the patrician-第29节

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An　old　man　with　a　long　grey　beard；　standing　close　to　his　elbow；
murmured：

〃'Tis　anxious　workI　wouldn't　ha'　missed　this　for　anything　in　the
world。〃

〃Fine；　eh？〃　answered　Courtier。

〃Aye；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃'tis　fine。　　I've　not　seen　the　like　o'　this
since　the　great　yearforty…eight。　　There　they　arethe　aristocrats！〃

Following　the　direction　of　that　skinny　hand　Courtier　saw　on　a　balcony
Lord　and　Lady　Valleys；　side　by　side；　looking　steadily　down　at　the
crowd。　　There　too；　leaning　against　a　window　and　talking　to　someone
behind；　was　Barbara。　　The　old　man　went　on　muttering；　and　Courtier
could　see　that　his　eyes　had　grown　very　bright；　his　whole　face
transfigured　by　intense　hostility；　he　felt　drawn　to　this　old
creature；　thus　moved　to　the　very　soul。　　Then　he　saw　Barbara　looking
down　at　him；　with　her　hand　raised　to　her　temple　to　show　that　she　saw
his　bandaged　head。　　He　had　the　presence　of　mind　not　to　lift　his　hat。

The　old　man　spoke　again。

〃You　wouldn't　remember　forty…eight；　I　suppose。　　There　was　a　feeling
in　the　people　thenwe　would　ha'　died　for　things　in　those　days。　　I'm
eighty…four；〃　and　he　held　his　shaking　hand　up　to　his　breast；　〃but　the
spirit's　alive　here　yet！　　God　send　the　Radical　gets　in！〃　　There　was
wafted　from　him　a　scent　as　of　potatoes。

Far　behind；　at　the　very　edge　of　the　vast　dark　throng；　some　voices
began　singing：　〃Way　down　upon　the　Swanee　ribber。〃　　The　tune　floated
forth；　ceased；　spurted　up　once　more；　and　died。

Then；　in　the　very　centre　of　the　square　a　stentorian　baritone　roared
forth：　〃Should　auld　acquaintance　be　forgot！〃

The　song　swelled；　till　every　kind　of　voice；　from　treble　to　the　old
Chartist's　quavering　bass；　was　chanting　it；　here　and　there　the　crowd
heaved　with　the　movement　of　linked　arms。　　Courtier　found　the　soft
fingers　of　a　young　woman　in　his　right　hand；　the　old　Chartist's　dry
trembling　paw　in　his　left。　　He　himself　sang　loudly。　　The　grave　and
fearful　music　sprang　straight　up　into　they　air；　rolled　out　right　and
left；　and　was　lost　among　the　hills。　　But　it　had　no　sooner　died　away
than　the　same　huge　baritone　yelled　〃God　save　our　gracious　King！〃　　The
stature　of　the　crowd　seemed　at　once　to　leap　up　two　feet；　and　from
under　that　platform　of　raised　hats　rose　a　stupendous　shouting。

〃This；〃　thought　Courtier；　〃is　religion！〃

They　were　singing　even　on　the　balconies；　by　the　lamplight　he　could
see　Lord　Valleys　mouth　not　opened　quite　enough；　as　though　his　voice
were　just　a　little　ashamed　of　coming　out；　and　Barbara　with　her　head
flung　back　against　the　pillar；　pouring　out　her　heart。　　No　mouth　in
all　the　crowd　was　silent。　　It　was　as　though　the　soul　of　the　English
people　were　escaping　from　its　dungeon　of　reserve；　on　the　pinions　of
that　chant。

But　suddenly；　like　a　shot　bird　closing　wings；　the　song　fell　silent
and　dived　headlong　back　to　earth。　　Out　from　under　the　clock…face　had
moved　a　thin　dark　figure。　　More　figures　came　behind。　　Courtier　could
see　Miltoun。　　A　voice　far　away　cried：　〃Up；　Chilcox！〃　　A　huge：
〃Husill〃　followed；　then　such　a　silence；　that　the　sound　of　an　engine
shunting　a　mile　away　could　be　heard　plainly。

