tommy and co[1].(托米和科)-第40节
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〃Called away suddenlyvery important business；〃 explained the
Babe。 〃Awfully much obliged to all you fellows for all you have been
doing for my sister。 She's just been telling me。〃
〃Don't mention it；〃 said two or three。
〃Awfully good of you； I'm sure；〃 persisted the Babe。 〃Don't know
what she would have done without you。〃
A mere nothing； the Club assured him。 The blushing modesty of the
Autolycus Club at hearing of their own good deeds was touching。 Left
to themselves； they would have talked of quite other things。 As a matter
of fact； they tried to。
〃Never heard her speak so enthusiastically of anyone as she does of
you； Jack；〃 said the Babe； turning to Jack Herring。
〃Of course； you know； dear boy；〃 explained Jack Herring； 〃anything
I could do for a sister of yours〃
〃I know； dear boy；〃 replied the Babe； 〃I always felt it。〃
〃Say no more about it；〃 urged Jack Herring。
〃She couldn't quite make out that letter of yours this morning；〃
continued the Babe； ignoring Jack's request。 〃She's afraid you think her
ungrateful。〃
〃It seemed to me； on reflection；〃 explained Jack Herring； 〃that on
one or two little matters she may have misunderstood me。 As I wrote
her； there are days when I don't seem altogether to quite know what I'm
doing。〃
〃Rather awkward；〃 thought the Babe。
〃It is；〃 agreed Jack Herring。 〃Yesterday was one of them。〃
〃She tells me you were most kind to her；〃 the Babe reassured him。
〃She thought at first it was a little uncivil； your refusing to lend her any
money。 But as I put it to her 〃
〃It was silly of me；〃 interrupted Jack。 〃I see that now。 I went
round this morning meaning to make it all right。 But she was gone； and
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Mrs。 Postwhistle seemed to think I had better leave things as they were。
I blame myself exceedingly。〃
〃My dear boy； don't blame yourself for anything。 You acted nobly；〃
the Babe told him。 〃She's coming here to call for me this evening on
purpose to thank you。〃
〃I'd rather not；〃 said Jack Herring。
〃Nonsense；〃 said the Babe。
〃You must excuse me；〃 insisted Jack Herring。 〃I don't mean it
rudely； but really I'd rather not see her。〃
〃But here she is；〃 said the Babe； taking at that moment the card from
old Goslin's hand。 〃She will think it so strange。〃
〃I'd really rather not；〃 repeated poor Jack。
〃It seems discourteous；〃 suggested Somerville。
〃You go；〃 suggested Jack。
〃She doesn't want to see me；〃 explained Somerville。
〃Yes she does；〃 corrected him the Babe。
〃I'd forgotten； she wants to see you both。〃
〃If I go；〃 said Jack； 〃I shall tell her the plain truth。〃
〃Do you know；〃 said Somerville； 〃I'm thinking that will be the
shortest way。〃
Miss Bulstrode was seated in the hall。 Jack Herring and Somerville
both thought her present quieter style of dress suited her much better。
〃Here he is；〃 announced the Babe； in triumph。 〃Here's Jack Herring
and here's Somerville。 Do you know； I could hardly persuade them to
come out and see you。 Dear old Jack； he always was so shy。〃
Miss Bulstrode rose。 She said she could never thank them
sufficiently for all their goodness to her。 Miss Bulstrode seemed quite
overcome。 Her voice trembled with emotion。
〃Before we go further； Miss Bulstrode；〃 said Jack Herring； 〃it will be
best to tell you that all along we thought you were your brother； dressed
up as a girl。〃
〃Oh！〃 said the Babe； 〃so that's the explanation； is it？ If I had only
known〃 Then the Babe stopped； and wished he hadn't spoken。
Somerville seized him by the shoulders and； with a sudden jerk；
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stood him beside his sister under the gas…jet。
〃You little brute！〃 said Somerville。 〃It was you all along。〃 And
the Babe； seeing the game was up； and glad that the joke had not been
entirely on one side； confessed。
Jack Herring and Somerville the Briefless went that night with
Johnny and his sister to the theatreand on other nights。 Miss
Bulstrode thought Jack Herring very nice； and told her brother so。 But
she thought Somerville the Briefless even nicer； and later； under cross…
examination； when Somerville was no longer briefless； told Somerville
so himself。
But that has nothing to do with this particular story； the end of which
is that Miss Bulstrode kept the appointment made for Monday afternoon
between 〃Miss Montgomery〃 and Mr。 Jowett； and secured thereby the
Marble Soap advertisement for the back page of Good Humour for six
months； at twenty…five pounds a week。
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STORY THE SEVENTH： Dick
Danvers presents his Petition
William Clodd； mopping his brow； laid down the screwdriver； and
stepping back； regarded the result of his labours with evident
satisfaction。
〃It looks like a bookcase；〃 said William Clodd。 〃You might sit in
the room for half an hour and never know it wasn't a bookcase。〃
What William Clodd had accomplished was this： he had had
prepared； after his own design； what appeared to be four shelves laden
with works suggestive of thought and erudition。 As a matter of fact； it
was not a bookcase； but merely a flat board； the books merely the backs
of volumes that had long since found their way into the paper…mill。
This artful deception William Clodd had screwed upon a cottage piano
standing in the corner of the editorial office of Good Humour。 Half a
dozen real volumes piled upon the top of the piano completed the
illusion。 As William Clodd had proudly remarked； a casual visitor
might easily have been deceived。
〃If you had to sit in the room while she was practising mixed scales；
you'd be quickly undeceived；〃 said the editor of Good Humour； one
Peter Hope。 He spoke bitterly。
〃You are not always in；〃 explained Clodd。 〃There must be hours
when she is here alone； with nothing else to do。 Besides； you will get
used to it after a while。〃
〃You； I notice； don't try to get used to it；〃 snarled Peter Hope。 〃You
always go out the moment she commences。〃
〃A friend of mine；〃 continued William Clodd； 〃worked in an office
over a piano…shop for seven years； and when the shop closed； it nearly
ruined his business； couldn't settle down to work for want of it。〃
〃Why doesn't he come here？〃 asked Peter Hope。 〃The floor above is
vacant。〃
〃Can't；〃 explained William Clodd。 〃He's dead。〃
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〃I can quite believe it；〃 commented Peter Hope。
〃It was a shop where people came and practised； paying sixpence an
hour； and he had got to like itsaid it made a cheerful background to his
thoughts。 Wonderful what you can get accustomed to。〃
〃What's the good of it？〃 demanded Peter Hope。
〃What's the good of it！〃 retorted William Clodd indignantly。 〃Every
girl ought to know how to play the piano。 A nice thing if when her
lover asks her to play something to him〃
〃I wonder you don't start a matrimonial agency；〃 sneered Peter Hope。
〃Love and marriageyou think of nothing else。〃
〃When you are bringing up a young girl〃 argued Clodd。
〃But you're not；〃 interrupted Peter； 〃that's just what I
