the wheels of chance-第12章

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man　in　brown　and　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey；　he　spent　a　considerable　part　of　the　afternoon　in　thinking　about　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey；　and　contemplating　in　an　optimistic　spirit　the　possibilities　of　seeing　her　again。　Memory　and　imagination　played　round　her；　so　that　his　course　was　largely　determined　by　the　windings　of　the　road　he　traversed。　Of　one　general　proposition　he　was　absolutely　convinced。　〃There's　something　Juicy　wrong　with　'em；〃　said　heonce　even　aloud。　But　what　it　was　he　could　not　imagine。　He　recapitulated　the　facts。　〃Miss　Beaumont　brother　and　sisterand　the　stoppage　to　quarrel　and　weepit　was　perplexing　material　for　a　young　man　of　small　experience。　There　was　no　exertion　he　hated　so　much　as　inference；　and　after　a　time　he　gave　up　any　attempt　to　get　at　the　realities　of　the　case；　and　let　his　imagination　go　free。　Should　he　ever　see　her　again？　Suppose　he　didwith　that　other　chap　not　about。　The　vision　he　found　pleasantest　was　an　encounter　with　her；　an　unexpected　encounter　at　the　annual　Dancing　Class　'Do'　at　the　Putney　Assembly　Rooms。　Somehow　they　would　drift　together；　and　he　would　dance　with　her　again　and　again。　It　was　a　pleasant　vision；　for　you　must　understand　that　Mr。　Hoopdriver　danced　uncommonly　well。　Or　again；　in　the　shop；　a　sudden　radiance　in　the　doorway；　and　she　is　bowed　towards　the　Manchester　counter。　And　then　to　lean　over　that　counter　and　murmur；　seemingly　apropos　of　the　goods　under　discussion；　〃I　have　not　forgotten　that　morning　on　the　Portsmouth　road；〃　and　lower；　〃I　never　shall　forget。〃

At　Northchapel　Mr。　Hoopdriver　consulted　his　map　and　took　counsel　and　weighed　his　course　of　action。　Petworth　seemed　a　possible　resting…place；　or　Pullborough；　Midhurst　seemed　too　near；　and　any　place　over　the　Downs　beyond；　too　far；　and　so　he　meandered　towards　Petworth；　posing　himself　perpetually　and　loitering；　gathering　wild　flowers　and　wondering　why　they　had　no　namesfor　he　had　never　heard　of　anydropping　them　furtively　at　the　sight　of　a　stranger；　and　generally　'mucking　about。'　There　were　purple　vetches　in　the　hedges；　meadowsweet；　honeysuckle；　belated　bramblesbut　the　dog…roses　had　already　gone；　there　were　green　and　red　blackberries；　stellarias；　and　dandelions；　and　in　another　place　white　dead　nettles；　traveller's…joy；　clinging　bedstraw；　grasses　flowering；　white　campions；　and　ragged　robins。　One　cornfield　was　glorious　with　poppies；　bright　scarlet　and　purple　white；　and　the　blue　corn…flowers　were　beginning。　In　the　lanes　the　trees　met　overhead；　and　the　wisps　of　hay　still　hung　to　the　straggling　hedges。　Iri　one　of　the　main　roads　he　steered　a　perilous　passage　through　a　dozen　surly　dun　oxen。　Here　and　there　were　little　cottages；　and　picturesque　beer…houses　with　the　vivid　brewers'　boards　of　blue　and　scarlet；　and　once　a　broad　green　and　a　church；　and　an　expanse　of　some　hundred　houses　or　so。　Then　he　came　to　a　pebbly　rivulet　that　emerged　between　clumps　of　sedge　loosestrife　and　forget…me…nots　under　an　arch　of　trees；　and　rippled　across　the　road；　and　there　he　dismounted；　longing　to　take　off　shoes　and　stockingsthose　stylish　chequered　stockings　were　now　all　dimmed　with　dust　and　paddle　his　lean　legs　in　the　chuckling　cheerful　water。　But　instead　he　sat　in　a　manly　attitude；　smoking　a　cigarette；　for　fear　lest　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey　should　come　glittering　round　the　corner。　For　the　flavour　of　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey　was　present　through　it　all；　mixing　with　the　flowers　and　all　the　delight　of　it；　a　touch　that　made　this　second　day　quite　different　from　the　first；　an　undertone　of　expectation；　anxiety；　and　something　like　regret　that　would　not　be　ignored。

It　was　only　late　in　the　long　evening　that；　quite　abruptly；　he　began　to　repent；　vividly　and　decidedly；　having　fled　these　two　people。　He　was　getting　hungry；　and　that　has　a　curious　effect　upon　the　emotional　colouring　of　our　minds。　The　man　was　a　sinister　brute；　Hoopdriver　saw　in　a　flash　of　inspiration；　and　the　girlshe　was　in　some　serious　trouble。　And　he　who　might　have　helped　her　had　taken　his　first　impulse　as　decisiveand　bolted。　This　new　view　of　it　depressed　him　dreadfully。　What　might　not　be　happening　to　her　now？　He　thought　again　of　her　tears。　Surely　it　was　merely　his　duty；　seeing　the　trouble　afoot；　to　keep　his　eye　upon　it。

