novel notes-第38节

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〃They　set　to　work　to　put　the　lock　right。

〃'How　did　you　manage　to　fall　in？'　asked　the　other　man；　who　was　raising　one　of　the　lower　sluices；　without　looking　round。

〃The　husband　hesitated；　as　if　he　found　the　explanation　somewhat　difficult。　　'Oh；'　he　answered　carelessly；　'the　wife　and　I　were　chaffing；　and　she　said　she'd　often　seen　you　jump　it；　and'he　laughed　a　rather　forced　laugh'she　promised　me　aa　kiss　if　I　cleared　it。　　It　was　a　foolish　thing　to　do。'

〃'Yes；　it　was　rather；'　said　the　other　man。

〃A　few　days　afterwards　the　man　and　woman　met　at　a　reception。　　He　found　her　in　a　leafy　corner　of　the　garden　talking　to　some　friends。　She　advanced　to　meet　him；　holding　out　her　hand。　　'What　can　I　say　more　than　thank　you？'　she　murmured　in　a　low　voice。

〃The　others　moved　away；　leaving　them　alone。　　'They　tell　me　you　risked　your　life　to　save　his？'　she　said。

〃'Yes；'　he　answered。

〃She　raised　her　eyes　to　his；　then　struck　him　across　the　face　with　her　ungloved　hand。

〃'You　damned　fool！'　she　whispered。

〃He　seized　her　by　her　white　arms；　and　forced　her　back　behind　the　orange　trees。　　'Do　you　know　why？'　he　said；　speaking　slowly　and　distinctly；　'because　I　feared　that；　with　him　dead；　you　would　want　me　to　marry　you；　and　that；　talked　about　as　we　have　been；　I　might　find　it　awkward　to　avoid　doing　so；　because　I　feared　that；　without　him　to　stand　between　us；　you　might　prove　an　annoyance　to　meperhaps　come　between　me　and　the　woman　I　love；　the　woman　I　am　going　back　to。　　Now　do　you　understand？'

〃'Yes；'　whispered　the　woman；　and　he　left　her。

〃But　there　are　only　two　people；〃　concluded　Jephson；　〃who　do　not　regard　his　saving　of　the　husband's　life　as　a　highly　noble　and　unselfish　action；　and　they　are　the　man　himself　and　the　woman。〃

We　thanked　Jephson　for　his　story；　and　promised　to　profit　by　the　moral；　when　discovered。　　Meanwhile；　MacShaughnassy　said　that　he　knew　a　story　dealing　with　the　same　theme；　namely；　the　too　close　attachment　of　a　woman　to　a　strange　man；　which　really　had　a　moral；　which　moral　was：　　don't　have　anything　to　do　with　inventions。

Brown；　who　had　patented　a　safety　gun；　which　he　had　never　yet　found　a　man　plucky　enough　to　let　off；　said　it　was　a　bad　moral。　　We　agreed　to　hear　the　particulars；　and　judge　for　ourselves。

〃This　story；〃　commenced　MacShaughnassy；　〃comes　from　Furtwangen；　a　small　town　in　the　Black　Forest。　　There　lived　there　a　very　wonderful　old　fellow　named　Nicholaus　Geibel。　　His　business　was　the　making　of　mechanical　toys；　at　which　work　he　had　acquired　an　almost　European　reputation。　　He　made　rabbits　that　would　emerge　from　the　heart　of　a　cabbage；　flap　their　ears；　smooth　their　whiskers；　and　disappear　again；　cats　that　would　wash　their　faces；　and　mew　so　naturally　that　dogs　would　mistake　them　for　real　cats；　and　fly　at　them；　dolls；　with　phonographs　concealed　within　them；　that　would　raise　their　hats　and　say；　'Good　morning；　how　do　you　do？'　and　some　that　would　even　sing　a　song。

