the diary of a nobody-第20节

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CHAPTER　XIX。



Meet　Teddy　Finsworth；　an　old　schoolfellow。　　We　have　a　pleasant　and　quiet　dinner　at　his　uncle's；　marred　only　by　a　few　awkward　mistakes　on　my　part　respecting　Mr。　Finsworth's　pictures。　　A　discussion　on　dreams。


April　27。　…　Kept　a　little　later　than　usual　at　the　office；　and　as　I　was　hurrying　along　a　man　stopped　me；　saying：　　〃Hulloh！　　That's　a　face　I　know。〃　　I　replied　politely：　　〃Very　likely；　lots　of　people　know　me；　although　I　may　not　know　them。〃　　He　replied：　　〃But　you　know　me　…　Teddy　Finsworth。〃　　So　it　was。　　He　was　at　the　same　school　with　me。　　I　had　not　seen　him　for　years　and　years。　　No　wonder　I　did　not　know　him！　　At　school　he　was　at　least　a　head　taller　than　I　was；　now　I　am　at　least　a　head　taller　than　he　is；　and　he　has　a　thick　beard；　almost　grey。　　He　insisted　on　my　having　a　glass　of　wine　（a　thing　I　never　do）；　and　told　me　he　lived　at　Middlesboro'；　where　he　was　Deputy　Town　Clerk；　a　position　which　was　as　high　as　the　Town　Clerk　of　London　…　in　fact；　higher。　　He　added　that　he　was　staying　for　a　few　days　in　London；　with　his　uncle；　Mr。　Edgar　Paul　Finsworth　（of　Finsworth　and　Pultwell）。　　He　said　he　was　sure　his　uncle　would　be　only　too　pleased　to　see　me；　and　he　had　a　nice　house；　Watney　Lodge；　only　a　few　minutes'　walk　from　Muswell　Hill　Station。　　I　gave　him　our　address；　and　we　parted。

In　the　evening；　to　my　surprise；　he　called　with　a　very　nice　letter　from　Mr。　Finsworth；　saying　if　we　（including　Carrie）　would　dine　with　them　to…morrow　（Sunday）；　at　two　o'clock；　he　would　be　delighted。　Carrie　did　not　like　to　go；　but　Teddy　Finsworth　pressed　us　so　much　we　consented。　　Carrie　sent　Sarah　round　to　the　butcher's　and　countermanded　our　half…leg　of　mutton；　which　we　had　ordered　for　to…　morrow。

April　28；　Sunday。　…　We　found　Watney　Lodge　farther　off　than　we　anticipated；　and　only　arrived　as　the　clock　struck　two；　both　feeling　hot　and　uncomfortable。　　To　make　matters　worse；　a　large　collie　dog　pounced　forward　to　receive　us。　　He　barked　loudly　and　jumped　up　at　Carrie；　covering　her　light　skirt；　which　she　was　wearing　for　the　first　time；　with　mud。　　Teddy　Finsworth　came　out　and　drove　the　dog　off　and　apologised。　　We　were　shown　into　the　drawing…room；　which　was　beautifully　decorated。　　It　was　full　of　knick…knacks；　and　some　plates　hung　up　on　the　wall。　　There　were　several　little　wooden　milk…　stools　with　paintings　on　them；　also　a　white　wooden　banjo；　painted　by　one　of　Mr。　Paul　Finsworth's　nieces　…　a　cousin　of　Teddy's。

Mr。　Paul　Finsworth　seemed　quite　a　distinguished…looking　elderly　gentleman；　and　was　most　gallant　to　Carrie。　　There　were　a　great　many　water…colours　hanging　on　the　walls；　mostly　different　views　of　India；　which　were　very　bright。　　Mr。　Finsworth　said　they　were　painted　by　〃Simpz；〃　and　added　that　he　was　no　judge　of　pictures　himself　but　had　been　informed　on　good　authority　that　they　were　worth　some　hundreds　of　pounds；　although　he　had　only　paid　a　few　shillings　apiece　for　them；　frames　included；　at　a　sale　in　the　neighbourhood。

