按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
he WAS intruding；perhaps even a faculty of hinting that some one might
have been sitting on those chairs； writing at the bureau； or fingering the
china； just a second before one entered。
No such violent word as 〃haunted〃 could possibly apply to this
pleasant old…fashioned chamber； which indeed we all rather liked； but
there was no doubt it was reserved and stand…offish； keeping itself to itself。
Uncle Thomas was the first to draw my attention to the possibilities of
the old bureau。 He was pottering about the house one afternoon； having
ordered me to keep at his heels for company；he was a man who hated to
be left one minute alone； when his eye fell on it。 H'm！ Sheraton！〃 he
remarked。 （He had a smattering of most things； this uncle； especially the
vocabularies。） Then he let down the flap； and examined the empty
71
… Page 72…
The Golden Age
pigeon…holes and dusty panelling。 〃Fine bit of inlay；〃 he went on： 〃good
work； all of it。 I know the sort。 There's a secret drawer in there
somewhere。〃 Then； as I breathlessly drew near； he suddenly exclaimed：
〃By Jove； I do want to smoke！〃 and wheeling round he abruptly fled for
the garden； leaving me with the cup dashed from my lips。 What a strange
thing； I mused； was this smoking； that takes a man suddenly； be he in the
court； the camp； or the grove； grips him like an Afreet； and whirls him off
to do its imperious behests！ Would it be even so with myself； I wondered；
in those unknown grown…up years to come？
But I had no time to waste in vain speculations。 My whole being was
still vibrating to those magic syllables； 〃secret drawer；〃 and that particular
chord had been touched that never fails to thrill responsive to such words
as CAVE； TRAP…DOOR； SLIDING… PANEL； BULLION； INGOTS； or
SPANISH DOLLARS。 For； besides its own special bliss； who ever heard
of a secret drawer with nothing in it？ And oh； I did want money so badly！
I mentally ran over the list of demands which were pressing me the most
imperiously。
First； there was the pipe I wanted to give George Jannaway。 George；
who was Martha's young man； was a shepherd； and a great ally of mine；
and the last fair he was at； when he bought his sweetheart fairings； as a
right…minded shepherd should； he had purchased a lovely snake expressly
for me； one of the wooden sort； with joints； waggling deliciously in the
hand； with yellow spots on a green ground； sticky and strong…smelling； as
a fresh… painted snake ought to be； and with a red…flannel tongue； pasted
cunningly into its jaws。 I loved it much； and took it to bed with me every
night； till what time its spinal cord was loosed and it fell apart； and went
the way of all mortal joys。 I thought it so nice of George to think of me
at the fair； and that's why I wanted to give him a pipe。 When the young
year was chill and lambing…time was on； George inhabited a little wooden
house on wheels； far out on the wintry downs； and saw no faces but such
as were sheepish and woolly and mute； ant when he and Martha were
married； she was going to carry his dinner out to him every day； two miles；
and after it； perhaps he would smoke my pipe。 It seemed an idyllic sort
of existence； for both the parties concerned； but a pipe of quality； a pipe
72
… Page 73…
The Golden Age
fitted to be part of a life such as this； could not be procured （so Martha
informed me） for a less sum than eighteen pence。 And meantime！
Then there was the fourpence I owed Edward； not that he was
bothering me for it； but I knew he was in need of it himself； to pay back
Selina； who wanted it to make up a sum of two shillings； to buy Harold an
ironclad for his approaching birthday；H。 M。 S。 Majestic； now lying
uselessly careened in the toyshop window； just when her country had such
sore need of her。
And then there was that boy in the village who had caught a young
squirrel； and I had never yet possessed one； and he wanted a shilling for it；
but I knew that for ninepence in cashbut what was the good of these
sorry； threadbare reflections？ I had wants enough to exhaust any possible
find of bullion； even if it amounted to half a sovereign。 My only hope
now lay in the magic drawer； and here I was standing and letting the
precious minutes slip by。 Whether 〃findings〃 of this sort could； morally
speaking； be considered 〃keepings；〃 was a point that did not occur to me。
The room was very still as I approached the bureau；possessed； it
seemed to be； by a sort of hush of expectation。 The faint odour of orris…
root that floated forth as I let down the flap； seemed to identify itself with
the yellows and browns of the old wood； till hue and scent were of one
quality and interchangeable。
Even so； ere this； the pot…pourri had mixed itself with the tints of the
old brocade； and brocade and pot…pourri had long been one。
With expectant fingers I explored the empty pigeon…holes and sounded
the depths of the softly…sliding drawers。 No books that I knew of gave
any general recipe for a quest like this； but the glory； should I succeed
unaided； would be all the greater。
To him who is destined to arrive； the fates never fail to afford； on the
way； their small encouragements； in less than two minutes； I had come
across a rusty button…hook。 This was truly magnificent。 In the nursery
there existed； indeed； a general button…hook； common to either sex； but
none of us possessed a private and special button…hook； to lend or refuse
as suited the high humour of the moment。 I pocketed the treasure
carefully and proceeded。 At the back of another drawer； three old foreign
73
… Page 74…
The Golden Age
stamps told me I was surely on the highroad to fortune。
Following on these bracing incentives； came a dull blank period of
unrewarded search。 In vain I removed all the drawers and felt over every
inch of the smooth surfaces； from front to back。 Never a knob； spring or
projection met the thrilling finger…