pgw.uneasymoney-第14部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　Nutty's　fatigue　fell　from　him　like　a　garment。
　'It　can't　be！'
　'It　is。'
　Miss　Leonard's　eyes　had　closed　and　she　spoke　in　a　muffled　voice。
　'Are　you　sure？'　　'Mm…mm。'
　'By　gad！'
　Nutty　was　wide　awake　now　and　full　of　inquiries；　but　his　panion　unfortunately　was　asleep；　and　he　could　not　put　them　to　her。　A　gentleman　cannot　prod　a　ladyand　his　guest；　at　thatin　the　ribs　in　order　to　wake　her　up　and　ask　her　questions。　Nutty　sat　back　and　gave　himself　up　to　feverish　thought。
　He　could　think　of　no　reason　why　Lord　Dawlish　should　have　e　to　America　calling　himself　William　Chalmers；　but　that　was　no　reason　why　he　should　not　have　done　so。　And　Daisy　Leonard；　who　all　along　had　remembered　meeting　him　in　London；　had　identified　him。
　Nutty　was　convinced。　Arriving　finally　at　Miss　Leonard's　hotel；　he　woke　her　up　and　saw　her　in　at　the　door；　then；　telling　the　man　to　drive　to　the　lodgings　of　his　new　friend；　he　urged　his　mind　to　rapid　thought。　He　had　decided　as　a　first　step　in　the　following　up　of　this　matter　to　invite　Bill　down　to　Elizabeth's　farm；　and　the　thought　occurred　to　him　that　this　had　better　be　done　to…night；　for　he　knew　by　experience　that　on　the　morning　after　these　little　jaunts　he　was　seldom　in　the　mood　to　seek　people　out　and　invite　them　to　go　anywhere。
　All　the　way　to　the　flat　he　continued　to　think；　and　it　was　wonderful　what　possibilities　there　seemed　to　be　in　this　little　scheme　of　courting　the　society　of　the　man　who　had　robbed　him　of　his　inheritance。　He　had　worked　on　Bill's　feelings　so　successfully　as　to　elicit　a　loan　of　a　million　dollars；　and　was　just　proceeding　to　marry　him　to　Elizabeth；　when　the　cab　stopped　with　the　sudden　sharpness　peculiar　to　New　York　cabs；　and　he　woke　up；　to　find　himself　at　his　destination。
　Bill　was　in　bed　when　the　bell　rang；　and　received　his　late　host　in　his　pyjamas；　wondering；　as　he　did　so；　whether　this　was　the　New　York　custom；　to　foregather　again　after　a　party　had　been　broken　up；　and　chat　till　breakfast。　But　Nutty；　it　seemed；　had　e　with　a　motive；　not　from　a　desire　for　more　conversation。
　'Sorry　to　disturb　you；　old　man；'　said　Nutty。　'I　looked　in　to　tell　you　that　I　was　going　down　to　the　country　to…morrow。　I　wondered　whether　you　would　care　to　e　and　spend　a　day　or　two　with　us。'
　Bill　was　delighted。　This　was　better　than　he　had　hoped　for。
　'Rather！'　he　said。　'Thanks　awfully！'
　'There　are　plenty　of　trains　in　the　afternoon；'　said　Nutty。　'I　don't　suppose　either　of　us　will　feel　like　getting　up　early。　I'll　call　for　you　here　at　half…past　six；　and　we'll　have　an　early　dinner　and　catch　the　seven…fifteen；　shall　we？　We　live　very　simply；　you　know。　You　won't　mind　that？'
　'My　dear　chap！'
　'That's　all　right；　then；'　said　Nutty；　closing　the　door。　'Good　night。'
　
　9
