第 8 节
作者:
散发弄舟 更新:2021-10-16 18:44 字数:9321
faculty of bursting into song at the bedside of a dying patient; produced
some liveliness not unmixed with perplexity among the hospital staff。 It
is true; however; that her performance of clog…dancing during the night…
watches drew a larger and more persistent attendance of students and
young surgeons than ever was seen before。 Yet everybody loved her!
Even her patients! 〃If it amooses you; miss; to make me tyke the pills
wot's meant for the lydy in the next ward; I ain't complyning;〃 said an East
End newsboy。 〃When ye tyke off the style of the doctor wot wisits me;
miss; and imitates his wyes; Lawd! it does me as much good as his
mixtures;〃 said a consumptive charwoman。 Even thus; old and young
basked in the radiant youth of Golly。 She found time to write to her
family:
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DEAR OLD PALS! I'm here。 J'y suis! bet your boots! While
you're wondering what has become of the Bright Young Thing; the B。 Y。 T。
is lookin' out of the winder of St。 Barabbas' Hospitaljust taking in all of
dear; roaring; dirty London in one gulp! Such a place Lordy! I've
been waiting three hours to see the crowd go by; and they haven't gone yet!
Such crowds; such busses;all green and blue; only a penny fare; and you
can ride on top if you want to! Think of that; you dear old Manx people!
But there〃the bell goes a…ringing for Sarah!〃they're calling for Nurse!
That's the worst of this job: they're always a…dyin' just as you're getting
interested in something else! Ta…ta!
GOLLY!
Then her dear old grandfather wrote:
I'm wondering where my diddleums; Golly; is! We all miss you so
much; deary; though we don't miss so many little things as when you were
here。 My dear; conscientious; unselfish little girl! You don't say where
John Gale is。 Is he still protecting youhe…he! you giddy; naughty
thing! People wonder on the island why I let you go alone to London
they forget your dear mother was a Frenchwoman! If you see anything
your dear old grandfather would likesend it on。
GRANFER。
Later; her aunt wrote:
Have you seen the Queen yet; and does she wear her crown at
breakfast? You might get over the area railing at Buckingham Palaceit
would be nothing for a girl like you to doand see if you can find out。
To these letters Golly answered; in her own light…hearted way:
DEAR GRANKINS;I haven't seen John muchbut I think he's like
the Private Secretary at the playhe 〃don't like London。〃 Lordy! there
I've let it out! I've been to a theayter。 Nurse Jinny Jones and me
scrouged into the pit one night without paying; 〃pertendin';〃 as we were in
uniform; we had come to take out a 〃Lydy〃 that had fainted。 Such larks!
and such a glorious theayter! I'll tell you another time。 Tell aunty the
Queen's always out when I call。 But that's nothing; everybody else is so
affable and polite in London。 Gentlemen〃real toffs;〃 they call 'em
whom you don't know from Adamthink nothing of speaking to you in the
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street。 Why; Nurse Jinny saysbut there another patient's going off who
by rights oughter have died only to…morrow。 〃To…morrow and to…morrow
and to…morrow;〃 as that barn…stormer actor said。 But they're always
calling for that giddy young thing;
Your GOLLY。
Meantime; John Gale; having abruptly left Golly at the door of St。
Barabbas' hospital; tactfully avoiding an unseemly altercation with the
cab…driver regarding her exact fare; pursued his way thoughtfully to the
residence of his uncle; the First Lord of the Admiralty。 He found his
Lordship in his bath…room。 He was leaning over the bath…tub; which was
half full of water; contemplating with some anxiety the model of a line…of…
battle ship which was floating on it; bottom upward。 〃I don't think it can
be quite rightdo you?〃 he said; nervously grasping his nephew's hand as
he pointed to the capsized vessel; 〃yet they always do it。 Tell me!〃 he
went on appealingly; 〃tell me; as a professing Christian and a Perfect Man…
…is it quite right?〃
〃I should think; sir;〃 responded John Gale; with uncompromising
truthfulness; 〃that the average vessel of commerce is not built in that way。〃
〃Yet;〃 said the First Lord of the Admiralty; with a far…off look; 〃they
all do it! And they don't steer! The larger they are and the more recent
the model; the less they steer。 Dear meyou ought to see 'em go round
and round in that tub。〃 Then; apparently recalling the probable purpose
of John's visit; he led the way into his dressing…room。 〃So you are in
London; dear boy。 Is there any little thing you want? I have;〃 he
continued; absently fumbling in the drawers of his dressing…table; 〃a few
curacies and a bishopric somewhere; but with these blessed modelsI can't
think where they are。 Or what would you say to a nice chaplaincy in the
navy; with a becoming uniform; on one of those thingummies?〃 He
pointed to the bath…room。 〃Stay;〃 he continued; as he passed his hand
over his perplexed brows; 〃now I think of ityou're quite unorthodox!
Dear me! that wouldn't do。 You see; Drake;〃he paused; as John Gale
started;〃I mean Sir Francis Drake; once suspended his chaplain for
unorthodoxy; according to Froude's book。 These admirals are dreadfully
strict Churchmen。 No matter! Come again some other time;〃 he added;
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gently pushing his nephew downstairs and into the street; 〃and we'll see
about it。〃
With a sinking heart; John turned his steps toward Westminster。 He
would go and see Golly; perhaps he had not looked after her as he ought。
Suddenly a remembered voice; in mimicking accents; fell upon his ear
with the quotation; 〃Do you know?〃 Then; in a hansom passing swiftly
by him; Golly; in hospital dress with flying ribbons; appeared; sitting
between Lord Brownstone Ewer and Francis Horatio Nelson Drake;
completely grown up。 And from behind floated the inexpressibly sad
refrain; 〃Hi tiddli hi!〃
This is how it happened。 One morning; Jinny Jones; another hospital
nurse; had said to her; 〃Have you any objection; dear; to seeing a friend of
another gent; a friend of mine?〃
〃None in the least; dear;〃 said Golly。 〃I want to see all that can be
seen; and do all that can be done in London; and know the glory thereof。
I only require that I shall be allowed to love John Gale whenever he
permits it; which isn't often; and that I may be permitted to write simple
letters to my doting relations at the rate of twelve pages a day; giving an
accountMY OWN accountof my doings。 There! Go on now!
Bring on your bears。〃
They had visited the chambers which Lord Brownstone and Drake
occupied together; and in girlish innocence had put on the gentlemen's
clothes and danced before them。 Then they all went to the theatre; where
Golly's delightful simplicity and childish ignorance of the world had
charmed them。 Everything to her was new; strange; and thrilling。 She
even leaned from the carriage windows to see the 〃wheels go round。〃
She was surprised at the number of people in the theatre; and insisted on
knowing if it was church; because they all sat there in their best clothes so
quietly。 She believed that the play was real; and frequently; from a stage
box; interrupted the acting with explanations。 She informed the heroine
of the design of the villain