the little white bird-第7部分

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entrances；　and　with　much　to　be　sung　in　laudation　of　that　which

opens　from　the　Strand　I　yet　on　the　whole　prefer　the　other　as　the

more　truly　romantic；　because　it　is　there　the　tattered　ones

congregate；　waiting　to　see　the　Davids　emerge　with　the　magic　lamp。

We　have　always　a　penny　for　them；　and　I　have　known　them；　before

entering　the　Arcade　with　it；　retire　（but　whither？）　to　wash；

surely　the　prettiest　of　all　the　compliments　that　are　paid　to　the

home　of　toys。



And　now；　O　Arcade；　so　much　fairer　than　thy　West　End　brother；　we

are　told　that　thou　art　doomed；　anon　to　be　turned　into　an

eatinghouse　or　a　hive　for　usurers；　something　rankly　useful。　　All

thy　delights　are　under　notice　to　quit。　　The　Noah's　arks　are

packed　one　within　another；　with　clockwork　horses　harnessed　to

them；　the　soldiers；　knapsack　on　back；　are　kissing　their　hands　to

the　dear　foolish　girls；　who；　however；　will　not　be　left　behind

them；　all　the　four…footed　things　gather　around　the　elephant；　who

is　overful　of　drawing…room　furniture；　the　birds　flutter　their

wings；　the　man　with　the　scythe　mows　his　way　through　the　crowd；

the　balloons　tug　at　their　strings；　the　ships　rock　under　a　swell

of　sail；　everything　is　getting　ready　for　the　mighty　exodus　into

the　Strand。　　Tears　will　be　shed。



So　we　bought　the　horse　in　the　Lowther　Arcade；　Porthos；　who

thought　it　was　for　him；　looking　proud　but　uneasy；　and　it　was　sent

to　the　bandbox　house　anonymously。　　About　a　week　afterward　I　had

the　ill…　luck　to　meet　Mary's　a　husband　in　Kensington；　so　I　asked

him　what　he　had　called　his　little　girl。



〃It　is　a　boy；〃　he　replied；　with　intolerable　good…humour；　〃we　call

him　David。〃



And　then　with　a　singular　lack　of　taste　he　wanted　the　name　of　my

boy。



I　flicked　my　glove。　　〃Timothy；〃　said　I。



I　saw　a　suppressed　smile　on　his　face；　and　said　hotly　that　Timothy

was　as　good　a　name　as　David。　　〃I　like　it；〃　he　assured　me；　and

expressed　a　hope　that　they　would　become　friends。　　I　boiled　to　say

that　I　really　could　not　allow　Timothy　to　mix　with　boys　of　the

David　class；　but　I　refrained；　and　listened　coldly　while　he　told

me　what　David　did　when　you　said　his　toes　were　pigs　going　to

market　or　returning　from　it；　I　forget　which。　　He　also　boasted　of

David's　weight　（a　subject　about　which　we　are　uncommonly　touchy　at

the　club）；　as　if　children　were　for　throwing　forth　for　a　wager。



But　no　more　about　Timothy。　　Gradually　this　vexed　me。　　I　felt　what

a　forlorn　little　chap　Timothy　was；　with　no　one　to　say　a　word　for

him；　and　I　became　his　champion　and　hinted　something　about

teething；　but　withdrew　it　when　it　seemed　too　surprising；　and

tried　to　get　on　to　safer　ground；　such　as　bibs　and　general

intelligence；　but　the　painter　fellow　was　so　willing　to　let　me

have　my　say；　and　knew　so　much　more　about　babies　than　is　fitting

for　men　to　know；　that　I　paled　before　him　and　wondered　why　the

deuce　he　was　listening　to　me　so　attentively。



You　may　remember　a　story　he　had　told　me　about　some　anonymous

friend。　　〃His　latest；〃　said　he　now；　〃is　to　send　David　a　rocking…

horse！〃



I　must　say　I　could　see　no　reason　for　his　mirth。　　〃Picture　it；〃

said　he；　〃a　rocking…horse　for　a　child　not　three　months　old！〃



I　was　about　to　say　fiercely：　〃The　stirrups　are　adjustable；〃　but

