第 14 节
作者:指点迷津      更新:2021-02-20 05:05      字数:9322
  mean to stay; likewise such as you see me。 That is; if what you
  may call destiny permits。 For destiny is a rum thing; governor。 I
  came here thinking it was the last place in the world I should
  ever set eyes on you in; and blow me if you ain't a'most the
  first person I pops on。〃
  〃I do not choose to be a party to this mummery of〃
  〃Asking your leave to take the word out of your mouth; governor;
  I make you a party to nothink。 Respecting my past conduct; you
  may out with it or you may keep it to yourself。 All I say is that
  if you out with some of it I will out with the rest。 All or none。
  You are free to tell the inspector here that I am a bad 'un。 His
  penetrating mind have discovered that already。 But if you go into
  names and particulars; you will not only be acting against the
  wishes of my missus; but you will lead to my tellin' the whole
  story right out afore everyone here; and then goin' away where no
  one won't never find me。〃
  〃I think the less said the better;〃 said Mrs。 Jansenius; uneasily
  observant of the curiosity and surprise this dialogue was
  causing。 〃But understand this; Mr。〃
  〃Smilash; dear lady; Jeff Smilash。〃
  〃Mr。 Smilash; whatever arrangement you may have made with your
  wife; it has nothing to do with me。 You have behaved infamously;
  and I desire to have as little as possible to say to you in
  future! I desire to have nothing to say to younothing〃 said Mr。
  Jansenius。 〃I look on your conduct as an insult to me;
  personally。 You may live in any fashion you please; and where you
  please。 All England is open to you except one placemy house。
  Come; Ruth。〃 He offered his arm to his wife; she took it; and
  they turned away; looking about for Agatha; who; disgusted at the
  gaping curiosity of the rest; had pointedly withdrawn beyond
  earshot of the conversation。
  Miss Wilson looked from Smilashwho had watched Mr。 Jansenius's
  explosion of wrath with friendly interest; as if it concerned him
  as a curious spectator onlyto her two visitors as they
  retreated。 〃Pray; do you consider this man's statement
  satisfactory?〃 she said to them。 〃I do not。〃
  〃I am far too common a man to be able to make any statement that
  could satisfy a mind cultivated as yours has been;〃 said Smilash;
  〃but I would 'umbly pint out to you that there is a boy yonder
  with a telegram trying to shove hisself through the 'iborn
  throng。〃
  〃Miss Wilson!〃 cried the boy shrilly。
  She took the telegram; read it; and frowned。 〃We have had all our
  trouble for nothing; ladies and gentlemen;〃 she said; with
  suppressed vexation。 〃Mrs。 Trefusis says here that she has gone
  back to London。 She has not considered it necessary to add any
  explanation。〃
  There was a general murmur of disappointment。
  〃Don't lose heart; ladies;〃 said Smilash。 〃She may be drowned or
  murdered for all we know。 Anyone may send a telegram in a false
  name。 Perhaps it's a plant。 Let's hope for your sakes that some
  little accidenton the railway; for instancemay happen yet。〃
  Miss Wilson turned upon him; glad to find someone with whom she
  might justly be angry。 〃You had better go about your business;〃
  she said。 〃And don't let me see you here again。〃
  〃This is 'ard;〃 said Smilash plaintively。 〃My intentions was
  nothing but good。 But I know wot it is。 It's that young varmint
  a…saying that the young lady kissed me。〃
  〃Inspector;〃 said Miss Wilson; 〃will you oblige me by seeing that
  he leaves the college as soon as possible?〃
  〃Where's my wages?〃 he retorted reproachfully。 〃Where's my lawful
  wages? I am su'prised at a lady like you; chock full o' moral
  science and political economy; wanting to put a poor man off。
  Where's your wages fund? Where's your remuneratory capital?〃
  〃Don't you give him anything; ma'am;〃 said the inspector。 〃The
  money he's had from the lady will pay him very well。 Move on
  here; or we'll precious soon hurry you。〃
  〃Very well;〃 grumbled Smilash。 〃I bargained for ninepence; and
  what with the roller; and opening the soda water; and shoving
  them heavy tables about; there was a decomposition of tissue in
  me to the tune of two shillings。 But all I ask is the ninepence;
  and let the lady keep the one and threppence as the reward of
  abstinence。 Exploitation of labor at the rate of a hundred and
  twenty…five per cent。; that is。 Come; give us ninepence; and I'll
  go straight off。〃
  〃Here is a shilling;〃 said Miss Wilson。 〃Now go。〃
  〃Threppence change!〃 cried Smilash。 〃Honesty has ever been〃
  〃You may keep the change。〃
  〃You have a noble 'art; lady; but you're flying in the face of
  the law of supply and demand。 If you keep payin' at this rate;
