tommy and co[1].(托米和科)-第23节
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Having nothing to do now but to wait for briefs； why not take this
opportunity of visiting his only well…to…do relative； a Canadian farmer。
Meanwhile； let Miss Peggy leave the bun shop and take up her residence
in Miss Ramsbotham's flat。 Let there be no engagementmerely an
understanding。 The girl was pretty； charming； good； Miss Ramsbotham
felt sure； butwell； a little education； a little training in manners and
behaviour would not be amiss； would it？ If； on returning at the end of
six months or a year； Mr。 Peters was still of the same mind； and Peggy
also wishful； the affair would be easier； would it not？
There followed further expressions of eternal gratitude。 Miss
Ramsbotham swept all such aside。 It would be pleasant to have a
bright young girl to live with her； teaching； moulding such an one would
be a pleasant occupation。
And thus it came to pass that Mr。 Reginald Peters disappeared for a
while from Bohemia； to the regret of but few； and there entered into it
one Peggy Nutcombe； as pretty a child as ever gladdened the eye of man。
She had wavy； flaxen hair； a complexion that might have been
manufactured from the essence of wild roses； the nose that Tennyson
bestows upon his miller's daughter； and a mouth worthy of the Lowther
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Arcade in its days of glory。 Add to this the quick grace of a kitten； with
the appealing helplessness of a baby in its first short frock； and you will
be able to forgive Mr。 Reginald Peters his faithlessness。 Bohemia
looked from one to the otherfrom the fairy to the womanand ceased
to blame。 That the fairy was as stupid as a camel； as selfish as a pig；
and as lazy as a nigger Bohemia did not know； norso long as her figure
and complexion remained what it waswould its judgment have been
influenced； even if it had。 I speak of the Bohemian male。
But that is just what her figure and complexion did not do。 Mr。
Reginald Peters； finding his uncle old； feeble； and inclined to be fond；
deemed it to his advantage to stay longer than he had intended。 Twelve
months went by。 Miss Peggy was losing her kittenish grace； was
becoming lumpy。 A couple of pimplesone near the right…hand corner
of her rosebud mouth； and another on the left…hand side of her tip…tilted
nosemarred her baby face。 At the end of another six months the men
called her plump； and the women fat。 Her walk was degenerating into
a waddle； stairs caused her to grunt。 She took to breathing with her
mouth； and Bohemia noticed that her teeth were small； badly coloured；
and uneven。 The pimples grew in size and number。 The cream and
white of her complexion was merging into a general yellow。 A certain
greasiness of skin was manifesting itself。 Babyish ways in connection
with a woman who must have weighed about eleven stone struck
Bohemia as incongruous。 Her manners； judged alone； had improved。
But they had not improved her。 They did not belong to her； they did
not fit her。 They sat on her as Sunday broadcloth on a yokel。 She had
learned to employ her 〃h's〃 correctly； and to speak good grammar。 This
gave to her conversation a painfully artificial air。 The little learning she
had absorbed was sufficient to bestow upon her an angry consciousness
of her own invincible ignorance。
Meanwhile； Miss Ramsbotham had continued upon her course of
rejuvenation。 At twenty…nine she had looked thirty…five； at thirty…two
she looked not a day older than five…and…twenty。 Bohemia felt that
should she retrograde further at the same rate she would soon have to
shorten her frocks and let down her hair。 A nervous excitability had
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taken possession of her that was playing strange freaks not only with her
body； but with her mind。 What it gave to the one it seemed to take
from the other。 Old friends； accustomed to enjoy with her the luxury of
plain speech； wondered in vain what they had done to offend her。 Her
desire was now towards new friends； new faces。 Her sense of humour
appeared to be departing from her； it became unsafe to jest with her。
On the other hand； she showed herself greedy for admiration and flattery。
Her former chums stepped back astonished to watch brainless young
fops making their way with her by complimenting her upon her blouse；
or whispering to her some trite nonsense about her eyelashes。 From her
work she took a good percentage of her brain power to bestow it on her
clothes。 Of course； she was successful。 Her dresses suited her；
showed her to the best advantage。 Beautiful she could never be； and
had sense enough to know it； but a charming； distinguished…looking
woman she had already become。 Also； she was on the high road to
becoming a vain； egotistical； commonplace woman。
It was during the process of this； her metamorphosis； that Peter Hope
one evening received a note from her announcing her intention of
visiting him the next morning at the editorial office of Good Humour。
She added in a postscript that she would prefer the interview to be
private。
Punctually to the time appointed Miss Ramsbotham arrived。 Miss
Ramsbotham； contrary to her custom； opened conversation with the
weather。 Miss Ramsbotham was of opinion that there was every
possibility of rain。 Peter Hope's experience was that there was always
possibility of rain。
〃How is the Paper doing？〃 demanded Miss Ramsbotham。
The Paperfor a paper not yet two years oldwas doing well。 〃We
expect very shortlyvery shortly indeed；〃 explained Peter Hope； 〃to turn
the corner。〃
〃Ah！ that 'corner；'〃 sympathised Miss Ramsbotham。
〃I confess；〃 smiled Peter Hope； 〃it doesn't seem to be exactly a right…
angled corner。 One reaches it as one thinks。 But it takes some getting
roundwhat I should describe as a cornery corner。〃
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〃What you want；〃 thought Miss Ramsbotham； 〃are one or two popular
features。〃
〃Popular features；〃 agreed Peter guardedly； scenting temptation； 〃are
not to be despised； provided one steers clear of the vulgar and the
commonplace。〃
〃A Ladies' Page！〃 suggested Miss Ramsbotham〃a page that should
make the woman buy it。 The women； believe me； are going to be of
more and more importance to the weekly press。〃
〃But why should she want a special page to herself？〃 demanded Peter
Hope。 〃Why should not the paper as a whole appeal to her？〃
〃It doesn't；〃 was all Miss Ramsbotham could offer in explanation。
〃We give her literature and the drama； poetry； fiction； the higher
politics； the〃
〃I know； I know；〃 interrupted Miss Ramsbotham； who of late； among
other failings new to her； had developed a tendency towards impatience；
〃but she gets all that in half a dozen other papers。 I have thought it
out。〃 Miss Ramsbotham leaned further across the editorial desk and
sunk her voice unconsciously to a confidential whisper。 〃Tell her the
coming fashions。
