stories by english authors in london(英国作家在伦敦的故事)-第3章
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STORIES
The library windows look to the back。〃
〃If she dies；〃 I said； 〃it will be a warning to you to marry a stronger
woman next time。〃
Now every one knows that there is little real affection among the lower
orders。 As soon as they have lost one mate they take another。 Yet William；
forgetting our relative positions； drew himself up and raised his fist； and if
I had not stepped back I swear he would have struck me。
The highly improper words William used I will omit； out of
consideration for him。 Even while he was apologising for them I retired to
the smoking…room； where I found the cigarettes so badly rolled that they
would not keep alight。 After a little I remembered that I wanted to see
Myddleton Finch about an improved saddle of which a friend of his has
the patent。 He was in the newsroom； and； having questioned him about the
saddle； I said：
〃By the way； what is this story about your swearing at one of the
waiters？〃
〃You mean about his swearing at me；〃 Myddleton Finch replied；
reddening。
〃I am glad that was it；〃 I said； 〃for I could not believe you guilty of
such bad form。〃
〃If I did swear〃 he was beginning； but I went on：
〃The version which has reached me was that you swore at him； and he
repeated the word。 I heard he was to be dismissed and you reprimanded。〃
〃Who told you that？〃 asked Myddleton Finch； who is a timid man。
〃I forget； it is club talk；〃 I replied； lightly。 〃But of course the
committee will take your word。 The waiter； whichever one he is； richly
deserves his dismissal for insulting you without provocation。〃
Then our talk returned to the saddle； but Myddleton Finch was
abstracted； and presently he said：
〃Do you know； I fancy I was wrong in thinking that the waiter swore at
me； and I'll withdraw my charge to…morrow。〃
Myddleton Finch then left me； and； sitting alone； I realised that I had
been doing William a service。 To some slight extent I may have
intentionally helped him to retain his place in the club； and I now see the
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reason； which was that he alone knows precisely to what extent I like my
claret heated。
For a mere second I remembered William's remark that he should not
be able to see the girl Jenny from the library windows。 Then this
recollection drove from my head that I had only dined in the sense that my
dinner…bill was paid。 Returning to the dining…room； I happened to take my
chair at the window； and while I was eating a deviled kidney I saw in the
street the girl whose nods had such an absurd effect on William。
The children of the poor are as thoughtless as their parents； and this
Jenny did not sign to the windows in the hope that William might see her；
though she could not see him。 Her face； which was disgracefully dirty；
bore doubt and dismay on it； but whether she brought good news it would
not tell。 Somehow I had expected her to signal when she saw me； and；
though her message could not interest me； I was in the mood in which one
is irritated at that not taking place which he is awaiting。 Ultimately she
seemed to be making up her mind to go away。
A boy was passing with the evening papers； and I hurried out to get
one； rather thoughtlessly； for we have all the papers in the club。
Unfortunately； I misunderstood the direction the boy had taken； but round
the first corner （out of sight of the club windows） I saw the girl Jenny； and
so asked her how William's wife was。
〃Did he send you to me？〃 she replied； impertinently taking me for a
waiter。 〃My！〃 she added； after a second scrutiny； 〃I b'lieve you're one of
them。 His missis is a bit better； and I was to tell him as she took all the
tapiocar。〃
〃How could you tell him？〃 I asked。
〃I was to do like this；〃 she replied； and went through the supping of
something out of a plate in dumb…show。
〃That would not show she ate all the tapioca；〃 I said。
〃But I was to end like this；〃 she answered； licking an imaginary plate
with her tongue。
I gave her a shilling （to get rid of her）； and returned to the club
disgusted。
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Later in the evening I had to go to the club library for a book； and
while William was looking in vain for it （I had forgotten the title） I said to
him：
〃By the way； William； Mr。 Myddleton Finch is to tell the committee
that he was mistaken in the charge he brought against you； so you will
doubtless be restored to the dining…room to…morrow。〃
The two members were still in their chairs； probably sleeping lightly；
yet he had the effrontery to thank me。
〃Don't thank me；〃 I said； blushing at the imputation。 〃Remember your
place； William！〃
