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Файл:The Legacy and Other Stories (Завещание и другие рассказы). Учебное пособие для студентов бакалавров, изучающих английский язык (второй год обучения),
.pdf
1. Mass media and journalism in our time. 2. “Politicians are
the same all over”. 3. “They promise to build a bridge even where
thereisnoriver”.
intheUKyouget‘afulldrivinglicence’
when you have passed your driving test (a short written test about
roadlawsaswellasapracticaldrivingtest)andyoucanlegallydrive
acarwithouthavingwithyouanotherfulldrivinglicenceholderwho
isovertheageof21.Whileyouarelearningyoudriveunderaprovi
sionallicencewhichrequirestheminimumageof17(16fordriving
atractor,riding ascooter,or those receivingDisabilityMobilityAl
lowance).Thevehiclebeingdrivenbythelearnermustalsobetted
withLplatesonboththebackandfrontofthevehicle.
Aretherules
forgetting the drivinglicence asstrict as inthe UK?Do youknow
somerulesofthetrafclaw?Canyoudrive?Whatdoyoulikemost
aboutit?DoyouknowwhenandwhytheBritishcustomofdriving
ontheleftsideoftheroadbegan?
Tracethe distance covered
byPMonthemapofLondon.Findinformationonsomeofthemost
interestingbuildings/streetsmentioned.
Makealist
ofthemandndoutwhattheystandfor.Speakabouteach.
Makealistofthem.Whattypeofpapersarethey?Choose
191
onenewspaperandspeakaboutit.CanyoudrawparallelwithRussian
newspapers?
Doyourownsurveytondoutaboutsome
incidentsinthelifeofotherpoliticiansormonarchssimilartotheones
whichhappenedtoHerbertAcquithandthemaincharacterofthesto
ry.Youmayndthefollowinglinkshelpful:
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRasquith.htm
http://www.rstworldwar.com/bio/asquith.htm
http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon61.html
Findoutmore
abouttheauthorandhisworks.Makeapresentationinclass.Youmay
ndthefollowinglinkshelpful:
http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=authC2D9C28
A0cb241C090XtG1678829
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0365249/
192
Arthur Conan Doyle
Itishardluckonayoungfellowto have expensive tastes,great
expectations, aristocratic connections, but no actual money in his
pocket,andnoprofessionbywhichhemayearnany.Thefactwasthat
my father, a good, sanguine, had such condence
in the wealth and benevolence of his bachelor elder brother, Lord
Southerton,thathethatI,hisonlyson,wouldne
verbecalledupontoearnalivingformyself.Heimaginedthatifthere
werenot a vacancy for meon the great Southerton Estates,at least
therewouldbefoundsomepostinthatdiplomaticservicewhichstill
remains the special preserve of our privileged classes. He died too
earlytorealizehowfalsehiscalculationshadbeen.Neithermyuncle
northeStatetookthe slightest noticeofme,orshowed any interest
inmycareer.Anoccasionalbraceofpheasants,orbasketofhares,was
allthateverreachedmetoremindmethatIwasheirtoOtwellHouse
andoneoftherichestestatesinthecountry.Inthemeantime,Ifound
myself a bachelor and , living in a suite of apart
mentsinGrosvenorMansions,withnooccupationsavethatofpigeon
shootingandpoloplayingatHurlingham.MonthbymonthIrealized
thatitwasmoreandmoredifculttogetthebrokerstorenewmybills,
ortocashanyfurtherpostobisuponanunentailedproperty.Ruinlay
rightaccrossmypath,andeveryday,Isawitclearer,nearer,andmore
absolutelyunavoidable.
