the patrician-第46节

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this　will　be　the　death　of　one　of　them。〃　　And　suddenly　turning　on　her
daughter；　she　said：

〃Did　you　ever　hear　about　him　at　Oxford；　Gertrude？　　He　broke　out　once；
and　ate　husks　with　the　Gadarenes。　　You　never　knew。　　Of　courseyou
never　have　known　anything　of　him。〃

Resentment　rose　in　Lady　Valleys；　that　anyone　should　knew　her　son
better　than　herself；　but　she　lost　it　again　looking　at　the　little
figure；　and　said；　sighing：

〃Well？〃

Lady　Casterley　murmured：

〃Go　away；　child；　I　must　think。　　You　say　he's　to　consult'　Dennis？　　Do
you　know　her　address？　　Ask　Barbara　when　you　get　back　and　telephone　it
to　me。　　And　at　her　daughter's　kiss；　she　added　grimly：

〃I　shall　live　to　see　him　in　the　saddle　yet；　though　I　am　seventy…
eight。〃

When　the　sound　of　her　daughter's　car　had　died　：away；　she　rang　the
bell。

〃If　Lady　Valleys　rings　up；　Clifton；　don't　take　the　message；　but　call
me。〃　　And　seeing　that　Clifton　did　not　move　she　added　sharply：　〃Well？〃

〃There　is　no　bad　news　of　his　young　lordship's　health；　I　hope？〃

〃No。〃

〃Forgive　me；　my　lady；　but　I　have　had　it　on　my　mind　for　some　time　to
ask　you　something。〃

And　the　old　man　raised　his　hand　with　a　peculiar　dignity；　seeming　to
say：　You　will　excuse　me　that　for　the　moment　I　am　a　human　being
speaking　to　a　human　being。

〃The　matter　of　his　attachment；〃　he　went　on；　〃is　known　to　me；　it　has
given　me　acute　anxiety；　knowing　his　lordship　as　I　do；　and　having
heard　him　say　something　singular　when　he　was　here　in　July。　　I　should
be　grateful　if　you　would　assureme　that　there　is　to　be　no　hitch　in
his　career；　my　lady。〃

The　expression　on　Lady　Casterley's　face　was　strangely　compounded　of
surprise；　kindliness；　defence；　and　impatience　as　with　a　child。

〃Not　if　I　can　prevent　it；　Clifton；〃　she　said　shortly；　〃in　fact；　you
need　not　concern　yourself。〃

Clifton　bowed。

〃Excuse　me　mentioning　it；　my　lady；〃　a　quiver　ran　over　his　face
between　its　long　white　whiskers；　〃but　his　young　lordship's　career　is
more　to　me　than　my　own。〃

When　he　had　left　her；　Lady　Casterley　sat　down　in　a　little　low　chair
long　she　sat　there　by　the　empty　hearth；　till　the　daylight；　was　all
gone。




CHAPTER　XX

Not　far　from　the　dark…haloed　indeterminate　limbo　where　dwelt　that
bugbear　of　Charles　Courtier；　the　great　Half…Truth　Authority；　he
himself　had　a　couple　of　rooms　at　fifteen　shillings　a　week。　　Their
chief　attraction　was　that　the　great　Half…Truth　Liberty　had
recommended　them。　　They　tied　him　to　nothing；　and　were　ever　at　his
disposal　when　he　was　in　London；　for　his　landlady；　though　not　bound　by
agreement　so　to　do；　let　them　in　such　a　way；　that　she　could　turn
anyone　else　out　at　a　week's　notice。　　She　was　a　gentle　soul；　married
to　a　socialistic　plumber　twenty　years　her　senior。　　The　worthy　man　had
given　her　two　little　boys；　and　the　three　of　them　kept　her　in　such
permanent　order　that　to　be　in　the　presence　of　Courtier　was　the
greatest　pleasure　she　knew。　　When　he　disappeared　on　one　of　his
nomadic　missions；　explorations；　or　adventures；　she　enclosed　the　whole
of　his　belongings　in　two　tin　trunks　and　placed　them　in　a　cupboard
which　smelled　a　little　of　mice。　　When　he　reappeared　the　trunks　were
reopened；　and　a　powerful　scent　of　dried　rose…leaves　would　escape。
For；　recognizing　the　mortality　of　things　human；　she　procured　every
summer　from　her　sister；　the　wife　of　a　market　gardener；　a　consignment
of　this　commodity；　which　she　passionately　sewed　up　in　bags；　and
continued　to　deposit　year　by　year；　in　Courtier's　trunks。

