tommy and co[1].(托米和科)-第32节
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for his snuff…box； and had sat down again。 The only person who
seemed to enjoy the dinner was the Lady Mary Sutton。
The ladies retired upstairs into the drawing…room。 Mrs。 Loveredge；
breaking a long silence； remarked it as unusual that no sound of
merriment reached them from the dining…room。 The explanation was
that the entire male portion of the party； on being left to themselves； had
immediately and in a body crept on tiptoe into Joey's study； which；
fortunately； happened to be on the ground floor。 Joey； unlocking the
bookcase； had taken out his Debrett； but appeared incapable of
understanding it。 Sir Francis Baldwin had taken it from his unresisting
hands； the remaining aristocracy huddled themselves into a corner and
waited in silence。
〃I think I've got it all clearly；〃 announced Sir Francis Baldwin； after
five minutes； which to the others had been an hour。 〃Yes； I don't think
I'm making any mistake。 She's the daughter of the Duke of Truro；
married in '53 the Duke of Warrington； at St。 Peter's； Eaton Square； gave
birth in '55 to a daughter； the Lady Grace Alexandra Warberton Sutton；
which makes the child just thirteen。 In '63 divorced the Duke of
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Warrington。 Lord Mount…Primrose； so far as I can make out； must be
her second cousin。 I appear to have married her in '66 at Hastings。 It
doesn't seem to me that we could have got together a homelier little
party to meet her even if we had wanted to。〃
Nobody spoke； nobody had anything particularly worth saying。 The
door opened； and the Lady Alexandra （otherwise Tommy） entered the
room。
〃Isn't it time；〃 suggested the Lady Alexandra； 〃that some of you
came upstairs？〃
〃I was thinking myself；〃 explained Joey； the host； with a grim smile；
〃it was about time that I went out and drowned myself。 The canal is
handy。〃
〃Put it off till to…morrow；〃 Tommy advised him。 〃I have asked her
ladyship to give me a lift home； and she has promised to do so。 She is
evidently a woman with a sense of humour。 Wait till after I have had a
talk with her。〃
Six men； whispering at the same time； were prepared with advice；
but Tommy was not taking advice。
〃Come upstairs； all of you；〃 insisted Tommy； 〃and make yourselves
agreeable。 She's going in a quarter of an hour。〃
Six silent men； the host leading； the two husbands bringing up the
rear； ascended the stairs； each with the sensation of being twice his usual
weight。 Six silent men entered the drawing…room and sat down on
chairs。 Six silent men tried to think of something interesting to say。
Miss Ramsbothamit was that or hysterics； as she afterwards
explainedstifling a sob； opened the piano。 But the only thing she
could remember was 〃Champagne Charlie is my Name；〃 a song then
popular in the halls。 Five men； when she had finished； begged her to
go on。 Miss Ramsbotham； speaking in a shrill falsetto； explained it was
the only tune she knew。 Four of them begged her to play it again。
Miss Ramsbotham played it a second time with involuntary variations。
The Lady Mary's carriage was announced by the imperturbable Willis。
The party； with the exception of the Lady Mary and the hostess；
suppressed with difficulty an inclination to burst into a cheer。 The Lady
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Mary thanked Mrs。 Loveredge for a most interesting evening； and
beckoned Tommy to accompany her。 With her disappearance； a wild
hilarity； uncanny in its suddenness； took possession of the remaining
guests。
A few days later； the Lady Mary's carriage again drew up before the
little house in Regent's Park。 Mrs。 Loveredge； fortunately； was at home。
The carriage remained waiting for quite a long time。 Mrs。 Loveredge；
after it was gone； locked herself in her own room。 The under…
housemaid reported to the kitchen that； passing the door； she had
detected sounds indicative of strong emotion。
Through what ordeal Joseph Loveredge passed was never known。
For a few weeks the Autolycus Club missed him。 Then gradually； as
aided by Time they have a habit of doing； things righted themselves。
Joseph Loveredge received his old friends； his friends received Joseph
Loveredge。 Mrs。 Loveredge； as a hostess； came to have only one
failinga marked coldness of demeanour towards all people with titles；
whenever introduced to her。
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STORY THE SIXTH： 〃The
Babe〃 applies for Shares
People said of the new journal； Good Humourpeople of taste and
judgment； that it was the brightest； the cleverest； the most literary penny
weekly that ever had been offered to the public。 This made Peter Hope；
editor and part…proprietor； very happy。 William Clodd； business
manager； and also part…proprietor； it left less elated。
〃Must be careful；〃 said William Clodd； 〃that we don't make it too
clever。 Happy medium； that's the ideal。〃
People saidpeople of taste and judgment； that Good Humour was
more worthy of support than all the other penny weeklies put together。
People of taste and judgment even went so far； some of them； as to buy
it。 Peter Hope； looking forward； saw fame and fortune coming to him。
William Clodd； looking round about him； said …
〃Doesn't it occur to you； Guv'nor； that we're getting this thing just a
trifle too high class？〃
〃What makes you think that？〃 demanded Peter Hope。
〃Our circulation； for one thing；〃 explained Clodd。 〃The returns for
last month〃
〃I'd rather you didn't mention them； if you don't mind；〃 interrupted
Peter Hope； 〃somehow； hearing the actual figures always depresses me。〃
〃Can't say I feel inspired by them myself；〃 admitted Clodd。
〃It will come；〃 said Peter Hope； 〃it will come in time。 We must
educate the public up to our level。〃
〃If there is one thing； so far as I have noticed；〃 said William Clodd；
〃that the public are inclined to pay less for than another； it is for being
educated。〃
〃What are we to do？〃 asked Peter Hope。
〃What you want；〃 answered William Clodd； 〃is an office…boy。〃
〃How will our having an office…boy increase our circulation？〃
demanded Peter Hope。 〃Besides； it was agreed that we could do
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without one for the first year。 Why suggest more expense？〃
〃I don't mean an ordinary office…boy；〃 explained Clodd。 〃I mean
the sort of boy that I rode with in the train going down to Stratford
yesterday。〃
〃What was there remarkable about him？〃
〃Nothing。 He was reading the current number of the Penny Novelist。
Over two hundred thousand people buy it。 He is one of them。 He told
me so。 When he had done with it； he drew from his pocket a copy of
the Halfpenny Jokerthey guarantee a circulation of seventy thousand。
He sat and chuckled over it until we got to Bow。〃
〃B
