pgw.threemenandamaid-第32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！


a　crisis。　The　temporary　withdrawal　of　Jane　Hubbard　had　had　the　effect　which　the　removal　of　a　rudder　has　on　a　boat。　〃It's　the　only　thing　to　do。　I　shall　be　back　in　no　time。〃
　She　stepped　firmly　to　the　coat…rack；　and　began　to　put　on　her　motoring…cloak。　And　just　then　Jane　Hubbard　came　downstairs；　shepherding　before　her　a　pale　and　glassy…eyed　Bream。
　〃Right　under　the　bed；〃　she　announced　cheerfully；　〃making　a　noise　like　a　piece　of　fluff　in　order　to　deceive　burglars。〃
　Billie　cast　a　scornful　look　at　her　fiancee。　Absolutely　unjustified；　in　my　opinion；　but　nevertheless　she　cast　it。　But　it　had　no　effect　at　all。　Terror　had　stunned　Bream　Mortimer's　perceptions。　His　was　what　the　doctors　call　a　penumbral　mental　condition。　He　was　in　a　sort　of　trance。
　〃Bream；〃　said　Billie；　〃I　want　you　to　e　in　the　car　with　me　to　fetch　the　police。〃
　〃All　right；〃　said　Bream。
　〃Get　your　coat。〃
　〃All　right；〃　said　Bream。
　〃And　cap。〃
　〃All　right；〃　said　Bream。
　He　followed　Billie　in　a　docile　manner　out　through　the　front　door；　and　they　made　their　way　to　the　garage　at　the　back　of　the　house；　both　silent。　The　only　difference　between　their　respective　silences　was　that　Billie's　was　thoughtful；　while　Bream's　was　just　the　silence　of　a　man　who　has　unhitched　his　brain　and　is　getting　along　as　well　as　he　can　without　it。
　In　the　hall　they　had　left；　Jane　Hubbard　once　more　took　mand　of　affairs。
　〃Well；　that's　something　done；〃　she　said；　scratching　Smith's　broad　back　with　the　muzzle　of　her　weapon。　〃Something　acplished；　something　done；　has　earned　a　night's　repose。　Not　that　we're　going　to　get　it　yet。　I　think　those　fellows　are　hiding　somewhere；　and　we　ought　to　search　the　house　and　rout　them　out。　It's　a　pity　Smith　isn't　a　bloodhound。　I　like　you　personally；　Smithy；　but　you're　about　as　much　practical　use　in　a　situation　like　this　as　a　cold　in　the　head。　You're　a　good　cake…hound；　but　as　a　watch…dog　you　don't　finish　in　the　first　ten。〃
　The　cake…hound；　charmed　at　the　pliment；　frisked　about　her　feet　like　a　young　elephant。
　〃The　first　thing　to　do；〃　continued　Jane；　〃is　to　go　through　the　ground…floor　rooms。。。。〃　She　paused　to　strike　a　match　against　the　suit　of　armour　nearest　to　her；　a　proceeding　which　elicited　a　sharp　cry　of　protest　from　Mrs。　Hignett；　and　lit　a　cigarette。　〃I'll　go　first；　as　I've　got　a　gun。。。。〃　She　blew　a　cloud　of　smoke。　〃I　shall　want　somebody　with　me　to　carry　a　light；　and。。。。〃
　〃Tchoo！〃
　〃What？〃　said　Jane。
　〃I　didn't　speak；〃　said　Mr。　Mortimer。　〃Who　am　I　to　speak？〃　he　went　on　bitterly。　〃Who　am　I　that　it　should　be　supposed　that　I　have　anything　sensible　to　suggest？〃
　〃Somebody　spoke；〃　said　Jane。　〃I。。。。〃
　〃Achoo！〃
　〃Do　you　feel　a　draught；　Mr。　Bennett？〃　cried　Jane　sharply；　wheeling　round　on　him。
　〃There　　is　　a　draught；〃　began　Mr。　Bennett。
　〃Well；　finish　sneezing　and　I'll　go　on。〃
　〃I　didn't　sneeze！〃
　〃Somebody　sneezed。〃
　〃It　seemed　to　e　from　just　behind　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Hignett　nervously。
