pgw.uneasymoney-第40部分

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　The　conductor　was　asking　for　tickets。　Bill　showed　his　mechanically；　and　the　conductor　passed　on。　Then　he　settled　down　once　more　to　his　thoughts。　He　could　not　think　coherently　yet。　His　walk　to　the　station　had　been　like　a　walk　in　a　dream。　He　was　conscious　of　a　great；　dull　pain　that　weighed　on　his　mind；　smothering　it。　The　trees　and　houses　still　moved　past　him　in　the　same　indistinguishable　blur。
　He　became　aware　that　the　conductor　was　standing　beside　him；　saying　something　about　a　ticket。　He　produced　his　once　more；　but　this　did　not　seem　to　satisfy　the　conductor。　To　get　rid　of　the　man；　who　was　being　a　nuisance；　he　gave　him　his　whole　attention；　as　far　as　that　smothering　weight　would　allow　him　to　give　his　whole　attention　to　anything；　and　found　that　the　man　was　saying　strange　things。　He　thought　that　he　could　not　have　heard　him　correctly。
　'What？'　he　said。
　'Lady　back　there　told　me　to　collect　her　fare　from　you；'　repeated　the　conductor。　'Said　you　would　pay。'
　Bill　blinked。　Either　there　was　some　mistake　or　trouble　had　turned　his　brain。　He　pushed　himself　together　with　a　supreme　effort。
　'A　lady　said　I　would　pay　her　fare？'
　'Yes。'
　'Butbut　why？'　demanded　Bill；　feebly。
　The　conductor　seemed　unwilling　to　go　into　first　causes。
　'Search　me！'　he　replied。
　'Pay　her　fare！'
　'Told　me　to　collect　it　off　the　gentleman　in　the　grey　suit　in　the　smoking…car。　You're　the　only　one　that's　got　a　grey　suit。'
　'There's　some　mistake。'
　'Not　mine。'
　'What　does　she　look　like？'
　The　conductor　delved　in　his　mind　for　adjectives。
　'Small；'　he　said；　collecting　them　slowly。　'Brown　eyes'
　He　desisted　from　his　cataloguing　at　this　point；　for；　with　a　loud　exclamation；　Bill　had　dashed　away。
　Two　cars　farther　back　he　had　dropped　into　the　seat　by　Elizabeth　and　was　gurgling　wordlessly。　A　massive　lady；　who　had　entered　the　train　at　East　Moriches　in　pany　with　three　children　and　a　cat　in　a　basket；　eyed　him　with　a　curiosity　that　she　made　no　attempt　to　conceal。　Two　girls　in　a　neighbouring　seat　leaned　forward　eagerly　to　hear　all。　This　was　because　one　of　them　had　told　the　other　that　Elizabeth　was　Mary　Pickford。　Her　panion　was　sceptical；　but　nevertheless　obviously　impressed。
　'My　God！'　said　Bill。
　The　massive　lady　told　the　three　children　sharply　to　look　at　their　picture…book。
　'Well；　I'm　hanged！'
　The　mother　of　three　said　that　if　her　offspring　did　not　go　right　along　to　the　end　of　the　car　and　look　at　the　pretty　trees　trouble　must　infallibly　ensue。
　'Elizabeth！'　At　the　sound　of　the　name　the　two　girls　leaned　back；　taking　no　further　interest　in　the　proceedings。
　'What　are　you　doing　here？'
　Elizabeth　smiled；　a　shaky　but　encouraging　smile。
　'I　came　after　you；　Bill。'
　'You've　got　no　hat！'
　'I　was　in　too　much　of　a　hurry　to　get　one；　and　I　gave　all　my　money　to　the　man　who　drove　the　car。　That's　why　I　had　to　ask　you　to　pay　my　fare。　You　see；　I'm　not　too　proud　to　use　your　money　after　all。'
　'Then'
　'Tickets　please。　One　seventy…nine。'
　It　was　the　indefatigable　conductor；　sensible　of　his　duty　to　the　pany　and　resolved　that　nothing　should　stand　in　the　way　of　its　performance。　Bill　gave　him　five　dollars　and　told　him　to　keep　the　change。　The　conductor　saw　eye　to　eye　with　him　in　this。
　'Bill！　You　gave　him'　She　gave　a　little　shrug　of　her　shoulders。　'Well；　it's　lucky　you're　going　to　marry　a　rich　girl。'
　A　look　of　the　utmost　determination　overspread　Bill's　face。
