beasts and superbeasts-第11章

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The　greybeard　moved　uneasily　in　his　seat；　then　he　

opened　up　new　country。



〃I　take　it　that　you　are　a　professing　Christian；〃　he　

observed。



〃I　am　a　prominent　and　I　think　I　may　say　an　

influential　member　of　the　Mussulman　community　of　Eastern　

Persia；〃　said　Crosby；　making　an　excursion　himself　into　

the　realms　of　fiction。



The　greybeard　was　obviously　disconcerted　at　this　new　

check　to　introductory　conversation；　but　the　defeat　was　

only　momentary。



〃Persia。　　I　should　never　have　taken　you　for　a　

Persian；〃　he　remarked；　with　a　somewhat　aggrieved　air。



〃I　am　not；〃　said　Crosby；　〃my　father　was　an　Afghan。〃



〃An　Afghan！〃　said　the　other；　smitten　into　bewildered　

silence　for　a　moment。　　Then　he　recovered　himself　and　

renewed　his　attack。



〃Afghanistan。　　Ah！　　We've　had　some　wars　with　that　

country；　now；　I　daresay；　instead　of　fighting　it　we　might　

have　learned　something　from　it。　　A　very　wealthy　country；　

I　believe。　　No　real　poverty　there。〃



He　raised　his　voice　on　the　word　〃poverty〃　with　a　

suggestion　of　intense　feeling。　　Crosby　saw　the　opening　

and　avoided　it。



〃It　possesses；　nevertheless；　a　number　of　highly　

talented　and　ingenious　beggars；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　had　not　

spoken　so　disparagingly　of　marvellous　things　that　have　

really　happened　I　would　tell　you　the　story　of　Ibrahim　and　

the　eleven　camel…loads　of　blotting…paper。　　Also　I　have　

forgotten　exactly　how　it　ended。〃



〃My　own　life…story　is　a　curious　one；〃　said　the　

stranger；　apparently　stifling　all　desire　to　hear　the　

history　of　Ibrahim；　〃I　was　not　always　as　you　see　me　now。〃



〃We　are　supposed　to　undergo　complete　change　in　the　

course　of　every　seven　years；〃　said　Crosby；　as　an　

explanation　of　the　foregoing　announcement。



〃I　mean　I　was　not　always　in　such　distressing　

circumstances　as　I　am　at　present；〃　pursued　the　stranger　

doggedly。



〃That　sounds　rather　rude；〃　said　Crosby　stiffly；　

〃considering　that　you　are　at　present　talking　to　a　man　

reputed　to　be　one　of　the　most　gifted　conversationalists　

of　the　Afghan　border。〃



〃I　don't　mean　in　that　way；〃　said　the　greybeard　

hastily；　〃I've　been　very　much　interested　in　your　

conversation。　　I　was　alluding　to　my　unfortunate　financial　

situation。　　You　mayn't　hardly　believe　it；　but　at　the　

present　moment　I　am　absolutely　without　a　farthing。　　Don't　

see　any　prospect　of　getting　any　money；　either；　for　the　

next　few　days。　　I　don't　suppose　you've　ever　found　

yourself　in　such　a　position；〃　he　added。



〃In　the　town　of　Yom；〃　said　Crosby；　〃which　is　in　

Southern　Afghanistan；　and　which　also　happens　to　be　my　

birthplace；　there　was　a　Chinese　philosopher　who　used　to　

say　that　one　of　the　three　chiefest　human　blessings　was　to　

be　absolutely　without　money。　　I　forget　what　the　other　two　

were。〃



〃Ah；　I　daresay；〃　said　the　stranger；　in　a　tone　that　

betrayed　no　enthusiasm　for　the　philosopher's　memory；　〃and　

did　he　practise　what　he　preached？　　That's　the　test。〃



〃He　lived　happily　with　very　little　money　or　

resources；〃　said　Crosby。



〃Then　I　expect　he　had　friends　who　would　help　him　

liberally　whenever　he　was　in　difficulties；　such　as　I　am　

in　at　present。〃



〃In　Yom；〃　said　Crosby；　〃it　is　not　necessary　to　have　

friends　in　order　to　obtain　help。　　Any　citizen　of　Yom　

would　help　a　stranger　as　a　matter　of　course。〃



The　greybeard　was　now　genuinely　interested。



The　conversation　had　at　last　taken　a　favourable　

turn。



〃If　someone；　like　me；　for　instance；　who　was　in　

undeserved　difficulties；　asked　a　citizen　of　that　town　you　

speak　of　for　a　small　loan　to　tide　over　a　few　days'　

