’Imustknowmoreofthis，sir，beforeyouleavethehouse，’saidLadyDemolines。Hesawthatbetweenthemboththeremightprobablybeaverybadquarterofanhourinstoreforhim；buthesworetohimselfthatnounionofdragonandtigressshouldextractfromhimawordthatcouldbetakenasapromiseofmarriage。
Theoldwomanwasnowkneelingbytheheadofthesofa，andJohnnywasstandingclosebyherside。SuddenlyMadalinaopenedhereyes——openedthemverywide，andgazedaroundher。Thenslowlysheraisedherselfonthesofa，andturnedherfacefirstuponhermotherandthenuponJohnny。’Youhere，mamma！’shesaid。
’Dearestone，Iamnearyou。Benotafraid，’saidherladyship。
’Afraid！WhyshouldIbeafraid？John！MyownJohn！Mamma，heismyown。’Andsheputoutherarmstohim，asthoughcallingtohimtocometoher。ThingswerenowverybadwithJohnEames——sobadthathewouldhavegivenaveryconsiderablelumpoutofLordDeGuest’slegacytobeabletoescapeatonceintothestreet。Thepowerofawoman，whenshechoosestouseitrecklessly，is，forthemoment，almostunbounded。
’Ihopeyoufindyourselfalittlebetter，’saidJohn，strugglingtospeak，asthoughhewerenotutterlycrushedbytheoccasion。
LadyDemolinesslowlyraisedherselffromherknees，helpingherselfwithherhandsagainsttheshoulderofthesofa——forthoughstillveryclever，shewasoldandstiff——andthenofferedbothherhandstoJohnny。Johnnycautiouslytookoneofthem，findinghimselfunabletodeclinethemboth。’Myson！’sheexclaimed；andbeforeheknewwherehewastheoldwomanhadsucceededinkissinghisnoseandwhiskers。’Myson！’shesaidagain。
Nowthatthetimehadcomeforfacingthedragonandthetigressintheirwrath。Iftheyweretobefacedatall，thetimeforfacingthemhadcertainlyarrived。’Idon’tquiteunderstand，’hesaid，almostinawhisper。Madalinaputoutonearmtowardshim，andthefingerstrembled。
Herlipswereopened，andthewhiterowofinteriorivorymightbeseenplainly；butatthepresentconjunctureofaffairsshespokenotaword。
Shespokenotaword；butherarmremainedstretchedtowardshim，andherfingersdidnotceasetotremble。
’Youdonotunderstand！’saidLadyDemolines，drawingherselfbackandlooking，inhershortopencloak，likeaknightwhohasdonnedhiscuirass，buthasforgottentoputonhisleg—gear。Andsheshookthebrightribbonsofhercap，asaknightinhiswrathshakesthecrestofhishelmet。’Youdonotunderstand，MrEames！Whatisit，sir，thatyoudonotunderstand？’
’Thereissomemisconception，Imean，’saidJohnny。
’Mother！’saidMadalina，turninghereyesfromherrecentlovertohertenderparent；tremblingallover，butstillkeepingherhandextended。
’Mother！’
’Mydarling！Butleavehimtome，dearest。Composeyourself。’
’’Twasthewordthathesaid——thismoment；beforehepressedmetohisheart。’
’Ithoughtyouwerefainting，’saidJohnny。
’Sir！’saidLadyDemolines，asshespoke，shookhercrest，andglaredathim，andalmostflewathiminherarmour。
’Itmaybethatnaturehasgivenwaywithme，andthatIhavebeeninadream，’saidMadalina。
’Thatwhichmineeyessawwasnodream，’saidLadyDemolines。’MrEames，Ihavegivenyouthesweetestnamethatcanfallfromanoldwoman’slips。Ihavecalledyoumyson。’
’Yes，youdid，Iknow。But，asIsaidbefore，thereissomemistake。I
knowhowproudIoughttobe，andhowhappy，andallthatkindofthing。
But——’ThentherecameascreechfromMadalina，whichwouldhaveawakenedthedead，hadtherebeenanydeadinthathouse。Thepageandcook，however，tooknonoticeofit，whethertheywereawakenedornot。
Andhavingscreeched，Madalinastooderectuponthefloor，andshealsoglaredatherrecreantlover。Thedragonandthetigerweretherebeforehimnow，andheknewthatitbehovedhimtolooktohimself。Ashehadabattletofight，mightitnotbebesttoputaboldfaceuponit？’Thetruthis，’saidhe，’thatIdon’tunderstandthiskindofthing。’
’Notunderstandit，sir？’saidthedragon。
’Leavehimtome，mother，’saidthetigress，shakingherheadagain，butwithakindofshakedifferingfromthatwhichshehadusedbefore。
