the patrician-第41部分

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But　Barbara　refused。

She　went　to　her　room；　instead。　　This　crisis　in　Miltoun's　life　had
strangely　shaken　her。　　It　was　as　if　Fate　had　suddenly　revealed　all
that　any　step　out　of　the　beaten　path　might　lead　to；　had　brought　her
sharply　up　against　herself。　　To　wing　out　into　the　blue！　　See　what　it
meant！　　If　Miltoun　kept　to　his　resolve；　and　gave　up　public　life；　he
was　lost！　　And　she　herself！　　The　fascination　of　Courtier's　chivalrous
manner；　of　a　sort　of　innate　gallantry；　suggesting　the　quest　of
everlasting　dangerwas　it　not　rather　absurd？　　Andwas　she
fascinated？　　Was　it　not　simply　that　she　liked　the　feeling　of
fascinating　him？　　Through　the　maze　of　these　thoughts；　darted　the
memory　of　Harbinger's　face　close　to　her　own；　his　clenched　hands；　the
swift　revelation　of　his　dangerous　masculinity。　　It　was　all　a
nightmare　of　scaring　queer　sensations；　of　things　that　could　never　be
settled。　　She　was　stirred　for　once　out　of　all　her　normal　conquering
philosophy。　　Her　thoughts　flew　back　to　Miltoun。　　That　which　she　had
seen　in　their　faces；　then；　had　come　to　pass！　　And　picturing　Agatha's
horror；　when　she　came　to　hear　of　it；　Barbara　could　not　help　a　smile。
Poor　Eustace！　　Why　did　he　take　things　so　hardly？　　If　he　really
carried　out　his　resolveand　he　never　changed　his　mindit　would　be
tragic！　　It　would　mean　the　end　of　everything　for　him！

Perhaps　now　he　would　get　tired　of　Mrs。　Noel。　　But　she　was　not　the
sort　of　woman　a　man　would　get　tired　of。　　Even　Barbara　in　her
inexperience　felt　that。　　She　would　always　be　too　delicately　careful
never　to　cloy　him；　never　to　exact　anything　from　him；　or　let　him　feel
that　he　was　bound　to　her　by　so　much　as　a　hair。　　Ah！　why　couldn't　they
go　on　as　if　nothing　had　happened？　　Could　nobody　persuade　him？　　She
thought　again　of　Courtier。　　If　he；　who　knew　them　both；　and　was　so
fond　of　Mrs。　Noel；　would　talk　to　Miltoun；　about　the　right　to　be
happy；　the　right　to　revolt？　　Eustace　ought　to　revolt！　　It　was　his
duty。　　She　sat　down　to　write；　then；　putting　on　her　hat；　took　the　note
and　slipped　downstairs。




CHAPTER　XIX

The　flowers　of　summer　in　the　great　glass　house　at　Ravensham　were
keeping　the　last　afternoon…watch　when　Clifton　summoned　Lady　Casterley
with　the　words：

〃Lady　Valleys　in　the　white　room。〃

Since　the　news　of　Miltoun's　illness；　and　of　Mrs。　Noel's　nursing；　the
little　old　lady　had　possessed　her　soul　in　patience；　often；　it　is
true；　afflicted　with　poignant　misgivings　as　to　this　new　influence　in
the　life　of　her　favourite；　affected　too　by　a　sort　of　jealousy；　not　to
be　admitted；　even　in　her　prayers；　which；　though　regular　enough；　were
perhaps　somewhat　formal。　　Having　small　liking　now　for　leaving　home；
even　for　Catton；　her　country　place；　she　was　still　at　Ravensham；　where
Lord　Dennis　had　come　up　to　stay　with　her　as　soon　as　Miltoun　had　left
Sea　House。　　But　Lady　Casterley　was　never　very　dependent　on　company。
She　retained　unimpaired　her　intense　interest　in　politics；　and　still
corresponded　freely　with　prominent　men。　　Of　late；　too；　a　slight
revival　of　the　June　war　scare　had　made　its　mark　on　her　in　a　certain
rejuvenescence；　which　always　accompanied　her　contemplation　of
national　crises；　even　when　such　were　a　little　in　the　air。　　At　blast
of　trumpet　her　spirit　still　leaped　forward；　unsheathed　its　sword；　and
stood　at　the　salute。　　At　such　times；　she　rose　earlier；　went　to　bed
later；　was　far　less　susceptible　to　draughts；　and　refused　with
asperity　any　food　between　meals。　　She　wrote　too　with　her　own　hand
letters　which　she　would　otherwise　have　dictated　to　her　secretary。
Unfortunately　the　scare　had　died　down　again　almost　at　once；　and　the
passing　of　danger　always　left　her　rather　irritable。　　Lady　Valleys'
visit　came　as　a　timely　consolation。

