the patrician-第49部分

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Lady　Casterley？

When；　in　obedience；　she　reached　Ravensham；　she　found　her　grandmother
and　Lord…Dennis　in　the　white　room。　　They　were　standing　by　one　of　the
tall　windows；　apparently　contemplating　the　view。　　They　turned　indeed
at　sound　of　Barbara's　approach；　but　neither　of　them　spoke　or　nodded。
Not　having　seen　her　grandfather　since　before　Miltoun's　illness；
Barbara　found　it　strange　to　be　so　treated；　she　too　took　her　stand
silently　before　the　window。　　A　very　large　wasp　was　crawling　up　the
pane；　then　slipping　down　with　a　faint　buzz。

Suddenly　Lady　Casterley　spoke。

〃Kill　that　thing！〃

Lord　Dennis　drew　forth　his　handkerchief。

〃Not　with　that；　Dennis。　　It　will　make　a　mess。　　〃Take　a　paper　knife。〃

〃I　was　going　to　put　it　out；〃　murmured　Lord　Dennis。

〃Let　Barbara　with　her　gloves。〃

Barbara　moved　towards　the　pane。

〃It's　a　hornet；　I　think；〃　she　said。

〃So　he　is！〃　said　Lord　Dennis；　dreamily：

〃Nonsense；〃　murmured　Lady　Casterley；　〃it's　a　common　wasp。〃

〃I　know　it's　a　hornet；　Granny。　　The　rings　are　darker。〃

Lady　Casterley　bent　down；　when　she　raised　herself　she　had　a　slipper
in　her　hand。

〃Don't　irritate　him！〃　cried　Barbara；　catching　her　wrist。　　But　Lady
Casterley　freed　her　hand。

〃I　will；〃　she　said；　and　brought　the　sole　of　the　slipper　down　on　the
insect；　so　that　it　dropped　on　the　floor；　dead。　　〃He　has　no　business
in　here。〃

And；　as　if　that　little　incident　had　happened　to　three　other　people；
they　again　stood　silently　looking　through　the　window。

Then　Lady　Casterley　turned　to　Barbara。

〃Well；　have　you　realized　the　mischief　that　you've　done？〃

〃Ann！〃　murmured　Lord　Dennis。

〃Yes；　yes；　she　is　your　favourite；　but　that　won't　save　her。　　This
womanto　her　great　creditI　say　to　her　great　credithas　gone　away；
so　as　to　put　herself　out　of　Eustace's　reach；　until　he　has　recovered
his　senses。〃

With　a　sharp…drawn　breath　Barbara　said：

〃Oh！　　poor　thing！〃

But　on　Lady　Casterley's　face　had　come　an　almost　cruel　look。

〃Ah！〃　she　said：　〃Exactly。　　But；　curiously　enough；　I　am　thinking　of
Eustace。〃　　Her　little　figure　was　quivering　from　head　to　foot：　〃This
will　be　a　lesson　to　you　not　to　play　with　fire！〃

〃Ann！〃　murmured　Lord　Dennis　again；　slipping　his　arm　through
Barbara's。

〃The　world；〃　went　on　Lady　Casterley；　〃is　a　place　of　facts；　not　of
romantic　fancies。　　You　have　done　more　harm　than　can　possibly　be
repaired。　　I　went　to　her　myself。　　I　was　very　much　moved。'　If　it
hadn't　been　for　your　foolish　conduct〃

〃Ann！〃　said　Lord　Dennis　once　more。

Lady　Casterley　paused；　tapping　the　floor　with　her　little　foot。
Barbara's　eyes　were　gleaming。

〃Is　there　anything　else　you　would　like　to　squash；　dear？〃

〃Babs！〃　murmured　Lord　Dennis；　but；　unconsciously　pressing　his　hand
against　her　heart；　the　girl　went　on。

〃You　are　lucky　to　be　abusing　me　to…dayif　it　had　been　yesterday〃

At　these　dark　words　Lady　Casterley　turned　away；　her　shoes　leaving
little　dull　stains　on　the　polished　floor。

Barbara　raised　to　her　cheek　the　fingers　which　she　had　been　so
convulsively　embracing。　　〃Don't　let　her　go　on；　uncle；〃　she　whispered；
〃not　just　now！〃

〃No；　no；　my　dear；〃　Lord　Dennis　murmured；　〃certainly　notit　is
enough。〃

〃It　has　been　your　sentimental　folly；〃　came　Lady　Casterley's　voice
from　a　far　corner；　〃which　has　brought　this　on　the　boy。〃