thought　it　best　to　laugh　with　him。　　But　I　was　pained　to　hear　that

Mary　had　laughed；　though　heaven　knows　I　have　often　laughed　at

her。



〃But　women　are　odd；〃　he　said　unexpectedly；　and　explained。　　It

appears　that　in　the　middle　of　her　merriment　Mary　had　become　grave

and　said　to　him　quite　haughtily；　〃I　see　nothing　to　laugh　at。〃

Then　she　had　kissed　the　horse　solemnly　on　the　nose　and　said；　〃I

wish　he　was　here　to　see　me　do　it。〃　　There　are　moments　when　one

cannot　help　feeling　a　drawing　to　Mary。



But　moments　only；　for　the　next　thing　he　said　put　her　in　a

particularly　odious　light。　　He　informed　me　that　she　had　sworn　to

hunt　Mr。　Anon　down。



〃She　won't　succeed；〃　I　said；　sneering　but　nervous。



〃Then　it　will　be　her　first　failure；〃　said　he。



〃But　she　knows　nothing　about　the　man。〃



〃You　would　not　say　that　if　you　heard　her　talking　of　him。　　She

says　he　is　a　gentle；　whimsical；　lonely　old　bachelor。〃



〃Old？〃　I　cried。



〃Well；　what　she　says　is　that　he　will　soon　be　old　if　he　doesn't

take　care。　　He　is　a　bachelor　at　all　events；　and　is　very　fond　of

children；　but　has　never　had　one　to　play　with。〃



〃Could　not　play　with　a　child　though　there　was　one；〃　I　said

brusquely；　〃has　forgotten　the　way；　could　stand　and　stare　only。〃



〃Yes；　if　the　parents　were　present。　　But　he　thinks　that　if　he　were

alone　with　the　child　he　could　come　out　strong。〃



〃How　the　deuce〃　I　began



〃That　is　what　she　says；〃　he　explained；　apologetically。　　〃I　think

she　will　prove　to　be　too　clever　for　him。〃



〃Pooh；〃　I　said；　but　undoubtedly　I　felt　a　dizziness；　and　the　next

time　I　met　him　he　quite　frightened　me。　　〃Do　you　happen　to　know

any　one；〃　he　said；　〃who　has　a　St。　Bernard　dog？〃



〃No；〃　said　I；　picking　up　my　stick。



〃He　has　a　St。　Bernard　dog。〃



〃How　have　you　found　that　out？〃



〃She　has　found　it　out。〃



〃But　how？〃



〃I　don't　know。〃



I　left　him　at　once；　for　Porthos　was　but　a　little　way　behind　me。

The　mystery　of　it　scared　me；　but　I　armed　promptly　for　battle。　　I

engaged　a　boy　to　walk　Porthos　in　Kensington　Gardens；　and　gave　him

these　instructions：　〃Should　you　find　yourself　followed　by　a　young

woman　wheeling　a　second…hand　perambulator；　instantly　hand　her

over　to　the　police　on　the　charge　of　attempting　to　steal　the　dog。〃



Now　then；　Mary。



〃By　the　way；〃　her　husband　said　at　our　next　meeting；　〃that

rocking…　horse　I　told　you　of　cost　three　guineas。〃



〃She　has　gone　to　the　shop　to　ask？〃



〃No；　not　to　ask　that；　but　for　a　description　of　the　purchaser's

appearance。〃



Oh；　Mary；　Mary。



Here　is　the　appearance　of　purchaser　as　supplied　at　the　Arcade：

looked　like　a　military　gentleman；　tall；　dark；　and　rather　dressy；

fine　Roman　nose　（quite　so）；　carefully　trimmed　moustache　going

grey　（not　at　all）；　hair　thin　and　thoughtfully　distributed　over

the　head　like　fiddlestrings；　as　if　to　make　the　most　of　it　（pah！）；

dusted　chair　with　handkerchief　before　sitting　down　on　it；　and　had

other　oldmaidish　ways　（I　should　like　to　know　what　they　are）；

tediously　polite；　but　no　talker；　bored　face；　age　forty…five　if　a

day　（a　lie）；　was　accompanied　by　an　enormous　yellow　dog　with　sore

eyes。　　（They　always　think　the　haws　are　sore　eyes。）



〃Do　you　know　anyone　who　is　like　that？〃　Mary's　husband　asked　me

innocently。



〃My　dear　man；〃　I　said；　〃I　know　almost　no　one　who　is　not　like

that；〃　and　it　was　true；　so　like　each　other　do　we　grow　at　the

