beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第2章
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Mrs。 Hampton at once！ It may fly at us at any moment。 Turn it
back！〃
〃I … I don't know how to；〃 faltered Leonard； who looked more scared
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and horrified than anyone。
〃What！〃 shouted Colonel Hampton； 〃you've taken the abominable
liberty of turning my wife into a wolf； and now you stand there calmly
and say you can't turn her back again！〃
To do strict justice to Leonard； calmness was not a distinguishing
feature of his attitude at the moment。
〃I assure you I didn't turn Mrs。 Hampton into a wolf； nothing was
farther from my intentions；〃 he protested。
〃Then where is she； and how came that animal into the
conservatory？〃 demanded the Colonel。
〃Of course we must accept your assurance that you didn't turn Mrs。
Hampton into a wolf；〃 said Clovis politely； 〃but you will agree that
appearances are against you。〃
〃Are we to have all these recriminations with that beast standing
there ready to tear us to pieces？〃 wailed Mavis indignantly。
〃Lord Pabham； you know a good deal about wild beasts … 〃
suggested Colonel Hampton。
〃The wild beasts that I have been accustomed to；〃 said Lord Pabham；
〃have come with proper credentials from well…known dealers； or have
been bred in my own menagerie。 I've never before been confronted
with an animal that walks unconcernedly out of an azalea bush；
leaving a charming and popular hostess unaccounted for。 As far as one
can judge from OUTWARD characteristics；〃 he continued； 〃it has the
appearance of a well…grown female of the North American timber…wolf；
a variety of the common species CANIS LUPUS。〃
〃Oh； never mind its Latin name；〃 screamed Mavis； as the beast came
a step or two further into the room； 〃can't you entice it away with food；
and shut it up where it can't do any harm？〃
〃If it is really Mrs。 Hampton； who has just had a very good dinner； I
don't suppose food will appeal to it very strongly；〃 said Clovis。
〃Leonard；〃 beseeched Mrs。 Hoops tearfully； 〃even if this is none of your
doing can't you use your great powers to turn this dreadful beast into
something harmless before it bites us all … a rabbit or something？〃
〃I don't suppose Colonel Hampton would care to have his wife
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turned into a succession of fancy animals as though we were playing a
round game with her；〃 interposed Clovis。
〃I absolutely forbid it；〃 thundered the Colonel。
〃Most wolves that I've had anything to do with have been
inordinately fond of sugar；〃 said Lord Pabham； 〃if you like I'll try the
effect on this one。〃
He took a piece of sugar from the saucer of his coffee cup and flung
it to the expectant Louisa； who snapped it in mid…air。 There was a sigh
of relief from the company； a wolf that ate sugar when it might at the
least have been employed in tearing macaws to pieces had already shed
some of its terrors。 The sigh deepened to a gasp of thanks…giving when
Lord Pabham decoyed the animal out of the room by a pretended
largesse of further sugar。 There was an instant rush to the vacated
conservatory。 There was no trace of Mrs。 Hampton except the plate
containing the macaws' supper。
〃The door is locked on the inside！〃 exclaimed Clovis； who had deftly
turned the key as he affected to test it。
Everyone turned towards Bilsiter。
〃If you haven't turned my wife into a wolf；〃 said Colonel Hampton；
〃will you kindly explain where she has disappeared to； since she
obviously could not have gone through a locked door？ I will not press
you for an explanation of how a North American timber…wolf suddenly
appeared in the conservatory； but I think I have some right to inquire
what has become of Mrs。 Hampton。〃
Bilsiter's reiterated disclaimer was met with a general murmur of
impatient disbelief。
〃I refuse to stay another hour under this roof；〃 declared Mavis
Pellington。
〃If our hostess has really vanished out of human form；〃 said Mrs。
Hoops； 〃none of the ladies of the party can very well remain。 I
absolutely decline to be chaperoned by a wolf！〃
〃It's a she…wolf；〃 said Clovis soothingly。
