the wheels of chance-第26部分

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know；〃　he　was　explaining　with　a　happy　fluke　of　his　imagination　to　account　for　his　ignorance。　Then　suddenly；　heralded　by　clattering　sounds　and　a　gride　of　wheels；　Dangle　had　flared　and　thundered　across　the　tranquillity　of　the　summer　evening；　Dangle；　swaying　and　gesticulating　behind　a　corybantic　black　horse；　had　hailed　Jessie　by　her　name；　had　backed　towards　the　hedge　for　no　ostensible　reason；　and　vanished　to　the　accomplishment　of　the　Fate　that　had　been　written　down　for　him　from　the　very　beginning　of　things。　Jessie　and　Hoopdriver　had　scarcely　time　to　stand　up　and　seize　their　machines；　before　this　tumultuous；　this　swift　and　wonderful　passing　of　Dangle　was　achieved。　He　went　from　side　to　side　of　the　road；worse　even　than　the　riding　forth　of　Mr。　Hoopdriver　it　was；　and　vanished　round　the　corner。

〃He　knew　my　name；〃　said　Jessie。　〃Yesit　was　Mr。　Dangle。〃

〃That　was　our　bicycles　did　that；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver　simultaneously；　and　speaking　with　a　certain　complacent　concern。　〃I　hope　he　won't　get　hurt。〃

〃That　was　Mr。　Dangle；〃　repeated　Jessie；　and　Mr。　Hoopdriver　heard　this　time；　with　a　violent　start。　His　eyebrows　went　up　spasmodically。

〃What！　someone　you　know？〃　

〃Yes。〃　

〃Lord！〃

〃He　was　looking　for　me；〃　said　Jessie。　〃I　could　see。　He　began　to　call　to　me　before　the　horse　shied。　My　stepmother　has　sent　him。〃

Mr。　Hoopdriver　wished　he　had　returned　the　bicycle　after　all；　for　his　ideas　were　still　a　little　hazy　about　Bechamel　and　Mrs。　Milton。　Honesty　IS　the　best　policyoften；　he　thought。　He　turned　his　head　this　way　and　that。　He　became　active。　〃After　us；　eigh？　Then　he'll　come　back。　He's　gone　down　that　hill；　and　he　won't　be　able　to　pull　up　for　a　bit；　I'm　certain。〃　

Jessie；　he　saw；　had　wheeled　her　machine　into　the　road　and　was　mounting。　Still　staring　at　the　corner　that　had　swallowed　up　Dangle；　Hoopdriver　followed　suit。　And　so；　just　as　the　sun　was　setting；　they　began　another　flight　together；riding　now　towards　Bishops　Waltham；　with　Mr。　Hoopdriver　in　the　post　of　dangerthe　rearever　and　again　looking　over　his　shoulder　and　swerving　dangerously　as　he　did　so。　Occasionally　Jessie　had　to　slacken　her　pace。　He　breathed　heavily；　and　hated　himself　because　his　mouth　fell　open；　After　nearly　an　hour's　hard　riding；　they　found　themselves　uncaught　at　Winchester。　Not　a　trace　of　Dangle　nor　any　other　danger　was　visible　as　they　rode　into　the　dusky；　yellow…lit　street。　Though　the　bats　had　been　fluttering　behind　thehedges　and　the　evening　star　was　bright　while　they　were　still　two　miles　from　Winchester；　Mr。　Hoopdriver　pointed　out　the　dangers　of　stopping　in　such　an　obvious　abiding…place；　and　gently　but　firmly　insisted　upon　replenishing　the　lamps　and　riding　on　towards　Salisbury。　From　Winchester；　roads　branch　in　every　direction；　and　to　turn　abruptly　westward　was　clearly　the　way　to　throw　off　the　chase。　As　Hoopdriver　saw　the　moon　rising　broad　and　yellow　through　the　twilight；　he　thought　he　should　revive　the　effect　of　that　ride　out　of　Bognor；　but　somehow；　albeit　the　moon　and　all　the　atmospheric　effects　were　the　same；　the　emotions　were　different。　They　rode　in　absolute　silence；　and　slowly　after　they　had　cleared　the　outskirts　of　Winchester。　Both　of　them　were　now　nearly　tired　out；the　level　was　tedious；　and　even　a　little　hill　a　burden；　and　so　it　came　about　that　in　the　hamlet　of　Wallenstock　they　were　beguiled　to　stop　and　ask　for　accommodation　in　an　exceptionally　prosperouslooking　village　inn。　A　plausible　landlady　rose　to　the　occasion。

