fraternity-第15节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃Very　well；〃　said　Cecilia；　〃I've　done　all　I　can。　　I　must　go　now。　Good…bye。〃

During　her　progress　to　the　door　she　gave　one　look　behind。　　Hilary　was　standing　by　the　bust　of　Socrates。　　Her　heart　smote　her　to　leave　him　thus　embarrassed。　　But　again　the　vision　of　Biancafugitive　in　her　own　house；　and　with　something　tragic　in　her　mocking　immobilitycame　to　her；　and　she　hastened　away。

A　voice　said：　〃How　are　you；　Mrs。　Dallison？　　Your　sister　at　home？〃

Cecilia　saw　before　her　Mr。　Purcey；　rising　and　falling　a　little　with　the　oscillation　of　his　A。i。　Damyer。

A　sense　as　of　having　just　left　a　house　visited　by　sickness　or　misfortune　made　Cecilia　murmur：

〃I'm　afraid　she's　not。〃

〃Bad　luck！〃　said　Mr。　Purcey。　　His　face　fell　as　far　as　so　red　and　square　a　face　could　fall。　　〃I　was　hoping　perhaps　I　might　be　allowed　to　take　them　for　a　run。　　She's　wanting　exercise。〃　　Mr。　Purcey　laid　his　hand　on　the　flank　of　his　palpitating　car。　　〃Know　these　A。i。　Damyers；　Mrs。　Dallison？　　Best　value　you　can　get；　simply　rippin'　little　cars。　　Wish　you'd　try　her。〃

The　A。i。　Damyer；　diffusing　an　aroma　of　the　finest　petrol；　leaped　and　trembled；　as　though　conscious　of　her　master's　praise。　　Cecilia　looked　at　her。

〃Yes；〃　she　said；　〃she's　very　sweet。

'Now　do！〃　said　Mr。　Purcey。　　〃Let　me　give　you　a　runJust　to　please　me；　I　mean。　　I'm　sure　you'll　like　her。〃

A　little　compunction；　a　little　curiosity；　a　sudden　revolt　against　all　the　discomfiture　and　sordid　doubts　she　had　been　suffering　from；　made　Cecilia　glance　softly　at　Mr。　Purcey's　figure；　almost　before　she　knew　it；　she　was　seated　in　the　A。i。　Damyer。　　It　trembled；　emitted　two　small　sounds；　one　large　scent；　and　glided　forward。　　Mr。　Purcey　said：

〃That's　rippin'　of　you！〃

A　postman；　dog；　and　baker's　cart；　all　hurrying　at　top　speed；　seemed　to　stand　still；　Cecilia　felt　the　wind　beating　her　cheeks。　　She　gave　a　little　laugh。

〃You　must　just　take　me　home；　please。〃

Mr。　Purcey　touched　the　chauffeur's　elbow。

〃Round　the　park；〃　he　said。　　〃Let　her　have　it。〃

The　A。i。　Damyer　uttered　a　tiny　shriek。　　Cecilia；　leaning　back　in　her　padded　corner；　glanced　askance　at　Mr。　Purcey　leaning　back　in　his；　an　unholy；　astonished　little　smile　played　on　her　lips。

'What　am　I　doing？'　it　seemed　to　say。　　'The　way　he　got　me　here　really！　　And　now　I　am　here　I'm　just　going　to　enjoy　it！'

There　were　no　Hughs；　no　little　modelall　that　sordid　life　had　vanished；　there　was　nothing　but　the　wind　beating　her　cheeks　and　the　A。i。　Damyer　leaping　under　her。

Mr。　Purcey　said：　〃It　just　makes　all　the　difference　to　me；　keeps　my　nerves　in　order。〃

〃Oh；〃　Cecilia　murmured；　〃have　you　got　nerves。〃

Mr。　Purcey　smiled。　　When　he　smiled　his　cheeks　formed　two　hard　red　blocks；　his　trim　moustache　stood　out；　and　many　little　wrinkles　ran　from　his　light　eyes。

〃Chock　full　of　them；〃　he　said；　〃least　thing　upsets　me。　　Can't　bear　to　see　a　hungry…lookin'　child；　or　anything。〃

