pgw.threemenandamaid-第13章

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n　engaged　to　the　girl　himself；　I　speak　feelingly。　You　are　well　out　of　it；　Sam。〃
　Sam　thrust　aside　his　hand。　Had　it　been　his　neck　he　might　have　clutched　it　eagerly；　but　he　drew　the　line　at　shaking　hands　with　Eustace　Hignett。
　〃My　heart　is　broken；〃　he　said　with　dignity。
　〃That　feeling　will　pass；　giving　way　to　one　of　devout　thankfulness。　I　know！　I've　been　there。　After　all　。。。　Wilhelmina　Bennett　。。。　what　is　she？　A　rag　and　a　bone　and　a　hank　of　hair？〃
　〃She　is　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　said　Sam；　revolted。
　〃Pardon　me；〃　said　Eustace　firmly；　〃I　speak　as　an　expert。　I　know　her　and　I　repeat；　she　is　a　rag　and　a　bone　and　a　hank　of　hair！〃
　〃She　is　the　only　girl　in　the　world；　and　owing　to　your　idiotic　behaviour　I　have　lost　her。〃
　〃You　speak　of　the　only　girl　in　the　world；〃　said　Eustace　blithely。　〃If　you　want　to　hear　about　the　only　girl　in　the　world；　I　will　tell　you。　A　week　ago　I　was　in　the　Subway　in　New　York。。。。〃
　〃I'm　going　to　bed；〃　said　Sam　brusquely。
　〃All　right。　I'll　tell　you　while　you're　undressing。〃
　〃I　don't　want　to　listen。〃
　〃A　week　ago；〃　said　Eustace　Hignett；　〃I　will　ask　you　to　picture　me　seated　after　some　difficulty　in　a　carriage　in　a　New　York　subway；　I　got　into　conversation　with　a　girl　with　an　elephant　gun。〃
　Sam　revised　his　private　mination　service　in　order　to　include　the　elephant　gun。
　〃She　was　my　soul…mate；〃　proceeded　Eustace　with　quiet　determination。　〃I　didn't　know　it　at　the　time；　but　she　was。　She　had　grave　brown　eyes；　a　wonderful　personality；　and　this　elephant　gun。　She　was　bringing　the　gun　away　from　the　down…town　place　where　she　had　taken　it　to　be　mended。〃
　〃Did　she　shoot　you　with　it？〃
　〃Shoot　me？　What　do　you　mean？　Why；　no！〃
　〃The　girl　must　have　been　a　fool！〃　said　Sam　bitterly。　〃The　chance　of　a　life…time　and　she　missed　it。　Where　are　my　pyjamas？〃
　〃I　haven't　seen　your　pyjamas。　She　talked　to　me　about　this　elephant　gun；　and　explained　its　mechanism。　You　can　imagine　how　she　soothed　my　aching　heart。　My　heart；　if　you　recollect；　was　aching　at　the　moment…quite　unnecessarily　if　I　had　only　known…because　it　was　only　a　couple　of　days　since　my　engagement　to　Wilhelmina　Bennett　had　been　broken　off。　Well；　we　parted　at　Sixty…sixth　Street；　and；　strange　as　it　may　seem；　I　forgot　all　about　her。〃
　〃Do　it　again！〃
　〃Tell　it　again？〃
　〃Good　heavens；　no！　Forget　all　about　her　again。〃
　〃Nothing；〃　said　Eustace　Hignett　gravely；　〃could　make　me　do　that。　Our　souls　have　blended。　Our　beings　have　called　to　one　another　from　their　deepest　depths；　saying　。。。　There　are　your　pyjamas；　over　in　the　corner　。。。　saying；　'You　are　mine！'　How　could　I　forget　her　after　that？　Well；　as　I　was　saying；　we　parted。　Little　did　I　know　that　she　was　sailing　on　this　very　boat！　But　just　now　she　came　to　me　as　I　writhed　on　deck。。。。〃
　〃Did　you　writhe？〃　asked　Sam　with　a　flicker　of　moody　interest。
