HOW THREE WAGERS WERE MADE, AND ADÈLE KILLED TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE
We had slept, risen and breakfasted: we had visited Tours Cathedral:
finally, we had mustered in the lounge of the hotel. It was when we
had there been insulting one another for nearly an hour, that Jonah
looked at his watch.
"We have now," he said, "wasted exactly forty-nine minutes in kicking
against the pricks. Short of a European war, you can't alter the
geography of France, and the laws of Mathematics take a lot of
upsetting. It's no good wishing that Bordeaux was Biarritz, or that
Pau was half the distance it is from Angoulême. If you don't want to
go right through, you must stay at Bordeaux. It's the only possible
place. If you don't want to stay at Bordeaux, you must go right
through. I don't care which we do, but I do want to see something of
Poitiers, and, if we don't get a move on, we shan't have time."
All the way from Boulogne France had made an excellent host. So far
she had never failed to offer us a good night's lodging, with History
as a bedfellow, at the end of a respectable run. Indeed, from the
point of view of they that go down to the South in cars, her famous
capitals could hardly have been more conveniently disposed. This very
evening, by lodging us at Angoulême, she was to repeat such hospitality
for the last time. Upon the morrow we should be faced with a choice of
making a dash for the villa which was awaiting our arrival at Pau, or
breaking the journey asunder--but by no means in half--by sleeping at
Bordeaux.
"I must confess," said Daphne, "that, for some reason or other,
Bordeaux doesn't attract me. Incidentally, I'm getting rather tired of
unpacking and packing up."
"So far," said her husband, "as the bestowal and disinterment of my
effects are concerned, I can confirm that statement. Indeed, if we had
another week on the road, you'd both be exhausted. You left my sponge
and bedroom-slippers at Boulogne, my dressing-gown at Rouen, and my
pyjamas at Chartres. I wish you'd tell me what you've left here. I'm
simply dying to know."
"No," said Daphne. "You must wait till Angoulême. I wouldn't spoil it
for anything."
"Jade," said her husband. "And now, stand back, please, everybody. I
want to do a little stock-taking." With that, from every pocket he
produced French notes of all denominations, in all stages of decay, and
heaped them upon the table. "Now, this one," he added, gingerly
extracting a filthy and dilapidated rag, "is a particularly interesting
specimen. Apparently, upon close inspection, merely a valuable
security, worth, to be exact, a shade under twopence-half-penny, it is
in reality a talisman. Whosoever touches it, cannot fail to contract
at least two contagious diseases within the week. In view of the
temperature of my coffee this morning, I'm saving it for the
head-waiter."
"When," said I, "do you expect to go down?"
"The pure in heart," said Berry, "are proof against its malignity.
Don't you come too near. And look at this sere and yellow leaf. Now,
that represents one franc. When I think that, upon offering that to a
bar-tender, I shall not only not be assaulted, but shall actually
receive a large bottle of beer and be lent a two-and-sixpenny glass
from which to imbibe the same, I feel the deepest reverence for the
French Government. No other authority in the world could possibly put
up such a bluff and get away with it."
"They are awful," said Jill, peering.
"They're perfectly beastly," said Berry, "and wholly ridiculous.
However, since they're also legal tender, I suppose I may as well try
and sort them out. What I really need is some rubber gloves and a
box-respirator. Hullo! Just catch that one, will you? He's seen that
dog over there.... You know, I'm not at all sure that they get enough
air in my pocket. I suppose we couldn't get a hutch for the more
advanced ones. I mean, I don't want to be cruel."
Again Jonah looked at his watch.
"We have now," he said, "wasted fifty-six minutes in----"
"Excuse me," said Berry, "but isn't this touching? Here's affectionate
Albert." With the words, he laid a two-franc note tenderly upon my
sleeve. "Now, I bet you don't get him off without tearing him."
Disgustedly I managed to detach Albert, who instantly adhered to my
fingers.
There was a shriek of laughter.
"Stick to him," said Berry. "I've lost the bet."
The injunction was unnecessary.
After Albert had clung once to Adèle's--happily, gloved--fingers and
twice to each of my hands, I trod upon him. Some of Albert was still
upon my boot that evening at Angoulême.
