an unsocial socialist-第3节

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anything　or　anybody。　And　when　I　came　back　on　Wednesday　he　was
gone；　and　there　was　this　letter。〃　She　produced　a　letter；　and　wept
more　bitterly　than　before。

〃Let　me　see　it。〃

Henrietta　hesitated；　but　her　mother　took　the　letter　from　her；　sat
down　near　the　window；　and　composed　herself　to　read　without　the
least　regard　to　her　daughter's　vehement　distress。　The　letter　ran
thus：

〃Monday　night。

〃My　Dearest：　I　am　offsurfeited　with　endearmentto　live　my　own
life　and　do　my　own　work。　I　could　only　have　prepared　you　for　this
by　coldness　or　neglect；　which　are　wholly　impossible　to　me　when
the　spell　of　your　presence　is　upon　me。　I　find　that　I　must　fly　if
I　am　to　save　myself。

〃I　am　afraid　that　I　cannot　give　you　satisfactory　and　intelligible
reasons　for　this　step。　You　are　a　beautiful　and　luxurious
creature：　life　is　to　you　full　and　complete　only　when　it　is　a
carnival　of　love。　My　case　is　just　the　reverse。　Before　three　soft
speeches　have　escaped　me　I　rebuke　myself　for　folly　and
insincerity。　Before　a　caress　has　had　time　to　cool；　a　strenuous
revulsion　seizes　me：　I　long　to　return　to　my　old　lonely　ascetic
hermit　life；　to　my　dry　books；　my　Socialist　propagandism；　my
voyage　of　discovery　through　the　wilderness　of　thought。　I　married
in　an　insane　fit　of　belief　that　I　had　a　share　of　the　natural
affection　which　carries　other　men　through　lifetimes　of　matrimony。
Already　I　am　undeceived。　You　are　to　me　the　loveliest　woman　in　the
world。　Well；　for　five　weeks　I　have　walked　and　tallied　and　dallied
with　the　loveliest　woman　in　the　world；　and　the　upshot　is　that　I
am　flying　from　her；　and　am　for　a　hermit's　cave　until　I　die。　Love
cannot　keep　possession　of　me：　all　my　strongest　powers　rise　up
against　it　and　will　not　endure　it。　Forgive　me　for　writing
nonsense　that　you　won't　understand；　and　do　not　think　too　hardly
of　me。　I　have　been　as　good　to　you　as　my　selfish　nature　allowed。
Do　not　seek　to　disturb　me　in　the　obscurity　which　I　desire　and
deserve。　My　solicitor　will　call　on　your　father　to　arrange
business　matters；　and　you　shall　be　as　happy　as　wealth　and　liberty
can　make　you。　We　shall　meet　againsome　day。

〃Adieu；　my　last　love；

〃Sidney　Trefusis。〃

〃Well？〃　cried　Mrs。　Trefusis；　observing　through　her　tears　that　her
mother　had　read　the　letter　and　was　contemplating　it　in　a　daze。

〃Well；　certainly！〃　said　Mrs。　Jansenius；　with　emphasis。　〃Do　you
think　he　is　quite　sane；　Henrietta？　Or　have　you　been　plaguing　him
for　too　much　attention？　Men　are　not　willing　to　give　up　their
whole　existence　to　their　wives；　even　during　the　honeymoon。〃

〃He　pretended　that　he　was　never　happy　out　of　my　presence；〃　sobbed
Henrietta。　〃There　never　was　anything　so　cruel。　I　often　wanted　to
be　by　myself　for　a　change；　but　I　was　afraid　to　hurt　his　feelings
by　saying　so。　And　now　he　has　no　feelings。　But　he　must　come　back
to　me。　Mustn't　he；　mamma？〃

〃He　ought　to。　I　suppose　he　has　not　gone　away　with　anyone？〃

Henrietta　sprang　up；　her　cheeks　vivid　scarlet。　〃If　I　thought　that
I　would　pursue　him　to　the　end　of　the　earth；　and　murder　her。　But
no；　he　is　not　like　anybody　else。　He　hates　me！　Everybody　hates　me！
You　don't　care　whether　I　am　deserted　or　not；　nor　papa；　nor　anyone
in　this　house。〃

