pgw.uneasymoney-第13章
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ass the time of day with rivals on peting lines of traffic。 Blunt…bodied drones whizzed to and fro with a noise like miniature high…powered automobiles； as if anxious to convey the idea of being tremendously busy without going to the length of doing any actual work。 One of these blundered into Lord Dawlish's face； and it pleased Elizabeth to observe that he gave a jump。
'Don't be afraid；' she said； 'it's only a drone。 Drones have no stings。'
'They have hard heads； though。 Here he es again！'
'I suppose he smells your tobacco。 A drone has thirty…seven thousand eight hundred nostrils； you know。'
'That gives him a sporting chance of smelling a cigarwhat？ I mean to say； if he misses with eight hundred of his nostrils he's apt to get it with the other thirty…seven thousand。'
Elizabeth was feeling annoyed with her bees。 They resolutely declined to sting this young man。 Bees flew past him； bees flew into him； bees settled upon his coat； bees paused questioningly in front of him； as who should say； 'What have we here？' but not a single bee molested him。 Yet when Nutty； poor darling； went within a dozen yards of the hives he never failed to suffer for it。 In her heart Elizabeth knew perfectly well that this was because Nutty； when in the presence of the bees； lost his head pletely and behaved like an exaggerated version of Lady Wetherby's Dream of Psyche； whereas Bill maintained an easy calm； but at the moment she put the phenomenon down to that inexplicable cussedness which does so much to exasperate the human race； and it fed her annoyance with her unbidden guest。
Without menting on his last remark； she took the smoker from him and set to work。 She inserted in the fire…chamber a handful of the cotton…waste and set fire to it； then with a preliminary puff or two of the bellows to make sure that the conflagration had not gone out； she aimed the nozzle at the front door of the hive。
The results were instantaneous。 One or two bee…policemen； who were doing fixed point…duty near the opening； scuttled hastily back into the hive； and from within came a muffled buzzing as other bees； all talking at once； worried the perplexed officials with foolish questions； a buzzing that became less muffled and more pronounced as Elizabeth lifted the edge of the cover and directed more smoke through the crack。 This done； she removed the cover； set it down on the grass beside her； lifted the super…cover and applied more smoke； and raised her eyes to where Bill stood watching。 His face wore a smile of pleased interest。
Elizabeth's irritation became painful。 She resented his smile。 She hung the smoker on the side of the hive。
'The stool； please； and the screw…driver。'
She seated herself beside the hive and began to loosen the outside section。 Then taking the brood…frame by the projecting ends； she pulled it out and handed it to her panion。 She did it as one who plays an ace of trumps。
'Would you mind holding this； Mr Chalmers？'
This was the point in the ceremony at which the wretched Nutty had broken down absolutely； and not inexcusably； considering the severity of the test。 The surface of the frame was black with what appeared at first sight to be a thick； bubbling fluid of some sort； pouring viscously to and fro as if some hidden fire had been lighted beneath it。 Only after a closer inspection was it apparent to the lay eye that this seeming fluid was in reality posed of mass upon mass of bees。 They shoved and writhed and muttered and jostled； for all the world like a collection of home…seeking City men trying to secure standing room on the Underground at half…past five in the afternoon。
Nutty； making this discovery； had emitted one wild yell； dropped the frame； and started at full speed for the house； his retreat expedited by repeated stings from the nervous bees。 Bill； more prudent； remained absolutely motionless。 He eyed the seething frame with interest； but without apparent panic。
'I want you to help me here； Mr Chalmers。 You have stronger wrists than I have。 I will tell you what to do。 Hold the frame tightly。' 'I've got it。'
'Jerk it down as sharply as you can to within a few inches of the door； and then jerk it up again。 You see； that shakes them off。'
'It would me；' agreed Bill； cordially； 'if I were a bee。'
Elizabeth had the feeling that she had played her ace of trumps and by some miracle lost the trick。 If this grisly operation did not daunt the man； nothing； not even the transferring of honey； would。 She watched him as he raised the frame and jerked it down with a strong swiftness which her less powerful wrists had never been able to achieve。 The bees tumbled off in a dense shower； asking questions to the last； then； sighting the familiar entrance to the hive； they bustled in without waiting to investigate the cause of the earthquake。
Lord Dawlish watched them go with a kindly interest。
'It has always been a mystery to me；' he said； 'why they never seem to think of manhandling the Johnny who does that to them。 They don't seem able to connect cause and effect。 I suppose the only way they can figure it out is that the bottom has suddenly dropped out of everything； and they are so busy lighting out for home that they haven't time to go to the root of things。 But it's a ticklish job； for all that； if you're not used to it。 I know when I first did it I shut my eyes and wondered whether they would bury my remains or cremate them。'
'When you first did it？' Elizabeth was staring at him blankly。 'Have you done it before？'
Her voice shook。 Bill met her gaze frankly。
