奇书网

第11章 圆脸男人2（第2页）

"Idon'tseeanylaughinit，"Isaidshortly，andIknowmyfatsour。

Heregardedmewithwohehedam，gloreading，asIhavedescribedit，tillhisfaesoftandwarm，likethesummermoohelaugh-"Ha！ha！That'sfunny！Youdon'tseeit，eh？Hee！hee！Ho！ho！ho！Hedoesn'tseeit！Why，lookhere。Youknouddle。"

ButIturnedonmyheelahatwasthelast。Idithithere，Ithought，cursehim！Theearthshouldbequitofhim。Ahehill，Icouldhearhismhreverberatingagainstthesky。

Now，Ipridemyselfondoingthily，andwheokillJohnClaverhouseIhaditinmindtodosoinsuthatIshouldnotlookbaitandfeelashamed。Ihatebungling，ay。Tomethereissrikingamanwithone's-faugh！itissig！So，toshoot，orstab，orClaverhouse（oh，thatappealtome。Andnotonlyelledtodoitlyandartistically，butalsoinsuerthatestpossiblesuspicouldbedirestme。

Tothiseelled，afteraweekofprofoundin，Ihatchedthescheme。Thehtaach，fivemonthsold，aedmywholeattenti。Hadanyonespiedupoheywouldhaveremarkedthatthistrainingsistedentirelyofohiaughtthedog，whichIcalled"Bellona，"tofetchsticksIthrewier，andnototofetwiththem。Thepointwasthatshef，buttodeliverthestiallhaste。Imadeapractiingawayandleaviochaseme，withthestihermouth，tillshecaughtme。Shewasabrightanimal，andtooktothegamewithsuessthatIwassoo。

&，atthefirstcasualopportunity，IpreseoJohnClaverhouse。IkIwasabout，forIwasawareofalittleweaknessofhis，andofalittleprivatesinningofwhichhewasregularlyaelyguilty。

"No，"hesaid，wheheendoftheropeinhishand。"No，youdon'tmeanit。"Andhismouthopenedwideandhegrinnedalloverhisdamnablemoon-face。

"I-Ihaveakindofthought，somehow，youdidn'tlikeme。"heexplai;Wasn'titfuomakesuchamistake？"Aheheldhissideswithlaughter。

"Whatisher;hemaoaskbetweenparoxysms。"Bellona，"Isaid。"Hee！hee！"hetittered。"Whatafu;

Igrittedmyteeth，forhismirthputthemonedge，awee;ShewasthewifeofMars，youknow。"

&helightofthefullmooosuffusehisfatilheexplodedwith："Thatwasmy。Well，Iguessshe'sa。Oh！Ho！ho！E！hee！hee！Ho！"hewhoopedafterme，andIturnedalyoverthehill。

Theweekpassedby，andonSaturdayeveningIsaidtohim，"YougoawayMonday，don'tyou？"

Henoddedhisheadandgrinned。

"Thenyouwon'thaveanotheressofthosetroutyoujust'dote'on。"

Buthedidhes;Oh，Idon'tknow，"hechuckled。"I'mgoinguptomorrowtotryprettyhard。"

Thuswasassurancemadedoublysure，aomyhousehuggihrapture。

&mIsawhimgoby-andgunnysadBellathisheels。Ikneasbound，andcutoutbythebackpastureahroughtheuothetopofthemountain。Keepiofsight，Ifollowedthegforailestoanaturalamphitheatreinthehills，wherethelittleriverraouteandstoppedforbreathinalargeandplacidrodpool。Thatot！Isatdownontheountain，whereIcouldseeallthatocdlightedmypipe。

Manyminuteshadpassed，Johneploddihestream。Bellonawasamblingabouthim，andtheywereiher，hershort，snappybarksminglingwithhisdeeperotes。Arrivedatthepool，hethrewdowandsaddrewfromhiship-pocketwhatlookedlikealarge，fatdle。ButIkobeastickof"giant"；forsuchwashismethodofgtrout。Hedyhem。Heattachedthefusebyi;giant"tightlyioedthefuseaheexplosiveintothepool。

Likeaflash，Bellonawasierit。Icouldhaveshriekedaloudforjoy。Claverhouseyelledather，buteltedherwithdrocks，butsheswamsteadilyohestickof"giant"ih。Whenshewhirledaboutaheshore，theime，herealizedhisdaartedtorun。Asforeseenandplannedbyme，shemadethebankandtookoutafterhim。Oh，Itellyou，it>

AsIhavesaid，thepoollayinasortofamphitheatre。Aboveahestreamcouldbecrossedbystepping-stones。Andaroundandaround，upanddownandacrossthestones，racedClaverhouseandBellona。Ieverhavebelievedthatsugainlymansofast。Butrunhedid，Bellonahot-footedafterhim，andgainiasshecaughtup，heinfullstride，ahhiskherewasasuddenflash，aburstofsmoke，aterrifiation，andwheremananddoghadbeebeforetherewasnothiabigholeintheground。

"Deathfromatwhileengagedinillegalfishing。"Thatwastheverdictoftheer'sjury；andthatiswhyIpridemyselfoandartistiwhiishedoffJohherewasnobungling，nobrutality；nothingofwhiediransa，asIamsureyouwillagree。Nomoredoeshisinfernallaughgoeongthehills，andnomoredoeshisfatmoon-faceriseuptovexme。Mydaysarepeaynight'ssleepdeep。