lazy tour of two idle apprentices-第7部分

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that　he　would　go　to　the　races。　　He　did　not　reach　the　town　till

towards　the　close　of　the　evening；　and　he　went　at　once　to　see　about

his　dinner　and　bed　at　the　principal　hotel。　　Dinner　they　were　ready

enough　to　give　him；　but　as　for　a　bed；　they　laughed　when　he

mentioned　it。　　In　the　race…week　at　Doncaster；　it　is　no　uncommon

thing　for　visitors　who　have　not　bespoken　apartments；　to　pass　the

night　in　their　carriages　at　the　inn　doors。　　As　for　the　lower　sort

of　strangers；　I　myself　have　often　seen　them；　at　that　full　time；

sleeping　out　on　the　doorsteps　for　want　of　a　covered　place　to　creep

under。　　Rich　as　he　was；　Arthur's　chance　of　getting　a　night's

lodging　（seeing　that　he　had　not　written　beforehand　to　secure　one）

was　more　than　doubtful。　　He　tried　the　second　hotel；　and　the　third

hotel；　and　two　of　the　inferior　inns　after　that；　and　was　met

everywhere　by　the　same　form　of　answer。　　No　accommodation　for　the

night　of　any　sort　was　left。　　All　the　bright　golden　sovereigns　in

his　pocket　would　not　buy　him　a　bed　at　Doncaster　in　the　race…week。



To　a　young　fellow　of　Arthur's　temperament；　the　novelty　of　being

turned　away　into　the　street；　like　a　penniless　vagabond；　at　every

house　where　he　asked　for　a　lodging；　presented　itself　in　the　light

of　a　new　and　highly　amusing　piece　of　experience。　　He　went　on；　with

his　carpet…bag　in　his　hand；　applying　for　a　bed　at　every　place　of

entertainment　for　travellers　that　he　could　find　in　Doncaster；　until

he　wandered　into　the　outskirts　of　the　town。　　By　this　time；　the　last

glimmer　of　twilight　had　faded　out；　the　moon　was　rising　dimly　in　a

mist；　the　wind　was　getting　cold；　the　clouds　were　gathering　heavily；

and　there　was　every　prospect　that　it　was　soon　going　to　rain。



The　look　of　the　night　had　rather　a　lowering　effect　on　young

Holliday's　good　spirits。　　He　began　to　contemplate　the　houseless

situation　in　which　he　was　placed；　from　the　serious　rather　than　the

humorous　point　of　view；　and　he　looked　about　him；　for　another

public…house　to　inquire　at；　with　something　very　like　downright

anxiety　in　his　mind　on　the　subject　of　a　lodging　for　the　night。　　The

suburban　part　of　the　town　towards　which　he　had　now　strayed　was

hardly　lighted　at　all；　and　he　could　see　nothing　of　the　houses　as　he

passed　them；　except　that　they　got　progressively　smaller　and

dirtier；　the　farther　he　went。　　Down　the　winding　road　before　him

shone　the　dull　gleam　of　an　oil　lamp；　the　one　faint；　lonely　light

that　struggled　ineffectually　with　the　foggy　darkness　all　round　him。

He　resolved　to　go　on　as　far　as　this　lamp；　and　then；　if　it　showed

him　nothing　in　the　shape　of　an　Inn；　to　return　to　the　central　part

of　the　town　and　to　try　if　he　could　not　at　least　secure　a　chair　to

sit　down　on；　through　the　night；　at　one　of　the　principal　Hotels。



As　he　got　near　the　lamp；　he　heard　voices；　and；　walking　close　under

it；　found　that　it　lighted　the　entrance　to　a　narrow　court；　on　the

wall　of　which　was　painted　a　long　hand　in　faded　flesh…colour；

pointing　with　a　lean　forefinger；　to　this　inscription：…





THE　TWO　ROBINS。





Arthur　turned　into　the　court　without　hesitation；　to　see　what　The

Two　Robins　could　do　for　him。　　Four　or　five　men　were　standing

together　round　the　door　of　the　house　which　was　at　the　bottom　of　the

