an unsocial socialist-第9节

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savings　bank　I　have　at　home；　and　keep　it　to　spend　when　sickness
or　odd　age　shall；　in　a　manner　of　speaking；　lay　their　'ends　upon
me。　I　could　smooth　that　grass　beautiful；　them　young　ladies　'll
strain　themselves　with　that　heavy　roller。　If　tennis　is　the　word；
I　can　put　up　nets　fit　to　catch　birds　of　paradise　in。　If　the
courts　is　to　be　chalked　out　in　white；　I　can　draw　a　line　so
straight　that　you　could　hardly　keep　yourself　from　erecting　an
equilateral　triangle　on　it。　I　am　honest　when　well　watched；　and　I
can　wait　at　table　equal　to　the　Lord　Mayor　o'　London's　butler。〃

〃I　cannot　employ　you　without　a　character；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；
amused　by　his　scrap　of　Euclid；　and　wondering　where　he　had　picked
it　up。

〃I　bear　the　best　of　characters；　lady。　The　reverend　rector　has
known　me　from　a　boy。〃

〃I　was　speaking　to　him　about　you　yesterday；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；
looking　hard　at　him；　〃and　he　says　you　are　a　perfect　stranger　to
him。〃

〃Gentlemen　is　so　forgetful；〃　said　Smilash　sadly。　〃But　I　alluded
to　my　native　rectormeaning　the　rector　of　my　native　village；
Auburn。　'Sweet　Auburn；　loveliest　village　of　the　plain；'　as　the
gentleman　called　it。〃

〃That　was　not　the　name　you　mentioned　to　Mr。　Fairholme。　I　do　not
recollect　what　name　you　gave；　but　it　was　not　Auburn；　nor　have　I
ever　heard　of　any　such　place。〃

〃Never　read　of　sweet　Auburn！〃

〃Not　in　any　geography　or　gazetteer。　Do　you　recollect　telling　me
that　you　have　been　in　prison？〃

〃Only　six　times；〃　pleaded　Smilash；　his　features　working
convulsively。　〃Don't　bear　too　hard　on　a　common　man。　Only　six
times；　and　all　through　drink。　But　I　have　took　the　pledge；　and
kep'　it　faithful　for　eighteen　months　past。〃

Miss　Wilson　now　set　down　the　man　as　one　of　those　keen；
half…witted　country　fellows；　contemptuously　styled　originals；　who
unintentionally　make　themselves　popular　by　flattering　the　sense
of　sanity　in　those　whose　faculties　are　better　adapted　to
circumstances。

〃You　have　a　bad　memory；　Mr。　Smilash；〃　she　said　good…humoredly。
〃You　never　give　the　same　account　of　yourself　twice。〃

〃I　am　well　aware　that　I　do　not　express　myself　with　exactability。
Ladies　and　gentlemen　have　that　power　over　words　that　they　can
always　say　what　they　mean；　but　a　common　man　like　me　can't。　Words
don't　come　natural　to　him。　He　has　more　thoughts　than　words；　and
what　words　he　has　don't　fit　his　thoughts。　Might　I　take　a　turn
with　the　roller；　and　make　myself　useful　about　the　place　until
nightfall；　for　ninepence？〃

Miss　Wilson；　who　was　expecting　more　than　her　usual　Saturday
visitors；　considered　the　proposition　and　assented。　〃And
remember；〃　she　said；　〃that　as　you　are　a　stranger　here；　your
character　in　Lyvern　depends　upon　the　use　you　make　of　this
opportunity。〃

〃I　am　grateful　to　your　noble　ladyship。　May　your　ladyship's
goodness　sew　up　the　hole　which　is　in　the　pocket　where　I　carry　my
character；　and　which　has　caused　me　to　lose　it　so　frequent。　It's　a
bad　place　for　men　to　keep　their　characters　in；　but　such　is　the
fashion。　And　so　hurray　for　the　glorious　nineteenth　century！〃

