the research magnificent-第45部分

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　as　possible。　　The　Benham　style　of　connubial　conversation　had　long　since　decided　for　emphasis　rather　than　delicacy。　〃I　think；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃that　this　wanting　to　take　London　by　storm　is　a　beastly　VULGAR　thing　to　want　to　do。〃　Amanda　compressed　her　lips。　〃I　want　to　work　out　things　in　my　mind；〃　he　went　on。　　〃I　do　not　want　to　be　distracted　by　social　things；　and　I　do　not　want　to　be　distracted　by　picturesque　things。　　This　lifeit's　all　very　well　on　the　surface；　but　it　isn't　real。　　I'm　not　getting　hold　of　reality。　Things　slip　away　from　me。　　God！　but　how　they　slip　away　from　me！〃　He　got　up　and　walked　to　the　side　of　the　boat。　She　surveyed　his　back　for　some　moments。　　Then　she　went　and　leant　over　the　rail　beside　him。　〃I　want　to　go　to　London；〃　she　said。　〃I　don't。〃　〃Where　do　you　want　to　go？〃　〃Where　I　can　see　into　the　things　that　hold　the　world　together。〃　〃I　have　loved　this　wanderingI　could　wander　always。　　But　。　。　。　Cheetah！　　I　tell　you　I　WANT　to　go　to　London。〃　He　looked　over　his　shoulder　into　her　warm　face。　　〃NO；〃　he　said。　〃But；　I　ask　you。〃　He　shook　his　head。　She　put　her　face　closer　and　whispered。　　〃Cheetah！　big　beast　of　my　heart。　　Do　you　hear　your　mate　asking　for　something？〃　He　turned　his　eyes　back　to　the　mountains。　　〃I　must　go　my　own　way。〃　〃Haven't　I；　so　far；　invented　things；　made　life　amusing；　Cheetah？　Can't　you　trust　the　leopard's　wisdom？〃　He　stared　at　the　coast　inexorably。　〃I　wonder；〃　she　whispered。　〃What？〃　〃You　ARE　that；　Cheetah；　that　lank；　long；　EAGER　beast。〃　Suddenly　with　a　nimble　hand　she　had　unbottoned　and　rolled　up　the　sleeve　of　her　blouse。　　She　stuck　her　pretty　blue…veined　arm　before　his　eyes。　　〃Look　here；　sir；　it　was　you；　wasn't　it？　　It　was　your　powerful　jaw　inflicted　this　bite　upon　the　arm　of　a　defenceless　young　leopardess〃　〃Amanda！〃　〃Well。〃　　She　wrinkled　her　brows。　He　turned　about　and　stood　over　her；　he　shook　a　finger　in　her　face　and　there　was　a　restrained　intensity　in　his　voice　as　he　spoke。　〃Look　here；　Amanda！〃　he　said；　〃if　you　think　that　you　are　going　to　make　me　agree　to　any　sort　of　project　about　London；　to　any　sort　of　complication　of　our　lives　with　houses　in　smart　streets　and　a　campaign　of　social　assertionby　THAT；　then　may　I　be　damned　for　an　uxorious　fool！〃　Her　eyes　met　his　and　there　was　mockery　in　her　eyes。　〃This；　Cheetah；　is　the　morning　mood；〃　she　remarked。　〃This　is　the　essential　mood。　　Listen；　Amanda〃　He　stopped　short。　　He　looked　towards　the　gangway；　they　both　looked。　The　magic　word　〃Breakfast〃　came　simultaneously　from　them。　〃Eggs；〃　she　said　ravenously；　and　led　the　way。　A　smell　of　coffee　as　insistent　as　an　herald's　trumpet　had　called　a　truce　between　them。

