the patrician-第31部分

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〃Or　the　end；　Clifton。〃

The　old　man's　face　fell　in　a　look　of　deep　and　concerned　astonishment。

〃No；　no；〃　he　said；　〃with　your　antecedents；　never。〃

Miltoun　took　his　hand。

〃Sorry；　Cliftondidn't　mean　to　shock　you。〃

And　for　a　minute　neither　spoke；　looking　at　their　clasped　hands　as　if
surprised。

〃Would　your　lordship　like　a　bathbreakfast　is　still　at　eight。　　I　can
procure　you　a　razor。〃

When　Miltoun　entered　the　breakfast　room；　his　grandmother；　with　a　copy
of　the　Times　in　her　hands；　was　seated　before　a　grape　fruit；　which；
with　a　shredded　wheat　biscuit；　constituted　her　first　meal。　　Her
appearance　hardly　warranted　Barbara's　description　of　'terribly　well'；
in　truth　she　looked　a　little　white；　as　if　she　had　been　feeling　the
heat。　　But　there　was　no　lack　of　animation　in　her　little　steel…grey
eyes；　nor　of　decision　in　her　manner。

〃I　see；〃　she　said；　〃that　you've　taken　a　line　of　your　own；　Eustace。
I've　nothing　to　say　against　that；　in　fact；　quite　the　contrary。　　But
remember　this；　my　dear；　however　you　may　change　you　mustn't　wobble。
Only　one　thing　counts　in　that　place；　hitting　the　same　nail　on　the
head　with　the　same　hammer　all　the　time。　　You　aren't　looking　at　all
well。〃

Miltoun；　bending　to　kiss　her；　murmured：

〃Thanks；　I'm　all　right。〃

〃Nonsense；〃　replied　Lady　Casterley。　　〃They　don't　look　after　you。　　Was
your　mother　in　the　House？〃

〃I　don't　think　so。〃

〃Exactly。　　And　what　is　Barbara　about？　　She　ought　to　be　seeing　to
you。〃

〃Barbara　is　down　with　Uncle　Dennis。〃

Lady　Casterley　set　her　jaw；　then　looking　her　grandson　through　and
through；　said：

〃I　shall　take　you　down　there　this　very　day。　　I　shall　have　the　sea　to
you。　　What　do　you　say；　Clifton？〃

〃His　lordship　does　look　pale。〃

〃Have　the　carriage；　and　we'll　go　from　Clapham　Junction。　　Thomas　can
go　in　and　fetch　you　some　clothes。　　Or；　better；　though　I　dislike　them；
we　can　telephone　to　your　mother　for　a　car。　　It's　very　hot　for　trains。
Arrange　that；　please；　Clifton！〃

To　this　project　Miltoun　raised　no　objection。　　And　all　through　the
drive　he　remained　sunk　in　an　indifference　and　lassitude　which　to　Lady
Casterley　seemed　in　the　highest　degree　ominous。　　For　lassitude；　to
her；　was　the　strange；　the　unpardonable；　state。　　The　little　great
ladycasket　of　the　aristocratic　principlewas　permeated　to　the　very
backbone　with　the　instinct　of　artificial　energy；　of　that　alert　vigour
which　those　who　have　nothing　socially　to　hope　for　are　forced　to
develop；　lest　they　should　decay　and　be　again　obliged　to　hope。　　To
speak　honest　truth；　she　could　not　forbear　an　itch　to　run　some　sharp
and　foreign　substance　into　her　grandson；　to　rouse　him　somehow；　for
she　knew　the　reason　of　his　state；　and　was　temperamentally　out　of
patience　with　such　a　cause　for　backsliding。　　Had　it　been　any　other　of
her　grandchildren　she　would　not　have　hesitated；　but　there　was　that　in
Miltoun　which　held　even　Lady　Casterley　in　check；　and　only　once　during
the　four　hours　of　travel　did　she　attempt　to　break　down　his　reserve。
She　did　it　in　a　manner　very　soft　for　herwas　he　not　of　all　living
things　the　hope　and　pride　of　her　heart？　　Tucking　her　little　thin
sharp　hand　under　his　arm；　she　said　quietly：

〃My　dear；　don't　brood　over　it。　　That　will　never　do。〃

But　Miltoun　removed　her　hand　gently；　and　laid　it　back　on　the　dust
rug；　nor　did　he　answer；　or　show　other　sign　of　having　heard。

