登陆注册
4703500000026

第26章

"I say, you blessed Colonial, what's come over you?" Linklater was obviously disturbed. He had just returned from a summer's yachting through the Norway fjords, brown and bursting with life. The last half-hour he had been pouring forth his experiences to his friend Martin. These experiences were some of them exciting, some of them of doubtful ethical quality, but all of them to Linklater at least interesting. During the recital it was gradually borne in upon him that his friend Martin was changed. Linklater, as the consciousness of the change in his friend grew upon him, was prepared to resent it. "What the deuce is the matter with you?" he enquired. "Are you ill?"

"Never better. I could at this present moment sit upon your fat and florid carcass."

"Well, what then is wrong? I say, you haven't--it isn't a girl, is it?"

"Nothing so lucky for a bloomin' Colonial in this land of wealth and culture. If I only dared!"

"There's something," insisted Linklater; "but I've no doubt it will develop. Meantime let us go out, and, in your own picturesque vocabulary, let us 'hit the flowing bowl.'"

"No, Sir!" cried Martin emphatically. "No more! I am on the water wagon, and have been all summer."

"I knew it was something," replied Linklater gloomily, "but I didn't think it was quite so bad as that. No wonder you've had a hard summer!"

"Best summer ever!" cried Martin. "I only wish I had started two years ago when I came to this bibulous burgh."

"How came it? Religion?"

"No; just horse sense, and the old chief."

"Dunn!" exclaimed Linklater. "I always knew he was against that sort of thing in training, but I didn't think he would carry it to this length."

"Yes, Dunn! I say, old boy, I've no doubt you think you know him, I thought so, too, but I've learned some this summer. Here's a yarn, and it is impressive. Dunn had planned an extensive walking tour in the Highlands; you know he came out of his exams awfully fagged. Well, at this particular moment it happened that Balfour Murray--you know the chap that has been running that settlement joint in the Canongate for the last two years--proposes to Dunn that he should spend a few weeks in leading the young hopefuls in that interesting and uncleanly neighbourhood into paths of virtue and higher citizenship by way of soccer and kindred athletic stunts. Dunn in his innocence agrees, whereupon Balfour Murray promptly develops a sharp attack of pneumonia, necessitating rest and change of air, leaving the poor old chief in the deadly breach.

Of course, everybody knows what the chief would do in any deadly breach affair. He gave up his Highland tour, shouldered the whole Canongate business, organised the thing as never before, inveigled all his friends into the same deadly breach, among the number your humble servant, who at the time was fiercely endeavouring in the last lap of the course to atone for a two years' loaf, organised a champion team which has licked the spots off everything in sight, and in short, has made the whole business a howling success; at the cost, however, of all worldly delights, including his Highland tour and the International."

"Oh, I say!" moaned Linklater. "It makes me quite ill to think of the old chief going off this way."

Martin nodded sympathetically. "Kind of 'Days that are no more,'

'Lost leader' feeling, eh?"

"Exactly, exactly! Oh, it's rotten! And you, too! He's got you on this same pious line."

"Look here," shouted Martin, with menace in his voice, "are you classifying me with the old chief? Don't be a derned fool."

Linklater brightened perceptibly. "Now you're getting a little natural," he said in a hopeful tone.

"Oh, I suppose you'd like to hear me string out a lot of damns."

"Well, it might help. I wouldn't feel quite so lonely. But don't violate--"

"I'd do it if I thought it would really increase your comfort, though I know I'd feel like an infernal ass. I've got new light upon this 'damning' business. I've come to regard it as the refuge of the mentally inert, not to say imbecile, who have lost the capacity for originality and force in speech. For me, I am cured."

"Ah!" said Linklater. "Dunn again, I suppose."

"Not a bit! Clear case of psychological reaction. After listening to the Canongate experts I was immediately conscious of an overwhelming and mortifying sense of inadequacy, of amateurishness; hence I quit. Besides, of course, the chief is making rather a point of uplifting the Canongate forms of speech."

Linklater gazed steadily at this friend, then said with mournful deliberation, "You don't drink, you don't swear, you don't smoke--"

"Oh, that's your grouch, is it?" cried Martin. "Forgive me; here's my pouch, old chap; or wait, here's something altogether finer than anything you've been accustomed to. I was at old Kingston's last night, and the old boy would have me load up with his finest. You know I've been working with him this summer. Awfully fine for me!

