第 9 节
作者:散发弄舟      更新:2021-10-16 18:44      字数:9322
  box; interrupted the acting with explanations。               She informed the heroine
  of   the   design   of   the   villain   waiting   at   the   wings。 And   when   the   aged
  mother of the heroine was dying of starvation in a hovel; and she threw a
  bag   of   bonbons   on   the   stage;   with   the   vociferous   declaration   that   〃Lord
  Brownstone   had   just   given   them   to   herbutLordy!SHE   didn't   want
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  them;〃 they were obliged to lead her away; closely followed by an usher
  and a policeman。         〃To think;〃 she wrote to John Gale; 〃that the audience
  only laughed and shouted; and never offered to help!                 And yet look at the
  churches in London; where they dare to preach the gospel!〃
  Fired   by   this   simple   letter;   and   alarmed   by   Golly's   simplicity;   John
  Gale     went    to  his   clerical   chief;  Archdeacon       Luxury;     and   demanded
  permission      to  preach    next   Sunday。     〃Certainly;〃     said   the  Archdeacon;
  〃you   shall   take   my   curate's   place。   I   shall   inform   the   congregation   that
  you are the son of Lord Gale。             They are very particular churchmenall
  society peopleand of course will be satisfied with the work of the Lord;
  especially;〃 he added; with a polite smile; 〃when that work happens to be
  the Lord Gale's son。〃 Accordingly; the next Sunday; John Gale occupied
  the pulpit of St。 Swithin。        But an unexpected event happened。              His pent…
  up eagerness to denounce the present methods of Christianity; his fullness
  of   utterance;   defeated   his   purpose。     He   was   overcome   with   a   kind   of
  pulpit   fright。   His   ideas   of   time   and   place   fled   him。  After   beginning;
  〃Mr。 Chairman; in rising to propose the toast of our worthy Archdeacon
  Fellow   Manxmenthe   present   momentererthe   proudest   in   myer
  lifeDearly beloved Gollyunaccustomed as I am to public speaking;〃 he
  abruptly delivered the benediction and sat down。                The incident; however;
  provoked little attention。        The congregation; accustomed to sleep through
  the   sermon;   awoke   at   the   usual   time   and   went   home。       Only   a   single
  Scotchwoman said to him in passing: 〃Verra weel for a beginning; laddie。
  But   give   it   hotter   to   'em   next   time。〃 Discomfited   and   bewildered;   he
  communed with himself gloomily。               〃I can't marry Golly。        I can't talk。    I
  hate society。     What's to be done?         I have it!    I'll go into a monastery。〃
  He    went    into   a  monastery      in   Bishopsgate      Street;   reached    by   a
  threepenny 'bus。        He   gave out   vaguely  that he   had got   into   〃Something
  Good;   in   the   City。〃   Society   was   satisfied。      Only   Golly   suspected   the
  truth。    She wrote to her grandfather:
  〃I   saw   John   Gale   the   other   day   with   a   crowd   following   him   in   the
  Strand。     He     had   on  only    a  kind   of  brown     serge   dressing…gown;      tied
  around his waist by a rope; and a hood on his head。                I think his poor 'toe…
  toes'   were    in  sandals;    and   I  dare  say   his  legs   were    cold;   poor   dear。
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  However; if he calls THAT protection of GollyI don't! I might be run off
  at   any   momentfor   all  he'd   help。   No   matter!  If   this   Court   understands
  herself; and she thinks she do; Golly can take care of herselfyou bet。〃
  Nevertheless;   Golly   lost   her   place   at   the   hospital   through   her   heroic
  defense     of   her  friend   Jinny    Jones;   who    had   been    deceived    by   Lord
  Brownstone Ewer。          〃You would drive that poor girl into the street;〃 she
  said furiously to the Chairman of the Board; throwing her cap and apron in
  their faces。     〃You're a lot of rotten old hypocrites; and I'm glad to get shut
  of you。〃     Not content with that; she went to Drake and demanded that he
  should make his friend Lord Brownstone marry Jinny。
  〃Sorryawfully       sorrymy     dear   Golly;   but   he's  engaged     to  a  rich
