to him that hath-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！


now　the　situation　had　been　rendered　more　distressing　by　her
determination　〃to　find　something　to　do。〃　　She　was　firm　in　her
resolve　that　she　had　no　intention　of　patiently　waiting　in　her　home；
ostensibly　busying　herself　with　social　duties　but　in　reality
〃waiting　if　not　actually　angling　for　a　man。〃　　She　bluntly　informed
her　scandalised　parent　that　〃when　she　wanted　a　man　more　than　a
career　it　would　be　far　less　humiliating　to　frankly　go　out　and　get
him　than　to　practise　alluring　poses　in　the　hopes　that　he　might　deign
to　bestow　upon　her　his　lordly　regard。〃　　Her　mother　wisely　forebore
to　argue。　　Indeed；　she　had　long　since　learned　that　in　argumentive
powers　she　was　hopelessly　outclassed　by　her　intellectual　daughter。
She　could　only　express　her　shocked　disappointment　at　such　intentions
and　quietly　plan　to　circumvent　them。

As　to　Patricia；　her　younger　daughter；　she　dismissed　all　concern。
She　was　only　a　child　as　yet；　wise　beyond　her　years；　but　too
thoroughly　immature　to　cause　any　anxiety　for　some　years　to　come。
Meantime　she　had　at　first　tolerated　and　then　gently　encouraged　the
eager　and　obvious　anxiety　of　Rupert　Stillwell　to　make　a　footing　for
himself　in　the　Rectory　family。　　At　the　outbreak　of　the　war　her
antipathy　to　young　Stillwell　as　a　slacker　had　been　violent。　　He　had
not　joined　up　with　the　first　band　of　ardent　young　souls　who　had　so
eagerly　pointed　the　path　to　duty　and　to　glory。　　But；　when　it　had
been　made　clear　to　the　public　mind　that　young　Stillwell　had　been
pronounced　physically　unfit　for　service　and　was　therefore　prevented
from　taking　his　place　in　that　Canadian　line　which　though　it　might
wear　thin　at　times　had　never　broken；　Mrs。　Templeton　relieved　him　in
her　mind　of　the　damning　count　of　being　a　slacker。　　Later；　becoming
impressed　with　the　enthusiasm　of　the　young　man's　devotion　to
various　forms　of　patriotic　war　service　at　home；　she　finally；　though
it　must　be　confessed　with　something　of　an　effort；　had　granted　him　a
place　within　the　circle　of　her　home。　　Furthermore；　Rupert　Stillwell
had　done　extremely　well　in　all　his　business　enterprises　and　had　come
to　be　recognised　as　one　of　the　coming　young　men　of　the　district；
indeed　of　the　Province；　with　sure　prospects　of　advancement　in　public
estimation。　　Hence；　the　frequency　with　which　Stillwell's　big　Hudson
Six　could　be　seen　parked　on　the　gravelled　drive　before　the　Rectory
front　door。　　In　addition　to　this；　Rupert　and　his　Hudson　Six　were
found　to　be　most　useful。　　He　had　abundance　of　free　time　and　he　was
charmingly　ready　with　his　offers　of　service。　　Any　hour　of　the　day
the　car；　driven　by　himself　or　his　chauffeur；　was　at　the　disposal　of
any　member　of　the　Rectory　family；　a　courtesy　of　which　Mrs。　Templeton
was　not　unwilling　to　avail　herself　though　never　with　any　loss　of
dignity　but　always　with　appearance　of　bestowing　rather　than　of
receiving　a　favour。　　As　to　the　young　ladies；　Adrien　rarely　allowed
herself　the　delight　of　a　motor　ride　in　Rupert　Stillwell's　luxurious
car。　　On　the　other　hand；　had　her　mother　not　intervened；　Patricia
would　have　indulged　without　scruple　her　passion　for　joy…riding。　　The
car　she　adored；　Rupert　Stillwell　she　regarded　simply　as　a　means　to
the　indulgence　of　her　adoration。　　He　was　a　jolly　companion；　a
cleverly　humourous　talker；　and　an　unfailing　purveyor　of　bon…bons。
Hence　he　was　to　Patricia　an　ever　welcome　guest　at　the　Rectory；　and
the　warmth　of　Patricia's　welcome　went　a　long　way　to　establish　his
position　of　intimacy　in　the　family。

