按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃There are all things in it； I feel it； dad。 It is life in a single draught。
It frightens me。〃
The child was standing with her face hidden behind her hands。 Old
Peter； always very bad at lying； stood silent； not knowing what
consolation to concoct。 The shadow passed； and Tommy's laughing
eyes looked out again。
〃Haven't you anything to do； dadoutside； I mean？〃
〃You want to get rid of me？〃
〃Well； I've nothing else to occupy me till the proofs come in。 I'm
going to practise； hard。〃
〃I think I'll turn over my article on the Embankment；〃 said Peter。
〃There's one thing you all of you ought to be grateful to me for；〃
laughed Tommy； as she seated herself at the piano。 〃I do induce you all
to take more fresh air than otherwise you would。〃
Tommy； left alone； set herself to her task with the energy and
thoroughness that were characteristic of her。 Struggling with
complicated scales； Tommy bent her eyes closer and closer over the
pages of Czerny's Exercises。 Glancing up to turn a page； Tommy； to
her surprise； met the eyes of a stranger。 They were brown eyes； their
expression sympathetic。 Below them； looking golden with the sunlight
falling on it； was a moustache and beard cut short in Vandyke fashion；
not altogether hiding a pleasant mouth； about the corners of which
lurked a smile。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said the stranger。 〃I knocked three times。
Perhaps you did not hear me？〃
〃No； I didn't；〃 confessed Tommy； closing the book of Czerny's
Exercises； and rising with chin at an angle that； to anyone acquainted
with the chart of Tommy's temperament； might have suggested the
advisability of seeking shelter。
145
… Page 146…
Tommy and Co。
〃This is the editorial office of Good Humour； is it not？〃 inquired the
stranger。
〃It is。〃
〃Is the editor in？〃
〃The editor is out。〃
〃The sub…editor？〃 suggested the stranger。
〃I am the sub…editor。〃
The stranger raised his eyebrows。 Tommy； on the contrary； lowered
hers。
〃Would you mind glancing through that？〃 The stranger drew from
his pocket a folded manuscript。 〃It will not take you a moment。 I
ought； of course； to have sent it through the post； but I am so tired of
sending things through the post。〃
The stranger's manner was compounded of dignified impudence
combined with pathetic humility。 His eyes both challenged and
pleaded。 Tommy held out her hand for the paper and retired with it
behind the protection of the big editorial desk that； flanked on one side
by a screen and on the other by a formidable revolving bookcase；
stretched fortress…like across the narrow room。 The stranger remained
standing。
〃Yes。 It's pretty；〃 criticised the sub…editor。 〃Worth printing；
perhaps； not worth paying for。〃
〃Not merely aa nominal sum； sufficient to distinguish it from the
work of the amateur？〃
Tommy pursed her lips。 〃Poetry is quite a drug in the market。 We
can get as much as we want of it for nothing。〃
〃Say half a crown；〃 suggested the stranger。
Tommy shot a swift glance across the desk； and for the first time saw
the whole of him。 He was clad in a threadbare； long； brown ulster
long； that is； it would have been upon an ordinary man； but the stranger
happening to be remarkably tall； it appeared on him ridiculously short；
reaching only to his knees。 Round his neck and tucked into his
waistcoat； thus completely hiding the shirt and collar he may have been
wearing or may not； was carefully arranged a blue silk muffler。 His
146
… Page 147…
Tommy and Co。
hands； which were bare； looked blue and cold。 Yet the black frock…coat
and waistcoat and French grey trousers bore the unmistakable cut of a
first…class tailor and fitted him to perfection。 His hat； which he had
rested on the desk； shone resplendent； and the handle of his silk umbrella
was an eagle's head in gold； with two small rubies for the eyes。
〃You can leave it if you like；〃 consented Tommy。 〃I'll speak to the
editor about it when he returns。〃
〃You won't forget it？〃 urged the stranger。
〃No；〃 answered Tommy。 〃I shall not forget it。〃
Her black eyes were fixed upon the stranger without her being aware
of it。 She had dropped unconsciously into her 〃stocktaking〃 attitude。
〃Thank you very much；〃 said the stranger。 〃I will call again to…
morrow。〃
The stranger； moving backward to the door； went out。
Tommy sat with her face between her hands。 Czerny's Exercises lay
neglected。
〃Anybody called？〃 asked Peter Hope。
〃No；〃 answered Tommy。 〃Oh； just a man。 Left thisnot bad。〃
〃The old story；〃 mused Peter； as he unfolded the manuscript。 〃We
all of us begin with poetry。 Then we take to prose romances； poetry
doesn't pay。 Finally； we write articles： 'How to be Happy though
Married；' 'What shall we do with our Daughters？' It is life summarised。
What is it all about？〃
〃Oh； the usual sort of thing；〃 explained Tommy。 〃He wants half a
crown for it。〃
〃Poor devil！ Let him have it。〃
〃That's not business；〃 growled Tommy。
〃Nobody will ever know；〃 said Peter。 〃We'll enter it as 'telegrams。'〃
The stranger called early the next day； pocketed his half…crown； and
left another manuscriptan essay。 Also he left behind him his gold…
handled umbrella； taking away with him instead an old alpaca thing
Clodd kept in reserve for exceptionally dirty weather。 Peter
pronounced the essay usable。
〃He has a style；〃 said Peter； 〃he writes with distinction。 Make an
147
… Page 148…
Tommy and Co。
appointment for me with him。〃
Clodd； on missing his umbrella； was indignant。
〃What's the good of this thing to me？〃 commented Clodd。 〃Sort of
thing for a dude in a pantomime！ The fellow must be a blithering ass！〃
Tommy gave to the stranger messages from both when next he called。
He appeared more grieved than surprised concerning the umbrellas。
〃You don't think Mr。 Clodd would like to keep this umbrella in
exchange for his own？〃 he suggested。
〃Hardly his style；〃 explained Tommy。
〃It's very peculiar；〃 said the stranger； with a smile。 〃I have been
trying to get rid of this umbrella for the last three weeks。 Once upon a
time； when I preferred to keep my own umbrella； people used to take it
by mistake； leaving all kinds of shabby things behind them in exchange。
Now； when I'd really like to get quit of it； nobody will have it。〃
〃Why do you want to get rid of it？〃 asked Tommy。 〃It looks a very
good umbrella。〃
〃You don't know how it hampers me；〃 said the stranger。 〃I have to
live up to it。 It requires a certain amount of resolution to enter a cheap
restaurant accompanied by that umbrella。 When I do； the waiters draw
my attention to the most expensive dishes and recommend me special
brands of their so…called champagne。 They seem quite surprised if I
only want a chop and a glass of beer。 I haven't always got the courage
to disappoint them。 It is really becoming quite a curse to me。