And　Lady　Casterley；　deeply　wounded；　pressed　her　faded　lips　together；
and　said　sharply：

〃Slower；　please；　Frith！〃





CHAPTER　V

It　was　to　Barbara　that　Miltoun　unfolded；　if　but　little；　the　trouble
of　his　spirit；　lying　that　same　afternoon　under　a　ragged　tamarisk
hedge　with　the　tide　far　out。　　He　could　never　have　done　this　if　there
had　not　been　between　them　the　accidental　revelation　of　that　night　at
Monkland；　nor　even　then　perhaps　had　he　not　felt　in　this　young　sister
of　his　the　warmth　of　life　for　which　he　was　yearning。　　In　such　a
matter　as　love　Barbara　was　the　elder　of　these　two。　　For；　besides　the
motherly　knowledge　of　the　heart　peculiar　to　most　women；　she　had　the
inherent　woman…of…the…worldliness　to　be　expected　of　a　daughter　of
Lord　and　Lady　Valleys。　　If　she　herself　were　in　doubt　as　to　the　state
of　her　affections；　it　was　not　as　with　Miltoun；　on　the　score　of　the
senses　and　the　heart；　but　on　the　score　of　her　spirit　and　curiosity；
which　Courtier　had　awakened　and　caused　to　flap　their　wings　a　little。
She　worried　over　Miltoun's　forlorn　case；　it　hurt　her　too　to　think　of
Mrs。　Noel　eating　her　heart　out　in　that　lonely　cottage。　　A　sister　so
good　and　earnest　as　Agatha　had　ever　inclined　Barbara　to　a　rebellious
view　of　morals；　and　disinclined　her　altogether　to　religion。　　And　so；
she　felt　that　if　those　two　could　not　be　happy　apart；　they　should　be
happy　together；　in　the　name　of　all　the　joy　there　was　in　life！

And　while　her　brother　lay　face　to　the　sky　under　the　tamarisks；　she
kept　trying　to　think　of　how　to　console　him；　conscious　that　she　did
not　in　the　least　understand　the　way　he　thought　about　things。　　Over
the　fields　behind；　the　larks　were　hymning　the　promise　of　the　unripe
corn；　the　foreshore　was　painted　all　colours；　from　vivid　green　to
mushroom　pink；　by　the　edge　of　the　blue　sea　little　black　figures
stooped；　gathering　sapphire。　　The　air　smelled　sweet　in　the　shade　of
the　tamarisk；　there　was　ineffable　peace。　　And　Barbara；　covered　by　the
network　of　sunlight；　could　not　help　impatience　with　a　suffering　which
seemed　to　her　so　corrigible　by　action。　　At　last　she　ventured：

〃Life　is　short；　Eusty！〃

Miltoun's　answer；　given　without　movement；　startled　her：

〃Persuade　me　that　it　is；　Babs；　and　I'll　bless　you。　　If　the　singing　of
these　larks　means　nothing；　if　that　blue　up　there　is　a　morass　of　our
invention；　if　we　are　pettily；　creeping　on　furthering　nothing；　if
there's　no　purpose　in　our　lives；　persuade　me　of　it；　for　God's　sake！〃

Carried　suddenly　beyond　her　depth；　Barbara　could　only　put　out　her
hand；　and　say：　〃Oh！　don't　take　things　so　hard！〃

〃Since　you　say　that　life　is　short；〃　Miltoun　muttered；　with　his　smile；
〃you　shouldn't　spoil　it　by　feeling　pity！　　In　old　days　we　went　to　the
Tower　for　our　convictions。　　We　can　stand　a　little　private　roasting；　I
hope；　or　has　the　sand　run　out　of　us　altogether？〃

Stung　by　his　tone；　Barbara　answered　in　rather　a　hard　voice：

〃What　we　must　bear；　we　must；　I　suppose。　　But　why　should　we　make
trouble？　　That's　what　I　can't　stand！〃

〃O　profound　wisdom！〃

Barbara　flushed。

〃I　love　Life！〃　she　said。

The　galleons　of　the　westering　sun　were　already　sailing　in　a　broad
gold　fleet　straight　for　that　foreshore　where　the　little　black
stooping　figures　had　not　yet　finished　their　toil；　the　larks　still
sang　over　the　unripe　cornwhen　Harbinger；　galloping　along　the　sands
from　Whitewater　to　Sea　House；　came　on　that　silent　couple　walking　home
to　dinner。

