malvina of brittany-第19节

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morning　my　suspicions　were　confirmed　by　reading　that　he　had　been
present　at　a　tea…party　given　on　the　terrace　by　Mr。　Will　Crooks。　　Mr。
Parable　conveyed　to　me　the　suggestion　of　a　man　absorbed　in　thought；
and　not　quite　aware　of　what　he　was　doing；　but　in　this；　of　course；　I
may　have　been　mistaken。　　He　paused　for　a　moment　to　look　over　the
railings　at　the　pelican。　　Mr。　Parable　said　something　to　the　pelican
which　I　was　not　near　enough　to　overhear；　and　then；　still　apparently
in　a　state　of　abstraction；　crossed　the　path　and　seated　himself　on
the　chair　next　to　that　occupied　by　the　young　lady。

From　the　tree　against　which　I　was　standing　I　was　able　to　watch　the
subsequent　proceedings　unobserved。　　The　lady　looked　at　Mr。　Parable
and　then　turned　away　and　smiled　to　herself。　　It　was　a　peculiar
smile；　and；　again　in　some　way　I　am　unable　to　explain；　reminded　me　of
my　first　wife。　　It　was　not　till　the　pelican　put　down　his　other　leg
and　walked　away　that　Mr。　Parable；　turning　his　gaze　westward；　became
aware　of　the　lady's　presence。

From　information　that　has　subsequently　come　to　my　knowledge；　I　am
prepared　to　believe　that　Mr。　Parable；　from　the　beginning；　really
thought　the　lady　was　a　friend　of　his。　　What　the　lady　thought　is　a
matter　for　conjecture；　I　can　only　speak　to　the　facts。　　Mr。　Parable
looked　at　the　lady　once　or　twice。　　Indeed；　one　might　say　with　truth
that　he　kept　on　doing　it。　　The　lady；　it　must　be　admitted；　behaved
for　a　while　with　extreme　propriety；　but　after　a　time；　as　I　felt　must
happen；　their　eyes　met；　and　then　it　was　I　heard　her　say：

〃Good　evening；　Mr。　Parable。〃

She　accompanied　the　words　with　the　same　peculiar　smile　to　which　I
have　already　alluded。　　The　exact　words　of　Mr。　Parable's　reply　I
cannot　remember。　　But　it　was　to　the　effect　that　he　had　thought　from
the　first　that　he　had　known　her　but　had　not　been　quite　sure。　　It　was
at　this　point　that；　thinking　I　saw　my　colleague　approaching；　I　went
to　meet　him。　　I　found　I　was　mistaken；　and　slowly　retraced　my　steps。
I　passed　Mr。　Parable　and　the　lady。　　They　were　talking　together　with
what　I　should　describe　as　animation。　　I　went　as　far　as　the　southern
extremity　of　the　suspension　bridge；　and　must　have　waited　there　quite
ten　minutes　before　returning　eastward。　　It　was　while　I　was　passing
behind　them　on　the　grass；　partially　screened　by　the　rhododendrons；
that　I　heard　Mr。　Parable　say　to　the　lady：

〃Why　shouldn't　we　have　it　together？〃

To　which　the　lady　replied：

〃But　what　about　Miss　Clebb？〃

I　could　not　overhear　what　followed；　owing　to　their　sinking　their
voices。　　It　seemed　to　be　an　argument。　　It　ended　with　the　young　lady
laughing　and　then　rising。　　Mr。　Parable　also　rose；　and　they　walked
off　together。　　As　they　passed　me　I　heard　the　lady　say：

〃I　wonder　if　there's　any　place　in　London　where　you're　not　likely　to
be　recognised。〃

Mr。　Parable；　who　gave　me　the　idea　of　being　in　a　state　of　growing
excitement；　replied　quite　loudly：

