the little white bird-第9部分

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answer。



〃I　have　not　the　pleasure　of　your　acquaintance；〃　I　barked。



〃No　one　regrets　it　more　than　I　do；〃　he　replied；　laughing。



〃I　mean；　sir；〃　said　I；　〃that　I　shall　wait　here　until　you　retire；〃

and　with　that　I　put　my　back　to　a　shop…window。



By　this　time　he　was　grown　angry；　and　said　he；　〃I　have　no

engagement；〃　and　he　put　his　back　to　the　shop…window。　　Each　of　us

was　doggedly　determined　to　tire　the　other　out；　and　we　must　have

looked　ridiculous。　　We　also　felt　it；　for　ten　minutes　afterward；

our　passions　having　died　away；　we　shook　hands　cordially　and

agreed　to　call　hansoms。



Must　I　abandon　the　enterprise？　　Certainly　I　knew　divers　ladies

who　would　make　the　purchases　for　me；　but　first　I　must　explain；

and；　rather　than　explain　it　has　ever　been　my　custom　to　do

without。　　I　was　in　this　despondency　when　a　sudden　recollection　of

Irene　and　Mrs。　Hicking　heartened　me　like　a　cordial；　for　I　saw　in

them　at　once　the　engine　and　decoy　by　which　David　should　procure

his　outfit。



You　must　be　told　who　they　were。





VIII



The　Inconsiderate　Waiter



They　were　the　family　of　William；　one　of　our　club　waiters　who　had

been　disappointing　me　grievously　of　late。　　Many　a　time　have　I

deferred　dining　several　minutes　that　I　might　have　the　attendance

of　this　ingrate。　　His　efforts　to　reserve　the　window…table　for　me

were　satisfactory；　and　I　used　to　allow　him　privileges；　as　to

suggest　dishes；　I　have　given　him　information；　as　that　someone　had

startled　me　in　the　reading…room　by　slamming　a　door；　I　have　shown

him　how　I　cut　my　finger　with　a　piece　of　string。　　William　was　none

of　your　assertive　waiters。　　We　could　have　plotted　a　murder　safely

before　him。　　It　was　one　member　who　said　to　him　that　Saucy　Sarah

would　win　the　Derby　and　another　who　said　that　Saucy　Sarah　had　no

chance；　but　it　was　William　who　agreed　with　both。　　The　excellent

fellow　（as　I　thought　him）　was　like　a　cheroot　which　may　be　smoked

from　either　end。



I　date　his　lapse　from　one　evening　when　I　was　dining　by　the

window。　I　had　to　repeat　my　order　〃Devilled　kidney；〃　and　instead

of　answering　brightly；　〃Yes；　sir；〃　as　if　my　selection　of　devilled

kidney　was　a　personal　gratification　to　him；　which　is　the　manner

one　expects　of　a　waiter；　he　gazed　eagerly　out　at　the　window；　and

then；　starting；　asked；　〃Did　you　say　devilled　kidney；　sir？〃　　A　few

minutes　afterward　I　became　aware　that　someone　was　leaning　over

the　back　of　my　chair；　and　you　may　conceive　my　indignation　on

discovering　that　this　rude　person　was　William。　　Let　me　tell；　in

the　measured　words　of　one　describing　a　past　incident；　what　next

took　place。　　To　get　nearer　the　window　he　pressed　heavily　on　my

shoulder。　　〃William；〃　I　said；　〃you　are　not　attending　to　me！〃



To　be　fair　to　him；　he　shook；　but　never　shall　I　forget　his

audacious　apology；　〃Beg　pardon；　sir；　but　I　was　thinking　of

something　else。〃



And　immediately　his　eyes　resought　the　window；　and　this　burst　from

him　passionately；　〃For　God's　sake；　sir；　as　we　are　man　and　man；

tell　me　if　you　have　seen　a　little　girl　looking　up　at　the　club…

windows。〃



Man　and　man！　　But　he　had　been　a　good　waiter　once；　so　I　pointed

out　the　girl　to　him。　　As　soon　as　she　saw　William　she　ran　into　the

middle　of　Pall　Mall；　regardless　of　hansoms　（many　of　which　seemed

