the secret places of the heart-第5章

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！


n　by　my　tangled　heredity　to　do　a　score　of　entirely　incompatible　things。　Mankind；　all　life；　is　that。〃　〃But　our　concern　is　the　particular　score　of　incompatible　things　you　are　urged　to　do。　We　examine　and　weighwe　weigh〃　The　doctor　was　still　saying　these　words　when　a　violent　and　ultimately　disastrous　struggle　began　between　Sir　Richmond　and　the　little　Charmeuse　car。　The　doctor　stopped　in　mid…sentence。　It　was　near　Taplow　station　that　the　mutual　exasperation　of　man　and　machine　was　brought　to　a　crisis　by　the　clumsy　emergence　of　a　laundry　cart　from　a　side　road。　Sir　Richmond　was　obliged　to　pull　up　smartly　and　stopped　his　engine。　It　refused　an　immediate　obedience　to　the　electric　starter。　Then　it　picked　up；　raced　noisily；　disengaged　great　volumes　of　bluish　smoke；　and　displayed　an　unaccountable　indisposition　to　run　on　any　gear　but　the　lowest。　Sir　Richmond　thought　aloud；　unpleasing　thoughts。　He　addressed　the　little　car　as　a　person；　he　referred　to　ancient　disputes　and　temperamental　incompatibilities。　His　anger　betrayed　him　a　coarse；　ill…bred　man。　The　little　car　quickened　under　his　reproaches。　There　were　some　moments　of　hope；　dashed　by　the　necessity　of　going　dead　slow　behind　an　interloping　van。　Sir　Richmond　did　not　notice　the　outstretched　arm　of　the　driver　of　the　van；　and　stalled　his　engine　for　a　second　time。　The　electric　starter　refused　its　office　altogether。　For　some　moments　Sir　Richmond　sat　like　a　man　of　stone。　〃I　must　wind　it　up　〃　he　said　at　last　in　a　profound　and　awful　voice。　〃I　must　wind　it　up。〃　〃I　get　out；　don't　I？〃　asked　the　doctor；　unanswered；　and　did　so。　Sir　Richmond；　after　a　grim　search　and　the　displacement　and　replacement　of　the　luggage；　produced　a　handle　from　the　locker　at　the　back　of　the　car　and　prepared　to　wind。　There　was　a　little　difficulty。　〃Come　UP！〃　he　said；　and　the　small　engine　roared　out　like　a　stage　lion。　The　two　gentlemen　resumed　their　seats。　The　car　started　and　then　by　an　unfortunate　inadvertency　Sir　Richmond　pulled　the　gear　lever　over　from　the　first　speed　to　the　reverse。　There　was　a　metallic　clangour　beneath　the　two　gentlemen；　and　the　car　slowed　down　and　stopped　although　the　engine　was　still　throbbing　wildly；　and　the　dainty　veil　of　blue　smoke　still　streamed　forward　from　the　back　of　the　car　before　a　gentle　breeze。　The　doctor　got　out　almost　precipitately；　followed　by　a　gaunt　madman；　mouthing　vileness；　who　had　only　a　minute　or　so　before　been　a　decent　British　citizen。　He　made　some　blind　lunges　at　the　tremulous　but　obdurate　car；　but　rather　as　if　he　looked　for　offences　and　accusations　than　for　displacements　to　adjust。　Quivering　and　refusing；　the　little　car　was　extraordinarily　like　some　recalcitrant　little　old　aristocratic　lady　in　the　hands　of　revolutionaries；　and　this　made　the　behaviour　of　Sir　Richmond　seem　even　more　outrageous　than　it　would　otherwise　have　done。　He　stopped　the　engine；　he　went　down　on　his　hands　and　knees　in　the　road　to　peer　up　at　the　gear…box；　then　without　restoring　the　spark；　he　tried　to　wind　up　the　engine　again。　He　spun　the　little　handle　with　an　insane　violence；　faster　and　faster　foras　it　seemed　to　the　doctorthe　better　part　of　a　minute。　