english stories-london-第5章

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and　I　thought　that　a　very　moderate　degree　of　incantation　would　be

enough　to　bring　the　fiend　out　of　this　brute。



He　made　me　intensely　uncomfortable；　for　I　am　of　a　slightly　nervous

temperament；　with　a　constitutional　horror　of　dogs；　and　a　liability　to

attacks　of　diffidence　on　performing　the　ordinary　social　rites　under

the　most　favourable　conditions；　and　certainly　the　consciousness　that　a

strange　and　apparently　savage　dog　was　engaged　in　worrying　the　heels　of

my　boots　was　the　reverse　of　reassuring。



The　Currie　family　received　me　with　all　possible　kindness。　〃So　charmed

to　make　your　acquaintance；　Mr。　Weatherhead；〃　said　Mrs。　Currie；　as　I

shook　hands。　〃I　see；〃　she　added；　pleasantly；　〃you've　brought　the

doggie　in　with　you。〃　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　had　brought　the　doggie　in

at　the　ends　of　my　coat…tails；　but　it　was　evidently　no　unusual

occurrence　for　visitors　to　appear　in　this　undignified　manner；　for　she

detached　him　quite　as　a　matter　of　course；　and　as　soon　as　I　was

sufficiently　collected　we　fell　into　conversation。



I　discovered　that　the　colonel　and　his　wife　were　childless；　and　the

slender　willowy　figure　I　had　seen　across　the　garden　wall　was　that　of

Lilian　Roseblade；　their　niece　and　adopted　daughter。　She　came　into　the

room　shortly　afterward；　and　I　felt；　as　I　went　through　the　form　of　an

introduction；　that　her　sweet；　fresh　face；　shaded　by　soft　masses　of

dusky…brown　hair；　more　than　justified　all　the　dreamy　hopes　and　fancies

with　which　I　had　looked　forward　to　that　moment。



She　talked　to　me　in　a　pretty；　confidential；　appealing　way；　which　I

have　heard　her　dearest　friends　censure　as　childish　and　affected；　but　I

thought　then　that　her　manner　had　an　indescribable　charm　and

fascination　about　it；　and　the　memory　of　it　makes　my　heart　ache　now

with　a　pang　that　is　not　all　pain。



Even　before　the　colonel　made　his　appearance　I　had　begun　to　see　that　my

enemy；　the　poodle；　occupied　an　exceptional　position　in　that　household。

It　was　abundantly　clear　by　the　time　I　took　my　leave。



He　seemed　to　be　the　centre　of　their　domestic　system；　and　even　lovely

Lilian　revolved　contentedly　around　him　as　a　kind　of　satellite；　he

could　do　no　wrong　in　his　owner's　eyes；　his　prejudices　（and　he　was　a

narrow…minded　animal）　were　rigorously　respected；　and　all　domestic

arrangements　were　made　with　a　primary　view　to　his　convenience。



I　may　be　wrong；　but　I　cannot　think　that　it　is　wise　to　put　any　poodle

upon　such　a　pedestal　as　that。　How　this　one　in　particular；　as　ordinary

a　quadruped　as　ever　breathed；　had　contrived　to　impose　thus　upon　his

infatuated　proprietors；　I　never　could　understand；　but　so　it　was；　he

even　engrossed　the　chief　part　of　the　conversation；　which　after　any

lull　seemed　to　veer　round　to　him　by　a　sort　of　natural　law。



I　had　to　endure　a　long　biographical　sketch　of　him；what　a　society

paper　would　call　an　〃anecdotal　photo；〃and　each　fresh　anecdote　seemed

to　me　to　exhibit　the　depraved　malignity　of　the　beast　in　a　more　glaring

light；　and　render　the　doting　admiration　of　the　family　more　astounding

than　ever。



〃Did　you　tell　Mr。　Weatherhead；　Lily；　about　Bingo〃　（Bingo　was　the

poodle's　preposterous　name）　〃and　Tacks？　No？　Oh；　I　/must/　tell　him

that；　it'll　make　him　laugh。　Tacks　is　our　gardener　down　in　the　village

（d'　ye　know　Tacks？）。　Well；　Tacks　was　up　here　the　other　day；　nailing　up

some　trellis…work　at　the　top　of　a　ladder；　and　all　the　time　there　was

Master　Bingo　sitting　quietly　at　the　foot　of　it　looking　on；　wouldn't

leave　it　on　any　account。　Tacks　said　he　was　quite　company　for　him。

Well；　at　last；　when　Tacks　had　finished　and　was　coming　down；　what　do

you　thing　that　rascal　there　did？　Just　sneaked　quietly　up　behind　and

nipped　him　in　both　calves　and　ran　off。　Been　looking　out　for　that　the

whole　time！　Ha；　ha！deep　that；　eh？〃



I　agreed；　with　an　inward　shudder；　that　it　was　very　deep；　thinking

privately　that；　if　this　was　a　specimen　of　Bingo's　usual　treatment　of

the　natives；　it　would　be　odd　if　he　did　not　find　himself　deeper　still

beforeprobably　/just/　beforehe　died。



〃Poor；　faithful　old　doggie！〃　murmured　Mrs。　Currie；　〃he　thought　Tacks

was　a　nasty　burglar；　didn't　he？　He　wasn't　going　to　see　master　robbed

was　he？〃



〃Capital　house…dog；　sir；〃　struck　in　the　colonel。　〃Gad；　I　shall　never

forget　how　he　made　poor　Heavisides　run　for　it　the　other　day！　Ever　met

Heavisides　of　the　Bombay　Fusileers？　Well；　Heavisides　was　staying　here；

and　the　dog　met　him　one　morning　as　he　was　coming　down　from　the　bath…

room。　Didn't　recognise　him　in　'pajamas'　and　a　dressing…gown；　of

course；　and　made　at　him。　He　kept　poor　old　Heavisides　outside　the

landing　window　on　top　of　the　cistern　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　till　I

