pgw.threemenandamaid-第9节

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　〃I'll　carry　it；〃　said　Bream。
　〃Nonsense。　I　wouldn't　dream　of　burdening　you　with　it。　Trot　along　and　put　it　on　the　berth。　It　doesn't　matter　about　folding　it　up。〃
　〃All　right；〃　said　Bream　moodily。
　He　trotted　along。　There　are　moments　when　a　man　feels　that　all　he　needs　in　order　to　be　a　delivery　wagon　is　a　horse　and　a　driver。
　〃He　had　better　chirrup　to　the　dog　while　he's　there；　don't　you　think？〃　suggested　Sam。　He　felt　that　a　resolute　man　with　legs　as　long　as　Bream's　might　well　deposit　a　cloak　on　a　berth　and　be　back　under　the　half…minute。
　〃Oh；　yes！　Bream！〃
　〃Hello？〃
　〃While　you're　down　there　just　chirrup　a　little　more　to　poor　Pinky。　He　does　appreciate　it　so！〃
　Bream　disappeared。　It　is　not　always　easy　to　interpret　emotion　from　a　glance　at　a　man's　back；　but　Bream's　back　looked　like　that　of　a　man　to　whom　the　thought　has　occurred　that；　given　a　couple　of　fiddles　and　a　piano；　he　would　have　made　a　good　hired　orchestra。
　〃How　is　your　dear　little　dog；　by　the　way？〃　enquired　Sam　solicitously；　as　he　fell　into　step　by　her　side。
　〃Much　better　now；　thanks。　I've　made　friends　with　a　girl　on　boarddid　you　ever　hear　her　nameJane　Hubbardshe's　a　rather　well…known　big…game　hunter　and　she　fixed　up　some　sort　of　a　mixture　for　Pinky　which　did　him　a　world　of　good。　I　don't　know　what　was　in　it　except　Worcester　Sauce；　but　she　said　she　always　gave　it　to　her　mules　in　Africa　when　they　had　the　botts　。。。　it's　very　nice　of　you　to　speak　so　affectionately　of　poor　Pinky　when　he　bit　you。〃
　〃Animal　spirits！〃　said　Sam　tolerantly。　〃Pure　animal　spirits！　I　like　to　see　them。　But；　of　course；　I　love　all　dogs。〃
　〃Oh；　do　you？　So　do　I！〃
　〃I　only　wish　they　didn't　fight　so　much。　I'm　always　stopping　dog　fights。〃
　〃I　do　admire　a　man　who　knows　what　to　do　at　a　dog　fight。　I'm　afraid　I'm　rather　helpless　myself。　There　never　seems　anything　to　catch　hold　of。〃　She　looked　down。　〃Have　you　been　reading？　What　is　the　book？〃
　〃It's　a　volume　of　Tennyson。〃
　〃Are　you　fond　of　Tennyson？〃
　〃I　worship　him；〃　said　Sam　reverently。　〃Those〃　he　glanced　at　his　cuff〃those　Idylls　of　the　King！　I　do　not　like　to　think　what　an　ocean　voyage　would　be　if　I　had　not　my　Tennyson　with　me。〃
　〃We　must　read　him　together。　He　is　my　favourite　poet！〃
　〃We　will！　There　is　something　about　Tennyson。。。。〃
　〃Yes；　isn't　there！　I've　felt　that　myself　so　often！〃
　〃Some　poets　are　whales　at　epics　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　while　others　call　it　a　day　when　they've　written　something　that　runs　to　a　couple　of　verses；　but　where　Tennyson　had　the　bulge　was　that　his　long　game　was　just　as　good　as　his　short。　He　was　great　off　the　tee　and　a　marvel　with　his　chip…shots。〃
　〃That　sounds　as　though　you　played　golf。〃
　〃When　I　am　not　reading　Tennyson；　you　can　generally　find　me　out　on　the　links。　Do　you　play？〃
　〃I　love　it。　How　extraordinary　that　we　should　have　so　much　in　mon。　We　really　ought　to　be　great　friends。〃
　He　was　pausing　to　select　the　best　of　three　replies　when　the　lunch　bugle　sounded。
　〃Oh；　dear！〃　she　cried。　〃I　must　rush。　But　we　shall　see　one　another　again　up　here　afterwards？〃
