the diary of a nobody- 第23部分

We　were　introduced　to　Miss　Posh；　whom　Lupin　called　〃Little　Girl；〃　as　if　he　had　known　her　all　his　life。　　She　was　very　tall；　rather　plain；　and　I　thought　she　was　a　little　painted　round　the　eyes。　　I　hope　I　am　wrong；　but　she　had　such　fair　hair；　and　yet　her　eyebrows　were　black。　　She　looked　about　thirty。　　I　did　not　like　the　way　she　kept　giggling　and　giving　Lupin　smacks　and　pinching　him。　　Then　her　laugh　was　a　sort　of　a　scream　that　went　right　through　my　ears；　all　the　more　irritating　because　there　was　nothing　to　laugh　at。　　In　fact；　Carrie　and　I　were　not　at　all　prepossessed　with　her。　　They　all　smoked　cigarettes　after　dinner；　including　Miss　Posh；　who　startled　Carrie　by　saying：　　〃Don't　you　smoke；　dear？〃　　I　answered　for　Carrie；　and　said：　　〃Mrs。　Charles　Pooter　has　not　arrived　at　it　yet；〃　whereupon　Miss　Posh　gave　one　of　her　piercing　laughs　again。

Mrs。　Posh　sang　a　dozen　songs　at　least；　and　I　can　only　repeat　what　I　have　said　before　…　she　does　NOT　sing　in　tune；　but　Lupin　sat　by　the　side　of　the　piano；　gazing　into　her　eyes　the　whole　time。　　If　I　had　been　Mr。　Posh；　I　think　I　should　have　had　something　to　say　about　it。　Mr。　Posh　made　himself　very　agreeable　to　us；　and　eventually　sent　us　home　in　his　carriage；　which　I　thought　most　kind。　　He　is　evidently　very　rich；　for　Mrs。　Posh　had　on　some　beautiful　jewellery。　　She　told　Carrie　her　necklace；　which　her　husband　gave　her　as　a　birthday　present；　alone　cost　300　pounds。

Mr。　Posh　said　he　had　a　great　belief　in　Lupin；　and　thought　he　would　make　rapid　way　in　the　world。

I　could　not　help　thinking　of　the　600　pounds　Mr。　Posh　lost　over　the　PARACHIKKA　CHLORATES　through　Lupin's　advice。

During　the　evening　I　had　an　opportunity　to　speak　to　Lupin；　and　expressed　a　hope　that　Mr。　Posh　was　not　living　beyond　his　means。

Lupin　sneered；　and　said　Mr。　Posh　was　worth　thousands。　　〃Posh's　one…　price　hat〃　was　a　household　word　in　Birmingham；　Manchester；　Liverpool；　and　all　the　big　towns　throughout　England。　　Lupin　further　informed　me　that　Mr。　Posh　was　opening　branch　establishments　at　New　York；　Sydney；　and　Melbourne；　and　was　negotiating　for　Kimberley　and　Johannesburg。

I　said　I　was　pleased　to　hear　it。

Lupin　said：　　〃Why；　he　has　settled　over　10；000　pounds　on　Daisy；　and　the　same　amount　on　'Lillie　Girl。'　　If　at　any　time　I　wanted　a　little　capital；　he　would　put　up　a　couple　of　'thou'　at　a　day's　notice；　and　could　buy　up　Perkupp's　firm　over　his　head　at　any　moment　with　ready　cash。〃

On　the　way　home　in　the　carriage；　for　the　first　time　in　my　life；　I　was　inclined　to　indulge　in　the　radical　thought　that　money　was　NOT　properly　divided。

On　arriving　home　at　a　quarter…past　eleven；　we　found　a　hansom　cab；　which　had　been　waiting　for　me　for　two　hours　with　a　letter。　　Sarah　said　she　did　not　know　what　to　do；　as　we　had　not　left　the　address　where　we　had　gone。　　I　trembled　as　I　opened　the　letter；　fearing　it　was　some　bad　news　about　Mr。　Perkupp。　　The　note　was：　　〃Dear　Mr。　Pooter；　…　Come　down　to　the　Victoria　Hotel　without　delay。　Important。　　Yours　truly；　Hardfur　Huttle。〃

