beasts and superbeasts- 第2部分

politely；　〃but　you　will　agree　that　appearances　are　

against　you。〃



〃Are　we　to　have　all　these　recriminations　with　that　

beast　standing　there　ready　to　tear　us　to　pieces？〃　wailed　

Mavis　indignantly。



〃Lord　Pabham；　you　know　a　good　deal　about　wild　beasts　

…　〃　suggested　Colonel　Hampton。



〃The　wild　beasts　that　I　have　been　accustomed　to；〃　

said　Lord　Pabham；　〃have　come　with　proper　credentials　from　

well…known　dealers；　or　have　been　bred　in　my　own　

menagerie。　　I've　never　before　been　confronted　with　an　

animal　that　walks　unconcernedly　out　of　an　azalea　bush；　

leaving　a　charming　and　popular　hostess　unaccounted　for。　　

As　far　as　one　can　judge　from　OUTWARD　characteristics；〃　he　

continued；　〃it　has　the　appearance　of　a　well…grown　female　

of　the　North　American　timber…wolf；　a　variety　of　the　

common　species　CANIS　LUPUS。〃



〃Oh；　never　mind　its　Latin　name；〃　screamed　Mavis；　as　

the　beast　came　a　step　or　two　further　into　the　room；　

〃can't　you　entice　it　away　with　food；　and　shut　it　up　where　

it　can't　do　any　harm？〃



〃If　it　is　really　Mrs。　Hampton；　who　has　just　had　a　

very　good　dinner；　I　don't　suppose　food　will　appeal　to　it　

very　strongly；〃　said　Clovis。



〃Leonard；〃　beseeched　Mrs。　Hoops　tearfully；　〃even　if　

this　is　none　of　your　doing　can't　you　use　your　great　

powers　to　turn　this　dreadful　beast　into　something　

harmless　before　it　bites　us　all　…　a　rabbit　or　something？〃



〃I　don't　suppose　Colonel　Hampton　would　care　to　have　

his　wife　turned　into　a　succession　of　fancy　animals　as　

though　we　were　playing　a　round　game　with　her；〃　interposed　

Clovis。



〃I　absolutely　forbid　it；〃　thundered　the　Colonel。



〃Most　wolves　that　I've　had　anything　to　do　with　have　

been　inordinately　fond　of　sugar；〃　said　Lord　Pabham；　〃if　

you　like　I'll　try　the　effect　on　this　one。〃



He　took　a　piece　of　sugar　from　the　saucer　of　his　

coffee　cup　and　flung　it　to　the　expectant　Louisa；　who　

snapped　it　in　mid…air。　　There　was　a　sigh　of　relief　from　

the　company；　a　wolf　that　ate　sugar　when　it　might　at　the　

least　have　been　employed　in　tearing　macaws　to　pieces　had　

already　shed　some　of　its　terrors。　　The　sigh　deepened　to　a　

gasp　of　thanks…giving　when　Lord　Pabham　decoyed　the　animal　

out　of　the　room　by　a　pretended　largesse　of　further　sugar。　　

There　was　an　instant　rush　to　the　vacated　conservatory。　　

There　was　no　trace　of　Mrs。　Hampton　except　the　plate　

containing　the　macaws'　supper。



〃The　door　is　locked　on　the　inside！〃　exclaimed　

Clovis；　who　had　deftly　turned　the　key　as　he　affected　to　

test　it。



Everyone　turned　towards　Bilsiter。



〃If　you　haven't　turned　my　wife　into　a　wolf；〃　said　

Colonel　Hampton；　〃will　you　kindly　explain　where　she　has　

disappeared　to；　since　she　obviously　could　not　have　gone　

through　a　locked　door？　　I　will　not　press　you　for　an　

explanation　of　how　a　North　American　timber…wolf　suddenly　

appeared　in　the　conservatory；　but　I　think　I　have　some　

right　to　inquire　what　has　become　of　Mrs。　Hampton。〃



Bilsiter's　reiterated　disclaimer　was　met　with　a　

general　murmur　of　impatient　disbelief。



〃I　refuse　to　stay　another　hour　under　this　roof；〃　

declared　Mavis　Pellington。



〃If　our　hostess　has　really　vanished　out　of　human　

form；〃　said　Mrs。　Hoops；　〃none　of　the　ladies　of　the　party　

can　very　well　remain。　　I　absolutely　decline　to　be　

