an unsocial socialist-第52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！


revolutionary　manifesto；　not　a　daily　paper　would　have　dared
allude　to　it：　there　is　no　cowardice　like　Fleet　Street　cowardice！
I　must　run　off；　I　have　much　to　do　before　I　start；　and　it　is
getting　on　for　three。　Good…bye；　Lady　Brandon；　and　everybody。〃

He　shook　Jane's　hand；　dealt　nods　to　the　rest　rapidly；　making　no
distinction　in　favor　of　Agatha；　and　hurried　away。　They　stared
after　him　for　a　moment　and　then　Erskine　ran　out　and　went
downstairs　two　steps　at　a　time。　Nevertheless　he　had　to　run　as　far
as　the　avenue　before　he　overtook　his　man。

〃Trefusis；〃　he　said　breathlessly；　〃you　must　not　go　by　the　four
o'clock　train。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Miss　Lindsay　is　going　to　town　by　it。〃

〃So　much　the　better；　my　dear　boy；　so　much　the　better。　You　are　not
jealous　of　me　now；　are　you？〃

〃Look　here；　Trefusis。　I　don't　know　and　I　don't　ask　what　there　has
been　between　you　and　Miss　Lindsay；　but　your　engagement　has　quite
upset　her；　and　she　is　running　away　to　London　in　consequence。　If
she　hears　that　you　are　going　by　the　same　train　she　will　wait
until　to…morrow；　and　I　believe　the　delay　would　be　very
disagreeable。　Will　you　inflict　that　additional　pain　upon　her？〃

Trefusis；　evidently　concerned；　looking　doubtfully　at　Erskine；　and
pondered　for　a　moment。　〃I　think　you　are　on　a　wrong　scent　about
this；〃　he　said。　〃My　relations　with　Miss　Lindsay　were　not　of　a
sentimental　kind。　Have　you　said　anything　to　heron　your　own
account；　I　mean？〃

〃I　have　spoken　to　her　on　both　accounts；　and　I　know　from　her　own
lips　that　I　am　right。〃

Trefusis　uttered　a　low　whistle。

〃It　is　not　the　first　time　I　have　had　the　evidence　of　my　senses　in
the　matter；〃　said　Erskine　significantly。　〃　Pray　think　of　it
seriously；　Trefusis。　Forgive　my　telling　you　frankly　that　nothing
but　your　own　utter　want　of　feeling　could　excuse　you　for　the　way
in　which　you　have　acted　towards　her。〃

Trefusis　smiled。　〃Forgive　me　in　turn　for　my　inquisitiveness；〃　he
said。　〃What　does　she　say　to　your　suit？〃

Erskine　hesitated；　showing　by　his　manner　that　he　thought　Trefusis
had　no　right　to　ask　the　question。　〃She　says　nothing；〃　he
answered。

〃Hm！〃　said　Trefusis。　〃Well；　you　may　rely　on　me　as　to　the　train。
There　is　my　hand　upon　it。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Erskine　fervently。　They　shook　hands　and　parted；
Trefusis　walking　away　with　a　grin　suggestive　of　anything　but　good
faith。



