pgw.adamselindistress-第2节

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　Lady　Caroline　frowned　impatiently。　Hers　was　an　alert；　vigorous　mind；　bright　and　strong　like　a　steel　trap；　and　her　brother's　vagueness　and　growing　habit　of　inattention　irritated　her。
　〃I　mean　to　speak　to　her　about　being　engaged　to　Reggie。　You　are　her　father。　Surely　you　can　at　least　try　to　persuade　her。〃
　〃Can't　coerce　a　girl。〃
　〃I　never　suggested　that　you　should　coerce　her；　as　you　put　it。　I　merely　meant　that　you　could　point　out　to　her；　as　a　father；　where　her　duty　and　happiness　lie。〃
　〃Drink　this！〃　cried　his　lordship　with　sudden　fury；　spraying　his　can　over　the　nearest　bush；　and　addressing　his　remark　to　the　invisible　thrips。　He　had　forgotten　Lady　Caroline　pletely。　〃Don't　stint　yourselves！　There's　lots　more！〃
　A　girl　came　down　the　steps　of　the　castle　and　made　her　way　towards　them。　She　was　a　good…looking　girl；　with　an　air　of　quiet　efficiency　about　her。　Her　eyes　were　grey　and　whimsical。　Her　head　was　uncovered；　and　the　breeze　stirred　her　dark　hair。　She　made　a　graceful　picture　in　the　morning　sunshine；　and　Reggie　Byng；　sighting　her　from　the　terrace；　wobbled　in　his　tracks；　turned　pink；　and　lost　the　thread　of　his　remarks。
　The　sudden　appearance　of　Alice　Faraday　always　affected　him　like　that。
　〃I　have　copied　out　the　notes　you　made　last　night；　Lord　Marshmoreton。　I　typed　two　copies。〃
　Alice　Faraday　spoke　in　a　quiet；　respectful；　yet　subtly　authoritative　voice。　She　was　a　girl　of　great　character。　Previous　employers　of　her　services　as　secretary　had　found　her　a　jewel。　To　Lord　Marshmoreton　she　was　rapidly　being　a　perfect　incubus。　Their　views　on　the　relative　importance　of　gardening　and　family　histories　did　not　coincide。　To　him　the　history　of　the　Marshmoreton　family　was　the　occupation　of　the　idle　hour：　she　seemed　to　think　that　he　ought　to　regard　it　as　a　life…work。　She　was　always　ing　and　digging　him　out　of　the　garden　and　dragging　him　back　to　what　should　have　been　a　purely　after…dinner　task。　It　was　Lord　Marshmoreton's　habit；　when　he　awoke　after　one　of　his　naps　too　late　to　resume　work；　to　throw　out　some　vague　promise　of　〃attending　to　it　tomorrow〃；　but；　he　reflected　bitterly；　the　girl　ought　to　have　tact　and　sense　to　understand　that　this　was　only　polite　persiflage；　and　not　to　be　taken　literally。
　〃They　are　very　rough；〃　continued　Alice；　addressing　her　conversation　to　the　seat　of　his　lordship's　corduroy　trousers。　Lord　Marshmoreton　always　assumed　a　stooping　attitude　when　he　saw　Miss　Faraday　approaching　with　papers　in　her　hand；　for　he　laboured　under　a　pathetic　delusion；　of　which　no　amount　of　failures　could　rid　him；　that　if　she　did　not　see　his　face　she　would　withdraw。　〃You　remember　last　night　you　promised　you　would　attend　to　them　this　morning。〃　She　paused　long　enough　to　receive　a　non…mittal　grunt　by　way　of　answer。　〃Of　course；　if　you're　busy〃　she　said　placidly；　with　a　half…glance　at　Lady　Caroline。　That　masterful　woman　could　always　be　counted　on　as　an　ally　in　these　little　encounters。
