fennel and rue-第15部分

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special　plea　for　my　own　firm；　at　a　season　when　the　real…estate　business
is　not　at　its　best。〃　　By　this　time　Bushwick　had　his　audience　laughing；
perhaps　the　more　easily　because　they　were　all　more　or　less　in　a
hysterical　mood；　which；　whether　we　own　it　or　not；　is　always　induced　by　an
approximation　to　the　supernatural。　　He　frowned　and　said；　〃NO　laughing！〃
and　then　they　laughed　the　more。　　When　he　had　waited　for　them　to　be　quiet
he　went　on　gravely；　〃The　conditions　are　simply　these：　Each　person　who
chooses　may　interview　the　ghost；　keeping　a　respectful　distance；　but　not
so　far　off　but　that　the　ghost　can　distinctly　hear　a　stage　whisper。　　The
question　put　must　be　seriously　meant；　and　it　must　be　the　question　which
the　questioner　would　prefer　to　have　answered　above　everything　else　at　the
time　being。　　Certain　questions　will　be　absolutely　ruled　out；　such　as；
'Does　Maria　love　me？'　or；　'Has　Reuben　ever　been　engaged　before？'　　The
laughter　interrupted　the　speaker　again；　and　Verrian　hung　his　head　in　rage
and　shame；　this　stupid　ass　was　spoiling　the　hope　of　anything　beautiful　in
the　spectacle　and　turning　it　into　a　gross　burlesque。　　Somehow　he　felt
that　the　girl　who　had　invented　it　had　meant；　in　the　last　analysis；
something　serious；　and　it　was　in　her　behalf　that　he　would　have　liked　to
choke　Bushwick。　　All　the　time　he　believed　that　Miss　Macroyd；　whose　laugh
sounded　above　the　others；　was　somehow　enjoying　his　indignation　and
divining　its　reason。

〃Other　questions；　touching　intemperance　or　divorce；　the　questioner　will
feel　must　not　be　asked；　though　it　isn't　necessary　to　more　than　suggest
this；　I　hope；　it　will　be　left　entirely　to　the　good　taste　and　good　feeling
of　theparty。　　We　all　know　what　the　temptations　of　South　Dakota　and　the
rum　fiend　are；　and　that　to　err　is　human；　and　forgive　divine。〃　　He　paused；
having　failed　to　get　a　laugh；　but　got　it　by　asking；　confidentially；
〃Where　was　I？　　Oh！〃he　caught　himself　up〃　I　remember。　　Those　of　you
who　are　in　the　habit　of　seeing　ghosts　need　not　be　told　that　a　ghost　never
speaks　first；　and　those　who　have　never　met　an　apparition　before；　but　are
in　the　habit　of　going　to　the　theatre；　will　recall　the　fact　that　in　W。　
Shakespeare's　beautiful　play　of　'Hamlet'　the　play　could　not　have　gone　on
after　the　first　scene　if　Horatio　had　not　spoken　to　the　ghost　of　Hamlet's
father　and　taken　the　chances　of　being　snubbed。　　Here　there　are　no　chances
of　that　kind；　the　chances　are　that　you'll　wish　the　ghost　had　not　been
entreated：　I　think　that　is　the　phrase。〃

In　the　laugh　that　followed　a　girl　on　Miss　Macroyd's　other　hand　audibly
asked　her；　〃Oh；　isn't　he　too　funny？〃

〃Delicious！〃　Miss　Macroyd　agreed。　　Verrian　felt　she　said　it　to　vex　him；。

〃Now；　there's　just　one　other　point；〃　Bushwick　resumed；　〃and　then　I　have
done。　　Only　one　question　can　be　allowed　to　each　person；　but　if　the
questioner　is　a　lady　she　can　ask　a　question　and　a　half；　provided　she　is
not　satisfied　with　the　answer。　　In　this　case；　however；　she　will　only　get
half　an　answer。　　Now　I　have　done；　and　if　my　arguments　have　convinced　any
one　within　the　sound　of　my　voice　that　our　ghost　really　means　business；
I　shall　feel　fully　repaid　for　the　pains　and　expense　of　getting　up　these
few　impromptu　remarks；　to　which　I　have　endeavored　to　give　a　humorous
character；　in　order　that　you　may　all　laugh　your　laugh　out；　and　no
unseemly　mirth　may　interrupt　the　subsequent　proceedings。　　We　will　now
have　a　little　music；　and　those　who　can　recall　my　words　will　be　allowed　to
sing　them。〃

