novel notes-第8节

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From　then　till　about　five；　when　I　generally　had　a　cup　of　tea　and　a　chop；　he　regularly　disappeared。　　Where　he　went　and　what　he　did　between　those　hours　nobody　ever　knew。　　Gadbut　swore　that　twice　he　had　met　him　coming　out　of　a　stockbroker's　office　in　Threadneedle　Street；　and；　improbable　though　the　statement　at　first　appeared；　some　colour　of　credibility　began　to　attach　to　it　when　we　reflected　upon　the　dog's　inordinate　passion　for　acquiring　and　hoarding　coppers。

This　craving　of　his　for　wealth　was　really　quite　remarkable。　　He　was　an　elderly　dog；　with　a　great　sense　of　his　own　dignity；　yet；　on　the　promise　of　a　penny；　I　have　seen　him　run　round　after　his　own　tail　until　he　didn't　know　one　end　of　himself　from　the　other。

He　used　to　teach　himself　tricks；　and　go　from　room　to　room　in　the　evening；　performing　them；　and　when　he　had　completed　his　programme　he　would　sit　up　and　beg。　　All　the　fellows　used　to　humour　him。　　He　must　have　made　pounds　in　the　course　of　the　year。

Once；　just　outside　our　door；　I　saw　him　standing　in　a　crowd；　watching　a　performing　poodle　attached　to　a　hurdy…gurdy。　　The　poodle　stood　on　his　head；　and　then；　with　his　hind　legs　in　the　air；　walked　round　on　his　front　paws。　　The　people　laughed　very　much；　and；　when　afterwards　he　came　amongst　them　with　his　wooden　saucer　in　his　mouth；　they　gave　freely。

Our　dog　came　in　and　immediately　commenced　to　study。　　In　three　days　HE　could　stand　on　his　head　and　walk　round　on　his　front　legs；　and　the　first　evening　he　did　so　he　made　sixpence。　　It　must　have　been　terribly　hard　work　for　him　at　his　age；　and　subject　to　rheumatism　as　he　was；　but　he　would　do　anything　for　money。　　I　believe　he　would　have　sold　himself　to　the　devil　for　eightpence　down。

He　knew　the　value　of　money。　　If　you　held　out　to　him　a　penny　in　one　hand　and　a　threepenny…bit　in　the　other；　he　would　snatch　at　the　threepence；　and　then　break　his　heart　because　he　could　not　get　the　penny　in　as　well。　　You　might　safely　have　left　him　in　the　room　with　a　leg　of　mutton；　but　it　would　not　have　been　wise　to　leave　your　purse　about。

Now　and　then　he　spent　a　little；　but　not　often。　　He　was　desperately　fond　of　sponge…cakes；　and　occasionally；　when　he　had　had　a　good　week；　he　would　indulge　himself　to　the　extent　of　one　or　two。　　But　he　hated　paying　for　them；　and　always　made　a　frantic　and　frequently　successful　effort　to　get　off　with　the　cake　and　the　penny　also。　　His　plan　of　operations　was　simple。　　He　would　walk　into　the　shop　with　his　penny　in　his　mouth；　well　displayed；　and　a　sweet　and　lamblike　expression　in　his　eyes。　　Taking　his　stand　as　near　to　the　cakes　as　he　could　get；　and　fixing　his　eyes　affectionately　upon　them；　he　would　begin　to　whine；　and　the　shopkeeper；　thinking　he　was　dealing　with　an　honest　dog；　would　throw　him　one。

To　get　the　cake　he　was　obliged；　of　course；　to　drop　the　penny；　and　then　began　a　struggle　between　him　and　the　shopkeeper　for　the　possession　of　the　coin。　　The　man　would　try　to　pick　it　up。　　The　dog　would　put　his　foot　upon　it；　and　growl　savagely。　　If　he　could　finish　the　cake　before　the　contest　was　over；　he　would　snap　up　the　penny　and　bolt。　　I　have　known　him　to　come　home　gorged　with　sponge…cakes；　the　original　penny　still　in　his　mouth。