What made me feel my own poverty the more was that, apart
from the great wealth of Lord Southerton, all my other relations
were fairly welltodo. The nearest of these was Everard King, my
father’snephewandmyownrstcousin,whohadspentanadventur
ouslifeinBrazil,andhadnowreturnedtothiscountrytosettledown
onhis fortune. Wenever knew howhe madehis money,but heap
pearedtohaveplentyofit,forheboughttheestateofGreylands,near
CliptonontheMarsh,in Suffolk.For the rst year of hisresidence
193
inEnglandhetooknomorenoticeofmethanmymiserlyuncle;but
atlastonesummermorning,tomyverygreatreliefandjoy,Ireceived
aletteraskingmetocomedownthatverydayandspendashortvisit
atGreylandsCourt.IwasexpectingaratherlongvisittoBankruptcy
Courtatthetime,andthisinterruptionseemedalmostprovidential.If
Icouldonlygetontermswiththisunknownrelativeofmine,Imight
pullthroughyet.Forthefamilycredithecouldnotletme
Iorderedmyvalettopackmyvalise,andIsetoffthesame
eveningforCliptonontheMarsh.
AfterchangingatIpswich,alittlelocaltraindepositedmeatasmall,
desertedstationlying amidstarolling grassy country,with a sluggish
andwindingrivercurvinginandoutamidstthevalleys,betweenhigh,
siltedbanks,whichshowedthatwe were withinreachofthetide.No
carriagewasawaitingme(Ifoundafterwardsthatmytelegramhadbeen
delayed), so I hired a dogcart at the local inn.The driver,an excel
lentfellow,was fullof my relative’spraises,and I learnedfrom him
thatMr.EverardKingwasalreadyanametoconjurewithinthatpart
ofthecountry.Hehad entertained theschoolchildren,hehadthrown
hisgroundsopentovisitors,hehadsubscribedtocharities—inshort,
his had been so universalthat mydriver could onlyac
countforitonthesuppositionthathehadparliamentaryambitions.
Myattentionwasdrawnawayfrommydriver’spanegyricbytheap
pearanceofaverybeautifulbirdwhichsettledonatelegraphpostbeside
theroad.AtrstIthoughtthatitwasajay,butitwaslarger,withabrighter
.The driver accounted for its presenceat once by saying that
itbelongedtothe verymanwhomwewereabouttovisit.Itseemsthat
theacclimatizationofforeigncreatureswasoneofhishobbies,andthathe
hadbroughtwithhimfromBrazilanumberofbirdsandbeastswhichhe
wasendeavouringtorearinEngland.Whenoncewehadpassedthegates
ofGreylandsParkwehadofthistasteofhis.Somesmall
spotted deer,a curious wild pig known, I believe, as a peccary,a gor
geouslyfeatheredoriole,somesortofandasingularlumber
ingintoedbeastlikeaveryfatwereamongthecreatureswhich
Iobservedaswedrovealongthewindingavenue.
194
Mr.Everard King,my unknowncousin, wasstanding inperson
uponthe stepsof his house, for hehad seenus inthe distance,and
guessedthatitwasI. His appearancewasveryhomelyand benevo
lent,shortandstout,fortyveyearsold,perhaps,witharound,good
humoured face, burned brown with the tropical sun, and shot with
athousandwrinkles.Heworewhitelinenclothes,intrueplanterstyle,
withacigarbetweenhis lips,andalargePanamahatupontheback
ofhishead.Itwassuchagureasoneassociateswithaverandahed
bungalow,anditlookedcuriouslyoutofplaceinfrontofthisbroad,
stone English mansion, with its solid wings and its Palladio pillars
beforethedoorway.
“Mydear!”hecried,glancingoverhisshoulder;“mydear,hereis
ourguest!Welcome,welcometoGreylands!Iamdelightedtomake
youracquaintance,CousinMarshall,andItakeitasagreatcompli
mentthatyoushouldhonourthissleepylittlecountryplacewithyour
presence.”
Nothing could be more hearty than his manner,and
in an instant. But it needed all his cordiality to atone
forthefrigidityandevenrudenessofhiswife,atall,haggardwom
an,who came forwardat his summons. She was, I believe, ofBra
zilianextraction,though shespokeexcellent English, andIexcused
hermanners on thescore of her ignorance of our customs. She did
notattempttoconceal,however,eitherthenorafterwards,thatIwas
noverywelcomevisitoratGreylandsCourt.Heractualwordswere,
asarule,courteous,butshewasthepossessorofapairofparticularly
expressivedarkeyes,andIreadinthemveryclearlyfromtherstthat
sheheartilywishedmebackinLondononcemore.
