the yellow god-第14节

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conversing　in　her　best　French　to　the　foreign　gentlemen；　who　were
paying　her　compliments。

〃Forgive　me　for　being　late；〃　he　said；　〃first　of　all　I　have　been
talking　to　your　uncle；　and　afterwards　skimming　through　the　articles　in
yesterday's　papers　on　our　little　venture　which　comes　out　to…morrow。　A
cheerful　occupation　on　the　whole；　for　with　one　or　two　exceptions　they
are　all　favourable。〃

〃Mon　Dieu；〃　said　the　French　gentlemen　on　the　right；　〃seeing　what　they
did　cost；　that　is　not　strange。　Your　English　papers　they　are　so
expensive；　in　Paris　we　have　done　it　for　half　the　money。〃

Barbara　and　some　of　the　guests　laughed　outright；　finding　this
frankness　charming。

〃But　where　have　you　been；　Miss　Champers？　I　thought　that　we　were　going
to　have　a　round　of　golf　together。　The　caddies　were　there；　I　was　there；
the　greens　had　been　specially　rolled　this　morning；　but　there　was　no
You。〃

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃because　Major　Vernon　and　I　walked　to　church　and
heard　a　very　good　sermon　upon　the　observance　of　the　Sabbath。〃

〃You　are　severe；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　think　it　wrong　for　men　who　work
hard　all　the　week　to　play　a　harmless　game　on　Sunday？〃

〃Not　at　all；　Sir　Robert。〃　Then　she　looked　at　him　and；　coming　to　a
sudden　decision；　added；　〃If　you　like　I　will　play　you　nine　holes　this
afternoon　and　give　you　a　stroke　a　hole；　or　would　you　prefer　a
foursome？〃

〃No；　let　us　fight　alone　and　let　the　best　player　win。〃

〃Very　well；　Sir　Robert；　but　you　mustn't　forget　that　I　am　handicapped。〃

〃Don't　look　angry；〃　she　whispered　to　Alan　as　they　strolled　out　into
the　garden　after　lunch；　〃I　must　clear　things　up　and　know　what　we　have
to　face。　I'll　be　back　by　tea…time；　and　we　will　have　it　out　with　my
uncle。〃



The　nine　holes　had　been　played；　and　by　a　single　stroke　Barbara　had　won
the　match；　which　pleased　her　very　much；　for　she　had　done　her　best；　and
with　such　heavy　odds　in　his　favour　Sir　Robert；　who　had　also　done　his
best；　was　no　mean　opponent；　even　for　a　player　of　her　skill。　Indeed　the
fight　had　been　quite　earnest；　for　each　party　knew　that　it　was　but　a
prelude　to　another　and　more　serious　fight；　and　looked　upon　the　result
as　in　some　sense　an　omen。

〃I　am　conquered；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　in　which　vexation　struggled　with
a　laugh；　〃and　by　a　woman　over　whom　I　had　an　advantage。　It　is
humiliating；　for　I　confess　I　do　not　like　being　beaten。〃

〃Don't　you　think　that　women　generally　win　if　they　mean　to？〃　asked
Barbara。　〃I　believe　that　when　they　fail；　which　is　often　enough；　it　is
because　they　don't　care；　or　can't　make　up　their　minds。　A　woman　in
earnest　is　a　dangerous　antagonist。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃or　the　best　of　allies。〃　Then　he　gave　the　clubs
and　half…a…crown　to　the　caddies；　and　when　they　were　out　of　hearing；
added；　〃Miss　Champers；　I　have　been　wondering　for　some　time　whether　it
is　possible　that　you　would　become　such　an　ally　to　me。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　business；　Sir　Robert；　my　tastes　do　not　lie　that
way。〃

〃You　know　well　that　I　was　not　speaking　of　business；　Miss　Champers。　I
was　speaking　of　another　kind　of　partnership；　that　which　Nature　has
ordained　between　men　and　womenmarriage。　Will　you　accept　me　as　a
husband？〃