It　would　not　be　safe　to　say　of　this　young　man　that　he　readily
diagnosed　a　spiritual　atmosphere；　but　this　was　the　less　his　demerit；
since　everything　from　his　cradle　up　had　conspired　to　keep　the
spiritual　thermometer　of　his　surroundings　at　60　in　the　shade。　　And
the　fact　that　his　own　spiritual　thermometer　had　now　run　up　so　that　it
threatened　to　burst　the　bulb；　rendered　him　less　likely　than　ever　to
see　what　was　happening　with　other　people's。　　Yet；　he　did　notice　that
Barbara　was　looking　pale；　andit　seemedsweeter　than　ever。。。。　With
her　eldest　brother　he　always　somehow　felt　ill　at　ease。　　He　could　not
exactly　afford　to　despise　an　uncompromising　spirit　in　one　of　his　own
order；　but　he　was　no　more　impervious　than　others　to　Miltoun's
caustic；　thinly…veiled　contempt　for　the　commonplace；　and　having　a
full…blooded　belief　in　himself…usual　with　men　of　fine　physique；
whose　lots　are　so　cast　that　this　belief　can　never　or　almost　never　be
really　shakenhe　greatly　disliked　the　feeling　of　being　a　little
looked　down　on。　　It　was　an　intense　relief；　when；　saying　that　he
wanted　a　certain　magazine；　Miltoun　strode　off　into　the　town。

To　Harbinger；　no　less　than　to　Miltoun　and　Barbara；　last　night　had
been　bitter　and　restless。　　The　sight　of　that　pale　swaying　figure；
with　the　parted　lips；　whirling　round　in　Courtier's　arms；　had　clung　to
his　vision　ever　since；　the　Ball。　　During　his　own　last　dance　with　her
he　had　been　almost　savagely　silent；　only　by　a　great　effort
restraining　his　tongue　from　mordant　allusions　to　that　'prancing；　red…
haired　fellow；'　as　he　secretly　called　the　champion　of　lost　causes。
In　fact；　his　sensations　there　and　since　had　been　a　revelation；　or
would　have　teen　if　he　could　have　stood　apart　to　see　them。　　True；　he
had　gone　about　next　day　with　his　usual　cool；　off…hand　manner；　because
one　naturally　did　not　let　people　see；　but　it　was　with　such　an　inner
aching　and　rage　of　want　and　jealousy　as　to　really　merit　pity。　　Men　of
his　physically　big；　rather　rushing；　type；　are　the　last　to　possess
their　souls　in　patience。　　Walking　home　after　the　Ball　he　had
determined　to　follow　her　down　to　the　sea；　where　she　had　said；　so
maliciously；　that　she　was　going。　　After　a　second　almost　sleepless
night　he　had　no　longer　any　hesitation。　　He　must　see　her！　　After　all；
a　man　might　go　to　his　own　'place'　with　impunity；　he　did　not　care　if
it　were　a　pointed　thing　to　do。。。。　　Pointed！　　The　more　pointed　the
better！　　There　was　beginning　to　be　roused　in　him　an　ugly　stubbornness
of　male　determination。　　She　should　not　escape　him！

But　now　that　he　was　walking　at　her　side；　all　that　determination　and
assurance　melted　to　perplexed　humility。　　He　marched　along　by　his
horse　with　his　head　down；　just　feeling　the　ache　of　being　so　close　to
her　and　yet　so　far；　angry　with　his　own　silence　and　awkwardness；
almost　angry　with　her　for　her　loveliness；　and　the　pain　it　made　him
suffer。　　When　they　reached　the　house；　and　she　left　him　at　the　stable…
yard；　saying　she　was　going　to　get　some　flowers；　he　jerked　the　beast's
bridle　and　swore　at　it　for　its　slowness　in　entering　the　stable。　　He；
was　terrified　that　she　would　be　gone　before　he　could　get　into　the
garden；　yet　half　afraid　of　finding　her　there。　　But　she　was　still
plucking　carnations　by　the　box　hedge　which　led　to　the　conservatories。
And　as　she　rose　from　gathering　those　blossoms；　before　he　knew　what　he
was　doing；　Harbinger　had　thrown　his　arm　around　her；　held　her　as　in　a
vice；　kissed　her　unmercifully。

She　seemed　to　offe