court；　facing　the　entrance　from　the　street。　　The　men　were　all

listening　to　one　other　man；　better　dressed　than　the　rest；　who　was

telling　his　audience　something；　in　a　low　voice；　in　which　they　were

apparently　very　much　interested。



On　entering　the　passage；　Arthur　was　passed　by　a　stranger　with　a

knapsack　in　his　hand；　who　was　evidently　leaving　the　house。



'No；'　said　the　traveller　with　the　knapsack；　turning　round　and

addressing　himself　cheerfully　to　a　fat；　sly…looking；　bald…headed

man；　with　a　dirty　white　apron　on；　who　had　followed　him　down　the

passage。　　'No；　Mr。　landlord；　I　am　not　easily　scared　by　trifles；

but；　I　don't　mind　confessing　that　I　can't　quite　stand　THAT。'



It　occurred　to　young　Holliday；　the　moment　he　heard　these　words；

that　the　stranger　had　been　asked　an　exorbitant　price　for　a　bed　at

The　Two　Robins；　and　that　he　was　unable　or　unwilling　to　pay　it。　　The

moment　his　back　was　turned；　Arthur；　comfortably　conscious　of　his

own　well…filled　pockets；　addressed　himself　in　a　great　hurry；　for

fear　any　other　benighted　traveller　should　slip　in　and　forestall

him；　to　the　sly…looking　landlord　with　the　dirty　apron　and　the　bald

head。



'If　you　have　got　a　bed　to　let；'　he　said；　'and　if　that　gentleman　who

has　just　gone　out　won't　pay　your　price　for　it；　I　will。'



The　sly　landlord　looked　hard　at　Arthur。



'Will　you；　sir？'　he　asked；　in　a　meditative；　doubtful　way。



'Name　your　price；'　said　young　Holliday；　thinking　that　the

landlord's　hesitation　sprang　from　some　boorish　distrust　of　him。

'Name　your　price；　and　I'll　give　you　the　money　at　once　if　you　like？'



'Are　you　game　for　five　shillings？'　inquired　the　landlord；　rubbing

his　stubbly　double　chin；　and　looking　up　thoughtfully　at　the　ceiling

above　him。



Arthur　nearly　laughed　in　the　man's　face；　but　thinking　it　prudent　to

control　himself；　offered　the　five　shillings　as　seriously　as　he

could。　　The　sly　landlord　held　out　his　hand；　then　suddenly　drew　it

back　again。



'You're　acting　all　fair　and　above…board　by　me；'　he　said：　　'and；

before　I　take　your　money；　I'll　do　the　same　by　you。　　Look　here；　this

is　how　it　stands。　　You　can　have　a　bed　all　to　yourself　for　five

shillings；　but　you　can't　have　more　than　a　half…share　of　the　room　it

stands　in。　　Do　you　see　what　I　mean；　young　gentleman？'



'Of　course　I　do；'　returned　Arthur；　a　little　irritably。　　'You　mean

that　it　is　a　double…bedded　room；　and　that　one　of　the　beds　is

occupied？'



The　landlord　nodded　his　head；　and　rubbed　his　double　chin　harder

than　ever。　　Arthur　hesitated；　and　mechanically　moved　back　a　step　or

two　towards　the　door。　　The　idea　of　sleeping　in　the　same　room　with　a

total　stranger；　did　not　present　an　attractive　prospect　to　him。　　He

felt　more　than　half　inclined　to　drop　his　five　shillings　into　his

pocket；　and　to　go　out　into　the　street　once　more。



'Is　it　yes；　or　no？'　asked　the　landlord。　　'Settle　it　as　quick　as　you

can；　because　there's　lots　of　people　wanting　a　bed　at　Doncaster　to…

night；　besides　you。'



Arthur　looked　towards　the　court；　and　heard　the　rain　falling　heavily

in　the　street　outside。　　He　thought　he　would　ask　a　question　or　two

before　he　rashly　decided　on　leaving　the　shelter　of　The　Two　Robins。



'What　sort　of　a　man　is　it　who　has　got　the　other　bed？'　he　inquired。

'Is　he　a　gentleman？　　I　mean；　is　he　a　quiet；　well…behaved　person？'



