Отруєний пояс
Chapter I. The Blurring Of Lines
Itisonlynow,asIlookback,thatIseetheirrelationtothewholestorywhichIhavetounfold.
Thechauffeurmust,asitseemedtome,havebeenanoviceorelsehavelosthisnerveinthisdisturbance,forhedrovevilelyonthewaytothestation.Twicewenearlyhadcollisionswithotherequallyerraticvehicles,andIrememberremarkingtoSummerleethatthestandardofdrivinginLondonhadverymuchdeclined.OncewebrushedtheveryedgeofagreatcrowdwhichwaswatchingafightatthecorneroftheMall.Thepeople,whoweremuchexcited,raisedcriesofangerattheclumsydriving,andonefellowspranguponthestepandwavedastickaboveourheads.Ipushedhimoff,butweweregladwhenwehadgotclearofthemandsafeoutofthepark.Theselittleevents,comingoneaftertheother,leftmeveryjangledinmynerves,andIcouldseefrommycompanion’spetulantmannerthathisownpatiencehadgottoalowebb.
ButourgoodhumourwasrestoredwhenwesawLordJohnRoxtonwaitingforusupontheplatform,histall,thinfigurecladinayellowtweedshooting-suit.Hiskeenface,withthoseunforgettableeyes,sofierceandyetsohumorous,flushedwithpleasureatthesightofus.Hisruddyhairwasshotwithgrey,andthefurrowsuponhisbrowhadbeencutalittledeeperbyTime’schisel,butinallelsehewastheLordJohnwhohadbeenourgoodcomradeinthepast.
"Hullo,HerrProfessor!Hullo,youngfella!"heshoutedashecametowardus.
Heroaredwithamusementwhenhesawtheoxygencylindersupontheporter’strollybehindus."Soyou’vegotthemtoo!"hecried.
