pgw.adamselindistress-第11部分

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ly　Policeman…Puncher？　I　keep　a　brave　face　before　the　world；　but　inwardly　I　burn　with　shame　and　agony　and　what　not。〃
　The　great　door　of　the　castle　swung　open；　revealing　Keggs；　the　butler。　He　was　a　man　of　reverend　years；　portly　and　dignified；　with　a　respectfully　benevolent　face　that　beamed　gravely　on　the　young　master　and　Mr。　Byng；　as　if　their　ing　had　filled　his　cup　of　pleasure。　His　light；　slightly　protruding　eyes　expressed　reverential　good　will。　He　gave　just　that　touch　of　cosy　humanity　to　the　scene　which　the　hall　with　its　half　lights　and　massive　furniture　needed　to　make　it　perfect　to　the　returned　wanderer。　　He　seemed　to　be　intimating　that　this　was　a　moment　to　which　he　had　looked　forward　long；　and　that　from　now　on　quiet　happiness　would　reign　supreme。　It　is　distressing　to　have　to　reveal　the　jarring　fact　that；　in　his　hours　of　privacy　when　off　duty；　this　apparently　ideal　servitor　was　so　far　from　being　a　respecter　of　persons　that　he　was　accustomed　to　speak　of　Lord　Belpher　as　〃Percy〃；　and　even　as　〃His　Nibs〃。　It　was；　indeed；　an　open　secret　among　the　upper　servants　at　the　castle；　and　a　fact　hinted　at　with　awe　among　the　lower；　that　Keggs　was　at　heart　a　Socialist。
　〃Good　evening；　your　lordship。　Good　evening；　sir。〃
　Lord　Belpher　acknowledged　the　salutation　with　a　grunt；　but　Reggie　was　more　affable。
　〃How　are　you；　Keggs？　Now's　your　time；　if　you're　going　to　do　it。〃　He　stepped　a　little　to　one　side　and　indicated　Lord　Belpher's　crimson　neck　with　an　inviting　gesture。
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir？〃
　〃Ah。　You'd　rather　wait　till　you　can　do　it　a　little　more　privately。　Perhaps　you're　right。〃
　The　butler　smiled　indulgently。　He　did　not　understand　what　Reggie　was　talking　about；　but　that　did　not　worry　him。　He　had　long　since　e　to　the　conclusion　that　Reggie　was　slightly　mad；　a　theory　supported　by　the　latter's　valet；　who　was　of　the　same　opinion。　Keggs　did　not　dislike　Reggie；　but　intellectually　he　considered　him　negligible。
　〃Send　something　to　drink　into　the　library；　Keggs；〃　said　Lord　Belpher。
　〃Very　good；　your　lordship。〃
　〃A　topping　idea；〃　said　Reggie。　〃I'll　just　take　the　old　car　round　to　the　garage；　and　then　I'll　be　with　you。〃
　He　climbed　to　the　steering　wheel；　and　started　the　engine。　　Lord　Belpher　proceeded　to　the　library；　while　Keggs　melted　away　through　the　green　baize　door　at　the　end　of　the　hail　which　divided　the　servants'　quarters　from　the　rest　of　the　house。
　Reggie　had　hardly　driven　a　dozen　yards　when　he　perceived　his　stepmother　and　Lord　Marshmoreton　ing　towards　him　from　the　direction　of　the　rose…garden。　He　drew　up　to　greet　them。
　〃Hullo；　mater。　What　ho；　uncle！　Back　again　at　the　old　homestead；　what？〃
　Beneath　Lady　Caroline's　aristocratic　front　agitation　seemed　to　lurk。
　〃Reggie；　where　is　Percy？〃
　〃Old　Boots？　I　think　he's　gone　to　the　library。　I　just　decanted　him　out　of　the　car。〃
　Lady　Caroline　turned　to　her　brother。
　〃Let　us　go　to　the　library；　John。〃
　〃All　right。　All　right。　All　right；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton　irritably。　Something　appeared　to　have　ruffled　his　calm。
