the patrician-第6部分

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green；　he　saw　her　entering　a　garden　gate。　　On　this　occasion　he　had
asked　her　whether　she　would　like　her　cottage　re…thatched；　an
inspection　of　the　roof　had　followed；　he　had　stayed　talking　a　long
time。　　Accustomed　to　womenover　the　best　of　whom；　for　all　their
grace　and　lack　of　affectation；　high…caste　life　had　wrapped　the　manner
which　seems　to　take　all　things　for　grantedthere　was　a　peculiar
charm　for　Miltoun　in　this　soft；　dark…eyed　lady　who　evidently　lived
quite　out　of　the　world；　and　had　so　poignant；　and　shy；　a　flavour。
Thus　from　a　chance　seed　had　blossomed　swiftly　one　of　those　rare
friendships　between　lonely　people；　which　can　in　short　time　fill　great
spaces　of　two　lives。

One　day　she　asked　him：　〃You　know　about　me；　I　suppose？〃　　Miltoun　made
a　motion　of　his　head；　signifying　that　he　did。　　His　informant　had　been
the　vicar。

〃Yes；　I　am　told；　her　story　is　a　sad　onea　divorce。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　she　has　been　divorced；　or〃

For　the　fraction　of　a　second　the　vicar　perhaps　had　hesitated。

〃Oh！　　nono。　　Sinned　against；　I　am　sure。　　A　nice　woman；　so　far　as　I
have　seen；　though　I'm　afraid　not　one　of　my　congregation。〃

With　this；　Miltoun；　in　whom　chivalry　had　already　been　awakened；　was
content。　　When　she　asked　if　he　knew　her　story；　he　would　not　for　the
world　have　had　her　rake　up　what　was　painful。　　Whatever　that　story；
she　could　not　have　been　to　blame。　　She　had　begun　already　to　be　shaped
by　his　own　spirit；　had　become　not　a　human　being　as　it　was；　but　an
expression　of　his　aspiration。。。。

On　the　third　evening　after　his　passage　of　arms　with　Courtier；　he　was
again　at　her　little　white　cottage　sheltering　within　its　high　garden
walls。　　Smothered　in　roses；　and　with　a　black…brown　thatch　overhanging
the　old…fashioned　leaded　panes　of　the　upper　windows；　it　had　an　air　of
hiding　from　the　world。　　Behind；　as　though　on　guard；　two　pine　trees
spread　their　dark　boughs　over　the　outhouses；　and　in　any　south…west
wind　could　be　heard　speaking　gravely　about　the　weather。　　Tall　lilac
bushes　flanked　the　garden；　and　a　huge　lime…tree　in　the　adjoining
field　sighed　and　rustled；　or　on　still　days　let　forth　the　drowsy　hum
of　countless　small　dusky　bees　who　frequented　that　green　hostelry。

He　found　her　altering　a　dress；　sitting　over　it　in　her　peculiar
delicate　fashionas　if　all　objects　whatsoever；　dresses；　flowers；
books；　music；　required　from　her　the　same　sympathy。

He　had　come　from　a　long　day's　electioneering；　had　been　heckled　at　two
meetings；　and　was　still　sore　from　the　experience。　　To　watch　her；　to
be　soothed；　and　ministered　to　by　her　had　never　been　so　restful；　and
stretched　out　in　a　long　chair　he　listened　to　her　playing。

Over　the　hill　a　Pierrot　moon　was　slowly　moving　up　in　a　sky　the　colour
of　grey　irises。　　And　in　a　sort　of　trance　Miltoun　stared　at　the　burnt…
out　star；　travelling　in　bright　pallor。

Across　the　moor　a　sea　of　shallow　mist　was　rolling；　and　the　trees　in
the　valley；　like　browsing　cattle；　stood　knee…deep　in　whiteness；　with
all　the　air　above　them　wan　from　an　innumerable　rain　as　of　moondust；
falling　into　that　white　sea。　　Then　the　moon　passed　behind　the　lime…
tree；　so　that　a　great　lighted　Chinese　lantern　seemed　to　hang　blue…
black　from　the　sky。

Suddenly；　jarring　and　shivering　the　music；　came　a　sound　of　hooting。
It　swelled；　died　away；　and　swelled　again。

