my lady caprice(我的无常夫人)-第23部分
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〃Are you？〃
〃Yes the book says that Robin Hood was 'bitter an' disappointed' an' so
am I。〃
〃Why； how's that？〃
The Imp folded his arms and regarded me with a terrific frown。 〃It's
all the fault of my Auntie Lisbeth'！〃 he said in a tragic voice。
〃Sit down； my Imp； and tell me all about it。〃
〃Well；〃 he began laying aside his 'trusty sword；' and seating himself at
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my elbow； 〃she got awfull' angry with me yesterday； awfull' angry； indeed；
an' she wouldn't play with me or anything； an' when I tried to be friends
with her an' asked her to pretend she was a hippopotamus； 'cause I was a
mighty hunter； you know； she just said； 'Reginald； go away an' don't bother
me！'
〃You surprise me； Imp！〃
〃But that's not the worst of it；〃 he continued； shaking his head
gloomily； 〃she didn't come to 'tuck me up' an' kiss me good…night like she
always does。 I lay awake hours an' hours waiting for her； you know； but
she never came； an' so I've left her！〃
〃Left her！〃 I repeated。
〃For ever an' ever！〃 he said； nodding a stern brow。 〃I 'specks she'll be
awfull' sorry some day！〃
〃But where shall you go to？〃
〃I'm thinking of Persia！〃 he said darkly。
〃Oh！〃
〃It's nice an' far； you know； an' I might meet Aladdin with the
wonderful lamp。〃
〃Alas； Imp； I fear not；〃 I answered； shaking my head； 〃and besides； it
will take a long； long time to get there； and where shall you sleep at
night？〃
The Imp frowned harder than ever； staring straight before him as one
who wrestles with some mighty problem； then his brow cleared and he
spoke in this wise：
〃Henceforth； Uncle Dick； my roof shall be the broad expanse of
heaven； an … an … wait a minute！〃 he broke off； and lugging something
from his pocket； disclosed a tattered； paper…covered volume （the Imp's
books are always tattered）； and hastily turning the pages； paused at a
certain paragraph and read as follows：
〃'Henceforth my roof shall be the broad expanse of heaven； an' all
tyrants shall learn to tremble at my name！' Doesn't that sound fine； Uncle
Dick？ I tried to get Ben； you know； the gardener's boy … to come an' live
in the 'greenwood' with me a bit an' help to make 'tyrants' tremble； but he
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said he was 'fraid his mother might find him some day； an' he wouldn't； so
I'm going to make them tremble all by myself； unless you will come an' be
Little John； like you were once before … oh； do！〃
Before I could answer； hearing footsteps； I looked round； and my heart
leaped； for there was Lisbeth coming down the path。
Her head was drooping and she walked with a listless air。 Now； as I
watched I forgot everything but that she looked sad； and troubled； and
more beautiful than ever； and that I loved her。 Instinctively I rose； lifting
my cap。 She started； and for the fraction of a second her eyes looked into
mine； then she passed serenely on her way。 I might have been a stick or
stone for all the further notice she bestowed。
Side by side； the Imp and I watched her go； until the last gleam of her
white skirt had vanished amid the green。 Then he folded his arms and
turned to me。
〃So be it！〃 he said； with an air of stern finality； 〃an' now； what is a
'blasted oak；' please？〃
〃A blasted oak！〃 I repeated。
〃If you please； Uncle Dick。〃
〃'Well； it's an oak…tree that has been struck by lightning。〃
〃Like the one with the 'stickie…out' branches； where I once hid Auntie
Lis … Her stockings？〃
I nodded； and sitting down； began to pack up my fishing rod and
things。
〃I'm glad of that；〃 pursued the Imp thoughtfully。 〃Robin Hood was
always saying to somebody； 'Hie thee to the blasted oak at midnight！' an'
it's nice to have one handy； you know。〃
I thought that under certain circumstances； and with a piece of rope； it
would be very much so； 〃blasted〃 or otherwise； but I only said； 〃Yes〃 and
sighed。
〃'Whence that doleful visage；' Uncle Dick … I mean Little John？ Is
Auntie angry with you； too？〃
〃Yes；〃 I answered； and sighed again。
〃Oh！〃 said the Imp； staring； 〃an' do you feel like … like … wait a minute
