pgw.adamselindistress-第16部分

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　〃I　was　just　going　to　ask　you　the　same　thing。〃
　〃Oh；　I　motored　down　with　a　boy　I　know。　We　had　a　breakdown　just　outside　the　gates。　We　were　on　our　way　to　Brighton　for　lunch。　He　suggested　I　should　pass　the　time　seeing　the　sights　while　he　fixed　up　the　sprockets　or　the　differential　gear　or　whatever　it　was。　　He's　ing　to　pick　me　up　when　he's　through。　　But；　on　the　level；　George；　how　do　you　get　this　way？　You　sneak　out　of　town　and　leave　the　show　flat；　and　nobody　has　a　notion　where　you　are。　Why；　we　were　thinking　of　advertising　for　you；　or　going　to　the　police　or　something。　For　all　anybody　knew；　you　might　have　been　sandbagged　or　dropped　in　the　river。〃
　This　aspect　of　the　matter　had　not　occurred　to　George　till　now。　　His　sudden　descent　on　Belpher　had　seemed　to　him　the　only　natural　course　to　pursue。　He　had　not　realized　that　he　would　be　missed；　and　that　his　absence　might　have　caused　grave　inconvenience　to　a　large　number　of　people。
　〃I　never　thought　of　that。　Iwell；　I　just　happened　to　e　here。〃
　〃You　aren't　living　in　this　old　castle？〃
　〃Not　quite。　I've　a　cottage　down　the　road。　I　wanted　a　few　days　in　the　country　so　I　rented　it。〃
　〃But　what　made　you　choose　this　place？〃
　Keggs；　who　had　been　regarding　these　disturbers　of　the　peace　with　dignified　disapproval；　coughed。
　〃If　you　would　not　mind；　madam。　We　are　waiting。〃
　〃Eh？　How's　that？〃　Miss　Dore　looked　up　with　a　bright　smile。　〃I'm　sorry。　e　along；　George。　Get　in　the　game。〃　She　nodded　cheerfully　to　the　butler。　〃All　right。　All　set　now。　　You　may　fire　when　ready；　Gridley。〃
　Keggs　bowed　austerely；　and　cleared　his　throat　again。
　〃We　are　now　in　the　main　'all；　and　before　going　any　further　I　would　like　to　call　your　attention　to　Sir　Peter　Lely's　portrait　of　the　fifth　countess。　Said　by　experts　to　be　in　his　best　manner。〃
　There　was　an　almost　soundless　murmur　from　the　mob；　expressive　of　wonder　and　awe；　like　a　gentle　breeze　rustling　leaves。　　Billie　Dore　resumed　her　conversation　in　a　whisper。
　〃Yes；　there　was　an　awful　lot　of　excitement　when　they　found　that　you　had　disappeared。　They　were　phoning　the　Carlton　every　ten　minutes　trying　to　get　you。　You　see；　the　summertime　number　flopped　on　the　second　night；　and　they　hadn't　anything　to　put　in　its　place。　But　it's　all　right。　They　took　it　out　and　sewed　up　the　wound；　and　now　you'd　never　know　there　had　been　anything　wrong。　The　show　was　ten　minutes　too　long；　anyway。〃
　〃How's　the　show　going？〃
　〃It's　a　riot。　They　think　it　will　run　two　years　in　London。　　As　far　as　I　can　make　it　out　you　don't　call　it　a　success　in　London　unless　you　can　take　your　grandchildren　to　see　the　thousandth　night。〃
　〃That's　splendid。　And　how　is　everybody？　All　right？〃
　〃Fine。　That　fellow　Gray　is　still　hanging　round　Babe。　It　beats　me　what　she　sees　in　him。　Anybody　but　an　infant　could　see　the　man　wasn't　on　the　level。　Well；　I　don't　blame　you　for　quitting　London；　George。　This　sort　of　thing　is　worth　fifty　Londons。〃
　The　procession　had　reached　one　of　the　upper　rooms；　and　they　were　looking　down　from　a　window　that　manded　a　sweep　of　miles　of　the　countryside；　rolling　and　green　and　wooded。　Far　away　beyond　the　last　covert　Belpher　Bay　gleamed　like　a　streak　of　silver。　Billie　Dore　gave　a　little　sigh。
