pgw.adamselindistress-第13节

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　He　vanished。　Lord　Belpher　frowned　a　sombre　frown。　　〃Then　it　was　that　man　who　knocked　my　hat　off？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Lady　Caroline。　〃Knocked　your　hat　off？　You　never　told　me　he　knocked　your　hat　off。〃
　〃It　was　when　I　was　asking　him　to　let　me　look　inside　the　cab。　　I　had　grasped　the　handle　of　the　door；　when　he　suddenly　struck　my　hat；　causing　it　to　fly　off。　And；　while　I　was　picking　it　up；　he　drove　away。〃
　〃C'k；〃　exploded　Lord　Marshmoreton。　〃C'k；　c'k；　c'k。〃　He　twisted　his　face　by　a　supreme　exertion　of　will　power　into　a　mask　of　indignation。　〃You　ought　to　have　had　the　scoundrel　arrested；〃　he　said　vehemently。　〃It　was　a　technical　assault。〃
　〃The　man　who　knocked　your　hat　off；　Percy；〃　said　Maud；　〃was　　not　。　。　。　He　was　a　different　man　altogether。　A　stranger。〃
　〃As　if　you　would　be　in　a　cab　with　a　stranger；〃　said　Lady　Caroline　caustically。　〃There　are　limits；　I　hope；　to　even　your　indiscretions。〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　cleared　his　throat。　He　was　sorry　for　Maud；　whom　he　loved。
　〃Now；　looking　at　the　matter　broadly〃
　〃Be　quiet；〃　said　Lady　Caroline。
　Lord　Marshmoreton　subsided。
　〃I　wanted　to　avoid　you；〃　said　Maud；　〃so　I　jumped　into　the　first　cab　I　saw。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　said　Percy。
　〃It's　the　truth。〃
　〃You　are　simply　trying　to　put　us　off　the　scent。〃
　Lady　Caroline　turned　to　Maud。　Her　manner　was　plaintive。　　She　looked　like　a　martyr　at　the　stake　who　deprecatingly　lodges　a　timid　plaint；　fearful　the　while　lest　she　may　be　hurting　the　feelings　of　her　persecutors　by　appearing　even　for　a　moment　out　of　sympathy　with　their　activities。
　〃My　dear　child；　why　will　you　not　be　reasonable　in　this　matter？　　Why　will　you　not　let　yourself　be　guided　by　those　who　are　older　and　wiser　than　you？〃
　〃Exactly；〃　said　Lord　Belpher。
　〃The　whole　thing　is　too　absurd。〃
　〃Precisely；〃　said　Lord　Belpher。
　Lady　Caroline　turned　on　him　irritably。
　〃Please　do　not　interrupt；　Percy。　Now；　you've　made　me　forget　what　I　was　going　to　say。〃
　〃To　my　mind；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton；　ing　to　the　surface　once　more；　〃the　proper　attitude　to　adopt　on　occasions　like　the　present〃
　〃Please；〃　said　Lady　Caroline。
　Lord　Marshmoreton　stopped；　and　resumed　his　silent　munion　with　the　stuffed　bird。
　〃You　can't　stop　yourself　being　in　love；　Aunt　Caroline；〃　said　Maud。
　〃You　can　be　stopped　if　you've　somebody　with　a　level　head　looking　after　you。〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　tore　himself　away　from　the　bird。
　〃Why；　when　I　was　at　Oxford　in　the　year　'87；〃　he　said　chattily；　〃I　fancied　myself　in　love　with　the　female　assistant　at　a　tobacconist　shop。　Desperately　in　love；　dammit。　Wanted　to　marry　her。　I　recollect　my　poor　father　took　me　away　from　Oxford　and　kept　me　here　at　Belpher　under　lock　and　key。　Lock　and　key；　dammit。　I　was　deucedly　upset　at　the　time；　I　remember。〃　His　mind　wandered　off　into　the　glorious　past。　〃I　wonder　what　that　girl's　name　was。　Odd　one　can't　remember　names。　She　had　chestnut　hair　and　a　mole　on　the　side　of　her　chin。　I　used　to　kiss　it；　I　recollect〃
