the wheels of chance-第29章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



She　took　ten　seconds　to　think。　〃No。〃　she　said；　and　held　out　her　hand；　biting　her　nether　lip。　〃GOOD…BYE；〃　she　whispered。

He　turned；　with　a　white　face；　looked　into　her　eyes；　took　her　hand　limply；　and　then　with　a　sudden　impulse；　lifted　it　to　his　lips。　She　would　have　snatched　it　away；　but　his　grip　tightened　to　her　movement。　She　felt　the　touch　of　his　lips；　and　then　he　had　dropped　her　fingers　and　turned　from　her　and　was　striding　down　the　slope。　A　dozen　paces　away　his　foot　turned　in　the　lip　of　a　rabbit　hole；　and　he　stumbled　forward　and　almost　fell。　He　recovered　his　balance　and　went　on；　not　looking　back。　He　never　once　looked　back。　She　stared　at　his　receding　figure　until　it　was　small　and　far　below　her；　and　then；　the　tears　running　over　her　eyelids　now；　turned　slowly；　and　walked　with　her　hands　gripped　hard　together　behind　her；　towards　Stoney　Cross　again。

〃I　did　not　know；〃　she　whispered　to　herself。　〃I　did　not　understand。　Even　nowNo；　I　do　not　understand。〃



THE　ENVOY

XLI

So　the　story　ends；　dear　Reader。　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　sprawling　down　there　among　the　bracken；　must　sprawl　without　our　prying；　I　think；　or　listening　to　what　chances　to　his　breathing。　And　of　what　came　of　it　all；　of　the　six　years　and　afterwards；　this　is　no　place　to　tell。　In　truth；　there　is　no　telling　it；　for　the　years　have　still　to　run。　But　if　you　see　how　a　mere　counter…jumper；　a　cad　on　castors；　and　a　fool　to　boot；　may　come　to　feel　the　little　insufficiencies　of　life；　and　if　he　has　to　any　extent　won　your　sympathies；　my　end　is　attained。　（If　it　is　not　attained；　may　Heaven　forgive　us　both！）　Nor　will　we　follow　this　adventurous　young　lady　of　ours　back　to　her　home　at　Surbiton；　to　her　new　struggle　against　Widgery　and　Mrs。　Milton　combined。　For；　as　she　will　presently　hear；　that　devoted　man　has　got　his　reward。　For　her；　also；　your　sympathies　are　invited。

The　rest　of　this　great　holiday；　toofive　days　there　are　left　of　itis　beyond　the　limits　of　our　design。　You　see　fitfully　a　slender　figure　in　a　dusty　brown　suit　and　heather　mixture　stockings；　and　brown　shoes　not　intended　to　be　cycled　in；　flitting　Londonward　through　Hampshire　and　Berkshire　and　Surrey；　going　economicallyfor　excellent　reasons。　Day　by　day　he　goes　on；　riding　fitfully　and　for　the　most　part　through　bye…roads；　but　getting　a　few　miles　to　the　north…eastward　every　day。　He　is　a　narrow…chested　person；　with　a　nose　hot　and　tanned　at　the　bridge　with　unwonted　exposure；　and　brown；　red…knuckled　fists。　A　musing　expression　sits　upon　the　face　of　this　rider；　you　observe。　Sometimes　he　whistles　noiselessly　to　himself；　sometimes　he　speaks　aloud；　〃a　juiced　good　try；　anyhow！〃　you　hear；　and　sometimes；　and　that　too　often　for　my　liking；　he　looks　irritable　and　hopeless。　〃I　know；〃　he　says；　〃I　know。　It's　over　and　done。　It　isn't　IN　me。　You　ain't　man　enough；　Hoopdriver。　Look　at　yer　silly　hands！　。　。　。　Oh；　my　God！〃　and　a　gust　of　passion　comes　upon　him　and　he　rides　furiously　for　a　space。

Sometimes　again　his　face　softens。　〃Anyhow；　if　I'm　not　to　see　her…　…she's　going　to　lend　me　books；〃　he　thinks；　and　gets　such　comfort　as　he　can。　Then　again；　〃Books！　What's　books？〃　Once　or　twice　triumphant　memories　of　the　earlier　incidents　nerve　his　face　for　a　while。　〃I　put　the　ky…bosh　on　HIS　little　game；〃　he　remarks。　〃I　DID　that；〃　and　one　might　even　call　him　happy　in　these　phases。　And；　by…the…bye；　the　machine；　you　notice；　has　been　enamel…painted　grey　and　carries　a　sonorous　gong。

This　figure　passes　through　Basingstoke　and　Bagshot；　Staines；　Hampton；　and　Richmond。　At　last；　in　Putney　High　Street；　glowing　with　the　warmth　of　an　August　sunset　and　with　all　the　'prentice　boys　busy　shutting　up　shop；　and　the　work　girls　going　home；　and　the　shop　folks　peeping　abroad；　and　the　white　'buses　full　of　late　clerks　and　city　folk　rumbling　home　to　their　dinners；　we　part　from　him。　He　is　back。　To…morrow；　the　early　rising；　the　dusting；　and　drudgery；　begin　againbut　with　a　difference；　with　wonderful　memories　and　still　more　wonderful　desires　and　ambitions　replacing　those　discrepant　dreams。

He　turns　out　of　the　High　Street　at　the　corner；　dismounts　with　a　sigh；　and　pushes　his　machine　through　the　gates　of　the　Antrobus　stable　yard；　as　the　apprentice　with　the　high　collar　holds　them　open。　There　are　words　of　greeting。　〃South　Coast；〃　you　hear；　and　〃splendid　weathersplendid。〃　He　sighs。　〃Yesswapped　him　off　for　a　couple　of　sovs。　It's　a　juiced　good　machine。〃

The　gate　closes　upon　him　with　a　slam；　and　he　vanishes　from　our　ken。





End