the wheels of chance-第7章

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　Invariably　this　person　possessed　an　iron　will。　The　stories　fluctuated　indefinitely。　The　smoking　of　a　cigarette　converted　Hoopdriver's　hero　into　something　entirely　worldly；　subtly　rakish；　with　a　humorous　twinkle　in　the　eye　and　some　gallant　sinning　in　the　background。　You　should　have　seen　Mr。　Hoopdriver　promenading　the　brilliant　gardens　at　Earl's　Court　on　an　early…closing　night。　His　meaning　glances！　（I　dare　not　give　the　meaning。）　Such　an　influence　as　the　eloquence　of　a　revivalist　preacher　would　suffice　to　divert　the　story　into　absolutely　different　channels；　make　him　a　white…soured　hero；　a　man　still　pure；　walking　untainted　and　brave　and　helpful　through　miry　ways。　The　appearance　of　some　daintily　gloved　frockcoated　gentleman　with　buttonhole　and　eyeglass　complete；　gallantly　attendant　in　the　rear　of　customers；　served　again　to　start　visions　of　a　simplicity　essentially　Cromwell…like；　of　sturdy　plainness；　of　a　strong；　silent　man　going　righteously　through　the　world。　This　day　there　had　predominated　a　fine　leisurely　person　immaculately　clothed；　and　riding　on　an　unexceptional　machine；　a　mysterious　personquite　unostentatious；　but　with　accidental　self…revelation　of　something　over　the　common；　even　a　〃bloomin'　Dook；〃　it　might　be　incognito；　on　the　tour　of　the　South　Coast。　

You　must　not　think　that　there　was　any　TELLING　of　these　stories　of　this　life…long　series　by　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　He　never　dreamt　that　they　were　known　to　a　soul。　If　it　were　not　for　the　trouble；　I　would；　I　think；　go　back　and　rewrite　this　section　from　the　beginning；　expunging　the　statements　that　Hoopdriver　was　a　poet　and　a　romancer；　and　saying　instead　that　he　was　a　playwright　and　acted　his　own　plays。　He　was　not　only　the　sole　performer；　but　the　entire　audience；　and　the　entertainment　kept　him　almost　continuously　happy。　Yet　even　that　playwright　comparison　scarcely　expresses　all　the　facts　of　the　case。　After　all；　very　many　of　his　dreams　never　got　acted　at　all；　possibly　indeed；　most　of　them；　the　dreams　of　a　solitary　walk　for　instance；　or　of　a　tramcar　ride；　the　dreams　dreamt　behind　the　counter　while　trade　was　slack　and　mechanical　foldings　and　rollings　occupied　his　muscles。　Most　of　them　were　little　dramatic　situations；　crucial　dialogues；　the　return　of　Mr。　Hoopdriver　to　his　native　village；　for　instance；　in　a　well…cut　holiday　suit　and　natty　gloves；　the　unheard　asides　of　the　rival　neighbours；　the　delight　of　the　old　'mater；'　the　intelligence〃A　ten…pound　rise　all　at　once　from　Antrobus；　mater。　Whad　d'yer　think　of　that？〃　or　again；　the　first　whispering　of　love；　dainty　and　witty　and　tender；　to　the　girl　he　served　a　few　days　ago　with　sateen；　or　a　gallant　rescue　of　generalised　beauty　in　distress　from　truculent　insult　or　ravening　dog。　

So　many　people　do　thisand　you　never　suspect　it。　You　see　a　tattered　lad　selling　matches　in　the　street；　and　you　think　there　is　nothing　between　him　and　the　bleakness　of　immensity；　between　him　and　utter　abasement；　but　a　few　tattered　rags　and　a　feeble　musculature。　And　all　unseen　by　you　a　host　of　heaven…　sent　fatuities　swathes　him　about；　even；　maybe；　as　they　swathe　you　about。　Many　men　have　never　seen　their　own　profiles　or　the　backs　of　their　heads；　and　for　the　back　of　your　own　mind　no　mirror　has　been　invented。　They　swathe　him　about　so　thickly　that　the　pricks　of　fate　scarce　penetrate　to　him；　or　become　but　a　pleasant　titillation。　And　so；　indeed；　it　is　with　all　of　us　who　go　on　living。　Self…deception　is　the　anaesthetic　of　life；　while　God　is　carving　out　our　beings。　