I　asked　the　cabman　if　it　was　too　late。　　The　cabman　replied　that　it　was　NOT；　for　his　instructions　were；　if　I　happened　to　be　out；　he　was　to　wait　till　I　came　home。　　I　felt　very　tired；　and　really　wanted　to　go　to　bed。　　I　reached　the　hotel　at　a　quarter　before　midnight。　　I　apologised　for　being　so　late；　but　Mr。　Huttle　said：　　〃Not　at　all；　come　and　have　a　few　oysters。〃　　I　feel　my　heart　beating　as　I　write　these　words。　　To　be　brief；　Mr。　Huttle　said　he　had　a　rich　American　friend　who　wanted　to　do　something　large　in　our　line　of　business；　and　that　Mr。　Franching　had　mentioned　my　name　to　him。　　We　talked　over　the　matter。　　If；　by　any　happy　chance；　the　result　be　successful；　I　can　more　than　compensate　my　dear　master　for　the　loss　of　Mr。　Crowbillon's　custom。　　Mr。　Huttle　had　previously　said：　　〃The　glorious　'Fourth'　is　a　lucky　day　for　America；　and；　as　it　has　not　yet　struck　twelve；　we　will　celebrate　it　with　a　glass　of　the　best　wine　to　be　had　in　the　place；　and　drink　good　luck　to　our　bit　of　business。〃

I　fervently　hope　it　will　bring　good　luck　to　us　all。

It　was　two　o'clock　when　I　got　home。　　Although　I　was　so　tired；　I　could　not　sleep　except　for　short　intervals　…　then　only　to　dream。

I　kept　dreaming　of　Mr。　Perkupp　and　Mr。　Huttle。　　The　latter　was　in　a　lovely　palace　with　a　crown　on。　　Mr。　Perkupp　was　waiting　in　the　room。　　Mr。　Huttle　kept　taking　off　this　crown　and　handing　it　to　me；　and　calling　me　〃President。〃

He　appeared　to　take　no　notice　of　Mr。　Perkupp；　and　I　kept　asking　Mr。　Huttle　to　give　the　crown　to　my　worthy　master。　　Mr。　Huttle　kept　saying：　　〃No；　this　is　the　White　House　of　Washington；　and　you　must　keep　your　crown；　Mr。　President。〃

We　all　laughed　long　and　very　loudly；　till　I　got　parched；　and　then　I　woke　up。　　I　fell　asleep；　only　to　dream　the　same　thing　over　and　over　again。



CHAPTER　THE　LAST。



One　of　the　happiest　days　of　my　life。


July　10。　…　The　excitement　and　anxiety　through　which　I　have　gone　the　last　few　days　have　been　almost　enough　to　turn　my　hair　grey。　　It　is　all　but　settled。　　To…morrow　the　die　will　be　cast。　　I　have　written　a　long　letter　to　Lupin　…　feeling　it　my　duty　to　do　so；　…　regarding　his　attention　to　Mrs。　Posh；　for　they　drove　up　to　our　house　again　last　night。

July　11。　…　I　find　my　eyes　filling　with　tears　as　I　pen　the　note　of　my　interview　this　morning　with　Mr。　Perkupp。　　Addressing　me；　he　said：　　〃My　faithful　servant；　I　will　not　dwell　on　the　important　service　you　have　done　our　firm。　　You　can　never　be　sufficiently　thanked。　　Let　us　change　the　subject。　　Do　you　like　your　house；　and　are　you　happy　where　you　are？〃

I　replied：　　〃Yes；　sir；　I　love　my　house　and　I　love　the　neighbourhood；　and　could　not　bear　to　leave　it。〃

Mr。　Perkupp；　to　my　surprise；　said：　　〃Mr。　Pooter；　I　will　purchase　the　freehold　of　that　house；　and　present　it　to　the　most　honest　and　most　worthy　man　it　has　ever　been　my　lot　to　meet。〃

He　shook　my　hand；　and　said　he　hoped　my　wife　and　I　would　be　spared　many　years　to　enjoy　it。　　My　heart　was　too　full　to　thank　him；　and；　seeing　my　embarrassment；　the　good　fellow　said：　　〃You　need　say　nothing；　Mr。　Pooter；〃　and　left　the　office。

I　sent　telegrams　to　Carrie；　Gowing；　and　Cummings　（a　thing　I　have　never　done　before）；　and　asked　the　two　latter　to　come　round　to　supper。

On　arriving　home　I　found　Carrie　crying　with　joy；　and　I　sent　Sarah　round　to　the　grocer's　to　get　two　bottles　of　〃Jackson　Freres。〃

My　two　dear　friends　came　in　the　evening；　and　the　last　post　brought　a　letter　from　Lupin　in　reply　to　mine。　　I　read　it　aloud　to　them　all。　It　ran：　　〃My　dear　old　Guv。；　…　Keep　your　hair　on。　　You　are　on　the　wrong　tack　again。　　I　am　engaged　to　be　married　to　'Lillie　Girl。'　　I　did　not　mention　it　last　Thursday；　as　it　was　not　definitely　settled。　We　shall　be　married　in　August；　and　amongst　our　guests　we　hope　to　see　your　old　friends　Gowing　and　Cummings。　　With　much　love　to　all；　from　THE　SAME　OLD　LUPIN。〃





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