"For the last time," said Jonah, "I appeal to you all to let that
dog-eared mountebank rake over his muck-heap, and attend to me."
My brother-in-law addressed Adèle.
"It is," he said, "a discreditable but incontrovertible fact that
saints have always been reviled. I suppose it's jealousy." He turned
to his wife. "By the way, did you pack my _aureola_? I left it
hanging on the towel-rail."
"If," said Daphne, "you're referring to your body-belt, it's with your
bed-socks."
"And why not between your flannel vests?" said her husband. "The grey
ones we found at Margate, I mean. With the imitation bone buttons.
Ah, here we are. Now, if half a franc's no earthly, what'll who give
me for two-thirds of fifty centimes?"
Jonah sank into a chair and closed his eyes.
"Look here," said I desperately. "Once for all, are we going to stay
at Bordeaux, or are we going right through?"
"I think we'd all rather go right through," said Jill.
"I know I would," said her brother. "And if Boy's leg was all right, I
shouldn't hesitate. I'll answer for Ping. But, frankly, with Berry
driving, I doubt if Pong'll fetch up. I mean, two hundred and
twenty-two miles takes some biting off."
There was a pregnant silence. Then--
"He'll never do it," said Daphne.
Her husband, who was still busy with his paper, looked up defiantly.
Then he took a thousand-franc note and laid it apart from its fellows
upon the table.
"I will wager that shekel," he said deliberately, "that, with a start
of one hour to-morrow, Pong reaches Pau before Ping."
There was a gasp of astonishment.
"Done," said Jonah. "What's more, I'll bet you another you don't get
in before ten."
Berry raised his eyes to heaven.
"An insult," he said. "Never mind. Your dross shall wipe it out. I
take you."
"And I," said I, not to be outdone, "will put another on Pong for the
double."
I felt that my honour was involved. After all, if I had not trained
the mount, I was training the jockey.
"Right," said Jonah. "Will you both pay me now, or wait till you're
out of hospital?"
"I think," said I, "we'll have a run for our money."
The bets were made, and there was an end of it. But when we were again
in the car, and my brother-in-law was threading his way out of Tours, I
began to repent my rashness.
Considering that, when he took the wheel at Boulogne, Berry had had
only three lessons in the management of a car, he had done most
creditably. My brother-in-law was no fool. Moreover, on leaving
Rouen, he and I had joined forces. Sitting beside him in the coupé, I
had driven the car with his hands--after a little practice--with
astonishing results. In two days we had, we prided ourselves, raised
such collaboration from the ranks of the Mechanical to the society of
the Fine Arts. My part was comparatively easy. Sinking his initiative
he had more nearly converted himself into an intelligent piece of
mechanism than I would have believed possible. It would, of course, be
vain to suggest that Pong would not have gone faster if I had been able
to drive with my own hands, or Berry had had my experience. Still, we
had come very well, and with a start of a whole hour and a little
luck.... Another point in our favour was that Adèle, who with Nobby
completed our crew, had a pronounced gift for map-reading. She had an
eye to country. She seemed to be able to scent the line we ought to
take. The frequent treachery of signposts she laughed to scorn. Upon
the morrow her confident assistance would be invaluable....
What, when I made my bet, I had entirely forgotten, was that we were
not always upon the open road. There was the rub. From Angoulême to
Pau towns would have to be penetrated--among them Bordeaux itself--and
in the towns our system had broken down. In a crowded street, though I
could still administer, Berry could not execute. When I endeavoured to
allow for his inexperience of traffic, I found it impossible accurately
to gauge his capabilities. After a failure or two, it had been agreed
that he should negotiate such streets as we encountered without my
interference.... Of my haste to support Pong's honour, I had forgotten
the towns.
With years of practice behind us, Jonah and I could thrust through
traffic, happy enough with an odd inch to spare. Naturally enough,
Berry had no such confidence. An inch was of no use to him. He must
have a good ell, and more also, before he would enter a gap. In the
trough of a narrow street he laboured heavily.... There was no doubt
about it. The towns through which we should have to pass on Wednesday
would settle our chances. My money was as good as gone.
It seemed equally probable that Berry would save his stake. Barring
accidents of the grosser sort, if we started betimes, we were bound to
reach Pau before ten. Such a protasis robbed the bet of its savour.
