried Billie； 〃I never really loved Bream。 I like him very much； but I could never love him。 I only got engaged to him because you were so anxious for it； and because 。。。 because I had quarrelled with the man I really loved 。。。 I don't want to marry Bream。〃
〃Naturally！〃 said Sam。 〃Naturally！ Quite out of the question。 In a few days we'll all be roaring with laughter at the very idea。〃
Mr。 Bennett scorched him with a look pared with which his earlier effort had been a loving glance。
〃Wilhelmina；〃 he said； 〃go into the outer office。〃
〃But； father； you don't understand。 You don't realise that Sam has just saved my life。〃
〃Saved your life？ What do you mean？〃
〃There was a lunatic in here with a pistol； and Sam saved me。〃
〃It was nothing；〃 said Sam modestly。 〃Nothing。〃
〃Go into the outer office！〃 thundered Mr。 Bennett； quite unmoved by this story。
〃Very well；〃 said Billie。 〃I shall always love you； Sam；〃 she said； pausing mutinously at the door。
〃I shall always love you ；〃 said Sam。
〃Nobody can keep us apart。〃
〃They're wasting their time； trying；〃 said Sam。
〃You're the most wonderful man in the world。〃
〃There never was a girl like you！〃
〃Get out ！〃 bellowed Mr。 Bennett； on whose equanimity this love…scene； which I think beautiful； was jarring profoundly。
〃Now； sir！〃 he said to Sam； as the door closed。
〃Yes； let's talk it over calmly；〃 said Sam。
〃I will not talk it over calmly！〃
〃Oh； e！ You can do it if you try。〃
〃Bream Mortimer is the son of Henry Mortimer。〃
〃I know；〃 said Sam。 〃And； while it is no doubt unfair to hold that against him； it's a point you can't afford to ignore。 Henry Mortimer！ You and I have Henry Mortimer's number。 We know what Henry Mortimer is like！ A man who spends his time thinking up ways of annoying you。 You can't seriously want to have the Mortimer family linked to you by marriage。〃
〃Henry Mortimer is my oldest friend。〃
〃That makes it all the worse。 Fancy a man who calls himself your friend treating you like that！〃
〃The misunderstanding to which you allude has been pletely smoothed over。 My relations with Mr。 Mortimer are thoroughly cordial。〃
〃Well； have it your own way。 Personally； I wouldn't trust a man like that。 And； as for letting my daughter marry his son。。。！〃
〃I have decided once and for all。。。。〃
〃If you'll take my advice； you will break the thing off。〃
〃I will not take your advice。〃
〃I wouldn't expect to charge you for it；〃 explained Sam； reassuringly。 〃I give it you as a friend； not as a lawyer。 Six…and…eightpence to others； free to you。〃
〃Will you understand that my daughter is going to marry Bream Mortimer？ What are you giggling about？〃
〃It sounds so silly。 The idea of anyone marrying Bream Mortimer； I mean。〃
〃Let me tell you he is a thoroughly estimable young man。〃
〃And there you put the whole thing in a nutshell。 Your daughter is a girl of spirit。 She would hate to be tied for life to an estimable young man。〃
〃She will do as I tell her。〃
Sam regarded him sternly。
〃Have you no regard for her happiness？〃
〃I am the best judge of what is best for her；〃
〃If you ask me；〃 said Sam candidly； 〃I think you're a rotten judge。〃
〃I did not e here to be insulted！〃
〃I like that！ You have been insulting me ever since you arrived。 What right have you to say that I'm not fit to marry your daughter？〃
〃I did not say that。〃
〃You've implied it。 And you've been looking at me as if I were a leper or something the Pure Food mittee has condemned。 Why？ That's what I ask you；〃 said Sam； warming up。 This； he fancied； was the way Widgery would have tackled a troublesome client。 〃Why？ Answer me that！〃
〃I。。。。〃
Sam rapped sharply on the desk。
〃Be careful； sir。 Be very careful！〃 He knew that this was what lawyers always said。 Of course； there is a difference in position between a miscreant whom you suspect of an attempt at perjury and the father of the girl you love； whose consent to the match you wish to obtain； but Sam was in no mood for these nice distinctions。 He only knew that lawyers told people to be very careful； so he told Mr。 Bennett to be very careful。
〃What do you mean； be very careful？〃 said Mr。 Bennett。
〃I'm dashed if I know；〃 said Sam frankly。 The question struck him as a mean attack。 He wondered how Widgery would have met it。 Probably by smiling quietly and polishing his spectacles。 Sam had no spectacles。 He endeavoured； however； to smile quietly。
〃Don't laugh at me！〃 roared Mr。 Bennett。
〃I'm not laughing at you。〃
〃You are！〃
〃I'm not！〃
〃Well； don't then！〃 said Mr。 Bennett。 He glowered at his young panion。 〃I don't know why I'm wasting my time； talking to you。 The position is clear to the meanest intelligence。 You cannot have any difficulty in understanding it。 I have no objection to you personally。。。。〃
〃e； this is better！〃 said Sam。
〃I don't know you well enough to have any objection to you or any opinion of you at all。 This is the first time I have ever met you in my life。〃
〃Mark you；〃 said Sam。 〃I think I am one of those fellows who grow on people。。。。〃
〃As far as I am concerned； you simply do not exist。 You may be the noblest character in London or you may be wanted by the police。 I don't know。 And I don't care。 It doesn't matter to me。 You mean nothing in my life。 I don't know you。〃
〃You must persevere；〃 said Sam。 〃You must buckle to and get to know me。 Don't give the thing up in this half…hearted way。 Everything has to have a beginning。 Stick to it； and in a week or two you will find yourself knowing me quite well。〃
〃I don't want to know you！〃
〃You say that now； but wait！〃
〃And thank goodness I have not got to！〃 exploded Mr。 Bennett； ceasing to be calm and reasonable with a suddenness which affected Sam much as though half a pound of gunpowder had been touched off under his chair。 〃For the little I have seen of you has been quite enough！ Kindly understand that my daughter is engaged to be married to another man； and that I do not wish to see or hear anything of you again！ I shall try to forget your very existence； and I shall see to it that Wilhelmina does the same！ You're an impudent scoundrel； sir！ An impudent scoundrel！ I don't like you！ I don't wish to see you again！ If you were the last man in the world I wouldn't allow my daughter to marry you！ If that is quite clear； I will wish you good morning！〃
Mr。 Bennett thundered out of the room； and Sam； temporarily stunned by the outburst； remained where he was； gaping。 A few minutes later life began to return to his palsied limbs。 It occurred to him that Mr。 Bennett had forgotten to kiss him good…bye； and he went into the outer office to tell him so。 But the outer office was empty。 Sam stood for a moment in thought； then he returned to the inner office； and； picking up a time…table； began to look out trains to the village of Windlehurst in Hampshire； the nearest station to his aunt Adeline's charming old…world house； Windles。
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
As I read over the last few chapters of this narrative； I see that I have been giving the reader a rather too jumpy time。 To almost a painful degree I have excited his pity and terror； and； though that is what Aristotle tells one ought to do； I feel that a little respite would not be out of order。 The reader can stand having his emotions churned up to a certain point； after that he wants to take it easy。 It is with pleasure； therefore； that I turn now to depict a quiet； peaceful scene in domestic life。 It won't last longthree minutes； perhaps； by a stop…watchbut that is not my fault。 My task is to record facts as they happened。
The morning sunlight fell pleasantly on the garden of Windles； turning it into the green and amber Paradise which Nature had intended it to be。 A number of the local birds sang melodiousl
