pgw.uneasymoney-第26部分

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　But　he　looked　up　to　Claire。　He　had　thought　her　straight。　And　all　the　time　that　she　had　been　saying　those　things　to　him　that　night　of　their　last　meeting　she　had　been　engaged　to　another　man；　a　fat；　bald；　doddering；　senile　fool；　whose　only　merit　was　his　money。　Scarcely　a　fair　description　of　Mr　Pickering；　but　in　a　man　in　Bill's　position　a　little　bias　is　excusable。
　Bill　walked　on。　He　felt　as　if　he　could　walk　for　ever。　Automobiles　whirred　past；　hooting　peevishly；　but　he　heeded　them　not。　Dogs　trotted　out　to　exchange　civilities；　but　he　ignored　them。　The　poison　in　his　blood　drove　him　on。
　And　then　quite　suddenly　and　unexpectedly　the　fever　passed。　Almost　in　mid…stride　he　became　another　man；　a　healed；　sane　man；　keenly　aware　of　a　very　vivid　thirst　and　a　desire　to　sit　down　and　rest　before　attempting　the　ten　miles　of　cement　road　that　lay　between　him　and　home。　Half　an　hour　at　a　wayside　inn　pleted　the　cure。　It　was　a　weary　but　clear…headed　Bill　who　trudged　back　through　the　gathering　dusk。
　He　found　himself　thinking　of　Claire　as　of　someone　he　had　known　long　ago；　someone　who　had　never　touched　his　life。　She　seemed　so　far　away　that　he　wondered　how　she　could　ever　have　affected　him　for　pain　or　pleasure。　He　looked　at　her　across　a　chasm。　This　is　the　real　difference　between　love　and　infatuation；　that　infatuation　can　be　slain　cleanly　with　a　single　blow。　In　the　hour　of　clear　vision　which　had　e　to　him；　Bill　saw　that　he　had　never　loved　Claire。　It　was　her　beauty　that　had　held　him；　that　and　the　appeal　which　her　circumstances　had　made　to　his　pity。　Their　minds　had　not　run　smoothly　together。　Always　there　had　been　something　that　jarred；　a　subtle　antagonism。　And　she　was　crooked。
　Almost　unconsciously　his　mind　began　to　build　up　an　image　of　the　ideal　girl；　the　girl　he　would　have　liked　Claire　to　be；　the　girl　who　would　conform　to　all　that　he　demanded　of　woman。　She　would　be　brave。　He　realized　now　that；　even　though　it　had　moved　his　pity；　Claire's　querulousness　had　offended　something　in　him。
　He　had　made　allowances　for　her；　but　the　ideal　girl　would　have　had　no　need　of　allowances。　The　ideal　girl　would　be　plucky；　cheerfully　valiant；　a　fighter。　She　would　not　admit　the　existence　of　hard　luck。
　She　would　be　honest。　Here；　too；　she　would　have　no　need　of　allowances。　No　temptation　would　be　strong　enough　to　make　her　do　a　mean　act　or　think　a　mean　thought；　for　her　courage　would　give　her　strength；　and　her　strength　would　make　her　proof　against　temptation。　She　would　be　kind。　That　was　because　she　would　also　be　extremely　intelligent；　and；　being　extremely　intelligent；　would　have　need　of　kindness　to　enable　her　to　bear　with　a　not　very　intelligent　man　like　himself。　For　the　rest；　she　would　be　small　and　alert　and　pretty；　and　fair　hairedand　brown…eyedand　she　would　keep　a　bee　farm　and　her　name　would　be　Elizabeth　Boyd。
　Having　arrived　with　a　sense　of　mild　astonishment　at　this　conclusion；　Bill　found；　also　to　his　surprise；　that　he　had　walked　ten　miles　without　knowing　it　and　that　he　was　turning　in　at　the　farm　gate。　Somebody　came　down　the　drive；　and　he　saw　that　it　was　Elizabeth。
