首页 >出版文学> The Works of Rudyard Kipling One>第45章
  theattractionthatadowdhasforacertaintypeofmanIexpectedtoseeherwalkoutofherclothes-untilIlookedathereyes。”
  “Hooksandeyes,surely。”drawledMrsMallowe。
  “Don’tbeclever,PollyYoumakemyheadacheAndroundthishayrickstoodacrowdofmen-apositivecrowd!”
  “Perhapstheyalsoexpected“-“Polly,don’tbeRabelaisian!”Mrs。
  Mallowecurledherselfupcomfortablyonthesofa,andturnedherattentiontothesweets。
  SheandMrsHauksbeesharedthesamehouseatSimla;andthesethingsbefelltwoseasonsafterthematterofOtisYeere,whichhasbeenalreadyrecorded。
  MrsHauksbeesteppedintotheverandaandlookeddownupontheMall,herforeheadpuckeredwiththought。
  “Hab!”saidMrsHauksbee,shortly“Indeed!”
  “Whatisit?”saidMrsMallowe,sleepily。
  “ThatdowdandTheDancingMaster-towhomIobject。”
  “WhytoTheDancingMaster?Heisamiddle-agedgentleman,ofreprobateandromantictendencies,andtriestobeafriendofmine。”
  “ThenmakeupyourmindtolosehimDowdsclingbynature,andIshouldimaginethatthisanimal-howterribleherbonnetlooksfromaboveisspeciallyclingsome。”
  “SheiswelcometoTheDancingMastersofarasIamconcernedI
  nevercouldtakeaninterestinamonotonousliarThefrustratedaimofhislifeistopersuadepeoplethatheisabachelor。”
  “0-oh!IthinkI’vemetthatsortofmanbeforeAndisn’the?”
  “NoHeconfidedthattomeafewdaysagoUgh!Somemenoughttohekilled。”
  “Whathappenedthen?”
  “Heposedasthehorrorofhorrors-amisunderstoodmanHeavenknowsthefemmeincompriseissadenoughandbadenough-buttheotherthing!”
  “Andsofattoo!IshouldhavelaughedinhisfaceMenseldomconfideinmeHowisittheycometoyou?”
  “Forthesakeofimpressingmewiththeircareersinthepast。
  Protectmefrommenwithconfidences!”
  “Andyetyouencouragethem?”
  “WhatcanIdo?TheytalkIlisten,andtheyvowthatIamsympatheticIknowIalwaysprofessastonishmentevenwhentheplotis-ofthemostoldpossible。”
  “YesMenaresounblushinglyexplicitiftheyareonceallowedtotalk,whereaswomen’sconfidencesarefullofreservationsandfibs,except“-“WhentheygomadandbabbleoftheUnutterabilitiesafteraweek’sacquaintanceReally,ifyoucometoconsider,weknowagreatdealmorementhanofourownsex。”
  “Andtheextraordinarythingisthatmenwillneverbelieveit。
  Theysaywearetryingtohidesomething。”
  “TheyaregenerallydoingthatontheirownaccountAlas!Thesechocolatespalluponme,andI
  haven’teatenmorethanadozenIthinkIshallgotosleep。”
  “Thenyou’llgetfatdearIfyou216
  WORKSOfRUDYARDKIPLING
  SHEa!terapauseDoyouknowwhatyouhavesaid?
  HE’Can’tsaythatIdoexactlyI’mnotinthebestoftempers。
  SitinSoIsee,-andfeelMytrueandfaithfullover,whereisyour“eternalconstancy。”
  “unalterabletrust。”and“reverentdevotion“?Irememberthosephrases;youseemtohaveforgottenthemImentionaman’sname-HEAgooddealmorethanthat。
  SHEWell,speaktohimaboutadance-perhapsthelastdancethatIshalleverdanceinmylifebeforeI,-beforeIgoaway;andyouatoncedistrustandinsultme。
  HEIneversaidaword。
  SHEHowmuchdidyouimply?Guy,’5thisamountofconfidencetobeourstocktostartthenewlifeon?
  HENo,ofcoursenotIdidn’tmeanthatOnmywordofhonor,Ididn’tLetitpass,dear。
  Pleaseletitpass。
  SHEThisonc~yes-andasecondtime,andagainandagain,allthroughtheyearswhenIshallbeunabletoresentitYouwanttoomuch,myLancelot,and,-youknowtoomuch。
  HpHowdoyoumean?
