an unsocial socialist-第11节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


simple　acknowledgment　of　this　offence　against　the　college　and　its
rules。〃

〃I　do　not　care　that　for　Mrs。　Miller；〃　said　Agatha；　snapping　her
fingers。　〃And　you　are　not　half　so　good　as　I　thought。〃

〃Agatha；〃　said　Mr。　Jansenius；　〃I　desire　you　to　hold　your　tongue。〃

Agatha　drew　a　deep　breath；　sat　down　resignedly；　and　said：　〃There！
I　have　done。　I　have　lost　my　temper；　so　now　we　have　all　lost　our
tempers。〃

〃You　have　no　right　to　lose　your　temper；　Miss；〃　said　Mr。
Jansenius；　following　up　a　fancied　advantage。

〃I　am　the　youngest；　and　the　least　to　blame；〃　she　replied。　〃There
is　nothing　further　to　be　said；　Mr。　Jansenius；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；
determinedly。　〃I　am　sorry　that　Miss　Wylie　has　chosen　to　break
with　us。〃

〃But　I　have　not　chosen　to　break　with　you；　and　I　think　it　very
hard　that　I　am　to　be　sent　away。　Nobody　here　has　the　least　quarrel
with　me　except　you　and　Mrs。　Miller。　Mrs。　Miller　is　annoyed
because　she　mistook　me　for　her　cat；　as　if　that　was　my　fault！　And
really；　Miss　Wilson；　I　don't　know　why　you　are　so　angry。　All　the
girls　will　think　I　have　done　something　infamous　if　I　am　expelled。
I　ought　to　be　let　stay　until　the　end　of　the　term；　and　as　to　the
Recthe　fault　book；　you　told　me　most　particularly　when　I　first
came　that　I　might　write　in　it　or　not　just　as　I　pleased；　and　that
you　never　dictated　or　interfered　with　what　was　written。　And　yet
the　very　first　time　I　write　a　word　you　disapprove　of；　you　expel
me。　Nobody　will　ever　believe　now　that　the　entries　are　voluntary。〃

Miss　Wilson's　conscience；　already　smitten　by　the　coarseness　and
absence　of　moral　force　in　the　echo　of　her　own　〃You　are
impertinent；〃　from　the　mouth　of　Mr。　Jansenius；　took　fresh　alarm。
〃The　fault　book；〃　she　said；　〃is　for　the　purpose　of　recording
self…reproach　alone；　and　is　not　a　vehicle　for　accusations　against
others。〃

〃I　am　quite　sure　that　neither　Jane　nor　Gertrude　nor　I　reproached
ourselves　in　the　least　for　going　downstairs　as　we　did；　and　yet
you　did　not　blame　us　for　entering　that。　Besides；　the　book
represented　moral　forceat　least　you　always　said　so；　and　when
you　gave　up　moral　force；　I　thought　an　entry　should　be　made　of
that。　Of　course　I　was　in　a　rage　at　the　time；　hut　when　I　came　to
myself　I　thought　I　had　done　right；　and　I　think　so　still；　though
it　would　perhaps　have　been　better　to　have　passed　it　over。〃

〃Why　do　you　say　that　I　gave　up　moral　force？〃

〃Telling　people　to　leave　the　room　is　not　moral　force。　Calling
them　impertinent　is　not　moral　force。〃

〃You　think　then　that　I　am　bound　to　listen　patiently　to　whatever
you　choose　to　say　to　me；　however　unbecoming　it　may　be　from　one　in
your　position　to　one　in　mine　？〃

〃But　I　said　nothing　unbecoming；〃　said　Agatha。　Then；　breaking　off
restlessly；　and　smiling　again；　she　said：　〃Oh；　don't　let　us　argue。
I　am　very　sorry；　and　very　troublesome；　and　very　fond　of　you　and
of　the　college；　and　I　won't　come　back　next　term　unless　you　like。〃

