the patrician-第25节

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portion　of　it；　and　to　a　father　who　had　died　in　his　son's　infancy；
after　judiciously　selling　the　said　town；　he　possessed　a　very　large
income　independently　of　his　landed　interests。　　Tall　and　well…built；
with　handsome；　strongly…marked　features；　he　gave　at　first　sight　an
impression　of　strengthwhich　faded　somewhat　when　he　began　to　talk。
It　was　not　so　much　the　manner　of　his　speechwith　its　rapid　slang；
and　its　way　of　turning　everything　to　a　jestas　the　feeling　it
produced；　that　the　brain　behind　it　took　naturally　the　path　of　least
resistance。　　He　was　in　fact　one　of　those　personalities　who　are　often
enough　prominent　in　politics　and　social　life；　by　reason　of　their
appearance；　position；　assurance；　and　of　a　certain　energy；　half
genuine；　and　half　mere　inherent　predilection　for　short　cuts。
Certainly　he　was　not　idle；　had　written　a　book；　travelled；　was　a
Captain　of　Yeomanry；　a　Justice　of　the　Peace；　a　good　cricketer；　and　a
constant　and　glib　speaker。　　It　would　have　been　unfair　to　call　his
enthusiasm　for　social　reform　spurious。　　It　was　real　enough　in　its
way；　and　did　certainly　testify　that　he　was　not　altogether　lacking
either　in　imagination　or　good…heartedness。　　But　it　was　over　and
overlaid　with　the　public…school　habitthat　peculiar；　extraordinarily
English　habit；　so　powerful　and　beguiling　that　it　becomes　a　second
nature　stronger　than　the　firstof　relating　everything　in　the
Universe　to　the　standards　and　prejudices　of　a　single　class。　　Since
practically　all　his　intimate　associates　were　immersed　in　it；　he　was
naturally　not　in　the　least　conscious　of　this　habit；　indeed　there　was
nothing　he　deprecated　so　much　in　politics　as　the　narrow　and
prejudiced　outlook；　such　as　he　had　observed　in　the　Nonconformist；　or
labour　politician。　　He　would　never　have　admitted　for　a　moment　that
certain　doors　had　been　banged…to　at　his　birth；　bolted　when　he　went　to
Eton；　and　padlocked　at　Cambridge。　　No　one　would　have　denied　that
there　was　much　that　was　valuable　in　his　standardsa　high　level　of
honesty；　candour；　sportsmanship；　personal　cleanliness；　and　self…
reliance；　together　with　a　dislike　of　such　cruelty　as　had　been
officially　（so　to　speak）　recognized　as　cruelty；　and　a　sense　of　public
service　to　a　State　run　by　and　for　the　public　schools；　but　it　would
have　required　far　more　originality　than　he　possessed　ever　to　look　at
Life　from　any　other　point　of　view　than　that　from　which　he　had　been
born　and　bred　to　watch　Her。　　To　fully　understand　harbinger；　one　must；
and　with　unprejudiced　eyes　and　brain；　have　attended　one　of　those
great　cricket　matches　in　which　he　had　figured　conspicuously　as　a　boy；
and　looking　down　from　some　high　impartial　spot　have　watched　the
ground　at　lunch　time　covered　from　rope　to　rope　and　stand　to　stand
with　a　marvellous　swarm；　all　walking　in　precisely　the　same　manner；
with　precisely　the　same　expression　on　their　faces；　under　precisely
the　same　hatsa　swarm　enshrining　the　greatest　identity　of；　creed　and
habit　ever　known　since　the　world　began。　　No；　his　environment　had　not
been　favourable　to　originality。　　Moreover　he　was　naturally　rapid
rather　than　deep；　and　life　hardly　ever　left　him　alone　or　left　him
silent。　　Brought　into　contact　day　and　night　with　people　to　whom
politics　were　more　or　less　a　game；　run　after　everywhere；　subjected　to
no　form　of　disciplineit　was　a　wonder　that　he　was　as　serious　as　he
was。　　Nor　had　he　ever　been　in　love；　until；　last　year；　during　her
first　season；　Barbara　had；　as　he　might　have　expressed　itin　the　case
of　another　'bowled　him　middle　stump。　　Though　so　deeply　smitten；　he。
had　not　yet　asked　her　to　marry　himhad　not；　as　it　were；　had　time；
nor　perhaps　quite　the　courage；　or　conviction。　　When　he　was　near　her；
it　seemed　impossible　that　he　could　go　on　longer　without　knowing　his
fate；　when　he　was　away　from　her　it　was　almost　a　relief；　because　there
were　so　many　things　to　be　done　and　said；　and　so　little　time　to　do　or
say　them　in。　　But　now；　during　this　fortnight；　which；　for　her　sake；　he
had　devoted　to　Miltoun's　cause；　his　feeling　had　advanced　beyond　the
point　of　comfort。

He　did　not　admit　that　the　reason　of　this　uneasiness　was　Courtier；
for；　after　all；　Courtier　was；　in　a　sense；　nobody；　and　'an　extremist'
into　the　bargain；　and　an　extremist　always　affected　the　centre　of
Harbinger's　anatomy；　causing　it　to　give　off　a　peculiar　smile　and　tone
of　voice。　　Nevertheless；　his　eyes；　whenever　they　fell　on　that
sanguine；　steady；　ironic　face；　shone　with　a　sort　of　cold　inquiry；　or
were　even　darkened　by　the　shade　of　fear。　　They　met　seldom；　it　is
true；　for　most　of　his　day　was　spent　in　motoring　and　speaking；　and
most　of　Courtier's　in　writing　and　riding；　his　leg　being　still　too
weak　for　walking。　　But　once　or　twice　in　the　smoking　room　late　at
night；　he　had　embarked　on　some　bantering　discussion　with　the　champion
of　lost　causes；　and　very　soon　an　ill…concealed　impatience　had　crept
into　his　voice。　　Why　a　man　should　waste　his　time；　flogging　dead。
horses　on　a　journey　to　the　moon；　was　incomprehensible！　　Facts　were
facts；　human　nature　would　never　be　anything　but　human　nature！　　And　it
was　peculiarly　galling　to　see　in　Courtier's　eye　a　gleam；　to　catch　in
his　voice　a　tone；　as　if　he　were　thinking：　〃My　young　friend；　your　soup
is　cold！〃

