the golden age(金色时代)-第13章
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next he was grovelling on the floor。 No saurian ever swung a tail so
scaly and so curly as his。 Clubland was a thousand years away。 With
horrific pants he emitted smokiest smoke and fiercest fire。
〃Now I want a Princess；〃 cried Edward； clutching Charlotte
ecstatically； 〃and YOU can be the doctor； and heal me from the dragon's
deadly wound。〃
Of all professions I held the sacred art of healing in worst horror and
contempt。 Cataclysmal memories of purge and draught crowded thick on
me； and with Charlottewho courted no barren honoursI made a break
for the door。 Edward did likewise； and the hostile forces clashed together
on the mat； and for a brief space things were mixed and chaotic and
Arthurian。 The silvery sound of the luncheon…bell restored an instant
peace； even in the teeth of clenched antagonisms like ours。 The Holy
Grail itself； 〃sliding athwart a sunbeam；〃 never so effectually stilled a riot
of warring passions into sweet and quiet accord。
WHAT THEY TALKED ABOUT
Edward was standing ginger…beer like a gentleman； happening； as the
one that had last passed under the dentist's hands； to be the capitalist of the
flying hour。 As in all well…regulated families； the usual tariff obtained in
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ours；half…a…crown a tooth； one shilling only if the molar were a loose one。
This one； unfortunatelyin spite of Edward's interested affectation of
agonyhad been shaky undisguised； but the event was good enough to run
to ginger…beer。 As financier； however； Edward had claimed exemption
from any servile duties of procurement； and had swaggered about the
garden while I fetched from the village post… office； and Harold stole a
tumbler from the pantry。 Our preparations complete； we were sprawling
on the lawn； the staidest and most self respecting of the rabbits had been
let loose to grace the feast； and was lopping demurely about the grass；
selecting the juiciest plantains； while Selina； as the eldest lady present；
was toying； in her affected feminine way； with the first full tumbler；
daintily fishing for bits of broken cork。
〃Hurry up； can't you？〃 growled our host； 〃what are you girls always so
beastly particular for？〃
〃Martha says；〃 explained Harold （thirsty too； but still just）； 〃that if you
swallow a bit of cork； it swells； and it swells； and it swells inside you； till
you〃
〃O bosh！〃 said Edward； draining the glass with a fine pretence of
indifference to consequences； but all the same （as I noticed） dodging the
floating cork…fragments with skill and judgment。
〃O； it's all very well to say bosh；〃 replied Harold； nettled； 〃but every
one knows it's true but you。 Why； when Uncle Thomas was here last； and
they got up a bottle of wine for him； he took just one tiny sip out of his
glass； and then he said； ‘Poo； my goodness； that's corked！' And he
wouldn't touch it。 And they had to get a fresh bottle up。 The funny part
was； though； I looked in his glass afterwards； when it was brought out into
the passage； and there wasn't any cork in it at all！ So I drank it all off；
and it was very good！〃
〃You'd better be careful； young man！〃 said his elder brother； regarding
him severely。 〃D' you remember that night when the Mummers were
here； and they had mulled port； and you went round and emptied all the
glasses after they had gone away？〃
〃Ow！ I did feel funny that night；〃 chuckled Harold。 〃Thought the
house was comin' down； it jumped about so； and Martha had to carry me
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up to bed； 'cos the stairs was goin' all waggity！〃
We gazed searchingly at our graceless junior； but it was clear that he
viewed the matter in the light of a phenomenon rather than of a
delinquency。
A third bottle was by this time circling； and Selina； who had evidently
waited for it to reach her； took a most unfairly long pull； and then jumping
up and shaking out her frock； announced that she was going for a walk。
Then she fled like a hare； for it was the custom of our Family to meet with
physical coercion any independence of action in individuals。
〃She's off with those Vicarage girls again；〃 said Edward； regarding
Selina's long black legs twinkling down the path。 〃She goes out with
them every day now； and as soon as ever they start； all their heads go
together and they chatter； chatter； chatter the whole blessed time！ I can't
make out what they find to talk about。 They never stop； it's gabble；
gabble； gabble right along； like a nest of young rooks！〃
〃P'raps they talk about birds'…eggs；〃 I suggested sleepily （the sun was
