the wheels of chance-第31部分

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ead。〃　

〃Don't　you　read　any　other　books　but　novels？〃

〃Scarcely　ever。　One　gets　tired　after　business；　and　you　can't　get　the　books。　I　have　been　to　some　extension　lectures；　of　course；　'Lizabethan　Dramatists；'　it　was；　but　it　seemed　a　little　high…flown；　you　know。　And　I　went　and　did　wood…carving　at　the　same　place。　But　it　didn't　seem　leading　nowhere；　and　I　cut　my　thumb　and　chucked　it。〃

He　made　a　depressing　spectacle；　with　his　face　anxious　and　his　hands　limp。　〃It　makes　me　sick；〃　he　said；　〃to　think　how　I've　been　fooled　with。　My　old　schoolmaster　ought　to　have　a　juiced　HIDING。　He's　a　thief。　He　pretended　to　undertake　to　make　a　man　of　me；　and　be's　stole　twenty…three　years　of　my　life；　filled　me　up　with　scraps　and　sweepings。　Here　I　am！　I　don't　KNOW　anything；　and　I　can't　DO　anything；　and　all　the　learning　time　is　over。〃

〃Is　it？〃　she　said　；　but　he　did　not　seem　to　hear　her。　〃My　o'　people　didn't　know　any　better；　and　went　and　paid　thirty　pounds　premiumthirty　pounds　down　to　have　me　made　THIS。　The　G。V。　promised　to　teach　me　the　trade；　and　he　never　taught　me　anything　but　to　be　a　Hand。　It's　the　way　they　do　with　draper's　apprentices。　If　every　swindler　was　locked　upwell；　you'd　have　nowhere　to　buy　tape　and　cotton。　It's　all　very　well　to　bring　up　Burns　and　those　chaps；　but　I'm　not　that　make。　Yet　I'm　not　such　muck　that　I　might　not　have　been　betterwith　teaching。　I　wonder　what　the　chaps　who　sneer　and　laugh　at　such　as　me　would　be　if　they'd　been　fooled　about　as　I've　been。　At　twenty…threeit's　a　long　start。〃

He　looked　up　with　a　wintry　smile；　a　sadder　and　wiser　Hoopdriver　indeed　than　him　of　the　glorious　imaginings。　〃It's　YOU　done　this；〃　he　said。　〃You're　real。　And　it　sets　me　thinking　what　I　really　am；　and　what　I　might　have　been。　Suppose　it　was　all　different〃

〃MAKE　it　different。〃

〃How？〃

〃WORK。　Stop　playing　at　life。　Face　it　like　a　man。〃　

〃Ah！〃　said　Hoopdriver；　glancing　at　her　out　of　the　corners　of　his　eyes。　〃And　even　then〃　

〃No！　It's　not　much　good。　I'm　beginning　too　late。〃

And　there；　in　blankly　thoughtful　silence；　that　conversation　ended。　



IN　THE　NEW　FOREST

XXXVII

At　Ringwood　they　lunched；　and　Jessie　met　with　a　disappointment。　There　was　no　letter　for　her　at　the　post　office。　Opposite　the　hotel；　The　Chequered　Career；　was　a　machine　shop　with　a　conspicuously　second…hand　Marlborough　Club　tandem　tricycle　displayed　in　the　window；　together　with　the　announcement　that　bicycles　and　tricycles　were　on　hire　within。　The　establishment　was　impressed　on　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　mind　by　the　proprietor's　action　in　coming　across　the　road　and　narrowly　inspecting　their　machines。　His　action　revived　a　number　of　disagreeable　impressions；　but；　happily；　came　to　nothing。　While　they　were　still　lunching；　a　tall　clergyman；　with　a　heated　face；　entered　the　room　and　sat　down　at　the　table　next　to　theirs。　He　was　in　a　kind　of　holiday　costume；　that　is　to　say；　he　had　a　more　than　usually　high　collar；　fastened　behind　and　rather　the　worse　for　the　weather；　and　his　long…tail　coat　had　been　replaced　by　a　black　jacket　of　quite　remarkable　brevity。　He　had　faded　brown　shoes　on　his　feet；　his　trouser　legs　were　grey　with　dust；　and　he　wore　a　hat　of　piebald　straw　in　the　place　of　the　customary　soft　felt。　He　was　evidently　socially　inclined。

