to-morrow-第4章
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The stranger； unaware how near he was of hav…
ing his head laid open with a spade； said seriously：
〃I am not trespassing where I stand； am I？ I
fancy there's something wrong about your news。
Suppose you let me come in。〃
〃YOU come in！〃 murmured old Hagberd； with
inexpressible horror。
〃I could give you some real information about
your sonthe very latest tip； if you care to
hear。〃
〃No；〃 shouted Hagberd。 He began to pace
wildly to and fro； he shouldered his spade； he ges…
ticulated with his other arm。 〃Here's a fellow
a grinning fellow； who says there's something
wrong。 I've got more information than you're
aware of。 I've all the information I want。 I've
had it for yearsfor yearsfor yearsenough
to last me till to…morrow。 Let you come in； indeed！
What would Harry say？〃
Bessie Carvil's figure appeared in black silhou…
ette on the parlour window； then； with the sound of
an opening door； flitted out before the other cot…
tage； all black； but with something white over
her head。 These two voices beginning to talk sud…
denly outside （she had heard them indoors） had
given her such an emotion that she could not utter
a sound。
Captain Hagberd seemed to be trying to find his
way out of a cage。 His feet squelched in the pud…
dles left by his industry。 He stumbled in the holes
of the ruined grass…plot。 He ran blindly against
the fence。
〃Here； steady a bit！〃 said the man at the gate；
gravely stretching his arm over and catching him
by the sleeve。 〃Somebody's been trying to get at
you。 Hallo！ what's this rig you've got on？ Storm
canvas； by George！〃 He had a big laugh。
〃Well； you ARE a character！〃
Captain Hagberd jerked himself free； and began
to back away shrinkingly。 〃For the present；〃 he
muttered； in a crestfallen tone。
〃What's the matter with him？〃 The stranger
addressed Bessie with the utmost familiarity； in a
deliberate； explanatory tone。 〃I didn't want to
startle the old man。〃 He lowered his voice as
though he had known her for years。 〃I dropped
into a barber's on my way； to get a twopenny
shave； and they told me there he was something of
a character。 The old man has been a character all
his life。〃
Captain Hagberd； daunted by the allusion to his
clothing； had retreated inside； taking his spade
with him； and the two at the gate； startled by the
unexpected slamming of the door； heard the bolts
being shot； the snapping of the lock； and the echo
of an affected gurgling laugh within。
〃I didn't want to upset him；〃 the man said；
after a short silence。 〃What's the meaning of all
this？ He isn't quite crazy。〃
〃He has been worrying a long time about his
lost son；〃 said Bessie； in a low； apologetic tone。
〃Well； I am his son。〃
〃Harry！〃 she criedand was profoundly si…
lent。
〃Know my name？ Friends with the old man；
eh？〃
〃He's our landlord；〃 Bessie faltered out； catch…
ing hold of the iron railing。
〃Owns both them rabbit…hutches； does he？〃
commented young Hagberd； scornfully； 〃just the
thing he would be proud of。 Can you tell me who's
that chap coming to…morrow？ You must know
something of it。 I tell you； it's a swindle on the old
mannothing else。〃
She did not answer； helpless before an insur…
mountable difficulty； appalled before the necessity；
the impossibility and the dread of an explanation
in which she and madness seemed involved together。
〃OhI am so sorry；〃 she murmured。
〃What's the matter？〃 he said； with serenity。
〃You needn't be afraid of upsetting me。 It's the
other fellow that'll be upset when he least expects
it。 I don't care a hang； but there will be some fun
when he shows his mug to…morrow。 I don't care
THAT for the old man's pieces； but right is right。
You shall see me put a head on that coonwhoever
he is！〃
He had come nearer； and towered above her on
the other side of the railings。 He glanced at her
hands。 He fancied she was trembling； and it oc…
curred to him that she had her part perhaps in that
little game that was to be sprung on his old man
to…morrow。 He had come just in time to spoil their
sport。 He was entertained by the ideascornful
of the baffled plot。 But all his life he had been full
of indulgence for all sorts of women's tricks。 She
really was trembling very much； her wrap had
slipped off her head。 〃Poor devil！〃 he thought。
〃Never mind about that chap。 I daresay he'll
change his mind before to…morrow。 But what
about me？ I can't loaf about the gate til the morn…
ing。〃
She burst out： 〃It is YOUyou yourself that he's
waiting for。 It is YOU who come to…morrow。〃
He murmured。 〃Oh！ It's me！〃 blankly； and
they seemed to become breathless together。 Ap…
parently he was pondering over what he had heard；
then； without irritation； but evidently perplexed；
