the research magnificent-第20部分

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ham's　and　Prothero's　undoing。　　Prothero　saw　the　great　wheel　over　which　he　was　poised　entangle　itself　with　the　little　wheel　of　the　barrow。　　〃God！〃　he　whispered；　and　craned；　fascinated。　　The　little　wheel　was　manifestly　intrigued　beyond　all　self…control　by　the　great　wheel；　it　clung　to　it；　it　went　before　it；　heedless　of　the　barrow；　of　which　it　was　an　inseparable　part。　　The　barrow　came　about　with　an　appearance　of　unwillingness；　it　locked　against　the　great　wheel；　it　reared　itself　towards　Prothero　and　began；　smash；　smash；　smash；　to　shed　its　higher　plates。　　It　was　clear　that　Benham　was　grappling　with　a　crisis　upon　a　basis　of　inadequate　experience。　　A　number　of　people　shouted　haphazard　things。　　Then；　too　late；　the　barrow　had　persuaded　the　little　wheel　to　give　up　its　fancy　for　the　great　wheel；　and　there　was　an　enormous　crash。　〃Whoa！〃　cried　Benham。　　〃Whoa！〃　but　also；　unfortunately；　he　sawed　hard　at　the　horse's　mouth。　The　animal；　being　in　some　perplexity；　danced　a　little　in　the　narrow　street；　and　then　it　had　come　about　and　it　was　backing；　backing；　on　the　narrow　pavement　and　towards　the　plate…glass　window　of　a　book　and　newspaper　shop。　　Benham　tugged　at　its　mouth　much　harder　than　ever。　Prothero　saw　the　window　bending　under　the　pressure　of　the　wheel。　　A　sense　of　the　profound　seriousness　of　life　and　of　the　folly　of　this　expedition　came　upon　him。　　With　extreme　nimbleness　he　got　down　just　as　the　window　burst。　　It　went　with　an　explosion　like　a　pistol　shot；　and　then　a　clatter　of　falling　glass。　　People　sprang；　it　seemed；　from　nowhere；　and　jostled　about　Prothero；　so　that　he　became　a　peripheral　figure　in　the　discussion。　　He　perceived　that　a　man　in　a　green　apron　was　holding　the　horse；　and　that　various　people　were　engaged　in　simultaneous　conversation　with　Benham；　who　with　a　pale　serenity　of　face　and　an　awful　calm　of　manner；　dealt　with　each　of　them　in　turn。　〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　was　saying。　　〃Somebody　ought　to　have　been　in　charge　of　the　barrow。　　Here　are　my　cards。　　I　am　ready　to　pay　for　any　damage。　。　。　。　〃The　barrow　ought　not　to　have　been　there。　。　。　。　〃Yes；　I　am　going　on。　　Of　course　I'm　going　on。　　Thank　you。〃　He　beckoned　to　the　man　who　had　held　the　horse　and　handed　him　half…a…　crown。　　He　glanced　at　Prothero　as　one　might　glance　at　a　stranger。　〃Check！〃　he　said。　　The　horse　went　on　gravely。　　Benham　lifted　out　his　whip。　　He　appeared　to　have　clean　forgotten　Prothero。　　Perhaps　presently　he　would　miss　him。　　He　went　on　past　Trinity；　past　the　ruddy　brick　of　St。　John's。　　The　curve　of　the　street　hid　him　from　Prothero's　eyes。　Prothero　started　in　pursuit。　　He　glimpsed　the　dog…cart　turning　into　Bridge　Street。　　He　had　an　impression　that　Benham　used　the　whip　at　the　corner；　and　that　the　dog…cart　went　forward　out　of　sight　with　a　startled　jerk。　　Prothero　quickened　his　pace。　But　when　he　got　to　the　fork　between　the　Huntingdon　Road　and　the　Cottenham　Road；　both　roads　were　clear。　He　spent　some　time　in　hesitation。　　Then　he　went　along　the　Huntingdon　Road　until　he　came　upon　a　road…mender；　and　learnt　that　Benham　had　passed　that　way。　　〃Going　pretty　fast　‘e　was；〃　said　the　road…mender；　〃and　whipping　‘is　‘orse。　　Else　you　might　‘a　thought　‘e　was　a　boltin'　with　‘im。〃　　Prothero　decided　that　if　Benham　came　back　at　all　he　would　return　by　way　of　Cottenham；　and　it　was　on　the　Cottenham　Road　that　at　last　he　encountered　his　friend　again。　Benham　was　coming　along　at　that　good　pace　which　all　experienced　horses　when　they　are　fairly　turned　back　towards　Cambridge　display。　And　there　was　something　odd　about　Benham；　as　though　he　had　a　large　circular　halo　with　a　thick　rim。　　This；　it　seemed；　had　replaced　his　hat。　　He　was　certainly　hatless。　　The　warm　light　of　the　sinking　sun　shone　upon　the　horse　and　upon　Benham's　erect　figure　and　upon　his　face；　and　gleams　of　fire　kept　flashing　from　his　head　to　this　rim；　like　the　gleam　of　drawn　swords　seen　from　afar。　　As　he　drew　nearer　this　halo　detached　itself　from　him　and　became　a　wheel　sticking　up　behind　him。　　A　large；　clumsy…looking　bicycle　was　attached　to　the　dog…cart　behind。　　The　expression　of　Benham's　golden　face　was　still　a　stony　expression；　he　regarded　his　friend　with　hard　eyes。　〃You　all　right；　Benham？〃　cried　Prothero；　advancing　into　the　road。　His　eye　examined　the　horse。　　It　looked　all　right；　if　anything　it　was　a　trifle　subdued；　there　was　a　little　foam　about　its　mouth；　but　not　very　much。　〃Whoa！〃　said　Benham；　and　the　horse　stopped。　　〃Are　you　coming　up；　Prothero？〃　Prothero　clambered　up　beside　him。　　〃I　was　anxious；〃　he　said。　〃There　was　no　need　to　be。〃　〃You've　broken　your　whip。〃　〃Yes。　　It　broke。　。　。　。　　GET　up！〃　They　proceeded　on　their　way　to　Cambridge。　〃Something　has　happened　to　the　wheel；〃　said　Prothero；　trying　to　be　at　his　ease。　〃Merely　a　splinter　or　so。　　And　a　spoke　perhaps。〃　〃And　what　is　this　behind？〃　Benham　made　a　half…turn　of　the　head。　　〃It's　a　motor…bicycle。〃　Prothero　took　in　details。　〃Some　of　it　is　missing。〃　〃No；　the　front　wheel　is　under　the　seat。〃　〃Oh！〃　〃Did　you　find　it？〃　Prothero　asked；　after　an　interval。　〃You　mean？〃　〃He　ran　into　a　motor…caras　I　was　passing。　　I　was　perhaps　a　little　to　blame。　　He　asked　me　to　bring　his　machine　to　Cambridge。　　He　went　on　in　the　car。　。　。　。　　It　is　all　perfectly　simple。〃　Prothero　glanced　at　the　splinters　in　the　wheel　with　a　renewed　interest。　〃Did　your　wheel　get　into　it？〃　he　asked。　　Benham　affected　not　to　hear。　　He　was　evidently　in　no　mood　for　story…telling。　〃Why　did　you　get　down；　Prothero？〃　he　asked　abruptly；　with　the　note　of　suppressed　anger　thickening　his　voice。　Prothero　became　vividly　red。　　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　said；　after　an　interval。　〃I　DO；〃　said　Benham；　and　they　went　on　in　a　rich　and　active　silence　to　Cambridge；　and　the　bicycle　repair　shop　in　Bridge　Street；　and　Trinity　College。　　At　the　gate　of　Trinity　Benham　stopped；　and　conveyed　rather　by　acts　than　words　that　Prothero　was　to　descend。　　He　got　down　meekly　enough；　although　he　felt　that　the　return　to　Maltby's　yard　might　have　many　points　of　interest。　　But　the　spirit　had　gone　out　of　him。

