beasts and superbeasts- 第27部分

four　off　the　list　at　once。〃



〃It'll　be　rather　a　lengthy　process　bringing　the　list　

down　to　one；〃　said　Jerton。



〃Oh；　but；　of　course；　there　are　heaps　of　them　that　I　

couldn't　possibly　be　…　women　who've　got　grandchildren　or　

sons　old　enough　to　have　celebrated　their　coming　of　age。　　

I've　only　got　to　consider　the　ones　about　my　own　age。　　I　

tell　you　how　you　might　help　me　this　afternoon；　if　you　

don't　mind；　go　through　any　of　the　back　numbers　of　COUNTRY　

LIFE　and　those　sort　of　papers　that　you　can　find　in　the　

smoking…room；　and　see　if　you　come　across　my　portrait　with　

infant　son　or　anything　of　that　sort。　　It　won't　take　you　

ten　minutes。　　I'll　meet　you　in　the　lounge　about　tea…time。　　

Thanks　awfully。〃



And　the　Fair　Unknown；　having　graciously　pressed　

Jerton　into　the　search　for　her　lost　identity；　rose　and　

left　the　room。　　As　she　passed　the　young　man's　table　she　

halted　for　a　moment　and　whispered：



〃Did　you　notice　that　I　tipped　the　waiter　a　shilling？　　

We　can　cross　Lady　Ulwight　off　the　list；　she　would　have　

died　rather　than　do　that。〃



At　five　o'clock　Jerton　made　his　way　to　the　hotel　

lounge；　he　had　spent　a　diligent　but　fruitless　quarter　of　

an　hour　among　the　illustrated　weeklies　in　the　smoking…

room。　　His　new　acquaintance　was　seated　at　a　small　tea…

table；　with　a　waiter　hovering　in　attendance。



〃China　tea　or　Indian？〃　she　asked　as　Jerton　came　up。



〃China；　please；　and　nothing　to　eat。　　Have　you　

discovered　anything？〃



〃Only　negative　information。　　I'm　not　Lady　Befnal。　　

She　disapproves　dreadfully　of　any　form　of　gambling；　so　

when　I　recognised　a　well…known　book　maker　in　the　hotel　

lobby　I　went　and　put　a　tenner　on　an　unnamed　filly　by　

William　the　Third　out　of　Mitrovitza　for　the　three…fifteen　

race。　　I　suppose　the　fact　of　the　animal　being　nameless　

was　what　attracted　me。〃



Did　it　win？〃　asked　Jerton。



〃No；　came　in　fourth；　the　most　irritating　thing　a　

horse　can　do　when　you've　backed　it　win　or　place。　　Anyhow；　

I　know　now　that　I'm　not　Lady　Befnal。〃



〃It　seems　to　me　that　the　knowledge　was　rather　dearly　

bought；〃　commented　Jerton。



〃Well；　yes；　it　has　rather　cleared　me　out；〃　admitted　

the　identity…seeker；　〃a　florin　is　about　all　I've　got　left　

on　me。　　The　lobster　Newburg　made　my　lunch　rather　an　

expensive　one；　and；　of　course；　I　had　to　tip　that　boy　for　

what　he　did　to　the　Kestrel…Smith　locks。　　I've　got　rather　

a　useful　idea；　though。　　I　feel　certain　that　I　belong　to　

the　Pivot　Club；　I'll　go　back　to　town　and　ask　the　hall　

porter　there　if　there　are　any　letters　for　me。　　He　knows　

all　the　members　by　sight；　and　if　there　are　any　letters　or　

telephone　messages　waiting　for　me　of　course　that　will　

solve　the　problem。　　If　he　says　there　aren't　any　I　shall　

say：　'You　know　who　I　am；　don't　you？'　so　I'll　find　out　

anyway。〃



The　plan　seemed　a　sound　one；　a　difficulty　in　its　

execution　suggested　itself　to　Jerton。



〃Of　course；〃　said　the　lady；　when　he　hinted　at　the　

obstacle；　〃there's　my　fare　back　to　town；　and　my　bill　here　

and　cabs　and　things。　　If　you'll　lend　me　three　pounds　that　

ought　to　see　me　through　comfortably。　　Thanks　ever　so。　　

Then　there　is　the　question　of　that　luggage：　I　don't　want　

to　be　saddled　with　that　for　the　rest　of　my　life。　　I'll　

have　it　brought　down　to　the　hall　and　you　can　pretend　to　