With a thousand francs at stake, it would be foolish not to take
reasonable care. And the taking of reasonable care would all but
eliminate the element of uncertainty.... There was no getting away
from it. Of the two wagers, only the first was worth winning. To
reach Pau before Jonah would be a veritable triumph.
Moodily I communicated my reflections to Adèle.
"I thought it was rather rash at the time," she replied. "But I think
there's a sporting chance."
"That's right," said Berry. "Put your money on uncle. With enough
encouragement I can do anything."
"Permit me to encourage you to blow your horn," said I. "That child in
front of you is too young to die." My brother-in-law obeyed. "All the
same, I'm afraid we're for it. It isn't so much a question of pace,
pure and simple, for Jonah's a careful driver. But his street work is
beautiful."
Berry sighed.
"I suppose he'd pass between those two waggons," he said sarcastically.
"He would," said I.
"I don't think you quite see where I mean," said Berry, pointing. "I
mean along that temporary passage, which would admit a small
perambulator."
As he spoke, Ping brushed past us, slipped between the two wains, and
disappeared.
Berry stared after it in silence. At length--
"I withdraw," he said. "I'm not a conjurer. If everybody stood well
back I used to be able to produce an egg, broken or unbroken according
to the temperature of my hands, from a handkerchief about six feet
square. People were very nice about it, very nice. But an inability
to introduce a quart into a pint pot has always been among my failings.
Don't say I've got to turn to the left here, because I can't bear it."
"No," said Adèle, smiling. "Straight on."
"What--past the steam roller? How very touching! Excuse me,
messieurs, but would you mind suspending your somewhat boisterous
_travail_? My little car is frightened.... No answer. I suppose I
must pass it. Or shall we turn back? You know, I didn't really half
see the cathedral!"
"Go on," I said mercilessly. "Jam your foot on the accelerator and
shut your eyes. Oh, and you might hold Nobby a minute, will you? I
want to light a cigarette."
Adèle began to shake with laughter.
"With pleasure," said Berry acidly. "And then I'll help you on with
your coat. I may say that, if you touch me with that mammal, I shall
press and pull everything I can see and burst into tears. I'm all
strung up, I am."
There was not much room, and the roller was ponderously closing in, but
with a protruding tongue our luckless chauffeur crept slowly past the
monster in safety, and a moment later we were scudding up the Poitiers
road.
Now that we were clear of the town, we set to work diligently. Adèle
pored over the map and the Michelin Guide; Berry turned himself into a
mechanical doll; and I maintained a steady issue of orders until my
throat was sore.
The weather was fair and the going was good. Her new-born stiffness
beginning to wear off, Pong went better than ever. Berry excelled
himself.
With every kilometre we covered my spirits rose, and when we overtook
Jonah on the outskirts of Chatellerault, I could have flung up my cap.
The latter was clearly immensely surprised to see us, and when we
stopped, as was our custom, at a _charcuterie_ to buy our lunch, and
Ping had followed our example, leaned out of his window and asked me
pointedly whether my leg was yet stiff.
Concealing a smile, I regretted that it was.
Jonah fingered his chin.
"Of course," he said warily, "it's a condition precedent that you don't
drive to-morrow."
"Of course," I agreed.
The confession of uneasiness, however, did my heart good. It was plain
that my imperturbable cousin was getting nervous.
As we moved off again--
"We must lunch soon," said Berry. "My mouth's watering so fast, I
can't keep up with it."
I patted Adèle's arm.
"Now you know the way to his heart," I said. "Straight through the
stomach, and----"
"But how gross!" said Berry. "And how untrue! Naturally ascetic, but
for the insistence of my physicians, I should long ago have let my hair
grow and subsisted entirely on locusts and motionless lemonade. But a
harsh Fate ruled otherwise. Excuse me, but I think that that there
basket or ark in which the comfort is enshrined is rather near the
conduit through which flows that sparkling liquid which, when vapoured,
supplies our motive power. And _foie gras_ is notoriously susceptible
to the baneful influence of neighbouring perfumes. Thank you. If
those bits of heaven were to taste of petrol, it would shorten my life.
And now, where was I?"
I turned to Adèle.
"He's off," said I. "The prospect of gluttony always loosens his
tongue. There's really only one way to stop him. What about lunching
at the top of this hill? Or can you bear it till we've passed
Poitiers?"