  American girl who is to pay his debts; but I'll see that he does something
  handsome   for   Jinny。      And YOU;   my   child;   what   are YOU   going   to   do
  without   a   situation?〃   he   added;   with   touching   sympathy。   〃You   see;   I've
  some vague idea of marrying you myself;〃 he concluded meditatively。
  〃Thank you for nothing;〃 interrupted Golly gayly; 〃but I can take care
  of myself and follow out my mission like John Gale。〃
  〃There's a pair of you; certainly;〃 said Drake; with a tinge of jealous
  bitterness。
  〃You bet it's 'a pair' that will take your 'two knaves;' you and your Lord
  Brownstone;〃 returned Golly; dropping a mock courtesy。 〃Ta…ta; I'm going
  on the stage。〃
  BOOK III
  She   went   first   into   a   tobacconist'sand   sold   cigarettes。   Sometimes
  she   suffered   from   actual   want;   and   ate   fried   fish。 〃Do   you   know   how
  nice   fried   fish   tastes   in   London;you   on   'the   Oilan'?〃   she   wrote   gayly。
  〃I'm getting on splendidly; so's John Gale; I suppose; though he's looking
  cadaverous from starving himself all round。              Tell aunty I haven't seen the
  Queen yet; though after all I really believe she has not seen me。〃
  Then; after a severe struggle; she succeeded in getting on the stage as a
  song     and   dance   girl。   She    sang   melodiously      and   danced    divinely;   so
  remarkably that the ignorant public; knowing her to be a Manx girl; and
  vaguely associating her with the symbol of the Isle of Man; supposed she
  had three legs。      She was the success of the season; her cup of ambition
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  was filled。     It was slightly embittered by the news that her friend Jinny
  Jones had killed herself in the church at the wedding of her recreant lover
  and the American heiress。          But the affair was scarcely alluded to by the
  Society     paperswho      were    naturally   shocked     at  the   bad   taste  of   the
  deceased。      And even Golly forgot it allon the stage。
  BOOK IV
  Meanwhile   John   Gale;   or   Brother   Boreas;   as   he   was   known   in   the
  monastery;      was    submittingamong         other   rigorsto    an   exceptionally
  severe    winter    in  Bishopsgate     Street;  which    seemed     to  have   an   Arctic
  climate   of   its   own;possibly   induced   by   the   〃freezing…out〃   process   of
  certain stock companies in its vicinity。
  〃You are miserable; and eager to get out in the wicked world again; my
  son; said the delightful old Superior; as he sat by the only fire; sipping a
  glass of mulled port; when John came in from shoveling snow outside。                     〃I;
  therefore; merely to try you; shall make you gatekeeper。                The keys of the
  monastery front door are under the door…mat in my cell; but I am a sound
  sleeper。〃     He   smiled   seraphically;   and   winked   casually  as   he   sipped   his
  port。 〃We will call it; if you pleasea penance。〃
  John threw himself in an agony of remorse and shame at the feet of the
  Superior。     〃It isn't of myself   I'm thinking;〃 he   confessed wildly; 〃but   of
  that poor   young   man;  Brother   Bones; in the   next   cell   to   mine。      He   is   a
  living skeleton; has got only one lung and an atrophied brain。                A night out
  might do him good。〃
  The Father Superior frowned。           〃Do you know who he is?〃
  〃No。〃
  〃His   real   name   is   Jones。   Why   do   you   start?     You   have   heard   it
  before?〃
  John   had   started;   thinking   of   Jinny   Jones;   Golly's   deserted   and   self…
  immolated friend。
  〃It is an uncommon name;〃 he stammered〃for a monastery; I mean。〃
  〃He is or was an uncommon man!〃 said the Superior gravely。                     〃But;〃
  he added resignedly; 〃we cannot pick and choose our company here。 Most
  of   us   have   done   something   and   have   our   own   reasons   for   this   retreat。
  Brother Polygamus escaped here from the persecutions of his sixth wife。
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  Even     I;〃  continued    the   Superior    with   a  gentle   smile;   putting   his  feet
  comfortably   on   the   mantelpiece;   〃have   had   my   little   fling;   and   the   dear
  boys used to sayahem!but