three men on the bummel-第4节

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She　said：　　〃Oh！　　I　have　not　noticed　anything　different；　what's　the
matter　with　you？〃

〃I　can't　tell　you　what　it　is；〃　I　said；　〃I've　felt　it　coming　on　for
weeks。〃

〃It's　that　whisky；〃　said　Ethelbertha。　　〃You　never　touch　it　except
when　we　go　to　the　Harris's。　　You　know　you　can't　stand　it；　you　have
not　a　strong　head。〃

〃It　isn't　the　whisky；〃　I　replied；　〃it's　deeper　than　that。　　I　fancy
it's　more　mental　than　bodily。〃

〃You've　been　reading　those　criticisms　again；〃　said　Ethelbertha；
more　sympathetically；　〃why　don't　you　take　my　advice　and　put　them　on
the　fire？〃

〃And　it　isn't　the　criticisms；〃　I　answered；　〃they've　been　quite
flattering　of　lateone　or　two　of　them。〃

〃Well；　what　is　it？〃　said　Ethelbertha；　〃there　must　be　something　to
account　for　it。〃

〃No；　there　isn't；〃　I　replied；　〃that's　the　remarkable　thing　about
it；　I　can　only　describe　it　as　a　strange　feeling　of　unrest　that
seems　to　have　taken　possession　of　me。〃

Ethelbertha　glanced　across　at　me　with　a　somewhat　curious
expression；　I　thought；　but　as　she　said　nothing；　I　continued　the
argument　myself。

〃This　aching　monotony　of　life；　these　days　of　peaceful；　uneventful
felicity；　they　appal　one。〃

〃I　should　not　grumble　at　them；〃　said　Ethelbertha；　〃we　might　get
some　of　the　other　sort；　and　like　them　still　less。〃

〃I'm　not　so　sure　of　that；〃　I　replied。　　〃In　a　life　of　continuous
joy；　I　can　imagine　even　pain　coming　as　a　welcome　variation。　　I
wonder　sometimes　whether　the　saints　in　heaven　do　not　occasionally
feel　the　continual　serenity　a　burden。　　To　myself　a　life　of　endless
bliss；　uninterrupted　by　a　single　contrasting　note；　would；　I　feel；
grow　maddening。　　I　suppose；〃　I　continued；　〃I　am　a　strange　sort　of
man；　I　can　hardly　understand　myself　at　times。　　There　are　moments；〃
I　added；　〃when　I　hate　myself。〃

Often　a　little　speech　like　this；　hinting　at　hidden　depths　of
indescribable　emotion　has　touched　Ethelbertha；　but　to…night　she
appeared　strangely　unsympathetic。　　With　regard　to　heaven　and　its
possible　effect　upon　me；　she　suggested　my　not　worrying　myself　about
that；　remarking　it　was　always　foolish　to　go　half…way　to　meet
trouble　that　might　never　come；　while　as　to　my　being　a　strange　sort
of　fellow；　that；　she　supposed；　I　could　not　help；　and　if　other
people　were　willing　to　put　up　with　me；　there　was　an　end　of　the
matter。　　The　monotony　of　life；　she　added；　was　a　common　experience；
there　she　could　sympathise　with　me。

〃You　don't　know　I　long；〃　said　Ethelbertha；　〃to　get　away
occasionally；　even　from　you；　but　I　know　it　can　never　be；　so　I　do
not　brood　upon　it。〃

I　had　never　heard　Ethelbertha　speak　like　this　before；　it　astonished
and　grieved　me　beyond　measure。