However, my debts were too pressing and my designs upon
mywealthyrelativeweretoovitalformetoallowthem to beupset
bytheilltemperofhiswife,soIdisregardedhercoldnessandrecipro
catedtheextremecordialityofhiswelcome.Nopainshadbeenspared
byhimtomakemecomfortable. My roomwasacharmingone.He
imploredmetotellhimanythingwhichcouldaddtomyhappiness.
toinformhimthatablankchequewould
195
materiallyhelptowardsthatend,butIfeltthatitmightbepremature
inthepresentstateofouracquaintance.Thedinnerwasexcellent,and
aswesattogetherafterwardsoverhisHavanasandcoffee,whichlater
hetoldmewasspeciallyprepareduponhisownplantation,itseemed
tomethatallmydriver’seulogieswerejustied,andthatIhadnever
metamorelargeheartedandhospitableman.
But,inspiteofhischeerygoodnature,hewasamanwithastrong
will and a ery temper of his own. Of this I had an example upon
thefollowingmorning.ThecuriousaversionwhichMrs.EverardKing
hadconceivedtowardsmewassostrong,thathermanneratbreakfast
was almost offensive. But her meaningbecame unmistakable when
herhusbandhadquittedtheroom.
“Thebesttraininthedayisattwelvefteen,”saidshe.
“ButIwasnotthinking of goingtoday,”I answered, frankly—
perhapsevendeantly,forIwasdeterminednottobedrivenout.
“Oh,ifitrestswithyou”saidshe,andstoppedwithamostinso
lentexpressioninhereyes.
“Iamsure,”Ianswered,“thatMr.EverardKingwouldtellmeif
Iwereoutstayingmywelcome.”
“What’sthis?What’sthis?”saidavoice,andtherehewasinthe
room.Hehadoverheardmylastwords,andaglanceatourfaceshad
toldhimtherest.Inaninstanthischubby,cheeryfacesetintoanex
pressionofabsoluteferocity.
“MightItroubleyoutowalkoutside,Marshall?”saidhe.(Imay
mentionthatmyownnameisMarshallKing.)
Heclosed thedoor behind me, and then, for aninstant, Iheard
himtalkingina low voiceofconcentratedpassion to hiswife.This
grossbreachofhospitalityhadevidentlyhituponhistenderestpoint.
Iamnoeavesdropper,soIwalkedoutontothelawn.PresentlyIheard
ahurriedstepbehindme,andtherewasthelady,herface
,andher.
“My husband has asked me to apologize to you, Mr.Marshall
King,”saidshe,standingwithdowncasteyesbeforeme.
“Pleasedonotsayanotherword,Mrs.King.”
196
Herdarkeyessuddenlyblazedoutatme.
“Youfool!”shehissed,withfranticvehemence,andturningonher
heelsweptbacktothehouse.
Theinsult was sooutrageous, so insufferable,that I could only
standstaringafterherinbewilderment.Iwasstilltherewhenmyhost
joinedme.Hewashischeery,chubbyselfoncemore.
“Ihopethatmywifehasapologizedforherfoolishremarks,”saidhe.
“Oh,yesyes,certainly!”
Heputhishandthroughmyarmandwalkedwithmeupanddown
thelawn.
“Youmustnot,”saidhe.“ltwouldgrievemein
expressiblyifyoubyonehour.Thefactis—there
isnoreasonwhythereshouldbeanyconcealmentbetweenrelatives—
thatmypoordearwifeisincrediblyjealous.Shehatesthatanyone—
maleorfemale—shouldforaninstantcomebetweenus.Heridealis
adesertislandandaneternalteteatete.Thatgivesyouthecluetoher
actions,whichare,Iconfess,uponthisparticularpoint,notveryfarre
movedfrommania.Tellmethatyouwillthinknomoreofit.”