But　to　return　from　this　general　vivisection　to　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　imaginings。　You　see　now　how　external　our　view　has　been；　we　have　had　but　the　slightest　transitory　glimpses　of　the　drama　within；　of　how　the　things　looked　in　the　magic　mirror　of　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　mind。　On　the　road　to　Guildford　and　during　his　encounters　with　his　haunting　fellow…cyclists　the　drama　had　presented　chiefly　the　quiet　gentleman　to　whom　we　have　alluded；　but　at　Guildford；　under　more　varied　stimuli；　he　burgeoned　out　more　variously。　There　was　the　house　agent's　window；　for　instance；　set　him　upon　a　charming　little　comedy。　He　would　go　in；　make　inquires　about　that　thirty…pound　house；　get　the　key　possibly　and　go　over　itthe　thing　would　stimulate　the　clerk's　curiosity　immensely。　He　searched　his　mind　for　a　reason　for　this　proceeding　and　discovered　that　he　was　a　dynamiter　needing　privacy。　Upon　that　theory　he　procured　the　key；　explored　the　house　carefully；　said　darkly　that　it　might　suit　his　special　needs；　but　that　there　were　OTHERS　to　consult。　The　clerk；　however；　did　not　understand　the　allusion；　and　merely　pitied　him　as　one　who　had　married　young　and　paired　himself　to　a　stronger　mind　than　his　own。　

This　proceeding　in　some　occult　way　led　to　the　purchase　of　a　note…book　and　pencil；　and　that　started　the　conception　of　an　artist　taking　notes。　That　was　a　little　game　Mr。　Hoopdriver　had；　in　congenial　company；　played　in　his　still　younger　daysto　the　infinite　annoyance　of　quite　a　number　of　respectable　excursionists　at　Hastings。　In　early　days　Mr。　Hoopdriver　had　been；　as　his　mother　proudly　boasted；　a　'bit　of　a　drawer；'　but　a　conscientious　and　normally　stupid　schoolmaster　perceived　the　incipient　talent　and　had　nipped　it　in　the　bud　by　a　series　of　lessons　in　art。　However；　our　principal　character　figured　about　quite　happily　in　old　corners　of　Guildford；　and　once　the　other　man　in　brown；　looking　out　of　the　bay　window　of　the　Earl　of　Kent；　saw　him　standing　in　a　corner　by　a　gateway；　note…book　in　hand；　busily　sketching　the　Earl's　imposing　features。　At　which　sight　the　other　man　in　brown　started　back　from　the　centre　of　the　window；　so　as　to　be　hidden　from　him；　and　crouching　slightly；　watched　him　intently　through　the　interstices　of　the　lace　curtains。　



OMISSIONS

XI

Now　the　rest　of　the　acts　of　Mr。　Hoopdriver　in　Guildford；　on　the　great　opening　day　of　his　holidays；　are　not　to　be　detailed　here。　How　he　wandered　about　the　old　town　in　the　dusk；　and　up　to　the　Hogsback　to　see　the　little　lamps　below　and　the　little　stars　above　come　out　one　after　another；　how　he　returned　through　the　yellow…lit　streets　to　the　Yellow　Hammer　Coffee　Tavern　and　supped　bravely　in　the　commercial　rooma　Man　among　Men；　how　he　joined　in　the　talk　about　flying…machines　and　the　possibilities　of　electricity；　witnessing　that　fiying…machines　were　〃dead　certain　to　come；〃　and　that　electricity　was　〃wonderful；　wonderful〃；　how　he　went　and　watched　the　billiard　playing　and　said；　〃Left　'em〃　several　times　with　an　oracular　air；　how　he　fell　a…yawning；　and　how　he　got　out　his　cycling　map　and　studied　it　intently；are　things　that　find　no　mention　here。　Nor　will　I　enlarge　upon　his　going　into　the　writing…room；　and　marking　the　road　from　London　to　Guildford　with　a　fine；　bright　line　of　the　reddest　of　red　ink。　In　his　little　cyclist　hand…book　there　is　a　diary；　and　in　the　diary　there　is　an　entry　of　these　thingsit　is　there　to　this　day；　and　I　cannot　do　better　than　reproduce　it　here　to　witness　that　this　book　is　indeed　a　true　one；　and　no　lying　fable　written　to　while　away　an　hour。

At　last　he　fell　a…yawning　so　much　that　very　reluctantly　indeed　he　set　about　finishing　this　great　and　splendid　day。　（Alas！　that　all　days　must　end　at　last！　）　He　got　his　candle　in　the　hall　from　a　friendly　waiting…maid；　and　passed　upwardwhither　a　modest　novelist；　who　writes　for　the　family　circle；　dare　not　follow。　Yet　I　may　tell　you　that　he　knelt　down　at　his　bedside；　happy　and　drowsy；　and　said；　〃Our　Father　'chartin'　heaven；〃　even　as　he　had　learnt　it　by　rote　from　his　mother　nearly　twenty　years　ago。　And　anon　when　his　breathing　had　become　deep　and　regular；　we　may　creep　into　his　bedroom　and　catch　him　at　his　dreams。　He　is　lying　upon　his　left　side；　with　his　arm　under　the　pillow。　It　is　dark；　and　he　is　hidden；　but　if　you　could　have　seen　his　face；　sleeping　there　in　the　darkness；　I　think　you　would　have　perceived；　in　spite　of　that　treasured；　thin；　and　straggling　moustache；　in　spite　of　your　memory　of　the　coarse　words　he　had　used　that　day；　that　the　man　before　you　was；　after　all；　only　a　little　child　asleep。



