tommy and co[1].(托米和科)-第9节
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'im。〃
〃Give him rope； and possibly he'll have a week at being a howling
hyaena； or a laughing jackass； or something of that sort that will lead to
a disturbance；〃 thought Mr。 Clodd； 〃in which case； of course； you would
have your remedy。〃
〃Yes；〃 thought Mrs。 Postwhistle； 〃and possibly also 'e may take it
into what 'e calls is 'ead to be a tiger or a bull； and then perhaps before
'e's through with it I'll be beyond the reach of remedies。〃
〃Leave it to me；〃 said Mr。 Clodd； rising and searching for his hat。 〃I
know old Gladman； I'll have a talk with him。〃
〃You might get a look at that letter if you can；〃 suggested Mrs。
Postwhistle； 〃and tell me what you think about it。 I don't want to spend
the rest of my days in a lunatic asylum of my own if I can 'elp it。〃
〃You leave it to me；〃 was Mr。 Clodd's parting assurance。
The July moon had thrown a silver veil over the grimness of Rolls
Court when； five hours later； Mr。 Clodd's nailed boots echoed again upon
its uneven pavement； but Mr。 Clodd had no eye for moon or stars or
such…like； always he had things more important to think of。
〃Seen the old 'umbug？〃 asked Mrs。 Postwhistle； who was partial to
the air； leading the way into the parlour。
〃First and foremost commenced；〃 Mr。 Clodd； as he laid aside his hat；
〃it is quite understood that you really do want to get rid of him？ What's
that？〃 demanded Mr。 Clodd； a heavy thud upon the floor above having
caused him to start out of his chair。
〃'E came in an hour after you'd gone；〃 explained Mrs。 Postwhistle；
〃bringing with him a curtain pole as 'e'd picked up for a shilling in Clare
Market。 'E's rested one end upon the mantelpiece and tied the other to
the back of the easy…chair'is idea is to twine 'imself round it and go to
sleep upon it。 Yes； you've got it quite right without a single blunder。 I
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do want to get rid of 'im〃
〃Then；〃 said Mr。 Clodd； reseating himself； 〃it can be done。〃
〃Thank God for that！〃 was Mrs。 Postwhistle's pious ejaculation。
〃It is just as I thought；〃 continued Mr。 Clodd。 〃The old innocent… …
he's Gladman's brother…in…law； by the wayhas got a small annuity。 I
couldn't get the actual figure； but I guess it's about sufficient to pay for
his keep and leave old Gladman； who is running him； a very decent
profit。 They don't want to send him to an asylum。 They can't say he's
a pauper； and to put him into a private establishment would swallow up；
most likely； the whole of his income。 On the other hand； they don't
want the bother of looking after him themselves。 I talked pretty
straight to the old manlet him see I understood the business； andwell；
to cut a long story short； I'm willing to take on the job； provided you
really want to have done with it； and Gladman is willing in that case to
let you off your contract。〃
Mrs。 Postwhistle went to the cupboard to get Mr。 Clodd a drink。
Another thud upon the floor aboveone suggestive of exceptional
velocityarrived at the precise moment when Mrs。 Postwhistle； the
tumbler level with her eye； was in the act of measuring。
〃I call this making a disturbance；〃 said Mrs。 Postwhistle； regarding
the broken fragments。
〃It's only for another night；〃 comforted her Mr。 Clodd。 〃I'll take
him away some time to…morrow。 Meanwhile； if I were you； I should
spread a mattress underneath that perch of his before I went to bed。 I
should like him handed over to me in reasonable repair。〃
〃It will deaden the sound a bit； any'ow；〃 agreed Mrs。 Postwhistle。
〃Success to temperance；〃 drank Mr。 Clodd； and rose to go。
〃I take it you've fixed things up all right for yourself；〃 said Mrs。
Postwhistle； 〃and nobody can blame you if you 'ave。 'Eaven bless you；
is what I say。〃
〃We shall get on together；〃 prophesied Mr。 Clodd。 〃I'm fond of
animals。〃
Early the next morning a four…wheeled cab drew up at the entrance
to Rolls Court； and in it and upon it went away Clodd and Clodd's
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Lunatic （as afterwards he came to be known）； together with all the
belongings of Clodd's Lunatic； the curtain…pole included； and there
appeared again behind the fanlight of the little grocer's shop the
intimation： 〃Lodgings for a Single Man；〃 which caught the eye a few
days later of a weird…looking； lanky； rawboned laddie； whose language
Mrs。 Postwhistle found difficulty for a time in comprehending； and that
is why one sometimes meets to…day worshippers of Kail Yard literature
wandering disconsolately about St。 Dunstan…in…the…West； seeking Rolls
Court； discomforted because it is no more。 But that is the history of the
〃Wee Laddie；〃 and this of the beginnings of William Clodd； now Sir
William Clodd； Bart。； M。P。； proprietor of a quarter of a hundred
newspapers； magazines； and journals： 〃Truthful Billy〃 we called him
then。
No one can say of Clodd that he did not deserve whatever profit his
unlicensed lunatic asylum may have brought him。 A kindly man was
William Clodd when indulgence in sentiment did not interfere with
business。
〃There's no harm in him；〃 asserted Mr。 Clodd； talking the matter
over with one Mr。 Peter Hope； journalist； of Gough Square。 〃He's just
a bit dotty； same as you or I might get with nothing to do and all day
long to do it in。 Kid's play； that's all it is。 The best plan； I find； is to
treat it as a game and take a hand in it。 Last week he wanted to be a
lion。 I could see that was going to be awkward； he roaring for raw
meat and thinking to prowl about the house at night。 Well； I didn't nag
himthat's no good。 I just got a gun and shot him。 He's a duck now；
and I'm trying to keep him one： sits for an hour beside his bath on
three china eggs I've bought him。 Wish some of the sane ones were as
little trouble。〃
The summer came again。 Clodd and his Lunatic； a mild…looking
little old gentleman of somewhat clerical cut； one often met with arm…in…
arm； bustling about the streets and courts that were the scene of Clodd's
rent…collecting labours。 Their evident attachment to one another was
curiously displayed； Clodd； the young and red… haired； treating his white…
haired； withered companion with fatherly indulgence； the other glancing
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up from time to time into Clodd's face with a winning expression of
infantile affection。
〃We are getting much better；〃 explained Clodd； the pair meeting
Peter Hope one day at the corner of Newcastle Street。 〃The more we
are out in the open air； and the more we have to do and think about； the
better for useh？〃
The mild…looking little old gentleman hanging on Clodd's arm smiled
and nodded。
〃Between ourselves；〃 added Mr。 Clodd； sinking his voice； 〃we are
not half as foolish as folks think we are。〃
Peter Hope went his way down the Strand。
〃Clodd's a good sorta good sort；〃 said Peter Hope； who； having in
his time li
