pgw.uneasymoney-第17部分

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t　it　was　the　quality　of　being　as　different　as　possible　in　every　way　from　the　Good　Sport。　Elizabeth　fulfilled　this　qualification。　She　was　not　only　small　and　neat；　but　she　had　a　soft　voice　to　which　it　was　a　joy　to　listen。
　'I　was　just　admiring　your　place；'　he　said。
　'Its　appearance　is　the　best　part　of　it；'　said　Elizabeth。　'It　is　a　deceptive　place。　The　bay　looks　beautiful；　but　you　can't　bathe　in　it　because　of　the　jellyfish。　The　woods　are　lovely；　but　you　daren't　go　near　them　because　of　the　ticks。'
　'Ticks？'
　'They　jump　on　you　and　suck　your　blood；'　said　Elizabeth；　carelessly。　'And　the　nights　are　gorgeous；　but　you　have　to　stay　indoors　after　dusk　because　of　the　mosquitoes。'　She　paused　to　mark　the　effect　of　these　horrors　on　her　visitor。　'And　then；　of　course；'　she　went　on；　as　he　showed　no　signs　of　flying　to　the　house　to　pack　his　bag　and　catch　the　next　train；　'the　bees　are　always　stinging　you。　I　hope　you　are　not　afraid　of　bees；　Mr　Chalmers？'
　'Rather　not。　Jolly　little　chaps！'
　A　gleam　appeared　in　Elizabeth's　eye。
　'If　you　are　so　fond　of　them；　perhaps　you　wouldn't　mind　ing　and　helping　me　open　one　of　the　hives？'
　'Rather！'
　'I'll　go　and　fetch　the　things。'
　She　went　into　the　house　and　ran　up　to　Nutty's　room；　waking　that　sufferer　from　a　troubled　sleep。
　'Nutty；　he's　bitten。'
　Nutty　sat　up　violently。
　'Good　gracious！　What　by？'
　'You　don't　understand。　What　I　meant　was　that　I　invited　your　Mr　Chalmers　to　help　me　open　a　hive；　and　he　said　〃Rather！〃　and　is　waiting　to　do　it　now。　Be　ready　to　say　good…bye　to　him。　If　he　es　out　of　this　alive；　his　first　act；　after　bathing　the　wounds　with　ammonia；　will　be　to　leave　us　for　ever。'
　'But　look　here；　he's　a　visitor'
　'Cheer　up！　He　won't　be　much　longer。'
　'You　can't　let　him　in　for　a　ghastly　thing　like　opening　a　hive。　When　you　made　me　do　it　that　time　I　was　picking　stings　out　of　myself　for　a　week。'
　'That　was　because　you　had　been　smoking。　Bees　dislike　the　smell　of　tobacco。'
　'But　this　fellow　may　have　been　smoking。'
　'He　has　just　finished　a　strong　cigar。'
　'For　Heaven's　sake！'
　'Good…bye；　Nutty；　dear；　I　mustn't　keep　him　waiting。'
　Lord　Dawlish　looked　with　interest　at　the　various　implements　which　she　had　collected　when　she　rejoined　him　outside。　He　relieved　her　of　the　stool；　the　smoker；　the　cotton…waste；　the　knife；　the　screwdriver；　and　the　queen…clipping　cage。
　'Let　me　carry　these　for　you；'　he　said；　'unless　you've　hired　a　van。'
　Elizabeth　disapproved　of　this　flippancy。　It　was　out　of　place　in　one　who　should　have　been　trembling　at　the　prospect　of　doom。
　'Don't　you　wear　a　veil　for　this　sort　of　job？'
　As　a　rule　Elizabeth　did。　She　had　reached　a　stage　of　intimacy　with　her　bees　which　rendered　a　veil　a　superfluous　precaution；　but　until　to…day　she　had　never　abandoned　it。　Her　view　of　the　matter　was　that；　though　the　inhabitants　of　the　hives　were　familiar　and　friendly　with　her　by　this　time　and　recognized　that　she　came　among　them　without　hostile　intent；　it　might　well　happen　that　among　so　many　thousands　there　might　be　one　slow…witted　enough　and　obtuse　enough　not　to　have　grasped　this　fact。　And　in　such　an　event　a　veil　was　better　than　any　amount　of　explanations；　for　you　cannot　stick　to　pure　reason　when　quarrelling　with　bees。
　But　to…day　it　had　struck　her　that　she　could　hardly　protect　herself　in　this　way　without　offering　a　similar　safeguard　to　her　visitor；　and　she　had　no　wish　to　hedge　him　about　with　safeguards。
　'Oh；　no；'　she　said；　brightly；　'I'm　not　afraid　of　a　few　bees。　Are　you？'
　'Rather　not！'
　'You　know　what　to　do　if　one　of　them　flies　at　you？'
　'Well；　it　would；　anywaywhat？　What　I　mean　to　say　is；　I　could　leave　most　of　the　doing　to　the　bee。'
　Elizabeth　was　more　disapproving　than　ever。　This　was　mere　bravado。　She　did　not　speak　again　until　they　reached　the　hives。
