“No—the one to you. There isn’t another girl in the world who could have carried it through as you did. You were just wonderful!”
Jane shook her head.
“That brings me to something I wanted to say. I heard the Ambassador telling you his wife hoped you would come to them at the Embassy right away. That’s good enough, but I’ve got another plan. Jane—I want you to marry me! Don’t get scared and say no at once. You can’t love me right away, of course, that’s impossible. But I’ve loved you from the very moment I set eyes on your photo—and now I’ve seen you I’m simply crazy about you! If you’ll only marry me, I won’t worry you any—you shall take your own time. Maybe you’ll never come to love me, and if that’s the case I’ll manage to set you free. But I want the right to look after you, and take care of you.”
“That’s what I want,” said the girl wistfully. “Some one who’ll be good to me. Oh, you don’t know how lonesome I feel!”
“Sure thing I do. Then I guess that’s all fixed4 up, and I’ll see the archbishop about a special license5 to-morrow morning.”
“Oh, Julius!”
“Well, I don’t want to hustle6 you any, Jane, but there’s no sense in waiting about. Don’t be scared—I shan’t expect you to love me all at once.”
But a small hand was slipped into his.
“I love you now, Julius,” said Jane Finn. “I loved you that first moment in the car when the bullet grazed your cheek....”
Five minutes later Jane murmured softly:
“I don’t know London very well, Julius, but is it such a very long way from the Savoy to the Ritz?”
“It depends how you go,” explained Julius unblushingly. “We’re going by way of Regent’s Park!”
“At the wages I pay him, he knows better than to do any independent thinking. Why, Jane, the only reason I had the supper at the Savoy was so that I could drive you home. I didn’t see how I was ever going to get hold of you alone. You and Tuppence have been sticking together like Siamese twins. I guess another day of it would have driven me and Beresford stark8 staring mad!”
“Oh. Is he——?”
“Of course he is. Head over ears.”
“I thought so,” said Jane thoughtfully.
“Why?”
“From all the things Tuppence didn’t say!”
“There you have me beat,” said Mr. Hersheimmer. But Jane only laughed.
In the meantime, the Young Adventurers were sitting bolt upright, very stiff and ill at ease, in a taxi which, with a singular lack of originality9, was also returning to the Ritz via Regent’s Park.
A terrible constraint10 seemed to have settled down between them. Without quite knowing what had happened, everything seemed changed. They were tongue-tied—paralysed. All the old camaraderie11 was gone.
Tuppence could think of nothing to say.
They sat very straight and forbore to look at each other.
At last Tuppence made a desperate effort.
“Rather fun, wasn’t it?”
“Rather.”
Another silence.
“I like Julius,” essayed Tuppence again.
Tommy was suddenly galvanized into life.
“You’re not going to marry him, do you hear?” he said dictatorially13. “I forbid it.”
“Absolutely, you understand.”
“He doesn’t want to marry me—he really only asked me out of kindness.”
“It’s quite true. He’s head over ears in love with Jane. I expect he’s proposing to her now.”
“She’ll do for him very nicely,” said Tommy condescendingly.
“Don’t you think she’s the most lovely creature you’ve ever seen?”
“Oh, I dare say.”
“I—oh, dash it all, Tuppence, you know!”
“I like your uncle, Tommy,” said Tuppence, hastily creating a diversion. “By the way, what are you going to do, accept Mr. Carter’s offer of a Government job, or accept Julius’s invitation and take a richly remunerated post in America on his ranch18?”
“I shall stick to the old ship, I think, though it’s awfully19 good of Hersheimmer. But I feel you’d be more at home in London.”
“I don’t see where I come in.”
“I do,” said Tommy positively20.
Tuppence stole a glance at him sideways.
“There’s the money, too,” she observed thoughtfully.
“What money?”
“We’re going to get a cheque each. Mr. Carter told me so.”
“Did you ask how much?” inquired Tommy sarcastically21.
“Yes,” said Tuppence triumphantly22. “But I shan’t tell you.”
“Tuppence, you are the limit!”
“It has been fun, hasn’t it, Tommy? I do hope we shall have lots more adventures.”
“You’re insatiable, Tuppence. I’ve had quite enough adventures for the present.”
“Well, shopping is almost as good,” said Tuppence dreamily. “Think of buying old furniture, and bright carpets, and futurist silk curtains, and a polished dining-table, and a divan23 with lots of cushions.”
“Hold hard,” said Tommy. “What’s all this for?”
“Possibly a house—but I think a flat.”
“Whose flat?”
“You think I mind saying it, but I don’t in the least! Ours, so there!”
“You darling!” cried Tommy, his arms tightly round her. “I was determined24 to make you say it. I owe you something for the relentless25 way you’ve squashed me whenever I’ve tried to be sentimental26.”
Tuppence raised her face to his. The taxi proceeded on its course round the north side of Regent’s Park.
“You haven27’t really proposed now,” pointed28 out Tuppence. “Not what our grandmothers would call a proposal. But after listening to a rotten one like Julius’s, I’m inclined to let you off.”
“You won’t be able to get out of marrying me, so don’t you think it.”
“What fun it will be,” responded Tuppence. “Marriage is called all sorts of things, a haven, and a refuge, and a crowning glory, and a state of bondage29, and lots more. But do you know what I think it is?”
“What?”
“A sport!”
“And a damned good sport too,” said Tommy.
The End
The End
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收听单词发音
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1
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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3
longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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5
license
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| n.执照，许可证，特许；v.许可，特许 | |
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hustle
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| v.推搡；竭力兜售或获取；催促；n.奔忙(碌) | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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8
stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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originality
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| n.创造力，独创性；新颖 | |
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10
constraint
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| n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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11
camaraderie
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| n.同志之爱，友情 | |
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12
afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
dictatorially
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| adv.独裁地，自大地 | |
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14
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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15
scoffed
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| 嘲笑，嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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16
sterling
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| adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑) | |
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17
demurely
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| adv.装成端庄地，认真地 | |
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18
ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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19
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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20
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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21
sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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22
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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23
divan
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| n.长沙发；（波斯或其他东方诗人的）诗集 | |
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24
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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25
relentless
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| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
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sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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27
haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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28
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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29
bondage
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| n.奴役，束缚 | |
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