dolly dialogues-第16部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


of　time　before　you。〃

〃It　will　be　an　extremely　interesting　experience；〃　said　I；　sitting　down　again。

The　door　opened；　and；　as　I　expected　（I　don't　know　why；　but　it　happens　like　that　in　dreams）；　Dolly　Mickleham　came　in。　　She　did　not　seem　to　see　me。　　She　bowed　to　Rhadamanthus；　smiled；　and　took　a　chair　immediately　opposite　the　table。

〃MicklehamDorotheaCountess　of〃　she　said。

〃Formerly；　I　think；　Dolly　Foster？〃　asked　Rhadamanthus。

〃I　don't　see　what　that's　got　to　do　with　it；〃　said　Dolly。

〃The　account　runs　on；〃　he　explained；　and　began　to　consult　his　big　book。　　Dolly　leant　back　in　her　chair；　slowly　peeling　off　her　gloves。　　Rhadamanthus　shut　the　book　with　a　bang。

〃It's　not　the　least　use；〃　he　said　decisively。　　〃It　wouldn't　be　kind　to　pretend　that　it　was；　Lady　Mickleham。〃

〃Dear；　dear；〃　said　Dolly。　　〃What's　the　matter？〃

〃Half　the　women　in　London　have　petitioned　against　you。〃

〃Have　they；　really？〃　cried　Dolly；　to　all　appearance　rather　delighted。　　〃What　do　they　say；　Mr。　Rhadamanthus？　　Is　it　in　that　book？　　Let　me　look。〃　　And　she　held　out　her　hand。

〃The　book's　too　heavy　for　you　to　hold；〃　said　he。

〃I'll　come　round；〃　said　Dolly。　　So　she　went　round　and　leant　over　his　shoulder　and　read　the　book。

〃What's　that　scent　you've　got　on？〃　asked　Rhadamanthus。

〃Bouquet　du　diable；〃　said　she。　　（I　had　never　heard　of　the　perfume　before。）　　〃Isn't　it　sweet？〃

〃I　haven't　smelt　it　since　I　was　a　boy；〃　sighed　Rhadamanthus。

〃Poor　old　thing；〃　said　Dolly。　〃I'm　not　going　to　read　all　this；　you　know。〃　　And；　with　a　somewhat　contemptuous　smile；　she　walked　back　to　her　chair。　　〃They　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　themselves；〃　she　added；　as　she　sat　down。　　〃It's　just　because　I'm　not　a　fright。〃

〃Aren't　you　a　fright？〃　asked　Rhadamanthus。　　〃Where　are　my　spectacles？〃

He　put　them　on　and　looked　at　Dolly。

〃I　must　go　in；　you　know；〃　said　Dolly；　smiling　at　Rhadamanthus。　　〃My　husband　has　gone　in！〃

〃I　shouldn't　have　thought　you'd　consider　that　conclusive；〃　said　he；　with　a　touch　of　satire　in　his　tone。

〃Don't　be　horrid；〃　said　Dolly；　pouting。

There　was　a　pause。　　Rhadamanthus　examined　Dolly　through　his　spectacles。

〃This　is　a　very　painful　duty；〃　said　he；　at　last。　　〃I　have　sat　here　for　a　great　many　years；　and　I　have　seldom　had　a　more　painful　duty。〃

〃It's　very　absurd　of　you；〃　said　Dolly。

〃I　can't　help　it；　though；〃　said　he。

〃Do　you　really　mean　that　I'm　not　to　go　in？〃

〃I　do；　indeed；〃　said　Rhadamanthus。

Dolly　rose。　　She　leant　her　arms　on　the　raised　ledge　which　ran　along　the　table；　and　she　leant　her　chin　on　her　hands。

〃Really？〃　she　said。

〃Really；〃　said　he；　looking　the　other　way。

A　sudden　change　came　over　Dolly's　face。　　Her　dimples　vanished；　her　eyes　grew　pathetic　and　began　to　shine　rather　than　to　sparkle；　her　lip　quivered　just　a　little。

〃You're　very　unkind；〃　she　said　in　an　extremely　low　tone。　　〃I　had　no　idea　you　would　be　so　unkind。〃

Rhadamanthus　seemed　very　uncomfortable。

〃Don't　do　that；〃　he　said；　quite　sharply；　fidgeting　with　the　blotting　paper。

Dolly　began　to　move　slowly　round　the　table。　　Rhadamanthus　sat　still。　　When　she　was　standing　close　by　him；　she　put　her　hand　lightly　on　his　arm　and　said：

