villa rubein and other stories-第33节

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sordid；　bold　scheme；　which；　on　the　pivot　of　a　trading　venture；　was

intended　to　spin　a　whole　wheel　of　political　convulsions。



〃They'll　never　let　you　get　there；〃　said　old　Pearse。



〃Won't　they？〃　returned　Zachary。　　〃Oh　yes；　they　will；　an'　when　I

leave；　there'll　be　another　dynasty；　and　I'll　be　a　rich　man。〃



〃Yu'll　never　leave；〃　answered　the　old　man。



Zachary　took　out　a　sheet　of　paper　covered　with　figures。　　He　had

worked　the　whole　thing　out。　　So　muchequipment；　so　muchtrade；　so

muchconcessions；　so　muchemergencies。　　〃My　last　mag！〃　he　ended；　〃a

thousand　short；　the　ship's　ready；　and　if　I'm　not　there　within　a　month

my　chance　is　as　good　as　gone。〃



This　was　the　pith　of　his　confidencesan　appeal　for　money；　and　we　all

looked　as　men　will　when　that　crops　up。



〃Mad！〃　　muttered　the　old　man；　looking　at　the　sea。



〃No；〃　said　Zachary。　　That　one　word　was　more　eloquent　than　all　the

rest　of　his　words　put　together。　　This　fellow　is　no　visionary。　　His

scheme　may　be　daring；　and　unprincipled；　buthe　knows　very　well　what

he's　about。



〃Well！〃　said　old　Pearse；　〃you　shall　have　five　'undred　of　my　money；　if

it's　only　to　learn　what　yu're　made　of。　　Wheel　me　in！〃　　Zachary

wheeled　him　into　the　house；　but　soon　came　back。



〃The　old　man's　cheque　for　five　hundred　pounds！〃　he　said；　holding　it

up。　　〃Mr。　Treffry；　give　me　another；　and　you　shall　have　a　third　of　the

profits。〃



I　expected　Dan　to　give　a　point…blank　refusal。　　But　he　only　asked：



〃Would　that　clear　you　for　starting？〃



〃With　that；〃　said　Zachary；　〃I　can　get　to　sea　in　a　fortnight。〃



〃Good！〃　Dan　said　slowly。　　〃Give　me　a　written　promise！　　To　sea　in

fourteen　days　and　my　fair　share　on　the　five　hundred　poundsno　more

no　less。〃



Again　I　thought　Pearse　would　have　jumped　at　this；　but　he　leaned　his

chin　on　his　hand；　and　looked　at　Dan；　and　Dan　looked　at　him。　　While

they　were　staring　at　each　other　like　this；　Pasiance　came　up　with　a

kitten。



〃See！〃　she　said；　〃isn't　it　a　darling？〃　　The　kitten　crawled　and　clawed

its　way　up　behind　her　neck。　　I　saw　both　men's　eyes　as　they　looked　at

Pasiance；　and　suddenly　understood　what　they　were　at。　　The　kitten

rubbed　itself　against　Pasiance's　cheek；　overbalanced；　and　fell；

clawing；　down　her　dress。　　She　caught　it　up　and　walked　away。　　Some

one；　I　don't　know　which　of　us；　sighed；　and　Pearse　cried　〃Done！〃



The　bargain　had　been　driven。



〃Good…bye；　Mr。　Pearse；〃　said　Dan；　〃　I　guess　that's　all　I'm　wanted

for。　　I'll　find　my　pony　waiting　in　the　village。　　George；　you'll　see

Pasiance　home？〃



We　heard　the　hoofs　of　his　pony　galloping　down　the　road；　Pearse

suddenly　excused　himself；　and　disappeared。



This　venture　of　his　may　sound　romantic　and　absurd；　but　it's　matter…

of…fact　enough。　　He's　after　L。　s。　d。！　　Shades　of　Drake；　Raleigh；

Hawkins；　Oxenham！　　The　worm　of　suspicion　gnaws　at　the　rose　of

romance。　　What　if　those　fellows；　too；　were　only　after　L。　s。　d。。。。？



I　strolled　into　the　pine…wood。　　The　earth　there　was　covered　like　a

bee's　body　with　black　and　gold　stripes；　there　was　the　blue　sea　below；

and　white；　sleepy　clouds；　and　bumble…bees　booming　above　the　heather；

it　was　all　softness；　a　summer's　day　in　Devon。　　Suddenly　I　came　on

Pearse　standing　at　the　edge　of　the　cliff　with　Pasiance　sitting　in　a

little　hollow　below；　looking　up　at　him。　　I　heard　him　say：



〃PasiancePasiance！〃　The　sound　of　his　voice；　and　the　sight　of　her

soft；　wondering　face　made　me　furious。　　What　business　has　she　with

love；　at　her　age？　　What　business　have　they　with　each　other？



He　told　me　presently　that　she　had　started　off　for　home；　and　drove　me

to　the　ferry；　behind　an　old　grey　pony。　　On　the　way　he　came　back　to

his　offer　of　the　other　day。



〃Come　with　me；〃　he　said。　　〃It　doesn't　do　to　neglect　the　Press；　you

can　see　the　possibilities。　　It's　one　of　the　few　countries　left。　　If　I

once　get　this　business　started　you　don't　know　where　it's　going　to

stop。　　You'd　have　free　passage　everywhere；　and　whatever　you　like　in

reason。〃



I　answered　as　rudely　as　I　couldbut　by　no　means　as　rudely　as　I

wantedthat　his　scheme　was　mad。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　it's　much　too