〃Oh；　let　'em！〃

I　was　following　behind　them　when　the　lady　suddenly　stopped。

〃I　know！〃　she　said。　　〃The　Popular　Cafe。〃


The　park…keeper　said　he　was　convinced　he　would　know　the　lady　again；
having　taken　particular　notice　of　her。　　She　had　brown　eyes　and　was
wearing　a　black　hat　supplemented　with　poppies。

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Arthur　Horton；　waiter　at　the　Popular　Cafe；　states　as　follows：

I　know　Mr。　John　Parable　by　sight。　　Have　often　heard　him　speak　at
public　meetings。　　Am　a　bit　of　a　Socialist　myself。　　Remember　his
dining　at　the　Popular　Cafe　on　the　evening　of　Thursday。　　Didn't
recognise　him　immediately　on　his　entrance　for　two　reasons。　　One　was
his　hat；　and　the　other　was　his　girl。　　I　took　it　from　him　and　hung　it
up。　　I　mean；　of　course；　the　hat。　　It　was　a　brand…new　bowler；　a
trifle　ikey　about　the　brim。　　Have　always　associated　him　with　a　soft
grey　felt。　　But　never　with　girls。　　Females；　yes；　to　any　extent。　　But
this　was　the　real　article。　　You　know　what　I　meanthe　sort　of　girl
that　you　turn　round　to　look　after。　　It　was　she　who　selected　the
table　in　the　corner　behind　the　door。　　Been　there　before；　I　should
say。

I　should；　in　the　ordinary　course　of　business；　have　addressed　Mr。
Parable　by　name；　such　being　our　instructions　in　the　case　of
customers　known　to　us。　　But；　putting　the　hat　and　the　girl　together；
I　decided　not　to。　　Mr。　Parable　was　all　for　our　three…and…six…penny
table　d'hote；　he　evidently　not　wanting　to　think。　　But　the　lady
wouldn't　hear　of　it。

〃Remember　Miss　Clebb；〃　she　reminded　him。

Of　course；　at　the　time　I　did　not　know　what　was　meant。　　She　ordered
thin　soup；　a　grilled　sole；　and　cutlets　au　gratin。　　It　certainly
couldn't　have　been　the　dinner。　　With　regard　to　the　champagne；　he
would　have　his　own　way。　　I　picked　him　out　a　dry　'94；　that　you　might
have　weaned　a　baby　on。　　I　suppose　it　was　the　whole　thing　combined。

It　was　after　the　sole　that　I　heard　Mr。　Parable　laugh。　　I　could
hardly　credit　my　ears；　but　half…way　through　the　cutlets　he　did　it
again。

There　are　two　kinds　of　women。　　There　is　the　woman　who；　the　more　she
eats　and　drinks；　the　stodgier　she　gets；　and　the　woman　who　lights　up
after　it。　　I　suggested　a　peche　Melba　between　them；　and　when　I
returned　with　it；　Mr。　Parable　was　sitting　with　his　elbows　on　the
table　gazing　across　at　her　with　an　expression　that　I　can　only
describe　as　quite　human。　　It　was　when　I　brought　the　coffee　that　he
turned　to　me　and　asked：

〃What's　doing？　Nothing　stuffy；〃　he　added。　　〃Is　there　an　Exhibition
anywheresomething　in　the　open　air？〃

〃You　are　forgetting　Miss　Clebb；〃　the　lady　reminded　him。

〃For　two　pins；〃　said　Mr。　Parable；　〃I　would　get　up　at　the　meeting　and
tell　Miss　Clebb　what　I　really　think　about　her。〃

I　suggested　the　Earl's　Court　Exhibition；　little　thinking　at　the　time
what　it　was　going　to　lead　to；　but　the　lady　at　first　wouldn't　hear　of
it；　and　the　party　at　the　next　table　calling　for　their　bill　（they　had
asked　for　it　once　or　twice　before；　when　I　came　to　think　of　it）；　I
had　to　go　across　to　them。

When　I　got　back　the　argument　had　just　concluded；　and　the　lady　was
holding　up　her　finger。

〃On　condition　that　we　leave　at　half…past　nine；　and　that　you　go
straight　to　Caxton　Hall；〃　she　said。

