the wheels of chance-第5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！


t　large　patches　of　gravel　scarcely　improve　the　appearance　of　a　Norfolk　suit。　〃I'm　very　sorry　indeed〃

〃It's　my　fault；〃　she　said；　interrupting　and　so　saving　him　on　the　very　verge　of　calling　her　'Miss。'　（He　knew　'Miss'　was　wrong；　but　it　was　deep…seated　habit　with　him。）　〃I　tried　to　pass　you　on　the　wrong　side。〃　Her　face　and　eyes　seemed　all　alive。　〃It's　my　place　to　be　sorry。〃

〃But　it　was　my　steering〃

〃I　ought　to　have　seen　you　were　a　Novice〃with　a　touch　of　superiority。　〃But　you　rode　so　straight　coming　along　there！〃

She　really　wasdashed　pretty。　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　feelings　passed　the　nadir。　When　he　spoke　again　there　was　the　faintest　flavour　of　the　aristocratic　in　his　voice。

〃It's　my　first　ride；　as　a　matter　of　fact。　But　that's　no　excuse　for　my　ah！　blundering〃

〃Your　finger's　bleeding；〃　she　said；　abruptly。

He　saw　his　knuckle　was　barked。　〃I　didn't　feel　it；〃　he　said；　feeling　manly。

〃You　don't　at　first。　Have　you　any　stickingplaster？　If　not〃　She　balanced　her　machine　against　herself。　She　had　a　little　side　pocket；　and　she　whipped　out　a　small　packet　of　sticking…plaster　with　a　pair　of　scissors　in　a　sheath　at　the　side；　and　cut　off　a　generous　portion。　He　had　a　wild　impulse　to　ask　her　to　stick　it　on　for　him。　Controlled。　〃Thank　you；〃　he　said。

〃Machine　all　right？〃　she　asked；　looking　past　him　at　the　prostrate　vehicle；　her　hands　on　her　handle…bar。　For　the　first　time　Hoopdriver　did　not　feel　proud　of　his　machine。

He　turned　and　began　to　pick　up　the　fallen　fabric。　He　looked　over　his　shoulder；　and　she　was　gone；　turned　his　head　over　the　other　shoulder　down　the　road；　and　she　was　riding　off。　〃ORF！〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　〃Well；　I'm　blowed！Talk　about　Slap　Up！〃　（His　aristocratic　refinement　rarely　adorned　his　speech　in　his　private　soliloquies。）　His　mind　was　whirling。　One　fact　was　clear。　A　most　delightful　and　novel　human　being　had　flashed　across　his　horizon　and　was　going　out　of　his　life　again。　The　Holiday　madness　was　in　his　blood。　She　looked　round！

At　that　he　rushed　his　machine　into　the　road；　and　began　a　hasty　ascent。　Unsuccessful。　Try　again。　Confound　it；　will　he　NEVER　be　able　to　get　up　on　the　thing　again？　She　will　be　round　the　corner　in　a　minute。　Once　more。　Ah！　Pedal！　Wabble！　No！　Right　this　time！　He　gripped　the　handles　and　put　his　head　down。　He　would　overtake　her。

The　situation　was　primordial。　The　Man　beneath　prevailed　for　a　moment　over　the　civilised　superstructure；　the　Draper。　He　pushed　at　the　pedals　with　archaic　violence。　So　Palaeolithic　man　may　have　ridden　his　simple　bicycle　of　chipped　flint　in　pursuit　of　his　exogamous　affinity。　She　vanished　round　the　corner。　His　effort　was　Titanic。　What　should　he　say　when　he　overtook　her？　That　scarcely　disturbed　him　at　first。　How　fine　she　had　looked；　flushed　with　the　exertion　of　riding；　breathing　a　little　fast；　but　elastic　and　active！　Talk　about　your　ladylike；　homekeeping　girls　with　complexions　like　cold　veal！　But　what　should　he　say　to　her？　That　was　a　bother。　And　he　could　not　lift　his　cap　without　risking　a　repetition　of　his　previous　ignominy。　She　was　a　real　Young　Lady。　No　mistake　about　that！　None　of　your　blooming　shop　girls。　（There　is　no　greater　contempt　in　the　world　than　that　of　shop　men　for　shop　girls；　unless　it　be　that　of　shop　girls　for　shop　men。）　Phew！　This　was　work。　A　certain　numbness　came　and　went　at　his　knees。

〃May　I　ask　to　whom　I　am　indebted？〃　he　panted　to　himself；　trying　it　over。　That　might　do。　Lucky　he　had　a　card　case！　A　hundred　a　shillingwhile　you　wait。　He　was　getting　winded。　The　road　was　certainly　a　bit　uphill。　He　turned　the　corner　and　saw　a　long　stretch　of　road；　and　a　grey　dress　vanishing。　He　set　his　teeth。　Had　he　gained　on　her　at　all？　〃Monkey　on　a　gridiron！〃　yelped　a　small　boy。　Hoopdriver　redoubled　his　efforts。　His　breath　became　audible；　his　steering　unsteady；　his　pedalling　positively　ferocious。　A　drop　of　perspiration　ran　into　his　eye；　irritant　as　acid。　The　road　really　was　uphill　beyond　dispute。　All　his　physiology　began　to　cry　out　at　him。　A　last　tremendous　effort　brought　him　to　the　corner　and　showed　yet　another　extent　of　shady　roadway；　empty　save　for　a　baker's　van。　His　front　wheel　suddenly　shrieked　aloud。　〃Oh　Lord！〃　said　Hoopdriver；　relaxing。