A mischievous look came into Adèle's brown eyes.
"It's not half-past twelve yet," she said slowly. My brother-in-law
groaned. "Still ... I don't know.... After all, we did have
breakfast rather early, didn't we?"
Berry smacked his lips.
"A sensible woman," he said, "is above boobies."
As he spoke, Ping swept by stormily.
There was a moment's silence. Then--
"Hurray," cried Adèle excitedly; "we've got a rise!"
It was patently true. Jonah was wishful to reassure himself upon a
point which an hour ago he had taken for granted. The reflection that
at the moment we had not been trying to outdistance him increased our
delight. All the same, his ability to out-drive us was unquestionable.
But whether he could give us the start he had agreed to was another
matter.
We ate a festive lunch....
An hour with Poitiers is like a sip of old wine.
The absence of the stir and bustle which fret her sister capitals is
notable. So reverend and thoughtful is the old grey-muzzled town that
it is hard to recognise the bristling war-dog that bestrode the
toughest centuries, snarled in the face of Fate, and pulled down Time.
The old soldier has got him a cassock and become a gentle-faced
dominie. The sleepy music of bells calling, the pensive air of study,
the odour of simple piety, the sober confidence of great possessions,
are most impressive. Poitiers has beaten her swords into crosiers and
her spears into tuning-forks. Never was there an old age so ripe, so
mellow, so becoming. With this for evidence, you may look History in
the eyes and swear that you have seen Poitiers in the prime of her full
life. The dead will turn in their graves to hear you; children unborn
will say you knew no better. And Poitiers will take the threefold
compliment with a grave smile. She has heard it so often.
Celt, Roman, Visigoth, Moor, Englishman--all these have held Poitiers
in turn. Proud of their tenure, lest History should forget, three at
least of them have set up their boasts in stone. The place was, I
imagine, a favourite. Kings used her, certainly. Dread Harry
Plantagenet gave her a proud cathedral. Among her orchards Coeur de
Lion worshipped Jehane, jousted, sang of a summer evening, and spent
his happiest days. Beneath her shadow the Black Prince lighted such a
candle of Chivalry as has never yet been put out. Not without honour
of her own countrymen, for thirteen years the High Court of Parliament
preferred her to Paris. Within her walls the sainted Joan argued her
inspiration.
I have dived at random into her wallet, yet see what I have brought
forth. If memories are precious, Poitiers is uncommon rich.
As if to console us for our departure, the road to Sister Angoulême was
superb. Broad, straight, smooth as any floor, the great highway
stretched like a strip of marquetry inlaid upon the countryside. Its
invitation was irresistible....
We reached the windy town in time for a late tea.
As soon as this was over, Berry and I escaped and carried Pong off to a
garage, there to be oiled and greased against the morrow's race.
Somewhat to our amusement, before we had been there ten minutes, our
cousin arrived with Ping and the same object. Had the incident
occurred at Poitiers, I should have been encouraged as well. It was
another sign that Jonah did not despise his opponents, and his opinion
was worth having. As it was, the compliment left me unmoved....
The truth was, Berry had that afternoon contracted two habits. Again
and again on the way from Poitiers he had shown a marked tendency to
choke his engine, and five times he had failed to mesh the gears when
changing speed. Twice we had had to stop altogether and start again.
He had, of course, reproached himself violently, and I had made light
of the matter. But, for all the comfort I offered him, I was seriously
alarmed. In a word, his sudden lapse suggested that my brother-in-law
was entering that most unpleasant stage which must be traversed by all
who will become chauffeurs and are taught, so to speak, to run before
they can walk.
It was after we had dined, and when my wife and I were seated--myself,
by virtue of my injury, upon a couch, and she upon a cushion beside
me--before the comfort of a glowing log-fire, that Adèle laid down the
Guide and leaned her head against my knee.
"I'm glad I married you," she said.
I looked at Nobby.
"So are we both," said I.
"I wonder," said Adèle, "whether you are really, or whether you're just
being nice."
"Personally, I'm just being nice. Nobby is really. Of course, he may
be making the best of a bad job. As a worldly good of mine, I just
endowed you with him, and that was that."
"You were both very happy before--before I came."
