beasts and superbeasts-第33章

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she　replied。



Suzanne；　in　her　anxiety　to　pilot　her　cousin　to　the　

desired　haven　of　the　fur　department；　was　usually　a　few　

paces　ahead　of　the　others；　coming　back　to　them　now　and　

then　if　they　lingered　for　a　moment　at　some　attractive　

counter；　with　the　nervous　solicitude　of　a　parent　rook　

encouraging　its　young　ones　on　their　first　flying　

expedition。



〃It's　Suzanne's　birthday　on　Wednesday　next；〃　

confided　Eleanor　to　Bertram　Kneyght　at　a　moment　when　

Suzanne　had　left　them　unusually　far　behind；　〃my　birthday　

comes　the　day　before；　so　we　are　both　on　the　look…out　for　

something　to　give　each　other。〃



〃Ah；〃　said　Bertram。　　〃Now；　perhaps　you　can　advise　me　

on　that　very　point。　　I　want　to　give　Suzanne　something；　

and　I　haven't　the　least　idea　what　she　wants。〃



〃She's　rather　a　problem；〃　said　Eleanor。　　〃She　seems　

to　have　everything　one　can　think　of；　lucky　girl。　　A　fan　

is　always　useful；　she'll　be　going　to　a　lot　of　dances　at　

Davos　this　winter。　　Yes；　I　should　think　a　fan　would　

please　her　more　than　anything。　　After　our　birthdays　are　

over　we　inspect　each　other's　muster　of　presents；　and　I　

always　feel　dreadfully　humble。　　She　gets　such　nice　

things；　and　I　never　have　anything　worth　showing。　　You　

see；　none　of　my　relations　or　any　of　the　people　who　give　

me　presents　are　at　all　well　off；　so　I　can't　expect　them　

to　do　anything　more　than　just　remember　the　day　with　some　

little　trifle。　　Two　years　ago　an　uncle　on　my　mother's　

side　of　the　family；　who　had　come　into　a　small　legacy；　

promised　me　a　silver…fox　stole　for　my　birthday。　　I　can't　

tell　you　how　excited　I　was　about　it；　how　I　pictured　

myself　showing　it　off　to　all　my　friends　and　enemies。　　

Then　just　at　that　moment　his　wife　died；　and；　of　course；　

poor　man；　he　could　not　be　expected　to　think　of　birthday　

presents　at　such　a　time。　　He　has　lived　abroad　ever　since；　

and　I　never　got　my　fur。　　Do　you　know；　to　this　day　I　can　

scarcely　look　at　a　silver…fox　pelt　in　a　shop　window　or　

round　anyone's　neck　without　feeling　ready　to　burst　into　

tears。　　I　suppose　if　I　hadn't　had　the　prospect　of　getting　

one　I　shouldn't　feel　that　way。　　Look；　there　is　the　fan　

counter；　on　your　left；　you　can　easily　slip　away　in　the　

crowd。　　Get　her　as　nice　a　one　as　you　can　see　…　she　is　

such　a　dear；　dear　girl。〃



〃Hullo；　I　thought　I　had　lost　you；〃　said　Suzanne；　

making　her　way　through　an　obstructive　knot　of　shoppers。　　

〃Where　is　Bertram？〃



〃I　got　separated　from　him　long　ago。　　I　thought　he　

was　on　ahead　with　you；〃　said　Eleanor。　　〃We　shall　never　

find　him　in　this　crush。〃



Which　turned　out　to　be　a　true　prediction。



〃All　our　trouble　and　forethought　thrown　away；〃　said　

Suzanne　sulkily；　when　they　had　pushed　their　way　

fruitlessly　through　half　a　dozen　departments。



〃I　can't　think　why　you　didn't　grab　him　by　the　arm；〃　

said　Eleanor；　〃I　would　have　if　I'd　known　him　longer；　but　

I'd　only　just　been　introduced。　　It's　nearly　four　now；　

we'd　better　have　tea。〃



Some　days　later　Suzanne　rang　Eleanor　up　on　the　

telephone。



〃Thank　you　very　much　for　the　photograph　frame。　　It　

was　just　what　I　wanted。　　Very　good　of　you。　　I　say；　do　you　

know　what　that　Kneyght　person　has　given　me？　　Just　what　

you　said　he　would　…　a　wretched　fan。　　What？　　Oh　yes；　quite　

a　good　enough　fan　in　its　way；　but　still　。　。　。〃



〃You　must　come　and　see　what　he's　given　me；〃　came　in　

Eleanor's　voice　over　the　'phone。



〃You！　　Why　should　he　give　you　anything？〃



〃Your　cousin　appears　to　be　one　of　those　rare　people　

of　wealth　who　take　a　pleasure　in　giving　good　presents；〃　

came　the　reply。



〃I　wondered　why　he　was　so　anxious　to　know　where　she　

