the diary of a nobody-第6部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ible；　but　the　conversation　drifted　into　family　matters；　during　which　Carrie；　without　the　slightest　reason；　referred　in　the　most　uncomplimentary　manner　to　my　poor　father's　pecuniary　trouble。　　I　retorted　by　saying　that　〃Pa；　at　all　events；　was　a　gentleman；〃　whereupon　Carrie　burst　out　crying。　　I　positively　could　not　eat　any　breakfast。

At　the　office　I　was　sent　for　by　Mr。　Perkupp；　who　said　he　was　very　sorry；　but　I　should　have　to　take　my　annual　holidays　from　next　Saturday。　　Franching　called　at　office　and　asked　me　to　dine　at　his　club；　〃The　Constitutional。〃　　Fearing　disagreeables　at　home　after　the　〃tiff〃　this　morning；　I　sent　a　telegram　to　Carrie；　telling　her　I　was　going　out　to　dine　and　she　was　not　to　sit　up。　　Bought　a　little　silver　bangle　for　Carrie。

July　31。　…　Carrie　was　very　pleased　with　the　bangle；　which　I　left　with　an　affectionate　note　on　her　dressing…table　last　night　before　going　to　bed。　　I　told　Carrie　we　should　have　to　start　for　our　holiday　next　Saturday。　　She　replied　quite　happily　that　she　did　not　mind；　except　that　the　weather　was　so　bad；　and　she　feared　that　Miss　Jibbons　would　not　be　able　to　get　her　a　seaside　dress　in　time。　　I　told　Carrie　that　I　thought　the　drab　one　with　pink　bows　looked　quite　good　enough；　and　Carrie　said　she　should　not　think　of　wearing　it。　　I　was　about　to　discuss　the　matter；　when；　remembering　the　argument　yesterday；　resolved　to　hold　my　tongue。

I　said　to　Carrie：　　〃I　don't　think　we　can　do　better　than　'Good　old　Broadstairs。'〃　　Carrie　not　only；　to　my　astonishment；　raised　an　objection　to　Broadstairs；　for　the　first　time；　but　begged　me　not　to　use　the　expression；　〃Good　old；〃　but　to　leave　it　to　Mr。　Stillbrook　and　other　GENTLEMEN　of　his　type。　　Hearing　my　'bus　pass　the　window；　I　was　obliged　to　rush　out　of　the　house　without　kissing　Carrie　as　usual；　and　I　shouted　to　her：　　〃I　leave　it　to　you　to　decide。〃　　On　returning　in　the　evening；　Carrie　said　she　thought　as　the　time　was　so　short　she　had　decided　on　Broadstairs；　and　had　written　to　Mrs。　Beck；　Harbour　View　Terrace；　for　apartments。

August　1。　…　Ordered　a　new　pair　of　trousers　at　Edwards's；　and　told　them　not　to　cut　them　so　loose　over　the　boot；　the　last　pair　being　so　loose　and　also　tight　at　the　knee；　looked　like　a　sailor's；　and　I　heard　Pitt；　that　objectionable　youth　at　the　office；　call　out　〃Hornpipe〃　as　I　passed　his　desk。　　Carrie　has　ordered　of　Miss　Jibbons　a　pink　Garibaldi　and　blue…serge　skirt；　which　I　always　think　looks　so　pretty　at　the　seaside。　　In　the　evening　she　trimmed　herself　a　little　sailor…hat；　while　I　read　to　her　the　EXCHANGE　AND　MART。　　We　had　a　good　laugh　over　my　trying　on　the　hat　when　she　had　finished　it；　Carrie　saying　it　looked　so　funny　with　my　beard；　and　how　the　people　would　have　roared　if　I　went　on　the　stage　like　it。

August　2。　…　Mrs。　Beck　wrote　to　say　we　could　have　our　usual　rooms　at　Broadstairs。　　That's　off　our　mind。　　Bought　a　coloured　shirt　and　a　pair　of　tan…coloured　boots；　which　I　see　many　of　the　swell　clerks　wearing　in　the　City；　and　hear　are　all　the　〃go。〃