sane　for　me；　for；　whatever　the　body　of　a　scheme；　its　soul　is　the

fibre　of　the　schemer。



〃Think　of　it；〃　he　urged；　as　if　he　could　see　into　me。　　〃You　can　make

what　you　like　of　it。　　Press　paragraphs；　of　course。　　But　that's

mechanical；　why；　even　I　could　do　it；　if　I　had　time。　　As　for　the　rest；

you'll　be　as　freeas　free　as　a　man。〃



There；　in　five　words　of　one　syllable；　is　the　kernel　of　this　fellow

Pearse〃As　free　as　a　man！〃　　No　rule；　no　law；　not　even　the　mysterious

shackles　that　bind　men　to　their　own　self…respects！　　〃As　free　as　a

man！〃　　No　ideals；　no　principles；　no　fixed　star　for　his　worship；　no

coil　he　can't　slide　out　of！　　But　the　fellow　has　the　tenacity　of　one

of　the　old　Devon　mastiffs；　too。　　He　wouldn't　take　〃No〃　for　an　answer。



〃Think　of　it；〃　he　said；　〃any　day　will　doI've　got　a　fortnight。。。。

Look！　there　she　is！　　〃I　thought　that　he　meant　Pasiance；　but　it　was　an

old　steamer；　sluggish　and　black　in　the　blazing　sun　of　mid…stream；

with　a　yellow…and…white　funnel；　and　no　sign　of　life　on　her　decks。



〃That's　herthe　Pied　Witcb！　Do　her　twelve　knots；　you　wouldn't　think

it！　　Well！　good…evening！　　You'd　better　come。　　A　word　to　me　at　any

time。　　I'm　going　aboard　now。〃



As　I　was　being　ferried　across　I　saw　him　lolling　in　the　stern…sheets

of　a　little　boat；　the　sun　crowning　his　straw　hat　with　glory。



I　came　on　Pasiance；　about　a　mile　up　the　road；　sitting　in　the　hedge。

We　walked　on　together　between　the　banksDevonshire　banks；　as　high　as

houses；　thick　with　ivy　and　ferns；　bramble　and　hazel　boughs；　and

honeysuckle。



〃Do　you　believe　in　a　God？〃　she　said　suddenly。



〃Grandfather's　God　is　simply　awful。　　When　I'm　playing　the　fiddle；　I

can　feel　God；　but　grandfather's　is　such　a　stuffy　Godyou　know　what　I

mean：　the　sea；　the　wind；　the　trees；　colours　toothey　make　one　feel。

But　I　don't　believe　that　life　was　meant　to　'be　good'　in。　　Isn't　there

anything　better　than　being　good？　　When　I'm　'good；'　I　simply　feel

wicked。〃　　She　reached　up；　caught　a　flower　from　the　hedge；　and　slowly

tore　its　petals。



〃What　would　you　do；〃　she　muttered；　〃if　you　wanted　a　thing；　but　were

afraid　of　it？　　But　I　suppose　you're　never　afraid！〃　she　added；　mocking

me。　　I　admitted　that　I　was　sometimes　afraid；　and　often　afraid　of

being　afraid。



〃That's　nice！　　I'm　not　afraid　of　illness；　nor　of　grandfather；　nor　of

his　God；　butI　want　to　be　free。　　If　you　want　a　thing　badly；　you're

afraid　about　it。〃



