gulliver of mars-第43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！



Holding　that　missive　in　my　hand　a　thought　suddenly　oc…　curred　to　me。

〃Polly　dear；　this　letter　makes　me　able　to　maintain　you　as　you　ought　to　be　maintained；　and　there　is　still　a　fortnight　of　vacation　for　me。　　Polly；　will　you　marry　me　tomorrow？〃

〃No；　certainly　not；　sir。〃

〃Then　will　you　marry　me　on　Monday？〃

〃Do　you　truly；　truly　want　me　to？〃

〃Truly；　truly。〃

〃Then；　yes；〃　and　the　dear　girl　again　came　blushing　into　my　arms。

While　we　were　thus　the　door　opened；　and　in　came　her　parents　who　were　staying　at　a　neighbouring　hotel　while　in…　quiries　were　made　as　to　my　mysterious　absence。　　Not　un…　naturally　my　appearance　went　a　long　way　to　confirm　suspi…　cions　such　as　Mrs。　Brown　had　confessed　to；　and；　after　they　had　given　me　cold　salutations；　Polly's　mother；　fixing　gold　glasses　on　the　bridge　of　her　nose　and　eyeing　me　haughtily　therefrom；　observed；

〃And　now　that　you　ARE　safely　at　home　again；　Lieuten…　ant　Gulliver　Jones；　I　think　I　will　take　my　daughter　away　with　me。　　Tomorrow　her　father　will　ascertain　the　true　state　of　her　feelings　after　this　unpleasant　experience；　and　sub…　sequently　he　will　no　doubt　communicate　with　you　on　the　subject。〃　　This　very　icily。

But　I　was　too　happy　to　be　lightly　put　down。

〃My　dear　madam；〃　I　replied；　〃I　am　happy　to　be　able　to　save　her　father　that　trouble。　　I　have　already　communicated　with　this　young　lady　as　to　the　state　of　her　feelings；　and　as　an　outcome　I　am　delighted　to　be　able　to　tell　you　we　are　to　be　married　on　Monday。〃

〃Oh　yes；　Mother；　it　is　true；　and　if　you　do　not　want　to　make　me　the　most　miserable　of　girls　again　you　will　not　be　unkind　to　us。〃

In　brief；　that　sweet　champion　spoke　so　prettily　and　smoothed　things　so　cleverly　that　I　was　〃forgiven；〃　and　later　on　in　the　evening　allowed　to　escort　Polly　back　to　her　hotel。

〃And　oh！〃　she　said；　in　her　charmingly　enthusiastic　way　when　we　were　saying　goodnight；　〃you　shall　write　a　book　about　that　extraordinary　story　you　told　me　just　now。　　Only　you　must　promise　me　one　thing。〃

〃What　is　it？〃

〃To　leave　out　all　about　HeruI　don't　like　that　part　at　all。〃　This　with　the　prettiest　little　pout。

〃But；　Polly　dear；　see　how　important　she　was　to　the　nar…　rative。　　I　cannot　quite　do　that。〃

〃Then　you　will　say　as　little　as　you　can　about　her？〃

〃No　more　than　the　story　compels　me　to。〃

〃And　you　are　quite　sure　you　like　me　much　the　best；　and　will　not　go　after　her　again？〃

〃Quite　sure。〃

The　compact　was　sealed　in　the　most　approved　fashion；　and　here；　indulgent　reader；　is　the　artless　narrative　that　re…　sultedan　incident　so　incredible　in　this　prosaic　latter…day　world　that　I　dare　not　ask　you　to　believe；　and　must　humbly　content　myself　with　hoping　that　if　I　fail　to　convince　yet　I　may　at　least　claim　the　consolation　of　having　amused　you。




End