the wheels of chance- 第5部分

〃There's　no　hurry；　sir；　none　whatever。　I　came　out　for　exercise；　gentle　exercise；　and　to　notice　the　scenery　and　to　botanise。　And　no　sooner　do　I　get　on　the　accursed　machine；　than　off　I　go　hammer　and　tongs；　I　never　look　to　right　or　left；　never　notice　a　flower；　never　see　a　view；　get　hot；　juicy；　red；like　a　grilled　chop。　Here　I　am；　sir。　Come　from　Guildford　in　something　under　the　hour。　WHY；　sir？〃　

Mr。　Hoopdriver　shook　his　head。　

〃Because　I'm　a　damned　fool；　sir。　Because　I've　reservoirs　and　reservoirs　of　muscular　energy；　and　one　or　other　of　them　is　always　leaking。　It's　a　most　interesting　road；　birds　and　trees；　I've　no　doubt；　and　wayside　flowers；　and　there's　nothing　I　should　enjoy　more　than　watching　them。　But　I　can't。　Get　me　on　that　machine；　and　I　have　to　go。　Get　me　on　anything；　and　I　have　to　go。　And　I　don't　want　to　go　a　bit。　WHY　should　a　man　rush　about　like　a　rocket；　all　pace　and　fizzle？　Why？　It　makes　me　furious。　I　can　assure　you；　sir；　I　go　scorching　along　the　road；　and　cursing　aloud　at　myself　for　doing　it。　A　quiet；　dignified；　philosophical　man；　that's　what　I　amat　bottom；　and　here　I　am　dancing　with　rage　and　swearing　like　a　drunken　tinker　at　a　perfect　stranger

〃But　my　day's　wasted。　I've　lost　all　that　country　road；　and　now　I'm　on　the　fringe　of　London。　And　I　might　have　loitered　all　the　morning！　Ugh！　Thank　Heaven；　sir；　you　have　not　the　irritable　temperament；　that　you　are　not　goaded　to　madness　by　your　endogenous　sneers；　by　the　eternal　wrangling　of　an　uncomfortable　soul　and　body。　I　tell　you；　I　lead　a　cat　and　dog　lifeBut　what　IS　the　use　of　talking？It's　all　of　a　piece！〃　

He　tossed　his　head　with　unspeakable　self…disgust；　pitched　the　lemon　squash　into　his　mouth；　paid　for　it；　and　without　any　further　remark　strode　to　the　door。　Mr。　Hoopdriver　was　still　wondering　what　to　say　when　his　interlocutor　vanished。　There　was　a　noise　of　a　foot　spurning　the　gravel；　and　when　Mr。　Hoopdriver　reached　the　doorway；　the　man　in　drab　was　a　score　of　yards　Londonward。　He　had　already　gathered　pace。　He　pedalled　with　ill…suppressed　anger；　and　his　head　was　going　down。　In　another　moment　he　flew　swiftly　out　of　sight　under　the　railway　arch；　and　Mr。　Hoopdriver　saw　him　no　more。



VII　

After　this　whirlwind　Mr。　Hoopdriver　paid　his　reckoning　andbeing　now　a　little　rested　about　the　muscles　of　the　kneesresumed　his　saddle　and　rode　on　in　the　direction　of　Ripley；　along　an　excellent　but　undulating　road。　He　was　pleased　to　find　his　command　over　his　machine　already　sensibly　increased。　He　set　himself　little　exercises　as　he　went　along　and　performed　them　with　variable　success。　There　was；　for　instance；　steering　in　between　a　couple　of　stones；　say　a　foot　apart；　a　deed　of　little　difficulty　as　far　as　the　front　wheel　is　concerned。　But　the　back　wheel；　not　being　under　the　sway　of　the　human　eye；　is　apt　to　take　a　vicious　jump　over　the　obstacle；　which　sends　a　violent　concussion　all　along　the　spine　to　the　skull；　and　will　even　jerk　a　loosely　fastened　hat　over　the　eyes；　and　so　lead　to　much　confusion。　And　again；　there　was　taking　the　hand　or　hands　off　the　handlebar；　a　thing　simple　in　itself；　but　complex　in　its　consequences。　This　particularly　was　a　feat　Mr。　Hoopdriver　desired　to　do；　for　several　divergent　reasons；　but　at　present　it　simply　led　to　convulsive　balancings　and　novel　and　inelegant　modes　of　dismounting。　