　〃There's　nothing　like　this　in　the　world。　I'd　like　to　stand　here　for　the　rest　of　my　life；　just　lapping　it　up。〃
　〃I　will　call　your　attention；〃　boomed　Keggs　at　their　elbow；　〃to　this　window；　known　in　the　fem'ly　tredition　as　Leonard's　Leap。　It　was　in　the　year　seventeen　'undred　and　eighty…seven　that　Lord　Leonard　Forth；　eldest　son　of　'Is　Grace　the　Dook　of　Lochlane；　'urled　'imself　out　of　this　window　in　order　to　avoid　promising　the　beautiful　Countess　of　Marshmoreton；　with　oom　'e　is　related　to　'ave　'ad　a　ninnocent　romance。　Surprised　at　an　advanced　hour　by　'is　lordship　the　earl　in　'er　ladyship's　boudoir；　as　this　room　then　was；　'e　leaped　through　the　open　window　into　the　boughs　of　the　cedar　tree　which　stands　below；　and　was　fortunate　enough　to　escape　with　a　few　'armless　contusions。〃
　A　murmur　of　admiration　greeted　the　recital　of　the　ready　tact　of　this　eighteenth…century　Steve　Brodie。
　〃There；〃　said　Billie　enthusiastically；　〃that's　exactly　what　I　mean　about　this　country。　It's　just　a　mass　of　Leonard's　Leaps　and　things。　I'd　like　to　settle　down　in　this　sort　of　place　and　spend　the　rest　of　my　life　milking　cows　and　taking　forkfuls　of　soup　to　the　deserving　villagers。〃
　〃We　will　now；〃　said　Keggs；　herding　the　mob　with　a　gesture；　〃proceed　to　the　Amber　Drawing…Room；　containing　some　Gobelin　Tapestries　'ighly　spoken　of　by　connoozers。〃
　The　obedient　mob　began　to　drift　out　in　his　wake。
　〃What　do　you　say；　George；〃　asked　Billie　in　an　undertone；　〃if　we　side…step　the　Amber　Drawing…Room？　I'm　wild　to　get　into　that　garden。　There's　a　man　working　among　those　roses。　　Maybe　he　would　show　us　round。〃
　George　followed　her　pointing　finger。　Just　below　them　a　sturdy；　brown…faced　man　in　corduroys　was　pausing　to　light　a　stubby　pipe。
　〃Just　as　you　like。〃
　They　made　their　way　down　the　great　staircase。　The　voice　of　Keggs；　saying　plimentary　things　about　the　Gobelin　Tapestry；　came　to　their　ears　like　the　roll　of　distant　drums。　They　wandered　out　towards　the　rose…garden。　The　man　in　corduroys　had　lit　his　pipe　and　was　bending　once　more　to　his　task。
　〃Well；　dadda；〃　said　Billie　amiably；　〃how　are　the　crops？〃
　The　man　straightened　himself。　He　was　a　nice…looking　man　of　middle　age；　with　the　kind　eyes　of　a　friendly　dog。　He　smiled　genially；　and　started　to　put　his　pipe　away。
　Billie　stopped　him。
　〃Don't　stop　smoking　on　my　account；〃　she　said。　〃I　like　it。　　Well；　you've　got　the　right　sort　of　a　job；　haven't　you！　If　I　was　a　man；　there's　nothing　I'd　like　better　than　to　put　in　my　eight　hours　in　a　rose…garden。〃　She　looked　about　her。　〃And　this；〃　she　said　with　approval；　〃is　just　what　a　rose…garden　ought　to　be。〃
　〃Are　you　fond　of　rosesmissy？〃
　〃You　bet　I　am！　You　must　have　every　kind　here　that　was　ever　invented。　All　the　fifty…seven　varieties。〃
　〃There　are　nearly　three　thousand　varieties；〃　said　the　man　in　corduroys　tolerantly。
　〃I　was　speaking　colloquially；　dadda。　You　can't　teach　me　anything　about　roses。　I'm　the　guy　that　invented　them。　Got　any　Ayrshires？〃
