beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第8章
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her two young brothers went off for their day's shooting。 They never
came back。 In crossing the moor to their favourite snipe…shooting
ground they were all three engulfed in a treacherous piece of bog。 It
had been that dreadful wet summer； you know； and places that were
safe in other years gave way suddenly without warning。 Their bodies
were never recovered。 That was the dreadful part of it。〃 Here the
child's voice lost its self…possessed note and became falteringly human。
〃Poor aunt always thinks that they will come back some day； they and
the little brown spaniel that was lost with them； and walk in at that
window just as they used to do。 That is why the window is kept open
every evening till it is quite dusk。 Poor dear aunt； she has often told me
how they went out； her husband with his white waterproof coat over
his arm； and Ronnie； her youngest brother； singing 'Bertie； why do you
bound？' as he always did to tease her； because she said it got on her
nerves。 Do you know； sometimes on still； quiet evenings like this； I
almost get a creepy feeling that they will all walk in through that
window … 〃
She broke off with a little shudder。 It was a relief to Framton when
the aunt bustled into the room with a whirl of apologies for being late in
making her appearance。
〃I hope Vera has been amusing you？〃 she said。
〃She has been very interesting；〃 said Framton。
〃I hope you don't mind the open window；〃 said Mrs。 Sappleton
briskly； 〃my husband and brothers will be home directly from shooting；
and they always come in this way。 They've been out for snipe in the
marshes to…day； so they'll make a fine mess over my poor carpets。 So
like you men…folk； isn't it？〃
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She rattled on cheerfully about the shooting and the scarcity of birds；
and the prospects for duck in the winter。 To Framton it was all purely
horrible。 He made a desperate but only partially successful effort to
turn the talk on to a less ghastly topic； he was conscious that his
hostess was giving him only a fragment of her attention； and her eyes
were constantly straying past him to the open window and the lawn
beyond。 It was certainly an unfortunate coincidence that he should
have paid his visit on this tragic anniversary。
〃The doctors agree in ordering me complete rest； an absence of
mental excitement； and avoidance of anything in the nature of violent
physical exercise；〃 announced Framton； who laboured under the
tolerably wide…spread delusion that total strangers and chance
acquaintances are hungry for the least detail of one's ailments and
infirmities； their cause and cure。 〃On the matter of diet they are not so
much in agreement；〃 he continued。
〃No？〃 said Mrs。 Sappleton； in a voice which only replaced a yawn at
the last moment。 Then she suddenly brightened into alert attention …
but not to what Framton was saying。
〃Here they are at last！〃 she cried。 〃Just in time for tea； and don't
they look as if they were muddy up to the eyes！〃
Framton shivered slightly and turned towards the niece with a look
intended to convey sympathetic comprehension。 The child was staring
out through the open window with dazed horror in her eyes。 In a chill
shock of nameless fear Framton swung round in his seat and looked in
the same direction。
In the deepening twilight three figures were walking across the lawn
towards the window； they all carried guns under their arms； and one of
them was additionally burdened with a white coat hung over his
shoulders。 A tired brown spaniel kept close at their heels。
Noiselessly they neared the house； and then a hoarse young voice
chanted out of the dusk： 〃I said； Bertie； why do you bound？〃
Framton grabbed wildly at his stick and hat； the hall…door； the
gravel…drive； and the front gate were dimly…noted stages in his headlong
retreat。 A cyclist coming along the road had to run into the hedge to
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avoid an imminent collision。
〃Here we are； my dear；〃 said the bearer of the white mackintosh；
coming in through the window； 〃fairly muddy； but most of it's dry。
Who was that who bolted out as we came up？〃
〃A most extraordinary man； a Mr。 Nuttel；〃 said Mrs。 Sappleton；
〃could only talk about his illnesses； and dashed off without a word of
good…bye or apology when you arrived。 One would think he had seen a
ghost。〃
〃I expect it was the spaniel；〃 said the niece calmly； 〃he told me he
had a horror of dogs。 He was once hunted into a cemetery somewhere
on the banks of the Ganges by a pack of pariah dogs； and had to spend
the night in a newly dug grave with the creatures snarling and grinning
and foaming just above him。 Enough to make anyone their nerve。〃
Romance at short notice was her speciality。
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THE TREASURE SHIP
THE great galleon lay in semi…retirement under the sand and weed
and water of the northern bay where the fortune of war and weather had
long ago ensconced it。 Three and a quarter centuries had passed since
the day when it had taken the high seas as an important unit of a
fighting squadron … precisely which squadron the learned were not
agreed。 The galleon had brought nothing into the world； but it had；
according to tradition and report； taken much out of it。 But how much？
There again the learned were in disagreement。 Some were as generous
in their estimate as an income…tax assessor； others applied a species of
higher criticism to the submerged treasure chests； and debased their
contents to the currency of goblin gold。 Of the former school was Lulu；
Duchess of Dulverton。
The Duchess was not only a believer in the existence of a sunken
treasure of alluring proportions； she also believed that she knew of a
method by which the said treasure might be precisely located and
cheaply disembedded。 An aunt on her mother's side of the family had
been Maid of Honour at the Court of Monaco； and had taken a respectful
interest in the deep…sea researches in which the Throne of that country；
impatient perhaps of its terrestrial restrictions； was wont to immerse
itself。 It was through the instrumentality of this relative that the
Duchess learned of an invention； perfected and very nearly patented by a
Monegaskan savant； by means of which the home…life of the
Mediterranean sardine might be studied at a depth of many fathoms in a
cold white light of more than ball…room brilliancy。 Implicated in this
invention （and； in the Duchess's eyes； the most attractive part of it） was
an electric suction dredge； specially designed for dragging to the surface
such objects of interest and value as might be found in the more
accessible levels of the ocean…bed。 The rights of the invention were to
be acquired for a matter of eighteen hundred francs； and the apparatus
for a few thousand more。 The Duchess of Dulverton was rich； as the
world counted wealth； she nursed the hope； of being one day rich at her
own computation。 Companies had been formed and efforts had been
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made again and again during the course of three centuries to probe for
the alleged treasures of the interesting galleon； with the aid of this
invention she considered that she might go to work on the wreck
privately and independently。 After all； one of her ancestors on her
mother's side was descended from Medina Sidonia； so she was of
opinion that she had as much right to the treasure as anyone。 She
acquired the invention and bought the apparatus。
Among other family ties and encumbrances； Lulu possessed a
nephew； Vasco Honiton； a young gentleman who was blessed with a
small income and a large circle of relatives； and lived impartially and
precariously on both。 The name Vasco had been given him possibly in
the hope that he might live up to its adventurous tradition； but he
limited himself strictly to the home industry of adventurer； preferring to
exploit the assured rather than to explore the unknown。 Lulu's
intercourse with him had been restricted of recent years to the negative
processes of being out of town when he called on her； and short of
money when he wrote to her。 Now； however； she bethought herself of
his eminent suitability for the