So　notorious　throughout　the　neighbourhood　did　this　dishonest　practice　of　his　become；　that；　after　a　time；　the　majority　of　the　local　tradespeople　refused　to　serve　him　at　all。　　Only　the　exceptionally　quick　and　able…bodied　would　attempt　to　do　business　with　him。

Then　he　took　his　custom　further　afield；　into　districts　where　his　reputation　had　not　yet　penetrated。　　And　he　would　pick　out　shops　kept　by　nervous　females　or　rheumatic　old　men。

They　say　that　the　love　of　money　is　the　root　of　all　evil。　　It　seemed　to　have　robbed　him　of　every　shred　of　principle。

It　robbed　him　of　his　life　in　the　end；　and　that　came　about　in　this　way。　　He　had　been　performing　one　evening　in　Gadbut's　room；　where　a　few　of　us　were　sitting　smoking　and　talking；　and　young　Hollis；　being　in　a　generous　mood；　had　thrown　him；　as　he　thought；　a　sixpence。　　The　dog　grabbed　it；　and　retired　under　the　sofa。　　This　was　an　odd　thing　for　him　to　do；　and　we　commented　upon　it。　　Suddenly　a　thought　occurred　to　Hollis；　and　he　took　out　his　money　and　began　counting　it。

〃By　Jove；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃I've　given　that　little　beast　half…a…　sovereignhere；　Tiny！〃

But　Tiny　only　backed　further　underneath　the　sofa；　and　no　mere　verbal　invitation　would　induce　him　to　stir。　　So　we　adopted　a　more　pressing　plan；　and　coaxed　him　out　by　the　scruff　of　his　neck。

He　came；　an　inch　at　a　time；　growling　viciously；　and　holding　Hollis's　half…sovereign　tight　between　his　teeth。　　We　tried　sweet　reasonableness　at　first。　　We　offered　him　a　sixpence　in　exchange；　he　looked　insulted；　and　evidently　considered　the　proposal　as　tantamount　to　our　calling　him　a　fool。　　We　made　it　a　shilling；　then　half…a…　crownhe　seemed　only　bored　by　our　persistence。

〃I　don't　think　you'll　ever　see　this　half…sovereign　again；　Hollis；〃　said　Gadbut；　laughing。　　We　all；　with　the　exception　of　young　Hollis；　thought　the　affair　a　very　good　joke。　　He；　on　the　contrary；　seemed　annoyed；　and；　taking　the　dog　from　Gadbut；　made　an　attempt　to　pull　the　coin　out　of　its　mouth。

Tiny；　true　to　his　life…long　principle　of　never　parting　if　he　could　possibly　help　it；　held　on　like　grim　death；　until；　feeling　that　his　little　earnings　were　slowly　but　surely　going　from　him；　he　made　one　final　desperate　snatch；　and　swallowed　the　money。　　It　stuck　in　his　throat；　and　he　began　to　choke。

Then　we　became　seriously　alarmed　for　the　dog。　　He　was　an　amusing　chap；　and　we　did　not　want　any　accident　to　happen　to　him。　　Hollis　rushed　into　his　room　and　procured　a　long　pair　of　pincers；　and　the　rest　of　us　held　the　little　miser　while　Hollis　tried　to　relieve　him　of　the　cause　of　his　suffering。

But　poor　Tiny　did　not　understand　our　intentions。　　He　still　thought　we　were　seeking　to　rob　him　of　his　night's　takings；　and　resisted　vehemently。　　His　struggles　fixed　the　coin　firmer；　and；　in　spite　of　our　efforts；　he　diedone　more　victim；　among　many；　to　the　fierce　fever　for　gold。