chaperoned　by　a　wolf！〃



〃It's　a　she…wolf；〃　said　Clovis　soothingly。



The　correct　etiquette　to　be　observed　under　the　

unusual　circumstances　received　no　further　elucidation。　　

The　sudden　entry　of　Mary　Hampton　deprived　the　discussion　

of　its　immediate　interest。



〃Some　one　has　mesmerised　me；〃　she　exclaimed　crossly；　

〃I　found　myself　in　the　game　larder；　of　all　places；　being　

fed　with　sugar　by　Lord　Pabham。　　I　hate　being　mesmerised；　

and　the　doctor　has　forbidden　me　to　touch　sugar。〃



The　situation　was　explained　to　her；　as　far　as　it　

permitted　of　anything　that　could　be　called　explanation。



〃Then　you　REALLY　did　turn　me　into　a　wolf；　Mr。　

Bilsiter？〃　she　exclaimed　excitedly。



But　Leonard　had　burned　the　boat　in　which　he　might　

now　have　embarked　on　a　sea　of　glory。　　He　could　only　shake　

his　head　feebly。



〃It　was　I　who　took　that　liberty；〃　said　Clovis；　〃you　

see；　I　happen　to　have　lived　for　a　couple　of　years　in　

North…Eastern　Russia；　and　I　have　more　than　a　tourist's　

acquaintance　with　the　magic　craft　of　that　region。　　One　

does　not　care　to　speak　about　these　strange　powers；　but　

once　in　a　way；　when　one　hears　a　lot　of　nonsense　being　

talked　about　them；　one　is　tempted　to　show　what　Siberian　

magic　can　accomplish　in　the　hands　of　someone　who　really　

understands　it。　　I　yielded　to　that　temptation。　　May　I　

have　some　brandy？　the　effort　has　left　me　rather　faint。〃



If　Leonard　Bilsiter　could　at　that　moment　have　

transformed　Clovis　into　a　cockroach　and　then　have　stepped　

on　him　he　would　gladly　have　performed　both　operations。



LAURA





〃YOU　are　not　really　dying；　are　you？〃　asked　Amanda。



〃I　have　the　doctor's　permission　to　live　till　

Tuesday；〃　said　Laura。



〃But　to…day　is　Saturday；　this　is　serious！〃　gasped　

Amanda。



〃I　don't　know　about　it　being　serious；　it　is　

certainly　Saturday；〃　said　Laura。



〃Death　is　always　serious；〃　said　Amanda。



〃I　never　said　I　was　going　to　die。　　I　am　presumably　

going　to　leave　off　being　Laura；　but　I　shall　go　on　being　

something。　　An　animal　of　some　kind；　I　suppose。　　You　see；　

when　one　hasn't　been　very　good　in　the　life　one　has　just　

lived；　one　reincarnates　in　some　lower　organism。　　And　I　

haven't　been　very　good；　when　one　comes　to　think　of　it。　　

I've　been　petty　and　mean　and　vindictive　and　all　that　sort　

of　thing　when　circumstances　have　seemed　to　warrant　it。〃



〃Circumstances　never　warrant　that　sort　of　thing；〃　

said　Amanda　hastily。



〃If　you　don't　mind　my　saying　so；〃　observed　Laura；　

〃Egbert　is　a　circumstance　that　would　warrant　any　amount　

of　that　sort　of　thing。　　You're　married　to　him　…　that's　

different；　you've　sworn　to　love；　honour；　and　endure　him：　

I　haven't。〃



〃I　don't　see　what's　wrong　with　Egbert；〃　protested　

Amanda。



〃Oh；　I　daresay　the　wrongness　has　been　on　my　part；〃　

admitted　Laura　dispassionately；　〃he　has　merely　been　the　

extenuating　circumstance。　　He　made　a　thin；　peevish　kind　

of　fuss；　for　instance；　when　I　took　the　collie　puppies　

from　the　farm　out　for　a　run　the　other　day。〃



〃They　chased　his　young　broods　of　speckled　Sussex　and　

drove　two　sitting　hens　off　their　nests；　besides　running　

all　over　the　flower　beds。　　You　know　how　devoted　he　is　to　

his　poultry　and　garden。〃



〃Anyhow；　he　needn't　have　gone　on　about　it　for　the　

entire　evening　and　then　have　said；　‘Let's　say　no　more　

