novel notes-第39节

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〃'He　walks　a　little　stiffly'　（old　Geibel　took　his　arm　and　walked　him　forward　a　few　steps。　　He　certainly　did　walk　stiffly）；　'but　then；　walking　is　not　his　forte。　　He　is　essentially　a　dancing　man。　　I　have　only　been　able　to　teach　him　the　waltz　as　yet；　but　at　that　he　is　faultless。　　Come；　which　of　you　ladies　may　I　introduce　him　to；　as　a　partner？　　He　keeps　perfect　time；　he　never　gets　tired；　he　won't　kick　you　or　tread　on　your　dress；　he　will　hold　you　as　firmly　as　you　like；　and　go　as　quickly　or　as　slowly　as　you　please；　he　never　gets　giddy；　and　he　is　full　of　conversation。　　Come；　speak　up　for　yourself；　my　boy。'

〃The　old　gentleman　twisted　one　of　the　buttons　of　his　coat；　and　immediately　Fritz　opened　his　mouth；　and　in　thin　tones　that　appeared　to　proceed　from　the　back　of　his　head；　remarked　suddenly；　'May　I　have　the　pleasure？'　and　then　shut　his　mouth　again　with　a　snap。

〃That　Lieutenant　Fritz　had　made　a　strong　impression　on　the　company　was　undoubted；　yet　none　of　the　girls　seemed　inclined　to　dance　with　him。　　They　looked　askance　at　his　waxen　face；　with　its　staring　eyes　and　fixed　smile；　and　shuddered。　　At　last　old　Geibel　came　to　the　girl　who　had　conceived　the　idea。

〃'It　is　your　own　suggestion；　carried　out　to　the　letter；'　said　Geibel；　'an　electric　dancer。　　You　owe　it　to　the　gentleman　to　give　him　a　trial。'

〃She　was　a　bright　saucy　little　girl；　fond　of　a　frolic。　　Her　host　added　his　entreaties；　and　she　consented。

〃Herr　Geibel　fixed　the　figure　to　her。　　Its　right　arm　was　screwed　round　her　waist；　and　held　her　firmly；　its　delicately　jointed　left　hand　was　made　to　fasten　itself　upon　her　right。　　The　old　toymaker　showed　her　how　to　regulate　its　speed；　and　how　to　stop　it；　and　release　herself。

〃'It　will　take　you　round　in　a　complete　circle；'　he　explained；　'be　careful　that　no　one　knocks　against　you；　and　alters　its　course。'

〃The　music　struck　up。　　Old　Geibel　put　the　current　in　motion；　and　Annette　and　her　strange　partner　began　to　dance。

〃For　a　while　every　one　stood　watching　them。　　The　figure　performed　its　purpose　admirably。　　Keeping　perfect　time　and　step；　and　holding　its　little　partner　tightly　clasped　in　an　unyielding　embrace；　it　revolved　steadily；　pouring　forth　at　the　same　time　a　constant　flow　of　squeaky　conversation；　broken　by　brief　intervals　of　grinding　silence。

〃'How　charming　you　are　looking　to…night；'　it　remarked　in　its　thin；　far…away　voice。　　'What　a　lovely　day　it　has　been。　　Do　you　like　dancing？　　How　well　our　steps　agree。　　You　will　give　me　another；　won't　you？　　Oh；　don't　be　so　cruel。　　What　a　charming　gown　you　have　on。　Isn't　waltzing　delightful？　　I　could　go　on　dancing　for　everwith　you。　　Have　you　had　supper？'

〃As　she　grew　more　familiar　with　the　uncanny　creature；　the　girl's　nervousness　wore　off；　and　she　entered　into　the　fun　of　the　thing

〃'Oh；　he's　just　lovely；'　she　cried；　laughing；　'I　could　go　on　dancing　with　him　all　my　life。'

〃Couple　after　couple　now　joined　them；　and　soon　all　the　dancers　in　the　room　were　whirling　round　behind　them。　　Nicholaus　Geibel　stood　looking　on；　beaming　with　childish　delight　at　his　success；

