fraternity-第36节

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　forget。

〃You　are　unhappy！〃

Bianca　put　her　face　down　to　his　tweed　sleeve。　　〃How　nice　your　coat　smells！〃　she　murmured。

〃You　are　unhappy；〃　repeated　Mr。　Stone。

Bianca　dropped　his　hand；　and　moved　away。

Mr。　Stone　followed　her。　　〃Why？〃　　he　said。　　Then；　grasping　his　brow；　he　added：　〃If　it　would　do　you　any　good；　my　dear；　to　hear　a　page　or　two；　I　could　read　to　you。〃

Bianca　shook　her　head。

〃No；　talk　to　me！〃

Mr。　Stone　answered　simply：　〃I　have　forgotten。〃

〃You　talk　to　that　little　girl；〃　murmured　Bianca。

Mr。　Stone　seemed　to　lose　himself　in　reverie。

〃If　that　is　true；〃　he　said；　following　out　his　thoughts；　〃it　must　be　due　to　the　sex　instinct　not　yet　quite　extinct。　　It　is　stated　that　the　blackcock　will　dance　before　his　females　to　a　great　age；　though　I　have　never　seen　it。〃

〃If　you　dance　before　her；〃　said　Bianca；　with　her　face　averted；　〃can't　you　even　talk　to　me？〃

〃I　do　not　dance；　my　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Stone；　〃　I　will　do　my　best　to　talk　to　you。〃

There　was　a　silence；　and　he　began　to　pace　the　room。　　Bianca；　by　the　empty　fireplace；　watched　a　shower　of　rain　driving　past　the　open　window。

〃This　is　the　time　of　year；〃　said　Mr。　Stone　suddenly；　〃when　lambs　leap　off　the　ground　with　all　four　legs　at　a　time。〃　　He　paused　as　though　for　an　answer；　then；　out　of　the　silence；　his　voice　rose　againit　sounded　different：　〃There　is　nothing　in　Nature　more　symptomatic　of　that　principle　which　should　underlie　all　life。　　Live　in　the　future；　regret　nothing；　leap！　　A　lamb　which　has　left　earth　with　all　four　legs　at　once　is　the　symbol　of　true　life。　　That　she　must　come　down　again　is　but　an　inevitable　accident。　　'In　those　days　men　were　living　on　their　pasts。　　They　leaped　with　one；　or；　at　the　most；　two　legs　at　a　time；　they　never　left　the　ground；　or　in　leaving；　they　wished　to　know　the　reason　why。　　It　was　this　paralysis'〃Mr。　Stone　did　not　pause；　but；　finding　himself　close　beside　his　desk；　took　up　his　pen〃'it　was　this　paralysis　of　the　leaping　nerve　which　undermined　their　progress。　Instead　of　millions　of　leaping　lambs；　ignorant　of　why　they　leaped；　they　were　a　flock　of　sheep　lifting　up　one　leg　and　asking　whether　it　was　or　was　not　worth　their　while　to　lift　another。'〃

The　words　were　followed　by　a　silence；　broken　only　by　the　scratching　of　the　quill　with　which　Mr。　Stone　was　writing。

Having　finished；　he　again　began　to　pace　the　room；　and　coming　suddenly　on　his　daughter；　stopped　short。　　Touching　her　shoulder　timidly；　he　said：　〃I　was　talking　to　you；　I　think；　my　dear；　where　were　we？〃

Bianca　rubbed　her　cheek　against　his　hand。

〃In　the　air；　I　think。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Mr。　Stone；　〃I　remember。　　You　must　not　let　me　wander　from　the　point　again。〃

〃No；　dear。〃

〃Lambs；〃　said　Mr。　Stone；　〃remind　me　at　times　of　that　young　girl　who　comes　to　copy　for　me。　　I　make　her　skip　to　promote　her　circulation　before　tea。　　I　myself　do　this　exercise。〃　　Leaning　against　the　wall；　with　his　feet　twelve　inches　from　it；　he　rose　slowly　on　his　toes。　　〃Do　you　know　that　exercise？　　It　is　excellent　for　the　calves　of　the　legs；　and　for　the　lumbar　regions。〃　　So　saying；　Mr。　Stone　left　the　wall；　and　began　again　to　pace　the　room；　the　whitewash　had　also　left　the　wall；　and　clung　in　a　large　square　patch　on　his　shaggy　coat。　　〃I　have　seen　sheep　in　Spring；〃　he　said；　〃actually　imitate　their　lambs　in　rising　from　the　ground　with　all　four　legs　at　once。〃　　He　stood　still。　　A　thought　had　evidently　struck　him。

