villa rubein and other stories-第51节

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before　his　feet；　and　the　accessibility　of　all　the　world。　　Dim

recollections　of　the　good　things　he　had　said；　of　his　brother　and

Traquair　seated　in　the　background　eating　ordinary　meals　with

inquiring；　acid　visages；　caused　perpetual　smiles　to　break　out　on　his

face；　and　he　steered　himself　stubbornly；　to　prove　that　he　was　a

better　man　than　either'　of　his　guests。　　He　knew；　vaguely；　that　he　was

going　somewhere　with　an　object；　Rozsi's　face　kept　dancing　before　him；

like　a　promise。　　Once　or　twice　he　gave　Kasteliz　a　glassy　stare。

Towards　Boleskey；　on　the　other　hand；　he　felt　quite　warm；　and　recalled

with　admiration　the　way　he　had　set　his　glass　down　empty；　time　after

time。　　'I　like　to　see　him　take　his　liquor；'　he　thought；　'the　fellow's

a　gentleman；　after　all。'　　Boleskey　strode　on；　savagely　inattentive　to

everything；　and　Kasteliz　had　become　more　like　a　cat　than　ever。　　It

was　nearly　dark　when　they　reached　a　narrow　street　close　to　the

cathedral。　　They　stopped　at　a　door　held　open　by　an　old　woman。　　The

change　from　the　fresh　air　to　a　heated　corridor；　the　noise　of　the　door

closed　behind　him；　the　old　woman's　anxious　glances；　sobered　Swithin。



〃I　tell　her；〃　said　Boleskey；　〃that　I　reply　for　you　as　for　my　son。〃



Swithin　was　angry。　　What　business　had　this　man　to　reply　for　him！



They　passed　into　a　large　room；　crowded　with　men　all　women；　Swithin

noticed　that　they　all　looked　fit　him。　　He　stared　at　them　in　turn

they　seemed　of　all　classes；　some　in　black　coats　or　silk　dresses；

others　in　the　clothes　of　work…people；　one　man；　a　cobbler；　still　wore

his　leather　apron；　as　if　he　had　rushed　there　straight　from　his　work。

Laying　his　hand　on　Swithin's　arm；　Boleskey　evidently　began　explaining

who　he　was；　hands　were　extended；　people　beyond　reach　bowed　to　him。

Swithin　acknowledged　the　greetings　with　a　stiff　motion　of　his　head；

then　seeing　other　people　dropping　into　seats；　he；　too；　sat　down。

Some　one　whispered　his　nameMargit　and　Rozsi　were　just　behind　him。



〃Welcome！〃　said　Margit；　but　Swithin　was　looking　at　Rozsi。　　Her　face

was　so　alive　and　quivering！　　'What's　the　excitement　all　about？'　he

thought。　　'How　pretty　she　looks！'　　She　blushed；　drew　in　her　hands

with　a　quick　tense　movement；　and　gazed　again　beyond　him　into　the

room。　　'What　is　it？'　thought　Swithin；　he　had　a　longing　to　lean　back

and　kiss　her　lips。　　He　tried　angrily　to　see　what　she　was　seeing　in

those　faces　turned　all　one　way。



Boleskey　rose　to　speak。　　No　one　moved；　not　a　sound　could　be　heard　but

the　tone　of　his　deep　voice。　　On　and　on　he　went；　fierce　and　solemn；

and　with　the　rise　of　his　voice；　all　those　faces…fair　or　swarthy

seemed　to　be　glowing　with　one　and　the　same　feeling。　　Swithin　felt　the

white　heat　in　those　facesit　was　not　decent！　　In　that　whole　speech

he　only　understood　the　one　word〃Magyar〃　which　came　again　and　again。

He　almost　dozed　off　at　last。　　The　twang　of　a　czymbal　woke　him。

'What？'　he　thought；　'more　of　that　infernal　music！'　Margit；　leaning

