an unsocial socialist-第7节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


by　the　troop　of　girls。　Their　ascent　ended　with　a　rush；　for　the
rain　suddenly　came　down　in　torrents。

When　they　were　safe　under　the　veranda；　panting；　laughing；
grumbling；　or　congratulating　themselves　on　having　been　so　close
to　a　place　of　shelter；　Miss　Wilson　observed；　with　some
uneasiness；　a　spadenew；　like　the　hasp　of　the　gatesticking
upright　in　a　patch　of　ground　that　someone　had　evidently　been
digging　lately。　She　was　about　to　comment　on　this　sign　of
habitation；　when　the　door　of　the　chalet　was　flung　open；　and　Jane
screamed　as　a　man　darted　out　to　the　spade；　which　he　was　about　to
carry　in　out　of　the　wet；　when　he　perceived　the　company　under　the
veranda；　and　stood　still　in　amazement。　He　was　a　young　laborer
with　a　reddish…brown　beard　of　a　week's　growth。　He　wore　corduroy
trousers　and　a　linen…sleeved　corduroy　vest；　both；　like　the　hasp
and　spade；　new。　A　coarse　blue　shirt；　with　a　vulgar　red…and…orange
neckerchief；　also　new；　completed　his　dress；　and；　to　shield
himself　from　the　rain；　he　held　up　a　silk　umbrella　with　a
silver…mounted　ebony　handle；　which　he　seemed　unlikely　to　have
come　by　honestly。　Miss　Wilson　felt　like　a　boy　caught　robbing　an
orchard；　but　she　put　a　bold　face　on　the　matter　and　said：

〃Will　you　allow　us　to　take　shelter　here　until　the　rain　is　over？〃

〃For　certain；　your　ladyship；〃　he　replied；　respectfully　applying
the　spade　handle　to　his　hair；　which　was　combed　down　to　his
eyebrows。　〃Your　ladyship　does　me　proud　to　take　refuge　from　the
onclemency　of　the　yallovrments　beneath　my　'umble　rooftree。〃　His
accent　was　barbarous；　and　he；　like　a　low　comedian；　seemed　to
relish　its　vulgarity。　As　he　spoke　he　came　in　among　them　for
shelter；　and　propped　his　spade　against　the　wall　of　the　chalet；
kicking　the　soil　from　his　hobnailed　blucher　boots；　which　were
new。

〃I　came　out；　honored　lady；〃　he　resumed；　much　at　his　ease；　〃to
house　my　spade；　whereby　I　earn　my　living。　What　the　pen　is　to　the
poet；　such　is　the　spade　to　the　working　man。〃　He　took　the　kerchief
from　his　neck；　wiped　his　temples　as　if　the　sweat　of　honest　toil
were　there；　and　calmly　tied　it　on　again。

〃If　you'll　'scuse　a　remark　from　a　common　man；〃　he　observed；　〃your
ladyship　has　a　fine　family　of　daughters。〃

〃They　are　not　my　daughters；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；　rather　shortly。

〃Sisters；　mebbe？〃

〃No。〃

〃I　thought　they　mout　be；　acause　I　have　a　sister　myself。　Not　that
I　would　make　bold　for　to　dror　comparisons；　even　in　my　own　mind；
for　she's　only　a　common　womanas　common　a　one　as　ever　you　see。
But　few　women　rise　above　the　common。　Last　Sunday；　in　yon　village
church；　I　heard　the　minister　read　out　that　one　man　in　a　thousand
had　he　found；　'but　one　woman　in　all　these；'　he　says；　'have　I　not
found；'　and　I　thinks　to　myself；　'Right　you　are！'　But　I　warrant　he
never　met　your　ladyship。〃

A　laugh；　thinly　disguised　as　a　cough；　escaped　from　Miss
Carpenter。

〃Young　lady　a…ketchin'　cold；　I'm　afeerd；〃　he　said；　with
respectful　solicitude。

〃Do　you　think　the　rain　will　last　long？〃　said　Agatha　politely。

The　man　examined　the　sky　with　a　weather…wise　air　for　some
moments。　Then　he　turned　to　Agatha；　and　replied　humbly：　〃The　Lord
only　knows；　Miss。　It　is　not　for　a　common　man　like　me　to　say。〃

