novel notes-第35节

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〃We　kept　a　careful　watch　over　Amenda　during　the　remainder　of　our　stay　at　Folkestone；　and　an　anxious　time　we　had　of　it。　　Every　day　some　regiment　or　other　would　march　through　the　town；　and　at　the　first　sound　of　its　music　Amenda　would　become　restless　and　excited。　The　Pied　Piper's　reed　could　not　have　stirred　the　Hamelin　children　deeper　than　did　those　Sandgate　bands　the　heart　of　our　domestic。　Fortunately；　they　generally　passed　early　in　the　morning　when　we　were　indoors；　but　one　day；　returning　home　to　lunch；　we　heard　distant　strains　dying　away　upon　the　Hythe　Road。　　We　hurried　in。　　Ethelbertha　ran　down　into　the　kitchen；　it　was　empty！up　into　Amenda's　bedroom；　it　was　vacant！　　We　called。　　There　was　no　answer。

〃'That　miserable　girl　has　gone　off　again；'　said　Ethelbertha。　　'What　a　terrible　misfortune　it　is　for　her。　　It's　quite　a　disease。'

〃Ethelbertha　wanted　me　to　go　to　Sandgate　camp　and　inquire　for　her。　I　was　sorry　for　the　girl　myself；　but　the　picture　of　a　young　and　innocent…looking　man　wandering　about　a　complicated　camp；　inquiring　for　a　lost　domestic；　presenting　itself　to　my　mind；　I　said　that　I'd　rather　not。

Ethelbertha　thought　me　heartless；　and　said　that　if　I　would　not　go　she　would　go　herself。　　I　replied　that　I　thought　one　female　member　of　my　household　was　enough　in　that　camp　at　a　time；　and　requested　her　not　to。　　Ethelbertha　expressed　her　sense　of　my　inhuman　behaviour　by　haughtily　declining　to　eat　any　lunch；　and　I　expressed　my　sense　of　her　unreasonableness　by　sweeping　the　whole　meal　into　the　grate；　after　which　Ethelbertha　suddenly　developed　exuberant　affection　for　the　cat　（who　didn't　want　anybody's　love；　but　wanted　to　get　under　the　grate　after　the　lunch）；　and　I　became　supernaturally　absorbed　in　the　day…before…yesterday's　newspaper。

〃In　the　afternoon；　strolling　out　into　the　garden；　I　heard　the　faint　cry　of　a　female　in　distress。　　I　listened　attentively；　and　the　cry　was　repeated。　　I　thought　it　sounded　like　Amenda's　voice；　but　where　it　came　from　I　could　not　conceive。　　It　drew　nearer；　however；　as　I　approached　the　bottom　of　the　garden；　and　at　last　I　located　it　in　a　small　wooden　shed；　used　by　the　proprietor　of　the　house　as　a　dark…　room　for　developing　photographs。

〃The　door　was　locked。　　'Is　that　you；　Amenda？'　I　cried　through　the　keyhole。

〃'Yes；　sir；'　came　back　the　muffled　answer。　'Will　you　please　let　me　out？　you'll　find　the　key　on　the　ground　near　the　door。'

〃I　discovered　it　on　the　grass　about　a　yard　away；　and　released　her。　'Who　locked　you　in？'　I　asked。

〃'I　did；　sir；'　she　replied；　'I　locked　myself　in；　and　pushed　the　key　out　under　the　door。　　I　had　to　do　it；　or　I　should　have　gone　off　with　those　beastly　soldiers。'

〃'I　hope　I　haven't　inconvenienced　you；　sir；'　she　added；　stepping　out；　'I　left　the　lunch　all　laid。'〃


Amenda's　passion　for　soldiers　was　her　one　tribute　to　sentiment。　Towards　all　others　of　the　male　sex　she　maintained　an　attitude　of　callous　unsusceptibility；　and　her　engagements　with　them　（which　were　numerous）　were　entered　into　or　abandoned　on　grounds　so　sordid　as　to　seriously　shock　Ethelbertha。