Responding　to　the　pressure　of　the　hand；　back　now　at　her　waist；
Barbara　did　not　answer；　and　the　sound　of　the　little　feet　retracing
their　steps　rose　in　the　stillness。　　Neither　of　those　two　at　the
window　turned　their　heads；　once　more　the　feet　receded；　and　again
began　coming　back。

Suddenly　Barbara；　pointing　to　the　floor；　cried：

〃Oh！　　Granny；　for　Heaven's　sake；　stand　still；　haven't　you　squashed
the　hornet　enough；　even　if　he　did　come　in　where　he　hadn't　any
business？〃

Lady　Casterley　looked　down　at　the　debris　of　the　insect。

〃Disgusting！〃　she　said；　but　when　she　next　spoke　it　was　in　a　less
hard；　more　querulous　voice。

〃That　manwhat　was　his　namehave　you　got　rid　of　him？〃

Barbara　went　crimson。

〃Abuse　my　friends；　and　I　will　go　straight　home　and　never　speak　to　you
again。〃

For　a　moment　Lady　Casterley　looked　almost　as　if　she　might　strike　her
granddaughter；　then　a　little　sardonic　smile　broke　out　on　her　face。

〃A　creditable　sentiment！〃　she　said。

Letting　fall　her　uncle's　hand；　Barbara　cried：

〃In　any　case；　I'd　better　go。　　I　don't　know　why　you　sent　for　me。〃

Lady　Casterley　answered　coldly：

〃To　let　you　and　your　mother　know　of　this　woman's　most　unselfish
behaviour；　to　put　you　on　the　'qui　vive'　for　what　Eustace　may　do　now；
to　give　you　a　chance　to　make　up　for　your　folly。　　Moreover　to　warn　you
against〃　she　paused。

〃Yes？〃

〃Let　me〃　interrupted　Lord　Dennis。

〃No；　Uncle　Dennis；　let　Granny　take　her　shoe！〃

She　had　withdrawn　against　the　wall；　tall；　and　as　it　were；　formidable；
with　her　head　up。　　Lady　Casterley　remained　silent。

〃Have　you　got　it　ready？〃　cried　Barbara：　〃Unfortunately　he's　flown！〃

A　voice　said：

〃Lord　Miltoun。〃

He　had　come　in　quietly　and　quickly；　preceding　the　announcement；　and
stood　almost　touching　that　little　group　at　the　window　before　they
caught　sight　of　him。　　His　face　had　the　rather　ghastly　look　of
sunburnt　faces　from　which　emotion　has　driven　the　blood；　and　his　eyes；
always　so　much　the　most　living　part　of　him；　were　full　of　such
stabbing　anger；　that　involuntarily　they　all　looked　down。

〃I　want　to　speak　to　you　alone；〃　he　said　to　Lady　Casterley。

Visibly；　for　perhaps　the　first　time　in　her　life；　that　indomitable
little　figure　flinched。　　Lord　Dennis　drew　Barbara　away；　but　at　the
door　he　whispered：

〃Stay　here　quietly；　Babs；　I　don't　like　the　look　of　this。〃

Unnoticed；　Barbara　remained　hovering。

The　two　voices；　low；　and　so　far　off　in　the　long　white　room；　were
uncannily　distinct；　emotion　charging　each　word　with　preternatural
power　of　penetration；　and　every　movement　of　the　speakers　had　to　the
girl's　excited　eyes　a　weird　precision；　as　of　little　figures　she　had
once　seen　at　a　Paris　puppet　show。　　She　could　hear　Miltoun　reproaching
his　grandmother　in　words　terribly　dry　and　bitter。　　She　edged　nearer
and　nearer；　till；　seeing　that　they　paid　no　more　heed　to　her　than　if
she　were　an　attendant　statue；　she　had　regained　her　position　by　the
window。

Lady　Casterley　was　speaking。

〃I　was　not　going　to　see　you　ruined　before　my　eyes；　Eustace。　　I　did
what　I　did　at　very　great　cost。　　I　did　my　best　for　you。〃

Barbara　saw　Miltoun's　face　transfigured　by　a　dreadful　smilethe
smile　of　one　defying　his　torturer　with　hate。　　Lady　Casterley　went　on：

〃Yes；　you　stand　there　looking　like　a　devil。　　Hate　me　if　you　likebut
don't　betray　us；　moaning　and　moping　because　you　can't　have　the　moon。
Put　on　your　armour；　and　go　down　into　the　battle。　　Don't　play　the
coward；　boy！〃

