the research magnificent-第28节

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se；〃　said　Amanda。　〃Except　dog…fights；〃　said　the　elder　cousin。　〃I　thought　I　would　just　wander　and　think　and　sleep　in　the　open　air。　Have　you　ever　tried　to　sleep　in　the　open　air？〃　〃In　the　summer　we　all　do；〃　said　the　younger　cousin。　　〃Amanda　makes　us。　　We　go　out　on　to　the　little　lawn　at　the　back。〃　〃You　see　Amanda　has　some　friends　at　Limpsfield。　　And　there　they　all　go　ouda　from　imminent　danger　〃she's　always　so　RECKLESS　with　those　dogs；〃　as　though　Amanda　was　not　manifestly　capable　of　taking　care　of　herself；　and　when　he　had　been　Listerined　and　bandaged；　they　would　have　it　that　he　should　join　them　at　their　supper…dinner；　which　was　already　prepared　and　waiting。　They　treated　him　as　if　he　were　still　an　undergraduate；　they　took　his　arrangements　in　hand　as　though　he　was　a　favourite　nephew。　　He　must　stay　in　Harting　that　night。　　Both　the　Ship　and　the　Coach　and　Horses　were　excellent　inns；　and　over　the　Downs　there　would　be　nothing　for　miles　and　miles。　。　。　。　The　house　was　a　little　long　house　with　a　verandah　and　a　garden　in　front　of　it　with　flint…edged　paths；　the　room　in　which　they　sat　and　ate　was　long　and　low　and　equipped　with　pieces　of　misfitting　good　furniture；　an　accidental…looking　gilt　tarnished　mirror；　and　a　sprinkling　of　old　and　middle…aged　books。　　Some　one　had　lit　a　fire；　which　cracked　and　spurted　about　cheerfully　in　a　motherly　fireplace；　and　a　lamp　and　some　candles　got　lit。　　Mrs。　Wilder；　Amanda's　aunt；　a　comfortable　dark　broad…browed　woman；　directed　things；　and　sat　at　the　end　of　the　table　and　placed　Benham　on　her　right　hand　between　herself　and　Amanda。　　Amanda's　mother　remained　undeveloped；　a　watchful　little　woman　with　at　least　an　eyebrow　like　her　daughter's。　　Her　name；　it　seemed；　was　Morris。　　No　servant　appeared；　but　two　cousins　of　a　vague　dark　picturesqueness　and　with　a　stamp　of　thirty　upon　them；　the　first　young　women　Benham　had　ever　seen　dressed　in　djibbahs；　sat　at　the　table　or　moved　about　and　attended　to　the　simple　needs　of　the　service。　　The　reconciled　dogs　were　in　the　room　and　shifted　inquiring　noses　from　one　human　being　to　another。　Amanda's　people　were　so　easy　and　intelligent　and　friendly；　and　Benham　after　his　thirty　hours　of　silence　so　freshly　ready　for　human　association；　that　in　a　very　little　while　he　could　have　imagined　he　had　known　and　trusted　this　household　for　years。　　He　had　never　met　such　people　before；　and　yet　there　was　something　about　them　that　seemed　familiarand　then　it　occurred　to　him　that　something　of　their　easy…going　freedom　was　to　be　found　in　Russian　novels。　　A　photographic　enlargement　of　somebody　with　a　vegetarian　expression　of　face　and　a　special　kind　of　slouch　hat　gave　the　atmosphere　a　flavour　of　Socialism；　and　a　press　and　tools　and　stamps　and　pigments　on　an　oak　table　in　the　corner　suggested　some　suct　and　camp　and　sleep　in　the　woods。〃　〃Of　course；〃　reflected　Mrs。　Wilder；　〃in　April　it　must　be　different。〃　〃It　IS　different；〃　said　Benham　with　feeling；　〃the　night　comes　five　hours　too　soon。　　And　it　comes　wet。〃　　He　described　his　experiences　and　his　flight　to　Shere　and　the　kindly　landlord　and　the　cup　of　coffee。　　〃And　after　that　I　thought　with　a　vengeance。〃　〃Do　you　write　things？