beasts and superbeasts- 第6部分

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〃Servants　are　a　bit　of　a　nuisance；〃　muttered　Clovis；　

as　he　sat　in　the　smoking…room　after　lunch；　talking　

fitfully　to　Jane　Martlet　in　the　intervals　of　putting　

together　the　materials　of　a　cocktail；　which　he　had　

irreverently　patented　under　the　name　of　an　Ella　Wheeler　

Wilcox。　　It　was　partly　compounded　of　old　brandy　and　

partly　of　curacoa；　there　were　other　ingredients；　but　they　

were　never　indiscriminately　revealed。



〃Servants　a　nuisance！〃　exclaimed　Jane；　bounding　into　

the　topic　with　the　exuberant　plunge　of　a　hunter　when　it　

leaves　the　high　road　and　feels　turf　under　its　hoofs；　〃I　

should　think　they　were！　　The　trouble　I've　had　in　getting　

suited　this　year　you　would　hardly　believe。　　But　I　don't　

see　what　you　have　to　complain　of　…　your　mother　is　so　

wonderfully　lucky　in　her　servants。　　Sturridge；　for　

instance　…　he's　been　with　you　for　years；　and　I'm　sure　

he's　a　paragon　as　butlers　go。〃



〃That's　just　the　trouble；〃　said　Clovis。　　〃It's　when　

servants　have　been　with　you　for　years　that　they　become　a　

really　serious　nuisance。　　The　'here　to…day　and　gone　to…

morrow'　sort　don't　matter　…　you've　simply　got　to　replace　

them；　it's　the　stayers　and　the　paragons　that　are　the　real　

worry。〃



〃But　if　they　give　satisfaction　…　〃



〃That　doesn't　prevent　them　from　giving　trouble。　　

Now；　you've　mentioned　Sturridge　…　it　was　Sturridge　I　was　

particularly　thinking　of　when　I　made　the　observation　

about　servants　being　a　nuisance。〃



〃The　excellent　Sturridge　a　nuisance！　　I　can't　

believe　it。〃



〃I　know　he's　excellent；　and　we　just　couldn't　get　

along　without　him；　he's　the　one　reliable　element　in　this　

rather　haphazard　household。　　But　his　very　orderliness　has　

had　an　effect　on　him。　　Have　you　ever　considered　what　it　

must　be　like　to　go　on　unceasingly　doing　the　correct　thing　

in　the　correct　manner　in　the　same　surroundings　for　the　

greater　part　of　a　lifetime？　　To　know　and　ordain　and　

superintend　exactly　what　silver　and　glass　and　table　linen　

shall　be　used　and　set　out　on　what　occasions；　to　have　

cellar　and　pantry　and　plate…cupboard　under　a　minutely　

devised　and　undeviating　administration；　to　be　noiseless；　

impalpable；　omnipresent；　and；　as　far　as　your　own　

department　is　concerned；　omniscient？〃



〃I　should　go　mad；〃　said　Jane　with　conviction。



〃Exactly；〃　said　Clovis　thoughtfully；　swallowing　his　

completed　Ella　Wheeler　Wilcox。



〃But　Sturridge　hasn't　gone　mad；〃　said　Jane　with　a　

flutter　of　inquiry　in　her　voice。



〃On　most　points　he's　thoroughly　sane　and　reliable；〃　

said　Clovis；　〃but　at　times　he　is　subject　to　the　most　

obstinate　delusions；　and　on　those　occasions　he　becomes　

not　merely　a　nuisance　but　a　decided　embarrassment。〃



〃What　sort　of　delusions？〃



〃Unfortunately　they　usually　centre　round　one　of　the　

guests　of　the　house　party；　and　that　is　where　the　

awkwardness　comes　in。　　For　instance；　he　took　it　into　his　

head　that　Matilda　Sheringham　was　the　Prophet　Elijah；　and　

as　all　that　he　remembered　about　Elijah's　history　was　the　

episode　of　the　ravens　in　the　wilderness　he　absolutely　

declined　to　interfere　with　what　he　imagined　to　be　

Matilda's　private　catering　arrangements；　wouldn't　allow　

any　tea　to　be　sent　up　to　her　in　the　morning；　and　if　he　