mount　guard　over　it　while　I'm　writing　a　letter。　　Then　I　

shall　just　slip　away　to　the　station；　and　you　can　wander　

off　to　the　smoking…room；　and　they　can　do　what　they　like　

with　the　things。　　They'll　advertise　them　after　a　bit　and　

the　owner　can　claim　them。〃



Jerton　acquiesced　in　the　manoeuvre；　and　duly　mounted　

guard　over　the　luggage　while　its　temporary　owner　slipped　

unobtrusively　out　of　the　hotel。　　Her　departure　was　not；　

however；　altogether　unnoticed。　　Two　gentlemen　were　

strolling　past　Jerton；　and　one　of　them　remarked　to　the　

other：



〃Did　you　see　that　tall　young　woman　in　grey　who　went　

out　just　now？　　She　is　the　Lady　…　〃



His　promenade　carried　him　out　of　earshot　at　the　

critical　moment　when　he　was　about　to　disclose　the　elusive　

identity。　　The　Lady　Who？　　Jerton　could　scarcely　run　after　

a　total　stranger；　break　into　his　conversation；　and　ask　

him　for　information　concerning　a　chance　passer…by。　　

Besides；　it　was　desirable　that　he　should　keep　up　the　

appearance　of　looking　after　the　luggage。　　In　a　minute　or　

two；　however；　the　important　personage；　the　man　who　knew；　

came　strolling　back　alone。　　Jerton　summoned　up　all　his　

courage　and　waylaid　him。



〃I　think　I　heard　you　say　you　knew　the　lady　who　went　

out　of　the　hotel　a　few　minutes　ago；　a　tall　lady；　dressed　

in　grey。　　Excuse　me　for　asking　if　you　could　tell　me　her　

name；　I've　been　talking　to　her　for　half　an　hour；　she　…　er　

…　she　knows　all　my　people　and　seems　to　know　me；　so　I　

suppose　I've　met　her　somewhere　before；　but　I'm　blest　if　I　

can　put　a　name　to　her。　　Could　you　…　？〃



〃Certainly。　　She's　a　Mrs。　Stroope。〃



〃MRS。？〃　queried　Jerton。



〃Yes；　she's　the　Lady　Champion　at　golf　in　my　part　of　

the　world。　　An　awful　good　sort；　and　goes　about　a　good　

deal　in　Society；　but　she　has　an　awkward　habit　of　losing　

her　memory　every　now　and　then；　and　gets　into　all　sorts　of　

fixes。　　She's　furious；　too；　if　you　make　any　allusion　to　

it　afterwards。　　Good　day；　sir。〃



The　stranger　passed　on　his　way；　and　before　Jerton　

had　had　time　to　assimilate　his　information　he　found　his　

whole　attention　centred　on　an　angry…looking　lady　who　was　

making　loud　and　fretful…seeming　inquiries　of　the　hotel　

clerks。



〃Has　any　luggage　been　brought　here　from　the　station　

by　mistake；　a　dress…basket　and　dressing…case；　with　the　

name　Kestrel…Smith？　　It　can't　be　traced　anywhere。　　I　saw　

it　put　in　at　Victoria；　that　I'll　swear。　　Why　…　there　is　

my　luggage！　and　the　locks　have　been　tampered　with！〃



Jerton　heard　no　more。　　He　fled　down　to　the　Turkish　

bath；　and　stayed　there　for　hours。





THE　STALLED　OX





THEOPHIL　ESHLEY　was　an　artist　by　profession；　a　

cattle　painter　by　force　of　environment。　　It　is　not　to　be　

supposed　that　he　lived　on　a　ranche　or　a　dairy　farm；　in　an　

atmosphere　pervaded　with　horn　and　hoof；　milking…stool；　

and　branding…iron。　　His　home　was　in　a　park…like；　villa…

dotted　district　that　only　just　escaped　the　reproach　of　

being　suburban。　　On　one　side　of　his　garden　there　abutted　

a　small；　picturesque　meadow；　in　which　an　enterprising　

neighbour　pastured　some　small　picturesque　cows　of　the　

Channel　Island　persuasion。　　At　noonday　in　summertime　the　

cows　stood　knee…deep　in　tall　meadow…grass　under　the　shade　

of　a　group　of　walnut　trees；　with　the　sunlight　falling　in　

