第2部分(第4/6 页)

”　The　nod；　the　smile　and　the　unmeaning　monosyllable；　were　returned　conscientiously。　Another　pause　was　broken　by　one　of　us　with　a　fit　of　coughing。　It　was　an　obviously　assumed　fit；　but　it　served　to　pass　the　time。　The　bustle　of　the　platform　was　unabated。　There　was　no　sign　of　the　train’s　departure。　Release—ours；　and　our　friend’s—was　not　yet。

My　wandering　eye　alighted　on　a　rather　portly　middle…aged　man　who　was　talking　earnestly　from　the　platform　to　a　young　lady　at　the　next　window　but　one　to　ours。　His　fine　profile　was　vaguely4　familiar　to　me。　The　young　lady　was　evidently　American；　and　he　was　evidently　English；　otherwise　I　should　have　guessed　from　his　impressive　air　that　he　was　her　father。　I　wished　I　could　hear　what　he　was　saying。　I　was　sure　he　was　giving　the　very　best　advice；　and　the　strong　tenderness　of　his　gaze　was　really　beautiful。　He　seemed　magnetic；　as　he　poured　out　his　final　injunctions。　I　could　feel　something　of　his　magnetism　even　where　I　stood。　And　the　magnetism；　like　the　profile；　was　vaguely　familiar　to　me。　Where　had　I　experienced　it？

In　a　flash　I　remembered。　The　man　was　Hubert　Le　Ros。　But　how　changed　since　last　I　saw　him！　That　was　seven　or　eight　years　ago；　in　the　Strand。　He　was　then　（as　usual）　out　of　an　engagement；　and　borrowed　half…a…crown。　It　seemed　a　privilege　to　lend　anything　to　him。　He　was　always　magnetic。　And　why　his　magnetism5　had　never　made　him　successful　on　the　London　stage　was　always　a　mystery　to　me。　He　was　an　excellent　actor；　and　a　man　of　sober　habit。　But；　like　many　others　of　his　kind；　Hubert　Le　Ros　（I　do　not；　of　course；　give　the　actual　name　by　which　he　was　known）　drifted　speedily　away　into　the　provinces；　and　I；　like　every　one　else；　ceased　to　remember　him。。　最好的txt下载网

送　行（5）

It　was　strange　to　see　him；　after　all　these　years；　here