an unsocial socialist-第14节

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mean　to　stay；　likewise　such　as　you　see　me。　That　is；　if　what　you
may　call　destiny　permits。　For　destiny　is　a　rum　thing；　governor。　I
came　here　thinking　it　was　the　last　place　in　the　world　I　should
ever　set　eyes　on　you　in；　and　blow　me　if　you　ain't　a'most　the
first　person　I　pops　on。〃

〃I　do　not　choose　to　be　a　party　to　this　mummery　of〃

〃Asking　your　leave　to　take　the　word　out　of　your　mouth；　governor；
I　make　you　a　party　to　nothink。　Respecting　my　past　conduct；　you
may　out　with　it　or　you　may　keep　it　to　yourself。　All　I　say　is　that
if　you　out　with　some　of　it　I　will　out　with　the　rest。　All　or　none。
You　are　free　to　tell　the　inspector　here　that　I　am　a　bad　'un。　His
penetrating　mind　have　discovered　that　already。　But　if　you　go　into
names　and　particulars；　you　will　not　only　be　acting　against　the
wishes　of　my　missus；　but　you　will　lead　to　my　tellin'　the　whole
story　right　out　afore　everyone　here；　and　then　goin'　away　where　no
one　won't　never　find　me。〃

〃I　think　the　less　said　the　better；〃　said　Mrs。　Jansenius；　uneasily
observant　of　the　curiosity　and　surprise　this　dialogue　was
causing。　〃But　understand　this；　Mr。〃

〃Smilash；　dear　lady；　Jeff　Smilash。〃

〃Mr。　Smilash；　whatever　arrangement　you　may　have　made　with　your
wife；　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　me。　You　have　behaved　infamously；
and　I　desire　to　have　as　little　as　possible　to　say　to　you　in
future！　I　desire　to　have　nothing　to　say　to　younothing〃　said　Mr。
Jansenius。　〃I　look　on　your　conduct　as　an　insult　to　me；
personally。　You　may　live　in　any　fashion　you　please；　and　where　you
please。　All　England　is　open　to　you　except　one　placemy　house。
Come；　Ruth。〃　He　offered　his　arm　to　his　wife；　she　took　it；　and
they　turned　away；　looking　about　for　Agatha；　who；　disgusted　at　the
gaping　curiosity　of　the　rest；　had　pointedly　withdrawn　beyond
earshot　of　the　conversation。

Miss　Wilson　looked　from　Smilashwho　had　watched　Mr。　Jansenius's
explosion　of　wrath　with　friendly　interest；　as　if　it　concerned　him
as　a　curious　spectator　onlyto　her　two　visitors　as　they
retreated。　〃Pray；　do　you　consider　this　man's　statement
satisfactory？〃　she　said　to　them。　〃I　do　not。〃

〃I　am　far　too　common　a　man　to　be　able　to　make　any　statement　that
could　satisfy　a　mind　cultivated　as　yours　has　been；〃　said　Smilash；
〃but　I　would　'umbly　pint　out　to　you　that　there　is　a　boy　yonder
with　a　telegram　trying　to　shove　hisself　through　the　'iborn
throng。〃

〃Miss　Wilson！〃　cried　the　boy　shrilly。

She　took　the　telegram；　read　it；　and　frowned。　〃We　have　had　all　our
trouble　for　nothing；　ladies　and　gentlemen；〃　she　said；　with
suppressed　vexation。　〃Mrs。　Trefusis　says　here　that　she　has　gone
back　to　London。　She　has　not　considered　it　necessary　to　add　any
explanation。〃

There　was　a　general　murmur　of　disappointment。　

〃Don't　lose　heart；　ladies；〃　said　Smilash。　〃She　may　be　drowned　or
murdered　for　all　we　know。　Anyone　may　send　a　telegram　in　a　false
name。　Perhaps　it's　a　plant。　Let's　hope　for　your　sakes　that　some
little　accidenton　the　railway；　for　instancemay　happen　yet。〃

Miss　Wilson　turned　upon　him；　glad　to　find　someone　with　whom　she
might　justly　be　angry。　〃You　had　better　go　about　your　business；〃
she　said。　〃And　don't　let　me　see　you　here　again。〃

