the wheels of chance-第14部分
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〃She'll be a nice little lot to marry；〃 said the barmaid。 〃She'll be wearing thewell； b…dashes； as the sayin' is。 I can't think what girls is comin' to。〃
This depreciation of the Young Lady in Grey was hardly to Hoopdriver's taste。
〃Fashion；〃 said he； taking up his change。 〃Fashion is all the go with you ladiesand always was。 You'll be wearing 'em yourself before a couple of years is out。〃
〃Nice they'd look on my figger；〃 said the barmaid； with a titter。 〃NoI ain't one of your fashionable sort。 Gracious no！ I shouldn't feel as if I'd anything on me； not more than if I'd forgot Well； there！ I'm talking。〃 She put down the glass abruptly。 〃I dessay I'm old fashioned；〃 she said； and walked humming down the bar。
〃Not you；〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver。 He waited until he caught her eye； then with his native courtesy smiled； raised his cap； and wished her good evening。
XIX
Then Mr。 Hoopdriver returned to the little room with the lead…framed windows where he had dined； and where the bed was now comfortably made； sat down on the box under the window； stared at the moon rising on the shining vicarage roof； and tried to collect his thoughts。 How they whirled at first！ It was past ten； and most of Midhurst was tucked away in bed； some one up the street was learning the violin； at rare intervals a belated inhabitant hurried home and woke the echoes； and a corncrake kept up a busy churning in the vicarage garden。 The sky was deep blue； with a still luminous afterglow along the hlack edge of the hill； and the white moon overhead； save for a couple of yellow stars； had the sky to herself。
At first his thoughts were kinetic； of deeds and not relationships。 There was this malefactor； and his victim； and it had fallen on Mr。 Hoopdriver to take a hand in the game。 HE was married。 Did she know he was married？ Never for a moment did a thought of evil concerning her cross Hoopdriver's mind。 Simple… minded people see questions of morals so much better than superior personswho have read and thought themselves complex to impotence。 He had heard her voice； seen the frank light in her eyes； and she had been weepingthat sufficed。 The rights of the case he hadn't properly grasped。 But he would。 And that smirking… …well； swine was the mildest for him。 He recalled the exceedingly unpleasant incident of the railway bridge。 〃Thin we won't detain yer； thenks；〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver； aloud； in a strange； unnatural； contemptible voice； supposed to represent that of Bechamel。 〃Oh； the BEGGAR！ I'll be level with him yet。 He's afraid of us detectivesthat I'll SWEAR。〃 （If Mrs。 Wardor should chance to be on the other side of the door within earshot； well and good。）
For a space he meditated chastisements and revenges； physical impossibilities for the most part；Bechamel staggering headlong from the impact of Mr。 Hoopdriver's large； but； to tell the truth； ill supported fist； Bechamel's five feet nine of height lifted from the ground and quivering under a vigorously applied horsewhip。 So pleasant was such dreaming； that Mr。 Hoopdriver's peaked face under the moonlight was transfigured。 One might have paired him with that well…known and universally admired triumph； 'The Soul's Awakening；' so sweet was his ecstasy。 And presently with his thirst for revenge glutted by six or seven violent assaults； a duel and two vigorous murders； his mind came round to the Young Lady in Grey again。
She was a plucky one too。 He went over the incident the barmaid at the Angel had described to him。 His thoughts ceased to be a torrent； smoothed down to a mirror in which she was reflected with infinite clearness and detail。 He'd never met anything like her before。 Fancy that bolster of a barmaid being dressed in that way！ He whuffed a contemptuous laugh。 He compared her colour； her vigour； her voice； with the Young Ladies in Business with whom his lot had been cast。 Even in tears she was beautiful； more beautiful indeed to him； for it made her seem softer and weaker； more accessible。 And such weeping as he had seen before had been so much a matter of damp white faces； red noses； and hair coming out of curl。 Your draper's assistant becomes something of a judge of weeping； because weeping is the custom of all Young Ladies in Business； when for any reason their services are dispensed with。 She could weepand （by Gosh！） she could smile。 HE knew that； and reverting to acting abruptly； he smiled confidentially at the puckered pallor of the moon。
