three men on the bummel(三个闲逛的人)-第49节
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If I can see an opportunity I shall come away early； that is if I can do so
without giving offence； but if not〃
Said Mrs。 X。； who； as I remarked before； was a sensible woman： 〃You
had better get the people here to lend you a latchkey。 I shall sleep with
Dolly； and then you won't disturb me whatever time it may be。〃
〃I think that an excellent idea of yours；〃 agreed Mr。 X。 〃I should hate
disturbing you。 I shall just come in quietly； and slip into bed。〃
Some time in the middle of the night； or maybe towards the early
morning； Dolly； who was Mrs。 X。's sister； sat up in bed and listened。
〃Jenny；〃 said Dolly； 〃are you awake？〃
〃Yes； dear；〃 answered Mrs。 X。 〃It's all right。 You go to sleep
again。〃
〃But whatever is it？〃 asked Dolly。 〃Do you think it's fire？〃
〃I expect；〃 replied Mrs。 X。； 〃that it's Percy。 Very possibly he has
stumbled over something in the dark。 Don't you worry； dear； you go to
sleep。〃
But so soon as Dolly had dozed off again； Mrs。 X。； who was a good
wife； thought she would steal off softly and see to it that Percy was all
right。 So； putting on a dressing…gown and slippers； she crept along the
passage and into her own room。 To awake the gentleman on the bed
would have required an earthquake。 She lit a candle and stole over to the
bedside。
It was not Percy； it was not anyone like Percy。 She felt it was not the
man that ever could have been her husband； under any circumstances。 In
his present condition her sentiment towards him was that of positive
dislike。 Her only desire was to get rid of him。
But something there was about him which seemed familiar to her。 She
went nearer； and took a closer view。 Then she remembered。 Surely it was
Mr。 Y。； a gentleman at whose flat she and Percy had dined the day they
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first arrived in Berlin。
But what was he doing here？ She put the candle on the table； and
taking her head between her hands sat down to think。 The explanation of
the thing came to her with a rush。 It was with this Mr。 Y。 that Percy had
gone to the Kneipe。 A mistake had been made。 Mr。 Y。 had been brought
back to Percy's address。 Percy at this very moment …
The terrible possibilities of the situation swam before her。 Returning to
Dolly's room； she dressed herself hastily； and silently crept downstairs。
Finding； fortunately； a passing night… cab； she drove to the address of Mrs。
Y。 Telling the man to wait； she flew upstairs and rang persistently at the
bell。 It was opened as before by Mrs。 Y。； still in her tea…gown； and with
her book still in her hand。
〃Mrs。 X。！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Y。 〃Whatever brings you here？〃
〃My husband！〃 was all poor Mrs。 X。 could think to say at the moment；
〃is he here？〃
〃Mrs。 X。；〃 returned Mrs。 Y。； drawing herself up to her full height； 〃how
dare you？〃
〃Oh； please don't misunderstand me！〃 pleaded Mrs。 X。 〃It's all a
terrible mistake。 They must have brought poor Percy here instead of to
our place； I'm sure they must。 Do please look and see。〃
〃My dear；〃 said Mrs。 Y。； who was a much older woman； and more
motherly； 〃don't excite yourself。 They brought him here about half an
hour ago； and； to tell you the truth； I never looked at him。 He is in here。
I don't think they troubled to take off even his boots。 If you keep cool；
we will get him downstairs and home without a soul beyond ourselves
being any the wiser。
Indeed； Mrs。 Y。 seemed quite eager to help Mrs。 X。
She pushed open the door； and Mrs。 X； went in。 The next moment
she came out with a white； scared face。
〃It isn't Percy；〃 she said。 〃Whatever am I to do？〃
〃I wish you wouldn't make these mistakes；〃 said Mrs。 Y。； moving to
enter the room herself。
Mrs。 X。 stopped her。 〃And it isn't your husband either。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 said Mrs。 Y。
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〃It isn't really；〃 persisted Mrs。 X。 〃I know； because I have just left
him； asleep on Percy's bed。〃
〃What's he doing there？〃 thundered Mrs。 Y。
〃They brought him there； and put him there；〃 explained Mrs。 X。；
beginning to cry。 〃That's what made me think Percy must be here。〃
The two women stood and looked at one another； and there was
silence for awhile； broken only by the snoring of the gentleman the other
side of the half…open door。
〃Then who is that； in there？〃 demanded Mrs。 Y。； who was the first to
recover herself。
〃I don't know；〃 answered Mrs。 X。； 〃I have never seen him before。 Do
you think it is anybody you know？〃
But Mrs。 Y。 only banged to the door。
〃What are we to do？〃 said Mrs。 X。
〃I know what _I_ am going to do；〃 said Mrs。 Y。 〃I'm coming back
with you to fetch my husband。〃
〃He's very sleepy；〃 explained Mrs。 X。
〃I've known him to be that before；〃 replied Mrs。 Y。； as she fastened on
her cloak。
〃But where's Percy？〃 sobbed poor little Mrs。 X。； as they descended the
stairs together。
〃That my dear；〃 said Mrs。 Y。； 〃will be a question for you to ask HIM。〃
〃If they go about making mistakes like this；〃 said Mrs。 X。； 〃it is
impossible to say what they may not have done with him。〃
〃We will make enquiries in the morning； my dear；〃 said Mrs。 Y。；
consolingly。
〃I think these Kneipes are disgraceful affairs；〃 said Mrs。 X。 〃I shall
never let Percy go to another； neverso long as I live。〃
〃My dear；〃 remarked Mrs。 Y。； 〃if you know your duty； he will never
want to。〃 And rumour has it that he never did。
But； as I have said； the mistake was in pinning the card to the
tablecloth instead of to the coat。 And error in this world is always
severely punished。
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CHAPTER XIV
Which is serious： as becomes a parting chapterThe German from
the Anglo…Saxon's point of viewProvidence in buttons and a helmet
Paradise of the helpless idiotGerman conscience： its aggressiveness
How they hang in Germany； very possiblyWhat happens to good
Germans when they die？The military instinct： is it all…sufficient？The
German as a shopkeeperHow he supports lifeThe New Woman； here as
everywhereWhat can be said against the Germans； as a peopleThe
Bummel is over and done。
〃Anybody could rule this country；〃 said George； 〃_I_ could rule it。〃
We were seated in the garden of the Kaiser Hof at Bonn； looking down
upon the Rhine。 It was the last evening of our Bummel； the early
morning train would be the beginning of the end。
〃I should write down all I wanted the people to do on a piece of
paper；〃 continued George； 〃get a good firm to print off so many copies；
have them posted about the towns and villages； and the thing would be
done。〃
In the placid； docile German of to…day； whose only ambition appears to
be to pay his taxes； and do what he is told to do by those whom it has
pleased Providence to place in authority over him； it is difficult； one must
confess； to detect any trace of his wild ancestor； to whom individual
liberty was as the breath of his nostrils； who appointed his magistrates to
advise； but retained the right of execution for the tribe； who followed his
chief； but would have scorned to obey him。 In Germany to…day one hears
a good deal concerning Socialism； but it is a Socialism that would only be
despotism under another name。 Individualism makes no appeal to the
German voter。 He is willing； nay； anxious； to be controlled and regulated
in all things。 He disputes； not government； but the for
