whirligigs-第17部分

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！



I　showed　him　the　road　to　Summit　and　kicked　him　about

eight　feet　nearer　there　at　one　kick。　　I'm　sorry　we　lose　the

ransom；　but　it　was　either　that　or　Bill　Driscoll　to　the

madhouse。〃



Bill　is　puffing　and　blowing；　but　there　is　a　look　of　ineffable

peace　and　growing　content　on　his　rose…pink　features。



〃Bill；〃　says　I；　〃there　isn't　any　heart　disease　in　your

family；　is　there？



〃No；〃　says　Bill；　〃nothing　chronic　except　malaria

and　accidents。　　Why？〃



〃Then　you　might　turn　around；〃　says　I；　〃and　have　a

took　behind　you。〃



Bill　turns　and　sees　the　boy；　and　loses　his　complexion

and　sits　down　plump　on　the　round　and　begins　to　pluck

aimlessly　at　grass　and　little　sticks。　　For　an　hour　I　was

afraid　for　his　mind。　　And　then　I　told　him　that　my　scheme

was　to　put　the　whole　job　through　immediately　and　that

we　would　get　the　ransom　and　be　off　with　it　by　midnight

if　old　Dorset　fell　in　with　our　proposition。　　So　Bill　braced

up　enough　to　give　the　kid　a　weak　sort　of　a　smile　and　a

promise　to　play　the　Russian　in　a　Japanese　war　with　him

is　soon　as　he　felt　a　little　better。



I　had　a　scheme　for　collecting　that　ransom　without

danger　of　being　caught　by　counterplots　that　ought　to

commend　itself　to　professional　kidnappers。　　The　tree

under　which　the　answer　was　to　be　left　　and　the

money　later　on　　was　close　to　the　road　fence　with　big；

bare　fields　on　all　sides。　　If　a　gang　of　constables　should　be

watching　for　any　one　to　come　for　the　note　they　could　see

him　a　long　way　off　crossing　the　fields　or　in　the　road。　　But

no；　sirree！　At　half…past　eight　I　was　up　in　that　tree　as　well

hidden　as　a　tree　toad；　waiting　for　the　messenger　to　arrive。



Exactly　on　time；　a　half…grown　boy　rides　up　the　road　on

a　bicycle；　locates　the　pasteboard　box　at　the　foot　of　the

fence…post；　slips　a　folded　piece　of　paper　into　it　and　pedals

away　again　back　toward　Summit。



I　waited　an　hour　and　then　concluded　the　thing　was

square。　　I　slid　down　the　tree；　got　the　note；　slipped　along

the　fence　till　I　struck　the　woods；　and　was　back　at　the　cave

in　another　half　an　hour。　　I　opened　the　note；　got　near　the

lantern　and　read　it　to　Bill。　　It　was　written　with　a　pen　in　a

crabbed　hand；　and　the　sum　and　substance　of　it　was　this：



Two　Desperate　Men。

　　　Gentlemen：　　　　　I　received　your　letter　to…day　by　post；

in　regard　to　the　ransom　you　ask　for　the　return　of　my　son。

I　think　you　are　a　little　high　in　your　demands；　and　I　hereby

make　you　a　counter…proposition；　which　I　am　inclined　to

believe　you　will　accept。　　You　bring　Johnny　home　and

pay　me　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　in　cash；　and　I　agree

to　take　him　off　your　hands。　　You　had　better　come　at

night；　for　the　neighbours　believe　he　is　lost；　and　I　couldn't

be　responsible　for　what　they　would　do　to　anybody　they

saw　bringing　him　back。　　　　　　　　　　　　　Very　respectfully；

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　EBENEZER　DORSET。



〃Great　pirates　of　Penzance！〃　　says　I；　〃of　all　the

impudent　　〃



But　I　glanced　at　Bill；　and　hesitated。　　He　had　the　most

appealing　look　in　his　eyes　I　ever　saw　on　the　face　of　a　dumb

or　a　talking　brute。



〃Sam；〃　says　he；　〃what's　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars；