A　strange　feeling　of　admiration　for　this　man　had　come　upon　Cecilia。　Why　could　not　she；　and　Thyme；　and　Hilary；　and　Stephen；　and　all　the　people　they　knew　and　mixed　with；　be　like　him；　so　sound　and　healthy；　so　unravaged　by　disturbing　sympathies；　so　innocent　of　〃social　conscience；〃　so　content？

As　though　jealous　of　these　thoughts　about　her　master；　the　A。i。　Damyer　stopped　of　her　own　accord。

〃Hallo；〃　said　Mr。　Purcey；　〃hallo；　I　say！　　Don't　you　get　out；　she'll　be　all　right　directly。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Cecilia；　〃thanks；　but　I　must　go　in　here；　anyhow；　I　think　I'll　say　good…bye。　　Thank　you　so　much。　　I　have　enjoyed　it。〃

》From　the　threshold　of　a　shop　she　looked　back。　　Mr。　Purcey；　on　foot；　was　leaning　forward　from　the　waist；　staring　at　his　A。i。　Damyer　with　profound　concentration。




CHAPTER　IX

HILARY　GIVES　CHASE

The　ethics　of　a　man　like　Hilary　were　not　those　of　the　million　pure　bred　Purceys　of　this　life；　founded　on　a　sense　of　property　in　this　world　and　the　next；　nor　were　they　precisely　the　morals　and　religion　of　the　aristocracy；　who；　though　aestheticised　in　parts；　quietly　used；　in　bulk；　their　fortified　position　to　graft　on　Mr。　Purcey's　ethics　the　principle　of　'You　be　damned！'　　In　the　eyes　of　the　majority　he　was　probably　an　immoral　and　irreligious　man；　but　in　fact　his　morals　and　religion　were　those　of　his　special　section　of　societythe　cultivated　classes；　〃the　professors；　the　artistic　pigs；　advanced　people；　and　all　that　sort　of　cuckoo；〃　as　Mr。　Purcey　called　thema　section　of　society　supplemented　by　persons；　placed　beyond　the　realms　of　want；　who　speculated　in　ideas。

Had　he　been　required　to　make　confession　of　his　creed　he　would　probably　have　framed　it　in　some　such　way　as　this：　〃I　disbelieve　in　all　Church　dogmas；　and　do　not　go　to　church；　I　have　no　definite　ideas　about　a　future　state；　and　do　not　want　to　have；　but　in　a　private　way　I　try　to　identify　myself　as　much　as　possible　with　what　I　see　about　me；　feeling　that　if　I　could　ever　really　be　at　one　with　the　world　I　live　in　I　should　be　happy。　　I　think　it　foolish　not　to　trust　my　senses　and　my　reason；　as　for　what　my　senses　and　my　reason　will　not　tell　me；　I　assume　that　all　is　as　it　had　to　be；　for　if　one　could　get　to　know　the　why　of　everything　in　one　would　be　the　Universe。　　I　do　not　believe　that　chastity　is　a　virtue　in　itself；　but　only　so　far　as　it　ministers　to　the　health　and　happiness　of　the　community。　　I　do　not　believe　that　marriage　confers　the　rights　of　ownership；　and　I　loathe　all　public　wrangling　on　such　matters；　but　I　am　temperamentally　averse　to　the　harming　of　my　neighbours；　if　in　reason　it　can　be　avoided。　　As　to　manners；　I　think　that　to　repeat　a　bit　of　scandal；　and　circulate　backbiting　stories；　are　worse　offences　than　the　actions　that　gave　rise　to　them。　　If　I　mentally　condemn　a　person；　I　feel　guilty　of　moral　lapse。　　I　hate　self…assertion；　I　am　ashamed　of　self…advertisement。　　I　dislike　loudness　of　any　kind。　　Probably　I　have　too　much　tendency　to　negation　of　all　sorts。　　Small…talk　bores　me　to　extinction；　but　I　will　discuss　a　point　of　ethics　or　psychology　half　the　night。　　To　make　capital　out　of　a　person's　weakness　is　repugnant　to　me。　　I　want　to　be　a　decent　man；　butI　really　can't　take　myself　too　seriously。〃

