beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第20章
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that you're wise in doing this thing？〃 he said to his wife when they were
alone together。 〃It might do very well at the Mathesons； where they
had rather a staid； elderly house…party； but here it will be a different
matter。 There is the Durmot flapper； for instance； who simply stops at
nothing； and you know what Van Tahn is like。 Then there is Cyril
Skatterly； he has madness on one side of his family and a Hungarian
grandmother on the other。〃
〃I don't see what they could do that would matter；〃 said Lady
Blonze。
〃It's the unknown that is to be dreaded；〃 said Sir Nicholas。 〃If
Skatterly took it into his head to represent a Bull of Bashan； well； I'd
rather not be here。〃
〃Of course we shan't allow any Bible characters。 Besides； I don't
know what the Bulls of Bashan really did that was so very dreadful； they
just came round and gaped； as far as I remember。〃
〃My dear； you don't know what Skatterly's Hungarian imagination
mightn't read into the part； it would be small satisfaction to say to him
afterwards： 'You've behaved as no Bull of Bashan would have behaved。'
〃
〃Oh； you're an alarmist；〃 said Lady Blonze； I particularly want to
have this idea carried out。 It will be sure to be talked about a lot。〃
〃That is quite possible；〃 said Sir Nicholas。
* * * *
Dinner that evening was not a particularly lively affair； the strain of
trying to impersonate a self… imposed character or to glean hints of identity
from other people's conduct acted as a check on the natural festivity of
such a gathering。 There was a general feeling of gratitude and
acquiescence when good…natured Rachel Klammerstein suggested that
there should be an hour or two's respite from 〃the game〃 while they all
listened to a little piano…playing after dinner。 Rachel's love of piano
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music was not indiscriminate； and concentrated itself chiefly on
selections rendered by her idolised offspring； Moritz and Augusta； who；
to do them justice； played remarkably well。
The Klammersteins were deservedly popular as Christmas guests；
they gave expensive gifts lavishly on Christmas Day and New Year； and
Mrs。 Klammerstein had already dropped hints of her intention to present
the prize for the best enacted character in the game competition。
Every one had brightened at this prospect； if it had fallen to Lady Blonze；
as hostess； to provide the prize； she would have considered that a little
souvenir of some twenty or twenty…five shillings' value would meet the
case； whereas coming from a Klammerstein source it would certainly
run to several guineas。
The close time for impersonation efforts came to an end with the
final withdrawal of Moritz and Augusta from the piano。 Blanche
Boveal retired early； leaving the room in a series of laboured leaps that
she hoped might be recognised as a tolerable imitation of Pavlova。
Vera Durmot； the sixteen…year…old flapper； expressed her confident
opinion that the performance was intended to typify Mark Twain's
famous jumping frog； and her diagnosis of the case found general
acceptance。 Another guest to set an example of early bed…going was
Waldo Plubley； who conducted his life on a minutely regulated system
of time…tables and hygienic routine。 Waldo was a plump； indolent
young man of seven…and…twenty； whose mother had early in his life
decided for him that he was unusually delicate； and by dint of much
coddling and home…keeping had succeeded in making him physically
soft and mentally peevish。 Nine hours' unbroken sleep； preceded by
elaborate breathing exercises and other hygienic ritual； was among the
indispensable regulations which Waldo imposed on himself； and there
were innumerable small observances which he exacted from those who
were in any way obliged to minister to his requirements； a special teapot
for the decoction of his early tea was always solemnly handed over to
the bedroom staff of any house in which he happened to be staying。
No one had ever quite mastered the mechanism of this precious vessel；
but Bertie van Tahn was responsible for the legend that its spout had to