　Reggie　drove　on。　As　he　was　strolling　back　after　putting　the　car　away　he　met　Maud。
　〃Hullo；　Maud；　dear　old　thing。〃
　〃Why；　hullo；　Reggie。　I　was　expecting　you　back　last　night。〃
　〃Couldn't　get　back　last　night。　Had　to　stick　in　town　and　rally　round　old　Boots。　Couldn't　desert　the　old　boy　in　his　hour　of　trial。〃　Reggie　chuckled　amusedly。　〃'Hour　of　trial；'　is　rather　good；　what？　What　I　mean　to　say　is；　that's　just　what　it　was；　don't　you　know。〃
　〃Why；　what　happened　to　Percy？〃
　〃Do　you　mean　to　say　you　haven't　heard？　Of　course　not。　It　wouldn't　have　been　in　the　morning　papers。　Why；　Percy　punched　a　policeman。〃
　〃Percy　did　what？〃
　〃Slugged　a　slop。　Most　dramatic　thing。　Sloshed　him　in　the　midriff。　Absolutely。　The　cross　marks　the　spot　where　the　tragedy　occurred。〃
　Maud　caught　her　breath。　Somehow；　though　she　could　not　trace　the　connection；　she　felt　that　this　extraordinary　happening　must　be　linked　up　with　her　escapade。　Then　her　sense　of　humour　got　the　better　of　apprehension。　Her　eyes　twinkled　delightedly。
　〃You　don't　mean　to　say　Percy　did　that？〃
　〃Absolutely。　The　human　tiger；　and　what　not。　Menace　to　Society　and　all　that　sort　of　thing。　No　holding　him。　For　some　unexplained　reason　the　generous　blood　of　the　Belphers　boiled　over；　and　thenzing。　They　jerked　him　off　to　Vine　Street。　Like　the　poem；　don't　you　know。　'And　poor　old　Percy　walked　between　with　gyves　upon　his　wrists。'　And　this　morning；　bright　and　early；　the　beak　parted　him　from　ten　quid。　You　know；　Maud；　old　thing；　our　duty　stares　us　plainly　in　the　eyeball。　　We've　got　to　train　old　Boots　down　to　a　reasonable　weight　and　spring　him　on　the　National　Sporting　Club。　We've　been　letting　a　champion　middleweight　blush　unseen　under　our　very　roof　tree。〃
　Maud　hesitated　a　moment。
　〃I　suppose　you　don't　know；〃　she　asked　carelessly；　〃why　he　did　it？　I　mean；　did　he　tell　you　anything？〃
　〃Couldn't　get　a　word　out　of　him。　Oysters　garrulous　and　tombs　chatty　in　parison。　Absolutely。　All　I　know　is　that　he　popped　one　into　the　officer's　waistband。　What　led　up　to　it　is　more　than　I　can　tell　you。　How　would　it　be　to　stagger　to　the　library　and　join　the　post…mortem？〃
　〃The　post…mortem？〃
　〃Well；　I　met　the　mater　and　his　lordship　on　their　way　to　the　library；　and　it　looked　to　me　very　much　as　if　the　mater　must　have　got　hold　of　an　evening　paper　on　her　journey　from　town？　When　did　she　arrive？〃
　〃Only　a　short　while　ago。〃
　〃Then　that's　what's　happened。　She　would　have　bought　an　evening　paper　to　read　in　the　train。　By　Jove；　I　wonder　if　she　got　hold　of　the　one　that　had　the　poem　about　it。　One　chappie　was　so　carried　away　by　the　beauty　of　the　episode　that　he　treated　it　in　verse。　I　think　we　ought　to　look　in　and　see　what's　happening。〃
　Maud　hesitated　again。　But　she　was　a　girl　of　spirit。　And　she　had　an　intuition　that　her　best　defence　would　be　attack。　Bluff　was　what　was　needed。　Wide…eyed；　innocent　wonder　。　。　。　After　all；　Percy　couldn't　be　certain　he　had　seen　her　in　Piccadilly。
　〃All　right。〃
　〃By　the　way；　dear　old　girl；〃　inquired　Reggie；　〃did　your　little　business　e　out　satisfactorily？　I　forgot　to　ask。〃
　〃Not　very。　But　it　was　awfully　sweet　of　you　to　take　me　into　town。〃