August　3。　…　A　beautiful　day。　　Looking　forward　to　to…morrow。　　Carrie　bought　a　parasol　about　five　feet　long。　　I　told　her　it　was　ridiculous。　　She　said：　　〃Mrs。　James；　of　Sutton；　has　one　twice　as　long　so；〃　the　matter　dropped。　　I　bought　a　capital　hat　for　hot　weather　at　the　seaside。　　I　don't　know　what　it　is　called；　but　it　is　the　shape　of　the　helmet　worn　in　India；　only　made　of　straw。　　Got　three　new　ties；　two　coloured　handkerchiefs；　and　a　pair　of　navy…blue　socks　at　Pope　Brothers。　　Spent　the　evening　packing。　　Carrie　told　me　not　to　forget　to　borrow　Mr。　Higgsworth's　telescope；　which　he　always　lends　me；　knowing　I　know　how　to　take　care　of　it。　　Sent　Sarah　out　for　it。　　While　everything　was　seeming　so　bright；　the　last　post　brought　us　a　letter　from　Mrs。　Beck；　saying：　　〃I　have　just　let　all　my　house　to　one　party；　and　am　sorry　I　must　take　back　my　words；　and　am　sorry　you　must　find　other　apartments；　but　Mrs。　Womming；　next　door；　will　be　pleased　to　accommodate　you；　but　she　cannot　take　you　before　Monday；　as　her　rooms　are　engaged　Bank　Holiday　week。〃



CHAPTER　VI。



The　Unexpected　Arrival　Home　of　our　Son；　Willie　Lupin　Pooter。


August　4。　…　The　first　post　brought　a　nice　letter　from　our　dear　son　Willie；　acknowledging　a　trifling　present　which　Carrie　sent　him；　the　day　before　yesterday　being　his　twentieth　birthday。　　To　our　utter　amazement　he　turned　up　himself　in　the　afternoon；　having　journeyed　all　the　way　from　Oldham。　　He　said　he　had　got　leave　from　the　bank；　and　as　Monday　was　a　holiday　he　thought　he　would　give　us　a　little　surprise。

August　5；　Sunday。　…　We　have　not　seen　Willie　since　last　Christmas；　and　are　pleased　to　notice　what　a　fine　young　man　he　has　grown。　　One　would　scarcely　believe　he　was　Carrie's　son。　　He　looks　more　like　a　younger　brother。　　I　rather　disapprove　of　his　wearing　a　check　suit　on　a　Sunday；　and　I　think　he　ought　to　have　gone　to　church　this　morning；　but　he　said　he　was　tired　after　yesterday's　journey；　so　I　refrained　from　any　remark　on　the　subject。　　We　had　a　bottle　of　port　for　dinner；　and　drank　dear　Willie's　health。

He　said：　　〃Oh；　by…the…by；　did　I　tell　you　I've　cut　my　first　name；　'William；'　and　taken　the　second　name　'Lupin'？　　In　fact；　I'm　only　known　at　Oldham　as　'Lupin　Pooter。'　　If　you　were　to　'Willie'　me　there；　they　wouldn't　know　what　you　meant。〃

Of　course；　Lupin　being　a　purely　family　name；　Carrie　was　delighted；　and　began　by　giving　a　long　history　of　the　Lupins。　　I　ventured　to　say　that　I　thought　William　a　nice　simple　name；　and　reminded　him　he　was　christened　after　his　Uncle　William；　who　was　much　respected　in　the　City。　　Willie；　in　a　manner　which　I　did　not　much　care　for；　said　sneeringly：　　〃Oh；　I　know　all　about　that　…　Good　old　Bill！〃　and　helped　himself　to　a　third　glass　of　port。

Carrie　objected　strongly　to　my　saying　〃Good　old；〃　but　she　made　no　remark　when　Willie　used　the　double　adjective。　　I　said　nothing；　but　looked　at　her；　which　meant　more。　　I　said：　　〃My　dear　Willie；　I　hope　you　are　happy　with　your　colleagues　at　the　Bank。〃　　He　replied：　〃Lupin；　if　you　please；　and　with　respect　to　the　Bank；　there's　not　a　clerk　who　is　a　gentleman；　and　the　'boss'　is　a　cad。〃　　I　felt　so　shocked；　I　could　say　nothing；　and　my　instinct　told　me　there　was　something　wrong。

August　6；　Bank　Holiday。　…　As　there　was　no　sign　of　Lupin　moving　at　nine　o'clock；　I　knocked　at　his　door；　and　said　we　usually　breakfasted　at　half…past　eight；　and　asked　how　long　would　he　be？　Lupin　replied　that　he　had　had　a　lively　time　of　it；　first　with　the　train　shaking　the　house　all　night；　and　then　with　the　sun　streaming　in　through　the　window　in　his　eyes；　and　giving　him　a　cracking　headache。　　Carrie　came　up　and　asked　if　he　would　like　some　breakfast　sent　up；　and　he　said　he　could　do　with　a　cup　of　tea；　and　didn't　want　anything　to　eat。

