第 5 节
作者:辛苦      更新:2024-09-11 20:30      字数:3196
  AUGUSTUS。 Certainly。 Certainly。 'Taking the receiver down。' What
  number shall I get you?
  THE LADY。 The War Office; please。
  AUGUSTUS。 The War Office!?
  THE LADY。 If you will be so good。
  AUGUSTUS。 ButOh; very well。 'Into the receiver。' Hallo。 This is
  the Town Hall Recruiting Office。 Give me Colonel Bogey; sharp。
  A pause。
  THE CLERK 'breaking the painful silence'。 I don't think I'm
  awake。 This is a dream of a movie picture; this is。
  AUGUSTUS 'his ear at the receiver'。 Shut up; will you? 'Into the
  telephone。' What?。。。'To the lady。' Whom do you want to get on to?
  THE LADY。 Blueloo。
  AUGUSTUS 'into the telephone'。 Put me through to Lord Hungerford
  Highcastle。。。I'm his brother; idiot。。。That you; Blueloo? Lady
  here at Little Pifflington wants to speak to you。 Hold the line。
  'To the lady。' Now; madam 'he hands her the receiver'。
  THE LADY 'sitting down in Augustus's chair to speak into the
  telephone'。 Is that Blueloo?。。。Do you recognize my voice?。。。I've
  won our bet。。。。
  AUGUSTUS。 Your bet!
  THE LADY 'into the telephone'。 Yes: I have the list in my wallet
  。。。。
  AUGUSTUS。 Nothing of the kind; madam。 I have it here in my
  pocket。 'He takes the envelope from his pocket: draws out the
  paper: and unfolds it。'
  THE LADY 'continuing'。 Yes: I got clean into the street with it。
  I have a witness。 I could have got to London with it。 Augustus
  won't deny it。。。。
  AUGUSTUS 'contemplating the blank paper'。 There's nothing written
  on this。 Where is the list of guns?
  THE LADY 'continuing'。 Oh; it was quite easy。 I said I was my
  sister…in…law and that I was a Hun。 He lapped it up like a kitten
  。。。。
  AUGUSTUS。 You don't mean to say that
  THE LADY 'continuing'。 I got hold of the list for a moment and
  changed it for a piece of paper out of his stationery rack: it
  was quite easy 'she laughs: and it is clear that Blueloo is
  laughing too'。
  AUGUSTUS。 What!
  THE CLERK 'laughing slowly and laboriously; with intense
  enjoyment'。 Ha ha! Ha ha ha! Ha! 'Augustus rushes at him; he
  snatches up the poker and stands on guard。' No you don't。
  THE LADY 'still at the telephone; waving her disengaged hand
  behind her impatiently at them to stop making a noise'。 Sh…sh…sh…
  sh…sh!!! 'Augustus; with a shrug; goes up the middle of the room。
  The lady resumes her conversation with the telephone。' What?。。。Oh
  yes: I'm coming up by the 1。35: why not have tea with me at
  Rumpelmeister's?。。。Rum…pel…meister's。 You know: they call it
  Robinson's now。。。Right。 Ta ta。 'She hangs up the receiver; and is
  passing round the table on her way towards the door when she is
  confronted by Augustus。'
  AUGUSTUS。 Madam; I consider your conduct most unpatriotic。 You
  make bets and abuse the confidence of the hardworked officials
  who are doing their bit for their country whilst our gallant
  fellows are perishing in the trenches
  THE LADY。 Oh; the gallant fellows are not all in the trenches;
  Augustus。 Some of them have come home for a few days' hard…earned
  leave; and I am sure you won't grudge them a little fun at your
  expense。
  THE CLERK。 Hear! hear!
  AUGUSTUS 'amiably'。 Ah; well! For my country's sake!
  End