the wheels of chance-第21部分

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〃Jest　a　turning　or　two　more；　if　you　don't　mind；〃　said　Hoopdriver。

〃Jest　a　mile　or　so。　I　have　to　think　of　you；　you　know。　I　should　feel　more　easy。　If　we　was　locked　up；　you　knowNot　that　I　should　mind　on　my　own　account〃

They　rode　with　a　streaky；　grey　sea　coming　and　going　on　their　left　hand。　Every　mile　they　put　between　themselves　and　Chichester　Mr。　Hoopdriver　felt　a　little　less　conscience…stricken；　and　a　little　more　of　the　gallant　desperado。　Here　he　was　riding　on　a　splendid　machine　with　a　Slap…up　girl　beside　him。　What　would　they　think　of　it　in　the　Emporium　if　any　of　them　were　to　see　him？　He　imagined　in　detail　the　astonishment　of　Miss　Isaacs　and　of　Miss　Howe。　〃Why！　It's　Mr。　Hoopdriver；〃　Miss　Isaacs　would　say。　〃Never！〃　emphatically　from　Miss　Howe。　Then　he　played　with　Briggs；　and　then　tried　the　'G。V。'　in　a　shay。　〃Fancy　introducing　'em　to　herMy　sister　pro　tem。〃　He　was　her　brother　ChrisChris　what？Confound　it！　Harringon；　Hartingtonsomething　like　that。　Have　to　keep　off　that　topic　until　he　could　remember。　Wish　he'd　told　her　the　truth　nowalmost。　He　glanced　at　her。　She　was　riding　with　her　eyes　straight　ahead　of　her。　Thinking。　A　little　perplexed；　perhaps；　she　seemed。　He　noticed　how　well　she　rode　and　that　she　rode　with　her　lips　closeda　thing　he　could　never　manage。

Mr。　Hoopdriver's　mind　came　round　to　the　future。　What　was　she　going　to　do？　What　were　they　both　going　to　do？　His　thoughts　took　a　graver　colour。　He　had　rescued　her。　This　was　fine；　manly　rescue　work　he　was　engaged　upon。　She　ought　to　go　home；　in　spite　of　that　stepmother。　He　must　insist　gravely　but　firmly　upon　that。　She　was　the　spirited　sort；　of　course；　but　stillWonder　if　she　had　any　money？　Wonder　what　the　second…class　fare　from　Havant　to　London　is？　Of　course　he　would　have　to　pay　thatit　was　the　regular　thing；　he　being　a　gentleman。　Then　should　he　take　her　home？　He　began　to　rough　in　a　moving　sketch　of　the　return。　The　stepmother；　repentant　of　her　indescribable　cruelties；　would　be　present；even　these　rich　people　have　their　troubles；probably　an　uncle　or　two。　The　footman　would　announce；　Mr。（bother　that　name！）　and　Miss　Milton。　Then　two　women　weeping　together；　and　a　knightly　figure　in　the　background　dressed　in　a　handsome　Norfolk　jacket；　still　conspicuously　new。　He　would　conceal　his　feeling　until　the　very　end。　Then；　leaving；　he　would　pause　in　the　doorway　in　such　an　attitude　as　Mr。　George　Alexander　might　assume；　and　say；　slowly　and　dwindlingly：　〃Be　kind　to　herBE　kind　to　her；〃　and　so　depart；　heartbroken　to　the　meanest　intelligence。　But　that　was　a　matter　for　the　future。　He　would　have　to　begin　discussing　the　return　soon。　There　was　no　traffic　along　the　road；　and　he　came　up　beside　her　（he　had　fallen　behind　in　his　musing）。　She　began　to　talk。　〃Mr。　Denison；〃　she　began；　and　then；　doubtfully；　〃That　is　your　name？　I'm　very　stupid〃

〃It　is；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　（Denison；　was　it？　Denison；　Denison；　Denison。　What　was　she　saying？）