3

Their　marriage　had　been　a　comparatively　inconspicuous　one；　but　since　that　time　they　had　been　engaged　upon　a　honeymoon　of　great　extent　and　variety。　　Their　wedding　had　taken　place　at　South　Harting　church　in　the　marked　absence　of　Lady　Marayne；　and　it　had　been　marred　by　only　one　untoward　event。　　The　Reverend　Amos　Pugh　who；　in　spite　of　the　earnest　advice　of　several　friends　had　insisted　upon　sharing　in　the　ceremony；　had　suddenly　covered　his　face　with　the　sleeves　of　his　surplice　and　fled　with　a　swift　rustle　to　the　vestry；　whence　an　uproar　of　inadequately　smothered　sorrow　came　as　an　obligato　accompaniment　to　the　more　crucial　passages　of　the　service。　　Amanda　appeared　unaware　of　the　incident　at　the　time；　but　afterwards　she　explained　things　to　Benham。　　〃Curates；〃　she　said；　〃are　such　pent…up　men。　　One　ought；　I　suppose；　to　remember　that。　　But　he　never　had　anything　to　go　upon　at　allnot　anythingexcept　his　own　imaginations。〃　〃I　suppose　when　you　met　him　you　were　nice　to　him。〃　〃I　was　nice　to　him；　of　course。　。　。　。〃　They　drove　away　from　Harting；　as　it　were；　over　the　weeping　remains　of　this　infatuated　divine。　　His　sorrow　made　them　thoughtful　for　a　time；　and　then　Amanda　nestled　closer　to　her　lover　and　they　forgot　about　him；　and　their　honeymoon　became　so　active　and　entertaining　that　only　very　rarely　and　transitorily　did　they　ever　think　of　him　again。　The　original　conception　of　their　honeymoon　had　been　identical　with　the　plans　Benham　had　made　for　the　survey　and　study　of　the　world；　and　it　was　through　a　series　of　modifications；　replacements　and　additions　that　it　became　at　last　a　prolonged　and　very　picturesque　tour　in　Switzerland；　the　Austrian　Tyrol；　North　Italy；　and　down　the　Adriatic　coast。　　Amanda　had　never　seen　mountains；　and　longed；　she　said；　to　climb。　　This　took　them　first　to　Switzerland。　　Then；　in　spite　of　their　exalted　aims；　the　devotion　of　their　lives　to　noble　purposes；　it　was　evident　that　Amanda　had　no　intention　of　scamping　the　detail　of　love；　and　for　that　what　background　is　so　richly　beautiful　as　Italy？　　An　important　aspect　of　the　grand　tour　round　the　world　as　Benham　had　planned　it；　had　been　interviews；　inquiries　and　conversations　with　every　sort　of　representative　and　understanding　person　he　could　reach。　　An　unembarrassed　young　man　who　wants　to　know　and　does　not　promise　to　bore　may　reach　almost　any　one　in　that　way；　he　is　as　impersonal　as　pure　reason　and　as　mobile　as　a　letter；　but　the　presence　of　a　lady　in　his　train　leaves　him　no　longer　unembarrassed。　　His　approach　has　become　a　social　event。　　The　wife　of　a　great　or　significant　personage　must　take　notice　or　decide　not　to　take　notice。　　Of　course　Amanda　was　prepared　to　go　anywhere；　just　as　Benham's　shadow；　it　was　the　world　that　was　unprepared。　　And　a　second　leading　aspect　of　his　original　scheme　had　been　the　examination　of　the　ways　of　government　in　cities　and　the　shifting　and　mixture　of　nations　and　races。　　It　would　have　led　to　back　streets；　and　involved　and　complicated　details；　and　there　was　something　in　the　fine　flame　of　girlhood　beside　him　that　he　felt　was　incompatible　with　those　shadows　and　that　dust。　　And　also　they　were　lovers　and　very　deeply　in　love。　　It　was　amazing　how　swiftly　that　draggled　shameful　London　sparrow…gamin；　Eros；　took　heart　from　Amanda；　and　became　wonderful；　beautiful；　glowing；　life…giving；　confident；　clear…eyed；　how　he　changed　from　flesh　to　sweet　fire；　and　grew　until　he　filled　the　sky。　So　that　you　see　they　went　to　Switzerland　and　Italy　at　last　very　like　two　ordinary　young　people　who　were　not　aristocrats　at　all；　had　no　theory　about　the　world　or　their　destiny；　but　were　simply　just　ardently　delighted　with　the　discovery　of　one　another。　Nevertheless　Benham　was　for　some　time　under　a　vague　impression　that　in　a　sort　of　way　still　he　was　going　round　the　world　and　working　out　his　destinies。　It　was　part　of　the　fascination　of　Amanda　that　she　was　never　what　he　had　supposed　her　to　be；　and　that　nothing　that　he　set　out　to　do　with　her　ever　turned　out　as　they　had　planned　it。　　Her　appreciations　marched　before　her　achievement；　and　when　it　came　to　climbing　it　seemed　foolish　to　toil　to　summits　over　which　her　spirit　had　flitted　days　before。　　Their　Swiss　expeditions　which　she　had　foreseen　as　glorious　wanderings　amidst　the　blue　ice　of　crevasses　and　nights　of　exalted　hardihood　became　a　walking　tour　of　fitful　vigour　and　abundant　fun　and　delight。　　They　spent　a　long　day　on　the　ice　of　the　Aletsch　glacier；　but　they　reached　the　inn　on　its　eastward　side　with　magnificent　appetites　a　little　late　for　dinner。　Amanda　had　revealed　an　unexpected　gift　for　nicknames　and　pretty　fancies。　　She　named　herself　the　Leopard；　the　spotless　Leopard；　in　some　obscure　wa