It　was　not　to　be　supposed；　however；　that　that　young　lady's　gracious
and　indeed　eager　acceptance　of　the　manifold　courtesies　of　the　young
gentleman　in　question　burdened　her　in　the　very　slightest　with　any
sense　of　obligation　to　anything　but　the　most　cavalier　treatment　of
him；　should　occasion　demand。　　She　was　unhesitatingly　frank　and
ready　with　criticism　and　challenge　of　his　opinions；　indeed　he
appeared　to　possess　a　fatal　facility　for　championing　her　special
aversions　and　antagonising　her　enthusiasms。　　Of　the　latter　her　most
avowed　example　was　Captain　Jack；　as　she　loved　to　call　him。　　A　word
of　criticism　of　Captain　Jack；　her　hero；　her　knight；　sans　peur　et
sans　reproche　and　her　loyal　soul　was　aflame　with　passionate
resentment。

It　so　fell　on　an　occasion　when　young　Stillwell　was　a　dinner　guest
at　the　Rectory。

〃Do　you　know；　Patricia；〃　and　Rupert　Stillwell　looked　across　the
dinner　table　teasingly　into　Patricia's　face；　〃your　Captain　Jack　was
rather　mixed　up　in　a　nice　little　row　to…day？〃

〃I　heard　all　about　it；　Rupert；　and　Captain　Jack　did　just　what　I
would　have　expected　him　to　do。〃　　Patricia's　unsmiling　eyes　looked
steadily　into　the　young　man's　smiling　face。

〃Rescued　a　charming　young　damsel；　eh？　　By　the　way；　that　Perrotte
girl　has　turned　out　uncommonly　good　looking；〃　continued　Rupert；
addressing　the　elder　sister。

〃Rescuing　a　poor　little　ill…treated　boy　from　the　hands　of　a　brutal
bully　and　the　bully's　brutal　father〃　　Patricia's　voice　was　coolly
belligerent。

〃My　dear　Patricia！〃　　The　mother's　voice　was　deprecatingly　pacific。

〃It　is　simply　true；　Mother；　and　Rupert　knows　it　quite　well　too；　or〃

〃Patricia！〃　　Her　father's　quiet　voice　arrested　his　daughter's　flow
of　speech。

〃But；　Father；　everyone〃

〃Patricia！〃　　The　voice　was　just　as　quiet　but　with　a　slightly
increased　distinctness　in　enunciation；　and　glancing　swiftly　at　her
father's　face　Patricia　recognised　that　the　limits　of　her　speech　had
been　reached；　unless　she　preferred　to　change　the　subject。

〃Yes；　Annette　has　grown　very　pretty；　indeed；〃　said　Adrien；　taking
up　the　conversation；　〃and　is　really　a　very　nice　girl；　indeed。　　She
sings　beautifully。　　She　is　the　leading　soprano　in　her　church　choir；
I　believe。〃

〃Captain　Jack　Maitland　appeared　to　think　her　quite　charming；〃　said
Rupert；　making　eyes　at　Patricia。　　Patricia's　lips　tightened　and　her
eyes　gleamed　a　bit。

〃They　were　in　school　together；　I　think；　were　they　not；　Mamma？〃　said
Adrien；　flushing　slightly。

〃Of　course　they　were；　and　so　was　Rupert；　too〃　said　Patricia　with
impatient　scorn；　〃and　so　would　you　if　you　hadn't　been　sent　to
England；〃　she　added　to　her　sister。

〃No　doubt　of　it；〃　said　Rupert　with　a　smile；　〃but　you　see　she　was
fortunate　enough　to　be　sent　to　England。〃

〃Blackwater　is　good　enough　for　me；〃　said　Patricia；　a　certain
stubborn　hostility　in　her　tone。

