pgw.uneasymoney-第15节
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'What do you mean？' asked Nutty； alarmed。
'I am going to begin by asking him to help me open one of the hives。'
'For goodness' sake！'
'After that I shallwith his assistancetransfer some honey。 And after thatwell； I don't suppose he will be alive by then。 If he is； I shall make him wash the dishes for me。 The least he can do； after swooping down on us like this； is to make himself useful。'
A cry of protest broke from the appalled Nutty； but Elizabeth did not hear it。 She had left the room and was on her way downstairs。
Lord Dawlish was smoking an after…breakfast cigar in the grounds。 It was a beautiful day； and a peaceful happiness had e upon him。 He told himself that he had made progress。 He was under the same roof as the girl he had deprived of her inheritance； and it should be simple to establish such friendly relations as would enable him to reveal his identity and ask her to reconsider her refusal to relieve him of a just share of her uncle's money。 He had seen Elizabeth for only a short time on the previous night； but he had taken an immediate liking to her。 There was something about the American girl； he reflected； which seemed to put a man at his ease； a charm and directness all her own。 Yes； he liked Elizabeth； and he liked this dwelling…place of hers。 He was quite willing to stay on here indefinitely。
Nature had done well by Flack's。 The house itself was more pleasing to the eye than most of the houses in those parts； owing to the black and white paint which decorated it and an unconventional flattening and rounding of the roof。 Nature； too； had made so many improvements that the general effect was unusually delightful。
Bill perceived Elizabeth ing toward him from the house。 He threw away his cigar and went to meet her。 Seen by daylight； she was more attractive than ever。 She looked so small and neat and wholesome； so extremely unlike Miss Daisy Leonard's friend。 And such was the reaction from what might be termed his later Reigelheimer's mood that if he had been asked to define feminine charm in a few words； he would have replied without hesitation that it was the quality of being as different as possible in every way from the Good Sport。 Elizabeth fulfilled this qualification。 She was not only small and neat； but she had a soft voice to which it was a joy to listen。
'I was just admiring your place；' he said。
'Its appearance is the best part of it；' said Elizabeth。 'It is a deceptive place。 The bay looks beautiful； but you can't bathe in it because of the jellyfish。 The woods are lovely； but you daren't go near them because of the ticks。'
'Ticks？'
'They jump on you and suck your blood；' said Elizabeth； carelessly。 'And the nights are gorgeous； but you have to stay indoors after dusk because of the mosquitoes。' She paused to mark the effect of these horrors on her visitor。 'And then； of course；' she went on； as he showed no signs of flying to the house to pack his bag and catch the next train； 'the bees are always stinging you。 I hope you are not afraid of bees； Mr Chalmers？'
'Rather not。 Jolly little chaps！'
A gleam appeared in Elizabeth's eye。
'If you are so fond of them； perhaps you wouldn't mind ing and helping me open one of the hives？'
'Rather！'
'I'll go and fetch the things。'
She went into the house and ran up to Nutty's room； waking that sufferer from a troubled sleep。
'Nutty； he's bitten。'
Nutty sat up violently。
'Good gracious！ What by？'
'You don't understand。 What I meant was that I invited your Mr Chalmers to help me open a hive； and he said 〃Rather！〃 and is waiting to do it now。 Be ready to say good…bye to him。 If he es out of this alive； his first act； after bathing the wounds with ammonia； will be to leave us for ever。'
'But look here； he's a visitor'
'Cheer up！ He won't be much longer。'
'You can't let him in for a ghastly thing like opening a hive。 When you made me do it that time I was picking stings out of myself for a week。'
'That was because you had been smoking。 Bees dislike the smell of tobacco。'
'But this fellow may have been smoking。'
'He has just finished a strong cigar。'
'For Heaven's sake！'
'Good…bye； Nutty； dear； I mustn't keep him waiting。'
Lord Dawlish looked with interest at the various implements which she had collected when she rejoined him outside。 He relieved her of the stool； the smoker； the cotton…waste； the knife； the screwdriver； and the queen…clipping cage。
'Let me carry these for you；' he said； 'unless you've hired a van。'
Elizabeth disapproved of this flippancy。 It was out of place in one who should have been trembling at the prospect of doom。
