Поворот гвинта
Chapter 6
“Toofreewithmyboy?”
“Toofreewitheveryone!”
Iforbore,forthemoment,toanalyzethisdescriptionfurtherthanbythereflectionthatapartofitappliedtoseveralofthemembersofthehousehold,ofthehalf-dozenmaidsandmenwhowerestillofoursmallcolony.Buttherewaseverything,forourapprehension,intheluckyfactthatnodiscomfortablelegend,noperturbationofscullions,hadever,withinanyone’smemoryattachedtothekindoldplace.Ithadneitherbadnamenorillfame,andMrs.Grose,mostapparently,onlydesiredtoclingtomeandtoquakeinsilence.Ievenputher,theverylastthingofall,tothetest.Itwaswhen,atmidnight,shehadherhandontheschoolroomdoortotakeleave.“Ihaveitfromyouthen—forit’sofgreatimportance—thathewasdefinitelyandadmittedlybad?”
“Oh,notadmittedly.Iknewit—butthemasterdidn’t.”
“Andyounevertoldhim?”
“Well,hedidn’tliketale-bearing—hehatedcomplaints.Hewasterriblyshortwithanythingofthatkind,andifpeoplewereallrighttohim—”
“Hewouldn’tbebotheredwithmore?”Thissquaredwellenoughwithmyimpressionsofhim:hewasnotatrouble-lovinggentleman,norsoveryparticularperhapsaboutsomeofthecompanyhekept.Allthesame,Ipressedmyinterlocutress.“IpromiseyouIwouldhavetold!”
Shefeltmydiscrimination.“IdaresayIwaswrong.But,really,Iwasafraid.”
“Afraidofwhat?”
“Ofthingsthatmancoulddo.Quintwassoclever—hewassodeep.
