john ingerfield and other stories-第2部分

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Goose　has　flown　the　seas　with　her　belly　full　of　treasure　before　now；

and　will；　if　it　be　God's　pleasure；　so　do　again；　but　that　master　and

man　in　her　sail　together；　fight　together；　and　die　together。〃



Whereupon　King's　frigate　pounds　away　more　vigorously　than　ever；　and

succeeds　eventually　in　carrying　out　her　threat。　　Down　goes　the　Wild

Goose；　her　last　chase　endeddown　she　goes　with　a　plunge；　spit

foremost　with　her　colours　flying；　and　down　with　her　goes　every　man

left　standing　on　her　decks；　and　at　the　bottom　of　the　Atlantic　they

lie　to　this　day；　master　and　man　side　by　side；　keeping　guard　upon

their　treasure。



Which　incident；　and　it　is　well　authenticated；　goes　far　to　prove　that

the　Ingerfields；　hard　men　and　grasping　men　though　they　bemen　caring

more　for　the　getting　of　money　than　for　the　getting　of　loveloving

more　the　cold　grip　of　gold　than　the　grip　of　kith　or　kin；　yet　bear

buried　in　their　hearts　the　seeds　of　a　nobler　manhood；　for　which；

however；　the　barren　soil　of　their　ambition　affords　scant　nourishment。



The　John　Ingerfield　of　this　story　is　a　man　very　typical　of　his　race。

He　has　discovered　that　the　oil　and　tallow　refining　business；　though

not　a　pleasant　one；　is　an　exceedingly　lucrative　one。　　These　are　the

good　days　when　George　the　Third　is　king；　and　London　is　rapidly

becoming　a　city　of　bright　night。　　Tallow　and　oil　and　all　materials

akin　thereto　are　in　ever…growing　request；　and　young　John　Ingerfield

builds　himself　a　large　refining　house　and　warehouse　in　the　growing

suburb　of　Limehouse；　which　lies　between　the　teeming　river　and　the

quiet　fields；　gathers　many　people　round　about　him；　puts　his　strong

heart　into　his　work；　and　prospers。



All　the　days　of　his　youth　he　labours　and　garners；　and　lays　out　and

garners　yet　again。　　In　early　middle　age　he　finds　himself　a　wealthy

man。　　The　chief　business　of　life；　the　getting　of　money；　is

practically　done；　his　enterprise　is　firmly　established；　and　will

continue　to　grow　with　ever　less　need　of　husbandry。　　It　is　time　for

him　to　think　about　the　secondary　business　of　life；　the　getting

together　of　a　wife　and　home；　for　the　Ingerfields　have　ever　been　good

citizens；　worthy　heads　of　families；　openhanded　hosts；　making　a　brave

show　among　friends　and　neighbours。



John　Ingerfield；　sitting　in　his　stiff；　high…backed　chair；　in　his

stiffly；　but　solidly；　furnished　dining…room；　above　his　counting…

house；　sipping　slowly　his　one　glass　of　port；　takes　counsel　with

himself。



What　shall　she　be？



He　is　rich；　and　can　afford　a　good　article。　　She　must　be　young　and

handsome；　fit　to　grace　the　fine　house　he　will　take　for　her　in

fashionable　Bloomsbury；　far　from　the　odour　and　touch　of　oil　and

tallow。　　She　must　be　well　bred；　with　a　gracious；　noble　manner；　that

will　charm　his　guests　and　reflect　honour　and　credit　upon　himself；　she

must；　above　all；　be　of　good　family；　with　a　genealogical　tree

sufficiently　umbrageous　to　hide　Lavender　Wharf　from　the　eyes　of

Society。



What　else　she　may　or　may　not　be　he　does　not　very　much　care。　　She

will；　of　course；　be　virtuous　and　moderately　pious；　as　it　is　fit　and

proper　that　women　should　be。　　It　will　also　be　well　that　her

disposition　be　gentle　and　yielding；　but　that　is　of　minor　importance；

