an unsocial socialist-第13节

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don't　want。　And　I　gev　a　screech　to　friken　'em。　And　he　called　me
and　gev　me　tuppence；　and　sez；　'You　go　to　the　devil；'　he　sez；　'and
don't　tell　no　one　you　seen　me　here；　or　else；'　he　sez；　'I　might　be
tempted　to　drownd　you；'　he　sez；　'and　wot　a　shock　that　would　be　to
your　parents！　'　'Oh；　yes；　very　likely；'　I　sez；　jes'　like　that。
Then　I　went　away；　because　he　knows　Mr。　Wickens；　and　I　was　afeerd
of　his　telling　on　me。〃

The　boy　being　now　subdued；　questions　were　put　to　him　from　all
sides。　But　his　powers　of　observation　and　description　went　no
further。　As　he　was　anxious　to　propitiate　his　captors；　he　answered
as　often　as　possible　in　the　affirmative。　Mr。　Jansenius　asked　him
whether　the　young　woman　he　had　seen　was　a　lady；　and　he　said　yes。
Was　the　man　a　laborer？　Yesafter　a　moment's　hesitation。　How　was
she　dressed？　He　hadn't　taken　notice。　Had　she　red　flowers　in　her
hat？　Yes。　Had　she　a　green　dress？　Yes。　Were　the　flowers　in　her　hat
yellow？　（Agatha's　question。）　Yes。　Was　her　dress　pink？　Yes。　Sure
it　wasn't　black？　No　answer。

〃I　told　you　he　was　a　liar；〃　said　Fairholme　contemptuously。

〃Well；　I　expect　he's　seen　something；〃　said　the　inspector；　〃but
what　it　was；　or　who　it　was；　is　more　than　I　can　get　out　of　him。〃

There　was　a　pause；　and　they　looked　askance　upon　Wickens's　boy。
His　account　of　the　kissing　made　it　almost　an　insult　to　the
Janseniuses　to　identify　with　Henrietta　the　person　he　had　seen。
Jane　suggested　dragging　the　canal；　but　was　silenced　by　an
indignant　〃sh…sh…sh；〃　accompanied　by　apprehensive　and　sympathetic
glances　at　the　bereaved　parents。　She　was　displaced　from　the　focus
of　attention　by　the　appearance　of　the　two　policemen　who　had　been
sent　to　the　chalet。　Smilash　was　between　them；　apparently　a
prisoner。　At　a　distance；　he　seemed　to　have　suffered　some
frightful　injury　to　his　head；　but　when　he　was　brought　into　the
midst　of　the　company　it　appeared　that　he　had　twisted　a　red
handkerchief　about　his　face　as　if　to　soothe　a　toothache。　He　had　a
particularly　hangdog　expression　as　he　stood　before　the　inspector
with　his　head　bowed　and　his　countenance　averted　from　Mr。
Jansenius；　who；　attempting　to　scrutinize　his　features；　could　see
nothing　but　a　patch　of　red　handkerchief。

One　of　the　policemen　described　how　they　had　found　Smilash　in　the
act　of　entering　his　dwelling；　how　he　had　refused　to　give　any
information　or　to　go　to　the　college；　and　had　defied　them　to　take
him　there　against　his　will；　and　how；　on　their　at　last　proposing
to　send　for　the　inspector　and　Mr。　Jansenius；　he　had　called　them
asses；　and　consented　to　accompany　them。　The　policeman　concluded
by　declaring　that　the　man　was　either　drunk　or　designing；　as　he
could　not　or　would　not　speak　sensibly。

〃Look　here；　governor；〃　began　Smilash　to　the　inspector；　〃I　am　a
common　manno　commoner　goin'；　as　you　may　see　for〃

〃That's　'im；〃　cried　Wickens's　boy；　suddenly　struck　with　a　sense
of　his　own　importance　as　a　witness。　〃That's　'im　that　the　lady
kissed；　and　that　gev　me　tuppence　and　threatened　to　drownd　me。〃