12

For　three　days　the　two　friends　avoided　each　other；　and　then　Prothero　went　to　Benham's　room。　　Benham　was　smoking　cigarettesLady　Marayne；　in　the　first　warmth　of　his　filial　devotion；　had　prohibited　his　pipe　and　reading　Webb's　INDUSTRIAL　DEMOCRACY。　　〃Hello！〃　he　said　coldly；　scarcely　looking　up；　and　continued　to　read　that　absorbing　work。　〃I　keep　on　thinking　how　I　jumped　down　from　that　damned　dog…cart；〃　said　Prothero；　without　any　preface。　〃It　didn't　matter　in　the　least；〃　said　Benham　distantly。　〃Oh！　　ROT；〃　said　Prothero。　　〃I　behaved　like　a　coward。〃　Benham　shut　his　book。　〃Benham；〃　said　Prothero。　　〃You　are　right　about　aristocracy；　and　I　am　wrong。　　I've　been　thinking　about　it　night　and　day。〃　Benham　betrayed　no　emotion。　　But　his　tone　changed。　　〃Billy；〃　he　said；　〃there　are　cigarettes　and　whiskey　in　the　corner。　　Don't　make　a　fuss　about　a　trifle。〃　〃No　whiskey；〃　said　Billy；　and　lit　a　cigarette。　　〃And　it　isn't　a　trifle。〃　He　came　to　Benham's　hearthrug。　　〃That　business；〃　he　said；　〃has　changed　all　my　views。　　Nodon't　say　something　polite！　　I　see　that　if　one　hasn't　the　habit　of　pride　one　is　bound　to　get　off　a　dogcart　when　it　seems　likely　to　smash。　　You　have　the　habit　of　pride；　and　I　haven't。　　So　far　as　the　habit　of　pride　goes；　I　come　over　to　the　theory　of　aristocracy。〃　Benham　said　nothing；　but　he　put　down　Sidney　and