the diary of a nobody- 第21部分

He　detached　his　chronometer　from　the　chain　and　made　his　watch　strike　six。

To　our　horror；　the　child　snatched　it　from　his　hand　and　bounced　it　down　upon　the　ground　like　one　would　a　ball。

Mr。　Birks　Spooner　was　most　amiable；　and　said　he　could　easily　get　a　new　glass　put　in；　and　did　not　suppose　the　works　were　damaged。

To　show　you　how　people's　opinions　differ；　Carrie　said　the　child　was　bad…tempered；　but　it　made　up　for　that　defect　by　its　looks；　for　it　was　…　in　her　mind　…　an　unquestionably　beautiful　child。

I　may　be　wrong；　but　I　do　not　think　I　have　seen　a　much　uglier　child　myself。　　That　is　MY　opinion。

May　30。　…　I　don't　know　why　it　is；　but　I　never　anticipate　with　any　pleasure　the　visits　to　our　house　of　Mrs。　James；　of　Sutton。　　She　is　coming　again　to　stay　for　a　few　days。　　I　said　to　Carrie　this　morning；　as　I　was　leaving：　　〃I　wish；　dear　Carrie；　I　could　like　Mrs。　James　better　than　I　do。〃

Carrie　said：　　〃So　do　I；　dear；　but　as　for　years　I　have　had　to　put　up　with　Mr。　Gowing；　who　is　vulgar；　and　Mr。　Cummings；　who　is　kind　but　most　uninteresting；　I　am　sure；　dear；　you　won't　mind　the　occasional　visits　of　Mrs。　James；　who　has　more　intellect　in　her　little　finger　than　both　your　friends　have　in　their　entire　bodies。〃

I　was　so　entirely　taken　back　by　this　onslaught　on　my　two　dear　old　friends；　I　could　say　nothing；　and　as　I　heard　the　'bus　coming；　I　left　with　a　hurried　kiss　…　a　little　too　hurried；　perhaps；　for　my　upper　lip　came　in　contact　with　Carrie's　teeth　and　slightly　cut　it。　It　was　quite　painful　for　an　hour　afterwards。　　When　I　came　home　in　the　evening　I　found　Carrie　buried　in　a　book　on　Spiritualism；　called　THERE　IS　NO　BIRTH；　by　Florence　Singleyet。　　I　need　scarcely　say　the　book　was　sent　her　to　read　by　Mrs。　James；　of　Sutton。　　As　she　had　not　a　word　to　say　outside　her　book；　I　spent　the　rest　of　the　evening　altering　the　stair…carpets；　which　are　beginning　to　show　signs　of　wear　at　the　edges。

Mrs。　James　arrived　and；　as　usual；　in　the　evening　took　the　entire　management　of　everything。　　Finding　that　she　and　Carrie　were　making　some　preparations　for　table…turning；　I　thought　it　time　really　to　put　my　foot　down。　　I　have　always　had　the　greatest　contempt　for　such　nonsense；　and　put　an　end　to　it　years　ago　when　Carrie；　at　our　old　house；　used　to　have　seances　every　night　with　poor　Mrs。　Fussters　（who　is　now　dead）。　　If　I　could　see　any　use　in　it；　I　would　not　care。　As　I　stopped　it　in　the　days　gone　by；　I　determined　to　do　so　now。

I　said：　　〃I　am　very　sorry　Mrs。　James；　but　I　totally　disapprove　of　it；　apart　from　the　fact　that　I　receive　my　old　friends　on　this　evening。〃

Mrs。　James　said：　　〃Do　you　mean　to　say　you　haven't　read　THERE　IS　NO　BIRTH？〃　　I　said：　　〃No；　and　I　have　no　intention　of　doing　so。〃　　Mrs。　James　seemed　surprised　and　said：　　〃All　the　world　is　going　mad　over　the　book。〃　　I　responded　rather　cleverly：　　〃Let　it。　　There　will　be　one　sane　man　in　it；　at　all　events。〃

Mrs。　James　said　she　thought　it　was　very　unkind；　and　if　people　were　all　as　prejudiced　as　I　was；　there　would　never　have　been　the　electric　telegraph　or　the　telephone。

I　said　that　was　quite　a　different　thing。

Mrs。　James　said　sharply：　　〃In　what　way；　pray　…　in　what　way？〃

I　said：　　〃In　many　ways。〃

Mrs。　James　said：　　〃Well；　mention　ONE　way。〃

I　replied　quietly：　　〃Pardon　me；　Mrs。　James；　I　decline　to　discuss　the　matter。　　I　am　not　interested　in　it。〃