When　she　came　to　us　she　was　engaged　to　a　pork　butcherwith　a　milkman　in　reserve。　　For　Amenda's　sake　we　dealt　with　the　man；　but　we　never　liked　him；　and　we　liked　his　pork　still　less。　　When；　therefore；　Amenda　announced　to　us　that　her　engagement　with　him　was　〃off；〃　and　intimated　that　her　feelings　would　in　no　way　suffer　by　our　going　elsewhere　for　our　bacon；　we　secretly　rejoiced。

〃I　am　confident　you　have　done　right；　Amenda；〃　said　Ethelbertha；　〃you　would　never　have　been　happy　with　that　man。〃

〃No；　mum；　I　don't　think　I　ever　should；〃　replied　Amenda。　　〃I　don't　see　how　any　girl　could　as　hadn't　the　digestion　of　an　ostrich。〃

Ethelbertha　looked　puzzled。　　〃But　what　has　digestion　got　to　do　with　it？〃　she　asked。

〃A　pretty　good　deal；　mum；〃　answered　Amenda；　〃when　you're　thinking　of　marrying　a　man　as　can't　make　a　sausage　fit　to　eat。〃

〃But；　surely；〃　exclaimed　Ethelbertha；　〃you　don't　mean　to　say　you're　breaking　off　the　match　because　you　don't　like　his　sausages！〃

〃Well；　I　suppose　that's　what　it　comes　to；〃　agreed　Amenda；　unconcernedly。

〃What　an　awful　idea！〃　sighed　poor　Ethelbertha；　after　a　long　pause。　〃Do　you　think　you　ever　really　loved　him？〃

〃Oh　yes；〃　said　Amenda；　〃I　loved　him　right　enough；　but　it's　no　good　loving　a　man　that　wants　you　to　live　on　sausages　that　keep　you　awake　all　night。〃

〃But　does　he　want　you　to　live　on　sausages？〃　persisted　Ethelbertha。

〃Oh；　he　doesn't　say　anything　about　it；〃　explained　Amenda；　〃but　you　know　what　it　is；　mum；　when　you　marry　a　pork　butcher；　you're　expected　to　eat　what's　left　over。　　That's　the　mistake　my　poor　cousin　Eliza　made。　　She　married　a　muffin　man。　　Of　course；　what　he　didn't　sell　they　had　to　finish　up　themselves。　　Why；　one　winter；　when　he　had　a　run　of　bad　luck；　they　lived　for　two　months　on　nothing　but　muffins。　I　never　saw　a　girl　so　changed　in　all　my　life。　　One　has　to　think　of　these　things；　you　know。〃

But　the　most　shamefully　mercenary　engagement　that　I　think　Amenda　ever　entered　into；　was　one　with　a　'bus　conductor。　　We　were　living　in　the　north　of　London　then；　and　she　had　a　young　man；　a　cheesemonger；　who　kept　a　shop　in　Lupus　Street；　Chelsea。　　He　could　not　come　up　to　her　because　of　the　shop；　so　once　a　week　she　used　to　go　down　to　him。　One　did　not　ride　ten　miles　for　a　penny　in　those　days；　and　she　found　the　fare　from　Holloway　to　Victoria　and　back　a　severe　tax　upon　her　purse。　　The　same　'bus　that　took　her　down　at　six　brought　her　back　at　ten。　　During　the　first　journey　the　'bus　conductor　stared　at　Amenda；　during　the　second　he　talked　to　her；　during　the　third　he　gave　her　a　cocoanut；　during　the　fourth　he　proposed　to　her；　and　was　promptly　accepted。　　After　that；　Amenda　was　enabled　to　visit　her　cheesemonger　without　expense。

He　was　a　quaint　character　himself；　this　'bus　conductor。　　I　often　rode　with　him　to　Fleet　Street。　　He　knew　me　quite　well　（I　suppose　Amenda　must　have　pointed　me　out　to　him）；　and　would　always　ask　me　after　heraloud；　before　all　the　other　passengers；　which　was　trying…　…and　give　me　messages　to　take　back　to　her。　　Where　women　were　concerned　he　had　what　is　called　〃a　way〃　with　him；　and　from　the　extent　and　variety　of　his　female　acquaintance；　and　the　evident　tenderness　with　which　the　majority　of　them　regarded　him；　I　am　inclined　to　hope　that　Amenda's　desertion　of　him　（which　happened　contemporaneously　with　her　jilting　of　the　cheesemonger）　caused　him　less　prolonged　suffering　than　might　otherwise　have　been　the　case。