Dunn got me on; or rather, his governor. There you are now! Smoke that with reverence."

"Ah," sighed Linklater, as he drew in his first whiff, "there is still something left to live for. Now tell me, what about Cameron?"

"Oh, Cameron! Cameron's all up a tree. The last time I saw him, by Jove, I was glad it was in the open daylight and on a frequented street. His face and manner suggested Roderick Dhu, The Black Douglas, and all the rest of that interesting gang of cutthroats.

I can't bring myself to talk of Cameron. He's been the old chief's relaxation during dog-days. It makes me hot to see Dunn with that chap."

"Why, what's the trouble?"

"He tried him out in half a dozen positions, in every one of which he proved a dead failure. The last was in Mr. Rae's office, a lawyer, you know, Writer, to use your lucid and luminous speech.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 时光静悄然

    时光静悄然

    不管是十几岁还是三十岁,遇见你,就注定我的心里走不进别人。婚前,苏然会说:“有问题?打一架吧!”婚后,寒时会说:“有问题?打一架吧!”只是....
  • 娇养成妃:夫君别太宠

    娇养成妃:夫君别太宠

    简介:前两世年韵为宇文昊背锅,无辜枉死。第三世年韵嫁给了宇文昊成为了太子妃。宇文昊:“你要是生的出儿子就立为太子……”年韵:“滚!又想让老娘背锅,明明是你自己不行还怪老娘生不出儿子!”--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 重生千金是学霸

    重生千金是学霸

    【新文《农门小恶女》火热连载中】养姐杀害她、冒名顶替她成为T大学生、联合养兄夺她家产、逼死她父母,还让他们死后无人收尸。她带着滔天恨意重生回十五岁,誓要让白眼狼付出代价。斗渣姐、虐渣兄、护至亲、保家产、当学霸……她要活出不一样的精彩人生!只是一不留神,她就被一个扮猪吃老虎的财团继承人,一步步收归羽翼之下。从此她的复仇路上,多了一个宠她入骨的霸道总裁护航!
  • 邪君嗜宠:逆天狂妃太腹黑

    邪君嗜宠:逆天狂妃太腹黑

    一朝睁眼,穿越了!靠!废物,花痴,这是在说她吗?她一代天才邪医,活死人,肉白骨。现在竟被未婚夫鄙视的连渣都不剩。解除婚约!立刻,马上,现在就要!只是这个莫名其妙赖上自己的摄政王是什么情况?不是传闻他高冷又无情的吗?这一直缠着自己是什么节奏!
  • 柔石作品集(2)(中国现代文学名家作品集)

    柔石作品集(2)(中国现代文学名家作品集)

    为深沉严肃所管辖着的深夜的西子湖边,一切眠在星光的微笑底下;从冷风的战栗里熟睡去了。
  • 漫威之爆炸果实

    漫威之爆炸果实

    海贼王的世界里爆炸果实被用得一塌糊涂,如果是在漫威世界,拥有了爆炸果实能力,会发生什么呢?——时间线参照漫威宇宙,同时作品稍有改动
  • 非诗辨妄

    非诗辨妄

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大宝积经论

    大宝积经论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 神医追妻记

    神医追妻记

    一朝睁眼,昔日的丑女草包不复存在,众人瞪大24k纯金眼,这哪里是草包明明就是一妖孽级别的变态……炼丹,修炼,时不时收神兽为小弟,混的风生水起。而某天,当某女发现自己的仇人很帅时“请问您缺老婆嘛?”“滚!”“得咧。”只见某女花痴笑地说道“看来是缺……”(男女双洁,1V1宠文)
  • 星光璀璨:总裁宠妻入骨

    星光璀璨:总裁宠妻入骨

    一次意外醉酒,她吐了他一身,从此缘分便展开,他是方氏集团总裁,手下独创了一娱乐公司安年,她成为他旗下艺人,他许诺会让她成为娱乐圈最璀璨的那颗明星,却不想他所作的一切全因为另外一个女人,她想走进他的心,受到的却是一次又一次的伤害……