the wheels of chance-第28部分

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〃You're　regular　abject；〃　the　man　in　gaiters　was　saying　to　Charlie。

More　confusion。

〃Only　don't　think　I'm　afraid；not　of　a　spindle…legged　cuss　like　him　shouted　Charlie。　〃Because　I　ain't。〃

〃Change　of　front；〃　thought　Hoopdriver；　a　little　startled。　〃Where　are　we　going？〃

〃Don't　sit　there　and　be　abusive；〃　said　the　man　in　velveteen。　〃He's　offered　to　hit　you；　and　if　I　was　him；　I'd　hit　you　now。〃

〃All　right；　then；〃　said　Charlie；　with　a　sudden　change　of　front　and　springing　to　his　feet。　〃If　I　must；　I　must。　Now；　then！〃　At　that；　Hoopdriver；　the　child　of　Fate；　rose　too；　with　a　horrible　sense　that　his　internal　monitor　was　right。　Things　had　taken　a　turn。　He　had　made　a　mess　of　it；　and　now　there　was　nothing　for　it；　so　far　as　he　could　see；　but　to　hit　the　man　at　once。　He　and　Charlie　stood　six　feet　apart；　with　a　table　between；　both　very　breathless　and　fierce。　A　vulgar　fight　in　a　public…house；　and　with　what　was　only　too　palpably　a　footman！　Good　Heavens！　And　this　was　the　dignified；　scornful　remonstrance！　How　the　juice　had　it　all　happened？　Go　round　the　table　at　him；　I　suppose。　But　before　the　brawl　could　achieve　itself；　the　man　in　gaiters　intervened。　〃Not　here；〃　he　said；　stepping　between　the　antagonists。　Everyone　was　standing　up。

〃Charlie's　artful；〃　said　the　little　man　with　the　beard。

〃Buller's　yard；〃　said　the　man　with　the　gaiters；　taking　the　control　of　the　entire　affair　with　the　easy　readiness　of　an　accomplished　practitioner。　〃If　the　gentleman　DON'T　mind。〃　Buller's　yard；　it　seemed；　was　the　very　place。　〃We'll　do　the　thing　regular　and　decent；　if　you　please。〃　And　before　he　completely　realized　what　was　happening；　Hoopdriver　was　being　marched　out　through　the　back　premises　of　the　inn；　to　the　first　and　only　fight　with　fists　that　was　ever　to　glorify　his　life。

Outwardly；　so　far　as　the　intermittent　moonlight　showed；　Mr。　Hoopdriver　was　quietly　but　eagerly　prepared　to　fight。　But　inwardly　he　was　a　chaos　of　conflicting　purposes。　It　was　extraordinary　how　things　happened。　One　remark　had　trod　so　closely　on　the　heels　of　another；　that　he　had　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　following　the　development　of　the　business。　He　distinctly　remembered　himself　walking　across　from　one　room　to　the　other；a　dignified；　even　an　aristocratic　figure；　primed　with　considered　eloquence；　intent　upon　a　scathing　remonstrance　to　these　wretched　yokels；　regarding　their　manners。　Then　incident　had　flickered　into　incident　until　here　he　was　out　in　a　moonlit　lane；a　slight；　dark　figure　in　a　group　of　larger；　indistinct　figures；marching　in　a　quiet；　business…like　way　towards　some　unknown　horror　at　Buller's　yard。　Fists！　It　was　astonishing。　It　was　terrible！　In　front　of　him　was　the　pallid　figure　of　Charles；　and　he　saw　that　the　man　in　gaiters　held　Charles　kindly　but　firmly　by　the　arm。

〃It's　blasted　rot；〃　Charles　was　saying；　〃getting　up　a　fight　just　for　a　thing　like　that；　all　very　well　for　'im。　'E's　got　'is　'olidays；　'e　'asn't　no　blessed　dinner　to　take　up　to…morrow　night　like　I　'ave。No　need　to　numb　my　arm；　IS　there？〃

