太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > an unsocial socialist >

第14节

an unsocial socialist-第14节

小说: an unsocial socialist 字数: 每页4000字

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!



mean to stay; likewise such as you see me。 That is; if what you
may call destiny permits。 For destiny is a rum thing; governor。 I
came here thinking it was the last place in the world I should
ever set eyes on you in; and blow me if you ain't a'most the
first person I pops on。〃

〃I do not choose to be a party to this mummery of〃

〃Asking your leave to take the word out of your mouth; governor;
I make you a party to nothink。 Respecting my past conduct; you
may out with it or you may keep it to yourself。 All I say is that
if you out with some of it I will out with the rest。 All or none。
You are free to tell the inspector here that I am a bad 'un。 His
penetrating mind have discovered that already。 But if you go into
names and particulars; you will not only be acting against the
wishes of my missus; but you will lead to my tellin' the whole
story right out afore everyone here; and then goin' away where no
one won't never find me。〃

〃I think the less said the better;〃 said Mrs。 Jansenius; uneasily
observant of the curiosity and surprise this dialogue was
causing。 〃But understand this; Mr。〃

〃Smilash; dear lady; Jeff Smilash。〃

〃Mr。 Smilash; whatever arrangement you may have made with your
wife; it has nothing to do with me。 You have behaved infamously;
and I desire to have as little as possible to say to you in
future! I desire to have nothing to say to younothing〃 said Mr。
Jansenius。 〃I look on your conduct as an insult to me;
personally。 You may live in any fashion you please; and where you
please。 All England is open to you except one placemy house。
Come; Ruth。〃 He offered his arm to his wife; she took it; and
they turned away; looking about for Agatha; who; disgusted at the
gaping curiosity of the rest; had pointedly withdrawn beyond
earshot of the conversation。

Miss Wilson looked from Smilashwho had watched Mr。 Jansenius's
explosion of wrath with friendly interest; as if it concerned him
as a curious spectator onlyto her two visitors as they
retreated。 〃Pray; do you consider this man's statement
satisfactory?〃 she said to them。 〃I do not。〃

〃I am far too common a man to be able to make any statement that
could satisfy a mind cultivated as yours has been;〃 said Smilash;
〃but I would 'umbly pint out to you that there is a boy yonder
with a telegram trying to shove hisself through the 'iborn
throng。〃

〃Miss Wilson!〃 cried the boy shrilly。

She took the telegram; read it; and frowned。 〃We have had all our
trouble for nothing; ladies and gentlemen;〃 she said; with
suppressed vexation。 〃Mrs。 Trefusis says here that she has gone
back to London。 She has not considered it necessary to add any
explanation。〃

There was a general murmur of disappointment。 

〃Don't lose heart; ladies;〃 said Smilash。 〃She may be drowned or
murdered for all we know。 Anyone may send a telegram in a false
name。 Perhaps it's a plant。 Let's hope for your sakes that some
little accidenton the railway; for instancemay happen yet。〃

Miss Wilson turned upon him; glad to find someone with whom she
might justly be angry。 〃You had better go about your business;〃
she said。 〃And don't let me see you here again。〃

〃This is 'ard;〃 said Smilash plaintively。 〃My intentions was
nothing but good。 But I know wot it is。 It's that young varmint
a…saying that the young lady kissed me。〃

〃Inspector;〃 said Miss Wilson; 〃will you oblige me by seeing that
he leaves the college as soon as possible?〃

〃Where's my wages?〃 he retorted reproachfully。 〃Where's my lawful
wages? I am su'prised at a lady like you; chock full o' moral
science and political economy; wanting to put a poor man off。
Where's your wages fund? Where's your remuneratory capital?〃

〃Don't you give him anything; ma'am;〃 said the inspector。 〃The
money he's had from the lady will pay him very well。 Move on
here; or we'll precious soon hurry you。〃

〃Very well;〃 grumbled Smilash。 〃I bargained for ninepence; and
what with the roller; and opening the soda water; and shoving
them heavy tables about; there was a decomposition of tissue in
me to the tune of two shillings。 But all I ask is the ninepence;
and let the lady keep the one and threppence as the reward of
abstinence。 Exploitation of labor at the rate of a hundred and
twenty…five per cent。; that is。 Come; give us ninepence; and I'll
go straight off。〃

