The39Steps第三十九级台阶TheManWhoDiedIreturnedfromtheCityaboutthreeo'clockonthatMayafternoonprettywelldisgustedwithlife.IhadbeenthreemonthsintheOldCountry,andwasfedupwithit.IfanyonehadtoldmeayearagothatIwouldhavebeenfeelinglikethatIshouldhavelaughedathim;buttherewasthefact.Theweathermademeliverish,thetalkoftheordinaryEnglishmanmademesick,Icouldn'tgetenoughexercise,andtheamusementsofLondonseemedasflatassoda-waterthathasbeenstandinginthesun."RichardHannay,"Ikepttellingmyself,"youhavegotintothewrongditch,myfriend,andyouhadbetterclimbout."ItmademebitemylipstothinkoftheplansIhadbeenbuildingupthoselastyearsinBulawayo.Ihadgotmypile--notoneofthebigones,butgoodenoughforme;andIhadfiguredoutallkindsofwaysofenjoyingmyself.MyfatherhadbroughtmeoutfromScotlandattheageofsix,andIhadneverbeenhomesince;soEnglandwasasortofArabianNightstome,andIcountedonstoppingtherefortherestofmydays.ButfromthefirstIwasdisappointedwithit.InaboutaweekIwastiredofseeingsights,andinlessthanamonthIhadhadenoughofrestaurantsandtheatresandrace-meetings.Ihadnorealpaltogoaboutwith,whichprobablyexplainsthings.Plentyofpeopleinvitedmetotheirhouses,buttheydidn'tseemmuchinterestedinme.TheywouldflingmeaquestionortwoaboutSouthAfrica,andthengetontotheirownaffairs.AlotofImperialistladiesaskedmetoteatomeetschoolmastersfromNewZealandandeditorsfromVancouver,andthatwasthedismallestbusinessofall.HerewasI,thirty-sevenyearsold,soundinwindandlimb,withenoughmoneytohaveagoodtime,yawningmyheadoffallday.Ihadjustaboutsettledtoclearoutandgetbacktotheveld,forIwasthebestboredmanintheUnitedKingdom.ThatafternoonIhadbeenworryingmybrokersaboutinvestmentstogivemymindsomethingtoworkon,andonmywayhomeIturnedintomyclub--ratherapot-house,whichtookinColonialmembers.Ihadalongdrink,andreadtheeveningpapers.TheywerefulloftherowintheNearEast,andtherewasanarticleaboutKarolides,theGreekPremier.Iratherfanciedthechap.Fromallaccountsheseemedtheonebigmanintheshow;andheplayedastraightgametoo,whichwasmorethancouldbesaidformostofthem.IgatheredthattheyhatedhimprettyblacklyinBerlinandVienna,butthatweweregoingtostickbyhim,andonepapersaidthathewastheonlybarrierbetweenEuropeandArmageddon.IrememberwonderingifIcouldgetajobinthoseparts.ItstruckmethatAlbaniawasthesortofplacethatmightkeepamanfromyawning.Aboutsixo'clockIwenthome,dressed,dinedattheCafe'Royal,andturnedintoamusic-hall.Itwasasillyshow,allcaperingwomenandmonkey-facedmen,andIdidnotstaylong.ThenightwasfineandclearasIwalkedbacktotheflatIhadhirednearPortlandPlace.Thecrowdsurgedpastmeonthepavements,busyandchattering,andIenviedthepeopleforhavingsomethingtodo.Theseshop-girlsandclerksanddandiesandpolicemenhadsomeinterestinlife用心爱心专心1thatkeptthemgoing.IgavehalfacrowntoabeggarbecauseIsawhimyawn;hewasafellow-sufferer.AtOxfordCircusIlookedupintothespringskyandImadeavow.IwouldgivetheOldCountryanotherdaytofitmeintosomething;ifnothinghappened,IwouldtakethenextboatfortheCape.MyflatwasthefirstfloorinanewblockbehindLanghamPlace.Therewasacommonstaircase,withaporterandaliftmanattheentrance,buttherewasnorestaurantoranythingofthatsort,andeachflatwasquiteshutofffromtheothers.Ihateservantsonthepremises,soIhadafellowtolookaftermewhocameinbytheday.Hearrivedbeforeeighto'clockeverymorningandusedtodepartatseven,forIneverdinedathome.IwasjustfittingmykeyintothedoorwhenInoticedamanatmyelbow.Ihadnotseenhimapproach,andthesuddenappearancemade...