　She　hurried　to　meet　him；　small　and　shadowy　in　the　uncertain　light。　James；　the　cat；　stalked　rheumatically　at　her　side。　She　came　up　to　Bill；　and　he　saw　that　her　face　wore　an　anxious　look。　He　gazed　at　her　with　a　curious　feeling　that　it　was　a　very　long　time　since　he　had　seen　her　last。
　'Where　have　you　been？'　she　said；　her　voice　troubled。　'I　couldn't　think　what　had　bee　of　you。'
　'I　went　for　a　walk。'
　'But　you've　been　gone　hours　and　hours。'
　'I　went　to　a　place　called　Morrisville。'
　'Morrisville！'　Elizabeth's　eyes　opened　wide。　'Have　you　walked　twenty　miles？'
　'Why；　II　believe　I　have。'
　It　was　the　first　time　he　had　been　really　conscious　of　it。　Elizabeth　looked　at　him　in　consternation。　Perhaps　it　was　the　association　in　her　mind　of　unexpected　walks　with　the　newly…born　activities　of　the　repentant　Nutty　that　gave　her　the　feeling　that　there　must　be　some　mental　upheaval　on　a　large　scale　at　the　back　of　this　sudden　ebullition　of　long…distance　pedestrianism。　She　remembered　that　the　thought　had　e　to　her　once　or　twice　during　the　past　week　that　all　was　not　well　with　her　visitor；　and　that　he　had　seemed　downcast　and　out　of　spirits。
　She　hesitated。
　'Is　anything　the　matter；　Mr　Chalmers？'
　'No；'　said　Bill；　decidedly。　He　would　have　found　a　difficulty　in　making　that　answer　with　any　ring　of　conviction　earlier　in　the　day；　but　now　it　was　different。　There　was　nothing　whatever　the　matter　with　him　now。　He　had　never　felt　happier。
　'You're　sure？'
　'Absolutely。　I　feel　fine。'
　'I　thoughtI've　been　thinking　for　some　daysthat　you　might　be　in　trouble　of　some　sort。'
　Bill　swiftly　added　another　to　that　list　of　qualities　which　he　had　been　framing　on　his　homeward　journey。　That　girl　of　his　would　be　angelically　sympathetic。
　'It's　awfully　good　of　you；'　he　said；　'but　honestly　I　feel　likeI　feel　great。'
　The　little　troubled　look　passed　from　Elizabeth's　face。　Her　eyes　twinkled。
　'You're　really　feeling　happy？'
　'Tremendously。'
　'Then　let　me　damp　you。　We're　in　an　awful　fix！'
　'What！　In　what　way？'
　'About　the　monkey。'
　'Has　he　escaped？'
　'That's　the　troublehe　hasn't。'
　'I　don't　understand。'
　'e　and　sit　down　and　I'll　tell　you。　It's　a　shame　to　keep　you　standing　after　your　walk。'
　They　made　their　way　to　the　massive　stone　seat　which　Mr　Flack；　the　landlord；　had　bought　at　a　sale　and　dumped　in　a　moment　of　exuberance　on　the　farm　grounds。
　'This　is　the　most　hideous　thing　on　earth；'　said　Elizabeth　casually；　'but　it　will　do　to　sit　on。　Now　tell　me：　why　did　you　go　to　Lady　Wetherby's　this　afternoon？'
　It　was　all　so　remote；　it　seemed　so　long　ago　that　he　had　wanted　to　find　an　excuse　for　meeting　Claire　again；　that　for　a　moment　Bill　hesitated　in　actual　perplexity；　and　before　he　could　speak　Elizabeth　had　answered　the　question　for　him。
　'I　suppose　you　went　out　of　kindness　of　heart　to　relieve　the　poor　lady's　mind；'　she　said。　'But　you　certainly　did　the　wrong　thing。　You　started　something！'
　'I　didn't　tell　her　the　animal　was　here。'
　'What　did　you　tell　her？'
　'I　said　I　had　seen　it；　don't　you　know。'
　'That　was　enough。'
　'I'm　awfully　sorry。'
