an unsocial socialist-第50节

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would　not　have　me。〃

〃It　is　manners　to　wait　to　be　asked。　I　think　you　have　treated
Gertrude　shamefullyI　hope　you　won't　be　offended　with　me　for
saying　so。　I　blame　Agatha　most。　She　is　an　awfully　double…faced
girl。〃

〃How　so？〃　said　Trefusis；　surprised。　〃What　has　Miss　Lindsay　to　do
with　it？〃

〃You　know　very　well。〃

〃I　assure　you　I　do　not。　If　you　were　speaking　of　yourself　I　could
understand　you。〃

〃Oh；　you　can　get　out　of　it　cleverly；　like　all　men；　but　you　can't
hoodwink　me。　You　shouldn't　have　pretended　to　like　Gertrude　when
you　were　really　pulling　a　cord　with　Agatha。　And　she；　too；
pretending　to　flirt　with　Sir　Charlesas　if　he　would　care
twopence　for　her！〃

Trefusis　seemed　N　little　disturbed。　〃I　hope　Miss　Lindsay　had　no
suchbut　she　could　not。〃

〃Oh；　couldn't　she？　You　will　soon　see　whether　she　had　or　not。〃

〃You　misunderstood　us；　Lady　Brandon；　Miss　Lindsay　knows　better。
Remember；　too；　that　this　proposal　of　mine　was　quite
unpremeditated。　This　morning　I　had　no　tender　thoughts　of　anyone
except　one　whom　it　would　be　improper　to　name。〃

〃Oh；　that　is　all　talk。　It　won't　do　now。〃

〃I　will　talk　no　more　at　present。　I　must　be　off　to　the　village　to
telegraph　to　my　solicitor。　If　I　meet　Erskine　I　will　tell　him　the
good　news。〃

〃He　will　be　delighted。　He　thought；　as　we　all　did；　that　you　were
cutting　him　out　with　Gertrude。〃

Trefusis　smiled；　shook　his　head；　and；　with　a　glance　of　admiring
homage　to　Jane's　charms；　went　out。　Jane　was　contemplating　herself
in　the　glass　when　a　servant　begged　her　to　come　and　speak　to
Master　Charles　and　Miss　Fanny。　She　hurried　upstairs　to　the
nursery；　where　her　boy　and　girl；　disputing　each　other's　prior
right　to　torture　the　baby；　had　come　to　blows。　They　were　somewhat
frightened；　but　not　at　all　appeased；　by　Jane's　entrance。　She
scolded；　coaxed；　threatened；　bribed；　quoted　Dr。　Watts；　appealed
to　the　nurse　and　then　insulted　her；　demanded　of　the　children
whether　they　loved　one　another；　whether　they　loved　mamma；　and
whether　they　wanted　a　right　good　whipping。　At　last；　exasperated
by　her　own　inability　to　restore　order；　she　seized　the　baby；　which
had　cried　incessantly　throughout；　and；　declaring　that　it　was
doing　it　on　purpose　and　should　have　something　real　to　cry　for；
gave　it　an　exemplary　smacking；　and　ordered　the　others　to　bed。　The
boy；　awed　by　the　fate　of　his　infant　brother；　offered；　by　way　of
compromise；　to　be　good　if　Miss　Wylie　would　come　and　play　with
him；　a　proposal　which　provoked　from　his　jealous　mother　a　box　on
the　ear　that　sent　him　howling　to　his　cot。　Then　she　left　the　room；
pausing　on　the　threshold　to　remark　that　if　she　heard　another
sound　from　them　that　day；　they　might　expect　the　worst　from　her。
On　descending；　heated　and　angry；　to　the　drawing…room；　she　found
Agatha　there　alone；　looking　out　of　window　as　if　the　landscape
were　especially　unsatisfactory　this　time。

〃Selfish　little　beasts！〃　exclaimed　Jane；　making　a　miniature
whirlwind　with　her　skirts　as　she　came　in。　〃Charlie　is　a　perfect
little　fiend。　He　spends　all　his　time　thinking　how　he　can　annoy
me。　Ugh！　He's　just　like　his　father。〃