They　went　into　Buller's　yard　through　gates。　There　were　sheds　in　Buller's　yardsheds　of　mystery　that　the　moonlight　could　not　solvea　smell　of　cows；　and　a　pump　stood　out　clear　and　black；　throwing　a　clear　black　shadow　on　the　whitewashed　wall。　And　here　it　was　his　face　was　to　be　battered　to　a　pulp。　He　knew　this　was　the　uttermost　folly；　to　stand　up　here　and　be　pounded；　but　the　way　out　of　it　was　beyond　his　imagining。　Yet　afterwards？　Could　he　ever　face　her　again？　He　patted　his　Norfolk　jacket　and　took　his　ground　with　his　back　to　the　gate。　How　did　one　square？　So？　Suppose　one　were　to　turn　and　run　even　now；　run　straight　back　to　the　inn　and　lock　himself　into　his　bedroom？　They　couldn't　make；　him　come　outanyhow。　He　could　prosecute　them　for　assault　if　they　did。　How　did　one　set　about　prosecuting　for　assault？　He　saw　Charles；　with　his　face　ghastly　white　under　the　moon；　squaring　in　front　of　him。

He　caught　a　blow　on　the　arm　and　gave　ground。　Charles　pressed　him。　Then　he　hit　with　his　right　and　with　the　violence　of　despair。　It　was　a　hit　of　his　own　devising；an　impromptu；but　it　chanced　to　coincide　with　the　regulation　hook　hit　at　the　head。　He　perceived　with　a　leap　of　exultation　that　the　thing　his　fist　had　met　was　the　jawbone　of　Charles。　It　was　the　sole　gleam　of　pleasure　he　experienced　during　the　fight；　and　it　was　quite　momentary。　He　had　hardly　got　home　upon　Charles　before　he　was　struck　in　the　chest　and　whirled　backward。　He　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　keeping　his　feet。　He　felt　that　his　heart　was　smashed　flat。　〃Gord　darm！〃　said　somebody；　dancing　toe　in　hand　somewhere　behind　him。　As　Mr。　Hoopdriver　staggered；　Charles　gave　a　loud　and　fear…compelling　cry。　He　seemed　to　tower　over　Hoopdriver　in　the　moonlight。　Both　his　fists　were　whirling。　It　was　annihilation　comingno　less。　Mr。　Hoopdriver　ducked　perhaps　and　certainly　gave　ground　to　the　right；　hit；　and　missed。　Charles　swept　round　to　the　left；　missing　generously。　A　blow　glanced　over　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　left　ear；　and　the　flanking　movement　was　completed。　Another　blow　behind　the　ear。　Heaven　and　earth　spun　furiously　round　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　and　then　he　became　aware　of　a　figure　in　a　light　suit　shooting　violently　through　an　open　gate　into　the　night。　The　man　in　gaiters　sprang　forward　past　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　but　too　late　to　intercept　the　fugitive。　There　were　shouts；　laughter；　and　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　still　solemnly　squaring；　realized　the　great　and　wonderful　truthCharles　had　fled。　He；　Hoopdriver；　had　fought　and；　by　all　the　rules　of　war；　had　won。

〃That　was　a　pretty　cut　under　the　jaw　you　gave　him；〃　the　toothless　little　man　with　the　beard　was　remarking　in　an　unexpectedly　friendly　manner。

〃The　fact　of　it　is；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　sitting　beside　the　road　to　Salisbury；　and　with　the　sound　of　distant　church　bells　in　his　cars；　〃I　had　to　give　the　fellow　a　lesson；　simply　had　to。〃

〃It　seems　so　dreadful　that　you　should　have　to　knock　people　about；〃　said　Jessie。

〃These　louts　get　unbearable；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　〃If　now　and　then　we　didn't　give　them　a　lesson；well；　a　lady　cyclist　in　the　roads　would　be　an　impossibility。〃

