the patrician-第4节

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had　had　to　do　with　her；　years　back；　at　the　Board　of　Trade；　and　knew
her　for　what　she　was；　extremely　dirty；　and　getting　abominably　thin
just　where　he　would　have　liked　her　plump。　　Yet；　as　he　lighted　a
cigar；　there　came　to　him　a　queer　feelingas　if　he　were　in　the
presence　of　a　woman　he　was　fond　of。

〃I　hope　to　God；〃　he　thought；　〃nothing'il　come　of　these　scares！〃　　The
car　glided　on　into　the　long　road；　swarming　with　traffic；　towards　the
fashionable　heart　of　London。　　Outside　stationers'　shops；　however；　the
posters　of　evening　papers　were　of　no　reassuring　order。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'THE　PLOT　THICKENS。'
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'MORE　REVELATIONS。'
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　'GRAVE　SITUATION　THREATENED。'

And　before　each　poster　could　be　seen　a　little　eddy　in　the　stream　of
the　passers…byformed　by　persons　glancing　at　the　news；　and
disengaging　themselves；　to　press　on　again。　　The　Earl　of　Valleys
caught　himself　wondering　what　they　thought　of　it！　　What　was　passing
behind　those　pale　rounds　of　flesh　turned　towards　the　posters？

Did　they　think　at　all；　these　men　and　women　in　the　street？　　What　was
their　attitude　towards　this　vaguely　threatened　cataclysm？　　Face　after
face；　stolid　and　apathetic；　expressed　nothing；　no　active　desire；
certainly　no　enthusiasm；　hardly　any　dread。　　Poor　devils！　　The　thing；
after　all；　was　no　more　within　their　control　than　it　was　within　the
power　of　ants　to　stop　the　ruination　of　their　ant…heap　by　some　passing
boy！　　It　was　no　doubt　quite　true；　that　the　people　had　never　had　much
voice　in　the　making　of　war。　　And　the　words　of　a　Radical　weekly；　which
as　an　impartial　man　he　always　forced　himself　to　read；　recurred　to
him。　　〃Ignorant　of　the　facts；　hypnotized　by　the　words　'Country'　and
'Patriotism'；　in　the　grip　of　mob…instinct　and　inborn　prejudice
against　the　foreigner；　helpless　by　reason　of　his　patience；　stoicism；
good　faith；　and　confidence　in　those　above　him；　helpless　by　reason　of
his　snobbery；　mutual　distrust；　carelessness　for　the　morrow；　and　lack
of　public　spirit…in　the　face　of　War　how　impotent　and　to　be　pitied　is
the　man　in　the　street！〃　　That　paper；　though　clever；　always　seemed　to
him　intolerably　hifalutin'！

It　was　doubtful　whether　he　would　get　to　Ascot　this　year。　　And　his
mind　flew　for　a　moment　to　his　promising　two…year…old　Casetta；　then
dashed　almost　violently；　as　though　in　shame；　to　the　Admiralty　and　the
doubt　whether　they　were　fully　alive　to　possibilities。　　He　himself
occupied　a　softer　spot　of　Government；　one　of　those　almost　nominal
offices　necessary　to　qualify　into　the　Cabinet　certain　tried　minds；
for　whom　no　more　strenuous　post　can　for　the　moment　be　found。　　From
the　Admiralty　again　his　thoughts　leaped　to　his　mother…in…law。
Wonderful　old　woman！　　What　a　statesman　she　would　have　made！　　Too
reactionary！　　Deuce　of　a　straight　line　she　had　taken　about　Mrs。　Lees
Noel！　　And　with　a　connoisseur's　twinge　of　pleasure　he　recollected
that　lady's　face　and　figure　seen　that　morning　as　he　passed　her
cottage。　　Mysterious　or　not；　the　woman　was　certainly　attractive！
Very　graceful　head　with　its　dark　hair　waved　back　from　the　middle　over
either　templevery　charming　figure；　no　lumber　of　any　sort！　　Bouquet
about　her！　　Some　story　or　other；　no　doubtno　affair　of　his！　　Always
sorry　for　that　sort　of　woman！

