the wheels of chance-第14节

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〃She'll　be　a　nice　little　lot　to　marry；〃　said　the　barmaid。　〃She'll　be　wearing　thewell；　b…dashes；　as　the　sayin'　is。　I　can't　think　what　girls　is　comin'　to。〃

This　depreciation　of　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey　was　hardly　to　Hoopdriver's　taste。

〃Fashion；〃　said　he；　taking　up　his　change。　〃Fashion　is　all　the　go　with　you　ladiesand　always　was。　You'll　be　wearing　'em　yourself　before　a　couple　of　years　is　out。〃

〃Nice　they'd　look　on　my　figger；〃　said　the　barmaid；　with　a　titter。　〃NoI　ain't　one　of　your　fashionable　sort。　Gracious　no！　I　shouldn't　feel　as　if　I'd　anything　on　me；　not　more　than　if　I'd　forgot　Well；　there！　I'm　talking。〃　She　put　down　the　glass　abruptly。　〃I　dessay　I'm　old　fashioned；〃　she　said；　and　walked　humming　down　the　bar。

〃Not　you；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　He　waited　until　he　caught　her　eye；　then　with　his　native　courtesy　smiled；　raised　his　cap；　and　wished　her　good　evening。



XIX

Then　Mr。　Hoopdriver　returned　to　the　little　room　with　the　lead…framed　windows　where　he　had　dined；　and　where　the　bed　was　now　comfortably　made；　sat　down　on　the　box　under　the　window；　stared　at　the　moon　rising　on　the　shining　vicarage　roof；　and　tried　to　collect　his　thoughts。　How　they　whirled　at　first！　It　was　past　ten；　and　most　of　Midhurst　was　tucked　away　in　bed；　some　one　up　the　street　was　learning　the　violin；　at　rare　intervals　a　belated　inhabitant　hurried　home　and　woke　the　echoes；　and　a　corncrake　kept　up　a　busy　churning　in　the　vicarage　garden。　The　sky　was　deep　blue；　with　a　still　luminous　afterglow　along　the　hlack　edge　of　the　hill；　and　the　white　moon　overhead；　save　for　a　couple　of　yellow　stars；　had　the　sky　to　herself。

At　first　his　thoughts　were　kinetic；　of　deeds　and　not　relationships。　There　was　this　malefactor；　and　his　victim；　and　it　had　fallen　on　Mr。　Hoopdriver　to　take　a　hand　in　the　game。　HE　was　married。　Did　she　know　he　was　married？　Never　for　a　moment　did　a　thought　of　evil　concerning　her　cross　Hoopdriver's　mind。　Simple…　minded　people　see　questions　of　morals　so　much　better　than　superior　personswho　have　read　and　thought　themselves　complex　to　impotence。　He　had　heard　her　voice；　seen　the　frank　light　in　her　eyes；　and　she　had　been　weepingthat　sufficed。　The　rights　of　the　case　he　hadn't　properly　grasped。　But　he　would。　And　that　smirking…　…well；　swine　was　the　mildest　for　him。　He　recalled　the　exceedingly　unpleasant　incident　of　the　railway　bridge。　〃Thin　we　won't　detain　yer；　thenks；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　aloud；　in　a　strange；　unnatural；　contemptible　voice；　supposed　to　represent　that　of　Bechamel。　〃Oh；　the　BEGGAR！　I'll　be　level　with　him　yet。　He's　afraid　of　us　detectivesthat　I'll　SWEAR。〃　（If　Mrs。　Wardor　should　chance　to　be　on　the　other　side　of　the　door　within　earshot；　well　and　good。）