〃This　is　'ard；〃　said　Smilash　plaintively。　〃My　intentions　was
nothing　but　good。　But　I　know　wot　it　is。　It's　that　young　varmint
a…saying　that　the　young　lady　kissed　me。〃

〃Inspector；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；　〃will　you　oblige　me　by　seeing　that
he　leaves　the　college　as　soon　as　possible？〃

〃Where's　my　wages？〃　he　retorted　reproachfully。　〃Where's　my　lawful
wages？　I　am　su'prised　at　a　lady　like　you；　chock　full　o'　moral
science　and　political　economy；　wanting　to　put　a　poor　man　off。
Where's　your　wages　fund？　Where's　your　remuneratory　capital？〃

〃Don't　you　give　him　anything；　ma'am；〃　said　the　inspector。　〃The
money　he's　had　from　the　lady　will　pay　him　very　well。　Move　on
here；　or　we'll　precious　soon　hurry　you。〃

〃Very　well；〃　grumbled　Smilash。　〃I　bargained　for　ninepence；　and
what　with　the　roller；　and　opening　the　soda　water；　and　shoving
them　heavy　tables　about；　there　was　a　decomposition　of　tissue　in
me　to　the　tune　of　two　shillings。　But　all　I　ask　is　the　ninepence；
and　let　the　lady　keep　the　one　and　threppence　as　the　reward　of
abstinence。　Exploitation　of　labor　at　the　rate　of　a　hundred　and
twenty…five　per　cent。；　that　is。　Come；　give　us　ninepence；　and　I'll
go　straight　off。〃

〃Here　is　a　shilling；〃　said　Miss　Wilson。　〃Now　go。〃

〃Threppence　change！〃　cried　Smilash。　〃Honesty　has　ever　been〃

〃You　may　keep　the　change。〃

〃You　have　a　noble　'art；　lady；　but　you're　flying　in　the　face　of
the　law　of　supply　and　demand。　If　you　keep　payin'　at　this　rate；
there'll　be　a　rush　of　laborers　to　the　college；　and　competition'll
soon　bring　you　down　from　a　shilling　to　sixpence；　let　alone
ninepence。　That's　the　way　wages　go　down　and　death　rates　goes　up；
worse　luck　for　the　likes　of　hus；　as　has　to　sell　ourselves　like
pigs　in　the　market。〃

He　was　about　to　continue　when　the　policeman　took　him　by　the　arm；
turned　him　towards　the　gate；　and　pointed　expressively　in　that
direction。　Smilash　looked　vacantly　at　him　for　a　moment。　Then；
with　a　wink　at　Fairholme；　he　walked　gravely　away；　amid　general
staring　and　silence。



CHAPTER　V

What　had　passed　between　Smilash　and　Henrietta　remained　unknown
except　to　themselves。　Agatha　had　seen　Henrietta　clasping　his　neck
in　her　arms；　but　had　not　waited　to　hear　the　exclamation　of
〃Sidney；　Sidney；〃　which　followed；　nor　to　see　him　press　her　face
to　his　breast　in　his　anxiety　to　stifle　her　voice　as　he　said；　〃My
darling　love；　don't　screech　I　implore　you。　Confound　it；　we　shall
have　the　whole　pack　here　in　a　moment。　Hush！〃

〃Don't　leave　me　again；　Sidney；〃　she　entreated；　clinging　faster　to
him　as　his　perplexed　gaze；　wandering　towards　the　entrance　to　the
shrubbery；　seemed　to　forsake　her。　A　din　of　voices　in　that
direction　precipitated　his　irresolution。

〃We　must　run　away；　Hetty；〃　he　said　〃Hold　fast　about　my　neck；　and
don't　strangle　me。　Now　then。〃　He　lifted　her　upon　his　shoulder　and
ran　swiftly　through　the　grounds。　When　they　were　stopped　by　the
wall；　he　placed　her　atop　of　it；　scrabbled　over；　and　made　her　jump
into　his　arms。　Then　he　staggered　away　with　her　across　the　fields；
gasping　out　in　reply　to　the　inarticulate　remonstrances　which
burst　from　her　as　he　stumbled　and　reeled　at　every　hillock；　〃Your
weight　is　increasing　at　the　rate　of　a　stone　a　second；　my　love。　If
you　stoop　you　will　break　my　back。　Oh；　Lord；　here's　a　ditch！〃