〃I　suppose　every　woman　shrinks　from　violence；〃　said　Jessie。　〃I　suppose　men　ARE　braverin　a　waythan　women。　It　seems　to　me…I　can't　imagine　…how　one　could　bring　oneself　to　face　a　roomful　of　rough　characters；　pick　out　the　bravest；　and。　give　him　an　exemplary　thrashing。　I　quail　at　the　idea。　I　thought　only　Ouida's　guardsmen　did　things　like　that。〃

〃It　was　nothing　more　than　my　jutyas　a　gentleman；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。

〃But　to　walk　straight　into　the　face　of　danger！〃

〃It's　habit；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　quite　modestly；　flicking　off　a　particle　of　cigarette　ash　that　had　settled　on　his　knee。



THE　ABASEMENT　OF　MR。　HOOPDRIVER

XXXIII

On　Monday　morning　the　two　fugitives　found　themselves　breakfasting　at　the　Golden　Pheasant　in　Blandford。　They　were　in　the　course　of　an　elaborate　doubling　movement　through　Dorsetshire　towards　Ringwood；　where　Jessie　anticipated　an　answer　from　her　schoolmistress　friend。　By　this　time　they　had　been　nearly　sixty　hours　together；　and　you　will　understand　that　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　feelings　had　undergone　a　considerable　intensification　and　development。　At　first　Jessie　had　been　only　an　impressionist　sketch　upon　his　mind；　something　feminine；　active；　and　dazzling；　something　emphatically　〃above　〃　him；　cast　into　his　company　by　a　kindly　fate。　His　chief　idea；　at　the　outset；　as　you　know；　had　been　to　live　up　to　her　level；　by　pretending　to　be　more　exceptional；　more　wealthy；　better　educated；　and；　above　all；　better　born　than　he　was。　His　knowledge　of　the　feminine　mind　was　almost　entirely　derived　from　the　young　ladies　he　had　met　in　business；　and　in　that　class　（as　in　military　society　and　among　gentlemen's　servants）　the　good　old　tradition　of　a　brutal　social　exclusiveness　is　still　religiously　preserved。　He　had　an　almost　intolerable　dread　of　her　thinking　him　a　I　bounder。'　Later　he　began　to　perceive　the　distinction　of　her　idiosyncracies。　Coupled　with　a　magnificent　want　of　experience　was　a　splendid　enthusiasm　for　abstract　views　of　the　most　advanced　description；　and　her　strength　of　conviction　completely　carried　Hoopdriver　away。　She　was　going　to　Live　her　Own　Life；　with　emphasis；　and　Mr。　Hoopdriver　was　profoundly　stirred　to　similar　resolves。　So　soon　as　he　grasped　the　tenor　of　her　views；　he　perceived　that　he　himself　had　thought　as　much　from　his　earliest　years。　〃Of　course；〃　he　remarked；　in　a　flash　of　sexual　pride；　〃a　man　is　freer　than　a　woman。　End　in　the　Colonies；　y'know；　there　isn't　half　the　Conventionality　you　find　in　society　in　this　country。〃

He　made　one　or　two　essays　in　the　display　of　unconventionality；　and　was　quite　unaware　that　he　impressed　her　as　a　narrow…minded　person。　He　suppressed　the　habits　of　years　and　made　no　proposal　to　go　to　church。　He　discussed　church…going　in　a　liberal　spirit。　〃It's　jest　a　habit；〃　he　said；　〃jest　a　custom。　I　don't　see　what　good　it　does　you　at　all；　really。〃　And　he　made　a　lot　of　excellent　jokes　at　the　chimney…pot　hat；　jokes　he　had　read　in　the　Globe　'turnovers'　on　that　subject。　But　he　showed　his　gentle　breeding　by　keeping　his　gloves　on　all　through　the　Sunday's　ride；　and　ostentatiously　throwing　away　more　than　half　a　cigarette　when　they　passed　a　church　whose　congregation　was　gathering　for　afternoon　service。　He　cautiously　avoided　literary　topics；　except　by