after　all？　We've　got　the　money。　　One　more　night　of

this　kid　will　send　me　to　a　bed　in　Bedlam。　　Besides　being

a　thorough　gentleman；　I　think　Mr。　Dorset　is　a　spend…

thrift　for　making　us　such　a　liberal　offer。　　You　ain't　going

to　let　the　chance　go；　are　you？〃



〃Tell　you　the　truth；　Bill；〃　says　I；　〃this　little　he　ewe

lamb　has　somewhat　got　on　my　nerves　too。　　We'll　take

him　home；　pay　the　ransom　and　make　our　get…away。〃



We　took　him　home　that　night。　　We　got　him　to　go

by　telling　him　that　his　father　had　bought　a　silver…mounted

rifle　and　a　pair　of　moccasins　for　him；　and　we　were　going

to　hunt　bears　the　next　day。



It　was　just　twelve　o'clock　when　we　knocked　at　Ebene…

zer's　front　door。　　Just　at　the　moment　when　I　should　have

been　abstracting　the　fifteen　hundred　dollars　from　the　box

under　the　tree；　according　to　the　original　proposition；　Bill

was　counting　out　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　into

Dorset's　hand。




When　the　kid　found　out　we　were　going　to　leave　him　at

home　he　started　up　a　howl　like　a　calliope　and　fastened

himself　as　tight　as　a　leech　to　Bill's　leg。　　His　father　peeled

him　away　gradually；　like　a　porous　plaster。



〃How　long　can　you　hold　him？〃　　asks　Bill。



〃I'm　not　as　strong　as　I　used　to　be；〃　says　old　Dorset；

〃but　I　think　I　can　promise　you　ten　minutes。〃



〃Enough；〃　says　Bill。　　〃In　ten　minutes　I　shall　cross

the　Central；　Southern　and　Middle　Western　States；　and　be

legging　it　trippingly　for　the　Canadian　border。〃



And；　as　dark　as　it　was；　and　as　fat　as　Bill　was；　and　as

good　a　runner　as　I　am；　he　was　a　good　mile　and　a　half

out　of　Summit　before　I　could　catch　up　with　him。







　　　　　　　　　　　THE　MARRY　MONTH　OF　MAY



PRITHEE；　smite　the　poet　in　the　eye　when　he　would

sing　to　you　praises　of　the　month　of　May。　　It　is　a　month

presided　over　by　the　spirits　of　mischief　and　madness。

Pixies　and　flibbertigibbets　haunt　the　budding　woods：

Puck　and　his　train　of　midgets　are　busy　in　town　and

country。



In　May　nature　holds　up　at　us　a　chiding　finger；　bidding

us　remember　that　we　are　not　gods；　but　overconceited

members　of　her　own　great　family。　　She　reminds　us　that

we　are　brothers　to　the　chowder…doomed　clam　and　the

donkey；　lineal　scions　of　the　pansy　and　the　chimpanzee；

and　but　cousins…german　to　the　cooing　doves；　the　quacking

ducks　and　the　housemaids　and　policemen　in　the　parks。



In　May　Cupid　shoots　blindfolded　　millionaires　marry

stenographers；　wise　professors　woo　white…aproned　gum…

chewers　behind　quick…lunch　counters；　schoolma'ams

make　big　bad　boys　remain　after　school；　lads　with　ladders

steal　lightly　over　lawns　where　Juliet　waits　in　her　trellissed

window　with　her　telescope　packed；　young　couples　out

for　a　walk　come　home　married；　old　chaps　put　on　white

spats　and　promenade　near　the　Normal　School；　even

married　men；　grown　unwontedly　tender　and　sentimental；

whack　their　spouses　on　the　back　and　growl：　〃How　goes

it；　old　girl：〃



This　May；　who　is　no　goddess；　but　Circe；　masquerading

at　the　dance　given　in　honour　of　the　fair　d閎utante；　Sum…

mer；　puts　the　kibosh　on　us　all。



Old　Mr。　Coulson　groaned　a　little；　and　then　sat　up

straight　in　his　invalid's　chair。　　He　had　the　gout　very

bad　in　one　foot；　a　house　near　Gramercy　Park；　half　a

million　dollars　and　a　daughter。　　And　he　had　a　house…

keeper；　Mrs。　Widdup。　　The　fact　and　the　name　deserve

a　sentence　each。　　They　have　it。



When　May　poked　Mr。　Coulson　he　became　elder　brother