This；　and　the　way　she　made　his　toastvery　crispand　aired　his
linenvery　dry；　were　practically　the　only　things　she　could　do　for　a
man　naturally　inclined　to　independence；　and　accustomed　from　his
manner　of　life　to　fend　for　himself。

At　first　signs　of　his　departure　she　would　go　into　some　closet　or
other；　away　from　the　plumber　and　the　two　marks　of　his　affection；　and
cry　quietly；　but　never　in　Courtier's　presence　did　she　dream　of
manifesting　griefas　soon　weep　in　the　presence　of　death　or　birth；　or
any　other　fundamental　tragedy　or　joy。　　In　face　of　the　realities　of
life　she　had　known　from　her　youth　up　the　value　of　the　simple　verb
'stostare…to　stand　fast。'

And　to　her　Courtier　was　a　reality；　the　chief　reality　of　life；　the
focus　of　her　aspiration；　the　morning　and　the　evening　star。

The　request；　then　five　days　after　his　farewell　visit　to　Mrs。　Noel
for　the　elephant…hide　trunk　which　accompanied　his　rovings；　produced
her　habitual　period　of　seclusion；　followed　by　her　habitual　appearance
in　his　sitting…room　bearing　a　note；　and　some　bags　of　dried　rose
leaves　on　a　tray。　　She　found　him　in　his　shirt　sleeves；　packing。

〃Well；　Mrs。　Benton；　off　again！〃

Mrs。　Benton；　plaiting　her　hands；　for　she　had　not　yet　lost　something
of　the　look　and　manner　of　a　little　girl；　answered　in　her　flat；　but
serene　voice：

〃Yes；　sir；　and　I　hope　you're　not　going　anywhere　very　dangerous　this
time。　　I　always　think　you　go　to　such　dangerous　places。〃

〃To　Persia；　Mrs。　Benton；　where　the　carpets　come　from。〃

〃Oh！　yes；　sir。　　Your　washing's　just　come　home。〃

Her；　apparently　cast…down；　eyes　stored　up　a　wealth　of　little　details；
the　way　his　hair　grew；　the　set　of　his　back；　the　colour　of　his　braces。
But　suddenly　she　said　in　a　surprising　voice：

〃You　haven't　a　photograph　you　could　spare；　sir；　to　leave　behind？　　Mr。
Benton　was　only　saying　to　me　yesterday；　we've　nothing　to　remember　him
by；　in　case　he　shouldn't　come　back。〃

〃Here's　an　old　one。〃

Mrs。　Benton　took　the　photograph。

〃Oh！〃　she　said；　〃you　can　see　who　it　is。〃　　And　holding　it　perhaps　too
tightly；　for　her　fingers　trembled；　she　added：

〃A　note；　please；　sir；　and　the　messenger　boy　is　waiting　foran
answer。〃

While　he　read　the　note　she　noticed　with　concern　how　packing　had
brought　the　blood　into　his　head。。。。

When；　in　response　to　that　note；　Courtier　entered　the　well…known
confectioner's　called　Gustard's；　it　was　still　not　quite　tea…time；　and
there　seemed　to　him　at　first　no　one　in　the　room　save　three　middle…
aged　women　packing　sweets；　then　in　the　corner　he　saw　Barbara。　　The
blood　was　no　longer　in　his　head；　he　was　pale；　walking　down　that
mahogany…coloured　room　impregnated　with　the　scent　of　wedding…cake。
Barbara；　too；　was　pale。

