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english stories-london-第2部分

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〃Delicate! I forbid your speaking to me on unpleasant topics。〃



〃Yes; sir; begging your pardon。〃



It was characteristic of William to beg my pardon and withdraw his

wife; like some unsuccessful dish; as if its taste would not remain in

the mouth。 I shall be chided for questioning him further about his

wife; but; though doubtless an unusual step; it was only bad form

superficially; for my motive was irreproachable。 I inquired for his

wife; not because I was interested in her welfare; but in the hope of

allaying my irritation。 So I am entitled to invite the wayfarer who

has bespattered me with mud to scrape it off。



I desired to be told by William that the girl's signals meant his

wife's recovery to health。 He should have seen that such was my wish

and answered accordingly。 But; with the brutal inconsiderateness of

his class; he said:



〃She has had a good day; but the doctor; hethe doctor is afeard she

is dying。〃



Already I repented my questions。 William and his wife seemed in league

against me; when they might so easily have chosen some other member。



〃Pooh! the doctor;〃 I said。



〃Yes; sir;〃 he answered。



〃Have you been married long; William?〃



〃Eight years; sir。 Eight years ago she wasII mind her when 。 。 。

and now the doctor says〃



The fellow gaped at me。 〃More coffee; sir?〃 he asked。



〃What is her ailment?〃



〃She was always one of the delicate kind; but full of spirit; andand

you see; she has had a baby lately〃



〃William!〃



〃And sheIthe doctor is afeard she's not picking up。〃



〃I feel sure she will pick up。〃



〃Yes; sir?〃



It must have been the wine I had drunk that made me tell him:



〃I was once married; William。 My wifeit was just such a case as

yours。〃



〃She did not get better sir?〃



〃No。〃



After a pause he said; 〃Thank you; sir;〃 meaning for the sympathy that

made me tell him that。 But it must have been the wine。



〃That little girl comes here with a message from your wife?〃



〃Yes; if she nods three times it means my wife is a little better。〃



〃She nodded thrice to…day。〃



〃But she is told to do that to relieve me; and maybe those nods don't

tell the truth。〃



〃Is she your girl?〃



〃No; we have none but the baby。 She is a neighbour's; she comes twice

a day。〃



〃It is heartless of her parents not to send her every hour。〃



〃But she is six years old;〃 he said; 〃and has a house and two sisters

to look after in the daytime; and a dinner to cook。 Gentlefolk don't

understand。〃



〃I suppose you live in some low part; William。〃



〃Off Drury Lane;〃 he answered; flushing; 〃butbut it isn't low。 You

see; we were never used to anything better; and I mind when I let her

see the house before we were married; sheshe a sort of cried because

she was so proud of it。 That was eight years ago; and nowshe's

afeard she'll die when I'm away at my work。〃



〃Did she tell you that?〃



〃Never; she always says she is feeling a little stronger。〃



〃Then how can you know she is afraid of that?〃



〃I don't know how I know; sir; but when I am leaving the house in the

morning I look at her from the door; and she looks at me; and then I

I know。〃



〃A green chartreuse; William!〃







I tried to forget William's vulgar story in billiards; but he had

spoiled my game。 My opponent; to whom I can give twenty; ran out when

I was sixty…seven; and I put aside my cue pettishly。 That in itself

was bad form; but what would they have thought had they known that a

waiter's impertinence caused it! I grew angrier with William as the

night wore on; and next day I punished him by giving my orders through

another waiter。



As I had my window…seat; I could not but see that the girl was late

again。 Somehow I dawdled over my coffee。 I had an evening paper before

me; but there was so little in it that my eyes found more of interest

in the street。 It did not matter to me whether William's wife died;

but when that girl had promised to come; why did she not come? These

lower classes only give their word to break it。 The coffee was

undrinkable。



At last I saw her。 William was at another window; pretending to do

something with the curtains。 I stood up; pressing closer to the

window。 The coffee had been so bad that I felt shaky。 She nodded three

times; and smiled。



〃She is a little better;〃 William whispered to me; almost gaily。



〃Whom are you speaking of?〃 I asked; coldly; and immediately retired

to the billiard…room; where I played a capital game。 The coffee was

much better there than in the dining…room。



Several days passed; and I took care to show William that I had

forgotten his maunderings。 I chanced to see the little girl (though I

never looked for her) every evening; and she always nodded three

times; save once; when she shook her head; and then William's face

grew white as a napkin。 I remember this incident because that night I

could not get into a pocket。 So badly did I play that the thought of

it kept me awake in bed; and that; again; made me wonder how William's

wife was。 Next day I went to the club early (which was not my custom)

