pgw.uneasymoney-第21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！


　'That's　a　splendid　idea。'
　'I　think　I'd　better　do　a　good　lot　of　walking　from　now　on。　Didn't　Chalmers　bring　down　some　Indian　clubs　with　him？　I　think　I'll　borrow　them。　I　ought　to　keep　out　in　the　open　a　lot；　I　think。　I　wonder　if　there's　any　special　diet　I　ought　to　have。　Well；　anyway；　I'll　be　going　for　that　walk。'
　At　the　foot　of　the　stairs　Nutty　stopped。　He　looked　quickly　into　the　porch；　then　looked　away　again。
　'What's　the　matter？'　asked　Elizabeth。
　'I　thought　for　a　moment　I　saw　the　monkey　sitting　on　the　hammock。'
　He　went　out　of　the　house　and　disappeared　from　view　down　the　drive；　walking　with　long；　rapid　strides。
　Elizabeth's　first　act；　when　he　had　gone；　was　to　fetch　a　banana　from　the　ice…box。　Her　knowledge　of　monkeys　was　slight；　but　she　fancied　they　looked　with　favour　on　bananas。　It　was　her　intention　to　conciliate　Eustace。
　She　had　placed　Eustace　by　now。　Unlike　Nutty；　she　read　the　papers；　and　she　knew　all　about　Lady　Wetherby　and　her　pets。　The　fact　that　Lady　Wetherby；　as　she　had　been　informed　by　the　grocer　in　friendly　talk；　had　rented　a　summer　house　in　the　neighbourhood　made　Eustace's　identity　positive。
　She　had　no　very　clear　plans　as　to　what　she　intended　to　do　with　Eustace；　beyond　being　quite　resolved　that　she　was　going　to　board　and　lodge　him　for　a　few　days。　Nutty　had　had　the　jolt　he　needed；　but　it　might　be　that　the　first　freshness　of　it　would　wear　away；　in　which　event　it　would　be　convenient　to　have　Eustace　on　the　premises。　She　regarded　Eustace　as　a　sort　of　medicine。　A　second　dose　might　not　be　necessary；　but　it　was　as　well　to　have　the　mixture　handy。　She　took　another　banana；　in　case　the　first　might　not　be　sufficient。　She　then　returned　to　the　porch。
　Eustace　was　sitting　on　the　hammock；　brooding。　The　plexities　of　life　were　weighing　him　down　a　good　deal。　He　was　not　aware　of　Elizabeth's　presence　until　he　found　her　standing　by　him。　He　had　just　braced　himself　for　flight；　when　he　perceived　that　she　bore　rich　gifts。
　Eustace　was　always　ready　for　a　light　snackreadier　now　than　usual；　for　air　and　exercise　had　sharpened　his　appetite。　He　took　the　banana　in　a　detached　manner；　as　it　to　convey　the　idea　that　it　did　not　mit　him　to　any　particular　course　of　conduct。　It　was　a　good　banana；　and　he　stretched　out　a　hand　for　the　other。　Elizabeth　sat　down　beside　him；　but　he　did　not　move。　He　was　convinced　now　of　her　good　intentions。　It　was　thus　that　Lord　Dawlish　found　them　when　he　came　in　from　the　garden。
　'Where　has　your　brother　gone　to？'　he　asked。　'He　passed　me　just　now　at　eight　miles　an　hour。　Great　Scot！　What's　that？'
　'It's　a　monkey。　Don't　frighten　him；　he's　rather　nervous。'
　She　tickled　Eustace　under　the　ear；　for　their　relations　were　now　friendly。
　'Nutty　went　for　a　walk　because　he　thought　he　saw　it。'
　'Thought　he　saw　it？'
　'Thought　he　saw　it；'　repeated　Elizabeth；　firmly。　'Will　you　remember；　Mr　Chalmers；　that；　as　far　as　he　is　concerned；　this　monkey　has　no　existence？'
　'I　don't　understand。'
　Elizabeth　explained。
　'You　see　now？'
　'I　see。　But　how　long　are　you　going　to　keep　the　animal？'
　'Just　a　day　or　twoin　case。'
　'Where　are　you　going　to　keep　it？'
　'In　the　outhouse。　Nutty　never　goes　there；　it's　too　near　the　bee…hives。'
　'I　suppose　you　don't　know　who　the　owner　is？'
　'Yes；　I　do；　it　must　be　Lady　Wetherby。'
　'Lady　Wetherby！'
