little novels- 第14部分

〃Well；　and　what　of　that？〃

〃And　some　clergymen　are　rich。〃

〃My　father　is　not　one　of　them；　Cosway。〃

〃Then　let　us　say　no　more　about　him。　Help　yourself；　and　pass　the　bottle。〃

Instead　of　adopting　this　suggestion；　Stone　rose　with　a　very　grave　face；　and　once　more　rang　the　bell。　〃Ask　the　landlady　to　step　up；〃　he　said；　when　the　waiter　appeared。

〃What　do　you　want　with　the　landlady？〃　Cosway　inquired。

〃I　want　the　bill。〃

The　landladyotherwise　Mrs。　Pounceentered　the　room。　She　was　short；　and　old；　and　fat；　and　painted；　and　a　widow。　Students　of　character；　as　revealed　in　the　face；　would　have　discovered　malice　and　cunning　in　her　bright　black　eyes；　and　a　bitter　vindictive　temper　in　the　lines　about　her　thin　red　lips。　Incapable　of　such　subtleties　of　analysis　as　these；　the　two　young　officers　differed　widely；　nevertheless；　in　their　opinions　of　Mrs。　Pounce。　Cosway's　reckless　sense　of　humor　delighted　in　pretending　to　be　in　love　with　her。　Stone　took　a　dislike　to　her　from　the　first。　When　his　friend　asked　for　the　reason；　he　made　a　strangely　obscure　answer。　〃Do　you　remember　that　morning　in　the　wood　when　you　killed　the　snake？〃　he　said。　〃I　took　a　dislike　to　the　snake。〃　Cosway　made　no　further　inquiries。

〃Well；　my　young　heroes；〃　said　Mrs。　Pounce　（always　loud；　always　cheerful；　and　always　familiar　with　her　guests）；　〃what　do　you　want　with　me　now？〃

〃Take　a　glass　of　champagne；　my　darling；〃　said　Cosway；　〃and　let　me　try　if　I　can　get　my　arm　round　your　waist。　That's　all　_I_　want　with　you。〃

The　landlady　passed　this　over　without　notice。　Though　she　had　spoken　to　both　of　them；　her　cunning　little　eyes　rested　on　Stone　from　the　moment　when　she　appeared　in　the　room。　She　knew　by　instinct　the　man　who　disliked　herand　she　waited　deliberately　for　Stone　to　reply。

〃We　have　been　here　some　time；〃　he　said；　〃and　we　shall　be　obliged；　ma'am；　if　you　will　let　us　have　our　bill。〃

Mrs。　Pounce　lifted　her　eyebrows　with　an　expression　of　innocent　surprise。

〃Has　the　captain　got　well；　and　must　you　go　on　board　to…night？〃　she　asked。

〃Nothing　of　the　sort！〃　Cosway　interposed。　〃We　have　no　news　of　the　captain；　and　we　are　going　to　the　theater　to…night。〃

〃But；〃　persisted　Stone；　〃we　want；　if　you　please；　to　have　the　bill。〃

〃Certainly；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Pounce；　with　a　sudden　assumption　of　respect。　〃But　we　are　very　busy　downstairs；　and　we　hope　you　will　not　press　us　for　it　to…night？〃

〃Of　course　not！〃　cried　Cosway。

Mrs。　Pounce　instantly　left　the　room；　without　waiting　for　any　further　remark　from　Cosway's　friend。

〃I　wish　we　had　gone　to　some　other　house；〃　said　Stone。　〃You　mark　my　wordsthat　woman　means　to　cheat　us。〃

Cosway　expressed　his　dissent　from　this　opinion　in　the　most　amiable　manner。　He　filled　his　friend's　glass；　and　begged　him　not　to　say　ill…natured　things　of　Mrs。　Pounce。

But　Stone's　usually　smooth　temper　seemed　to　be　ruffled；　he　insisted　on　his　own　view。　〃She's　impudent　and　inquisitive；　if　she　is　not　downright　dishonest；〃　he　said。　〃What　right　had　she　to　ask　you　where　we　lived　when　we　were　at　home；　and　what　our　Christian　names　were；　and　which　of　us　was　oldest；　you　or　I？　Oh；　yesit's　all　very　well　to　say　she　only　showed　a　flattering　interest　in　us！　I　suppose　she　showed　a　flattering　interest　in　my　affairs；　when　I　awoke　a　little　earlier　than　usual；　and　caught　her　in　my　bedroom　with　my　pocketbook　in　her　hand。　Do　you　believe　she　was　going　to　lock　it　up　for　safety's　sake？　She　knows　how　much　money　we　have　got　as　well　as　we　know　it　ourselves。　Every　half…penny　we　have　will　be　in　her　pocket　tomorrow。　And　a　good　thing；　toowe　shall　be　obliged　to　leave　the　house。〃