It is difficult to say how long Mr。 Hoopdriver's pensiveness lasted。 It seemed a long time before his thoughts of action returned。 Then he remembered he was a 'watcher'； that to…morrow he must be busy。 It would be in character to make notes； and he pulled out his little note…book。 With that in hand he fell a…thinking again。 Would that chap tell her the 'tecks were after them？ If so； would she be as anxious to get away as HE was？ He must be on the alert。 If possible he must speak to her。 Just a significant word； 〃Your friendtrust me！〃It occurred to him that to…morrow these fugitives might rise early to escape。 At that he thought of the time and found it was half…past eleven。 〃Lord！〃 said he； 〃I must see that I wake。〃 He yawned and rose。 The blind was up； and he pulled back the little chintz curtains to let the sunlight strike across to the bed； hung his watch within good view of his pillow； on a nail that supported a kettle…holder； and sat down on his bed to undress。 He lay awake for a little while thinking of the wonderful possibilities of the morrow； and thence he passed gloriously into the wonderland of dreams。
THE PURSUIT
XX
And now to tell of Mr。 Hoopdriver； rising with the sun； vigilant； active； wonderful； the practicable half of the lead…framed window stuck open； ears alert； an eye flickering incessantly in the corner panes； in oblique glances at the Angel front。 Mrs。 Wardor wanted him to have his breakfast downstairs in her kitchen； but that would have meant abandoning the watch； and he held out strongly。 The bicycle； cap…a…pie； occupied； under protest； a strategic position in the shop。 He was expectant by six in the morning。 By nine horrible fears oppressed him that his quest had escaped him； and he had to reconnoitre the Angel yard in order to satisfy himself。 There he found the ostler （How are the mighty fallen in these decadent days！） brushing down the bicycles of the chase； and he returned relieved to Mrs。 Wardor's premises。 And about ten they emerged； and rode quietly up the North Street。 He watched them until they turned the corner of the post office； and then out into the road and up after them in fine style！ They went by the engine…house where the old stocks and the whipping posts are； and on to the Chichester road； and he followed gallantly。 So this great chase began。
They did not look round； and he kept them just within sight； getting down if he chanced to draw closely upon them round a corner。 By riding vigorously he kept quite conveniently near them； for they made but little hurry。 He grew hot indeed； and his knees were a little stiff to begin with； but that was all。 There was little danger of losing them； for a thin chalky dust lay upon the road； and the track of her tire was milled like a shilling； and his was a chequered ribbon along the way。 So they rode by Cobden's monument and through the prettiest of villages； until at last the downs rose steeply ahead。 There they stopped awhile at the only inn in the place； and Mr。 Hoopdriver took up a position which commanded the inn door； and mopped his face and thirsted and smoked a Red Herring cigarette。 They remained in the inn for some time。 A number of chubby innocents returning home from school； stopped and formed a line in front of him； and watched him quietly but firmly for the space of ten minutes or so。 〃Go away；〃 said he； and they only seemed quietly interested。 He asked them all their names then； and they answered indistinct murmurs。 He gave it up at last and became passive on his gate； and so at length they tired of him。
The couple under observation occupied the inn so long that Mr。 Hoopdriver at the thought of their possible employment hungered as well as thirsted。 Clearly； they were lunching。 It was a cloudless day； and the sun at the meridian beat down upon the top of Mr。 Hoopdriver's head； a shower bath of sunshine； a huge jet of hot light。 It made his head swim。 At last they emerged； and the other man in brown looked back and saw him。 They rode on to the foot of the down； and dismounting began to push tediously up that long nearly vertical ascent of blinding white road； Mr。 Hoopdriver hesitated。 It might take them twenty minutes to mount that。 Beyond was empty downland perhaps for miles。 He decided to return to the inn and snatch a hasty meal。
At the inn they gave him biscuits and cheese and a misleading pewter measure of sturdy ale； pleasant under the palate； cool in the throat； but leaden in the legs； of a hot afternoon。 He felt a man of substance as he emerged in the blinding sunshine； but even by the foot of the down the sun was insisting again that his skull was too small for his brains。 The hill had gone steeper； the chalky road blazed like a magnesium light； and his front wheel began an apparently incurable squeaking。 He felt as a man fr