She　kissed　her　daughter　critically；　for　there　was　that　about　her
manner　which　she　did　not　like。

〃Yes；　of　course　I　am　well！〃　she　said。　　〃Why　didn't　you　bring
Barbara？〃

〃She　was　tired！〃

〃H'm！　　Afraid　of　meeting　me；　since　she　committed　that　piece　of　folly
over　Eustace。　　You　must　be　careful　of　that　child；　Gertrude；　or　she
will　be　doing　something　silly　herself。　　I　don't　like　the　way　she
keeps　Claud　Harbinger　hanging　in　the　wind。〃

Her　daughter　cut　her　short：

〃There　is　bad　news　about　Eustace。〃

Lady　Casterley　lost　the　little　colour　in　her　cheeks；　lost；　too；　all
her　superfluity　of　irritable　energy。

〃Tell　me；　at　once！〃

Having　heard；　she　said　nothing；　but　Lady　Valleys　noticed　with　alarm
that　over　her　eyes　had　come　suddenly　the　peculiar　filminess　of　age。

〃Well；　what　do　you　advise？〃　she　asked。

Herself　tired；　and　troubled；　she　was　conscious　of　a　quite　unwonted
feeling　of　discouragement　before　this　silent　little　figure；　in　the
silent　white　room。　　She　had　never　before　seen　her　mother　look　as　if
she　heard　Defeat　passing　on　its　dark　wings。　　And　moved　by　sudden
tenderness　for　the　little　frail　body　that　had　borne　her　so　long　ago；
she　murmured　almost　with　surprise：

〃Mother；　dear！〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Lady　Casterley；　as　if　speaking　to　herself；　〃the　boy　saves
things　up；　he　stores　his　feelingsthey　burst　and　sweep　him　away。
First　his　passion；　now　his　conscience。　　There　are　two　men　in　him；　but
this　will　be　the　death　of　one　of　them。〃　　And　suddenly　turning　on　her
daughter；　she　said：

〃Did　you　ever　hear　about　him　at　Oxford；　Gertrude？　　He　broke　out　once；
and　ate　husks　with　the　Gadarenes。　　You　never　knew。　　Of　courseyou
never　have　known　anything　of　him。〃

Resentment　rose　in　Lady　Valleys；　that　anyone　should　knew　her　son
better　than　herself；　but　she　lost　it　again　looking　at　the　little
figure；　and　said；　sighing：

〃Well？〃

Lady　Casterley　murmured：

〃Go　away；　child；　I　must　think。　　You　say　he's　to　consult'　Dennis？　　Do
you　know　her　address？　　Ask　Barbara　when　you　get　back　and　telephone　it
to　me。　　And　at　her　daughter's　kiss；　she　added　grimly：

〃I　shall　live　to　see　him　in　the　saddle　yet；　though　I　am　seventy…
eight。〃

When　the　sound　of　her　daughter's　car　had　died　：away；　she　rang　the
bell。

〃If　Lady　Valleys　rings　up；　Clifton；　don't　take　the　message；　but　call
me。〃　　And　seeing　that　Clifton　did　not　move　she　added　sharply：　〃Well？〃

〃There　is　no　bad　news　of　his　young　lordship's　health；　I　hope？〃

〃No。〃

〃Forgive　me；　my　lady；　but　I　have　had　it　on　my　mind　for　some　time　to
ask　you　something。〃

And　the　old　man　raised　his　hand　with　a　peculiar　dignity；　seeming　to
say：　You　will　excuse　me　that　for　the　moment　I　am　a　human　being
speaking　to　a　human　being。

〃The　matter　of　his　attachment；〃　he　went　on；　〃is　known　to　me；　it　has
given　me　acute　anxiety；　knowing　his　lordship　as　I　do；　and　having
heard　him　say　something　singular　when　he　was　here　in　July。　　I　should
be　grateful　if　you　would　assureme　that　there　is　to　be　no　hitch　in
his　career；　my　lady。〃

The　expression　on　Lady　Casterley's　face　was　strangely　compounded　of
surprise；　kindliness；　defence；　and　impatience　as　with　a　child。