〃I　wonder　how　far　you　are　willing　to　help　me？〃　Confoundedly　hard　to　answer　a　question　like　that　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　without　steering　wildly。　〃You　may　rely〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　recovering　from　a　violent　wabble。　〃I　can　assure　you　I　want　to　help　you　very　much。　Don't　consider　me　at　all。　Leastways；　consider　me　entirely　at　your　service。〃　（Nuisance　not　to　be　able　to　say　this　kind　of　thing　right。）

〃You　see；　I　am　so　awkwardly　situated。〃

〃If　I　can　only　help　youyou　will　make　me　very　happy〃　There　was　a　pause。　Round　a　bend　in　the　road　they　came　upon　a　grassy　space　between　hedge　and　road；　set　with　yarrow　and　meadowsweet；　where　a　felled　tree　lay　among　the　green。　There　she　dismounted；　and　propping　her　machine　against　a　stone；　sat　down。　〃Here；　we　can　talk；〃　she　said。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　expectant。

She　answered　after　a　little　while；　sitting；　elbow　on　knee；　with　her　chin　in　her　hand；　and　looking　straight　in　front　of　her。　〃I　don't　knowI　am　resolved　to　Live　my　Own　Life。〃

〃Of　course；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　〃Naturally。〃

〃I　want　to　Live；　and　I　want　to　see　what　life　means。　I　want　to　learn。　Everyone　is　hurrying　me；　everything　is　hurrying　me；　I　want　time　to　think。〃

Mr。　Hoopdriver　was　puzzled；　but　admiring。　It　was　wonderful　how　clear　and　ready　her　words　were。　But　then　one　might　speak　well　with　a　throat　and　lips　like　that。　He　knew　he　was　inadequate；　but　he　tried　to　meet　the　occasion。　〃If　you　let　them　rush　you　into　anything　you　might　repent　of；　of　course　you'd　be　very　silly。〃

〃Don't　YOU　want　to　learn？〃　she　asked。

〃I　was　wondering　only　this　morning；〃　he　began；　and　stopped。

She　was　too　intent　upon　her　own　thoughts　to　notice　this　insufficiency。　〃I　find　myself　in　life；　and　it　terrifies　me。　I　seem　to　be　like　a　little　speck；　whirling　on　a　wheel；　suddenly　caught　up。　'What　am　I　here　for？'　I　ask。　Simply　to　be　here　at　a　timeI　asked　it　a　week　ago；　I　asked　it　yesterday；　and　I　ask　it　to…day。　And　little　things　happen　and　the　days　pass。　My　stepmother　takes　me　shopping；　people　come　to　tea；　there　is　a　new　play　to　pass　the　time；　or　a　concert；　or　a　novel。　The　wheels　of　the　world　go　on　turning；　turning。　It　is　horrible。　I　want　to　do　a　miracle　like　Joshua　and　stop　the　whirl　until　I　have　fought　it　out。　At　homeIt's　impossible。〃

Mr。　Hoopdriver　stroked　his　moustache。　〃It　IS　so；〃　he　said　in　a　meditative　tone。　〃Things　WILL　go　on；〃　he　said。　The　faint　breath　of　summer　stirred　the　trees；　and　a　bunch　of　dandelion　puff　lifted　among　the　meadowsweet　and　struck　and　broke　into　a　dozen　separate　threads　against　his　knee。　They　flew　on　apart；　and　sank；　as　the　breeze　fell；　among　the　grass：　some　to　germinate；　some　to　perish。　His　eye　followed　them　until　they　had　vanished。

〃I　can't　go　back　to　Surbiton；〃　said　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey。

〃EIGH？〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　catching　at　his　moustache。　This　was　an　unexpected　development。

〃I　want　to　write；　you　see；〃　said　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey；　〃to　write　Books　and　alter　things。　To　do　Good。　I　want　to　lead　a　Free　Life　and　Own　myself。　I　can't　go　back。　I　want　to　obtain　a　position　as　a　journalist。　I　have　been　toldBut　I　know　no　one　to　help　me　at　once。　No　one　that　I　could　go　to。　There　is　one　personShe　was　a　mistress　at　my　school。　If　I　could　write　to　herBut　then；　how　could　I　get　her　answer？〃