to　pass　over　her）；　nodded　her　head　significantly　three　times　and

then　disappeared　（probably　on　a　stretcher）。　　She　was　the

tawdriest　little　Arab　of　about　ten　years；　but　seemed　to　have

brought　relief　to　William。　　〃Thank　God！〃　said　he　fervently；　and

in　the　worst　taste。



I　was　as　much　horrified　as　if　he　had　dropped　a　plate　on　my　toes。

〃Bread；　William；〃　I　said　sharply。



〃You　are　not　vexed　with　me；　sir？〃　he　had　the　hardihood　to

whisper。



〃It　was　a　liberty；〃　I　said。



〃I　know；　sir；　but　I　was　beside　myself。〃



〃That　was　a　liberty　again。〃



〃It　is　my　wife；　sir；　she〃



So　William；　whom　I　had　favoured　in　so　many　ways；　was　a　married

man。　　I　felt　that　this　was　the　greatest　liberty　of　all。



I　gathered　that　the　troublesome　woman　was　ailing；　and　as　one　who

likes　after　dinner　to　believe　that　there　is　no　distress　in　the

world；　I　desired　to　be　told　by　William　that　the　signals　meant　her

return　to　health。　　He　answered　inconsiderately；　however；　that　the

doctor　feared　the　worst。



〃Bah；　the　doctor；〃　I　said　in　a　rage。



〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　William。



〃What　is　her　confounded　ailment？〃



〃She　was　allus　one　of　the　delicate　kind；　but　full　of　spirit；　and

you　see；　sir；　she　has　had　a　baby…girl　lately〃



〃William；　how　dare　you；〃　I　said；　but　in　the　same　moment　I　saw

that　this　father　might　be　useful　to　me。　　〃How　does　your　baby

sleep；　William？〃　I　asked　in　a　low　voice；　〃how　does　she　wake　up？　

what　do　you　put　in　her　bath？〃



I　saw　surprise　in　his　face；　so　I　hurried　on　without　waiting　for

an　answer。　　〃That　little　girl　comes　here　with　a　message　from　your

wife？〃



〃Yes；　sir；　every　evening；　she's　my　eldest；　and　three　nods　from

her　means　that　the　missus　is　a　little　better。〃



〃There　were　three　nods　to…day？〃



〃Yes；　sir。



〃I　suppose　you　live　in　some　low　part；　William？〃



The　impudent　fellow　looked　as　if　he　could　have　struck　me。　　〃Off

Drury　Lane；〃　he　said；　flushing；　〃but　it　isn't　low。　　And　now；〃　he

groaned；　〃she's　afeared　she　will　die　without　my　being　there　to

hold　her　hand。〃



〃She　should　not　say　such　things。〃



〃She　never　says　them；　sir。　　She　allus　pretends　to　be　feeling

stronger。　　But　I　knows　what　is　in　her　mind　when　I　am　leaving　the

house　in　the　morning；　for　then　she　looks　at　me　from　her　bed；　and

I　looks　at　her　from　the　dooroh；　my　God；　sir！〃



〃William！〃



At　last　he　saw　that　I　was　angry；　and　it　was　characteristic　of　him

to　beg　my　pardon　and　withdraw　his　wife　as　if　she　were　some

unsuccessful　dish。　　I　tried　to　forget　his　vulgar　story　in

billiards；　but　he　had　spoiled　my　game；　and　next　day　to　punish　him

I　gave　my　orders　through　another　waiter。　　As　I　had　the　window…

seat；　however；　I　could　not　but　see　that　the　little　girl　was　late；

and　though　this　mattered　nothing　to　me　and　I　had　finished　my

dinner；　I　lingered　till　she　came。　　She　not　only　nodded　three

times　but　waved　her　hat；　and　I　arose；　having　now　finished　my

dinner。



William　came　stealthily　toward　me。　　〃Her　temperature　has　gone

down；　sir；〃　he　said；　rubbing　his　hands　together。




〃To　whom　are　you　referring？〃　I　asked　coldly；　and　retired　to　the

billiard…room；　where　I　played　a　capital　game。



I　took　pains　to　show　William　that　I　had　forgotten　his

maunderings；　but　I　observed　the　girl　nightly；　and　once；　instead

of　nodding；　she　shook　her　head；　and　that　evening　I　could　not　get