Mrs。　Jansenius；　still　indifferent　to　her　daughter's　agitation；
considered　a　moment；　and　then　said　placidly：

〃You　can　do　nothing　until　we　hear　from　the　solicitor。　In　the
meantime　you　may　stay　with　us；　if　you　wish。　I　did　not　expect　a
visit　from　you　so　soon；　but　your　room　has　not　been　used　since　you
went　away。〃

Mrs。　Trefusis　ceased　crying；　chilled　by　this　first　intimation
that　her　father's　house　was　no　longer　her　home。　A　more　real　sense
of　desolation　came　upon　her。　Under　its　cold　influence　she　began
to　collect　herself；　and　to　feel　her　pride　rising　like　a　barrier
between　her　and　her　mother。

〃I　won't　stay　long；〃　she　said。　〃If　his　solicitor　will　not　tell　me
where　he　is；　I　will　hunt　through　England　for　him。　I　am　sorry　to
trouble　you。〃

〃Oh；　you　will　be　no　greater　trouble　than　you　have　always　been；〃
said　Mrs。　Jansenius　calmly；　not　displeased　to　see　that　her
daughter　had　taken　the　hint。　〃You　had　better　go　and　wash　your
face。　People　may　call；　and　I　presume　you　don't　wish　to　receive
them　in　that　plight。　If　you　meet　Arthur　on　the　stairs；　please
tell　him　he　may　come　in。〃

Henrietta　screwed　her　lips　into　a　curious　pout　and　withdrew。
Arthur　then　came　in　and　stood　at　the　window　in　sullen　silence；
brooding　over　his　recent　expulsion。　Suddenly　he　exclaimed：
〃Here's　papa；　and　it's　not　five　o'clock　yet！〃　whereupon　his
mother　sent　him　away　again。

Mr。　Jansenius　was　a　man　of　imposing　presence；　not　yet　in　his
fiftieth　year；　but　not　far　from　it。　He　moved　with　dignity；
bearing　himself　as　if　the　contents　of　his　massive　brow　were
precious。　His　handsome　aquiline　nose　and　keen　dark　eyes
proclaimed　his　Jewish　origin；　of　which　he　was　ashamed。　Those　who
did　not　know　this　naturally　believed　that　he　was　proud　of　it；　and
were　at　a　loss　to　account　for　his　permitting　his　children　to　be
educated　as　Christians。　Well　instructed　in　business；　and　subject
to　no　emotion　outside　the　love　of　family；　respectability；
comfort；　and　money；　he　had　maintained　the　capital　inherited　from
his　father；　and　made　it　breed　new　capital　in　the　usual　way。　He
was　a　banker；　and　his　object　as　such　was　to　intercept　and
appropriate　the　immense　saving　which　the　banking　system　effects；
and　so；　as　far　as　possible；　to　leave　the　rest　of　the　world
working　just　as　hard　as　before　banking　was　introduced。　But　as　the
world　would　not　on　these　terms　have　banked　at　all；　he　had　to　give
them　some　of　the　saving　as　an　inducement。　So　they　profited　by　the
saving　as　well　as　he；　and　he　had　the　satisfaction　of　being　at
once　a　wealthy　citizen　and　a　public　benefactor；　rich　in　comforts
and　easy　in　conscience。

He　entered　the　room　quickly；　and　his　wife　saw　that　something　had
vexed　him。

〃Do　you　know　what　has　happened；　Ruth？〃　he　said。

〃Yes。　She　is　upstairs。〃

Mr。　Jansenius　stared。　〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　she　has　left
already？〃　he　said。　〃What　business　has　she　to　come　here？〃

〃It　is　natural　enough。　Where　else　should　she　have　gone？〃

Mr。　Jansenius；　who　mistrusted　his　own　judgment　when　it　differed
from　that　of　his　wife；　replied　slowly；　〃Why　did　she　not　go　to　her
mother？〃