at　all　events　so　far　as　he　is　concerned：　　the　Ingerfield　husbands　are

not　the　class　of　men　upon　whom　wives　vent　their　tempers。



Having　decided　in　his　mind　WHAT　she　shall　be；　he　proceeds　to　discuss

with　himself　WHO　she　shall　be。　　His　social　circle　is　small。

Methodically；　in　thought；　he　makes　the　entire　round　of　it；　mentally

scrutinising　every　maiden　that　he　knows。　　Some　are　charming；　some　are

fair；　some　are　rich；　but　no　one　of　them　approaches　near　to　his

carefully　considered　ideal。



He　keeps　the　subject　in　his　mind；　and　muses　on　it　in　the　intervals　of

business。　　At　odd　moments　he　jots　down　names　as　they　occur　to　him

upon　a　slip　of　paper；　which　he　pins　for　the　purpose　on　the　inside　of

the　cover　of　his　desk。　　He　arranges　them　alphabetically；　and　when　it

is　as　complete　as　his　memory　can　make　it；　he　goes　critically　down　the

list；　making　a　few　notes　against　each。　　As　a　result；　it　becomes　clear

to　him　that　he　must　seek　among　strangers　for　his　wife。



He　has　a　friend；　or　rather　an　acquaintance；　an　old　school…fellow；　who

has　developed　into　one　of　those　curious　social　flies　that　in　all　ages

are　to　be　met　with　buzzing　contentedly　within　the　most　exclusive

circles；　and　concerning　whom；　seeing　that　they　are　neither　rare　nor

rich；　nor　extraordinarily　clever　nor　well　born；　one　wonders　〃how　the

devil　they　got　there！〃　　Meeting　this　man　by　chance　one　afternoon；　he

links　his　arm　in　his　and　invites　him　home　to　dinner。



So　soon　as　they　are　left　alone；　with　the　walnuts　and　wine　between

them；　John　Ingerfield　says；　thoughtfully　cracking　a　hard　nut　between

his　fingers　…



〃Will；　I'm　going　to　get　married。〃



〃Excellent　ideadelighted　to　hear　it；　I'm　sure；〃　replies　Will；

somewhat　less　interested　in　the　information　than　in　the　delicately

flavoured　Madeira　he　is　lovingly　sipping。　　〃Who's　the　lady？〃



〃I　don't　know；　yet；〃　is　John　Ingerfield's　answer。



His　friend　glances　slyly　at　him　over　his　glass；　not　sure　whether　he

is　expected　to　be　amused　or　sympathetically　helpful。



〃I　want　you　to　find　one　for　me。〃



Will　Cathcart　puts　down　his　glass　and　stares　at　his　host　across　the

table。



〃Should　be　delighted　to　help　you；　Jack；〃　he　stammers；　in　an　alarmed

tone〃'pon　my　soul　I　should；　but　really　don't　know　a　damned　woman　I

could　recommend'pon　my　soul　I　don't。〃



〃You　must　see　a　good　many：　　I　wish　you'd　look　out　for　one　that　you

COULD　recommend。〃



〃Certainly　I　will；　my　dear　Jack！〃　answers　the　other；　in　a　relieved

voice。　　〃Never　thought　about　'em　in　that　way　before。　　Daresay　I　shall

come　across　the　very　girl　to　suit　you。　　I'll　keep　my　eyes　open　and

let　you　know。〃



〃I　shall　be　obliged　to　you　if　you　will；〃　replies　John　Ingerfield；

quietly；　〃and　it's　your　turn；　I　think；　to　oblige　me；　Will。　　I　have

obliged　you；　if　you　recollect。〃



〃Shall　never　forget　it；　my　dear　Jack；〃　murmurs　Will；　a　little

uneasily。　　〃It　was　uncommonly　good　of　you。　　You　saved　me　from　ruin；

Jack：　　shall　think　about　it　to　my　dying　day'pon　my　soul　I　shall。〃



〃No　need　to　let　it　worry　you　for　so　long　a　period　as　that；〃　returns

John；　with　the　faintest　suspicion　of　a　smile　playing　round　his　firm

mouth。　　〃The　bill　falls　due　at　the　end　of　next　month。　　You　can

discharge　the　debt　then；　and　the　matter　will　be　off　your　mind。〃



Will　finds　his　chair　growing　uncomfortable　under　him；　while　the