She　opened　her　lips　to　speak；　but　he　lifted　his　hand　and　went　on。
〃Listen　before　you　give　that　ready　answer　which　it　is　so　hard　to
recall；　or　smooth　away。　I　know　all　my　disadvantages；　my　years；　which
to　you　may　seem　many；　my　modest　origin；　my　trade；　which；　not
altogether　without　reason；　you　despise　and　dislike。　Well；　the　first
two　cannot　be　changed　except　for　the　worse；　the　second　can　be；　and
already　is；　buried　beneath　the　gold　and　ermine　of　wealth　and　titles。
What　does　it　matter　if　I　am　the　son　of　a　City　clerk　who　never　earned
more　than　￡2　a　week　and　was　born　in　a　tenement　at　Battersea；　when　I　am
one　of　the　rich　men　of　this　rich　land　and　shall　die　a　peer　in　a
palace；　leaving　millions　and　honours　to　my　children？　As　for　the　third；
my　occupation；　I　am　prepared　to　give　it　up。　It　has　served　my　turn；　and
after　next　week　I　shall　have　earned　the　amount　that　years　ago　I
determined　to　earn。　Thenceforth；　set　above　the　accidents　of　fortune；　I
propose　to　devote　myself　to　higher　aims；　those　of　legitimate　ambition。
So　far　as　my　time　would　allow　I　have　already　taken　some　share　in
politics　as　a　worker；　I　intend　to　continue　in　them　as　a　ruler　which　I
still　have　the　health　and　ability　to　do。　I　mean　to　be　one　of　the　first
men　in　this　Empire；　to　ride　to　power　over　the　heads　of　all　the
nonentities　whose　only　claim　upon　the　confidence　of　their　countrymen
is　that　they　were　born　in　a　certain　class；　with　money　in　their　pockets
and　without　the　need　to　spend　the　best　of　their　manhood　in　work。　With
you　at　my　side　I　can　do　all　these　things　and　more；　and　such　is　the
future　that　I　have　to　offer　you。〃

Again　she　would　have　broken　in　upon　his　speech　and　again　he　stopped
her；　reading　the　unspoken　answer　on　her　lips。

〃Listen：　I　have　not　told　you　all。　Perhaps　I　have　put　first　what　should
have　come　last。　I　have　not　told　you　that　I　love　you　earnestly　and
sincerely；　with　the　settled；　unalterable　love　that　sometimes　comes　to
men　in　middle…age　who　have　never　turned　their　thought　that　way　before。
I　will　not　attempt　the　rhapsodies　of　passion　which　at　my　time　of　life
might　sound　foolish　or　out　of　place；　yet　it　is　true　that　I　am　filled
with　this　passion　which　has　descended　on　me　and　taken　possession　of
me。　I　who　often　have　laughed　at　such　things　in　other　men；　adore　you。
You　are　a　joy　to　my　eyes。　If　you　are　not　in　the　room；　for　me　it　is
empty。　I　admire　the　uprightness　of　your　character；　and　even　your
prejudices；　and　to　your　standard　I　desire　to　approximate　my　own。　I
think　that　no　man　can　ever　love　you　quite　so　well　as　I　do；　Barbara
Champers。　Now　speak。　I　am　ready　to　meet　the　best　or　the　worst。〃

After　her　fashion　Barbara　looked　him　straight　in　the　face　with　her
steady　eyes；　and　answered　gently　enough；　for　the　man's　method　of
presenting　his　case；　elaborate　and　prepared　though　it　evidently　was；
had　touched　her。

〃I　fear　it　is　the　worst；　Sir　Robert。　There　are　hundreds　of　women
superior　to　myself　in　every　way　who　would　be　glad　to　give　you　the　help
and　companionship　you　ask；　with　their　hearts　thrown　in。　Choose　one　of
them；　for　I　cannot　do　so。〃

