登陆注册
15293100000018

第18章

As we shook hands, he added a last word. 'You must take your own time, but it's not a case for slouching. Every day that passes ivery is sending out the worst kind of poison. The Boche is blowing up for a big campaign in the field, and a big effort to shake the nerve and confuse the judgement of our civilians. The whole earth's war-weary, and we've about reached the danger-point. There's pretty big stakes hang on you, Dick, for things are getting mighty delicate.'

I purchased a new novel in the shop and reached St Pancras in time to have a cup of tea at the buffet. Ivery was at the bookstall buying an evening paper. When we got into the carriage he seized my _Punch and kept laughing and calling my attention to the pictures.

As I looked at him, I thought that he made a perfect picture of the citizen turned countryman, going back of an evening to his innocent home. Everything was right - his neat tweeds, his light spats, his spotted neckcloth, and his Aquascutum.

Not that I dared look at him much. What I had learned made me eager to search his face, but I did not dare show any increased interest. I had always been a little off-hand with him, for I had never much liked him, so I had to keep on the same manner. He was as merry as a grig, full of chat and very friendly and amusing. Iremember he picked up the book I had brought off that morning to read in the train - the second volume of Hazlitt's _Essays, the last of my English classics - and discoursed so wisely about books that Iwished I had spent more time in his company at Biggleswick.

'Hazlitt was the academic Radical of his day,' he said. 'He is always lashing himself into a state of theoretical fury over abuses he has never encountered in person. Men who are up against the real thing save their breath for action.'

That gave me my cue to tell him about my journey to the North. Isaid I had learned a lot in Biggleswick, but I wanted to see industrial life at close quarters. 'Otherwise I might become like Hazlitt,' I said.

He was very interested and encouraging. 'That's the right way to set about it,' he said. 'Where were you thinking of going?'

I told him that I had half thought of Barrow, but decided to try Glasgow, since the Clyde seemed to be a warm corner.

'Right,' he said. 'I only wish I was coming with you. It'll take you a little while to understand the language. You'll find a good deal of senseless bellicosity among the workmen, for they've got parrot-cries about the war as they used to have parrot-cries about their labour politics. But there's plenty of shrewd brains and sound hearts too. You must write and tell me your conclusions.'

It was a warm evening and he dozed the last part of the journey.

I looked at him and wished I could see into the mind at the back of that mask-like face. I counted for nothing in his eyes, not even enough for him to want to make me a tool, and I was setting out to try to make a tool of him. It sounded a forlorn enterprise. And all the while I was puzzled with a persistent sense of recognition. Itold myself it was idiocy, for a man with a face like that must have hints of resemblance to a thousand people. But the idea kept nagging at me till we reached our destination.

As we emerged from the station into the golden evening I saw Mary Lamington again. She was with one of the Weekes girls, and after the Biggleswick fashion was bareheaded, so that the sun glinted from her hair. Ivery swept his hat off and made her a pretty speech, while I faced her steady eyes with the expressionlessness of the stage conspirator.

'A charming child,' he observed as we passed on. 'Not without a touch of seriousness, too, which may yet be touched to noble issues.'

I considered, as I made my way to my final supper with the jimsons, that the said child was likely to prove a sufficiently serious business for Mr Moxon Ivery before the game was out.

同类推荐
  • 关汉卿元曲集

    关汉卿元曲集

    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。
  • 番社采风图考

    番社采风图考

    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。
  • 太上安镇九垒龙神妙经

    太上安镇九垒龙神妙经

    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。
  • Ozma of Oz

    Ozma of Oz

    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。
  • NOSTROMO

    NOSTROMO

    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。
热门推荐
  • 穿越到现代:让我爱上你

    穿越到现代:让我爱上你

    苓玥夢,大陆灵气强者之一,因为渡劫失败,穿越来到现代...
  • 旋转木马不哭

    旋转木马不哭

    七个人,尝尽青春的酸甜苦辣,最后淡忘,走向青春的尽头。
  • 三国龙傲传

    三国龙傲传

    东汉末年,风雨飘摇的大汉就要迎来“新的篇章”幽州辽东郡的一个海滨小村里,有一个年青人,慢慢的走上了历史舞台,从公孙瓒帐下的一个部将到与袁绍抗衡,在到与曹操的对决,他带着他忠心耿耿的部下们还能走多远,就让我们一起见证是时势造英雄还是英雄造时势。
  • 修仙之我是女娲后人

    修仙之我是女娲后人

    不论你是惊艳才绝、天资过人;还是终其一生碌碌无为,平庸过人;这些都不过是辅助性的,其正真本质是其本心。是神是佛是魔,都不过是一念之间。大道三千,每一条道都截然不同,最终都殊归同道,走向大道的巅峰。可能最终走到的又有几人?终是抵不过三界诱惑,繁华红尘。保持本心的又有几人?无尽的岁月不光耐得住寂寞,更要坚持不断走向大道的彼岸。大道无情亦有情,陆清凌带着守护神兽小黄及要守护的三叔,在修仙界看过形形色色的修士,能否走出属于自己那独特的一条道?完成女娲族的使命,揭开女娲岛背后毁灭的重重阴谋。看一介弱质女流如何一步步完成为人人膜拜的女帝,登上真仙界的女帝的宝座。[男主由你定]^_^
  • 特能作奇遇记

    特能作奇遇记

    穿越小说男女主角互相穿越到对方的时代,通过一块灵石完成两个人的穿越,男主是富家少主,女主大龄剩女恐婚,最后男主帮女主找到她的白马王子,但是女主却把男主生活搞得一团糟,最后还点男主自己穿越回去处理女主留下的麻烦事。
  • 福妻驾到

    福妻驾到

    现代饭店彪悍老板娘魂穿古代。不分是非的极品婆婆?三年未归生死不明的丈夫?心狠手辣的阴毒亲戚?贪婪而好色的地主老财?吃上顿没下顿的贫困宭境?不怕不怕,神仙相助,一技在手,天下我有!且看现代张悦娘,如何身带福气玩转古代,开面馆、收小弟、左纳财富,右傍美男,共绘幸福生活大好蓝图!!!!快本新书《天媒地聘》已经上架开始销售,只要3.99元即可将整本书抱回家,你还等什么哪,赶紧点击下面的直通车,享受乐乐精心为您准备的美食盛宴吧!)
  • 道乃何物

    道乃何物

    天地无情虐万物为刍狗,人无情以己为上,身外为狗。自古便有道,如今,世道轮回。言正义者,平生无错事?称恶人者,始终无善心?何为正邪?何为善恶?我问这苍天,道乃何物!可这苍天,这世间,已死。这一次,吾便要逆天而行,打破苍穹,重新立道!
  • 一切如来心秘密全身舍利宝箧印陀罗尼经之二

    一切如来心秘密全身舍利宝箧印陀罗尼经之二

    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。
  • 青山处处埋忠骨

    青山处处埋忠骨

    天下将乱,看江山处处埋忠骨。大厦将倾,待将军去力挽狂澜。青锋染血刃,山河悬一身。处一线生死,处世自为真。埋剑身欲退,忠心始难为。骨化千秋石,赞诵英雄碑。~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~书友群211286054,有什么意见想告诉青衫的,青衫在此恭候各位大驾!求指导,求批判,求交流!
  • 幸运有你,还好喜欢你

    幸运有你,还好喜欢你

    感谢我在有生之年能够遇见你。谢谢你给我那么多。幸运的,这个世界上有你的存在,不过还好,你喜欢我,我也喜欢你。