〃　asked　Amanda　abruptly；　and　it　seemed　to　him　with　a　note　of　hope。　〃No。　　No；　it　was　just　a　private　puzzle。　　It　was　something　I　couldn't　get　straight。〃　〃And　you　have　got　it　straight？〃　asked　Amanda。　〃I　think　so。〃　〃You　were　making　up　your　mind　about　something？〃　〃Amanda　DEAR！〃　cried　her　mother。　〃Oh！　I　don't　mind　telling　you；〃　said　Benham。　They　seemed　such　unusual　people　that　he　was　moved　to　unusual　confidences。　　They　had　that　effect　one　gets　at　times　with　strangers　freshly　met　as　though　they　were　not　really　in　the　world。　　And　there　was　something　about　Amanda　that　made　him　want　to　explain　himself　to　her　completely。　〃What　I　wanted　to　think　about　was　what　I　should　do　with　my　life。〃　〃Haven't　you　any　WORK？〃　asked　the　elder　cousin。　〃None　that　I'm　obliged　to　do。〃　〃That's　where　a　man　has　the　advantage；〃　said　Amanda　with　the　tone　of　profound　reflection。　　〃You　can　choose。　　And　what　are　you　going　to　do　with　your　life？〃　〃Amanda；〃　her　mother　protested；　〃really　you　mustn't！〃　〃I'm　going　round　the　world　to　think　about　it；〃　Benham　told　her。　〃I'd　give　my　soul　to　travel；〃　said　Amanda。　She　addressed　her　remark　to　the　salad　in　front　of　her。　〃But　have　you　no　ties？〃　asked　Mrs。　Wilder。　〃None　that　hold　me；〃　said　Benham。　　〃I'm　one　of　those　unfortunates　who　needn't　do　anything　at　all。　　I'm　independent。　　You　see　my　riddles。　　East　and　west　and　north　and　south；　it's　all　my　way　for　the　taking。　　There's　not　an　indication。〃　〃If　I　were　you；〃　said　Amanda；　and　reflected。　　Then　she　half　turned　herself　to　him。　　〃I　should　go　first　to　India；〃　she　said；　〃and　I　should　shoot；　one；　two；　three；　yes；　three　tigers。　　And　then　I　would　see　Farukhabad　SikriI　was　reading　in　a　book　about　it　yesterday　where　the　jungle　grows　in　the　palaces；　and　then　I　would　go　right　up　the　Himalayas；　and　then；　then　I　would　have　a　walking　tour　in　Japan；　and　then　I　would　sail　in　a　sailing　ship　down　to　Borneo　and　Java　and　set　myself　up　as　a　Ranee　。　。　。　　And　then　I　would　think　what　I　would　do　next。〃　〃All　alone；　Amanda？〃　asked　Mrs。　Wilder。　〃Only　when　I　shoot　tigers。　　You　and　mother　should　certainly　come　to　Japan。〃　〃But　Mr。　Benham　perhaps　doesn't　intend　to　shoot　tigers；　Amanda？〃　said　Amanda's　mother。　〃Not　at　once。　　My　way　will　be　a　little　different。　　I　think　I　shall　go　first　through　Germany。　　And　then　down　to　Constantinople。　　And　then　I've　some　idea　of　getting　across　Asia　Minor　and　Persia　to　India。　　That　would　take　some　time。　　One　must　ride。〃　〃Asia　Minor　ought　to　be　fun；〃　said　Amanda。　　〃But　I　should　prefer　India　because　of　the　tigers。　　It　would　be　so　jolly　to　begin　with　the　tigers　right　away。〃　〃It　is　the　towns　and　governments　and　peoples　I　want　to　see　rather　than　tigers；〃　said　Benham。　　〃Tigers　if　they　are　in　the　programme。　But　I　want　to　find　out　aboutother　things。〃　〃Don't　you　think　there's　something　to　be　found　out　at　home？〃　said　the　elder　cousin；　blushing　very　brightly　and　speaking　with　the　effort　of　one　who　speaks　for　conscience'　sake。　〃Betty's　a　Socialist；〃　Amanda　said　to　Benham　with　a　suspicion　of　apology。　〃Well；　we're　all　rather　that；〃　Mrs。　Wilder　protested。　〃If　you　are　free；　if　you　are　independent；　then　don't　you　owe　something　to　the　workers？〃　　Betty　went　on；　getting　graver　and　redder　with　each　word。　〃It's　just　because　of　that；〃　said　Benham；　〃that　I　am　going　round　the　world。〃

