an unsocial socialist-第26节

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Just　then　Agatha；　skating　hand　in　hand　with　Jane　Carpenter；　heard
these　words　in　her　ear：　〃I　have　something　very　funny　to　tell　you。
Don't　look　round。〃

She　recognized　the　voice　of　Smilash　and　obeyed。

〃I　am　not　quite　sure　that　you　will　enjoy　it　as　it　deserves；〃　he
added；　and　darted　off　again；　after　casting　an　eloquent　glance　at
Miss　Carpenter。

Agatha　disengaged　herself　from　her　companion；　made　a　circuit；　and
passed　near　Smilash；　saying：　〃What　is　it？〃

Smilash　flitted　away　like　a　swallow；　traced　several　circles
around　Fairholme；　and　then　returned　to　Agatha　and　proceeded　side
by　side　with　her。

〃I　have　read　the　letter　you　wrote　to　Hetty；〃　he　said。

Agatha's　face　began　to　glow。　She　forgot　to　maintain　her　balance；
and　almost　fell。

〃Take　care。　And　so　you　are　not　fond　of　mein　the　romantic
sense？〃

No　answer。　Agatha　dumb　and　afraid　to　lift　her　eyelids。

〃That　is　fortunate；〃　he　continued；　〃becausegood　evening；　Miss
Ward；　I　have　done　nothing　but　admire　your　skating　for　the　last
hourbecause　men　were　deceivers　ever；　and　I　am　no　exception；　as
you　will　presently　admit。〃

Agatha　murmured　something；　but　it　was　unintelligible　amid　the　din
of　skating。

〃You　think　not？　Well；　perhaps　you　are　right；　I　have　said　nothing
to　you　that　is　not　in　a　measure　true。　You　have　always　had　a
peculiar　charm　for　me。　But　I　did　not　mean　you　to　tell　Hetty。　Can
you　guess　why？〃

Agatha　shook　her　head。

〃Because　she　is　my　wife。〃

Agatha's　ankles　became　limp。　With　an　effort　she　kept　upright
until　she　reached　Jane；　to　whom　she　clung　for　support。

〃Don't；〃　screamed　Jane。　〃You'll　upset　me。〃

〃I　must　sit　down；〃　said　Agatha。　〃I　am　tired。　Let　me　lean　on　you
until　we　get　to　the　chairs。〃

〃Bosh！　I　can　skate　for　an　hour　without　sitting　down；〃　said　Jane。
However；　she　helped　Agatha　to　a　chair　and　left　her。　Then　Smilash；
as　if　desiring　a　rest　also；　sat　down　close　by　on　the　margin　of
the　pond。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　without　troubling　himself　as　to　whether　their
conversation　attracted　attention　or　not；　〃what　do　you　think　of　me
now？〃

〃Why　did　you　not　tell　me　before；　Mr。　Trefusis？〃

〃That　is　the　cream　of　the　joke；〃　he　replied；　poising　his　heels　on
the　ice　so　that　his　skates　stood　vertically　at　legs'　length　from
him；　and　looking　at　them　with　a　cynical　air。　〃I　thought　you　were
in　love　with　me；　and　that　the　truth　would　be　too　severe　a　blow　to
you。　Ha！　ha！　And；　for　the　same　reason；　you　generously　forbore　to
tell　me　that　you　were　no　more　in　love　with　me　than　with　the　man
in　the　moon。　Each　played　a　farce；　and　palmed　it　off　on　the　other
as　a　tragedy。〃

〃There　are　some　things　so　unmanly；　so　unkind；　and　so　cruel；〃　said
Agatha；　〃that　I　cannot　understand　any　gentleman　saying　them　to　a
girl。　Please　do　not　speak　to　me　again。　Miss　Ward！　Come　to　me　for
a　moment。　II　am　not　well。〃

