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！
AMERICAN。 Well； that's something。 Maybe you should hold it out of
window a bit。 Very excitable things； babies！
ENGLISHWOMAN。 ＇Galvanized＇ No； no！
ENGLISHMAN。 ＇Touching her knee＇ My dear！
AMERICAN。 You are right； ma'am。 I opine there's a draught out
there。 This baby is precious。 We've all of us got stock in this
baby in a manner of speaking。 This is a little bit of universal
brotherhood。 Is it a woman baby？
LITTLE MAN。 II can only see the top of its head。
AMERICAN。 You can't always tell from that。 It looks kind of
over…wrapped up。 Maybe it had better be unbound。
GERMAN。 'Nein； nein； nein'！
AMERICAN。 I think you are very likely right； colonel。 It might be a
pity to unbind that baby。 I guess the lady should be consulted in
this matter。
ENGLISHWOMAN。 Yes； yes； of course！
ENGLISHMAN。 ＇Touching her＇ Let it be！ Little beggar seems all
right。
AMERICAN。 That would seem only known to Providence at this moment。
I judge it might be due to humanity to look at its face。
LITTLE MAN。 ＇Gladly＇ It's sucking my' finger。 There； therenice
little thingthere！
AMERICAN。 I would surmise in your leisure moments you have created
babies； sir？
LITTLE MAN。 Oh！ noindeed； no。
AMERICAN。 Dear me！That is a loss。 ＇Addressing himself to the
carriage at large＇ I think we may esteem ourselves fortunate to have
this little stranger right here with us。 Demonstrates what a hold
the little and weak have upon us nowadays。 The colonel herea man
of blood and ironthere he sits quite calm next door to it。 ＇He
sniffs＇ Now； this baby is rather chasteningthat is a sign of
grace； in the colonelthat is true heroism。
LITTLE MAN。 ＇Faintly＇ II can see its face a little now。
＇All bend forward。＇
AMERICAN。 What sort of a physiognomy has it； anyway？
LITTLE MAN。 ＇Still faintly＇ I don't see anything butbut spots。
GERMAN。 Oh！ Ha！ Pfui！
＇The DUTCH YOUTH laughs。＇
AMERICAN。 I am told that is not uncommon amongst babies。 Perhaps we
could have you inform us； ma'am。
ENGLISHWOMAN。 Yes； of courseonly what sort of
LITTLE MAN。 They seem all over its＇At the slight recoil of
everyone＇ I feel sure it'sit's quite a good baby underneath。
AMERICAN。 That will be rather difficult to come at。 I'm just a bit
sensitive。 I've very little use for affections of the epidermis。
GERMAN。 Pfui！ ＇He has edged away as far as he can get； and is
lighting a big cigar＇
＇The DUTCH YOUTH draws his legs back。＇
AMERICAN。 ＇Also taking out a cigar＇ I guess it would be well to
fumigate this carriage。 Does it suffer； do you think？
LITTLE MAN。 ＇Peering） Really； I don'tI'm not sureI know so
little about babies。 I think it would have a nice expressionifif
it showed。
AMERICAN。 Is it kind of boiled looking？
LITTLE MAN。 Yesyes； it is。
AMERICAN。 ＇Looking gravely round＇ I judge this baby has the
measles。
＇The GERMAN screws himself spasmodically against the arm of the
ENGLISHWOMAN'S seat。＇
ENGLISHWOMAN。 Poor little thing！ Shall I？
＇She half rises。＇
ENGLISHMAN。 ＇Touching her＇ No； no Dash it！
AMERICAN。 I honour your emotion； ma'am。 It does credit to us all。
But I sympathize with your husband too。 The measles is a very
important pestilence in connection with a grown woman。
LITTLE MAN。 It likes my finger awfully。 Really； it's rather a sweet
baby。
AMERICAN。 ＇Sniffing＇ Well； that would appear to be quite a
question。 About them spots； now？ Are they rosy？
LITTLE MAN。 No…o； they're dark； almost black。
GERMAN。 Gott！ Typhus！ ＇He bounds up on to the arm of the
ENGLISHWOMAN'S Seat。＇
AMERICAN。 Typhus！ That's quite an indisposition！
＇The DUTCH YOUTH rises suddenly； and bolts out into the
corridor。 He is followed by the GERMAN； puffing clouds of
smoke。 The ENGLISH and AMERICAN sit a moment longer without
speaking。 The ENGLISHWOMAN'S face is turned with a curious
expressionhalf pity； half feartowards the LITTLE MAN。 Then
the ENGLISHMAN gets up。＇
ENGLISHMAN。 Bit stuffy for you here； dear； isn't it？
＇He puts his arm through hers； raises her； and almost pushes her
through the doorway。 She goes； still looking back。＇