'Don't you wear a veil for this sort of job？'
As a rule Elizabeth did。 She had reached a stage of intimacy with her bees which rendered a veil a superfluous precaution； but until to…day she had never abandoned it。 Her view of the matter was that； though the inhabitants of the hives were familiar and friendly with her by this time and recognized that she came among them without hostile intent； it might well happen that among so many thousands there might be one slow…witted enough and obtuse enough not to have grasped this fact。 And in such an event a veil was better than any amount of explanations； for you cannot stick to pure reason when quarrelling with bees。
But to…day it had struck her that she could hardly protect herself in this way without offering a similar safeguard to her visitor； and she had no wish to hedge him about with safeguards。
'Oh； no；' she said； brightly； 'I'm not afraid of a few bees。 Are you？'
'Rather not！'
'You know what to do if one of them flies at you？'
'Well； it would； anywaywhat？ What I mean to say is； I could leave most of the doing to the bee。'
Elizabeth was more disapproving than ever。 This was mere bravado。 She did not speak again until they reached the hives。
In the neighbourhood of the hives a vast activity prevailed。 What； heard from afar； had been a pleasant murmur became at close quarters a menacing tumult。 The air was full of beesbees sallying forth for honey； bees returning with honey； bees trampling on each other's heels； bees pausing in mid…air to pass the time of day with rivals on peting lines of traffic。 Blunt…bodied drones whizzed to and fro with a noise like miniature high…powered automobiles； as if anxious to convey the idea of being tremendously busy without going to the length of doing any actual work。 One of these blundered into Lord Dawlish's face； and it pleased Elizabeth to observe that he gave a jump。
'Don't be afraid；' she said； 'it's only a drone。 Drones have no stings。'
'They have hard heads； though。 Here he es again！'
'I suppose he smells your tobacco。 A drone has thirty…seven thousand eight hundred nostrils； you know。'
'That gives him a sporting chance of smelling a cigarwhat？ I mean to say； if he misses with eight hundred of his nostrils he's apt to get it with the other thirty…seven thousand。'
Elizabeth was feeling annoyed with her bees。 They resolutely declined to sting this young man。 Bees flew past him； bees flew into him； bees settled upon his coat； bees paused questioningly in front of him； as who should say； 'What have we here？' but not a single bee molested him。 Yet when Nutty； poor darling； went within a dozen yards of the hives he never failed to suffer for it。 In her heart Elizabeth knew perfectly well that this was because Nutty； when in the presence of the bees； lost his head pletely and behaved like an exaggerated version of Lady Wetherby's Dream of Psyche； whereas Bill maintained an easy calm； but at the moment she put the phenomenon down to that inexplicable cussedness which does so much to exasperate the human race； and it fed her annoyance with her unbidden guest。
Without menting on his last remark； she took the smoker from him and set to work。 She inserted in the fire…chamber a handful of the cotton…waste and set fire to it； then with a preliminary puff or two of the bellows to make sure that the conflagration had not gone out； she aimed the nozzle at the front door of the hive。
The results were instantaneous。 One or two bee…policemen； who were doing fixed point…duty near the opening； scuttled hastily back into the hive； and from within came a muffled buzzing as other bees； all talking at once； worried the perplexed officials with foolish questions； a buzzing that became less muffled and more pronounced as Elizabeth lifted the edge of the cover and directed more smoke through the crack。 This done； she removed the cover； set it down on the grass beside her； lifted the super…cover and applied more smoke； and raised her eyes to where Bill stood watching。 His face wore a smile of pleased interest。
Elizabeth's irritation became painful。 She resented his smile。 She hung the smoker on the side of the hive。
'The stool； please； and the screw…driver。'
She seated herself beside the hive and began to loosen the outside section。 Then taking the brood…frame by the projecting ends； she pulled it out and handed it to her panion。 She did it as one who plays an ace of trumps。
'Would you mind holding this； Mr Chalmers？'
This was the point in the ceremony at which the wretched Nutty had broken down absolutely； and not inexcusably； con