into　a　pocket。　Next　evening　there　was　no　William　in　the

dining…room；　and　I　thought　I　knew　what　had　happened。　　But；

chancing　to　enter　the　library　rather　miserably；　I　was　surprised

to　see　him　on　a　ladder　dusting　books。　　We　had　the　room

practically　to　ourselves；　for　though　several　members　sat　on

chairs　holding　books　in　their　hands　they　were　all　asleep；　and

William　descended　the　ladder　to　tell　me　his　blasting　tale。　　He

had　sworn　at　a　member！



〃I　hardly　knew　what　I　was　doing　all　day；　sir；　for　I　had　left　her

so　weakly　that〃



I　stamped　my　foot。



〃I　beg　your　pardon　for　speaking　of　her；〃　he　had　the　grace　to　say。

〃But　Irene　had　promised　to　come　every　two　hours；　and　when　she

came　about　four　o'clock　and　I　saw　she　was　crying；　it　sort　of

blinded　me；　sir；　and　I　stumbled　against　a　member；　Mr。　B；　and　he

said；　'Damn　you！'　　Well；　sir；　I　had　but　touched　him　after　all；

and　I　was　so　broken　it　sort　of　stung　me　to　be　treated　so　and　I

lost　my　senses；　and　I　said；　'Damn　you！'〃



His　shamed　head　sank　on　his　chest；　and　I　think　some　of　the

readers　shuddered　in　their　sleep。



〃I　was　turned　out　of　the　dining…room　at　once；　and　sent　here　until

the　committee　have　decided　what　to　do　with　me。　　Oh；　sir；　I　am

willing　to　go　on　my　knees　to　Mr。　B〃



How　could　I　but　despise　a　fellow　who　would　be　thus　abject　for　a

pound　a　week？



〃For　if　I　have　to　tell　her　I　have　lost　my　place　she　will　just

fall　back　and　die。〃



〃I　forbid　your　speaking　to　me　of　that　woman；〃　I　cried　wryly；

〃unless　you　can　speak　pleasantly；〃　and　I　left　him　to　his　fate　and

went　off　to　look　for　B。　　〃What　is　this　story　about　your

swearing　at　one　of　the　waiters？〃　I　asked　him。



〃You　mean　about　his　swearing　at　me；〃　said　B；　reddening。



〃I　am　glad　that　was　it；〃　I　said；　〃for　I　could　not　believe　you

guilty　of　such　bad　form。　　The　version　which　reached　me　was　that

you　swore　at　each　other；　and　that　he　was　to　be　dismissed　and　you

reprimanded。〃



〃Who　told　you　that？〃　asked　B；　who　is　a　timid　man。



〃I　am　on　the　committee；〃　I　replied　lightly；　and　proceeded　to　talk

of　other　matters；　but　presently　B；　who　had　been　reflecting；

said：　〃Do　you　know　I　fancy　I　was　wrong　in　thinking　that　the

waiter　swore　at　me；　and　I　shall　withdraw　the　charge　to…morrow。〃



I　was　pleased　to　find　that　William's　troubles　were　near　an　end

without　my　having　to　interfere　in　his　behalf；　and　I　then

remembered　that　he　would　not　be　able　to　see　the　girl　Irene　from

the　library　windows；　which　are　at　the　back　of　the　club。　　I　was

looking　down　at　her；　but　she　refrained　from　signalling　because

she　could　not　see　William；　and　irritated　by　her　stupidity　I　went

out　and　asked　her　how　her　mother　was。



〃My；〃　she　ejaculated　after　a　long　scrutiny　of　me；　〃I　b'lieve　you

are　one　of　them！〃　and　she　gazed　at　me　with　delighted　awe。　　I

suppose　William　tells　them　of　our　splendid　doings。



The　invalid；　it　appeared；　was　a　bit　better；　and　this　annoying

child　wanted　to　inform　William　that　she　had　took　all　the

tapiocar。　She　was　to　indicate　this　by　licking　an　imaginary　plate

in　the　middle　of　Pall　Mall。　　I　gave　the　little　vulgarian　a

shilling；　and　returned　to　the　club　disgusted。



〃By　the　way；　William；〃　I　said；　〃Mr。　B　is　to　inform　the

committee　that　he　was　mistaken　in　thinking　you　used　improper

language　to　him；　so　you　will　doubtless　be　restored　to　th