〃If　Life　is　not　all　Spring；　it　is　of　no　value　whatsoever；　better　to　die；　and　to　begin　again。　　Life　is　a　tree　putting　on　a　new　green　gown；　it　is　a　young　moon　risingno；　that　is　not　so；　we　do　not　see　the　young　moon　risingit　is　a　young　moon　setting；　never　younger　than　when　we　are　about　to　die〃

Bianca　cried　out　sharply：　〃Don't；　Father！　　Don't　talk　like　that；　it's　so　untrue！　　Life　is　all　autumn；　it　seems　to　me！〃

Mr。　Stone's　eyes　grew　very　blue。

〃That　is　a　foul　heresy；〃　he　stammered；　〃I　cannot　listen　to　it。　　Life　is　the　cuckoo's　song；　it　is　a　hill…side　bursting　into　leaf；　it　is　the　wind；　I　feel　it　in　me　every　day！〃

He　was　trembling　like　a　leaf　in　the　wind　he　spoke　of；　and　Bianca　moved　hastily　towards　him；　holding　out　her　arms。　　Suddenly　his　lips　began　to　move；　she　heard　him　mutter：　〃I　have　lost　force；　I　will　boil　some　milk。　　I　must　be　ready　when　she　comes。〃　　And　at　those　words　her　heart　felt　like　a　lump　of　ice。

Always　that　girl！　　And　without　again　attracting　his　attention　she　went　away。　　As　she　passed　out　through　the　garden　she　saw　him　at　the　window　holding　a　cup　of　milk；　from　which　the　steam　was　rising。




CHAPTER　XXVI

THIRD　PILGRIMAGE　TO　HOUND　STREET

Like　water；　human　character　will　find　its　level；　and　Nature；　with　her　way　of　fitting　men　to　their　environment；　had　made　young　Martin　Stone　what　Stephen　called　a　〃Sanitist。〃　　There　had　been　nothing　else　for　her　to　do　with　him。

This　young　man　had　come　into　the　social　scheme　at　a　moment　when　the　conception　of　existence　as　a　present　life　corrected　by　a　life　to　come；　was　tottering；　and　the　conception　of　the　world　as　an　upper…　class　preserve　somewhat　seriously　disturbed。

Losing　his　father　and　mother　at　an　early　age；　and　brought　up　till　he　was　fourteen　by　Mr。　Stone；　he　had　formed　the　habit　of　thinking　for　himself。　　This　had　rendered　him　unpopular；　and　added　force　to　the　essential　single…heartedness　transmitted　to　him　through　his　grandfather。　　A　particular　aversion　to　the　sights　and　scenes　of　suffering；　which　had　caused　him　as　a　child　to　object　to　killing　flies；　and　to　watching　rabbits　caught　in　traps；　had　been　regulated　by　his　training　as　a　doctor。　　His　fleshly　horror　of　pain　and　ugliness　was　now　disciplined；　his　spiritual　dislike　of　them　forced　into　a　philosophy。　　The　peculiar　chaos　surrounding　all　young　men　who　live　in　large　towns　and　think　at　all；　had　made　him　gradually　reject　all　abstract　speculation；　but　a　certain　fire　of　aspiration　coming；　we　may　suppose；　through　Mr。　Stone；　had　nevertheless　impelled　him　to　embrace　something　with　all　his　might。　　He　had　therefore　embraced　health。　　And　living；　as　he　did；　in　the　Euston　Road；　to　be　in　touch　with　things；　he　had　every　need　of　the　health　which　he　embraced。

