beasts and superbeasts-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



you；　people　who　abstain　from　the　pleasures　of　the　card…

table　never　really　appreciate　the　finer　possibilities　of　

the　dining…table。　　I　suppose　their　powers　of　enlightened　

enjoyment　get　atrophied　from　disuse。〃



〃An　aunt　of　mine　was　very　ill　after　eating　a　

lobster；〃　said　Mrs。　Eggelby。



〃I　daresay；　if　we　knew　more　of　her　history；　we　

should　find　out　that　she'd　often　been　ill　before　eating　

the　lobster。　　Aren't　you　concealing　the　fact　that　she'd　

had　measles　and　influenza　and　nervous　headache　and　

hysteria；　and　other　things　that　aunts　do　have；　long　

before　she　ate　the　lobster？　　Aunts　that　have　never　known　

a　day's　illness　are　very　rare；　in　fact；　I　don't　

personally　know　of　any。　　Of　course　if　she　ate　it　as　a　

child　of　two　weeks　old　it　might　have　been　her　first　

illness　…　and　her　last。　　But　if　that　was　the　case　I　think　

you　should　have　said　so。〃



〃I　must　be　going；〃　said　Mrs。　Eggelby；　in　a　tone　

which　had　been　thoroughly　sterilised　of　even　perfunctory　

regret。



Clovis　rose　with　an　air　of　graceful　reluctance。



〃I　have　so　enjoyed　our　little　talk　about　Eric；〃　he　

said；　〃I　quite　look　forward　to　meeting　him　some　day。〃



〃Good…bye；〃　said　Mrs。　Eggelby　frostily；　the　

supplementary　remark　which　she　made　at　the　back　of　her　

throat　was　…



〃I'll　take　care　that　you　never　shall！〃





A　HOLIDAY　TASK





KENELM　JERTON　entered　the　dining…hall　of　the　Golden　

Galleon　Hotel　in　the　full　crush　of　the　luncheon　hour。　　

Nearly　every　seat　was　occupied；　and　small　additional　

tables　had　been　brought　in；　where　floor　space　permitted；　

to　accommodate　latecomers；　with　the　result　that　many　of　

the　tables　were　almost　touching　each　other。　　Jerton　was　

beckoned　by　a　waiter　to　the　only　vacant　table　that　was　

discernible；　and　took　his　seat　with　the　uncomfortable　and　

wholly　groundless　idea　that　nearly　every　one　in　the　room　

was　staring　at　him。　　He　was　a　youngish　man　of　ordinary　

appearance；　quiet　of　dress　and　unobtrusive　of　manner；　and　

he　could　never　wholly　rid　himself　of　the　idea　that　a　

fierce　light　of　public　scrutiny　beat　on　him　as　though　he　

had　been　a　notability　or　a　super…nut。　　After　he　had　

ordered　his　lunch　there　came　the　unavoidable　interval　of　

waiting；　with　nothing　to　do　but　to　stare　at　the　flower…

vase　on　his　table　and　to　be　stared　at　（in　imagination）　by　

several　flappers；　some　maturer　beings　of　the　same　sex；　

and　a　satirical…looking　Jew。　　In　order　to　carry　off　the　

situation　with　some　appearance　of　unconcern　he　became　

spuriously　interested　in　the　contents　of　the　flower…vase。



〃What　is　the　name　of　these　roses；　d'you　know？〃　he　

asked　the　waiter。　　The　waiter　was　ready　at　all　times　to　

conceal　his　ignorance　concerning　items　of　the　wine…list　

or　menu；　he　was　frankly　ignorant　as　to　the　specific　name　

of　the　roses。



〃AMY　SYLVESTER　PARTINGLON；〃　said　a　voice　at　Jerton's　

elbow。



The　voice　came　from　a　pleasant…faced；　well…dressed　

young　woman　who　was　sitting　at　a　table　that　almost　

touched　Jerton's。　　He　thanked　her　hurriedly　and　nervously　

for　the　information；　and　made　some　inconsequent　remark　

about　the　flowers。



〃It　is　a　curious　thing；〃　said　the　young　woman；　that；　

〃I　should　be　able　to　tell　you　the　name　of　those　roses　

without　an　effort　of　memory；　because　if　you　were　to　ask　

me　my　name　I　should　be　utterly　unable　to　give　it　to　you。〃



Jerton　had　not　harboured　the　least　intention　of　

extending　his　thirst　for　name…labels　to　his　neighbour。　　

After　her　rather　remarkable　announcement；　however；　he　was　

obliged　to　say　something　in　the　way　of　polite　inquiry。



