walkinghometogetherDoesthatsuityou，MyImperialMajesty？
HENoWearen’tchildrenWhycan’ty~uberational？
SHEHeasksmethatwhenI’mgoingtoommitsuicideforhi~
sake，and，and-Idon’twanttobeFrenchandraveaboutmymother，buthaveIevertoldyouthatI
haveamother，andabrotherwhowasmypetbeforeImarried？He’smarriednowCan’tyouimaginethepleasurethatthenewsoftheelopementwillgivehim？HaveyouanypeopleatHome，Guy，tobepleasedwithyourperformances？
HEOneortwoOnecan’tmakeomeletswithoutbreakingeggs。
SHEslowlyIdon’tseethenecessity-HEHah！Whatdoyoumean？SHEShallIspeakthetruth？HEUnderthecircumstances，perhapsitwouldbeaswell。
SHEGuy，I’mafraid。
HEIthoughtwe’dsettledallthatWhatof？
SHEOfyou。
HEOh，damnitall！Theoldbusiness！Thisistoohad！
SHEOfyou。
HEAndwhatnow？
SHEWhatdoyouthinkofme？
HEBesidethequestionaltogetherWhatdoyouintendtodo？
SHEIdaren’triskitI’mafraidIfIcouldonlycheat-HEAinBuzgago？No，thanks。
That’stheonepointonwhichIhaveanynotionofHonorIwon’teathissaltandstealtooI’lllootopenlyornotatall。
SHEInevermeantanythingelse。
HEThen，whyintheworlddoyoupretendnottobewillingtocome？
SHEIt’snotpretence，GuyIamafraid。
HEPleaseexplain。
SHEItcan’tlast，GuyItcan’tlastYou’llgetangry，andthenyou’llswear，andthenyou’llgetjealous，andthenyou’llmistrustme-youdonoaeandyouyourselfwillbethebestreasonfordoubtingAndI-whatshallIdo？IshallbenobetterthanMrs。
Buzgagofoundout-nobetterthananyoneAndyou’llknowthatOh，Guy，can’tyousee？
HEIseethatyouaredesperatelyunreasonable，littlewoman。
SHEThere！ThemomentIbegintoobject，yougetangryWhatwilJyoudowhenIamonlyyourproperty-stoleiiproperty？Itcan’tbe，GuyItcan’the！I
thoughtitcould，butitcan’tYou’llgettiredofme。
HEItellyouIshallnotWon’tanythingmakeyouunderstandthat？
SHEThere，can’tyousee？Ifyouspeaktomelikethatnow，you’llcallmehorriblenameslater，ifIdon’tdoeverythingasyoulikeAndifyouwerecrueltome，Guy，whereshouldIgo-whereshouldIgo？Ican’ttrustyouOh！Ican’ttrustyou！
HEIsupposeIoughttosaythatIcantrustyouI’veamplereason。
SHEPleasedon’t，dearIthurtsasmuchasifyouhitme。
HEItisn’texactlypleasantformeSHEIcan’thelpitIwishI
weredead！Ican’ttrustyou，andIdon’ttrustmyselfOh，Guy，letitdieawayandbeforgotten！
HEToolatenowIdon’tunderstandyou-Iwon’t-andIcan’ttrust218
WORKSOFRUDYARDKIPLING
walkinghometogetherDoesthatsuityou，MyImperialMajesty？
HENoWearen’tchildrenWhycan’ty~uberational？
SHEHeasksmethatwhenI’mgoingtoommitsuicideforhissake，and，and-Idon’twanttobeFrenchandraveaboutmymother，buthaveIevertoldyouthatI
haveamother，andabrotherwhowasmypetbeforeImarried？He’smarriednowCan’tyouimaginethepleasurethatthenewsoftheelopementwillgivehim？HaveyouanypeopleatHome，Guy，tobepleasedwithyourperformances？
HEOneortwoOnecan’tmakeomeletswithoutbreakingeggs。
SHEslowlyIdon’tseethenecessity-HEHah！Whatdoyoumean？SHEShallIspeakthetruth？HEUnderthecircumstances，perhapsitwouldbeaswell。
SHEGuy，I’mafraid。
HEIthoughtwe’dsettledallthatWhatof？
SHEOfyou。
HEOh，damnitall！Theoldbusiness！Thisistoobad！
SHEOfyou。
HEAndwhatnow？
SHEWhatdoyouthinkofme？
