the diary of a nobody-第6部分

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May　21。　…　The　last　week　or　ten　days　terribly　dull；　Carrie　being　away　at　Mrs。　James's；　at　Sutton。　　Cummings　also　away。　　Gowing；　I　presume；　is　still　offended　with　me　for　black　enamelling　his　stick　without　asking　him。

May　22。　…　Purchased　a　new　stick　mounted　with　silver；　which　cost　seven…and…sixpence　（shall　tell　Carrie　five　shillings）；　and　sent　it　round　with　nice　note　to　Gowing。

May　23。　…　Received　strange　note　from　Gowing；　he　said：　　〃Offended？　not　a　bit；　my　boy　…　I　thought　you　were　offended　with　me　for　losing　my　temper。　　Besides；　I　found　after　all；　it　was　not　my　poor　old　uncle's　stick　you　painted。　　It　was　only　a　shilling　thing　I　bought　at　a　tobacconist's。　　However；　I　am　much　obliged　to　you　for　your　handsome　present　all　same。〃

May　24。　…　Carrie　back。　　Hoorah！　　She　looks　wonderfully　well；　except　that　the　sun　has　caught　her　nose。

May　25。　…　Carrie　brought　down　some　of　my　shirts　and　advised　me　to　take　them　to　Trillip's　round　the　corner。　　She　said：　　〃The　fronts　and　cuffs　are　much　frayed。〃　　I　said　without　a　moment's　hesitation：　〃I'm　'FRAYED　they　are。〃　　Lor！　how　we　roared。　　I　thought　we　should　never　stop　laughing。　　As　I　happened　to　be　sitting　next　the　driver　going　to　town　on　the　'bus；　I　told　him　my　joke　about　the　〃frayed〃　shirts。　　I　thought　he　would　have　rolled　off　his　seat。　　They　laughed　at　the　office　a　good　bit　too　over　it。

May　26。　…　Left　the　shirts　to　be　repaired　at　Trillip's。　　I　said　to　him：　　〃I'm　'FRAID　they　are　FRAYED。〃　　He　said；　without　a　smile：　〃They're　bound　to　do　that；　sir。〃　　Some　people　seem　to　be　quite　destitute　of　a　sense　of　humour。

June　1。　…　The　last　week　has　been　like　old　times；　Carrie　being　back；　and　Gowing　and　Cummings　calling　every　evening　nearly。　　Twice　we　sat　out　in　the　garden　quite　late。　　This　evening　we　were　like　a　pack　of　children；　and　played　〃consequences。〃　　It　is　a　good　game。

June　2。　…　〃Consequences〃　again　this　evening。　　Not　quite　so　successful　as　last　night；　Gowing　having　several　times　overstepped　the　limits　of　good　taste。

June　4。　…　In　the　evening　Carrie　and　I　went　round　to　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Cummings'　to　spend　a　quiet　evening　with　them。　　Gowing　was　there；　also　Mr。　Stillbrook。　　It　was　quiet　but　pleasant。　　Mrs。　Cummings　sang　five　or　six　songs；　〃No；　Sir；〃　and　〃The　Garden　of　Sleep；〃　being　best　in　my　humble　judgment；　but　what　pleased　me　most　was　the　duet　she　sang　with　Carrie　…　classical　duet；　too。　　I　think　it　is　called；　〃I　would　that　my　love！〃　　It　was　beautiful。　　If　Carrie　had　been　in　better　voice；　I　don't　think　professionals　could　have　sung　it　better。　　After　supper　we　made　them　sing　it　again。　　I　never　liked　Mr。　Stillbrook　since　the　walk　that　Sunday　to　the　〃Cow　and　Hedge；〃　but　I　must　say　he　sings　comic…songs　well。　　His　song：　　〃We　don't　Want　the　old　men　now；〃　made　us　shriek　with　laughter；　especially　the　verse　referring　to　Mr。　Gladstone；　but　there　was　one　verse　I　think　he　might　have　omitted；　and　I　said　so；　but　Gowing　thought　it　was　the　best　of　the　lot。