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be kept facing north during the process of infusion。
On this particular night the irreducible nine hours were severely
mutilated by the sudden and by no means noiseless incursion of a
pyjama…clad figure into Waldo's room at an hour midway between
midnight and dawn。
〃What is the matter？ What are you looking for？〃 asked the
awakened and astonished Waldo； slowly recognising Van Tahn； who
appeared to be searching hastily for something he had lost。
〃Looking for sheep；〃 was the reply。
〃Sheep？〃 exclaimed Waldo。
〃Yes； sheep。 You don't suppose I'm looking for giraffes； do you？〃
〃I don't see why you should expect to find either in my room；〃
retorted Waldo furiously。
〃I can't argue the matter at this hour of the night；〃 said Bertie； and
began hastily rummaging in the chest of drawers。 Shirts and underwear
went flying on to the floor。
〃There are no sheep here； I tell you；〃 screamed Waldo。
〃I've only got your word for it；〃 said Bertie； whisking most of the
bedclothes on to the floor； 〃if you weren't concealing something you
wouldn't be so agitated。〃
Waldo was by this time convinced that Van Tahn was raving mad；
and made an anxious； effort to humour him。
〃Go back to bed like a dear fellow；〃 he pleaded； 〃and your sheep will
turn up all right in the morning。〃
〃I daresay；〃 said Bertie gloomily； 〃without their tails。 Nice fool I
shall look with a lot of Manx sheep。〃
And by way of emphasising his annoyance at the prospect he sent
Waldo's pillows flying to the top of the wardrobe。
〃But WHY no tails？〃 asked Waldo； whose teeth were chattering with
fear and rage and lowered temperature。
〃My dear boy； have you never heard the ballad of Little Bo…Peep？〃
said Bertie with a chuckle。 〃It's my character in the Game； you know。
If I didn't go hunting about for my lost sheep no one would be able to
guess who I was； and now go to sleepy weeps like a good child or I
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shall be cross with you。〃
〃I leave you to imagine；〃 wrote Waldo in the course of a long letter
to his mother； 〃how much sleep I was able to recover that night； and you
know how essential nine uninterrupted hours of slumber are to my
health。〃
On the other hand he was able to devote some wakeful hours to
exercises in breathing wrath and fury against Bertie van Tahn。
Breakfast at Blonzecourt was a scattered meal； on the 〃come when
you please〃 principle； but the house…party was supposed to gather in full
strength at lunch。 On the day after the 〃Game〃 had been started there
were； however； some notable absentees。 Waldo Plubley； for instance；
was reported to be nursing a headache。 A large breakfast and an
〃A。B。C。〃 had been taken up to his room； but he had made no appearance
in the flesh。
〃I expect he's playing up to some character；〃 said Vera Durmot； 〃isn't
there a thing of Moliere's； 'LE MALADE IMAGINAIRE'？ I expect
he's that。〃
Eight or nine lists came out； and were duly pencilled with the
suggestion。
〃And where are the Klammersteins？〃 asked Lady Blonze； 〃they're
usually so punctual。〃
〃Another character pose； perhaps；〃 said Bertie van Tahn； 〃 'the Lost
Ten Tribes。' 〃
〃But there are only three of them。 Besides； they'll want their lunch。
Hasn't anyone seen anything of them？〃
〃Didn't you take them out in your car？〃 asked Blanche Boveal；
addressing herself to Cyril Skatterly。
〃Yes； took them out to Slogberry Moor immediately after breakfast。
Miss Durmot came too。〃
〃I saw you and Vera come back；〃 said Lady Blonze； 〃but I didn't see
the Klammersteins。 Did you put them down in the village？〃
〃No；〃 said Skatterly shortly。
〃But where are they？ Where did you leave them？〃
〃We left them on Slogberry Moor；〃 said Vera calmly。
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〃On Slogberry Moor？ Why； it's more than thirty miles away！
How are they going to get back？〃
〃We didn't stop to consider that；〃 said Skatterly； 〃we asked them to
get out for a moment； on the pretence that the car had stuck； and then we
dashed off full speed and left them there。〃
〃But how dare you do such a thing？ It's most inhuman！ Why； it's
been snowing for the last hour。〃
〃I expect there'll be a cottage or farmhouse somewhere if they walk a
mile or
