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！
as if crucified； in a sort of excruciating restfulness；
Michael stood still for long intervals； with gathered muscles；
then spun round like a teetotum； and stood still again；
Rosamund did not trip； for women never trip； except when they
fall on their noses； but she struck the ground with her foot
as she moved； as if to some inaudible dance tune； and Inglewood；
leaning quite quietly against a tree； had unconsciously
clutched a branch and shaken it with a creative violence。
Those giant gestures of Man； that made the high statues
and the strokes of war； tossed and tormented all their limbs。
Silently as they strolled and stood they were bursting like
batteries with an animal magnetism。
〃And now；〃 cried Moon quite suddenly； stretching out a hand on each side；
〃let's dance round that bush！〃
〃Why； what bush do you mean？〃 asked Rosamund； looking round with a sort
of radiant rudeness。
〃The bush that isn't there；〃 said Michael〃the Mulberry Bush。〃
They had taken each other's hands； half laughing and quite ritually；
and before they could disconnect again Michael spun them all round；
like a demon spinning the world for a top。 Diana felt； as the circle of
the horizon flew instantaneously around her； a far aerial sense of the ring
of heights beyond London and corners where she had climbed as a child；
she seemed almost to hear the rooks cawing about the old pines on Highgate；
or to see the glowworms gathering and kindling in the woods of Box Hill。
The circle brokeas all such perfect circles of levity must break
and sent its author； Michael； flying； as by centrifugal force； far away
against the blue rails of the gate。 When reeling there he suddenly
raised shout after shout of a new and quite dramatic character。
〃Why； it's Warner！〃 he shouted； waving his arms。 〃It's jolly old Warner
with a new silk hat and the old silk moustache！〃
〃Is that Dr。 Warner？〃 cried Rosamund； bounding forward in a
burst of memory； amusement； and distress。 〃Oh； I'm so sorry！
Oh； do tell him it's all right！〃
〃Let's take hands and tell him；〃 said Michael Moon。 For indeed；
while they were talking； another hansom cab had dashed up behind
the one already waiting； and Dr。 Herbert Warner； leaving a companion
in the cab； had carefully deposited himself on the pavement。
Now； when you are an eminent physician and are wired for by
an heiress to come to a case of dangerous mania； and when；
as you come in through the garden to the house； the heiress
and her landlady and two of the gentlemen boarders join hands
and dance round you in a ring； calling out； 〃It's all right！ it's
all right！〃 you are apt to be flustered and even displeased。
Dr。 Warner was a placid but hardly a placable person。
The two things are by no means the same； and even when Moon explained
to him that he； Warner； with his high hat and tall； solid figure；
was just such a classic figure as OUGHT to be danced round
by a ring of laughing maidens on some old golden Greek seashore
even then he seemed to miss the point of the general rejoicing。
〃Inglewood！〃 cried Dr。 Warner； fixing his former disciple with a stare；
〃are you mad？〃
Arthur flushed to the roots of his brown hair； but he answered；
easily and quietly enough； 〃Not now。 The truth is； Warner； I've just
made a rather important medical discoveryquite in your line。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 asked the great doctor stiffly〃what discovery？〃
〃I've discovered that health really is catching； like disease；〃
answered Arthur。
〃Yes； sanity has broken out； and is spreading；〃 said Michael；
performing a ~pas seul~ with a thoughtful expression。
〃Twenty thousand more cases taken to the hospitals；
nurses employed night and day。〃
Dr。 Warner studied Michael's grave face and lightly moving
legs with an unfathomed wonder。 〃And is THIS； may I ask；〃
he said； 〃the sanity that is spreading？〃
〃You must forgive me； Dr。 Warner；〃 cried Rosamund Hunt heartily。
〃I know I've treated you badly； but indeed it was all a mistake。
I was in a frightfully bad temper when I sent for you； but now
it all seems like a dreamand and Mr。 Smith is the sweetest；
most sensible； most delightful old thing that ever existed；
and he may marry any one he likesexcept me。〃
〃I should suggest Mrs。 Duke；〃 said Michael。
The gravity of Dr。 Warner's face increased。 He took a slip
of pink paper from his waistcoat pocket； with his pale
blue eyes quietly fixed on Rosamund's face all the time。
He spoke with a not inexcusable frigidity。
〃Really； Miss Hunt；〃 he said； 〃you are not yet very reassuring。
You sent me this wire only half an hour ago： ‘Come at once；
if possible； with another doctor。 ManInnocent Smithgone mad
on premises； and doing dreadful things。 Do you know anything of him？'
I went round at once to a distinguished colleague of mine； a doctor
who is also a private detective and an authority on criminal lunacy；
he has come round with me； and is waiting in the cab。 Now you calmly
tell me that this criminal madman is a highly sweet and sane old thing；
with accompaniments that set me speculating on your own definition of sanity。
I hardly comprehend the change。〃
〃Oh； how can one explain a change in sun and moon and everybody's soul？〃
cried Rosamund； in despair。 〃Must I confess we had got so morbid
as to think him mad merely because he wanted to get married； and that we
didn't even know it was only because we wanted to get married ourselves？
We'll humiliate ourselves； if you like； doctor； we're happy enough。〃
〃Where is Mr。 Smith？〃 asked Warner of Inglewood very sharply。
Arthur started； he had forgotten all about the central figure of their farce；
who had not been visible for an hour or more。
〃II think he's on the other side of the house； by the dustbin；〃 he said。
〃He may be on the road to Russia；〃 said Warner； 〃but he must be found。〃
And he strode away and disappeared round a corner of the house
by the sunflowers。
〃I hope；〃 said Rosamund； 〃he won't really interfere with Mr。 Smith。〃
〃Interfere with the daisies！〃 said Michael with a snort。
〃A man can't be locked up for falling in loveat least
I hope not。〃
〃No； I think even a doctor couldn't make a disease out of him。
He'd throw off the doctor like the disease； don't you know？
I believe it's a case of a sort of holy well。 I believe Innocent Smith
is simply innocent； and that is why he is so extraordinary。〃
It was Rosamund who spoke； restlessly tracing circles in the grass
with the point of her white shoe。
〃I think；〃 said Inglewood； 〃that Smith is not extraordinary at all。
He's comic just because he's so startlingly commonplace。
Don't you know what it is to be all one family circle； with aunts
and uncles； when a schoolboy comes home for the holidays？
That bag there on the cab is only a schoolboy's hamper。
This tree here in the garden is only the sort of tree that any
schoolboy would have climbed。 Yes； that's the thing that has
haunted us all about him； the thing we could never fit a word to。
Whether he is my old schoolfellow or no； at least he is all my
old schoolfellows。 He is the endless bun…eating； ball…throwing
animal that we have all been。〃
〃That is only you absurd boys；〃 said Diana。 〃I don't be