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… and once more he drew out and consulted the tattered volume … 〃'do you
feel like hanging yourself in your sword…belt to the arm of yonder tree？'〃
he asked eagerly； with his finger upon a certain paragraph。 〃Very like it；
my Imp。〃
〃Or … or 'hurling yourself from the topmost pinnacle of yon lofty
crag？'〃
〃Yes； Imp； the 'loftier' the better！〃
〃Then you must be in love； like Alan…a…Dale； he was going to hang
himself； an' 'hurl himself oft the topmost pinnacle；' you know； only Robin
Hood said； 'Whence that doleful visage；' an' stopped him … you
remember？〃
〃To be sure；〃 I nodded。
〃An' so you are really in love with my Auntie Lisbeth； are you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Is that why she's angry with you？〃
〃Probably。〃
The Imp was silent； apparently plunged once more in a profound
meditation。
〃'Fraid there's something wrong with her；〃 he said at last； shaking his
head； 〃she's always getting angry with everybody 'bout something … you
an' me an' Mr。 Selwyn
〃Mr。 Selwyn！〃 I exclaimed。 〃Imp； what do you mean？〃
〃'Well； she got cross with me first … an' over such a little thing； too！
We were in the orchard； an' I spilt some lemonade on her gown … only
about half a glass； you know； an' when she went to wipe it off she hadn't a
handkerchief； an' 'course I had none。 So she told me to fetch one； an' I
was just going when Mr。 Selwyn came； so I said； 'Would he lend Auntie
Lisbeth his handkerchief； 'cause she wanted one to wipe her dress？' an' he
said； 'Delighted！' Then auntie frowned at me an' shook her head when he
wasn't looking。 But Mr。 Selwyn took out his handkerchief； an' got down
on his knees； an' began to wipe off the lemonade； telling her something
'bout his 'heart；' an' wishing he could 'kneel at her feet forever！' Auntie
got awfull' red； an' told him to stand up； but he wouldn't； an' then she
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looked at me so awfull' cross that I thought I'd better leave； so while she
was saying； 'Rise； Mr。 Selwyn…do！' I ran away； only I could tell she was
awfull' angry with Mr。 Selwyn … an' that's all！〃
I rose to my knees and caught the Imp by the shoulders。
〃Imp；〃 I cried； are you sure … quite sure that she was angry with Mr。
Selwyn yesterday morning？〃
〃'Course I am。 I always know when Auntie Lisbeth's angry。 An'
now let's go an' play at 'Blasted Oaks。'
〃Anything you like； Imp； so long as we find her。〃
〃You're forgetting your fishing rod an' … 〃
〃Fishing rod be … blowed！〃 I exclaimed； and set oft hurriedly in the
direction Lisbeth had taken。
The Imp trotted beside me； stumbling frequently over his 〃trusty
sword〃 and issuing numberless commands in a hoarse； fierce voice to an
imaginary 〃band of outlaws。〃 As for me； I strode on unheeding； for my
mind was filled with a fast…growing suspicion that I had judged Lisbeth
like a hasty fool。
In this manner we scoured the neighbourhood very thoroughly； but
with no success。 However； we continued our search with unabated
ardour … along the river path to the water stairs and from thence by way of
the gardens to the orchard； but not a sign of Lisbeth。 The shrubbery and
paddock yielded a like result； and having interrogated Peter in the harness…
room； he informed us that 〃Miss Helezabeth was hout along with Miss
Dorothy。〃 At last； after more than an hour of this sort of thing； even the
Imp grew discouraged and suggested 〃turning pirates。〃
Our wanderings had led by devious paths； and now； as luck would
have it； we found ourselves beneath 〃the blasted oak。〃
We sat down very solemnly side by side； and for a long time there was
silence。
〃It's fine to make 'tyrants tremble；' isn't it Uncle Dick？〃 said the Imp at
last。
〃Assuredly。〃 I nodded。
〃But I should have liked to kiss Auntie Lisbeth good…bye first； an'
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Dorothy； an' Louise … 〃
〃What do you mean； my Imp？〃
〃Oh； you know； Uncle Dick！ 〃My roof henceforth shall be the broad
expanse。' I'm going to fight giants an' … an' all sorts of cads； you know。
An' then； if ever I get to Pe
