villa rubein and other stories-第10节
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Harz said abruptly： 〃There are worse things than murder。〃
〃Ah！ par exemple！〃 said Sarelli。
There was a slight stir all round the table。
〃Verry good；〃 cried out Herr Paul； 〃a vot' sante； cher。〃
Miss Naylor shivered； as if some one had put a penny down her back；
and Mrs。 Decie； leaning towards Harz； smiled like one who has made a
pet dog do a trick。 Christian alone was motionless； looking
thoughtfully at Harz。
〃I saw a man tried for murder once；〃 he said； 〃a murder for revenge；
I watched the judge； and I thought all the time： 'I'd rather be that
murderer than you； I've never seen a meaner face； you crawl through
life； you're not a criminal； simply because you haven't the
courage。'〃
In the dubious silence following the painter's speech； Mr。 Treffry
could distinctly be heard humming。 Then Sarelli said： 〃What do you
say to anarchists； who are not men； but savage beasts； whom I would
tear to pieces！〃
〃As to that；〃 Harz answered defiantly； 〃it maybe wise to hang them；
but then there are so many other men that it would be wise to hang。〃
〃How can we tell what they went through； what their lives were？〃
murmured Christian。
Miss Naylor； who had been rolling a pellet of bread； concealed it
hastily。 〃They arealways given a chance torepentI believe；〃
she said。
〃For what they are about to receive；〃 drawled Dawney。
Mrs。 Decie signalled with her fan： 〃We are trying to express the
inexpressibleshall we go into the garden？〃
All rose； Harz stood by the window； and in passing； Christian looked
at him。
He sat down again with a sudden sense of loss。 There was no white
figure opposite now。 Raising his eyes he met Sarelli's。 The Italian
was regarding him with a curious stare。
Herr Paul began retailing apiece of scandal he had heard that
afternoon。
〃Shocking affair！〃 he said； 〃I could never have believed it of her！
B… is quite beside himself。 Yesterday there was a row； it seems！〃
〃There has been one every day for months；〃 muttered Dawney。
〃But to leave without a word； and go no one knows where！ B… is
'viveur' no doubt； mais； mon Dieu； que voulezvous？ She was always a
poor； pale thing。 Why！； when my…〃 he flourished his cigar； 〃I was
not always…what I should have been…one lives in a world of flesh
and blood…we are not all angels…que diable！ But this is a very
vulgar business。 She goes off； leaves everything…without a word；
and B…is very fond of her。 These things are not done！〃 the
starched bosom of his shirt seemed swollen by indignation。
Mr。 Treffry； with a heavy hand on the table； eyed him sideways。
Dawney said slowly：
〃B… is a beast； I'm sorry for the poor woman； but what can she do
alone？〃
〃There is； no doubt； a man；〃 put in Sarelli。
Herr Paul muttered： 〃Who knows？〃
〃What is B… going to do？〃 said Dawney。
〃Ah！〃 said Herr Paul。 〃He is fond of her。 He is a chap of
resolution； he will get her back。 He told me： 'Well； you know； I
shall follow her wherever she goes till she comes back。' He will do
it； he is a determined chap； he will follow her wherever she goes。〃
Mr。 Treffry drank his wine off at a gulp； and sucked his moustache in
sharply。
〃She was a fool to marry him；〃 said Dawney； 〃they haven't a point in
common； she hates him like poison； and she's the better of the two。
But it doesn't pay a woman to run off like that。 B… had better
hurry up； though。 What do you think； sir？〃 he said to Mr。 Treffry。
〃Eh？〃 said Mr。 Treffry； 〃how should I know？ Ask Paul there； he's one
of your moral men； or Count Sarelli。〃
The latter said impassively： 〃If I cared for her I should very likely
kill herif not〃 he shrugged his shoulders。
Harz； who was watching； was reminded of his other words at dinner；
〃wild beasts whom I would tear to pieces。〃 He looked with interest
at this quiet man who said these extremely ferocious things； and
thought： 'I should like to paint that fellow。'
Herr Paul twirled his wine…glass in his fingers。 〃There are family
ties；〃 he said； 〃there is society； there is decency； a wife should be
with her husband。 B… will do quite right。 He must go after her；
she will not perhaps come back at first； he will follow her； she will
begin to think； 'I am helplessI am ridiculous！' A woman is soon
beaten。 They will return。 She is once more with her husband
Society will forgive； it will be all right。〃