HEBesidethequestionaltogetherWhatdoyouintendtodo？
SHEIdaren’triskitI’mafraidIfIcouldonlycheat-HEAinBuzgago？No，thanks。
That’stheonepointonwhichIhaveanynotionofHonorIwon’teathissaltandstealtooI’lllootopenlyornotatall。
SHEInevermeantanythingelse。
HFThen，whyintheworlddoyoupretendnottobewillingtocome？
SHEIt’snotpretence，GuyIamafraid。
HEPleaseexplain。
SHEItcan’tlast，GuyItcan’tlastYou’llgetangry，andthenyou’llswear，andthenyou’llgetjealous，andthenyou’llmistrustme-youdonoaeandyouyourselfwillbethebestreasonfordoubtingAndI-whatshallIdo？IshallbenobetterthanMrs。
Buzgagofoundout-nobetterthananyoneAndyou’llknowthatOh，Guy，can’tyousee？
HEIseethatyouaredesperat~yunreasonable，littlewoman。
SHEThere！ThemomentIbegintoobject，yougetangryWhatwillyoudowhenIamonlyyourproperty-stolenproperty？Itcan’tbe，GuyItcan’tbe！I
thoughtitcould，butitcan’tYou’llgettiredofme。
HEItellyouIshallnotWon’tanythingmakeyouunderstandthat？
SHEThere，can’tyousee？Ifyouspeaktomelikethatnow，you’llcallmehorriblenameslater，ifIdon’tdoeverythingasyoulikeAndifyouwerecrueltome，Guy，whereshouldIgewhereshouldIgo？Ican’ttrustyouOh！Ican’ttrustyou！
HEIsupposeIoughttosaythatIcantrustyouI’veamplereason。
SHEPleasedon’t，dearIthurtsasmuchasifyouhitme。
HEItisn’texactlypleasantformeSHEIcan’thelpitIwishI
weredead！Ican’ttrustyou，andIdon’ttrustmyselfOh，Guy，letitdieawayandbeforgotten！
HEToolatenowIdon’tunderstandyou-Iwon’t-andIcan’ttrustTHEHILLOF
stopmequickorIshall-l-l-laughtillwegettotheChurch。
HEforgoodness’sake，stop！Don’tmakeanexhibitionofyourselfWhatisthematterwithyou？
SHEN-nothingI’mbetternow。
HEThat’sallrightOnemoment，dearThere’salittlewispofhairgotloosefrombehindyourrightearandit’sstragglingoveryourcheekSo！
SHEThank’ooI’m’fraidmyhat’sononeside，too。
~IEWhatdoyouwearthesehugedaggerbonnet-skewersfor？
They’rebigenoughtokillamanwith。
SHEOh！Don’tkillme，though~~u’restickingitintomyhead！
LetmedoitYoumenaresocl“msy。
HEHaveyouhadmanyopportunitiesofcomparingus-inthissortofwork？
SHEGuy，whatismyname？
HEEh！Idon’tfollow。
SHEHere’smycardcaseCany~uread？
HEYesWell？
SHEWell，thatanswersyourquestionYouknowtheotherman5nameAmIsufficientlyhumbled，orwouldyouliketoaskmeifthereisanyoneelse？
HEIseenowMydarling，InevermeantthatforaninstantI
wasonlyjokingThere！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’paru。
AuMinisteredela“OCrrC
Onler’portacommeperdu。
Onser’noncaita’r’trouversatrace，Quandunmatinsuhitement，Onlevitr’paraitresurlaplace，L’Coloneltoujoursenavant。
That’sthewaysherollsherr’sAmIlikeher？
HENo，butIobjectwhenyougoonlikeanactressandsingstuffofthatkindWhereintheworlddidyoupickuptheChansonduColonel？Itisn’tadrawing-roomsongItisn’tproper。
SHEMrsBuzgagotaughtitmeSheisbothdrawing-roomandproper，andinanothermonthshe’llshuthe，’drawing-roomtome，andthankGodsheisn’tasimproperasIamOh，Guy；Guy！
IwishIwaslikesemewomeuandhadnoscruplesabout-whatisi~Keenesays？-’~Wearingacorpse’shai~andbeingfalsetothebreadtheyeat。”
