the agony column-第3节

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up　in　the　courtyard　on　which　my　balcony　looks　down。　　There　he　spends　his　time；　while　up　above　the　dust　gathers　in　the　corners　…　

Does　this　picture　distress　you；　my　lady？　　You　should　see　the　courtyard！　　You　would　not　blame　Walters　then。　　It　is　a　sample　of　Paradise　left　at　our　door　…　that　courtyard。　　As　English　as　a　hedge；　as　neat；　as　beautiful。　　London　is　a　roar　somewhere　beyond；　between　our　court　and　the　great　city　is　a　magic　gate；　forever　closed。　　It　was　the　court　that　led　me　to　take　these　rooms。

And；　since　you　are　one　who　loves　mystery；　I　am　going　to　relate　to　you　the　odd　chain　of　circumstances　that　brought　me　here。

For　the　first　link　in　that　chain　we　must　go　back　to　Interlaken。　Have　you　been　there　yet？　　A　quiet　little　town；　lying　beautiful　between　two　shimmering　lakes；　with　the　great　Jungfrau　itself　for　scenery。　　From　the　dining…room　of　one　lucky　hotel　you　may　look　up　at　dinner　and　watch　the　old…rose　afterglow　light　the　snow…capped　mountain。　　You　would　not　say　then　of　strawberries：　〃I　hate　them。〃　Or　of　anything　else　in　all　the　world。

A　month　ago　I　was　in　Interlaken。　　One　evening　after　dinner　I　strolled　along　the　main　street；　where　all　the　hotels　and　shops　are　drawn　up　at　attention　before　the　lovely　mountain。　　In　front　of　one　of　the　shops　I　saw　a　collection　of　walking　sticks　and；　since　I　needed　one　for　climbing；　I　paused　to　look　them　over。　　I　had　been　at　this　only　a　moment　when　a　young　Englishman　stepped　up　and　also　began　examining　the　sticks。

I　had　made　a　selection　from　the　lot　and　was　turning　away　to　find　the　shopkeeper；　when　the　Englishman　spoke。　　He　was　lean；　distinguished…looking；　though　quite　young；　and　had　that　well…tubbed　appearance　which　I　am　convinced　is　the　great　factor　that　has　enabled　the　English　to　assert　their　authority　over　colonies　like　Egypt　and　India；　where　men　are　not　so　thoroughly　bathed。

〃Er　…　if　you'll　pardon　me；　old　chap；〃　he　said。　　〃Not　that　stick　…　if　you　don't　mind　my　saying　so。　　It's　not　tough　enough　for　mountain　work。　　I　would　suggest　…　〃

To　say　that　I　was　astonished　is　putting　it　mildly。　　If　you　know　the　English　at　all；　you　know　it　is　not　their　habit　to　address　strangers；　even　under　the　most　pressing　circumstances。　　Yet　here　was　one　of　that　haughty　race　actually　interfering　in　my　selection　of　a　stick。　I　ended　by　buying　the　one　he　preferred；　and　he　strolled　along　with　me　in　the　direction　of　my　hotel；　chatting　meantime　in　a　fashion　far　from　British。

We　stopped　at　the　Kursaal；　where　we　listened　to　the　music；　had　a　drink　and　threw　away　a　few　francs　on　the　little　horses。　　He　came　with　me　to　the　veranda　of　my　hotel。　　I　was　surprised；　when　he　took　his　leave；　to　find　that　he　regarded　me　in　the　light　of　an　old　friend。　He　said　he　would　call　on　me　the　next　morning。

I　made　up　my　mind　that　Archibald　Enwright　…　for　that；　he　told　me；　was　his　name　…　was　an　adventurer　down　on　his　luck；　who　chose　to　forget　his　British　exclusiveness　under　the　stern　necessity　of　getting　money　somehow；　somewhere。　　The　next　day；　I　decided；　I　should　be　the　victim　of　a　touch。