“No,no;certainlynot.”
“Thenlightthiscigarandcomeroundwithmeandseemylittle
.”
Thewholeafternoonwasoccupiedbythisinspection,whichin
cludedallthebirds,beasts,andevenreptileswhichhehadimported.
Somewerefree,someincages,afewactuallyinthehouse.Hespoke
withenthusiasm ofhis successesand his failures, his births and his
deaths,andhecouldcryoutinhisdelight,likeaschoolboy,when,as
wewalked,somegaudybirdwouldutterupfromthegrass,orsome
curiousbeastslinkintothecover.Finallyheledmedownacorridor
whichextendedfromonewingofthehouse.Attheendofthisthere
wasaheavydoorwithaslidingshutterinit,andbesideittherepro
jectedfromthewallanironhandleattachedtoawheelandadrum.
Alineofstoutbarsextendedacrossthepassage.
“I am about to show you the jewel of my collection,” said he.
“ThereisonlyoneotherspecimeninEurope,nowthattheRotterdam
cubisdead.ItisaBraziliancat.”
197
“Buthowdoesthatdifferfromanyothercat?”
“Youwillsoonseethat,”saidhe,laughing.“Willyoukindlydraw
thatshutterandlookthrough?”
Idid so,and foundthat Iwas gazing into a large,empty room,
with stone ags, and small, barred windows upon the farther wall.
In the centre of this room, lying in the middle of a golden patch
of sunlight, there was stretched a huge creature, as large as a tiger,
butasblackandsleekasebony.Itwassimplyaveryenormousand
verywellkeptblackcat,anditcuddledupandbaskedinthatyellow
pooloflightexactlyasacatwoulddo.Itwassograceful,sosinewy,
andsogentlyandsmoothlydiabolical,thatIcouldnottakemyeyes
fromtheopening.
“Isn’thesplendid”saidmyhost,enthusiastically.
“Glorious!Ineversawsuchanoblecreature.”
“Somepeoplecallitablackpuma,butreallyitisnotapumaatall.
Thatfellowisnearlyelevenfeetfromtailtotip.Fouryearsagohewas
alittleballofblackuff,withtwoyelloweyesstaringoutofit.Hewas
soldmeasanewbornupinthewildcountryattheheadwaters
oftheRioNegro.Theyspearedhismothertodeathaftershehadkilled
adozenofthem.”
“Theyareferocious,then?”
“Themostabsolutelytreacherousandbloodthirstycreaturesupon
earth.YoutalkaboutaBraziliancattoanupcountryIndian,andsee
himgetthejumps.Theypreferhumanstogame.Thisfellowhasnever
tastedlivingbloodyet,butwhenhedoeshewillbeaterror.Atpresent
hewon’tstandanyonebutmeinhis.EvenBaldwin,thegroom,
darenotgonearhim.Astome,Iamhismotherandfatherinone.”
Ashe spoke he suddenly,tomy astonishment,opened the door
and slipped in, closing it instantly behind him.At the sound of his
voicethehuge,lithecreaturerose,yawnedandrubbeditsround,black
headaffectionatelyagainsthisside,whilehepattedandfondledit.
“Now,Tommy,intoyourcage!”saidhe.
Themonstrouscatwalkedovertoonesideoftheroomandcoiled
itselfupunderagrating.EverardKingcameout,andtakingtheiron
198
handlewhichIhavementioned,hebegantoturnit.Ashedidsothe
lineofbarsinthecorridorbegantopassthroughaslotinthewalland
closedup thefront of this grating, soas tomake an effective cage.
Whenitwasinpositionheopenedthedooroncemoreandinvitedme
intotheroom,whichwasheavywiththepungent,mustysmellpecu
liartothegreatcarnivora.
“That’showweworkit,”saidhe.“Wegivehimtherunoftheroom
forexercise,andthenatnightweputhiminhiscage.Youcanlethim
outby turning the handlefrom the passage, or you can, as you have
seen,coophimupinthesameway.No,no,youshouldnotdothat!”