A　regiment　of　Territorials　returning　from　a　march　stayed　the　progress
of　his　car。　　He　leaned　forward　watching　them　with　much　the　same
contained；　shrewd；　critical　look　he　would　have　bent　on　a　pack　of
hounds。　　All　the　mistiness　and　speculation　in　his　mind　was　gone　now。
Good　stamp　of　man；　would　give　a　capital　account　of　themselves！　　Their
faces；　flushed　by　a　day　in　the　open；　were　masked　with　passivity；　or；
with　a　half…aggressive；　half…jocular　self…consciousness；　they　were
clearly　not　troubled　by　abstract　doubts；　or　any　visions　of　the
horrors　of　war。

Someone　raised　a　cheer　'for　the　Terriers！'　Lord　Valleys　saw　round　him
a　little　sea　of　hats；　rising　and　falling；　and　heard　a　sound；　rather
shrill　and　tentative；　swell　into　hoarse；　high　clamour；　and　suddenly
die　out。　　〃Seem　keen　enough！〃　he　thought。　　〃Very　little　does　it！
Plenty　of　fighting　spirit　in　the　country。〃　　　And　again　a　thrill　of
pleasure　shot　through　him。

Then；　as　the　last　soldier　passed；　his　car　slowly　forged　its　way
through　the　straggling　crowd；　pressing　on　behind　the　regimentmen　of
all　ages；　youths；　a　few　women；　young　girls；　who　turned　their　eyes　on
him　with　a　negligent　stare　as　if　their　lives　were　too　remote　to
permit　them　to　take　interest　in　this　passing　man　at　ease。




CHAPTER　IV

At　Monkland；　that　same　hour；　in　the　little　whitewashed　'withdrawing…
room'　of　a　thatched；　whitewashed　cottage；　two　men　sat　talking；　one　on
either　side　of　the　hearth；　and　in　a　low　chair　between　them　a　dark…
eyed　woman　leaned　back；　watching；　the　tips　of　her　delicate　thin
fingers　pressed　together；　or　held　out　transparent　towards　the　fire。
A　log；　dropping　now　and　then；　turned　up　its　glowing　underside；　and
the　firelight　and　the　lamplight　seemed　so　to　have　soaked　into　the
white　walls　that　a　wan　warmth　exuded。　　Silvery　dun　moths；　fluttering
in　from　the　dark　garden；　kept　vibrating；　like　spun　shillings；　over　a
jade…green　bowl　of　crimson　roses；　and　there　was　a　scent；　as　ever　in
that　old　thatched　cottage；　of　woodsmoke；　flowers；　and　sweetbriar。

The　man　on　the　left　was　perhaps　forty；　rather　above　middle　height；
vigorous；　active；　straight；　with　blue　eyes　and　a　sanguine　face　that
glowed　on　small　provocation。　　His　hair　was　very　bright；　almost　red；
and　his　fiery　moustaches　which　descended　to　the　level　of　his　chin；
like　Don　Quixote's　seemed　bristling　and　charging。

The　man　on　the　right　was　nearer　thirty；　evidently　tall；　wiry；　and
very　thin。　　He　sat　rather　crumpled；　in　his　low　armchair；　with　hands
clasped　round　a　knee；　and　a　little　crucified　smile　haunted　the　lips
of　his　lean　face；　which；　with　its　parchmenty；　tanned；　shaven　cheeks；
and　deep…set；　very　living　eyes；　had　a　certain　beauty。

These　two　men；　so　extravagantly　unlike；　looked　at　each　other　like
neighbouring　dogs；　who；　having　long　decided　that　they　are　better
apart；　suddenly　find　that　they　have　met　at　some　spot　where　they
cannot　possibly　have　a　fight。　　And　the　woman　watched；　the　owner；　as
it　were；　of　one；　but　who；　from　sheer　love　of　dogs；　had　always　stroked
and　patted　the　other。