over　him；　whispered：　〃Listen！　Racoczy！　It　is　forbidden！〃　Swithin　saw

that　Rozsi　was　no　longer　in　her　seat；　it　was　she　who　was　striking

those　forbidden　notes。　　He　looked　roundeverywhere　the　same　unmoving

faces；　the　same　entrancement；　and　fierce　stillness。　　The　music

sounded　muffled；　as　if　it；　too；　were　bursting　its　heart　in　silence。

Swithin　felt　within　him　a　touch　of　panic。　　Was　this　a　den　of　tigers？

The　way　these　people　listened；　the　ferocity　of　their　stillness；　was

frightful。。。！　　He　gripped　his　chair　and　broke　into　a　perspiration；

was　there　no　chance　to　get　away？　　'When　it　stops；'　he　thought；

'there'll　be　a　rush！'　　But　there　was　only　a　greater　silence。　　It

flashed　across　him　that　any　hostile　person　coming　in　then　would　be

torn　to　pieces。　　A　woman　sobbed。　　The　whole　thing　was　beyond　words

unpleasant。　　He　rose；　and　edged　his　way　furtively　towards　the

doorway。　　There　was　a　cry　of　〃Police！〃　　The　whole　crowd　came　pressing

after　him。　　Swithin　would　soon　have　been　out；　but　a　little　behind　he

caught　sight　of　Rozsi　swept　off　her　feet。　　Her　frightened　eyes

angered　him。　　'She　doesn't　deserve　it；'　he　thought　sulkily；　'letting

all　this　loose！'　and　forced　his　way　back　to　her。　　She　clung　to　him；

and　a　fever　went　stealing　through　his　veins；　he　butted　forward　at　the

crowd；　holding　her　tight。　　When　they　were　outside　he　let　her　go。



〃I　was　afraid；〃　she　said。



〃Afraid！〃　muttered　Swithin；　〃I　should　think　so。〃　　No　longer　touching

her；　he　felt　his　grievance　revive。



〃But　you　are　so　strong；〃　she　murmured。



〃This　is　no　place　for　you；〃　growled　Swithin；　〃I'm　going　to　see　you

home。〃



〃Oh！〃　cried　Rozsi；　〃but　papa　andMargit！〃



〃That's　their　look…out！〃　and　he　hurried　her　away。



She　slid　her　hand　under　his　arm；　the　soft　curves　of　her　form　brushed

him　gently；　each　touch　only　augmented　his　ill…humour。　　He　burned　with

a　perverse　rage；　as　if　all　the　passions　in　him　were　simmering　and

ready　to　boil　over；　it　was　as　if　a　poison　were　trying　to　work　its　way

out　of　him；　through　the　layers　of　his　stolid　flesh。　　He　maintained　a

dogged　silence；　Rozsi；　too；　said　nothing；　but　when　they　reached　the

door；　she　drew　her　hand　away。



〃You　are　angry！〃　she　said。



〃Angry；〃　muttered　Swithin；　〃no！　How　d'you　make　that　out？〃　　He　had　a

torturing　desire　to　kiss　her。



〃Yes；　you　are　angry；〃　she　repeated；　〃　I　wait　here　for　papa　and

Margit。〃



Swithin　also　waited；　wedged　against　the　wall。　　Once　or　twice；　for　his

sight　was　sharp；　he　saw　her　steal　a　look　at　him；　a　beseeching　look；

and　hardened　his　heart　with　a　kind　of　pleasure。　　After　five　minutes

Boleskey；　Margit；　and　Kasteliz　appeared。　　Seeing　Rozsi　they　broke

into　exclamations　of　relief；　and　Kasteliz；　with　a　glance　at　Swithin；

put　his　lips　to　her　hand。　　Rozsi's　look　said；　〃Wouldn't　you　like　to

do　that？〃　　Swithin　turned　short　on　his　heel；　and　walked　away。









V



All　night　he　hardly　slept；　suffering　from　fever；　for　the　first　time

in　his　life。　　Once　he　jumped　out　of　bed；　lighted　a　candle；　and　going