Sarah　at　this　moment　opened　the　door　and　showed　in　Cummings；　for　which　I　was　thankful；　for　I　felt　it　would　put　a　stop　to　this　foolish　table…turning。　　But　I　was　entirely　mistaken；　for；　on　the　subject　being　opened　again；　Cummings　said　he　was　most　interested　in　Spiritualism；　although　he　was　bound　to　confess　he　did　not　believe　much　in　it；　still；　he　was　willing　to　be　convinced。

I　firmly　declined　to　take　any　part　in　it；　with　the　result　that　my　presence　was　ignored。　　I　left　the　three　sitting　in　the　parlour　at　a　small　round　table　which　they　had　taken　out　of　the　drawing…room。　　I　walked　into　the　hall　with　the　ultimate　intention　of　taking　a　little　stroll。　　As　I　opened　the　door；　who　should　come　in　but　Gowing！

On　hearing　what　was　going　on；　he　proposed　that　we　should　join　the　circle　and　he　would　go　into　a　trance。　　He　added　that　he　KNEW　a　few　things　about　old　Cummings；　and　would　INVENT　a　few　about　Mrs。　James。　Knowing　how　dangerous　Gowing　is；　I　declined　to　let　him　take　part　in　any　such　foolish　performance。　　Sarah　asked　me　if　she　could　go　out　for　half　an　hour；　and　I　gave　her　permission；　thinking　it　would　be　more　comfortable　to　sit　with　Gowing　in　the　kitchen　than　in　the　cold　drawing…room。　　We　talked　a　good　deal　about　Lupin　and　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Murray　Posh；　with　whom　he　is　as　usual　spending　the　evening。　　Gowing　said：　　〃I　say；　it　wouldn't　be　a　bad　thing　for　Lupin　if　old　Posh　kicked　the　bucket。〃

My　heart　gave　a　leap　of　horror；　and　I　rebuked　Gowing　very　sternly　for　joking　on　such　a　subject。　　I　lay　awake　half　the　night　thinking　of　it　…　the　other　hall　was　spent　in　nightmares　on　the　same　subject。

May　31。　…　I　wrote　a　stern　letter　to　the　laundress。　　I　was　rather　pleased　with　the　letter；　for　I　thought　it　very　satirical。　　I　said：　〃You　have　returned　the　handkerchiefs　without　the　colour。　　Perhaps　you　will　return　either　the　colour　or　the　value　of　the　handkerchiefs。〃　　I　shall　be　rather　curious　to　know　what　she　will　have　to　say。

More　table…turning　in　the　evening。　　Carrie　said　last　night　was　in　a　measure　successful；　and　they　ought　to　sit　again。　　Cummings　came　in；　and　seemed　interested。　　I　had　the　gas　lighted　in　the　drawing…room；　got　the　steps；　and　repaired　the　cornice；　which　has　been　a　bit　of　an　eyesore　to　me。　　In　a　fit　of　unthinkingness　…　if　I　may　use　such　an　expression；　…　I　gave　the　floor　over　the　parlour；　where　the　seance　was　taking　place；　two　loud　raps　with　the　hammer。　　I　felt　sorry　afterwards；　for　it　was　the　sort　of　ridiculous；　foolhardy　thing　that　Gowing　or　Lupin　would　have　done。

However；　they　never　even　referred　to　it；　but　Carrie　declared　that　a　message　came　through　the　table　to　her　of　a　wonderful　description；　concerning　someone　whom　she　and　I　knew　years　ago；　and　who　was　quite　unknown　to　the　others。

When　we　went　to　bed；　Carrie　asked　me　as　a　favour　to　sit　to…morrow　night；　to　oblige　her。　　She　said　it　seemed　rather　unkind　and　unsociable　on　my　part。　　I　promised　I　would　sit　once。

June　1。　…　I　sat　reluctantly　at　the　table　in　the　evening；　and　I　am　bound　to　admit　some　curious　things　happened。　　I　contend　they　were　coincidences；　but　they　were　curious。　　For　instance；　the　table　kept　tilting　towards　me；　which　Carrie　construed　as　a　desire　that　I　should　ask　the　spirit　a　question。　　I　obeyed　the　rules；　and　I　asked　the　spirit　（who　said　her　name　was　Lina）　if　she　could　tell　me　the　name　of　an　old　aunt　of　whom　I　was　thinking；　and　whom　we　used　to　call　Aunt　Maggie。　　The　table　spelled　out　C　A　T。　　We　could　make　nothing　out　of　it；　till　I　suddenly　remembered　that　her　second　name　was　Catherine；　which　it　was　evidently　trying　to　spell。　　I　don't　think　even　Carrie　knew　this。　　But　if　she　did；　she　would　never　cheat。　　I　must　admit　it　was　curious。　　Several　other　things　happened；　and　I　consented　to　sit　at　another　seance　on　Monday。