"We thought we were."
"O-o-oh," said Adèle, twisting her head around, to see my face. "You
were. You know you were."
The gleeful accusation of the soft brown eyes was irresistible. To
gain time, I swallowed. Then--
"So were you," I said desperately.
"I know I was," was the disconcerting reply.
"Well, then, why shouldn't we----"
"But you said you weren't."
I called the Sealyham.
"Nobby," said I, "I'm being bullied. The woman we love is turning my
words against me."
For a moment the dog looked at us. Then he sat up and begged.
"And what," said Adèle, caressing him, "does that mean?"
"He's pleading my cause--obviously."
"I'm not so sure," said Adèle. "I wish he could talk."
"You're a wicked, suspicious girl. Here are two miserable males, all
pale and trembling for love of you--you've only got to smile to make
them rich--and you set your small pink heel upon their devotion. I
admit it's a soft heel--one of the very softest----"
"----I ever remember," flashed Adèle. "How very interesting! 'Heels I
have Held,' by Wild Oats. Were the others pink, too?"
Solemnly I regarded her.
"A little more," said I, "and I shan't teach her to drive."
Adèle tossed her head.
"Berry's going to do that," she said. "Directly we get to Pau."
I laughed savagely.
"I'm talking of automobiles," I said, "not golf balls."
"I know," said my wife. "And Berry's going to----"
"Well, he's not!" I shouted. "For one thing, he can't, and, for
another, it's my right, and I won't give it up. I've been looking
forward to it ever since I knew you. I've dreamed about it. You're
miles cleverer than I am, you're wise, you're quick-witted, you can
play, you can sing like a nightingale, you can take me on at tennis,
you can ride--driving a car's about the only thing I can teach you,
and----"
Adèle laid a smooth hand upon my mouth.
"Nobby and I," she said, "are very proud of you. They're not in the
same street with their master, they know, but they're awfully proud to
be his wife and dog."
To such preposterous generosity there was but one answer.
As I made it--
"May I teach you to drive, lady?"
A far-away look came into the soft brown eyes.
"If you don't," said Adèle, "nobody shall."
* * * * *
The day of the race dawned, clear and jubilant. By eight o'clock the
sun was high in a blue heaven, new-swept by a steady breeze. Limping
into the courtyard before breakfast, I rejoiced to notice that the air
was appreciably warmer than any I had breathed for a month.
We had hoped to leave Angoulême at nine o'clock. Actually it was a
quarter to ten before the luggage was finally strapped into place and
my brother-in-law climbed into the car. With a sigh for a bad
beginning, I reflected that if we could not cover the two-hundred and
twenty odd miles in twelve and a quarter hours, we ought to be shot.
Jonah stood by, watch in hand.
"Are you ready?" he said.
I nodded.
"Right," said my cousin. "I'm not sure we've picked the best route,
but it's too late now. No divergence allowed."
"I agree."
"And you don't drive."
"It's out of the question."
"Right. Like to double the bets?"
"No," said Adèle, "they wouldn't. I won't allow it. But I'll bet with
you. I can't afford much, but I'll bet you a hundred francs we're
there before you."
"I'll give you tens," said my cousin. "And I start in one hour from
_Now_!"
When I say that, upon the word being given, Pong, whose manners had
been hitherto above reproach, utterly refused to start or be started,
it will be seen that Fate was against us....
It took us exactly two minutes to locate the trouble--which was in the
magneto--and just over two hours to put it right.
As we slid out of Angoulême, an impatient clock announced that it was
mid-day.
At least the delay had done something. So far as the second wager was
concerned, it had altered the whole complexion of the case. We were no
longer betting upon anything approaching a certainty. Indeed, unless
we could break the back of the distance before daylight failed, our
chances of reaching Pau before ten were worth little. If the road to
Bordeaux were as fine as that from Poitiers, and Berry could find his
form, we should probably run to time. We could not afford, however, to
give a minute away.
As luck would have it, the state of the road was, on the whole, rather
worse than any we had used since we left Boulogne. Presumably
untouched for over six years, the wear and tear to which, as one of the
arteries springing from a great port, it had been subjected, had turned
a sleek highway into a shadow of itself. There was no flesh; the skin
was broken; the very bones were staring.
