villa rubein and other stories-第22节

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held　a　letter　out。　　〃Your　uncle　is　not　coming　back　tonight。〃



Christian　took　the　letter。　　It　was　curtly　worded；　in　a　thin；　toppling

hand：



〃DEAR　CONCan't　get　back　to…night。　　Sending　Dominique　for　things。

Tell　Christian　to　come　over　with　him　for　night　if　possible。Yr。

aff。　brother；　　　　　　　NICLS。　TREFFRY。〃



〃Dominique　has　a　carriage　here；〃　said　Mrs。　Decie。　　〃You　will　have

nice　time　to　catch　the　train。　　Give　my　love　to　your　uncle。　　You　must

take　Barbi　with　you；　I　insist　on　that。〃　　She　rose　from　her　chair　and

held　Christian's　hand：　〃My　dear！　　You　look　very　tiredvery！　　Almost

ill。　　I　don't　like　to　see　you　look　like　that。　　Come！〃　　She　thrust　her

pale　lips　forward；　and　kissed　the　girl's　paler　cheek。



Then　as　Christian　left　the　room　she　sank　back　in　her　chair；　with

creases　in　her　forehead；　and　began　languidly　to　cut　a　magazine。

'Poor　Christian！'　she　thought；　'how　hardly　she　does　take　it！　I　am

sorry　for　her；　but　perhaps　it's　just　as　well；　as　things　are　turning

out。　　Psychologically　it　is　interesting！'



