stories by english authors in london(英国作家在伦敦的故事)-第9章
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Shuturgarden as the long…lost Bingo。
I know it was wrong；it even came unpleasantly near dog…stealing；
but I was a desperate man。 I saw Lilian gradually slipping away from me； I
knew that nothing short of this could ever recall her； I was sorely tempted；
I had gone far on the same road already； it was the old story of being hung
for a sheep。 And so I fell。
Surely some who read this will be generous enough to consider the
peculiar state of the case； and mingle a little pity with their contempt。
I was dining in town that evening； and took my purchase home by a
late train； his demeanour was grave and intensely respectable； he was not
the animal to commit himself by any flagrant indiscretion； he was gentle
and tractable too； and in all respects an agreeable contrast in character to
the original。 Still； it may have been the after…dinner workings of
conscience； but I could not help fancying that I saw a certain look in the
creature's eyes； as if he were aware that he was required to connive at a
fraud； and rather resented it。
If he would only be good enough to back me up！ Fortunately； however；
he was such a perfect facsimile of the outward Bingo that the risk of
detection was really inconsiderable。
When I got him home I put Bingo's silver collar round his neck；
congratulating myself on my forethought in preserving it； and took him in
to see my mother。 She accepted him as what he seemed without the
slightest misgiving； but this； though it encouraged me to go on； was not
decisivethe spurious poodle would have to encounter the scrutiny of
those who knew every tuft on the genuine animal's body！
Nothing would have induced me to undergo such an ordeal as that of
personally restoring him to the Curries。 We gave him supper； and tied him
up on the lawn； where he howled dolefully all night and buried bones。
The next morning I wrote a note to Mrs。 Currie； expressing my
pleasure at being able to restore the lost one； and another to Lilian；
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containing only the words； 〃Will you believe /now/ that I am sincere？〃
Then I tied both round the poodle's neck； and dropped him over the wall
into the colonel's garden just before I started to catch my train to town。
I had an anxious walk home from the station that evening； I went
round by the longer way； trembling the whole time lest I should meet any
of the Currie household； to which I felt myself entirely unequal just then。 I
could not rest until I knew whether my fraud had succeeded； or if the
poodle to which I had intrusted my fate had basely betrayed me； but my
suspense was happily ended as soon as I entered my mother's room。 〃You
can't think how delighted those poor Curries were to see Bingo again；〃 she
said at once； 〃and they said such charming things about you； AlgyLilian
particularly； quite affected she seemed； poor child！ And they wanted you
to go round and dine there and be thanked to…night； but at last I persuaded
them to come to us instead。 And they're going to bring the dog to make
friends。 Oh； and I met Frank Travers； he's back from circuit again now； so
I asked him in too to meet them！〃
I drew a deep breath of relief。 I had played a desperate game； but I had
won！ I could have wished； to be sure； that my mother had not thought of
bringing in Travers on that of all evenings； but I hoped that I could defy
him after this。
The colonel and his people were the first to arrive； he and his wife
being so effusively grateful that they made me very uncomfortable indeed；
Lilian met me with downcast eyes and the faintest possible blush； but she
said nothing just then。 Five minutes afterward； when she and I were alone
together in the conservatory； where I had brought her on pretence of
showing a new begonia； she laid her hand on my sleeve and whispered；
almost shyly； 〃Mr。 WeatherheadAlgernon！ Can you ever forgive me for
being so cruel and unjust to you？〃 And I replied that； upon the whole； I
could。
We were not in the conservatory long； but before we left it beautiful
Lilian Roseblade had consented to make my life happy。 When we
reentered the drawing…room we found Frank Travers； who had been told
the story of the recovery； and I observed his jaw fall as he glanced at our
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faces； and noted the triumphant smile which I have no doubt mine wore；
and the tender； dreamy look in Lilian's soft eyes。 Poor Travers！ I was sorry
for him； although I was not fond of him。 Travers was a good type of rising
young common…law barrister； tall； not bad… looking； with keen dark eyes；
black whiskers； and the mobile forensic mouth which can express every