〃A　most　charming　day；　sir；〃　he　said；　in　a　ringing　tenor。

〃Charming；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　over　a　portion　of　pie。

〃You　are；　I　perceive；　cycling　through　this　delightful　country；〃　said　the　clergyman。

〃Touring；〃　explained　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　〃I　can　imagine　that；　with　a　properly　oiled　machine；　there　can　be　no　easier　nor　pleasanter　way　of　seeing　the　country。〃

〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　〃it　isn't　half　a　bad。　way　of　getting　about。〃

〃For　a　young　and　newly　married　couple；　a　tandem　bicycle　must　be；　I　should　imagine；　a　delightful　bond。〃

〃Quite　so；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　reddening　a　little。

〃Do　you　ride　a　tandem？〃

〃Nowe're　separate；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。

〃The　motion　through　the　air　is　indisputably　of　a　very　exhilarating　description。〃　With　that　decision；　the　clergyman　turned　to　give　his　orders　to　the　attendant；　in　a　firm；　authoritative　voice；　for　a　cup　of　tea；　two　gelatine　lozenges；　bread　and　butter；　salad；　and　pie　to　follow。　〃The　gelatine　lozenges　I　must　have。　I　require　them　to　precipitate　the　tannin　in　my　tea；〃　he　remarked　to　the　room　at　large；　and　folding　his　hands；　remained　for　some　time　with　his　chin　thereon；　staring　fixedly　at　a　little　picture　over　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　head。

〃I　myself　am　a　cyclist；〃　said　the　clergyman；　descending　suddenly　upon　Mr。　Hoopdriver。

〃Indeed！〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　attacking　the　moustache。　〃What　machine；　may　I　ask？〃

〃I　have　recently　become　possessed　of　a　tricycle。　A　bicycle　is；　I　regret　to　say；　considered　toohow　shall　I　put　it？　flippant　by　my　parishioners。　So　I　have　a　tricycle。　I　have　just　been　hauling　it　hither。〃

〃Hauling！〃　said　Jessie；　surprised。

〃With　a　shoe　lace。　And　partly　carrying　it　on　my　back。〃

The　pause　was　unexpected。　Jessie　had　some　trouble　with　a　crumb。　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　face　passed　through　several　phases　of　surprise。　Then　he　saw　the　explanation。　〃Had　an　accident？〃

〃I　can　hardly　call　it　an　accident。　The　wheels　suddenly　refused　to　go　round。　I　found　myself　about　five　miles　from　here　with　an　absolutely　immobile　machine。〃

〃Ow！〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　trying　to　seem　intelligent；　and　Jessie　glanced　at　this　insane　person。

〃It　appears；〃　said　the　clergyman；　satisfied　with　the　effect　he　had　created；　〃that　my　man　carefully　washed　out　the　bearings　with　paraffin；　and　let　the　machine　dry　without　oiling　it　again。　The　consequence　was　that　they　became　heated　to　a　considerable　temperature　and　jammed。　Even　at　the　outset　the　machine　ran　stiffly　as　well　as　noisily；　and　I；　being　inclined　to　ascribe　this　stiffness　to　my　own　lassitude；　merely　redoubled　my　exertions。〃

〃'Ot　work　all　round；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。

〃You　could　scarcely　put　it　more　appropriately。　It　is　my　rule　of　life　to　do　whatever　I　find　to　do　with　all　my　might。　I　believe；　indeed；　that　the　bearings　became　red　hot。　Finally　one　of　the　wheels　jammed　together。　A　side　wheel　it　was；　so　that　its　stoppage　necessitated　an　inversion　of　the　entire　apparatus；an　inversion　in　which　I　participated。〃