〃That's　not　a　very　kind　remark　to　make；〃　I　said；　〃not　a　wifely
remark。〃

〃I　know　it　isn't；〃　she　replied；　〃that　is　why　I　have　never　said　it
before。　　You　men　never　can　understand；〃　continued　Ethelbertha；
〃that；　however　fond　a　woman　may　be　of　a　man；　there　are　times　when
he　palls　upon　her。　　You　don't　know　how　I　long　to　be　able　sometimes
to　put　on　my　bonnet　and　go　out；　with　nobody　to　ask　me　where　I　am
going；　why　I　am　going；　how　long　I　am　going　to　be；　and　when　I　shall
be　back。　　You　don't　know　how　I　sometimes　long　to　order　a　dinner
that　I　should　like　and　that　the　children　would　like；　but　at　the
sight　of　which　you　would　put　on　your　hat　and　be　off　to　the　Club。
You　don't　know　how　much　I　feel　inclined　sometimes　to　invite　some
woman　here　that　I　like；　and　that　I　know　you　don't；　to　go　and　see
the　people　that　I　want　to　see；　to　go　to　bed　when　_I_　am　tired；　and
to　get　up　when　_I_　feel　I　want　to　get　up。　　Two　people　living
together　are　bound　both　to　be　continually　sacrificing　their　own
desires　to　the　other　one。　　It　is　sometimes　a　good　thing　to　slacken
the　strain　a　bit。〃

On　thinking　over　Ethelbertha's　words　afterwards；　have　come　to　see
their　wisdom；　but　at　the　time　I　admit　I　was　hurt　and　indignant。

〃If　your　desire；〃　I　said；　〃is　to　get　rid　of　me〃

〃Now；　don't　be　an　old　goose；〃　said　Ethelbertha；　〃I　only　want　to　get
rid　of　you　for　a　little　while；　just　long　enough　to　forget　there　are
one　or　two　corners　about　you　that　are　not　perfect；　just　long　enough
to　let　me　remember　what　a　dear　fellow　you　are　in　other　respects；
and　to　look　forward　to　your　return；　as　I　used　to　look　forward　to
your　coming　in　the　old　days　when　I　did　not　see　you　so　often　as　to
become；　perhaps；　a　little　indifferent　to　you；　as　one　grows
indifferent　to　the　glory　of　the　sun；　just　because　he　is　there　every
day。〃

I　did　not　like　the　tone　that　Ethelbertha　took。　　There　seemed　to　be
a　frivolity　about　her；　unsuited　to　the　theme　into　which　we　had
drifted。　　That　a　woman　should　contemplate　cheerfully　an　absence　of
three　or　four　weeks　from　her　husband　appeared　to　me　to　be　not
altogether　nice；　not　what　I　call　womanly；　it　was　not　like
Ethelbertha　at　all。　　I　was　worried；　I　felt　I　didn't　want　to　go　this
trip　at　all。　　If　it　had　not　been　for　George　and　Harris；　I　would
have　abandoned　it。　　As　it　was；　I　could　not　see　how　to　change　my
mind　with　dignity。

〃Very　well；　Ethelbertha；〃　I　replied；　〃it　shall　be　as　you　wish。　　If
you　desire　a　holiday　from　my　presence；　you　shall　enjoy　it；　but　if
it　be　not　impertinent　curiosity　on　the　part　of　a　husband；　I　should
like　to　know　what　you　propose　doing　in　my　absence？〃

〃We　will　take　that　house　at　Folkestone；〃　answered　Ethelbertha；　〃and
I'll　go　down　there　with　Kate。　　And　if　you　want　to　do　Clara　Harris　a
good　turn；〃　added　Ethelbertha；　〃you'll　persuade　Harris　to　go　with
you；　and　then　Clara　can　join　us。　　We　three　used　to　have　some　very
jolly　times　together　before　you　men　ever　came　along；　and　it　would
be　just　delightful　to　renew　them。　　Do　you　think；〃　continued
Ethelbertha；　〃that　you　could　persuade　Mr。　Harris　to　go　with　you？〃

I　said　I　would　try。

〃There's　a　dear　boy；〃　said　Ethelbertha；　〃try　hard。　　You　might　get
George　to　join　you。〃

I　replied　there　was　not　much　advantage　in　George's　coming；　seeing
he　was　a　bachelor；　and　that　therefore　nobody　would　be　much
benefited　by　his　absence。　　But　a　woman　never　understands　satire。
Ethelbertha　merely　remarked　it　would　look　unkind　leaving　him
behind。　　I　promised　to　put　it　to　him。