On　a　morning　after　one　of　these　encounters；　seeing　Barbara　sally
forth　in　riding　clothes；　he　asked　if　he　too　might　go　round　the
stables；　and　started　forth　beside　her；　unwontedly　silent；　with　an　odd
feeling　about　his　heart；　and　his　throat　unaccountably　dry。

The　stables　at　Monkland　Court　were　as　large　as　many　country　houses。
Accommodating　thirty　horses；　they　were　at　present　occupied　by　twenty…
one；　including　the　pony　of　little　Ann。　　For　height；　perfection　of
lighting；　gloss；　shine；　and　purity　of　atmosphere　they　were　unequalled
in　the　county。　　It　seemed　indeed　impossible　that　any　horse　could　ever
so　far　forget　himself　in　such　a　place　as　to　remember　that　he　was　a
horse。　　Every　morning　a　little　bin　of　carrots；　apples；　and　lumps　of
sugar；　was　set　close　to　the　main　entrance；　ready　for　those　who　might
desire　to　feed　the　dear　inhabitants。

Reined　up　to　a　brass　ring　on　either　side　of　their　stalls　with　their
noses　towards　the　doors；　they　were　always　on　view　from　nine　to　ten；
and　would　stand　with　their　necks　arched；　ears　pricked；　and　coats
gleaming；　wondering　about　things；　soothed　by　the　faint　hissing　of　the
still　busy　grooms；　and　ready　to　move　their　noses　up　and　down　the
moment　they　saw　someone　enter。

In　a　large　loose…box　at　the　end　of　the　north　wing　Barbara's　favourite
chestnut　hunter；　all　but　one　saving　sixteenth　of　whom　had　been
entered　in　the　stud　book；　having　heard　her　footstep；　was　standing
quite　still　with　his　neck　turned。　　He　had　been　crumping　up　an　apple
placed　amongst　his　feed；　and　his　senses　struggled　between　the
lingering　flavour　of　that　delicacy；and　the　perception　of　a　sound
with　which　he　connected　carrots。　　When　she　unlatched　his　door；　and
said　〃Hal；〃　he　at　once　went　towards　his　manger；　to　show　his
independence；　but　when　she　said：　〃Oh！　very　well！〃　he　turned　round　and
came　towards　her。　　His　eyes；　which　were　full　and　of　a　soft
brilliance；　under　thick　chestnut　lashes；　explored　her　all　over。
Perceiving　that　her　carrots　were　not　in　front；　he　elongated　his　neck；
let　his　nose　stray　round　her　waist；　and　gave　her　gauntletted　hand　a
nip　with　his　lips。　　Not　tasting　carrot；　he　withdrew　his　nose；　and
snuffled。　　Then　stepping　carefully　so　as　not　to　tread　on　her　foot；　he
bunted　her　gently　with　his　shoulder；　till　with　a　quick　manoeuvre　he
got　behind　her　and　breathed　low　and　long　on　her　neck。　　Even　this　did
not　smell　of　carrots；　and　putting　his　muzzle　over　her　shoulder
against　her　cheek；　he　slobbered　a　very　little。　　A　carrot　appeared
about　the　level　of　her　waist；　and　hanging　his　head　over；　he　tried　to
reach　it。　　Feeling　it　all　firm　and　soft　under　his　chin；　he　snuffled
again；　and　gave　her　a　　gentle　dig　with　his　knee。　　But　still　unable　to
reach　the　carrot；　he　threw　his　head　up；　withdrew；　and　pretended　not
to　see　her。　　And　suddenly　he　felt　two　long　substances　round　his　neck；
and　something　soft　against　his　nose。　　He　suffered　this　in　silence；
laying　his　ears　back。　　The　softness　began　puffing　on　his　muzzle。
Pricking　his　ears　again；　he　puffed　back　a　little　harder；　with　more
curiosity；　and　the　softness　was　withdrawn。　　He　perceived　suddenly
that　he　had　a　carrot　in　his　mouth。

Harbinger　had　witnessed　this　episode；　oddly　pale；　leaning　against　the
loose…box　wall。　　He　spoke；　as　it　came　to　an　end：

〃Lady　Babs！〃

The　tone　of　his　voice　must　have　been　as　strange　as　it　sounded　to
himself；　for　Barbara　spun　round。

〃Yes？〃

〃How　long　am　I　going　on　like　this？〃

Neither　changing　colour　nor　dropping　her　eyes；　she　regarded　him　with
a　faintly　inquisitive　interest。　　It　was　not　a　cruel　look；　had　not　a
trace　of　mischief；　or　sex　malice；　and　yet　it　frightened　him　by　its
serene　inscrutability。　　Impossible　to　tell　what　was　going　on　behind
it。　　He　took　her　hand；　bent　over　it；　and　said　in　a　low　voice：

〃You　know　what　I　feel；　don't　be　cruel　to　me！〃

She　did　not　pull　away　her　hand；　it　was　as　if　she　had　not　thought　of
it。

〃I　am　not　a　bit　cruel。〃

Looking　up；　he　saw　her　smiling。

〃ThenBabs！〃

His　face　was　close　to　hers；　but　Barbara　did　not　shrink　back。　　She
just　sh