'Done it before？ Rather！ Thousands of times。 You see； I spent a year on a bee…farm once； learning the business。'
For a moment mortification was the only emotion of which Elizabeth was conscious。 She felt supremely ridiculous。 For this she had schemed and plottedto give a practised expert the opportunity of doing what he had done a thousand times before！
And then her mood changed in a flash。 Nature has decreed that there are certain things in life which shall act as hoops of steel； grappling the souls of the elect together。 Golf is one of these； a mutual love of horseflesh another； but the greatest of all is bees。 Between two beekeepers there can be no strife。 Not even a tepid hostility can mar their perfect munion。
The petty enmities which life raises to be barriers between man and man and between man and woman vanish once it is revealed to them that they are linked by this great bond。 Envy； malice； hatred； and all uncharitableness disappear； and they look into each other's eyes and say 'My brother！'
The effect of Bill's words on Elizabeth was revolutionary。 They crashed through her dislike； scattering it like an explosive shell。 She had resented this golden young man's presence at the farm。 She had thought him in the way。 She had objected to his being aware that she did such prosaic tasks as cooking and washing…up。 But now her whole attitude toward him was changed。 She reflected that he was there。 He could stay there as long as he liked； the longer the better。
'You have really kept bees？'
'Not actually kept them； worse luck！ I couldn't raise the capital。 You see； money was a bit tight'
'I know；' said Elizabeth； sympathetically。 'Money is like that； isn't it？'
'The general impression seemed to be that I should be foolish to try anything so speculative as beekeeping； so it fell through。 Some very decent old boys got me another job。'
'What job？'
'Secretary to a club。'
'In London； of course？'
'Yes。'
'And all the time you wanted to be in the country keeping bees！'
Elizabeth could hardly control her voice； her pity was so great。
'I should have liked it；' said Bill； wistfully。 'London's all right； but I love the country。 My ambition would be to have a whacking big farm； a sort of ranch； miles away from anywhere'
He broke off。 This was not the first time he had caught himself forgetting how his circumstances had changed in the past few weeks。 It was ridiculous to be telling hard…luck stories about not being able to buy a farm； when he had the wherewithal to buy dozens of farms。 It took a lot of getting used to； this business of being a millionaire。
'That's my ambition too；' said Elizabeth； eagerly。 This was the very first time she had met a congenial spirit。 Nutty's views on farming and the Arcadian life generally were saddening to an enthusiast。 'If I had the money I should get an enormous farm； and in the summer I should borrow all the children I could find； and take them out to it and let them wallow in it。'
'Wouldn't they do a lot of damage？'
'I shouldn't mind。 I should be too rich to worry about the damage。 If they ruined the place beyond repair I'd go and buy another。' She laughed。 'It isn't so impossible as it sounds。 I came very near being able to do it。' She paused for a moment； but went on almost at once。 After all； if you cannot confide your intimate troubles to a fellow bee…lover； to whom can you confide them？ 'An uncle of mine'
Bill felt himself flushing。 He looked away from her。 He had a sense of almost unbearable guilt； as if he had just done some particularly low crime and was contemplating another。
'An uncle of mine would have left me enough money to buy all the farms I wanted； only an awful person； an English lord I wonder if you have heard of him？Lord Dawlishgot hold of uncle somehow and induced him to make a will leaving all the money to him。'
She looked at Bill for sympathy； and was touched to see that he was crimson with emotion。 He must be a perfect dear to take other people's misfortunes to heart like that。
'I don't know how he managed it；' she went on。 'He must have worked and plotted and schemed； for Uncle Ira wasn't a weak sort of man whom you could do what you liked with。 He was very obstinate。 But； anyway； this Lord Dawlish succeeded in doing it somehow； and then'her eyes blazed at the recollection'he had the insolence to write to me through his lawyers offering me half。 I suppose he was hoping to satisfy his conscience。 Naturally I refused it。'
'Butbutbut why？'
'Why！ Why did I refuse it？ Surely you don't think I was going to accept charity from the man who had cheated me？'
'Butbut perhaps he didn't mean it like that。 What I mean to say isas charity； you know。'
'He did！ But don't let's talk of it any more。 It makes me angry to think of him； and there's no use spoiling a lovely day like this by getting angry。'
Bill sighed。 He had never dreamed before that it could be so difficult to give money away。 He was profoundly glad that he had not revealed his identity； as he had been on the very point of doing just when she began her remarks。 He understood now why that curt refusal had e in answer to his lawyer's letter。 Well； there was nothing to do but wait and hope that time might acplish something。
'What do you want me to do next？' he said。 'Why did you open the hive？ Did you want to take a look at the queen？'
Elizabeth hesitated。 She blushed with pure shame。 She had had but one motive in opening the hive； and that had been to annoy him。 She scorned to take advantage of the loophole he had provided。 Beekeeping is a freemasonry。 A beekeeper cannot deceive a brother…mason。
She faced him bravely。
'I didn't want to take a look at anything； Mr