The　dark　figure　moved　forward；　and　a　tiny　square　of　paper　gleamed　out
white　against　the　black　of　his　frock…coat。

〃Ladies　and　gentlemen。　　Result　of　the　Poll：

Miltoun　Four　thousand　eight　hundred　and　ninety…eight。　　Chilcox　Four
thousand　eight　hundred　and　two。〃

The　silence　seemed　to　fall　to　earth；　and　break　into　a　thousand
pieces。　　Through　the　pandemonium　of　cheers　and　groaning；　Courtier
with　all　his　strength　forced　himself　towards　the　balcony。　　He　could
see　Lord　Valleys　leaning　forward　with　a　broad　smile；　Lady　Valleys
passing　her　hand　across　her　eyes；　Barbara　with　her　hand　in
Harbinger's；　looking　straight　into　his　face。　　He　stopped。　　The　old
Chartist　was　still　beside　him；　tears　rolling　down　his　cheeks　into　his
beard。

Courtier　saw　Miltoun　come　forward；　and　stand；　unsmiling；　deathly
pale。






PART　II


CHAPTER　I

At　three　o'clock　in　the　afternoon　of　the　nineteenth　of　July　little
Ann　Shropton　commenced　the　ascent　of　the　main　staircase　of　Valleys
House；　London。　　She　climbed　slowly；　in　the　very　middle；　an　extremely
small　white　figure　on　those　wide　and　shining　stairs；　counting　them
aloud。　　Their　number　was　never　alike　two　days　running；　which　made
them　attractive　to　one　for　whom　novelty　was　the　salt　of　life。

Coming　to　that　spot　where　they　branched；　she　paused　to　consider　which
of　the　two　flights　she　had　used　last；　and　unable　to　remember；　sat
down。　　She　was　the　bearer　of　a　message。　　It　had　been　new　when　she
started；　but　was　already　comparatively　old；　and　likely　to　become
older；　in　view　of　a　design　now　conceived　by　her　of　travelling　the
whole　length　of　the　picture　gallery。　　And　while　she　sat　maturing　this
plan；　sunlight　flooding　through　a　large　window　drove　a　white
refulgence　down　into　the　heart　of　the　wide　polished　space　of　wood　and
marble；　whence　she　had　come。　　The　nature　of　little　Ann　habitually
rejected　fairies　and　all　fantastic　things；　finding　them　quite　too
much　in　the　air；　and　devoid　of　sufficient　reality　and　'go'；　and　this
refulgence；　almost　unearthly　in　its　travelling　glory；　passed　over　her
small　head　and　played　strangely　with　the　pillars　in　the　hall；　without
exciting　in　her　any　fancies　or　any　sentiment。　　The　intention　of
discovering　what　was　at　the　end　of　the　picture　gallery　absorbed　the
whole　of　her　essentially　practical　and　active　mind。　　Deciding　on　the
left…hand　flight　of　stairs；　she　entered　that　immensely　long；　narrow；
andwith　blinds　drawnrather　dark　saloon。　　She　walked　carefully；
because　the　floor　was　very　slippery　here；　and　with　a　kind　of
seriousness　due　partly　to　the　darkness　and　partly　to　the　pictures。
They　were　indeed；　in　this　light；　rather　formidable；　those　old
Caradocs　black；　armoured　creatures；　some　of　them；　who　seemed　to　eye
with　a　sort　of　burning；　grim；　defensive　greed　the　small　white　figure
of　their　descendant　passing　along　between　them。　　But　little　Ann；　who
knew　they　were　only　pictures；　maintained　her　course　steadily；　and
every　now　and　then；　as　she　passed　one　who　seemed　to　her　rather　uglier
than　the　others；　wrinkled　her　sudden　little　nose。　　At　the　end；　as　she
had　thought；　appeared　a　door。　　She　opened　it；　and　passed　on　to　a
landing。　　There　was　a　stone　staircase　in　the　corner；　and　there　were
two　doors。　　It　would　be　nice　to　go　up　the　staircase；　but　it　would
also　be　nice　to　open　the　doors。　　Going　towards　the　first　door；　with　a
little　thrill；　she　turned　the　handle。　　It　was　one　of　those　rooms；
necessary　in　houses；　for　which　she　had　no　great　liking；　and　closing
this　door　rather　loudly　she　opened　the　other　one；　finding　herself　in
a　chamber　not　resembling　the　rooms　downstairs；　which　were　all　high
and　nicely　gilded；　but　more　like　where　she　had　lessons；　low；　and
filled　with　books　and　leather　chairs。　　From　the　end　of　the　room　which
she　could　not　see；　she　heard　a　sound　as　of　someone　kissing　something；
and　instinct　had　almost　made　her　turn　to　go　away　when　the　word：
〃Hallo！〃　suddenly　opened　her　lips。　　And　almost　directly　she　saw　that
Granny　and　Grandpapa　were　standing　by　the　fireplace。　　Not　knowing
quite　whether　they　were　glad　to　see　her；　she　went　forward　and　began
at　once：