AMERICAN。 ＇Gravely＇ There's nothing I admire more'n courage。 Guess
I'll go and smoke in the corridor。
＇As he goes out the LITTLE MAN looks very wistfully after him。
Screwing up his mouth and nose； he holds the BABY away from him
and wavers； then rising； he puts it on the seat opposite and
goes through the motions of letting down the window。 Having
done so he looks at the BABY； who has begun to wail。 Suddenly
he raises his hands and clasps them； like a child praying。
Since； however； the BABY does not stop wailing； he hovers over
it in indecision； then； picking it up； sits down again to dandle
it； with his face turned toward the open window。 Finding that
it still wails； he begins to sing to it in a cracked little
voice。 It is charmed at once。 While he is singing； the
AMERICAN appears in the corridor。 Letting down the passage
window； he stands there in the doorway with the draught blowing
his hair and the smoke of his cigar all about him。 The LITTLE
MAN stops singing and shifts the shawl higher to protect the
BABY'S head from the draught。
AMERICAN。 ＇Gravely＇ This is the most sublime spectacle I have ever
envisaged。 There ought to be a record of this。
＇The LITTLE MAN looks at him； wondering。 You are typical； sir；
of the sentiments of modern Christianity。 You illustrate the
deepest feelings in the heart of every man。＇
＇The LITTLE MAN rises with the BABY and a movement of approach。＇
Guess I'm wanted in the dining…car。
＇He vanishes。 The LITTLE MAN sits down again； but back to the
engine； away from the draught； and looks out of the window；
patiently jogging the BABY On his knee。＇
CURTAIN
SCENE III
An arrival platform。 The LITTLE MAN； with the BABY and the
bundle； is standing disconsolate； while travellers pass and
luggage is being carried by。 A STATION OFFICIAL； accompanied by
a POLICEMAN； appears from a doorway； behind him。
OFFICIAL。 ＇Consulting telegram in his hand＇ 'Das ist der Herr'。
＇They advance to the LITTLE MAN。＇
OFFICIAL。 'Sie haben einen Buben gestohlen'？
LITTLE MAN。 I only speak English and American。
OFFICIAL。 'Dies ist nicht Ihr Bube'？
＇He touches the Baby。＇
LITTLE MAN。 ＇Shaking his head＇ Take careit's ill。
＇The man does not understand。＇
Illthe baby
OFFICIAL。 ＇Shaking his head＇ 'Verstehe nicht'。 Dis is nod your baby？
No？
LITTLE MAN。 ＇Shaking his head violently＇ No； it is not。 No。
OFFICIAL。 ＇Tapping the telegram＇ Gut！ You are 'rested。 ＇He signs
to the POLICEMAN； who takes the LITTLE MAN's arm。＇
LITTLE MAN。 Why？ I don't want the poor baby。
OFFICIAL。 ＇Lifting the bundle＇ 'Dies ist nicht Ihr Gepack'pag？
LITTLE Mary。 No。
OFFICIAL。 Gut！ You are 'rested。
LITTLE MAN。 I only took it for the poor woman。 I'm not a thief
I'mI'm
OFFICIAL。 ＇Shaking head＇ Verstehe nicht。
＇The LITTLE MAN tries to tear his hair。 The disturbed BABY
wails。＇
LITTLE MAN。 ＇Dandling it as best he can＇ There； therepoor； poor！
OFFICIAL。 Halt still！ You are 'rested。 It is all right。
LITTLE MAN。 Where is the mother？
OFFICIAL。 She comet by next drain。 Das telegram say： 'Halt einen
Herren mit schwarzem Buben and schwarzem Gepack'。 'Rest gentleman
mit black baby and blackpag。
＇The LITTLE MAN turns up his eyes to heaven。＇
OFFICIAL。 'Komm mit us'。
＇They take the LITTLE MAN toward the door from which they have
come。 A voice stops them。＇
AMERICAN。 ＇Speaking from as far away as may be＇ Just a moment！
＇The OFFICIAL stops； the LITTLE MAN also stops and sits down on
a bench against the wall。 The POLICEMAN stands stolidly beside
him。 The AMERICAN approaches a step or two； beckoning； the
OFFICIAL goes up to him。＇
AMERICAN。 Guess you've got an angel from heaven there！ What's the
gentleman in buttons for？
OFFICIAL。 'Was ist das'？
AMERICAN。 Is there anybody here that can understand American？
OFFICIAL。 'Verstehe nicht'。
AMERICAN。 Well； just watch my gestures。 I was saying ＇He points to
the LITTLE MAN； then makes gestures of flying＇ you have an angel
from heaven there。 You have there a man in whom Gawd ＇He points
upward＇ takes quite an amount of stock。 You have no call to arrest
him。 ＇He makes the gesture of arrest＇ No； Sir。 Prov