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！
said Clovis； pointing to a venerable weapon hanging on the wall。 〃I
wish you'd take it to her； my hands are all over oil。 Take it without
the sheath； it will be less trouble。〃
The butler drew the blade； still keen and bright in its well…cared for
old age； and carried it into the morning…room。 There was a door near
28
… Page 29…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
the writing…table leading to a back stairway； Jane vanished through it
with such lightning rapidity that the butler doubted whether she had
seen him come in。 Half an hour later Clovis was driving her and her
hastily…packed luggage to the station。
〃Mother will be awfully vexed when she comes back from her ride
and finds you have gone；〃 he observed to the departing guest； 〃but I'll
make up some story about an urgent wire having called you away。 It
wouldn't do to alarm her unnecessarily about Sturridge。〃
Jane sniffed slightly at Clovis' ideas of unnecessary alarm； and was
almost rude to the young man who came round with thoughtful inquiries
as to luncheon… baskets。
The miracle lost some of its usefulness from the fact that Dora wrote
the same day postponing the date of her visit； but； at any rate； Clovis
holds the record as the only human being who ever hustled Jane Martlet
out of the time…table of her migrations。
29
… Page 30…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
THE OPEN WINDOW
〃MY aunt will be down presently； Mr。 Nuttel；〃 said a very self…
possessed young lady of fifteen； 〃in the meantime you must try and put
up with me。〃
Framton Nuttel endeavoured to say the correct something which
should duly flatter the niece of the moment without unduly discounting
the aunt that was to come。 Privately he doubted more than ever
whether these formal visits on a succession of total strangers would do
much towards helping the nerve cure which he was supposed to be
undergoing。
〃I know how it will be；〃 his sister had said when he was preparing to
migrate to this rural retreat； 〃you will bury yourself down there and not
speak to a living soul； and your nerves will be worse than ever from
moping。 I shall just give you letters of introduction to all the people I
know there。 Some of them； as far as I can remember； were quite nice。〃
Framton wondered whether Mrs。 Sappleton； the lady to whom he
was presenting one of the letters of introduction； came into the nice
division。
〃Do you know many of the people round here？〃 asked the niece；
when she judged that they had had sufficient silent communion。
〃Hardly a soul；〃 said Framton。 〃My sister was staying here； at the
rectory； you know； some four years ago； and she gave me letters of
introduction to some of the people here。〃
He made the last statement in a tone of distinct regret。
〃Then you know practically nothing about my aunt？〃 pursued the
self…possessed young lady。
〃Only her name and address；〃 admitted the caller。 He was
wondering whether Mrs。 Sappleton was in the married or widowed state。
An undefinable something about the room seemed to suggest masculine
habitation。
〃Her great tragedy happened just three years ago；〃 said the child；
〃that would be since your sister's time。〃
〃Her tragedy？〃 asked Framton； somehow in this restful country spot
30
… Page 31…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
tragedies seemed out of place。
〃You may wonder why we keep that window wide open on an
October afternoon；〃 said the niece； indicating a large French window
that opened on to a lawn。
〃It is quite warm for the time of the year；〃 said Framton； 〃but has
that window got anything to do with the tragedy？〃
〃Out through that window； three years ago to a day； her husband and
her two young brothers went off for their day's shooting。 They never
came back。 In crossing the moor to their favourite snipe…shooting
ground they were all three engulfed in a treacherous piece of bog。 It
had been that dreadful wet summer； you know； and places that were
safe in other years gave way suddenly without warning。 Their bodies
were never recovered。 That was the dreadful part of it。〃 Here the
child's voice lost its self…possessed note and became falteringly human。
〃Poor aunt always thinks that they will come back some day； they and
the little brown spaniel that was lost with them； and walk in at that
window just as they used to do。 That is why the window is kept open
every evening till it is quite dusk。 Poor dear aunt； she has often told me
how they went out； her husband with his white waterproof coat over
his arm； and Ronnie； her youngest brother； singing 'Bertie； why do you
bound？' as he always did to tease her； because she said it got on her
nerves。 Do you know； sometimes on still； quiet evenings like this； I
almost get a creepy feeling that they will all walk in through that
window … 〃
She broke off with a little shudder。 It was a relief to Framton when
the aunt bustled into the room with a whirl of apologies for being late in
making her appearance。
〃I hope Vera has been amusing you？〃 she said。
〃She has been very interesting；〃 said Framton。
〃I hope you don't mind the open window；〃 said Mrs。 Sappleton
briskly； 〃my husband and brothers will be home directly from shooting；
and they always come in this way。 They've been out for snipe in the
marshes to…day； so they'll make a fine mess over my poor carpets。 So
like you men…folk； isn't it？〃
31
… Page 32…
BEASTS AND SUPER…BEASTS
She rattled on cheerfully about the shooting and the scarcity of birds；
and the prospects for duck in the winter。 To Framton it was all purely
horrible。 He made a desperate but only partially successful effort to
turn the talk on to a less ghastly topic； he was conscious that his
hostess was giving him only a fragment of her attention； and her eyes
were constantly straying past him to the open window and the lawn
beyond。 It was certainly an unfortunate coincidence that he should
have paid his visit on this tragic anniversary。
〃The doctors agree in ordering me complete rest； an absence of
mental excitement； and avoidance of anything in the nature of violent
physical exercise；〃 announced Framton； who laboured under the
tolerably wide…spread delusion that total strangers and chance
acquaintances are hungry for the least detail of one's ailments and
infirmities； their cause and cure。 〃On the matter of diet they are not so
much in agreement；〃 he continued。
〃No？〃 said Mrs。 Sappleton； in a voice which only replaced a yawn at
the last moment。 Then she suddenly brightened into alert attention …
but not to what Framton was saying。
〃Here they are at last！〃 she cried。 〃Just in time for tea； and don't
they look as if they were muddy up to the eyes！〃
Framton shivered slightly and turned towards the niece with a look
intended to convey sympathetic