Ward　hurried　to　her　side。　Smilash；　after　staring　at　her　for　a
moment　in　astonishment；　and　in　some　concern；　skimmed　away　into
the　crowd。　When　he　reached　the　opposite　bank　he　took　off　his
skates　and　asked　Jane；　who　strayed　intentionally　in　his
direction；　to　tell　Miss　Wylie　that　he　was　gone；　and　would　skate
no　more　there。　Without　adding　a　word　of　explanation　he　left　her
and　made　for　his　dwelling。　As　he　went　down　into　the　hollow　where
the　road　passed　through　the　plantation　on　the　college　side　of　the
chalet　he　descried　a　boy；　in　the　uniform　of　the　post　office；
sliding　along　the　frozen　ditch。　A　presentiment　of　evil　tidings
came　upon　him　like　a　darkening　of　the　sky。　He　quickened　his　pace。

〃Anything　for　me？〃　he　said。

The　boy；　who　knew　him；　fumbled　in　a　letter　case　and　produced　a
buff　envelope。　It　contained　a　telegram。

From　Jansenius；　London。

TO　J。　Smilash；　Chamoounix　Villa；　Lyvern。
_________________________________________

Henrietta　dangerously　ill　after　journey　
wants　to　see　you　doctors　say　must　come　at　once
_________________________________________

There　was　a　pause。　Then　he　folded　the　paper　methodically　and　put
it　in　his　pocket；　as　if　quite　done　with　it。

〃And　so；〃　he　said；　〃perhaps　the　tragedy　is　to　follow　the　farce
after　all。〃

He　looked　at　the　boy；　who　retreated；　not　liking　his　expression。

〃Did　you　slide　all　the　way　from　Lyvern？〃

〃Only　to　come　quicker；〃　said　the　messenger；　faltering。　〃I　came　as
quick　as　I　could。〃

〃You　carried　news　heavy　enough　to　break　the　thickest　ice　ever
frozen。　I　have　a　mind　to　throw　you　over　the　top　of　that　tree
instead　of　giving　you　this　half…crown。〃

〃You　let　me　alone；〃　whimpered　the　boy；　retreating　another　pace。

〃Get　back　to　Lyvern　as　fast　as　you　can　run　or　slide；　and　tell　Mr。
Marsh　to　send　me　the　fastest　trap　he　has；　to　drive　me　to　the
railway　station。　Here　is　your　half…crown。　Off　with　you；　and　if　I
do　not　find　the　trap　ready　when　I　want　it；　woe　betide　you。〃

The　boy　came　for　the　money　mistrustfully；　and　ran　off　with　it　as
fast　as　he　could。　Smilash　went　into　the　chalet　and　never
reappeared。　Instead；　Trefusis；　a　gentleman　in　an　ulster；　carrying
a　rug；　came　out；　locked　the　door；　and　hurried　along　the　road　to
Lyvern；　where　he　was　picked　up　by　the　trap；　and　carried　swiftly
to　the　railway　station；　just　in　time　to　catch　the　London　train。

〃Evening　paper；　sir？〃　said　a　voice　at　the　window；　as　he　settled
himself　in　the　corner　of　a　first…class　carriage。

〃No；　thank　you。〃

〃Footwarmer；　sir？〃　said　a　porter；　appearing　in　the　news…vender's
place。

〃Ah；　that's　a　good　idea。　Yes；　let　me　have　a　footwarmer。〃

The　footwarmer　was　brought；　and　Trefusis　composed　himself
comfortably　for　his　journey。　It　seemed　very　short　to　him；　he
could　hardly　believe；　when　the　train　arrived　in　London；　that　he
had　been　nearly　three　hours　on　the　way。

There　was　a　sense　of　Christmas　about　the　travellers　and　the
people　who　were　at　the　terminus　to　meet　them。　The　porter　who　came
to　the　carriage　door　reminded　Trefusis　by　his　manner　and　voice
that　the　season　was　one　at　which　it　becomes　a　gentleman　to　be
festive　and　liberal。