The correct etiquette to be observed under the unusual circumstances
received no further elucidation。 The sudden entry of Mary Hampton
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deprived the discussion of its immediate interest。
〃Some one has mesmerised me；〃 she exclaimed crossly； 〃I found
myself in the game larder； of all places； being fed with sugar by Lord
Pabham。 I hate being mesmerised； and the doctor has forbidden me to
touch sugar。〃
The situation was explained to her； as far as it permitted of anything
that could be called explanation。
〃Then you REALLY did turn me into a wolf； Mr。 Bilsiter？〃 she
exclaimed excitedly。
But Leonard had burned the boat in which he might now have
embarked on a sea of glory。 He could only shake his head feebly。
〃It was I who took that liberty；〃 said Clovis； 〃you see； I happen to
have lived for a couple of years in North…Eastern Russia； and I have
more than a tourist's acquaintance with the magic craft of that region。
One does not care to speak about these strange powers； but once in a
way； when one hears a lot of nonsense being talked about them； one is
tempted to show what Siberian magic can accomplish in the hands of
someone who really understands it。 I yielded to that temptation。 May
I have some brandy？ the effort has left me rather faint。〃
If Leonard Bilsiter could at that moment have transformed Clovis
into a cockroach and then have stepped on him he would gladly have
performed both operations。
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LAURA
〃YOU are not really dying； are you？〃 asked Amanda。
〃I have the doctor's permission to live till Tuesday；〃 said Laura。
〃But to…day is Saturday； this is serious！〃 gasped Amanda。
〃I don't know about it being serious； it is certainly Saturday；〃 said
Laura。
〃Death is always serious；〃 said Amanda。
〃I never said I was going to die。 I am presumably going to leave
off being Laura； but I shall go on being something。 An animal of some
kind； I suppose。 You see； when one hasn't been very good in the life
one has just lived； one reincarnates in some lower organism。 And I
haven't been very good； when one comes to think of it。 I've been petty
and mean and vindictive and all that sort of thing when circumstances
have seemed to warrant it。〃
〃Circumstances never warrant that sort of thing；〃 said Amanda
hastily。
〃If you don't mind my saying so；〃 observed Laura； 〃Egbert is a
circumstance that would warrant any amount of that sort of thing。
You're married to him … that's different； you've sworn to love； honour；
and endure him： I haven't。〃
〃I don't see what's wrong with Egbert；〃 protested Amanda。
〃Oh； I daresay the wrongness has been on my part；〃 admitted Laura
dispassionately； 〃he has merely been the extenuating circumstance。 He
made a thin； peevish kind of fuss； for instance； when I took the collie
puppies from the farm out for a run the other day。〃
〃They chased his young broods of speckled Sussex and drove two
sitting hens off their nests； besides running all over the flower beds。
You know how devoted he is to his poultry and garden。〃
〃Anyhow； he needn't have gone on about it for the entire evening and
then have said； ‘Let's say no more about it' just when I was beginning to
enjoy the discussion。 That's where one of my petty vindictive
revenges came in；〃 added Laura with an unrepentant chuckle； 〃I turned
the entire family of speckled Sussex into his seedling shed the day after
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the puppy episode。〃
〃How could you？〃 exclaimed Amanda。
〃It came quite easy；〃 said Laura； 〃two of the hens pretended to be
laying at the time； but I was firm。〃
〃And we thought it was an accident！〃
〃You see；〃 resumed Laura； 〃I really HAVE some grounds for
supposing that my next incarnation will be in a lower organism。 I shall
be an animal of some kind。 On the other hand； I haven't been a bad sort
in my way； so I think I may count on being a nice animal； something
elegant and lively； with a love of fun。 An otter； perhaps。〃
〃I can't imagine you as an otter；〃 said Amanda。
〃Well； I don't suppose you can imagine me as an angel； if it comes