Christian　found　her　things　packed；　and　the　two　servants　waiting。　　In

a　few　minutes　they　were　driving　to　the　station。　　She　made　Dominique

take　the　seat　opposite。



〃Well？〃　she　asked　him。



Dominique's　eyebrows　twitched；　he　smiled　deprecatingly。



〃M'mselle；　Mr。　Treffry　told　me　to　hold　my　tongue。〃



〃But　you　can　tell　me；　Dominique；　Barbi　can't　understand。〃



〃To　you；　then；　M'mselle；〃　said　Dominique；　as　one　who　accepts　his

fate；　〃to　you；　then；　who　will　doubtless　forget　all　that　I　shall　tell

youmy　master　is　not　well；　he　has　terrible　pain　here；　he　has　a

cough；　he　is　not　well　at　all；　not　well　at　all。〃



A　feeling　of　dismay　seized　on　the　girl。



〃We　were　a　caravan　for　all　that　night；〃　Dominique　resumed。　　〃In　the

morning　by　noon　we　ceased　to　be　a　caravan；　Signor　Harz　took　a　mule

path；　he　will　be　in　Italycertainly　in　Italy。　　As　for　us；　we　stayed

at　San　Martino；　and　my　master　went　to　bed。　　It　was　time；　I　had　much

trouble　with　his　clothes；　his　legs　were　swollen。　　In　the　afternoon

came　a　signor　of　police；　on　horseback；　red　and　hot；　I　persuaded　him

that　we　were　at　Paneveggio；　but　as　we　were　not；　he　came　back　angry

Mon　Die！　as　angry　as　a　cat。　　It　was　not　good　to　meet　himwhen　he　was

with　my　master　I　was　outside。　　There　was　much　noise。　　I　do　not　know

what　passed；　but　at　last　the　signor　came　out　through　the　door；　and

went　away　in　a　hurry。〃　　Dominique's　features　were　fixed　in　a　sardonic

grin；　he　rubbed　the　palm　of　one　hand　with　the　finger　of　the　other。

〃Mr。　Treffry　made　me　give　him　whisky　afterwards；　and　he　had　no　money

to　pay　the　billthat　I　know　because　I　paid　it。　　Well；　M'mselle；　to…

day　he　would　be　dressed　and　very　slowly　we　came　as　far　as　Auer；　there

he　could　do　no　more；　so　went　to　bed。　　He　is　not　well　at　all。〃



Christian　was　overwhelmed　by　forebodings；　the　rest　of　the　journey　was

made　in　silence；　except　when　Barbi；　a　country　girl；　filled　with　the

delirium　of　railway　travel；　sighed：　〃Ach！　gnadige　Friiulein！〃　looking

at　Christian　with　pleasant　eyes。



At　once；　on　arriving　at　the　little　hostel；　Christian　went　to　see　her

uncle。　　His　room　was　darkened；　and　smelt　of　beeswax。



〃Ah！　Chris；〃　he　said；　〃glad　to　see　you。〃



In　a　blue　flannel　gown；　with　a　rug　over　his　feet；　he　was　lying　on　a

couch　lengthened　artificially　by　chairs；　the　arm　he　reached　out

issued　many　inches　from　its　sleeve；　and　showed　the　corded　veins　of

the　wrist。　　Christian；　settling　his　pillows；　looked　anxiously　into

his　eyes。



〃I'm　not　quite　the　thing；　Chris；〃　said　Mr。　Treffry。　　〃Somehow；　not

quite　the　thing。　　I'll　come　back　with　you　to…morrow。〃



〃Let　me　send　for　Dr。　Dawney；　Uncle？〃



〃Nono！　　Plenty　of　him　when　I　get　home。　　Very　good　young　fellow；　as

doctors　go；　but　I　can't　stand　his　puddin'sslops　and　puddin's；　and

all　that　trumpery　medicine　on　the　top。　　Send　me　Dominique；　my　dear

I'll　put　myself　to　rights　a　bit！〃　　He　fingered　his　unshaven　cheek；

and　clutched　the　gown　together　on　his　chest。　　〃Got　this　from　the

landlord。　　When　you　come　back　we'll　have　a　little　talk！〃



He　was　asleep　when　she　came　into　the　room　an　hour　later。　　Watching

his　uneasy　breathing；　she　wondered　what　it　was　that　he　was　going　to

say。



He　looked　ill！　　And　suddenly　she　realised　that　her　thoughts　were　not

of　him。。。。　　When　she　was　little　he　would　take　her　on　his　back；　he　had

built　cocked　hats　for　her　and　paper　boats；　had　taught　her　to　ride；

slid　her　between　his　knees；　given　her　things　without　number；　and

taken　his　payment　in　kisses。　　And　now　he　was　ill；　and　she　was　not

thinking　of　him！　　He　had　been　all　that　was　most　dear　to　her；　yet

before　her　eyes　would　only　come　the　vision　of　another。



Mr。　Treffry　woke　suddenly。　　〃Not　been　asleep；　have　I？　　The　beds　here

are　infernal　hard。〃



〃Uncle　Nic；　won't　you　give　me　news　of　him？〃



Mr。　Treffry　looked　at　her；　and　Christian　could　not　bear　that　look。



〃He's　safe　into　Italy；　they　aren't　very　keen　after　him；　it's　so　long

ago；　I　squared　'em　pretty　easily。　　Now；　look　here；　Chris！〃



