the patrician-第40部分

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once　asking　her　endorsement　of　his　point　of　view；　and　observing　the
proprieties。　　And　for　a　moment　in　the　midst　of　her　anxiety；　her　sense
of　humour　got　the　better　of　Lady　Valleys。　　It　was　so　funny　that　Geoff
should　have　to　give　himself　away；　she　could　not　for　the　life　of　her
help　fixing　him　with　her　eyes。

〃My　dear；〃　she　murmured；　〃you　underestimate　three…quarters；　at　the
very　least！〃

But　Lord　Valleys；　confronted　with　danger；　was　growing　steadier。

〃It　passes　my　comprehension；〃　he　said；　〃why　you　should　want　to　mix　up
sex　and　politics　at　all。〃

Miltoun's　answer　came　very　slowly；　as　if　the　confession　were　hurting
his　lips：

〃There　isforgive　me　for　using　the　wordsuch　a　thing　as　one's
religion。　　I　don't　happen　to　regard　life　as　divided　into　public　and
private　departments。　　My　vision　is　gonebrokenI　can　see　no　object
before　me　now　in　public　lifeno　goalno　certainty。〃

Lady　Valleys　caught　his　hand：

〃Oh！　my　dear；〃　she　said；　〃that's　too　dreadfully　puritanical！〃　　But　at
Miltoun's　queer　smile；　she　added　hastily：　〃LogicalI　mean。〃

〃Consult　your　common　sense；　Eustace；　for　goodness'　sake；〃　broke　in
Lord　Valleys。　　〃Isn't　it　your　simple　duty　to　put　your　scruples　in
your　pocket；　and　do　the　best　you　can　for　your　country　with　the　powers
that　have　been　given　you？〃

〃I　have　no　common　sense。〃

〃In　that　case；　of　course；　it　may　be　just　as　well　that　you　should
leave　public　life。〃

Miltoun　bowed。

〃Nonsense！〃　cried　Lady　Valleys。　　〃You　don't　understand；　Geoffrey。
I　ask　you　again；　Eustace；　what　will　you　do　afterwards？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃You　will　eat　your　heart　out。〃

〃Quite　possibly。〃

〃If　you　can't　come　to　a　reasonable　arrangement　with　your　conscience；〃
again　broke　in　Lord　Valleys；　〃for　Heaven's　sake　give　her　up；　like　a
man；　and　cut　all　these　knots。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir！〃　said　Miltoun　icily。

Lady　Valleys　laid　her　hand　on　his　arm。　　〃You　must　allow　us　a　little
logic　too；　my　dear。　　You　don't　seriously　imagine　that　she　would　wish
you　to　throw　away　your　life　for　her？　　I'm　not　such　a　bad　judge　of
character　as　that。〃

She　stopped　before　the　expression　on　Miltoun's　face。

〃You　go　too　fast；〃　he　said；　〃I　may　become　a　free　spirit　yet。〃

To　this　saying；　which　seemed　to　her　cryptic　and　sinister；　Lady
Valleys　did　not　know　what　to　answer。

〃If　you　feel；　as　you　say；〃　Lord　Valleys　began　once　more；　〃that　the
bottom　has　been　knocked　out　of　things　for　you　by　thisthis　affair；
don't；　for　goodness'　sake；　do　anything　in　a　hurry。　　Wait！　　Go　abroad！
Get　your　balance　back！　　You'll　find　the　thing　settle　itself　in　a　few
months。　　Don't　precipitate　matters；　you　can　make　your　health　an
excuse　to　miss　the　Autumn　session。〃

Lady　Valleys　chimed　in　eagerly

〃You　really　are　seeing　the　thing　out　of　all　proportion。　　What　is　a
love…affair。　　My　dear　boy；　do　you　suppose　for　a　moment　anyone　would
think　the　worse　of　you；　even　if　they　knew？　　And　really　not　a　soul
need　know。〃

〃It　has　not　occurred　to　me　to　consider　what　they　would　think。〃

〃Then；〃　cried　Lady　Valleys；　nettled；　〃it's　simply　your　own　pride。〃

〃You　have　said。〃

Lord　Valleys；　who　had　turned　away；　spoke　in　an　almost　tragic　voice

〃I　did　not　think　that　on　a　point　of　honour　I　should　differ　from　my
son。〃

Catching　at　the　word　honour；　Lady　Valleys　cried　suddenly：

〃Eustace；　promise　me；　before　you　do　anything；　to　consult　your　Uncle
Dennis。〃

Miltoun　smiled。

〃This　becomes　comic；〃　he　said。

At　that　word；　which　indeed　seemed　to　them　quite　wanton；　Lord　and　Lady
Valleys　turned　on　their　son；　and　the　three　stood　staring；　perfectly
silent。　　A　little　noise　from　the　doorway　interrupted　them。