　〃Nothing　of　the　kind！〃　said　Lady　Caroline　crisply。　She　was　still　ruffled　by　the　lack　of　attention　which　her　recent　utterances　had　received；　and　weled　the　chance　of　administering　discipline。　〃Get　up　at　once；　John；　and　go　in　and　work。〃
　〃I　am　working；〃　pleaded　Lord　Marshmoreton。
　Despite　his　forty…eight　years　his　sister　Caroline　still　had　the　power　at　times　to　make　him　feel　like　a　small　boy。　She　had　been　a　great　martinet　in　the　days　of　their　mutual　nursery。
　〃The　Family　History　is　more　important　than　grubbing　about　in　the　dirt。　I　cannot　understand　why　you　do　not　leave　this　sort　of　thing　to　MacPherson。　Why　you　should　pay　him　liberal　wages　and　then　do　his　work　for　him；　I　cannot　see。　You　know　the　publishers　are　waiting　for　the　History。　Go　and　attend　to　these　notes　at　once。〃
　〃You　promised　you　would　attend　to　them　this　morning；　Lord　Marshmoreton；〃　said　Alice　invitingly。
　Lord　Marshmoreton　clung　to　his　can　of　whale…oil　solution　with　the　clutch　of　a　drowning　man。　None　knew　better　than　he　that　these　interviews；　especially　when　Caroline　was　present　to　lend　the　weight　of　her　dominating　personality；　always　ended　in　the　same　way。
　〃Yes；　yes；　yes！〃　he　said。　〃Tonight；　perhaps。　After　dinner；　eh？　Yes；　after　dinner。　That　will　be　capital。〃
　〃I　think　you　ought　to　attend　to　them　this　morning；〃　said　Alice；　gently　persistent。　It　really　perturbed　this　girl　to　feel　that　she　was　not　doing　work　enough　to　merit　her　generous　salary。　And　on　the　subject　of　the　history　of　the　Marshmoreton　family　she　was　an　enthusiast。　It　had　a　glamour　for　her。
　Lord　Marshmoreton's　fingers　relaxed　their　hold。　Throughout　the　rose…garden　hundreds　of　spared　thrips　went　on　with　their　morning　meal；　unwitting　of　doom　averted。
　〃Oh；　all　right；　all　right；　all　right！　e　into　the　library。〃
　〃Very　well；　Lord　Marshmoreton。〃　Miss　Faraday　turned　to　Lady　Caroline。　〃I　have　been　looking　up　the　trains；　Lady　Caroline。　The　best　is　the　twelve…fifteen。　It　has　a　dining…car；　and　stops　at　Belpher　if　signalled。〃
　〃Are　you　going　away；　Caroline？〃　inquired　Lord　Marshmoreton　hopefully。
　〃I　am　giving　a　short　talk　to　the　Social　Progress　League　at　Lewisham。　I　shall　return　tomorrow。〃
　〃Oh！〃　said　Marshmoreton；　hope　fading　from　his　voice。
　〃Thank　you；　Miss　Faraday；〃　said　Lady　Caroline。　〃The　twelve…fifteen。〃
　〃The　motor　will　be　round　at　a　quarter　to　twelve。〃
　〃Thank　you。　Oh；　by　the　way；　Miss　Faraday；　will　you　call　to　Reggie　as　you　pass；　and　tell　him　I　wish　to　speak　to　him。〃
　Maud　had　left　Reggie　by　the　time　Alice　Faraday　reached　him；　and　that　ardent　youth　was　sitting　on　a　stone　seat；　smoking　a　cigarette　and　entertaining　himself　with　meditations　in　which　thoughts　of　Alice　peted　for　precedence　with　graver　reflections　connected　with　the　subject　of　the　correct　stance　for　his　approach…shots。　Reggie's　was　a　troubled　spirit　these　days。　He　was　in　love；　and　he　had　developed　a　bad　slice　with　his　mid…iron。　He　was　practically　a　soul　in　torment。
　〃Lady　Caroline　asked　me　to　tell　you　that　she　wishes　to　speak　to　you；　Mr。　Byng。〃
　Reggie　leaped　from　his　seat。
　〃Hullo…ullo…ullo！　There　you　are！　I　mean　to　say；　what？〃
