第55部分(第6/7 頁)

？　I　have　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　a　year　of　my

own……so　I　am　poor　or　rich；　as　you　like。　I　am　poor　enough；

in　fact。〃

〃But　you　will　earn　money？〃

〃I　shall　have　my　pay……I　have　my　pay　now。　I've　got　my

mission。　That　is　another　hundred　and　fifty。〃

〃You　will　have　more；　though？〃

〃I　shan't　have　more　than　200　pounds　a　year　for　ten　years　to

e。　I　shall　always　be　poor；　if　I　have　to　live　on　my　pay。〃

〃Do　you　mind　it？〃

〃Being　poor？　Not　now……not　very　much。　I　may　later。

People……the　officers；　are　good　to　me。　Colonel　Hepburn　has　a

sort　of　fancy　for　me……he　is　a　rich　man；　I　suppose。〃

A　chill　went　over　Ursula。　Was　he　going　to　sell　himself　in

some　way？

〃Is　Colonel　Hepburn　married？〃

〃Yes……with　two　daughters。〃

But　she　was　too　proud　at　once　to　care　whether　Colonel

Hepburn's　daughter　wanted　to　marry　him　or　not。

There　came　a　silence。　Gudrun　entered；　and　Skrebensky　still

rocked　languidly　on　the　chair。

〃You　look　very　lazy；〃　said　Gudrun。

〃I　am　lazy；〃　he　answered。

〃You　look　really　floppy；〃　she　said。

〃I　am　floppy；〃　he　answered。

〃Can't　you　stop？〃　asked　Gudrun。

〃No……it's　the　perpetuum　mobile。〃

〃You　look　as　if　you　hadn't　a　bone　in　your　body。〃

〃That's　how　I　like　to　feel。〃

〃I　don't　admire　your　taste。〃

〃That's　my　misfortune。〃

And　he　rocked　on。

Gudrun　seated　herself　behind　him；　and　as　he　rocked　back；　she

caught　his　hair　between　her　finger　and　thumb；　so　that　it　tugged

him　as　he　swung　forward　again。　He　took　no　notice。　There　was　only

the　sound　of　the　rockers　on　the　floor。　In　silence；　like　a　crab；

Gudrun　caught　a　strand　of　his　hair　each　time　he　rocked　back。

Urs