　〃How　would　it　be；〃　said　Reggie　nervously；　〃not　to　dwell　too　much　on　that　part　of　it？　What　I　mean　to　say　is；　for　heaven's　sake　don't　let　the　mater　know　I　rallied　round。〃
　〃Don't　worry；〃　said　Maud　with　a　laugh。　〃I'm　not　going　to　talk　about　the　thing　at　all。〃
　Lord　Belpher；　meanwhile；　in　the　library；　had　begun　with　the　aid　of　a　whisky　and　soda　to　feel　a　little　better。　There　was　something　about　the　library　with　its　sombre　half　tones　that　soothed　his　bruised　spirit。　The　room　held　something　of　the　peace　of　a　deserted　city。　The　world；　with　its　violent　adventures　and　tall　policemen；　did　not　enter　here。　There　was　balm　in　those　rows　and　rows　of　books　which　nobody　ever　read；　those　vast　writing　tables　at　which　nobody　ever　wrote。　From　the　broad　mantel…piece　the　bust　of　some　unnamed　ancient　looked　down　almost　sympathetically。　Something　remotely　resembling　peace　had　begun　to　steal　into　Percy's　soul；　when　it　was　expelled　by　the　abrupt　opening　of　the　door　and　the　entry　of　Lady　Caroline　Byng　and　his　father。　One　glance　at　the　face　of　the　former　was　enough　to　tell　Lord　Belpher　that　she　knew　all。
　He　rose　defensively。
　〃Let　me　explain。〃
　Lady　Caroline　quivered　with　repressed　emotion。　This　masterly　woman　had　not　lost　control　of　herself；　but　her　aristocratic　calm　had　seldom　been　so　severely　tested。　As　Reggie　had　surmised；　she　had　read　the　report　of　the　proceedings　in　the　evening　paper　in　the　train；　and　her　world　had　been　reeling　ever　since。　Caesar；　stabbed　by　Brutus；　could　scarcely　have　experienced　a　greater　shock。　The　other　members　of　her　family　had　disappointed　her　often。　She　had　bee　inured　to　the　spectacle　of　her　brother　working　in　the　garden　in　corduroy　trousers　and　in　other　ways　behaving　in　a　manner　beneath　the　dignity　of　an　Earl　of　Marshmoreton。　She　had　resigned　herself　to　the　innate　flaw　in　the　character　of　Maud　which　had　allowed　her　to　fall　in　love　with　a　nobody　whom　she　had　met　without　an　introduction。　　Even　Reggie　had　exhibited　at　times　democratic　traits　of　which　she　thoroughly　disapproved。　But　of　her　nephew　Percy　she　had　always　been　sure。　He　was　solid　rock。　He；　at　least；　she　had　always　felt；　would　never　do　anything　to　injure　the　family　prestige。　And　now；　so　to　speak；　〃Lo；　Ben　Adhem's　name　led　all　the　rest。〃　In　other　words；　Percy　was　the　worst　of　the　lot。　Whatever　indiscretions　the　rest　had　mitted；　at　least　they　had　never　got　the　family　into　the　ic　columns　of　the　evening　papers。　Lord　Marshmoreton　might　wear　corduroy　trousers　and　refuse　to　entertain　the　County　at　garden　parties　and　go　to　bed　with　a　book　when　it　was　his　duty　to　act　as　host　at　a　formal　ball；　Maud　might　give　her　heart　to　an　impossible　person　whom　nobody　had　ever　heard　of；　and　Reggie　might　be　seen　at　fashionable　restaurants　with　pugilists；　but　at　any　rate　evening　paper　poets　had　never　written　facetious　verses　about　their　exploits。　This　crowning　degradation　had　been　reserved　for　the　hitherto　blameless　Percy；　who；　of　all　the　young　men　of　Lady　Caroline's　acquaintance；　had　till　now　appeared　to　have　the　most　scrupulous　sense　of　his　position；　the　most　rigid　regard　for　the　dignity　of　his　great　name。　　Yet；　here　he　was；　if　the　carefully　cons