the patrician-第14部分

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〃Don't　be　absurd；　dear；〃　answered　Barbara；　〃I　am　not　afraid　of
bulls。〃

Lady　Casterley　flashed　a　look　at　her　which　had　a　gleam　of　amusement。

〃I　can　feel　you；〃　she　said；　〃you're　just　as　trembly　as　I　am。〃

The　bull　was　now　distant　some　eighty　yards；　and　they　were　still　quite
a　hundred　from　the　stile。

〃Granny；〃　said　Barbara；　〃if　you　don't　go　on　as　I　tell　you；　I　shall
just　leave　you；　and　go　and　meet　him！　　You　mustn't　be　obstinate！〃

Lady　Casterley's　answer　was　to　grip　her　granddaughter　round　the
waist；　the　nervous　force　of　that　thin　arm　was　surprising。

〃You　will　do　nothing　of　the　sort；〃　she　said。　　〃I　refuse　to　have
anything　more　to　do　with　this　bull；　I　shall　simply　pay　no　attention。〃

The　bull　now　began　very　slowly　ambling　towards　them。

〃Take　no　notice；〃　said　Lady　Casterley；　who　was　walking　faster　than
she　had　ever　walked　before。

〃The　ground　is　level　now；〃　said　Barbara；　〃can　you　run？〃

〃I　think　so；〃　gasped　Lady　Casterley；　and　suddenly　she　found　herself
half…lifted　from　the　ground；　and；　as　it　were；　flying　towards　the
stile。　　She　heard　a　noise　behind；　then　Barbara's　voice：

〃We　must　stop。　　He's　on　us。　　Get　behind　me。〃

She　felt　herself　caught　and　pinioned　by　two　arms　that　seemed　set　on
the　wrong　way。　　Instinct；　and　a　general　softness　told　her　that　she
was　back　to　back　with　her　granddaughter。

〃Let　me　go！〃　she　gasped；　〃let　me　go！〃

And　suddenly　she　felt　herself　being　propelled　by　that　softness
forward　towards　the　stile。

〃Shoo！〃　she　said；　〃shoo！〃

〃Granny；〃　Barbara's　voice　came；　calm　and　breathless；　〃don't！　　You
only　excite　him！　　Are　we　near　the　stile？〃

〃Ten　yards；〃　panted　Lady　Casterley。　　。

〃Look　out；　then！〃　There　was　a　sort　of　warm　flurry　round　her；　a　rush；
a　heave；　a　scramble；　she　was　beyond　the　stile。　　The　bull　and　Barbara；
a　yard　or　two　apart；　were　just　the　other　side。　　Lady　Casterley　raised
her　handkerchief　and　fluttered　it。　　The　bull　looked　up；　Barbara；　all
legs　and　arms；　came　slipping　down　beside　her。

Without　wasting　a　moment　Lady　Casterley　leaned　forward　and　addressed
the　bull：

〃You　awful　brute！〃　she　said；　〃I　will　have　you　well　flogged。〃

Gently　pawing　the　ground；　the　bull　snuffled。

〃Are　you　any　the　worse；　child？〃

〃Not　a　scrap；〃　said　Barbara's　serene；　still　breathless　voice。

Lady　Casterley　put　up　her　hands；　and　took　the　girl's　face　between
them。

〃What　legs　you　have！〃　she　said。　　〃Give　me　a　kiss！〃

Having　received　a　hot；　rather　quivering　kiss；　she　walked　on；　holding
somewhat　firmly　to　Barbara's　arm。

〃As　for　that　bull；〃　she　murmured；　〃the　bruteto　attack　women！〃

Barbara　looked　down　at　her。

〃Granny；〃　she　said；　〃are　you　sure　you're　not　shaken？〃

Lady　Casterley；　whose　lips　were　quivering；　pressed　them　together　very
hard。

〃Not　a　b…b…bit。〃

〃Don't　you　think；〃　said　Barbara；　〃that　we　had　better　go　back；　at
oncethe　other　way？〃

〃Certainly　not。　　There　are　no　more　bulls；　I　suppose；　between　us　and
this　woman？〃

〃But　are　you　fit　to　see　her？〃

Lady　Casterley　passed　her　handkerchief　over　her　lips；　to　remove　their
quivering。

〃Perfectly；〃　she　answered。

〃Then；　dear；〃　said　Barbara；　〃stand　still　a　minute；　while　I　dust　you
behind。〃

This　having　been　accomplished；　they　proceeded　in　the　direction　of
Mrs。　Noel's　cottage。