June　6。　…　Trillip　brought　round　the　shirts　and；　to　my　disgust；　his　charge　for　repairing　was　more　than　I　gave　for　them　when　new。　　I　told　him　so；　and　he　impertinently　replied：　　〃Well；　they　are　better　now　than　when　they　were　new。〃　　I　paid　him；　and　said　it　was　a　robbery。　　He　said：　　〃If　you　wanted　your　shirt…fronts　made　out　of　pauper…linen；　such　as　is　used　for　packing　and　bookbinding；　why　didn't　you　say　so？〃

June　7。　…　A　dreadful　annoyance。　　Met　Mr。　Franching；　who　lives　at　Peckham；　and　who　is　a　great　swell　in　his　way。　　I　ventured　to　ask　him　to　come　home　to　meat…tea；　and　take　pot…luck。　　I　did　not　think　he　would　accept　such　a　humble　invitation；　but　he　did；　saying；　in　a　most　friendly　way；　he　would　rather　〃peck〃　with　us　than　by　himself。　I　said：　　〃We　had　better　get　into　this　blue　'bus。〃　　He　replied：　　〃No　blue…bussing　for　me。　　I　have　had　enough　of　the　blues　lately。　　I　lost　a　cool　'thou'　over　the　Copper　Scare。　　Step　in　here。〃

We　drove　up　home　in　style；　in　a　hansom…cab；　and　I　knocked　three　times　at　the　front　door　without　getting　an　answer。　　I　saw　Carrie；　through　the　panels　of　ground…glass　（with　stars）；　rushing　upstairs。　I　told　Mr。　Franching　to　wait　at　the　door　while　I　went　round　to　the　side。　　There　I　saw　the　grocer's　boy　actually　picking　off　the　paint　on　the　door；　which　had　formed　into　blisters。　　No　time　to　reprove　him；　so　went　round　and　effected　an　entrance　through　the　kitchen　window。　　I　let　in　Mr。　Franching；　and　showed　him　into　the　drawing…　room。　　I　went　upstairs　to　Carrie；　who　was　changing　her　dress；　and　told　her　I　had　persuaded　Mr。　Franching　to　come　home。　　She　replied：　〃How　can　you　do　such　a　thing？　　You　know　it's　Sarah's　holiday；　and　there's　not　a　thing　in　the　house；　the　cold　mutton　having　turned　with　the　hot　weather。〃

Eventually　Carrie；　like　a　good　creature　as　she　is；　slipped　down；　washed　up　the　teacups；　and　laid　the　cloth；　and　I　gave　Franching　our　views　of　Japan　to　look　at　while　I　ran　round　to　the　butcher's　to　get　three　chops。

July　30。　…　The　miserable　cold　weather　is　either　upsetting　me　or　Carrie；　or　both。　　We　seem　to　break　out　into　an　argument　about　absolutely　nothing；　and　this　unpleasant　state　of　things　usually　occurs　at　meal…times。

This　morning；　for　some　unaccountable　reason；　we　were　talking　about　balloons；　and　we　were　as　merry　as　possible；　but　the　conversation　drifted　into　family　matters；　during　which　Carrie；　without　the　slightest　reason；　referred　in　the　most　uncomplimentary　manner　to　my　poor　father's　pecuniary　trouble。　　I　retorted　by　saying　that　〃Pa；　at　all　events；　was　a　gentleman；〃　whereupon　Carrie　burst　out　crying。　　I　positively　could　not　eat　any　breakfast。

At　the　office　I　was　sent　for　by　Mr。　Perkupp；　who　said　he　was　very　sorry；　but　I　should　have　to　take　my　annual　holidays　from　next　Saturday。　　Franching　called　at　office　and　asked　me　to　dine　at　his　club；　〃The　Constitutional。〃　　Fearing　disagreeables　at　home　after　the　〃tiff〃　this　morning；　I　sent　a　telegram　to　Carrie；　telling　her　I　was　going　out　to　dine　and　she　was　not　to　sit　up。　　Bought　a　little　silver　bangle　for　Carrie。

