beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第21部分
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here I am； wandering about with twopence in my pocket and nowhere
to go for the night。〃
There was an eloquent pause after the story had been told。 〃I
suppose you think I've spun you rather an impossible yarn；〃 said the
young man presently；with a suggestion of resentment in his voice。
〃Not at all impossible；〃 said Gortsby judicially； 〃I remember doing
exactly the same thing once in a foreign capital； and on that occasion
there were two of us； which made it more remarkable。 Luckily we
remembered that the hotel was on a sort of canal； and when we struck
the canal we were able to find our way back to the hotel。〃
The youth brightened at the reminiscence。 〃In a foreign city I
wouldn't mind so much；〃 he said； 〃one could go to one's Consul and get
the requisite help from him。 Here in one's own land one is far more
derelict if one gets into a fix。 Unless I can find some decent chap to
swallow my story and lend me some money I seem likely to spend the
night on the Embankment。 I'm glad； anyhow； that you don't think the
story outrageously improbable。〃
He threw a good deal of warmth into the last remark； as though
perhaps to indicate his hope that Gortsby did not fall far short of the
requisite decency。
〃Of course；〃 said Gortsby slowly； 〃the weak point of your story is
that you can't produce the soap。〃
The young man sat forward hurriedly； felt rapidly in the pockets of
his overcoat； and then jumped to his feet。
〃I must have lost it；〃 he muttered angrily。
〃To lose an hotel and a cake of soap on one afternoon suggests wilful
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carelessness；〃 said Gortsby； but the young man scarcely waited to hear
the end of the remark。 He flitted away down the path； his head held
high； with an air of somewhat jaded jauntiness。
〃It was a pity；〃 mused Gortsby； 〃the going out to get one's own soap
was the one convincing touch in the whole story； and yet it was just that
little detail that brought him to grief。 If he had had the brilliant
forethought to provide himself with a cake of soap； wrapped and sealed
with all the solicitude of the chemist's counter； he would have been a
genius in his particular line。 In his particular line genius certainly
consists of an infinite capacity for taking precautions。〃
With that reflection Gortsby rose to go； as he did so an exclamation
of concern escaped him。 Lying on the ground by the side of the bench
was a small oval packet； wrapped and sealed with the solicitude of a
chemist's counter。 It could be nothing else but a cake of soap； and it
had evidently fallen out of the youth's overcoat pocket when he flung
himself down on the seat。 In another moment Gortsby was scudding
along the dusk… shrouded path in anxious quest for a youthful figure in a
light overcoat。 He had nearly given up the search when he caught sight
of the object of his pursuit standing irresolutely on the border of the
carriage drive； evidently uncertain whether to strike across the Park or
make for the bustling pavements of Knightsbridge。 He turned round
sharply with an air of defensive hostility when he found Gortsby hailing
him。
〃The important witness to the genuineness of your story has turned
up；〃 said Gortsby； holding out the cake of soap； 〃it must have slid out of
your overcoat pocket when you sat down on the seat。 I saw it on the
ground after you left。 You must excuse my disbelief； but appearances
were really rather against you； and now； as I appealed to the testimony of
the soap I think I ought to abide by its verdict。 If the loan of a
sovereign is any good to you … 〃
The young man hastily removed all doubt on the subject by
pocketing the coin。
〃Here is my card with my address；〃 continued Gortsby； 〃any day this
week will do for returning the money； and here is the soap … don't lose it
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again it's been a good friend to you。〃
〃Lucky thing your finding it；〃 said the youth； and then； with a catch
in his voice； he blurted out a word or two of thanks and fled headlong in
the direction of Knightsbridge。
〃Poor boy； he as nearly as possible broke down；〃 said Gortsby to
himself。 〃I don't wonder either； the relief from his quandary must have
been acute。 It's a lesson to me not to be too clever in judging by
circumstances。〃
As Gortsby retraced his steps past the seat where the little drama had
taken place he saw an elderly gentleman poking and peering beneath it
and on all sides of it； and recognised his earlier fellow occupant。
〃Have you lost anything； sir？〃 he asked。
〃Yes； sir； a cake of soap。〃
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A TOUCH OF REALISM
〃I HOPE you've come full of suggestions for Christmas；〃 said Lady
Blonze to her latest arrived guest； 〃the old…fashioned Christmas and the
up…to…date Christmas are both so played out。 I want to have something
really original this year。〃
〃I was staying with the Mathesons last month；〃 said Blanche Boveal
eagerly； 〃and we had such a good idea。 Every one in the house…party
had to be a character and behave consistently all the time； and at the end
of the visit one had to guess what every one's character was。 The one
who was voted to have acted his or her character best got a prize。〃
〃It sounds amusing；〃 said Lady Blonze。
〃I was St。 Francis of Assisi；〃 continued Blanche； 〃we hadn't got to
keep to our right sexes。 I kept getting up in the middle of a meal； and
throwing out food to the birds； you see； the chief thing that one
remembers of St。 Francis is that he was fond of the birds。 Every one
was so stupid about it； and thought that I was the old man who feeds the
sparrows in the Tuileries Gardens。 Then Colonel Pentley was the Jolly
Miller on the banks of Dee。〃
〃How on earth did he do that？〃 asked Bertie van Tahn。
〃 'He laughed and sang from morn till night；' 〃 explained Blanche。
〃How dreadful for the rest of you；〃 said Bertie； 〃and anyway he
wasn't on the banks of Dee。〃
〃One had to imagine that；〃 said Blanche。
〃If you could imagine all that you might as well imagine cattle on
the further bank and keep on calling them home； Mary…fashion； across
the sands of Dee。 Or you might change the river to the Yarrow and
imagine it was on the top of you； and say you were Willie； or whoever it
was； drowned in Yarrow。〃
〃Of course it's easy to make fun of it；〃 said Blanche sharply； 〃but it
was extremely interesting and amusing。 The prize was rather a fiasco；
though。 You see； Millie Matheson said her character was Lady
Bountiful； and as she was our hostess of course we all had to vote that
she had carried out her character better than anyone。 Otherwise I ought
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to have got the prize。〃
〃It's quite an idea for a Christmas party；〃 said Lady Blonze； 〃we
must certainly do it here。〃
Sir Nicholas was not so enthusiastic。 〃Are you quite sure； my dear；
that you're wise in doing this thing？〃 he said to his wife when they were
alone together。 〃It might do very well at the Mathesons； where they
had rather a staid； elderly house…party； but here it will be a different
matter。 There is the Durmot flapper； for instance； who simply stops at
nothing； and you know what Van Tahn is like。 Then there is Cyril
Skatterly； he has madness on one side of his family and a Hungarian
grandmother on the other。〃
〃I don't see what they could do that would matter；〃 said Lady
Blonze。
〃It's the unknown that is to be dreaded；〃 said Sir Nicholas。 〃If
Skatterly took it into his head to represent a Bull of Bashan； well； I'd
rather not be here。〃
〃Of course we shan't allow any Bible characters。 Besides； I don't
know what the Bulls of Bashan really did tha