lived；〃　snapped　Suzanne　to　herself　as　she　rang　off。



A　cloud　has　arisen　between　the　friendships　of　the　

two　young　women；　as　far　as　Eleanor　is　concerned　the　cloud　

has　a　silver…fox　lining。





THE　PHILANTHROPIST　AND　THE　HAPPY　CAT





JOCANTHA　BESSBURY　was　in　the　mood　to　be　serenely　and　

graciously　happy。　　Her　world　was　a　pleasant　place；　and　it　

was　wearing　one　of　its　pleasantest　aspects。　　Gregory　had　

managed　to　get　home　for　a　hurried　lunch　and　a　smoke　

afterwards　in　the　little　snuggery；　the　lunch　had　been　a　

good　one；　and　there　was　just　time　to　do　justice　to　the　

coffee　and　cigarettes。　　Both　were　excellent　in　their　way；　

and　Gregory　was；　in　his　way；　an　excellent　husband。　　

Jocantha　rather　suspected　herself　of　making　him　a　very　

charming　wife；　and　more　than　suspected　herself　of　having　

a　first…rate　dressmaker。



〃I　don't　suppose　a　more　thoroughly　contented　

personality　is　to　be　found　in　all　Chelsea；〃　observed　

Jocantha　in　allusion　to　herself；　〃except　perhaps　Attab；〃　

she　continued；　glancing　towards　the　large　tabby…marked　

cat　that　lay　in　considerable　ease　in　a　corner　of　the　

divan。　　〃He　lies　there；　purring　and　dreaming；　shifting　

his　limbs　now　and　then　in　an　ecstasy　of　cushioned　

comfort。　　He　seems　the　incarnation　of　everything　soft　and　

silky　and　velvety；　without　a　sharp　edge　in　his　

composition；　a　dreamer　whose　philosophy　is　sleep　and　let　

sleep；　and　then；　as　evening　draws　on；　he　goes　out　into　

the　garden　with　a　red　glint　in　his　eyes　and　slays　a　

drowsy　sparrow。〃



〃As　every　pair　of　sparrows　hatches　out　ten　or　more　

young　ones　in　the　year；　while　their　food　supply　remains　

stationary；　it　is　just　as　well　that　the　Attabs　of　the　

community　should　have　that　idea　of　how　to　pass　an　amusing　

afternoon；〃　said　Gregory。　　Having　delivered　himself　of　

this　sage　comment　he　lit　another　cigarette；　bade　Jocantha　

a　playfully　affectionate　good…bye；　and　departed　into　the　

outer　world。



〃Remember；　dinner's　a　wee　bit　earlier　to…night；　as　

we're　going　to　the　Haymarket；〃　she　called　after　him。



Left　to　herself；　Jocantha　continued　the　process　of　

looking　at　her　life　with　placid；　introspective　eyes。　　If　

she　had　not　everything　she　wanted　in　this　world；　at　least　

she　was　very　well　pleased　with　what　she　had　got。　　She　was　

very　well　pleased；　for　instance；　with　the　snuggery；　which　

contrived　somehow　to　be　cosy　and　dainty　and　expensive　all　

at　once。　　The　porcelain　was　rare　and　beautiful；　the　

Chinese　enamels　took　on　wonderful　tints　in　the　firelight；　

the　rugs　and　hangings　led　the　eye　through　sumptuous　

harmonies　of　colouring。　　It　was　a　room　in　which　one　might　

have　suitably　entertained　an　ambassador　or　an　archbishop；　

but　it　was　also　a　room　in　which　one　could　cut　out　

pictures　for　a　scrap…book　without　feeling　that　one　was　

scandalising　the　deities　of　the　place　with　one's　litter。　　

And　as　with　the　snuggery；　so　with　the　rest　of　the　house；　

and　as　with　the　house；　so　with　the　other　departments　of　

Jocantha's　life；　she　really　had　good　reason　for　being　one　

of　the　most　contented　women　in　Chelsea。



From　being　in　a　mood　of　simmering　satisfaction　with　

her　lot　she　passed　to　the　phase　of　being　generously　

commiserating　for　those　thousands　around　her　whose　lives　

and　circumstances　were　dull；　cheap；　pleasureless；　and　

empty。　　Work　girls；　shop　assistants　and　so　forth；　the　

class　that　have　neither　the　happy…go…lucky　freedom　of　the　

poor　nor　the　leisured　freedom　of　the　rich；　came　specially　

within　the　range　of　her　sympathy。　　It　was　sad　to　think　

that　there　were　young　people　who；　after　a　long　day's　

work；　had　to　sit　alone　in　chill；　dreary　bedrooms　because　

