some short stories-第11部分

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YOU　live！〃

〃Yeswretchedly　enough；〃　Mrs。　Dyott　returned；　getting　her　letters
together。　　She　left　her　place；　holding　them　as　a　neat　achieved
handful；　and　came　over　to　the　fire；　while　Mrs。　Blessingbourne
turned　once　more　to　the　window；　where　she　was　met　by　another
flurry。

Maud　spoke　then　as　if　moved　only　by　the　elements。　　〃Do　you　expect
him　through　all　this？〃

Mrs。　Dyott　just　waited；　and　it　had　the　effect；　indescribably；　of
making　everything　that　had　gone　before　seem　to　have　led　up　to　the
question。　　This　effect　was　even　deepened　by　the　way　she　then　said
〃Whom　do　you　mean？〃

〃Why　I　thought　you　mentioned　at　luncheon　that　Colonel　Voyt　was　to
walk　over。　　Surely　he　can't。〃

〃Do　you　care　very　much？〃　Mrs。　Dyott　asked。

Her　friend　now　hesitated。　　〃It　depends　on　what　you　call　'much。'　　If
you　mean　should　I　like　to　see　himthen　certainly。〃

〃Well；　my　dear；　I　think　he　understands　you're　here。〃

〃So　that　as　he　evidently　isn't　coming；〃　Maud　laughed；　〃it's
particularly　flattering！　　Or　rather；〃　she　added；　giving　up　the
prospect　again；　〃it　would　be；　I　think；　quite　extraordinarily
flattering　if　he　did。　　Except　that　of　course；〃　she　threw　in；　〃he
might　come　partly　for　you。〃

〃'Partly'　is　charming。　　Thank　you　for　'partly。'　　If　you　ARE　going
upstairs；　will　you　kindly；〃　Mrs　Dyott　pursued；　〃put　these　into　the
box　as　you　pass？〃

The　younger　woman；　taking　the　little　pile　of　letters；　considered
them　with　envy。　　〃Nine！　　You　ARE　good。　　You're　always　a　living
reproach！〃

Mrs。　Dyott　gave　a　sigh。　　〃I　don't　do　it　on　purpose。　　The　only
thing；　this　afternoon；〃　she　went　on；　reverting　to　the　other
question；　〃would　be　their　not　having　come　down。〃

〃And　as　to　that　you　don't　know。〃

〃NoI　don't　know。〃　　But　she　caught　even　as　she　spoke　a　rat…tat…tat
of　the　knocker；　which　struck　her　as　a　sign。　　〃Ah　there！〃

〃Then　I　go。〃　　And　Maud　whisked　out。

Mrs。　Dyott；　left　alone；　moved　with　an　air　of　selection　to　the
window；　and　it　was　as　so　stationed；　gazing　out　at　the　wild　weather；
that　the　visitor；　whose　delay　to　appear　spoke　of　the　wiping　of
boots　and　the　disposal　of　drenched　mackintosh　and　cap；　finally
found　her。　　He　was　tall　lean　fine；　with　little　in　him；　on　the
whole；　to　confirm　the　titular　in　the　〃Colonel　Voyt〃　by　which　he　was
announced。　　But　he　had　left　the　army；　so　that　his　reputation　for
gallantry　mainly　depended　now　on　his　fighting　Liberalism　in　the
House　of　Commons。　　Even　these　facts；　however；　his　aspect　scantily
matched；　partly；　no　doubt；　because　he　looked；　as　was　usually　said；
un…English。　　His　black　hair；　cropped　close；　was　lightly　powdered
with　silver；　and　his　dense　glossy　beard；　that　of　an　emir　or　a
caliph；　and　grown　for　civil　reasons；　repeated　its　handsome　colour
and　its　somewhat　foreign　effect。　　His　nose　had　a　strong　and　shapely
arch；　and　the　dark　grey　of　his　eyes　was　tinted　with　blue。　　It　had
been　said　of　himin　relation　to　these　signsthat　he　would　have
struck　you　as　a　Jew　had　he　not；　in　spite　of　his　nose；　struck　you　so
much　as　an　Irishman。　　Neither　responsibility　could　in　fact　have
been　fixed　upon　him；　and　just　now；　at　all　events；　he　was　only　a
pleasant　weather…washed　wind…battered　Briton；　who　brought　in　from　a
struggle　with　the　elements　that　he　appeared　quite　to　have　enjoyed　a
certain　amount　of　unremoved　mud　and　an　unusual　quantity　of　easy
expression。　　It　was　exactly　the　silence　ensuing　on　the　retreat　of
the　servant　and　the　closed　door　that　marked　between　him　and　his
hostess　the　degree　of　this　ease。　　They　met；　as　it　were；　twice：　　the
first　time　while　the　servant　was　there　and　the　second　as　soon　as　he
was　not。　　The　difference　was　great　between　the　two　encounters；
though　we　must　add　in　justice　to　the　second　that　its　marks　were　at
first　mainly　negative。　　This　communion　consisted　only　in　their
having　drawn　each　other　for　a　minute　as　close　as　possibleas
possible；　that　is；　with　no　help　but　the　full　clasp　of　hands。　　Thus
they　were　mutually　held；　and　the　closeness　was　at　any　rate　such
that；　for　a　little；　though　it　took　account　of　dangers；　it　did
without　words。　　When　words　presently　came　the　pair　were　talking　by
the　fire　and　she　had　rung　for　tea。　　He　had　by　this　time　asked　if
the　note　he　had　despatched　to　her　after　breakfast　had　been　safely
delivered。

