beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第39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！
distant mound whereon local tradition reported that the Danes had once
pitched a camp。 And when his hostess had to desert him temporarily
for other duties he would find Evelyn walking solemnly by his side。
Evelyn was fourteen and talked chiefly about good and evil； and of how
much one might accomplish in the way of regenerating the world if one
was thoroughly determined to do one's utmost。 It was generally rather
a relief when she was displaced by Jack； who was nine years old； and
talked exclusively about the Balkan War without throwing any fresh
light on its political or military history。 The German governess told
Lanner more about Schiller than he had ever heard in his life about any
one person； it was perhaps his own fault for having told her that he
was not interested in Goethe。 When the governess went off picket duty
the hostess was again on hand with a not…to…be…gainsaid invitation to
visit the cottage of an old woman who remembered Charles James Fox；
the woman had been dead for two or three years； but the cottage was
119
… Page 120…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
still there。 Lanner was called back to town earlier than he had
originally intended。
Hugo did not bring off his affair with Betty Coulterneb。 Whether
she refused him or whether； as was more generally supposed； he did not
get a chance of saying three consecutive words； has never been exactly
ascertained。 Anyhow； she is still the jolly Coulterneb girl。
The buzzards successfully reared two young ones； which were shot
by a local hairdresser。
120
… Page 121…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
THE STAKE
〃RONNIE is a great trial to me；〃 said Mrs。 Attray plaintively。
〃Only eighteen years old last February and already a confirmed gambler。
I am sure I don't know where he inherits it from； his father never
touched cards； and you know how little I play … a game of bridge on
Wednesday afternoons in the winter； for three…pence a hundred； and even
that I shouldn't do if it wasn't that Edith always wants a fourth and would
be certain to ask that detestable Jenkinham woman if she couldn't get me。
I would much rather sit and talk any day than play bridge； cards are such
a waste of time； I think。 But as to Ronnie； bridge and baccarat and
poker…patience are positively all that he thinks about。 Of course I've
done my best to stop it； I've asked the Norridrums not to let him play
cards when he's over there； but you might as well ask the Atlantic Ocean
to keep quiet for a crossing as expect them to bother about a mother's
natural anxieties。〃
〃Why do you let him go there？〃 asked Eleanor Saxelby。
〃My dear；〃 said Mrs。 Attray； 〃I don't want to offend them。 After all；
they are my landlords and I have to look to them for anything I want
done about the place； they were very accommodating about the new roof
for the orchid house。 And they lend me one of their cars when mine is
out of order； you know how often it gets out of order。〃
〃I don't know how often；〃 said Eleanor； 〃but it must happen very
frequently。 Whenever I want you to take me anywhere in your car I am
always told that there is something wrong with it； or else that the
chauffeur has got neuralgia and you don't like to ask him to go out。〃
〃He suffers quite a lot from neuralgia；〃 said Mrs。 Attray hastily。
〃Anyhow；〃 she continued； 〃you can understand that I don't want to
offend the Norridrums。 Their household is the most rackety one in the
county； and I believe no one ever knows to an hour or two when any
particular meal will appear on the table or what it will consist of when it
does appear。〃
Eleanor Saxelby shuddered。 She liked her meals to be of regular
occurrence and assured proportions。
121
… Page 122…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
〃Still；〃 pursued Mrs。 Attray； 〃whatever their own home life may be；
as landlords and neighbours they are considerate and obliging； so I don't
want to quarrel with them。 Besides； if Ronnie didn't play cards there
he'd be playing somewhere else。〃
〃Not if you were firm with him；〃 said Eleanor 〃I believe in being
firm。〃
〃Firm？ I am firm；〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Attray； 〃I am more than firm … I
am farseeing。 I've done everything I can think of to prevent Ronnie
from playing for money。 I've stopped his allowance for the rest of the
year； so he can't even gamble on credit； and I've subscribed a lump
sum to the church offertory in his name instead of giving him
instalments of small silver to put in the bag on Sundays。 I wouldn't
even let him have the money to tip the hunt servants with； but sent it by
postal order。 He was furiously sulky about it； but I reminded him of
what happened to the ten shillings that I gave him for the Young Men's
Endeavour League 'Self…Denial Week。' 〃
〃What did happen to it？〃 asked Eleanor。
〃Well； Ronnie did some preliminary endeavouring with it； on his
own account； in connection with the Grand National。 If it had come off；
as he expressed it； he would have given the League twenty…five shillings
and netted a comfortable commission for himself； as it was； that ten
shillings was one of the things the League had to deny itself。 Since
then I've been careful not to let him have a penny piece in his hands。〃
〃He'll get round that in some way；〃 said Eleanor with quiet
conviction； 〃he'll sell things。〃
〃My dear； he's done all that is to be done in that direction already。
He's got rid of his wrist…watch and his hunting flask and both his
cigarette cases； and I shouldn't be surprised if he's wearing imitation…
gold sleeve links instead of those his Aunt Rhoda gave him on his
seventeenth birthday。 He can't sell his clothes； of course； except his
winter overcoat； and I've locked that up in the camphor cupboard on the
pretext of preserving it from moth。 I really don't see what else he can
raise money on。 I consider that I've been both firm and far… seeing。〃
〃Has he been at the Norridrums lately？〃 asked Eleanor。
122
… Page 123…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
〃He was there yesterday afternoon and stayed to dinner；〃 said Mrs。
Attray。 〃I don't quite know when he came home； but I fancy it was
late。〃
〃Then dep
