stories by english authors in london(英国作家在伦敦的故事)-第13节
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I've been deceived by the extraordinary likeness。 I don't think； on
reflection； that that /is/ Bingo！〃
〃What do you think； Travers？〃 asked the colonel。
〃Well； since you ask me；〃 said Travers； with quite unnecessary dryness；
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〃I never did think so。〃
〃Nor I；〃 said the colonel； 〃I thought from the first that was never my
Bingo。 Why； Bingo would make two of that beast！〃
And Lilian and her aunt both protested that they had had their doubts
from the first。
〃Zen you pairmeet zat I remove 'im？〃 said the Frenchman。
〃Certainly；〃 said the colonel； and； after some apologies on our part for
the mistake； he went off in triumph； with the detestable poodle frisking
after him。
When he had gone the colonel laid his hand kindly on my shoulder。
〃Don't look so cut up about it； my boy；〃 he said； 〃you did your best there
was a sort of likeness to any one who didn't know Bingo as we did。〃
Just then the Frenchman again appeared at the hedge。 〃A thousand
pardons；〃 he said； 〃but I find zis upon my dog； it is not to me。 Suffer me to
restore it viz many compliments。〃
It was Bingo's collar。 Travers took it from his hand and brought it to
us。
〃This was on the dog when you stopped that fellow； didn't you say？〃
he asked me。
One more lieand I was so weary of falsehood！ 〃Y…yes；〃 I said；
reluctantly； 〃that was so。〃
〃Very extraordinary；〃 said Travers； 〃that's the wrong poodle beyond a
doubt； but when he's found he's wearing the right dog's collar！ Now how
do you account for that？〃
〃My good fellow；〃 I said； impatiently； 〃I'm not in the witness…box。 I
/can't/ account for it。 It…it's a mere coincidence！〃
〃But look here； my /dear/ Weatherhead；〃 argued Travers （whether in
good faith or not I never could quite make out）； 〃don't you see what a
tremendously important link it is？ Here's a dog who （as I understand the
facts） had a silver collar； with his name engraved on it； round his neck at
the time he was lost。 Here's that identical collar turning up soon afterward
round the neck of a totally different dog！ We must follow this up； we must
get at the bottom of it somehow！ With a clue like this； we're sure to find
out either the dog himself； or what's become of him！ Just try to recollect
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exactly what happened； there's a good fellow。 This is just the sort of thing I
like！〃
It was the sort of thing I did not enjoy at all。 〃You must excuse me to…
night； Travers；〃 I said； uncomfortably； 〃you see； just now it's rather a sore
subject for me； and I'm not feeling very well！〃 I was grateful just then for
a reassuring glance of pity and confidence from Lilian's sweet eyes； which
revived my drooping spirits for the moment。
〃Yes； we'll go into it to…morrow； Travers；〃 said the colonel； 〃and then
hullo； why； there's that confounded Frenchman /again/！〃
It was indeed； he came prancing back delicately； with a malicious
enjoyment on his wrinkled face。 〃Once more I return to apologise；〃 he said。
〃My poodle 'as permit 'imself ze grave indiscretion to make a very big 'ole
at ze bottom of ze garden！〃
I assured him that it was of no consequence。 〃Perhaps；〃 he replied；
looking steadily at me through his keen； half…shut eyes； 〃you vill not say
zat ven you regard ze 'ole。 And you others； I spik to you： sometimes von
loses a somzing vich is qvite near all ze time。 It is ver' droll； eh？ my vord；
ha； ha； ha！〃 And he ambled off； with an aggressively fiendish laugh that
chilled my blood。
〃What the deuce did he mean by that； eh？〃 said the colonel； blankly。
〃Don't know；〃 said Travers； 〃suppose we go and inspect the hole？〃
But before that I had contrived to draw near it myself； in deadly fear
lest the Frenchman's last words had contained some innuendo which I had
not understood。
It was light enough still for me to see something； at the unexpected
horror of which I very nearly fainted。
That thrice accursed poodle which I had been insane enough to attempt
to foist upon the colonel must； it seems； have buried his supper the night
before very near the spot in which I had laid Bingo； and in his attempts to
exhume his bone had brought the remains of my victim to the surface！
There the corpse lay； on the very top of the excavations。 Time had not；
of course； improved its appearance； which was ghastly in the extreme； but
still plainly recognisable by the eye of affection。
〃It's a very ordinary hole；〃 I gasped； putting myself before it and trying
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to turn them back。 〃Nothing in itnothing at all！〃
〃Except one Algernon Weatherhead； Esq。； eh？〃 whispered Travers；
jocosely； in my ear。
〃No； but；〃 persisted the colonel； advancing； 〃look here！ Has the dog
damaged any of your shrubs？〃
〃No； no！〃 I cried； piteously； 〃quite the reverse。 Let's all go indoors
now； it's getting so cold！〃
〃See； there /is/ a shrub or something uprooted；〃 said the colonel； still
coming nearer that fatal hole。 〃Why； hullo； look there！ What's that？〃
Lilian； who was by his side； gave a slight scream。 〃Uncle；〃 she cried；
〃it looks likelike /Bingo/！〃
The colonel turned suddenly upon me。 〃Do you hear？〃 he demanded；
in a choked voice。 〃You hear what she says？ Can't you speak out？ Is that
our Bingo？〃
I gave it up at last； I only longed to be allowed to crawl away under
something！ 〃Yes；〃 I said in a dull whisper； as I sat down heavily on a
garden seat； 〃yes 。 。 。 that's Bingo 。 。 。 misfortune 。 。 。 shoot him 。 。 。 quite
an accident！〃
There was a terrible explosion after that； they saw at last how I had
deceived them； and put the very worst construction upon everything。 Even
now I writhe impotently at times； and my cheeks smart and tingle with
humiliation； as I recall that scenethe colonel's very plain speaking；
Lilian's passionate reproaches and contempt； and her aunt's speechless
prostration of disappointment。
I made no attempt to defend myself； I was not； perhaps； the complete
villain they deemed me； but I felt dully that no doubt it all served me
perfectly right。
Still I do not think I am under any obligation to put their remarks down
in black and white here。
Travers had vanished at the first opportunitywhether out of delicacy；
or the fear of breaking out into unseasonable mirth； I cannot say； and
shortly afterward the others came to where I sat silent with bowed head；
and bade me a stern and final farewell。
And then； as the last gleam of Lilian's white dress vanished down the
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garden path； I laid my head down on the table among the coffee…cups； and
cried like a beaten child。
I got leave as soon as I could； and went abroad。 The morning after my
return I noticed； while shaving； that there was a small square marble tablet
placed against the wall of the colonel's garden。 I got my opera…glass and
readand pleasant reading it wasthe following inscription：
IN AFFECTIONATE MEMORY
OF
B I N G O；
SECRETLY AND CRUELLY PUT TO DEATH；
IN COLD BLOOD；
BY A
NEIGHBOUR AND FRIEND。
JUNE； 1881。
If this explanation of mine ever reaches my neighbours' eyes； I humbly
hope they will have the humanity either to take away or tone down that
tablet。 They cannot conceive what I suffer when curious visitors insist； as
they do every day； on spelling out the words from our windows； and
asking me countless questions about them！
Sometimes I meet the Curries about the village； and as they pass me
with averted heads I feel myself growing crimson。 Travers is almost
always with Lilian now。 He has given her a dog；a fox…terrier；and they
take ostentatiously elaborate precautions to keep it out of my garden。
I should like to assure them here that they need not be under any alarm。
I have shot one dog。
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