club。　I　was　pleased；　on　the　whole；　with　this　talk；　for　it　at

least　showed　me　how　she　had　come　to　know　of　the　St。　Bernard；　but

anxiety　returned　when　one　day　from　behind　my　curtains　I　saw　Mary

in　my　street　with　an　inquiring　eye　on　the　windows。　　She　stopped　a

nurse　who　was　carrying　a　baby　and　went　into　pretended　ecstasies

over　it。　I　was　sure　she　also　asked　whether　by　any　chance　it　was

called　Timothy。　　And　if　not；　whether　that　nurse　knew　any　other

nurse　who　had　charge　of　a　Timothy。



Obviously　Mary　suspicioned　me；　but　nevertheless；　I　clung　to

Timothy；　though　I　wished　fervently　that　I　knew　more　about　him；

for　I　still　met　that　other　father　occasionally；　and　he　always

stopped　to　compare　notes　about　the　boys。　　And　the　questions　he

asked　were　so　intimate；　how　Timothy　slept；　how　he　woke　up；　how　he

fell　off　again；　what　we　put　in　his　bath。　　It　is　well　that　dogs

and　little　boys　have　so　much　in　common；　for　it　was　really　of

Porthos　I　told　him；　how　he　slept　（peacefully）；　how　he　woke　up

（supposed　to　be　subject　to　dreams）；　how　he　fell　off　again　（with

one　little　hand　on　his　nose）；　but　I　glided　past　what　we　put　in

his　bath　（carbolic　and　a　mop）。



The　man　had　not　the　least　suspicion　of　me；　and　I　thought　it

reasonable　to　hope　that　Mary　would　prove　as　generous。　　Yet　was　I

straitened　in　my　mind。　　For　it　might　be　that　she　was　only　biding

her　time　to　strike　suddenly；　and　this　attached　me　the　more　to

Timothy；　as　if　I　feared　she　might　soon　snatch　him　from　me。　　As

was　indeed　to　be　the　case。





VI



A　Shock



It　was　on　a　May　day；　and　I　saw　Mary　accompany　her　husband　as　far

as　the　first　crossing；　whence　she　waved　him　out　of　sight　as　if　he

had　boarded　an　Atlantic…liner。　　All　this　time　she　wore　the　face

of　a　woman　happily　married　who　meant　to　go　straight　home；　there

to　await　her　lord's　glorious　return；　and　the　military…looking

gentleman　watching　her　with　a　bored　smile　saw　nothing　better

before　him　than　a　chapter　on　the　Domestic　Felicities。　　Oh；　Mary；

can　you　not　provide　me　with　the　tiniest　little　plot？



Hallo！



No　sooner　was　she　hid　from　him　than　she　changed　into　another

woman；　she　was　now　become　a　calculating　purposeful　madam；　who

looked　around　her　covertly　and；　having　shrunk　in　size　in　order　to

appear　less　noticeable；　set　off　nervously　on　some　mysterious

adventure。



〃The　deuce！〃　thought　I；　and　followed　her。



Like　one　anxious　to　keep　an　appointment；　she　frequently　consulted

her　watch；　looking　long　at　it；　as　if　it　were　one　of　those　watches

that　do　not　give　up　their　secret　until　you　have　made　a　mental

calculation。　　Once　she　kissed　it。　　I　had　always　known　that　she

was　fond　of　her　cheap　little　watch；　which　he　gave　her；　I　think；

on　the　day　I　dropped　the　letter；　but　why　kiss　it　in　the　street？　

Ah；　and　why　then　replace　it　so　hurriedly　in　your　leather…belt；

Mary；　as　if　it　were　guilt　to　you　to　kiss　to…day；　or　any　day；　the

watch　your　husband　gave　you？



It　will　be　seen　that　I　had　made　a　very　rapid　journey　from　light

thoughts　to　uneasiness。　　I　wanted　no　plot　by　the　time　she　reached

her　destination；　a　street　of　tawdry　shops。　　She　entered　none　of

them；　but　paced　slowly　and　shrinking　from　observation　up　and　down

the　street；　a　very　figure　of　shame；　and　never　had　I　thought　to

read　shame　in　the　sweet　face　of　Mary　A。　　Had　I　crossed　to　her