rs.undertheandes-第49部分

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　〃Freddie　Marston's　Crocodiles　and　the　Blues。　It's　going　to　be　some　polo。〃
　I　considered　a　moment。　〃Why；　I　guess　I'll　run　down　with　you。
　I'm　about　through　here。〃
　〃Good　enough！〃　Harry　arose　to　his　feet　and　began　idly　fingering　some　of　the　sheets　on　the　table　before　me。　〃What　is　all　this　silly　rot；　anyway？〃
　〃My　dear　boy；〃　I　smiled；　〃you'll　be　sorry　you　called　it　silly　rot　when　I　tell　you　that　it　is　a　plain　and　honest　tale　of　our　own　experiences。〃
　〃Must　be　deuced　interesting；〃　he　observed。　〃More　silly　rot　than　ever。〃
　〃Others　may　not　think　so；〃　I　retorted；　a　little　exasperated　by　his　manner。　〃It　surely　will　be　sufficiently　exciting　to　read　of　how　we　were　buried　with　Desiree　Le　Mire　under　the　Andes；　and　our　encounters　with　the　Incas；　and　our　final　escape；　and…〃
　〃Desiree　what？〃　Harry　interrupted。
　〃Desiree　Le　Mire；〃　I　replied　very　distinctly。　〃The　great　French　dancer。〃
　〃Never　heard　of　her；〃　said　Harry；　looking　at　me　as　if　he　doubted　my　sanity。
　〃Never　heard　of　Desiree；　the　woman　you　loved？〃　I　almost　shouted　at　him。
　〃The　woman　I…piffle！　I　say　I　never　heard　of　her。〃
　I　gazed　at　him；　trembling　with　high　indignation。　〃I　suppose；〃　I　observed　with　infinite　sarcasm；　〃that　you　will　tell　me　next　that　you　have　never　been　in　Peru？〃
　〃Guilty；〃　said　Harry。　〃I　never　have。〃
　〃And　that　you　never　climbed　Pike's　Peak　to　see　the　sunrise？〃
　〃Rahway；　New　Jersey；　is　my　farthest　west。〃
　〃And　that　you　never　dived　with　me　from　the　top　of　a　column　one　hundred　feet　high？〃
　〃Not　I。　I　retain　a　smattering　of　mon　sense。〃
　〃And　that　you　did　not　avenge　the　death　of　Desiree　by　causing　that　of　the　Inca　king？〃
　〃So　far　as　that　Desiree　woman　is　concerned；〃　said　Harry；　and　his　tone　began　to　show　impatience；　〃I　can　only　repeat　that　I　have　never　heard　of　the　creature。　And〃…he　continued…〃if　you're　trying　to　bamboozle　a　gullible　world　by　concocting　a　tale　as　silly　as　your　remarks　to　me　would　seem　to　indicate；　I　will　say　that　as　a　cheap　author　you　are　taking　undue　liberties　with　your　family；　meaning　myself。　And　what　is　more；　if　you　dare　to　print　the　stuff　I'll　let　the　world　know　it's　a　rank　fake。〃
　This　threat；　delivered　with　the　most　awful　resolution　and　sincerity；　unnerved　me　pletely；　and　I　fell　back　in　my　chair　in　a　swoon。
　When　I　recovered　Harry　had　gone　to　his　polo　game；　leaving　me　behind；　whereupon　I　seized　my　pen　and　hastened　to　set　down　in　black　and　white　that　most　remarkable　conversation；　that　the　reader　may　judge　for　himself　between　us。
　For　my　part；　I　do　swear　that　the　story　is　true；　on　my　word　of　honor　as　a　cynic　and　a　philosopher。



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