For the first half hour we told one another that we had struck a bad
patch. For the second we expressed nervous hopes that the going would
grow no worse. After that, Berry and I lost interest and suffered in
silence. Indeed, but for Adèle, I think we should have thrown up the
sponge and spent the night at Bordeaux.
My lady, however, kept us both going.
She had studied our route until she knew it by heart, and was just
burning to pilot us through Bordeaux and thence across Gascony.
"They're sure to make mistakes after Bordeaux. You know what the
sign-posts are like. And the road's really tricky. But I spent two
hours looking it up yesterday evening. I took you through Barbezieux
all right, didn't I?"
"Like a book, darling."
"Well, I can do that every time. And I daresay they'll have tire
trouble. Besides, the road's no worse for us than it is for them, and
after Bordeaux it'll probably be splendid. Of course we'll be there
before ten--we can't help it. I want to be there before Jonah. I've
got a hundred----"
"My dear," I expostulated, "I don't want to----"
"We've got a jolly good chance, any way. While you were getting her
right, I got the lunch, and we can eat that without stopping. You can
feed Berry. We'll gain half an hour like that."
Before such optimism I had not the face to point out that, if our
opponents had any sense at all, they had lunched before leaving
Angoulême.
"Here's a nice patch," added Adèle. "Put her along, you two."
Spurred by her enthusiasm, we bent again to the oars.
Contrary to my expectation, my brother-in-law, if unusually silent, was
driving well. But the road was against him. He had not sufficient
experience to be able to keep his foot steady upon the accelerator when
a high speed and a rude surface conspired to dislodge it--a shortcoming
which caused us all three much discomfort and lost a lot of mileage.
Then, again, I dared not let him drive too close to the side of the
road. Right at the edge the surface was well preserved, and I knew
that Jonah's off wheels would make good use of it. Such finesse,
however, was out of Berry's reach. We pelted along upon what remained
of the crown painfully.
Seventy-three miles separate Bordeaux from Angoulême, and at the end of
two hours fifty-four of them lay behind us. All things considered,
this was extremely good, and when Adèle suggested that we should eat
our lunch, I agreed quite cheerfully.
The suggestion, however, that I should feed Berry proved impracticable.
After four endeavours to introduce one end of a _petit pain_ into his
mouth--
"Would it be asking too much," said my brother-in-law, "if I suggested
that you should suspend this assault? I don't know what part of your
face you eat with, but I usually use my mouth. I admit it's a bit of a
rosebud, but that's no excuse for all these 'outers.' Yes, I know it's
a scream, but I was once told never to put _foie gras_ upon the nose or
cheeks. They say it draws the skin. Oh, and don't let's have any
comic nonsense about the beer," he added shortly. "Pour it straight
into my breast-pocket and have done with it. Then I can suck my
handkerchief."
As he spoke, Nobby leaned forward and took the dishevelled sandwich out
of my unready fingers.
"That's right," added Berry, with the laugh of a maniac. "Cast my
portion to the dogs." He dabbed his face with a handkerchief. "Never
mind. When his hour comes, you'll have to hold him out of the window.
I'm not going to stop every time he wants to be sick."
Eventually it was decided that, since we should have to stop for
petrol, Berry must seize that opportunity to devour some food.
"Besides," I concluded, "a rest of a quarter of an hour will do you
good."
As the words left my mouth, I noticed for the first time that my
brother-in-law was tiring.
For the moment I thought I was mistaken, for upon our previous runs he
had never turned a hair. Now, however, he seemed to be driving with an
effort. As if to confirm my suspicions, at the very next hill he
missed his change.
"I think," I said quickly, "you ought to have your lunch right away.
It's no good getting done in for want of food."
Berry shot me a pathetic glance.
"It isn't that, old chap. It's---- Hang it all, it's my shoulder!
That cursed muscular rheumatism cropped up again yesterday...."
The murder was out.
After a little he admitted that, ever since we had left Poitiers, any
quick movement of his left arm had caused him intense pain.
Of course both Adèle and I besought him to stop there and then and let
the race go to blazes. Of this he would not hear, declaring that, so
long as Jonah was behind, victory was not out of sight, and that
nothing short of paralysis would induce him to jilt the jade. After a
little argument, we let him have his way ...