Lupin　not　having　come　down；　I　went　up　again　at　half…past　one；　and　said　we　dined　at　two；　he　said　he　〃would　be　there。〃　　He　never　came　down　till　a　quarter　to　three。　　I　said：　　〃We　have　not　seen　much　of　you；　and　you　will　have　to　return　by　the　5。30　train；　therefore　you　will　have　to　leave　in　an　hour；　unless　you　go　by　the　midnight　mail。〃　He　said：　　〃Look　here；　Guv'nor；　it's　no　use　beating　about　the　bush。　I've　tendered　my　resignation　at　the　Bank。〃

For　a　moment　I　could　not　speak。　　When　my　speech　came　again；　I　said：　〃How　dare　you；　sir？　　How　dare　you　take　such　a　serious　step　without　consulting　me？　　Don't　answer　me；　sir！　…　you　will　sit　down　immediately；　and　write　a　note　at　my　dictation；　withdrawing　your　resignation　and　amply　apologising　for　your　thoughtlessness。〃

Imagine　my　dismay　when　he　replied　with　a　loud　guffaw：　　〃It's　no　use。　　If　you　want　the　good　old　truth；　I've　got　the　chuck！〃

August　7。　…　Mr。　Perkupp　has　given　me　leave　to　postpone　my　holiday　a　week；　as　we　could　not　get　the　room。　　This　will　give　us　an　opportunity　of　trying　to　find　an　appointment　for　Willie　before　we　go。　　The　ambition　of　my　life　would　be　to　get　him　into　Mr。　Perkupp's　firm。

August　11。　…　Although　it　is　a　serious　matter　having　our　boy　Lupin　on　our　hands；　still　it　is　satisfactory　to　know　he　was　asked　to　resign　from　the　Bank　simply　because　〃he　took　no　interest　in　his　work；　and　always　arrived　an　hour　（sometimes　two　hours）　late。〃　　We　can　all　start　off　on　Monday　to　Broadstairs　with　a　light　heart。　This　will　take　my　mind　off　the　worry　of　the　last　few　days；　which　have　been　wasted　over　a　useless　correspondence　with　the　manager　of　the　Bank　at　Oldham。

August　13。　…　Hurrah！　at　Broadstairs。　　Very　nice　apartments　near　the　station。　　On　the　cliffs　they　would　have　been　double　the　price。　　The　landlady　had　a　nice　five　o'clock　dinner　and　tea　ready；　which　we　all　enjoyed；　though　Lupin　seemed　fastidious　because　there　happened　to　be　a　fly　in　the　butter。　　It　was　very　wet　in　the　evening；　for　which　I　was　thankful；　as　it　was　a　good　excuse　for　going　to　bed　early。　Lupin　said　he　would　sit　up　and　read　a　bit。

August　14。　…　I　was　a　little　annoyed　to　find　Lupin；　instead　of　reading　last　night；　had　gone　to　a　common　sort　of　entertainment；　given　at　the　Assembly　Rooms。　　I　expressed　my　opinion　that　such　performances　were　unworthy　of　respectable　patronage；　but　he　replied：　　〃Oh；　it　was　only　'for　one　night　only。'　　I　had　a　fit　of　the　blues　come　on；　and　thought　I　would　go　to　see　Polly　Presswell；　England's　Particular　Spark。〃　　I　told　him　I　was　proud　to　say　I　had　never　heard　of　her。　　Carrie　said：　　〃Do　let　the　boy　alone。　　He's　quite　old　enough　to　take　care　of　himself；　and　won't　forget　he's　a　gentleman。　　Remember；　you　were　young　once　yourself。〃　　Rained　all　day　hard；　but　Lupin　would　go　out。

August　15。　…　Cleared　up　a　bit；　so　we　all　took　the　train　to　Margate；　and　the　first　person　we　met　on　the　jetty　was　Gowing。　　I　said：　〃Hulloh！　　I　thought　you　had　gone　to　Barmouth　with　your　Birmingham　friends？〃　　He　said：　　〃Yes；　but　young　Peter　Lawrence　was　so　ill；　they　postponed　their　visit；　so　I　came　down　here。　　You　know　the　Cummings'　are　here　too？〃　　Carrie　said：　　〃Oh；　that　will　be　delightful！　　We　must　have　some　evenings　together　and　have　games。〃

I　introduced　Lupin；　saying：　　〃You　will　be　pleased　to　find　we　have　our　dear　boy　at　home！〃　　Gowing　said：　　〃How's　that？　　You　don't　mean　to　say　he's　left　the　Bank？〃

I　changed　the　subject　quickly；　and　thereby　avoided　any　of　those　awkward　questions　which　Gowing　always　has　a　knack　of　asking。

August　16。　…　Lupin　positively　refused　to　walk　down　the　Parade　with　me　because　I　was　wearing　my　new　straw　h