Miltoun's　answer　cut　like　the　lash　of　a　whip。

〃By　God！　　Be　silent！〃

And　weirdly；　there　was　silence。　　It　was　not　the　brutality　of　the
words；　but　the　sight　of　force　suddenly　naked　of　all　disguiselike　a
fierce　dog　let　for　a　moment　off　its　chainwhich　made　Barbara　utter　a
little　dismayed　sound。　　Lady　Casterley　had　dropped　into　a　chair；
trembling。　　And　without　a　look　Miltoun　passed　her。　　If　their
grandmother　had　fallen　dead；　Barbara　knew　he　would　not　have　stopped
to　see。　　She　ran　forward；　but　the　old　woman　waved　her　away。

〃Go　after　him；〃　she　said；　〃don't　let　him　go　alone。〃

And　infected　by　the　fear　in　that　wizened　voice；　Barbara　flew。

She　caught　her　brother　as　he　was　entering　the　taxi…cab　in　which　he
had　come；　and　without　a　word　slipped　in　beside　him。　　The　driver's
face　appeared　at　the　window；　but　Miltoun　only　motioned　with　his　head；
as　if　to　say：　Anywhere；　away　from　here！

The　thought　flashed　through　Barbara：　〃If　only　I　can　keep　him　in　here
with　me！〃

She　leaned　out；　and　said　quietly：

〃To　Nettlefold；　in　Sussexnever　mind　your　petrolget　more　on　the
road。　　You　can　have　what　fare　you　like。　　Quick！〃

The　man　hesitated；　looked　in　her　face；　and　said：

〃Very　well；　miss。　　By　Dorking；　ain't　it？〃

Barbara　nodded。




CHAPTER　XXVIII

The　clock　over　the　stables　was　chiming　seven　when　Miltoun　and　Barbara
passed　out　of　the　tall　iron　gates；　in　their　swift…moving　small　world；
that　smelled　faintly　of　petrol。　　Though　the　cab　was　closed；　light
spurts　of　rain　drifted　in　through　the　open　windows；　refreshing　the
girl's　hot　face；　relieving　a　little　her　dread　of　this　drive。　　For；
now　that　Fate　had　been　really　cruel；　now　that　it　no　longer　lay　in
Miltoun's　hands　to　save　himself　from　suffering；　her　heart　bled　for
him；　and　she　remembered　to　forget　herself。　　The　immobility　with　which
he　had　received　her　intrusion；　was　ominous。　　And　though　silent　in　her
corner；　she　was　desperately　working　all　her　woman's　wits　to　discover
a　way　of　breaking　into　the　house　of　his　secret　mood。　　He　appeared　not
even　to　have　noticed　that　they　had　turned　their　backs　on　London；　and
passed　into　Richmond　Park。

Here　the　trees；　made　dark　by　rain；　seemed　to　watch　gloomily　the
progress　of　this　whirring…wheeled　red　box；　unreconciled　even　yet　to
such　harsh　intruders　on　their　wind…scented　tranquillity。　　And　the
deer；　pursuing　happiness　on　the　sweet　grasses；　raised　disquieted
noses；　as　who　should　say：　Poisoners　of　the　fern；　defilers　of　the
trails　of　air！

Barbara　vaguely　felt　the　serenity　out　there　in　the　clouds；　and　the
trees；　and　wind。　　If　it　would　but　creep　into　this　dim；　travelling
prison；　and　help　her；　if　it　would　but　come；　like　sleep；　and　steal
away　dark　sorrow；　and　in　one　moment　make　grief…joy。　　But　it　stayed
outside　on　its　wistful　wings；　and　that　grand　chasm　which　yawns
between　soul　and　soul　remained　unbridged。　　For　what　could　she　say？
How　make　him　speak　of　what　he　was　going　to　do？　　What　alternatives
indeed　were　now　before　him？　　Would　he　sullenly　resign　his　seat；　and
wait　till　he　could　find　Audrey　Noel　again？　　But　even　if　he　did　find
her；　they　would　only　be　where　they　were。　　She　had　gone；　in　order　not
to　be　a　drag　on　himit　would　only　be　the　same　thing　all　over　again！
Would　he　then；　as　Granny　had　urged　him；　put　on　his　armour；　and　go
down　into　the　fight？　　But　that　indeed　would　mean　the　end；　for　if　she
had　had　the　strength　to　go　away　now；　she　would　surely　never　come　back
and　break　in　on　his　life　a　second　time。　　And　a　grim　thought　swooped
down　on　Barbara。　　What　if　h