pgw.adamselindistress-第4部分

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　from　New　York　to　help　with　the　London　production。
　George　Bevan　turned　the　corner　now；　walking　slowly；　and；　it　seemed　to　Mac；　gloomily　towards　the　stage　door。　He　was　a　young　man　of　about　twenty…seven；　tall　and　well　knit；　with　an　agreeable；　clean…cut　face；　of　which　a　pair　of　good　and　honest　eyes　were　the　most　noticeable　feature。　His　sensitive　mouth　was　drawn　down　a　little　at　the　corners；　and　he　looked　tired。
　〃Morning；　Mac。〃
　〃Good　morning；　sir。〃
　〃Anything　for　me？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Some　telegrams。　I'll　get　'em。　Oh；　I'll　GET　'em；〃　said　Mac；　as　if　reassuring　some　doubting　friend　and　supporter　as　to　his　ability　to　carry　through　a　labour　of　Hercules。
　He　disappeared　into　his　glass　case。　George　Bevan　remained　outside　in　the　street　surveying　the　frisking　children　with　a　sombre　glance。　They　seemed　to　him　very　noisy；　very　dirty　and　very　young。　Disgustingly　young。　Theirs　was　joyous；　exuberant　youth　which　made　a　fellow　feel　at　least　sixty。　Something　was　wrong　with　George　today；　for　normally　he　was　fond　of　children。　　Indeed；　normally　he　was　fond　of　most　things。　He　was　a　good…natured　and　cheerful　young　man；　who　liked　life　and　the　great　majority　of　those　who　lived　it　contemporaneously　with　himself。　　He　had　no　enemies　and　many　friends。
　But　today　he　had　noticed　from　the　moment　he　had　got　out　of　bed　that　something　was　amiss　with　the　world。　Either　he　was　in　the　grip　of　some　divine　discontent　due　to　the　highly　developed　condition　of　his　soul；　or　else　he　had　a　grouch。　One　of　the　two。　　Or　it　might　have　been　the　reaction　from　the　emotions　of　the　previous　night。　On　the　morning　after　an　opening　your　sensitive　artist　is　always　apt　to　feel　as　if　he　had　been　dried　over　a　barrel。
　Besides；　last　night　there　had　been　a　supper　party　after　the　performance　at　the　flat　which　the　edian　of　the　troupe　had　rented　in　Jermyn　Street；　a　forced；　rowdy　supper　party　where　a　number　of　tired　people　with　over…strained　nerves　had　seemed　to　feel　it　a　duty　to　be　artificially　vivacious。　It　had　lasted　till　four　o'clock　when　the　morning　papers　with　the　notices　arrived；　and　George　had　not　got　to　bed　till　four…thirty。　These　things　colour　the　mental　outlook。
　Mac　reappeared。
　〃Here　you　are；　sir。〃
　〃Thanks。〃
　George　put　the　telegrams　in　his　pocket。　A　cat；　on　its　way　back　from　lunch；　paused　beside　him　in　order　to　use　his　leg　as　a　serviette。　George　tickled　it　under　the　ear　abstractedly。　He　was　always　courteous　to　cats；　but　today　he　went　through　the　movements　perfunctorily　and　without　enthusiasm。
　The　cat　moved　on。　Mac　became　conversational。
　〃They　tell　me　the　piece　was　a　hit　last　night；　sir。〃
　〃It　seemed　to　go　very　well。〃
　〃My　Missus　saw　it　from　the　gallery；　and　all　the　first…nighters　was　speaking　very　'ighly　of　it。　There's　a　regular　click；　you　know；　sir；　over　here　in　London；　that　goes　to　all　the　first　nights　in　the　gallery。　'Ighly　critical　they　are　always。　Specially　if　it's　an　American　piece　like　this　one。　If　they　don't　like　it；　they　precious　soon　let　you　know。　My　missus　ses　they　was　all　speakin'　very　'ighly　of　it。　My　missus　says　she　ain't　seen　a　livelier　show　for　a　long　time；　and　she's　a　great　theatregoer。　My　missus　says　they　was　all　specially　pleased　with　the　music。〃