　Elizabeth　entered　Nutty's　room　and；　seating　herself　on　the　bed；　surveyed　him　with　a　bright；　quiet　eye　that　drilled　holes　in　her　brother's　uneasy　conscience。　This　was　her　second　visit　to　him　that　morning。　She　had　e　an　hour　ago；　bearing　breakfast　on　a　tray；　and　had　departed　without　saying　a　word。　It　was　this　uncanny　silence　of　hers　even　more　than　the　effectswhich　still　lingeredof　his　revels　in　the　metropolis　that　had　interfered　with　Nutty's　enjoyment　of　the　morning　meal。　Never　a　hearty　breakfaster；　he　had　found　himself　under　the　influence　of　her　wordless　disapproval　physically　unable　to　consume　the　fried　egg　that　confronted　him。　He　had　given　it　one　look；　then；　endorsing　the　opinion　which　he　had　once　heard　a　character　in　a　play　utter　in　somewhat　similar　circumstancesthat　there　was　nothing　on　earth　so　homely　as　an　egghe　had　covered　it　with　a　handkerchief　and　tried　to　pull　himself　round　with　hot　tea。　He　was　now　smoking　a　sad　cigarette　and　waiting　for　the　blow　to　fall。
　Her　silence　had　puzzled　him。　Though　he　had　tried　to　give　her　no　opportunity　of　getting　him　alone　on　the　previous　evening　when　he　had　arrived　at　the　farm　with　Lord　Dawlish；　he　had　fully　expected　that　she　would　have　broken　in　upon　him　with　abuse　and　recrimination　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　Yet　she　had　not　done　this；　nor　had　she　spoken　to　him　when　bringing　him　his　breakfast。　These　things　found　their　explanation　in　Elizabeth's　character；　with　which　Nutty；　though　he　had　known　her　so　long；　was　but　imperfectly　acquainted。　Elizabeth　had　never　been　angrier　with　her　brother；　but　an　innate　goodness　of　heart　had　prevented　her　falling　upon　him　before　he　had　had　rest　and　refreshment。
　She　wanted　to　massacre　him；　but　at　the　same　time　she　told　herself　that　the　poor　dear　must　be　feeling　very；　very　ill；　and　should　have　a　reasonable　respite　before　the　slaughter　menced。
　It　was　plain　that　in　her　opinion　this　respite　had　now　lasted　long　enough。　She　looked　over　her　shoulder　to　make　sure　that　she　had　closed　the　door；　then　leaned　a　little　forward　and　spoke。
　'Now；　Nutty！'
　The　wretched　youth　attempted　bluster。
　'What　do　you　mean〃Now；　Nutty〃？　What's　the　use　of　looking　at　a　fellow　like　that　and　saying　〃Now；　Nutty〃？　Where's　the　sense'
　His　voice　trailed　off。　He　was　not　a　very　intelligent　young　man；　but　even　he　could　see　that　his　was　not　a　position　where　righteous　indignation　could　be　assumed　with　any　solid　chance　of　success。　As　a　substitute　he　tried　pathos。
　'Oo…oo；　my　head　does　ache！'
　'I　wish　it　would　burst；'　said　his　sister；　unkindly。
　'That's　a　nice　thing　to　say　to　a　fellow！'
　'I'm　sorry。　I　wouldn't　have　said　it'
　'Oh；　well！'
　'Only　I　couldn't　think　of　anything　worse。'
　It　began　to　seem　to　Nutty　that　pathos　was　a　bit　of　a　failure　too。　As　a　last　resort　he　fell　back　on　silence。　He　wriggled　as　far　down　as　he　could　beneath　the　sheets　and　breathed　in　a　soft　and　wounded　sort　of　way。　Elizabeth　took　up　the　conversation。
　'Nutty；'　she　said；　'I've　struggled　for　years　against　the　conviction　that　you　were　a　perfect　idiot。　I've　forced　myself；　against　my　better　judgement；　to　try　to　look　on　you　as　sane；　but　now　I　give　in。　I　can't　believe　you　are　responsible　for　your　actions。　Don't　imagine　that　I　am　going　to　heap　you　with　reproaches　because　you　sneaked　off　to　New　York。　I'm　not　even　going　to　tell　you　what　I　thought　of　you　for　not　sending　me　a　telegram；　letting　me　know　where　you　were。　I　can　understand　all　that。　