Rudyard Kipling: 440+ Short Stories in One Edition (Illustrated). Редьярд Джозеф Киплинг

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СКАЧАТЬ I only wanted to see if you remembered. Who are those two on the Blessington Road?

      HE. Eabrey and the Penner woman. What do they matter to us? Tell me everything that you've been doing and saying and thinking.

      SHE. Doing little, saying less, and thinking a great deal. I've hardly been out at all.

      Ha. That was wrong of you. You haven't been moping?

      SHE. Not very much. Can you wonder that I'm disinclined for amusement?

      HE. Frankly, I do. Where was the difficulty?

      SHE. In this only. The more people I know and the more I'm known here, the wider spread will be the news of the crash when it comes. I don't like that.

      HE. Nonsense. We shall be out of it.

      SHE. You think so?

      HE. I'm sure of it, if there is any power in steam or horse-flesh to carry us away. Ha! ha!

      SHE. And the fun of the situation comes in—where, my Lancelot?

      HE. Nowhere, Guinevere. I was only thinking of something.

      SHE. They say men have a keener sense of humor than women. Now I was thinking of the scandal.

      HE. Don't think of anything so ugly. We shall be beyond it.

      SHE. It will be there all the same in the mouths of Simla—telegraphed over India, and talked of at the dinners—and when He goes out they will stare at Him to see how He takes it. And we shall be dead, Guy dear—dead and cast into the outer darkness where there is—

      HE. Love at least. Isn't that enough?

      SHE. I have said so.

      HE. And you think so still?

      SHE. What do you think?

      HA. What have I done? It means equal ruin to me, as the world reckons it—outcasting, the loss of my appointment, the breaking of my life's work. I pay my price.

      SHE. And are you so much above the world that you can afford to pay it? Am I?

      HA. My Divinity—what else?

      SHE. A very ordinary woman I'm afraid, but, so far, respectable. How'd you do, Mrs. Middleditch? Your husband? I think he's riding down to Annandale with Colonel Statters. Yes, isn't it divine after the rain?—Guy, how long am I to be allowed to bow to Mrs. Middleditch? Till the 17th?

      HE. Frowsy Scotchwoman? What is the use of bringing her into the discussion? You were saying?

      SHE. Nothing. Have you ever seen a man hanged?

      HE. Yes. Once.

      SHE. What was it for?

      HE. Murder, of course.

      SHE. Murder. Is that so great a sin after all? I wonder how he felt before the drop fell.

      HE. I don't think he felt much. What a gruesome little woman it is this evening! You're shivering. Put on your cape, dear.

      SHE. I think I will. Oh! Look at the mist coming over Sanjaoli; and I thought we should have sunshine on the Ladies' Mile! Let's turn back.

      HE. What's the good? There's a cloud on Elysium Hill, and that means it's foggy all down the Mall. We'll go on. It'll blow away before we get to the Convent, perhaps. 'Jove! It is chilly.

      SHE. You feel it, fresh from below. Put on your ulster. What do you think of my cape?

      HE. Never ask a man his opinion of a woman's dress when he is desperately and abjectly in love with the wearer. Let me look. Like everything else of yours it's perfect. Where did you get it from?

      SHE. He gave it me, on Wednesday... our wedding-day, you know.

      HE. The deuce He did! He's growing generous in his old age. D'you like all that frilly, bunchy stuff at the throat? I don't.

      SHE. Don't you?

      "Kind Sir, O' your courtesy,

       As you go by the town, Sir,

       Pray you O' your love for me,

       Buy me a russet gown, Sir."

      HE. I won't say: "Keek into the draw-well, Janet, Janet." Only wait a little, darling, and you shall be stocked with russet gowns and everything else.

      SHE. And when the frocks wear out, you'll get me new ones—and everything else?

      HE. Assuredly.

      SHE. I wonder!

      HE. Look here, Sweetheart, I didn't spend two days and two nights in the train to hear you wonder. I thought we'd settled all that at Shaifazehat.

      SHE. (dreamily). At Shaifazehat? Does the Station go on still? That was ages and ages ago. It must be crumbling to pieces. All except the Amirtollah kutcha road. I don't believe that could crumble till the Day of Judgment.

      HA. You think so? What is the mood now?

      SHE. I can't tell. How cold it is! Let us get on quickly.

      HA. Better walk a little. Stop your jhampanis and get out. What's the matter with you this evening, dear?

      SHE. Nothing. You must grow accustomed to my ways. If I'm boring you I can go home. Here's Captain Congleton coming; I dare say he'll be willing to escort me.

      HA. Goose! Between us, too! Damn Captain Congleton. There!

      SHE. Chivalrous Knight! Is it your habit to swear much in talking? It jars a little, and you might swear at me.

      HE. My angel! I didn't know what I was saying; and you changed so quickly that I couldn't follow. I'll apologize in dust and ashes.

      SHE. There'll be enough of those later on. Good night, Captain Congleton. Going to the singing-quadrilles already? What dances am I giving you next week? No! You must have written them down wrong. Five and Seven, I said. If you've made a mistake, I certainly don't intend to suffer for it. You must alter your programme.

      HE. I thought you told me that you had not been going out much this season?

      SHE. Quite true, but when I do I dance with Captain Congleton. He dances very nicely.

      HE. And sit out with him, I suppose?

      SHE. Yes. Have you any objection? Shall I stand under the chandelier in future?

      HE. What does he talk to you about?

      SHE. What do men talk about when they sit out?

      HA. Ugh! Don't! Well now I'm up, you must dispense with the fascinating Congleton for a while. I don't like him.

      SHE. (after a pause). Do you know СКАЧАТЬ