　〃That's　good。〃
　〃The　Morning　Leader　give　it　a　fine　write…up。　How　was　the　rest　of　the　papers？〃
　〃Splendid；　all　of　them。　I　haven't　seen　the　evening　papers　yet。　I　came　out　to　get　them。〃
　Mac　looked　down　the　street。
　〃There'll　be　a　rehearsal　this　afternoon；　I　suppose；　sir？　Here's　Miss　Dore　ing　along。〃
　George　followed　his　glance。　A　tall　girl　in　a　tailor…made　suit　of　blue　was　ing　towards　them。　Even　at　a　distance　one　caught　the　genial　personality　of　the　new　arrival。　It　seemed　to　go　before　her　like　a　heartening　breeze。　She　picked　her　way　carefully　through　the　children　crawling　on　the　side　walk。　She　stopped　for　a　moment　and　said　something　to　one　of　them。　The　child　grinned。　　Even　the　proprietor　of　the　grocery　store　appeared　to　brighten　up　at　the　sight　of　her；　as　at　the　sight　of　some　old　friend。
　〃How's　business；　Bill？〃　she　called　to　him　as　she　passed　the　spot　where　he　stood　brooding　on　the　mortality　of　tomatoes。　　And；　though　he　replied　〃Rotten〃；　a　faint；　grim　smile　did　nevertheless　flicker　across　his　tragic　mask。
　Billie　Dore；　who　was　one　of　the　chorus　of　George　Bevan's　musical　edy；　had　an　attractive　face；　a　mouth　that　laughed　readily；　rather　bright　golden　hair　（which；　she　was　fond　of　insisting　with　perfect　truth；　was　genuine　though　appearances　were　against　it）；　and　steady　blue　eyes。　The　latter　were　frequently　employed　by　her　in　quelling　admirers　who　were　encouraged　by　the　former　to　bee　too　ardent。　Billie's　views　on　the　opposite　sex　who　forgot　themselves　were　as　rigid　as　those　of　Lord　Marshmoreton　concerning　thrips。　She　liked　men；　and　she　would　signify　this　liking　in　a　practical　manner　by　lunching　and　dining　with　them；　but　she　was　entirely　self…supporting；　and　when　men　overlooked　that　fact　she　reminded　them　of　it　in　no　uncertain　voice；　for　she　was　a　girl　of　ready　speech　and　direct。
　〃'Morning；　George。　'Morning；　Mac。　Any　mail？〃
　〃I'll　see；　miss。〃
　〃How　did　your　better　four…fifths　like　the　show；　Mac？〃
　〃I　was　just　telling　Mr。　Bevan；　miss；　that　the　missus　said　she　'adn't　seen　a　livelier　show　for　a　long　time。〃
　〃Fine。　I　knew　I'd　be　a　hit。　Well；　George；　how's　the　boy　this　bright　afternoon？〃
　〃Limp　and　pessimistic。〃
　〃That　es　of　sitting　up　till　four　in　the　morning　with　festive　hams。〃
　〃You　were　up　as　late　as　I　was；　and　you　look　like　Little　Eva　after　a　night　of　sweet；　childish　slumber。〃
　〃Yes；　but　I　drank　ginger　ale；　and　didn't　smoke　eighteen　cigars。　And　yet；　I　don't　know。　I　think　I　must　be　getting　old；　George。　All…night　parties　seem　to　have　lost　their　charm。　I　was　ready　to　quit　at　one　o'clock；　but　it　didn't　seem　matey。　I　think　I'll　marry　a　farmer　and　settle　down。〃
　George　was　amazed。　He　had　not　expected　to　find　his　present　view　of　life　shared　in　this　quarter。
　〃I　was　just　thinking　myself；〃　he　said；　feeling　not　for　the　first　time　how　different　Billie　was　from　the　majority　of　those　with　whom　his　profession　brought　him　in　contact；　〃how　flat　it　all　was。　　The　show　business　I　mean；　and　these　darned　first　nights；　and　the　party　after　the　show　which　you　can't　sidestep。　Something　tells　me　I'm　about　through。〃
