pgw.adamselindistress-第21部分

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out　a　ticket　marked　〃Mr。　X。〃；'　I　says。　'Then；　if　'er　lidyship　marries　anyone　not　in　the　'ouse…party；　I　cop！'　'Orl　right；'　'e　says；　'but　you　know　the　conditions　of　this　'ere　sweep。　Nothin'　don't　count　only　wot　tikes　plice　during　the　two　weeks　of　the　'ouse…party；'　'e　says。　'Orl　right；'　I　says。　'Write　me　ticket。　　It's　a　fair　sportin'　venture。'　So　'e　writes　me　out　me　ticket；　with　'Mr。　X。'　on　it；　and　I　says　to　them　all；　I　says；　'I'd　like　to　'ave　witnesses'；　I　says；　'to　this　'ere　thing。　Do　all　you　gents　agree　that　if　anyone　not　in　the　'ouse…party　and　'oo's　name　ain't　on　one　of　the　other　tickets　marries　'er　lidyship；　I　get　the　pool？'　I　says。　They　all　says　that's　right；　and　then　I　says　to　'em　all　straight　out；　I　says；　'I　'appen　to　know'；　I　says；　'that　'er　lidyship　is　in　love　with　a　gent　that's　not　in　the　party　at　all。　An　American　gent；'　I　says。　　They　wouldn't　believe　it　at　first；　but；　when　Keggs　'ad　put　two　and　two　together；　and　thought　of　one　or　two　things　that　'ad　'appened；　'e　turned　as　white　as　a　sheet　and　said　it　was　a　swindle　and　wanted　the　drawin'　done　over　again；　but　the　others　says　'No'；　they　says；　'it's　quite　fair；'　they　says；　and　one　of　'em　offered　me　ten　bob　slap　out　for　my　ticket。　But　I　stuck　to　it；　I　did。　　And　that；〃　concluded　Albert　throwing　the　cigarette　into　the　fire…place　just　in　time　to　prevent　a　scorched　finger；　〃that's　why　I'm　going　to　'elp　yer！〃
　There　is　probably　no　attitude　of　mind　harder　for　the　average　man　to　maintain　than　that　of　aloof　disapproval。　George　was　an　average　man；　and　during　the　degrading　recital　just　concluded　he　had　found　himself　slipping。　At　first　he　had　been　revolted；　then；　in　spite　of　himself；　amused；　and　now；　when　all　the　facts　were　before　him；　he　could　induce　his　mind　to　think　of　nothing　else　than　his　good　fortune　in　securing　as　an　ally　one　who　appeared　to　bine　a　precocious　intelligence　with　a　helpful　lack　of　scruple。　War　is　war；　and　love　is　love；　and　in　each　the　practical　man　inclines　to　demand　from　his　fellow…workers　the　punch　rather　than　a　lofty　soul。　A　page　boy　replete　with　the　finer　feelings　would　have　been　useless　in　this　crisis。　Albert；　who　seemed　on　the　evidence　of　a　short　but　sufficient　acquaintance；　to　be　a　lad　who　would　not　recognize　the　finer　feelings　if　they　were　handed　to　him　on　a　plate　with　watercress　round　them；　promised　to　be　invaluable。　Something　in　his　manner　told　George　that　the　child　was　bursting　with　schemes　for　his　benefit。
　〃Have　some　more　cake；　Albert；〃　he　said　ingratiatingly。
　The　boy　shook　his　head。
　〃Do；〃　urged　George。　〃Just　a　little　slice。〃
　〃There　ain't　no　little　slice；〃　replied　Albert　with　regret。　〃I've　ate　it　all。〃　He　sighed　and　resumed。　〃I　gotta　scheme！〃
　〃Fine！　What　is　it？〃
　Albert　knitted　his　brows。
　〃It's　like　this。　You　want　to　see　'er　lidyship；　but　you　can't　e　to　the　castle；　and　she　can't　e　to　younot　with　'er　fat　brother　dogging　of　'er　footsteps。　That's　it；　ain't　it？　Or　am　I　a　liar？〃
　George　hastened　to　reassure　him。
　〃That　is　exactly　it。　What's　the　answer？〃
