the yellow god-第13节

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〃I　am　not　all　right；　Aylward；〃　he　answered；　〃I　am　not　all　right　at
all。　Never　had　such　an　upset　in　my　life；　thought　I　was　going　to　die
when　that　accursed　savage　told　his　beastly　tale。　Aylward；　you　are　a
man　of　the　world；　tell　me；　what　is　the　meaning　of　the　thing？　You
remember　what　we　thought　we　saw　in　the　office；　and　thenthat　story。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　answered；　〃frankly　I　don't　know。　I　am　a　man　who　has
never　believed　in　anything　I　cannot　see　and　test；　one　who　utterly
lacks　faith。　In　my　leisure　I　have　examined　into　the　various　religious
systems　and　found　them　to　be　rubbish。　I　am　convinced　that　we　are　but
highly…developed　mammals　born　by　chance；　and　when　our　day　is　done；
departing　into　the　black　nothingness　out　of　which　we　came。　Everything
else；　that　is；　what　is　called　the　higher　and　spiritual　part；　I
attribute　to　the　superstitions　incident　to　the　terror　of　the　hideous
position　in　which　we　find　ourselves；　that　of　gods　of　a　sort　hemmed　in
by　a　few　years　of　fearful　and　tormented　life。　But　you　know　the　old
arguments；　so　why　should　I　enter　on　them？　And　now　I　am　confronted　with
an　experience　which　I　cannot　explain。　I　certainly　thought　that　in　the
office　on　Friday　evening　I　saw　that　gold　mask　to　which　I　had　taken　so
strange　a　fancy　that　I　offered　to　give　Vernon　￡17；000　for　it　because　I
thought　that　it　brought　us　luck；　swim　across　the　floor　of　our　room　and
look　first　into　your　face　and　then　into　mine。　Well；　the　next　night
that　negro　tells　his　story。　What　am　I　to　make　of　it？〃

〃Can't　tell　you；〃　answered　Mr。　Champers…Haswell　with　a　groan。　〃All　I
know　is　that　it　nearly　made　a　corpse　of　me。　I　am　not　like　you；
Aylward；　I　was　brought　up　as　an　Evangelical；　and　although　I　haven't
given　much　thought　to　these　matters　of　late　yearswell；　we　don't
shake　them　off　in　a　hurry。　I　daresay　there　is　something　somewhere；　and
when　the　black　man　was　speaking；　that　something　seemed　uncommonly
near。　It　got　up　and　gripped　me　by　the　throat；　shaking　the　mortal
breath　out　of　me；　and　upon　my　word；　Aylward；　I　have　been　wishing　all
the　morning　that　I　had　led　a　different　kind　of　life；　as　my　old　parents
and　my　brother　John；　Barbara's　father；　who　was　a　very　religious　kind
of　man；　did　before　me。〃

〃It　is　rather　late　to　think　of　all　that　now；　Haswell；〃　said　Sir
Robert；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃One　takes　one's　line　and　there's　an
end。　Personally　I　believe　that　we　are　overstrained　with　the　fearful
and　anxious　work　of　this　flotation；　and　have　been　the　victims　of　an
hallucination　and　a　coincidence。　Although　I　confess　that　I　came　to
look　upon　the　thing　as　a　kind　of　mascot；　I　put　no　trust　in　any　fetish。
How　can　a　bit　of　gold　move；　and　how　can　it　know　the　future？　Well；　I
have　written　to　them　to　clear　it　out　of　the　office　to…morrow；　so　it
won't　trouble　us　any　more。　And　now　I　have　come　to　speak　to　you　on
another　matter。〃

〃Not　business；〃　said　Mr。　Haswell　with　a　sigh。　〃We　have　that　all　the
week　and　there　will　be　enough　of　it　on　Monday。〃

〃No；〃　he　answered；　〃something　more　important。　About　your　niece
Barbara。〃

Mr。　Haswell　glanced　at　him　with　those　little　eyes　of　his　which　were　so
sharp　that　they　seemed　to　bore　like　gimlets。