At　sight　of　it；　Lady　Casterley　said：

〃I　shall　put　my　foot　down。　　It's　out　of　the　question　for　a　man　of
Miltoun's　prospects。　　I　look　forward　to　seeing　him　Prime　Minister
some　day。〃　　Hearing　Barbara's　voice　murmuring　above　her；　she　paused：
〃What's　that　you　say？〃

〃I　said：　What　is　the　use　of　our　being　what　we　are；　if　we　can't　love
whom　we　like？〃

〃Love！〃　said　Lady　Casterley；　〃I　was　talking　of　marriage。〃

〃I　am　glad　you　admit　the　distinction；　Granny　dear。〃

〃You　are　pleased　to　be　sarcastic；〃　said　Lady　Casterley。　　〃Listen　to
me！　　It's　the　greatest　nonsense　to　suppose　that　people　in　our　caste
are　free　to　do　as　they　please。　　The　sooner　you　realize　that；　the
better；　Babs。　　I　am　talking　to　you　seriously。　　The　preservation　of
our　position　as　a　class　depends　on　our　observing　certain　decencies。
What　do　you　imagine　would　happen　to　the　Royal　Family　if　they　were
allowed　to　marry　as　they　liked？　　All　this　marrying　with　Gaiety　girls；
and　American　money；　and　people　with　pasts；　and　writers；　and　so　forth；
is　most　damaging。　　There's　far　too　much　of　it；　and　it　ought　to　be
stopped。　　It　may　be　tolerated　for　a　few　cranks；　or　silly　young　men；
and　these　new　women；　but　for　Eustace　〃Lady　Casterley　paused　again；
and　her　fingers　pinched　Barbara's　arm；　〃or　for　youthere's　only　one
sort　of　marriage　possible。　　As　for　Eustace；　I　shall　speak　to　this
good　lady；　and　see　that　he　doesn't　get　entangled　further。〃

Absorbed　in　the　intensity　of　her　purpose；　she　did　not　observe　a
peculiar　little　smile　playing　round　Barbara's　lips。

〃You　had　better　speak　to　Nature；　too；　Granny！〃

Lady　Casterley　stopped　short；　and　looked　up　in　her　granddaughter's
face。

〃Now　what　do　you　mean　by　that？〃　she　said　〃Tell　me！〃

But　noticing　that　Barbara's　lips　had　closed　tightly；　she　gave　her　arm
a　hardif　unintentional…pinch；　and　walked　on。




CHAPTER　XII

Lady　Casterley's　rather　malicious　diagnosis　of　Audrey　Noel　was
correct。　　The　unencumbered　woman　was　up　and　in　her　garden　when
Barbara　and　her　grandmother　appeared　at　the　Wicket　gate；　but　being
near　the　lime…tree　at　the　far　end　she　did　not　hear　the　rapid　colloquy
which　passed　between　them。

〃You　are　going　to　be　good；　Granny？〃

〃As　to　thatit　will　depend。〃

〃You　promised。〃

〃H'm！〃

Lady　Casterley　could　not　possibly　have　provided　herself　with　a　better
introduction　than　Barbara；　whom　Mrs。　Noel　never　met　without　the　sheer
pleasure　felt　by　a　sympathetic　woman　when　she　sees　embodied　in
someone　else　that　'joy　in　life'　which　Fate　has　not　permitted　to
herself。

She　came　forward　with　her　head　a　little　on　one　side；　a　trick　of　hers
not　at　all　affected；　and　stood　waiting。

The　unembarrassed　Barbara　began　at　once：

〃We've　just　had　an　encounter　with　a　bull。　　This　is　my　grandmother；
Lady　Casterley。〃

The　little　old　lady's　demeanour；　confronted　with　this　very　pretty
face　and　figure　was　a　thought　less　autocratic　and　abrupt　than　usual。
Her　shrewd　eyes　saw　at　once　that　she　had　no　common　adventuress　to
deal　with。　　She　was　woman　of　the　world　enough；　too；　to　know　that
'birth'　was　not　what　it　had　been　in　her　young　days；　that　even　money
was　rather　rococo；　and　that　good　looks；　manners；　and　a　knowledge　of
literature；　art；　and　music　（and　this　woman　looked　like　one　of　that
sort）；　were　often　considered　socially　more　valuable。　　She　was
therefore　both　wary　and　affable。

〃How　do　you　do？〃　she　said。　　〃I　have　heard　of　you。　　May　we　sit　down
for　a　minute　in　your　garden？　　The　bull　was　a　wretch！〃

