beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第12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！
was needed to deal with the case。 Latimer slipped out of bed in search
of a weapon of dissuasion。 There was sufficient light in the room to
enable the pig to detect this manoeuvre； and the vile temper； inherited
from the drowned mother； found full play。 Latimer bounded back
into bed； and his conqueror； after a few threatening snorts and
champings of its jaws； resumed its massage operations with renewed
zeal。 During the long wakeful hours which ensued Latimer tried to
distract his mind from his own immediate troubles by dwelling with
decent sympathy on the second housemaid's bereavement； but he
found himself more often wondering how many Boy Scouts were
47
… Page 48…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
sharing his Melton overcoat。 The role of Saint Martin malgre lui was
not one which appealed to him。
Towards dawn the pigling fell into a happy slumber； and Latimer
might have followed its example； but at about the same time Stupor
Hartlepooli gave a rousing crow； clattered down to the floor and
forthwith commenced a spirited combat with his reflection in the
wardrobe mirror。 Remembering that the bird was more or less under
his care Latimer performed Hague Tribunal offices by draping a bath…
towel over the provocative mirror； but the ensuing peace was local and
short…lived。 The deflected energies of the gamecock found new outlet
in a sudden and sustained attack on the sleeping and temporarily
inoffensive pigling； and the duel which followed was desperate and
embittered beyond any possibility of effective intervention。 The
feathered combatant had the advantage of being able； when hard pressed；
to take refuge on the bed； and freely availed himself of this
circumstance； the pigling never quite succeeded in hurling himself on to
the same eminence； but it was not from want of trying。
Neither side could claim any decisive success； and the struggle had
been practically fought to a standstill by the time that the maid appeared
with the early morning tea。
〃Lor； sir；〃 she exclaimed in undisguised astonishment； 〃do you
want those animals in your room？〃
48
… Page 49…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
WANT！
The pigling； as though aware that it might have outstayed its
welcome； dashed out at the door； and the gamecock followed it at a more
dignified pace。
〃If Miss Vera's dog sees that pig … ！〃 exclaimed the maid； and hurried
off to avert such a catastrophe。
A cold suspicion was stealing over Latimer's mind； he went to the
window and drew up the blind。 A light； drizzling rain was falling； but
there was not the faintest trace of any inundation。
Some half…hour later he met Vera on the way to the breakfast…room。
〃I should not like to think of you as a deliberate liar；〃 he observed
coldly； 〃but one occasionally has to do things one does not like。〃
〃At any rate I kept your mind from dwelling on politics all the
night；〃 said Vera。
Which was； of course； perfectly true。
49
… Page 50…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
THE UNKINDEST BLOW
THE season of strikes seemed to have run itself to a standstill。
Almost every trade and industry and calling in which a dislocation could
possibly be engineered had indulged in that luxury。 The last and least
successful convulsion had been the strike of the World's Union of
Zoological Garden attendants； who； pending the settlement of certain
demands； refused to minister further to the wants of the animals
committed to their charge or to allow any other keepers to take their
place。 In this case the threat of the Zoological Gardens authorities
that if the men 〃came out〃 the animals should come out also had
intensified and precipitated the crisis。 The imminent prospect of the
larger carnivores； to say nothing of rhinoceroses and bull bison； roaming
at large and unfed in the heart of London； was not one which permitted
of prolonged conferences。 The Government of the day； which from its
tendency to be a few hours behind the course of events had been
nicknamed the Government of the afternoon； was obliged to intervene
with promptitude and decision。 A strong force of Bluejackets was
despatched to Regent's Park to take over the temporarily abandoned
duties of the strikers。 Bluejackets were chosen in preference to land
forces； partly on account of the traditional readiness of the British Navy
to go anywhere and do anything； partly by reason of the familiarity of
the average sailor with monkeys； parrots； and other tropical fauna； but
chiefly at the urgent request of the First Lord of the Admiralty； who was
keenly desirous of an opportunity for performing some personal act of
unobtrusive public service within the province of his department。
〃If he insists on feeding the infant jaguar himself； in defiance of its
mother's wishes； there may be another by…election in the north；〃 said one
of his colleagues； with a hopeful inflection in his voice。 〃By…elections
are not very desirable at present； but we must not be selfish。〃
As a matter of fact the strike collapsed peacefully without any
outside intervention。 The majority of the keepers had become so
attached to their charges that they returned to work of their own accord。
And then the nation and the newspapers turned with a sense of relief
50
… Page 51…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
to happier things。 It seemed as if a new era of contentment was about
to dawn。 Everybody had struck who could possibly want to strike or
who could possibly be cajoled or bullied into striking； whether they
wanted to or not。 The lighter and brighter side of life might now claim
some attention。 And conspicuous among the other topics that sprang
into sudden prominence was the pending Falvertoon divorce suit。
The Duke of Falvertoon was one of those human HORS
D'OEUVRES that stimulate the public appetite for sensation without
giving it much to feed on。 As a mere child he had been precociously
brilliant； he had declined the editorship of the ANGLIAN REVIEW at
an age when most boys are content to have declined MENSA； a table；
and though he could not claim to have originated the Futurist
movement in literature； his 〃Letters to a possible Grandson；〃 written at
the age of fourteen； had attracted considerable notice。 In later days his
brilliancy had been less conspicuously displayed。 During a debate in
the House of Lords on affairs in Morocco； at a moment when that
country； for the fifth time in seven years； had brought half Europe to the
verge of war； he had interpolated the remark 〃a little Moor and how
much it is；〃 but in spite of the encouraging reception accorded to this
one political utterance he was never tempted to a further display in that
direction。 It began to be generally understood that he did not intend to
supplement his numerous town and country residences by living
overmuch in the public eye。
And then had come the unlooked…for tidings of the imminent
proceedings for divorce。 And such a divorce！ There were cross…suits
and allegations and counter… allegations； charges of cruelty and desertion；
everything in fact that was necessary to make the case one of the most
complicated and sensational of its kind。 And the number of
distinguished people involved or cited as witnesses not only embraced
both political parties in the realm and several Colonial governors； but
included an exotic contingent from France； Hungary； the United States
of North America； and the Grand Duchy of Baden。 Hotel
accommodation of the more expensive sort began to experience a strain
on its resources。 〃It will be quite like the Durbar without the
51
… Page 52…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
elephants；〃 exclaimed an enthusiastic lady who； to do her justice； had
never seen a Durbar。 The general feeling was one of thankfulness
that the last of the strikes had been got over before the date fixed for the
hearing of the great suit。
As a reaction from the season of gloom and industrial strife that had
just passed away the agencies that purvey and stage…manage sensations
laid themselves out to do their level best on this momentous occasion。
Men who had made their reputations as special descriptive writers were
mobilised from distant corners of Europe and the further side of the
Atlantic in order to enrich with their pens the daily printed records o
