the wheels of chance-第16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！


e　moonlight　was　transfigured。　One　might　have　paired　him　with　that　well…known　and　universally　admired　triumph；　'The　Soul's　Awakening；'　so　sweet　was　his　ecstasy。　And　presently　with　his　thirst　for　revenge　glutted　by　six　or　seven　violent　assaults；　a　duel　and　two　vigorous　murders；　his　mind　came　round　to　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey　again。

She　was　a　plucky　one　too。　He　went　over　the　incident　the　barmaid　at　the　Angel　had　described　to　him。　His　thoughts　ceased　to　be　a　torrent；　smoothed　down　to　a　mirror　in　which　she　was　reflected　with　infinite　clearness　and　detail。　He'd　never　met　anything　like　her　before。　Fancy　that　bolster　of　a　barmaid　being　dressed　in　that　way！　He　whuffed　a　contemptuous　laugh。　He　compared　her　colour；　her　vigour；　her　voice；　with　the　Young　Ladies　in　Business　with　whom　his　lot　had　been　cast。　Even　in　tears　she　was　beautiful；　more　beautiful　indeed　to　him；　for　it　made　her　seem　softer　and　weaker；　more　accessible。　And　such　weeping　as　he　had　seen　before　had　been　so　much　a　matter　of　damp　white　faces；　red　noses；　and　hair　coming　out　of　curl。　Your　draper's　assistant　becomes　something　of　a　judge　of　weeping；　because　weeping　is　the　custom　of　all　Young　Ladies　in　Business；　when　for　any　reason　their　services　are　dispensed　with。　She　could　weepand　（by　Gosh！）　she　could　smile。　HE　knew　that；　and　reverting　to　acting　abruptly；　he　smiled　confidentially　at　the　puckered　pallor　of　the　moon。

It　is　difficult　to　say　how　long　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　pensiveness　lasted。　It　seemed　a　long　time　before　his　thoughts　of　action　returned。　Then　he　remembered　he　was　a　'watcher'；　that　to…morrow　he　must　be　busy。　It　would　be　in　character　to　make　notes；　and　he　pulled　out　his　little　note…book。　With　that　in　hand　he　fell　a…thinking　again。　Would　that　chap　tell　her　the　'tecks　were　after　them？　If　so；　would　she　be　as　anxious　to　get　away　as　HE　was？　He　must　be　on　the　alert。　If　possible　he　must　speak　to　her。　Just　a　significant　word；　〃Your　friendtrust　me！〃It　occurred　to　him　that　to…morrow　these　fugitives　might　rise　early　to　escape。　At　that　he　thought　of　the　time　and　found　it　was　half…past　eleven。　〃Lord！〃　said　he；　〃I　must　see　that　I　wake。〃　He　yawned　and　rose。　The　blind　was　up；　and　he　pulled　back　the　little　chintz　curtains　to　let　the　sunlight　strike　across　to　the　bed；　hung　his　watch　within　good　view　of　his　pillow；　on　a　nail　that　supported　a　kettle…holder；　and　sat　down　on　his　bed　to　undress。　He　lay　awake　for　a　little　while　thinking　of　the　wonderful　possibilities　of　the　morrow；　and　thence　he　passed　gloriously　into　the　wonderland　of　dreams。



THE　PURSUIT

XX

And　now　to　tell　of　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　rising　with　the　sun；　vigilant；　active；　wonderful；　the　practicable　half　of　the　lead…framed　window　stuck　open；　ears　alert；　an　eye　flickering　incessantly　in　the　corner　panes；　in　oblique　glances　at　the　Angel　front。　Mrs。　Wardor　wanted　him　to　have　his　breakfast　downstairs　in　her　kitchen；　but　that　would　have　meant　abandoning　the　watch；　and　he　held　out　strongly。　The　bicycle；　cap…a…pie；　occupied；　under　protest；　a　strategic　position　in　the　shop。　He　was　expectant　by　six　in　the　morning。　By　nine　horrible　fears　oppressed　him　that　his　quest　had　escaped　him；　and　he　had　to　reconnoitre　the　Angel　yard　in　order　to　satisfy　himself。　There　he　found　the　ostler　（How　are　the　mighty　fallen　in　these　decadent　days！）　brushing　down　the　bicycles　of　the　chase；　and　he　returned　relieved　to　Mrs。　Wardor's　premises。　And　about　ten　they　emerged；　and　rode　quietly　up　the　North　Street。　He　watched　them　until　they　turned　the　corner　of　the　post　office；　and　then　out　into　the　road　and　up　after　them　in　fine　style！　They　went　by　the　engine…house　where　the　old　stocks　and　the　whipping　posts　are；　and　on　to　the　Chichester　road；　and　he　followed　gallantly。　So　this　great　chase　began。