to　the　turtle…dove。　　In　the　window　near　which　he　sat

were　boxes　of　jonquils；　of　hyacinths；　geraniums　and

pansies。　　The　breeze　brought　their　odour　into　the　room。

Immediately　there　was　a　well…contested　round　between

the　breath　of　the　flowers　and　the　able　and　active　effluvium

from　gout　liniment。　　The　liniment　won　easily；　but　not

before　the　flowers　got　an　uppercut　to　old　Mr。　Coulson's

nose。　　The　deadly　work　of　the　implacable；　false　enchant…

ress　May　was　done。



Across　the　park　to　the　olfactories　of　Mr。　Coulson　came

other　unmistakable；　characteristic；　copyrighted　smells

of　spring　that　belong　to　the…big…city…above…the…Subway；

alone。　　The　smells　of　hot　asphalt；　underground　caverns；

gasoline；　patchouli；　orange　peel；　sewer　gas；　Albany　grabs；

Egyptian　cigarettes；　mortar　and　the　undried　ink　on　news…

papers。　　The　inblowing　air　was　sweet　and　mild。　　Sparrows

wrangled　happily　everywhere　outdoors。　　Never　trust　May。



Mr。　Coulson　twisted　the　ends　of　his　white　mustache；

cursed　his　foot；　and　pounded　a　bell　on　the　table　by　his

side。



In　came　Mrs。　Widdup。　　She　was　comely　to　the　eye；

fair；　flustered；　forty　and　foxy。



〃Higgins　is　out；　sir；〃　she　said；　with　a　smile　suggestive

of　vibratory　massage。　　〃He　went　to　post　a　letter。　　Can

I　do　anything　for　you；　sir？〃



〃It's　time　for　my　aconite；〃　said　old　Mr。　Coulson。

〃Drop　it　for　me。　　The　bottle's　there。　　Three　drops。

In　water。　　D　　that　is；　confound　Higgins！　　There's

nobody　in　this　house　cares　if　I　die　here　in　this　chair　for

want　of　attention。〃



Mrs。　Widdup　sighed　deeply。



〃Don't　be　saying　that；　sir；〃　she　said。　　〃There's　them

that　would　care　more　than　any　one　knows。　　Thirteen

drops；　you　said；　sir？〃



〃Three；〃　said　old　man　Coulson。



He　took　his　dose　and　then　Mrs。　Widdup's　hand。　　She

blushed。　　Oh；　yes；　it　can　be　done。　　Just　hold　your

breath　and　compress　the　diaphragm。



〃Mrs。　Widdup；〃　said　Mr。　Coulson；　〃the　springtime's

full　upon　us。〃



〃Ain't　that　right？〃　　said　Mrs。　Widdup。　　〃The　air's

real　warm。　　And　there's　bock…beer　signs　on　every　corner。

And　the　park's　all　yaller　and　pink　and　blue　with　flowers；

and　I　have　such　shooting　pains　up　my　legs　and

body。〃



〃'In　the　spring；'〃　quoted　Mr。　Coulson；　curling　his

mustache；　〃'a　y　that　is；　a　man's　　fancy　lightly　turns

to　thoughts　of　love。'〃



〃Lawsy；　now！〃　　exclaimed　Mrs。　Widdup；　〃ain't　that

right？　　Seems　like　it's　in　the　air。〃



〃'In　the　spring；'〃　continued　old　Mr。　Coulson；　〃'a

livelier　iris　shines　upon　the　burnished　dove。'〃



〃They　do　be　lively；　the　Irish；〃　sighed　Mrs。　Widdup

pensively。



〃Mrs。　Widdup；〃　said　Mr。　Coulson；　making　a　face　at

a　twinge　of　his　gouty　foot；　〃this　would　be　a　lonesome

house　without　you。　　I'm　an　　that　is；　I'm　an　elderly

man　　but　I'm　worth　a　comfortable　lot　of　money。　　If

half　a　million　dollars'　worth　of　Government　bonds　and

the　true　affection　of　a　heart　that；　though　no　longer　beating

with　the　first　ardour　of　youth；　can　still　throb　with

genuine　　〃



The　loud　noise　of　an　overturned　chair　near　the　porti鑢es

of　the　adjoining　room　interrupted　the　venerable　and

scarcely　suspecting　victim　of　May。



In　stalked　Miss　Van　Meeker　Constantia　Coulson；　bony；

durable；　tall；　high…nosed；　frigid；　well…bred；　thirty…five；

in…the…neighbourhood…of…Gramercy…Parkish。　　She　put　up

a　lorgnette。　　Mrs。　Widdup　hastily　stooped　and　arranged

the　bandages　on　Mr。　Coulson's　gouty　foo