For　a　space　he　meditated　chastisements　and　revenges；　physical　impossibilities　for　the　most　part；Bechamel　staggering　headlong　from　the　impact　of　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　large；　but；　to　tell　the　truth；　ill　supported　fist；　Bechamel's　five　feet　nine　of　height　lifted　from　the　ground　and　quivering　under　a　vigorously　applied　horsewhip。　So　pleasant　was　such　dreaming；　that　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　peaked　face　under　the　moonlight　was　transfigured。　One　might　have　paired　him　with　that　well…known　and　universally　admired　triumph；　'The　Soul's　Awakening；'　so　sweet　was　his　ecstasy。　And　presently　with　his　thirst　for　revenge　glutted　by　six　or　seven　violent　assaults；　a　duel　and　two　vigorous　murders；　his　mind　came　round　to　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey　again。

She　was　a　plucky　one　too。　He　went　over　the　incident　the　barmaid　at　the　Angel　had　described　to　him。　His　thoughts　ceased　to　be　a　torrent；　smoothed　down　to　a　mirror　in　which　she　was　reflected　with　infinite　clearness　and　detail。　He'd　never　met　anything　like　her　before。　Fancy　that　bolster　of　a　barmaid　being　dressed　in　that　way！　He　whuffed　a　contemptuous　laugh。　He　compared　her　colour；　her　vigour；　her　voice；　with　the　Young　Ladies　in　Business　with　whom　his　lot　had　been　cast。　Even　in　tears　she　was　beautiful；　more　beautiful　indeed　to　him；　for　it　made　her　seem　softer　and　weaker；　more　accessible。　And　such　weeping　as　he　had　seen　before　had　been　so　much　a　matter　of　damp　white　faces；　red　noses；　and　hair　coming　out　of　curl。　Your　draper's　assistant　becomes　something　of　a　judge　of　weeping；　because　weeping　is　the　custom　of　all　Young　Ladies　in　Business；　when　for　any　reason　their　services　are　dispensed　with。　She　could　weepand　（by　Gosh！）　she　could　smile。　HE　knew　that；　and　reverting　to　acting　abruptly；　he　smiled　confidentially　at　the　puckered　pallor　of　the　moon。

It　is　difficult　to　say　how　long　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　pensiveness　lasted。　It　seemed　a　long　time　before　his　thoughts　of　action　returned。　Then　he　remembered　he　was　a　'watcher'；　that　to…morrow　he　must　be　busy。　It　would　be　in　character　to　make　notes；　and　he　pulled　out　his　little　note…book。　With　that　in　hand　he　fell　a…thinking　again。　Would　that　chap　tell　her　the　'tecks　were　after　them？　If　so；　would　she　be　as　anxious　to　get　away　as　HE　was？　He　must　be　on　the　alert。　If　possible　he　must　speak　to　her。　Just　a　significant　word；　〃Your　friendtrust　me！〃It　occurred　to　him　that　to…morrow　these　fugitives　might　rise　early　to　escape。　At　that　he　thought　of　the　time　and　found　it　was　half…past　eleven。　〃Lord！〃　said　he；　〃I　must　see　that　I　wake。〃　He　yawned　and　rose。　The　blind　was　up；　and　he　pulled　back　the　little　chintz　curtains　to　let　the　sunlight　strike　across　to　the　bed；　hung　his　watch　within　good　view　of　his　pillow；　on　a　nail　that　supported　a　kettle…holder；　and　sat　down　on　his　bed　to　undress。　He　lay　awake　for　a　little　while　thinking　of　the　wonderful　possibilities　of　the　morrow；　and　thence　he　passed　gloriously　into　the　wonderland　of　dreams。