Anyhow　she　was　not　in　sight。　He　got　off　unsteadily；　and　for　a　moment　his　legs　felt　like　wisps　of　cotton。　He　balanced　his　machine　against　the　grassy　edge　of　the　path　and　sat　down　panting。　His　hands　were　gnarled　with　swollen　veins　and　shaking　palpably；　his　breath　came　viscid。

〃I'm　hardly　in　training　yet；〃　he　remarked。　His　legs　had　gone　leaden。　〃I　don't　feel　as　though　I'd　had　a　mouthful　of　breakfast。〃　Presently　he　slapped　his　side　pocket　and　produced　therefrom　a　brand…new　cigarette　case　and　a　packet　of　Vansittart's　Red　Herring　cigarettes。　He　filled　the　case。　Then　his　eye　fell　with　a　sudden　approval　on　the　ornamental　chequering　of　his　new　stockings。　The　expression　in　his　eyes　faded　slowly　to　abstract　meditation。

〃She　WAS　a　stunning　girl；〃　he　said。　〃I　wonder　if　I　shall　ever　set　eyes　on　her　again。　And　she　knew　how　to　ride；　too！　Wonder　what　she　thought　of　me。〃

The　phrase　'bloomin'　Dook'　floated　into　his　mind　with　a　certain　flavour　of　comfort。

He　lit　a　cigarette；　and　sat　smoking　and　meditating。　He　did　not　even　look　up　when　vehicles　passed。　It　was　perhaps　ten　minutes　before　he　roused　himself。　〃What　rot　it　is！　What's　the　good　of　thinking　such　things；〃　he　said。　〃I'm　only　a　blessed　draper's　assistant。〃　（To　be　exact；　he　did　not　say　blessed。　The　service　of　a　shop　may　polish　a　man's　exterior　ways；　but　the　'prentices'　dormitory　is　an　indifferent　school　for　either　manners　or　morals。）　He　stood　up　and　began　wheeling　his　machine　towards　Esher。　It　was　going　to　be　a　beautiful　day；　and　the　hedges　and　trees　and　the　open　country　were　all　glorious　to　his　town…tired　eyes。　But　it　was　a　little　different　from　the　elation　of　his　start。

〃Look　at　the　gentleman　wizzer　bicitle；〃　said　a　nursemaid　on　the　path　to　a　personage　in　a　perambulator。　That　healed　him　a　little。　〃'Gentleman　wizzer　bicitle；''bloomin'　Dook'I　can't　look　so　very　seedy；〃　he　said　to　himself。

〃I　WONDERI　should　just　like　to　know〃

There　was　something　very　comforting　in　the　track　of　HER　pneumatic　running　straight　and　steady　along　the　road　before　him。　It　must　be　hers。　No　other　pneumatic　had　been　along　the　road　that　morning。　It　was　just　possible；　of　course；　that　he　might　see　her　once　more　coming　back。　Should　he　try　and　say　something　smart？　He　speculated　what　manner　of　girl　she　might　be。　Probably　she　was　one　of　these　here　New　Women。　He　had　a　persuasion　the　cult　had　been　maligned。　Anyhow　she　was　a　Lady。　And　rich　people；　too！　Her　machine　couldn't　have　cost　much　under　twenty　pounds。　His　mind　came　round　and　dwelt　some　time　on　her　visible　self。　Rational　dress　didn't　look　a　bit　unwomanly。　However；　he　disdained　to　be　one　of　your　fortunehunters。　Then　his　thoughts　drove　off　at　a　tangent。　He　would　certainly　have　to　get　something　to　eat　at　the　next　public　house。　


ON　THE　ROAD　TO　RIPLEY

VI

In　the　fulness　of　time；　Mr。　Hoopdriver　drew　near　the　Marquis　of　Granby　at　Esher；　and　as　he　came　under　the　railway　arch　and　saw　the　inn　in　front　of　him；　he　mounted　his　machine　again　and　rode　bravely　up　to　the　doorway。　Burton　and　biscuit　and　cheese　he　had；　which；　indeed；　is　Burton　in　its　proper　company；　and　as　he　was　eating　there　came　a　middleaged　man　in　a　drab　cycling　suit；　very　red　and　moist　and　angry　in　the　face；　and　asked　bitterly　for　a　lemon　squash。　And　he　sat　down　upon　the　seat　in　the　bar　and　mopped　his　face。　But　scarcely　had　he　sat　down　before　he　got　up　again　and　stared　out　of　the　doorway。　

〃Damn！〃　said　he。　Then；　〃Damned　Fool！〃　

〃Eigh？〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　looking　round　suddenly　with　a　piece　of　cheese　in　his　cheek。　

The　man　in　drab　faced　him。　〃I　called　myself　a　Damned　Fool；　sir。　Have　you　any　objections？〃　

〃Oh！None。　None；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　〃I　thought　you　spoke　to　me。　I　didn't　hear　what　you　said。〃　

〃To　have　a　contemplative　disposition　and　an　energetic　temperament；　sir；　is　hell。　Hell；　I　tell　you。　A　contemplative　disposition　and　a　phlegmatic　temperament；　all　very　well。　But　energy　and　philosophy！〃　

Mr。　Hoopdriver　looked　as　intelligent　as　he　could；　but　said　nothing。　

〃There's　no　hurry；　sir；　none　whatever。　I　came　out　for　exercise；　gentle　exercise；　and　to　notice　the　scenery　and　to　botanise。　And