Beads　of　perspiration　appeared　upon　his　brow　and　ran　together；　he　bared　his　teeth　in　a　snarl；　his　hat　slipped　over　one　eye。　He　groaned　with　rage。　Then；　using　the　starting　handle　as　a　club；　he　assailed　the　car。　He　smote　the　brazen　Mercury　from　its　foothold　and　sent　it　and　a　part　of　the　radiator　cap　with　it　flying　across　the　road。　He　beat　at　the　wings　of　the　bonnet；　until　they　bent　in　under　his　blows。　Finally；　he　hurled　the　starting…handle　at　the　wind…screen　and　smashed　it。　The　starting…handle　rattled　over　the　bonnet　and　fell　to　the　ground。　。　。　。　The　paroxysm　was　over。　Ten　seconds　later　this　cataclysmal　lunatic　had　reverted　to　sanitya　rather　sheepish　sanity。　He　thrust　his　hands　into　his　trouser　pockets　and　turned　his　back　on　the　car。　He　remarked　in　a　voice　of　melancholy　detachment：　〃It　was　a　mistake　to　bring　that　coupe。〃　Dr。　Martineau　had　assumed　an　attitude　of　trained　observation　on　the　side　path。　His　hands　rested　on　his　hips　and　his　hat　was　a　little　on　one　side。　He　was　inclined　to　agree　with　Sir　Richmond。　〃I　don't　know；〃　he　considered。　〃You　wanted　some　such　blow…off　as　this。〃　〃Did　I？　〃　〃The　energy　you　have！　That　car　must　be　somebody's　whipping　boy。〃　〃The　devil　it　is！〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　turning　round　sharply　and　staring　at　it　as　if　he　expected　it　to　display　some　surprising　and　yet　familiar　features。　Then　he　looked　questioningly　and　suspiciously　at　his　companion。　〃These　outbreaks　do　nothing　to　amend　the　originating　grievance；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃No。　And　at　times　they　are　even　costly。　But　they　certainly　lift　a　burthen　from　the　nervous　system。　。　。　。　And　now　I　suppose　we　have　to　get　that　little　ruin　to　Maidenhead。〃　〃Little　ruin！〃　repeated　Sir　Richmond。　〃No。　There's　lots　of　life　in　the　little　beast　yet。〃　He　reflected。　〃She'll　have　to　be　towed。〃　He　felt　in　his　breast　pocket。　〃Somewhere　I　have　the　R。A。C。　order　paper；　the　Badge　that　will　Get　You　Home。　We　shall　have　to　hail　some　passing　car　to　take　it　into　Maidenhead。〃　Dr。　Martineau　offered　and　Sir　Richmond　took　and　lit　a　cigarette。　For　a　little　while　conversation　hung　fire。　Then　for　the　first　time　Dr。　Martineau　heard　his　patient　laugh。　〃Amazing　savage；〃　said　Sir　Richmond。　〃Amazing　savage！〃　He　pointed　to　his　handiwork。　〃The　little　car　looks　ruffled。　Well　it　may。〃　He　became　grave　again。　〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　apologize。　〃Dr。　Martineau　weighed　the　situation。　〃As　between　doctor　and　patient；〃　he　said。　〃No。〃　〃Oh！〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　turned　to　a　new　point　of　view。　〃But　where　the　patient　ends　and　the　host　begins。　。　。　。　I'm　really　very　sorry。〃　He　reverted　to　his　original　train　of　thought　which　had　not　concerned　Dr。　Martineau　at　all。　〃After　all；　the　little　car　was　only　doing　what　she　was　made　to　do。〃　Section　2　The　affair　of　the　car　effectively　unsealed　Sir　Richmond's　mind。　Hitherto　Dr。　Martineau　had　perceived　the　possibility　and　danger　of　a　defensive　silence　or　of　a　still　more　defensive　irony；　but　now　that　Sir　Richmond　had　once　given　himself　away；　he　seemed　prepared　to　give　himself　away　to　an　unlimited　extent。　He　embarked　upon　an　apologetic　discussion　of　the　choleric　temperament。　