〃H'mp；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　very　grave。

〃I　can't　trouble　you　much　more。　You　have　comeyou　have　risked　things〃

〃That　don't　count；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　〃It's　double　pay　to　let　me　do　it；　so　to　speak。〃

〃It　is　good　of　you　to　say　that。　Surbiton　is　so　Conventional。　I　am　resolved　to　be　Unconventionalat　any　cost。　But　we　are　so　hampered。　If　I　could　only　burgeon　out　of　all　that　hinders　me！　I　want　to　struggle；　to　take　my　place　in　the　world。　I　want　to　be　my　own　mistress；　to　shape　my　own　career。　But　my　stepmother　objects　so。　She　does　as　she　likes　herself；　and　is　strict　with　me　to　ease　her　conscience。　And　if　I　go　back　now；　go　back　owning　myself　beaten〃　She　left　the　rest　to　his　imagination。

〃I　see　that；〃　agreed　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　He　MUST　help　her。　Within　his　skull　he　was　doing　some　intricate　arithmetic　with　five　pounds　six　and　twopence。　In　some　vague　way　he　inferred　from　all　this　that　Jessie　was　trying　to　escape　from　an　undesirable　marriage；　but　was　saying　these　things　out　of　modesty。　His　circle　of　ideas　was　so　limited。

〃You　know；　Mr。I've　forgotten　your　name　again。〃

Mr。　Hoopdriver　seemed　lost　in　abstraction。　〃You　can't　go　back　of　course；　quite　like　that；〃　he　said　thoughtfully。　His　ears　waxed　suddenly　red　and　his　cheeks　flushed。

〃But　what　IS　your　name？〃

〃Name！〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　〃Why！Benson；　of　course。〃

〃Mr。　Bensonyes　it's　really　very　stupid　of　me。　But　I　can　never　remember　names。　I　must　make　a　note　on　my　cuff。〃　She　clicked　a　little　silver　pencil　and　wrote　the　name　down。　〃If　I　could　write　to　my　friend。　I　believe　she　would　be　able　to　help　me　to　an　independent　life。　I　could　write　to　heror　telegraph。　Write；　I　think。　I　could　scarcely　explain　in　a　telegram。　I　know　she　would　help　me。〃

Clearly　there　was　only　one　course　open　to　a　gentleman　under　the　circumstances。　〃In　that　case；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　〃if　you　don't　mind　trusting　yourself　to　a　stranger；　we　might　continue　as　we　are　perhaps。　For　a　day　or　so。　Until　you　heard。〃　（Suppose　thirty　shillings　a　day；　that　gives　four　days；　say　four　thirties　is　hun'　and　twenty；　six　quid；well；　three　days；　say；　four　ten。）

〃You　are　very　good　to　me。〃

His　expression　was　eloquent。

〃Very　well；　then；　and　thank　you。　It's　wonderfulit's　more　than　I　deserve　that　you〃　She　dropped　the　theme　abruptly。　〃What　was　our　bill　at　Chichester？〃

〃Eigh？〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　feigning　a　certain　stupidity。　There　was　a　brief　discussion。　Secretly　he　was　delighted　at　her　insistence　in　paying。　She　carried　her　point。　Their　talk　came　round　to　their　immediate　plans　for　the　day。　They　decided　to　ride　easily；　through　Havant；　and　stop；　perhaps；　at　Fareham　or　Southampton。　For　the　previous　day　had　tried　them　both。　Holding　the　map　extended　on　his　knee；　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　eye　fell　by　chance　on　the　bicycle　at　his　feet。　〃That　bicycle；〃　he　remarked；　quite　irrelevantly；　〃wouldn't　look　the　same　machine　if　I　got　a　big；　double　Elarum　instead　of　that　little　bell。〃

〃Why？〃

〃Jest　a　thought。〃　A　pause。

〃Very　well；　then；Havant　and　lunch；〃　said　Jessie；　rising。

〃I　wish；　somehow；　we　could　have　managed　it　without　stealing　that　machine；〃　said　Hoopdriver。　〃Because　it　IS　stealing　it；　you