〃I　have　always　thought　the　Blackwater　High　School　an　excellent
institution；〃　said　her　mother　quickly；　〃especially　for　boys。〃

〃Yes；　indeed；　for　boys；〃　replied　Stillwell；　〃but　for　young　ladies
well；　there　is　something　in　an　English　school；　you　know；　that　you
can't　get　in　any　High　School　here　in　Canada。〃

〃Rot！〃　ejaculated　Patricia。

〃My　dear　Patricia！〃　　The　mother　was　quite　shocked。

〃Pardon　me；　Mother；　but　you　know　we　have　a　perfectly　splendid　High
School　here。　　Father　has　often　said　so。〃

Her　mother　sighed。　　〃Yes；　for　boys。　　But　for　girls；　I　feel　with
Rupert　that　you　get　something　in　English　schools　that〃　　She
hesitated；　looking　uncertainly　at　her　elder　daughter。

〃Yes；　and　perhaps　lose　something；　Mamma；〃　said　Adrien　quietly。　　〃I
mean；〃　she　added　hastily；　〃you　lose　touch　with　a　lot　of　things　and
people；　friends。　　Now；　for　instance；　you　remember　when　we　were　all
children；　boys　and　girls　together；　at　the　Public　School；　Annette
was　one　of　the　cleverest　and　best　of　the　lot　of　us；　I　used　to　be
fond　of　herand　the　others。　　Now〃

〃But　you　can't　help　growing　up；〃　said　Rupert；　〃andwell；　democracy
is　all　right　and　that　sort　of　thing；　but　you　must　drift　into　your
class　you　know。　　There's　Annette；　for　instance。　　She　is　a　factory
hand；　a　fine　girl　of　course；　and　all　that；　but〃

〃Oh；　I　suppose　we　must　recognise　facts。　　Rupert；　you　are　quite
right；〃　said　Mrs。　Templeton；　〃there　must　be　social　distinctions　and
there　are　classes。　　I　mean；〃　she　added；　as　if　to　forestall　the
outburst　she　saw　gathering　behind　her　younger　daughter's　closed
lips；　〃we　must　inevitably　draw　to　our　own　set　by　our　natural　or
acquired　tastes　and　by　our　traditions　and　breeding。〃

〃All　very　well　in　England；　Mamma。　　I　suppose　dear　Uncle　Arthur　and
our　dear　cousins　would　hardly　feel　called　upon　to　recognise　Annette
as　a　friend。〃

〃Why　should　they？〃　challenged　Rupert。

〃My　dear　Patricia；〃　said　her　father；　mildly　patient；　〃you　are　quite
wrong。　　Our　people　at　home；　your　uncle　Arthur；　I　mean；　and　your
cousins；　and　all　well…bred　folk；　do　not　allow　class　distinctions　to
limit　friendship。　　Friends　are　chosen　on　purely　personal　grounds　of
real　worth　andwell；　congeniality。〃

〃Would　Uncle　Arthur；　or　rather；　Aunt　Alicia　have　Annette　to　dinner；
for　instance？〃　demanded　Patricia。

〃Certainly　not；〃　said　her　mother　promptly。

〃She　would　not　do　anything　to　embarrass　Annette；〃　said　her　father。

〃Oh；　Dad；　what　a　funk。　　That　is　quite　unworthy　of　you。〃

〃Would　she　be　asked　here　now　to　dinner？〃　said　Rupert。　　〃I　mean；〃　he
added　in　some　confusion；　〃would　it　be；　ah；　suitable？　　You　know　what
I　mean。〃

〃She　has　been　here。　　Don't　you　remember；　Mamma？　　She　was　often
here。　　And　every　time　she　came　she　was　the　cleverest　thing；　she　was
the　brightest；　the　most　attractive　girl　in　the　bunch。〃　　Her
mother's　eyebrows　went　up。　　〃In　the　party；　I　mean。　　And　the　most
popular。　　Why；　I　remember　quite　well　that　Rupert　was