But　my　prediction　failed；　Enwright　seemed　to　have　plenty　of　money。　On　that　first　evening　I　had　mentioned　to　him　that　I　expected　shortly　to　be　in　London；　and　he　often　referred　to　the　fact。　　As　the　time　approached　for　me　to　leave　Interlaken　he　began　to　throw　out　the　suggestion　that　he　should　like　to　have　me　meet　some　of　his　people　in　England。　　This；　also；　was　unheard　of　…　against　all　precedent。

Nevertheless；　when　I　said　good…by　to　him　he　pressed　into　my　hand　a　letter　of　introduction　to　his　cousin；　Captain　Stephen　Fraser…Freer；　of　the　Twelfth　Cavalry；　Indian　Army；　who；　he　said；　would　be　glad　to　make　me　at　home　in　London；　where　he　was　on　furlough　at　the　time　　…　or　would　be　when　I　reached　there。

〃Stephen's　a　good　sort；〃　said　Enwright。　　〃He'll　be　jolly　pleased　to　show　you　the　ropes。　　Give　him　my　best；　old　boy！〃

Of　course　I　took　the　letter。　　But　I　puzzled　greatly　over　the　affair。　What　could　be　the　meaning　of　this　sudden　warm　attachment　that　Archie　had　formed　for　me？　　Why　should　he　want　to　pass　me　along　to　his　cousin　at　a　time　when　that　gentleman；　back　home　after　two　years　in　India；　would　be；　no　doubt；　extremely　busy？　　I　made　up　my　mind　I　would　not　present　the　letter；　despite　the　fact　that　Archie　had　with　great　persistence　wrung　from　me　a　promise　to　do　so。　　I　had　met　many　English　gentlemen；　and　I　felt　they　were　not　the　sort　…　despite　the　example　of　Archie　…　to　take　a　wandering　American　to　their　bosoms　when　he　came　with　a　mere　letter。　　By　easy　stages　I　came　on　to　London。　Here　I　met　a　friend；　just　sailing　for　home；　who　told　me　of　some　sad　experiences　he　had　had　with　letters　of　introduction　…　of　the　cold；　fishy；　〃My…dear…fellow…why…trouble…me…with…it？〃　stares　that　had　greeted　their　presentation。　　Good…hearted　men　all；　he　said；　but　averse　to　strangers；　an　ever…present　trait　in　the　English　　…　always　excepting　Archie。

So　I　put　the　letter　to　Captain　Fraser…Freer　out　of　my　mind。　　I　had　business　acquaintances　here　and　a　few　English　friends；　and　I　found　these；　as　always；　courteous　and　charming。　　But　it　is　to　my　advantage　to　meet　as　many　people　as　may　be；　and　after　drifting　about　for　a　week　I　set　out　one　afternoon　to　call　on　my　captain。　　I　told　myself　that　here　was　an　Englishman　who　had　perhaps　thawed　a　bit　in　the　great　oven　of　India。　　If　not；　no　harm　would　be　done。

It　was　then　that　I　came　for　the　first　time　to　this　house　on　Adelphi　Terrace；　for　it　was　the　address　Archie　had　given　me。　　Walters　let　me　in；　and　I　learned　from　him　that　Captain　Fraser…Freer　had　not　yet　arrived　from　India。　　His　rooms　were　ready　…　he　had　kept　them　during　his　absence；　as　seems　to　be　the　custom　over　here　…　and　he　was　expected　soon。　　Perhaps　…　said　Walters　…　his　wife　remembered　the　date。　　He　left　me　in　the　lower　hail　while　he　went　to　ask　her。

Waiting；　I　strolled　to　the　rear　of　the　hall。　　And　then；　through　an　open　window　that　let　in　the　summer；　I　saw　for　the　first　time　that　courtyard　which　is　my　great　love　in　London　　…　　the　old　ivy…covered　walls　of　brick；　the　neat　paths　between　the　blooming　beds；　the　rustic　seat；　the　magic　gate。　　It　was　incredible　that　just　outside　lay　the　world's　biggest　city；　with　all　its　poverty　and　wealth；　its　sorrows　and　joys；　its　roar　and　rattle。　　Here　was　a　garden　for　Jane　Austen　to　people　with　fine　ladies　and　courtly　gentlemen　…　here　was　a　garden　to　dream　in；　to　adore　and　to　cherish。