〃Agatha；〃　said　Miss　Wilson；　shaken；　〃these　expressions　of　regard
cost　you　so　little；　and　when　they　have　effected　their　purpose；
are　so　soon　forgotten　by　you；　that　they　have　ceased　to　satisfy
me。　I　am　very　reluctant　to　insist　on　your　leaving　us　at　once。　But
as　your　uncle　has　told　you；　you　are　old　and　sensible　enough　to
know　the　difference　between　order　and　disorder。　Hitherto　you　have
been　on　the　side　of　disorder；　an　element　which　was　hardly　known
here　until　you　came；　as　Mrs。　Trefusis　can　tell　you。　Nevertheless；
if　you　will　promise　to　be　more　careful　in　future；　I　will　waive
all　past　cause　of　complaint；　and　at　the　end　of　the　term　I　shall
be　able　to　judge　as　to　your　continuing　among　us。〃

Agatha　rose；　beaming。　〃Dear　Miss　Wilson；〃　she　said；　〃you　are　so
good！　I　promise；　of　course。　I　will　go　and　tell　mamma。〃

Before　they　could　add　a　word　she　had　turned　with　a　pirouette　to
the　door；　and　fled；　presenting　herself　a　moment　later　in　the
drawing…room　to　the　three　ladies；　whom　she　surveyed　with　a
whimsical　smile　in　silence。

〃Well？〃　said　Mrs。　Jansenius　peremptorily。

〃Well；　dear？〃　said　Mrs。　Trefusis；　caressingly。

Mrs。　Wylie　stifled　a　sob　and　looked　imploringly　at　her　daughter。

〃I　had　no　end　of　trouble　in　bringing　them　to　reason；〃　said
Agatha；　after　a　provoking　pause。　〃They　behaved　like　children；　and
I　was　like　an　angel。　I　am　to　stay；　of　course。〃

〃Blessings　on　you；　my　darling；〃　faltered　Mrs。　Wylie；　attempting　a
kiss；　which　Agatha　dexterously　evaded。

〃I　have　promised　to　be　very　good；　and　studious；　and　quiet；　and
decorous　in　future。　Do　you　remember　my　castanet　song；　Hetty？

〃'Tra！　lalala；　la！　la！　la！　Tra！　lalala；　la！　la！　la！　Tra！
lalalalalalalalalalala！'〃

And　she　danced　about　the　room；　snapping　her　fingers　instead　of
castanets。

〃Don't　be　so　reckless　and　wicked；　my　love；〃　said　Mrs。　Wylie。　〃You
will　break　your　poor　mother's　heart。〃

Miss　Wilson　and　Mr。　Jansenius　entered　just　then；　and　Agatha
became　motionless　and　gazed　abstractedly　at　a　vase　of　flowers。
Miss　Wilson　invited　her　visitors　to　join　the　tennis　players。　Mr。
Jansenius　looked　sternly　and　disappointedly　at　Agatha；　who
elevated　her　left　eyebrow　and　depressed　her　right　simultaneously；
but　he；　shaking　his　head　to　signify　that　he　was　not　to　be
conciliated　by　facial　feats；　however　difficult　or　contrary　to
nature；　went　out　with　Miss　Wilson；　followed　by　Mrs。　Jansenius　and
Mrs。　Wylie。

〃How　is　your　Hubby？〃　said　Agatha　then；　brusquely；　to　Henrietta。

Mrs。　Trefusis's　eyes　filled　with　tears　so　quickly　that；　as　she
bent　her　head　to　hide　them；　they　fell；　sprinkling　Agatha's　hand。

〃This　is　such　a　dear　old　place；〃　she　began。　〃The　associations　of
my　girlhood〃

〃What　is　the　matter　between　you　and　Hubby？〃　demanded　Agatha；
interrupting　her。　〃You　had　better　tell　me；　or　I　will　ask　him　when
I　meet　him。〃