〃Old　Wenzel　approached　him；　and　whispered　something　in　his　ear。　Geibel　laughed　and　nodded；　and　the　two　worked　their　way　quietly　towards　the　door。

〃'This　is　the　young　people's　house　to…night；'　said　Wenzel；　as　soon　as　they　were　outside；　'you　and　I　will　have　a　quiet　pipe　and　a　glass　of　hock；　over　in　the　counting…house。'

〃Meanwhile　the　dancing　grew　more　fast　and　furious。　　Little　Annette　loosened　the　screw　regulating　her　partner's　rate　of　progress；　and　the　figure　flew　round　with　her　swifter　and　swifter。　　Couple　after　couple　dropped　out　exhausted；　but　they　only　went　the　faster；　till　at　length　they　were　the　only　pair　left　dancing。

〃Madder　and　madder　became　the　waltz。　　The　music　lagged　behind：　　the　musicians；　unable　to　keep　pace；　ceased；　and　sat　staring。　　The　younger　guests　applauded；　but　the　older　faces　began　to　grow　anxious。

〃'Hadn't　you　better　stop；　dear；'　said　one　of　the　women；　'You'll　make　yourself　so　tired。'

〃But　Annette　did　not　answer。

〃'I　believe　she's　fainted；'　cried　out　a　girl；　who　had　caught　sight　of　her　face　as　it　was　swept　by。

〃One　of　the　men　sprang　forward　and　clutched　at　the　figure；　but　its　impetus　threw　him　down　on　to　the　floor；　where　its　steel…cased　feet　laid　bare　his　cheek。　　The　thing　evidently　did　not　intend　to　part　with　its　prize　easily。

〃Had　any　one　retained　a　cool　head；　the　figure；　one　cannot　help　thinking；　might　easily　have　been　stopped。　　Two　or　three　men；　acting　in　concert；　might　have　lifted　it　bodily　off　the　floor；　or　have　jammed　it　into　a　corner。　　But　few　human　heads　are　capable　of　remaining　cool　under　excitement。　　Those　who　are　not　present　think　how　stupid　must　have　been　those　who　were；　those　who　are；　reflect　afterwards　how　simple　it　would　have　been　to　do　this；　that；　or　the　other；　if　only　they　had　thought　of　it　at　the　time。

〃The　women　grew　hysterical。　　The　men　shouted　contradictory　directions　to　one　another。　　Two　of　them　made　a　bungling　rush　at　the　figure；　which　had　the　result　of　forcing　it　out　of　its　orbit　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　and　sending　it　crashing　against　the　walls　and　furniture。　　A　stream　of　blood　showed　itself　down　the　girl's　white　frock；　and　followed　her　along　the　floor。　　The　affair　was　becoming　horrible。　　The　women　rushed　screaming　from　the　room。　　The　men　followed　them。

〃One　sensible　suggestion　was　made：　　'Find　Geibelfetch　Geibel。'

〃No　one　had　noticed　him　leave　the　room；　no　one　knew　where　he　was。　　A　party　went　in　search　of　him。　　The　others；　too　unnerved　to　go　back　into　the　ballroom；　crowded　outside　the　door　and　listened。　　They　could　hear　the　steady　whir　of　the　wheels　upon　the　polished　floor；　as　the　thing　spun　round　and　round；　the　dull　thud　as　every　now　and　again　it　dashed　itself　and　its　burden　against　some　opposing　object　and　ricocheted　off　in　a　new　direction。

〃And　everlastingly　it　talked　in　that　thin　ghostly　voice；　repeating　over　and　over　the　same　formula：　　'How　charming　you　are　looking　to…　night。　　What　a　lovely　day　it　has　been。　　Oh；　don't　be　so　cruel。　　I　could　go　on　dancing　for　everwith　you。　　Have　you　had　supper？'