impecuniosity　…　five　shillings；　or　perhaps　a　rather　

larger　sum　…　would　it　be　given　to　him　as　a　matter　of　

course？〃



〃There　would　be　a　certain　preliminary；〃　said　Crosby；　

〃one　would　take　him　to　a　wine…shop　and　treat　him　to　a　

measure　of　wine；　and　then；　after　a　little　high…flown　

conversation；　one　would　put　the　desired　sum　in　his　hand　

and　wish　him　good…day。　　It　is　a　roundabout　way　of　

performing　a　simple　transaction；　but　in　the　East　all　ways　

are　roundabout。〃



The　listener's　eyes　were　glittering。



〃Ah；〃　he　exclaimed；　with　a　thin　sneer　ringing　

meaningly　through　his　words；　〃I　suppose　you've　given　up　

all　those　generous　customs　since　you　left　your　town。　　

Don't　practise　them　now；　I　expect。〃



〃No　one　who　has　lived　in　Yom；〃　said　Crosby　

fervently；　〃and　remembers　its　green　hills　covered　with　

apricot　and　almond　trees；　and　the　cold　water　that　rushes　

down　like　a　caress　from　the　upland　snows　and　dashes　under　

the　little　wooden　bridges；　no　one　who　remembers　these　

things　and　treasures　the　memory　of　them　would　ever　give　

up　a　single　one　of　its　unwritten　laws　and　customs。　　To　me　

they　are　as　binding　as　though　I　still　lived　in　that　

hallowed　home　of　my　youth。〃



〃Then　if　I　was　to　ask　you　for　a　small　loan　…　〃　began　

the　greybeard　fawningly；　edging　nearer　on　the　seat　and　

hurriedly　wondering　how　large　he　might　safely　make　his　

request；　〃if　I　was　to　ask　you　for；　say　…　〃



〃At　any　other　time；　certainly；〃　said　Crosby；　〃in　the　

months　of　November　and　December；　however；　it　is　

absolutely　forbidden　for　anyone　of　our　race　to　give　or　

receive　loans　or　gifts；　in　fact；　one　does　not　willingly　

speak　of　them。　　It　is　considered　unlucky。　　We　will　

therefore　close　this　discussion。〃



〃But　it　is　still　October！〃　exclaimed　the　adventurer　

with　an　eager；　angry　whine；　as　Crosby　rose　from　his　seat；　

〃wants　eight　days　to　the　end　of　the　month！〃



〃The　Afghan　November　began　yesterday；〃　said　Crosby　

severely；　and　in　another　moment　he　was　striding　across　

the　Park；　leaving　his　recent　companion　scowling　and　

muttering　furiously　on　the　seat。



〃I　don't　believe　a　word　of　his　story；〃　he　chattered　

to　himself；　〃pack　of　nasty　lies　from　beginning　to　end。　　

Wish　I'd　told　him　so　to　his　face。　　Calling　himself　an　

Afghan！〃



The　snorts　and　snarls　that　escaped　from　him　for　the　

next　quarter　of　an　hour　went　far　to　support　the　truth　of　

the　old　saying　that　two　of　a　trade　never　agree。





THE　SCHARTZ…METTERKLUME　METHOD





LADY　CARLOTTA　stepped　out　on　to　the　platform　of　the　

small　wayside　station　and　took　a　turn　or　two　up　and　down　

its　uninteresting　length；　to　kill　time　till　the　train　

should　be　pleased　to　proceed　on　its　way。　　Then；　in　the　

roadway　beyond；　she　saw　a　horse　struggling　with　a　more　

than　ample　load；　and　a　carter　of　the　sort　that　seems　to　

bear　a　sullen　hatred　against　the　animal　that　helps　him　to　

earn　a　living。　　Lady　Carlotta　promptly　betook　her　to　the　

roadway；　and　put　rather　a　different　complexion　on　the　

struggle。　　Certain　of　her　acquaintances　were　wont　to　give　

her　plentiful　admonition　as　to　the　undesirability　of　

interfering　on　behalf　of　a　distressed　animal；　such　

interference　being　〃none　of　her　business。〃　　Only　once　had　

she　put　the　doctrine　of　non…interference　into　practice；　

when　one　of　its　most　eloquent　exponents　had　been　besieged　

for　nearly　three　hours　in　a　small　and　extremely　

uncomfortable　may…tree　by　an　angry　boar…pig；　while　Lady　

Carlotta；　on　the　other　side　of　the　fence；　had　proceeded　

with　the　water…colour　sketch　she　was　engaged　on；　and　

refused　to　interfere　between　the　boar　and　his　prisoner。　　

It　is　to　be　feared　that　she　lost　the　friendship　of　the　

