beasts and super-beasts(野兽与超级野兽)-第28章
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〃He trotted out some well…worn chestnut as the latest thing in good
stories； and I remarked； quite innocently； that I never could remember
whether it was George II。 or James II。 who was so fond of that
particular story； and now he regards me with politely… draped dislike。 I'll
do my best for you； if the opportunity arises； but it will have to be in a
roundabout； impersonal manner。〃
* * * *
〃It's so nice having Mr。 Lanner here；〃 confided Mrs。 Olston to
Clovis the next afternoon； 〃he's always been engaged when I've asked
him before。 Such a nice man； he really ought to be married to some
nice girl。 Between you and me； I have an idea that he came down here
for a certain reason。〃
〃I've had much the same idea；〃 said Clovis； lowering his voice； 〃in
fact； I'm almost certain of it。〃 〃You mean he's attracted by … 〃 began Mrs。
Olston eagerly。
〃I mean he's here for what he can get；〃 said Clovis。
〃For what he can GET？〃 said the hostess with a touch of indignation
in her voice； 〃what do you mean？ He's a very rich man。 What should
he want to get here？〃
〃He has one ruling passion；〃 said Clovis； 〃and there's something he
can get here that is not to be had for love nor for money anywhere else
in the country； as far as I know。〃
〃But what？ Whatever do you mean？ What is his ruling passion？〃
〃Egg…collecting；〃 said Clovis。 〃He has agents all over the world
getting rare eggs for him； and his collection is one of the finest in Europe；
but his great ambition is to collect his treasures personally。 He stops
at no expense nor trouble to achieve that end。〃
〃Good heavens！ The buzzards； the rough…legged buzzards！〃
exclaimed Mrs。 Olston； 〃you don't think he's going to raid their nest？〃
〃What do you think yourself？〃 asked Clovis； 〃the only pair of rough…
legged buzzards known to breed in this country are nesting in your
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woods。 Very few people know about them； but as a member of the
league for protecting rare birds that information would be at his disposal。
I came down in the train with him； and I noticed that a bulky volume
of Dresser's 'Birds of Europe' was one of the requisites that he had
packed in his travelling…kit。 It was the volume dealing with short…
winged hawks and buzzards。〃
Clovis believed that if a lie was worth telling it was worth telling
well。
〃This is appalling；〃 said Mrs。 Olston； 〃my husband would never
forgive me if anything happened to those birds。 They've been seen
about the woods for the last year or two； but this is the first time they've
nested。 As you say； they are almost the only pair known to be
breeding in the whole of Great Britain； and now their nest is going to be
harried by a guest staying under my roof。 I must do something to stop
it。 Do you think if I appealed to him … 〃
Clovis laughed。
〃There is a story going about； which I fancy is true in most of its
details； of something that happened not long ago somewhere on the
coast of the Sea of Marmora； in which our friend had a hand。 A Syrian
nightjar； or some such bird； was known to be breeding in the olive
gardens of a rich Armenian； who for some reason or other wouldn't
allow Lanner to go in and take the eggs； though he offered cash down
for the permission。 The Armenian was found beaten nearly to death a
day or two later； and his fences levelled。 It was assumed to be a case of
Mussulman aggression； and noted as such in all the Consular reports； but
the eggs are in the Lanner collection。 No； I don't think I should appeal
to his better feelings if I were you。〃
〃I must do something；〃 said Mrs。 Olston tearfully； 〃my husband's
parting words when he went off to Norway were an injunction to see that
those birds were not disturbed； and he's asked about them every time
he's written。 Do suggest something。〃
〃I was going to suggest picketing；〃 said Clovis。
〃Picketing！ You mean setting guards round the birds？〃
〃No； round Lanner。 He can't find his way through those woods by
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night； and you could arrange that you or Evelyn or Jack or the German
governess should be by his side in relays all day long。 A fellow guest
he could get rid of； but he couldn't very well shake off members of the
household； and even the most determined collector would hardly go
climbing after forbidden buzzards' eggs with a German governess
hanging round his neck； so to speak。〃
Lanner； who had been lazily watching for an opportunity for
prosecuting his courtship of the Coulterneb girl； found presently that his
chances of getting her to himself for ten minutes even were non… existent。
If the girl was ever alone he never was。 His hostess had changed
suddenly； as far as he was concerned； from the desirable type that lets
her guests do nothing in the way that best pleases them； to the sort that
drags them over the ground like so many harrows。 She showed him
the herb garden and the greenhouses； the village church； some water…
colour sketches that her sister had done in Corsica； and the place where
it was hoped that celery would grow later in the year。
He was shown all the Aylesbury ducklings and the row of wooden
hives where there would have been bees if there had not been bee
disease。 He was also taken to the end of a long lane and shown a
distant mound whereon local tradition reported that the Danes had once
pitched a camp。 And when his hostess had to desert him temporarily
for other duties he would find Evelyn walking solemnly by his side。
Evelyn was fourteen and talked chiefly about good and evil； and of how
much one might accomplish in the way of regenerating the world if one
was thoroughly determined to do one's utmost。 It was generally rather
a relief when she was displaced by Jack； who was nine years old； and
talked exclusively about the Balkan War without throwing any fresh
light on its political or military history。 The German governess told
Lanner more about Schiller than he had ever heard in his life about any
one person； it was perhaps his own fault for having told her that he
was not interested in Goethe。 When the governess went off picket duty
the hostess was again on hand with a not…to…be…gainsaid invitation to
visit the cottage of an old woman who remembered Charles James Fox；
the woman had been dead for two or three years； but the cottage was
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still there。 Lanner was called back to town earlier than he had
originally intended。
Hugo did not bring off his affair with Betty Coulterneb。 Whether
she refused him or whether； as was more generally supposed； he did not
get a chance of saying three consecutive words； has never been exactly
ascertained。 Anyhow； she is still the jolly Coulterneb girl。
The buzzards successfully reared two young ones； which were shot
by a local hairdresser。
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THE STAKE
〃RONNIE is a great trial to me；〃 said Mrs。 Attray plaintively。
〃Only eighteen years old last February and already a confirmed gambler。
I am sure I don't know where he inherits it from； his father never
touched cards； and you know how little I play … a game of bridge on
Wednesday afternoons in the winter； for three…pence a hundred； and even
that I shouldn't do if it wasn't that Edith always wants a fourth and would
be certain to ask that detestable Jenkinham woman if she couldn't get me。
I would much rather sit and talk any day than play bridge； cards are such
a waste of time； I think。 But as to Ronnie； bridge and baccarat and
poker…patience are positively all that he thinks about。 Of course I've
done my best to stop it； I've asked the Norridrums not to let him play
cards when he's over there； but you might as well ask the Atlantic Ocean
to keep quiet for a crossing as expect them to bother about a mother's
natural anxieties。〃
〃Why do you let him go there？〃 asked Eleanor Saxelby。
〃My dear；〃 said Mrs。 Attray； 〃I don't want to offend them。 After all；
they are my landlords and I have to look to them for anything I want
done about the place； they were very accommodating about the new roof
for the orchid house。 And they lend me one of their cars when mine is
out of order； you know how often it gets out of order。〃
〃I don't know how often；〃 said Eleanor； 〃but it must happen very
frequently。 Whenever I want you to take me anywhere in your car I am
always told that there is something wrong with it； or else
