pgw.threemenandamaid-第34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！


t　of　triumphal　procession。　How　the　small　boys　will　laugh　when　they　see　a　man　in　a　helmet　go　by　in　a　car！　I　shan't　notice　them　myself　because　it's　a　little　difficult　to　notice　anything　from　inside　this　thing；　but　I'm　afraid　it　will　be　rather　unpleasant　for　you　。。。　I　know　what　we'll　do。　We'll　go　to　London　and　drive　up　and　down　Piccadilly！　That　will　be　fun！〃
　There　was　a　long　silence。
　〃Is　my　helmet　on　straight？〃　said　Sam。
　Billie　made　no　reply。　She　was　looking　before　her　down　the　hedge…bordered　road。　Always　a　girl　of　sudden　impulse；　she　had　just　made　a　curious　discovery；　to　wit；　that　she　was　enjoying　herself。　There　was　something　so　novel　and　exhilarating　about　this　midnight　ride　that　imperceptibly　her　dismay　and　resentment　had　ebbed　away。　She　found　herself　struggling　with　a　desire　to　laugh。
　〃Lochinvar！〃　said　Sam　suddenly。　〃That's　the　name　of　the　chap　I've　been　trying　to　think　of！　Did　you　ever　read　about　Lochinvar？　'Young　Lochinvar'　the　poet　calls　him　rather　familiarly。　He　did　just　what　I'm　doing　now；　and　everybody　thought　very　highly　of　him。　I　suppose　in　those　days　a　helmet　was　just　an　ordinary　part　of　what　the　well…dressed　man　should　wear。　Odd　how　fashions　change！〃
　Till　now　dignity　and　wrath　bined　had　kept　Billie　from　making　any　enquiries　into　a　matter　which　had　excited　in　her　a　quite　painful　curiosity。　In　her　new　mood　she　resisted　the　impulse　no　longer。
　〃　Why　　are　you　wearing　that　thing？〃
　〃I　told　you。　Purely　and　simply　because　I　can't　get　it　off。　You　don't　suppose　I'm　trying　to　set　a　new　style　in　gents'　headwear；　do　you？〃
　〃But　why　did　you　ever　put　it　on？〃
　〃Well；　it　was　this　way。　After　I　came　out　of　the　cupboard　in　the　drawing…room。。。。〃
　〃What！〃
　〃Didn't　I　tell　you　about　that？　Oh　yes；　I　was　sitting　in　the　cupboard　in　the　drawing…room　from　dinner…time　onwards。　After　that　I　came　out　and　started　cannoning　about　among　Aunt　Adeline's　china；　so　I　thought　I'd　better　switch　the　light　on。　Unfortunately　I　switched　on　some　sort　of　musical　instrument　instead。　And　then　somebody　started　shooting。　So；　what　with　one　thing　and　another；　I　thought　it　would　be　best　to　hide　somewhere。　I　hid　in　one　of　the　suits　of　armour　in　the　hall。〃
　〃Were　you　inside　there　all　the　time　we　were。。。？〃
　〃Yes。　I　say；　that　was　funny　about　Bream；　wasn't　it？　Getting　under　the　bed；　I　mean。〃
　〃Don't　let's　talk　about　Bream。〃
　〃That's　the　right　spirit！　I　like　to　see　it！　All　right；　we　won't。　Let's　get　back　to　the　main　issue。　Will　you　marry　me？〃
　〃But　why　did　you　e　to　the　house　at　all？〃
　〃To　see　you。〃
　〃To　see　me！　At　that　time　of　night？〃
　〃Well；　perhaps　not　actually　to　see　you。〃　Sam　was　a　little　perplexed　for　a　moment。　Something　told　him　that　it　would　be　injudicious　to　reveal　his　true　motive　and　thereby　risk　disturbing　the　harmony　which　he　felt　had　begun　to　exist　between　them。　〃To　be　near　you！　To　be　in　the　same　house　with　you！〃　he　went　on　vehemently　feeling　that　he　had　struck　the　right　note。　〃You　don't　know　the　anguish　I　went　through　after　I　read　that　letter　of　yours。　I　was　mad！　I　was　。。。　well；　to　return　to　the　point；　will　you　marry　me？〃
