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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
6
… Page 7…
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A SLANDER
He laughed。
〃Ah！ Poor Pestal！ I had forgotten all about our last meeting。〃
〃You were very much excited that day；〃 said Mrs。 O'Reilly。 〃I had no
idea that your political notions〃
He interrupted her
〃Ah！ no politics to…day； dear Mrs。 O'Reilly。 Let us have nothing but
enjoyment and harmony。 See； now； I will play you something very much
more cheerful。〃
And sitting down to the piano； he played the bridal march from
'Lohengrin；' then wandered off into an improvised air； and finally treated
them to some recollections of the 'Mikado。'
Lena…Houghton watched him thoughtfully as she put on her gloves； he
was playing with great spirit； and the words of the opera rang in her ears：…
For he's going to marry Yum…yum； Yum…yum； And so you had better
be dumb； dumb； dumb！
I knew well enough that she would not follow this moral advice； and
I laughed to myself because the whole scene was such a hollow mockery。
The placid benevolent…looking old lady leaning back in her arm…chair； the
girl in her blue gingham and straw hat preparing to go to the afternoon
service； the happy lover entering heart and soul into Sullivan's charming
music； the pretty room with its Chippendale furniture； its aesthetic
hangings； its bowls of roses； and the sound of church bells wafted through
the open window on the soft summer breeze。
Yet all the time I lingered there unseen； carrying with me all sorts of
dread possibilities。 I had been introduced into the world； and even if Mrs。
O'Reilly had been willing to admit to herself that she had broken the ninth
commandment； and had earnestly desired to recall me； all her sighs and
tears and regrets would have availed nothing； so true is the saying； 〃Of thy
word unspoken thou art master； thy spoken word is master of thee。〃
〃Thank you。〃 〃Thank you。〃 〃How I envy your power of playing！〃
The two ladies seemed to vie with each other in making pretty
speeches； and Zaluski； who loved music and loved giving pleasure； looked
really pleased。 I am sure it did not enter his head that his two
companions were not sincere； or that they did not wish him well。 He was
7
… Page 8…
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A SLANDER
thinking to himself how simple and kindly the Muddleton people were；
and how great a contrast this life was to his life in London； and he was
saying to himself that he had been a fool to live a lonely bachelor life till
he was nearly thirty； and yet congratulating himself that he had done so
since Gertrude was but nineteen。 Undoubtedly； he was seeing blissful
visions of the future all the time that he replied to the pretty speeches； and
shook hands with Lena Houghton； and opened the drawing…room door for
her； and took out his watch to assure her that she had plenty of time and
need not hurry to church。
Poor Zaluski！ He looked so kindly and pleasant。 Though I was
only a slander； and might have been supposed to have no heart at all； I did
feel sorry for him when I thought of the future and of the grief and pain
which would persistently dog his steps。
8
… Page 9…
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A SLANDER
MY SECOND STAGE
Bear not false witness； slander not； nor lie； Truth is the speech of
inward purity。 THE LIGHT OF ASIA。
In my first stage the reader will perceive that I was a comparatively
weak and harmless little slander； with merely that taint of original sin
which was to be expected in one of such parentage。 But I developed with
great rapidity； and I believe men of science will tell you that this is always
the case with low organisms。 That； for instance； while it takes years to
develop the man from the baby； and months to develop the dog from the
puppy； the baby monad will grow to maturity in an hour。
Personally I should have preferred to linger in Mrs。 O'Reilly's pleasant
drawing…room； for； as I said before； my victim interested me； and I wanted
to observe him more closely and hear what he talked about。 But I
received orders to attend evensong at the parish church； and to haunt the
mind of Lena Houghton。
As we passed down the High Street the bells rang out loud and clear；
and they made me feel the same slight sense of discomfort that I had felt
when I looked at Zaluski； however； I went on； and soon entered the church。
It was a fine old Gothic building； and the afternoon sunshine seemed to
flood the whole place； even the white stones in the aisle were glorified
here and there with gorgeous patches of colour from the stained glass
windows。 But the strange stillness and quiet oppressed me； I did not feel
nearly so much at home as in Mrs。 O'Reilly's drawing…roomto use a
terrestrial simile； I felt like a fish out of water。
For some time； too； I could find no entrance at all into the mind of
Lena Houghton。 Try as I would； I could not distract her attention or gain
the slightest hold upon her； and I really believe I should have been
altogether baffled； had not the rector unconsciously come to my aid。
All through the prayers and psalms I had fought a desperate fight
without gaining a single inch。 Then the rector walked over to the lectern；
and the moment he opened his mouth I knew that my time had come； and
that there was a very fair chance of victory before me。 Whether this
clergyman had a toothache； or a headache； or a heavy load on his mind； I
9
… Page 10…
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A SLANDER
cannot say； but his reading was more lugubrious than the wind in an
equinoctial gale。 I have since observed that he was only a degree worse
than many other clerical readers； and that a strange and delightfully
mistaken notion seems prevalent that the Bible must be read in a dreary
and unnatural tone of voice； or with a sort of mournful monotony； it is
intended as a sort of reverence； but I suspect that it often plays into the
hands of my progenitor； as it most assu