〃Meaning；　that　you　went　over？〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　suddenly　much　amused。

〃Precisely。　And　not　brooking　my　defeat；　I　suffered　repeatedly。　You　may　understand；　perhaps；　a　natural　impatience。　I　expostulatedplayfully；　of　course。　Happily　the　road　was　not　overlooked。　Finally；　the　entire　apparatus　became　rigid；　and　I　abandoned　the　unequal　contest。　For　all　practical　purposes　the　tricycle　was　no　better　than　a　heavy　chair　without　castors。　It　was　a　case　of　hauling　or　carrying。〃

The　clergyman's　nutriment　appeared　in　the　doorway。

〃Five　miles；〃　said　the　clergyman。　He　began　at　once　to　eat　bread　and　butter　vigorously。　〃Happily；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　an　eupeptic；　energetic　sort　of　person　on　principle。　I　would　all　men　were　likewise。〃

〃It's　the　best　way；〃　agreed　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　and　the　conversation　gave　precedence　to　bread　and　butter。

〃Gelatine；〃　said　the　clergyman；　presently；　stirring　his　tea　thoughtfully；　〃precipitates　the　tannin　in　one's　tea　and　renders　it　easy　of　digestion。〃

〃That's　a　useful　sort　of　thing　to　know；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。

〃You　are　altogether　welcome；〃　said　the　clergyman；　biting　generously　at　two　pieces　of　bread　and　butter　folded　together。

In　the　afternoon　our　two　wanderers　rode　on　at　an　easy　pace　towards　Stoney　Cross。　Conversation　languished；　the　topic　of　South　Africa　being　in　abeyance。　Mr。　Hoopdriver　was　silenced　by　disagreeable　thoughts。　He　had　changed　the　last　sovereign　at　Ringwood。　The　fact　had　come　upon　him　suddenly。　Now　too　late　he　was　reflecting　upon　his　resources。　There　was　twenty　pounds　or　more　in　the　post　office　savings　bank　in　Putney；　but　his　book　was　locked　up　in　his　box　at　the　Antrobus　establishment。　Else　this　infatuated　man　would　certainly　have　surreptitiously　withdrawn　the　entire　sum　in　order　to　prolong　these　journeyings　even　for　a　few　days。　As　it　was；　the　shadow　of　the　end　fell　across　his　happiness。　Strangely　enough；　in　spite　of　his　anxiety　and　the　morning's　collapse；　he　was　still　in　a　curious　emotional　state　that　was　certainly　not　misery。　He　was　forgetting　his　imaginings　and　posings；　forgetting　himself　altogether　in　his　growing　appreciation　of　his　companion。　The　most　tangible　trouble　in　his　mind　was　the　necessity　of　breaking　the　matter　to　her。

A　long　stretch　up　hill　tired　them　long　before　Stoney　Cross　was　reached；　and　they　dismounted　and　sat　under　the　shade　of　a　little　oak　tree。　Near　the　crest　the　road　looped　on　itself；　so　that；　looking　back；　it　sloped　below　them　up　to　the　right　and　then　came　towards　them。　About　them　grew　a　rich　heather　with　stunted　oaks　on　the　edge　of　a　deep　ditch　along　the　roadside；　and　this　road　was　sandy；　below　the　steepness　of　the　hill；　however；　it　was　grey　and　barred　with　shadows；　for　there　the　trees　clustered　thick　and　tall。　Mr。　Hoopdriver　fumbled　clumsily　with　his　cigarettes。

〃There's　a　thing　I　got　to　tell　you；〃　he　said；　trying　to　be　perfectly　calm。

〃Yes？〃　she　said。

〃I'd　like　to　jest　discuss　your　plans　a　bit；　y'know。〃

〃I'm　very　unsettled；〃　said　Jessie。　〃You　are　thinking　of　writing　Books？〃

〃Or　doing　journalism；　or　teaching；　or　something　like　that。〃

〃And　keeping　yourself　independent　of　your