〃And　with　a　'umble　and　contrite　'art　do　I　regret　that　I　did　not
drownd　you；　you　young　rascal；〃　said　Smilash。　〃It　ain't　manners　to
interrupt　a　man　who；　though　common；　might　be　your　father　for
years　and　wisdom。〃

〃Hold　your　tongue；〃　said　the　inspector　to　the　boy。　〃Now；　Smilash；
do　you　wish　to　make　any　statement？　Be　careful；　for　whatever　you
say　may　be　used　against　you　hereafter。〃

〃If　you　was　to　lead　me　straight　away　to　the　scaffold；　colonel；　I
could　tell　you　no　more　than　the　truth。　If　any　man　can　say　that　he
has　heard　Jeff　Smilash　tell　a　lie；　let　him　stand　forth。〃

〃We　don't　want　to　hear　about　that；〃　said　the　inspector。　〃As　you
are　a　stranger　in　these　parts；　nobody　here　knows　any　bad　of　you。
No　more　do　they　know　any　good　of　you　neither。〃

〃Colonel；〃　said　Smilash；　deeply　impressed；　〃you　have　a
penetrating　mind；　and　you　know　a　bad　character　at　sight。　Not　to
deceive　you；　I　am　that　given　to　lying；　and　laziness；　and
self…indulgence　of　all　sorts；　that　the　only　excuse　I　can　find　for
myself　is　that　it　is　the　nature　of　the　race　so　to　be；　for　most
men　is　just　as　bad　as　me；　and　some　of　'em　worsen　I　do　not　speak
pers'nal　to　you；　governor；　nor　to　the　honorable　gentlemen　here
assembled。　But　then　you；　colonel；　are　a　hinspector　of　police；
which　I　take　to　be　more　than　merely　human；　and　as　to　the
gentlemen　here；　a　gentleman　ain't　a　manleastways　not　a　common
manthe　common　man　bein'　but　the　slave　wot　feeds　and　clothes　the
gentleman　beyond　the　common。〃

〃Come；〃　said　the　inspector；　unable　to　follow　these　observations；
〃you　are　a　clever　dodger；　but　you　can't　dodge　me。　Have　you　any
statement　to　make　with　reference　to　the　lady　that　was　last　seen
in　your　company？〃

〃Take　a　statement　about　a　lady！〃　said　Smilash　indignantly。　〃Far
be　the　thought　from　my　mind！〃

〃What　have　you　done　with　her？〃　said　Agatha；　impetuously。　〃Don't
be　silly。〃

〃You're　not　bound　to　answer　that；　you　know；〃　said　the　inspector；
a　little　put　out　by　Agatha's　taking　advantage　of　her
irresponsible　unofficial　position　to　come　so　directly　to　the
point。　〃You　may　if　you　like；　though。　If　you've　done　any　harm；
you'd　better　hold　your　tongue。　If　not；　you'd　better　say　so。〃

〃I　will　set　the　young　lady's　mind　at　rest　respecting　her
honorable　sister；〃　said　Smilash。　〃When　the　young　lady　caught
sight　of　me　she　fainted。　Bein'　but　a　young　man；　and　not　used　to
ladies；　I　will　not　deny　but　that　I　were　a　bit　scared；　and　that　my
mind　were　not　open　to　the　sensiblest　considerations。　When　she
unveils　her　orbs；　so　to　speak；　she　ketches　me　round　the　neck；　not
knowin'　me　from　Adam　the　father　of　us　all；　and　sez；　'Bring　me
some　water；　and　don't　let　the　girls　see　me。'　Through　not　'avin'
the　intelligence　to　think　for　myself；　I　done　just　what　she　told
me。　I　ups　with　her　in　my　armsshe　bein'　a　light　weight　and　a
slender　figureand　makes　for　the　canal　as　fast　as　I　could。　When
I　got　there；　I　lays　her　on　the　bank　and　goes　for　the　water。　But
what　with　factories；　and　pollutions；　and　high　civilizations　of
one　sort　and　another；　English　canal　water　ain't　fit　to　sprinkle
on　a　lady；　much　less　for　her　to　drink。　Just　then；　as　luck　would
have　it；　a　barge　came　along　and　took　her　aboard；　and〃