〃So；　Mr。　Courtier；〃　said　the　younger　man；　whose　dry；　ironic　voice；
like　his　smile；　seemed　defending　the　fervid　spirit　in　his　eyes；　〃all
you　say　only　amounts；　you　see；　to　a　defence　of　the　so…called　Liberal
spirit；　and；　forgive　my　candour；　that　spirit；　being　an　importation
from　the　realms　of　philosophy　and　art；　withers　the　moment　it　touches
practical　affairs。

The　man　with　the　red　moustaches　laughed；　the　sound　was　queerat　once
so　genial　and　so　sardonic。

〃Well　put！〃　he　said：　〃And　far　be　it　from　me　to　gainsay。　　But　since
compromise　is　the　very　essence　of　politics；　high…priests　of　caste　and
authority；　like　you；　Lord　Miltoun；　are　every　bit　as　much　out　of　it　as
any　Liberal　professor。〃

〃I　don't　agree！〃

〃Agree　or　not；　your　position　towards　public　affairs　is　very　like　the
Church's　attitude　towards　marriage　and　divorce；　as　remote　from　the
realities　of　life　as　the　attitude　of　the　believer　in　Free　Love；　and
not　more　likely　to　catch　on。　　The　death　of　your　point　of　view　lies　in
itselfit's　too　dried…up　and　far　from　things　ever　to　understand
them。　　If　you　don't　understand　you　can　never　rule。　　You　might　just　as
well　keep　your　hands　in　your　pockets；　as　go　into　politics　with　your
notions！〃

〃I　fear　we　must　continue　to　agree　to　differ。〃

〃Well；　perhaps　I　do　pay　you　too　high　a　compliment。　　After　all；　you
are　a　patrician。〃

〃You　speak　in　riddles；　Mr。　Courtier。〃

The　dark…eyed　woman　stirred；　her　hands　gave　a　sort　of　flutter；　as
though　in　deprecation　of　acerbity。

Rising　at　once；　and　speaking　in　a　deferential　voice；　the　elder　man
said

〃We're　tiring　Mrs。　Noel。　　Good…night；　Audrey；　It's　high　time　I　was
off。〃　　　Against　the　darkness　of　the　open　French　window；　he　turned
round　to　fire　a　parting　shot。

〃What　I　meant；　Lord　Miltoun；　was　that　your　class　is　the　driest　and
most　practical　in　the　Stateit's　odd　if　it　doesn't　save　you　from　a
poet's　dreams。　　Good…night！〃　　He　passed　out　on　to　the　lawn；　and
vanished。

The　young　man　sat　unmoving；　the　glow　of　the　fire　had　caught　his　face；
so　that　a　spirit　seemed　clinging　round　his　lips；　gleaming　out　of　his
eyes。　　Suddenly　he　said：

〃Do　you　believe　that；　Mrs。　Noel？〃

For　answer　Audrey　Noel　smiled；　then　rose　and　went　over　to　the　window。

〃Look　at　my　dear　toad！　　It　comes　here　every　evening！〃
On　a　flagstone　of　the　verandah；　in　the　centre　of　the　stream　of
lamplight；　sat　a　little　golden　toad。　　As　Miltoun　came　to　look；　it
waddled　to　one　side；　and　vanished。

〃How　peaceful　your　garden　is！〃　he　said；　then　taking　her　hand；　he　very
gently　raised　it　to　his　lips；　and　followed　his　opponent　out　into　the
darkness。

Truly　peace　brooded　over　that　garden。　　The　Night　seemed　listening
all　lights　out；　all　hearts　at　rest。　　It　watched；　with　a　little　white
star　for　every　tree；　and　roof；　and　slumbering　tired　flower；　as　a
mother　watches　her　sleeping　child；　leaning　above　him　and　counting
with　her　love　every　hair　of　his　head；　and　all　his　tiny　tremors。

Argument　seemed　c