　〃I'll　tell　yer　wot　you　can　do。　There's　the　big　ball　tonight　'cos　of　its　bein'　'Is　Nibs'　in'…of…age　tomorrow。　All　the　county'll　be　'ere。〃
　〃You　think　I　could　slip　in　and　be　taken　for　a　guest？〃
　Albert　snorted　contempt。
　〃No；　I　don't　think　nothin'　of　the　kind；　not　bein'　a　fat…head。〃　George　apologized。　〃But　wot　you　could　do's　this。　I　'eard　Keggs　torkin　to　the　'ouse…keeper　about　'avin'　to　get　in　a　lot　of　temp'y　waiters　to　'elp　out　for　the　night〃
　George　reached　forward　and　patted　Albert　on　the　head。
　〃Don't　mess　my　'air；　now；〃　warned　that　youth　coldly。
　〃Albert；　you're　one　of　the　great　thinkers　of　the　age。　I　could　get　into　the　castle　as　a　waiter；　and　you　could　tell　Lady　Maud　I　was　there；　and　we　could　arrange　a　meeting。　Machiavelli　couldn't　have　thought　of　anything　smoother。〃
　〃Mac　Who？〃
　〃One　of　your　ancestors。　Great　schemer　in　his　day。　But；　one　moment。〃
　〃Now　what？〃
　〃How　am　I　to　get　engaged？　How　do　I　get　the　job？〃
　〃That's　orl　right。　I'll　tell　the　'ousekeeper　you're　my　cousin　been　a　waiter　in　America　at　the　best　restaurongs'ome　for　a　'oliday；　but'll　e　in　for　one　night　to　oblige。　They'll　pay　yer　a　quid。〃
　〃I'll　hand　it　over　to　you。〃
　〃Just；〃　said　Albert　approvingly；　〃wot　I　was　goin'　to　suggest　myself。〃
　〃Then　I'll　leave　all　the　arrangements　to　you。〃
　〃You'd　better；　if　you　don't　want　to　mike　a　mess　of　everything。　　All　you've　got　to　do　is　to　e　to　the　servants'　entrance　at　eight　sharp　tonight　and　say　you're　my　cousin。〃
　〃That's　an　awful　thing　to　ask　anyone　to　say。〃
　〃Pardon？〃
　〃Nothing！〃　said　George。
　
　CHAPTER　12。
　
　The　great　ball　in　honour　of　Lord　Belpher's　ing…of…age　was　at　its　height。　The　reporter　of　the　Belpher　Intelligencer　and　Farmers'　Guide；　who　was　present　in　his　official　capacity；　and　had　been　allowed　by　butler　Keggs　to　take　a　peep　at　the　scene　through　a　side…door；　justly　observed　in　his　account　of　the　proceedings　next　day　that　the　'tout　ensemble　was　fairylike'；　and　described　the　pany　as　'a　galaxy　of　fair　women　and　brave　men'。　　The　floor　was　crowded　with　all　that　was　best　and　noblest　in　the　county；　so　that　a　half…brick；　hurled　at　any　given　moment；　must　infallibly　have　spilt　blue　blood。　Peers　stepped　on　the　toes　of　knights；　honorables　bumped　into　the　spines　of　baronets。　Probably　the　only　titled　person　in　the　whole　of　the　surrounding　country　who　was　not　playing　his　part　in　the　glittering　scene　was　Lord　Marshmoreton；　who；　on　discovering　that　his　private　study　had　been　converted　into　a　cloakroom；　had　retired　to　bed　with　a　pipe　and　a　copy　of　Roses　Red　and　Roses　White；　by　Emily　Ann　Mackintosh　（Popgood；　Crooly　&　Co。）；　which　he　was　to　discoverafter　he　was　between　the　sheets；　and　it　was　too　late　to　repair　the　errorwas　not；　as　he　had　supposed；　a　treatise　on　his　favourite　hobby；　but　a　novel　of　stearine　sentimentality　dealing　with　the　adventures　of　a　pure　young　English　girl　and　an　artist　named　Claude。
　George；　from　the　shaded　seclusion　of　a　gallery；　looked　down　upon　the　brilliant　throng　with　impatience。　It　seemed　to　him　that　he　had　been　doing　this　all　his　life。　The　novelty　of　the　experience　had　long　since　ceased　to　divert　him。　It　was　all　just　like　the　second　act　of　an　old…fashioned　musical　edy　（Act　Two：　　The　Ballroom；　Grantchester　Towers：　One　Week　Later）a　resemblance　which　was　heightened　for　him　by　the　fact　that　the　band　had　more　than　once　played　dead　and　buried　melodies　of　his　own　position；　of　which　he　had　wearied　a　full　eighteen　months　back。
