the wheels of chance- 第6部分

But　he　kept　on　and　drew　nearer　and　nearer；　breathing　hard　and　gathering　flies　like　a　flypaper。　In　the　valley　he　was　hidden。　Then　the　road　began　to　rise；　and　the　resistance　of　the　pedals　grew。　As　he　crested　the　hill　he　saw　her；　not　a　hundred　yards　away　from　him。　〃It's　her！〃　he　said。　〃It's　herright　enough。　It's　the　suit's　done　it；〃which　was　truer　even　than　Mr。　Hoopdriver　thought。　But　now　she　was　not　waving　her　handkerchief；　she　was　not　even　looking　at　him。　She　was　wheeling　her　machine　slowly　along　the　road　towards　him；　and　admiring　the　pretty　wooded　hills　towards　Weybridge。　She　might　have　been　unaware　of　his　existence　for　all　the　recognition　he　got。　

For　a　moment　horrible　doubts　troubled　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　Had　that　handkerchief　been　a　dream？　Besides　which　he　was　deliquescent　and　scarlet；　and　felt　so。　It　must　be　her　coquetrythe　handkerchief　was　indisputable。　Should　he　ride　up　to　her　and　get　off；　or　get　off　and　ride　up　to　her？　It　was　as　well　she　didn't　look；　because　he　would　certainly　capsize　if　he　lifted　his　cap。　Perhaps　that　was　her　consideration。　Even　as　he　hesitated　he　was　upon　her。　She　must　have　heard　his　breathing。　He　gripped　the　brake。　Steady！　His　right　leg　waved　in　the　air；　and　he　came　down　heavily　and　staggering；　but　erect。　She　turned　her　eyes　upon　him　with　admirable　surprise。　

Mr。　Hoopdriver　tried　to　smile　pleasantly；　hold　up　his　machine；　raise　his　cap；　and　bow　gracefully。　Indeed；　he　felt　that　he　did　as　much。　He　was　a　man　singularly　devoid　of　the　minutiae　of　self…consciousness；　and　he　was　quite　unaware　of　a　tail　of　damp　hair　lying　across　his　forehead；　and　just　clearing　his　eyes；　and　of　the　general　disorder　of　his　coiffure。　There　was　an　interrogative　pause。　

〃What　can　I　have　the　pleasure〃　began　Mr。　Haopdriver；　insinuatingly。　〃I　mean〃　（remembering　his　emancipation　and　abruptly　assuming　his　most　aristocratic　intonation）；　〃can　I　be　of　any　assistance　to　you？〃　

The　Young　Lady　in　Grey　bit　her　lower　lip　and　said　very　prettily；　〃None；　thank　you。〃　She　glanced　away　from　him　and　made　as　if　she　would　proceed。　

〃Oh！〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　taken　aback　and　suddenly　crestfallen　again。　It　was　so　unexpected。　He　tried　to　grasp　the　situation。　Was　she　coquetting？　Or　had　he？　

〃Excuse　me；　one　minute；〃　he　said；　as　she　began　to　wheel　her　machine　again。　

〃Yes？〃　she　said；　stopping　and　staring　a　little；　with　the　colour　in　her　cheeks　deepening。　

〃I　should　not　have　alighted　if　I　had　notimagined　that　youer；　waved　something　white〃　He　paused。　

She　looked　at　him　doubtfully。　He　HAD　seen　it！　She　decided　that　he　was　not　an　unredeemed　rough　taking　advantage　of　a　mistake；　but　an　innocent　soul　meaning　well　while　seeking　happiness。　〃I　DID　wave　my　handkerchief；〃　she　said。　〃I'm　very　sorry。　I　am　expectinga　friend；　a　gentleman；〃she　seemed　to　flush　pink　for　a　minute。　〃He　is　riding　a　bicycle　and　dressed　inin　brown；　and　at　a　distance；　you　know〃　

〃Oh；　quite！〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　bearing　up　in　manly　fashion　against　his　bitter　disappointment。　〃Certainly。〃　

〃I'm　awfully　sorry；　you　know。　Troubling　you　to　dismount；　and　all　that。〃　

〃No　trouble。　'Ssure　you；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　mechanically　and　bowing　over　his　saddle　as　if　it　was　a　counter。　Somehow　he　could　not　find　it　in　his　heart　to　tell　her　that　the　man　was　beyond　there　with　a　punctured　pneumatic。　He　looked　back　along　the　road　and　tried　to　think　of　something　else　to　say。　But　the　gulf　in　the　conversation　widened　rapidly　and　hopelessly。　〃There's　nothing　further；〃　began　Mr。　Hoopdriver　desperately；　recurring　to　his　stock　of　cliches。　