  SItEThatisapartofthepunishmentTherecannotbeperfecttrustbetweenus。
  HEInHeaven’sname,whynot?
  SHEHush!TheOtherPlaceisquiteenoughAskyourself。
  HEIdon’tfollow。
  SHEYoutrustmesoimplicitlythatwhenIlookatanotherman-
  Nevermind,GuyHaveyouevermadelovetoagi4-agoodgirl?
  HESomethingofthesortCenturiesago-intheDarkAges,beforeIevermetyou,dear。
  SHETellmewhatyousaidtoher。
  HEWhatdoesamansaytoagirl?I’veforgotten。
  SHEIrememberHetellsherthathetrustsherandworshipsthegroundshewalkson,andthathe’llloveandhonorandprotecthertillherdyingday;andsoshemarriesinthatbeliefAtleast,Ispeakofonegirlwhowasnotprotected。
  HEWell,andthen?
  SHEAndthen,Guy,andthen,thatgirlneedstentimestheloveandtrustandhonor-yes,honor-thatwasenoughwhenshewasonlyamerewifeif-if-theotherlifeshechoosestoleadistobemadeevenbearableDoyouunderstand?
  HEEvenbearable!It’llheParadise。
  SHEAh!CanyougivemeallI’veaskedfor-notnow,norafewmonthslater,butwhenyoubegintothinkofwhatyoumighthavedoneifyouhadkeptyourownappointmentandyourcasteher~whenyoubegintolookuponmeasadragandaburden?
  Ishallwantitmost,then,Guy,fortherewillbenooneinthewideworldbutyou。
  HEYou’realittleover-tiredtonight,Sweetheart,andyou’retakingastageviewofthesituation。
  AfterthenecessarybusinessintheCourts,theroadisclearto-SHE“Theholystateofmatrimony!”Ha!ha!ha!
  HESsh!Don’tlaughinthathorribleway!
  SHEI-Ic-c-c-can’thelpit!Isn’tittooabsurd!Ah!Ha!ha!ha!
  Guy,ASECOND-RATEWOMAN
  219
  myselftotalkthiseveningMayIcallto-morrow?
  SHEYesNo!Oh,givemetime!rhedayafterIgetintomy’rickshawhereandmeetHimatPeliti’sYouride。
  HEI’llgoontoPeliti’stooIthinkIwantadrinkMyworld’sknockedaboutmyearsandthestarsarefalling。
  WhoarethosebruteshowlingintheOldLibrary?
  SHEThey’rerehearsingthesingingquadrillesfortheFancyBall。
  Can’tyouhearMrsBuzgago’svoice?ShehasasoloIt’squiteanewideaListen。
  MmBUzGAGOintheOldLibrary,conmoltexp。。
  Seesaw!MargeryDaw!
  Soldherbedtolieuponstraw。
  Wasn’tsheasillyslutTosellherbedandlieupondirt?
  CaptainCongleton,I’mgoingtoalterthatto“flirt。”Itsoundbetter。
  HENo,I’vechangedmymindaboutthedrinkGood-night,~ttleladyIshallseeyouto-morrow?
  SHEYe-esGood-night,GuyDon’tbeangrywithme。
  HEAngry!YouknowItrustyouabsolutelyGood-nightand-Godblessyou!
  ThreesecondslaterAlone。Hmm!I’dgivesomethingtodiscoverwLetherthere’sanothermanatthebackofallthis。
  A~ond-RateWomanfuga,volviturrota,Onwedrift;whereloomsthedimport?
  ~9neTwoThreeFourFivecontrihutetheirquota:
  Somethingirgainedifonecaughtbuttheimport,Showitus,HuguesofSaxe-Gotha-
  Ma~terHuguesofSare-Gotha。
  “DRESSED!Don’ttellmethatwomaneverdressedinherlife。
  Shestoodinthemiddleofherroomwhileherayah-no,herhusband-itmusthavebeenanian-threwherclothesather。
  Shethendidherhairwithherfingers,andrubbedherbonnetintheflueunderthebedI
  knowshedid,aswellasifIhadassistedattheorgieWhoisshe?”saidMrsHauksbee。
  “Don’t!”saidMrsMallowe,feebly。
  “YoumakemyheadacheI’mmiserableto-dayStaymewithfondants,comfortmewithchocolates,forIam-DidyoubringanythingfromPeliti’s?”