　'I　don't　know　what　you're　talking　about。　I'm　going　to　marry　you。　Now　that　I've　got　you　again　I'm　not　going　to　let　you　go。　You　can　use　all　the　arguments　you　like；　but　it　won't　matter。　I　was　a　fool　ever　to　listen。　If　you　try　the　same　sort　of　thing　again　I'm　just　going　to　pick　you　up　and　carry　you　off。　I've　been　thinking　it　over　since　I　left　you。　My　mind　has　been　working　absolutely　clearly。　I've　gone　into　the　whole　thing。　It's　perfect　rot　to　take　the　attitude　you　did。　We　know　we　love　each　other；　and　I'm　not　going　to　listen　to　any　talk　about　time　making　us　doubt　it。　Time　will　only　make　us　love　each　other　all　the　more。'
　'Why；　Bill；　this　is　eloquence。'
　'I　feel　eloquent。'
　The　stout　lady　ceased　to　listen。　They　had　lowered　their　voices　and　she　was　hard　of　hearing。　She　consoled　herself　by　taking　up　her　copy　of　Gingery　Stories　and　burying　herself　in　the　hectic　adventures　of　a　young　millionaire　and　an　artist's　model。
　Elizabeth　caught　a　fleeting　glimpse　of　the　cover。
　'I　bet　there's　a　story　in　there　of　a　man　named　Harold　who　was　too　proud　to　marry　a　girl；　though　he　loved　her；　because　she　was　rich　and　he　wasn't。　You　wouldn't　be　so　silly　as　that；　Bill；　would　you？'
　'It's　the　other　way　about　with　me。'
　'No；　it's　not。　Bill；　do　you　know　a　man　named　Nichols？'
　'Nichols？'
　'J。　Nichols。　He　said　he　knew　you。　He　said　he　had　told　you　about　Uncle　Ira　leaving　you　his　money。'
　'Jerry　Nichols！　How　on　earthOh；　I　remember。　He　wrote　to　you；　didn't　he？'
　'He　did。　And　this　morning；　just　after　you　had　left；　he　called。'
　'Jerry　Nichols　called？'
　'To　tell　me　that　Uncle　Ira　had　made　another　will　before　he　died；　leaving　the　money　to　me。'
　Their　eyes　met。
　'So　I　stole　his　car　and　caught　the　train；'　said　Elizabeth；　simply。
　Bill　was　recovering　slowly　from　the　news。
　'Butthis　makes　rather　a　difference；　you　know；'　he　said。
　'In　what　way？'
　'Well；　what　I　mean　to　say　is；　you've　got　five　million　dollars　and　I've　got　two　thousand　a　year；　don't　you　know；　and　so'
　Elizabeth　tapped　him　on　the　knee。
　'Bill；　do　you　see　what　this　is　in　my　hand？'
　'Eh？　What？'
　'It's　a　pin。　And　I'm　going　to　dig　it　right　into　you　wherever　I　think　it　will　hurt　most；　unless　you　stop　being　Harold　at　once。　I'll　tell　you　exactly　what　you've　got　to　do；　and　you　needn't　think　you're　going　to　do　anything　else。　When　we　get　to　New　York；　I　first　borrow　the　money　from　you　to　buy　a　hat；　and　then　we　walk　to　the　City　Hall；　where　you　go　to　the　window　marked　〃Marriage　Licences〃；　and　buy　one。　It　will　cost　you　one　dollar。　You　will　give　your　correct　name　and　age　and　you　will　hear　mine。　It　will　e　as　a　shock　to　you　to　know　that　my　second　name　is　something　awful！　I've　kept　it　concealed　all　my　life。　After　we've　done　that　we　shall　go　to　the　only　church　that　anybody　could　possibly　be　married　in。　It's　on　Twenty…ninth　Street；　just　round　the　corner　from　Fifth　Avenue。　It's　got　a　fountain　playing　in　front　of　it；　and　it's　a　little　bit　of　heaven　dumped　right　down　in　the　middle　of　New　York。　And　after　thatwell；　we　might　start　looking　about　for　that　farm　we've　talked　of。　We　can　get　a　good　farm　for　five　million　dollars；　and　leave　something　over　to　be　doled　outcautiouslyto　Nutty。
　'And　then　all　we　have　to　do　is　to　live　happily　ever　after。'
　Something　small　and　soft　slipped　itself　into　his　hand；　just　as　it　had　done　ages　and　ages　ago　in　Lady　Wetherby's　wood。
　It　stimulated　Bill's　conscience　to　one　last　remonstrance。
　'But；　I　say；　you　know'
　'Well？'
　'This　business　of　the　money；　you　know。　What　I　mean　to　say　isOw！'
　He　broke　off；　as　a　sharp　pain　manifested　itself　in　the　fleshy　part　of　his　leg。　Elizabeth　was　looking　at　him　reprovingly；　her　weapon　poised　for　another　onslaught。
　'I　told　you！'　she　said。
　'All　right；　I　won't　do　it　again。'
　'That's　a　good　child。　Bill；　listen。　e　closer　and　tell　me　all　sorts　of　nice　things　about　myself　till　we　get　to　Jamaica；　and　then　I'll　tell　you　what　I　think　of　you。　We've　just　passed　Islip；　so　you've　plenty　of　time。'
　
　
　
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