hot； the turf soft； the ginger…beer potent）； 〃and about ships； and buffaloes；
and desert islands； and why rabbits have white tails； and whether they'd
sooner have a schooner or a cutter； and what they'll be when they're men
at least； I mean there's lots of things to talk about； if you WANT to talk。〃
〃Yes； but they don't talk about those sort of things at all；〃 persisted
Edward。 〃How CAN they？ They don't KNOW anything； they can't DO
anythingexcept play the piano； and nobody would want to talk about
THAT； and they don't care about anythinganything sensible； I mean。 So
what DO they talk about？〃
〃I asked Martha once；〃 put in Harold； 〃and she said； ‘Never YOU
mind； young ladies has lots of things to talk about that young gentlemen
can't understand。'〃
〃I don't believe it；〃 Edward growled。
〃Well； that's what she SAID； anyway；〃 rejoined Harold； indifferently。
The subject did not seem to him of first…class importance； and it was
hindering the circulation of the ginger… beer。
We heard the click of the front…gate。 Through a gap in the hedge we
could see the party setting off down the road。 Selina was in the middle： a
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Vicarage girl had her by either arm； their heads were together； as Edward
had described； and the clack of their tongues came down the breeze like
the busy pipe of starlings on a bright March morning。
〃What DO they talk about； Charlotte？〃 I inquired； wishing to pacify
Edward。 〃You go out with them sometimes。〃
〃I don't know；〃 said poor Charlotte； dolefully。 〃They make me walk
behind； 'cos they say I'm too little； and mustn't hear。 And I DO want to
so；〃 she added。
〃When any lady comes to see Aunt Eliza；〃 said Harold； 〃they both talk
at once all the time。 And yet each of 'em seems to hear what the other
one's saying。 I can't make out how they do it。 Grown…up people are so
clever！〃
〃The Curate's the funniest man；〃 I remarked。 〃He's always saying
things that have no sense in them at all； and then laughing at them as if
they were jokes。 Yesterday； when they asked him if he'd have some more
tea he said ‘Once more unto the breach； dear friends； once more；' and then
sniggered all over。 I didn't see anything funny in that。 And then
somebody asked him about his button…hole and he said ‘'Tis but a little
faded flower；' and exploded again。 I thought it very stupid。〃
〃O HIM；〃 said Edward contemptuously： 〃he can't help it； you know；
it's a sort of way he's got。 But it's these girls I can't make out。 If they've
anything really sensible to talk about； how is it nobody knows what it is？
And if they haven'tand we know they CAN'T have； naturallywhy don't
they shut up their jaw？ This old rabbit hereHE doesn't want to talk。
He's got something better to do。〃 And Edward aimed a ginger…beer cork
at the unruffled beast； who never budged。
〃O but rabbits DO talk；〃 interposed Harold。 〃I've watched them often
in their hutch。 They put their heads together and their noses go up and
down； just like Selina's and the Vicarage girls'。 Only of course I can t
hear what they're saying。〃
〃Well； if they do；〃 said Edward； unwillingly； 〃I'll bet they don't talk
such rot as those girls do！〃which was ungenerous； as well as unfair； for it
had not yet transpirednor has it to this dayWHAT Selina and her
friends talked about。
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THE ARGONAUTS
The advent of strangers； of whatever sort； into our circle； had always
been a matter of grave dubiety and suspicion； indeed； it was generally a
signal for retreat into caves and fastnesses of the earth； into unthreaded
copses or remote outlying cowsheds； whence we were only to be
extricated by wily nursemaids； rendered familiar by experience with our
secret runs and refuges。 It was not surprising therefore that the heroes of
classic legend； when first we made their acquaintance； failed to win our
entire sympathy at once。 〃Confidence；〃 says somebody； 〃is a plant of
slow growth；〃 and these stately dark…haired demi…gods； with names hard to
master and strange accoutrements； had to win a citadel already strongly
garrisoned with a more familiar soldiery。 Their chill foreign goddesses
had no such direct appeal for us as the mocking malicious fairies and
witches of the North； we missed the pleasant alliance of the animalthe
fox who spread the bushiest of tails to convey us to the enchanted castle；
the frog in the well； the raven who croaked advice from the tree； andto
Harold especiallyit seemed entirely wrong that the hero should ever be
other than the youngest brother of three。
