tommy and co.-第27部分

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〃Want　to　speak　to　you　at　onceALONE。　　Don't　yell　when　you　see　me。　　
It's　all　right。　　Can　explain　in　two　ticks。Your　loving　brother；　
JOHNNY。〃

It　took　longer　than　two　ticks；　but　at　last　the　Babe　came　to　an　end　
of　it。

〃When　you　have　done　laughing；〃　said　the　Babe。

〃But　you　look　so　ridiculous；〃　said　his　sister。

〃THEY　didn't　think　so；〃　retorted　the　Babe。　　〃I　took　them　in　all　
right。　　Guess　you've　never　had　as　much　attention；　all　in　one　day。〃

〃Are　you　sure　you　took　them　in？〃　queried　his　sister。

〃If　you　will　come　to　the　Club　at　eight　o'clock　this　evening；〃　said　
the　Babe；　〃I'll　prove　it　to　you。　　Perhaps　I'll　take　you　on　to　a　
theatre　afterwardsif　you're　good。〃

The　Babe　himself　walked　into　the　Autolycus　Club　a　few　minutes　
before　eight　and　encountered　an　atmosphere　of　restraint。

〃Thought　you　were　lost；〃　remarked　Somerville　coldly。

〃Called　away　suddenlyvery　important　business；〃　explained　the　
Babe。　　〃Awfully　much　obliged　to　all　you　fellows　for　all　you　have　
been　doing　for　my　sister。　　She's　just　been　telling　me。〃

〃Don't　mention　it；〃　said　two　or　three。

〃Awfully　good　of　you；　I'm　sure；〃　persisted　the　Babe。　　〃Don't　know　
what　she　would　have　done　without　you。〃

A　mere　nothing；　the　Club　assured　him。　　The　blushing　modesty　of　the　
Autolycus　Club　at　hearing　of　their　own　good　deeds　was　touching。　　
Left　to　themselves；　they　would　have　talked　of　quite　other　things。　　
As　a　matter　of　fact；　they　tried　to。

〃Never　heard　her　speak　so　enthusiastically　of　anyone　as　she　does　of　
you；　Jack；〃　said　the　Babe；　turning　to　Jack　Herring。

〃Of　course；　you　know；　dear　boy；〃　explained　Jack　Herring；　〃anything　
I　could　do　for　a　sister　of　yours〃

〃I　know；　dear　boy；〃　replied　the　Babe；　〃I　always　felt　it。〃

〃Say　no　more　about　it；〃　urged　Jack　Herring。

〃She　couldn't　quite　make　out　that　letter　of　yours　this　morning；〃　
continued　the　Babe；　ignoring　Jack's　request。　　〃She's　afraid　you　
think　her　ungrateful。〃

〃It　seemed　to　me；　on　reflection；〃　explained　Jack　Herring；　〃that　on　
one　or　two　little　matters　she　may　have　misunderstood　me。　　As　I　
wrote　her；　there　are　days　when　I　don't　seem　altogether　to　quite　
know　what　I'm　doing。〃

〃Rather　awkward；〃　thought　the　Babe。

〃It　is；〃　agreed　Jack　Herring。　　〃Yesterday　was　one　of　them。〃

〃She　tells　me　you　were　most　kind　to　her；〃　the　Babe　reassured　him。　　
〃She　thought　at　first　it　was　a　little　uncivil；　your　refusing　to　
lend　her　any　money。　　But　as　I　put　it　to　her　〃

〃It　was　silly　of　me；〃　interrupted　Jack。　　〃I　see　that　now。　　I　went　
round　this　morning　meaning　to　make　it　all　right。　　But　she　was　gone；　
and　Mrs。　Postwhistle　seemed　to　think　I　had　better　leave　things　as　
they　were。　　I　blame　myself　exceedingly。〃

〃My　dear　boy；　don't　blame　yourself　for　anything。　　You　acted　nobly；〃　
the　Babe　told　him。　　〃She's　coming　here　to　call　for　me　this　evening　
on　purpose　to　thank　you。〃

〃I'd　rather　not；〃　said　Jack　Herring。

〃Nonsense；〃　said　the　Babe。

〃You　must　excuse　me；〃　insisted　Jack　Herring。　　〃I　don't　mean　it　
rudely；　but　really　I'd　rather　not　see　her。〃

〃But　here　she　is；〃　said　the　Babe；　taking　at　that　moment　the　card　
from　old　Goslin's　hand。　　〃She　will　think　it　so　strange。〃