I　dreamt　a　very　curious　dream　about　riches　once；　that　made　a　great　impression　upon　me。　　I　thought　that　I　and　a　frienda　very　dear　friendwere　living　together　in　a　strange　old　house。　　I　don't　think　anybody　else　dwelt　in　the　house　but　just　we　two。　　One　day；　wandering　about　this　strange　old　rambling　place；　I　discovered　the　hidden　door　of　a　secret　room；　and　in　this　room　were　many　iron…bound　chests；　and　when　I　raised　the　heavy　lids　I　saw　that　each　chest　was　full　of　gold。

And；　when　I　saw　this；　I　stole　out　softly　and　closed　the　hidden　door；　and　drew　the　worn　tapestries　in　front　of　it　again；　and　crept　back　along　the　dim　corridor；　looking　behind　me；　fearfully。

And　the　friend　that　I　had　loved　came　towards　me；　and　we　walked　together　with　our　hands　clasped。　　But　I　hated　him。

And　all　day　long　I　kept　beside　him；　or　followed　him　unseen；　lest　by　chance　he　should　learn　the　secret　of　that　hidden　door；　and　at　night　I　lay　awake　watching　him。

But　one　night　I　sleep；　and；　when　I　open　my　eyes；　he　is　no　longer　near　me。　　I　run　swiftly　up　the　narrow　stairs　and　along　the　silent　corridor。　　The　tapestry　is　drawn　aside；　and　the　hidden　door　stands　open；　and　in　the　room　beyond　the　friend　that　I　loved　is　kneeling　before　an　open　chest；　and　the　glint　of　the　gold　is　in　my　eyes。

His　back　is　towards　me；　and　I　crawl　forward　inch　by　inch。　　I　have　a　knife　in　my　hand；　with　a　strong；　curved　blade；　and　when　I　am　near　enough　I　kill　him　as　he　kneels　there。

His　body　falls　against　the　door；　and　it　shuts　to　with　a　clang；　and　I　try　to　open　it；　and　cannot。　　I　beat　my　hands　against　its　iron　nails；　and　scream；　and　the　dead　man　grins　at　me。　　The　light　streams　in　through　the　chink　beneath　the　massive　door；　and　fades；　and　comes　again；　and　fades　again；　and　I　gnaw　at　the　oaken　lids　of　the　iron…　bound　chests；　for　the　madness　of　hunger　is　climbing　into　my　brain。

Then　I　awake；　and　find　that　I　really　am　hungry；　and　remember　that　in　consequence　of　a　headache　I　did　not　eat　any　dinner。　　So　I　slip　on　a　few　clothes；　and　go　down　to　the　kitchen　on　a　foraging　expedition。

It　is　said　that　dreams　are　momentary　conglomerations　of　thought；　centring　round　the　incident　that　awakens　us；　and；　as　with　most　scientific　facts；　this　is　occasionally　true。　　There　is　one　dream　that；　with　slight　variations；　is　continually　recurring　to　me。　　Over　and　over　again　I　dream　that　I　am　suddenly　called　upon　to　act　an　important　part　in　some　piece　at　the　Lyceum。　　That　poor　Mr。　Irving　should　invariably　be　the　victim　seems　unfair；　but　really　it　is　entirely　his　own　fault。　　It　is　he　who　persuades　and　urges　me。　　I　myself　would　much　prefer　to　remain　quietly　in　bed；　and　I　tell　him　so。　　But　he　insists　on　my　getting　up　at　once　and　coming　down　to　the　theatre。　　I　explain　to　him　that　I　can't　act　a　bit。　　He　seems　to　consider　this　unimportant；　and　says；　〃Oh；　that　will　be　all　right。〃　We　argue　for　a　while；　but　he　makes　the　matter　quite　a　personal　one；　and　to　oblige　him　and　get　him　out　of　the　bedroom　I　consent；　though　much　against　my　own　judgment。　　I　generally　dress　the　character　in　my　nightshirt；　though　on　one　occasion；　for　Banquo；　I　wore　pyjamas；　and　I　never　remember　a　single　word　of　what　I　ought　to　say。　　How　I　get　through　I　do　not　know。　　Irving　comes　up　afterwards　and　congratulates　me；　but　whether　upon