　'She's　a　woman　who　dances　at　one　of　the　restaurants。　I　read　in　a　Sunday　paper　about　her　monkey。　She　has　just　taken　a　house　near　here。　I　don't　see　who　else　the　animal　could　belong　to。　Monkeys　are　rarities　on　Long　Island。'
　Bill　was　silent。　'Sudden　a　thought　came　like　a　full…blown　rose；　flushing　his　brow。'　For　days　he　had　been　trying　to　find　an　excuse　for　calling　on　Lady　Wetherby　as　a　first　step　toward　meeting　Claire　again。　Here　it　was。　There　would　be　no　need　to　interfere　with　Elizabeth's　plans。　He　would　be　vague。　He　would　say　he　had　just　seen　the　runaway；　but　would　not　add　where。　He　would　create　an　atmosphere　of　helpful　sympathy。　Perhaps；　later　on；　Elizabeth　would　let　him　take　the　monkey　back。
　'What　are　you　thinking　about？'　asked　Elizabeth。
　'Oh；　nothing；'　said　Bill。
　'Perhaps　we　had　better　stow　away　our　visitor　for　the　night。'
　'Yes。'
　Elizabeth　got　up。
　'Poor；　dear　Nutty　may　be　ing　back　at　any　moment　now；'　she　said。
　But　poor；　dear　Nutty　did　not　return　for　a　full　two　hours。　When　he　did　he　was　dusty　and　tired；　but　almost　cheerful。
　'I　didn't　see　the　brute　once　all　the　time　I　was　out；'　he　told　Elizabeth。　'Not　once！'
　Elizabeth　kissed　him　fondly　and　offered　to　heat　water　for　a　bath；　but　Nutty　said　he　would　take　it　cold。　From　now　on；　he　vowed；　nothing　but　cold　baths。　He　conveyed　the　impression　of　being　a　blend　of　repentant　sinner　and　hardy　Norseman。　Before　he　went　to　bed　he　approached　Bill　on　the　subject　of　Indian　clubs。
　'I　want　to　get　myself　into　shape；　old　top；'　he　said。
　'Yes？'
　'I've　got　to　cut　it　outto…night　I　thought　I　saw　a　monkey。'
　'Really？'
　'As　plain　as　I　see　you　now。'　Nutty　gave　the　clubs　a　tentative　swing。　'What　do　you　do　with　these　darned　things？　Swing　them　about　and　all　that？　All　right；　I　see　the　idea。　Good　night。'
　But　Bill　did　not　pass　a　good　night。　He　lay　awake　long；　thinking　over　his　plans　for　the　morrow。
　
　15
　Lady　Wetherby　was　feeling　battered。　She　had　not　realized　how　seriously　Roscoe　Sherriff　took　the　art　of　publicity；　nor　what　would　be　the　result　of　the　half…hour　he　had　spent　at　the　telephone　on　the　night　of　the　departure　of　Eustace。
　Roscoe　Sherriff's　eloquence　had　fired　the　imagination　of　editors。　There　had　been　a　notable　lack　of　interesting　happenings　this　summer。　Nobody　seemed　to　be　striking　or　murdering　or　having　violent　accidents。　The　universe　was　torpid。　In　these　circumstances；　the　escape　of　Eustace　seemed　to　present　possibilities。　Reporters　had　been　sent　down。　There　were　three　of　them　living　in　the　house　now；　and　Wrench's　air　of　disapproval　was　deepening　every　hour。
　It　was　their　strenuousness　which　had　given　Lady　Wetherby　that　battered　feeling。　There　was　strenuousness　in　the　air；　and　she　resented　it　on　her　vacation。　She　had　e　to　Long　Island　to　vegetate；　and　with　all　this　going　on　round　her　vegetation　was　impossible。　She　was　not　long　alone。　Wrench　entered。
　'A　gentleman　to　see　you；　m'lady。'
　In　the　good　old　days；　when　she　had　been　plain　Polly　Davis；　of　the　personnel　of　the　chorus　of　various　musical　edies；　Lady　Wetherby　would　have　suggested　a　short　way　of　disposing　of　this　untimely　visitor；　but　she　had　a　position　to　keep　up　now。
　'From　some　darned　paper？'　she　asked；　wearily。
　'No；　m'lady。　I　fancy　he　is　not　connected　with　the　Press。'
　There　was　something　in　Wrench's　manner　that　perplexed　Lady　Wetherby；　something　almost　human；　as　if　Wrench　were　on　the　point　of　ing　alive。　She　did　not　guess　it；　but　the　explanation　was　that　Bill；　quite　unwittingly；　had　impressed　Wrench。　There　was　that　about　Bill　that　reminded　the　butler　of　London　and　dignified　receptions　at　the　house　of　the　Dowager　Duchess　of　Waveney。　It　was　deep　calling　unto　deep。