〃I'd　really　rather　not；〃　repeated　poor　Jack。

〃It　seems　discourteous；〃　suggested　Somerville。

〃You　go；〃　suggested　Jack。

〃She　doesn't　want　to　see　me；〃　explained　Somerville。

〃Yes　she　does；〃　corrected　him　the　Babe。

〃I'd　forgotten；　she　wants　to　see　you　both。〃

〃If　I　go；〃　said　Jack；　〃I　shall　tell　her　the　plain　truth。〃

〃Do　you　know；〃　said　Somerville；　〃I'm　thinking　that　will　be　the　
shortest　way。〃

Miss　Bulstrode　was　seated　in　the　hall。　　Jack　Herring　and　Somerville　
both　thought　her　present　quieter　style　of　dress　suited　her　much　
better。

〃Here　he　is；〃　announced　the　Babe；　in　triumph。　　〃Here's　Jack　Herring　
and　here's　Somerville。　　Do　you　know；　I　could　hardly　persuade　them　
to　come　out　and　see　you。　　Dear　old　Jack；　he　always　was　so　shy。〃

Miss　Bulstrode　rose。　　She　said　she　could　never　thank　them　
sufficiently　for　all　their　goodness　to　her。　　Miss　Bulstrode　seemed　
quite　overcome。　　Her　voice　trembled　with　emotion。

〃Before　we　go　further；　Miss　Bulstrode；〃　said　Jack　Herring；　〃it　will　
be　best　to　tell　you　that　all　along　we　thought　you　were　your　
brother；　dressed　up　as　a　girl。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　the　Babe；　〃so　that's　the　explanation；　is　it？　　If　I　had　
only　known〃　　Then　the　Babe　stopped；　and　wished　he　hadn't　spoken。

Somerville　seized　him　by　the　shoulders　and；　with　a　sudden　jerk；　
stood　him　beside　his　sister　under　the　gas…jet。

〃You　little　brute！〃　said　Somerville。　　〃It　was　you　all　along。〃　　And　
the　Babe；　seeing　the　game　was　up；　and　glad　that　the　joke　had　not　
been　entirely　on　one　side；　confessed。

Jack　Herring　and　Somerville　the　Briefless　went　that　night　with　
Johnny　and　his　sister　to　the　theatreand　on　other　nights。　　Miss　
Bulstrode　thought　Jack　Herring　very　nice；　and　told　her　brother　so。　　
But　she　thought　Somerville　the　Briefless　even　nicer；　and　later；　
under　cross…examination；　when　Somerville　was　no　longer　briefless；　
told　Somerville　so　himself。

But　that　has　nothing　to　do　with　this　particular　story；　the　end　of　
which　is　that　Miss　Bulstrode　kept　the　appointment　made　for　Monday　
afternoon　between　〃Miss　Montgomery〃　and　Mr。　Jowett；　and　secured　
thereby　the　Marble　Soap　advertisement　for　the　back　page　of　Good　
Humour　for　six　months；　at　twenty…five　pounds　a　week。



STORY　THE　SEVENTH：　　Dick　Danvers　presents　his　Petition



William　Clodd；　mopping　his　brow；　laid　down　the　screwdriver；　and　
stepping　back；　regarded　the　result　of　his　labours　with　evident　
satisfaction。

〃It　looks　like　a　bookcase；〃　said　William　Clodd。　　〃You　might　sit　in　
the　room　for　half　an　hour　and　never　know　it　wasn't　a　bookcase。〃

What　William　Clodd　had　accomplished　was　this：　　he　had　had　prepared；　
after　his　own　design；　what　appeared　to　be　four　shelves　laden　with　
works　suggestive　of　thought　and　erudition。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　it　
was　not　a　bookcase；　but　merely　a　flat　board；　the　books　merely　the　
backs　of　volumes　that　had　long　since　found　their　way　into　the　
paper…mill。　　This　artful　deception　William　Clodd　had　screwed　upon　a　
cottage　piano　standing　in　the　corner　of　the　editorial　office　of　
Good　Humour。　　Half　a　dozen　real　volumes　piled　upon　the　top　of　the　
piano　completed　the　illusion。　　As　William　Clodd　had　proudly　
remarked；　a　casual　visitor　might　easily　have　been　deceived。

〃If　you　had　to　sit　in　the　room　while　she　was　practising　mixed　
scales；　you'd　be　quickly　undeceived；〃　said　the　editor　of　Good　
Humour；　one　Peter　Hope。　　He　spoke　bitterly。

〃You　are　not　always　in；〃　explained　Clodd。　　〃There　must　be　hours　
when　she　is　here　alone；　with　nothing　else　to　do。　　Besides；　you　will　
get　used　to　it　after　a　while。〃

〃You；　I　notice；　don't　try　to　get　used　to　it；〃　snarled　Peter　Hope。　　
〃You　always　go　out　the　moment　she　commences。〃