You　were　disappointed　because　Uncle　Ira　had　not　left　you　his　money；　and　I　suppose　that　was　your　way　of　working　it　off。　If　you　had　just　run　away　and　e　back　again　with　a　headache；　I'd　have　treated　you　like　the　Prodigal　Son。　But　there　are　some　things　which　are　too　much；　and　bringing　a　perfect　stranger　back　with　you　for　an　indefinite　period　is　one　of　them。　I'm　not　saying　anything　against　Mr　Chalmers　personally。　I　haven't　had　time　to　find　out　much　about　him；　except　that　he's　an　Englishman；　but　he　looks　respectable。　Which；　as　he's　a　friend　of　yours；　is　more　or　less　of　a　miracle。'
　She　raised　her　eyebrows　as　a　faint　moan　of　protest　came　from　beneath　the　sheets。
　'You　surely；'　she　said；　'aren't　going　to　suggest　at　this　hour　of　the　day；　Nutty；　that　your　friends　aren't　the　most　horrible　set　of　pests　outside　a　prison？　Not　that　it's　likely　after　all　these　months　that　they　are　outside　a　prison。　You　know　perfectly　well　that　while　you　were　running　round　New　York　you　collected　the　most　pernicious　bunch　of　rogues　that　ever　fastened　their　talons　into　a　silly　child　who　ought　never　to　have　been　allowed　out　without　his　nurse。'　After　which　plicated　insult　Elizabeth　paused　for　breath；　and　there　was　silence　for　a　space。
　'Well；　as　I　was　saying；　I　know　nothing　against　this　Mr　Chalmers。　Probably　his　finger…prints　are　in　the　Rogues'　Gallery；　and　he　is　better　known　to　the　police　as　Jack　the　Blood；　or　something；　but　he　hasn't　shown　that　side　of　him　yet。　My　point　is　that；　whoever　he　is；　I　do　not　want　him　or　anybody　else　ing　and　taking　up　his　abode　here　while　I　have　to　be　cook　and　housemaid　too。　I　object　to　having　a　stranger　on　the　premises　spying　out　the　nakedness　of　the　land。　I　am　sensitive　about　my　honest　poverty。　So；　darling　Nutty；　my　precious　Nutty；　you　poor　boneheaded　muddler；　will　you　kindly　think　up　at　your　earliest　convenience　some　plan　for　politely　ejecting　this　Mr　Chalmers　of　yours　from　our　humble　home？because　if　you　don't；　I'm　going　to　have　a　nervous　breakdown。'
　And；　pletely　restored　to　good　humour　by　her　own　eloquence；　Elizabeth　burst　out　laughing。　It　was　a　trait　in　her　character　which　she　had　often　lamented；　that　she　could　not　succeed　in　keeping　angry　with　anyone　for　more　than　a　few　minutes　on　end。　Sooner　or　later　some　happy　selection　of　a　phrase　of　abuse　would　tickle　her　sense　of　humour；　or　the　appearance　of　her　victim　would　bee　too　funny　not　to　be　laughed　at。　On　the　present　occasion　it　was　the　ridiculous　spectacle　of　Nutty　cowering　beneath　the　bedclothes　that　caused　her　wrath　to　evaporate。　She　made　a　weak　attempt　to　recover　it。　She　glared　at　Nutty；　who　at　the　sound　of　her　laughter　had　emerged　from　under　the　clothes　like　a　worm　after　a　thunderstorm。
　'I　mean　it；'　she　said。　'It　really　is　too　bad　of　you！　You　might　have　had　some　sense　and　a　little　consideration。　Ask　yourself　if　we　are　in　a　position　here　to　entertain　visitors。　Well；　I'm　going　to　make　myself　very　unpopular　with　this　Mr　Chalmers　of　yours。　By　this　evening　he　will　be　regarding　me　with　utter　loathing；　for　I　am　about　to　persecute　him。'
　'What　do　you　mean？'　asked　Nutty；　alarmed。
　'I　am　going　to　begin　by　asking　him　to　help　me　open　one　of　th