  “QuestionstobeginwithYoushallhavethesweetswhenyouhaveansweredthemWhoandwhatisthecreature?Therewereatleasthalfadozenmenroundher,andsheappearedtobegoingtosleepintheirmidst。”
  “Delville。”saidMrsMallowe,“’Shady’Delville,todistinguishherfromMrsJimofthatilk。
  Shedancesasuntidilyasshedresses,Ibelieve,andherhusbandissomewhereinMadrasGoandca~l,ifyouaresointerested。”
  ’~WhathaveItodowithShigramitishwomen?Shemerelycaughtmyattentionforaminute,andIwonderedatTHEHILLOFILLUSION
  217
  ~opmequickorIshall-i-i-laughtillwegettotheChurch。
  HEForgoodness’sake,stop!Don’tmakeanexhibitionofyourselfWhatisthematterwithyou?
  SHEN-nothingI’mbetternowHEThat’sallrightOnemoment,dearThere’salittlewispofhairgotloosefrombehindyourrightearandit’sstragglingoveryourcheekSo!
  SHEThank’ooI’m’fraidmyhat’sononeside,too。
  ~IEWhatdoyouwearthesehugedaggerbonnet-skewersfor?
  They’rebigenoughtokillamanwith。
  SHEOh!Don’tkillme,though~~u’restickingitintomyhead!
  LetmedoitYoumenaresoclumsy。
  HEHaveyouhadmanyopportunitiesofcomparingus-inthissortofwork?
  SHEGuy,whatismyname?
  HEEh!Idon’tfollow。
  SHEHere’smycardcaseCany~uread?
  HEYesWell?
  SHEWell,thatanswersyourquestionYouknowtheotherman5
  nameAn’Isufficientlyhumbled,orwouldyouliketoaskmeifthereisanyoneelse?
  HEIseenowMydarling,InevermeantthatforaninstantIwasonlyjokingThere!Luckythere’snooneontheroadThey’dbescandalized。
  SHEThey’llbemorescandalizedbeforetheend。
  HEDo-on’t!Idon’tlikeyoutotalkinthatway。
  SHEUnreasonableman!Whoaskedmetofacethesituationandacceptit?-
  Tellme,doIlooklikeMrsPenner?DoIlooklikeanaughtywoman?SwearIdon’t!Givemeyourwordofhonor,myhonorablefriend,thatI’mnotlikeMrsBuzgagoThat’sthewayshestands,withherhandsclaspedatthebackofherheadD’youlikethat?
  HEDon’tbeaffected。
  SHEI’mnotI’mMrsBuzgagoListen!
  Pendantuneanne’touteentiereLeregimentn’apasr’naru。
  AuMinisteredelau,uerreOnler’portacommeperdu。
  Onser’noncaita’r’trouversatrace,Quandunmatinsubitement,Onlevitr’paraitresurla~ace,L’Coloneltoujoursenavant。
  That’sthewaysherollsherr’sAmIlikeher?
  HENo,butIobjectwhenyougoonlikeanactressandsingstuffofthatkindWhereintheworlddidyoupickuptheChansonduColonel?Itisn’tadrawing-roomsongItisn’tproper。
  SHEMrsBuzgagotaughtitmeSheisbothdrawing-roomandpropel,andinanothermonthshe’llshutheidrawing-roomtome,andthankGodsh~isn’tasimproperasIamOh,Guy,Guy!
  IwishIwaslikesemewomeuandhadnoscruplesabout-whatisicKeenesays?-“Wearingacorpse’shairandbeingfalsetothebreadtheyeat。”
  HEIamonlyamanoflimitedintelligence,andjustnow,verybewilderedWhenyouhavequitefinishedflashingthroughallyourmoodstellme,andI’lltrytounderstandthelastone。
  SHEMoods,Guy!Ihaven’tanyI’msixteenyearsoldandyou’rejusttwenty,andyou’vebeenwaitingfortwohoursoutsidetheschoolinthecoldAndnowI’vemetyou,andnowwe’r~