  there'll be a rush of laborers to the college; and competition'll
  soon bring you down from a shilling to sixpence; let alone
  ninepence。 That's the way wages go down and death rates goes up;
  worse luck for the likes of hus; as has to sell ourselves like
  pigs in the market。〃
  He was about to continue when the policeman took him by the arm;
  turned him towards the gate; and pointed expressively in that
  direction。 Smilash looked vacantly at him for a moment。 Then;
  with a wink at Fairholme; he walked gravely away; amid general
  staring and silence。
  CHAPTER V
  What had passed between Smilash and Henrietta remained unknown
  except to themselves。 Agatha had seen Henrietta clasping his neck
  in her arms; but had not waited to hear the exclamation of
  〃Sidney; Sidney;〃 which followed; nor to see him press her face
  to his breast in his anxiety to stifle her voice as he said; 〃My
  darling love; don't screech I implore you。 Confound it; we shall
  have the whole pack here in a moment。 Hush!〃
  〃Don't leave me again; Sidney;〃 she entreated; clinging faster to
  him as his perplexed gaze; wandering towards the entrance to the
  shrubbery; seemed to forsake her。 A din of voices in that
  direction precipitated his irresolution。
  〃We must run away; Hetty;〃 he said 〃Hold fast about my neck; and
  don't strangle me。 Now then。〃 He lifted her upon his shoulder and
  ran swiftly through the grounds。 When they were stopped by the
  wall; he placed her atop of it; scrabbled over; and made her jump
  into his arms。 Then he staggered away with her across the fields;
  gasping out in reply to the inarticulate remonstrances which
  burst from her as he stumbled and reeled at every hillock; 〃Your
  weight is increasing at the rate of a stone a second; my love。 If
  you stoop you will break my back。 Oh; Lord; here's a ditch!〃
  〃Let me down;〃 screamed Henrietta in an ecstasy of delight and
  apprehension。 〃You will hurt yourself; andOh; DO take〃
  He struggled through a dry ditch as she spoke; and came out upon
  a grassy place that bordered the towpath of the canal。 Here; on
  the bank of a hollow where the moss was dry and soft; he seated
  her; threw himself prone on his elbows before her; and said;
  panting:
  〃Nessus carrying off Dejanira was nothing to this! Whew! Well; my
  darling; are you glad to see me?〃
  〃But〃
  〃But me no buts; unless you wish me to vanish again and for ever。
  Wretch that I am; I have longed for you unspeakably more than
  once since I ran away from you。 You didn't care; of course?〃
  〃I did。 I did; indeed。 Why did you leave me; Sidney?〃
  〃Lest a worse thing might befall。 Come; don't let us waste in
  explanations the few minutes we have left。 Give me a kiss。〃
  〃Then you are going to leave me again。 Oh; Sidney〃
  〃Never mind to…morrow; Hetty。 Be like the sun and the meadow;
  which are not in the least concerned about the coming winter。 Why
  do you stare at that cursed canal; blindly dragging its load of
  filth from place to place until it pitches it into the seajust
  as a crowded street pitches its load into the cemetery? Stare at
  ME; and give me a kiss。〃
  She gave him several; and said coaxingly; with her arm still upon
  his shoulder: 〃You only talk that way to frighten me; Sidney; I
  know you do。〃
  〃You are the bright sun of my senses;〃 he said; embracing her。 〃I
  feel my heart and brain wither in your smile; and I fling them to
  you for your prey with exultation。 How happy I am to have a wife
  who does not despise me for doing sowho rather loves me the
  more!〃
  〃Don't be silly;〃 said Henrietta; smiling vacantly。 Then; stung
  by a half intuition of his meaning; she repulsed him and said
  angrily; 〃YOU despise ME。〃
  〃Not more than I despise myself。 Indeed; not so much; for many
  emotions that seem base from within seem lovable from without。〃
  〃You intend to leave me again。 I feel it。 I know it。〃
  〃You think you know it because you feel it。 Not a bad reason;
  either。〃
  〃Then you ARE going to leave me?〃
  〃Do you not feel it and know it? Yes; my cherished Hetty; I
  assuredly am。〃
  She broke into wild exclamations of grief; and he drew her head
  down and kissed her with a tender action which she could not
  resist; and a wry face which she did not see。
  〃My poor Hetty; you don't understand me。〃
  〃I only understand that you hate me; and want to go away from
  me。〃
  〃That would be easy to understand。 But the strangeness is that I
  LOVE you and want to go away from you。 Not for ever。 Only for a
  time。〃
  〃But I don't want you to go away。 I won't let you go away;〃 she
  said; a trace of fierceness mingling with her entreaty。 〃Why do
  you want to l