villa rubein and other stories-第23节

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



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

to　Herr　Paul；　who　brushed　it　with　his　moustache；　gazing　after　her　as

she　left　the　room　with　a　queer　expression。



〃My　dear！〃　he　began；　〃you　support　her　in　this　execrable　matter？　　You

forget　my　position；　you　make　me　ridiculous。　　I　have　been　obliged　to

go　to　bed　in　my　own　house；　absolutely　to　go　to　bed；　because　I　was　in

danger　of　becoming　funny。〃



〃Look　here；　Paul！〃　Mr。　Treffry　said　gruffly；　〃if　any　one's　to　bully

Chris；　it's　I。〃



〃In　that　case；〃　returned　Herr　Paul　sarcastically；　〃I　will　go　to

Vienna。〃



〃You　may　go　to　the　devil！〃　said　Mr。　Treffry；　〃and　I'll　tell　you　what…

…in　my　opinion　it　was　low　to　set　the　police　on　that　young　chap；　a

low；　dirty　trick。〃



Herr　Paul　divided　his　beard　carefully　in　two；　took　his　seat　on　the

very　edge　of　an　arm…chair；　and　placing　his　hands　on　his　parted　knees；

said：



〃I　have　regretted　it　sincemais；　que　diable！　　He　called　me　a　coward…

…it　is　very　hot　weather！there　were　drinks　at　the　KurhausI　am　her

guardianthe　affair　is　a　very　beastly　onethere　were　more　drinksI

was　a　little　enfin！〃　　He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃Adieu；　my　dear；　I

shall　be　some　time　in　Vienna；　I　need　rest！〃　　He　rose　and　went　to　the

door；　then　he　turned；　and　waved　his　cigar。　　〃Adieu！　Be　good；　get

well！　　I　will　buy　you　some　cigars　up　there。〃　　And　going　out；　he　shut

the　door　on　any　possibility　of　answer。



Mr。　Treffry　lay　back　amongst　his　cushions。　　The　clock　ticked；　pigeons

cooed　on　the　veranda；　a　door　opened　in　the　distance；　and　for　a　moment

a　treble　voice　was　heard。　　Mr。　Treffry's　head　drooped　forward；　across

his　face；　gloomy　and　rugged；　fell　a　thin　line　of　sunlight。



The　clock　suddenly　stopped　ticking；　and　outside；　in　mysterious

accord；　the　pigeons　rose　with　a　great　fluttering　of　wings；　and　flew

off'。　　Mr。　Treffry　made　a　startled；　heavy　movement。　　He　tried　to　get

on　to　his　feet　and　reach　the　bell；　but　could　not；　and　sat　on　the　side

of　the　couch　with　drops　of　sweat　rolling　off　his　forehead；　and　his

hands　clawing　his　chest。　　There　was　no　sound　at　all　throughout　the

house。　　He　looked　about　him；　and　tried　to　call；　but　again　could　not。

He　tried　once　more　to　reach　the　bell；　and；　failing；　sat　still；　with　a

thought　that　made　him　cold。



〃I'm　done　for；〃　he　muttered。　　〃By　George！　I　believe　I'm　done　for　this

time！〃　　A　voice　behind　him　said：



〃Can　we　have　a　look　at　you；　sir？〃



〃Ah！　Doctor；　bear　a　hand；　there's　a　good　fellow。〃



Dawney　propped　him　against　the　cushions；　and　loosened　his　shirt。

Receiving　no　answer　to　his　questions；　he　stepped　alarmed　towards　the

bell。　　Mr。　Treffry　stopped　him　with　a　sign。



〃Let's　hear　what　you　make　of　me；〃　he　said。



When　Dawney　had　examined　him；　he　asked：



〃Well？〃



〃Well；〃　answered　Dawney　slowly；　〃there's　trouble；　of　course。〃



Mr。　Treffry　broke　out　with　a　husky　whisper：　〃Out　with　it；　Doctor；

don't　humbug　me。〃



Dawney　bent　down；　and　took　his　wrist。



〃I　don't　know　how　you've　got　into　this　state；　sir；〃　he　said　with　the

brusqueness　of　emotion。　　〃You're　in　a　bad　way。　　It's　the　old　trouble；

and　you　know　what　that　means　as　well　as　I。　　All　I　can　tell　you　is；

I'm　going　to　have　a　big　fight　with　it。　　It　shan't　be　my　fault；

there's　my　hand　on　that。〃



Mr。　Treffry　lay　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　ceiling；　at　last　he　said：