　〃It　couldn't　have　e　from　just　behind　me；〃　said　Jane；　〃because　there　isn't　anything　behind　me　from　which　it　could　have。。。。〃　She　stopped　suddenly；　in　her　eyes　the　light　of　understanding；　on　her　face　the　set　expression　which　was　wont　to　e　to　it　on　the　eve　of　action。　〃Oh！〃　she　said　in　a　different　voice；　a　voice　which　was　cold　and　tense　and　sinister。　〃Oh；　I　see！〃　She　raised　her　gun；　and　placed　a　muscular　forefinger　on　the　trigger。　〃e　out　of　that！〃　she　said。　〃e　out　of　that　suit　of　armour　and　let's　have　a　look　at　you！〃
　〃I　can　explain　everything；〃　said　a　muffled　voice　through　the　vizor　of　the　helmet。　〃I　canachoo。〃　The　smoke　of　the　cigarette　tickled　Sam's　nostrils　again；　and　he　suspended　his　remarks。
　〃I　shall　count　three；〃　said　Jane　Hubbard。　〃Onetwo〃
　〃I'm　ing！　I'm　ing！〃　said　Sam　petulantly。
　〃You'd　better！〃　said　Jane。
　〃I　can't　get　this　dashed　helmet　off！〃
　〃If　you　don't　e　quick；　I'll　blow　it　off。〃
　Sam　stepped　out　into　the　hall；　a　picturesque　figure　which　bined　the　costumes　of　two　widely　separated　centuries。　Modern　as　far　as　the　neck；　he　slipped　back　at　that　point　to　the　Middle　Ages。
　〃Hands　up！〃　manded　Jane　Hubbard。
　〃My　hands　　are　　up！〃　retorted　Sam　querulously；　as　he　wrenched　at　his　unbeing　head…wear。
　〃Never　mind　trying　to　raise　your　hat；〃　said　Jane。　〃If　you've　lost　the　bination；　we'll　dispense　with　the　formalities。　What　we're　anxious　to　hear　is　what　you're　doing　in　the　house　at　this　time　of　night；　and　who　your　pals　are。　e　along；　my　lad；　make　a　clean　breast　of　it　and　perhaps　you'll　get　off　easier。　Are　you　a　gang？〃
　〃Do　I　look　like　a　gang？〃
　〃If　you　ask　me　what　you　look　like。。。。〃
　〃My　name　is　Marlowe　。。。　Samuel　Marlowe。。。。〃
　〃Alias　what？〃
　〃Alias　nothing！　I　say　my　name　is　Samuel　Marlowe。。。。〃
　An　explosive　roar　burst　from　Mr。　Bennett。　〃The　scoundrel！　I　know　him！　I　forbade　him　the　house；　and。。。。〃
　〃And　by　what　right　did　you　forbid　people　my　house；　Mr。　Bennett？〃　said　Mrs。　Hignett　with　acerbity。
　〃I've　rented　the　house；　Mortimer　and　I　rented　it　from　your　son。。。。〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　yes；〃　said　Jane　Hubbard。　〃Never　mind　about　that。　So　you　know　this　fellow；　do　you？〃
　〃I　don't　know　him！〃
　〃You　said　you　did。〃
　〃I　refuse　to　know　him！〃　went　on　Mr。　Bennett。　〃I　won't　know　him！　I　decline　to　have　anything　to　do　with　him！〃
　〃But　you　identify　him？〃
　〃If　he　says　he's　Samuel　Marlowe；〃　assented　Mr。　Bennett　grudgingly；　〃I　suppose　he　is。　I　can't　imagine　anybody　saying　he　was　Samuel　Marlowe　if　he　didn't　know　it　could　be　proved　against　him。〃
　〃　Are　　you　my　nephew　Samuel？〃　said　Mrs。　Hignett。
　〃Yes；〃　said　Sam。
　〃Well；　what　are　you　doing　in　my　house？〃
　〃It's　　my　　house；〃　said　Mr。　Bennett；　〃for　the　summer；　Henry　Mortimer's　and　mine。　Isn't　that　right；　Henry？〃
　〃Dead　right；〃　said　Mr。　Mortimer。
　〃There！〃　said　Mr。　Bennett。　〃You　hear？　And　when　Henry　Mortimer　says　a　thing；　it's　so。　There's　nobody's　word　I'd　take　before　Henry　Mortimer's。〃
　〃When　Rufus　Bennett　makes　an　assertion；〃　said　Mr。　Mortimer；　highly　flattered　by　these　kind　words；　〃you　can　bank　on　it；　Rufus　Bennett's　word　is　his　bond。　Rufus　Bennett　is　a　white　man！〃
　The　two　old　friends　clasped　hands　with　a　good　deal　of　feeling。
　〃I　am　not　disputing　Mr。　Bennett's　claim　to　belong　to　the　Caucasian　race；〃　said　Mrs。　Hignett；　〃I　merely　maintain　that　this　house　is。。。。〃
