new burlesques(新讽刺诗)-第8节
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faculty of bursting into song at the bedside of a dying patient； produced
some liveliness not unmixed with perplexity among the hospital staff。 It
is true； however； that her performance of clog…dancing during the night…
watches drew a larger and more persistent attendance of students and
young surgeons than ever was seen before。 Yet everybody loved her！
Even her patients！ 〃If it amooses you； miss； to make me tyke the pills
wot's meant for the lydy in the next ward； I ain't complyning；〃 said an East
End newsboy。 〃When ye tyke off the style of the doctor wot wisits me；
miss； and imitates his wyes； Lawd！ it does me as much good as his
mixtures；〃 said a consumptive charwoman。 Even thus； old and young
basked in the radiant youth of Golly。 She found time to write to her
family：
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DEAR OLD PALS！ I'm here。 J'y suis！ bet your boots！ While
you're wondering what has become of the Bright Young Thing； the B。 Y。 T。
is lookin' out of the winder of St。 Barabbas' Hospitaljust taking in all of
dear； roaring； dirty London in one gulp！ Such a place Lordy！ I've
been waiting three hours to see the crowd go by； and they haven't gone yet！
Such crowds； such busses；all green and blue； only a penny fare； and you
can ride on top if you want to！ Think of that； you dear old Manx people！
But there〃the bell goes a…ringing for Sarah！〃they're calling for Nurse！
That's the worst of this job： they're always a…dyin' just as you're getting
interested in something else！ Ta…ta！
GOLLY！
Then her dear old grandfather wrote：
I'm wondering where my diddleums； Golly； is！ We all miss you so
much； deary； though we don't miss so many little things as when you were
here。 My dear； conscientious； unselfish little girl！ You don't say where
John Gale is。 Is he still protecting youhe…he！ you giddy； naughty
thing！ People wonder on the island why I let you go alone to London
they forget your dear mother was a Frenchwoman！ If you see anything
your dear old grandfather would likesend it on。
GRANFER。
Later； her aunt wrote：
Have you seen the Queen yet； and does she wear her crown at
breakfast？ You might get over the area railing at Buckingham Palaceit
would be nothing for a girl like you to doand see if you can find out。
To these letters Golly answered； in her own light…hearted way：
DEAR GRANKINS；I haven't seen John muchbut I think he's like
the Private Secretary at the playhe 〃don't like London。〃 Lordy！ there
I've let it out！ I've been to a theayter。 Nurse Jinny Jones and me
scrouged into the pit one night without paying； 〃pertendin'；〃 as we were in
uniform； we had come to take out a 〃Lydy〃 that had fainted。 Such larks！
and such a glorious theayter！ I'll tell you another time。 Tell aunty the
Queen's always out when I call。 But that's nothing； everybody else is so
affable and polite in London。 Gentlemen〃real toffs；〃 they call 'em
whom you don't know from Adamthink nothing of speaking to you in the
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street。 Why； Nurse Jinny saysbut there another patient's going off who
by rights oughter have died only to…morrow。 〃To…morrow and to…morrow
and to…morrow；〃 as that barn…stormer actor said。 But they're always
calling for that giddy young thing；
Your GOLLY。
Meantime； John Gale； having abruptly left Golly at the door of St。
Barabbas' hospital； tactfully avoiding an unseemly altercation with the
cab…driver regarding her exact fare； pursued his way thoughtfully to the
residence of his uncle； the First Lord of the Admiralty。 He found his
Lordship in his bath…room。 He was leaning over the bath…tub； which was
half full of water； contemplating with some anxiety the model of a line…of…
battle ship which was floating on it； bottom upward。 〃I don't think it can
be quite rightdo you？〃 he said； nervously grasping his nephew's hand as
he pointed to the capsized vessel； 〃yet they always do it。 Tell me！〃 he
went on appealingly； 〃tell me； as a professing Christian and a Perfect Man…
…is it quite right？〃
〃I should think； sir；〃 responded John Gale； with uncompromising
truthfulness； 〃that the average vessel of commerce is not built in that way。〃
〃Yet；〃 said the First Lord of the Admiralty； with a far…off look； 〃they
all do it！ And they don't steer！ The larger they are and the more recent
the model； the less they steer。 Dear meyou ought to see 'em go round
and round in that tub。〃 Then； apparently recalling the probable purpose
of John's visit； he led the way into his dressing…room。 〃So you are in
London； dear boy。 Is there any little thing you want？ I have；〃 he
continued； absently fumbling in the drawers of his dressing…table； 〃a few
curacies and a bishopric somewhere； but with these blessed modelsI can't
think where they are。 Or what would you say to a nice chaplaincy in the
navy； with a becoming uniform； on one of those thingummies？〃 He
pointed to the bath…room。 〃Stay；〃 he continued； as he passed his hand
over his perplexed brows； 〃now I think of ityou're quite unorthodox！
Dear me！ that wouldn't do。 You see； Drake；〃he paused； as John Gale
started；〃I mean Sir Francis Drake； once suspended his chaplain for
unorthodoxy； according to Froude's book。 These admirals are dreadfully
strict Churchmen。 No matter！ Come again some other time；〃 he added；
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gently pushing his nephew downstairs and into the street； 〃and we'll see
about it。〃
With a sinking heart； John turned his steps toward Westminster。 He
would go and see Golly； perhaps he had not looked after her as he ought。
Suddenly a remembered voice； in mimicking accents； fell upon his ear
with the quotation； 〃Do you know？〃 Then； in a hansom passing swiftly
by him； Golly； in hospital dress with flying ribbons； appeared； sitting
between Lord Brownstone Ewer and Francis Horatio Nelson Drake；
completely grown up。 And from behind floated the inexpressibly sad
refrain； 〃Hi tiddli hi！〃
This is how it happened。 One morning； Jinny Jones； another hospital
nurse； had said to her； 〃Have you any objection； dear； to seeing a friend of
another gent； a friend of mine？〃
〃None in the least； dear；〃 said Golly。 〃I want to see all that can be
seen； and do all that can be done in London； and know the glory thereof。
I only require that I shall be allowed to love John Gale whenever he
permits it； which isn't often； and that I may be permitted to write simple
letters to my doting relations at the rate of twelve pages a day； giving an
accountMY OWN accountof my doings。 There！ Go on now！
Bring on your bears。〃
They had visited the chambers which Lord Brownstone and Drake
occupied together； and in girlish innocence had put on the gentlemen's
clothes and danced before them。 Then they all went to the theatre； where
Golly's delightful simplicity and childish ignorance of the world had
charmed them。 Everything to her was new； strange； and thrilling。 She
even leaned from the carriage windows to see the 〃wheels go round。〃
She was surprised at the number of people in the theatre； and insisted on
knowing if it was church； because they all sat there in their best clothes so
quietly。 She believed that the play was real； and frequently； from a stage
box； interrupted the acting with explanations。 She informed the heroine
of the design of the villain