He　began　riding　fast　to　get　quit　of　such　selfreproaches。　He　found　himself　in　a　tortuous　tangle　of　roads；　and　as　the　dusk　was　coming　on；　emerged；　not　at　Petworth　but　at　Easebourne；　a　mile　from　Midhurst。　〃I'm　getting　hungry；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　inquiring　of　a　gamekeeper　in　Easebourne　village。　〃Midhurst　a　mile；　and　Petworth　five！Thenks；　I'll　take　Midhurst。〃

He　came　into　Midhurst　by　the　bridge　at　the　watermill；　and　up　the　North　Street；　and　a　little　shop　flourishing　cheerfully；　the　cheerful　sign　of　a　teapot；　and　exhibiting　a　brilliant　array　of　tobaccos；　sweets；　and　children's　toys　in　the　window；　struck　his　fancy。　A　neat；　bright…eyed　little　old　lady　made　him　welcome；　and　he　was　presently　supping　sumptuously　on　sausages　and　tea；　with　a　visitors'　book　full　of　the　most　humorous　and　flattering　remarks　about　the　little　old　lady；　in　verse　and　prose；　propped　up　against　his　teapot　as　he　ate。　Regular　good　some　of　the　jokes　were；　and　rhymes　that　read　welleven　with　your　mouth　full　of　sausage。　Mr。　Hoopdriver　formed　a　vague　idea　of　drawing　〃　something　〃for　his　judgment　on　the　little　old　lady　was　already　formed。　He　pictured　the　little　old　lady　discovering　it　afterwards〃My　gracious！　One　of　them　Punch　men；〃　she　would　say。　The　room　had　a　curtained　recess　and　a　chest　of　drawers；　for　presently　it　was　to　be　his　bedroom；　and　the　day　part　of　it　was　decorated　with　framed　Oddfellows'　certificates　and　giltbacked　books　and　portraits；　and　kettle…holders；　and　all　kinds　of　beautiful　things　made　out　of　wool；　very　comfortable　it　was　indeed。　The　window　was　lead　framed　and　diamond　paned；　and　through　it　one　saw　the　corner　of　the　vicarage　and　a　pleasant　hill　crest；　in　dusky　silhouette　against　the　twilight　sky。　And　after　the　sausages　had　ceased　to　be；　he　lit　a　Red　Herring　cigarette　and　went　swaggering　out　into　the　twilight　street。　All　shadowy　blue　between　its　dark　brick　houses；　was　the　street；　with　a　bright　yellow　window　here　and　there　and　splashes　of　green　and　red　where　the　chemist's　illumination　fell　across　the　road。



AN　INTERLUDE

XV

And　now　let　us　for　a　space　leave　Mr。　Hoopdriver　in　the　dusky　Midhurst　North　Street；　and　return　to　the　two　folks　beside　the　railway　bridge　between　Milford　and　Haslemere。　She　was　a　girl　of　eighteen；　dark；　fine　featured；　with　bright　eyes；　and　a　rich；　swift　colour　under　her　warm…tinted　skin。　Her　eyes　were　all　the　brighter　for　the　tears　that　swam　in　them。　The　man　was　thirty　three　or　four；　fair；　with　a　longish　nose　overhanging　his　sandy　flaxen　moustache；　pale　blue　eyes；　and　a　head　that　struck　out　above　and　behind。　He　stood　with　his　feet　wide　apart；　his　hand　on　his　hip；　in　an　attitude　that　was　equally　suggestive　of　defiance　and　aggression。　They　had　watched　Hoopdriver　out　of　sight。　The　unexpected　interruption　had　stopped　the　flood　of　her　tears。　He　tugged　his　abundant　moustache　and　regarded　her　calmly。　She　stood　with　face　averted；　obstinately　resolved　not　to　speak　first。　〃Your　behaviour；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃makes　you　conspicuous。〃

She　turned　upon　him；　her　eyes　and　cheeks　glowing；　her　hands　clenched。　〃You　unspeakable　CAD；〃　she　said；　and　choked；　stamped　her　little　foot；　and　stood　panting。

〃Unspeakable　cad！　My　dear　girl！　Possible　I　AM　an　unspeakable　cad。　Who　wouldn't　befor　you？〃

〃'Dear　girl！'　How　DARE　you　speak　to　me　like　that？　YOU〃

〃I　would　do　anything〃

〃OH！〃

There　was　a　moment's　pause。　She　looked　squarely　into　his　face；　her　eyes　alight　with　anger　and　contempt；　and　perhaps　he　flushed　a　little。　He　stroked　his　moustache；　and　by　an　effort　maintained　his　cynical　calm。　〃Let　us　be　reasonable；〃　he　said。

〃Reasonable！　That　means　all　that　is　mean　and　cowardly　and　sensual　in　the　world。〃

〃You　have　always　had　it　soin　your　generalising　way。　But　let　us　look　at　the　facts　of　the　caseif　that　pleases　you　better。〃

With　an　impatient　gesture　she　motioned　him　to　go　on。

〃Well；〃　he　said；〃you've　eloped。〃

〃I've　left　my　home；〃　she　corrected；　with　dignity。　〃I　left　my　home　because　it　was　unendurable。　Because　that　woman〃

〃Yes；　yes。　But　the　point　is；　you　have　eloped　with　me。〃

〃You　came　with　me。　You　pretended　to　be