Silence　ensued；　during　which　Agatha；　furtively　scrutinizing　the
tenant　of　the　chalet；　noticed　that　his　face　and　neck　were　cleaner
and　less　sunburnt　than　those　of　the　ordinary　toilers　of　Lyvern。
His　hands　were　hidden　by　large　gardening　gloves　stained　with　coal
dust。　Lyvern　laborers；　as　a　rule；　had　little　objection　to　soil
their　hands；　they　never　wore　gloves。　Still；　she　thought；　there
was　no　reason　why　an　eccentric　workman；　insufferably　talkative；
and　capable　of　an　allusion　to　the　pen　of　the　poet；　should　not
indulge　himself　with　cheap　gloves。　But　then　the　silk；
silvermounted　umbrella

〃The　young　lady's　hi；〃　he　said　suddenly；　holding　out　the
umbrella；　〃is　fixed　on　this　here。　I　am　well　aware　that　it　is　not
for　the　lowest　of　the　low　to　carry　a　gentleman's　brolly；　and　I
ask　your　ladyship's　pardon　for　the　liberty。　I　come　by　it
accidental…like；　and　should　be　glad　of　a　reasonable　offer　from
any　gentleman　in　want　of　a　honest　article。〃

As　he　spoke　two　gentlemen；　much　in　want　of　the　article；　as　their
clinging　wet　coats　showed；　ran　through　the　gateway　and　made　for
the　chalet。　Fairholme　arrived　first；　exclaiming：　〃Fearful
shower！〃　and　briskly　turned　his　back　to　the　ladies　in　order　to
stand　at　the　edge　of　the　veranda　and　shake　the　water　out　of　his
hat。　Josephs　came　next；　shrinking　from　the　damp　contact　of　his
own　garments。　He　cringed　to　Miss　Wilson；　and　hoped　that　she　had
escaped　a　wetting。

〃So　far　I　have；〃　she　replied。　〃The　question　is；　how　are　we　to　get
home？〃

〃Oh；　it's　only　a　shower；〃　said　Josephs；　looking　up　cheerfully　at
the　unbroken　curtain　of　cloud。　〃It　will　clear　up　presently。〃

〃It　ain't　for　a　common　man　to　set　up　his　opinion　again'　a
gentleman　wot　have　profesh'nal　knowledge　of　the　heavens；　as　one
may　say；〃　said　the　man；　〃but　I　would　'umbly　offer　to　bet　my
umbrellar　to　his　wideawake　that　it　don't　cease　raining　this　side
of　seven　o'clock。〃

〃That　man　lives　here；〃　whispered　Miss　Wilson；　〃and　I　suppose　he
wants　to　get　rid　of　us。〃

〃H'm！〃　said　Fairholme。　Then；　turning　to　the　strange　laborer　with
the　air　of　a　person　not　to　be　trifled　with；　he　raised　his　voice；
and　said：　〃You　live　here；　do　you；　my　man？〃

〃I　do；　sir；　by　your　good　leave；　if　I　may　make　so　bold。〃

〃What's　your　name？〃

〃Jeff　Smilash；　sir；　at　your　service。〃

〃Where　do　you　come　from？〃

〃Brixtonbury；　sir。〃

〃Brixtonbury！　Where's　that？〃

〃Well；　sir；　I　don't　rightly　know。　If　a　gentleman　like　you；
knowing　jography　and　such；　can't　tell；　how　can　I？〃

〃You　ought　to　know　where　you　were　born；　man。　Haven't　you　got
common　sense？〃

〃Where　could　such　a　one　as　me　get　common　sense；　sir？　Besides；　I
was　only　a　foundling。　Mebbe　I　warn's　born　at　all。〃

〃Did　I　see　you　at　church　last　Sunday？〃

〃No；　sir。　I　only　come　o'　Wensday。〃

〃Well；　let　me　see　you　there　next　Sunday；〃　said　Fairholme　shortly；
turning　away　from　him。

Miss　Wilson　looked　at　the　weather；　at　Josephs；　who　was　conversing
with　Jane；　and　finally　at　Smilash；　who　knuckled　his　forehead
without　waiting　to　be　addressed。