　In　the　neighbourhood　of　the　hives　a　vast　activity　prevailed。　What；　heard　from　afar；　had　been　a　pleasant　murmur　became　at　close　quarters　a　menacing　tumult。　The　air　was　full　of　beesbees　sallying　forth　for　honey；　bees　returning　with　honey；　bees　trampling　on　each　other's　heels；　bees　pausing　in　mid…air　to　pass　the　time　of　day　with　rivals　on　peting　lines　of　traffic。　Blunt…bodied　drones　whizzed　to　and　fro　with　a　noise　like　miniature　high…powered　automobiles；　as　if　anxious　to　convey　the　idea　of　being　tremendously　busy　without　going　to　the　length　of　doing　any　actual　work。　One　of　these　blundered　into　Lord　Dawlish's　face；　and　it　pleased　Elizabeth　to　observe　that　he　gave　a　jump。
　'Don't　be　afraid；'　she　said；　'it's　only　a　drone。　Drones　have　no　stings。'
　'They　have　hard　heads；　though。　Here　he　es　again！'
　'I　suppose　he　smells　your　tobacco。　A　drone　has　thirty…seven　thousand　eight　hundred　nostrils；　you　know。'
　'That　gives　him　a　sporting　chance　of　smelling　a　cigarwhat？　I　mean　to　say；　if　he　misses　with　eight　hundred　of　his　nostrils　he's　apt　to　get　it　with　the　other　thirty…seven　thousand。'
　Elizabeth　was　feeling　annoyed　with　her　bees。　They　resolutely　declined　to　sting　this　young　man。　Bees　flew　past　him；　bees　flew　into　him；　bees　settled　upon　his　coat；　bees　paused　questioningly　in　front　of　him；　as　who　should　say；　'What　have　we　here？'　but　not　a　single　bee　molested　him。　Yet　when　Nutty；　poor　darling；　went　within　a　dozen　yards　of　the　hives　he　never　failed　to　suffer　for　it。　In　her　heart　Elizabeth　knew　perfectly　well　that　this　was　because　Nutty；　when　in　the　presence　of　the　bees；　lost　his　head　pletely　and　behaved　like　an　exaggerated　version　of　Lady　Wetherby's　Dream　of　Psyche；　whereas　Bill　maintained　an　easy　calm；　but　at　the　moment　she　put　the　phenomenon　down　to　that　inexplicable　cussedness　which　does　so　much　to　exasperate　the　human　race；　and　it　fed　her　annoyance　with　her　unbidden　guest。
　Without　menting　on　his　last　remark；　she　took　the　smoker　from　him　and　set　to　work。　She　inserted　in　the　fire…chamber　a　handful　of　the　cotton…waste　and　set　fire　to　it；　then　with　a　preliminary　puff　or　two　of　the　bellows　to　make　sure　that　the　conflagration　had　not　gone　out；　she　aimed　the　nozzle　at　the　front　door　of　the　hive。
　The　results　were　instantaneous。　One　or　two　bee…policemen；　who　were　doing　fixed　point…duty　near　the　opening；　scuttled　hastily　back　into　the　hive；　and　from　within　came　a　muffled　buzzing　as　other　bees；　all　talking　at　once；　worried　the　perplexed　officials　with　foolish　questions；　a　buzzing　that　became　less　muffled　and　more　pronounced　as　Elizabeth　lifted　the　edge　of　the　cover　and　directed　more　smoke　through　the　crack。　This　done；　she　removed　the　cover；　set　it　down　on　the　grass　beside　her；　lifted　the　super…cover　and　applied　more　smoke；　and　raised　her　eyes　to　where　Bill　stood　watching。　His　face　wore　a　smile　of　pleased　interest。
　Elizabeth's　irritation　became　painful。　She　resented　his　smile。　She　hung　the　smoker　on　the　side　of　the　hive。
　'The　stool；　please；　and　the　screw…driver。'
　She　seated　herself　beside　the　hive　and　began　to　loosen　the　outside　section。　Then　taking　the　brood…frame　by　the　projecting　ends；　she　pulled　it　out　and　handed　it　to　her　panion。　She　did　it　as　one　who　plays　an　ace　of　trumps。
　'Would　you　mind　holding　this；　Mr　Chalmers？'
　This　was　the　point　in　the　ceremony　at　which　the　wretched　Nutty　had　broken　down　absolutely；　and　not　inexcusably；　considering　the　severity　of　the　test。　The　surface　of　the　frame　was　black　with　what　appeared　at　first　sight　to　be　a　thick；　bubbling　fluid　of　some　sort；　pouring　viscously　to　and　fro　as　if　some　hidden　fire　had　been　lighted　beneath　it。　Only　after　a　closer　inspection　was　it　apparent　to　the　lay　eye　that　this　seeming　fluid　was　in　reality　posed　of　mass　upon　mass　of　bees。　They　shoved　and　writhed　and　muttered　and　jostled；　for　all　the　world　like　a　collection　of　home…seeking　City　men　trying　to　secure　standing　room　on　the　Underground　at　half…past　five　in　the　afternoon。
　Nutty；　making　this　discovery；　had　emitted　one　wild　yell；　dropped　the　frame；　and　started　at　full　speed　for　the　house；　his　retreat　expedited　by　repeated　stings　from　the　nervous　bees。　Bill；　more　prudent；　remained　absolutely　motionless。　He　eyed　the　seething　frame　with　interest；　but　without　apparent　panic。
　'I　want　you　to　help　me　here；　Mr　Chalmers。　You　have　stronger　wrists　than　I　have。　I　will　tell　you　what　to　do。　Hold　the　frame　tightly。'　　'I've　got　it。'
　'Jerk　it　down　as　sharply　as　you　can　to　within　a　few　inches　of　the　door；　and