〃But　he　was　something　more　than　a　mere　mechanic；　he　was　an　artist。　His　work　was　with　him　a　hobby；　almost　a　passion。　　His　shop　was　filled　with　all　manner　of　strange　things　that　never　would；　or　could；　be　soldthings　he　had　made　for　the　pure　love　of　making　them。　　He　had　contrived　a　mechanical　donkey　that　would　trot　for　two　hours　by　means　of　stored　electricity；　and　trot；　too；　much　faster　than　the　live　article；　and　with　less　need　for　exertion　on　the　part　of　the　driver；　a　bird　that　would　shoot　up　into　the　air；　fly　round　and　round　in　a　circle；　and　drop　to　earth　at　the　exact　spot　from　where　it　started；　a　skeleton　that；　supported　by　an　upright　iron　bar；　would　dance　a　hornpipe；　a　life…size　lady　doll　that　could　play　the　fiddle；　and　a　gentleman　with　a　hollow　inside　who　could　smoke　a　pipe　and　drink　more　lager　beer　than　any　three　average　German　students　put　together；　which　is　saying　much。

〃Indeed；　it　was　the　belief　of　the　town　that　old　Geibel　could　make　a　man　capable　of　doing　everything　that　a　respectable　man　need　want　to　do。　　One　day　he　made　a　man　who　did　too　much；　and　it　came　about　in　this　way。

〃Young　Doctor　Follen　had　a　baby；　and　the　baby　had　a　birthday。　　Its　first　birthday　put　Doctor　Follen's　household　into　somewhat　of　a　flurry；　but　on　the　occasion　of　its　second　birthday；　Mrs。　Doctor　Follen　gave　a　ball　in　honour　of　the　event。　　Old　Geibel　and　his　daughter　Olga　were　among　the　guests。

〃During　the　afternoon　of　the　next　day；　some　three　or　four　of　Olga's　bosom　friends；　who　had　also　been　present　at　the　ball；　dropped　in　to　have　a　chat　about　it。　　They　naturally　fell　to　discussing　the　men；　and　to　criticising　their　dancing。　　Old　Geibel　was　in　the　room；　but　he　appeared　to　be　absorbed　in　his　newspaper；　and　the　girls　took　no　notice　of　him。

〃'There　seem　to　be　fewer　men　who　can　dance；　at　every　ball　you　go　to；'　said　one　of　the　girls。

〃'Yes；　and　don't　the　ones　who　can；　give　themselves　airs；'　said　another；　'they　make　quite　a　favour　of　asking　you。'

〃'And　how　stupidly　they　talk；'　added　a　third。　　'They　always　say　exactly　the　same　things：　　〃How　charming　you　are　looking　to…night。〃　〃Do　you　often　go　to　Vienna？　　Oh；　you　should；　it's　delightful。〃　〃What　a　charming　dress　you　have　on。〃　　〃What　a　warm　day　it　has　been。〃　〃Do　you　like　Wagner？〃　　I　do　wish　they'd　think　of　something　new。'

〃'Oh；　I　never　mind　how　they　talk；'　said　a　fourth。　　'If　a　man　dances　well　he　may　be　a　fool　for　all　I　care。'

〃'He　generally　is；'　slipped　in　a　thin　girl；　rather　spitefully。

〃'I　go　to　a　ball　to　dance；'　continued　the　previous　speaker；　not　noticing　the　interruption。　　'All　I　ask　of　a　partner　is　that　he　shall　hold　me　firmly；　take　me　round　steadily；　and　not　get　tired　before　I　do。'

〃'A　clockwork　figure　would　be　the　thing　for　you；'　said　the　girl　who　had　interrupted。

〃'Bravo！'　cried　one　of　the　others；　clapping　her　hands；　'what　a　capital　idea！'

〃'What's　a　capital　idea？'　they　asked。

〃'Why；　a　clockwork　dancer；　or；　better　still；　one　that　would　go　by　electricity　and　never　run　down。'

〃The　girls　took　up　the　idea　with　enthusiasm。

〃'Oh；　what　a　lovely　partner　he　would　make；'　said　one；　'he　would　never　kick　you；　or　tread　on　your　toes。'

〃'Or　tear　your　dress；'　said　another。

〃'Or　get　out　of　step。'

〃'Or　get　giddy　and　lean　on　you。'