〃Barbara？〃　he　said。　〃What　of　Barbara？〃

〃Can't　you　guess；　Haswell？　You　are　pretty　good　at　it；　generally。　Well；
it　is　no　use　beating　about　the　bush；　I　want　to　marry　her。〃

At　this　sudden　announcement　his　partner　became　exceedingly　interested。
Leaning　back　in　the　chair　he　stared　at　the　decorated　ceiling；　and
uttered　his　favourite　wind…in…the…wires　whistle。

〃Indeed；〃　he　said。　〃I　never　knew　that　matrimony　was　in　your　line；
Aylward；　any　more　than　it　has　been　in　mine；　especially　as　you　are
always　preaching　against　it。　Well；　has　the　young　lady　given　her
consent？〃

〃No；　I　have　not　spoken　to　her。　I　meant　to　do　so　this　morning；　but　she
has　slipped　off　somewhere；　with　Vernon；　I　suppose。〃

Mr。　Haswell　whistled　again；　but　on　a　new　note。

〃Pray　do　stop　that　noise；〃　said　Sir　Robert；　〃it　gets　upon　my　nerves；
which　are　shaky　this　morning。　Listen：　It　is　a　curious　thing；　one　less
to　be　understood　even　than　the　coincidence　of　the　Yellow　God；　but　at
my　present　age　of　forty…four；　for　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　have
committed　the　folly　of　what　is　called　falling　in　love。　It　is　not　the
case　of　a　successful；　middle…aged　man　wishing　to　/ranger/　himself　and
settle　down　with　a　desirable　/partie/；　but　of　sheer；　stark
infatuation。　I　adore　Barbara；　the　worse　she　treats　me　the　more　I　adore
her。　I　had　rather　that　the　Sahara　flotation　should　fail　than　that　she
should　refuse　me。　I　would　rather　lose　three…quarters　of　my　fortune
than　lose　her。　Do　you　understand？〃

His　partner　looked　at　him；　pursed　up　his　lips　to　whistle；　then
remembered　and　shook　his　head　instead。

〃No；〃　he　answered。　〃Barbara　is　a　nice　girl；　but　I　should　not　have
imagined　her　capable　of　inspiring　such　sentiments　in　a　man　almost　old
enough　to　be　her　father。　I　think　that　you　are　the　victim　of　a　kind　of
mania；　which　I　have　heard　of　but　never　experienced。　Venusor　is　it
Cupid？has　netted　you；　my　dear　Aylward。〃

〃Oh！　pray　leave　gods　and　goddesses　out　of　it；　we　have　had　enough　of
them　already；〃　he　answered；　exasperated。　〃That　is　my　case　at　any　rate；
and　what　I　want　to　know　now　is　if　I　have　your　support　in　my　suit。
Remember；　I　have　something　to　offer；　Haswell；　for　instance；　a　large
fortune　of　which　I　will　settle　halfit　is　a　good　thing　to　do　in　our
business；and　a　baronetcy　that　will　be　a　peerage　before　long。〃

〃A　peerage！　Have　you　squared　that？〃

〃I　think　so。　There　will　be　a　General　Election　within　the　next　three
months；　and　on　such　occasions　a　couple　of　hundred　thousand　in　cool
cash　come　in　useful　to　a　Party　that　is　short　of　ready　money。　I　think　I
may　say　that　it　is　settled。　She　will　be　the　Lady　Aylward；　or　any　other
name　she　may　fancy；　and　one　of　the　richest　women　in　England。　Now　have
I　your　support？〃

〃Yes；　my　dear　friend；　why　not；　though　Barbara　does　not　want　money；　for
she　has　plenty　of　her　own；　in　first…class　securities　that　I　could
never　persuade　her　to　vary；　for　she　is　shrewd　in　that　way　and　steadily
refuses　to　sign　anything。　Also　she　will　probably　be　my　heiressand；
Aylward；〃　here　a　sickly　look　of　alarm　spread　itself　over　his　face；　〃I
don't　know　how　long　I　have　to　live。　That　infernal　doctor　examined　my
heart　this　morning　and　told　me　that　it　was　weak。　Weak　was　his　word；
but　from　the　tone　in　which　he　said　it；　I　believe　that　he　meant　more。
Aylward；　I　gather　that　I　may　die　any　day。〃

