beasts and superbeasts-第22章
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with her for four or five hours。 The trouble is that I'm
not likely to get anything like that amount of grace。
That fellow Lanner is showing signs of interesting
himself in the same quarter。 He's quite heartbreakingly
rich and is rather a swell in his way； in fact； our
hostess is obviously a bit flattered at having him here。
If she gets wind of the fact that he's inclined to be
attracted by Betty Coulterneb she'll think it a splendid
match and throw them into each other's arms all day long；
and then where will my opportunities come in？ My one
anxiety is to keep him out of the girl's way as much as
possible； and if you could help me … 〃
〃If you want me to trot Lanner round the
countryside； inspecting alleged Roman remains and
studying local methods of bee culture and crop raising；
I'm afraid I can't oblige you；〃 said Clovis。 〃You see；
he's taken something like an aversion to me since the
other night in the smoking…room。〃
〃What happened in the smoking…room？〃
〃He trotted out some well…worn chestnut as the
latest thing in good stories； and I remarked； quite
innocently； that I never could remember whether it was
George II。 or James II。 who was so fond of that
particular story； and now he regards me with politely…
draped dislike。 I'll do my best for you； if the
opportunity arises； but it will have to be in a
roundabout； impersonal manner。〃
* * * *
〃It's so nice having Mr。 Lanner here；〃 confided Mrs。
Olston to Clovis the next afternoon； 〃he's always been
engaged when I've asked him before。 Such a nice man； he
really ought to be married to some nice girl。 Between
you and me； I have an idea that he came down here for a
certain reason。〃
〃I've had much the same idea；〃 said Clovis； lowering
his voice； 〃in fact； I'm almost certain of it。〃
〃You mean he's attracted by … 〃 began Mrs。 Olston
eagerly。
〃I mean he's here for what he can get；〃 said Clovis。
〃For what he can GET？〃 said the hostess with a touch
of indignation in her voice； 〃what do you mean？ He's a
very rich man。 What should he want to get here？〃
〃He has one ruling passion；〃 said Clovis； 〃and
there's something he can get here that is not to be had
for love nor for money anywhere else in the country； as
far as I know。〃
〃But what？ Whatever do you mean？ What is his
ruling passion？〃
〃Egg…collecting；〃 said Clovis。 〃He has agents all
over the world getting rare eggs for him； and his
collection is one of the finest in Europe； but his great
ambition is to collect his treasures personally。 He
stops at no expense nor trouble to achieve that end。〃
〃Good heavens！ The buzzards； the rough…legged
buzzards！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Olston； 〃you don't think he's
going to raid their nest？〃
〃What do you think yourself？〃 asked Clovis； 〃the
only pair of rough…legged buzzards known to breed in this
country are nesting in your woods。 Very few people know
about them； but as a member of the league for protecting
rare birds that information would be at his disposal。 I
came down in the train with him； and I noticed that a
bulky volume of Dresser's 'Birds of Europe' was one of
the requisites that he had packed in his travelling…kit。
It was the volume dealing with short…winged hawks and
buzzards。〃
Clovis believed that if a lie was worth telling it
was worth telling well。
〃This is appalling；〃 said Mrs。 Olston； 〃my husband
would never forgive me if anything happened to those
birds。 They've been seen about the woods for the last
year or two； but this is the first time they've nested。
As you say； they are almost the only pair known to be
breeding in the whole of Great Britain； and now their
nest is going to be harried by a guest staying under my
roof。 I must do something to stop it。 Do you think if I
appealed to him … 〃
Clovis laughed。
〃There is a story going about； which I fancy is true
in most of its details； of something that happened not
long ago somewhere on the coast of the Sea of Marmora； in
which our friend had a hand。 A Syrian nightjar； or some
such bird； was known to be breeding in the olive gardens
of a rich Armenian； who for some reason or other wouldn't
allow Lanner to go in and take the eggs； though he
offered cash down for the permission。 The Armenian was
found beaten nearly to death a day or two later； and his
fences levelled。 It was assumed to be a case of
Mussulman aggression； and noted as such in all the
Consular reports； but the eggs are in the Lanner
collection。 No； I don't think I should appeal to his
better feelings if I were you。〃
〃I must do something；〃 said Mrs。 Olston tearfully；
〃my husband's parting words when he went off to Norway
were an injunction to see that those birds were not
disturbed； and he's asked about them every time he's
written。 Do suggest something。〃
〃I was going to suggest picketing；〃 said Clovis。
〃Picketing！ You mean setting guards round the
birds？〃
〃No； round Lanner。 He can't find his way through
those woods by night； and you could arrange that you or
Evelyn or Jack or the German governess should be by his
side in relays all day long。 A fellow guest he could get
rid of； but he couldn't very well shake off members of
the household； and even the most determined collector
