stories by english authors in italy(旅意英国作家的故事)-第3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！
not help regarding the great heap of gold with considerable interest。 Added
to the lad's previous gains； the amount was now very large indeedmore
than five thousand pounds。
〃I should really think； Master Richard； as you had now won enough。〃
〃Enough？ Certainly not。 I have not broken the bank yet。 I mean to do
that before I've done with it； Johnny。〃
〃That will be after you've killed yourself；〃 said honest John。
〃Well； then I shall die /rich/；〃 was the reckless rejoinder。
Richard； who was too exhausted for repose； tossed and tumbled on his
bed for hours； and eventually dropped into a heavy slumber； and slept far
into the next morning。 He awoke feeling very unwell； but his chief anxiety
was lest he should miss the opening of the tables； he was always the first
to begin。 He rang his bell violently for Maitland。 There was no reply； and
when he rang again； one of the hotel servants came up。
〃Where is my man？〃 he inquired。
〃Monsieur's man…servant took monsieur's luggage to the railway…
station； he is gone by the early train to Turin。〃
〃Gone to Turin with my luggage？〃
〃Yes； with the two portmanteausvery heavy ones。〃
Richard got out of bed； and dragged his weary limbs into the dressing…
room； an inner apartment； where the portmanteaus were kept for safety。
They were both gone。
〃What train did the scoundrel go by？ Where is my watch？ Why； the
villain has taken that too！ Send for the police！ No； there is no time to be
lostsend a telegram。 Why； he has not even left me enough money to pay
a telegram！〃
All his small change was gone。 Honest John had taken everything； he
had not left his young master a single sixpence。 At this revelation of the
state of affairs； poor Richard； weakened as he was by his long excitement；
threw himself on the bed and burst into tears。 The attendant； to whom； as
usual； he had been liberal； was affected by an emotion so strange in an
10
… Page 11…
STORIES
Englishman。
〃Monsieur must not fret； the thief will be caught and the money
restored。 It will be well； perhaps to tell the /maitre d'hotel/。〃
The master of the hotel appeared with a very grave face。 He was
desolated to hear of the misfortune that had befallen his young guest。
Perhaps there was not quite so much taken as had been reported。
〃I tell you it's all gone； more than five thousand pounds； and my watch
and chain； I have not half a franc in my possession。〃
〃That is unfortunate indeed；〃 said the /maitre d'hotel/； looking graver
than ever； 〃because there is my bill to settle。〃
〃Oh； hang your bill！〃 cried Richard。 〃/That/ will be all right。 I must
telegraph to my father at once。〃
〃But how is monsieur to telegraph if he has no money？〃
It was probably the first time in his life that the young fellow had ever
understood how inconvenient a thing is poverty。 What also amazed him
beyond measure was the man's manner； yesterday； and all other days； it
had been polite to obsequiousness； now it was dry almost to insolence。 It
seemed； indeed； to imply some doubt of the bona fides of his guestthat
he might not； in short； be much better than honest John himself； of whom
he was possibly the confederate； that the whole story was a trumped…up
one to account for the inability to meet his bill。 As to his having won
largely at the tables； that might be true enough； but he also might have lost
it all； and more with it； money changes hands at Monte Carlo very rapidly。
In the end； however； and not without much objection； the landlord
advanced a sufficient sum to enable Richard to telegraph home。 He also
permitted him to stay on at the hotel； stipulating； however； that he should
call for no wine； nor indulge in anything expensivea humiliating
arrangement enough； but not so much so as the terms of another proviso；
that he was never to enter the gambling saloon or go beyond the public
gardens。 Even there he was under surveillance； and it was； in short； quite
clear that he was suspected of an intention to run away without paying his
billperhaps even of joining his 〃confederate；〃 Mr。 John Maitland。
The only thing that comforted Richard was the conviction that he
should have a remittance from his father in a few hours； but nothing of the
11
… Page 12…
STORIES
sort； not even a telegram； arrived。 Day after day went by； and the young
fellow was in despair； he felt like a pariah； for he had been so occupied
with the tables that he had made no friends； and his few acquaintances
looked askance at him； as being under a cloud； with the precise nature of
which they were unacquainted。 Friendless and penniless in a foreign land；
his spirit was utterly broken； and he began to understand what a fool he