　He　was　conscious；　as　was　his　custom　in　her　presence；　of　a　warm；　prickly　sensation　in　the　small　of　the　back。　Some　kind　of　elephantiasis　seemed　to　have　attacked　his　hands　and　feet；　swelling　them　to　enormous　proportions。　He　wished　profoundly　that　he　could　get　rid　of　his　habit　of　yelping　with　nervous　laughter　whenever　he　encountered　the　girl　of　his　dreams。　It　was　calculated　to　give　her　a　wrong　impression　of　a　chapmake　her　think　him　a　fearful　chump　and　what　not！
　〃Lady　Caroline　is　leaving　by　the　twelve…fifteen。〃
　〃That's　good！　What　I　mean　to　say　isoh；　she　is；　is　she？　　I　see　what　you　mean。〃　The　absolute　necessity　of　saying　something　at　least　moderately　coherent　gripped　him。　He　rallied　his　forces。　〃You　wouldn't　care　to　e　for　a　stroll；　after　I've　seen　the　mater；　or　a　row　on　the　lake；　or　any　rot　like　that；　would　you？〃
　〃Thank　you　very　much；　but　I　must　go　in　and　help　Lord　Marshmoreton　with　his　book。〃
　〃What　a　rottenI　mean；　what　a　dam'　shame！〃
　The　pity　of　it　tore　at　Reggie's　heart　strings。　He　burned　with　generous　wrath　against　Lord　Marshmoreton；　that　modern　Simon　Legree；　who　used　his　capitalistic　power　to　make　a　slave　of　this　girl　and　keep　her　toiling　indoors　when　all　the　world　was　sunshine。
　〃Shall　I　go　and　ask　him　if　you　can't　put　it　off　till　after　dinner？〃
　〃Oh；　no；　thanks　very　much。　I'm　sure　Lord　Marshmoreton　wouldn't　dream　of　it。〃
　She　passed　on　with　a　pleasant　smile。　When　he　had　recovered　from　the　effect　of　this　Reggie　proceeded　slowly　to　the　upper　level　to　meet　his　step…mother。
　〃Hullo；　mater。　Pretty　fit　and　so　forth？　What　did　you　want　to　see　me　about？〃
　〃Well；　Reggie；　what　is　the　news？〃
　〃Eh？　What？　News？　Didn't　you　get　hold　of　a　paper　at　breakfast？　Nothing　much　in　it。　Tam　Duggan　beat　Alec　Fraser　three　up　and　two　to　play　at　Prestwick。　I　didn't　notice　anything　else　much。　There's　a　new　musical　edy　at　the　Regal。　Opened　last　night；　and　seems　to　be　just　like　mother　makes。　The　Morning　Post　gave　it　a　topping　notice。　I　must　trickle　up　to　town　and　see　it　some　time　this　week。〃
　Lady　Caroline　frowned。　This　slowness　in　the　uptake；　ing　so　soon　after　her　brother's　inattention；　displeased　her。
　〃No；　no；　no。　I　mean　you　and　Maud　have　been　talking　to　each　other　for　quite　a　long　time；　and　she　seemed　very　interested　in　what　you　were　saying。　I　hoped　you　might　have　some　good　news　for　me。〃
　Reggie's　face　brightened。　He　caught　her　drift。
　〃Oh；　ah；　yes；　I　see　what　you　mean。　No；　there　wasn't　anything　of　that　sort　or　shape　or　order。〃
　〃What　were　you　saying　to　her；　then；　that　interested　her　so　much？〃
　〃I　was　explaining　how　I　landed　dead　on　the　pin　with　my　spoon　out　of　a　sand…trap　at　the　eleventh　hole　yesterday。　It　certainly　was　a　pretty　ripe　shot；　considering。　I'd　sliced　into　this　baby　bunker；　don't　you　know；　I　simply　can't　keep　'em　straight　with　the　iron　nowadaysand　there　the　pill　was；　grinning　up　at　me　from　the　sand。　Of　course；　strictly　speaking；　I　ought　to　have　used　a　niblick；　but
　〃Do　you　mean　to　say；　Reggie；　that；　with　such　an　excellent　opportunity；　you　did　not　ask　Maud　to　marry　you？〃
　〃I　see　what　you　mean。　Well；　as　a　matter　of　absolute　fact；　I；　as　it　were；　didn't。〃
　Lady　Caroline　uttered　a　wordless　sound。
　〃By　the　way；　mater；〃　said　Reggie；　〃I　forgot　to　tell　you　about　that。　It's　all　off。〃
　〃What！〃
　〃Ab