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！
it seriously and intended desertion。 She had no money； she knew no
Dutch。 People passed； and seemed sorry for her； she tried to make
them understand what had happened。 They gathered that she had lost
something； but could not grasp what。 They took her to the nearest
village； and found a policeman for her。 He concluded from her
pantomime that some man had stolen her bicycle。 They put the
telegraph into operation； and discovered in a village four miles
off an unfortunate boy riding a lady's machine of an obsolete
pattern。 They brought him to her in a cart； but as she did not
appear to want either him or his bicycle they let him go again； and
resigned themselves to bewilderment。
Meanwhile； Harris continued his ride with much enjoyment。 It
seemed to him that he had suddenly become a stronger； and in every
way a more capable cyclist。 Said he to what he thought was Mrs。
Harris：
〃I haven't felt this machine so light for months。 It's this air； I
think； it's doing me good。〃
Then he told her not to be afraid； and he would show her how fast
he COULD go。 He bent down over the handles； and put his heart into
his work。 The bicycle bounded over the road like a thing of life；
farmhouses and churches； dogs and chickens came to him and passed。
Old folks stood and gazed at him； the children cheered him。
In this way he sped merrily onward for about five miles。 Then； as
he explains it； the feeling began to grow upon him that something
was wrong。 He was not surprised at the silence； the wind was
blowing strongly； and the machine was rattling a good deal。 It was
a sense of void that came upon him。 He stretched out his hand
behind him； and felt； there was nothing there but space。 He
jumped； or rather fell off； and looked back up the road； it
stretched white and straight through the dark wood； and not a
living soul could be seen upon it。 He remounted； and rode back up
the hill。 In ten minutes he came to where the road broke into
four； there he dismounted and tried to remember which fork he had
come down。
While he was deliberating a man passed； sitting sideways on a
horse。 Harris stopped him； and explained to him that he had lost
his wife。 The man appeared to be neither surprised nor sorry for
him。 While they were talking another farmer came along； to whom
the first man explained the matter； not as an accident； but as a
good story。 What appeared to surprise the second man most was that
Harris should be making a fuss about the thing。 He could get no
sense out of either of them； and cursing them he mounted his
machine again； and took the middle road on chance。 Half…way up； he
came upon a party of two young women with one young man between
them。 They appeared to be making the most of him。 He asked them
if they had seen his wife。 They asked him what she was like。 He
did not know enough Dutch to describe her properly； all he could
tell them was she was a very beautiful woman； of medium size。
Evidently this did not satisfy them； the description was too
general； any man could say that； and by this means perhaps get
possession of a wife that did not belong to him。 They asked him
how she was dressed； for the life of him he could not recollect。
I doubt if any man could tell how any woman was dressed ten minutes
after he had left her。 He recollected a blue skirt； and then there
was something that carried the dress on； as it were； up to the
neck。 Possibly； this may have been a blouse； he retained a dim
vision of a belt； but what sort of a blouse？ Was it green； or
yellow； or blue？ Had it a collar； or was it fastened with a bow？
Were there feathers in her hat； or flowers？ Or was it a hat at
all？ He dared not say； for fear of making a mistake and being sent
miles after the wrong party。 The two young women giggled； which in
his then state of mind irritated Harris。 The young man； who
appeared anxious to get rid of him； suggested the police station at
the next town。 Harris made his way there。 The police gave him a
piece of paper； and told him to write down a full description of
his wife； together with details of when and where he had lost her。
He did not know where he had lost her； all he could tell them was
the name of the village where he had lunched。 He knew he had her
with him then； and that they had started from there together。
The police looked suspicious； they were doubtful about three
matters： Firstly； was she really his wife？ Secondly； had he
really lost her？ Thirdly； why had he lost her？ With the aid of a
hotel…keeper； however； who spoke a little English； he overcame
their scruples。 They promised to act； and in the evening they
brought her to him in a covered wagon； together with a bill for
expenses。 The meeting was not a tender one。 Mrs。 Harris is not a
good actress； and always has great difficulty in disguising her
feelings。 On this occasion； she frankly admits； she made no
attempt to disguise them。
The wheel business settled； there arose the ever…lasting luggage
question。
〃The usual list； I suppose；〃 said George； preparing to write。
That was wisdom I had taught them； I had learned it myself years
ago from my Uncle Podger。
〃Always before beginning to pack；〃 my Uncle would say； 〃make a
list。〃
He was a methodical man。
〃Take a piece of paper〃he always began at the beginning〃put
down on it everything you can possibly require； then go over it and
see that it contains nothing you can possibly do without。 Imagine
yourself in bed； what have you got on？ Very well； put it down
together with a change。 You get up； what do you do？ Wash
yourself。 What do you wash yourself with？ Soap； put down soap。
Go on till you have finished。 Then take your clothes。 Begin at
your feet； what do you wear on your feet？ Boots； shoes； socks； put
them down。 Work up till you get to your head。 What else do you
want besides clothes？ A little brandy； put it down。 A corkscrew；
put it down。 Put down everything； then you don't forget anything。〃
That is the plan he always pursued himself。 The list made； he
would go over it carefully； as he always advised； to see that he
had forgotten nothing。 Then he would go over it again； and strike
out everything it was possible to dispense with。
Then he would lose the list。
Said George： 〃Just sufficient for a day or two we will take with
us on our bikes。 The bulk of our luggage we must send on from town
to town。〃
〃We must be careful；〃 I said； 〃I knew a man once〃
Harris looked at his watch。
〃We'll hear about him on the boat；〃 said Harris； 〃I have got to
meet Clara at Waterloo Station in half an hour。〃
〃It won't take half an hour；〃 I said； 〃it's a true story； and〃
〃Don't waste it；〃 said George： 〃I am told there are rainy evenings
in the Black Forest； we may he glad of it。 What we have to do now
is to finish this list。〃
Now I come to think of it； I never did get off that story；
something always interrupted it。 And it really was true。
CHAPTER III
Harris's one faultHarris and the AngelA patent bicycle lamp
The ideal saddleThe 〃Overhauler〃His eagle eyeHis methodHis
cheery confidenceHis simple and inexpensive tastesHis
appearanceHow