〃Nothing；　thank　you；〃　she　said　decisively。　And　immediately；　〃This　IS　the　Ripley　road？〃　

〃Certainly；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　〃Ripley　is　about　two　miles　from　here。　According　to　the　mile…stones。〃　

〃Thank　you；〃　she　said　warmly。　〃Thank　you　so　much。　I　felt　sure　there　was　no　mistake。　And　I　really　am　awfully　sorry〃　

〃Don't　mention　it；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver。　〃Don't　mention　it。〃　He　hesitated　and　gripped　his　handles　to　mount。　〃It's　me；〃　he　said；　〃ought　to　be　sorry。〃　Should　he　say　it？　Was　it　an　impertinence？　Anyhow！〃Not　being　the　other　gentleman；　you　know。〃　

He　tried　a　quietly　insinuating　smile　that　he　knew　for　a　grin　even　as　he　smiled　it；　felt　she　disapprovedthat　she　despised　him；　was　overcome　with　shame　at　her　expression；　turned　his　back　upon　her；　and　began　（very　clumsily）　to　mount。　He　did　so　with　a　horrible　swerve；　and　went　pedalling　off；　riding　very　badly；　as　he　was　only　too　painfully　aware。　Nevertheless；　thank　Heaven　for　the　mounting！　He　could　not　see　her　because　it　was　so　dangerous　for　him　to　look　round；　but　he　could　imagine　her　indignant　and　pitiless。　He　felt　an　unspeakable　idiot。　One　had　to　be　so　careful　what　one　said　to　Young　Ladies；　and　he'd　gone　and　treated　her　just　as　though　she　was　only　a　Larky　Girl。　It　was　unforgivable。　He　always　WAS　a　fool。　You　could　tell　from　her　manner　she　didn't　think　him　a　gentleman。　One　glance；　and　she　seemed　to　look　clear　through　him　and　all　his　presence。　What　rot　it　was　venturing　to　speak　to　a　girl　like　that！　With　her　education　she　was　bound　to　see　through　him　at　once。　

How　nicely　she　spoke　too！　nice　clear…cut　words！　She　made　him　feel　what　slush　his　own　accent　was。　And　that　last　silly　remark。　What　was　it　？　'Not　being　the　other　gentleman；　you　know！'　No　point　in　it。　And　'GENTLEMAN！'　What　COULD　she　be　thinking　of　him？　

But　really　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey　had　dismissed　Hoopdriver　from　her　thoughts　almost　before　he　had　vanished　round　the　corner。　She　had　thought　no　ill　of　him。　His　manifest　awe　and　admiration　of　her　had　given　her　not　an　atom　of　offence。　But　for　her　just　now　there　were　weightier　things　to　think　about；　things　that　would　affect　all　the　rest　of　her　life。　She　continued　slowly　walking　her　machine　Londonward。　Presently　she　stopped。　〃Oh！　Why　DOESN'T　he　come？〃　she　said；　and　stamped　her　foot　petulantly。　Then；　as　if　in　answer；　coming　down　the　hill　among　the　trees；　appeared　the　other　man　in　brown；　dismounted　and　wheeling　his　machine。　



HOW　MR。　HOOPDRIVER　WAS　HAUNTED　

IX　

As　Mr。　Hoopdriver　rode　swaggering　along　the　Ripley　road；　it　came　to　him；　with　an　unwarrantable　sense　of　comfort；　that　he　had　seen　the　last　of　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey。　But　the　ill…concealed　bladery　of　the　machine；　the　present　machinery　of　Fate；　the　deus　ex　machina；　so　to　speak；　was　against　him。　The　bicycle；　torn　from　this　attractive　young　woman；　grew　heavier　and　heavier；　and　continually　more　unsteady。　It　seemed　a　choice　between　stopping　at　Ripley　or　dying　in　the　flower　of　his　days。　He　went　into　the　Unicorn；　after　propping　his　machine　outside　the　door；　and；　as　he　cooled　down　and　smoked　his　Red　Herring　cigarette　while　the　cold　meat　was　getting　ready；　he　saw　from　the　window　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey　and　the　other　man　in　brown；　entering　Ripley。　