He　heard　and　for　the　first　time　his　face　broke；　as　it　were。　All　this
while　it　had　remained　masklike　and　immovable；　even　when　he　spoke　of
his　love；　but　now　it　broke　as　ice　breaks　at　the　pressure　of　a　sudden
flood　beneath；　and　she　saw　the　depths　and　eddies　of　his　nature　and
understood　their　strength。　Not　that　he　revealed　them　in　speech；　angry
or　pleading；　for　that　remained　calm　and　measured　enough。　She　did　not
hear；　she　saw；　and　even　then　it　was　marvellous　to　her　that　a　mere
change　in　a　man's　expression　could　explain　so　much。

〃Those　are　very　cruel　words；〃　he　said。　〃Are　they　unalterable？〃

〃Quite。　I　do　not　play　in　such　matters；　it　would　be　wicked。〃

〃May　I　ask　you　one　question；　for　if　the　answer　is　in　the　negative；　I
shall　still　continue　to　hope？　Do　you　care　for　any　other　man？〃

Again　she　looked　at　him　with　her　fearless　eyes　and　answered：

〃Yes；　I　am　engaged　to　another　man。〃

〃To　Alan　Vernon？〃

She　nodded。

〃When　did　that　happen？　Some　years　ago？〃

〃No；　this　morning。〃

〃Great　Heavens！〃　he　muttered　in　a　hoarse　voice　turning　his　head　away；
〃this　morning。　Then　last　night　it　might　not　have　been　too　late；　and
last　night　I　should　have　spoken　to　you；　I　had　arranged　it　all。　Yes；　if
it　had　not　been　for　the　story　of　that　accursed　fetish　and　your　uncle's
illness；　I　should　have　spoken　to　you；　and　perhaps　succeeded。〃

〃I　think　not；〃　she　said。

He　turned　upon　her　and　notwithstanding　the　tears　in　his　eyes　they
burned　like　fire。

〃You　thinkyou　think；〃　he　gasped；　〃but　I　know。　Of　course　after　this
morning　it　was　impossible。　But；　Barbara；　I　say　that　I　will　win　you
yet。　I　have　never　failed　in　any　object　that　I　set　before　myself；　and
do　not　suppose　that　I　shall　fail　in　this。　Although　in　a　way　I　liked
and　respected　him；　I　have　always　felt　that　Vernon　was　my　enemy；　one
destined　to　bring　grief　and　loss　upon　me；　even　if　he　did　not　intend　to
do　so。　Now　I　understand　why；　and　he　shall　learn　that　I　am　stronger
than　he。　God　help　him！　I　say。〃

〃I　think　He　will；〃　Barbara　answered；　calmly。　〃You　are　speaking　wildly；
and　I　understand　the　reason　and　hope　that　you　will　forget　your　words；
but　whether　you　forget　or　remember；　do　not　suppose　that　you　frighten
me。　You　men　who　have　made　money；〃　she　went　on　with　swelling
indignation；　〃who　have　made　money　somehow；　and　have　bought　honours
with　the　moneys　somehow；　think　yourselves　great；　and　in　your　little
day；　your　little；　little　day　that　will　end　with　three　lines　in　small
type　in　/The　Times/；　you　are　great　in　this　vulgar　land。　You　can　buy
what　you　want　and　people　creep　round　you　and　ask　you　for　doles　and
favours；　and　railway　porters　call　you　'my　Lord'　at　every　other　step。
But　you　forget　your　limitations　in　this　world；　and　that　which　lives
above　you。　You　say　you　will　do　this　and　that。　You　should　study　a　book
which　few　of　you　ever　read；　where　it　tells　you　that　you　do　not　know
what　you　will　be　on　the　morrow；　that　your　life　is　even　as　a　vapour
appearing　for　a　little　time　and　then　vanishing　away。　You　think　that
you　can　c