the garotters-第6部分

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ROBERTS；　coming　forward　anxiously：　　'But；　my　dear　Willis'

WILLIS；　clapping　his　hand　over　his　mouth；　and　leading　him　back　to
his　place：　　'We　can't　let　you　talk　now。　　I've　no　doubt　you'll　be
considerate；　and　all　that；　but　Dr。　Lawton　has　the　floor。　　Go　on；
Doctor！　　Free　your　mind！　　Don't　be　afraid　of　telling　the　whole
truth！　　It　will　be　better　for　you　in　the　end。'　　He　rubs　his　hands
gleefully；　and　then　thrusting　the　points　of　them　into　his　waistcoat
pockets；　stands　beaming　triumphantly　upon　Lawton。

LAWTON：　　'Do　you　think　so？'　　With　well…affected　trepidation　'Well；
friends；　if　I　must　confess　thisthis'

WILLIS：　　'High…handed　outrage。　　Go　on。'

LAWTON：　　'I　suppose　I　must。　　I　shall　not　expect　mercy　for　myself；
perhaps　you'll　say　that；　as　an　old　and　hardened　offender；　I　don't
deserve　it。　　But　I　had　an　accomplicea　young　man　very　respectably
connected；　and　who；　whatever　his　previous　life　may　have　been；　had
managed　to　keep　a　good　reputation；　a　young　man　a　little　apt　to　be
misled　by　overweening　vanity　and　the　ill…advised　flattery　of　his
friends；　but　I　hope　that　neither　of　you　gentlemen　will　be　hard　upon
him；　but　will　consider　his　youth；　and　perhaps　his　congenital　moral
and　intellectual　deficiencies；　even　when　you　find　your　watcheson
Mr。　Campbell's　person。'　　He　leans　forward；　rubbing　his　hands；　and
smiling　upon　Campbell；　'How　will　that　do；　Mr。　Campbell；　for　a
flyer？'

WILLIS；　turning　to　Mrs。　Crashaw：　　'One　ahead；　Aunt　Mary？'

LAWTON；　clasping　him　by　the　hand：　　'No；　generous　youtheven！'　　They
shake　hands；　clapping　each　other　on　the　back　with　their　lefts；　and
joining　in　the　general　laugh。

BEMIS；　coming　forward　jovially：　　'Well；　now；　I　gladly　forgive　you
bothor　whoever　DID　rob　meif　you'll　only　give　me　back　my　watch。'

WILLIS：　　'_I_　haven't　got　your　watch。'

LAWTON：　　'Nor　I。'

ROBERTS；　rather　faintly；　and　coming　reluctantly　forward：　　'II　have
it；　Mr。　Bemis。'　　He　produces　it　from　one　waistcoat　pocket　and　hands
it　to　Bemis。　　Then；　visiting　the　other：　　'And　what's　worse；　I　have
my　own。　　I　don't　know　how　I　can　ever　explain　it；　or　atone　to　you　for
my　extraordinary　behaviour。　　Willis　thought　you　might　finally　see　it
as　a　joke；　and　I've　done　my　best　to　pass　it　off　lightly'

WILLIS：　　'And　you　succeeded。　　You　had　all　the　lightness　of　a　sick
hippopotamus。'

ROBERTS：　　'I'm　afraid　so。　　I'll　have　the　chain　mended；　of　course。
But　when　I　went　out　this　evening　I　left　my　watch　on　my　dressing…
table；　and　when　you　struck　against　me　in　the　Common　I　missed　it；　and
supposed　I　had　been　robbed；　and　I　ran　after　you　and　took　yours'

WILLIS：　　'Being　a　man　of　the　most　violent　temper　and　the　most
desperate　courage'

ROBERTS：　　'But　I　hope；　my　dear　sir；　that　I　didn't　hurt　you
seriously？'

BEMIS：　　'Not　at　allnot　the　least。'　　Shaking　him　cordially　by　both
hands：　　'I'm　all　right。　　Mrs。　Roberts　has　healed　all　my　wounds　with
her　skilful　needle；　I've　got　on　one　of　your　best　neckties；　and　this
lace　handkerchief　of　your　wife's；　which　I'm　going　to　keep　for　a
souvenir　of　the　most　extraordinary　adventure　of　my　life'

LAWTON：　　'Oh；　it's　an　old　newspaper　story；　Bemis；　I　tell　you。'

WILLIS：　　'Well；　Aunt　Mary；　I　wish　Agnes　were　here　now　to　see　Roberts
in　his　character　of　MORAL　hero。　　He　'done'　it　with　his　little
hatchet；　but　he　waited　to　make　sure　that　Bushrod　was　all　right
before　he　owned　up。'

MRS。　ROBERTS；　appearing：　　'Who；　Willis？'

WILLIS：　　'A　very　great　and　good　manGeorge　Washington。'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'I　thought　you　meant　Edward。'

WILLIS：　　'Well；　I　don't　suppose　there　IS　much　difference。'

MRS。　CRASHAW：　　'The　robber　has　been　caught；　Agnes。'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'Caught？　　Nonsense！　　You　don't　mean　it！　　How　can　you
trifle　with　such　a　subject？　　I　know　you　are　joking！　　Who　is　it？'

YOUNG　BEMIS：　　'You　never　could　guess'

MRS。　BEMIS：　　'Never　in　the　world！'

MRS。　ROBERTS：　　'I　don't　wish　to。　　But　oh；　Mr。　Bemis；　I've　just　come
from　my　own　children；　and　you　must　be　merciful　to　his　family！'

BEMIS：　　'For　your　sake；　dear　lady；　I　will。'

BELLA；　between　the　portieres：　　'Dinner　is　ready；　Mrs。　Roberts。'

MRS。　ROBERTS；　passing　her　hand　through　Mr。　Bemis's　arm：　　'Oh；　then
you　must　go　in　with　me；　and　tell　me　all　about　it。'







End