第 8 节
作者:散发弄舟      更新:2021-10-16 18:44      字数:9321
  faculty of bursting into song at the bedside of a dying patient; produced
  some liveliness not unmixed with perplexity among the hospital staff。                       It
  is true;  however;  that   her  performance of  clog…dancing during the  night…
  watches   drew   a   larger   and   more   persistent   attendance   of   students   and
  young   surgeons   than   ever   was   seen   before。       Yet   everybody   loved   her!
  Even   her   patients!   〃If   it   amooses   you;   miss;   to   make   me   tyke   the   pills
  wot's meant for the lydy in the next ward; I ain't complyning;〃 said an East
  End newsboy。         〃When ye tyke off the style of the doctor wot wisits me;
  miss;   and   imitates     his   wyes;   Lawd!   it   does   me   as   much    good   as   his
  mixtures;〃   said   a   consumptive   charwoman。           Even   thus;   old   and   young
  basked   in   the   radiant   youth   of   Golly。    She   found   time   to   write   to   her
  family:
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  DEAR   OLD   PALS!         I'm   here。    J'y   suis!   bet   your   boots! While
  you're wondering what has become of the Bright Young Thing; the B。 Y。 T。
  is lookin' out of the winder of St。 Barabbas' Hospitaljust taking in all of
  dear;   roaring;   dirty   London   in   one   gulp!   Such   a   place   Lordy!    I've
  been waiting three hours to see the crowd go by; and they haven't gone yet!
  Such crowds; such busses;all green and blue; only a penny fare; and you
  can ride on top if you want to! Think of that; you dear old Manx people!
  But there〃the bell goes a…ringing for Sarah!〃they're calling for Nurse!
  That's   the   worst   of   this   job:   they're   always   a…dyin'   just   as   you're   getting
  interested in something else!         Ta…ta!
  GOLLY!
  Then her dear old grandfather wrote:
  I'm wondering where my diddleums; Golly; is!                We all miss you so
  much; deary; though we don't miss so many little things as when you were
  here。    My dear; conscientious; unselfish little girl!           You don't say where
  John    Gale   is。  Is   he   still   protecting   youhe…he!   you   giddy;   naughty
  thing!    People wonder on the island why I let you go alone to London
  they forget your dear mother was a Frenchwoman!                    If you see anything
  your        dear      old       grandfather        would        likesend       it     on。
  GRANFER。
  Later; her aunt wrote:
  Have    you   seen   the  Queen     yet;  and   does   she   wear   her  crown     at
  breakfast?      You might get over the area railing at Buckingham Palaceit
  would be nothing for a girl like you to doand see if you can find out。
  To these letters Golly answered; in her own light…hearted way:
  DEAR GRANKINS;I haven't seen John muchbut I think he's like
  the Private Secretary at the playhe 〃don't like London。〃               Lordy! there
  I've   let  it  out!  I've   been   to  a  theayter。    Nurse     Jinny   Jones   and   me
  scrouged into the pit one night without paying; 〃pertendin';〃 as we were in
  uniform; we had come to take out a 〃Lydy〃 that had fainted。                  Such larks!