HEIamonlyamanoflimitedin’telligence，andjustnow，verybewilderedWhenyouhavequitefinishedflashingthroughallyourmoodstellme，andI’lltrytounderstandthelastone。
SHEMoods，Guy！Ihaven’tanyI’msixteenyearsoldandyou’rejusttwenty，andyou’vebeenwaitingfortwohoursoutsidetheschoolinthecoldAndnowI’vemetyou，andnowwe’rewalkinghometogetherDoesthatsuityou，MyImperialMajesty？
HENoWearen’tchildrenWhycan’tyouberational？
SHEHeasksmethatwhenI’mgoingtosommitsuicideforhissake，and，and-Idon’twanttobeFrenchandraveaboutmymother，buthaveIevertoldyouthat###第47章
haveamother，andabrotherwhowasmypetbeforeImarried？He’smarriednowCan’tyouimaginethepleasurethatthenewsoftheelopementwillgivehim？HaveyouanypeopleatHome，Guy，tobepleasedwithyourperformances？
HEOneortwoOnecan’tmakeomeletswithoutbreakingeggs。
SHEslowlyIdon’tseethenecessity-HEHahIWhatdoyoumean？SHEShallIspeakthetruth？HEUnderthecircumstances，perhapsitwouldbeaswell。
SHEGuy，I’mafraid。
HEIthoughtwe’dsettledallthatWhatof？
SHEOfyou。
HEOh，damnitall！Theoldbusiness！Thisistoobad！
SHEOfyou。
HEAndwhatnow？
SHEWhatdoyouthinkofme？
HEBesidethequestionaltogetherWhatdoyouintendtodo？
SHEIdaren’triskitI’mafraidIfIcouldonlycheat-HEAIaBuzgago？No，thanks。
That’stheonepointonwhichIhaveanynotionofHonorIwon’teathissaltandstealtooI’lllootopenlyornotatall。
SHEInevermeantanythingelse。
HEThen，whyintheworlddoyoupretendnottobewillingtocome？
SHEIt’snotpretence，GuyIamafraid。
HEPleaseexplain。
SHEItcan’tlast，GuyItcan’tlastYou’llgetangry，andthenyou’llswear，andthenyou’llgetjealous，andthenyou’llmistrustme-youdono~andyouyourselfwfllbethebestreasonfordoubtingAndI-whatshallIdo？IshallbenobetterthanMrs。
Buzgagofoundout-nobetterthananyoneAndyou’llknowthatOh，Guy，can’tyousee？
HEIseethatyouaredesperatelyunreasonable，littlewoman。
SHEThere！ThemomentIbegintoobject，yougetangryWhatwillyoudowhenIamonlyyourproperty-stolenproperty？Itcan’tbe，GuyItcan’tbe！I
thoughtitcould，butitcan’tYou’llgettiredofme。
HEItellyouIshallnotWon’tanythingmakeyouunderstandthat？
SHEThere，can’tyousee？Ifyouspeaktomelikethatnow，you’llcallmehorriblenameslater，ifIdon’tdoeverythingasyoulikeAndifyouwerecrueltome，Guy，whereshouldIgo~whereshouldIgo？Ican’ttrustyouOh！Ican’ttrustyou！
HEIsupposeIoughttosaythatIcantrustyouI’veamplereason。
SHE，Pleasedon’t，deanIthurtsasmuchasifyouhitme。
HEItisn’texactlypleasantformeSHEIcan’thelpitIwishI
weredead！Ican’ttrustyou，andIdon’ttrustmyselfOh，Guy，letitdieawayandbeforgotten！
HEToolatenowIdon’tunderstandyou-Iwon’t-andIcan’ttrustASECOND-RATE
myselftotalkthiseveningMayIcallto-morrow？
SHEYesNo！Oh，givemetime！ihedayafterIgetintomy’rickshawhereandmeetHimatPeliti’sYouride。
HEI’llgoontoPeliti’stooIthinkIwantadrinkMyworld’sknockedaboutmyearsandthestarsarefalling。
WhoarethosebruteshowlingintheOldLibrary？
SHETbey’rerehearsingthesingingquadrillesfortheFancyBall。
Can’tyoubearMrsBuzgago’svoice？ShehasasoloIt’squiteanewideaListen。
MRSBUZOAGOintheOldLibrary，conmoltexp。。
Seesaw！MargeryDaw！
Soldherbedtolieuponstraw。