　'Oh；　we　shall　pull　through　all　right；　but　we　must　act　at　once。　We　must　be　swift　and　resolute。　We　must　saddle　our　chargers　and　up　and　away；　and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　Show　a　flash　of　speed；'　she　explained　kindly；　at　the　sight　of　Bill's　bewildered　face。
　'But　what　has　happened？'
　'The　press　is　on　our　trail。　I've　been　interviewing　reporters　all　the　afternoon。'
　'Reporters！'
　'Millions　of　them。　The　place　is　alive　with　them。　Keen；　hatchet…faced　young　men；　and　every　one　of　them　was　the　man　who　really　unravelled　some　murder　mystery　or　other；　though　the　police　got　the　credit　for　it。　They　told　me　so。'
　'But；　I　say；　how　on　earth'
　'did　they　get　here？　I　suppose　Lady　Wetherby　invited　them；'
　'But　why？'
　'She　wants　the　advertisement；　of　course。　I　know　it　doesn't　sound　sensationala　lost　monkey；　but　when　it's　a　celebrity's　lost　monkey　it　makes　a　difference。　Suppose　King　George　had　lost　a　monkey；　wouldn't　your　London　newspapers　give　it　a　good　deal　of　space？　Especially　if　it　had　thrown　eggs　at　one　of　the　ladies　and　bitten　the　Duke　of　Norfolk　in　the　leg？　That's　what　our　visitor　has　been　doing　apparently。　At　least；　he　threw　eggs　at　the　scullery…maid　and　bit　a　millionaire。　It's　practically　the　same　thing。　At　any　rate；　there　it　is。　The　newspaper　men　are　here；　and　they　seem　to　regard　this　farm　as　their　centre　of　operations。　I　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　inducing　them　to　go　home　to　their　well…earned　dinners。　They　wanted　to　camp　out　on　the　place。　As　it　is；　there　may　still　be　some　of　them　round；　hiding　in　the　grass　with　notebooks；　and　telling　one　another　in　whispers　that　they　were　the　men　who　really　solved　the　murder　mystery。　What　shall　we　do？'
　Bill　had　no　suggestions。
　'You　realize　our　position？　I　wonder　if　we　could　be　arrested　for　kidnapping。　The　monkey　is　far　more　human　than　most　of　the　millionaire　children　who　get　kidnapped。　It's　an　awful　fix。　Did　you　know　that　Lady　Wetherby　is　going　to　offer　a　reward　for　the　animal？'
　'No；　really？'
　'Five　hundred　dollars！'
　'Surely　not！'
　'She　is。　I　suppose　she　feels　she　can　charge　it　up　to　necessary　expenses　for　publicity　and　still　be　ahead　of　the　game；　taking　into　account　the　advertising　she's　going　to　get。'
　'She　said　nothing　about　that　when　I　saw　her。'
　'No；　because　it　won't　be　offered　until　to…morrow　or　the　day　after。　One　of　the　newspaper　men　told　me　that。　The　idea　is；　of　course；　to　make　the　thing　exciting　just　when　it　would　otherwise　be　dying　as　a　news　item。　Cumulative　interest。　It's　a　good　scheme；　too；　but　it　makes　it　very　awkward　for　me。　I　don't　want　to　be　in　the　position　of　keeping　a　monkey　locked　up　with　the　idea　of　waiting　until　somebody　starts　a　bull　market　in　monkeys。　I　consider　that　that　sort　of　thing　would　stain　the　spotless　escutcheon　of　the　Boyds。　It　would　be　a　low　trick　for　that　old…established　family　to　play。　Not　but　what　poor；　dear　Nutty　would　do　it　like　a　shot；'　she　concluded　meditatively。
　Bill　was　impressed。
　'It　does　make　it　awkward；　what？'
　'It　makes　it　more　than　awkward；　what！　Take　another　aspect　of　the　situation。　The　night　before　last　my　precious　Nutty；　while　ruining　his　constitution　with　the　demon　rum；　th