〃Wot　luggage；　sir？　Hansom　or　fourweoll；　sir？〃

For　a　moment　Trefusis　felt　a　vagabond　impulse　to　resume　the
language　of　Smilash　and　fable　to　the　man　of　hampers　of　turkey　and
plum…pudding　in　the　van。　But　he　repressed　it；　got　into　a　hansom；
and　was　driven　to　his　father…in…law's　house　in　Belsize　Avenue；
studying　in　a　gloomily　critical　mood　the　anxiety　that　surged　upon
him　and　made　his　heart　beat　like　a　boy's　as　he　drew　near　his
destination。　There　were　two　carriages　at　the　door　when　he
alighted。　The　reticent　expression　of　the　coachmen　sent　a　tremor
through　him。

The　door　opened　before　he　rang。　〃If　you　please；　sir；〃　said　the
maid　in　a　low　voice；　〃will　you　step　into　the　library；　and　the
doctor　will　see　you　immediately。〃

On　the　first　landing　of　the　staircase　two　gentlemen　were　speaking
to　Mr。　Jansenius；　who　hastily　moved　out　of　sight；　not　before　a
glimpse　of　his　air　of　grief　174　and　discomfiture　had　given
Trefusis　a　strange　twinge；　succeeded　by　a　sensation　of　having
been　twenty　years　a　widower。　He　smiled　unconcernedly　as　he
followed　the　girl　into　the　library；　and　asked　her　how　she　did。
She　murmured　some　reply　and　hurried　away；　thinking　that　the　poor
young　man　would　alter　his　tone　presently。

He　was　joined　at　once　by　a　gray　whiskered　gentleman；　scrupulously
dressed　and　mannered。　Trefusis　introduced　himself；　and　the
physician　looked　at　him　with　some　interest。　Then　he　said：

〃You　have　arrived　too　late；　Mr。　Trefusis。　All　is　over；　I　am　sorry
to　say。〃

〃Was　the　long　railway　journey　she　took　in　this　cold　weather　the
cause　of　her　death？〃

Some　bitter　words　that　the　physician　had　heard　upstairs　made　him
aware　that　this　was　a　delicate　question。　But　he　said　quietly：
〃The　proximate　cause；　doubtless。　The　proximate　cause。〃

〃She　received　some　unwelcome　and　quite　unlooked…for　intelligence
before　she　started。　Had　that　anything　to　do　with　her　death；　do
you　think？〃

〃It　may　have　produced　an　unfavorable　effect；〃　said　the　physician；
growing　restive　and　taking　up　his　gloves。　〃The　habit　of　referring
such　events　to　such　causes　is　carried　too　far；　as　a　rule。〃

〃No　doubt。　I　am　curious　because　the　event　is　novel　in　my
experience。　I　suppose　it　is　a　commonplace　in　yours。　Pardon　me。


175　The　loss　of　a　lady　so　young　and　so　　favorably　circumstanced
is　not　a　commonplace　either　in　my　experience　or　in　my　opinion。〃
The　physician　held　up　his　head　as　he　spoke；　in　protest　against
any　assumption　that　his　sympathies　had　been　blunted　by　his
profession。

〃Did　she　suffer？〃

〃For　some　hours；　yes。　We　were　able　to　do　a　little　to　alleviate
her　painpoor　thing！〃　He　almost　forgot　Trefusis　as　he　added　the
apostrophe。

〃Hours　of　pain！　Can　you　conceive　any　good　purpose　that　those
hours　may　have　served？〃

The　physician　shook　his　head；　leaving　it　doubtful　whether　he
meant　to　reply　in　the　negative　or　to　deplore　considerations　of
that　nature。　He　also　made　a　movement　to　depart；　being　uneasy　in
conversation　with　Trefusis；　who　would；　he　felt　sure；　presently
ask　questions　or　make　remarks　with　which　he　could　hardly　deal
without　committing　himself　in　some　direction。　His　conscience　was
not　quite　at　rest。　Henrietta's　pain　had　not；　he　thought；　served
any　good　purpose；　but　he　did　not　want　to　say　so；　lest　he　should
acquire　a　reputation　for　impiety　and　lose　his　practice。　He
be