about　it'　just　when　I　was　beginning　to　enjoy　the　

discussion。　　That's　where　one　of　my　petty　vindictive　

revenges　came　in；〃　added　Laura　with　an　unrepentant　

chuckle；　〃I　turned　the　entire　family　of　speckled　Sussex　

into　his　seedling　shed　the　day　after　the　puppy　episode。〃



〃How　could　you？〃　exclaimed　Amanda。



〃It　came　quite　easy；〃　said　Laura；　〃two　of　the　hens　

pretended　to　be　laying　at　the　time；　but　I　was　firm。〃



〃And　we　thought　it　was　an　accident！〃



〃You　see；〃　resumed　Laura；　〃I　really　HAVE　some　

grounds　for　supposing　that　my　next　incarnation　will　be　in　

a　lower　organism。　　I　shall　be　an　animal　of　some　kind。　　On　

the　other　hand；　I　haven't　been　a　bad　sort　in　my　way；　so　I　

think　I　may　count　on　being　a　nice　animal；　something　

elegant　and　lively；　with　a　love　of　fun。　　An　otter；　

perhaps。〃



〃I　can't　imagine　you　as　an　otter；〃　said　Amanda。



〃Well；　I　don't　suppose　you　can　imagine　me　as　an　

angel；　if　it　comes　to　that；〃　said　Laura。



Amanda　was　silent。　　She　couldn't。



〃Personally　I　think　an　otter　life　would　be　rather　

enjoyable；〃　continued　Laura；　〃salmon　to　eat　all　the　year　

round；　and　the　satisfaction　of　being　able　to　fetch　the　

trout　in　their　own　homes　without　having　to　wait　for　hours　

till　they　condescend　to　rise　to　the　fly　you've　been　

dangling　before　them；　and　an　elegant　svelte　figure　…　〃



〃Think　of　the　otter　hounds；〃　interposed　Amanda；　〃how　

dreadful　to　be　hunted　and　harried　and　finally　worried　to　

death！〃



〃Rather　fun　with　half　the　neighbourhood　looking　on；　

and　anyhow　not　worse　than　this　Saturday…to…Tuesday　

business　of　dying　by　inches；　and　then　I　should　go　on　into　

something　else。　　If　I　had　been　a　moderately　good　otter　I　

suppose　I　should　get　back　into　human　shape　of　some　sort；　

probably　something　rather　primitive　…　a　little　brown；　

unclothed　Nubian　boy；　I　should　think。〃



〃I　wish　you　would　be　serious；〃　sighed　Amanda；　〃you　

really　ought　to　be　if　you're　only　going　to　live　till　

Tuesday。〃



As　a　matter　of　fact　Laura　died　on　Monday。



〃So　dreadfully　upsetting；〃　Amanda　complained　to　her　

uncle…in…law；　Sir　Lulworth　Quayne。　　〃I've　asked　quite　a　

lot　of　people　down　for　golf　and　fishing；　and　the　

rhododendrons　are　just　looking　their　best。〃



〃Laura　always　was　inconsiderate；〃　said　Sir　Lulworth；　

〃she　was　born　during　Goodwood　week；　with　an　Ambassador　

staying　in　the　house　who　hated　babies。〃



〃She　had　the　maddest　kind　of　ideas；〃　said　Amanda；　

〃do　you　know　if　there　was　any　insanity　in　her　family？〃



〃Insanity？　　No；　I　never　heard　of　any。　　Her　father　

lives　in　West　Kensington；　but　I　believe　he's　sane　on　all　

other　subjects。〃



〃She　had　an　idea　that　she　was　going　to　be　

reincarnated　as　an　otter；〃　said　Amanda。



〃One　meets　with　those　ideas　of　reincarnation　so　

frequently；　even　in　the　West；〃　said　Sir　Lulworth；　〃that　

one　can　hardly　set　them　down　as　being　mad。　　And　Laura　was　

such　an　unaccountable　person　in　this　life　that　I　should　

not　like　to　lay　down　definite　rules　as　to　what　she　might　

be　doing　in　an　after　state。〃



〃You　think　she　really　might　have　passed　into　some　

animal　form？〃　asked　Amanda。　　She　was　one　of　those　who　

shape　their　opinions　rather　readily　from　the　standpoint　

of　those　around　them。



Just　then　Egbert　entered　the　breakfast…room；　weari