’Thisismybusiness，andI’llhaveitoutformyself。IfhethinksIamgoingtoputupwiththiskindofnonsensehe’smistaken。I’vebeenstraightforwardandaboveboardwithyou，MrEames，andIexpecttobetreatedinthesamewayinreturn。Doyoumeantotellmymotherthatyoudenythatweareengaged？’
’Well；yes；Ido。I’mverysorry，youknow，ifIseemtobeuncivil——’
’It’sbecauseI’venobrother，’saidthetigress。’HethinksthatI
havenomannearmetoprotectme。ButheshallfindthatIcanprotectmyself。JohnEames，whyareyoutreatingmelikethis？’
’Ishallconsultmycousintheserjeanttomorrow，’saidthedragon。’Inthemeantimehemustremaininthishouse。Ishallnotallowthefrontdoortobeunlockedforhim。’
This，Ithink，wasthebitterestmomentofallforJohnny。TobeconfinedallnightinLadyDemolines’sdrawing—roomwould，ofitself，beanintolerablenuisance。Andthentheabsurdityofthething，andthestorythatwouldgoabroad！Andwhatwouldhesaytothedragon’scousintheserjeant，iftheserjeantshouldbebroughtuponthefieldbeforehewasabletoescapefromit？Hedidnotknowwhataserjeantmightnotdotohiminsuchcircumstances。Therewasonethingnoserjeantshoulddo，andnodragon！Betweenthemalltheyshouldneverforcehimtomarrythetigress。AtthismomentJohnnyheardatrampalongthepavement，andherushedtothewindow。Beforethedragonoreventhetigresscouldarresthim，hehadthrownopenthesash，andhadappealedinhisdifficultytotheguardianofthenight。’Isay，oldfellow，’saidJohnny，’don’tyoustirfromthattillItellyou。’Thepolicemanturnedhisbull’s—eyeuponthewindow，andstoodperfectlymotionless。’Now，ifyouplease，I’llsaygood—night，’saidJohnny。But，ashespokehestillheldtheopenwindowinhishand。
’Whatmeansthisviolenceinmyhouse？’saidthedragon。
’Mamma，youhadbetterlethimgo，’saidthetigress。’Weshallknowwheretofindhim。’
’Youwillcertainlybeabletofindme，’saidJohnny。
’Go，’saidthedragon，shakinghercrest——shakingallherarmourathim——’dastard，go！’
’Policeman，’shoutedJohnny，whilehestillheldtheopenwindowinhishand，’mindyoudon’tstirtillIcomeout。’Thebull’s—eyewasshiftedalittle，butthepolicemanneversaidaword。
’Iwishyouagood—night，LadyDemolines，’saidJohnny。’Good—night，MissDemolines。’Thenheleftthewindowandmadearunforthedoor。
Butthedragonwastherebeforehim。
’Lethimgo，mamma，’saidthetigressassheclosedthewindow。’Weshallonlyhavearumpus。’
’Thatwillbeall，’saidJohnny。’Thereisn’ttheslightestuseinyourtryingtokeepmehere。’
’Andarewenevertoseeyouagain？’saidthetigress，almostlanguishingagainwithoneeye。
’Well；no。Whatwouldbetheuse？Nomanlikestobeshutin，youknow。’
’Go，then，’saidthetigress；’butifyouthinkthatthisistobetheendofityou’llfindyourselfwonderfullymistaken。Youpoorfalse，drivellingcreature！LilyDalewon’ttouchyouwithapairoftongs。
It’snouseyourgoingtoher。’
’Goaway，sir，thismoment，anddon’tcontaminatemyroomaninstantlongerbyyourpresence，’saidthedragon，whohadobservedthroughthewindowthebull’s—eyewasstillinfullforcebeforethehouse。ThenJohnEameswithdrew，anddescendingintothehallmadehiswayinthedarktothefrontdoor。Foraughtheknewtheremightstillbetreacheryinregardtothelock；buthisheartwascomfortedasheheardthefootfallofthepolicemanonthedoor—step。Withmuchfumblinghesucceededatlastinturningthekeyanddrawingthebolt，andthenhefoundhimselfatlibertyinthestreet。Beforeheevenspokeawordtothepolicemanhewentoutintotheroadandlookedupatthewindow。Hecouldjustseethefigureofthedragon’shelmetasshewasclosingtheshutters。ItwasthelastheeversawofLadyDemolinesorherdaughter。
’Whatwasitallabout？’saidthepoliceman。
’Idon’tknowthatIcanjusttellyou，’saidJohnny，searchinginhispocket—bookforhalfasovereignwhichhetenderedtotheman。’Therewasalittledifficulty，andI’moblig...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：