The road continued to offer an abominable passage, and when we stopped
at a garage in Bordeaux, it was five minutes to three of a beautiful
afternoon.
The third bidon was discharging its contents into Pong's tank, and
Berry was sitting wearily upon the running-board, with his mouth full
and a glass of beer in his hand, when, with an apologetic cough, Ping
emerged from behind an approaching tram and slid past us over the
cobbles with a smooth rush. The off-side window was open, and, as the
car went by, Jonah waved to us.
There was no doubt about it, my cousin was out to win. It was also
transparently clear that Adèle and I, at any rate, had lost our money.
We could not compete with an average of thirty-six miles an hour.
"Boy!"
"Yes, darling?"
"Is that the last _bidon_?"
"Yes. But Berry won't have finished for at least ten minutes.
Besides----"
"Couldn't I drive for a bit, just till he's finished his lunch?"
I stared at my wife. Then--
"I don't see why you shouldn't, dear, except that the streets of
Bordeaux are rather rough on a beginner."
"I'll be very careful," pleaded Adèle, "and--and, after all, we shall
be moving. And it can't affect the bets. Nothing was said about Berry
having to drive."
I smiled ruefully.
"As far as the bets are concerned, we might as well stay here the
night. We've got a hundred and fifty miles in front of us, and seven
hours--five of them after dark--to do them in. Berry's shoulder has
put the lid on. We shan't get in before midnight."
"You never know," said Adèle.
Berry suspended the process of mastication to put his oar in.
"Let her drive," he said huskily. "One thing's certain. She can't do
any worse than I have."
"You never know," said Adèle.
A minute later she was in the driver's seat, and I had folded the rug
and placed it behind her back.
As Berry took his seat--
"That's right," I said. "Now let in the clutch gently.... Well done.
Change.... Good girl! Now, I shouldn't try to pass this lorry
until----"
"I think you would," said Adèle, changing into third, and darting in
front of the monster.
"Good Heavens!" I cried. Then: "Look out for that tram, lady. You'd
better..."
As the tram was left standing, I caught my brother-in-law by the arm.
"_She can drive!_" I said stupidly.
"Nonsense," said Berry, "I'm willing her."
"_You fool!_" I shouted, shaking him. "_I tell you she can drive!_"
We flashed between two waggons. "_Look at that! She's a first-class
driver, and she's going to save your stake!_"
"What's really worrying me," said Adèle, "is how we're to pass Jonah
without him seeing us."
There was an electric silence. Then--
"_For-rard!_" yelled Berry. "_For-r-a-r-d!_ Out of the way, fat face,
or we'll take the coat off your back." A portly Frenchman leaped into
safety with a scream. "That's the style. For-rard! Fill the fife,
dear heart, fill the blinkin' fife; there's a cyciclist on the horizon.
For-rard!"
To sound the horn would have been a work of supererogation. Maddened
by our vociferous exuberance, Nobby lifted up his voice and barked like
a demoniac. The ungodly hullaballoo with which we shook the dust of
Bordeaux from off our tires will be remembered fearfully by all who
witnessed our exit from that city.
When I had indulged my excitement, I left the terrier and Berry to
finish the latter's lunch and turned to my wife.
Sitting there, with her little hands about the wheel, she made a
bewitching picture. She had thrown her fur coat open, and the breeze
from the open window was playing greedily with the embroidery about her
throat. Her soft hair, too, was now at the wind's mercy, and but for a
little suede hat, which would have suited Rosalind, the dark strand
that lay flickering upon her cheek would have been one of many. Chin
in air, eyebrows raised, lids lowered, the faintest of smiles hovering
about her small red mouth, my lady leaned back with an indescribable
air of easy efficiency which was most attractive. Only the parted lips
at all betrayed her eagerness....
I felt very proud suddenly.
The road was vile, but Pong flew over it without a tremor. Looking
upon his driver, I found it difficult to appreciate that a small
silk-stockinged foot I could not see was setting and maintaining his
beautiful steady pace.
As I stared at her, marvelling, the smile deepened, and a little gloved
hand left the wheel and stole into mine.
I pulled the glove back and kissed the white wrist....
"And I was going to teach you," I said humbly.
"So was I," wailed Berry. "I'd arranged everything. I was going to be
so patient."