Now；　as　they　passed　into　the　room　where　their　suppers　were　prepared；　Mr。　Hoopdriver　caught　a　glimpse　through　a　door　ajar　and　floating　in　a　reek　of　smoke；　of　three　and　a　half　faces　for　the　edge　of　the　door　cut　one　downand　an　American　cloth…covered　table　with　several　glasses　and　a　tankard。　And　he　also　heard　a　remark。　In　the　second　before　he　heard　that　remark；　Mr。　Hoopdriver　had　been　a　proud　and　happy　man；　to　particularize；　a　baronet's　heir　incognito。　He　had　surrendered　their　bicycles　to　the　odd　man　of　the　place　with　infinite　easy　dignity；　and　had　bowingly　opened　the　door　for　Jessie。　〃Who's　that；　then？〃　he　imagined　people　saying；　and　then；　〃Some'n　pretty　well　orfjudge　by　the　bicycles。〃　Then　the　imaginary　spectators　would　fall　a…talking　of　the　fashionableness　of　bicycling；how　judges　And　stockbrokers　and　actresses　and；　in　fact；　all　the　best　people　rode；　and　how　that　it　was　often　the　fancy　of　such　great　folk　to　shun　the　big　hotels；　the　adulation　of　urban　crowds；　and　seek；　incognito；　the　cosy　quaintnesses　of　village　life。　Then；　maybe；　they　would　think　of　a　certain　nameless　air　of　distinction　about　the　lady　who　had　stepped　across　the　doorway；　and　about　the　handsome；　flaxen…moustached；　blue…eyed　Cavalier　who　had　followed　her　in；　and　they　would　look　one　to　another。　〃Tell　you　what　it　is；〃　one　of　the　village　elders　would　sayjust　as　they　do　in　novelsvoicing　the　thought　of　all；　in　a　low；　impressive　tone：　〃There's　such　a　thinas　entertaining　barranets　unawares…not　to　mention　no　higher　things〃

Such；　I　say；　had　been　the　filmy；　delightful　stuff　in　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　head　the　moment　before　he　heard　that　remark。　But　the　remark　toppled　him　headlong。　What　the　precise　remark　was　need　not　concern　us。　It　was　a　casual　piece　of　such　satire　as　Strephon　delights　in。　Should　you　be　curious；　dear　lady；　as　to　its　nature；　you　have　merely　to　dress　yourself　in　a　really　modern　cycling　costume；　get　one　of　the　feeblest…looking　of　your　men　to　escort　you；　and　ride　out；　next　Saturday　evening；　to　any　public　house　where　healthy；　homely　people　gather　together。　Then　you　will　hear　quite　a　lot　of　the　kind　of　thing　Mr。　Hoopdriver　heard。　More；　possibly；　than　you　will　desire。

The　remark；　I　must　add；　implicated　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　It　indicated　an　entire　disbelief　in　his　social　standing。　At　a　blow；　it　shattered　all　the　gorgeous　imaginative　fabric　his　mind　had　been　rejoicing　in。　All　that　foolish　happiness　vanished　like　a　dream。　And　there　was　nothing　to　show　for　it；　as　there　is　nothing　to　show　for　any　spiteful　remark　that　has　ever　been　made。　Perhaps　the　man　who　said　the　thing　had　a　gleam　of　satisfaction　at　the　idea　of　taking　a　complacent…looking　fool　down　a　peg；　but　it　is　just　as　possible　he　did　not　know　at　the　time　that　his　stray　shot　had　hit。　He　had　thrown　it　as　a　boy　throws　a　stone　at　a　bird。　And　it　not　only　demolished　a　foolish；　happy　conceit；　but　it　wounded。　It　touched　Jessie　grossly。