I had put my hand between the bars to pat the glossy, heaving
ank.Hepulleditback,withaseriousface.
“Iassureyouthatheisnotsafe.Don’timaginethatbecauseIcan
takeliberties withhim anyoneelse can.He is very exclusive in his
friendsaren’tyou, Tommy?Ah, he hears his lunch coming tohim!
Don’tyou,boy?”
Astepsoundedinthestoneaggedpassage,andthecreaturehad
sprungtohisfeet,andthenarrowcage,his
yelloweyesgleaming,and hisscarlettonguerippling andquivering
overthewhitelineofhisjaggedteeth.Agroomenteredwithacoarse
jointupona tray, and thrustit through thebars tohim.He pounced
lightlyuponit,carrieditofftothecomer,andthere,holdingitbenveen
hispaws,toreandwrenchedatit,raisinghisbloodymuzzleeverynow
andthentolookatus.Itwasamalignantandyetfascinatingsight.
“Youcan’twonderthatIamfondofhim,canyou!”saidmyhost,
aswe left the room, “especiallywhen you consider that Ihave had
therearingofhim.Itwasnojokebringinghimoverfromthecentre
ofSouthAmerica;buthereheissafeandsound—and,asIhavesaid,
farthe most perfectspecimen inEurope.The peopleat theZooare
dyingtohavehim,butIreallycan’tpartwithhim.Now,Ithinkthat
Ihaveinictedmyhobbyuponyoulongenough,sowecannotdobet
terthanfollowTommy’sexample,andgotoourlunch.”
MySouthAmericanrelativewassoengrossedbyhisgroundsand
theircuriousoccupants,thatIhardlygavehimcreditatrstforhaving
199
anyinterestsoutsidethem.Thathehadsome,andpressingones,was
soonborneinuponmebythenumberoftelegramswhichhereceived.
Theyarrivedatallhours,andwerealwaysopenedbyhimwiththeut
mosteagernessandanxietyuponhisface.SometimesIimaginedthat
itmustbetheTurf,andsometimestheStockExchange,butcertainly
hehadsomeveryurgentbusinessgoingforwardswhichwasnottrans
actedupontheDownsofSuffolk.Duringthesixdaysofmyvisithe
hadneverfewerthanthreeorfourtelegramsaday,andsometimesas
manyassevenoreight.
Ihadoccupiedthesesixdayssowell,thatbytheendofthemIhad
succeededingettinguponthemostcordialtermswithmycousin.Eve
rynightwehadsatuplateinthebilliardroom,hetellingmethemost
extraordinarystoriesofhisadventuresinAmerica—storiessodes
perateandreckless,thatIcouldhardlyassociatethemwiththebrown
little,chubbymanbeforeme.Inretum,Iventureduponsomeofmy
ownreminiscencesofLondonlife,whichinterestedhimsomuch,that
hevowedhewouldcomeuptoGrosvenorMansionsandstaywithme.
Hewasanxioustoseethefastersideofcitylife,andcertainly,though
Isayit,hecouldnothavechosenamorecompetentguide.Itwasnot
untilthelast dayofmy visitthatI venturedtoapproach thatwhich
wasonmymind.Itoldhimfranklyaboutmy
and my impending ruin, and I asked his advice — though I hoped
forsomethingmoresolid.Helistenedattentively,pufnghardathis
cigar.
“Butsurely,”saidhe,“youaretheheirofourrelative,LordSou
therton?”
“Ihaveeveryreasontobelieveso,buthewouldnever
“No,no,Ihaveheardofhismiserlyways.MypoorMarshallyour
positionhasbeen avery hard one.By the way,have youheardany
newsofLordSoutherton’shealthlately?”
“Hehasalwaysbeeninacriticalconditioneversincemychildhood.”
“Exactly—acreakinghinge,ifevertherewasone.Yourinheritance
maybealongwayoff.Dearme,howawkwardlysituatedyouare!”
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