〃'And　he　would　never　want　to　mop　his　face　with　his　handkerchief。　　I　do　hate　to　see　a　man　do　that　after　every　dance。'

〃'And　wouldn't　want　to　spend　the　whole　evening　in　the　supper…room。'

〃'Why；　with　a　phonograph　inside　him　to　grind　out　all　the　stock　remarks；　you　would　not　be　able　to　tell　him　from　a　real　man；'　said　the　girl　who　had　first　suggested　the　idea。

〃'Oh　yes；　you　would；'　said　the　thin　girl；　'he　would　be　so　much　nicer。'

〃Old　Geibel　had　laid　down　his　paper；　and　was　listening　with　both　his　ears。　　On　one　of　the　girls　glancing　in　his　direction；　however；　he　hurriedly　hid　himself　again　behind　it。

〃After　the　girls　were　gone；　he　went　into　his　workshop；　where　Olga　heard　him　walking　up　and　down；　and　every　now　and　then　chuckling　to　himself；　and　that　night　he　talked　to　her　a　good　deal　about　dancing　and　dancing　menasked　what　they　usually　said　and　didwhat　dances　were　most　popularwhat　steps　were　gone　through；　with　many　other　questions　bearing　on　the　subject。

〃Then　for　a　couple　of　weeks　he　kept　much　to　his　factory；　and　was　very　thoughtful　and　busy；　though　prone　at　unexpected　moments　to　break　into　a　quiet　low　laugh；　as　if　enjoying　a　joke　that　nobody　else　knew　of。

〃A　month　later　another　ball　took　place　in　Furtwangen。　　On　this　occasion　it　was　given　by　old　Wenzel；　the　wealthy　timber　merchant；　to　celebrate　his　niece's　betrothal；　and　Geibel　and　his　daughter　were　again　among　the　invited。

〃When　the　hour　arrived　to　set　out；　Olga　sought　her　father。　　Not　finding　him　in　the　house；　she　tapped　at　the　door　of　his　workshop。　He　appeared　in　his　shirt…sleeves；　looking　hot；　but　radiant。

〃'Don't　wait　for　me；'　he　said；　'you　go　on；　I'll　follow　you。　　I've　got　something　to　finish。'

〃As　she　turned　to　obey　he　called　after　her；　'Tell　them　I'm　going　to　bring　a　young　man　with　mesuch　a　nice　young　man；　and　an　excellent　dancer。　　All　the　girls　will　like　him。'　　Then　he　laughed　and　closed　the　door。

〃Her　father　generally　kept　his　doings　secret　from　everybody；　but　she　had　a　pretty　shrewd　suspicion　of　what　he　had　been　planning；　and　so；　to　a　certain　extent；　was　able　to　prepare　the　guests　for　what　was　coming。　　Anticipation　ran　high；　and　the　arrival　of　the　famous　mechanist　was　eagerly　awaited。

〃At　length　the　sound　of　wheels　was　heard　outside；　followed　by　a　great　commotion　in　the　passage；　and　old　Wenzel　himself；　his　jolly　face　red　with　excitement　and　suppressed　laughter；　burst　into　the　room　and　announced　in　stentorian　tones：

〃'Herr　Geibeland　a　friend。'

〃Herr　Geibel　and　his　'friend'　entered；　greeted　with　shouts　of　laughter　and　applause；　and　advanced　to　the　centre　of　the　room。

〃'Allow　me；　ladies　and　gentlemen；'　said　Herr　Geibel；　'to　introduce　you　to　my　friend；　Lieutenant　Fritz。　　Fritz；　my　dear　fellow；　bow　to　the　ladies　and　gentlemen。'

〃Geibel　placed　his　hand　encouragingly　on　Fritz's　shoulder；　and　the　lieutenant　bowed　low；　accompanying　the　action　with　a　harsh　clicking　noise　in　his　throat；　unpleasantly　suggestive　of　a　death　rattle。　　But　that　was　only　a　detail。

〃'He　walks　a　little　stiffly'　（old　Geibel　took　his　arm　and　walked　him　forward　a　few　steps。　　He　certainly　did　walk　stiffly）；　'