Madeira　somehow　loses　its　flavour。　　He　gives　a　short；　nervous　laugh。



〃By　Jove；〃　he　says：　　〃so　soon　as　that？　　The　date　had　quite　slipped　my

memory。〃



〃Fortunate　that　I　reminded　you；〃　says　John；　the　smile　round　his　lips

deepening。



Will　fidgets　on　his　seat。　　〃I'm　afraid；　my　dear　Jack；〃　he　says；　〃I

shall　have　to　get　you　to　renew　it；　just　for　a　month　or　two；deuced

awkward　thing；　but　I'm　remarkably　short　of　money　this　year。　　Truth

is；　I　can't　get　what's　owing　to　myself。〃



〃That's　very　awkward；　certainly；〃　replies　his　friend；　〃because　I　am

not　at　all　sure　that　I　shall　be　able　to　renew　it。〃



Will　stares　at　him　in　some　alarm。　　〃But　what　am　I　to　do　if　I　hav'n't

the　money？〃



John　Ingerfield　shrugs　his　shoulders。



〃You　don't　mean；　my　dear　Jack；　that　you　would　put　me　in　prison？〃



〃Why　not？　　Other　people　have　to　go　there　who　can't　pay　their　debts。〃



Will　Cathcart's　alarm　grows　to　serious　proportions。　　〃But　our

friendship；〃　he　cries；　〃our〃



〃My　dear　Will；〃　interrupts　the　other；　〃there　are　few　friends　I　would

lend　three　hundred　pounds　to　and　make　no　effort　to　get　it　back。　　You；

certainly；　are　not　one　of　them。〃



〃Let　us　make　a　bargain；〃　he　continues。　　〃Find　me　a　wife；　and　on　the

day　of　my　marriage　I　will　send　you　back　that　bill　with；　perhaps；　a

couple　of　hundred　added。　　If　by　the　end　of　next　month　you　have　not

introduced　me　to　a　lady　fit　to　be；　and　willing　to　be；　Mrs。　John

Ingerfield；　I　shall　decline　to　renew　it。〃



John　Ingerfield　refills　his　own　glass　and　hospitably　pushes　the

bottle　towards　his　guestwho；　however；　contrary　to　his　custom；　takes

no　notice　of　it；　but　stares　hard　at　his　shoe…buckles。



〃Are　you　serious？〃　he　says　at　length。



〃Quite　serious；〃　is　the　answer。　　〃I　want　to　marry。　　My　wife　must　be　a

lady　by　birth　and　education。　　She　must　be　of　good　familyof　family

sufficiently　good；　indeed；　to　compensate　for　the　refinery。　　She　must

be　young　and　beautiful　and　charming。　　I　am　purely　a　business　man。　　I

want　a　woman　capable　of　conducting　the　social　department　of　my　life。

I　know　of　no　such　lady　myself。　　I　appeal　to　you；　because　you；　I　know；

are　intimate　with　the　class　among　whom　she　must　be　sought。〃



〃There　may　be　some　difficulty　in　persuading　a　lady　of　the　required

qualifications　to　accept　the　situation；〃　says　Cathcart；　with　a　touch

of　malice。



〃I　want　you　to　find　one　who　will；〃　says　John　Ingerfield。



Early　in　the　evening　Will　Cathcart　takes　leave　of　his　host；　and

departs　thoughtful　and　anxious；　and　John　Ingerfield　strolls

contemplatively　up　and　down　his　wharf；　for　the　smell　of　oil　and

tallow　has　grown　to　be　very　sweet　to　him；　and　it　is　pleasant　to　watch

the　moonbeams　shining　on　the　piled…up　casks。



Six　weeks　go　by。　　On　the　first　day　of　the　seventh　John　takes　Will

Cathcart's　acceptance　from　its　place　in　the　large　safe；　and　lays　it

in　the　smaller　box　beside　his　desk；　devoted　to　more　pressing　and

immediate　business。　　Two　days　later　Cathcart　picks　his　way　across　the

slimy　yard；　passes　through　the　counting…house；　and　enters　his

friend's　inner　sanctum；　closing　the　door　behind　him。



He　wears　a　jubilant　air；　and　slaps　the　grave　John　on　the　back。　　〃I've

got　her；　Jack；〃　he　cries。　　〃It's　been　hard　work；　I　can　tell　you：

sounding　suspicious　old　dowagers；　bribing　confidential　servants；

fishing　for　information　among　friends　of　the　family。　　By　Jove；　I

shall　be　able