Though　he　had　preserved　his　politeness　towards　Cecilia；　he　was　in　truth　angry；　and　grew　angrier　every　minute。　　He　was　angry　with　her；　himself；　and　the　man　Hughs；　and　suffered　from　this　anger　as　only　they　can　who　are　not　accustomed　to　the　rough…and…tumble　of　things。

Such　a　retiring　man　as　Hilary　was　seldom　given　the　opportunity　for　an　obvious　display　of　chivalry。　　The　tenor　of　his　life　removed　him　from　those　situations。　　Such　chivalry　as　he　displayed　was　of　a　negative　order。　　And　confronted　suddenly　with　the　conduct　of　Hughs；　who；　it　seemed；　knocked　his　wife　about；　and　dogged　the　footsteps　of　a　helpless　girl；　he　took　it　seriously　to　heart。

When　the　little　model　came　walking　up　the　garden　on　her　usual　visit；　he　fancied　her　face　looked　scared。　　Quieting　the　growling　of　Miranda；　who　from　the　first　had　stubbornly　refused　to　know　this　girl；　he　sat　down　with　a　book　to　wait　for　her　to　go　away。　　After　sitting　an　hour　or　more；　turning　over　pages；　and　knowing　little　of　their　sense；　he　saw　a　man　peer　over　his　garden　gate。　　He　was　there　for　half　a　minute；　then　lounged　across　the　road；　and　stood　hidden　by　some　railings。

'So？'　thought　Hilary。　　'Shall　I　go　out　and　warn　the　fellow　to　clear　off；　or　shall　I　wait　to　see　what　happens　when　she　goes　away？'

He　determined　on　the　latter　course。　　Presently　she　came　out；　walking　with　her　peculiar　gait；　youthful　and　pretty；　but　too　matter…of…fact；　and　yet；　as　it　were；　too　purposeless　to　be　a　lady's。　　She　looked　back　at　Hilary's　window；　and　turned　uphill。

Hilary　took　his　hat　and　stick　and　waited。　　In　half　a　minute　Hughs　came　out　from　under　cover　of　the　railings　and　followed。　　Then　Hilary；　too；　set　forth。

There　is　left　in　every　man　something　of　the　primeval　love　of　stalking。　　The　delicate　Hilary；　in　cooler　blood；　would　have　revolted　at　the　notion　of　dogging　people's　footsteps。　　He　now　experienced　the　holy　pleasures　of　the　chase。　　Certain　that　Hughs　was　really　following　the　girl；　he　had　but　to　keep　him　in　sight　and　remain　unseen。　　This　was　not　hard　for　a　man　given　to　mountain…climbing；　almost　the　only　sport　left　to　one　who　thought　it　immoral　to　hurt　anybody　but　himself。

Taking　advantage　of　shop…windows；　omnibuses；　passers…by；　and　other　bits　of　cover；　he　prosecuted　the　chase　up　the　steepy　heights　of　Campden　Hill。　　But　soon　a　nearly　fatal　check　occurred；　for；　chancing　to　take　his　eyes　off　Hughs；　he　saw　the　little　model　returning　on　her　tracks。　　Ready　enough　in　physical　emergencies；　Hilary　sprang　into　a　passing　omnibus。　　He　saw　her　stopping　before　the　window　of　a　picture…

shop。　　From　the　expression　of　her　face　and　figure；　she　evidently　had　no　idea　that　she　was　being　followed；　but　stood　with　a　sort　of　slack…　lipped　wonder；　lost　in　admiration　of　a　well…known　print。　　Hilary　had　often　wondered　who　could　possibly　admire　that　picturehe　now　knew。　It　was　obvious　that　the　girl's　aesthetic　sense　was　deeply　touched。

While　this　was　passing　through　his　mind；　he　caught　sight　of　Hughs　lurking　outside　a　public…house。　　The　dark　man's　face　was　sullen　and　dejected；　and　looked　as　if　he　suffered。　　Hilary　felt　a　sort　of　pity　for　him。

The　omnibus　leaped　forward；　and　he　sat　down　smartly　almost　on　a　lady's　lap。　　This　was　the　lap　of