〃Yes；　before　luncheon。　　But　I'm　always　in　a　state　whenexcept　for
some　extraordinary　reasonyou　send　such　things　by　hand。　　I　knew；
without　it；　that　you　had　come。　　It　never　fails。　　I'm　sure　when
you're　thereI'm　sure　when　you're　not。〃

He　wiped；　before　the　glass；　his　wet　moustache。　　〃I　see。　　But　this
morning　I　had　an　impulse。〃

〃It　was　beautiful。　　But　they　make　me　as　uneasy；　sometimes；　your
impulses；　as　if　they　were　calculations；　make　me　wonder　what　you
have　in　reserve。〃

〃Because　when　small　children　are　too　awfully　good　they　die？　　Well；
I　AM　a　small　child　compared　to　youbut　I'm　not　dead　yet。　　I　cling
to　life。〃

He　had　covered　her　with　his　smile；　but　she　continued　grave。　　〃I'm
not　half　so　much　afraid　when　you're　nasty。〃

〃Thank　you！　　What　then　did　you　do；〃　he　asked；　〃with　my　note？〃

〃You　deserve　that　I　should　have　spread　it　out　on　my　dressing…table…
…or　left　it；　better　still；　in　Maud　Blessingbourne's　room。〃

He　wondered　while　he　laughed。　　〃Oh　but　what　does　SHE　deserve？〃

It　was　her　gravity　that　continued　to　answer。　　〃Yesit　would
probably　kill　her。〃

〃She　believes　so　in　you？〃

〃She　believes　so　in　YOU。　　So　don't　be　TOO　nice　to　her。〃

He　was　still　looking；　in　the　chimney…glass；　at　the　state　of　his
beardbrushing　from　it；　with　his　handkerchief；　the　traces　of　wind
and　wet。　　〃If　she　also　then　prefers　me　when　I'm　nasty　it　seems　to
me　I　ought　to　satisfy　her。　　Shall　I　now　at　any　rate　see　her？〃

〃She's　so　like　a　pea　on　a　pan　over　the　possibility　of　it　that　she's
pulling　herself　together　in　her　room。〃

〃Oh　then　we　must　try　and　keep　her　together。　　But　why；　graceful
tender；　pretty　tooquite　or　almost　as　she　is　doesn't　she　re…
marry？〃

Mrs。　Dyott　appearedand　as　if　the　first　timeto　look　for　the
reason。　　〃Because　she　likes　too　many　men。〃

It　kept　up　his　spirits。　　〃And　how　many　MAY　a　lady　like？〃

〃In　order　not　to　like　any　of　them　too　much？　　Ah　that；　you　know；　I
never　found　outand　it's　too　late　now。　　When；〃　she　presently
pursued；　〃did　you　last　see　her？〃

He　really　had　to　think。　　〃Would　it　have　been　since　last　November　or
so？somewhere　or　other　where　we　spent　three　days。〃

〃Oh　at　Surredge？　　I　know　all　about　that。　　I　thought　you　also　met
afterwards。〃

He　had　again　to　recall。　　〃So　we　did！　　Wouldn't　it　have　been
somewhere　at　Christmas？　　But　it　wasn't　by　arrangement！〃　he　laughed；
giving　with　his　forefinger　a　little　pleasant　nick　to　his　hostess's
chin。　　Then　as　if　something　in　the　way　she　received　this　attention
put　him　back　to　his　question　of　a　moment　before：　　〃Have　you　kept　my
note？〃