〃I　want　to　live。〃



〃Yesyes。〃



〃I　feel　better　now；　don't　make　a　fuss　about　it。　　It'll　be　very

awkward　if　I　die　just　now。　　Patch　me　up；　for　the　sake　of　my　niece。〃



Dawney　nodded。　　〃One　minute；　there　are　a　few　things　I　want；〃　and　he

went　out。



A　moment　later　Greta　stole　in　on　tiptoe。　　She　bent　over　till　her　hair

touched　Mr。　Treffry's　face。



〃Uncle　Nic！〃　she　whispered。　　He　opened　his　eyes。



〃Hallo；　Greta！〃



〃I　have　come　to　bring　you　my　love；　Uncle　Nic；　and　to　say　good…bye。

Papa　says　that　I　and　Scruff　and　Miss　Naylor　are　going　to　Vienna　with

him；　we　have　had　to　pack　in　half　an　hour；　in　five　minutes　we　are

going　to　Vienna；　and　it　is　my　first　visit　there；　Uncle　Nic。〃



〃To　Vienna！〃　Mr。　Treffry　repeated　slowly。　　〃Don't　have　a　guide；

Greta；　they're　humbugs。〃



〃No；　Uncle　Nic；〃　said　Greta　solemnly。



〃Draw　the　curtains；　old　girl；　let's　have　a　look　at　you。　　Why；　you're

as　smart　as　ninepence！〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Greta　with　a　sigh；　touching　the　buttons　of　her　cape；