dappled　patches　on　their　mouse…sleek　coats。　　Eshley　had　

conceived　and　executed　a　dainty　picture　of　two　reposeful　

milch…cows　in　a　setting　of　walnut　tree　and　meadow…grass　

and　filtered　sunbeam；　and　the　Royal　Academy　had　duly　

exposed　the　same　on　the　walls　of　its　Summer　Exhibition。　　

The　Royal　Academy　encourages　orderly；　methodical　habits　

in　its　children。　　Eshley　had　painted　a　successful　and　

acceptable　picture　of　cattle　drowsing　picturesquely　under　

walnut　trees；　and　as　he　had　begun；　so；　of　necessity；　he　

went　on。　　His　〃Noontide　Peace；〃　a　study　of　two　dun　cows　

under　a　walnut　tree；　was　followed　by　〃A　Mid…day　

Sanctuary；〃　a　study　of　a　walnut　tree；　with　two　dun　cows　

under　it。　　In　due　succession　there　came　〃Where　the　Gad…

Flies　Cease　from　Troubling；〃　〃The　Haven　of　the　Herd；〃　and　

〃A…dream　in　Dairyland；〃　studies　of　walnut　trees　and　dun　

cows。　　His　two　attempts　to　break　away　from　his　own　

tradition　were　signal　failures：　〃Turtle　Doves　alarmed　by　

Sparrow…hawk〃　and　〃Wolves　on　the　Roman　Campagna〃　came　

back　to　his　studio　in　the　guise　of　abominable　heresies；　

and　Eshley　climbed　back　into　grace　and　the　public　gaze　

with　〃A　Shaded　Nook　where　Drowsy　Milkers　Dream。〃



On　a　fine　afternoon　in　late　autumn　he　was　putting　

some　finishing　touches　to　a　study　of　meadow　weeds　when　

his　neighbour；　Adela　Pingsford；　assailed　the　outer　door　

of　his　studio　with　loud　peremptory　knockings。



〃There　is　an　ox　in　my　garden；〃　she　announced；　in　

explanation　of　the　tempestuous　intrusion。



〃An　ox；〃　said　Eshley　blankly；　and　rather　fatuously；　

〃what　kind　of　ox？〃



〃Oh；　I　don't　know　what　kind；〃　snapped　the　lady。　　〃A　

common　or　garden　ox；　to　use　the　slang　expression。　　It　is　

the　garden　part　of　it　that　I　object　to。　　My　garden　has　

just　been　put　straight　for　the　winter；　and　an　ox　roaming　

about　in　it　won't　improve　matters。　　Besides；　there　are　

the　chrysanthemums　just　coming　into　flower。〃



〃How　did　it　get　into　the　garden？〃　asked　Eshley。



〃I　imagine　it　came　in　by　the　gate；〃　said　the　lady　

impatiently；　〃it　couldn't　have　climbed　the　walls；　and　I　

don't　suppose　anyone　dropped　it　from　an　aeroplane　as　a　

Bovril　advertisement。　　The　immediately　important　question　

is　not　how　it　got　in；　but　how　to　get　it　out。〃



〃Won't　it　go？〃　said　Eshley。



〃If　it　was　anxious　to　go；〃　said　Adela　Pingsford　

rather　angrily；　〃I　should　not　have　come　here　to　chat　with　

you　about　it。　　I'm　practically　all　alone；　the　housemaid　

is　having　her　afternoon　out　and　the　cook　is　lying　down　

with　an　attack　of　neuralgia。　　Anything　that　I　may　have　

learned　at　school　or　in　after　life　about　how　to　remove　a　

large　ox　from　a　small　garden　seems　to　have　escaped　from　

my　memory　now。　　All　I　could　think　of　was　that　you　were　a　

near　neighbour　and　a　cattle　painter；　presumably　more　or　

less　familiar　with　the　subjects　that　you　painted；　and　

that　you　might　be　of　some　slight　assistance。　　Possibly　I　

was　mistaken。〃



〃I　paint　dairy　cows；　certainly；〃　admitted　Eshley；　

〃but　I　cannot　claim　to　have　had　any　experience　in　

rounding…up　stray　oxen。　　I've　seen　it　done　on　a　cinema　

film；　of　course；　but　there　were　always　horses　and　lots　of　

other　accessories；　besides；　one　never　knows　how　much　of　

those　pictures　are　faked。〃



Adela　Pingsford　said　nothing；　but　led　the　way　to　her　

garden。　　It　was　normally