The　human　nose　is；　at　its　best；　a　needless　excrescence。　There　are　those　who　consider　it　ornamental；　and　would　regard　a　face　deprived　of　its　assistance　with　pity　or　derision；　but　it　is　doubtful　whether　our　esteem　is　dictated　so　much　by　a　sense　of　its　absolute　beauty　as　by　the　vitiating　effect　of　a　universally　prevalent　fashion。　In　the　case　of　bicycle　students；　as　in　the　young　of　both　sexes；　its　inutility　is　aggravated　by　its　persistent　annoyanceit　requires　constant　attention。　Until　one　can　ride　with　one　hand；　and　search　for；　secure；　and　use　a　pocket　handkerchief　with　the　other；　cycling　is　necessarily　a　constant　series　of　descents。　Nothing　can　be　further　from　the　author's　ambition　than　a　wanton　realism；　but　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　nose　is　a　plain　and　salient　fact；　and　face　it　we　must。　And；　in　addition　to　this　inconvenience；　there　are　flies。　Until　the　cyclist　can　steer　with　one　hand；　his　face　is　given　over　to　Beelzebub。　Contemplative　flies　stroll　over　it；　and　trifle　absently　with　its　most　sensitive　surfaces。　The　only　way　to　dislodge　them　is　to　shake　the　head　forcibly　and　to　writhe　one's　features　violently。　This　is　not　only　a　lengthy　and　frequently　ineffectual　method；　but　one　exceedingly　terrifying　to　foot　passengers。　And　again；　sometimes　the　beginner　rides　for　a　space　with　one　eye　closed　by　perspiration；　giving　him　a　waggish　air　foreign　to　his　mood　and　ill　calculated　to　overawe　the　impertinent。　However；　you　will　appreciate　now　the　motive　of　Mr。　Hoopdriver's　experiments。　He　presently　attained　sufficient　dexterity　to　slap　himself　smartly　and　violently　in　the　face　with　his　right　hand；　without　certainly　overturning　the　machine；　but　his　pocket　handkerchief　might　have　been　in　California　for　any　good　it　was　to　him　while　he　was　in　the　saddle。　

Yet　you　must　not　think　that　because　Mr。　Hoopdriver　was　a　little　uncomfortable；　he　was　unhappy　in　the　slightest　degree。　In　the　background　of　his　consciousness　was　the　sense　that　about　this　time　Briggs　would　be　half…way　through　his　window　dressing；　and　Gosling；　the　apprentice；　busy；　with　a　chair　turned　down　over　the　counter　and　his　ears　very　red；　trying　to　roll　a　piece　of　huckabackonly　those　who　have　rolled　pieces　of　huckaback　know　quite　how　detestable　huckaback　is　to　rolland　the　shop　would　be　dusty　and；　perhaps；　the　governor　about　and　snappy。　And　here　was　quiet　and　greenery；　and　one　mucked　about　as　the　desire　took　one；　without　a　soul　to　see；　and　here　was　no　wailing　of　〃Sayn；〃　no　folding　of　remnants；　no　voice　to　shout；　〃Hoopdriver；　forward！〃　And　once　he　almost　ran　over　something　wonderful；　a　little；　low；　red　beast　with　a　yellowish　tail；　that　went　rushing　across　the　road　before　him。　It　was　the　first　weasel　he　had　ever　seen　in　his　cockney　life。　There　were　miles　of　this；　scores　of　miles　of　this　before　him；　pinewood　and　oak　forest；　purple；　heathery　moorland　and　grassy　down；　lush　meadows；　where　shining　rivers　wound　their　lazy　way；　villages　with　square…towered；　flint　churches；　and　rambling；　cheap；　and　hearty　inns；　clean；　white；　country　towns；　long　downhill　stretches；　where　one　might　ride　at　one's　ease　（overlooking　a　jolt　or　so）；　and　far　away；　at　the　end　of　it　all；the　sea。　

What　mattered　a　fly　or　so　in　the　dawn　of　these　delights？　Perhaps　he　had　been　dashed　a　minute　by　the　shameful　episode　of　the　Young　Lady　in　Grey；　and　perhaps　the　memory　of　it　was　making　itself　a　little　lair　in　a　corner　of　his　brain　from　which　it　could　distress　him　in　the　retrospect　by　suggesting　that　he　looked　like　a　fool；　but　for　the　present　that　trouble　was　altogether　in　abeyance。　The　man　in　drabevidently　a　swellhad　spoken　to　him　as　his　equal；　and　the　knees　of　his　brown　suit　and　the　chequered　stockings　were　ever　before　his　eyes。　（Or；　rather；　you　could　see　the　stockings　by　carrying　the　head　a　little　to　one　side。）　And　to　feel；　little　by　little；　his　mastery　over　this　delightful；　treacherous　machine；　growing　and　growing！　Every　half…mile　or　so　his　knees　reasserted　themselves；　and　he　dismounted　and　sat　awhile　by　the　roadside。　