〃Thank　you；　my　dear；〃　said　Sir　Charles　from　the　doorway。

Jane　laughed。　〃I　knew　you　were　there；〃　she　said。　〃Where's
Gertrude？〃

〃She　has　gone　out；〃　said　Sir　Charles。

〃Nonsense！　She　has　only　just　come　in　from　driving　with　me。〃

〃I　do　not　know　what　you　mean　by　nonsense；〃　said　Sir　Charles；
chafing。　〃　I　saw　her　walking　along　the　Riverside　Road。　I　was　in
the　village　road；　and　she　did　not　see　me。　She　seemed　in　a　hurry。〃

〃I　met　her　on　the　stairs　and　spoke　to　her；〃　said　Agatha；　〃but　she
didn't　hear　me。〃

〃I　hope　she　is　not　going　to　throw　herself　into　the　river；〃　said
Jane。　Then；　turning　to　her　husband；　she　added：　〃Have　you　heard
the　news？〃

〃The　only　news　I　have　heard　is　from　this　paper；〃　said　Sir
Charles；　taking　out　a　journal　and　flinging　it　on　the　table。
〃There　is　a　paragraph　in　it　stating　that　I　have　joined　some
infernal　Socialistic　league；　and　I　am　told　that　there　is　an
article　in　the　'Times'　on　the　spread　of　Socialism；　in　which　my
name　is　mentioned。　This　is　all　due　to　Trefusis；　and　I　think　he
has　played　me　a　most　dishonorable　trick。　I　will　tell　him　so；　too；
when　next　I　see　him。〃

〃You　had　better　be　careful　what　you　say　of　him　before　Agatha；〃
said　Jane。　〃Oh；　you　need　not　be　alarmed；　Agatha；　I　know　all　about
it。　He　told　us　in　the　library。　We　went　out　this　morningGertrude
and　Iand　when　we　came　back　we　found　Mr。　Trefusis　and　Agatha
talking　very　lovingly　to　one　another　on　the　conservatory　steps；
newly　engaged。〃

〃Indeed！〃　said　Sir　Charles；　disconcerted　and　displeased；　but
trying　to　smile。　〃I　may　then　congratulate　you；　Miss　Wylie？〃

〃You　need　not；〃　said　Agatha；　keeping　her　countenance　as　well　as
she　could。　〃It　was　only　a　joke。　At　least　it　came　about　in　a　jest。
He　has　no　right　to　say　that　we　are　engaged。〃

〃Stuff　and　nonsense；〃　said　Jane。　〃That　won't　do；　Agatha。　He　has
gone　off　to　telegraph　to　his　solicitor。　He　is　quite　in　earnest。〃

〃I　am　a　great　fool；〃　said　Agatha；　sitting　down　and　twisting　her
hands　perplexedly。　〃I　believe　I　said　something；　but　I　really　did
not　intend　to。　He　surprised　me　into　speaking　before　I　knew　what　I
was　saying。　A　pretty　mess　I　have　got　myself　into！〃

〃I　am　glad　you　have　been　outwitted　at　last；〃　said　Jane；　laughing
spitefully。　〃You　never　had　any　pity　for　me　when　I　could　not　think
of　the　proper　thing　to　say　at　a　moment's　notice。〃

Agatha　let　the　taunt　pass　unheeded。　Her　gaze　wandered　anxiously；
and　at　last　settled　appealingly　upon　Sir　Charles。　〃What　shall　I
do？〃　she　said　to　him。

〃Well；　Miss　Wylie；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃if　you　did　not　mean　to
marry　him　you　should　not　have　promised。　I　don't　wish　to　be
unsympathetic；　and　I　know　that　it　is　very　hard　to　get　rid　of
Trefusis　when　he　makes　up　his　mind　to　act　something　out　of　you；
but　still〃

〃Never　mind　her；〃　said　Jane；　interrupting　him。　〃She　wants　to
marry　him　just　as　badly　as　he　wants　to　marry　her。　You　would　be
preciously　disappointed　if　he　cried　off；　Agatha；　for　all　your
interesting　reluctance。〃

〃That　is　not　so；　really；〃　said　Agatha　earnestly。　〃I　wish　I　had
taken　time　to　think　about　it。　I　suppose　he　has　told　everybody　by
this　time。〃