〃Let　me　down；〃　screamed　Henrietta　in　an　ecstasy　of　delight　and
apprehension。　〃You　will　hurt　yourself；　andOh；　DO　take〃

He　struggled　through　a　dry　ditch　as　she　spoke；　and　came　out　upon
a　grassy　place　that　bordered　the　towpath　of　the　canal。　Here；　on
the　bank　of　a　hollow　where　the　moss　was　dry　and　soft；　he　seated
her；　threw　himself　prone　on　his　elbows　before　her；　and　said；
panting：

〃Nessus　carrying　off　Dejanira　was　nothing　to　this！　Whew！　Well；　my
darling；　are　you　glad　to　see　me？〃

〃But〃

〃But　me　no　buts；　unless　you　wish　me　to　vanish　again　and　for　ever。
Wretch　that　I　am；　I　have　longed　for　you　unspeakably　more　than
once　since　I　ran　away　from　you。　You　didn't　care；　of　course？〃

〃I　did。　I　did；　indeed。　Why　did　you　leave　me；　Sidney？〃

〃Lest　a　worse　thing　might　befall。　Come；　don't　let　us　waste　in
explanations　the　few　minutes　we　have　left。　Give　me　a　kiss。〃

〃Then　you　are　going　to　leave　me　again。　Oh；　Sidney〃

〃Never　mind　to…morrow；　Hetty。　Be　like　the　sun　and　the　meadow；
which　are　not　in　the　least　concerned　about　the　coming　winter。　Why
do　you　stare　at　that　cursed　canal；　blindly　dragging　its　load　of
filth　from　place　to　place　until　it　pitches　it　into　the　seajust
as　a　crowded　street　pitches　its　load　into　the　cemetery？　Stare　at
ME；　and　give　me　a　kiss。〃

She　gave　him　several；　and　said　coaxingly；　with　her　arm　still　upon
his　shoulder：　〃You　only　talk　that　way　to　frighten　me；　Sidney；　I
know　you　do。〃

〃You　are　the　bright　sun　of　my　senses；〃　he　said；　embracing　her。　〃I
feel　my　heart　and　brain　wither　in　your　smile；　and　I　fling　them　to
you　for　your　prey　with　exultation。　How　happy　I　am　to　have　a　wife
who　does　not　despise　me　for　doing　sowho　rather　loves　me　the
more！〃

〃Don't　be　silly；〃　said　Henrietta；　smiling　vacantly。　Then；　stung
by　a　half　intuition　of　his　meaning；　she　repulsed　him　and　said
angrily；　〃YOU　despise　ME。〃

〃Not　more　than　I　despise　myself。　Indeed；　not　so　much；　for　many
emotions　that　seem　base　from　within　seem　lovable　from　without。〃

〃You　intend　to　leave　me　again。　I　feel　it。　I　know　it。〃

〃You　think　you　know　it　because　you　feel　it。　Not　a　bad　reason；
either。〃

〃Then　you　ARE　going　to　leave　me？〃

〃Do　you　not　feel　it　and　know　it？　Yes；　my　cherished　Hetty；　I
assuredly　am。〃

She　broke　into　wild　exclamations　of　grief；　and　he　drew　her　head
down　and　kissed　her　with　a　tender　action　which　she　could　not
resist；　and　a　wry　face　which　she　did　not　see。

〃My　poor　Hetty；　you　don't　understand　me。〃

〃I　only　understand　that　you　hate　me；　and　want　to　go　away　from
me。〃

〃That　would　be　easy　to　understand。　But　the　strangeness　is　that　I
LOVE　you　and　want　to　go　away　from　you。　Not　for　ever。　Only　for　a
time。〃

〃But　I　don't　want　you　to　go　away。　I　won't　let　you　go　away；〃　she
said；　a　trace　of　fierceness　mingling　with　her　entreaty。　〃Why　do
you　want　to　l