was　waiting　at　table　he　passed　her　over　altogether　in　

handing　round　the　dishes。〃



〃How　very　unpleasant。　　Whatever　did　you　do　about　

it？〃



〃Oh；　Matilda　got　fed；　after　a　fashion；　but　it　was　

judged　to　be　best　for　her　to　cut　her　visit　short。　　It　was　

really　the　only　thing　to　be　done；〃　said　Clovis　with　some　

emphasis。



〃I　shouldn't　have　done　that；〃　said　Jane；　〃I　should　

have　humoured　him　in　some　way。　　I　certainly　shouldn't　

have　gone　away。〃



Clovis　frowned。



〃It　is　not　always　wise　to　humour　people　when　they　

get　these　ideas　into　their　heads。　　There's　no　knowing　to　

what　lengths　they　may　go　if　you　encourage　them。〃



〃You　don't　mean　to　say　he　might　be　dangerous；　do　

you？〃　asked　Jane　with　some　anxiety。



〃One　can　never　be　certain；〃　said　Clovis；　〃now　and　

then　he　gets　some　idea　about　a　guest　which　might　take　an　

unfortunate　turn。　　That　is　precisely　what　is　worrying　me　

at　the　present　moment。〃



〃What；　has　he　taken　a　fancy　about　some　one　here　

now？〃　asked　Jane　excitedly；　〃how　thrilling！　　Do　tell　me　

who　it　is。〃



You；〃　said　Clovis　briefly。



〃Me？〃



Clovis　nodded。



〃Who　on　earth　does　he　think　I　am？〃



〃Queen　Anne；〃　was　the　unexpected　answer。



〃Queen　Anne！　　What　an　idea。　　But；　anyhow；　there's　

nothing　dangerous　about　her；　she's　such　a　colourless　

personality。〃



〃What　does　posterity　chiefly　say　about　Queen　Anne？〃　

asked　Clovis　rather　sternly。



〃The　only　thing　that　I　can　remember　about　her；〃　said　

Jane；　〃is　the　saying　'Queen　Anne's　dead。'〃



〃Exactly；〃　said　Clovis；　staring　at　the　glass　that　

had　held　the　Ella　Wheeler　Wilcox；　〃dead。〃



〃Do　you　mean　he　takes　me　for　the　ghost　of　Queen　

Anne？〃　asked　Jane。



〃Ghost？　　Dear　no。　　No　one　ever　heard　of　a　ghost　that　

came　down　to　breakfast　and　ate　kidneys　and　toast　and　

honey　with　a　healthy　appetite。　　No；　it's　the　fact　of　you　

being　so　very　much　alive　and　flourishing　that　perplexes　

and　annoys　him。　　All　his　life　he　has　been　accustomed　to　

look　on　Queen　Anne　as　the　personification　of　everything　

that　is　dead　and　done　with；　'as　dead　as　Queen　Anne；'　you　

know；　and　now　he　has　to　fill　your　glass　at　lunch　and　

dinner　and　listen　to　your　accounts　of　the　gay　time　you　

had　at　the　Dublin　Horse　Show；　and　naturally　he　feels　that　

something's　very　wrong　with　you。〃



〃But　he　wouldn't　be　downright　hostile　to　me　on　that　

account；　would　he？〃　Jane　asked　anxiously。



〃I　didn't　get　really　alarmed　about　it　till　lunch　to…

day；〃　said　Clovis；　〃I　caught　him　glowering　at　you　with　a　

very　sinister　look　and　muttering：　'Ought　to　be　dead　long　

ago；　she　ought；　and　some　one　should　see　to　it。'　　That's　

why　I　mentioned　the　matter　to　you。〃



〃This　is　awful；〃　said　Jane；　〃your　mother　must　be　

told　about　it　at　once。〃



〃My　mother　mustn't　hear　a　word　about　it；〃　said　

Clovis　earnestly；　〃it　would　upset　her　dreadfully。　　She　

relies　on　Sturridge　for　everything。〃



〃But　he　might　kill　me　at　any　moment；〃　protested　

Jane。



〃Not　at　any　moment；　he's　busy　with　the　silver　all　

the　afternoon。〃



〃You'll　have　to　keep　a　sharp　look…out　all　the　time　

and　be　on　your　guard　to　frustrate　any　murderous　attack；〃　

said　Jane；　adding　in　a　tone　of　weak　obstinacy：　〃It's　a　

dreadful　situation　to　be　in；　with　a　mad　butler　dangling　

over　you　like　the　sword　of　What's…his…name；　but　I'm　