　A　plete　absence　of　obstacles　had　attended　his　intrusion　into　the　castle。　A　brief　interview　with　a　motherly　old　lady；　whom　even　Albert　seemed　to　treat　with　respect；　and　who；　it　appeared　was　Mrs。　Digby；　the　house…keeper；　followed　by　an　even　briefer　encounter　with　Keggs　（fussy　and　irritable　with　responsibility；　and；　even　while　talking　to　George　carrying　on　two　other　conversations　on　topics　of　the　moment）；　and　he　was　past　the　censors　and　free　for　one　night　only　to　add　his　presence　to　the　chosen　inside　the　walls　of　Belpher。　His　duties　were　to　stand　in　this　gallery；　and　with　the　assistance　of　one　of　the　maids　to　minister　to　the　fort　of　such　of　the　dancers　as　should　use　it　as　a　sitting…out　place。　None　had　so　far　made　their　appearance；　the　superior　attractions　of　the　main　floor　having　exercised　a　great　appeal；　and　for　the　past　hour　George　had　been　alone　with　the　maid　and　his　thoughts。　The　maid；　having　asked　George　if　he　knew　her　cousin　Frank；　who　had　been　in　America　nearly　a　year；　and　having　received　a　reply　in　the　negative；　seemed　to　be　disappointed　in　him；　and　to　lose　interest；　and　had　not　spoken　for　twenty　minutes。
　George　scanned　the　approaches　to　the　balcony　for　a　sight　of　Albert　as　the　shipwrecked　mariner　scans　the　horizon　for　the　passing　sail。　It　was　inevitable；　he　supposed；　this　waiting。　It　would　be　difficult　for　Maud　to　slip　away　even　for　a　moment　on　such　a　night。
　〃I　say；　laddie；　would　you　mind　getting　me　a　lemonade？〃
　George　was　gazing　over　the　balcony　when　the　voice　spoke　behind　him；　and　the　muscles　of　his　back　stiffened　as　he　recognized　its　genial　note。　This　was　one　of　the　things　he　had　prepared　himself　for；　but；　now　that　it　had　happened；　he　felt　a　wave　of　stage…fright　such　as　he　had　only　once　experienced　before　in　his　lifeon　the　occasion　when　he　had　been　young　enough　and　inexperienced　enough　to　take　a　curtain…call　on　a　first　night。　Reggie　Byng　was　friendly；　and　would　not　wilfully　betray　him；　but　Reggie　was　also　a　babbler；　who　could　not　be　trusted　to　keep　things　to　himself。　It　was　necessary；　he　perceived；　to　take　a　strong　line　from　the　start；　and　convince　Reggie　that　any　likeness　which　the　latter　might　suppose　that　he　detected　between　his　panion　of　that　afternoon　and　the　waiter　of　tonight　existed　only　in　his　heated　imagination。
　As　George　turned；　Reggie's　pleasant　face；　pink　with　healthful　exercise　and　Lord　Marshmoreton's　finest　Bollinger；　lost　most　of　its　colour。　His　eyes　and　mouth　opened　wider。　The　fact　is　Reggie　was　shaken。　All　through　the　earlier　part　of　the　evening　he　had　been　sedulously　priming　himself　with　stimulants　with　a　view　to　amassing　enough　nerve　to　propose　to　Alice　Faraday：　and；　now　that　he　had　drawn　her　away　from　the　throng　to　this　secluded　nook　and　was　about　to　put　his　fortune　to　the　test；　a　horrible　fear　swept　over　him　that　he　had　overdone　it。　He　was　having　optical　illusions。