Miltoun　rose。

〃That　has　spoiled　my　vision；〃　he　said。　　〃Mrs。　Noel；　I　have　something
I　want　to　say。〃　　But　looking　down　at　her；　sitting　so　still；　with　her
hands　resting　on　the　keys；　he　was　silent　in　sheer　adoration。

A　voice　from　the　door　ejaculated：

〃Oh！　　ma'amoh！　　my　lord！　　They're　devilling　a　gentleman　on　the
green！〃




CHAPTER　VI

When　the　immortal　Don　set　out　to　ring　all　the　bells　of　merriment；　he
was　followed　by　one　clown。　　Charles　Courtier　on　the　other　hand　had
always　been　accompanied　by　thousands；　who　really　could　not　understand
the　conduct　of　this　man　with　no　commercial　sense。　　But　though　he
puzzled　his　contemporaries；　they　did　not　exactly　laugh　at　him；
because　it　was　reported　that　he　had　really　killed　some　men；　and　loved
some　women。　　They　found　such　a　combination　irresistible；　when　coupled
with　an　appearance　both　vigorous　and　gallant。　　The　son　of　an
Oxfordshire　clergyman；　and　mounted　on　a　lost　cause；　he　had　been
riding　through　the　world　ever　since　he　was　eighteen；　without　once
getting　out　of　the　saddle。　　The　secret　of　this　endurance　lay　perhaps
in　his　unconsciousness　that　he　was　in　the　saddle　at　all。　　It　was　as
much　his　natural　seat　as　office　stools　to　other　mortals。　　He　made　no
capital　out　of　errantry；　his　temperament　being　far　too　like　his　red…
gold　hair；　which　people　compared　to　flames；　consuming　all　before
them。　　His　vices　were　patent；　too　incurable　an　optimism；　an
admiration　for　beauty　such　as　must　sometimes　have　caused　him　to
forget　which　woman　he　was　most　in　love　with；　too　thin　a　skin；　too　hot
a　heart；　hatred　of　humbug；　and　habitual　neglect　of　his　own　interest。
Unmarried；　and　with　many　friends；　and　many　enemies；　he　kept　his　body
like　a　sword…blade；　and　his　soul　always　at　white　heat。

That　one　who　admitted　to　having　taken　part　in　five　wars　should　be
mixing　in　a　by…election　in　the　cause　of　Peace；　was　not　so
inconsistent　as　might　be　supposed；　for　he　had　always　fought　on　the
losing　side；　and　there　seemed　to　him　at　the　moment　no　side　so　losing
as　that　of　Peace。　　No　great　politician；　he　was　not　an　orator；　nor
even　a　glib　talker；　yet　a　quiet　mordancy　of　tongue；　and　the　white…hot
look　in　his　eyes；　never　failed　to　make　an　impression　of　some　kind　on
an　audience。

There　was；　however；　hardly　a　corner　of　England　where　orations　on
behalf　of　Peace　had　a　poorer　chance　than　the　Bucklandbury　division。
To　say　that　Courtier　had　made　himself　unpopular　with　its　matter…of…
fact；　independent；　stolid；　yet　quick…tempered　population；　would　be
inadequate。　　He　had　outraged　their　beliefs；　and　roused　the　most
profound　suspicions。　　They　could　not；　for　the　life　of　them；　make　out
what　he　was　at。　　Though　by　his　adventures　and　his　book；　〃Peace…a　lost
Cause；〃　he　was；　in　London；　a　conspicuous　figure；　they　had　naturally
never　heard　of　him；　and　his　adventure　to　these　parts　seemed　to　them
an　almost　ludicrous　example　of　pure　idea　poking　its　nose　into　plain
factsthe　idea　that　nations　ought　to；　and　could　live　in　peace　being
so　very　pure；　and　the　fact　that　they　never　had；　so　very　plain！

At　Monkland；　which　was　all　Court　estate；　there　were　naturally　but　few
supporters　of　Miltoun's　opponent；　Mr。　Humphrey　Chilcox；　and　the
reception　accorded　to　the　champion　of　Peace　soon　passed　from
curiosity　to　derision；　from　derision　to　menace；　till　Courtier's
attitude　became　so　defiant；　and　his　sentences　so　heated　that　he　was
only　saved　from　a　rough　handling　by　the　influential　interposition　of
the　vicar。