I　met　Harris　at　the　Club　in　the　afternoon；　and　asked　him　how　he　had
got　on。

He　said；　〃Oh；　that's　all　right；　there's　no　difficulty　about　getting
away。〃

But　there　was　that　about　his　tone　that　suggested　incomplete
satisfaction；　so　I　pressed　him　for　further　details。

〃She　was　as　sweet　as　milk　about　it；〃　he　continued；　〃said　it　was　an
excellent　idea　of　George's；　and　that　she　thought　it　would　do　me
good。〃

〃That　seems　all　right；〃　I　said；　〃what's　wrong　about　that？〃

〃There's　nothing　wrong　about　that；〃　he　answered；　〃but　that　wasn't
all。　　She　went　on　to　talk　of　other　things。〃

〃I　understand；〃　I　said。

〃There's　that　bathroom　fad　of　hers；〃　he　continued。

〃I've　heard　of　it；〃　I　said；　〃she　has　started　Ethelbertha　on　the
same　idea。〃

〃Well；　I've　had　to　agree　to　that　being　put　in　hand　at　once；　I
couldn't　argue　any　more　when　she　was　so　nice　about　the　other　thing。
That　will　cost　me　a　hundred　pounds；　at　the　very　least。〃

〃As　much　as　that？〃　I　asked。

〃Every　penny　of　it；〃　said　Harris；　〃the　estimate　alone　is　sixty。〃

I　was　sorry　to　hear　him　say　this。

〃Then　there's　the　kitchen　stove；〃　continued　Harris；　〃everything
that　has　gone　wrong　in　the　house　for　the　last　two　years　has　been
the　fault　of　that　kitchen　stove。〃

〃I　know；〃　I　said。　　〃We　have　been　in　seven　houses　since　we　were
married；　and　every　kitchen　stove　has　been　worse　than　the　last。　　Our
present　one　is　not　only　incompetent；　it　is　spiteful。　　It　knows　when
we　are　giving　a　party；　and　goes　out　of　its　way　to　do　its　worst。〃

〃WE　are　going　to　have　a　new　one；〃　said　Harris；　but　he　did　not　say
it　proudly。　　〃Clara　thought　it　would　be　such　a　saving　of　expense；
having　the　two　things　done　at　the　same　time。　　I　believe；〃　said
Harris；　〃if　a　woman　wanted　a　diamond　tiara；　she　would　explain　that
it　was　to　save　the　expense　of　a　bonnet。〃

〃How　much　do　you　reckon　the　stove　is　going　to　cost　you？〃　I　asked。
I　felt　interested　in　the　subject。

〃I　don't　know；〃　answered　Harris；　〃another　twenty；　I　suppose。　　Then
we　talked　about　the　piano。　　Could　you　ever　notice；〃　said　Harris；
〃any　difference　between　one　piano　and　another？〃

〃Some　of　them　seem　to　be　a　bit　louder　than　others；〃　I　answered；
〃but　one　gets　used　to　that。〃

〃Ours　is　all　wrong　about　the　treble；〃　said　Harris。　　〃By　the　way；
what　IS　the　treble？〃

〃It's　the　shrill　end　of　the　thing；〃　I　explained；　〃the　part　that
sounds　as　if　you'd　trod　on　its　tail。　　The　brilliant　selections
always　end　up　with　a　flourish　on　it。〃

〃They　want　more　of　it；〃　said　Harris；　〃our　old　one　hasn't　got　enough
of　it。　　I'll　have　to　put　it　in　the　nursery；　and　get　a　new　one　for
the　drawing…room。〃

〃Anything　else？〃　I　asked。

〃No；〃　said　Harris；　〃she　didn't　seem　able　to　think　of　anything
else。〃

〃You'll　find　when　you　get　home；〃　I　said；　〃she　has　thought　of　one
other　thing。〃

〃What's　that？〃　said　Harris。

〃A　house　at　Folkestone　for　the　season。〃

〃What　should　she　want　a　house　at　Folkestone　for？〃　said　Harris。

〃To　live　in；〃　I　suggested；　〃during　the　summer　months。〃

〃She's　going　to　her　people　in　Wales；〃　said　Harris；　〃for　the
holidays；　with　the　children；　we've　had　an　invitation。〃

〃Poss