CHAPTER　XVII

Gertrude；　unaware　of　the　extent　to　which　she　had　already　betrayed
her　disappointment；　believed　that　anxiety　for　her　father's
health；　which　she　alleged　as　the　motive　of　her　sudden　departure；
was　an　excuse　plausible　enough　to　blind　her　friends　to　her
overpowering　reluctance　to　speak　to　Agatha　or　endure　her
presence；　to　her　fierce　shrinking　from　the　sort　of　pity　usually
accorded　to　a　jilted　woman；　and；　above　all；　to　her　dread　of
meeting　Trefusis。　She　had　for　some　time　past　thought　of　him　as　an
upright　and　perfect　man　deeply　interested　in　her。　Yet；
comparatively　liberal　as　her　education　had　been；　she　had　no　idea
of　any　interest　of　man　in　woman　existing　apart　from　a　desire　to
marry。　He　had；　in　his　serious　moments；　striven　to　make　her
sensible　of　the　baseness　he　saw　in　her　worldliness；　flattering
her　by　his　apparent　convictionwhich　she　sharedthat　she　was
capable　of　a　higher　life。　Almost　in　the　same　breath；　a　strain　of
gallantry　which　was　incorrigible　in　him；　and　to　which　his　humor
and　his　tenderness　to　women　whom　he　liked　gave　variety　and　charm；
would　supervene　upon　his　seriousness　with　a　rapidity　which　her
far　less　flexible　temperament　could　not　follow。　Hence　she；
thinking　him　still　in　earnest　when　he　had　swerved　into　florid
romance；　had　been　dangerously　misled。　He　had　no　conscientious
scruples　in　his　love…making；　because　he　was　unaccustomed　to
consider　himself　as　likely　to　inspire　love　in　women；　and　Gertrude
did　not　know　that　her　beauty　gave　to　an　hour　spent　alone　with　her
a　transient　charm　which　few　men　of　imagination　and　address　could
resist。　She；　who　had　lived　in　the　marriage　market　since　she　had
left　school；　looked　upon　love…making　as　the　most　serious　business
of　life。　To　him　it　was　only　a　pleasant　sort　of　trifling；　enhanced
by　a　dash　of　sadness　in　the　reflection　that　it　meant　so　little。

Of　the　ceremonies　attending　her　departure；　the　one　that　cost　her
most　was　the　kiss　she　felt　bound　to　offer　Agatha。　She　had　been
jealous　of　her　at　college；　where　she　had　esteemed　herself　the
better　bred　of　the　two；　but　that　opinion　had　hardly　consoled　her
for　Agatha's　superior　quickness　of　wit；　dexterity　of　hand；
audacity；　aptness　of　resource；　capacity　for　forming　or　following
intricate　associations　of　ideas；　and　consequent　power　to　dazzle
others。　Her　jealousy　of　these　qualities　was　now　barbed　by　the
knowledge　that　they　were　much　nearer　akin　than　her　own　to　those
of　Trefusis。　It　mattered　little　to　her　how　she　appeared　to
herself　in　comparison　with　Agatha。　But　it　mattered　the　whole
world　（she　thought）　that　she　must　appear　to　Trefusis　so　slow；
stiff；　cold；　and　studied；　and　that　she　had　no　means　to　make　him
understand　that　she　was　not　really　so。　For　she　would　not　admit
the　justice　of　impressions　made　by　what　she　did　not　intend　to　do；
however　habitually　she　did　it。　She　had　a　theory　that　she　was　not
herself；　but　what　she　would　have　liked　to　be。　As　to　the　one
quality　in　which　she　had　always　felt　superior　to　Agatha；　and
which　she　called　〃　good　breeding；〃　Trefusis　had　so　far　destroyed
her　conceit　in　that；　that　she　was　beginning　to　doubt　whether　it
was　not　her　cardinal　defect。

She　could　not　bring　herself　to　utter　a　word　as　she　embraced　her
schoolfellow；　and　Agatha　was　tongue…tied　too。　But　there　was　much
remorseful　tenderness　in　the　feelings　that　choked　them。　Their
silence　would　have　been　awkward　but　for　the　loquacity　of　Jane；
who　talked　enough　for　all　three。　Sir　Charles　was　without；　in　the
trap；　waiting　to　drive　Gertrude　to　the　station。　Erskine
intercepted　her　in　the　hall　as　she　passed　out；　told　her　that　he
should　be　desolate　when　she　was　gone；　and　begged　her　to　remember
him；　a　simple　petition　which　moved　her　a　little；　and　caused　her
to　note　that　his　dark　eyes　had　a　pleading　eloquence　which　she　had
observed　before　in　the　kangaroos　at　the　Zoological　Society's
gardens。