had made of himself； especially how ungratefully he had behaved to his
father； without whom it was not so easy to 〃get on；〃 it appeared； as he had
imagined。 He saw； too； the evil of his conduct in having thrust a
temptation in the way of honest John too great to be resisted。 The police
could hear no news of him； and； indeed； seemed very incredulous with
respect to Richard's account of the matter。
On the fourth day Richard received a letter from his father of the
gravest kind； though expressed in the most affectionate terms。 He hardly
alluded to the immediate misfortune that had happened to him； but spoke
of the anxiety and alarm which his conduct had caused his mother and
himself。 〃I enclose you a check；〃 he wrote； 〃just sufficient to comfortably
bring you home and pay your hotel bill； and exceedingly regret that I
cannot trust my son with morelest he should risk it in a way that gives
his mother and myself more distress of mind than I can express。〃
Richard's heart was touched； as it well might have been； though
perhaps the condition of mind in which his father's communication found
him had something to do with it。 By that night's mail he despatched a letter
home which gave the greatest delight at the Court； and also at the vicarage；
for Mr。 Luscombe； full of pride and joy； brought it to my father to read。 〃I
have been very foolish； sir； and very wicked；〃 it ran。 〃I believe I should
have been dead by this time had not Maitland stolen my money （so that I
have no reason to feel very angry with him） and deprived me of the means
of suicide。 I give you my word of honour that I will never gamble again。〃
Lady Jane sent a telegram to meet Master Richard in Paris； to say what
a dear good boy he was； and how happy he had made her。 This did not
surprise him； but what did astonish him very much on arriving at the Court
was that John Maitland opened the door for him。
〃Why； you old scoundrel！〃
12
… Page 13…
STORIES
〃Yes； sir； I know； I'm a thief and all that； but I did it for the best； I did；
indeed。〃
Though the fatted calf was killed for Master Richard； he had by no
means returned like the prodigal son。 On the contrary； he had sent home a
remittance； as it were； by the butler； of more than five thousand pounds。
The whole plot had been devised by honest John as the only method of
extricating Master Richard from that Monte Carlo spider's web； and had
been carried out by the help of the /maitre d'hotel/； with the squire's
approval。 And to do the young fellow justice； he never resented the trick
that had been played upon him。
Richard was not sent abroad again； but to Cambridge； where
eventually he took a fourth…class （poll） degree； and Lady Jane was as
proud of it as if he had been senior wrangler。 He kept his word； in spite of
all temptations to the contrary； and never touched a carda circumstance
which drove him to take a fair amount of exercise； and； in consequence； he
steadily improved in health。 He was sometimes chaffed by his companions
for his abstinence from play； they should have thought he was the last man
to be afraid of losing his money。
〃You are right； so far；〃 he would answer； drily； 〃but the fact is； I have
had enough of winning。〃
To which they would reply：
〃Oh yes； we dare say；〃 an elliptical expression； which conveyed
disbelief。
He never told them the story of his Monte Carlo experiences； but in
the vacations he would often talk to honest John about them。 We may be
sure that that faithful retainer did not go unrewarded for his fraudulent act。
13
… Page 14…
STORIES
BIANCA
BY W。 E。 NORRIS
Not long since； I was one among a crowd of nobodies at a big official
reception in Paris when the Marchese and Marchesa di San Silvestro were
announced。 There was a momentary hush； those about the doorway fell
back to let this distinguished couple pass； and some of us stood on tiptoe
to get a glimpse of them； for San Silvestro is a man of no small
importance in the political and diplomatic world； and his wife enjoys quite
a European fame for beauty and amiability； having had opportunities of
displaying both these attractive gifts at the several courts where she has
acted as Italian ambassadress。 They made their way quickly up the long
room；she short； rather sallow； inclined toward embonpoint； but with eyes
whose magnificence was rivalled only by that of her diamonds； he bald…
headed； fat； gray…haired； covered with orders；and were soon out of sight。
I followed them with a sigh which caused my neighbour to ask me
jocosely whether the marchesa was an old flame of mine。
〃Far from it；〃 I answered。 〃Only the sight of her reminded me of
bygone days。 Dear； dear me！ how time does slip on！ It is fifteen years
since I saw her
