the patrician-第19部分

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risen　in　the　stillest　toffee…coloured　pool。　　He　knew　that　fellow；　a
half…pounder　at　least；　and　his　thoughts　began　flighting　round　the　top
of　his　head；　hovering　over　the　various　merits　of　the　flies。　　His
fingers　itched　too；　but　he　made　no　movement；　and　the　ash…tree　under
which　he　sat　let　its　leaves　tremble；　as　though　in　sympathy。

〃See　that　hawk？〃　said　Miltoun。

At　a　height　more　than　level　with　the　tops　of　the　hills　a　buzzard　hawk
was　stationary　in　the　blue　directly　over　them。　　Inspired　by　curiosity
at　their　stillness；　he　was　looking　down　to　see　whether　they　were
edible；　the　upcurved　ends　of　his　great　wings　flirted　just　once　to
show　that　he　was　part　of　the　living　glory　of　the　aira　symbol　of
freedom　to　men　and　fishes。

Lord　Dennis　looked　at　his　great…nephew。　　The　boyfor　what　else　was
thirty　to　seventy…six？was　taking　it　hard；　whatever　it　might　be；
taking　it　very　hard！　　He　was　that　sortran　till　he　dropped。　　The
worst　kind　to　helpthe　sort　that　made　for　troublethat　let　things
gnaw　at　them！　　And　there　flashed　before　the　old　man's　mind　the　image
of　Prometheus　devoured　by　the　eagle。　　It　was　his　favourite　tragedy；
which　he　still　read　periodically；　in　the　Greek；　helping　himself　now
and　then　out　of　his　old　lexicon　to　the　meaning　of　some　word　which　had
flown　to　Erebus。　　Yes；　Eustace　was　a　fellow　for　the　heights　and
depths！

He　said　quietly：

〃You　don't　care　to　talk　about　it；　I　suppose？〃

Miltoun　shook　his　head；　and　again　there　was　silence。

The　buzzard　hawk　having　seen　them　move；　quivered　his　wings　like　a
moth's；　and　deserted　that　plane　of　air。　　A　robin　from　the　dappled
warmth　of　a　mossy　stone；　was　regarding　them　instead。　　There　was
another　splash　in　the　pool。

Lord　Dennis　said　gently：

〃That　fellow's　risen　twice；　I　believe　he'd　take　a　'Wistman's
treasure。'〃　　　Extracting　from　his　hat　its　latest　fly；　and　binding　it
on；　he　began　softly　to　swish　his　line。

〃I　shall　have　him　yet！〃　he　muttered。　　But　Miltoun　had　stolen　away。。。。

The　further　piece　of　information　about　Mrs。　Noel；　already　known　by
Barbara；　and　diffused　by　the　'Bucklandbury　News'；　had　not　become
common　knowledge　at　the　Court　till　after　Lord　Dennis　had　started　out
to　fish。　　In　combination　with　the　report　that　Miltoun　had　arrived　and
gone　out　without　breakfast；　it　had　been　received　with　mingled
feelings。　　Bertie；　Harbinger；　and　Shropton；　in　a　short　conclave；
after　agreeing　that　from　the　point　of　view　of　the　election　it　was
perhaps　better　than　if　she　had　been　a　divorcee；　were　still　inclined
to　the　belief　that　no　time　was　to　be　lostin　doing　what；　however；
they　were　unable　to　determine。　　Apart　from　the　impossibility　of
knowing　how　a　fellow　like　Miltoun　would　take　the　matter；　they　were
faced　with　the　devilish　subtlety　of　all　situations　to　which　the
proverb　'Least　said；　soonest　mended'　applies。　　They　were　in　the
presence　of　that　awe…inspiring　thing；　the　power　of　scandal。　　Simple
statements　of　simple　facts；　without　moral　drawn　（to　which　no　legal
exception　could　be　taken）　laid　before　the　public　as　pieces　of
interesting　information；　or　at　the　worst　exposed　in　perfect　good
faith；　lest　the　public　should　blindly　elect　as　their　representative
one　whose　private　life　might　not　stand　the　inspection　of　daylight
what　could　be　more　justifiable！　　And　yet　Miltoun's　supporters　knew
that　this　simple　statement　of　where　he　spent　his　evenings　had　a
poisonous　potency；　through　its　power　of　stimulating　that　side　of　the
human　imagination　the　most　easily　excited。　　They　recognized　only　too
well；　how　strong　was　a　certain　primitive　desire；　especially　in　rural
districts；　by　yielding　to　which　the　world　was　made　to　go；　and　how
remarkably　hard　it；　was　not　to　yield　to　it；　and　how　interesting　and
exciting　to　see　or　hear　of　others　yielding　to　it；　and　how　（though
here；　of　course；　men　might　differ　secretly）　reprehensible　of　them　to
do　so！　　They　recognized；　too　well；　how　a　certain　kind　of　conscience
would　appreciate　this　rumour；　and　how　the　puritans　would　lick　their
lengthened　chops。　　They　knew；　too；　how　irresistible　to　people　of　any
imagination　at　all；　was　the　mere　combination　of　a　member　of　a　class；
traditionally　supposed　to　be　inclined　to　having　what　it　wanted；　with
a　lady　who　lived　alone！　　As　Harbinger　said：　It　was　really　devilish
awkward！　　For；　to　take　any　notice　of　it　would　be　to　make　more　people
than　ever　believe　it　true。　　And　yet；　that　it　was　working　mischief；
they　felt　by　the　secret　voice　in　their　own　souls；　telling　them　that
they　would　have　believed　it　if　they　had　not　known　better。　　They　hung
about；　waiting　for　Miltoun　to　come　in。