In　the　giggling　and　chatter　which　ensued　the　chords　softly　played　passed
into　ears　that　might　as　well　have　been　deaf；　but　at　last　there　was　a
general　quiescence　of　expectation；　in　which　every　one's　eyes　were
strained　to　pierce　through　the　gauze　curtain　to　the　sombre　drapery
beyond。　　The　wait　was　so　long　that　the　tension　relaxed　and　a　whispering
began；　and　Verrian　felt　a　sickness　of　pity　for　the　girl　who　was　probably
going　to　make　a　failure　of　it。　　He　asked　himself　what　could　have　happened
to　her。　　Had　she　lost　courage？　　Or　had　her　physical　strength；　not　yet
fully　renewed；　given　way　under　the　stress？　　Or　had　she；　in　sheer　disgust
for　the　turn　the　affair　had　been　given　by　that　brute　Bushwick；　thrown　up
the　whole　business？　　He　looked　round　for　Mrs。　Westangle；　she　was　not
there；　he　conjecturedhe　could　only　conjecturethat　she　was　absent
conferring　with　Miss　Shirley　and　trying　to　save　the　day。

A　long；　deeply　sighed　〃Oh…h…h…h！〃　shuddering　from　many　lips　made　him　turn
abruptly；　and　he　saw；　glimmering　against　the　pall　at　the　bottom　of　the
darkened　library；　a　figure　vaguely　white；　in　which　he　recognized　a　pose；
a　gesture　familiar　to　him。　　For　the　others　the　figure　was　It；　but　for　him
it　was　preciously　She。　　It　was　she；　and　she　was　going　to　carry　it
through；　she　was　going　to　triumph；　and　not　fail。　　A　lump　came　into　his　96
throat；　and　a　mist　blurred　his　eyes；　which；　when　it　cleared　again；　left
him　staring　at　nothing。

A　girl's　young　voice　uttered　the　common　feeling；　〃Why；　is　that　all？〃

〃It　is；　till　some　one　asks　the　ghost　a　question；　then　it　will　reappear；〃
Bushwick　rose　to　say。　　〃Will　Miss　Andrews　kindly　step　forward　and　ask　the
question　nearest　her　heart？〃

〃Oh　no！〃　the　girl　answered；　with　a　sincerity　that　left　no　one　quite　free
to　laugh。

〃Some　other　lady；　then？〃　Bushwick　suggested。　　No　one　moved；　and　he　added；
〃This　is　a　difficulty　which　had　been　foreseen。　　Some　gentleman　will　step
forward　and　put　the　question　next　his　heart。〃　　Again　no　one　offered　to　go
forward；　and　there　was　some　muted　laughter；　which　Bushwick　checked。　
〃This　difficulty　had　been　foreseen；　too。　　I　see　that　I　shall　have　to　make
the　first　move；　and　all　that　I　shall　require　of　the　audience　is　that　I
shall　not　be　supposed　to　be　in　collusion　with　the　illusion。　　I　hope　that
after　my　experience；　whatever　it　is；　some　young　woman　of　courage　will
follow。〃

He　passed　into　the　foyer；　and　from　that　came　into　the　library；　where　he
showed　against　the　dark　background　in　an　attitude　of　entreaty　slightly
burlesqued。　　The　ghost　reappeared。

〃Shall　I　marry　the　woman　I　am　thinking　of？〃　he　asked。

The　phantom　seemed　to　hesitate；　it　wavered　like　a　pale　reflection　cast
against　the　pall。　　Then；　in　the　tones　which　Verrian　knew；　the　answer
came：

〃Ask　her。　　She　will　tell　you。〃

The　phantom　had　scored　a　hit；　and　the　applause　was　silenced　with
difficulty；　but　Verrian　felt　that　Miss　Shirley　had　lost　ground。　　It　could
not　have　been　for　the　easy　cleverness　of　such　a　retort　that　she　had
planned　the　affair。　　Yet；　why　not？　　He　was　taking　it　too　seriously。　　It
was　merely　business　with　her。

〃And　I　haven't　even　the　right　to　half　a　question　more！〃　Bushwick
lamented；　in　a　dramatized　dejection；　and　crossed　slowly　back　from　the
library　to　his　place。

〃Why；　haven't　you　got　enough？〃　one　of　the　men　asked；　amidst　the　gay
clamor　of　the　women。