　〃Yes；　yes；　yes；　yes！〃　interrupted　Jane。　〃You　can　thresh　all　that　out　some　other　time。　The　point　is；　if　this　fellow　is　your　nephew；　I　don't　see　what　we　can　do。　We'll　have　to　let　him　go。〃
　〃I　came　to　this　house；〃　said　Sam；　raising　his　vizor　to　facilitate　speech；　〃to　make　a　social　call。。。。〃
　〃At　this　hour　of　the　night！〃　snapped　Mrs。　Hignett。　〃You　always　were　an　inconsiderate　boy；　Samuel。〃
　〃I　came　to　enquire　after　poor　Eustace's　ankle。　I've　only　just　heard　that　the　poor　chap　was　ill。〃
　〃He's　getting　along　quite　well；〃　said　Jane；　melting。　〃If　I　had　known　you　were　so　fond　of　Eustace。。。。〃
　〃All　right；　is　he？〃　said　Sam。
　〃Well；　not　quite　all　right；　but　he's　going　on　very　nicely。〃
　〃Fine！〃
　〃Eustace　and　I　are　engaged；　you　know！〃
　〃No；　really？　Splendid！　I　can't　see　you　very　distinctlyhow　those　Johnnies　in　the　old　days　ever　contrived　to　put　up　a　scrap　with　things　like　this　on　their　heads　beats　mebut　you　sound　a　good　sort。　I　hope　you'll　be　very　happy。〃
　〃Thank　you　ever　so　much；　Mr。　Marlowe。　I'm　sure　we　shall。〃
　〃Eustace　is　one　of　the　best。〃
　〃How　nice　of　you　to　say　so。〃
　〃All　this；〃　interrupted　Mrs。　Hignett；　who　had　been　a　chafing　auditor　of　this　interchange　of　courtesies；　〃is　beside　the　point。　Why　did　you　dance　in　the　hall；　Samuel；　and　play　the　orchestrion？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Bennett；　reminded　of　his　grievance；　〃waking　people　up。〃
　〃Scaring　us　all　to　death！〃　plained　Mr。　Mortimer。
　〃I　remember　you　as　a　boy；　Samuel；〃　said　Mrs。　Hignett；　〃lamentably　lacking　in　consideration　for　others　and　concentrated　only　on　your　selfish　pleasures。　You　seem　to　have　altered　very　little。〃
　〃Don't　ballyrag　the　poor　man；〃　said　Jane　Hubbard。　〃Be　human！　Lend　him　a　can…opener！〃
　〃I　shall　do　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　said　Mrs。　Hignett。　〃I　never　liked　him　and　I　dislike　him　now。　He　has　got　himself　into　this　trouble　through　his　own　wrong…headedness。〃
　〃It's　not　his　fault　his　head's　the　wrong　size；〃　said　Jane。
　〃He　must　get　himself　out　as　best　he　can；〃　said　Mrs。　Hignett。
　〃Very　well；〃　said　Sam　with　bitter　dignity。　〃Then　I　will　not　trespass　further　on　your　hospitality；　Aunt　Adeline。　I　have　no　doubt　the　local　blacksmith　will　be　able　to　get　this　damned　thing　off　me。　I　shall　go　to　him　now。　I　will　let　you　have　the　helmet　back　by　parcel…post　at　the　earliest　possible　opportunity。　Good　night！〃　He　walked　coldly　to　the　front　door。　〃And　there　are　people；〃　he　remarked　sardonically；　〃who　say　that　blood　is　thicker　than　water！　I'll　bet　they　never　had　any　aunts！〃
　5
　Billie；　meanwhile；　with　Bream　trotting　docilely　at　her　heels；　had　reached　the　garage　and　started　the　car。　Like　all　cars　which　have　been　spending　a　considerable　time　in　secluded　inaction；　it　did　not　start　readily。　At　each　application　of　Billie's　foot　on　the　self…starter；　it　emitted　a　tinny　and　reproachful　sound　and　then　seemed　to　go　to　sleep　again。　Eventually；　however；　the　engines　began　to　revolve　and　the　machine　moved　reluctantly　out　into　the　drive。
　〃The　battery　must　be　run　down；〃　said　Billie。
　〃All　right；〃　said　Bream。
　Billie　cast　a　glance　of　contempt　at　him　out　of　the　cor