〃Yes；〃　answered　the　lady；　〃I　suppose　it　is　a　case　of　

partial　loss　of　memory。　　I　was　in　the　train　coming　down　

here；　my　ticket　told　me　that　I　had　come　from　Victoria　and　

was　bound　for　this　place。　　I　had　a　couple　of　five…pound　

notes　and　a　sovereign　on　me；　no　visiting　cards　or　any　

other　means　of　identification；　and　no　idea　as　to　who　I　

am。　　I　can　only　hazily　recollect　that　I　have　a　title；　I　

am　Lady　Somebody　…　beyond　that　my　mind　is　a　blank。〃



〃Hadn't　you　any　luggage　with　you？〃　asked　Jerton。



〃That　is　what　I　didn't　know。　　I　knew　the　name　of　

this　hotel　and　made　up　my　mind　to　come　here；　and　when　the　

hotel　porter　who　meets　the　trains　asked　if　I　had　any　

luggage　I　had　to　invent　a　dressing…bag　and　dress…basket；　

I　could　always　pretend　that　they　had　gone　astray。　　I　gave　

him　the　name　of　Smith；　and　presently　he　emerged　from　a　

confused　pile　of　luggage　and　passengers　with　a　dressing…

bag　and　dress…basket　labelled　Kestrel…Smith。　　I　had　to　

take　them；　I　don't　see　what　else　I　could　have　done。〃



Jerton　said　nothing；　but　he　rather　wondered　what　the　

lawful　owner　of　the　baggage　would　do。



〃Of　course　it　was　dreadful　arriving　at　a　strange　

hotel　with　the　name　of　Kestrel…Smith；　but　it　would　have　

been　worse　to　have　arrived　without　luggage。　　Anyhow；　I　

hate　causing　trouble。〃



Jerton　had　visions　of　harassed　railway　officials　and　

distraught　Kestrel…Smiths；　but　he　made　no　attempt　to　

clothe　his　mental　picture　in　words。　　The　lady　continued　

her　story。



〃Naturally；　none　of　my　keys　would　fit　the　things；　

but　I　told　an　intelligent　page　boy　that　I　had　lost　my　

key…ring；　and　he　had　the　locks　forced　in　a　twinkling。　　

Rather　too　intelligent；　that　boy；　he　will　probably　end　in　

Dartmoor。　　The　Kestrel…Smith　toilet　tools　aren't　up　to　

much；　but　they　are　better　than　nothing。〃



〃If　you　feel　sure　that　you　have　a　title；〃　said　

Jerton；　〃　why　not　get　hold　of　a　peerage　and　go　right　

through　it？〃



〃I　tried　that。　　I　skimmed　through　the　list　of　the　

House　of　Lords　in　'Whitaker；'　but　a　mere　printed　string　

of　names　conveys　awfully　little　to　one；　you　know。　　If　you　

were　an　army　officer　and　had　lost　your　identity　you　might　

pore　over　the　Army　List　for　months　without　finding　out　

who　your　were。　　I'm　going　on　another　tack；　I'm　trying　to　

find　out　by　various　little　tests　who　I　am　NOT　…　that　will　

narrow　the　range　of　uncertainty　down　a　bit。　　You　may　have　

noticed；　for　instance；　that　I'm　lunching　principally　off　

lobster　Newburg。〃



Jerton　had　not　ventured　to　notice　anything　of　the　

sort。



〃It's　an　extravagance；　because　it's　one　of　the　most　

expensive　dishes　on　the　menu；　but　at　any　rate　it　proves　

that　I'm　not　Lady　Starping；　she　never　touches　shell…fish；　

and　poor　Lady　Braddleshrub　has　no　digestion　at　all；　if　I　

am　HER　I　shall　certainly　die　in　agony　in　the　course　of　

the　afternoon；　and　the　duty　of　finding　out　who　I　am　will　

devolve　on　the　press　and　the　police　and　those　sort　of　

people；　I　shall　be　past　caring。　　Lady　Knewford　doesn't　

know　one　rose　from　another　and　she　hates　men；　so　she　

wouldn't　have　spoken　to　you　in　any　case；　and　Lady　

Mousehilton　flirts　with　every　man　she　meets　…　I　haven't　

flirted　with　you；　have　I？〃



Jerton　hastily　gave　the　required　assurance。



〃Well；　you　see；〃　continued　the　lady；　〃that　knocks　

four　off　the　list　at　once。〃



〃It'll　be　rather　a　lengthy　process　bringing　the　list　

down　to　one；〃　said　Jerton。



〃Oh；　but；　of　course；　there　are　heaps　of　them　that　I　

couldn't　possibly　be　…　women　who've　got　grandchildren　or　

sons　old　enough　to　have　celebrated　their　coming　of　age。　　

I've　only　got　to　consider　the　ones　about　my　own　age。　　I　