〃Of　course　they　sought　for　Geibel　everywhere　but　where　he　was。　　They　looked　in　every　room　in　the　house；　then　they　rushed　off　in　a　body　to　his　own　place；　and　spent　precious　minutes　in　waking　up　his　deaf　old　housekeeper。　　At　last　it　occurred　to　one　of　the　party　that　Wenzel　was　missing　also；　and　then　the　idea　of　the　counting…house　across　the　yard　presented　itself　to　them；　and　there　they　found　him。

〃He　rose　up；　very　pale；　and　followed　them；　and　he　and　old　Wenzel　forced　their　way　through　the　crowd　of　guests　gathered　outside；　and　entered　the　room；　and　locked　the　door　behind　them。

〃From　within　there　came　the　muffled　sound　of　low　voices　and　quick　steps；　followed　by　a　confused　scuffling　noise；　then　silence；　then　the　low　voices　again。

〃After　a　time　the　door　opened；　and　those　near　it　pressed　forward　to　enter；　but　old　Wenzel's　broad　shoulders　barred　the　way。

〃'I　want　youand　you；　Bekler；'　he　said；　addressing　a　couple　of　the　elder　men。　　His　voice　was　calm；　but　his　face　was　deadly　white。　　'The　rest　of　you；　please　goget　the　women　away　as　quickly　as　you　can。'

〃From　that　day　old　Nicholaus　Geibel　confined　himself　to　the　making　of　mechanical　rabbits　and　cats　that　mewed　and　washed　their　faces。〃

We　agreed　that　the　moral　of　MacShaughnassy's　story　was　a　good　one。



CHAPTER　XII



How　much　more　of　ourfortunately　not　very　valuabletime　we　devoted　to　this　wonderful　novel　of　ours；　I　cannot　exactly　say。　　Turning　the　dogs'…eared　leaves　of　the　dilapidated　diary　that　lies　before　me；　I　find　the　record　of　our　later　gatherings　confused　and　incomplete。　For　weeks　there　does　not　appear　a　single　word。　　Then　comes　an　alarmingly　business…like　minute　of　a　meeting　at　which　there　were　〃Present：　　Jephson；　MacShaughnassy；　Brown；　and　Self〃；　and　at　which　the　〃Proceedings　commenced　at　8。30。〃　　At　what　time　the　〃proceedings〃　terminated；　and　what　business　was　done；　the　chronicle；　however；　sayeth　not；　though；　faintly　pencilled　in　the　margin　of　the　page；　I　trace　these　hieroglyphics：　　〃3。14。9…2。6。7；〃　bringing　out　a　result　of　〃1。8。2。〃　　Evidently　an　unremunerative　night。

On　September　13th　we　seem　to　have　become　suddenly　imbued　with　energy　to　a　quite　remarkable　degree；　for　I　read　that　we　〃Resolved　to　start　the　first　chapter　at　once〃〃at　once〃　being　underlined。　　After　this　spurt；　we　rest　until　October　4th；　when　we　〃Discussed　whether　it　should　be　a　novel　of　plot　or　of　character；〃　withoutso　far　as　the　diary　affords　indicationarriving　at　any　definite　decision。　　I　observe　that　on　the　same　day　〃Mac　told　a　story　about　a　man　who　accidentally　bought　a　camel　at　a　sale。〃　　Details　of　the　story　are；　however；　wanting；　which；　perhaps；　is　fortunate　for　the　reader。

On　the　16th；　we　were　still　debating　the　character　of　our　hero；　and　I　see　that　I　suggested　〃a　man　of　the　Charley　Buswell　type。〃

Poor　Charley；　I　wonder　what　could　have　made　me　think　of　him　in　connection　with　heroes；　his　lovableness；　I　supposecertainly　not　his　heroic　qualities。　　I　can　recall　his　boyish　face　now　（it　was　always　a　boyish　face）；　the　tears　streaming　down　it　as　he　sat　in　the　schoolyard　beside　a　bucket；　in　which　he　was　drowning　three　white　mice　and　a　tame　rat。　　I　sat　down　opposite　and　cried　too；　while　helping　him　to　hol