　〃I　certainly　did。〃
　〃That's　good！〃
　〃But　not　for　long。〃
　〃That's　bad！〃
　〃She　came　to　me　and　healed　me。　Sam；　that　girl　is　an　angel。〃
　〃Switch　off　the　light　when　you've　finished。〃
　〃She　seemed　to　understand　without　a　word　how　I　was　feeling。　There　are　some　situations　which　do　not　need　words。　She　went　away　and　returned　with　a　mixture　of　some　kind　in　a　glass。
　〃I　don't　know　what　it　was。　It　had　Worcester　sauce　in　it。　She　put　it　to　my　lips。　She　made　me　drink　it。　She　said　it　was　what　her　father　always　used　in　Africa　for　bull…calves　with　the　staggers。　Well；　believe　me　or　believe　me　not　。。。　Are　you　asleep？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Believe　me　or　believe　me　not；　in　under　two　minutes　I　was　not　merely　freed　from　the　nausea　caused　by　your　cigar。　I　was　smoking　myself！　I　was　walking　the　deck　with　her　without　the　slightest　qualm。　I　was　even　able　to　look　over　the　side　from　time　to　time　and　ment　on　the　beauty　of　the　moon　on　the　water　。。。　I　have　said　some　mordant　things　about　women　since　I　came　on　board　this　boat。　I　withdraw　them　unreservedly。　They　still　apply　to　girls　like　Wilhelmina　Bennett；　but　I　have　ceased　to　include　the　whole　sex　in　my　remarks。　Jane　Hubbard　has　restored　my　faith　in　woman。　Sam！　Sam！〃
　〃What？〃
　〃I　said　that　Jane　Hubbard　had　restored　my　faith　in　woman。〃
　〃Oh；　all　right。〃
　Eustace　Hignett　finished　undressing　and　got　into　bed。　With　a　soft　smile　on　his　face　he　switched　off　the　light。　There　was　a　long　silence；　broken　only　by　the　distant　purring　of　engines。　At　about　twelve…thirty　a　voice　came　from　the　lower　berth。
　〃Sam！〃
　〃What　is　it　now？〃
　〃There　is　a　sweet　womanly　strength　about　her；　Sam。　She　was　telling　me　she　once　killed　a　panther　with　a　hat…pin。〃
　Sam　groaned　and　tossed　on　his　mattress。
　Silence　fell　again。
　〃At　least　I　think　it　was　a　panther；〃　said　Eustace　Hignett；　at　a　quarter　past　one。　〃Either　a　panther　or　a　puma。〃
　
　CHAPTER　EIGHT
　
　A　week　after　the　liner　Atlantic　had　docked　at　Southampton；　Sam　Marlowe　might　have　been　observedand　was　observed　by　various　of　the　residentssitting　on　a　bench　on　the　esplanade　of　that　repellent　watering…place；　Bingley…on…the…Sea；　in　Sussex。　All　watering…places　on　the　South　Coast　of　England　are　blots　on　the　landscape；　but；　though　I　am　aware　that　by　saying　it　I　shall　offend　the　civic　pride　of　some　of　the　others；　none　are　so　peculiarly　foul　as　Bingley…on…the…Sea。　The　asphalt　on　the　Bingley　esplanade　is　several　degrees　more　depressing　than　the　asphalt　on　other　esplanades。　The　Swiss　waiters　at　the　Hotel　Magnificent；　where　Sam　was　stopping；　are　in　a　class　of　bungling　inpetence　by　themselves；　the　envy　and　despair　of　all　the　other　Swiss　waiters　at　all　the　other　Hotels　Magnificent　along　the　coast。　For　dreariness　of　aspect　Bingley…on…the…Sea　stands　alone。　The　very　waves　that　break　on　the　shingle　seem　to　creep　up　the　beach　reluctantly；　as　if　it　revolted　them　to　e　to　such　a　place。