When　Walters　came　back　to　tell　me　that　his　wife　was　uncertain　as　to　the　exact　date　when　the　captain　would　return；　I　began　to　rave　about　that　courtyard。　　At　once　he　was　my　friend。　　I　had　been　looking　for　quiet　lodgings　away　from　the　hotel；　and　I　was　delighted　to　find　that　on　the　second　floor；　directly　under　the　captain'　s　rooms；　there　was　a　suite　to　be　sublet。

Walters　gave　me　the　address　of　the　agents；　and；　after　submitting　to　an　examination　that　could　not　have　been　more　severe　if　I　had　asked　for　the　hand　of　the　senior　partner's　daughter；　they　let　me　come　here　to　live。　　The　garden　was　mine！

And　the　captain？　　Three　days　after　I　arrived　I　heard　above　me；　for　the　first　time；　the　tread　of　his　military　boots。　　Now　again　my　courage　began　to　fail。　　I　should　have　preferred　to　leave　Archie's　letter　lying　in　my　desk　and　know　my　neighbor　only　by　his　tread　above　me。　　I　felt　that　perhaps　I　had　been　presumptuous　in　coming　to　live　in　the　same　house　with　him。　　But　I　had　represented　myself　to　Walters　as　an　acquaintance　of　the　captain's　and　the　caretaker　had　lost　no　time　in　telling　me　that　〃my　friend〃　was　safely　home。

So　one　night；　a　week　ago；　I　got　up　my　nerve　and　went　to　the　captain's　rooms。　　I　knocked。　　He　called　to　me　to　enter　and　I　stood　in　his　study；　facing　him。　　He　was　a　tall　handsome　man；　fair…haired；　mustached　…　the　very　figure　that　you；　my　lady；　in　your　boarding…school　days；　would　have　wished　him　to　be。　　His　manner；　I　am　bound　to　admit；　was　not　cordial。

〃Captain；〃　I　began；　〃I　am　very　sorry　to　intrude　…　〃　It　wasn't　the　thing　to　say；　of　course；　but　I　was　fussed。　　〃However；　I　happen　to　be　a　neighbor　of　yours；　and　I　have　here　a　letter　of　introduction　from　your　cousin；　Archibald　Enwright。　　I　met　him　in　Interlaken　and　we　became　very　good　friends。〃

〃Indeed！〃　said　the　captain。

He　held　out　his　hand　for　the　letter；　as　though　it　were　evidence　at　a　court…martial。　　1　passed　it　over；　wishing　I　hadn't　come。　　He　read　it　through。　　It　was　a　long　letter；　considering　its　nature。　　While　I　waited；　standing　by　his　desk　…　he　hadn't　asked　me　to　sit　down　…　I　looked　about　the　room。　　It　was　much　like　my　own　study；　only　I　think　a　little　dustier。　　Being　on　the　third　floor　it　was　farther　from　the　The　captain　turned　back　and　began　to　read　the　letter　again。　　This　was　decidedly　embarrassing。　　Glancing　down；　I　happened　to　see　on　his　desk　an　odd　knife；　which　I　fancy　he　had　brought　from　India。　The　blade　was　of　steel；　dangerously　sharp；　the　hilt　of　gold；　carved　to　represent　some　heathen　figure。

Then　the　captain　looked　up　from　Archie's　letter　and　his　cold　gaze　fell　full　upon　me。

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　he　said；　〃to　the　best　of　my　knowledge；　I　have　no　cousin　named　Archibald　Enwright。〃

A　pleasant　situation；　you　must　admit！　　It's　bad　enough　when　you　come　to　them　with　a　letter　from　their　mother；　but　here　was　I　in　this　Englishman's　rooms；　boldly　flaunting　in　his　face　a　warm　note　of　commendation　from