〃Nonsense；　Haswell；　so　may　we　all；〃　he　replied；　with　an　affectation　of
cheerfulness　which　failed　to　carry　conviction。

Presently　Mr。　Haswell；　who　had　hidden　his　face　in　his　hand；　looked　up
with　a　sigh　and　said：

〃Oh！　yes；　of　course　you　have　my　support；　for　after　all　she　is　my　only
relation　and　I　should　be　glad　to　see　her　safely　married。　Also；　as　it
happens；　she　can't　marry　anyone　without　my　consent；　at　any　rate　until
she　is　five　and　twenty；　for　if　she　does；　under　her　father's　will　all
her　property　goes　away；　most　of　it　to　charities；　except　a　beggarly
￡200　a　year。　You　see　my　brother　John　had　a　great　horror　of　imprudent
marriages　and　a　still　greater　belief　in　me；　which　as　it　chances；　is　a
good　thing　for　you。〃

〃Had　he？〃　said　Sir　Robert。　〃And　pray　why　is　it　a　good　thing　for　me？〃

〃Because；　my　dear　Aylward；　unless　my　observation　is　at　fault；　there　is
another　Richard　in　the　field；　our　late　partner；　Vernon；　of　whom；　by
the　way；　Barbara　is　extremely　fond；　though　it　may　only　be　in　a
friendly　fashion。　At　any　rate　she　pays　more　attention　to　his　wishes
and　opinions　than　to　mine　and　yours　put　together。〃

At　the　mention　of　Alan's　name　Aylward　started　violently。

〃I　feared　it；〃　he　said；　〃and　he　is　more　than　ten　years　my　junior　and　a
soldier；　not　a　man　of　business。　Also　there　is　no　use　disguising　the
truth；　although　I　am　a　baronet　and　shall　be　a　peer　and　he　is　nothing
but　a　beggarly　country　gentleman　with　a　D。S。O。　tacked　on　to　his　name；
he　belongs　to　a　different　class　to　us；　as　she　does　too　on　her　mother's
side。　Well；　I　can　smash　him　up；　for　you　remember　I　took　over　that
mortgage　on　Yarleys；　and　I'll　do　it　if　necessary。　Practically　our
friend　has　not　a　shilling　that　he　can　call　his　own。　Therefore；
Haswell；　unless　you　play　me　false；　which　I　don't　think　you　will；　for　I
can　be　a　nasty　enemy；〃　he　added　with　a　threat　in　his　voice；　〃Alan
Vernon　hasn't　much　chance　in　that　direction。〃

〃I　don't　know；　Aylward；　I　don't　know；〃　replied　Haswell；　shaking　his
white　head。　〃Barbara　is　a　strong…willed　woman　and　she　might　choose　to
take　the　man　and　let　the　money　go；　and　thenwho　can　stop　her？　Also　I
don't　like　your　idea　of　smashing　Vernon。　It　isn't　right；　and　it　may
come　back　on　our　own　heads；　especially　yours。　I　am　sorry　that　he　has
left　us；　as　you　were　on　Friday　night；　for　somehow　he　was　a　good；
honest　stick　to　lean　on；　and　we　want　such　a　stick。　But　I　am　tired　now；
I　really　can't　talk　any　more。　The　doctor　warned　me　against　excitement。
Get　the　girl's　consent；　Aylward；　and　we'll　see。　Ah！　here　comes　my
soup。　Good…bye　for　the　present。〃

When　Sir　Robert　came　down　to　luncheon　he　found　Barbara　looking
particularly　radiant　and　charming；　already　presiding　at　that　meal　and
conversing　in　her　best　French　to　the　foreign　gentlemen；　who　we