It　was　at　a　charming　little　place　between　Esher　and　Cobham；　where　a　bridge　crosses　a　stream；　that　Mr。　Hoopdriver　came　across　the　other　cyclist　in　brown。　It　is　well　to　notice　the　fact　here；　although　the　interview　was　of　the　slightest；　because　it　happened　that　subsequently　Hoopdriver　saw　a　great　deal　more　of　this　other　man　in　brown。　The　other　cyclist　in　brown　had　a　machine　of　dazzling　newness；　and　a　punctured　pneumatic　lay　across　his　knees。　He　was　a　man　of　thirty　or　more；　with　a　whitish　face；　an　aquiline　nose；　a　lank；　flaxen　moustache；　and　very　fair　hair；　and　he　scowled　at　the　job　before　him。　At　the　sight　of　him　Mr。　Hoopdriver　pulled　himself　together；　and　rode　by　with　the　air　of　one　born　to　the　wheel。　〃A　splendid　morning；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　〃and　a　fine　surface。〃　

〃The　morning　and　you　and　the　surface　be　everlastingly　damned！〃　said　the　other　man　in　brown　as　Hoopdriver　receded。　Hoopdriver　heard　the　mumble　and　did　not　distinguish　the　words；　and　he　felt　a　pleasing　sense　of　having　duly　asserted　the　wide　sympathy　that　binds　all　cyclists　together；　of　having　behaved　himself　as　becomes　one　of　the　brotherhood　of　the　wheel。　The　other　man　in　brown　watched　his　receding　aspect。　〃Greasy　proletarian；〃　said　the　other　man　in　brown；　feeling　a　prophetic　dislike。　〃Got　a　suit　of　brown；　the　very　picture　of　this。　One　would　think　his　sole　aim　in　life　had　been　to　caricature　me。　It's　Fortune's　way　with　me。　Look　at　his　insteps　on　the　treadles！　Why　does　Heaven　make　such　men？〃　

And　having　lit　a　cigarette；　the　other　man　in　brown　returned　to　the　business　in　hand。　

Mr。　Hoopdriver　worked　up　the　hill　towards　Cobham　to　a　point　that　he　felt　sure　was　out　of　sight　of　the　other　man　in　brown；　and　then　he　dismounted　and　pushed　his　machine；　until　the　proximity　of　the　village　and　a　proper　pride　drove　him　into　the　saddle　again。



VIII　

Beyond　Cobham　came　a　delightful　incident；　delightful；　that　is；　in　its　beginning　if　a　trifle　indeterminate　in　the　retrospect。　It　was　perhaps　half…way　between　Cobham　and　Ripley。　Mr。　Hoopdriver　dropped　down　a　little　hill；　where；　unfenced　from　the　road；　fine　mossy　trees　and　bracken　lay　on　either　side；　and　looking　up　he　saw　an　open　country　before　him；　covered　with　heather　and　set　with　pines；　and　a　yellow　road　runing　across　it；　and　half　a　mile　away　perhaps；　a　little　grey　figure　by　the　wayside　waving　something　white。　〃Never！〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver　with　his　hands　tightening　on　the　handles。　

He　resumed　the　treadles；　staring　away　before　him；　jolted　over　a　stone；　wabbled；　recovered；　and　began　riding　faster　at　once；　with　his　eyes　ahead。　〃It　can't　be；〃　said　Hoopdriver。　

He　rode　his　straightest；　and　kept　his　pedals　spinning；　albeit　a　limp　numbness　had　resumed　possession　of　his　legs。〃　It　CAN'T　be；〃　he　repeated；　feeling　every　moment　more　assured　that　it　WAS。　〃Lord！　I　don't　know　even　now；〃　said　Mr。　Hoopdriver　（legs　awhirling）；　and　then；　〃Blow　my　legs！〃　

But　he　kept　on　and　drew　nearer　and　nearer；　breathing　hard　and　gathering　flies　like　a　flypaper。　In　the　valley　he　was　hidden。　Then　the　road　bega