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第8节

the little white bird-第8节

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friend。  〃His latest;〃 said he now; 〃is to send David a rocking…

horse!〃



I must say I could see no reason for his mirth。  〃Picture it;〃

said he; 〃a rocking…horse for a child not three months old!〃



I was about to say fiercely: 〃The stirrups are adjustable;〃 but

thought it best to laugh with him。  But I was pained to hear that

Mary had laughed; though heaven knows I have often laughed at

her。



〃But women are odd;〃 he said unexpectedly; and explained。  It

appears that in the middle of her merriment Mary had become grave

and said to him quite haughtily; 〃I see nothing to laugh at。〃

Then she had kissed the horse solemnly on the nose and said; 〃I

wish he was here to see me do it。〃  There are moments when one

cannot help feeling a drawing to Mary。



But moments only; for the next thing he said put her in a

particularly odious light。  He informed me that she had sworn to

hunt Mr。 Anon down。



〃She won't succeed;〃 I said; sneering but nervous。



〃Then it will be her first failure;〃 said he。



〃But she knows nothing about the man。〃



〃You would not say that if you heard her talking of him。  She

says he is a gentle; whimsical; lonely old bachelor。〃



〃Old?〃 I cried。



〃Well; what she says is that he will soon be old if he doesn't

take care。  He is a bachelor at all events; and is very fond of

children; but has never had one to play with。〃



〃Could not play with a child though there was one;〃 I said

brusquely; 〃has forgotten the way; could stand and stare only。〃



〃Yes; if the parents were present。  But he thinks that if he were

alone with the child he could come out strong。〃



〃How the deuce〃 I began



〃That is what she says;〃 he explained; apologetically。  〃I think

she will prove to be too clever for him。〃



〃Pooh;〃 I said; but undoubtedly I felt a dizziness; and the next

time I met him he quite frightened me。  〃Do you happen to know

any one;〃 he said; 〃who has a St。 Bernard dog?〃



〃No;〃 said I; picking up my stick。



〃He has a St。 Bernard dog。〃



〃How have you found that out?〃



〃She has found it out。〃



〃But how?〃



〃I don't know。〃



I left him at once; for Porthos was but a little way behind me。

The mystery of it scared me; but I armed promptly for battle。  I

engaged a boy to walk Porthos in Kensington Gardens; and gave him

these instructions: 〃Should you find yourself followed by a young

woman wheeling a second…hand perambulator; instantly hand her

over to the police on the charge of attempting to steal the dog。〃



Now then; Mary。



〃By the way;〃 her husband said at our next meeting; 〃that

rocking… horse I told you of cost three guineas。〃



〃She has gone to the shop to ask?〃



〃No; not to ask that; but for a description of the purchaser's

appearance。〃



Oh; Mary; Mary。



Here is the appearance of purchaser as supplied at the Arcade:

looked like a military gentleman; tall; dark; and rather dressy;

fine Roman nose (quite so); carefully trimmed moustache going

grey (not at all); hair thin and thoughtfully distributed over

the head like fiddlestrings; as if to make the most of it (pah!);

dusted chair with handkerchief before sitting down on it; and had

other oldmaidish ways (I should like to know what they are);

tediously polite; but no talker; bored face; age forty…five if a

day (a lie); was accompanied by an enormous yellow dog with sore

eyes。  (They always think the haws are sore eyes。)



〃Do you know anyone who is like that?〃 Mary's husband asked me

innocently。



〃My dear man;〃 I said; 〃I know almost no one who is not like

that;〃 and it was true; so like each other do we grow at the

club。 I was pleased; on the whole; with this talk; for it at

least showed me how she had come to know of the St。 Bernard; but

anxiety returned when one day from behind my curtains I saw Mary

in my street with an inquiring eye on the windows。  She stopped a

nurse who was carrying a baby and went into pretended ecstasies

over it。 I was sure she also asked whether by any chance it was

called Timothy。  And if not; whether that nurse knew any other

nurse who had charge of a Timothy。



Obviously Mary suspicioned me; but nevertheless; I clung to

Timothy; though I wished fervently that I knew more about him;

