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第18节

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asleep and snoring lightlythe dog habitually came down when Greta

was in bed; and remained till Mr。 Treffry; always the latest member

of the household; retired to rest。



Through the long window a little river of light shone out on the

veranda tiles; and; flowing past; cut the garden in two。



There was the sound of hurried footsteps; a rustling of draperies;

Christian; running through the window; stood before him。



Mr。 Treffry dropped his paper; such a fury of passion and alarm shone

in the girl's eyes。



〃Chris! What is it?〃



〃Hateful!〃



〃Chris!〃



〃Oh! Uncle!  He's insulted; threatened!  And I love his little finger

more than all the; world!〃



Her passionate voice trembled; her eyes were shining。



Mr。 Treffry's profound discomfort found vent in the gruff words: 〃Sit

down!〃



〃I'll never speak to Father again!  Oh! Uncle! I love him!〃



Quiet in the extremity of his disturbance; Mr。 Treffry leaned forward

in his chair; rested his big hands on its arms; and stared at her。



Chris!  Here was a woman he did not know!  His lips moved under the

heavy droop of his moustache。  The girl's face had suddenly grown

white。  She sank down on her knees; and laid her cheek against his

hand。  He felt it wet; and a lump rose in his throat。  Drawing his

hand away; he stared at it; and wiped it with his sleeve。



〃Don't cry!〃 he said。



She seized it again and clung to it; that clutch seemed to fill him

with sudden rage。



〃What's the matter?  How the devil can I do anything if you don't

tell me?〃



She looked up at him。  The distress of the last days; the passion and

fear of the last hour; the tide of that new life of the spirit and

the flesh; stirring within her; flowed out in a stream of words。



When she had finished; there was so dead a silence that the

fluttering of a moth round the lamp could be heard plainly。



Mr。 Treffry raised himself; crossed the room; and touched the bell。

〃Tell the groom;〃 he said to Dominique; 〃to put the horses to; and

have 'em round at once; bring my old boots; we drive all night。。。。〃



His bent figure looked huge; body and legs outlined by light; head

and shoulders towering into shadow。  〃He shall have a run for his

money!〃 he said。  His eyes stared down sombrely at his niece。  〃It's

more than he deserves!it's more than you deserve; Chris。  Sit down

there and write to him; tell him to put himself entirely in my

hands。〃  He turned his back on her; and went into his bedroom。



Christian rose; and sat down at the writing…table。  A whisper

startled her。  It came from Dominique; who was holding out a pair of

boots。



〃M'mselle Chris; what is this?to run about all night?〃  But

Christian did not answer。



〃M'mselle Chris; are you ill?〃  Then seeing her face; he slipped away

again。



She finished her letter and went out to the carriage。  Mr。 Treffry

was seated under the hood。



〃Shan't want you;〃 he called out to the groom; 〃Get up; Dominique。〃



Christian thrust her letter into his hand。  〃Give him that;〃 she

said; clinging to his arm with sudden terror。  〃Oh! Uncle! do take

care!〃



〃Chris; if I do this for you〃  They looked wistfully at one

another。  Then; shaking his head; Mr。 Treffry gathered up the reins。



〃Don't fret; my dear; don't fret!  Whoa; mare!〃



The carriage with a jerk plunged forward into darkness; curved with a

crunch of wheels; and vanished; swinging between the black

treepillars at the entrance。。。。



Christian stood; straining to catch the failing sound of the hoofs。



Down the passage came a flutter of white garments; soft limbs were

twined about her; some ends of hair fell on her face。



〃What is it; Chris?  Where have you been?  Where is Uncle Nic going?

Tell me!〃



Christian tore herself away。  〃I don't know;〃 she cried; 〃I know

nothing!〃



Greta stroked her face。  〃Poor Chris!〃 she murmured。  Her bare feet

gleamed; her hair shone gold against her nightdress。  〃Come to bed;

poor Chris!〃



Christian laughed。  〃You little white moth!  Feel how hot I am!