〃May　we　then　regard　it　as　settled？〃　said　Sir　Charles。

〃Of　course　you　may；〃　said　Jane　contemptuously。

〃Pray　allow　Miss　Wylie　to　speak　for　herself；　Jane。　I　confess　I　do
not　understand　why　you　are　still　in　doubtif　you　have　really
engaged　yourself　to　him。〃

〃I　suppose　I　am　in　for　it；〃　said　Agatha。　〃I　feel　as　if　there　were
some　fatal　objection；　if　I　could　only　remember　what　it　is。　I　wish
I　had　never　seen　him。〃

Sir　Charles　was　puzzled。　〃I　do　not　understand　ladies'　ways　in
these　matters；〃　he　said。　〃However；　as　there　seems　to　be　no　doubt
that　you　and　Trefusis　are　engaged；　I　shall　of　course　say　nothing
that　would　make　it　unpleasant　for　him　to　visit　here；　but　I　must
say　that　he　hasto　say　the　leastbeen　inconsiderate　to　me
personally。　I　signed　a　paper　at　his　house　on　the　implicit
understanding　that　it　was　strictly　private；　and　now　he　has
trumpeted　it　forth　to　the　whole　world；　and　publicly　associated　my
name　not　only　with　his　own；　but　with　those　of　persons　of　whom　I
know　nothing　except　that　I　would　rather　not　be　connected　with
them　in　any　way。〃

〃What　does　it　matter？〃　said　Jane。　〃Nobody　cares　twopence。〃

〃_I_　care；〃　said　Sir　Charles　angrily。　〃No　sensible　person　can
accuse　me　of　exaggerating　my　own　importance　because　I　value　my
reputation　sufficiently　to　object　to　my　approval　being　publicly
cited　in　support　of　a　cause　with　which　I　have　no　sympathy。〃

〃Perhaps　Mr。　Trefusis　has　had　nothing　to　do　with　it；〃　said
Agatha。　〃The　papers　publish　whatever　they　please；　don't　they？〃

〃That's　right；　Agatha；〃　said　Jane　maliciously。　〃Don't　let　anyone
speak　ill　of　him。〃

〃I　am　not　speaking　ill　of　him；〃　said　Sir　Charles；　before　Agatha
could　retort。　〃It　is　a　mere　matter　of　feeling；　and　I　should　not
have　mentioned　it　had　I　known　the　altered　relations　between　him
and　Miss　Wylie。〃

〃Pray　don't　speak　of　them；〃　said　Agatha。　〃I　have　a　mind　to　run
away　by　the　next　train。〃

Sir　Charles；　to　change　the　subject；　suggested　a　duet。

Meanwhile　Erskine；　returning　through　the　village　from　his　morning
ride；　had　met　Trefusis；　and　attempted　to　pass　him　with　a　nod。　But
Trefusis　called　to　him　to　stop；　and　he　dismounted　reluctantly。

〃Just　a　word　to　say　that　I　am　going　to　be　married；〃　said
Trefusis。

〃To？〃　Erskine　could　not　add　Gertrude's　name。

〃To　one　of　our　friends　at　the　Beeches。　Guess　to　which。〃

〃To　Miss　Lindsay；　I　presume。〃

〃What　in　the　fiend's　name　has　put　it　into　all　your　heads　that
Miss　Lindsay　and　I　are　particularly　attached　to　one　another？〃
exclaimed　Trefusis。　〃YOU　have　always　appeared　to　me　to　be　the　man
for　Miss　Lindsay。　I　am　going　to　marry　Miss　Wylie。〃

〃Really！〃　exclaimed　Erskine；　with　a　sensation　of　suddenly　thawing
after　a　bitter　frost。

〃Of　course。　And　now；　Erskine；　you　have　the　advantage　of　being　a
poor　man。　Do　not　let　that　splendid　girl　marry　for　money。　If　you
go　further　you　are　likely　to　fare　worse；　and　so　is　she。〃　Then　he
nodded　and　walked　away；　leaving　the　other　staring　after　him。

〃If　he　has　jilted　her；　he　is　a　scoundrel；〃　said　Erskine。　〃I　am
sorry　I　didn't　tell　him　so。〃

He　moun