　'Where　is　he？'
　'I　have　shown　him　into　the　drawing…room；　m'lady。'
　Lady　Wetherby　went　downstairs　and　found　a　large　young　man　awaiting　her；　looking　nervous。
　Bill　was　feeling　nervous。　A　sense　of　the　ridiculousness　of　his　mission　had　e　upon　him。　After　all；　he　asked　himself；　what　on　earth　had　he　got　to　say？　A　presentiment　had　e　upon　him　that　he　was　about　to　look　a　perfect　ass。　At　the　sight　of　Lady　Wetherby　his　nervousness　began　to　diminish。　Lady　Wetherby　was　not　a　formidable　person。　In　spite　of　her　momentary　peevishness；　she　brought　with　her　an　atmosphere　of　geniality　and　camaraderie。
　'It's　about　your　monkey；'　he　said；　ing　to　the　point　at　once。
　Lady　Wetherby　brightened。
　'Oh！　Have　you　seen　it？'
　He　was　glad　that　she　put　it　like　that。
　'Yes。　It　came　round　our　way　last　night。'
　'Where　is　that？'
　'I　am　staying　at　a　farm　near　here；　a　place　they　call　Flack's。　The　monkey　got　into　one　of　the　rooms。'
　'Yes？'
　'And　thenerthen　it　got　out　again；　don't　you　know。'
　Lady　Wetherby　looked　disappointed。
　'So　it　may　be　anywhere　now？'　she　said。
　In　the　interests　of　truth；　Bill　thought　it　best　to　leave　this　question　unanswered。
　'Well；　it's　very　good　of　you　to　have　bothered　to　e　out　and　tell　me；'　said　Lady　Wetherby。　'It　gives　us　a　clue；　at　any　rate。　Thank　you。　At　least；　we　know　now　in　which　direction　it　went。'
　There　was　a　pause。　Bill　gathered　that　the　other　was　looking　on　the　interview　as　terminated；　and　that　she　was　expecting　him　to　go；　and　he　had　not　begun　to　say　what　he　wanted　to　say。　He　tried　to　think　of　a　way　of　introducing　the　subject　of　Claire　that　should　not　seem　too　abrupt。
　'Er'　he　said。
　'Well？'　said　Lady　Wetherby；　simultaneously。
　'I　beg　your　pardon。'
　'You　have　the　floor；'　said　Lady　Wetherby。　'Shoot！'
　It　was　not　what　she　had　intended　to　say。　For　months　she　had　been　trying　to　get　out　of　the　habit　of　saying　that　sort　of　thing；　but　she　still　suffered　relapses。　Only　the　other　day　she　had　told　Wrench　to　check　some　domestic　problem　or　other　with　his　hat；　and　he　had　nearly　given　notice。　But　if　she　had　been　intending　to　put　Bill　at　his　ease　she　could　not　have　said　anything　better。
　'You　have　a　Miss　Fenwick　staying　with　you；　haven't　you？'　he　said。
　Lady　Wetherby　beamed。
　'Do　you　know　Claire？'
　'Yes；　rather！'
　'She's　my　best　friend。　We　used　to　be　in　the　same　pany　when　I　was　in　England。'
　'So　she　has　told　me。'
　'She　was　my　bridesmaid　when　I　married　Lord　Wetherby。'
　'Yes。'
　Lady　Wetherby　was　feeling　perfectly　happy　now；　and　when　Lady　Wetherby　felt　happy　she　always　became　garrulous。　She　was　one　of　those　people　who　are　incapable　of　looking　on　anybody　as　a　stranger　after　five　minutes'　acquaintance。　Already　she　had　begun　to　regard　Bill　as　an　old　friend。
　'Those　were　great　days；'　she　said；　cheerfully。　'None　of　us　had　a　bean；　and　Algie　was　the　hardest　up　of　the　whole　bunch。　After　we　were　married　we　went　to　the　Savoy　for　the　wedding…breakfast；　and　when　it　was　over　and　the　waiter　came　with　the　check；　Algie　said　he　was　sorry；　but　he　had　had　a　bad　week　at　Lincoln　and　hadn't　the　price　on　him。　He　tried　to　touch　me；　but　I　passed。　Then　he　had　a　go　at　the　best　man；　but　the　best　man　had　nothing　in　the　world　but　one　suit　of　clothes　and　a　spare　collar。　Claire　was　broke；　too；　so　the　end　of　it　was　that　the　best　man　had　to　sneak　out　and　pawn　my　watch　and　the　weddi