　Billie　Dore　nodded。
　〃Anybody　with　any　sense　is　always　about　through　with　the　show　business。　I　know　I　am。　If　you　think　I'm　wedded　to　my　art；　let　me　tell　you　I'm　going　to　get　a　divorce　the　first　chance　that　es　along。　It's　funny　about　the　show　business。　The　way　one　drifts　into　it　and　sticks；　I　mean。　Take　me；　for　example。　Nature　had　it　all　doped　out　for　me　to　be　the　Belle　of　Hicks　Corners。　　What　I　ought　to　have　done　was　to　buy　a　gingham　bonnet　and　milk　cows。　But　I　would　e　to　the　great　city　and　help　brighten　up　the　tired　business　man。〃
　〃I　didn't　know　you　were　fond　of　the　country；　Billie。〃
　〃Me？　I　wrote　the　words　and　music。　Didn't　you　know　I　was　a　country　kid？　My　dad　ran　a　Bide　a　Wee　Home　for　flowers；　and　I　used　to　know　them　all　by　their　middle　names。　He　was　a　nursery　gardener　out　in　Indiana。　I　tell　you；　when　I　see　a　rose　nowadays；　I　shake　its　hand　and　say：　'Well；　well；　Cyril；　how's　everything　with　you？　And　how　are　Joe　and　Jack　and　Jimmy　and　all　the　rest　of　the　boys　at　home？'　Do　you　know　how　I　used　to　put　in　my　time　the　first　few　nights　I　was　over　here　in　London？　　I　used　to　hang　around　Covent　Garden　with　my　head　back；　sniffing。　The　boys　that　mess　about　with　the　flowers　there　used　to　stub　their　toes　on　me　so　often　that　they　got　to　look　on　me　as　part　of　the　scenery。〃
　〃That's　where　we　ought　to　have　been　last　night。〃
　〃We'd　have　had　a　better　time。　Say；　George；　did　you　see　the　awful　mistake　on　Nature's　part　that　Babe　Sinclair　showed　up　with　towards　the　middle　of　the　proceedings？　You　must　have　noticed　him；　because　he　took　up　more　room　than　any　one　man　was　entitled　to。　His　name　was　Spenser　Gray。〃
　George　recalled　having　been　introduced　to　a　fat　man　of　his　own　age　who　answered　to　that　name。
　〃It's　a　darned　shame；〃　said　Billie　indignantly。　〃Babe　is　only　a　kid。　This　is　the　first　show　she's　been　in。　And　I　happen　to　know　there's　an　awfully　nice　boy　over　in　New　York　crazy　to　marry　her。　And　I'm　certain　this　gink　is　giving　her　a　raw　deal。　　He　tried　to　get　hold　of　me　about　a　week　ago；　but　I　turned　him　down　hard；　and　I　suppose　he　thinks　Babe　is　easier。　And　it's　no　good　talking　to　her；　she　thinks　he's　wonderful。　That's　another　kick　I　have　against　the　show　business。　It　seems　to　make　girls　such　darned　chumps。　Well；　I　wonder　how　much　longer　Mr。　　Arbuckle　is　going　to　be　retrieving　my　mail。　What　ho；　within　there；　Fatty！〃
　Mac　came　out；　apologetic；　carrying　letters。
　〃Sorry；　miss。　By　an　oversight　I　put　you　among　the　G's。〃
　〃All's　well　that　ends　well。　'Put　me　among　the　G's。'　There's　a　good　title　for　a　song　for　you；　George。　Excuse　me　while　I　grapple　with　the　correspondence。　I'll　bet　half　of　these　are　mash　notes。　I　got　three　between　the　first　and　second　acts　last　night。　　Why　the　nobility　and　gentry　of　this　burg　should　think　that　I'm　their　affinity　just　because　I've　got　golden　hairwhich　is　perfectly　genuine；　Mac；　I　can　show　you　the　pedigreeand　because　I　earn　an　honest　living　singing　off　the　key；　is　more　than　I　can　understand。〃
　Mac　leaned　his　massive　shoulders　fortably　against　the　building；