TheroughwordsbeatliketheblowsofthewavesonthebowsofthericketyboatfromLimainthedayswhenDickwasmixingpaints，makinglove，drawingdevilsandangelsinthehalfdark，andwonderingwhetherthenextminutewouldputtheItaliancaptain’sknifebetweenhisshoulder-bladesAndthego-feverwhichismorerealthanmanydoctors’
diseases，wakedandraged，urginghimwholovedMaisiebeyondanythingintheworld，togoawayandtastetheoldhot，unregeneratelifeagain，——toscuffle，swear，gamble，andlovelightloveswithhisfellows；totakeshipandknowtheseaoncemore，andbyherbegetpictures；
totalktoBinatamongthesandsofPortSaidwhileYellow’Tinamixedthedrinks；tohearthecrackleofmusketry，andseethesmokerolloutward，thinandthickenagaintilltheshiningblackfacescamethrough，andinthathelleverymanwasstrictlyresponsibleforhisownhead，andhisownalone，andstruckwithanunfetteredarmItwasimpossible，utterlyimpossible，but——
’“Oh，ourfathersinthechurchyard，Sheisolderthanye，Andourgraveswillbethegreener。”
SaidTheMenoftheSea。’
’Whatistheretohinder？’saidTorpenhow，inthelonghushthatfollowedthesong。
’Yousaidalittletimesincethatyouwouldn’tcomeforawalkroundtheworld，Torp。’
’Thatwasmonthsago，andIonlyobjectedtoyourmakingmoneyfortravellingexpensesYou’veshotyourbolthereandithasgonehomeGoawayanddosomework，andseesomethings。’
’Getsomeofthefatoffyou；you’redisgracefullyoutofcondition，’
saidtheNilghai，makingaplungefromthechairandgraspingahandfulofDickgenerallyovertherightribs’Softasputty——puretallowbornofover-feedingTrainitoff，Dickie。’
’We’reallequallygross，NilghaiNexttimeyouhavetotakethefieldyou’llsitdown，winkyoureyes，gasp，anddieinafit。’
’NevermindYougoawayonashipGotoLimaagain，ortoBrazil。
There’salwaystroubleinSouthAmerica。’
’DoyousupposeIwanttobetoldwheretogo？GreatHeavens，theonlydifficultyistoknowwhereI’mtostopButIshallstayhere，asI
toldyoubefore。’
’Thenyou’llbeburiedinKensalGreenandturnintoadipocerewiththeothers，’saidTorpenhow’Areyouthinkingofcommissionsinhand？PayforfeitandgoYou’vemoneyenoughtotravelasakingifyouplease。’
’You’vethegrisliestnotionsofamusement，TorpIthinkIseemyselfshippingfirstclassonasix-thousand-tonhotel，andaskingthethirdengineerwhatmakestheenginesgoround，andwhetheritisn’tverywarminthestokeholdHo！ho！IshouldshipasaloaferifeverI
shippedatall，whichI’mnotgoingtodoIshallcompromise，andgoforasmalltriptobeginwith。’
’That’ssomethingatanyrateWherewillyougo？’saidTorpenhow。
’Itwoulddoyouallthegoodintheworld，oldman。’
TheNilghaisawthetwinkleinDick’seye，andrefrainedfromspeech。
’IshallgointhefirstplacetoRathray’sstable，whereIshallhireonehorse，andtakehimverycarefullyasfarasRichmondHillThenI
shallwalkhimbackagain，incaseheshouldaccidentallyburstintoalatherandmakeRathrayangryIshalldothatto-morrow，forthesakeofairandexercise。’
’Bah！’DickhadbarelytimetothrowuphisarmandwardoffthecushionthatthedisgustedTorpenhowheavedathishead。
’Airandexerciseindeed，’saidtheNilghai，sittingdownheavilyonDick。
’Let’sgivehimalittleofbothGetthebellows，Torp。’
Atthispointtheconferencebrokeupindisorder，becauseDickwouldnotopenhismouthtilltheNilghaiheldhisnosefast，andtherewassometroubleinforcingthenozzleofthebellowsbetweenhisteeth；andevenwhenitwasthereheweaklytriedtopuffagainsttheforceoftheblast，andhischeeksblewupwithagreatexplosion；andtheenemybecominghelplesswithlaughterhesobeatthemovertheheadwithasoftsofacushionthatthatbecameunsewnanddistributeditsfeathers，andBinkie，interferinginTorpenhow’sinterests，wasbundledintothehalf-emptybagandadvisedtoscratchhiswayout，whichhedidafterawhile，travellingrapidlyupanddownthefloorintheshapeofanagitatedgreenhaggis，andwhenhecameoutlookingforsatisfaction，thethreepillarsofhisworldwerepickingfeathersoutoftheirhair。
’Aprophethasnohonourinhisowncountry，’saidDick，ruefully，dustinghisknees’Thisfilthyfluffwillneverbrushoffmylegs。’
’Itwasallforyourowngood，’saidtheNilghai’Nothinglikeairandexercise。’
’Allforyourgood，’saidTorpenhow，notintheleastwithreferencetopastclowning’Itwouldletyoufocusthingsattheirproperworthand...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：