Christian　came　close；　he　took　her　hand。



〃I'd　like　to　see　you　pull　yourself　together。　　'Tisn't　so　much　the

position；　'tisn't　so　much　the　money；　because　after　all　there's　always

mine〃　　Christian　shook　her　head。　　〃But；〃　he　went　on　with　shaky

emphasis；　〃there's　the　difference　of　blood；　and　that's　a　serious

thing；　and　there's　this　anarchthis　political　affair；　and　there's

the　sort　of　life；　an'　that's　a　serious　thing；　butwhat　I'm　coming　to

is　this；　Christhere's　the　man！〃



Christian　drew　away　her　hand。　　Mr。　Treffry　went　on：



〃Ah！　yes。　　I'm　an　old　chap　and　fond　of　you；　but　I　must　speak　out　what

I　think。　　He's　got　pluck；　he's　strong；　he's　in　earnest；　but　he's　got

a　damned　hot　temper；　he's　an　egotist；　andhe's　not　the　man　for　you。

If　you　marry　him；　as　sure　as　I　lie　here；　you'll　be　sorry　for　it。

You're　not　your　father's　child　for　nothing；　nice　fellow　as　ever

lived；　but　soft　as　butter。　　If　you　take　this　chap；　it'll　be　like

mixing　earth　and　ironstone；　and　they　don't　blend！〃　　He　dropped　his

head　back　on　the　pillows；　and　stretching　out　his　hand；　repeated

wistfully：　〃Take　my　word　for　it；　my　dear；　he's　not　the　man　for　you。〃



Christian；　staring　at　the　wall　beyond；　said　quietly：　〃I　can't　take

any　one's　word　for　that。〃



〃Ah！〃　muttered　Mr。　Treffry；　〃you're　obstinate　enough；　but　obstinacy

isn't　strength。



You'll　give　up　everything　to　him；　you'll　lick　his　shoes；　and　you'll

never　play　anything　but　second　fiddle　in　his　life。　　He'll　always　be

first　with　himself；　he　and　his　work；　or　whatever　he　calls　painting

pictures；　and　some　day　you'll　find　that　out。　　You　won't　like　it；　and

I　don't　like　it　for　you；　Chris；　and　that's　flat。〃



He　wiped　his　brow　where　the　perspiration　stood　in　beads。



Christian　said：　〃You　don't　understand；　you　don't　believe　in　him；　you

don't　see！　　If　I　do　come　after　his　workif　I　do　give　him　everything；

and　he　can't　give　all　backI　don't　care！　　He'll　give　what　he　can；　I

don't　want　any　more。　　If　you're　afraid　of　the　life　for　me；　uncle；　if

you　think　it'll　be　too　hard〃



Mr。　Treffry　bowed　his　head。　　〃I　do；　Chris。〃



〃Well；　then；　I　hate　to　be　wrapped　in　cotton　wool；　I　want　to　breathe。

If　I　come　to　grief；　it's　my　own　affair；　nobody　need　mind。〃



Mr。　Treffry's　fngers　sought　his　beard。　　〃Ah！　yes。　　Just　so！〃



Christian　sank　on　her　knees。



〃Oh！　Uncle！　I'm　a　selfish　beast！〃



Mr。　Treffry　laid　his　hand　against　her　cheek。　　〃I　think　I　could　do

with　a　nap；〃　he　said。



Swallowing　a　lump　in　her　throat；　she　stole　out　of　the　room。



By　a　stroke　of　Fate　Mr。　Treffry's　return　to　Villa　Rubein　befell　at

the　psychological　moment　when　Herr　Paul；　in　a　suit　of　rather　too

bright　blue；　was　starting　for　Vienna。



As　soon　as　he　saw　the　carriage　appear　between　the　poplars　he　became

as　pensive　as　a　boy　caught　in　the　act　of　stealing　cherries。　　Pitching

his　hatbox　to　Fritz；　he　recovered　himself；　however；　in　time　to

whistle　while　Mr。　Treffry　was　being　assisted　into　the　house。　　Having

forgotten　his　anger；　he　was　only　anxious　now　to　smooth　out　its　after

effects；　in　the　glances　he　cast　at　Christian　and　his　brother…in…law

there　was　a　kind　of　shamed　entreaty　which　seemed　to　say：　〃For

goodness'　sake；　don't　worry　me　about　that　business　again！　Nothing's

come　of　it；　you　see！〃



He　came　forward：　〃Ah！　Mon　cher！　　So　you　return；　I　put　off　my

departure；　then。　　Vienna　must　wait　for　methat　poor　Vienna！〃



But　noticing　the　extreme　feebleness　of　Mr。　Treffry's　advance；　he

exclaimed　with　genuine　concern：



〃What　is　it？　　You're　ill？　　My　God！〃　　After　disappearing　for　five

minutes；　he　came　back　with　a　whitish　liquid　in　a　glass。



〃There！〃　he　said；　〃good　for　the　goutfor　a　coughfor　everything！〃



Mr。　Treffry　sniffed；　drained　the　glass；　and　sucked　his　moustache。



〃Ah！〃　he　said。　　〃No　doubt！　　But　it's　uncommonly　like　gin；　Paul。〃

Then　turning　to　Christian；　he　said：　〃Shake　hands；　you　two！〃



Christian　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　and　at　last　held　out　he