第 7 节
作者:散发弄舟      更新:2021-10-16 18:44      字数:9322
  〃The rest are mere corroborative details!              You were again tampering
  with   the   drawer   when   I   discovered   you   doing   so!     Do   not   start!   The
  stranger   that   blundered   into   the   room   with   a   muffler   onwas   myself!
  More; I had placed a little soap on the drawer handles when I purposely
  left you alone。      The soap was on your hand when I shook it at parting。                  I
  softly felt your pockets; when you were asleep; for further developments。
  I embraced you when you left that I might feel if you had the cigar case
  or   any   other   articles   hidden   on   your   body。   This   confirmed   me   in   the
  belief   that   you   had   already   disposed     of   it  in  the  manner    and   for  the
  purpose   I   have shown   you。       As   I   still   believed   you   capable   of   remorse
  and confession; I twice allowed you to see I was on your track: once in the
  garb   of   an   itinerant   negro   minstrel;   and   the   second   time   as   a   workman
  looking in the window of the pawnshop where you pledged your booty。〃
  〃But;〃 I burst out; 〃if you had asked the pawnbroker; you would have
  seen how unjust〃
  〃Fool!〃 he hissed; 〃that was one of YOUR suggestionsto search the
  pawnshops!        Do   you   suppose   I   followed   any   of   your   suggestions;   the
  suggestions of the thief?        On the contrary; they told me what to avoid。〃
  〃And   I   suppose;〃   I   said   bitterly;   〃you   have   not   even   searched   your
  drawer?〃
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  〃No;〃 he said calmly。
  I was for the first time really vexed。        I went to the nearest drawer and
  pulled   it   out   sharply。  It   stuck   as   it   had   before;   leaving   a   part   of   the
  drawer     unopened。      By    working    it;  however;    I  discovered    that  it  was
  impeded by some obstacle that had slipped to the upper part of the drawer;
  and   held   it   firmly   fast。 Inserting   my   hand;   I   pulled   out   the   impeding
  object。    It was the missing cigar case!         I turned to him with a cry of joy。
  But I was appalled at his expression。            A look of contempt was now
  added   to   his   acute;   penetrating   gaze。  〃I   have   been   mistaken;〃   he   said
  slowly; 〃I had not allowed for your weakness and cowardice!                    I thought
  too highly of you even in your guilt!            But I see now why you tampered
  with that drawer the other night。          By some inexplicable meanspossibly
  another   theftyou   took   the   cigar   case   out   of   pawn   and;   like   a   whipped
  hound; restored it to me in this feeble; clumsy fashion。               You thought to
  deceive me; Hemlock Jones! More; you thought to destroy my infallibility。
  Go!     I   give   you   your   liberty。 I   shall   not   summon   the   three   policemen
  who wait in the adjoining roombut out of my sight forever!〃
  As I stood once more dazed and petrified; he took me firmly by the ear
  and   led   me   into   the   hall;   closing   the   door   behind   him。 This   reopened
  presently;   wide   enough      to  permit   him   to  thrust   out  my   hat;  overcoat;
  umbrella; and overshoes; and then closed against me forever!
  I never saw him again。         I am bound to say; however; that thereafter
  my business increased; I recovered much of my old practice; and a few of
  my   patients   recovered   also。     I   became   rich。   I   had   a   brougham   and   a
  house     in  the  West    End。    But    I  often   wondered;      pondering     on  that
  wonderful       man's     penetration     and    insight;   if;   in   some    lapse    of
  consciousness; I had not really stolen his cigar case!