〃A　friend　of　mine；〃　continued　William　Clodd；　〃worked　in　an　office　
over　a　piano…shop　for　seven　years；　and　when　the　shop　closed；　it　
nearly　ruined　his　business；　couldn't　settle　down　to　work　for　want　
of　it。〃

〃Why　doesn't　he　come　here？〃　asked　Peter　Hope。　　〃The　floor　above　is　
vacant。〃

〃Can't；〃　explained　William　Clodd。　　〃He's　dead。〃

〃I　can　quite　believe　it；〃　commented　Peter　Hope。

〃It　was　a　shop　where　people　came　and　practised；　paying　sixpence　an　
hour；　and　he　had　got　to　like　itsaid　it　made　a　cheerful　background　
to　his　thoughts。　　Wonderful　what　you　can　get　accustomed　to。〃

〃What's　the　good　of　it？〃　demanded　Peter　Hope。

〃What's　the　good　of　it！〃　retorted　William　Clodd　indignantly。　　
〃Every　girl　ought　to　know　how　to　play　the　piano。　　A　nice　thing　if　
when　her　lover　asks　her　to　play　something　to　him〃

〃I　wonder　you　don't　start　a　matrimonial　agency；〃　sneered　Peter　
Hope。　　〃Love　and　marriageyou　think　of　nothing　else。〃

〃When　you　are　bringing　up　a　young　girl〃　argued　Clodd。

〃But　you're　not；〃　interrupted　Peter；　〃that's　just　what　I'm　trying　
to　get　out　of　your　head。　　It　is　I　who　am　bringing　her　up。　　And　
between　ourselves；　I　wish　you　wouldn't　interfere　so　much。〃

〃You　are　not　fit　to　bring　up　a　girl。〃

〃I've　brought　her　up　for　seven　years　without　your　help。　　She's　my　
adopted　daughter；　not　yours。　　I　do　wish　people　would　learn　to　mind　
their　own　business。〃

〃You've　done　very　well　〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Peter　Hope　sarcastically。　　〃It's　very　kind　of　
you。　　Perhaps　when　you've　time；　you'll　write　me　out　a　testimonial。〃

〃up　till　now；〃　concluded　the　imperturbable　Clodd。　　〃A　girl　of　
eighteen　wants　to　know　something　else　besides　mathematics　and　the　
classics。　　You　don't　understand　them。〃

〃I　do　understand　them；〃　asserted　Peter　Hope。　　〃What　do　you　know　
about　them？　　You're　not　a　father。〃

〃You've　done　your　best；〃　admitted　William　Clodd　in　a　tone　of　
patronage　that　irritated　Peter　greatly；　〃but　you're　a　dreamer；　you　
don't　know　the　world。　　The　time　is　coming　when　the　girl　will　have　
to　think　of　a　husband。〃

〃There's　no　need　for　her　to　think　of　a　husband；　not　for　years；〃　
retorted　Peter　Hope。　　〃And　even　when　she　does；　is　strumming　on　the　
piano　going　to　help　her？〃

〃I　tinkI　tink；〃　said　Dr。　Smith；　who　had　hitherto　remained　a　
silent　listener；　〃our　young　frent　Clodd　is　right。　　You　haf　never　
quite　got　over　your　idea　dat　she　was　going　to　be　a　boy。　　You　haf　
taught　her　de　tings　a　boy　should　know。〃

〃You　cut　her　hair；〃　added　Clodd。

〃I　don't；〃　snapped　Peter。

〃You　let　her　have　it　cutit's　the　same　thing。　　At　eighteen　she　
knows　more　about　the　ancient　Greeks　and　Romans　than　she　does　about　
her　own　frocks。〃

〃De　young　girl；〃　argued　the　doctor；　〃what　is　she？　　De　flower　dat　
makes　bright　for　us　de　garden　of　life；　de　gurgling　brook　dat　
murmurs　by　de　dusty　highway；　de　cheerful　fire〃

〃She　can't　be　all　of　them；〃　snapped　Peter；　who　was　a　stickler　for　
style。　　〃Do　keep　to　one　simile　at　a　time。〃

〃Now　you　listen　to　plain　sense；〃　said　William　Clodd。　　〃You　wantwe　
all　wantthe　girl　to　be　a　success　all　round。〃

〃I　want　her〃　　Peter　Hope　was　rummaging　among　the　litter　on　the　
desk。　　It　certainly　was　not　there。　　Peter　pulled　out　a　drawer…two　
drawers。　　〃I　wish；〃　said　Peter　Hope；　〃I　wish　sometimes　she　wasn't　
quite　so　clever。〃

The　old　doctor　rummaged　among　dusty　files　of　papers　in　a　corner。　　
Clodd　found　it　on　the　mantelpiece　c