第5部分(第2/7 頁)

y　in　the　room　was　a　man　after　his　own

heart；　that　everything　was　glorious；　everything　was　perfect。

When　somebody　in　alarm　told　him　his　coat　pocket　was　on　fire；　he

could　only　beam　from　a　red；　blissful　face　and　say

〃Iss…all…ri…ight……iss…al'…ri…ight……it's　a'

right……let　it　be；　let　it　be〃　and　he　laughed

with　pleasure；　and　was　rather　indignant　that　the　others　should

think　it　unnatural　for　his　coat　pocket　to　burn：……it　was　the

happiest　and　most　natural　thing　in　the　world……what？

He　went　home　talking　to　himself　and　to　the　moon；　that　was

very　high　and　small；　stumbling　at　the　flashes　of　moonlight　from

the　puddles　at　his　feet；　wondering　What　the　Hanover！　then

laughing　confidently　to　the　moon；　assuring　her　this　was　first

class；　this　was。

In　the　morning　he　woke　up　and　thought　about　it；　and　for　the

first　time　in　his　life；　knew　what　it　was　to　feel　really　acutely

irritable；　in　a　misery　of　real　bad　temper。　After　bawling　and

snarling　at　Tilly；　he　took　himself　off　for　very　shame；　to　be

alone。　And　looking　at　the　ashen　fields　and　the　putty　roads；　he

wondered　what　in　the　name　of　Hell　he　could　do　to　get　out　of　this

prickly　sense　of　disgust　and　physical　repulsion。　And　he　knew

that　this　was　the　result　of　his　glorious　evening。

And　his　stomach　did　not　want　any　more　brandy。　He　went

doggedly　across　the　fields　with　his　terrier；　and　looked　at

everything　with　a　jaundiced　eye。

The　next　evening　found　him　back　again　in　his　place　at　the

〃Red　Lion〃；　moderate　and　decent。　There　he　sat　and　stubbornly

waited　for　what　would　happen　next。

Did　he；　or　did　he　not　believe　that　he　belonged　to　this　world

of　Cossethay　and