I　thought　of　Zachary　Pearse's　words；　〃free　as　a　man。〃



〃Why　are　you　looking　at　me　like　that？〃　she　said。



I　stammered：　〃What　do　you　mean　by　freedom？〃



〃Do　you　know　what　I　shall　do　to…night？〃　she　answered。　　〃Get　out　of　my

window　by　the　apple…tree；　and　go　to　the　woods；　and　play！〃



We　were　going　down　a　steep　lane；　along　the　side　of　a　wood；　where

there's　always　a　smell　of　sappy　leaves；　and　the　breath　of　the　cows

that　come　close　to　the　hedge　to　get　the　shade。



There　was　a　cottage　in　the　bottom；　and　a　small　boy　sat　outside

playing　with　a　heap　of　dust。



〃Hallo；　Johnny！〃　said　Pasiance。　　〃Hold　your　leg　out　and　show　this　man

your　bad　place！〃　　The　small　boy　undid　a　bandage　round　his　bare　and

dirty　little　leg；　and　proudly　revealed　a　sore。



〃Isn't　it　nasty？〃　cried　Pasiance　ruefully；　tying　up　the　bandage

again；　〃poor　little　feller！　　Johnny；　see　what　I've　brought　you！〃　　She

produced　from　her　pocket　a　stick　of　chocolate；　the　semblance　of　a

soldier　made　of　sealing…wax　and　worsted；　and　a　crooked　sixpence。



It　was　a　new　glimpse　of　her。　　All　the　way　home　she　was　telling　me　the

story　of　little　Johnny's　family；　when　she　came　to　his　mother's　death；

she　burst　out：　〃A　beastly　shame；　wasn't　it；　and　they're　so　poor；　it

might　just　as　well　have　been　somebody　else。　　I　like　poor　people；　but

I　hate　rich　onesstuck…up　beasts。〃



Mrs。　Hopgood　was　looking　over　the　gate；　with　her　cap　on　one　side；　and

one　of　Pasiance's　cats　rubbing　itself　against　her　skirts。　　At　the

sight　of　us　she　hugged　herself。



〃Where's　grandfather？〃　asked　Pasiance。　　The　old　lady　shook　her　head。



〃Is　it　a　row？〃　　Mrs。　Hopgood　wriggled；　and　wriggled；　and　out　came：



〃Did　you　get　yure　tay；　my　pretty？　　No？　　Well；　that's　a　pity；　yu'll　be

falin'　low…like。〃



Pasiance　tossed　her　head；　snatched　up　the　cat；　and　ran　indoors。　　I

remained　staring　at　Mrs。　Hopgood。



〃Dear…dear；〃　she　clucked；〃　poor　lamb。　　So　to　spake　it's〃　and　she

blurted　out　suddenly；　〃chuckin'　full　of　wra…ath；　he　is。　　Well；

there！〃



My　courage　failed　that　evening。　　I　spent　it　at　the　coastguard

station；　where　they　gave　me　bread　and　cheese　and　some　awful　cider。　　I

passed　the　kitchen　as　I　came　back。　　A　fire　was　still　burning　there；

and　two　figures；　misty　in　the　darkness；　flitted　about　with　stealthy

laughter　like　spirits　afraid　of　being　detected　in　a　carnal…meal。

They　were　Pasiance　and　Mrs。　Hopgood；　and　so　charming　was　the　smell　of

eggs　and　bacon；　and　they　ha