　Lady　Caroline；　usually　such　an　advocate　of　her　brother's　researches　into　the　family　history；　cut　the　reminiscences　short。
　〃Never　mind　that　now。〃
　〃I　don't。　I　got　over　it。　That's　the　moral。〃
　〃Well；〃　said　Lady　Caroline；　〃at　any　rate　poor　father　acted　with　great　good　sense　on　that　occasion。　There　seems　nothing　to　do　but　to　treat　Maud　in　just　the　same　way。　You　shall　not　stir　a　step　from　the　castle　till　you　have　got　over　this　dreadful　infatuation。　You　will　be　watched。〃
　〃I　shall　watch　you；〃　said　Lord　Belpher　solemnly；　〃I　shall　watch　your　every　movement。〃
　A　dreamy　look　came　into　Maud's　brown　eyes。
　〃Stone　walls　do　not　a　prison　make　nor　iron　bars　a　cage；〃　she　said　softly。
　〃That　wasn't　your　experience；　Percy；　my　boy；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton。
　〃They　make　a　very　good　imitation；〃　said　Lady　Caroline　coldly；　ignoring　the　interruption。
　Maud　faced　her　defiantly。　She　looked　like　a　princess　in　captivity　facing　her　gaolers。
　〃I　don't　care。　I　love　him；　and　I　always　shall　love　him；　and　nothing　is　ever　going　to　stop　me　loving　himbecause　I　love　him；〃　she　concluded　a　little　lamely。
　〃Nonsense；〃　said　Lady　Caroline。　〃In　a　year　from　now　you　will　have　forgotten　his　name。　Don't　you　agree　with　me；　Percy？〃
　〃Quite；〃　said　Lord　Belpher。
　〃I　shan't。〃
　〃Deuced　hard　things　to　remember；　names；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton。　〃If　I've　tried　once　to　remember　that　tobacconist　girl's　name；　I've　tried　a　hundred　times。　I　have　an　idea　it　began　with　an　'L。'　Muriel　or　Hilda　or　something。〃
　〃Within　a　year；〃　said　Lady　Caroline；　〃you　will　be　wondering　how　you　ever　came　to　be　so　foolish。　Don't　you　think　so；　Percy？〃
　〃Quite；〃　said　Lord　Belpher。
　Lord　Marshmoreton　turned　on　him　irritably。
　〃Good　God；　boy；　can't　you　answer　a　simple　question　with　a　plain　affirmative？　What　do　you　meanquite？　If　somebody　came　to　me　and　pointed　you　out　and　said；　'Is　that　your　son？'　do　you　suppose　I　should　say　'Quite？'　I　wish　the　devil　you　didn't　collect　prayer　rugs。　It's　sapped　your　brain。〃
　〃They　say　prison　life　often　weakens　the　intellect；　father；〃　said　Maud。　She　moved　towards　the　door　and　turned　the　handle。　　Albert；　the　page　boy；　who　had　been　courting　earache　by　listening　at　the　keyhole；　straightened　his　small　body　and　scuttled　away。　　〃Well；　is　that　all；　Aunt　Caroline？　May　I　go　now？〃
　〃Certainly。　I　have　said　all　I　wished　to　say。〃
　〃Very　well。　I'm　sorry　to　disobey　you；　but　I　can't　help　it。〃
　〃You'll　find　you　can　help　it　after　you've　been　cooped　up　here　for　a　few　more　months；〃　said　Percy。
　A　gentle　smile　played　over　Maud's　face。
　〃Love　laughs　at　locksmiths；〃　she　murmured　softly；　and　passed　from　the　room。
　〃What　did　she　say？〃　asked　Lord　Marshmoreton；　interested。　〃Something　about　somebody　laughing　at　a　locksmith？　I　don't　understand。　Why　should　anyone　laugh　at　locksmiths？　Most　respectable　men。　Had　one　up　here　only　the　day　before　yesterday；　forcing　open　the　drawer　of　my　desk。　Watched　him　do　it。　　Most　interesting。　He　smelt　rather　strongly　of　a　damned　bad　brand　of　tobacco。　Fellow　must　have　a　throat　of　leather　to　be　able　to　smoke　the　stuff。　But　he　didn't　strike　me　as　an　object　of　derision。　From　first　to　last；　I　was　never　tempted　to　laugh　once。〃