shade of feeling； from deferential assent to cynical incredulity； possessed；
too； of an endless flow of conversation that was decidedly agreeable； if a
trifling too laboriously so； he had been a dangerous rival。 But all that was
over now； he saw it himself at once； and during dinner sank into dismal
silence； gazing pathetically at Lilian； and sighing almost obtrusively
between the courses。 His stream of small talk seemed to have been cut off
at the main。
〃You've done a kind thing； Weatherhead；〃 said the colonel。 〃I can't tell
you all that dog is to me； and how I missed the poor beast。 I'd quite given
up all hope of ever seeing him again； and all the time there was
Weatherhead； Mr。 Travers； quietly searching all London till he found him！
I sha'n't forget it。 It shows a really kind feeling。〃
I saw by Travers's face that he was telling himself he would have
found fifty Bingos in half the timeif he had only thought of it； he smiled
a melancholy assent to all the colonel said； and then began to study me
with an obviously depreciatory air。
〃You can't think；〃 I heard Mrs。 Currie telling my mother； 〃how really
/touching/ it was to see poor Bingo's emotion at seeing all the old familiar
objects again！ He went up and sniffed at them all in turn； quite plainly
recognising everything。 And he was quite put out to find that we had
moved his favourite ottoman out of the drawing…room。 But he /is/ so
penitent too； and so ashamed of having run away； he kept under a chair in
the hall all the morning； he wouldn't come in here； either； so we had to
leave him in your garden。〃
〃He's been sadly out of spirits all day；〃 said Lilian； 〃he hasn't bitten
one of the tradespeople。〃
〃Oh； /he's/ all right； the rascal！〃 said the colonel； cheerily。 〃He'll be
after the cats again as well as ever in a day or two。〃
〃Ah； those cats！〃 said my poor innocent mother。 〃Algy； you haven't
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tried the air…gun on them again lately； have you？ They're worse than ever。〃
I troubled the colonel to pass the claret。 Travers laughed for the first
time。 〃That's a good idea；〃 he said； in that carrying 〃bar…mess〃 voice of his；
〃an air…gun for cats； ha； ha！ Make good bags； eh； Weatherhead？〃 I said that
I did； /very/ good bags； and felt I was getting painfully red in the face。
〃Oh； Algy is an excellent shotquite a sportsman；〃 said my mother。 〃I
remember； oh； long ago； when we lived at Hammersmith； he had a pistol；
and he used to strew crumbs in the garden for the sparrows； and shoot at
them out of the pantry window； he frequently hit one。〃
〃Well；〃 said the colonel； not much impressed by these sporting
reminiscences； 〃don't go rolling over our Bingo by mistake； you know；
Weatherhead； my boy。 Not but what you've a sort of right after this only
don't。 I wouldn't go through it all twice for anything。〃
〃If you really won't take any more wine；〃 I said； hurriedly； addressing
the colonel and Travers； 〃suppose we all go out and have our coffee on the
lawn？ Itit will be cooler there。〃 For it was getting very hot indoors； I
thought。
I left Travers to amuse the ladieshe could do no more harm now； and；
taking the colonel aside； I seized the opportunity； as we strolled up and
down the garden path； to ask his consent to Lilian's engagement to me。 He
gave it cordially。 〃There's not a man in England；〃 he said； 〃that I'd sooner
see her married to after to…day。 You're a quiet； steady young fellow； and
you've a good kind heart。 As for the money； that's neither here nor there；
Lilian won't come to you without a penny； you know。 But really； my boy；
you can hardly believe what it is to my poor wife and me to see that dog。
Why； bless my soul； look at him now！ What's the matter with him； eh？〃
To my unutterable horror； I saw that that miserable poodle； after
begging unnoticed at the tea…table for some time； had retired to an open
space before it； where he was industriously standing on his head。
We gathered round and examined the animal curiously； as he
continued to balance himself gravely in his abnormal position。 〃Good
gracious； John；〃 cried Mrs。 Currie； 〃I never saw Bingo do such a thing
before in his life！〃
〃Very odd；〃 said the colonel； putting up his glasses； 〃never learned that
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from /me/。〃
〃I tell you what I fancy it is；〃 I suggested wildly。 〃You see； he was
always a sensitive； excitable animal； and perhaps thethe sudden joy of
his return has gone to his head/upset/ him； you know。〃
They seemed disposed to accept this solution； and； indeed； I believe
they would have credited Bingo with every conceivable degree of
sensibility； but I felt myself that if this unhappy animal had many more of
these accomplishments I was undone； for the original Bingo had never
been a dog of part