She　did　not　hear　it；　he　concluded　from　her　subsequent　bearing；　but　during　the　supper　they　had　in　the　little　private　dining…room；　though　she　talked　cheerfully；　he　was　preoccupied。　Whiffs　of　indistinct　conversation；　and　now　and　then　laughter；　came　in　from　the　inn　parloiir　through　the　pelargoniums　in　the　open　window。　Hoopdriver　felt　it　must　all　be　in　the　same　strain；at　her　expense　and　his。　He　answered　her　abstractedly。　She　was　tired；　she　said；　and　presently　went　to　her　room。　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　in　his　courtly　way；　opened　the　door　for　her　and　bowed　her　out。　He　stood　listening　and　fearing　some　new　offence　as　she　went　upstairs；　and　round　the　bend　where　the　barometer　hung　beneath　the　stuffed　birds。　Then　he　went　back　to　the　room；　and　stood　on　the　hearthrug　before　the。　paper　fireplace　ornament。　〃Cads！〃　he　said　in　a　scathing　undertone；　as　a　fresh　burst　of　laughter　came　floating　in。　All　through　supper　he　had　been　composing　stinging　repartee；　a　blistering　speech　of　denunciation　to　be　presently　delivered。　He　would　rate　them　as　a　nobleman　should：　〃Call　themselves　Englishmen；　indeed；　and　insult　a　woman！〃　he　would　say；　take　the　names　and　addresses　perhaps；　threaten　to　speak　to　the　Lord　of　the　Manor；　promise　to　let　them　hear　from　him　again；　and　so　out　with　consternation　in　his　wake。　It　really　ought　to　be　done。

〃Teach　'em　better；〃　he　said　fiercely；　and　tweaked　his　moustache　painfully。　What　was　it？　He　revived　the　objectionable　remark　for　his　own　exasperation；　and　then　went　over　the　heads　of　his　speech　again。

He　coughed；　made　three　steps　towards　the　door；　then　stopped　and　went　back　to　the　hearthrug。　He　wouldn'tafter　all。　Yet　was　he　not　a　Knight　Errant？　Should　such　men　go　unreproved；　unchecked；　by　wandering　baronets　incognito？　Magnanimity？　Look　at　it　in　that　way？　Churls　beneath　one's　notice？　No；　merely　a　cowardly　subterfuge。　He　WOULD　after　all。

Something　within　him　protested　that　he　was　a　hot…headed　ass　even　as　he　went　towards　the　door　again。　But　he　only　went　on　the　more　resolutely。　He　crossed　the　hall；　by　the　bar；　and　entered　the　room　from　which　the　remark　had　proceeded。　He　opened　the　door　abruptly　and　stood　scowling　on　them　in　the　doorway。　〃You'll　only　make　a　mess　of　it；〃　remarked　the　internal　sceptic。　There　were　five　men　in　the　room　altogether：　a　fat　person；　with　a　long　pipe　and　a　great　number　of　chins；　in　an　armchair　by　the　fireplace；　who　wished　Mr。　Hoopdriver　a　good　evening　very　affably；　a　young　fellow　smoking　a　cutty　and　displaying　crossed　legs　with　gaiters　；　a　little；　bearded　man　with　a　toothless　laugh；　a　middle…aged；　comfortable　man　with　bright　eyes；　who　wore　a　velveteen　jacket；　and　a　fair　young　man；　very　genteel　in　a　yellowish…brown　ready…made　suit　and　a　white　tie。

〃H'm；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　looking　very　stern　and　harsh。　And　then　in　a　forbidding　tone；　as　one　who　consented　to　no　liberties；　〃Good　evening。〃

〃Very　pleasant　day　we've　been　'aving；〃　said　the　fair　young　man　with　the　white　tie。

〃Very；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　slo