She　held　him　with　her　pretty　eyes。　　〃Do　you　want　it　back？〃

〃Ah　don't　speak　as　if　I　did　take　things！〃

She　dropped　her　gaze　to　the　fire。　　〃No；　you　don't；　not　even　the
hard　things　a　really　generous　nature　often　would。〃　　She　quitted；
however；　as　if　to　forget　that；　the　chimney…place。　　〃I　put　it
THERE！〃

〃You've　burnt　it？　　Good！〃　　It　made　him　easier；　but　he　noticed　the
next　moment　on　a　table　the　lemon…coloured　volume　left　there　by　Mrs。
Blessingbourne；　and；　taking　it　up　for　a　look；　immediately　put　it
down。　　〃You　might　while　you　were　about　it　have　burnt　that　too。〃

〃You've　read　it？〃

〃Dear　yes。　　And　you？〃

〃No；〃　said　Mrs。　Dyott；　〃it　wasn't　for　me　Maud　brought　it。〃

It　pulled　her　visitor　up。　　〃Mrs。　Blessingbourne　brought　it？〃

〃For　such　a　day　as　this。〃　　But　she　wondered。　　〃How　you　look！　　Is　it
so　awful？〃

〃Oh　like　his　others。〃　　Something　had　occurred　to　him；　his　thought
was　already　far。　　〃Does　she　know？〃

〃Know　what？〃

〃Why　anything。〃

But　the　door　opened　too　soon　for　Mrs。　Dyott；　who　could　only　murmur
quickly〃Take　care！〃



CHAPTER　II



It　was　in　fact　Mrs。　Blessingbourne；　who　had　under　her　arm　the　book
she　had　gone　up　fora　pair　of　covers　showing　this　time　a　pretty；　a
candid　blue。　　She　was　followed　next　minute　by　the　servant；　who
brought　in　tea；　the　consumption　of　which；　with　the　passage　of
greetings；　inquiries　and　other　light　civilities　between　the　two
visitors；　occupied　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　Mrs。　Dyott　meanwhile；　as
a　contribution　to　so　much　amenity；　mentioned　to　Maud　that　her
fellow　guest　wished　to　scold　her　for　the　books　she　reada
statement　met　by　this　friend　with　the　remark　that　he　must　first　be
sure　about　them。　　But　as　soon　as　he　had　picked　up　the　new；　the　blue
volume　he　broke　out　into　a　frank　〃Dear；　dear！〃

〃Have　you　read　that　too？〃　Mrs。　Dyott　inquired。　　〃How　much　you'll
have　to　talk　over　together！　　The　other　one；〃　she　explained　to　him；
〃Maud　speaks　of　as　terribly　tame。〃

〃Ah　I　must　have　that　out　with　her！　　You　don't　feel　the
extraordinary　force　of　the　fellow？〃　Voyt　went　on　to　Mrs。
Blessingbourne。

And　so；　round　the　hearth；　they　talkedtalked　soon；　while　they
warmed　their　toes；　with　zest　enough　to　make　it　seem　as　happy　a
chance　as　any　of　the　quieter　opportunities　their　imprisonment　might
have　involved。　　Mrs。　Blessingbourne　did　feel；　it　then　appeared；　the
force　of　the　fellow；　but　she　had　her　reserves　and　reactions；　in
which　Voyt　was　much　interested。　　Mrs。　Dyott　rather　detached
herself；　mainly　gazing；　as　she　leaned　back；　at　the　fire；　she
intervened；　however；　enough　to　relieve　Maud　of　the　sense　of　being
listened　to。　　That　sense；　with　Maud；　was　too　apt　to　convey　that　one
was　listened　to　for　a　fool。　　〃Yes；　when　I　read　a　novel　I　mostly
read　a　French　one；〃　she　had　said　to　Voyt　in　answer　to　a　question
about　her　usual　practice；　〃for　I　seem　with　it　to　get　hold　more　of
the　real　thingto　get　more　life　for　my　money。　　Only　I'm　not　so
infatuated　with　them　but　that　sometimes　for　months　and　months　on
end　I　don't　read　any　fiction　at　all。〃

The　two　books　were　now　together　beside　them。　　〃Then　when　you　begin
again　you　read　a　mass？〃

〃Dear　no。　　I　only　keep　up　with　three　or　four　authors。〃

He　laughed　at　this　over　the　cigarette　he　had　been　allowed　to　light。
〃I　like　your　'keeping　up；'　and　keeping　up　in　particular　with
'authors。'〃

〃One　must　keep　up　with　somebody；〃　Mrs。　Dyott　threw　off。

〃I　daresay　I'm　ridiculous；〃　Mrs。　Blessingbourne　conceded　without
heeding　it；　〃but　that'