they　could　not　afford　the　price　of　a　cup　of　coffee　and　a　

sandwich　in　a　restaurant；　still　less　a　shilling　for　a　

theatre　gallery。



Jocantha's　mind　was　still　dwelling　on　this　theme　

when　she　started　forth　on　an　afternoon　campaign　of　

desultory　shopping；　it　would　be　rather　a　comforting　

thing；　she　told　herself；　if　she　could　do　something；　on　

the　spur　of　the　moment；　to　bring　a　gleam　of　pleasure　and　

interest　into　the　life　of　even　one　or　two　wistful…

hearted；　empty…pocketed　workers；　it　would　add　a　good　deal　

to　her　sense　of　enjoyment　at　the　theatre　that　night。　　She　

would　get　two　upper　circle　tickets　for　a　popular　play；　

make　her　way　into　some　cheap　tea…shop；　and　present　the　

tickets　to　the　first　couple　of　interesting　work　girls　

with　whom　she　could　casually　drop　into　conversation。　　She　

could　explain　matters　by　saying　that　she　was　unable　to　

use　the　tickets　herself　and　did　not　want　them　to　be　

wasted；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　did　not　want　the　trouble　

of　sending　them　back。　　On　further　reflection　she　decided　

that　it　might　be　better　to　get　only　one　ticket　and　give　

it　to　some　lonely…looking　girl　sitting　eating　her　frugal　

meal　by　herself；　the　girl　might　scrape　acquaintance　with　

her　next…seat　neighbour　at　the　theatre　and　lay　the　

foundations　of　a　lasting　friendship。



With　the　Fairy　Godmother　impulse　strong　upon　her；　

Jocantha　marched　into　a　ticket　agency　and　selected　with　

immense　care　an　upper　circle　seat　for　the　〃Yellow　

Peacock；〃　a　play　that　was　attracting　a　considerable　

amount　of　discussion　and　criticism。　　Then　she　went　forth　

in　search　of　a　tea…shop　and　philanthropic　adventure；　at　

about　the　same　time　that　Attab　sauntered　into　the　garden　

with　a　mind　attuned　to　sparrow　stalking。　　In　a　corner　of　

an　A。B。C。　shop　she　found　an　unoccupied　table；　whereat　she　

promptly　installed　herself；　impelled　by　the　fact　that　at　

the　next　table　was　sitting　a　young　girl；　rather　plain　of　

feature；　with　tired；　listless　eyes；　and　a　general　air　of　

uncomplaining　forlornness。　　Her　dress　was　of　poor　

material；　but　aimed　at　being　in　the　fashion；　her　hair　was　

pretty；　and　her　complexion　bad；　she　was　finishing　a　

modest　meal　of　tea　and　scone；　and　she　was　not　very　

different　in　her　way　from　thousands　of　other　girls　who　

were　finishing；　or　beginning；　or　continuing　their　teas　in　

London　tea…shops　at　that　exact　moment。　　The　odds　were　

enormously　in　favour　of　the　supposition　that　she　had　

never　seen　the　〃Yellow　Peacock〃；　obviously　she　supplied　

excellent　material　for　Jocantha's　first　experiment　in　

haphazard　benefaction。



Jocantha　ordered　some　tea　and　a　muffin；　and　then　

turned　a　friendly　scrutiny　on　her　neighbour　with　a　view　

to　catching　her　eye。　　At　that　precise　moment　the　girl's　

face　lit　up　with　sudden　pleasure；　her　eyes　sparkled；　a　

flush　came　into　her　cheeks；　and　she　looked　almost　pretty。　　

A　young　man；　whom　she　greeted　with　an　affectionate　

〃Hullo；　Bertie；〃　came　up　to　her　table　and　took　his　seat　

in　a　chair　facing　her。　　Jocantha　looked　hard　at　the　new…

comer；　he　was　in　appearance　a　few　years　younger　than　

herself；　very　much　better　looking　than　Gregory；　rather　

better　looking；　in　fact；　than　any　of　the　young　men　of　her　

set。　　She　guessed　him　to　be　a　well…mannered　young　clerk　

in　some　wholesale　warehouse；　existing　and　amusing　himself　

as　best　he　might　on　a　tiny　salary；　and　commanding　a　

holiday　of　about　two　weeks　in　the　year。　　He　was　aware；　of　

course；　of　his　good　looks；　but　with　the　shy　self…

consciousness　of　the　Anglo…Saxon；　not　the　blatant　

complacency　of　the　Latin　or　Semite。　　He　was　obviously　on　

terms　of　friendly　intimacy　with　the