had　to　come　and　raise　the　siege！〃



Such　were　the　stories　of　that　abandoned　dog's　blunderheaded　ferocity

to　which　I　was　forced　to　listen；　while　all　the　time　the　brute　sat

opposite　me　on　the　hearth…rug；　blinking　at　me　from　under　his　shaggy

mane　with　his　evil；　bleared　eyes；　and　deliberating　where　he　would　have

me　when　I　rose　to　go。



This　was　the　beginning　of　an　intimacy　which　soon　displaced　all

ceremony。　It　was　very　pleasant　to　go　in　there　after　dinner；　even　to

sit　with　the　colonel　over　his　claret；　and　hear　more　stories　about

Bingo；　for　afterward　I　could　go　into　the　pretty　drawing…room　and　take

my　tea　from　Lilian's　hands；　and　listen　while　she　played　Schubert　to　us

in　the　summer　twilight。



The　poodle　was　always　in　the　way；　to　be　sure；　but　even　his　ugly　black

head　seemed　to　lose　some　of　its　ugliness　and　ferocity　when　Lilian　laid

her　pretty　hand　on　it。



On　the　whole；　I　think　that　the　Currie　family　were　well　disposed　toward

me；　the　colonel　considering　me　as　a　harmless　specimen　of　the　average

eligible　young　man；which　I　certainly　was；and　Mrs。　Currie　showing

me　favour　for　my　mother's　sake；　for　whom　she　had　taken　a　strong

liking。



As　for　Lilian；　I　believed　I　saw　that　she　soon　suspected　the　state　of

my　feelings　toward　her；　and　was　not　displeased　by　it。　I　looked　forward

with　some　hopefulness　to　a　day　when　I　could　declare　myself　with　no

fear　of　a　repulse。



But　it　was　a　serious　obstacle　in　my　path　that　I　could　not　secure

Bingo's　good　opinion　on　any　terms。　The　family　would　often　lament　this

pathetically　themselves。　〃You　see；〃　Mrs。　Currie　would　observe　in

apology；　〃Bingo　is　a　dog　that　does　not　attach　himself　easily　to

strangers〃though；　for　that　matter；　I　thought　he　was　unpleasantly

ready　to　attach　himself　to　/me/。



I　did　try　hard　to　conciliate　him。　I　brought　him　propitiatory　buns；

which　was　weak　and　ineffectual；　as　he　ate　them　with　avidity；　and　hated

me　as　bitterly　as　ever；　for　he　had　conceived　from　the　first　a　profound

contempt　for　me；　and　a　distrust　which　no　blandishments　of　mine　could

remove。　Looking　back　now；　I　am　inclined　to　think　it　was　a　prophetic

instinct　that　warned　him　of　what　was　to　come　upon　him　through　my

instrumentality。



Only　his　approbation　was　wanting　to　establish　for　me　a　firm　footing

with　the　Curries；　and　perhaps　determine　Lilian's　wavering　heart　in　my

direction；　but；　though　I　wooed　that　inflexible　poodle　with　an

assiduity　I　blush　to　remember；　he　remained　obstinately　firm。



Still；　day　by　day；　Lilian's　treatment　of　me　was　more　encouraging；　day

by　day　I　gained　in　the　esteem　of　her　uncle　and　aunt；　I　began　to　hope

that　soon　I　should　be　able　to　disregard　canine　influence　altogether。



Now　there　was　one　inconvenience　about　our　villa　（besides　its　flavour

of　suicide）　which　it　is　necessary　to　mention　here。　By　common　consent

all　the　cats　of　the　neighbourhood　had　selected　our　garden　for　their

evening　reunions。　I　fancy　that　a　tortoise…shell　kitchen　cat　of　ours

must　have　been　a　sort　of　leader　of　local　feline　societyI　know　she

was　〃at　home；〃　with　music　and　recitations；　on　most　evenings。



My　poor　mother　found　this　to　interfere　with　her　after…dinner　nap；　and