Late　in　the　afternoon　of　the　day　when　Hughs　had　committed　his　assault；　having　three　hours　of　respite　from　his　hospital；　Martin　dipped　his　face　and　head　into　cold　water；　rubbed　them　with　a　corrugated　towel；　put　on　a　hard　bowler　hat；　took　a　thick　stick　in　his　hand；　and　went　by　Underground　to　Kensington。

With　his　usual　cool；　high…handed　air　he　entered　his　aunt's　house；　and　asked　for　Thyme。　　Faithful　to　his　definite；　if　somewhat　crude　theory；　that　Stephen　and　Cecilia　and　all　their　sort　were　amateurs；　he　never　inquired　for　them；　though　not　unfrequently　he　would；　while　waiting；　stroll　into　Cecilia's　drawing…room；　and　let　his　sarcastic　glance　sweep　over　the　pretty　things　she　had　collected；　or；　lounging　in　some　luxurious　chair；　cross　his　long　legs；　and　fix　his　eyes　on　the　ceiling。

Thyme　soon　came　down。　　She　wore　a　blouse　of　some　blue　stuff　bought　by　Cecilia　for　the　relief　of　people　in　the　Balkan　States；　a　skirt　of　purplish　tweed　woven　by　Irish　gentlewomen　in　distress；　and　held　in　her　hand　an　open　envelope　addressed　in　Cecilia's　writing　to　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace。

〃Hallo！〃　she　said。

Martin　answered　by　a　look　that　took　her　in　from　head　to　foot。

〃Get　on　a　hat！　I　haven't　got　much　time。　　That　blue　thing's　new。〃

〃It's　pure　flax。　　Mother　bought　it。〃

〃It's　rather　decent。　　Hurry　up！〃

Thyme　raised　her　chin；　that　lazy　movement　showed　her　round；　creamy　neck　in　all　its　beauty。

〃I　feel　rather　slack；〃　she　said；　〃besides；　I　must　get　back　to　dinner；　Martin。〃

〃Dinner！〃

Thyme　turned　quickly　to　the　door。　　〃Oh；　well；　I'll　come；〃　and　ran　upstairs。

When　they　had　purchased　a　postal　order　for　ten　shillings；　placed　it　in　the　envelope　addressed　to　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace；　and　passed　the　hundred　doors　of　Messrs。　Rose　and　Thorn；　Martin　said：　〃I'm　going　to　see　what　that　precious　amateur　has　done　about　the　baby。　　If　he　hasn't　moved　the　girl；　I　expect　to　find　things　in　a　pretty　mess。〃

Thyme's　face　changed　at　once。

〃Just　remember；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　don't　want　to　go　there。　　I　don't　see　the　good；　when　there's　such　a　tremendous　lot　waiting　to　be　done。〃

〃Every　other　case；　except　the　one　in　hand！〃

〃It's　not　my　case。　　You're　so　disgustingly　unfair；　Martin。　　I　don't　like　those　people。〃

〃Oh；　you　amateur！〃

Thyme　flushed　crimson。　　〃Look　here！〃　she　said；　speaking　with　dignity；　〃I　don't　care　what　you　call　me；　but　I　won't　have　you　call　Uncle　Hilary　an　amateur。〃

〃What　is　he；　then？〃

〃I　like　him。〃

〃That's　conclusive。〃

〃Yes；　it　is。〃

Martin　did　not　reply；　looking　sideways　at　Thyme　with　his　queer；　protective　smile。　　They　were　passing　through　a　street　superior　to　Hound　Street　in　its　pretensions　to　be　called　a　slum。

〃Look　here！〃　he　said　suddenly；　〃a　man　like　Hilary's　interest　in　all　this　sort　of　thing　is　simply　sentimental。　　It's　on　his　nerves。　　He　takes　philanthropy　just　as　he'd　take　sulphonal　for　sleeplessness。〃

Thyme　looked　shrewdly　up　at　him。

〃Well；〃　she　said；　〃it's　just　as　much　on　your　nerves。　　You　see　it　from　the　point　of　view　of　health；　he　sees　it　from　the　point　of　view　of　sentiment；　that's　all。〃

〃Oh！　　you　think　so？〃

〃You　just　treat　all　these　people　as　if　they　were　in　hospital。〃

The　young　man'