“That was a mighty1 good toast, Jane,” said Mr. Hersheimmer, as he and hiscousin were being driven back in the Rolls-Royce to the Ritz.
“The one to the joint2 venture?”
“No—the one to you. There isn’t another girl in the world who couldhave carried it through as you did. You were just wonderful!”
Jane shook her head.
“I don’t feel wonderful. At heart I’m just tired and lonesome—and long-ing for my own country.”
“That brings me to something I wanted to say. I heard the Ambassadortelling you his wife hoped you would come to them at the Embassy rightaway. That’s good enough, but I’ve got another plan. Jane—I want you tomarry me! Don’t get scared and say no at once. You can’t love me rightaway, of course, that’s impossible. But I’ve loved you from the very mo-ment I set eyes on your photo—and now I’ve seen you I’m simply crazyabout you! If you’ll only marry me, I won’t worry you any—you shall takeyour own time. Maybe you’ll never come to love me, and if that’s the caseI’ll manage to set you free. But I want the right to look after you, and takecare of you.”
“That’s what I want,” said the girl wistfully. “Someone who’ll be good tome. Oh, you don’t know how lonesome I feel!”
“Sure thing I do. Then I guess that’s all fixed3 up, and I’ll see the arch-bishop about a special licence tomorrow morning.”
“Oh, Julius!”
“Well, I don’t want to hustle4 you any, Jane, but there’s no sense in wait-ing 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 inthe 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 wayfrom the Savoy to the Ritz?”
“It depends how you go,” explained Julius unblushingly. “We’re going byway of Regent’s Park!”
“Oh, Julius—what will the chauffeur5 think?”
“At the wages I pay him, he knows better than to do any independentthinking. Why, Jane, the only reason I had the supper at the Savoy was sothat I could drive you home. I didn’t see how I was ever going to get holdof you alone. You and Tuppence have been sticking together like Siamesetwins. I guess another day of it would have driven me and Beresford starkstaring 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, verystiff and ill at ease, in a taxi which, with a singular lack of originality6, wasalso returning to the Ritz via Regent’s Park.
A terrible constraint7 seemed to have settled down between them.
Without quite knowing what had happened, everything seemed changed.
They were tongue-tied—paralysed. All the old cameraderie was gone.
Tuppence could think of nothing to say.
Tommy was equally afflicted8.
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 dictatorially9. “Iforbid it.”
“Oh!” said Tuppence meekly10.
“Absolutely, you understand.”
“He doesn’t want to marry me—he really only asked me out of kind-ness.”
“That’s not very likely,” scoffed11 Tommy.
“It’s quite true. He’s head over ears in love with Jane. I expect he’s pro-posing 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 daresay.”
“But I suppose you prefer sterling12 worth,” said Tuppence demurely13.
“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 Gov-ernment job, or accept Julius’s invitation and take a richly remuneratedpost in America on his ranch14?”
“I shall stick to the old ship, I think, though it’s awfully15 good of Her-sheimmer. But I feel you’d be more at home in London.”
“I don’t see where I come in.”
“I do,” said Tommy positively16.
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 sarcastically17.
“Yes,” said Tuppence triumphantly18. “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 ad-ventures.”
“You’re insatiable, Tuppence. I’ve had quite enough adventures for thepresent.”
“Well, shopping is almost as good,” said Tuppence dreamily. “Thinkingof buying old furniture, and bright carpets, and futurist silk curtains, anda polished dining table, and a divan19 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 determ-ined to make you say it. I owe you something for the relentless20 way you’vesquashed me whenever I’ve tried to be sentimental21.”
Tuppence raised her face to his. The taxi proceeded on its course roundthe north side of Regent’s Park.
“You haven22’t really proposed now,” pointed23 out Tuppence. “Not whatour grandmothers would call a proposal. But after listening to a rotten onelike 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 sortsof things, a haven, a refuge, and a crowning glory, and a state of bondage,and lots more. But do you know what I think it is?”
“What?”
“A sport!”
“And a damned good sport too,” said Tommy.
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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
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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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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originality
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| n.创造力，独创性；新颖 | |
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constraint
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| n.(on)约束，限制；限制(或约束)性的事物 | |
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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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dictatorially
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| adv.独裁地，自大地 | |
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10
meekly
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| adv.温顺地，逆来顺受地 | |
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11
scoffed
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| 嘲笑，嘲弄( scoff的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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12
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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13
demurely
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| adv.装成端庄地，认真地 | |
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ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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15
awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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17
sarcastically
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| adv.挖苦地，讽刺地 | |
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18
triumphantly
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| ad.得意洋洋地；得胜地；成功地 | |
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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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relentless
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| adj.残酷的，不留情的，无怜悯心的 | |
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21
sentimental
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| adj.多愁善感的，感伤的 | |
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22
haven
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| n.安全的地方，避难所，庇护所 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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