3

He　was　as　free　with　these　odd　people　as　if　he　had　been　talking　to　Prothero。　　They　werealert。　　And　he　had　been　alone　and　silent　and　full　of　thinking　for　two　clear　days。　　He　tried　to　explain　why　he　found　Socialism　at　once　obvious　and　inadequate。　。　。　。　Presently　the　supper　things　got　themselves　put　away　and　the　talk　moved　into　a　smaller　room　with　several　armchairs　and　a　fire。　　Mrs。　Wilder　and　the　cousins　and　Amanda　each　smoked　a　cigarette　as　if　it　were　symbolical；　and　they　were　joined　by　a　grave　grey…bearded　man　with　a　hyphenated　name　and　slightly　Socratic　manner；　dressed　in　a　very　blue　linen　shirt　and　collar；　a　very　woolly　mustard…coloured　suit　and　loose　tie；　and　manifestly　devoted　to　one　of　those　branches　of　exemplary　domestic　decoration　that　grow　upon　Socialist　soil　in　England。　　He　joined　Betty　in　the　opinion　that　the　duty　of　a　free　and　wealthy　young　man　was　to　remain　in　England　and　give　himself　to　democratic　Socialism　and　the　abolition　of　〃profiteering。〃　　〃Consider　that　chair；〃　he　said。　　But　Benham　had　little　feeling　for　the　craftsmanship　of　chairs。　Under　cross…examination　Mr。　Rathbone…Sanders　became　entangled　and　prophetic。　　It　was　evident　he　had　never　thought　out　his　〃democratic；〃　he　had　rested　in　some　vague　tangle　of　idealism　from　which　Benham　now　set　himself　with　the　zeal　of　a　specialist　to　rout　him。　　Such　an　argument　sprang　up　as　one　meets　with　rarely　beyond　the　happy　undergraduate's　range。　　Everybody　lived　in　the　discussion；　even　Amanda's　mother　listened　visibly。　　Betty　said　she　herself　was　certainly　democratic　and　Mrs。　Wilder　had　always　thought　herself　to　be　so；　and　outside　the　circle　round　the　fire　Amanda　hovered　impatiently；　not　quite　sure　of　her　side　as　yet；　but　eager　to　come　down　with　emphasis　at　the　first　flash　of　intimation。　She　came　down　vehemently　on　Benham's。　And　being　a　very　clear…cutting　personality　with　an　instinct　for　the　material　rendering　of　things；　she　also　came　and　sat　beside　him　on　　by　the　lamp　and　read　the　REPUBLIC　very　intently　and　very　thoughtfully；　occasionally　turning　over　a　page。

5

When　Benham　got　back　to　London　he　experienced　an　unwonted　desire　to　perform　his　social　obligations　to　the　utmost。　So　soon　as　he　had　had　some　dinner　at　his　club　he　wrote　his　South　Harting　friends　a　most　agreeable　letter　of　thanks　for　their　kindness　to　him。　　In　a　little　while　he　hoped　he　should　see　them　again。　　His　mother；　too；　was　most　desirous　to　meet　them。　。　。　。　　That　done；　he　went　on　to　his　flat　and　to　various　aspects　of　life　for　which　he　was　quite　unprepared。　But　here　we　may　note　that　Amanda　answered　him。　　Her　reply　came　some　four　days　later。　　It　was　written　in　a　square　schoolgirl　hand；　it　covered　three　sheets　of　notepaper；　and　it　was　a　very　intelligent　essay　upon　the　REPUBLIC　of　Plato。　　〃Of　course；〃　she　wrote；　〃the　Guardians　are　inhumanthe　little　square…cornered　sofa。　〃Of　course；　Mr。　Rathbone…Sanders；〃　she　said；　〃of　course　the　world　must　be