　〃We　will；〃　said　Sam。
　〃We'll　sit　and　read　Tennyson。〃
　〃Fine！　Eryou　and　I　and　Mortimer？〃
　〃Oh；　no；　Bream　is　going　to　sit　down　below　and　look　after　poor　Pinky。〃
　〃Does　hedoes　he　know　he　is？〃
　〃Not　yet；〃　said　Billie。　〃I'm　going　to　tell　him　at　lunch。〃
　
　CHAPTER　FOUR
　
　It　was　the　fourth　morning　of　the　voyage。　Of　course；　when　this　story　is　done　in　the　movies　they　won't　be　satisfied　with　a　bald　statement　like　that；　they　will　have　a　Spoken　Title　or　a　Cut…Back　Sub…Caption　or　whatever　they　call　the　thing　in　the　low　dens　where　motion…picture　scenario…lizards　do　their　dark　work；　which　will　run：
　　　　AND　SO；　CALM　AND　GOLDEN；　THE　DAYS　WENT　　　　　BY；　EACH　FRAUGHT　WITH　HOPE　AND　YOUTH　　　　　AND　SWEETNESS；　LINKING　TWO　YOUNG　　　　　HEARTS　IN　SILKEN　FETTERS　FORGED　BY　THE　　　　　LAUGHING　LOVE…GOD。
　and　the　males　in　the　audience　will　shift　their　chewing　gum　to　the　other　cheek　and　take　a　firmer　grip　of　their　panions'　hands　and　the　man　at　the　piano　will　play　〃Everybody　wants　a　key　to　my　cellar〃　or　something　equally　appropriate；　very　soulfully　and　slowly；　with　a　wistful　eye　on　the　half…smoked　cigarette　which　he　has　parked　on　the　lowest　octave　and　intends　finishing　as　soon　as　the　picture　is　over。　But　I　prefer　the　plain　frank　statement　that　it　was　the　fourth　day　of　the　voyage。　That　is　my　story　and　I　mean　to　stick　to　it。
　Samuel　Marlowe；　muffled　in　a　bathrobe；　came　back　to　the　stateroom　from　his　tub。　His　manner　had　the　offensive　jauntiness　of　the　man　who　has　had　a　cold　bath　when　he　might　just　as　easily　have　had　a　hot　one。　He　looked　out　of　the　porthole　at　the　shimmering　sea。　He　felt　strong　and　happy　and　exuberant。
　It　was　not　merely　the　spiritual　pride　induced　by　a　cold　bath　that　was　uplifting　this　young　man。　The　fact　was　that；　as　he　towelled　his　glowing　back；　he　had　suddenly　e　to　the　decision　that　this　very　day　he　would　propose　to　Wilhelmina　Bennett。　Yes；　he　would　put　his　fortune　to　the　test；　to　win　or　lose　it　all。　True；　he　had　only　known　her　for　four　days；　but　what　of　that？
　Nothing　in　the　way　of　modern　progress　is　more　remarkable　than　the　manner　in　which　the　attitude　of　your　lover　has　changed　concerning　proposals　of　marriage。　When　Samuel　Marlowe's　grandfather　had　convinced　himself；　after　about　a　year　and　a　half　of　respectful　aloofness；　that　the　emotion　which　he　felt　towards　Samuel　Marlowe's　grandmother…to…be　was　love；　the　fashion　of　the　period　pelled　him　to　approach　the　matter　in　a　roundabout　way。　First；　he　spent　an　evening　or　two　singing　sentimental　ballads；　she　acpanying　him　on　the　piano　and　the　rest　of　the　family　sitting　on　the　side…lines　to　see　that　no　rough　stuff　was　pulled。　Having　noted　that　she　drooped　her　eyelashes　and　turned　faintly　pink　when　he　came　to　the　〃Theeonly　thee！〃　bit；　he　felt　a　mild　sense　of　encouragement；　strong　enough　to　justify　him　in　taking　her　sister　aside　next　day　and　asking　if　the　object　of　his　affections　ever　happened　to　mention　his　name　in　the　course　of　conversation。　Further　　pour…parlers　　having　passed　with　her　aunt；　two　more　sisters；　and　her　little　brother；　he　felt　that　the　moment　had　arrived　when　he　might　send　her　a　volume　of　Shelley；　with　some　of　the　passages　marked　in　pencil。　A　few　weeks　later；　he　interviewed　her　father　and　obtained　his　consent　to　the　paying　of　his　addresses。　And　finally；　after　writing　her　a　letter　which　began　〃Madam！　you　will　not　have　been　insensible　to　the　fact　that　for　some　time　past　you　have　inspired　in　my　bosom　feelings　deeper　than　those　of　ordinary　friendship。。。。〃　he　waylaid　her　in　the　rose…garden　and　brought　the　thing　off。