He　took　off　his　coat；　seized　the　roller；　and　began　to　pull　it
with　an　energy　foreign　to　the　measured　millhorse　manner　of　the
accustomed　laborer。　Miss　Wilson　looked　doubtfully　at　him；　but；
being　in　haste；　went　indoors　without　further　comment。　The　girls
mistrusting　his　eccentricity；　kept　aloof。　Agatha　determined　to
have　another　and　better　look　at　him。　Racket　in　hand；　she　walked
slowly　across　the　grass　and　came　close　to　him　just　as　he；　unaware
of　her　approach；　uttered　a　groan　of　exhaustion　and　sat　down　to
rest。

〃Tired　already；　Mr。　Smilash？〃　she　said　mockingly。

He　looked　up　deliberately；　took　off　one　of　his　washleather
gloves；　fanned　himself　with　it；　displaying　a　white　and　fine　hand；
and　at　last　replied；　in　the　tone　and　with　the　accent　of　a
gentleman：

〃Very。〃

Agatha　recoiled。　He　fanned　himself　without　the　least　concern。

〃Youyou　are　not　a　laborer；〃　she　said　at　last。

〃Obviously　not。〃

〃I　thought　not。〃

He　nodded。

〃Suppose　I　tell　on　you；〃　she　said；　growing　bolder　as　she
recollected　that　she　was　not　alone　with　him。

〃If　you　do　I　shall　get　out　of　it　just　as　I　got　out　of　the
half…crowns；　and　Miss　Wilson　will　begin　to　think　that　you　are
mad。〃

〃Then　I　really　did　not　give　you　the　seven　and　sixpence；〃　she
said；　relieved。

〃What　is　your　own　opinion？〃　he　answered；　taking　three　pennies
from　his　pocket；　jingling　them　in　his　palm。　〃What　is　your　name？〃

〃I　shall　not　tell　you；〃　said　Agatha　with　dignity。

He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃Perhaps　you　are　right；〃　he　said。　〃I
would　not　tell　you　mine　if　you　asked　me。〃

〃I　have　not　the　slightest　intention　of　asking　you。〃

〃No？　Then　Smilash　shall　do　for　you；　and　Agatha　will　do　for　me。〃

〃You　had　better　take　care。〃

〃Of　what？〃

〃Of　what　you　say；　andare　you　not　afraid　of　being　found　out？〃

〃I　am　found　out　alreadyby　you；　and　I　am　none　the　worse。〃

〃Suppose　the　police　find　you　out！〃

〃Not　they。　Besides；　I　am　not　hiding　from　the　police。　I　have　a
right　to　wear　corduroy　if　I　prefer　it　to　broadcloth。　Consider　the
advantages　of　it！　It　has　procured　me　admission　to　Alton　College；
and　the　pleasure　of　your　acquaintance。　Will　you　excuse　me　if　I　go
on　with　my　rolling；　just　to　keep　up　appearances？　I　can　talk　as　I
roll。〃

〃You　may；　if　you　are　fond　of　soliloquizing；〃　she　said；　turning
away　as　he　rose。

〃Seriously；　Agatha；　you　must　not　tell　the　others　about　me。〃

〃Do　not　call　me　Agatha；〃　she　said　impetuously。　〃What　shall　I　call
you；　then？〃

〃You　need　not　address　me　at　all。〃

〃I　need；　and　will。　Don't　be　ill…natured。〃

〃But　I　don't　know　you。　I　wonder　at　your〃　she　hesitated　at　the
word　which　occurred　to　her；　but；　being　unable　to　think　of　a
better　one；　used　it〃　at　your　cheek。〃

He　laughed；　and　she　watched　him　take　a　couple　of　turns　with　the
roller。　Presently；　refreshing　himself　by　a　look　at　her；　he　caught
her　looking　at　him；　and　smiled。　His　smile　was　commonplace　in
comparison　with　the　one　she　gave　him　in　return；　in　which　her
eyes；　her　teeth；　and　the　golden　grain　in　her　complexion　seemed　to
flash　simultaneously。　He　stopped　rolling　immediately；　and　rested
his　chin　on　the　handle　of　the　roller。