Even　this　cogent　reasoning　failed　in　provoking　Cosway　to　reply。　He　took　Stone's　hat；　and　handed　it　with　the　utmost　politeness　to　his　foreboding　friend。　〃There's　only　one　remedy　for　such　a　state　of　mind　as　yours；〃　he　said。　〃Come　to　the　theater。〃


At　ten　o'clock　the　next　morning　Cosway　found　himself　alone　at　the　breakfast…table。　He　was　informed　that　Mr。　Stone　had　gone　out　for　a　little　walk；　and　would　be　back　directly。　Seating　himself　at　the　table；　he　perceived　an　envelope　on　his　plate；　which　evidently　inclosed　the　bill。　He　took　up　the　envelope；　considered　a　little；　and　put　it　back　again　unopened。　At　the　same　moment　Stone　burst　into　the　room　in　a　high　state　of　excitement。

〃News　that　will　astonish　you！〃　he　cried。　〃The　captain　arrived　yesterday　evening。　His　doctors　say　that　the　sea…voyage　will　complete　his　recovery。　The　ship　sails　to…dayand　we　are　ordered　to　report　ourselves　on　board　in　an　hour's　time。　Where's　the　bill？〃

Cosway　pointed　to　it。　Stone　took　it　out　of　the　envelope。

It　covered　two　sides　of　a　prodigiously　long　sheet　of　paper。　The　sum　total　was　brightly　decorated　with　lines　in　red　ink。　Stone　looked　at　the　total；　and　passed　it　in　silence　to　Cosway。　For　once；　even　Cosway　was　prostrated。　In　dreadful　stillness　the　two　young　men　produced　their　pocketbooks；　added　up　their　joint　stores　of　money；　and　compared　the　result　with　the　bill。　Their　united　resources　amounted　to　a　little　more　than　one…third　of　their　debt　to　the　landlady　of　the　inn。

The　only　alternative　that　presented　itself　was　to　send　for　Mrs。　Pounce；　to　state　the　circumstances　plainly；　and　to　propose　a　compromise　on　the　grand　commercial　basis　of　credit。

Mrs。　Pounce　presented　herself　superbly　dressed　in　walking　costume。　Was　she　going　out；　or　had　she　just　returned　to　the　inn？　Not　a　word　escaped　her；　she　waited　gravely　to　hear　what　the　gentlemen　wanted。　Cosway；　presuming　on　his　position　as　favorite；　produced　the　contents　of　the　two　pocketbooks　and　revealed　the　melancholy　truth。

〃There　is　all　the　money　we　have；〃　he　concluded。　〃We　hope　you　will　not　object　to　receive　the　balance　in　a　bill　at　three　months〃

Mrs。　Pounce　answered　with　a　stern　composure　of　voice　and　manner　entirely　new　in　the　experience　of　Cosway　and　Stone。

〃I　have　paid　ready　money；　gentlemen；　for　the　hire　of　your　horses　and　carriages；〃　she　said；　〃here　are　the　receipts　from　the　livery　stables　to　vouch　for　me；　I　never　accept　bills　unless　I　am　quite　sure　beforehand　that　they　will　be　honored。　I　defy　you　to　find　an　overcharge　in　the　account　now　rendered；　and　I　expect　you　to　pay　it　before　you　leave　my　house。〃

Stone　looked　at　his　watch。

〃In　three…quarters　of　an　hour；〃　he　said；　〃we　must　be　on　board。〃

Mrs。　Pounce　entirely　agreed　with　him。　〃And　if　you　are　not　on　board；〃　she　remarked　〃you　will　be　tried　by　court…martial；　and　dismissed　the　service　with　your　characters　ruined　for　life。〃

〃My　dear　creature；　we　haven't　time　to　send　home；　and　we　know　nobody　in　the　town；〃　pleaded　Cosway。　〃For　God's　sake　take　our　watches　and　jewelry；　and　our　luggageand　let　us　go。〃

〃I　am　not　a　pawnbroker；〃　said　the　inflexible　lady。　〃You　must　either　pay　your　lawful　debt　to　me　in　honest　money；　or〃

She　paused　and　looked　at　Cosway。　Her　fat　face　brightenedshe　smiled　graciously　for　the　first　time。