〃Have　you　a　boy　whom　you　can　send　to　Lyvern　to　get　us　a
conveyancea　carriage？　I　will　give　him　a　shilling　for　his
trouble。〃

〃A　shilling！〃　said　Smilash　joyfully。　〃Your　ladyship　is　a　noble
lady。　Two　four…wheeled　cabs。　There's　eight　on　you。〃

〃There　is　only　one　cab　in　Lyvern；〃　said　Miss　Wilson。　〃Take　this
card　to　Mr。　Marsh；　the　jotmaster；　and　tell　him　the　predicament　we
are　in。　He　will　send　vehicles。〃

Smilash　took　the　card　and　read　it　at　a　glance。　He　then　went　into
the　chalet。　Reappearing　presently　in　a　sou'wester　and　oilskins；
he　ran　off　through　the　rain　and　vaulted　over　the　gate　with
ridiculous　elegance。　No　sooner　had　he　vanished　than；　as　often
happens　to　remarkable　men；　he　became　the　subject　of　conversation。

〃A　decent　workman；〃　said　Josephs。　〃A　well…mannered　man；
considering　his　class。〃

〃A　born　fool；　though；〃　said　Fairholme。

〃Or　a　rogue；〃　said　Agatha；　emphasizing　the　suggestion　by　a
glitter　of　her　eyes　and　teeth；　whilst　her　schoolfellows；　rather
disapproving　of　her　freedom；　stood　stiffly　dumb。　〃He　told　Miss
Wilson　that　he　had　a　sister；　and　that　he　had　been　to　church　last
Sunday；　and　he　has　just　told　you　that　he　is　a　foundling；　and　that
he　only　came　last　Wednesday。　His　accent　is　put　on；　and　he　can
read；　and　I　don't　believe　he　is　a　workman　at　all。　Perhaps　he　is　a
burglar；　come　down　to　steal　the　college　plate。〃

〃Agatha；〃　said　Miss　Wilson　gravely；　〃you　must　be　very　careful　how
you　say　things　of　that　kind。〃

〃But　it　is　so　obvious。　His　explanation　about　the　umbrella　was
made　up　to　disarm　suspicion。　He　handled　it　and　leaned　on　it　in　a
way　that　showed　how　much　more　familiar　it　was　to　him　than　that
new　spade　he　was　so　anxious　about。　And　all　his　clothes　are　new。〃

〃True；〃　said　Fairholme；　〃but　there　is　not　much　in　all　that。
Workmen　nowadays　ape　gentlemen　in　everything。　However；　I　will
keep　an　eye　on　him。〃

〃Oh；　thank　you　so　much；〃　said　Agatha。　Fairholme；　suspecting
mockery；　frowned；　and　Miss　Wilson　looked　severely　at　the　mocker。
Little　more　was　said；　except　as　to　the　chancesmanifestly
smallof　the　rain　ceasing；　until　the　tops　of　a　cab；　a　decayed
mourning　coach；　and　three　dripping　hats　were　seen　over　the　hedge。
Smilash　sat　on　the　box　of　the　coach；　beside　the　driver。　When　it
stopped；　he　alighted；　re…entered　the　chalet　without　speaking；
came　out　with　the　umbrella；　spread　it　above　Miss　Wilson's　head；
and　said：

〃Now；　if　your　ladyship　will　come　with　me；　I　will　see　you　dry　into
the　stray；　and　then　I'll　bring　your　honored　nieces　one　by　one。〃

〃I　shall　come　last；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；　irritated　by　his
assumption　that　the　party　was　a　family　one。　〃Gertrude；　you　had
better　go　first。〃

〃Allow　me；〃　said　Fairholme；　stepping　forward；　and　attempting　to
take　the　umbrella。

〃Thank　you；　I　shall　not　trouble　you；〃　she　said　frostily；　and
tripped　away　over　the　oozing　field　with　Smilash；　who　held　the
umbrella　over　her　with　ostentatious　solicitude。　In　the　same
manner　he　led　the　rest　to　the　vehicles；　in　which　they　packed
themselves　with　some　difficulty。　Agatha；　who　came　last　b