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New Arabian Nights-Part1_ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON(1850-1894)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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which seemed to be independent of his will. The dessert had been



cleared away, and all three had lighted their cigars, when the

Prince addressed him in these words:-



"You will, I am sure, pardon my curiosity. What I have seen of you

has greatly pleased but even more puzzled me. And though I should



be loth to seem indiscreet, I must tell you that my friend and I

are persons very well worthy to be entrusted with a secret. We



have many of our own, which we are continually revealing to

improper ears. And if, as I suppose, your story is a silly one,



you need have no delicacy with us, who are two of the silliest men

in England. My name is Godall, Theophilus Godall; my friend is



Major Alfred Hammersmith - or at least, such is the name by which

he chooses to be known. We pass our lives entirely in the search



for extravagant adventures; and there is no extravagance with which

we are not capable of sympathy."



"I like you, Mr. Godall," returned the young man; "you inspire me

with a natural confidence; and I have not the slightest objection



to your friend the Major, whom I take to be a nobleman in

masquerade. At least, I am sure he is no soldier."



The Colonel smiled at this compliment to the perfection of his art;

and the young man went on in a more animated manner.



"There is every reason why I should not tell you my story. Perhaps

that is just the reason why I am going to do so. At least, you



seem so well prepared to hear a tale of silliness that I cannot

find it in my heart to disappoint you. My name, in spite of your



example, I shall keep to myself. My age is not essential to the

narrative. I am descended from my ancestors by ordinary



generation, and from them I inherited the very eligible human

tenement which I still occupy and a fortune of three hundred pounds



a year. I suppose they also handed on to me a hare-brain humour,

which it has been my chief delight to indulge. I received a good



education. I can play the violin nearly well enough to earn money

in the orchestra of a penny gaff, but not quite. The same remark



applies to the flute and the French horn. I learned enough of

whist to lose about a hundred a year at that scientific game. My



acquaintance with French was sufficient to enable me to squander

money in Paris with almost the same facility as in London. In



short, I am a person full of manly accomplishments. I have had

every sort of adventure, including a duel about nothing. Only two



months ago I met a young lady exactly suited to my taste in mind

and body; I found my heart melt; I saw that I had come upon my fate



at last, and was in the way to fall in love. But when I came to

reckon up what remained to me of my capital, I found it amounted to



something less than four hundred pounds! I ask you fairly - can a

man who respects himself fall in love on four hundred pounds? I



concluded, certainly not; left the presence of my charmer, and

slightly accelerating my usual rate of expenditure, came this



morning to my last eighty pounds. This I divided into two equal

parts; forty I reserved for a particular purpose; the remaining



forty I was to dissipate before the night. I have passed a very

entertaining day, and played many farces besides that of the cream



tarts which procured me the advantage of your acquaintance; for I

was determined, as I told you, to bring a foolish career to a still



more foolish conclusion; and when you saw me throw my purse into

the street, the forty pounds were at an end. Now you know me as



well as I know myself: a fool, but consistent in his folly; and,

as I will ask you to believe, neither a whimperer nor a coward."



From the whole tone of the young man's statement it was plain that

he harboured very bitter and contemptuous thoughts about himself.



His auditors were led to imagine that his love affair was nearer

his heart than he admitted, and that he had a design on his own



life. The farce of the cream tarts began to have very much the air

of a tragedy in disguise.



"Why, is this not odd," broke out Geraldine, giving a look to

Prince Florizel, "that we three fellows should have met by the






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