pgw.piccadillyjim-第18节
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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
atoh； well； all sorts of things might happen。 And now the moment had e。 It was true that he had always pictured the scene as taking place by moonlight and at present there was a half…gale blowing； out of an inky sky； also on the present occasion anything in the nature of a low…voiced speech was absolutely out of the question owing to the uproar of the elements。 Still； taking these drawbacks into consideration； the chance was far too good to miss。 Such an opening might never happen again。 He waited till the ship had steadied herself after an apparently suicidal dive into an enormous roller； then； staggering back to her side； spoke。
〃Love is the biggest thing in life！〃 he roared。
〃What is？〃 shrieked Ann。
〃Love！〃 bellowed Jimmy。
He wished a moment later that he had postponed this statement of faith； for their next steps took them into a haven of parative calm； where some dimly seen portion of the vessel's anatomy jutted out and formed a kind of nook where it was possible to hear the ordinary tones of the human voice。 He halted here； and Ann did the same； though unwillingly。 She was conscious of a feeling of disappointment and of a modification of her mood of radeship towards her panion。 She held strong views； which she believed to be unalterable； on the subject under discussion。
〃Love！〃 she said。 It was too dark to see her face； but her voice sounded unpleasantly scornful。 〃I shouldn't have thought that you would have been so conventional as that。 You seemed different。〃
〃Eh？〃 said Jimmy blankly。
〃I hate all this talk about Love； as if it were something wonderful that was worth everything else in life put together。 Every book you read and every song that you see in the shop…windows is all about Love。 It's as if the whole world were in a conspiracy to persuade themselves that there's a wonderful something just round the corner which they can get if they try hard enough。 And they hypnotise themselves into thinking of nothing else and miss all the splendid things of life。〃
〃That's Shaw； isn't it？〃 said Jimmy。
〃What is Shaw？〃
〃What you were saying。 It's out of one of Bernard Shaw's things； isn't it？〃
〃It is not。〃 A note of acidity had crept into Ann's voice。 〃It is perfectly original。〃
〃I'm certain I've heard it before somewhere。〃
〃If you have； that simply means that you must have associated with some sensible person。〃
Jimmy was puzzled。
〃But why the grouch？〃 he asked。
〃I don't understand you。〃
〃I mean； why do you feel that way about it？〃
Ann was quite certain now that she did not like this young man nearly as well as she had supposed。 It is trying for a strong…minded； clear…thinking girl to have her philosophy described as a grouch。
〃Because I've had the courage to think about it for myself； and not let myself be blinded by popular superstition。 The whole world has united in making itself imagine that there is something called love which is the most wonderful happening in life。 The poets and novelists have simply hounded them on to believe it。 It's a gigantic swindle。〃
A wave of tender passion swept over Jimmy。 He understood it all now。 Naturally a girl who had associated all her life with the Rollos； Clarences； Dwights； and Twombleys would e to despair of the possibility of falling in love with any one。
〃You haven't met the right man；〃 he said。 She had； of course； but only recently： and； anyway； he could point that out later。
〃There is no such thing as the right man；〃 said Ann resolutely； 〃if you are suggesting that there is a type of man in existence who is capable of inspiring what is called romantic love。 I believe in marriage。 。 。 。〃
〃Good work！〃 said Jimmy； well satisfied。
〃 。 。 。 But not as the result of a sort of delirium。 I believe in it as a sensible partnership between two friends who know each other well and trust each other。 The right way of looking at marriage is to realise； first of all； that there are no thrills； no romances； and then to pick out some one who is nice and kind and amusing and full of life and willing to do things to make you happy。〃
〃Ah！〃 said Jimmy； straightening his tie； 〃Well； that's something。〃
〃How do you meanthat's something？ Are you shocked at my views？〃
〃I don't believe they are your views。 You've been reading one of these stern； soured fellows who analyse things。〃
Ann stamped。 The sound was inaudible； but Jimmy noticed the movement。
〃Cold？〃 he said。 〃Let's walk on。〃
Ann's sense of humour reasserted itself。 It was not often that it remained dormant for so long。 She laughed。