　Why；　then；　was　Sam　Marlowe　visiting　this　ozone…swept　Gehenna？　Why；　with　all　the　rest　of　England　at　his　disposal；　had　he　chosen　to　spend　a　week　at　breezy；　blighted　Bingley？
　Simply　because　he　had　been　disappointed　in　love。　He　had　sought　relief　by　slinking　off　alone　to　the　most　benighted　spot　he　knew；　in　the　same　spirit　as　other　men　in　similar　circumstances　had　gone　off　to　the　Rockies　to　shoot　grizzly…bears。
　To　a　certain　extent　the　experiment　had　proved　successful。　If　the　Hotel　Magnificent　had　not　cured　his　agony；　the　service　and　the　cooking　there　had　at　least　done　much　to　take　his　mind　off　it。　His　heart　still　ached；　but　he　felt　equal　to　going　to　London　and　seeing　his　father；　which；　of　course；　he　ought　to　have　done　immediately　upon　his　arrival　in　England。
　He　rose　from　his　bench；　and；　going　back　to　the　hotel　to　enquire　about　trains；　observed　a　familiar　figure　in　the　lobby。　Eustace　Hignett　was　leaning　over　the　counter；　in　conversation　with　the　desk…clerk。
　〃Hullo；　Eustace！〃　said　Sam。
　〃Hullo；　Sam！〃　said　Eustace。
　There　was　a　brief　silence。　The　conversational　opening　had　been　a　little　unfortunately　chosen；　for　it　reminded　both　men　of　a　painful　episode　in　their　recent　lives。
　〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　asked　Eustace。
　〃What　are　　you　　doing　here？〃　asked　Sam。
　〃I　came　to　see　you；〃　said　Eustace；　leading　his　cousin　out　of　the　lobby　and　onto　the　bleak　esplanade。　A　fine　rain　had　begun　to　fall；　and　Bingley　looked；　if　possible；　worse　than　ever。　〃I　asked　for　you　at　your　club；　and　they　told　me　you　had　e　down　here。〃
　〃What　did　you　want　to　see　me　about？〃
　〃The　fact　is；　old　man；　I'm　in　a　bit　of　a　hole。〃
　〃What's　the　matter？〃
　〃It's　rather　a　long　story；〃　said　Eustace　deprecatingly。
　〃Go　ahead。〃
　〃I　don't　know　where　to　begin。〃
　〃Have　a　dash　at　starting　at　the　beginning。〃
　Eustace　stared　gloomily　at　a　stranded　crab　on　the　beach　below。　The　crab　stared　gloomily　back。
　〃Well；　you　remember　my　telling　you　about　the　girl　I　met　on　the　boat？〃
　〃Jane　Something？〃
　〃Jane　Hubbard；〃　said　Eustace　reverently。　〃Sam；　I　love　that　girl。〃
　〃I　know。　You　told　me。〃
　〃But　I　didn't　tell　　her　。　I　tried　to　muster　up　the　nerve；　but　we　got　to　Southampton　without　my　having　clicked。　What　a　dashed　difficult　thing　a　proposal　is　to　bring　off；　isn't　it！　I　didn't　bring　it　off；　and　it　began　to　look　to　me　as　though　I　was　in　the　soup。　And　then　she　told　me　something　which　gave　me　an　idea。　She　said　the　Bennetts　had　invited　her　to　stay　with　them　in　the　country　when　she　got　to　England；　Old　Mr。　Bennett　and　his　pal　Mortimer；　Bream's　father；　were　trying　to　get　a　house　somewhere　which　they　could　share。　Only　so　far　they　hadn't　managed　to　find　the　house　they　wanted。　When　I　heard　that；　I　said　'Ha！'〃
　〃You　said　what？〃　asked　Sam。