for I still met that other father occasionally; and he always

stopped to compare notes about the boys。  And the questions he

asked were so intimate; how Timothy slept; how he woke up; how he

fell off again; what we put in his bath。  It is well that dogs

and little boys have so much in common; for it was really of

Porthos I told him; how he slept (peacefully); how he woke up

(supposed to be subject to dreams); how he fell off again (with

one little hand on his nose); but I glided past what we put in

his bath (carbolic and a mop)。



The man had not the least suspicion of me; and I thought it

reasonable to hope that Mary would prove as generous。  Yet was I

straitened in my mind。  For it might be that she was only biding

her time to strike suddenly; and this attached me the more to

Timothy; as if I feared she might soon snatch him from me。  As

was indeed to be the case。





VI



A Shock



It was on a May day; and I saw Mary accompany her husband as far

as the first crossing; whence she waved him out of sight as if he

had boarded an Atlantic…liner。  All this time she wore the face

of a woman happily married who meant to go straight home; there

to await her lord's glorious return; and the military…looking

gentleman watching her with a bored smile saw nothing better

before him than a chapter on the Domestic Felicities。  Oh; Mary;

can you not provide me with the tiniest little plot?



Hallo!



No sooner was she hid from him than she changed into another

woman; she was now become a calculating purposeful madam; who

looked around her covertly and; having shrunk in size in order to

appear less noticeable; set off nervously on some mysterious

adventure。



〃The deuce!〃 thought I; and followed her。



Like one anxious to keep an appointment; she frequently consulted

her watch; looking long at it; as if it were one of those watches

that do not give up their secret until you have made a mental

calculation。  Once she kissed it。  I had always known that she

was fond of her cheap little watch; which he gave her; I think;

on the day I dropped the letter; but why kiss it in the street? 

Ah; and why then replace it so hurriedly in your leather…belt;

Mary; as if it were guilt to you to kiss to…day; or any day; the

watch your husband gave you?



It will be seen that I had made a very rapid journey from light

thoughts to uneasiness。  I wanted no plot by the time she reached

her destination; a street of tawdry shops。  She entered none of

them; but paced slowly and shrinking from observation up and down

the street; a very figure of shame; and never had I thought to

read shame in the sweet face of Mary A。  Had I crossed to her

and pronounced her name I think it would have felled her; and yet

she remained there; waiting。  I; too; was waiting for him;

wondering if this was the man; or this; or this; and I believe I

clutched my stick。



Did I suspect Mary?  Oh; surely not for a moment of time。  But

there was some foolishness here; she was come without the

knowledge of her husband; as her furtive manner indicated; to a

meeting she dreaded and was ashamed to tell him of; she was come

into danger; then it must be to save; not herself but him; the

folly to be concealed could never have been Mary's。  Yet what

could have happened in the past of that honest boy from the

consequences of which she might shield him by skulking here?

Could that laugh of his have survived a dishonour?  The open

forehead; the curly locks; the pleasant smile; the hundred

ingratiating ways which we carry with us out of childhood; they

may all remain when the innocence has fled; but surely the laugh

of the morning of life must go。  I have never known the devil

retain his grip on that。



But Mary was still waiting。  She was no longer beautiful; shame

had possession of her face; she was an ugly woman。  Then the

entanglement was her husband's; and I cursed him for it。  But

without conviction; for; after all; what did I know of women?  I

have some distant memories of them; some vain inventions。  But of

menI have known one man indifferent well for over forty years;

have exulted in him (odd to think of it); shuddered at him;

wearied of him; been willing (God forgive me) to jog along with

him tolerantly long after I have found him out; I know something

of men; and; on my soul; boy; I believe I am wronging you。



Then Mary is here for some innocent purpose; to do a good deed

that were better undone; as it so scares her。  Turn back; you

foolish; soft heart; and I shall say no more about it。  Obstinate

one; you saw the look on your husband's face as he left you。  It

is the studio ligh

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