THE　PURSUIT

XX

And　now　to　tell　of　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　rising　with　the　sun；　vigilant；　active；　wonderful；　the　practicable　half　of　the　lead…framed　window　stuck　open；　ears　alert；　an　eye　flickering　incessantly　in　the　corner　panes；　in　oblique　glances　at　the　Angel　front。　Mrs。　Wardor　wanted　him　to　have　his　breakfast　downstairs　in　her　kitchen；　but　that　would　have　meant　abandoning　the　watch；　and　he　held　out　strongly。　The　bicycle；　cap…a…pie；　occupied；　under　protest；　a　strategic　position　in　the　shop。　He　was　expectant　by　six　in　the　morning。　By　nine　horrible　fears　oppressed　him　that　his　quest　had　escaped　him；　and　he　had　to　reconnoitre　the　Angel　yard　in　order　to　satisfy　himself。　There　he　found　the　ostler　（How　are　the　mighty　fallen　in　these　decadent　days！）　brushing　down　the　bicycles　of　the　chase；　and　he　returned　relieved　to　Mrs。　Wardor's　premises。　And　about　ten　they　emerged；　and　rode　quietly　up　the　North　Street。　He　watched　them　until　they　turned　the　corner　of　the　post　office；　and　then　out　into　the　road　and　up　after　them　in　fine　style！　They　went　by　the　engine…house　where　the　old　stocks　and　the　whipping　posts　are；　and　on　to　the　Chichester　road；　and　he　followed　gallantly。　So　this　great　chase　began。

They　did　not　look　round；　and　he　kept　them　just　within　sight；　getting　down　if　he　chanced　to　draw　closely　upon　them　round　a　corner。　By　riding　vigorously　he　kept　quite　conveniently　near　them；　for　they　made　but　little　hurry。　He　grew　hot　indeed；　and　his　knees　were　a　little　stiff　to　begin　with；　but　that　was　all。　There　was　little　danger　of　losing　them；　for　a　thin　chalky　dust　lay　upon　the　road；　and　the　track　of　her　tire　was　milled　like　a　shilling；　and　his　was　a　chequered　ribbon　along　the　way。　So　they　rode　by　Cobden's　monument　and　through　the　prettiest　of　villages；　until　at　last　the　downs　rose　steeply　ahead。　There　they　stopped　awhile　at　the　only　inn　in　the　place；　and　Mr。　Hoopdriver　took　up　a　position　which　commanded　the　inn　door；　and　mopped　his　face　and　thirsted　and　smoked　a　Red　Herring　cigarette。　They　remained　in　the　inn　for　some　time。　A　number　of　chubby　innocents　returning　home　from　school；　stopped　and　formed　a　line　in　front　of　him；　and　watched　him　quietly　but　firmly　for　the　space　of　ten　minutes　or　so。　〃Go　away；〃　said　he；　and　they　only　seemed　quietly　interested。　He　asked　them　all　their　names　then；　and　they　answered　indistinct　murmurs。　He　gave　it　up　at　last　and　became　passive　on　his　gate；　and　so　at　length　they　tired　of　him。

The　couple　under　observation　occupied　the　inn　so　long　that　Mr。　Hoopdriver　at　the　thought　of　their　possible　employment　hungered　as　well　as　thirsted。　Clearly；　they　were　lunching。　It　was　a　cloudless　day；　and　the　sun　at　the　meridian　beat　down　upon　the　top　of　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　head；　a　shower　bath　of　sunshine；　a　huge　jet　of　hot　light。　It　made　his　head　swim。　At　last　they　emerged；　and　the　other　man　in　brown　looked　back　and　saw　him。　They　rode　on　to　the　foot　of　the　down；　and　dismounting　began　to　push　tediously　up　that　long　nearly　vertical　ascent　of　blinding　white　road；　Mr。　Hoopdriver　hesitated。　It　might　take　them　twenty　minutes　to　mount　that。　Beyond　was　empty　downland　perhaps　for　miles。　He　decided　to　return　to　the　inn　and　snatch　a　hasty　meal。

At　the　inn　they　gave　him　biscuits　and　cheese　and　a　misleading　pewter　measure　of　sturdy　ale；　pleasant　under　the　palate；　cool　in　the　throat；　but　leaden　in　the　legs；　of　a　hot　afternoon。　He　felt　a　man　of　substance　as　he　emerged　in　the　blinding　sunshine；　but　even　by　the　foot　of　the　down　the　sun　was　insisting　again　that　his　skull　was　too　small　for　his　brains。　The　hill　had　gone　steeper；　the　chalky　road　blazed　like　a　magnesium　light；　and　his　front　wheel　began　an　apparently　incurable　squeaking。　He　felt　as　a　man　fr