english stories-london-第6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！





As　a　general　rule；　I　am　quite　aware　that　to　publish　a　lengthy

explanation　of　one's　conduct　in　any　questionable　transaction　is　not

the　best　means　of　recovering　a　lost　reputation；　but　in　my　own　case

there　is　one　to　whom　I　shall　nevermore　be　permitted　to　justify　by　word

of　moutheven　if　I　found　myself　able　to　attempt　it。　And　as　she　could

not　possibly　think　worse　of　me　than　she　does　at　present；　I　write　this；

knowing　it　can　do　me　no　harm；　and　faintly　hoping　that　it　may　come　to

her　notice　and　suggest　a　doubt　whether　I　am　quite　so　unscrupulous　a

villain；　so　consummate　a　hypocrite；　as　I　have　been　forced　to　appear　in

her　eyes。



The　bare　chance　of　such　a　result　makes　me　perfectly　indifferent　to　all

else；　I　cheerfully　expose　to　the　derision　of　the　whole　reading　world

the　story　of　my　weakness　and　my　shame；　since　by　doing　so　I　may

possibly　rehabilitate　myself　somewhat　in　the　good　opinion　of　one

person。



Having　said　so　much；　I　will　begin　my　confession　without　further　delay。



My　name　is　Algernon　Weatherhead；　and　I　may　add　that　I　am　in　one　of　the

government　departments；　that　I　am　an　only　son；　and　live　at　home　with

my　mother。



We　had　had　a　house　at　Hammersmith　until　just　before　the　period　covered

by　this　history；　when；　our　lease　expiring；　my　mother　decided　that　my

health　required　country　air　at　the　close　of　the　day；　and　so　we　took　a

〃desirable　villa　residence〃　on　one　of　the　many　new　building　estates

which　have　lately　sprung　up　in　such　profusion　in　the　home　counties。



We　have　called　it　〃Wistaria　Villa。〃　It　is　a　pretty　little　place；　the

last　of　a　row　of　detached　villas；　each　with　its　tiny　rustic　carriage…

gate　and　gravel　sweep　in　front；　and　lawn　enough　for　a　tennis…court

behind；　which　lines　the　road　leading　over　the　hill　to　the　railway…

station。



I　could　certainly　have　wished　that　our　landlord；　shortly　after　giving

us　the　agreement；　could　have　found　some　other　place　to　hang　himself　in

than　one　of　our　attics；　for　the　consequence　was　that　a　housemaid　left

us　in　violent　hysterics　about　every　two　months；　having　learned　the

tragedy　from　the　tradespeople；　and　naturally　〃seen　a　somethink〃

immediately　afterward。



Still　it　is　a　pleasant　house；　and　I　can　now　almost　forgive　the

landlord　for　what　I　shall　always　consider　an　act　of　gross　selfishness

on　his　part。



In　the　country；　even　so　near　town；　a　next…door　neighbor　is　something

more　than　a　mere　numeral；　he　is　a　possible　acquaintance；　who　will　at

least　consider　a　new…comer　as　worth　the　experiment　of　a　call。　I　soon

knew　that　〃Shuturgarden；〃　the　next　house　to　our　own；　was　occupied　by　a

Colonel　Currie；　a　retired　Indian　officer；　and　often；　as　across　the　low

boundary　wall　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　graceful　girlish　figure　flitting

about　among　the　rose…bushes　in　the　neighbouring　garden；　I　would　lose

myself　in　pleasant　anticipations　of　a　time　not　too　far　distant　when

the　wall　which　separated　us　would　be　（metaphorically）　levelled。



I　rememberah；　how　vividly！the　thrill　of　excitement　with　which　I

heard　from　my　mother；　on　returning　from　town　one　evening；　that　the

Curries　had　called；　and　seemed　disposed　to　be　all　that　was　neighbourly

and　kind。



I　remember；　too；　the　Sunday　afternoon　on　which　I　returned　their　call

alone；　as　my　mother　had　already　done　so　during　the　week。　I　was

standing　on　the　steps　of　the　colonel's　villa；　waiting　for　the　door　to

open；　when　I　was　startled　by　a　furious　snarling　and　yapping　behind；

and；　looking　round；　discovered　a　large　poodle　in　the　act　of　making　for

my　legs。



He　was　a　coal…black　poodle；　with　half　of　his　right　ear　gone；　and

absurd　little　thick　moustaches　at　the　end　of　his　nose；　he　was　shaved

in　the　shamlion　fashion；　which　is　considered；　for　some　mysterious

reason；　to　improve　a　poodle；　but　the　barber　had　left　sundry　little

tufts　of　hair；　which　studded　his　haunches　capriciously。



I　could　not　help　being　reminded；　as　I　looked　at　him；　of　another　black

poodle；　which　Faust　entertained　for　a　short　time　with　unhappy　results；

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

befor