〃But Mr。 Myddleton Finch knew I swore；〃 he insisted。
〃A gentleman；〃 I replied； stiffly； 〃cannot remember for twenty…four
hours what a waiter has said to him。〃
〃No； sir； but〃
To stop him I had to say： 〃And； ah； William； your wife is a little better。
She has eaten the tapiocaall of it。〃
〃How can your know； sir？〃
〃By an accident。〃
〃Jenny signed to the window？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then you saw her； and went out； and〃
〃Nonsense！〃
〃Oh； sir； to do that for me！ May God bl〃
〃William！〃
〃Forgive me； sir； butwhen I tell my missis； she will say it was
thought of your own wife as made you do it。〃
He wrung my hand。 I dared not withdraw it； lest we should waken the
sleepers。
William returned to the dining…room； and I had to show him that if he
did not cease looking gratefully at me I must change my waiter。 I also
ordered him to stop telling me nightly how his wife was； but I continued to
know； as I could not help seeing the girl Jenny from the window。 Twice in
a week I learned from this objectionable child that the ailing woman had
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again eaten all the tapioca。 Then I became suspicious of William。 I will tell
why。
It began with a remark of Captain Upjohn's。 We had been speaking of
the inconvenience of not being able to get a hot dish served after 1 A。M。；
and he said：
〃It is because these lazy waiters would strike。 If the beggars had a love
of their work they would not rush away from the club the moment one
o'clock strikes。 That glum fellow who often waits on you takes to his heels
the moment he is clear of the club steps。 He ran into me the other night at
the top of the street； and was off without apologising。〃
〃You mean the foot of the street； Upjohn；〃 I said； for such is the way to
Drury Lane。
〃No； I mean the top。 The man was running west。〃
〃East。〃
〃West。〃
I smiled； which so annoyed him that he bet me two to one in
sovereigns。 The bet could have been decided most quickly by asking
William a question； but I thought； foolishly doubtless； that it might hurt his
feelings； so I watched him leave the club。 The possibility of Upjohn's
winning the bet had seemed remote to me。 Conceive my surprise；
therefore when William went westward。
Amazed； I pursued him along two streets without realising that I was
doing so。 Then curiosity put me into a hansom。 We followed William； and
it proved to be a three…shilling fare； for； running when he was in breath
and walking when he was out of it； he took me to West Kensington。
I discharged my cab； and from across the street watched William's
incomprehensible behaviour。 He had stopped at a dingy row of workmen's
houses； and knocked at the darkened window of one of them。 Presently a
light showed。 So far as I could see； some one pulled up the blind and for
ten minutes talked to William。 I was uncertain whether they talked； for the
window was not opened； and I felt that； had William spoken through the
glass loud enough to be heard inside； I must have heard him too。 Yet he
nodded and beckoned。 I was still bewildered when； by setting off the way
he had come； he gave me the opportunity of going home。
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Knowing from the talk of the club what the lower orders are； could I
doubt that this was some discreditable love…affair of William's？ His
solicitude for his wife had been mere pretence； so far as it was genuine； it
meant that he feared she might recover。 He probably told her that he was
detained nightly in the club till three。
I was miserable next day； and blamed the deviled kidneys for it。
Whether William was unfaithful to his wife was nothing to me； but I had
two plain reasons for insisting on his going straight home from his club：
the one that； as he had made me lose a bet； I must punish him； the other
that he could wait upon me better if he went to bed betimes。
Yet I did not question him。 There was something in his face that Well；
I seemed to see his dying wife in it。
I was so out of sorts that I could eat no dinner。 I left the club。
Happening to stand for some time at the foot of the street； I chanced to see
the girl Jenny coming； and No； let me tell the truth； though the whole
club reads： I was waiting for her。
〃How is William's wife to…day？〃 I asked。
〃She told me to nod three times；〃 the little slattern replied； 〃but she
looked like nothink but a dead one till she got the brandy。
〃Hush； child！〃 I said； shocked。 〃You don't know how the dead look。〃
〃Bless yer；〃 she answered； 〃don't I just！ Why； I've helped to lay 'em out。
I'm going on seven。〃
〃Is William good to his wife？〃
〃Course he is。 Ain't she his missis？〃
〃Why should that make him good to her？〃 I asked； cynically； out of
my knowledge of the