no　wonder；　for　if　a　cohort　of　ghosts　had　been　〃shrieking　and

squealing；〃　as　Calpurnia　puts　it；　in　our　back　garden；　or　it　had　been

fitted　up　as　a　creche　for　a　nursery　of　goblin　infants　in　the　agonies

of　teething；　the　noise　could　not　possibly　have　been　more　unearthly。



We　sought　for　some　means　of　getting　rid　of　the　nuisance：　there　was

poison；　of　course；　but　we　thought　it　would　have　an　invidious

appearance；　and　even　lead　to　legal　difficulties；　if　each　dawn　were　to

discover　an　assortment　of　cats　expiring　in　hideous　convulsions　in

various　parts　of　the　same　garden。



Firearms　too　were　open　to　objection；　and　would　scarcely　assist　my

mother's　slumbers；　so　for　some　time　we　were　at　a　loss　for　a　remedy。　At

last；　one　day；　walking　down　the　Strand；　I　chanced　to　see　（in　an　evil

hour）　what　struck　me　as　the　very　thing：　it　was　an　air…gun　of　superior

construction；　displayed　in　a　gunsmith's　window。　I　went　in　at　once；

purchased　it；　and　took　it　home　in　triumph；　it　would　be　noiseless；　and

would　reduce　the　local　average　of　cats　without　scandal；one　or　two

examples；and　feline　fashion　would　soon　migrate　to　a　more　secluded

spot。



I　lost　no　time　in　putting　this　to　the　proof。　That　same　evening　I　lay

in　wait　after　dusk　at　the　study　window；　protecting　my　mother's　repose。

As　soon　as　I　heard　the　long…drawn　wail；　the　preliminary　sputter；　and

the　wild　stampede　that　followed；　I　let　fly　in　the　direction　of　the

sound。　I　suppose　I　must　have　something　of　the　national　sporting

instinct　in　me；　for　my　blood　was　tingling　with　excitement；　but　the

feline　constitution　assimilates　lead　without　serious　inconvenience；

and　I　began　to　fear　that　no　trophy　would　remain　to　bear　witness　to　my

marksmanship。



But　all　at　once　I　made　out　a　dark；　indistinct　form　slinking　in　from

behind　the　bushes。　I　waited　till　it　crossed　a　belt　of　light　which

streamed　from　the　back　kitchen　below　me；　and　then　I　took　careful　aim

and　pulled　the　trigger。



This　time　at　least　I　had　not　failed；　there　was　a　smothered　yell；　a

rustle；　and　then　silence　again。　I　ran　out　with　the　calm　pride　of　a

successful　revenge　to　bring　in　the　body　of　my　victim；　and　I　found

underneath　a　laurel　no　predatory　tom…cat；　but　（as　the　discerning

reader　will　no　doubt　have　foreseen　long　since）　the　quivering　carcass

of　the　colonel's　black　poodle！



I　intend　to　set　down　here　the　exact　unvarnished　truth；　and　I　confess

that　at　first；　when　I　knew　what　I　had　done；　I　was　/not/　sorry。　I　was

quite　innocent　of　any　intention　of　doing　it；　but　I　felt　no　regret。　I

even　laughedmadman　that　I　wasat　the　thought　that　there　was　the　end

of　Bingo；　at　all　events；　that　impediment　was　removed；　my　weary　task　of

conciliation　was　over　for　ever！



But　soon　the　reaction　came；　I　realised　the　tremendous　nature　of　my

deed；　and　shuddered。　I　had　done　that　which　might　banish　me　from

Lilian's　side　for　ever！　All　unwittingly　I　had　slaughtered　a　kind　of

sacred　beast；　the　animal　around　which　the　Currie　household　had

wreathed　their　choicest　affections！　How　was　I　to　break　it　to　them？

Should　I　send　Bingo　in；　with　a　card　tied　to　his　neck　and　my　regrets

and　compliments？　That　was