ultimately　rescued　lady。　　On　this　occasion　she　merely　

lost　the　train；　which　gave　way　to　the　first　sign　of　

impatience　it　had　shown　throughout　the　journey；　and　

steamed　off　without　her。　　She　bore　the　desertion　with　

philosophical　indifference；　her　friends　and　relations　

were　thoroughly　well　used　to　the　fact　of　her　luggage　

arriving　without　her。　　She　wired　a　vague　non…committal　

message　to　her　destination　to　say　that　she　was　coming　on　

〃by　another　train。〃　　Before　she　had　time　to　think　what　

her　next　move　might　be　she　was　confronted　by　an　

imposingly　attired　lady；　who　seemed　to　be　taking　a　

prolonged　mental　inventory　of　her　clothes　and　looks。



〃You　must　be　Miss　Hope；　the　governess　I've　come　to　

meet；〃　said　the　apparition；　in　a　tone　that　admitted　of　

very　little　argument。



〃Very　well；　if　I　must　I　must；〃　said　Lady　Carlotta　to　

herself　with　dangerous　meekness。



〃I　am　Mrs。　Quabarl；〃　continued　the　lady；　〃and　where；　

pray；　is　your　luggage？〃



〃It's　gone　astray；〃　said　the　alleged　governess；　

falling　in　with　the　excellent　rule　of　life　that　the　

absent　are　always　to　blame；　the　luggage　had；　in　point　of　

fact；　behaved　with　perfect　correctitude。　　〃I've　just　

telegraphed　about　it；〃　she　added；　with　a　nearer　approach　

to　truth。



〃How　provoking；〃　said　Mrs。　Quabarl；　〃these　railway　

companies　are　so　careless。　　However；　my　maid　can　lend　you　

things　for　the　night；〃　and　she　led　the　way　to　her　car。



During　the　drive　to　the　Quabarl　mansion　Lady　

Carlotta　was　impressively　introduced　to　the　nature　of　the　

charge　that　had　been　thrust　upon　her；　she　learned　that　

Claude　and　Wilfrid　were　delicate；　sensitive　young　people；　

that　Irene　had　the　artistic　temperament　highly　developed；　

and　that　Viola　was　something　or　other　else　of　a　mould　

equally　commonplace　among　children　of　that　class　and　type　

in　the　twentieth　century。



〃I　wish　them　not　only　to　be　TAUGHT；〃　said　Mrs。　

Quabarl；　〃but　INTERESTED　in　what　they　learn。　　In　their　

history　lessons；　for　instance；　you　must　try　to　make　them　

feel　that　they　are　being　introduced　to　the　life…stories　

of　men　and　women　who　really　lived；　not　merely　committing　

a　mass　of　names　and　dates　to　memory。　　French；　of　course；　

I　shall　expect　you　to　talk　at　meal…times　several　days　in　

the　week。〃



〃I　shall　talk　French　four　days　of　the　week　and　

Russian　in　the　remaining　three。〃



〃Russian？　　My　dear　Miss　Hope；　no　one　in　the　house　

speaks　or　understands　Russian。〃



〃That　will　not　embarrass　me　in　the　least；〃　said　Lady　

Carlotta　coldly。



Mrs。　Quabarl；　to　use　a　colloquial　expression；　was　

knocked　off　her　perch。　　She　was　one　of　those　imperfectly　

self…assured　individuals　who　are　magnificent　and　

autocratic　as　long　as　they　are　not　seriously　opposed。　　

The　least　show　of　unexpected　resistance　goes　a　long　way　

towards　rendering　them　cowed　and　apologetic。　　When　the　

new　governess　failed　to　express　wondering　admiration　of　

the　large　newly…purchased　and　expensive　car；　and　lightly　

alluded　to　the　superior　advantages　of　one　or　two　makes　

which　had　just　been　put　on　the　market；　the　discomfiture　

of　her　patroness　became　almost　abject。　　Her　feelings　were　

those　which　might　have　animated　a　general　of　ancient　

warfaring　days；　on　beholding　his　heaviest　battle…elephant　

ignominiously　driven　off　the　field　by　slingers　and　

javelin　throwers。



At　dinner　that　evening；　although　reinforced　by　her　

husband；　who　usually　duplicated　her　opinions　and　lent　her　

moral　support　generally；　Mrs。　Quabarl　regained　none　of　

her　lost　ground。　　The　governess　not　only　helped　herself　

well　and　truly　to　wine；　but　held　forth　with　considerabl