CHAPTER　XVIII

Left　by　her　father　and　mother　to　the　further　entertainment　of
Harbinger；　Barbara　had　said：

〃Let's　have　coffee　in　here；〃　and　passed　into　the　withdrawing　room。

Except　for　that　one　evening；　when　together　by　the　sea　wall　they　stood
contemplating　the　populace；　she　had　not　been　alone　with　him　since　he
kissed　her　under　the　shelter　of　the　box　hedge。　　And　now；　after　the
first　moment；　she　looked　at　him　calmly；　though　in　her　breast　there
was　a　fluttering；　as　if　an　imprisoned　bird　were　struggling　ever　so
feebly　against　that　soft　and　solid　cage。　　Her　last　jangled　talk　with
Courtier　had　left　an　ache　in　her　heart。　　Besides；　did　she　not　know
all　that　Harbinger　could　give　her？

Like　a　nymph　pursued　by　a　faun　who　held　dominion　over　the　groves；
she；　fugitive；　kept　looking　back。　　There　was　nothing　in　that　fair
wood　of　his　with　which　she　was　not　familiar；　no　thicket　she　had　not
travelled；　no　stream　she　had　not　crossed；　no　kiss　she　could　not
return。　　His　was　a　discovered　land；　in　which；　as　of　right；　she　would
reign。　　She　had　nothing　to　hope　from　him　but　power；　and　solid
pleasure。　　Her　eyes　said：　How　am　I　to　know　whether　I　shall　not　want
more　than　you；　feel　suffocated　in　your　arms；　be　surfeited　by　all　that
you　will　bring　me？　　Have　I　not　already　got　all　that？

She　knew；　from　his　downcast　gloomy　face；　how　cruel　she　seemed；　and
was　sorry。　　She　wanted　to　be　good　to　him；　and　said　almost　shyly：

〃Are　you　angry　with　me；　Claud？〃

Harbinger　looked　up。

〃What　makes　you　so　cruel？〃

〃I　am　not　cruel。〃

〃You　are。　　Where　is　your　heart？〃

〃Here！〃　said　Barbara；　touching　her　breast。

〃Ah！〃　muttered　Harbinger；　〃I'm　not　joking。〃

She　said　gently：'

〃Is　it　as　bad　as　that；　my　dear？〃

But　the　softness　of　her　voice　seemed　to　fan　the　smouldering　fires　in
him。

〃There's　something　behind　all　this；〃　he　stammered；　〃you've　no　right
to　make　a　fool　of　me！〃

〃And　what　is　the　something；　please？〃

〃That's　for　you　to　say。　　But　I'm　not　blind。　　What　about　this　fellow
Courtier？〃

At　that　moment　there　was　revealed　to　Barbara　a　new　acquaintancethe
male　proper。　　No；　to　live　with　him　would　not　be　quite　lacking　in
adventure！

His　face　had　darkened；　his　eyes　were　dilated；　his　whole　figure　seemed
to　have　grown。　　She　suddenly　noticed　the　hair　which　covered　his
clenched　fists。　　All　his　suavity　had　left　him。　　He　came　very　close。

How　long　that　look　between　them　lasted；　and　of　all　there　was　in　it；
she　had　no　clear　knowledge；　thought　after　thought；　wave　after　wave　of
feeling；　rushed　through　her。　　Revolt　and　attraction；　contempt　and
admiration；　queer　sensations　of　disgust　and　pleasure；　all　mingledas
on　a　May　day　one　may　see　the　hail　fall；　and　the　sun　suddenly　burn
through　and　steam　from　the　grass。

Then　he　said　hoarsely：

〃Oh！　　Babs；　you　madden　me　so！〃

Smoothing　her　lips；　as　if　to　regain　control　of　them；　she　answered：

〃Yes；　I　think　I　have　had　enough；〃　and　went　out　into　her　father's
study。

The　sight　of　Lord　and　Lady　Valleys　so　intently　staring　at　Miltoun
restored　hex　self…possession。

It　struck　her　as　slightly　comic；　not　knowing　that　the　little　scene
was　the　outcome　of　that　word。　　In　truth；　the　contrast　between　Miltoun
and　his　parents　at　this　moment　was　almost　ludicrous。