〃To　such　a　thing；〃　said　Wickens's　boy　stubbornly；　emboldened　by
witnessing　the　effrontery　of　one　apparently　of　his　own　class。　〃I
sor　you　two　standin'　together；　and　her　a　kissin'　of　you。　There
worn's　no　barge。〃

〃Is　the　maiden　modesty　of　a　born　lady　to　be　disbelieved　on　the
word　of　a　common　boy　that　only　walks　the　earth　by　the　sufferance
of　the　landlords　and　moneylords　he　helps　to　feed？〃　cried　Smilash
indignantly。　〃Why；　you　young　infidel；　a　lady　ain't　made　of　common
brick　like　you。　She　don't　know　what　a　kiss　means；　and　if　she　did；
is　it　likely　that　she'd　kiss　me　when　a　fine　man　like　the
inspector　here　would　be　only　too　happy　to　oblige　her。　Fie；　for
shame！　The　barge　were　red　and　yellow；　with　a　green　dragon　for　a
figurehead；　and　a　white　horse　towin'　of　it。　Perhaps　you're
color…blind；　and　can't　distinguish　red　and　yellow。　The　bargee　was
moved　to　compassion　by　the　sight　of　the　poor　faintin'　lady；　and
the　offer　of　'arf…a…crown；　and　he　had　a　mother　that　acted　as　a
mother　should。　There　was　a　cabin　in　that　barge　about　as　big　as
the　locker　where　your　ladyship　keeps　your　jam　and　pickles；　and　in
that　locker　the　bargee　lives；　quite　domestic；　with　his　wife　and
mother　and　five　children。　Them　canal　boats　is　what　you　may　call
the　wooden　walls　of　England。〃

〃Come；　get　on　with　your　story；〃　said　the　inspector。　〃We　know　what
barges　is　as　well　as　you。〃

〃I　wish　more　knew　of　'em；〃　retorted　Smilash；　〃perhaps　it　'ud
lighten　your　work　a　bit。　However；　as　I　was　sayin'；　we　went　right
down　the　canal　to　Lyvern；　where　we　got　off；　and　the　lady　she　took
the　railway　omnibus　and　went　away　in　it。　With　the　noble
openhandedness　of　her　class；　she　gave　me　sixpence；　here　it　is；　in
proof　that　my　words　is　true。　And　I　wish　her　safe　home；　and　if　I
was　on　the　rack　I　could　tell　no　more；　except　that　when　I　got　back
I　were　laid　hands　on　by　these　here　bobbies；　contrary　to　the
British　constitooshun；　and　if　your　ladyship　will　kindly　go　to
where　that　constitooshun　is　wrote　down；　and　find　out　wot　it　sez
about　my　rights　and　libertiesfor　I　have　been　told　that　the
working…man　has　his　liberties；　and　have　myself　seen　plenty　took
with　him　you　will　oblige　a　common　chap　more　than　his　education
will　enable　him　to　express。〃

〃Sir；〃　cried　Mr。　Jansenius　suddenly；　〃will　you　hold　up　your　head
and　look　me　in　the　face？〃

Smilash　did　so；　and　immediately　started　theatrically；　exclaiming；
〃Whom　do　I　see？〃

〃You　would　hardly　believe　it；〃　he　continued；　addressing　the
company　at　large；　〃but　I　am　well　beknown　to　this　honorable
gentleman。　I　see　it　upon　your　lips；　governor；　to　ask　after　my
missus；　and　I　thank　you　for　your　condescending　interest。　She　is
well；　sir；　and　my　residence　here　is　fully　agreed　upon　between　us。
What　little　cloud　may　have　rose　upon　our　domestic　horizon　has
past　away；　and；　governor〃…here　Smilash's　voice　fell　with　graver
emphasis〃them　as　interferes　betwixt　man　and　wife　now　will　incur
a　nevvy　responsibility。　Here　I　am；　such　as　you　see　me；　and　here　I
mean　to　stay；　likewise　such　as　you　see　me。　That　is；　if　what　you
may　call　destiny　permi