He　was　a　man　from　whom　I　derived　a　good　deal　of　amusement　one　way　and　another。　　Thinking　of　him　brings　back　to　my　mind　a　somewhat　odd　incident。

One　afternoon；　I　jumped　upon　his　'bus　in　the　Seven　Sisters　Road。　　An　elderly　Frenchman　was　the　only　other　occupant　of　the　vehicle。　　〃You　vil　not　forget　me；〃　the　Frenchman　was　saying　as　I　entered；　〃I　desire　Sharing　Cross。〃

〃I　won't　forget　yer；〃　answered　the　conductor；　〃you　shall　'ave　yer　Sharing　Cross。　　Don't　make　a　fuss　about　it。〃

〃That's　the　third　time　'ee's　arst　me　not　to　forget　'im；〃　he　remarked　to　me　in　a　stentorian　aside；　〃'ee　don't　giv'　yer　much　chance　of　doin'　it；　does　'ee？〃

At　the　corner　of　the　Holloway　Road　we　drew　up；　and　our　conductor　began　to　shout　after　the　manner　of　his　species：　　〃Charing　Cross　Charing　Cross'ere　yer　areCome　along；　ladyCharing　Cross。〃

The　little　Frenchman　jumped　up；　and　prepared　to　exit；　the　conductor　pushed　him　back。

〃Sit　down　and　don't　be　silly；〃　he　said；　〃this　ain't　Charing　Cross。〃

The　Frenchman　looked　puzzled；　but　collapsed　meekly。　　We　picked　up　a　few　passengers；　and　proceeded　on　our　way。　　Half　a　mile　up　the　Liverpool　Road　a　lady　stood　on　the　kerb　regarding　us　as　we　passed　with　that　pathetic　mingling　of　desire　and　distrust　which　is　the　average　woman's　attitude　towards　conveyances　of　all　kinds。　　Our　conductor　stopped。

〃Where　d'yer　want　to　go　to？〃　he　asked　her　severely〃StrandCharing　Cross？〃

The　Frenchman　did　not　hear　or　did　not　understand　the　first　part　of　the　speech；　but　he　caught　the　words　〃Charing　Cross；〃　and　bounced　up　and　out　on　to　the　step。　　The　conductor　collared　him　as　he　was　getting　off；　and　jerked　him　back　savagely。

〃Carn't　yer　keep　still　a　minute；〃　he　cried　indignantly；　〃blessed　if　you　don't　want　lookin'　after　like　a　bloomin'　kid。〃

〃I　vont　to　be　put　down　at　Sharing　Cross；〃　answered　the　Frenchman；　humbly。

〃You　vont　to　be　put　down　at　Sharing　Cross；〃　repeated　the　other　bitterly；　as　he　led　him　back　to　his　seat。　　〃I　shall　put　yer　down　in　the　middle　of　the　road　if　I　'ave　much　more　of　yer。　　You　stop　there　till　I　come　and　sling　yer　out。　　I　ain't　likely　to　let　yer　go　much　past　yer　Sharing　Cross；　I　shall　be　too　jolly　glad　to　get　rid　o'　yer。〃

The　poor　Frenchman　subsided；　and　we　jolted　on。　　At　〃The　Angel〃　we；　of　course；　stopped。　　〃Charing　Cross；〃　shouted　the　conductor；　and　up　sprang　the　Frenchman。

〃Oh；　my　Gawd；〃　said　the　conductor；　taking　him　by　the　shoulders　and　forcing　him　down　into　the　corner　seat；　〃wot　am　I　to　do？　　Carn't　somebody　sit　on　'im？〃

He　held　him　firmly　down　until　the　'bus　started；　and　then　released　him。　　At　the　top　of　Chancery　Lane　the　same　scene　took　place；　and　the　poor　little　Frenchman　became　exasperated。

〃He　keep　saying　Sharing　Cross；　Sharing　Cross；〃　he　exclaimed；　turning　to　the　other　passengers；　〃and　it　is　NO　Sharing　Cross。　　He　is　fool。〃

〃Carn't