〃Please　do；　Mr。　Rhadamanthus。〃

〃It's　as　much　as　my　place　is　worth；〃　he　grumbled。

Dolly's　eyes　shone　still；　but　the　faintest　little　smile　began　to　play　about　her　mouth。

〃Some　day；〃　she　said　（with　total　inappropriateness；　now　I　come　to　think　of　it；　though　it　did　not　strike　me　so　at　the　time）；　〃you'll　be　glad　to　remember　having　done　a　kind　thing。　　When　you're　oldbecause　you　are　not　really　old　nowyou　will　say；　'I'm　glad　I　didn't　send　poor　Dolly　Mickleham　away　crying。'〃

Rhadamanthus　uttered　an　inarticulate　soundhalf　impatience；　half；　I　fancy；　something　else。

〃We　are　none　of　us　perfect；　I　dare　say。　　If　I　asked　your　wife〃

〃I　haven't　got　a　wife；〃　said　Rhadamanthus。

〃That's　why　you're　so　hard…hearted；〃　said　Dolly。　　〃A　man　who's　got　a　wife　is　never　hard　on　other　women。〃

There　was　another　pause。　　Then　Rhadamanthus；　looking　straight　at　the　blotting　paper；　said：

〃Oh；　well；　don't　bother　me。　　Be　off　with　you；〃　and　as　he　spoke；　the　door　behind　him　opened。

〃Oh；　you　old　dear！〃　she　cried；　and；　stooping　swiftly；　she　kissed　Rhadamanthus。　　〃You're　horribly　bristly！〃　she　laughed；　and　then；　before　he　could　move；　she　ran　through　the　door。

I　rose　from　my　seat；　taking　my　hat　and　stick　in　my　hand。　　I　felt；　as　you　may　suppose；　that　I　had　been　there　long　enough。　　When　I　moved　Rhadamanthus　looked　up；　and　with　an　attempt　at　unconsciousness　observed：

〃We　will　proceed　with　your　case　now；　if　you　please；　Mr。　Carter。〃

I　looked　him　full　in　the　face。　Rhadamanthus　blushed。　　I　pursued　my　way　towards　the　door。

〃Stop！〃　he　said；　in　a　blustering　tone。　　〃You　can't　go　there；　you　know。〃

I　smiled　significantly。

〃Isn't　it　rather　too　late　for　that　sort　of　thing？〃　I　asked。　　〃You　seem　to　forget　that　I　have　been　here　for　the　last　quarter　of　an　hour。〃

〃I　didn't　know　she　was　going　to　do　it；〃　he　protested。

〃Oh；　of　course；〃　said　I；　〃that　will　be　your　story。　　Mine；　however；　I　shall　tell　in　my　own　way。〃

Rhadamanthus　blushed　again。　　Evidently　he　felt　that　he　was　in　a　delicate　position。　　We　were　standing　thus；　facing　one　another；　when　the　door　began　to　open　again；　and　Dolly　put　her　head　out。

〃Oh；　it's　you；　is　it？〃　she　said。　　〃I　thought　I　heard　your　voice。　　Come　along　and　help　me　to　find　Archie。〃

〃This　gentleman　says　I'm　not　to　come　in；〃　said　I。

〃Oh；　what　nonsense！　　Now；　you　really　mustn't　be　silly；　Mr。　Rhadamanthusor　I　shall　have　toMr。　Carter；　you　weren't　there；　were　you？〃

〃I　wasand　a　more　interesting　piece　of　scandal　it　has　seldom　been〃

〃Hush！　　I　didn't　do　anything。　　Now；　you　know　I　didn't；　Mr。　Carter！〃

〃No；〃　said　I；　〃you　didn't。　　But　Rhadamanthus；　taking　you　unawares〃

〃Oh；　be　off　with　youboth　of　you！〃　cried　Rhadamanthus。

〃That's　sensible；〃　said　Dolly。　　〃Because　you　know；　there　really　isn't　any　harm　in　poor　Mr。　Carter。

Rhadamanthus　vanished。　　Dolly　and　I　went　inside。

〃I　suppose　everything　will　be　very　different　here；〃　said　Dolly；　and　I　think　she　sighed。

Whether　it　were　or　not　I　don't　know；　for　just　then　I　awoke；　and　found　myself　saying　aloud；　in　answer　to　the　dream　voice　and　the　dream　face　（which　had　not　gone　altogether　with　the　dream）。

〃Not　everything〃a　speech　that；　I　agree；　I　ought　not　to　have　made；　even　though　it　were　only　in　a　dream。




End