〃Not　if　I　can　prevent　it；　Clifton；〃　she　said　shortly；　〃in　fact；　you
need　not　concern　yourself。〃

Clifton　bowed。

〃Excuse　me　mentioning　it；　my　lady；〃　a　quiver　ran　over　his　face
between　its　long　white　whiskers；　〃but　his　young　lordship's　career　is
more　to　me　than　my　own。〃

When　he　had　left　her；　Lady　Casterley　sat　down　in　a　little　low　chair
long　she　sat　there　by　the　empty　hearth；　till　the　daylight；　was　all
gone。




CHAPTER　XX

Not　far　from　the　dark…haloed　indeterminate　limbo　where　dwelt　that
bugbear　of　Charles　Courtier；　the　great　Half…Truth　Authority；　he
himself　had　a　couple　of　rooms　at　fifteen　shillings　a　week。　　Their
chief　attraction　was　that　the　great　Half…Truth　Liberty　had
recommended　them。　　They　tied　him　to　nothing；　and　were　ever　at　his
disposal　when　he　was　in　London；　for　his　landlady；　though　not　bound　by
agreement　so　to　do；　let　them　in　such　a　way；　that　she　could　turn
anyone　else　out　at　a　week's　notice。　　She　was　a　gentle　soul；　married
to　a　socialistic　plumber　twenty　years　her　senior。　　The　worthy　man　had
given　her　two　little　boys；　and　the　three　of　them　kept　her　in　such
permanent　order　that　to　be　in　the　presence　of　Courtier　was　the
greatest　pleasure　she　knew。　　When　he　disappeared　on　one　of　his
nomadic　missions；　explorations；　or　adventures；　she　enclosed　the　whole
of　his　belongings　in　two　tin　trunks　and　placed　them　in　a　cupboard
which　smelled　a　little　of　mice。　　When　he　reappeared　the　trunks　were
reopened；　and　a　powerful　scent　of　dried　rose…leaves　would　escape。
For；　recognizing　the　mortality　of　things　human；　she　procured　every
summer　from　her　sister；　the　wife　of　a　market　gardener；　a　consignment
of　this　commodity；　which　she　passionately　sewed　up　in　bags；　and
continued　to　deposit　year　by　year；　in　Courtier's　trunks。

This；　and　the　way　she　made　his　toastvery　crispand　aired　his
linenvery　dry；　were　practically　the　only　things　she　could　do　for　a
man　naturally　inclined　to　independence；　and　accustomed　from　his
manner　of　life　to　fend　for　himself。

At　first　signs　of　his　departure　she　would　go　into　some　closet　or
other；　away　from　the　plumber　and　the　two　marks　of　his　affection；　and
cry　quietly；　but　never　in　Courtier's　presence　did　she　dream　of
manifesting　griefas　soon　weep　in　the　presence　of　death　or　birth；　or
any　other　fundamental　tragedy　or　joy。　　In　face　of　the　realities　of
life　she　had　known　from　her　youth　up　the　value　of　the　simple　verb
'stostare…to　stand　fast。'

And　to　her　Courtier　was　a　reality；　the　chief　reality　of　life；　the
focus　of　her　aspiration；　the　morning　and　the　evening　star。

The　request；　then　five　days　after　his　farewell　visit　to　Mrs。　Noel
for　the　elephant…hide　trunk　which　accompanied　his　rovings；　produced
her　habitual　period　of　seclusion；　followed　by　her　habitual　appearance
in　his　sitting…room　bearing　a　note；　and　some　bags　of　dried　rose
leaves　on　a　tray。　　She　found　him　in　his　shirt　sleeves；　packing。

〃Well；　Mrs。　Benton；　off　again！〃

Mrs。　Benton；　plaiting　her　hands；　for　she　had　not　yet　lost　something
of　the　look　and　manner　of　a　little　girl；　answered　in　her　flat；　but
serene　voice：

〃Yes；　sir；　and　I　hope　you're　not　going　anywhere　very　dangerous　this
time。　　I　always　think　you　go　to　such　dangerous　places。〃

〃To　Persia；　Mrs。　Benton；　where　the　carpets　come　from。〃

〃Oh！　yes；　sir。　　Your　washing's　just　come　home。〃

Her；　apparently　cast…down；　eyes　stored　up　a　wealth　of　little　details；
the　way　his　hair　grew；　t