to　the　glass；　scrutinised　himself　long　and　anxiously。　　After　this　he

fell　asleep；　but　had　frightful　dreams。　　His　first　thought　when　he

woke　was；　'My　liver's　out　of　order！'　and；　thrusting　his　head　into

cold　water；　he　dressed　hastily　and　went　out。　　He　soon　left　the　house

behind。　　Dew　covered　everything；　blackbirds　whistled　in　the　bushes；

the　air　was　fresh　and　sweet。　　He　had　not　been　up　so　early　since　he

was　a　boy。　　Why　was　he　walking　through　a　damp　wood　at　this　hour　of

the　morning？　　Something　intolerable　and　unfamiliar　must　have　sent　him

out。　　No　fellow　in　his　senses　would　do　such　a　thing！　　He　came　to　a

dead　stop；　and　began　unsteadily　to　walk　back。　　Regaining　the　hotel；

he　went　to　bed　again；　and　dreamed　that　in　some　wild　country　he　was

living　in　a　room　full　of　insects；　where　a　housemaidRozsiholding　a

broom；　looked　at　him　with　mournful　eyes。　　There　seemed　an　unexplained

need　for　immediate　departure；　he　begged　her　to　forward　his　things；

and　shake　them　out　carefully　before　she　put　them　into　the　trunk。　　He

understood　that　the　charge　for　sending　would　be　twenty…two　shillings；

thought　it　a　great　deal；　and　had　the　horrors　of　indecision。　　〃No；〃　he

muttered；　〃pack；　and　take　them　myself。〃　　The　housemaid　turned

suddenly　into　a　lean　creature；　and　he　awoke　with　a　sore　feeling　in

his　heart。



His　eye　fell　on　his　wet　boots。　　The　whole　thing　was　scaring；　and

jumping　up；　he　began　to　throw　his　clothes　into　his　trunks。　　It　was

twelve　o'clock　before　he　went　down；　and　found　his　brother　and

Traquair　still　at　the　table　arranging　an　itinerary；　he　surprised　them

by　saying　that　he　too　was　coming；　and　without　further　explanation　set

to　work　to　eat。　　James　had　heard　that　there　were　salt…mines　in　the

neighbourhoodhis　proposal　was　to　start；　and　halt　an　hour　or　so　on

the　road　for　their　inspection；　he　said：　〃Everybody'll　ask　you　if

you've　seen　the　salt…mines：　I　shouldn't　like　to　say　I　hadn't　seen　the

salt…mines。　　What's　the　good；　they'd　say；　of　your　going　there　if　you

haven't　seen　the　salt…mines？〃　　He　wondered；　too；　if　they　need　fee　the

second　waiteran　idle　chap！



A　discussion　followed；　but　Swithin　ate　on　glumly；　conscious　that　his

mind　was　set　on　larger　affairs。　　Suddenly　on　the　far　side　of　the

street　Rozsi　and　her　sister　passed；　with　little　baskets　on　their

arms。　　He　started　up；　and　at　that　moment　Rozsi　looked　roundher　face

was　the　incarnation　of　enticement；　the　chin　tilted；　the　lower　lip

thrust　a　little　forward；　her　round　neck　curving　back　over　her

shoulder。　　Swithin　muttered；　〃Make　your　own　arrangementsleave　me

out！〃　and　hurried　from　the　room；　leaving　James　beside　himself　with

interest　and　alarm。



When　he　reached　the　street；　however；　the　girls　had　disappeared。　　He

hailed　a　carriage。　　〃Drive！〃　he　called　to　the　man；　with　a　flourish　of

his　stick；　and　as　soon　as　the　wheels　had　begun　to　clatter　on　the

stones　he　leaned　back；　looking　sharply　to　right　and　left。　　He　soon

had　to　give　up　thought　of　finding　them；　but　made　the　coachman　turn

round　and　round　again