　〃I　said　'Ha！'〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃Because　I　had　an　idea。　Don't　interrupt；　old　man；　or　you'll　get　me　muddled。　Where　was　I？〃
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃I　remember。　I'd　just　got　the　idea。　I　happened　to　know；　you　see；　that　Bennett　and　Mortimer　were　both　frightfully　keen　on　getting　Windles　for　the　summer；　but　my　mother　wouldn't　hear　of　it　and　gave　them　both　the　miss…in…baulk。　It　suddenly　occurred　to　me　that　mother　was　going　to　be　away　in　America　all　the　summer；　so　why　shouldn't　I　make　a　private　deal；　let　them　the　house；　and　make　it　a　stipulation　that　I　was　to　stay　there　to　look　after　things？　And；　to　cut　a　long　story　short；　that's　what　I　did。〃
　〃You　let　Windles？〃
　〃Yes。　Old　Bennett　was　down　on　the　dock　at　Southampton　to　meet　Wilhelmina；　and　I　fixed　it　up　with　him　then　and　there。　He　was　so　bucked　at　the　idea　of　getting　the　place　that　he　didn't　kick　for　a　moment　at　the　suggestion　that　I　should　stick　on　at　the　house。　Said　he　would　be　delighted　to　have　me　there；　and　wrote　out　a　fat　check　on　the　spot。　We　hired　a　car　and　drove　straight　overit's　only　about　twenty　miles　from　Southampton；　you　know；and　we've　been　there　ever　since。　Bennett　sent　a　wire　to　Mortimer；　telling　him　to　join　us；　and　he　came　down　next　day。〃
　He　paused；　and　looked　at　Sam　as　though　desiring　ment。　Sam　had　none　to　offer。
　〃Why　do　you　say　you're　in　a　hole？〃　he　asked。　〃It　seems　to　me　as　though　you　had　done　yourself　a　bit　of　good。　You've　got　the　check；　and　you're　in　the　same　house　with　Miss　Hubbard。　What　more　do　you　want？〃
　〃But　suppose　mother　gets　to　hear　about　it？〃
　〃Well？〃
　〃She'd　be　sorer　than　a　sunburned　neck。〃
　〃Probably。　But　why　should　she　hear　of　it？〃
　〃Ah！　I'm　ing　to　that。〃
　〃Is　there　some　more　of　the　story？〃
　〃Quite　a　lot。〃
　〃Charge　on；〃　said　Sam　resignedly。
　Eustace　Hignett　fixed　a　despondent　gaze　on　the　shingle；　up　which　the　gray　waves　were　crawling　with　their　usual　sluggish　air　of　wishing　themselves　elsewhere。　A　rain…drop　fell　down　the　back　of　his　neck；　but　he　did　not　notice　it。
　〃It　was　the　weather　that　really　started　it；〃　he　said。
　〃Started　what？〃
　〃The　trouble。　What　sort　of　weather　have　you　been　having　here？〃
　〃I　haven't　noticed。〃
　〃Well；　down　at　Windles　it　has　been　raining　practically　all　the　time；　and　after　about　a　couple　of　days　it　became　fairly　clear　to　me　that　Bennett　and　Mortimer　were　getting　a　bit　fed。　I　mean　to　say；　having　spent　all　their　lives　in　America；　don't　you　know；　they　weren't　used　to　a　country　where　it　rained　all　the　time；　and　pretty　soon　it　began　to　get　on　their　nerves。　They　started　quarrelling。　Nothing　bad　at　first；　but　hotting　up　more　and　more；　till　at　last　they　were　hardly　on　speaking　terms。　Every　little　thing　that　happened　seemed　to　get　the　wind　up　them。　There　was　that　business　of　Smith；　for　instance。〃
　〃Who's　Smith？〃
　〃Mortimer's　bull…dog。　Old　Bennett　is　scared　of　him；　and　wants　him　kept　in　the　stables；　but　Mortimer　insists　on