You'll burn your wings!〃



Harz had lain down; fully dressed。  He was no longer angry; but felt

that he would rather die than yield。  Presently he heard footsteps

coming up the stairs。



〃M'sieu!〃



It was the voice of Dominique; whose face; illumined by a match; wore

an expression of ironical disgust。



〃My master;〃 he said; 〃makes you his compliments; he says there is no

time to waste。  You are to please come and drive with him!〃



〃Your master is very kind。  Tell him I'm in bed。〃



〃Ah; M'sieu;〃 said Dominique; grimacing; 〃I must not go back with

such an answer。  If you would not come; I was to give you this。〃



Harz broke the seal and read Christian's letter。



〃I will come;〃 he said。



A clock was striking as they went out through the gate。  From within

the dark cave of the phaeton hood Mr。 Treffry said gruffly: 〃Come

along; sir!〃



Harz flung his knapsack in; and followed。



His companion's figure swayed; the whiplash slid softly along the

flank of the off horse; and; as the carriage rattled forward; Mr。

Treffry called out; as if by afterthought: 〃Hallo; Dominique!〃

Dominque's voice; shaken and ironical; answered from behind: 〃M'

v'la; M'sieu!〃



In the long street of silent houses; men sitting in the lighted cafes

turned with glasses at their lips to stare after the carriage。  The

narrow river of the sky spread suddenly to a vast; limpid ocean

tremulous with stars。  They had turned into the road for Italy。



Mr。 Treffry took a pull at his horses。  〃Whoa; mare! Dogged does it!〃

and the near horse; throwing up her head; whinnied; a fleck of foam

drifted into Harz's face。



The painter had come on impulse; because Christian had told him to;

not of his own free will。  He was angry with himself; wounded in

self…esteem; for having allowed any one to render him this service。

The smooth swift movement through velvet blackness splashed on either

hand with the flying lamp…light; the strong sweet air blowing in his

face…air that had kissed the tops of mountains and stolen their

spirit; the snort and snuffle of the horses; and crisp rattling of

their hoofsall this soon roused in him another feeling。  He looked

at Mr。 Treffry's profile; with its tufted chin; at the grey road

adventuring in darkness; at the purple mass of mountains piled above

it。  All seemed utterly unreal。



As if suddenly aware that he had a neighbour; Mr。 Treffry turned his

head。  〃We shall do better than this presently;〃 he said; 〃bit of a

slope coming。  Haven't had 'em out for three days。  Whoa…mare!

Steady!〃



〃Why are you taking this trouble for me?〃 asked Harz。



〃I'm an old chap; Mr。 Harz; and an old chap may do a stupid thing

once in a while!〃



〃You are very good;〃 said Harz; 〃but I want no favours。〃



Mr。 Treffry stared at him。



〃Just so;〃 he said drily; 〃but you see there's my niece to be thought

of。  Look here!  We're not at the frontier yet; Mr。 Harz; by forty

miles; it's long odds we don't get thereso; don't spoil sport!〃  He

pointed to the left。



Harz caught the glint of steel。  They were already crossing the

railway。  The sigh of the telegraph wires fluttered above them。



〃Hear 'em;〃 said Mr。 Treffry; 〃but if we get away up the mountains;

we'll do yet!〃  They had begun to rise; the speed slackened。  Mr。

Treffry rummaged out a flask。



〃Not bad stuff; Mr。 Harztry it。  You won't?  Mother's milk!  Fine

night; eh?〃  Below them the valley was lit by webs of milky mist like

the glimmer of dew on grass。



These two men sitting side by sideunlike in face; age; stature;

thought; and lifebegan to feel drawn towards each other; as if; in

the rolling of the wheels; the snorting of the horses; the huge dark

space; the huge uncertainty; they had found something they could

enjoy in common。  The; steam from the horses' flanks and nostrils

enveloped them with an odour as of glue。



〃You smoke; Mr。 Harz?〃



Harz took the proffered weed; and lighted it from the glowing tip of

Mr。 Treffry's cigar; by light of which his head and hat looked like

some giant mushroom。  Suddenly the wheels jolted on a rubble of loose

stones; the carriage was swung sideways。  The scared horses;

straining asunder; leaped forward; and sped downwards; in the

darkness。



Past rocks; trees; dwellings; past a lighted house that gleamed and

vanished。  With a clink and clatter; a flirt of dust and pebbles; and

the side lamps throwing out a frisky orange blink; the carriage

dashed down; sinking and rising like a boat crossing billows。  The

world seemed to rock and sway; to dance up; and be flung flat again。

Only the stars stood still。



Mr。 Treffry; putting on the brake; muttered apologetically: 〃A little

out o'hand!〃



Suddenly with a headlong dive; the carriage swayed as if it would fly

in pieces; slithered along; and with a jer

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