the patrician-第2节

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its　full　grey…blue　eyes；　and　coarsened　complexion。　　Good　comrade；　and
essentially　'woman　of　the　world；'　was　written　on　every　line　of　her；
and　in　every　tone　of　her　voice。　　She　was　indeed　a　figure　suggestive
of　open　air　and　generous　living；　endowed　with　abundant　energy；　and
not　devoid　of　humour。　　It　was　she　who　answered　Agatha's　remark。

〃Of　course；　my　dear；　the　very　best　thing　possible。〃

Lord　Harbinger　chimed　in：

〃By　the　way；　Brabrook's　going　to　speak　on　it。　　Did　you　ever　hear　him；
Lady　Agatha？　　'Mr。　Speaker；　Sir；　I　riseand　with　me　rises　the
democratic　principle'〃

But　Agatha　only　smiled；　for　she　was　thinking：

〃If　I　let　Ann　go　as　far　as　the　gate；　she'll　only　make　it　a　stepping…
stone　to　something　else　to…morrow。〃　　Taking　no　interest　in　public
affairs；　her　inherited　craving　for　command　had　resorted　for
expression　to　a　meticulous　ordering　of　household　matters。　　It　was
indeed　a　cult　with　her；　a　passionas　though　she　felt　herself　a　sort
of　figurehead　to　national　domesticity；　the　leader　of　a　patriotic
movement。

Lord　Valleys；　having　finished　what　seemed　necessary；　arose。

〃Any　message　to　your　mother；　Gertrude？〃

〃No；　I　wrote　last　night。〃

〃Tell　Miltoun　to　keepan　eye　on　that　Mr。　Courtier。　　I　heard　him
speak　one　dayhe's　rather　good。〃

Lady　Valleys；　who　had　not　yet　sat　down；　accompanied　her　husband　to
the　door。

〃By　the　way；　I've　told　Mother　about　this　woman；　Geoff。〃

〃Was　it　necessary？〃

〃Well；　I　think　so；　I'm　uneasyafter　all；　Mother　has　some　influence
with　Miltoun。〃

Lord　Valleys　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　slightly　squeezing　his
wife's　arm；　went　out。

Though　himself　vaguely　uneasy　on　that　very　subject；　he　was　a　man　who
did　not　go　to　meet　disturbance。　　He　had　the　nerves　which　seem　to　be
no　nerves　at　allespecially　found　in　those　of　his　class　who　have
much　to　do　with　horses。　　He　temperamentally　regarded　the　evil　of　the
day　as　quite　sufficient　to　it。　　Moreover；　his　eldest　son　was　a　riddle
that　he　had　long　given　up；　so　far　as　women　were　concerned。

Emerging　into　the　outer　hall；　he　lingered　a　moment；　remembering　that
he　had　not　seen　his　younger　and　favourite　daughter。

〃Lady　Barbara　down　yet？〃　　Hearing　that　she　was　not；　he　slipped　into
the　motor　coat　held　for　him　by　Simmons；　and　stepped　out　under　the
white　portico；　decorated　by　the　Caradoc　hawks　in　stone。

The　voice　of　little　Ann　reached　him；　clear　and　high　above　the
smothered　whirring　of　the　car。

〃Come　on；　Grandpapa！〃

Lord　Valleys　grimaced　beneath　his　crisp　moustachethe　word　grandpapa
always　fell　queerly　on　the　ears　of　one　who　was　but　fifty…six；　and　by
no　means　felt　itand　jerking　his　gloved　hand　towards　Ann；　he　said：