"I was looking forward to it so much," I said wistfully.
"Oh, and don't you think I was?" cried Adèle. "It was so dear of you,
lad. I was going to pretend----"
"It was much more dearer of me," said Berry. "But then, I'm like that.
Of course," he added, "you ought to have driven from Boulogne. Don't
tell me why you held your peace, because I know. And I think it was
just sweet of you, darling, and, but for your husband's presence, I
should kiss you by force."
The car fled on.
There was little traffic, but thrice we came upon cows and once upon a
large flock of sheep. We could only pray that Jonah had endured the
same trials.
As we slid through Langon, thirty miles distant from Bordeaux, I looked
at my watch. Two minutes to four. Adèle noticed the movement and
asked the time. When I told her, she frowned.
"Not good enough," she said simply.
The light was beginning to fail now, and I asked if she would have the
lamps lit.
She shook her head.
"Not yet, Boy."
At last the road was presenting a better surface. As we flashed up a
long incline, a glance at the speedometer showed me that we were doing
fifty. As I looked again, the needle swung slowly to fifty-five....
I began to peer into the distance for Jonah's dust.
With a low snarl we swooped into La Réole, whipped unhesitatingly to
right and left, coughed at cross-streets, and then swept out of the
town ere Berry had found its name in the Michelin Guide.
Again I asked my wife if she would have the headlights.
"Not yet, Boy."
"Shall I raise the wind screen?"
"Please."
Together Berry and I observed her wish, while with her own right hand
she closed the window. The rush of the cool air was more than
freshening, and I turned up her coat collar and fastened the heavy fur
about her throat.
The car tore on.
Lights began to appear--one by one, stabbing the dusk with their beams,
steady, conspicuous. One only, far in the distance, seemed
ill-defined--a faint smudge against the twilight. Then it went out
altogether.
"Jonah," said Adèle quietly.
She was right.
Within a minute we could see the smear again--more clearly. It was
Ping's tail-lamp.
I began to tremble with excitement. Beside me I could hear Berry
breathing fast through his nose.
Half a dozen times we lost the light, only to pick it up again a moment
later. Each time it was brighter than before. We were gaining
rapidly....
We could not have been more than a furlong behind, when the sudden
appearance of a cluster of bright pin-pricks immediately ahead showed
that we were approaching Marmande.
Instantly Ping's tail-light began to grow bigger. Jonah was slowing up
for the town. In a moment we should be in a position to pass....
In silence Berry and I clasped one another. Somewhere between us Nobby
began to pant.
As we entered Marmande, there were not thirty paces between the two
cars. And my unsuspecting cousin was going dead slow. A twitch of the
wheel, and we should leave him standing....
Then, without any warning, Adèle slowed up and fell in behind Ping.
I could have screamed to her to go by.
Deliberately she was throwing away the chance of a lifetime.
Desperately I laid my hand on her arm.
"Adèle!" I cried hoarsely. "My darling, aren't you----"
By way of answer, she gave a little crow of rejoicing and turned sharp
round to the right.
Jonah had passed straight on.
As Pong leaped forward, the scales fell from my eyes.
Adèle was for the side-streets. If she could only rejoin the main road
at a point ahead of Jonah, the latter would never know that we had
passed him. If...
I began to hope very much that my wife knew the plan of Marmande rather
better than I.
Through the dusk I could see that the street we were using ran on to a
bridge. It was there, I supposed, that we should turn to the left....
To my horror, Adèle thrust on to the bridge at an increased pace.
"A-aren't you going to turn?" I stammered. "I mean, we'll never----"
"I said the road was tricky," said Adèle, "but I hardly dared to hope
they'd make such a bad mistake." We sailed off the bridge and on to a
beautiful road. "Ah, this is more like it. I don't know where Jonah's
going, _but this is the way to Pau_.... And now I think it'll be safe
to have the lights on. You might look behind first to see if they're
coming. You see, if they'd seen us go by, the game would have been up.
As it is..."
* * * * *
At half-past seven that evening we drove into Pau.
Arrived at our villa, we put the car away and hurried indoors.
It was almost eight o'clock when Ping discharged his passengers upon
the front steps.
In silence and from the landing we watched them enter the hall.
When they were all inside, I released Nobby.