Yet　when　he　began　to　address　them　he　had　felt　irresistibly　attracted。
They　looked　such　capital；　independent　fellows。　　Waiting　for　his　turn
to　speak；　he　had　marked　them　down　as　men　after　his　own　heart。　　For
though　　Courtier　knew　that　against　an　unpopular　idea　there　must
always　be　a　majority；　he　never　thought　so　ill　of　any　individual　as　to
suppose　him　capable　of　belonging　to　that　ill…omened　body。

Surely　these　fine；　independent　fellows　were　not　to　be　hoodwinked　by
the　jingoes！　　It　had　been　one　more　disillusion。　　He　had　not　taken　it
lying　down；　neither　had　his　audience。　　They　dispersed　without
forgiving；　they　came　together　again　without　having　forgotten。

The　village　Inn；　a　little　white　building　whose　small　windows　were
overgrown　with　creepers；　had　a　single　guest's　bedroom　on　the　upper
floor；　and　a　little　sitting…room　where　Courtier　took　his　meals。　　The
rest　of　the　house　was　but　stone…floored　bar　with　a　long　wooden　bench
against　the　back　wall；　whence　nightly　a　stream　of　talk　would　issue；
all　harsh　a's；　and　sudden　soft　u's；　whence　too　a　figure；　a　little
unsteady；　would　now　and　again　emerge；　to　a　chorus　of　'Gude　naights；'
stand　still　under　the　ash…trees　to　light　his　pipe；　then　move　slowly
home。

But　on　that　evening；　when　the　trees；　like　cattle；　stood　knee…deep　in
the　moon…dust；　those　who　came　out　from　the　bar…room　did　not　go　away；
they　hung　about　in　the　shadows；　and　were　joined　by　other　figures
creeping　furtively　through　the　bright　moonlight；　from　behind　the　Inn。
Presently　more　figures　moved　up　from　the　lanes　and　the　churchyard
path；　till　thirty　or　more　were　huddled　there；　and　their　stealthy
murmur　of　talk　distilled　a　rare　savour　of　illicit　joy。　　Unholy
hilarity；　indeed；　seemed　lurking　in　the　deep　tree…shadow；　before　the
wan　Inn；　whence　from　a　single　lighted　window　came　forth　the　half…
chanting　sound　of　a　man's　voice　reading　out　loud。　　Laughter　was
smothered；　talk　whispered。

〃He'm　a…practisin'　his　spaches。〃　　〃Smoke　the　cunnin'　old　vox　out！〃
〃Red　pepper's　the　proper　stuff。〃　　〃See　men　sneeze！　　We've　a…screed　up
the　door。〃

Then；　as　a　face　showed　at　the　lighted　window；　a　burst　of　harsh
laughter　broke　the　hush。

He　at　the　window　was　seen　struggling　violently　to　wrench　away　a　bar。
The　laughter　swelled　to　hooting。　　The　prisoner　forced　his　way
through；　dropped　to　the　ground；　rose；　staggered；　and　fell。

A　voice　said　sharply：

〃What's　this？〃

Out　of　the　sounds　of　scuffling　and　scattering　came　the　whisper：　〃His
lordship！〃　　And　the　shade　under　the　ash…trees　became　deserted；　save
by　the　tall　dark　figure　of　a　man；　and　a　woman's　white　shape。

〃Is　that　you；　Mr。　Courtier？　　Are　you　hurt？〃

A　chuckle　rose　from　the　recumbent　figure。

〃Only　my　knee。　　The　beggars！　　They　precious　nearly　choked　me；
though。〃




CHAPTER　VII

Bertie　Caradoc；　leaving　the　smoking…room　at　Monkland　Court　that　same
evening；on　his　way　to　bed；　went　to　the　Georgian　corridor；　where　his
pet　barometer　was　hanging。　　To　look　at　the　glass　had　become　the
nightly　habit　of　one　who　gave　all　the　time　he　could　spare　from　his
profession　to　hunting　in　the　winter　and　to　racing　in　the　summer。'

The　Hon。　Hubert　Caradoc；　an　apprentice　to　the　calling　of　diplomacy；
more　completely　than　any　living　Caradoc　embodied　the　characteristic
strength　and　weaknesses　of　that　family。　　He　was　of　fair　height；　and
wiry　build。　　His　weathered　face；　under　sleek；　dark　hair；　had　regular；
rather　small　features；　and　wore　an　expression　of　alert　resolution；
masked　by　impassivit