Mrs。　Jansenius；　puzzled　in　her　turn；　looked　at　him　with　cool
wonder；　and　remarked；　〃I　am　her　mother；　am　I　not？〃

〃I　was　not　aware　of　it。　I　am　surprised　to　hear　it；　Ruth。　Have　you
had　a　letter　too〃　I　have　seen　the　letter。　But　what　do　you　mean　by
telling　me　that　you　do　not　know　I　am　Henrietta's　mother？　Are　you
trying　to　be　funny？〃

〃Henrietta！　Is　she　here？　Is　this　some　fresh　trouble？〃

〃I　don't　know。　What　are　you　talking　about？〃

〃I　am　talking　about　Agatha　Wylie。〃

〃Oh！　I　was　talking　about　Henrietta。〃

〃Well；　what　about　Henrietta？〃

〃What　about　Agatha　Wylie？〃

At　this　Mr。　Jansenius　became　exasperated；　and　he　deemed　it　best
to　relate　what　Henrietta　had　told　her。　When　she　gave　him
Trefusis's　letter；　he　said；　more　calmly：　〃Misfortunes　never　come
singly。　Read　that；〃　and　handed　her　another　letter；　so　that　they
both　began　reading　at　the　same　time。

Mrs。　Jansenius　read　as　follows：

〃Alton　College；　Lyvern。　

〃To　Mrs。　Wylie；　Acacia　Lodge；　Chiswick。

〃Dear　Madam：　I　write　with　great　regret　to　request　that　you　will
at　once　withdraw　Miss　Wylie　from　Alton　College。　In　an
establishment　like　this；　where　restraint　upon　the　liberty　of　the
students　is　reduced　to　a　minimum；　it　is　necessary　that　the　small
degree　of　subordination　which　is　absolutely　indispensable　be
acquiesced　in　by　all　without　complaint　or　delay。　Miss　Wylie　has
failed　to　comply　with　this　condition。　She　has　declared　her　wish
to　leave；　and　has　assumed　an　attitude　towards　myself　and　my
colleagues　which　we　cannot；　consistently　with　our　duty　to
ourselves　and　her　fellow　students；　pass　over。　If　Miss　Wylie　has
any　cause　to　complain　of　her　treatment　here；　or　of　the　step　which
she　has　compelled　us　to　take；　she　will　doubtless　make　it　known　to
you。

〃Perhaps　you　will　be　so　good　as　to　communicate　with　Miss　Wylie's
guardian；　Mr。　Jansenius；　with　whom　I　shall　be　happy　to　make　an
equitable　arrangement　respecting　the　fees　which　have　been　paid　in
advance　for　the　current　term。

〃I　am；　dear　madam；

〃Yours　faithfully；

〃Maria　Wilson。〃

〃A　nice　young　lady；　that！〃　said　Mrs。　Jansenius。

〃I　do　not　understand　this；〃　said　Mr。　Jansenius；　reddening　as　he
took　in　the　purport　of　his　son…in…law's　letter。　〃I　will　not
submit　to　it。　What　does　it　mean；　Ruth　？〃

〃I　don't　know。　Sidney　is　mad；　I　think；　and　his　honeymoon　has
brought　his　madness　out。　But　you　must　not　let　him　throw　Henrietta
on　my　hands　again。〃

〃Mad！　Does　he　think　he　can　shirk　his　responsibility　to　his　wife
because　she　is　my　daughter？　Does　he　think；　because　his　mother's
father　was　a　baronet；　that　he　can　put　Henrietta　aside　the　moment
her　society　palls　on　him？〃

〃Oh；　it's　nothing　of　that　sort。　He　never　thought　of　us。　But　I
will　make　him　think　of　us；〃　said　Mr。　Jansenius；　raising　his　voice
in　great　agitation。　〃He　shall　answer　for　it。〃

Just　then　Henrietta　returned；　and　saw　her　father　moving　excitedly
to　and　fro；　repeating；　〃He　shall　answer　to　me　for　this。　He　shall
answer　for　it。〃

Mrs。　Jansenius　frowned　at　her