　The　man　in　corduroys　seemed　to　have　e　to　the　conclusion　that　Billie　was　the　only　thing　on　earth　that　mattered。　This　revelation　of　a　kindred　spirit　had　captured　him　pletely。　　George　was　merely　among　those　present。
　〃Thosethemover　there　are　Ayrshires；　missy。〃
　〃We　don't　get　Ayrshires　in　America。　At　least；　I　never　ran　across　them。　I　suppose　they　do　have　them。〃
　〃You　want　the　right　soil。〃
　〃Clay　and　lots　of　rain。〃
　〃You're　right。〃
　There　was　an　earnest　expression　on　Billie　Dore's　face　that　George　had　never　seen　there　before。
　〃Say；　listen；　dadda；　in　this　matter　of　rose…beetles；　what　would　you　do　if〃
　George　moved　away。　The　conversation　was　being　too　technical　for　him；　and　he　had　an　idea　that　he　would　not　be　missed。　There　had　e　to　him；　moreover；　in　a　flash　one　of　those　sudden　inspirations　which　great　generals　get。　He　had　visited　the　castle　this　afternoon　without　any　settled　plan　other　than　a　vague　hope　that　he　might　somehow　see　Maud。　He　now　perceived　that　there　was　no　chance　of　doing　this。　Evidently；　on　Thursdays；　the　family　went　to　earth　and　remained　hidden　until　the　sightseers　had　gone。　But　there　was　another　avenue　of　munication　open　to　him。　This　gardener　seemed　an　exceptionally　intelligent　man。　He　could　be　trusted　to　deliver　a　note　to　Maud。
　In　his　late　rambles　about　Belpher　Castle　in　the　pany　of　Keggs　and　his　followers；　George　had　been　privileged　to　inspect　the　library。　It　was　an　easily　accessible　room；　opening　off　the　main　hail。　He　left　Billie　and　her　new　friend　deep　in　a　discussion　of　slugs　and　plant…lice；　and　walked　quickly　back　to　the　house。　　The　library　was　unoccupied。
　George　was　a　thorough　young　man。　He　believed　in　leaving　nothing　to　chance。　The　gardener　had　seemed　a　trustworthy　soul；　but　you　never　knew。　It　was　possible　that　he　drank。　He　might　forget　or　lose　the　precious　note。　So；　with　a　wary　eye　on　the　door；　George　hastily　scribbled　it　in　duplicate。　This　took　him　but　a　few　minutes。　He　went　out　into　the　garden　again　to　find　Billie　Dore　on　the　point　of　stepping　into　a　blue　automobile。
　〃Oh；　there　you　are；　George。　I　wondered　where　you　had　got　to。　Say；　I　made　quite　a　hit　with　dadda。　I've　given　him　my　address；　and　he's　promised　to　send　me　a　whole　lot　of　roses。　By　the　way；　shake　hands　with　Mr。　Forsyth。　This　is　George　Bevan；　Freddie；　who　wrote　the　music　of　our　show。〃
　The　solemn　youth　at　the　wheel　extended　a　hand。
　〃Topping　show。　Topping　music。　Topping　all　round。〃
　〃Well；　good…bye；　George。　See　you　soon；　I　suppose？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　Give　my　love　to　everybody。〃
　〃All　right。　Let　her　rip；　Freddie。　Good…bye。〃　　〃Good…bye。〃
　The　blue　car　gathered　speed　and　vanished　down　the　drive。　　George　returned　to　the　man　in　corduroys；　who　had　bent　himself　double　in　pursuit　of　a　slug。
　〃Just　a　minute；〃　said　George　hurriedly。　He　pulled　out　the　first　of　the　notes。　〃Give　this　to　Lady　Maud　the　first　chance　you　get。　It's　important。　Here's　a　sovereign　for　your　trouble。〃
　He　hastened　away。　He　noticed　that　gratification　had　turned　the　other　nearly　purple　in　the　face；　and　was　anxious　to　leave　him。　　He　was　a　modest　young　man；　and　effusive　thanks　always　embarrassed　him。
　There　now　remained　the　di