〃Send　down　to　the　lodge　gate　for　this。〃

The　voice　of　little　Ann　answered　loudly：

〃No；　I'm　coming　back　by　myself。〃

The　car　starting；　drowned　discussion。

Lord　Valleys；　motoring；　somewhat　pathetically　illustrated　the
invasion　of　institutions　by　their　destroyer；　Science。　　A　supporter　of
the　turf；　and　not　long　since　Master　of　Foxhounds；　most　of　whose　soul
（outside　politics）　was　in　horses；　he　had　been；　as　it　were；　compelled
by　common　sense；　not　only　to　tolerate；　but　to　take　up　and　even　press
forward　the　cause　of　their　supplanters。　　His　instinct　of　self…
preservation　was　secretly　at　work；　hurrying　him　to　his　own
destruction；　forcing　him　to　persuade　himself　that　science　and　her
successive　victories　over　brute　nature　could　be　wooed　into　the
service　of　a　prestige　which　rested　on　a　crystallized　and　stationary
base。　　All　this　keeping　pace　with　the　times；　this　immersion　in　the
results　of　modern　discoveries；　this　speeding…up　of　existence　so　that
it　was　all　surface　and　little　rootthe　increasing　volatility；
cosmopolitanism；　and　even　commercialism　of　his　life；　on　which　he
rather　prided　himself　as　a　man　of　the　worldwas；　with　a　secrecy　too
deep　for　his　perception；　cutting　at　the　aloofness　logically　demanded
of　one　in　his　position。　　Stubborn；　and　not　spiritually　subtle；　though
by　no　means　dull　in　practical　matters；　he　was　resolutely　letting　the
waters　bear　him　on；　holding　the　tiller　firmly；　without　perceiving
that　he　was　in　the　vortex　of　a　whirlpool。　　Indeed；　his　common　sense
continually　impelled　him；　against　the　sort　of　reactionaryism　of　which
his　son　Miltoun　had　so　much；　to　that　easier　reactionaryism；　which；
living　on　its　spiritual　capital；　makes　what　material　capital　it　can
out　of　its　enemy；　Progress。

He　drove　the　car　himself；　shrewd　and　self…contained；　sitting　easily；
with　his　cap　well　drawn　over　those　steady　eyes；　and　though　this
unexpected　meeting　of　the　Cabinet　in　the　Whitsuntide　recess　was　not
only　a　nuisance；　but　gave　food　for　anxiety；　he　was　fully　able　to
enjoy　the　swift　smooth　movement　through　the　summer　air；　which　met　him
with　such　friendly　sweetness　under　the　great　trees　of　the　long
avenue。　　Beside　him；　little　Ann　was　silent；　with　her　legs　stuck　out
rather　wide　apart。　　Motoring　was　a　new　excitement；　for　at　home　it　was
forbidden；　and　a　meditative　rapture　shone　in　her　wide　eyes　above　her
sudden　little　nose。　　Only　once　she　spoke；　when　close　to　the　lodge　the
car　slowed　down；　and　they　passed　the　lodge…keeper's　little　daughter。

〃Hallo；　Susie！〃

There　was　no　answer；　but　the　look　on　Susie's　small　pale　face　was　so
humble　and　adoring　that　Lord　Valleys；　not　a　very　observant　man；
noticed　it　with　a　sort　of　satisfaction。　　〃Yes；〃　he　thought；　somewhat
irrelevantly；　〃the　country　is　sound　at　heart！〃




CHAPTER　II

At　Ravensham　House　on　the　borders　of　Richmond　Park；　suburban　seat　of
the　Casterley　family；　ever　since　it　became　usual　to　have　a　residence
within　easy　driving　distance　of　Westminsterin　a　large　conservatory
adjoining　the　hall；　Lady　Casterley　stood　in　front　of　some　Japanese
lilies。　　She　was　a　slender；　short　old　woman；　with　an　ivory…coloured
face；　a　thin　nose；　and　keen　eyes　half…veiled　by　delicate　wrinkled
lids。　　Very　still；　in　her　grey　dress；　and　with　grey　hair；　she　gave
the　impression　of　a　little　figure　carved　out　of　fine；　worn　steel。
Her　firm；　spidery　hand　held　a　letter　written　in　free　somewhat
sprawling　style：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　MONKLAND　COURT；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃DEVON。

〃MY　DEAR；　MOTHER；

〃Geoffrey　is　motoring　up　to…morrow。　　He'll　look　in　on　you　on　the　way
if　he　can。　　This　new　war　scare　has　taken　him　up。　　I　shan't　be　in　Town
myself　till　Miltoun's　election　is　over。　　The　fact　is；　I　daren't　leave
him　down　here　alone。　　He　sees　his　'Anonyma'　every　day。　　That　Mr。
Courtier；　who　wrote　the　book　against　Warrather　cool　for　a　man　who's
been　a　soldier　of　fortune；　don't　you　think？is　staying　at　the　inn；
working　for　the　Radical。　　He　knows　her；　tooand；　one　can　only　hope；
for　Miltoun's　sake；　too　wellan　attractive　person；　with　red
moustaches；　rather　nice　and　mad。　　Bertie　has　just　come　down；　I　must
get　him　to　have　a　talk　with　Miltoun；　and　see　if　he　cant　find　out　how
the　land　lies。　　One　can　trust　Bertiehe's　really　very　astute。　　I
must　say；　that　she's　quite　a　sweet…looking　woman；　but　absolutely
nothing's　known　of　her　here　except　that　she　divorced　her　husband。
How　does　one　find　out　about　people？　　Miltoun's　being　so
extraordinarily　strait…laced　makes　it　all　the　more　awkward。　　The
earnestness　of　this　rising　generation　is　most　remarkable。　　I　don't
remember　taking　such　a　serious　view　of　life　in　my　youth。〃


Lady　Casterley　lowered　the　coronetted　sheet　of　paper。　　The　ghost　of　a
grimace　haunted　her　faceshe　had　not　forgotten　her　daughter's　youth。
Raising　the　letter　again；　she　read　on：


〃I'm　sure　Geoffrey　and　I　feel　years　younger　than　either　Miltoun　or
Agatha；　though　we　did　produce　them。　　One　doesn't　feel　it　with　Bertie
or　Babs；　luckily。　　The　war　scare　is　having　an　excellent　effect　on
Miltoun's　candidature。　　Claud　Harbinger　is　with　us；　too；　working　for
Miltoun；　but；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　I　think　he's　after　Babs。　　It's
rather　melancholy；　when　you　think　that　Babs　isn't　quite　twenty
still；　one　can't　expect　anything　else；　I　suppose；　with　her　looks；　and
Claud　is　rather　a　fine　specimen。　　They　talk　of　him　a　lot　now；　he's
quite　coming　to　the　fore　among　the　young　Tories。〃

Lady　Casterley　again　lowered　the　letter；　and　stood　listening。　　A
prolonged；　muffled　sound　as　of　distant　cheering　and　groans　had
penetrated　the　great　conservatory；　vibrating　among　the　pale　petals　of
the　lilies　and　setting　free　their　scent　in　short　waves　of　perfume。
She　passed　into　the　hall；　where；　stood　an　old　man　with　sallow　face
and　long　white　whiskers。

〃What　was　that　noise；　Clifton？〃

〃A　posse　of　Socialists；　my　lady；　on　their　way　to　Putney　to　hold　a
demonstration；　the　people　are　hooting　them。　　They've　got　blocked　just
outside　the　gates。〃

〃Are　they　making　speeches？〃

〃They　are　talking　some　kind　of　rant；　my　lady。〃

〃I'll　go　and　hear　them。　　Give　me　my　black　stick。〃

Above　the　velvet…dark；　flat…toughed　cedar　trees；　which　rose　like
pagodas　of　ebony　on　either　side　of　the　drive；　the　sky　hung　lowering
in　one　great　purple　cloud；　endowed　with　sinister　life　by　a　single
white　beam　striking　up　into　it　from　the　horizon。　　Beneath　this　canopy
of　cloud　a　small　phalanx　of　dusty；　dishevelled…looking　men　and　women
were　drawn　up　in　the　road；　guarding；　and　encouraging　with　cheers；　a
tall；　black…coated　orator。　　Before　and　behind　this　phalanx；