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！
his altered standing as a person of consequence； one who had had some
share in the strange events of his times。 Then he was thrust once again
67
… Page 68…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
into the cold grey background by the sudden blossoming into
importance of Smith…Paddon； a daily fellow…traveller； whose little girl
had been knocked down and nearly hurt by a car belonging to a musical…
comedy actress。 The actress was not in the car at the time； but she was
in numerous photographs which appeared in the illustrated papers of
Zoto Dobreen inquiring after the well…being of Maisie； daughter of
Edmund Smith…Paddon； Esq。 With this new human interest to absorb
them the travelling companions were almost rude when Blenkinthrope
tried to explain his contrivance for keeping vipers and peregrine
falcons out of his chicken…run。
Gorworth； to whom he unburdened himself in private； gave him the
same counsel as heretofore。
〃Invent something。〃
〃Yes； but what？〃
The ready affirmative coupled with the question betrayed a
significant shifting of the ethical standpoint。
It was a few days later that Blenkinthrope revealed a chapter of
family history to the customary gathering in the railway carriage。
〃Curious thing happened to my aunt； the one who lives in Paris；〃 he
began。 He had several aunts； but they were all geographically
distributed over Greater London。
〃She was sitting on a seat in the Bois the other afternoon； after
lunching at the Roumanian Legation。〃
Whatever the story gained in picturesqueness from the dragging…in
of diplomatic 〃atmosphere；〃 it ceased from that moment to command
any acceptance as a record of current events。 Gorworth had warned his
neophyte that this would be the case； but the traditional enthusiasm of
the neophyte had triumphed over discretion。
〃She was feeling rather drowsy； the effect probably of the
champagne； which she's not in the habit of taking in the middle of the
day。〃
A subdued murmur of admiration went round the company。
Blenkinthrope's aunts were not used to taking champagne in the middle
of the year； regarding it exclusively as a Christmas and New Year
68
… Page 69…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
accessory。
〃Presently a rather portly gentleman passed by her seat and paused
an instant to light a cigar。 At that moment a youngish man came up
behind him； drew the blade from a swordstick； and stabbed him half a
dozen times through and through。 'Scoundrel；' he cried to his victim；
'you do not know me。 My name is Henri Leturc。' The elder man
wiped away some of the blood that was spattering his clothes； turned to
his assailant； and said： ‘And since when has an attempted assassination
been considered an introduction？' Then he finished lighting his cigar
and walked away。 My aunt had intended screaming for the police； but
seeing the indifference with which the principal in the affair treated the
matter she felt that it would be an impertinence on her part to interfere。
Of course I need hardly say she put the whole thing down to the effects
of a warm； drowsy afternoon and the Legation champagne。 Now
comes the astonishing part of my story。 A fortnight later a bank
manager was stabbed to death with a swordstick in that very part of the
Bois。 His assassin was the son of a charwoman formerly working at
the bank； who had been dismissed from her job by the manager on
account of chronic intemperance。 His name was Henri Leturc。〃
From that moment Blenkinthrope was tacitly accepted as the
Munchausen of the party。 No effort was spared to draw him out from
day to day in the exercise of testing their powers of credulity； and
Blenkinthrope； in the false security of an assured and receptive audience；
waxed industrious and ingenious in supplying the demand for marvels。
Duckby's satirical story of a tame otter that had a tank in the garden to
swim in； and whined restlessly whenever the water…rate was overdue；
was scarcely an unfair parody of some of Blenkinthrope's wilder
efforts。 And then one day came Nemesis。
Returning to his villa one evening Blenkinthrope found his wife
sitting in front of a pack of cards； which she was scrutinising with
unusual concentration。
〃The same old patience…game？〃 he asked carelessly。
〃No； dear； this is the Death's Head patience； the most difficult of
them all。 I've never got it to work out； and somehow I should be rather
69
… Page 70…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
frightened if I did。 Mother only got it out once in her life； she was
afraid of it； too。 Her great…aunt had done it once and fallen dead from
excitement the next moment； and mother always had a feeling that she
would die if she ever got it out。 She died the same night that she did it。
She was in bad health at the time； certainly； but it was a strange
coincidence。〃
〃Don't do it if it frightens you；〃 was Blenkinthrope's practical
comment as he left the room。 A few minutes later his wife called to
him。
〃John； it gave me such a turn； I nearly got it out。 Only the five of
diamonds held me up at the end。 I really thought I'd done it。〃
〃Why； you can do it；〃 said Blenkinthrope； who had come back to the
room； 〃if you shift the eight of clubs on to that open nine the five can be
moved on to the six。〃
His wife made the suggested move with hasty； trembling fingers； and
piled the outstanding cards on to their respective packs。 Then she
followed the example of her mother and great…grand…aunt。
Blenkinthrope had been genuinely fond of his wife； but in the midst
of his bereavement one dominant thought obtruded itself。 Something
sensational and real had at last come into his life； no longer was it a grey；
colourless record。 The headlines which might appropriately describe
his domestic tragedy kept shaping themselves in his brain。 〃Inherited
presentiment comes true。〃 〃The Death's Head patience： Card…game
that justified its sinister name in three generations。〃 He wrote out a
full story of the fatal occurrence for the ESSEX VEDETTE； the editor of
which was a friend of his； and to another friend he gave a condensed
account； to be taken up to the office of one of the halfpenny dailies。
But in both cases his reputation as a romancer stood fatally in the way of
the fulfilment of his ambitions。 〃Not the right thing to be
Munchausening in a time of sorrow〃 agreed his friends among
themselves； and a brief note of regret at the 〃sudden death of the wife of
our respected neighbour； Mr。 John Blenkinthrope； from heart failure；〃
appearing in the news column of the local paper was the forlorn outcome
of his visions of widespread publicity。
70
… Page 71…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
Blenkinthrope shrank from the society of his erstwhile travelling
companions and took to travelling townwards by an ear