〃If　you　neglect　your　work；〃　said　she　maliciously；　you　won't　have
the　grass　ready　when　the　people　come。〃

〃What　people？〃　he　said；　taken　aback。

〃Oh；　lots　of　people。　Most　likely　some　who　know　you。　There　are
visitors　coming　from　London：　my　guardian；　my　guardianess；　their
daughter；　my　mother；　and　about　a　hundred　more。〃

〃Four　in　all。　What　are　they　coming　for？　To　see　you？〃

〃To　take　me　away；〃　she　replied；　watching　for　signs　of
disappointment　on　his　part。

They　were　at　once　forthcoming。　〃What　the　deuce　are　they　going　to
take　you　away　for？〃　he　said。　〃Is　your　education　finished　？〃

〃No。　I　have　behaved　badly；　and　I　am　going　to　be　expelled。〃

He　laughed　again。　〃Come！〃　he　said；　〃you　are　beginning　to　invent
in　the　Smilash　manner。　What　have　you　done？〃

〃I　don't　see　why　I　should　tell　you。　What　have　you　done？〃

〃I！　Oh；　I　have　done　nothing。　I　am　only　an　unromantic　gentleman；
hiding　from　a　romantic　lady　who　is　in　love　with　me。〃

〃Poor　thing；〃　said　Agatha　sarcastically。　〃Of　course；　she　has
proposed　to　you；　and　you　have　refused。〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　proposed；　and　she　accepted。　That　is　why　I
have　to　hide。〃

〃You　tell　stories　charmingly；〃　said　Agatha。　〃Good…bye。　Here　is
Miss　Carpenter　coming　to　hear　what　we　are　taking　about。〃

〃Good…bye。　That　story　of　your　being　expelled　beatsMight　a
common　man　make　so　bold　as　to　inquire　where　the　whitening　machine
is；　Miss？〃

This　was　addressed　to　Jane；　who　had　come　up　with　some　of　the
others。　Agatha　expected　to　see　Smilash　presently　discovered；　for
his　disguise　now　seemed　transparent；　she　wondered　how　the　rest
could　be　imposed　on　by　it。　Two　o'clock；　striking　just　then；
reminded　her　of　the　impending　interview　with　her　guardian。　A
tremor　shook　her；　and　she　felt　a　craving　for　some　solitary
hiding…place　in　which　to　await　the　summons。　But　it　was　a　point　of
honor　with　her　to　appear　perfectly　indifferent　to　her　trouble；　so
she　stayed　with　the　girls；　laughing　and　chatting　as　they　watched
Smilash　intently　marking　out　the　courts　and　setting　up　the　nets。
She　made　the　others　laugh　too；　for　her　hidden　excitement；
sharpened　by　irrepressible　shootings　of　dread；　stimulated　her；
and　the　romance　of　Smilash's　disguise　gave　her　a　sensation　of
dreaming。　Her　imagination　was　already　busy　upon　a　drama；　of　which
she　was　the　heroine　and　Smilash　the　hero；　though；　with　the　real
man　before　her；　she　could　not　indulge　herself　by　attributing　to
him　quite　as　much　gloomy　grandeur　of　character　as　to　a　wholly
ideal　personage。　The　plot　was　simple；　and　an　old　favorite　with
her。　One　of　them　was　to　love　the　other　and　to　die　broken…hearted
because　the　loved　one　would　not　requite　the　passion。　For　Agatha；
prompt　to　ridicule　sentimentality　in　her　companions；　and　gifted
with　an　infectious　spirit　of　farce；　secretly　turned　for
imaginative　luxury　to　visions　of　despair　and　death；　and　often
endured　the　mortification　of　the　successful　clown　who　believes；
whilst　the　public　roar　with　laughter　at　him；　that　he　was　born　a
tragedian。　There　was　much　in　her　nature；　she　felt；　that　did　not
find　expression　in　her　popular　representation　of　the