'The　quietest　man　I　ever　came　across；'　said　the　landlord；　rubbing

his　fat　hands　stealthily　one　over　the　other。　　'As　sober　as　a　judge；

and　as　regular　as　clock…work　in　his　habits。　　It　hasn't　struck　nine；

not　ten　minutes　ago；　and　he's　in　his　bed　already。　　I　don't　know

whether　that　comes　up　to　your　notion　of　a　quiet　man：　　it　goes　a

long　way　ahead　of　mine；　I　can　tell　you。'



'Is　he　asleep；　do　you　think？'　asked　Arthur。



'I　know　he's　asleep；'　returned　the　landlord。　　'And　what's　more；

he's　gone　off　so　fast；　that　I'll　warrant　you　don't　wake　him。　　This

way；　sir；'　said　the　landlord；　speaking　over　young　Holliday's

shoulder；　as　if　he　was　addressing　some　new　guest　who　was

approaching　the　house。



'Here　you　are；'　said　Arthur；　determined　to　be　beforehand　with　the

stranger；　whoever　he　might　be。　　'I'll　take　the　bed。'　　And　he　handed

the　five　shillings　to　the　landlord；　who　nodded；　dropped　the　money

carelessly　into　his　waistcoat…pocket；　and　lighted　the　candle。



'Come　up　and　see　the　room；'　said　the　host　of　The　Two　Robins；

leading　the　way　to　the　staircase　quite　briskly；　considering　how　fat

he　was。



They　mounted　to　the　second…floor　of　the　house。　　The　landlord　half

opened　a　door；　fronting　the　landing；　then　stopped；　and　turned　round

to　Arthur。



'It's　a　fair　bargain；　mind；　on　my　side　as　well　as　on　yours；'　he

said。　　'You　give　me　five　shillings；　I　give　you　in　return　a　clean；

comfortable　bed；　and　I　warrant；　beforehand；　that　you　won't　be

interfered　with；　or　annoyed　in　any　way；　by　the　man　who　sleeps　in

the　same　room　as　you。'　　Saying　those　words；　he　looked　hard；　for　a

moment；　in　young　Holliday's　face；　and　then　led　the　way　into　the

room。



It　was　larger　and　cleaner　than　Arthur　had　expected　it　would　be。

The　two　beds　stood　parallel　with　each　other　…　a　space　of　about　six

feet　intervening　between　them。　　They　were　both　of　the　same　medium

size；　and　both　had　the　same　plain　white　curtains；　made　to　draw；　if

necessary；　all　round　them。　　The　occupied　bed　was　the　bed　nearest

the　window。　　The　curtains　were　all　drawn　round　this；　except　the

half　curtain　at　the　bottom；　on　the　side　of　the　bed　farthest　from

the　window。　　Arthur　saw　the　feet　of　the　sleeping　man　raising　the

scanty　clothes　into　a　sharp　little　eminence；　as　if　he　was　lying

flat　on　his　back。　　He　took　the　candle；　and　advanced　softly　to　draw

the　curtain　…　stopped　half…way；　and　listened　for　a　moment　…　then

turned　to　the　landlord。



'He's　a　very　quiet　sleeper；'　said　Arthur。



'Yes；'　said　the　landlord；　'very　quiet。'



Young　Holliday　advanced　with　the　candle；　and　looked　in　at　the　man

cautiously。



'How　pale　he　is！'　said　Arthur。



'Yes；'　returned　the　landlord；　'pale　enough；　isn't　he？'



Arthur　looked　closer　at　the　man。　　The　bedclothes　were　drawn　up　to

his　chin；　and　they　lay　perfectly　still　over　the　region　of　his

chest。　　Surprised　and　vaguely　startled；　as　he　noticed　this；　Arthur

stooped　down　closer　over　the　stranger；　looked　at　his　ashy；　parted

lips；　listened　breathlessly　for　an　instant；　looked　again　at　the

strangely　still　face；　and　the　motionless　lips　and　chest；　and　turned

round　suddenly　on　the　landlord；　with　his　own　cheeks　as　pale　for　the

moment　as　the　hollow　cheeks　of　the　man　on　the　bed。



'Come　here；'　he　whispered；　under　his　breath。　　'Come　here；　for　God's

sake！　　The　man's　not　asleep　…　he　is　dead！'



'You　have　found　that　out　sooner　than　I　thought　you　would；'　sa