On　the　way　to　the　train　Sir　Charles　worried　the　horse　in　order　to
be　excused　from　conversation　on　the　sore　subject　of　his　guest's
sudden　departure。　He　had　made　a　few　remarks　on　the　skittishness
of　young　ponies；　and　on　the　weather；　and　that　was　all　until　they
reached　the　station；　a　pretty　building　standing　in　the　open
country；　with　a　view　of　the　river　from　the　platform。　There　were
two　flies　waiting；　two　porters；　a　bookstall；　and　a　refreshment
room　with　a　neglected　beauty　pining　behind　the　bar。　Sir　Charles
waited　in　the　booking　office　to　purchase　a　ticket　for　Gertrude；
who　went　through　to　the　platform。　The　first　person　she　saw　there
was　Trefusis；　close　beside　her。

〃I　am　going　to　town　by　this　train；　Gertrude；〃　he　said　quickly。
〃Let　me　take　charge　of　you。　I　have　something　to　say；　for　I　hear
that　some　mischief　has　been　made　between　us　which　must　be　stopped
at　once。　You〃

Just　then　Sir　Charles　came　out；　and　stood　amazed　to　see　them　in
conversation。

〃It　happens　that　I　am　going　by　this　train；〃　said　Trefusis。　〃I
will　see　after　Miss　Lindsay。〃

〃Miss　Lindsay　has　her　maid　with　her；〃　said　Sir　Charles；　almost
stammering；　and　looking　at　Gertrude；　whose　expression　was
inscrutable。

〃We　can　get　into　the　Pullman　car；〃　said　Trefusis。　〃There　we　shall
be　as　private　as　in　a　corner　of　a　crowded　drawing…room。　I　may
travel　with　you；　may　I　not？〃　he　said；　seeing　Sir　Charles's
disturbed　look；　and　turning　to　her　for　express　permission。

She　felt　that　to　deny　him　would　be　to　throw　away　her　last　chance
of　happiness。　Nevertheless　she　resolved　to　do　it；　though　she
should　die　of　grief　on　the　way　to　London。　As　she　raised　her　head
to　forbid　him　the　more　emphatically；　she　met　his　gaze；　which　was
grave　and　expectant。　For　an　instant　she　lost　her　presence　of
mind；　and　in　that　instant　said；　〃　Yes。　I　shall　be　very　glad。〃

〃Well；　if　that　is　the　case；〃　said　Sir　Charles；　in　the　tone　of　one
whose　sympathy　had　been　alienated　by　an　unpardonable　outrage；　〃
there　can　be　no　use　in　my　waiting。　I　leave　you　in　the　hands　of
Mr。　Trefusis。　Good…bye；　Miss　Lindsay。〃

Gertrude　winced。　Unkindness　from　a　man　usually　kind　proved　hard
to　bear　at　parting。　She　was　offering　him　her　hand　in　silence　when
Trefusis　said：

〃Wait　and　see　us　off。　If　we　chance　to　be　killed　on　the
journeywhich　is　always　probable　on　an　English　railwayyou　will
reproach　yourself　afterwards　if　you　do　not　see　the　last　of　us。
Here　is　the　train；　it　will　not　delay　you　a　minute。　Tell　Erskine
that　you　saw　me　here；　that　I　have　not　forgotten　my　promise；　and
that　he　may　rely　on　me。　Get　in　at　this　end；　Miss　Lindsay。〃

〃My　maid；〃　said　Gertrude　hesitating；　for　she　had　not　intended　to
travel　so　expensively。　〃She〃

〃She　comes　with　us　to　take　care　of　me；　I　have　tickets　for
everybody；〃　said　Trefusis；　handing　the　woman　in。

〃But〃

〃Take　your　seats；　please；〃　said　the　guard。　〃Going　by　the　train；
sir？〃

〃Good…bye；　Sir　Charles。　Give　my　love　to　Lady　Brandon；　and　Agatha；
and　the　dear　children；　and　thanks　so　much　for　a　very　pleasant〃
Here　the　train　moved