July　31。　…　Carrie　was　very　pleased　with　the　bangle；　which　I　left　with　an　affectionate　note　on　her　dressing…table　last　night　before　going　to　bed。　　I　told　Carrie　we　should　have　to　start　for　our　holiday　next　Saturday。　　She　replied　quite　happily　that　she　did　not　mind；　except　that　the　weather　was　so　bad；　and　she　feared　that　Miss　Jibbons　would　not　be　able　to　get　her　a　seaside　dress　in　time。　　I　told　Carrie　that　I　thought　the　drab　one　with　pink　bows　looked　quite　good　enough；　and　Carrie　said　she　should　not　think　of　wearing　it。　　I　was　about　to　discuss　the　matter；　when；　remembering　the　argument　yesterday；　resolved　to　hold　my　tongue。

I　said　to　Carrie：　　〃I　don't　think　we　can　do　better　than　'Good　old　Broadstairs。'〃　　Carrie　not　only；　to　my　astonishment；　raised　an　objection　to　Broadstairs；　for　the　first　time；　but　begged　me　not　to　use　the　expression；　〃Good　old；〃　but　to　leave　it　to　Mr。　Stillbrook　and　other　GENTLEMEN　of　his　type。　　Hearing　my　'bus　pass　the　window；　I　was　obliged　to　rush　out　of　the　house　without　kissing　Carrie　as　usual；　and　I　shouted　to　her：　　〃I　leave　it　to　you　to　decide。〃　　On　returning　in　the　evening；　Carrie　said　she　thought　as　the　time　was　so　short　she　had　decided　on　Broadstairs；　and　had　written　to　Mrs。　Beck；　Harbour　View　Terrace；　for　apartments。

August　1。　…　Ordered　a　new　pair　of　trousers　at　Edwards's；　and　told　them　not　to　cut　them　so　loose　over　the　boot；　the　last　pair　being　so　loose　and　also　tight　at　the　knee；　looked　like　a　sailor's；　and　I　heard　Pitt；　that　objectionable　youth　at　the　office；　call　out　〃Hornpipe〃　as　I　passed　his　desk。　　Carrie　has　ordered　of　Miss　Jibbons　a　pink　Garibaldi　and　blue…serge　skirt；　which　I　always　think　looks　so　pretty　at　the　seaside。　　In　the　evening　she　trimmed　herself　a　little　sailor…hat；　while　I　read　to　her　the　EXCHANGE　AND　MART。　　We　had　a　good　laugh　over　my　trying　on　the　hat　when　she　had　finished　it；　Carrie　saying　it　looked　so　funny　with　my　beard；　and　how　the　people　would　have　roared　if　I　went　on　the　stage　like　it。

August　2。　…　Mrs。　Beck　wrote　to　say　we　could　have　our　usual　rooms　at　Broadstairs。　　That's　off　our　mind。　　Bought　a　coloured　shirt　and　a　pair　of　tan…coloured　boots；　which　I　see　many　of　the　swell　clerks　wearing　in　the　City；　and　hear　are　all　the　〃go。〃

August　3。　…　A　beautiful　day。　　Looking　forward　to　to…morrow。　　Carrie　bought　a　parasol　about　five　feet　long。　　I　told　her　it　was　ridiculous。　　She　said：　　〃Mrs。　James；　of　Sutton；　has　one　twice　as　long　so；〃　the　matter　dropped。　　I　bought　a　capital　hat　for　hot　weather　at　the　seaside。　　I　don't　know　what　it　is　called；　but　it　is　the　shape　of　the　helmet　worn　in　India；　only　made　of　straw。　　Got　three　new　ties；　two　coloured　handkerchiefs；　and　a　pair　of　navy…blue　socks　at　Pope　Brothers。　　Spent　the　evening　packing。　　Carrie　told　me　not　to　forget　to　borrow　Mr。　Higgsworth's　telescope；　which　he　always　lends　me；　knowing　I　know　how　to　take　care　of　it。　　Sent　Sarah　out　for　it。　　While　everything　was　seeming　so　bright；　the　last　post　brought　us　a　letter　from　Mrs。　Beck；　saying：　　〃I　have　just　let　all　my　house　to　one　party；　and　am　sorry　I　must　take　back　my　words；　and　am　sorry　you　must　find　other　apartments；　but　Mrs。　Womming；　next　door；　will　be　pleased　to　accommodate　you；　but　she　cannot　take　you　before　Monday；　as　her　rooms　are　engaged　Bank　Holiday　week。〃



CHAPTER　VI。



The　Unexpected　Arrival　Home　of　our　Son；　Wi