would hardly go climbing after forbidden buzzards' eggs
with a German governess hanging round his neck； so to
speak。〃
Lanner； who had been lazily watching for an
opportunity for prosecuting his courtship of the
Coulterneb girl； found presently that his chances of
getting her to himself for ten minutes even were non…
existent。 If the girl was ever alone he never was。 His
hostess had changed suddenly； as far as he was concerned；
from the desirable type that lets her guests do nothing
in the way that best pleases them； to the sort that drags
them over the ground like so many harrows。 She showed
him the herb garden and the greenhouses； the village
church； some water…colour sketches that her sister had
done in Corsica； and the place where it was hoped that
celery would grow later in the year。
He was shown all the Aylesbury ducklings and the row
of wooden hives where there would have been bees if there
had not been bee disease。 He was also taken to the end
of a long lane and shown a distant mound whereon local
tradition reported that the Danes had once pitched a
camp。 And when his hostess had to desert him temporarily
for other duties he would find Evelyn walking solemnly by
his side。 Evelyn was fourteen and talked chiefly about
good and evil； and of how much one might accomplish in
the way of regenerating the world if one was thoroughly
determined to do one's utmost。 It was generally rather a
relief when she was displaced by Jack； who was nine years
old； and talked exclusively about the Balkan War without
throwing any fresh light on its political or military
history。 The German governess told Lanner more about
Schiller than he had ever heard in his life about any one
person； it was perhaps his own fault for having told her
that he was not interested in Goethe。 When the governess
went off picket duty the hostess was again on hand with a
not…to…be…gainsaid invitation to visit the cottage of an
old woman who remembered Charles James Fox； the woman had
been dead for two or three years； but the cottage was
still there。 Lanner was called back to town earlier than
he had originally intended。
Hugo did not bring off his affair with Betty
Coulterneb。 Whether she refused him or whether； as was
more generally supposed； he did not get a chance of
saying three consecutive words； has never been exactly
ascertained。 Anyhow； she is still the jolly Coulterneb
girl。
The buzzards successfully reared two young ones；
which were shot by a local hairdresser。
THE STAKE
〃RONNIE is a great trial to me；〃 said Mrs。 Attray
plaintively。 〃Only eighteen years old last February and
already a confirmed gambler。 I am sure I don't know
where he inherits it from； his father never touched
cards； and you know how little I play … a game of bridge
on Wednesday afternoons in the winter； for three…pence a
hundred； and even that I shouldn't do if it wasn't that
Edith always wants a fourth and would be certain to ask
that detestable Jenkinham woman if she couldn't get me。
I would much rather sit and talk any day than play
bridge； cards are such a waste of time； I think。 But as
to Ronnie； bridge and baccarat and poker…patience are
positively all that he thinks about。 Of course I've done
my best to stop it； I've asked the Norridrums not to let
him play cards when he's over there； but you might as
well ask the Atlantic Ocean to keep quiet for a crossing
as expect them to bother about a mother's natural
anxieties。〃
〃Why do you let him go there？〃 asked Eleanor
Saxelby。
〃My dear；〃 said Mrs。 Attray； 〃I don't want to offend
them。 After all； they are my landlords and I have to look
to them for anything I want done about the place； they
were very accommodating about the new roof for the orchid
house。 And they lend me one of their cars when mine is
out of order； you know how often it gets out of order。〃
〃I don't know how often；〃 said Eleanor； 〃but it must
happen very frequently。 Whenever I want you to take me
anywhere in your car I am always told that there is
something wrong with it； or else that the chauffeur has
got neuralgia and you don't like to ask him to go out。〃
〃He suffers quite a lot from neuralgia；〃 said Mrs。
Attray hastily。 〃Anyhow；〃 she continued； 〃you can
understand that I don't want to offend the Norridrums。
Their household is the most rackety one in the county；
and I believe no one ever knows to an hour or two when
any particular meal will appear on the table or what it
will consist of when it does appear。〃
Eleanor Saxelby shuddered。 She liked her meals to
be of regular occurrence and assured proportions。
〃Still；〃 pursued Mrs。 Attray； 〃whatever their own
home life may be； as landlords and neighbours they are
considerate and obliging； so I don't want to quarrel with
them。 Besides； if Ronnie didn't play cards there he'd be
playing somewhere else。〃
〃Not if you were firm with him；〃 said Eleanor 〃I
believe in being firm。〃
〃Firm？ I am firm；〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Attray； 〃I am
more than firm … I am farseeing。 I've done everything I
can think of to prevent Ronnie from playing for money。
I've stopped his allowance for the rest of the year； so
he can't even gamble on credit； and I've subscribed a
lump sum to the church offertory in his name instead of
giving him instalments of small silver to put in th