The　ghost　was　gone　again；　and　its　evanescence　was　discussed　with　ready
wonder。　　Another　of　the　men　went　round　to　tempt　his　fate；　and　the　phantom
suddenly　reappeared　so　near　him　that　he　got　a　laugh　by　his　start　of
dismay。　　〃I　forgot　what　I　was　going　to　ask；　he　faltered。

〃I　know　what　it　was；〃　the　apparition　answered。　　〃You　had　better　sell。〃

〃But　they　say　it　will　go　to　a　hundred！〃　the　man　protested。

〃No　backtalk；　Rogers！〃　　Bushwick　interposed。　　〃That　was　the
understanding。

〃But　we　didn't　understand；〃　one　of　the　girls　said；　coming　to　the　rescue；
〃that　the　ghost　was　going　to　answer　questions　that　were　not　asked。　　That
would　give　us　all　away。〃

〃Then　the　only　thing　is　for　you　to　go　and　ask　before　it　gets　a　chance　to
answer；〃　Bushwick　said。

〃Well；　I　will；〃　the　girl　returned。　　And　she　swept　round　into　the　library；
where　she　encountered　the　phantom　with　a　little　whoop　as　it　started　into
sight　before　her。　　〃I'm　not　going　to　be　scared　out　of　it！〃　she　said；
defiantly。　　〃It's　simply　this：　Did　the　person　I　suspect　really　take　the
ring。〃

The　answer　came；　〃Look　on　the　floor　under　your　dressing…table！〃

〃Well；　if　I　find　it　there；〃　the　girl　addressed　the　company；　〃I'm　a
spiritualist　from　this　time　forth。〃　　And　she　came　back　to　her　place；
where　she　remained　for　some　time　explaining　to　those　near　how　she　had
lately　lost　her　ring　and　suspected　her　maid；　whom　she　had　dismissed。

Upon　the　whole；　the　effect　was　serious。　　The　women；　having　once　started；
needed　no　more　urging。　　One　after　another　they　confronted　and　questioned
the　oracle　with　increasing　sincerity。

Miss　Macroyd　asked　Verrian；　〃Hadn't　you　better　take　your　chance　and　stop
this　flow　of　fatuity；　Mr。　Verrian？〃

〃I'm　afraid　I　should　be　fatuous；　too；〃　he　said。　　〃But　you？〃

〃Oh；　thank　you；　I　don't　believe　in　ghosts；　though　this　seems　to　be　a　very
pretty　onevery　graceful；　I　mean。　　I　suppose　a　graceful　woman　would　be
graceful　even　when　a　disembodied　spirit。　　I　should　think　she　would　be
getting　a　little　tried　with　all　this　questioning；　but　perhaps　we're　only
reading　the　fatigue　into　her。　　The　ghost　may　be　merely　overdone。〃

〃It　might　easily　be　that；〃　Verrian　assented。

〃Oh；　may　I　ask　it　something　now？〃　a　girl's　voice　appealed　to　Bushwick。　
It　was　the　voice　of　that　Miss　Andrews　who　had　spoken　first；　and　first
refused　to　question　the　ghost。　　She　was　the　youngest　of　Mrs。　Westangle's
guests；　and　Verrian　had　liked　her；　with　a　sense　of　something　precious　in
the　prolongation　of　a　child's　unconsciousness　into　the　consciousness　of
girlhood　which　he　found　in　her。　　She　was　always　likelier　than　not　to　say
the　thing　she　thought　and　felt；　whether　it　was　silly　and　absurd；　or
whether；　as　also　happened；　there　was　a　touch　of　inspired　significance　in
it；　as　there　is　apt　to　be　in　the　talk　of　children。　　She　was　laughed　at；
but　she　was　liked；　and　the　freshness　of　her　soul　was　pleasant　to　the
girls　who　were　putting　on　the　world　as　hard　as　they　could。　　She　could　be
trusted　to　do　and　say　the　unexpected。　　But　she　was　considered　a　little
morbid；　and　certainly　she　had　an　exaltation　of　the　nerves　that　was　at
times　almost　beyond　her　control。

〃Oh；　dear！〃　Miss　Macroyd　whispered。　　〃What　is　that　strange　simpleton
going　to　do；　I　wonder？〃

Verrian　did　not　feel　obliged　to　answer　a　question　not　addressed　to　him；
but　he；　too；　wondered　and　doubted。

The　girl；　having　got　her　courage　together；　fluttered