　Billie　sat　looking　straight　before　her。　The　car；　now　on　the　main　road；　moved　smoothly　on。
　〃Will　you　marry　me？〃
　Billie　rested　her　hand　on　her　chin　and　searched　the　darkness　with　thoughtful　eyes。
　〃Will　you　marry　me？〃
　The　car　raced　on。
　〃Will　you　marry　me？〃　said　Sam。　〃Will　you　marry　me？　Will　you　marry　me？〃
　〃Oh；　don't　talk　like　a　parrot；〃　cried　Billie。　〃It　reminds　me　of　Bream。〃
　〃But　will　you？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Billie。
　Sam　brought　the　car　to　a　standstill　with　a　jerk；　probably　very　bad　for　the　tires。
　〃Did　you　say　'yes'？〃
　〃Yes！〃
　〃Darling！〃　said　Sam；　leaning　towards　her；　〃Oh；　curse　this　helmet！〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Well；　I　rather　wanted　to　kiss　you　and　it　hampers　me；〃
　〃Let　me　try　and　get　it　off。　Bend　down！〃
　〃Ouch！〃　said　Sam。
　〃It's　ing。　There！　How　helpless　men　are！〃
　〃We　need　a　woman's　tender　care；〃　said　Sam　depositing　the　helmet　on　the　floor　of　the　car；　and　rubbing　his　smarting　ears。　〃Billie！〃
　〃Sam！〃
　〃You　angel！〃
　〃You're　rather　a　darling　after　all；〃　said　Billie。　〃But　you　want　keeping　in　order；〃　she　added　severely。
　〃You　will　do　that　when　we're　married。　When　we're　married！〃　he　repeated　luxuriously。　〃How　splendid　it　sounds！〃
　〃The　only　trouble　is；〃　said　Billie；　〃father　won't　hear　of　it。〃
　〃No；　he　won't。　Not　till　it　is　all　over；〃　said　Sam。
　He　started　the　car　again。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　said　Billie。　〃Where　are　you　going？〃
　〃To　London；〃　said　Sam。　〃It　may　be　news　to　you　but　the　old　lawyer　like　myself　knows　that；　by　going　to　Doctors'　mons　or　the　Court　of　Arches　or　somewhere　or　by　routing　the　Archbishop　of　Canterbury　out　of　bed　or　something；　you　can　get　a　special　license　and　be　married　almost　before　you　know　where　you　are。　My　schemeroughlyis　to　dig　this　special　license　out　of　whoever　keeps　such　things；　have　a　bit　of　breakfast；　and　then　get　married　at　our　leisure　before　lunch　at　a　registrar's。〃
　〃Oh；　not　a　registrar's！〃　said　Billie。
　〃No？〃
　〃I　should　hate　a　registrar's。〃
　〃Very　well；　angel。　Just　as　you　say。　We'll　go　to　a　church。　There　are　millions　of　churches　in　London。　I've　seen　them　all　over　the　place。〃　He　mused　for　a　moment。　〃Yes；　you're　quite　right；〃　he　said。　〃A　church　is　the　thing。　It'll　please　Webster。〃
　〃Webster？〃
　〃Yes；　he's　rather　keen　on　the　church　bells　never　having　rung　out　so　blithe　a　peal　before。　And　we　must　consider　Webster's　feelings。　After　all；　he　brought　us　together。〃
　〃Webster？　How？〃
　〃Oh；　I'll　tell　you　all　about　that　some　other　time；〃　said　Sam。　〃Just　for　the　moment　I　want　to　sit　quite　still　and　think。　Are　you　fortable？　Fine！　Then　off　we　go。〃
　The　birds　in　the　trees　fringing　the　road　stirred　and　twittered　grumpily　as　the　noise　of　the　engine　disturbed　their　slumbers。　But；　if　they　had　known　it；　they　were　in　luck。　At　any　rate；　the　worst　had　not　befallen　them；　for　Sam　was　too　happy　to　sing。
　THE　END
　
　
　
　1