They　filled　him　with　apprehension　by　looking　at　the　house　which　sheltered　him；　but　the　sight　of　his　bicycle；　propped　in　a　drunk　and　incapable　attitude　against　the　doorway；　humping　its　rackety　mud…guard　and　leering　at　them　with　its　darkened　lantern　eye；　drove　them　awayso　it　seemed　to　Mr。　Hoopdriverto　the　spacious　swallow　of　the　Golden　Dragon。　The　young　lady　was　riding　very　slowly；　but　the　other　man　in　brown　had　a　bad　puncture　and　was　wheeling　his　machine。　Mr。　Hoopdriver　noted　his　flaxen　moustache；　his　aquiline　nose；　his　rather　bent　shoulders；　with　a　sudden；　vivid　dislike。　

The　maid　at　the　Unicorn　is　naturally　a　pleasant　girl；　but　she　is　jaded　by　the　incessant　incidence　of　cyclists；　and　Hoopdriver's　mind；　even　as　he　conversed　with　her　in　that　cultivated　voice　of　hisof　the　weather；　of　the　distance　from　London；　and　of　the　excellence　of　the　Ripley　roadwandered　to　the　incomparable　freshness　and　brilliance　of　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey。　As　he　sat　at　meat　he　kept　turning　his　head　to　the　window　to　see　what　signs　there　were　of　that　person；　but　the　face　of　the　Golden　Dragon　displayed　no　appreciation　of　the　delightful　morsel　it　had　swallowed。　As　an　incidental　consequence　of　this　distraction；　Mr。　Hoopdriver　was　for　a　minute　greatly　inconvenienced　by　a　mouthful　of　mustard。　After　he　had　called　for　his　reckoning　he　went；　his　courage　being　high　with　meat　and　mustard；　to　the　door；　intending　to　stand；　with　his　legs　wide　apart　and　his　hands　deep　in　his　pockets；　and　stare　boldly　across　the　road。　But　just　then　the　other　man　in　brown　appeared　in　the　gateway　of　the　Golden　Dragon　yardit　is　one　of　those　delightful　inns　that　date　from　the　coaching　dayswheeling　his　punctured　machine。　He　was　taking　it　to　Flambeau's；　the　repairer's。　He　looked　up　and　saw　Hoopdriver；　stared　for　a　minute；　and　then　scowled　darkly。　

But　Hoopdriver　remained　stoutly　in　the　doorway　until　the　other　man　in　brown　had　disappeared　into　Flambeau's。　Then　he　glanced　momentarily　at　the　Golden　Dragon；　puckered　his　mouth　into　a　whistle　of　unconcern；　and　proceeded　to　wheel　his　machine　into　the　road　until　a　sufficient　margin　for　mounting　was　secured。　

Now；　at　that　time；　I　say；　Hoopdriver　was　rather　desirous　than　not　of　seeing　no　more　of　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey。　The　other　man　in　brown　he　guessed　was　her　brother；　albeit　that　person　was　of　a　pallid　fairness；　differing　essentially　from　her　rich　colouring；　and；　besides；　he　felt　he　had　made　a　hopeless　fool　of　himself。　But　the　afternoon　was　against　him；　intolerably　hot；　especially　on　the　top　of　his　head；　and　the　virtue　had　gone　out　of　his　legs　to　digest　his　cold　meat；　and　altogether　his　ride　to　Guildford　was　exceedingly　intermittent。　At　times　he　would　walk；　at　times　lounge　by　the　wayside；　and　every　public　house；　in　spite　of　Briggs　and　a　sentiment　of　economy；　meant　a　lemonade　and　a　dash　of　bitter。　（For　that　is　the　experience　of　all　those　who　go　on　wheels；　that　drinking　begets　thirst；　even　more　than　thirst　begets　drinking；　until　at　last　the　man　who　yields　becomes　a　hell　unto　himself；　a　hell　in　which　the　fire　dieth　not；　and　the　thirst　is　not　quenched。）　Until　a　pennyworth　of　acrid　green　apples　turned　the　current　that　threatened　to　carry　him　away。　Ever　and　again　a　cycle；　or　a　party　of　cyclists；　would　go　by；　with　glittering　wheels　and　softly　running　chains；　and　on　each　occasion；　to　save　his　self…respect；　Mr。　Hoopdriver　descended　and　feigned　some　trouble　with　his　saddle。　Each　time　he　descended　with　less　trepidation。　

He　did　not　reach　Guildford　until　nearly　four　o'clock；　and　then　he　was　so　much　exhausted　that　he　decided　to　put　up　there　for　the　night