The　news　was　received　by　Lady　Valleys　with　a　sigh　of　intense　relief；
and　the　remark　that　it　was　probably　another　lie。　　When　Barbara
confirmed　it；　she　only　said：　〃Poor　Eustace！〃　and　at　once　wrote　off　to
her　husband　to　say　that　'Anonyma'　was　still　married；　so　that　the
worst　fortunately　could　not　happen。

Miltoun　came　in　to　lunch；　but　from　his　face　and　manner　nothing　could
be　guessed。　　He　was　a　thought　more　talkative　than　usual；　and　spoke　of
Brabrook's　speechsome　of　which　he　had　heard。　　He　looked　at　Courtier
meaningly；　and　after　lunch　said　to　him：

〃Will　you　come　round　to　my　den？〃

In　that　room；　the　old　withdrawing…room　of　the　Elizabethan　wingwhere
once　had　been　the　embroideries；　tapestries；　and　missals　of　beruffled
dames　were　now　books；　pamphlets；　oak…panels；　pipes；　fencing　gear；　and
along　one　wall　a　collection　of　Red　Indian　weapons　and　ornaments
brought　back　by　Miltoun　from　the　United　States。　　High　on　the　wall
above　these　reigned　the　bronze　death…mask　of　a　famous　Apache　Chief；
cast　from　a　plaster　taken　of　the　face　by　a　professor　of　Yale　College；
who　had　declared　it　to　be　a　perfect　specimen　of　the　vanishing　race。
That　visage；　which　had　a　certain　weird　resemblance　to　Dante's；
presided　over　the　room　with　cruel；　tragic　stoicism。　　No　one　could
look　on　it　without　feeling　that；　there；　the　human　will　had　been
pushed　to　its　farthest　limits　of　endurance。

Seeing　it　for　the　first　time；　Courtier　said：

〃Fine　thingthat！　　Only　wants　a　soul。〃

Miltoun　nodded：

〃Sit　down；〃　he　said。

Courtier　sat　down。

There　followed　one　of　those　silences　in　which　men　whose　spirits；
though　different；　have　a　certain　bigness　in　commoncan　say　so　much
to　one　another：

At　last　Miltoun　spoke：

〃I　have　been　living　in　the　clouds；　it　seems。　　You　are　her　oldest
friend。　　The　immediate　question　is　how　to　make　it　easiest　for　her　in
face　of　this　miserable　rumour！〃

Not　even　Courtier　himself　could　have　put　such　whip…lash　sting　into
the　word　'miserable。'

He　answered：

〃Oh！　　take　no　notice　of　that。　　Let　them　stew　in　their　own　juice。　　She
won't　care。〃

Miltoun　listened；　not　moving　a　muscle　of　his　face。

〃Your　friends　here；〃　went　on　Courtier　with　a　touch　of　contempt；　〃seem
in　a　flutter。　　Don't　let　them　do　anything；　don't　let　them　say　a　word。
Treat　the　thing　as　it　deserves　to　be　treated。　　It'll　die。〃