C　osway　stared　at　her　in　unconcealed　perplexity。　He　helplessly　repeated　her　last　words。　〃　We　must　either　pay　the　bill；〃　he　said；　〃or　what？〃

〃Or；〃　answered　Mrs。　Pounce；　〃one　of　you　must　marry　ME。〃

Was　she　joking？　Was　she　intoxicated？　Was　she　out　of　her　senses？　Neither　of　the　three；　she　was　in　perfect　possession　of　herself；　her　explanation　was　a　model　of　lucid　and　convincing　arrangement　of　facts。

〃My　position　here　has　its　drawbacks；〃　she　began。　〃I　am　a　lone　widow；　I　am　known　to　have　an　excellent　business；　and　to　have　saved　money。　The　result　is　that　I　am　pestered　to　death　by　a　set　of　needy　vagabonds　who　want　to　marry　me。　In　this　position；　I　am　exposed　to　slanders　and　insults。　Even　if　I　didn't　know　that　the　men　were　after　my　money；　there　is　not　one　of　them　whom　I　would　venture　to　marry。　He　might　turn　out　a　tyrant　and　beat　me；　or　a　drunkard；　and　disgrace　me；　or　a　betting　man；　and　ruin　me。　What　I　want；　you　see；　for　my　own　peace　and　protection；　is　to　be　able　to　declare　myself　married；　and　to　produce　the　proof　in　the　shape　of　a　certificate。　A　born　gentleman；　with　a　character　to　lose；　and　so　much　younger　in　years　than　myself　that　he　wouldn't　think　of　living　with　methere　is　the　sort　of　husband　who　suits　my　book！　I'm　a　reasonable　woman；　gentlemen。　I　would　undertake　to　part　with　my　husband　at　the　church　doornever　to　attempt　to　see　him　or　write　to　him　afterwardand　only　to　show　my　certificate　when　necessary；　without　giving　any　explanations。　Your　secret　would　be　quite　safe　in　my　keeping。　I　don't　care　a　straw　for　either　of　you；　so　long　as　you　answer　my　purpose。　What　do　you　say　to　paying　my　bill　（one　or　the　other　of　you）　in　this　way？　I　am　ready　dressed　for　the　altar；　and　the　clergyman　has　notice　at　the　church。　My　preference　is　for　Mr。　Cosway；〃　proceeded　this　terrible　woman　with　the　cruelest　irony；　〃because　he　has　been　so　particular　in　his　attentions　toward　me。　The　license　（which　I　provided　on　the　chance　a　fortnight　since）　is　made　out　in　his　name。　Such　is　my　weakness　for　Mr。　Cosway。　But　that　don't　matter　if　Mr。　Stone　would　like　to　take　his　place。　He　can　hail　by　his　friend's　name。　Oh；　yes；　he　can！　I　have　consulted　my　lawyer。　So　long　as　the　bride　and　bridegroom　agree　to　it；　they　may　be　married　in　any　name　they　like；　and　it　stands　good。　Look　at　your　watch　again；　Mr。　Stone。　The　church　is　in　the　next　street。　By　my　calculation；　you　have　just　got　five　minutes　to　decide。　I'm　a　punctual　woman；　my　little　dears；　and　I　will　he　back　to　the　moment。〃

She　opened　the　door；　paused；　and　returned　to　the　room。

〃I　ought　to　have　mentioned；〃　she　resumed；　〃that　I　shall　make　you　a　present　of　the　bill；　receipted；　on　the　conclusion　of　the　ceremony。　You　will　be　taken　to　the　ship　in　my　own　boat；　with　all　your　money　in　your　pockets；　and　a　hamper　of　good　things　for　the　mess。　After　that　I　wash　my　hands　of　you。　You　may　go　to　the　devil　your　own　way。〃

With　this　parting　benediction；　she　left　them。

Caught　in　the　landlady's　trap；　the　two　victims　looked　at　each　other　in　expressive　silence。　Without　time　enough　to　take　legal　advice；　without　friends　on　shore；　without　any　claim　on　officers　of　their　own　standing　in　the　ship；　the　prospect　before　them　was　literally　limited　to　Marriage　or　Ruin。　Stone　made　a　proposal　worthy　of　a　hero。

〃One　of　us　must　marry　her；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　ready　to　toss　up　for　it。〃

Cosway　matched　him　in　generosity。　〃No；〃　he　answered。　〃It　was　I　who　brought　you　here；　and　I　who　led　you　into　these　infernal　expenses。　I　ought　to　pay