〃I　was　about　to　tell　you；　only　you　did　not　give　me　time。〃

〃That　is　a　most　awful　cram；〃　said　Agatha。　〃But　no　matter。　Go　on。〃

Henrietta　hesitated。　Her　dignity　as　a　married　woman；　and　the
reality　of　her　grief；　revolted　against　the　shallow　acuteness　of
the　schoolgirl。　But　she　found　herself　no　better　able　to　resist
Agatha's　domineering　than　she　had　been　in　her　childhood；　and　much
more　desirous　of　obtaining　her　sympathy。　Besides；　she　had　already
learnt　to　tell　the　story　herself　rather　than　leave　its　narration
to　others；　whose　accounts　did　not；　she　felt；　put　her　case　in　the
proper　light。　So　she　told　Agatha　of　her　marriage；　her　wild　love
for　her　husband；　his　wild　love　for　her；　and　his　mysterious
disappearance　without　leaving　word　or　sign　behind　him。　She　did
not　mention　the　letter。

〃Have　you　had　him　searched　for？〃　said　Agatha；　repressing　an
inclination　to　laugh。

〃But　where？　Had　I　the　remotest　clue；　I　would　follow　him　barefoot
to　the　end　of　the　world。〃

〃I　think　you　ought　to　search　all　the　riversyou　would　have　to　do
that　barefoot。　He　must　have　fallen　in　somewhere；　or　fallen　down
some　place。〃

〃No；　no。　Do　you　think　I　should　be　here　if　I　thought　his　life　in
danger？　I　have　reasonsI　know　that　he　is　only　gone　away。〃

〃Oh；　indeed！　He　took　his　portmanteau　with　him；　did　he？　Perhaps　he
has　gone　to　Paris　to　buy　you　something　nice　and　give　you　a
pleasant　surprise。〃

〃No；〃　said　Henrietta　dejectedly。　〃He　knew　that　I　wanted　nothing。〃

〃Then　I　suppose　he　got　tired　of　you　and　ran　away。〃

Henrietta's　peculiar　scarlet　blush　flowed　rapidly　over　her　cheeks
as　she　flung　Agatha's　arm　away；　exclaiming；　〃How　dare　you　say　so！
You　have　no　heart。　He　adored　me。〃

〃Bosh！〃　said　Agatha。　〃People　always　grow　tired　of　one　another。　I
grow　tired　of　myself　whenever　I　am　left　alone　for　ten　minutes；
and　I　am　certain　that　I　am　fonder　of　myself　than　anyone　can　be　of
another　person。〃

〃I　know　you　are；〃　said　Henrietta；　pained　and　spiteful。　〃You　have
always　been　particularly　fond　of　yourself。〃

〃Very　likely　he　resembles　me　in　that　respect。　In　that　case　he
will　grow　tired　of　himself　and　come　back；　and　you　will　both　coo
like　turtle　doves　until　he　runs　away　again。　Ugh！　Serve　you　right
for　getting　married。　I　wonder　how　people　can　be　so　mad　as　to　do
it；　with　the　example　of　their　married　acquaintances　all　warning
them　against　it。〃

〃You　don't　know　what　it　is　to　love；〃　said　Henrietta；　plaintively；
and　yet　patronizingly。　〃Besides；　we　were　not　like　other　couples。〃

〃So　it　seems。　But　never　mind；　take　my　word　for　it；　he　will　return
to　you　as　soon　as　he　has　had　enough　of　his　own　company。　Don't
worry　thinking　about　him；　but　come　and　have　a　game　at　lawn
tennis。〃

During　this　conversation　they　had　left　the　drawing…room　and　made
a　detour　through　the　grounds。　They　were　now　approaching　the
tennis　courts　by　a　path　which　wound　between　two　laurel　hedges
through　the　shrubbery。　Meanwhile；　Smilash；　waiting　on　the　guests
in　his　white　apron　and　gloves　（which　he　had　positively　refused　to
take　off；　alleging　that　he　was　a　common　man；　with　common　hands
such　as　born　ladies　and　gentlemen　could　not　be　expected　to　take
meat　and　drink　from）；　had　behaved　himself　irreproachably　until
the　arrival　of　Miss　Wilson　and　her　visitors；　which　occurred　as　he
was　returning　to　the　table　with　an　empty　tray；　moving　so　swiftly
that　he　nearly　came　into　collision　with　Mrs。　Jansenius。　Instead
of　apologizing；　he　changed　countenance；　hastily　held　up　the　tray
like　a　shield　before　his　face；　and　began　to　walk　ba