　How　different　is　the　behaviour　of　the　modern　young　man。　His　courtship　can　hardly　be　called　a　courtship　at　all。　His　methods　are　those　of　Sir　W。　S。　Gilbert's　Alphonso。
　　　　〃Alphonso；　who　for　cool　assurance　all　creation　licks；　　　　　He　up　and　said　to　Emily　who　has　cheek　enough　for　six：　　　　　'Miss　Emily；　I　love　you。　Will　you　marry？　Say　the　word！'　　　　　And　Emily　said：　'Certainly；　Alphonso；　like　a　bird！'〃
　Sam　Marlowe　was　a　warm　supporter　of　the　Alphonso　method。　He　was　a　bright　young　man　and　did　not　require　a　year　to　make　up　his　mind　that　Wilhelmina　Bennett　had　been　set　apart　by　Fate　from　the　beginning　of　time　to　be　his　bride。　He　had　known　it　from　the　moment　he　saw　her　on　the　dock；　and　all　the　subsequent　strolling；　reading；　talking；　soup…drinking；　tea…drinking；　and　shuffle…board…playing　which　they　had　done　together　had　merely　solidified　his　original　impression。　He　loved　this　girl　with　all　the　force　of　a　fiery　naturethe　fiery　nature　of　the　Marlowes　was　a　byword　in　Bruton　Street；　Berkeley　Squareand　something　seemed　to　whisper　that　she　loved　him。　At　any　rate　she　wanted　somebody　like　Sir　Galahad；　and；　without　wishing　to　hurl　bouquets　at　himself；　he　could　not　see　where　she　could　possibly　get　anyone　liker　Sir　Galahad　than　himself。　So；　wind　and　weather　permitting；　Samuel　Marlowe　intended　to　propose　to　Wilhelmina　Bennett　this　very　day。
　He　let　down　the　trick　basin　which　hung　beneath　the　mirror　and；　collecting　his　shaving　materials；　began　to　lather　his　face。
　〃I　am　the　Bandolero！〃　sang　Sam　blithely　through　the　soap；　〃I　am；　I　am　the　Bandolero！　Yes；　yes；　I　am　the　Bandolero！〃
　The　untidy　heap　of　bedclothes　in　the　lower　berth　stirred　restlessly。
　〃Oh；　God！〃　said　Eustace　Hignett　thrusting　out　a　tousled　head。
　Sam　regarded　his　cousin　with　miseration。　Horrid　things　had　been　happening　to　Eustace　during　the　last　few　days；　and　it　was　quite　a　pleasant　surprise　each　morning　to　find　that　he　was　still　alive。
　〃Feeling　bad　again；　old　man？〃
　〃I　was　feeling　all　right；〃　replied　Hignett　churlishly；　〃until　you　began　the　farmyard　imitations。　What　sort　of　a　day　is　it？〃
　〃Glorious！　The　sea。。。。〃
　〃Don't　talk　about　the　sea！〃
　〃Sorry！　The　sun　is　shining　brighter　than　it　has　ever　shone　in　the　history　of　the　race。　Why　don't　you　get　up？〃
　〃Nothing　will　induce　me　to　get　up。〃
　〃Well；　go　a　regular　buster　and　have　an　egg　for　breakfast。〃
　Eustace　Hignett　shuddered。
　〃Do　you　think　I　am　an　ostrich？〃　He　eyed　Sam　sourly。　〃You　seem　devilish　pleased　with　yourself　this　morning！〃
　Sam　dried　the　razor　carefully　and　put　it　away。　He　hesitated。　Then　the　desire　to　confide　in　somebody　got　the　better　of　him。
　〃The　fact　is；〃　he　said　apologetically；　〃I'm　in　love！〃
　〃In　love！〃　Eustace　Hignett　sat　up　and