certainly　not　going　to　cut　my　visit　short。〃



Clovis　swore　horribly　under　his　breath；　the　miracle　

was　an　obvious　misfire。



It　was　in　the　hall　the　next　morning　after　a　late　

breakfast　that　Clovis　had　his　final　inspiration　as　he　

stood　engaged　in　coaxing　rust　spots　from　an　old　putter。



〃Where　is　Miss　Martlet？〃　he　asked　the　butler；　who　

was　at　that　moment　crossing　the　hall。



〃Writing　letters　in　the　morning…room；　sir；〃　said　

Sturridge；　announcing　a　fact　of　which　his　questioner　was　

already　aware。



〃She　wants　to　copy　the　inscription　on　that　old　

basket…hilted　sabre；〃　said　Clovis；　pointing　to　a　

venerable　weapon　hanging　on　the　wall。　　〃I　wish　you'd　take　

it　to　her；　my　hands　are　all　over　oil。　　Take　it　without　

the　sheath；　it　will　be　less　trouble。〃



The　butler　drew　the　blade；　still　keen　and　bright　in　

its　well…cared　for　old　age；　and　carried　it　into　the　

morning…room。　　There　was　a　door　near　the　writing…table　

leading　to　a　back　stairway；　Jane　vanished　through　it　with　

such　lightning　rapidity　that　the　butler　doubted　whether　

she　had　seen　him　come　in。　　Half　an　hour　later　Clovis　was　

driving　her　and　her　hastily…packed　luggage　to　the　

station。



〃Mother　will　be　awfully　vexed　when　she　comes　back　

from　her　ride　and　finds　you　have　gone；〃　he　observed　to　

the　departing　guest；　〃but　I'll　make　up　some　story　about　

an　urgent　wire　having　called　you　away。　　It　wouldn't　do　to　

alarm　her　unnecessarily　about　Sturridge。〃



Jane　sniffed　slightly　at　Clovis'　ideas　of　

unnecessary　alarm；　and　was　almost　rude　to　the　young　man　

who　came　round　with　thoughtful　inquiries　as　to　luncheon…

baskets。



The　miracle　lost　some　of　its　usefulness　from　the　

fact　that　Dora　wrote　the　same　day　postponing　the　date　of　

her　visit；　but；　at　any　rate；　Clovis　holds　the　record　as　

the　only　human　being　who　ever　hustled　Jane　Martlet　out　of　

the　time…table　of　her　migrations。





THE　OPEN　WINDOW





〃MY　aunt　will　be　down　presently；　Mr。　Nuttel；〃　said　a　

very　self…possessed　young　lady　of　fifteen；　〃in　the　

meantime　you　must　try　and　put　up　with　me。〃



Framton　Nuttel　endeavoured　to　say　the　correct　

something　which　should　duly　flatter　the　niece　of　the　

moment　without　unduly　discounting　the　aunt　that　was　to　

come。　　Privately　he　doubted　more　than　ever　whether　these　

formal　visits　on　a　succession　of　total　strangers　would　do　

much　towards　helping　the　nerve　cure　which　he　was　supposed　

to　be　undergoing。



〃I　know　how　it　will　be；〃　his　sister　had　said　when　he　

was　preparing　to　migrate　to　this　rural　retreat；　〃you　will　

bury　yourself　down　there　and　not　speak　to　a　living　soul；　

and　your　nerves　will　be　worse　than　ever　from　moping。　　I　

shall　just　give　you　letters　of　introduction　to　all　the　

people　I　know　there。　　Some　of　them；　as　far　as　I　can　

remember；　were　quite　nice。〃



Framton　wondered　whether　Mrs。　Sappleton；　the　lady　to　

whom　he　was　presenting　one　of　the　letters　of　

introduction；　came　into　the　nice　division。



〃Do　you　know　many　of　the　people　round　here？〃　asked　

the　niece；　when　she　judged　that　they　had　had　sufficient　

silent　communion。



〃Hardly　a　soul；〃　said　Framton。　　〃My　sister　was　

staying　here；　at　the　rectory；　you　know；　some　four　years　

ago；　and　she　gave　me　letters　of　introduction　to　some　of　

the　people　here。〃



He　made　the　last　statement　in　a　tone