〃By Jove； Paul；〃 growled Mr。 Treffry； 〃wonderful power of argument！〃
〃A wife is a wife；〃 pursued Herr Paul； 〃a man has a right to her
society。〃
〃What do you say to that； sir？〃 asked Dawney。
Mr。 Treffry tugged at his beard： 〃Make a woman live with you； if she
don't want to？ I call it low。〃
〃But； my dear；〃 exclaimed Herr Paul； 〃how should you know？ You have
not been married。〃
〃No； thank the Lord！〃 Mr。 Treffry replied。
〃But looking at the question broadly； sir；〃 said Dawney； 〃if a
husband always lets his wife do as she likes； how would the thing
work out？ What becomes of the marriage tie？〃
〃The marriage tie；〃 growled Mr。 Treffry； 〃is the biggest thing there
is！ But； by Jove； Doctor； I'm a Dutchman if hunting women ever
helped the marriage tie！〃
〃I am not thinking of myself；〃 Herr Paul cried out； 〃I think of the
community。 There are rights。〃
〃A decent community never yet asked a man to tread on his self…
respect。 If I get my fingers skinned over my marriage； which I
undertake at my own risk； what's the community to do with it？ D'you
think I'm going to whine to it to put the plaster on？ As to rights；
it'd be a deuced sight better for us all if there wasn't such a fuss
about 'em。 Leave that to women！ I don't give a tinker's damn for
men who talk about their rights in such matters。〃
Sarelli rose。 〃But your honour；〃 he said； 〃there is your honour！〃
Mr。 Treffry stared at him。
〃Honour！ If huntin' women's your idea of honour； wellit isn't
mine。〃
〃Then you'd forgive her； sir； whatever happened；〃 Dawney said。
〃Forgiveness is another thing。 I leave that to your sanctimonious
beggars。 But； hunt a woman！ Hang it； sir； I'm not a cad！〃 and
bringing his hand down with a rattle； he added： 〃This is a subject
that don't bear talking of。〃
Sarelli fell back in his seat； twirling his moustaches fiercely。
Harz； who had risen； looked at Christian's empty place。
'If I were married！' he thought suddenly。
Herr Paul； with a somewhat vinous glare； still muttered； 〃But your
duty to the family！〃
Harz slipped through the window。 The moon was like a wonderful white
lantern in the purple sky； there was but a smoulder of stars。
Beneath the softness of the air was the iciness of the snow； it made
him want to run and leap。 A sleepy beetle dropped on its back； he
turned it over and watched it scurry across the grass。
Someone was playing Schumann's Kinderscenen。 Harz stood still to
listen。 The notes came twining； weaving round his thoughts； the
whole night seemed full of girlish voices； of hopes and fancies；
soaring away to mountain heightsinvisible； yet present。 Between
the stems of the acacia…trees he could see the flicker of white
dresses； where Christian and Greta were walking arm in arm。 He went
towards them； the blood flushed up in his face； he felt almost
surfeited by some sweet emotion。 Then； in sudden horror； he stood
still。 He was in love！ With nothing done with everything before
him！ He was going to bow down to a face！ The flicker of the dresses
was no longer visible。 He would not be fettered； he would stamp it
out！ He turned away； but with each step； something seemed to jab at
his heart。
Round the corner of the house； in the shadow of the wall； Dominique；
the Luganese； in embroidered slippers； was smoking a long cherry…wood
pipe； leaning against a treeMephistopheles in evening clothes。
Harz went up to him。
〃Lend me a pencil； Dominique。〃
〃Bien； M'sieu。〃
Resting a card against the tree Harz wrote to Mrs。 Decie： 〃Forgive
me； I am obliged to go away。 In a few days I shall hope to return；
and finish the picture of your nieces。〃
He sent Dominique for his hat。 During the man's absence he was on
the point of tearing up the card and going back into the house。
When the Luganese returned he thrust the card into his hand； and
walked out between the tall poplars； waiting； like ragged ghosts；
silver with moonlight。
VIII
Harz walked away along the road。 A dog was howling。 The sound
seemed too appropriate。 He put his fingers to his ears； but the
lugubrious noise passed those barriers； and made its way into his
heart。 Was there nothing that would put an end to this emotion？ It
was no better in the old house on the wall； he spent the night
tramping up and down。
Just before daybreak he slipped out with a knapsack； taking the road
towards Meran。
He had not quite