〃because　I　am　going　to　Vienna；　but　I　am　sorry　to　leave　you；　Uncle

Nic。〃



〃Are　you；　Greta？〃



〃But　you　will　have　Chris；　and　you　are　fonder　of　Chris　than　of　me；

Uncle　Nic。〃



〃I've　known　her　longer。〃



〃Perhaps　when　you've　known　me　as　long　as　Chris；　you　shall　be　as　fond

of　me。〃



〃When　I've　known　you　as　longmay　be。〃



〃While　I　am　gone；　Uncle　Nic；　you　are　to　get　well；　you　are　not　very

well；　you　know。〃



〃What　put　that　into　your　head？〃



〃If　you　were　well　you　would　be　smoking　a　cigarit　is　just　three

o'clock。　　This　kiss　is　for　myself；　this　is　for　Scruff；　and　this　is

for　Miss　Naylor。〃



She　stood　upright　again；　a　tremulous；　joyful　gravity　was　in　her　eyes

and　on　her　lips。



〃Good…bye；　my　dear；　take　care　of　yourselves；　and　don't　you　have　a

guide；　they're　humbugs。〃



〃No；　Uncle　Nic。　　There　is　the　carriage！　　To　Vienna；　Uncle　Nic！〃　　The

dead　gold　of　her　hair　gleamed　in　the　doorway。　　Mr。　Treffry　raised

himself　upon　his　elbow。



〃Give　us　one　more；　for　luck！〃



Greta　ran　back。



〃I　love　you　very　much！〃　she　said；　and　kissing　him；　backed　slowly；

then；　turning；　flew　out　like　a　bird。



Mr。　Treffry　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　shut　door。











XXI



After　many　days　of　hot；　still　weather；　the　wind　had　come；　and　whirled

the　dust　along　the　parched　roads。　　The　leaves　were　all　astir；　like

tiny　wings。　　Round　Villa　Rubein　the　pigeons　cooed　uneasily；　all　the

other　birds　were　silent。　　Late　in　the　afternoon　Christian　came　out　on

the　veranda；　reading　a　letter：



〃DEAR　CHRIS；We　are　here　now　six　days；　and　it　is　a　very　large　place

with　many　churches。　　In　the　first　place　then　we　have　been　to　a　great

many；　but　the　nicest　of　them　is　not　St。　Stephan's　Kirche；　it　is

another；　but　I　do　not　remember　the　name。　　Papa　is　out　nearly　all　the

night；　he　says　he　is　resting　here；　so　he　is　not　able　to　come　to　the

churches　with　us；　but　I　do　not　think　he　rests　very　much。　　The　day

before　yesterday　we；　that　is；　Papa；　I；　and　Miss　Naylor；　went　to　an

exhibition　of　pictures。　　It　was　quite　beautiful　and　interesting　（Miss

Naylor　says　it　is　not　right　to　say　'quite'　beautiful；　but　I　do　not

know　what　other　word　could　mean　'quite'　except　the　word　'quite；'

because　it　is　not　exceedingly　and　not　extremely。　　And　O　Chris！　there

was　one　picture　painted　by　him；　it　was　about　a　ship　without　masts

Miss　Naylor　says　it　is　a　barge；　but　I　do　not　know　what　a　barge　ison

fire；　and；　floating　down　a　river　in　a　fog。　　I　think　it　is　extremely

beautiful。　　Miss　Naylor　says　it　is　very　impressionistickwhat　is

that？　　and　Papa　said　'Puh！'　but　he　did　not　know　it　was　painted　by

Herr　Harz；　so　I　did　not　tell　him。



〃There　has　also　been　staying　at　our　hotel　that　Count　Sarelli　who　came

one　evening　to　dinner　at　our　house；　but　he　is　gone　away　now。　　He　sat

all　day　in　the　winter　garden　reading；　and　at　night　he　went　out　with

Papa。　　Miss　Naylor　says　he　is　unhappy；　but　I　think　he　does　not　take

enough　exercise；　and　O　Chris！　one　day　he　said　to　me；　'That　is　your

sister；　Mademoiselle；　that　young　lady　in　the　white　dress？　　Does　she

always　wear　white　dresses？'　and　I　said　to　him：　'It　is　not　always　a

white　dress；　in　the　picture；　it　is　green；　because　the　picture　is

called　〃Spring。'〃　　But　I　did　not　tell　him　the　colours　of　all　your

dresses　because　he　looked　so　tired。　　Then　he　said　to　me：　'She　is　very

charming。'　　So　I　tell　you　this；　Chris；　because　I　think　you　shall　like

to　know。　　Scruff'　has　a　sore　toe；　it　is　because　he　has　eaten　too　much

meat。



〃It　is　not　nice　without　you；　Chris；　and　Miss　Naylor　says　I　am

improving　my　mind　here；　but　I　do　not　think　it　shall　improve　very

much；　because　at　night　I　like　it　always　best；　when　the　shops　are

lighted　and　the　carriages　are　driving　past；　then　I　am　wanting　to

dance。　　The　first　night　Papa　said　he　would　take　me　to　the　theatre；

but　yesterday　he　said　it　was　not　good　for　me；　perhaps　to…morrow　he

shall　think　it　good　for　me　again。



〃Yesterday　we　have　been　in　the　Prater；　and　saw　many　people；　and　some

that　Papa　knew；　and　then　came　the　most　interesting　part　of　all；

sitting　under　the　trees　in　the　rain　for　two　hours　because　we　could

not　get　a　carriage　（very　exciting）。



〃There　is　one　young　lady　here；　only　she　is　not　any　longer　very　young；

who　knew　Papa　when　he　was　a　boy。　　I　like　her　very　much；　she　shall

soon　know　me　quite　to　the　bottom　and　is　very　kind。



〃The　ill　husband　of　Cousin　Teresa　who　went　with　us　to　Meran　and　lost

her　umbrella　and　Dr。　Edmund　was　so　sorry　about　it；　has　been　very　much

worse；　so　she　is　not　here　but　in　Baden。　　I