June　3。　…　The　laundress　called；　and　said　she　was　very　sorry　about　the　handkerchiefs；　and　returned　ninepence。　　I　said；　as　the　colour　was　completely　washed　out　and　the　handkerchiefs　quite　spoiled；　ninepence　was　not　enough。　　Carrie　replied　that　the　two　handkerchiefs　originally　only　cost　sixpence；　for　she　remembered　bring　them　at　a　sale　at　the　Holloway　BON　MARCHE。　　In　that　case；　I　insisted　that　threepence　buying　should　be　returned　to　the　laundress。　　Lupin　has　gone　to　stay　with　the　Poshs　for　a　few　days。　I　must　say　I　feel　very　uncomfortable　about　it。　　Carrie　said　I　was　ridiculous　to　worry　about　it。　　Mr。　Posh　was　very　fond　of　Lupin；　who；　after　all；　was　only　a　mere　boy。

In　the　evening　we　had　another　seance；　which；　in　some　respects；　was　very　remarkable；　although　the　first　part　of　it　was　a　little　doubtful。　　Gowing　called；　as　well　as　Cummings；　and　begged　to　be　allowed　to　join　the　circle。　　I　wanted　to　object；　but　Mrs。　James；　who　appears　a　good　Medium　（that　is；　if　there　is　anything　in　it　at　all）；　thought　there　might　be　a　little　more　spirit　power　if　Gowing　joined；　so　the　five　of　us　sat　down。

The　moment　I　turned　out　the　gas；　and　almost　before　I　could　get　my　hands　on　the　table；　it　rocked　violently　and　tilted；　and　began　moving　quickly　across　the　room。　　Gowing　shouted　out：　　〃Way　oh！　steady；　lad；　steady！〃　　I　told　Gowing　if　he　could　not　behave　himself　I　should　light　the　gas；　and　put　an　end　to　the　seance。

To　tell　the　truth；　I　thought　Gowing　was　playing　tricks；　and　I　hinted　as　much；　but　Mrs。　James　said　she　had　often　seen　the　table　go　right　off　the　ground。　　The　spirit　Lina　came　again；　and　said；　〃WARN〃　three　or　four　times；　and　declined　to　explain。　　Mrs。　James　said　〃Lina〃　was　stubborn　sometimes。　　She　often　behaved　like　that；　and　the　best　thing　to　do　was　to　send　her　away。

She　then　hit　the　table　sharply；　and　said：　　〃Go　away；　Lina；　you　are　disagreeable。　　Go　away！〃　　I　should　think　we　sat　nearly　three…　quarters　of　an　hour　with　nothing　happening。　　My　hands　felt　quite　cold；　and　I　suggested　we　should　stop　the　seance。　　Carrie　and　Mrs。　James；　as　well　as　Cummings；　would　not　agree　to　it。　　In　about　ten　minutes'　time　there　was　some　tilting　towards　me。　　I　gave　the　alphabet；　and　it　spelled　out　S　P　O　O　F。　　As　I　have　heard　both　Gowing　and　Lupin　use　the　word；　and　as　I　could　hear　Gowing　silently　laughing；　I　directly　accused　him　of　pushing　the　table。　　He　denied　it；　but；　I　regret　to　say；　I　did　not　believe　him。

Gowing　said：　　〃Perhaps　it　means　'Spook；'　a　ghost。〃

I　said：　　〃YOU　know　it　doesn't　mean　anything　of　the　sort。〃

Gowing　said：　　〃Oh！　very　well　…　I'm　sorry　I　'spook；'〃　and　he　rose　from　the　table。

No　one　took　any　notice　of　the　stupid　joke；　and　Mrs。　James　suggested　he　should　sit　out　for　a　while。　　Gowing　consented　and　sat　in　the　arm…chair。

The　table　began　to　move　again；　and　we　might　have　had　a　wonderful　seance　but　for　Gowing's　stupid　interruptions。　　In　answer　to　the　alphabet　from　Carrie　the　table　spelt　〃NIPUL；〃　then　the　〃WARN〃　three　times。　　We　could　not　think　what　it　meant　till　Cummings　pointed　out　that　〃NIPUL〃　was　Lupin　spelled　backwards。　　This　was　quite　exciting。　Carrie　was　particularly　excited；　and　said　she　hoped　nothing　horrible　was　going　to　happen。

Mrs。　James　asked　if　〃Lina〃　was　the　spirit。　　The