Lady　Valleys　was　the　first　to　speak。

〃Better　comic　than　romantic。　　I　suppose　Barbara　may　know；　considering
her　contribution　to　this　matter。　　Your　brother　is　resigning　his　seat；
my　dear；　his　conscience　will　not　permit　him　to　retain　it；　under
certain　circumstances　that　have　arisen。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Barbara：　〃but　surely〃

〃The　matter　has　been　argued；　Babs；〃　Lord　Valleys　said　shortly；
〃unless　you　have　some　better　reason　to　advance　than　those　of　ordinary
common　sense；　public　spirit；　and　consideration　for　one's　family；　it
will　hardly　be　worth　your　while　to　reopen　the　discussion。〃

Barbara　looked　up　at　Miltoun；；　whose　face；　all　but　the　eyes；　was　like
a　mask。

〃Oh；　Eusty！〃　she　said；　〃you're　not　going　to　spoil　your　life　like
this！　　Just　think　how　I　shall　feel。〃

Miltoun　answered　stonily：

〃You　did　what　you　thought　right；　as　I　am　doing。〃

〃Does　she　want　you　to？〃

〃No。〃

〃There　is；　I　should　imagine；〃　put　in　Lord　Valleys；　〃not　a　solitary
creature　in　the　whole　world　except　your　brother　himself　who　would
wish　for　this　consummation。　　But　with　him　such　a　consideration　does
not　weigh！〃

〃Oh！〃　sighed　Barbara；　〃think　of　Granny！〃

〃I　prefer　not　to　think　of　her；〃　murmured　Lady　Valleys。

〃She's　so　wrapped　up　in　you；　Eusty。　　She　always　has　believed　in　you
intensely。〃

Miltoun　sighed。　　And；　encouraged　by　that　sound；　Barbara　went　closer。

It　was　plain　enough　that；　behind　his　impassivity；　a　desperate
struggle　was　going　on　in　Miltoun。　　He　spoke　at　last：

〃If　I　have　not　already　yielded　to　one　who　is　naturally　more　to　me
than　anything；　when　she　begged　and　entreated；　it　is　because　I　feel
this　in　a　way　you　don't　realize。　　I　apologize　for　using　the　word
comic　just　now；　I　should　have　said　tragic。　　I'll　enlighten　Uncle
Dennis；　if　that　will　comfort　you；　but　this　is　not　exactly　a　matter
for　anyone；　except　myself。〃　　And；　without　another　look　or　word；　he
went　out。

As　the　door　closed；　Barbara　ran　towards　it；　and；　with　a　motion
strangely　like　the　wringing　of　hands；　said

〃Oh；　dear！　　Oh！　dear！〃　Then；　turning　away　to　a　bookcase；　she　began　to
cry。

This　ebullition　of　feeling；　surpassing　even　their　own；　came　as　a　real
shock　to　Lady　and　Lord　Valleys；　ignorant　of　how　strung…up　she　had
been　before　she　entered　the　room。　　They　had　not　seen　Barbara　cry
since　she　was　a　tiny　girl。　　And　in　face　of　her　emotion　any　animus
they　might　have　shown　her　for　having　thrown　Miltoun　into　Mrs。　Noel's
arms；　now　melted　away。　　Lord　Valleys；　especially　moved；　went　up　to
his　daughter；　and　stood　with　her　in　that　dark　corner；　saying　nothing；
but　gently　stroking　her　hand。　　Lady　Valleys；　who　herself　felt　very
much　inclined　to　cry；　went　out　of　sight　into　the　embrasure　of　the
window。

Barbara's　sobbing　was　soon　subdued。

〃It's　his　face；〃　she　said：　〃And　why？　　Why？　　It's　so　unnecessary！〃

Lord　Valleys；　continually　twisting　his　moustache；　muttered：

〃Exactly！　　He　makes　things　for　himself！〃

〃Yes；〃　murmured　Lady　Valleys　from　the　window；　〃he　was　always
uncomfortable；　like　that。　　I　remember　him　as　a　baby。　　Bertie　never
was。〃

And　then　the　silence　was　only　broken　by　the　little　angry　sounds　of
Barbara　blowing　her　nose。

〃I　shall　go　and　see　mother；〃　said　Lady　Valleys；　suddenly：　〃The　boy's
whole　life　may　be　ruined　if　we　can't　stop　this。　　Are　you　coming；
child？〃

But　Barbara　refused。

She　went　to　her　room；　instead。　　This　crisis　in　Miltoun's　life　had
strangely