There　was　also　a　large　picture　in　a　very　handsome　frame；　done　in　coloured　crayons。　　It　looked　like　a　religious　subject。　　I　was　very　much　struck　with　the　lace　collar；　it　looked　so　real；　but　I　unfortunately　made　the　remark　that　there　was　something　about　the　expression　of　the　face　that　was　not　quite　pleasing。　　It　looked　pinched。　　Mr。　Finsworth　sorrowfully　replied：　　〃Yes；　the　face　was　done　after　death　…　my　wife's　sister。〃

I　felt　terribly　awkward　and　bowed　apologetically；　and　in　a　whisper　said　I　hoped　I　had　not　hurt　his　feelings。　　We　both　stood　looking　at　the　picture　for　a　few　minutes　in　silence；　when　Mr。　Finsworth　took　out　a　handkerchief　and　said：　　〃She　was　sitting　in　our　garden　last　summer；〃　and　blew　his　nose　violently。　　He　seemed　quite　affected；　so　I　turned　to　look　at　something　else　and　stood　in　front　of　a　portrait　of　a　jolly…looking　middle…aged　gentleman；　with　a　red　face　and　straw　hat。　　I　said　to　Mr。　Finsworth：　　〃Who　is　this　jovial…looking　gentleman？　　Life　doesn't　seem　to　trouble　him　much。〃　　Mr。　Finsworth　said：　　〃No；　it　doesn't。　　HE　IS　DEAD　TOO　…　my　brother。〃

I　was　absolutely　horrified　at　my　own　awkwardness。　　Fortunately　at　this　moment　Carrie　entered　with　Mrs。　Finsworth；　who　had　taken　her　upstairs　to　take　off　her　bonnet　and　brush　her　skirt。　　Teddy　said：　〃Short　is　late；〃　but　at　that　moment　the　gentleman　referred　to　arrived；　and　I　was　introduced　to　him　by　Teddy；　who　said：　　〃Do　you　know　Mr。　Short？〃　　I　replied；　smiling；　that　I　had　not　that　pleasure；　but　I　hoped　it　would　not　be　long　before　I　knew　Mr。　SHORT。　　He　evidently　did　not　see　my　little　joke；　although　I　repeated　it　twice　with　a　little　laugh。　　I　suddenly　remembered　it　was　Sunday；　and　Mr。　Short　was　perhaps　VERY　PARTICULAR。　　In　this　I　was　mistaken；　for　he　was　not　at　all　particular　in　several　of　his　remarks　after　dinner。　In　fact　I　was　so　ashamed　of　one　of　his　observations　that　I　took　the　opportunity　to　say　to　Mrs。　Finsworth　that　I　feared　she　found　Mr。　Short　occasionally　a　little　embarrassing。　　To　my　surprise　she　said：　〃Oh！　he　is　privileged　you　know。〃　　I　did　not　know　as　a　matter　of　fact；　and　so　I　bowed　apologetically。　　I　fail　to　see　why　Mr。　Short　should　be　privileged。

Another　thing　that　annoyed　me　at　dinner　was　that　the　collie　dog；　which　jumped　up　at　Carrie；　was　allowed　to　remain　under　the　dining…　room　table。　　It　kept　growling　and　snapping　at　my　boots　every　time　I　moved　my　foot。　　Feeling　nervous　rather；　I　spoke　to　Mrs。　Finsworth　about　the　animal；　and　she　remarked：　　〃It　is　only　his　play。〃　　She　jumped　up　and　let　in　a　frightfully　ugly…looking　spaniel　called　Bibbs；　which　had　been　scratching　at　the　door。　　This　dog　also　seemed　to　take　a　fancy　to　my　boots；　and　I　discovered　afterwards　that　it　had　licked　off　every　bit　of　blacking　from　them。　　I　was　positively　ashamed　of　being　seen　in　them。　　Mrs。　Finsworth；　who；　I　must　say；　is　not　much　of　a　Job's　comforter；　said：　　〃Oh！　we　are　used　to　Bibbs　doing　that　to　our　visitors。〃