　Lord　Belpher　wandered　moodily　to　the　window　and　looked　out　into　the　gathering　darkness。
　〃And　this　has　to　happen；〃　he　said　bitterly；　〃on　the　eve　of　my　twenty…first　birthday。〃
　
　CHAPTER　7。
　
　The　first　requisite　of　an　invading　army　is　a　base。　George；　having　entered　Belpher　village　and　thus　acplished　the　first　stage　in　his　foreward　movement　on　the　castle；　selected　as　his　base　the　Marshmoreton　Arms。　Selected　is　perhaps　hardly　the　right　word；　as　it　implies　choice；　and　in　George's　case　there　was　no　choice。　There　are　two　inns　at　Belpher；　but　the　Marshmoreton　Arms　is　the　only　one　that　offers　acmodation　for　man　and　beast；　assumingthat　is　to　saythat　the　man　and　beast　desire　to　spend　the　night。　The　other　house；　the　Blue　Boar；　is　a　mere　beerhouse；　where　the　lower　strata　of　Belpher　society　gather　of　a　night　to　quench　their　thirst　and　to　tell　one　another　interminable　stories　without　any　point　whatsoever。　But　the　Marshmoreton　Arms　is　a　fortable；　respectable　hostelry；　catering　for　the　village　plutocrats。　There　of　an　evening　you　will　find　the　local　veterinary　surgeon　smoking　a　pipe　with　the　grocer；　the　baker；　and　the　butcher；　with　perhaps　a　sprinkling　of　neighbouring　farmers　to　help　the　conversation　along。　　There　is　a　〃shilling　ordinary〃which　is　rural　English　for　a　cut　off　the　joint　and　a　boiled　potato；　followed　by　hunks　of　the　sort　of　cheese　which　believes　that　it　pays　to　advertise；　and　this　is　usually　well　attended。　On　the　other　days　of　the　week；　until　late　in　the　evening；　however；　the　visitor　to　the　Marshmoreton　Arms　has　the　place　almost　entirely　to　himself。
　It　is　to　be　questioned　whether　in　the　whole　length　and　breadth　of　the　world　there　is　a　more　admirable　spot　for　a　man　in　love　to　pass　a　day　or　two　than　the　typical　English　village。　The　Rocky　Mountains；　that　traditional　stamping…ground　for　the　heartbroken；　may　be　well　enough　in　their　way；　but　a　lover　has　to　be　cast　in　a　pretty　stem　mould　to　be　able　to　be　introspective　when　at　any　moment　he　may　meet　an　annoyed　cinnamon　bear。　In　the　English　village　there　are　no　such　obstacles　to　meditation。　It　bines　the　forts　of　civilization　with　the　restfulness　of　solitude　in　a　manner　equalled　by　no　other　spot　except　the　New　York　Public　Library。　Here　your　lover　may　wander　to　and　fro　unmolested；　speaking　to　nobody；　by　nobody　addressed；　and　have　the　satisfaction　at　the　end　of　the　day　of　sitting　down　to　a　capitally　cooked　chop　and　chips；　lubricated　by　golden　English　ale。
　Belpher；　in　addition　to　all　the　advantages　of　the　usual　village；　has　a　quiet　charm　all　its　own；　due　to　the　fact　that　it　has　seen　better　days。　In　a　sense；　it　is　a　ruin；　and　ruins　are　always　soothing　to　the　bruised　soul。　Ten　years　before；　Belpher　had　been　a　flourishing　centre　of　the　South　of　England　oyster　trade。　It　is　situated　by　the　shore；　where　Hayling　Island；　lying　athwart　the　mouth　of　the　bay；　forms　the　waters　into　a　sort　of　brackish　lagoon；　in　much　the　same　way　as　Fire　Island　shuts　off　the　Great　South　Bay　of　Long　Island　from　the　waves　of　the　Atlantic。　The　water　of　Belpher　Creek　is　shallow　even　at　high　tide；　and　when　the　tide　runs　out　it　leaves　glistening　mud　flats；　which　it　is　the　peculiar　taste　of　the　oys