Нортенгерське абатство
Chapter 7
Hetookouthiswatch:“HowlongdoyouthinkwehavebeenrunningitfromTetbury,MissMorland?”
“Idonotknowthedistance.”Herbrothertoldherthatitwastwenty-threemiles.
“Threeandtwenty!”criedThorpe.“Fiveandtwentyifitisaninch.”Morlandremonstrated,pleadedtheauthorityofroad-books,innkeepers,andmilestones;buthisfrienddisregardedthemall;hehadasurertestofdistance.“Iknowitmustbefiveandtwenty,”saidhe,“bythetimewehavebeendoingit.Itisnowhalfafterone;wedroveoutoftheinn-yardatTetburyasthetownclockstruckeleven;andIdefyanymaninEnglandtomakemyhorsegolessthantenmilesanhourinharness;thatmakesitexactlytwenty-five.”
“Youhavelostanhour,”saidMorland;“itwasonlyteno’clockwhenwecamefromTetbury.”
“Teno’clock!Itwaseleven,uponmysoul!Icountedeverystroke.Thisbrotherofyourswouldpersuademeoutofmysenses,MissMorland;dobutlookatmyhorse;didyoueverseeananimalsomadeforspeedinyourlife?”(Theservanthadjustmountedthecarriageandwasdrivingoff.)“Suchtrueblood!Threehoursandandahalfindeedcomingonlythreeandtwentymiles!Lookatthatcreature,andsupposeitpossibleifyoucan.”
“Hedoeslookveryhot,tobesure.”
“Hot!HehadnotturnedahairtillwecametoWalcotChurch;butlookathisforehand;lookathisloins;onlyseehowhemoves;thathorsecannotgolessthantenmilesanhour:tiehislegsandhewillgeton.