Mr。　Finsworth　had　up　some　fine　port；　although　I　question　whether　it　is　a　good　thing　to　take　on　the　top　of　beer。　　It　made　me　feel　a　little　sleepy；　while　it　had　the　effect　of　inducing　Mr。　Short　to　become　〃privileged〃　to　rather　an　alarming　extent。　　It　being　cold　even　for　April；　there　was　a　fire　in　the　drawing…room；　we　sat　round　in　easy…chairs；　and　Teddy　and　I　waxed　rather　eloquent　over　the　old　school　days；　which　had　the　effect　of　sending　all　the　others　to　sleep。　　I　was　delighted；　as　far　as　Mr。　Short　was　concerned；　that　it　did　have　that　effect　on　him。

We　stayed　till　four；　and　the　walk　home　was　remarkable　only　for　the　fact　that　several　fools　giggled　at　the　unpolished　state　of　my　boots。　　Polished　them　myself　when　I　got　home。　　Went　to　church　in　the　evening；　and　could　scarcely　keep　awake。　　I　will　not　take　port　on　the　top　of　beer　again。

April　29。　…　I　am　getting　quite　accustomed　to　being　snubbed　by　Lupin；　and　I　do　not　mind　being　sat　upon　by　Carrie；　because　I　think　she　has　a　certain　amount　of　right　to　do　so；　but　I　do　think　it　hard　to　be　at　once　snubbed　by　wife；　son；　and　both　my　guests。

Gowing　and　Cummings　had　dropped　in　during　the　evening；　and　I　suddenly　remembered　an　extraordinary　dream　I　had　a　few　nights　ago；　and　I　thought　I　would　tell　them　about　it。　　I　dreamt　I　saw　some　huge　blocks　of　ice　in　a　shop　with　a　bright　glare　behind　them。　　I　walked　into　the　shop　and　the　heat　was　overpowering。　　I　found　that　the　blocks　of　ice　were　on　fire。　　The　whole　thing　was　so　real　and　yet　so　supernatural　I　woke　up　in　a　cold　perspiration。　　Lupin　in　a　most　contemptuous　manner；　said：　　〃What　utter　rot。〃

Before　I　could　reply；　Gowing　said　there　was　nothing　so　completely　uninteresting　as　other　people's　dreams。

I　appealed　to　Cummings；　but　he　said　he　was　bound　to　agree　with　the　others　and　my　dream　was　especially　nonsensical。　　I　said：　　〃It　seemed　so　real　to　me。〃　　Gowing　replied：　　〃Yes；　to　YOU　perhaps；　but　not　to　US。〃　　Whereupon　they　all　roared。

Carrie；　who　had　hitherto　been　quiet；　said：　　〃He　tells　me　his　stupid　dreams　every　morning　nearly。〃　　I　replied：　　〃Very　well；　dear；　I　promise　you　I　will　never　tell　you　or　anybody　else　another　dream　of　mine　the　longest　day　I　live。〃　　Lupin　said：　　〃Hear！　hear！〃　and　helped　himself　to　another　glass　of　beer。　　The　subject　was　fortunately　changed；　and　Cummings　read　a　most　interesting　article　on　the　superiority　of　the　bicycle　to　the　horse。



CHAPTER　XX。



Dinner　at　Franching's　to　meet　Mr。　Hardfur　Huttle。


May　10。　…　Received　a　letter　from　Mr。　Franching；　of　Peckham；　asking　us　to　dine　with　him　to…night；　at　seven　o'clock；　to　meet　Mr。　Hardfur　Huttle；　a　very　clever　writer　for　the　American　papers。　　Franching　apologised　for　the　short　notice；　but　said　he　had　at　the　last　moment　been　disappointed　of　two　of　his　guests　and　regarded　us　as　old　friends　who　would　not　mind　filling　up　the　gap。　　Carrie　rather　demurred　at　the　invitation；　but　I　explained　to　her　that　Franching　was　very　well　off　and　influential；　and　we　could　not　afford　to　offend　him。　　〃And　we　are　sure　to　get　a　good　dinner　and　a　good　glass　of　champagne。〃　　〃Which　never　agrees　with　you！〃　Carrie　replied；　sharply。　　I　regarded　Carrie's　observation　as　unsaid。　　Mr。　Franching　asked　us　to　wire　a　reply。　　As　he　had　said　nothing　about　dress　in　the　letter；　I　wired　back：　　〃With　pleasure。　　Is　it　full　dress？〃　and　by　leaving　out　our　name；　just　got　the　message　within　the　sixpence。

Got　back　early　to　give　time　to　dress；　which