He　began　as　they　stood　waiting　for　the　relief　car　from　the　Maidenhead　garage。　〃You　were　talking　of　the　ghosts　of　apes　and　monkeys　that　suddenly　come　out　from　the　darkness　of　the　subconscious　。　。　。　。〃　〃You　meanwhen　we　first　met　at　Harley　Street？〃　〃That　last　apparition　of　mine　seems　to　have　been　a　gorilla　at　least。〃　The　doctor　became　precise。　Gorillaesque。　We　are　not　descended　from　gorillas。〃　〃Queer　thing　a　fit　of　rage　is！〃　〃It's　one　of　nature's　cruder　expedients。　Crude；　but　I　doubt　if　it　is　fundamental。　There　doesn't　seem　to　be　rage　in　the　vegetable　world；　and　even　among　the　animals？　No；　it　is　not　universal。〃　He　ran　his　mind　over　classes　and　orders。　〃Wasps　and　bees　certainly　seem　to　rage；　but　if　one　comes　to　think；　most　of　the　invertebrata　show　very　few　signs　of　it。〃　〃I'm　not　so　sure；〃　said　Sir　Richmond。　〃I've　never　seen　a　snail　in　a　towering　passion　or　an　oyster　slamming　its　shell　behind　it。　But　these　are　sluggish　things。　Oysters　sulk；　which　is　after　all　a　smouldering　sort　of　rage。　And　take　any　more　active　invertebrate。　Take　a　spider。　Not　a　smashing　and　swearing　sort　of　rage　perhaps；　but　a　disciplined；　cold…　blooded　malignity。　Crabs　fight。　A　conger　eel　in　a　boat　will　rage　dangerously。〃　〃A　vertebrate。　Yes。　But　even　among　the　vertebrata；　who　has　ever　seen　a　furious　rabbit？〃　〃Don't　the　bucks　fight？〃　questioned　Sir　Richmond。　Dr。　Martineau　admitted　the　point。　〃I've　always　had　these　fits　of　passion。　As　far　back　as　I　can　remember。　I　was　a　kicking；　screaming　child。　I　threw　things。　I　once　threw　a　fork　at　my　elder　brother　and　it　stuck　in　his　forehead；　doing　no　serious　damagehappily。　There　were　whole　days　of　wrathdays；　as　I　remember　them。　Perhaps　they　were　only　hours。　。　。　。　I've　never　thought　before　what　a　peculiar　thing　all　this　raging　is　in　the　world。　WHY　do　we　rage？　They　used　to　say　it　was　the　devil。　If　it　isn't　the　devil；　then　what　the　devil　is　it？　〃After　all；〃　he　went　on　as　the　doctor　was　about　to　answer　his　question；　〃as　you　pointed　out；　it　isn't　the　lowlier　things　that　rage。　It's　the　HIGHER　things　and　US。〃　〃The　devil　nowadays；〃　the　doctor　reflected　after　a　pause；　〃so　far　as　man　is　concerned；　is　understood　to　be　the　ancestral　ape。　And　more　particularly　the　old　male　ape。〃　But　Sir　Richmond　was　away　on　another　line　of　thought。　〃Life　itself；　flaring　out。　Brooking　no　contradiction。〃　He　came　round　suddenly　to　the　doctor's　qualification。　〃Why　male？　Don't　little　girls　smash　things　just　as　much？〃　〃They　don't；〃　said　Dr。　Martineau。　〃Not　nearly　as　much。〃　Sir　Richmond　went　off　at　a　tangent　again。　〃I　suppose　you　have　watched　any　number　of　babies？〃'　〃Not　nearly　as　many　as　a　general　practitioner　would　do。　There's　a　lot　of　rage　about　most　of　them　at　first；　male　or　female。　〃　〃Queer　little　eddies　of　fury。　。　。　。　Recentlyit　happens　I've　been　seeing　one。　A　spit　of　red　wrath；　clenching　its　fists　and　squalling　threats　at　a　damned　disobedient　universe。〃　The　doctor　was　struck　by　an　idea　and　glanced　quickly　and　questioningly　at　his　companion's　profile。　〃Blind　driving　force；〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　musing。　〃Isn't　that　after　all　what　we　really　are？〃　he　asked　the　doctor。　〃EssentiallyRage。　A　rage　in　dead　matter；　making