〃I know exactly what you are thinking；〃 she said。 〃You believe that I am posing； that those aren't my real opinions。〃
〃They can't be。 But I don't think you are posing。 It's getting on for dinner…time； and you've got that wan； sinking feeling that makes you look upon the world and find it a hollow fraud。 The bugle will be blowing in a few minutes； and half an hour after that you will be yourself again。〃
〃I'm myself now。 I suppose you can't realise that a pretty girl can hold such views。〃
Jimmy took her arm。
〃Let me help you；〃 he said。 〃There's a knothole in the deck。 Watch your step。 Now； listen to me。 I'm glad you've brought up this subjectI mean the subject of your being the prettiest girl in the known world〃
〃I never said that。〃
〃Your modesty prevented you。 But it's a fact； nevertheless。 I'm glad； I say； because I have been thinking a lot along those lines myself； and I have been anxious to discuss the point with you。 You have the most glorious hair I have ever seen！〃
〃Do you like red hair？〃
〃Red…gold。〃
〃It is nice of you to put it like that。 When I was a child all except a few of the other children called me Carrots。〃
〃They have undoubtedly e to a bad end by this time。 If bears were sent to attend to the children who criticised Elijah； your little friends were in line for a troupe of tigers。 But there were some of a finer fibre？ There were a few who didn't call you Carrots？〃
〃One or two。 They called me Brick…Top。〃
〃They have probably been electrocuted since。 Your eyes are perfectly wonderful！〃
Ann withdrew her arm。 An extensive acquaintance of young men told her that the topic of conversation was now due to be changed。
〃You will like America；〃 she said。
〃We are not discussing America。〃
〃I am。 It is a wonderful country for a man who wants to succeed。 If I were you； I should go out West。〃
〃Do you live out West？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then why suggest my going there？ Where do you live？〃
〃I live in New York。〃
〃I shall stay in New York； then。〃
Ann was wary； but amused。 Proposals of marriageand Jimmy seemed to be moving swiftly towards onewere no novelty in her life。 In the course of several seasons at Bar Harbor； Tuxedo； Palm Beach； and in New York itself； she had spent much of her time foiling and discouraging the ardour of a series of sentimental youths who had laid their unwele hearts at her feet。
〃New York is open for staying in about this time； I believe。〃
Jimmy was silent。 He had done his best to fight a tendency to bee depressed and had striven by means of a light tone to keep himself resolutely cheerful； but the girl's apparently total indifference to him was too much for his spirits。 One of the young men who had had to pick up the heart he had flung at Ann's feet and carry it away for repairs had once confided to an intimate friend； after the sting had to some extent passed； that the feelings of a man who made love to Ann might be likened to the emotions which hot chocolate might be supposed to entertain on contact with vanilla ice…cream。 Jimmy； had the parison been presented to him； would have endorsed its perfect accuracy。 The wind from the sea； until now keen and bracing； had bee merely infernally cold。 The song of the wind in the rigging； erstwhile melodious； had turned into a damned depressing howling。
〃I used to be as sentimental as any one a few years ago；〃 said Ann； returning to the dropped subject。 〃Just after I left college； I was quite maudlin。 I dreamed of moons and Junes and loves and doves all the time。 Then something happened which made me see what a little fool I was。 It wasn't pleasant at the time； but it had a very bracing effect。 I have been quite different ever since。 It was a man； of course； who did it。 His method was quite simple。 He just made fun of me； and Nature did the rest。〃
Jimmy scowled in the darkness。 Murderous thoughts towards the unknown brute flooded his mind。
〃I wish I could meet him！〃 he growled。
〃You aren't likely to；〃 said Ann。 〃He lives in England。 His name is Crocker。 Jimmy Crocker。 I spoke about him just now。〃
Through the howling of the wind cut the sharp notes of a bugle。 Ann turned to the saloon entrance。
〃Dinner！〃 she said brightly。 〃How hungry one gets on board ship！〃 She stopped。 〃Aren't you ing down； Mr。 Bayliss？〃
〃Not just yet；〃 said Jimmy thickly。
CHAPTER VIII
PAINFUL SCENE IN A CAFé
THE noonday sun beat down on Park Row。 Hurrying mortals； released from a thousand offices； congested the sidewalks； their thoughts busy with the vision of lunch。 Up and down the canyon of Nassau Street the crowds moved more slowly。 Candy…selling aliens jostled newsboys； and huge dray…horses endeavoured to the best of