he said： 〃I don't understand。 I hadn't written or
anything。 It's my chum who saw the paper and
told methis very morning。 。 。 。 Eh？ what？〃
He bent his ear； she whispered rapidly； and he
listened for a while； muttering the words 〃yes〃
and 〃I see〃 at times。 Then； 〃But why won't to…
day do？〃 he queried at last。
〃You didn't understand me！〃 she exclaimed；
impatiently。 The clear streak of light under the
clouds died out in the west。 Again he stooped
slightly to hear better； and the deep night buried
everything of the whispering woman and the
attentive man； except the familiar contiguity of
their faces； with its air of secrecy and caress。
He squared his shoulders； the broad…brimmed
shadow of a hat sat cavalierly on his head。 〃Awk…
ward this； eh？〃 he appealed to her。 〃To…morrow？
Well； well！ Never heard tell of anything like this。
It's all to…morrow； then； without any sort of to…day；
as far as I can see。〃
She remained still and mute。
〃And you have been encouraging this funny
notion；〃 he said。
〃I never contradicted him。〃
〃Why didn't you？〃
〃What for should I？〃 she defended herself。
〃It would only have made him miserable。 He
would have gone out of his mind。〃
〃His mind！〃 he muttered； and heard a short
nervous laugh from her。
〃Where was the harm？ Was I to quarrel with
the poor old man？ It was easier to half believe it
myself。〃
〃Aye； aye；〃 he meditated； intelligently。 〃I
suppose the old chap got around you somehow with
his soft talk。 You are good…hearted。〃
Her hands moved up in the dark nervously。
〃And it might have been true。 It was true。 It
has come。 Here it is。 This is the to…morrow we
have been waiting for。〃
She drew a breath； and he said； good…humour…
edly： 〃Aye； with the door shut。 I wouldn't care
if 。 。 。 And you think he could be brought round
to recognise me 。 。 。 Eh？ What？ 。 。 。 You
could do it？ In a week you say？ H'm； I daresay
you couldbut do you think I could hold out a
week in this dead…alive place？ Not me！ I want
either hard work； or an all…fired racket； or more
space than there is in the whole of England。 I
have been in this place； though； once before； and for
more than a week。 The old man was advertising
for me then； and a chum I had with me had a no…
tion of getting a couple quid out of him by writ…
ing a lot of silly nonsense in a letter。 That lark did
not come off； though。 We had to clear outand
none too soon。 But this time I've a chum waiting
for me in London； and besides 。 。 。〃
Bessie Carvil was breathing quickly。
〃What if I tried a knock at the door？〃 he sug…
gested。
〃Try；〃 she said。
Captain Hagberd's gate squeaked； and the shad…
ow of the son moved on； then stopped with another
deep laugh in the throat； like the father's； only
soft and gentle； thrilling to the woman's heart；
awakening to her ears。
〃He isn't friskyis he？ I would be afraid to
lay hold of him。 The chaps are always telling me
I don't know my own strength。〃
〃He's the most harmless creature that ever
lived；〃 she interrupted。
〃You wouldn't say so if you had seen him chas…
ing me upstairs with a hard leather strap；〃 he said；
〃I haven't forgotten it in sixteen years。〃
She got warm from head to foot under another
soft； subdued laugh。 At the rat…tat…tat of the
knocker her heart flew into her mouth。
〃Hey； dad！ Let me in。 I am Harry； I am。
Straight！ Come back home a day too soon。〃
One of the windows upstairs ran up。
〃A grinning； information fellow；〃 said the voice
of old Hagberd； up in the darkness。 〃Don't you
have anything to do with him。 It will spoil every…
thing。〃
She heard Harry Hagberd say； 〃Hallo； dad；〃
then a clanging clatter。 The window rumbled
down； and he stood before her again。
〃It's just like old times。 Nearly walloped the
life out of me to stop me going away； and now I
come back he throws a confounded shovel at my
head to keep me out。 It grazed my shoulder。〃
She shuddered。
〃I wouldn't care；〃 he began； 〃only I spent my
last shillings on the railway fare and my last two…
pence on a shaveout of respect for the old man。〃
〃Are you really Harry Hagberd？〃 she asked。
〃Can you prove it？〃
〃Can I prove it？ Can any one else prove it？〃
he said jovially。 〃Prove with what？ What do I
want to prove？ There isn't a single corner in the
world； barring England； perhaps； where you could
not find some man； or more likely woman； that
would remember me for Harry Hagberd。 I am
more like Harry Hagberd than any man alive； and
I can prove it to you in a minute； if you will let me
step inside your gate。〃
〃Come in；〃 she said。
He entered then the front garden of the Carvils。
His tall shadow strode with a swagger； she turned
her back on the window and waited； watching the
shape； of which the footfalls seemed the most mate…
rial part。 Th