They　did　not　look　round；　and　he　kept　them　just　within　sight；　getting　down　if　he　chanced　to　draw　closely　upon　them　round　a　corner。　By　riding　vigorously　he　kept　quite　conveniently　near　them；　for　they　made　but　little　hurry。　He　grew　hot　indeed；　and　his　knees　were　a　little　stiff　to　begin　with；　but　that　was　all。　There　was　little　danger　of　losing　them；　for　a　thin　chalky　dust　lay　upon　the　road；　and　the　track　of　her　tire　was　milled　like　a　shilling；　and　his　was　a　chequered　ribbon　along　the　way。　So　they　rode　by　Cobden's　monument　and　through　the　prettiest　of　villages；　until　at　last　the　downs　rose　steeply　ahead。　There　they　stopped　awhile　at　the　only　inn　in　the　place；　and　Mr。　Hoopdriver　took　up　a　position　which　commanded　the　inn　door；　and　mopped　his　face　and　thirsted　and　smoked　a　Red　Herring　cigarette。　They　remained　in　the　inn　for　some　time。　A　number　of　chubby　innocents　returning　home　from　school；　stopped　and　formed　a　line　in　front　of　him；　and　watched　him　quietly　but　firmly　for　the　space　of　ten　minutes　or　so。　〃Go　away；〃　said　he；　and　they　only　seemed　quietly　interested。　He　asked　them　all　their　names　then；　and　they　answered　indistinct　murmurs。　He　gave　it　up　at　last　and　became　passive　on　his　gate；　and　so　at　length　they　tired　of　him。

The　couple　under　observation　occupied　the　inn　so　long　that　Mr。　Hoopdriver　at　the　thought　of　their　possible　employment　hungered　as　well　as　thirsted。　Clearly；　they　were　lunching。　It　was　a　cloudless　day；　and　the　sun　at　the　meridian　beat　down　upon　the　top　of　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　head；　a　shower　bath　of　sunshine；　a　huge　jet　of　hot　light。　It　made　his　head　swim。　At　last　they　emerged；　and　the　other　man　in　brown　looked　back　and　saw　him。　They　rode　on　to　the　foot　of　the　down；　and　dismounting　began　to　push　tediously　up　that　long　nearly　vertical　ascent　of　blinding　white　road；　Mr。　Hoopdriver　hesitated。　It　might　take　them　twenty　minutes　to　mount　that。　Beyond　was　empty　downland　perhaps　for　miles。　He　decided　to　return　to　the　inn　and　snatch　a　hasty　meal。

At　the　inn　they　gave　him　biscuits　and　cheese　and　a　misleading　pewter　measure　of　sturdy　ale；　pleasant　under　the　palate；　cool　in　the　throat；　but　leaden　in　the　legs；　of　a　hot　afternoon。　He　felt　a　man　of　substance　as　he　emerged　in　the　blinding　sunshine；　but　even　by　the　foot　of　the　down　the　sun　was　insisting　again　that　his　skull　was　too　small　for　his　brains。　The　hill　had　gone　steeper；　the　chalky　road　blazed　like　a　magnesium　light；　and　his　front　wheel　began　an　apparently　incurable　squeaking。　He　felt　as　a　man　from　Mars　would　feel　if　he　were　suddenly　transferred　to　this　planet；　about　three　times　as　heavy　as　he　was　wont　to　feel。　The　two　little　black　figures　had　vanished　over　the　forehead　of　the　hill。　〃The　tracks'll　be　all　right；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。

That　was　a　comforting　reflection。　It　not　only　justified　a　slow　progress　up　the　hill；　but　at　the　crest　a　sprawl　on　the　turf　beside　the　road；　to　contemplate　the　Weald　from　the　south。　In　a　matter　of　two　days　he　had　crossed　that　spacious　valley；　with　its　frozen　surge　of　green　hills；　its　little　villages　and　townships　here　and　there；　its　copses　and　cornfields；　its　ponds　and　streams　like　jewelery　of　diamonds　and　silver　glittering　in　the　sun。　The　North　Downs　were　hidden；　far　away　beyond　the　Wealden　Heights。　Down　below　was　the　little　village　of　Cocking；　and　half…way　up　the　hill；　a　mile　perhaps　to　the　right；　hung　a　flock　of　sheep　grazing　together。　Overhead　an　anxious　peewit　circled　against　the　blue；　and　every　now　and　then　emitted　its　feeble　cry。　Up　here　the　heat　was　tempered　by　a　pleasant　breeze。　Mr。　Hoopdriver　was　possessed　by　unreasonable　contentment；　he　lit　himself　a　cigarette　and　lounged　more　comfortably。　Surely　the　Sussex　ale　is　made　of　the　waters　of　Lethe；　of　poppies　and　pleasant　dreams。　Drowsiness　coiled　insidiously　about　him。

He　awoke　with　a　guilty　start；　to　find　himself　sprawling　prone　on　the　turf　with　his　cap　over　one　eye。　He　sat　up；　rubbed　his　eyes；　and　realised　that　he　had　slept。　His　head　was　still　a　trifle　heavy。　And　the　chase？　He　jumped　to　his　feet　and　stooped　to　pick。　up　his　overturned　machine。　He　whipped　out　his　watch　and　saw　that　it　was　past　two　o'clock。　〃Lord　love　us；　fancy　that！But　the　tracks'll　be　all　right；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　wheeling　his　machine　back　to　the　chalky　road。　〃I　must　scorch　till　I　overtake　them。〃

He　mounted　and　rode　as　rapidly　as　the　heat　and　a　lingering　lassitude　permitted。　Now　and　then　he　had　to　dismount　to　examine　the　surface　where　the　road　forked。　He　enjoyed　that　rather。　〃Trackin'；〃　he　said　aloud；　and　decided　in　the　privacy　of　his　own　mind　that　he　had　a