Wasn’tsheasillyslutTosellherbedandlieupondirt？
CaptainCongleton，I’mgoingtoalterthatto“flirt。”Itsoundbetter。
HENo，I’vechangedmymindaboutthedrinkGood-night，~ttleladyIshallseeyouto-morrow？
SHEY~esGood-night，GuyDon’tbeangrywithme。
HEAngry！YouknowItrustyouabsolutelyGood-nightand-Godblessyou！
ThreesecondslaterAlone。Hmm！I’dgivesomethingtodiscoverwketherthere’sanothermanatthebackofallthis。
A~ond-RateWomanlls~fuga，volviturrota，Onwedrift；whereloomsthedimport？
~neTwoThreeFourFivecontributetheirquotaSomethingigainedifonecaughtbuttheimport，~howitus，HuguesofSaxe-Gotha-
~IasterHuguesofSoxe-Go~ha。
“DRESSED！Don’ttellmethatwomaneverdressedinherlife。
Shestoodinthemiddleofherroomwhileherayah-no，herhusband-itmusthavebeenaatan-threwherclothesather。
Shethendidherhairwithherfingers，andsubbedherbonnetintheflueunderthebedI
knowshedid，aswellasifIhadassistedattheorgieWhoisshe？”saidMrsHauksbee。
“Don’t！”saidMrsMallowe，feebly。
“YoumakemyheadacheI’mmiser-ableto-dayStaymewithfondants，comfortmewithchocolates，forIam-DidyoubringanythingfromPeliti’s？”
“QuestionstobeginwithYoushallhavethesweetswhenyouhaveansweredthemWhoandwhatisthecreature？Therewereatleasthalfadozenmenroundher，andsheappearedtobegoingtosleepintheirmidst。”
“Delville。”saidMrsMallowe，“’Shady’Delville，todistinguishherfromMrsJimofthatilk。
Shedancesasuntidilyasshedresses，Ibelieve，andherhusbandissomewhereinMadrasGoandca~，ifyouaresointerested。”
“WhathaveItodowithShigramitishwomen？Shemerelycaughtmyattentionforaminute，andIwonderedat~2O
WORKSOFRUDYARDKIPLING
theattractionthatadowdhasforacertaintypeofmanIexpectedtoseeherwalkoutofherclothes-untilIlookedathereyes。”
“Hooksandeyes，surely。”drawledMrsMallowe。
“Don’tbeclever，PollyYoumakemyheadacheAndroundthishayrickstoodacrowdofmen-apositivecrowd！”
“Perhapstheyalsoexpected“-“Polly，don’tbeRabelaisian！”
MrsMallowecurledherselfupcomfortablyonthesofa，andturnedherattentiontothesweets。
SheandMrsHauksbeesharedthesamehouseatSimla；andthesethingsbefelltwoseasonsafterthematterofOtisYeere，whichhasbeenalreadyrecorded。
MrsHauksbeesteppedintotheverandaandlookeddownupontheMall，herforeheadpuckeredwiththought。
“Hah！”saidMrsHauksbee，shortly“Indeed！”
“Whatisit？”saidMrsMallowe，sleepily。
“ThatdowdandTheDancingMaster-towhomIobject。”
“WhytoTheDancingMaster？Heisamiddle-agedgentleman，ofreprobateandromantictendencies，andtriestobeafriendofmine。”
“ThenmakeupyourmindtolosehimDowdsclingbynature，andIshouldimaginethatthisani1nal-howterribleherbonnetlooksfromabove！-isspeciallyclingsome。”
“SheiswelcometoTheDancingMastersofarasIamconcernedI
nevercouldtakeaninterestinamonotonousliarThefrustratedaimofhislifeistopersuadepeoplethatheisabachelor。”
“0-oh！IthinkI’vemetthatsortofmanbeforeAndisn’the？”
“NoHeconfidedthattomeafewdaysagoUgh！Somemenoughttohekilled。”
“Whathappenedthen？”
“Heposedasthehorrorofhorrors-amisunderstoodmanHeavenknowsthefemmeincomfriseissadenoughandhadenough-buttheotherthing！”