  and   such   a   glorious   theayter!   I'll   tell   you   another   time。 Tell   aunty   the
  Queen's always out when I call。           But that's nothing; everybody else is so
  affable   and   polite   in   London。    Gentlemen〃real   toffs;〃   they   call   'em
  whom you don't know from Adamthink nothing of speaking to you in the
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  street。    Why; Nurse Jinny saysbut there another patient's going off who
  by rights oughter have died only to…morrow。               〃To…morrow and to…morrow
  and    to…morrow;〃      as  that   barn…stormer     actor   said。   But    they're   always
  calling for that giddy young thing;
  Your GOLLY。
  Meantime;   John   Gale;   having   abruptly   left   Golly   at   the   door   of   St。
  Barabbas'   hospital;   tactfully   avoiding   an   unseemly   altercation   with   the
  cab…driver   regarding   her   exact   fare;  pursued   his   way   thoughtfully  to   the
  residence   of   his   uncle;   the   First   Lord   of   the   Admiralty。  He   found   his
  Lordship in his bath…room。           He was leaning over the bath…tub; which was
  half full of water; contemplating with some anxiety the model of a line…of…
  battle ship which was floating on it; bottom upward。                〃I don't think it can
  be quite rightdo you?〃 he said; nervously grasping his nephew's hand as
  he pointed to the capsized vessel; 〃yet they always do it。                   Tell me!〃 he
  went on appealingly; 〃tell me; as a professing Christian and a Perfect Man…
  …is it quite right?〃
  〃I   should    think;   sir;〃  responded     John   Gale;    with   uncompromising
  truthfulness; 〃that the average vessel of commerce is not built in that way。〃
  〃Yet;〃 said the First Lord of the Admiralty; with a far…off look; 〃they
  all do it!    And they don't steer!        The larger they are and the more recent
  the model; the less they steer。          Dear meyou ought to see 'em go round
  and round in that tub。〃         Then; apparently recalling the probable purpose
  of   John's   visit;   he   led   the   way   into   his   dressing…room。 〃So   you   are   in
  London;      dear   boy。    Is  there   any   little  thing   you   want?     I  have;〃    he
  continued; absently fumbling in the drawers of his dressing…table; 〃a few
  curacies and a bishopric somewhere; but with these blessed modelsI can't
  think where they are。         Or what would you say to a nice chaplaincy in the
  navy;    with   a  becoming      uniform;    on   one   of  those   thingummies?〃        He
  pointed   to   the   bath…room。     〃Stay;〃   he   continued;   as   he   passed   his   hand
  over   his   perplexed   brows;   〃now   I   think   of   ityou're   quite   unorthodox!
  Dear   me! that wouldn't do。          You see; Drake;〃he paused; as John Gale
  started;〃I    mean     Sir  Francis    Drake;    once   suspended      his  chaplain    for
  unorthodoxy; according to Froude's book。               These admirals are dreadfully
  strict Churchmen。        No matter!       Come again some other time;〃 he added;
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  gently pushing his nephew downstairs and into the street; 〃and we'll see
  about it。〃
  With a sinking heart; John turned his steps toward Westminster。                     He
  would go and see Golly; perhaps he had not looked after her as he ought。
  Suddenly   a   remembered   voice;   in   mimicking   accents;   fell   upon   his   ear
  with the quotation; 〃Do you know?〃               Then; in a hansom passing swiftly
  by   him;   Golly;   in   hospital   dress   with   flying   ribbons;   appeared;   sitting
  between      Lord    Brownstone       Ewer    and    Francis    Horatio    Nelson    Drake;
  completely   grown   up。        And   from   behind   floated   the   inexpressibly   sad
  refrain; 〃Hi tiddli hi!〃
  This is how it happened。          One morning; Jinny Jones; another hospital
  nurse; had said to her; 〃Have you any objection; dear; to seeing a friend of
  another gent; a friend of mine?〃
  〃None in the least; dear;〃 said Golly。            〃I   want to see all that can   be
  seen; and do all that can be done in London; and know the glory thereof。
  I   only   require   that   I   shall   be   allowed   to   love   John   Gale   whenever   he
  permits it; which isn't often; and that I may be permitted to write simple
  letters to my doting relations at the rate of twelve pages a day; giving an
  accountMY         OWN      accountof     my    doings。     There!       Go    on   now!
  Bring on your bears。〃
  They   had   visited   the   chambers   which   Lord   Brownstone   and   Drake
  occupied   together;   and   in   girlish   innocence   had   put   on   the   gentlemen's
  clothes and danced before them。            Then they all went to the theatre; where
  Golly's     delightful   simplicity    and   childish    ignorance     of  the   world   had
  charmed them。         Everything to her was new; strange; and thrilling。                She
  even   leaned   from   the   carriage   windows   to   see   the   〃wheels   go   round。〃
  She was surprised at the number of people in the theatre; and insisted on
  knowing if it was church; because they all sat there in their best clothes so
  quietly。    She believed that the play was real; and frequently; from a stage
  box; interrupted the acting with explanations。               She informed the heroine
  of   the   design   of   the   villain