〃Is　this　where　you　sit；　Grandpapa？〃

〃It　is。〃

〃It's　nice；　isn't　it；　Granny？　　Where　does　the　stone　staircase　go　to？〃

〃To　the　roof　of　the　tower；　Ann。〃

〃Oh！　　I　have　to　give　a　message；　so　I　must　go　now。〃

〃Sorry　to　lose　you。〃

〃Yes；　good…bye！〃

Hearing　the　door　shut　behind　her；　Lord　and　Lady　Valleys　looked　at
each　other　with　a　dubious　smile。

The　little　interview　which　she　had　interrupted；　had　arisen　in　this
way。

Accustomed　to　retire　to　this　quiet　and　homely　room；　which　was　not　his
official　study　where　he　was　always　liable　to　the　attacks　of
secretaries；　Lord　Valleys　had　come　up　here　after　lunch　to　smoke　and
chew　the　cud　of　a　worry。

The　matter　was　one　in　connection　with　his　Pendridny　estate；　in
Cornwall。　　It　had　long　agitated　both　his　agent　and　himself；　and　had
now　come　to　him　for　final　decision。　　The　question　affected　two
villages　to　the　north　of　the　property；　whose　inhabitants　were　solely
dependent　on　the　working　of　a　large　quarry；　which　had　for　some　time
been　losing　money。

A　kindly　man；　he　was　extremely　averse　to　any　measure　which　would
plunge　his　tenants　into　distress；　and　especially　in　cases　where　there
had　been　no　question　of　opposition　between　himself　and　them。　　But；
reduced　to　its　essentials；　the　matter　stood　thus：　Apart　from　that
particular　quarry　the　Pendridny　estate　was　not　only　a　going；　but　even
a　profitable　concern；　supporting　itself　and　supplying　some　of　the
sinews　of　war　towards　Valleys　House　and　the　racing　establishment　at
Newmarket　and　other　general　expenses；　with　this　quarry　still　running；
allowing　for　the　upkeep　of　Pendridny；　and　the　provision　of　pensions
to　superannuated　servants；　it　was　rather　the　other　way。

Sitting　there；　that　afternoon；　smoking　his　favourite　pipe；　he　had　at
last　come　to　the　conclusion　that　there　was　nothing　for　it　but　to
close　down。　　He　had　not　made　this　resolution　lightly；　though；　to　do
him　justice；　the　knowledge　that　the　decision　would　be　bound　to　cause
an　outcry　in　the　local；　and　perhaps　the　National　Press；　had　secretly