“Andsofattoo！IshouldhavelaughedinhisfaceMenseldomconfideinmeHowisittheycometoyou？”
“Forthesakeofimpressingmewiththeircareersinthepast。
Protectmefrommenwithconfidences！”
“Andyetyouencouragethem？”
“WhatcanIdo？TheytalkIlisten，andtheyvowthatIamsympatheticIknowIalwaysprofessastonishmentevenwhentheplotis-ofthemostoldpossible。”
“YesMenaresounblushinglyexplicitiftheyareonceallowedtotalk，whereaswomen’sconfidencesarefullofreservationsandfibs，except“-“WhentheygomadandbabbleoftheUnutterabilitiesafteraweek’sacquaintanceReally，ifyoucometoconsider，weknowagreatdealmoreofmenthanofourownsex。”
“Andtheextraordinarythingisthatmenwillneverbelieveit。
Theysaywearetryingtohidesomething。”
“TheyaregenerallydoingthatontheirownaccountAlas！Thesechocolatespalluponme，andI
haven’teatenmorethanadozenIthinkIshallgotosleep。”
“Thenyou’llgetfatdearIfyovASECOND-RATEWOMAN
tookmoree~erciseandamoreintelligentinterestinyourneighborsyouwould~’-“BeasmuchlovedasMrsHauksbeeYou’readarlinginmanywaysandIlikeyou-youarenotawoman’swoman-butwhydoyoutroubleyour-selfaboutmerehumanbeings？”
“Becauseintheabsenceofangels，whoIamsurewouldbehorriblydull，menandwomenarethemostfascinatingthingsinthewholewideworld，lazyoneI
aminterestedinTheDowd-IaminterestedinTheDancingMaster-IaminterestedintheHawleyBoy-andIaminterestedinyou。”
“WhycouplemewiththeHawleyBoy？Heisyourproperty。”
“Yes，andinhisownguilelessspeech，I’mmakingagoodthingoutofhimWhenheisslightlymorereformed，andhaspassedhisHigherStandard，orwhatevertheauthoritiesthinkfittoexactfromhim，Ishallselectaprettylittlegirl，theHoltgirl，Ithink，and“-hereshewavedherhandsairily-“’whomMrsItauksbeebathjoinedtogetherletnomanputasunder。’That’sall。”
“AndwhenyouhaveyokedMayHoltwiththemostnotoriousdetrimentalinSimla，andearnedtheundyinghatredofMammaHolt，whatwillyoudowithme，DispenseroftheDestiniesoftheUniverse？”
MrsHauksbeedroppedintoalowchairinfrontofthefire，and，chininband，gazedlongandsteadfastlyatMrsMallowe。
’Idonotknow。”shesaid，shakingherhead，“whotIshalldowithyou，dearIt’sobviouslyimpossibletomarryyoutosomeoneels~yourhusbandwouldobjectandtheexperimentmightnotbesuccessfulafterallIthinkIshallbe-ginbypreventingyoufrom-whatisit？-
’sleepingonale-housebenchesandsnoringinthesun。’“
“Don’t！Idon’tlikeyourquotationsTheyaresorudeGototheLibraryandbringmenewbooks。”
“Whileyousleep？NolIfyoudon’tcomewithme，Ishallspreadyournewestfrockonmy’rickshaw-bow，andwhenanyoneasksmewhatIamdoing，IshallsaythatIamgoingtoPhelps’stogetitletoutIshalltakecarethat~irsMacNamaraseesmePutyourthingson，there’sagoodgirl。”
MrsMallowegroanedandobeyed，andthetwowentofftotheLibrary，wheretheyfoundMrs。
DelvilleandthemanwhowentbythenicknameofTheDancingMasterBythattimeMrsMallowewasawakeandeloquent。
“ThatistheCreature！”saidMrsHauksbee，withtheairofonepointingoutaslugintheroad。
“No。”saidMrsMallowe“ThemanistheCreatureUgh！
Good-evening，MrBentIthoughtyouwerecomingtoteathisevening。”
“Surelyitwasforto-morrow，wasitnot？”answeredTheDancingMaster“Iunderstood-I
fancied。