  GOLLY AND THE CHRISTIAN;
  OR
  THE MINX AND THE MANXMAN
  By HLL CNE
  BOOK I
  Golly  Coyle   was   the   only  granddaughter   of   a   vague   and   somewhat
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  simple clergyman who existed; with an aunt; solely for Golly's epistolary
  purposes。       There was; of course; intermediate ancestry; notably a dead
  mother      who     was     French;     and    therefore     responsible      for   any    later
  naughtiness   in   Golly;but   they  have   no   purpose   here。 They   lived   in   the
  Isle   of   Man。    Golly   knew   a   good   deal   of   Man;   for   even   at   the   age   of
  twelve she was in love with John Galeonly son of Lord Gale; who was
  connected       with    the   Tempests。       Gales;     however;      were     frequent    and
  remarkable   along   the   coast;   so   that   it   was   not   singular   that   one  day  she
  found John 〃coming on〃 on a headland where she was sitting。                           His dog
  had   〃pointed〃   her。     〃It's   exceedingly   impolite   to   point   to   anything   you
  want;〃 said Golly。 Touched by this; and overcome by a strange emotion;
  John Gale turned away and went to Canada。                   Slight as the incident was; it
  showed that inborn chivalry to women; that desire for the Perfect Life; that
  intense     eagerness     to   incarnate    Christianity     in   modern      society;   which
  afterward   distinguished   him。         Golly   loved   him!       For   all   that;   she   still
  remained   a   〃tomboy〃   as   she   was;robbing   orchards;   mimicking   tramps
  and policemen; buttering the stairs and the steps of houses; tying kettles to
  dogs'    tails;  and   marching      in  a  white    jersey;   with   the   curate's   hat   on;
  through the streets of the village。           〃Gol dern my skin!〃 said the dear old
  clergyman; as he tried to emerge from a surplice which Golly had stitched
  together;   〃what   spirits   the   child   DO   have!〃       Yet   everybody   loved   her!
  And when John Gale returned from Canada; and looked into her big blue
  eyes one day at church; small wonder that he immediately went off again
  to   Paris;   and   an   extended   Continental   sojourn;   with   a   serious   leaning   to
  theology!      Golly   bore   his   absence   meekly   but   characteristically;   got   a
  boat;   disported   like   a   duck   in   the   water;   attempted   to   elope   with   a   boy
  appropriately named Drake; but encountered a half gale at sea and a whole
  Gale   in   John on   a   yacht;   who   rescued   them  both。       Convinced   now  that
  there   was   but   one   way  to   escape   from  his   FateGolly!John   Gale   took
  holy orders and at once started for London。                 As he stood on the deck of
  the steamer he heard an imbecile chuckle in his ear。                 It was the simple old
  clergyman: 〃You are going to London to join the Church; John; Golly is
  going there; too; as hospital nurse。            There's a pair of you! He! he!           Look
  after    her;  John;    and   protect   her   Manx     simplicity。〃     Before    John    could
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  recover himself; Golly was at his side executing the final steps of a 〃cellar…
  door flap jig〃 to the light…hearted refrain:
  〃We are a simple familywe arewe arewe are!〃
  And   even   as   her   pure   young   voice   arose   above   the   screams   of   the
  departure whistle; she threw a double back…somersault on the quarterdeck;
  cleverly alighting on the spikes of the wheel before the delighted captain。
  〃Jingle my electric bells;〃 be said; looking at the bright young thing;
  〃but you're a regular minx〃
  〃I beg your pardon;〃 interrupted John Gale; with a quick flush。
  〃I mean a regular MANX;〃 said the captain hurriedly。
  A singular paleness crossed the deeply religious face of John。                   As the
  vessel   rose   on   the   waves;   he   passed   his   hand   hurriedly   first   across   his
  brows and then over his high…buttoned clerical waistcoat; that visible sign
  of   a   devoted    ascetic   life!   Then     murmuring       in  his   low;   deep   voice;
  〃Brandy; steward;〃 he disappeared below。
  BOOK II
  Glorious     as   were   Golly's    spirits;  exquisitely     simple    her   worldly
  ignorance; and irresistible her powers of mimicry; strangely enough they
  were considered out of place in St。 Barabbas' Hospital。                    A light…hearted
  disposition      to   mistake      a   blister   for   a   poultice;     that   rare    Manx
  conscientiousness which made her give double doses to the patients as a
  compensation   when   she   had   omitted   to   give   them   a   single   one;   and   the
  faculty of bursting into song at the beds