But　even　in　speaking；　she　was　uneasily　conscious　that　Mrs。　Noel's
clear　eyes　were　seeing　very　well　what　she　had　come　for。　　The　look　in
them　indeed　was　almost　cynical；　and　in　spite　of　her　sympathetic
murmurs；　she　did　not　somehow　seem　to　believe　in　the　bull。　　This　was
disconcerting。　　Why　had　Barbara　condescended　to　mention　the　wretched
brute？　　And　she　decided　to　take　him　by　the　horns。

〃Babs；〃　she　said；　〃go　to　the　Inn　and　order　me　a　'fly。'　I　shall　drive
back；　I　feel　very　shaky；〃　and；　as　Mrs。　Noel　offered　to　send　her　maid；
she　added：

〃No；　no；　my　granddaughter　will　go。〃

Barbara　having　departed　with　a　quizzical　look；　Lady　Casterley　patted
the　rustic　seat；　and　said：

〃Do　come　and　sit　down；　I　want　to　talk　to　you：〃

Mrs。　Noel　obeyed。　　And　at　once　Lady　Casterley　perceived　that　〃she　had
a　most　difficult　task　before　her。　　She　had　not　expected　a　woman　with
whom　one　could　take　no　liberties。　　Those　clear　dark　eyes；　and　that
soft；　perfectly　graceful　mannerto　a　person　so　'sympathetic'　one
should　be　able　to　say　anything；　andone　couldn't！　　It　was　awkward。
And　suddenly　she　noticed　that　Mrs。　Noel　was　sitting　perfectly
upright；　as　uprightmore　upright；　than　she　was　herself。　　A　bad；
signa　very　bad　sign！　　Taking　out　her　handkerchief；　she　put　it　to
her　lips。

〃I　suppose　you　think；〃　she　said；　〃that　we　were　not　chased　by　a　bull。〃


〃I　am　sure　you　were。〃

〃Indeed！　　Ah！　　But　I've　something　else　to　talk　to　you　about。〃

Mrs。　Noel's　face　quivered　back；　as　a　flower　might　when　it　was　going
to　be　plucked；　and　again　Lady　Casterley　put　her　handkerchief　to　her
lips。　　This　time　she　rubbed　them　hard。　　There　was　nothing　to　come
off；　to　do　so；　therefore；　was　a　satisfaction。

〃I　am　an　old　woman；〃　she　said；〃　and　you　mustn't　mind　what　I　say。〃

Mrs。　Noel　did　not　answer；　but　looked　straight　at　her　visitor；　to　whom
it　seemed　suddenly　that　this　was　another　person。　　What　was　it　about
that　face；　staring　at　her！　　In　a　weird　way　it　reminded　her　of　a　child
that　one　had　hurtwith　those　great　eyes　and　that　soft　hair；　and　the
mouth　thin；　in　a　line；　all　of　a　sudden。　　And　as　if　it　had　been　jerked
out　of　her；　she　said：

〃I　don't　want　to　hurt　you；　my　dear。　　It's　about　my　grandson；　of
course。〃

But　Mrs。　Noel　made　neither　sign　nor　motion；　and　the　feeling　of
irritation　which　so　rapidly　attacks　the　old　when　confronted　by　the
unexpected；　came　to　Lady　Casterley's　aid。

〃His　name；〃　she　said；　〃is　being　coupled　with　yours　in　a　way　that's
doing　him　a　great　deal　of　harm。　　You　don't　wish　to　injure　him；　I'm
sure。〃

Mrs。　Noel　shook　her　head；　and　Lady　Casterley　went　on：

〃I　don't　know　what　they're　not　saying　since　the　evening　your　friend
Mr。　Courtier　hurt　his　knee。　　Miltoun　has　been　most　unwise。　　You　had
not　perhaps　realized　that。〃

Mrs。　Noel's　answer　was　bitterly　distinct：

〃I　didn't　know　anyone　was　sufficiently　interested　in　my　doings。〃

Lady　Casterley　suffered　a　gesture　of　exasperation　to　escape　her。

〃Good　heavens！〃　she　said；　〃every　common　person　is　interested　in　a
woman　whose　position　is　anomalous。　　Living　alone　as　you　do；　and　not　a
widow；　you're　fair　game　for　everybody；　especially　in　the　country。〃

Mrs。　Noel's　sidelong　glance；　very　clear　and　cynical；　seemed　to　say：
〃Even　for　you。〃

〃I　am　not　entitled　to　ask　your　story；〃　Lady　Casterley　went　on；　〃but
if　you　make　mysteries　you　must　expect　the　worst　interpretation　put　on
them。　　My　grandson　is　a　man　of　the　highest　principle；　he　does　not　see
things　with　the　eyes　of　the　world；　and　that　should　have　made　you
doubly　careful　not　to　compromise　him；　especia