〃We'll　see　about　it；〃　said　Mr。　Parable；　and　offered　me　half　a　crown。

Tips　being　against　the　rules；　I　couldn't　take　it。　　Besides；　one　of
the　jumpers　had　his　eye　on　me。　　I　explained　to　him；　jocosely；　that　I
was　doing　it　for　a　bet。　　He　was　surprised　when　I　handed　him　his　hat；
but；　the　lady　whispering　to　him；　he　remembered　himself　in　time。

As　they　went　out　together　I　heard　Mr。　Parable　say　to　the　lady：

〃It's　funny　what　a　shocking　memory　I　have　for　names。〃

To　which　the　lady　replied：

〃You'll　think　it　funnier　still　to…morrow。〃　And　then　she　laughed。


Mr。　Horton　thought　he　would　know　the　lady　again。　　He　puts　down　her
age　at　about　twenty…six；　describing　herto　use　his　own　piquant
expressionas　〃a　bit　of　all　right。〃　　She　had　brown　eyes　and　a
taking　way　with　her。

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Miss　Ida　Jenks；　in　charge　of　the　Eastern　Cigarette　Kiosk　at　the
Earl's　Court　Exhibition；　gives　the　following　particulars：

From　where　I　generally　stand　I　can　easily　command　a　view　of　the
interior　of　the　Victoria　Hall；　that　is；　of　course；　to　say　when　the
doors　are　open；　as　on　a　warm　night　is　usually　the　case。

On　the　evening　of　Thursday；　the　twenty…seventh；　it　was　fairly　well
occupied；　but　not　to　any　great　extent。　　One　couple　attracted　my
attention　by　reason　of　the　gentleman's　erratic　steering。　　Had　he
been　my　partner　I　should　have　suggested　a　polka；　the　tango　not　being
the　sort　of　dance　that　can　be　picked　up　in　an　evening。　　What　I　mean
to　say　is；　that　he　struck　me　as　being　more　willing　than　experienced。
Some　of　the　bumps　she　got　would　have　made　me　cross；　but　we　all　have
our　fancies；　and；　so　far　as　I　could　judge；　they　both　appeared　to　be
enjoying　themselves。　　It　was　after　the　〃Hitchy　Koo〃　that　they　came
outside。

The　seat　to　the　left　of　the　door　is　popular　by　reason　of　its　being
partly　screened　by　bushes；　but　by　leaning　forward　a　little　it　is
quite　possible　for　me　to　see　what　goes　on　there。　　They　were　the
first　couple　out；　having　had　a　bad　collision　near　the　bandstand；　so
easily　secured　it。　　The　gentleman　was　laughing。

There　was　something　about　him　from　the　first　that　made　me　think　I
knew　him；　and　when　he　took　off　his　hat　to　wipe　his　head　it　came　to
me　all　of　a　sudden；　he　being　the　exact　image　of　his　effigy　at　Madame
Tussaud's；　which；　by　a　curious　coincidence；　I　happened　to　have
visited　with　a　friend　that　very　afternoon。　　The　lady　was　what　some
people　would　call　good…looking；　and　others　mightn't。

I　was　watching　them；　naturally　a　little　interested。　　Mr。　Parable；　in
helping　the　lady　to　adjust　her　cloak；　drew　herit　may　have　been　by
accidenttowards　him；　and　then　it　was　that　a　florid　gentleman　with
a　short　pipe　in　his　mouth　stepped　forward　and　addressed　the　lady。
He　raised　his　hat　and；　remarking　〃Good　evening；〃　added　that　he　hoped
she　was　〃having　a　pleasant　time。〃　　His　tone；　I　should　explain；　was
sarcastic。

The　young　woman；　whatever　else　may　be　said　of　her；　struck　me　as
behaving　quite　correctly。　　Replying　to　his　salutation　with　a　cold
and　distant　bow；　she　rose；　and；　turning　to　Mr。　Parable；　o