THE　DREAMS　OF　MR。　HOOPDRIVER

XII

In　spite　of　the　drawn　blinds　and　the　darkness；　you　have　just　seen　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　face　peaceful　in　its　beauty　sleep　in　the　little；　plain　bedroom　at　the　very　top　of　the　Yellow　Hammer　Coffee　Tavern　at　Guildford。　That　was　before　midnight。　As　the　night　progressed　he　was　disturbed　by　dreams。

After　your　first　day　of　cycling　one　dream　is　inevitable。　A　memory　of　motion　lingers　in　the　muscles　of　your　legs；　and　round　and　round　they　seem　to　go。　You　ride　through　Dreamland　on　wonderful　dream　bicycles　that　change　and　grow；　you　ride　down　steeples　and　staircases　and　over　precipices；　you　hover　in　horrible　suspense　over　inhabited　towns；　vainly　seeking　for　a　brake　your　hand　cannot　find；　to　save　you　from　a　headlong　fall；　you　plunge　into　weltering　rivers；　and　rush　helplessly　at　monstrous　obstacles。　Anon　Mr。　Hoopdriver　found　himself　riding　out　of　the　darkness　of　non…existence；　pedalling　Ezekiel's　Wheels　across　the　Weald　of　Surrey；　jolting　over　the　hills　and　smashing　villages　in　his　course；　while　the　other　man　in　brown　cursed　and　swore　at　him　and　shouted　to　stop　his　career。　There　was　the　Putney　heath…keeper；　too；　and　the　man　in　drab　raging　at　him。　He　felt　an　awful　fool；　a…　…what　was　it？a　juggins；　ah！a　Juggernaut。　The　villages　went　off　one　after　another　with　a　soft；　squashing　noise。　He　did　not　see　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey；　but　he　knew　she　was　looking　at　his　back。　He　dared　not　look　round。　Where　the　devil　was　the　brake？　It　must　have　fallen　off。　And　the　bell？　Right　in　front　of　him　was　Guildford。　He　tried　to　shout　and　warn　the　town　to　get　out　of　the　way；　but　his　voice　was　gone　as　well。　Nearer；　nearer！　it　was　fearful！　and　in　another　moment　the　houses　were　cracking　like　nuts　and　the　blood　of　the　inhabitants　squirting　this　way　and　that。　The　streets　were　black　with　people　running。　Right　under　his　wheels　he　saw　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey。　A　feeling　of　horror　came　upon　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　he　flung　himself　sideways　to　descend；　forgetting　how　high　he　was；　and　forthwith　he　began　falling；　falling；　falling。

He　woke　up；　turned　over；　saw　the　new　moon　on　the　window；　wondered　a　little；　and　went　to　sleep　again。

This　second　dream　went　back　into　the　first　somehow；　and　the　other　man　in　brown　came　threatening　and　shouting　towards　him。　He　grew　uglier　and　uglier　as　he　approached；　and　his　expression　was　intolerably　evil。　He　came　and　looked　close　into　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　eyes　and　then　receded　to　an　incredible　distance。　His　face　seemed　to　be　luminous。　〃MISS　BEAUMONT；〃　he　said；　and　splashed　up　a　spray　of　suspicion。　Some　one　began　letting　off　fireworks；　chiefly　Catherine　wheels；　down　the　shop；　though　Mr。　Hoopdriver　knew　it　was　against　the　rules。　For　it　seemed　that　the　place　they　were　in　was　a　vast　shop；　and　then　Mr。　Hoopdriver　perceived　that　the　other　man　in　brown　was　the　shop…walker；　differing　from　most　shop…walkers　in　the　fact　that　he　was　lit　from　within　as　a　Chinese　lantern　might　be。　And　the　customer　Mr。　Hoopdriver　was　going　to　serve　was　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey。　Curious　he　hadn't　noticed　it　before。　She　was　in　grey　as　usual；rationals；and　she　had　her　bicycle　leaning　against　the　counter。　She　smiled　quite　frankly　at　him；　just　as　she　had　done　when　she　had　apologised　for　stopping　him。　And　her　form；　as　she　leant　towards　him；　was　full　of　a　sinuous　grace　he　had　never　noticed　before。　〃What　can　I　have　the　pleasure？〃　said　Mr。　Ho