So　close　to　her　that　he　could　count　her　every　eyelash；　and　inhale　the
scent　of　her　hair　and　clothes　to　listen　to　her　story　of　Miltoun；　so
hesitatingly；　so　wistfully　told；　seemed　very　like　being　kept　waiting
with　the　rope　already　round　his　neck；　to　hear　about　another　person's
toothache。　　He　felt　this　to　have　been　unnecessary　on　the　part　of
Fate！　　And　there　came　to　him　perversely　the　memory　of　that　ride　over
the　sun…warmed　heather；　when　he　had　paraphrased　the　old　Sicilian
song：　'Here　will　I　sit　and　sing。'　　He　was　a　long　way　from　singing
now；　nor　was　there　love　in　his　arms。　　There　was　instead　a　cup　of　tea；
and　in　his　nostrils　the　scent　of　cake；　with　now　and　then　a　whiff　of
orange…flower　water。

〃I　see；〃　he　said；　when　she　had　finished　telling　him：　〃'Liberty's　a
glorious　feast！'　You　want　me　to　go　to　your　brother；　and　quote　Bums？
You　know；　of　course；　that　he　regards　me　as　dangerous。〃

〃Yes；　but　he　respects　and　likes　you。〃

〃And　I　respect　and　like　him；〃　answered　Courtier。

One　of　the　middle…aged　females　passed；　carrying　a　large　white　card…
board　box；　and　the　creaking　of　her　stays　broke　the　hush。

〃You　have　been　very　sweet　to　me；〃　said　Barbara；　suddenly。

Courtier's　heart　stirred；　as　if　it　were　turning　over　within　him；　and
gazing　into　his　teacup；　he　answered

〃All　men　are　decent　to　the　evening　star。　　I　will　go　at　once　and　find
your　brother。　　When　shall　I　bring　you　news？〃

〃To…morrow　at　five　I'll　be　at　home。〃

And　repeating；　〃To…morrow　at　five；〃　he　rose。


Looking　back　from　the　door；　he　saw　her　face　puzzled；　rather
reproachful；　and　went　out　gloomily。　　The　scent　of　cake；　and　orange…
flower　water；　the　creaking　of　the　female's　stays；　the　colour　of
mahogany；　still　clung　to　his　nose　and　ears；　and　eyes；　but　within　him
it　was　all　dull　baffled　rage。　　Why　had　he　not　made　the　most　of　this
unexpected　chance；　why　had　he　not　made　desperate　love　to　her？　　A
conscientious　ass！　　And　yetthe　whole　thing　was　absurd！　　She　was　so
young！　　God　knew　he　would　be　glad　to　be　out　of　it。　　If　he　stayed　he
was　afraid　that　he　would　play　the　fool。　　But　the　memory　of　her　words：
〃You　have　been　very　sweet　to　me！〃　　would　not　leave　him；　nor　the
memory　of　her　face；　so　puzzled；　and　reproachful。　　Yes；　if　he　stayed
he　would　play　the　fool！　　He　would　be　asking　her　to　marry　a　man　double
her　age；　of　no　position　but　that　which　he　had　carved　for　himself；　and
without　a　rap。　　And　he　would　be　asking　her　in　such　a　way　that　she
might　possibly　have　some　little　difficulty　in　refusing。　　He　would　be
letting　himself　go。　　And　she　was　only　twentyfor　all　her　woman…of…
the…world　air；　a　child！　　No！　　He　would　be　useful　to　her；　if　possible；
this　once；　and　then　clear　out！




CHAPTER　XXI

When　Miltoun　left　Valleys　House　he　walked　in　the　direction　of
Westminster。　　During　the　five　days　that　he　had　been　back　in　London　he
had　not　yet　entered　the　House　of　Commons。　　After　the　seclusion　of　his
illness；　he　still　felt　a　yearning；　almost　painful；　towards　the
movement　and　stir　of　the　town。　　Everything　he　heard　and　saw　made　an
intensely　vivid　impression。　　T