tell　you　how　you　might　help　me　this　afternoon；　if　you　

don't　mind；　go　through　any　of　the　back　numbers　of　COUNTRY　

LIFE　and　those　sort　of　papers　that　you　can　find　in　the　

smoking…room；　and　see　if　you　come　across　my　portrait　with　

infant　son　or　anything　of　that　sort。　　It　won't　take　you　

ten　minutes。　　I'll　meet　you　in　the　lounge　about　tea…time。　　

Thanks　awfully。〃



And　the　Fair　Unknown；　having　graciously　pressed　

Jerton　into　the　search　for　her　lost　identity；　rose　and　

left　the　room。　　As　she　passed　the　young　man's　table　she　

halted　for　a　moment　and　whispered：



〃Did　you　notice　that　I　tipped　the　waiter　a　shilling？　　

We　can　cross　Lady　Ulwight　off　the　list；　she　would　have　

died　rather　than　do　that。〃



At　five　o'clock　Jerton　made　his　way　to　the　hotel　

lounge；　he　had　spent　a　diligent　but　fruitless　quarter　of　

an　hour　among　the　illustrated　weeklies　in　the　smoking…

room。　　His　new　acquaintance　was　seated　at　a　small　tea…

table；　with　a　waiter　hovering　in　attendance。



〃China　tea　or　Indian？〃　she　asked　as　Jerton　came　up。



〃China；　please；　and　nothing　to　eat。　　Have　you　

discovered　anything？〃



〃Only　negative　information。　　I'm　not　Lady　Befnal。　　

She　disapproves　dreadfully　of　any　form　of　gambling；　so　

when　I　recognised　a　well…known　book　maker　in　the　hotel　

lobby　I　went　and　put　a　tenner　on　an　unnamed　filly　by　

William　the　Third　out　of　Mitrovitza　for　the　three…fifteen　

race。　　I　suppose　the　fact　of　the　animal　being　nameless　

was　what　attracted　me。〃



Did　it　win？〃　asked　Jerton。



〃No；　came　in　fourth；　the　most　irritating　thing　a　

horse　can　do　when　you've　backed　it　win　or　place。　　Anyhow；　

I　know　now　that　I'm　not　Lady　Befnal。〃



〃It　seems　to　me　that　the　knowledge　was　rather　dearly　

bought；〃　commented　Jerton。



〃Well；　yes；　it　has　rather　cleared　me　out；〃　admitted　

the　identity…seeker；　〃a　florin　is　about　all　I've　got　left　

on　me。　　The　lobster　Newburg　made　my　lunch　rather　an　

expensive　one；　and；　of　course；　I　had　to　tip　that　boy　for　

what　he　did　to　the　Kestrel…Smith　locks。　　I've　got　rather　

a　useful　idea；　though。　　I　feel　certain　that　I　belong　to　

the　Pivot　Club；　I'll　go　back　to　town　and　ask　the　hall　

porter　there　if　there　are　any　letters　for　me。　　He　knows　

all　the　members　by　sight；　and　if　there　are　any　letters　or　

telephone　messages　waiting　for　me　of　course　that　will　

solve　the　problem。　　If　he　says　there　aren't　any　I　shall　

say：　'You　know　who　I　am；　don't　you？'　so　I'll　find　out　

anyway。〃



The　plan　seemed　a　sound　one；　a　difficulty　in　its　

execution　suggested　itself　to　Jerton。



〃Of　course；〃　said　the　lady；　when　he　hinted　at　the　

obstacle；　〃there's　my　fare　back　to　town；　and　my　bill　here　

and　cabs　and　things。　　If　you'll　lend　me　three　pounds　that　

ought　to　see　me　through　comfortably。　　Thanks　ever　so。　　

Then　there　is　the　question　of　that　luggage：　I　don't　want　

to　be　saddled　with　that　for　the　rest　of　my　life。　　I'll　

have　it　brought　down　to　the　hall　and　you　can　pretend　to　

mount　guard　over　it　while　I'm　writing　a　letter。　　Then　I　

shall　just　slip　away　to　the　station；　and　you　can　wander　

off　to　the　smoking…room；　and　they　can　do　what　they　like　

with　the　things。　　They'll　advertise　them　after　a　bit　and　

the　owner　can　claim　them。〃



Jerton　acquiesced　in　the　manoeuvre；　and　duly　mounted　

guard　over　the　luggage　while　its　temporary　owner　slipped　

unobtrusively　out　of　the　hotel。　　Her　departure　was　not；　

however；　altogether　unnoticed。　　Two　gentlemen　were　

strolling　past　Jerton；　and　one　of　them　remarked　to　the　

other：



〃Did　you　see　that　tall　young　woman　in　grey　who　went　

out　just　now？　　She　is　the　Lady　…　〃



His　promenade　carried　him　out　of　earshot　at　the　

criti