to see the new books。 Being in the club at any rate; I looked into the

dining…room to ask William if I had left my gloves there; and the

sight of him reminded me of his wife; so I asked for her。 He shook his

head mournfully; and I went off in a rage。



So accustomed am I to the club that when I dine elsewhere I feel

uncomfortable next morning; as if I had missed a dinner。 William knew

this; yet here he was; hounding me out of the club! That evening I

dined (as the saying is) at a restaurant; where no sauce was served

with the asparagus。 Furthermore; as if that were not triumph enough

for William; his doleful face came between me and every dish; and I

seemed to see his wife dying to annoy me。



I dined next day at the club for self…preservation; taking; however; a

table in the middle of the room; and engaging a waiter who had once

nearly poisoned me by not interfering when I put two lumps of sugar

into my coffee instead of one; which is my allowance。 But no William

came to me to acknowledge his humiliation; and by…and…by I became

aware that he was not in the room。 Suddenly the thought struck me that

his wife must be dead; and I It was the worst cooked and the worst

served dinner I ever had in the club。



I tried the smoking…room。 Usually the talk there is entertaining; but

on that occasion it was so frivolous that I did not remain five

minutes。 In the card…room a member told me excitedly that a policeman

had spoken rudely to him; and my strange comment was:



〃After all; it is a small matter。〃



In the library; where I had not been for years; I found two members

asleep; and; to my surprise; William on a ladder dusting books。



〃You have not heard; sir?〃 he said; in answer to my raised eyebrows。

Descending the ladder; he whispered tragically: 〃It was last evening;

sir。 II lost my head; and Iswore at a member。〃



I stepped back from William; and glanced apprehensively at the two

members。 They still slept。



〃I hardly knew;〃 William went on; 〃what I was doing all day yesterday;

for I had left my wife so weakly that〃



I stamped my foot。



〃I beg your pardon for speaking of her;〃 he had the grace to say; 〃but

I couldn't help slipping up to the window often yesterday to look for

Jenny; and when she did come; and I saw she was crying; itit sort of

confused me; and I didn't know right; sir; what I was doing。 I hit

against a member; Mr。 Myddleton Finch; and hehe jumped and swore at

me。 Well; sir; I had just touched him after all; and I was so

miserable; it a kind of stung me to be treated likelike that; and me

a man as well as him; and I lost my senses; andand I swore back。〃



William's shamed head sank on his chest; but I even let pass his

insolence in likening himself to a member of the club; so afraid was I

of the sleepers waking and detecting me in talk with a waiter。



〃For the love of God;〃 William cried; with coarse emotion; 〃don't let

them dismiss me!〃



〃Speak lower!〃 I said。 〃Who sent you here?〃



〃I was turned out of the dining…room at once; and told to attend to

the library until they had decided what to do with me。 Oh; sir; I'll

lose my place!〃



He was blubbering; as if a change of waiters; was a matter of

importance。



〃This is very bad; William;〃 I said。 〃I fear I can do nothing for

you。〃



〃Have mercy on a distracted man!〃 he entreated。 〃I'll go on my knees

to Mr。 Myddleton Finch。〃



How could I but despise a fellow who would be thus abject for a pound

a week?



〃I dare not tell her;〃 he continued; 〃that I have lost my place。 She

would just fall back and die。〃



〃I forbade your speaking of your wife;〃 I said; sharply; 〃unless you

can speak pleasantly of her。〃



〃But she may be worse now; sir; and I cannot even see Jenny from here。

The library windows look to the back。〃



〃If she dies;〃 I said; 〃it will be a warning to you to marry a

stronger woman next time。〃



Now every one knows that there is little real affection among the

lower orders。 As soon as they have lost one mate they take another。

Yet William; forgetting our relative positions; drew himself up and

raised his fist; and if I had not stepped back I swear he would have

struck me。



The highly improper words William used I will omit; out of

consideration for him。 Even while he was apologising for them I

retired to the smoking…room; where I found the cigarettes so badly

rolled that they would not keep alight。 After a little I remembered

that I wanted to see Myddleton Finch about an improved saddle of which

a friend of his has the patent。 He was in the newsroom; and; having

questioned him about the saddle; I said:



〃By the way; what is this story about your swearing at one of the

waiters?〃



〃You mean about his swea
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