〃Here is a shilling;〃 said Miss Wilson。 〃Now go。〃

〃Threppence change!〃 cried Smilash。 〃Honesty has ever been〃

〃You may keep the change。〃

〃You have a noble 'art; lady; but you're flying in the face of
the law of supply and demand。 If you keep payin' at this rate;
there'll be a rush of laborers to the college; and competition'll
soon bring you down from a shilling to sixpence; let alone
ninepence。 That's the way wages go down and death rates goes up;
worse luck for the likes of hus; as has to sell ourselves like
pigs in the market。〃

He was about to continue when the policeman took him by the arm;
turned him towards the gate; and pointed expressively in that
direction。 Smilash looked vacantly at him for a moment。 Then;
with a wink at Fairholme; he walked gravely away; amid general
staring and silence。



CHAPTER V

What had passed between Smilash and Henrietta remained unknown
except to themselves。 Agatha had seen Henrietta clasping his neck
in her arms; but had not waited to hear the exclamation of
〃Sidney; Sidney;〃 which followed; nor to see him press her face
to his breast in his anxiety to stifle her voice as he said; 〃My
darling love; don't screech I implore you。 Confound it; we shall
have the whole pack here in a moment。 Hush!〃

〃Don't leave me again; Sidney;〃 she entreated; clinging faster to
him as his perplexed gaze; wandering towards the entrance to the
shrubbery; seemed to forsake her。 A din of voices in that
direction precipitated his irresolution。

〃We must run away; Hetty;〃 he said 〃Hold fast about my neck; and
don't strangle me。 Now then。〃 He lifted her upon his shoulder and
ran swiftly through the grounds。 When they were stopped by the
wall; he placed her atop of it; scrabbled over; and made her jump
into his arms。 Then he staggered away with her across the fields;
gasping out in reply to the inarticulate remonstrances which
burst from her as he stumbled and reeled at every hillock; 〃Your
weight is increasing at the rate of a stone a second; my love。 If
you stoop you will break my back。 Oh; Lord; here's a ditch!〃

〃Let me down;〃 screamed Henrietta in an ecstasy of delight and
apprehension。 〃You will hurt yourself; andOh; DO take〃

He struggled through a dry ditch as she spoke; and came out upon
a grassy place that bordered the towpath of the canal。 Here; on
the bank of a hollow where the moss was dry and soft; he seated
her; threw himself prone on his elbows before her; and said;
panting:

〃Nessus carrying off Dejanira was nothing to this! Whew! Well; my
darling; are you glad to see me?〃

〃But〃

〃But me no buts; unless you wish me to vanish again and for ever。
Wretch that I am; I have longed for you unspeakably more than
once since I ran away from you。 You didn't care; of course?〃

〃I did。 I did; indeed。 Why did you leave me; Sidney?〃

〃Lest a worse thing might befall。 Come; don't let us waste in
explanations the few minutes we have left。 Give me a kiss。〃

〃Then you are going to leave me again。 Oh; Sidney〃

〃Never mind to…morrow; Hetty。 Be like the sun and the meadow;
which are not in the least concerned about the coming winter。 Why
do you stare at that cursed canal; blindly dragging its load of
filth from place to place until it pitches it into the seajust
as a crowded street pitches its load into the cemetery? Stare at
ME; and give me a kiss。〃

She gave him several; and said coaxingly; with her arm still upon
his shoulder: 〃You only talk that way to frighten me; Sidney; I
know you do。〃

〃You are the bright sun of my senses;〃 he said; embracing her。 〃I
feel my heart and brain wither in your smile; and I fling them to
you for your prey with exultation。 How happy I am to have a wife
who does not despise me for doing sowho rather loves me the
more!〃

〃Don't be silly;〃 said Henrietta; smiling vacantly。 Then; stung
by a half intuition of his meaning; she repulsed him and said
angrily; 〃YOU despise ME。〃

〃Not more than I despise myself。 Indeed; not so much; for many
emotions that seem base from within seem lovable from without。〃

〃You intend to leave me again。 I feel it。 I know it。〃

〃You think you know it because you feel it。 Not a bad reason;
either。〃

〃Then you ARE going to leave me?〃

〃Do you not feel it and know it? Yes; my cherished Hetty; I
assuredly am。〃

She broke into wild exclamations of grief; and he drew her head
down and kissed her with a tender action which she could not
resist; and a wry face which she did not see。

〃My poor Hetty; you don't understand me。〃

〃I only understand that you hate me; and want to go away from
me。〃

〃That would be easy to understand。 But the strangeness is that I
LOVE you and want to go away from you。 Not for ever。 Only for a
time。〃

〃But I don't want you to go away。 I won't let you go away;〃 she
said; a trace of fierceness mingling with her entreaty。 〃Why do
you want to l

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的