Miltoun；　however；　smiled。

〃I'm　not　sure；〃　he　said；　〃that　the　consequences　will　be　as　you　think；
but　I　shall　do　as　you　say。〃

〃As　for　your　candidature；　any　man　with　a　spark　of　generosity　in　his
soul　will　rally　to　you　because　of　it。〃

〃Possibly；〃　said　Miltoun。　　〃It　will　lose　me　the　election；　for　all
that。〃

Then；　dimly　conscious　that　their　last　words　had　revealed　the
difference　of　their　temperaments　and　creeds；　they　stared　at　one
another。

〃No；〃　said　Courtier；　〃I　never　will　believe　that　people　can　be　so
mean！〃

〃Until　they　are。〃

〃Anyway；　though　we　get　at　it　in　different　ways；　we　agree。〃

Miltoun　leaned　his　elbow　on　the　mantelpiece；　and　shading　his　face
with　his　hand；　said：

〃You　know　her　story。　　Is　there　any　way　out　of　that；　for　her？〃

On　Courtier's　face　was　the　look　which　so　often　came　when　he　was
speaking　for　one　of　his　lost　causesas　if　the　fumes　from　a　fire　in
his　heart　had　mounted　to　his　head。

〃Only　the　way；〃　he　answered　calmly；　〃that　I　should　take　if　I　were
you。〃

〃And　that？〃

〃The　law　into　your　own　hands。〃

Miltoun　unshaded　his　face。　　His　gaze　seemed　to　have　to　travel　from　an
immense　distance　before　it　reached　Courtier。　　He　answered：

〃Yes；　I　thought　you　would　say　that。〃




CHAPTER　XVII

When　everything；　that　night；　was　quiet；　Barbara；　her　hair　hanging
loose　outside　her　dressing　gown；　slipped　from　her　room　into　the　dim
corridor。　　With　bare　feet　thrust　into　fur…crowned　slippers　which　made
no　noise；　she　stole　along　looking　at　door　after　door。　　Through　a　long
Gothic　window；　uncurtained；　the　mild　moonlight　was　coming。　　She
stopped　just　where　that　moonlight　fell；　and　tapped。　　There　came　no
answer。　　She　opened　the　door　a　little　way；　and　said：

〃Are　you　asleep；　Eusty？〃

There　still　came　no　answer；　and　she　went　in。

The　curtains　were　drawn；　but　a　chink　of　moonlight　peering　through
fell　on　the　bed。　　This　was　empty。　　Barbara　stood　uncertain；
listening。　　In　the　heart　of　that　darkness　there　seemed　to　be；　not
sound；　but；　as　it　were；　the　muffled　soul　of　sound；　a　sort　of　strange
vibration；　like　that　of　a　flame　noiselessly　licking　the　air。　　She　put
her　hand　to　her　heart；　which　beat　as　though　it　would　leap　through　the
thin　silk　covering。　　From　what　corner　of　the　room　was　that　mute
tremor　coming？　　Stealing　to　the　window；　she　parted　the　curtains；　and
stared　back　into　the　shadows。　　There；　on　the　far　side；　lying　on　the
floor　with　his　arms　pressed　tightly　round　his　head　and　his　face　to
the　wall；　was　Miltoun。　　Barbara　let　fall　the　curtains；　and　stood
breathless；　with　such　a　queer　sensation　in　her　breast　as　she　had
never　felt；　a　sense　of　something　outraged…of　scarred　pride。　　It　was
gone　at　once；　in　a　rush　of　pity。　　She　stepped　forward　quickly　in　the
darkness；　was　visited　by　fear；　and　stopped。　　He　had　seemed　absolutely
himself　all　the　evening。　　A　little　more　talkative；　perhaps；　a　little
more　caustic　than　usual。　　And　now　to　find　him　like　this！　　There　was
no　great　share　of　reverence　in　Barbara；　but　what　little　she　possessed
had　always　been　kept　for　her　eldest　brother。　　He　had　impressed　her；
from　a　child；　with　his　aloofness；　and　she　had　been　proud　of　kissing
him　because　he　never　seemed　to　let　anybody　else　do　so。　　Those
caresses；　no　doubt；　had　the　savour　of　conquest；　his　face　had　been　the
undiscovered　land　for　her　lips。　　She　loved　him　as　one　loves　that
whic