the yellow god-第15节

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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　crush　the　man　to　whom　I　have　given　my　heart　because　he　is
honest　and　you　are　dishonest；　because　you　are　rich　and　he　is　poor；　and
because　he　chances　to　have　succeeded　where　you　have　not。　Well；　for
myself　and　for　him　I　defy　you。　Do　your　worst　and　fail；　and　when　you
have　failed；　in　the　hour　of　your　extremity　remember　my　words　to…day。
If　I　have　given　you　pain　by　refusing　you　it　is　not　my　fault　and　I　am
sorry；　but　when　you　threaten　the　man　who　has　honoured　me　with　his　love
and　whom　I　honour　above　every　creature　upon　the　earth；　then　I　threaten
back；　and　may　the　Power　that　made　us　all　judge　between　you　and　me；　as
judge　it　will；〃　and　bursting　into　tears　she　turned　and　left　him。

Sir　Robert　watched　her　go。

〃What　a　woman！〃　he　said　meditatively；　〃what　a　womanto　have　lost。
Well　she　has　set　the　stakes　and　we　will　play　out　the　game。　The　cards
all　seem　to　be　in　my　hands；　but　it　would　not　in　the　least　surprise　me
if　she　won　the　rubber；　for　the　element　that　I　call　Chance　and　she
would　call　something　else；　may　come　in。　Still；　I　never　refused　a
challenge　yet　and　we　will　play　the　game　out　without　pity　to　the
loser。〃



That　night　the　first　trick　was　played。　When　he　got　back　to　The　Court
Sir　Robert　ordered　his　motorcar　and　departed　on　urgent　business；
either　to　his　own　place；　Old　Hall；　or　to　London；　saying　only　that　he
had　been　summoned　away　by　telegram。　As　the　70…horse…power　Mercedes
glided　out　of　the　gates　a　pencilled　note　was　put　into　Mr。　Haswell's
hand。

　　It　ran：　〃I　have　tried　and　failedfor　the　present。　By　ill…luck
　　A。V。　had　been　before　me；　only　this　morning。　If　I　had　not　missed　my
　　chance　last　night　owing　to　your　illness；　it　would　have　been
　　different。　I　do　not；　however；　in　the　least　abandon　my　plan；　in
　　which　of　course　I　rely　on　and　expect　your　support。　Keep　V。　in　the
　　office　or　let　him　go　as　you　like。　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　if
　　you　could　prevail　upon　him　to　stop　there　until　after　the
　　flotation。　But　whatever　you　say　at　the　moment；　I　trust　to　you　to
　　absolutely　veto　any　engagement　between　him　and　your　niece；　and　to
　　that　end　to　use　all　your　powers　and　authority　as　her　guardian。
　　Burn　this　note。
〃R。A。〃



CHAPTER　VI

MR。　HASWELL　LOSES　HIS　TEMPER

Alan　and　Barbara　sat　in　Mr。　Champers…Haswell's　private　sitting…room
with　the　awful　decorations；　and　before　them　by　the　fire　Mr。　Champers…
Haswell　reclined　upon　his　couch。　Alan　in　a　few；　brief；　soldier…like
words　had　just　informed　him　of　his　engagement　to　Barbara。　During　the
recital　of　this　interesting　fact　Barbara　said　nothing；　but　Mr。　Haswell
had　whistled　several　times。　Now　at　length　he　spoke；　in　that　tone　of
forced　geniality　which　he　generally　adopted　towards　his　cousin。

〃You　are　asking　for　the　hand　of　a　considerable　heiress；　Alan　my　boy；〃
he　said；　〃but　you　have　neglected　to　inform　me　of　your　own　position。〃

〃Where　is　the　use　of　telling　you　what　you　know　already；　Mr。　Haswell？　I
have　left　the　firm；　therefore　I　have　practically　nothing。〃

〃You　have　practically　nothing；　and　yet　Well；　in　my　young　days　men
were　more　delicate；　they　did　not　like　being　called　fortune…hunters；
but　of　course　times　have　changed。〃

Alan　bit　his　lip　and　Barbara　sat　up　quite　straight　in　her　chair；
observing　which　indications；　Mr。　Haswell　went　on　hurriedly：

〃Now　if　you　had　stopped　in　the　firm　and　earned　the　very　handsome
competence　in　a　small　way　which　would　have　become　due　to　you　this
week；　instead　of　throwing　us　over　at　the　last　moment　for　some　quixotic
reasons　of　your　own；　it　might　have　been　a　different　matter。　I　do　not
say　it　would　have　been；　I　say　it　might　have　been；　and　you　may　remember
a　proverb　about　winks　and　nods　and　blind　horses。　So　I　ask　you　whether
you　are　inclined　to　withdraw　that　resignation　of　yours　and　bring　up
this　question　again　let　us　say；　next　Sunday？〃

Alan　thought　a　while　before　he　answered。　As　he　understood　Mr。　Haswell
practically　was　promising　to　assent　to　the　engagement　upon　these
terms。　The　temptation　was　enormously　great；　the　fiercest　that　he　had
ever　been　called　upon　to　face。　He　looked　at　Barbara。　She　had　closed
her　eyes　and　made　absolutely　no　sign。　For　some　reason　of　her　own　she
had　elected　that　he　should　determine　this　vital　point　without　the
slightest　assistance　from　her。　And　it　must　be　determined　at　once；
procrastination　was　impossible。　For　a　moment　he　hesitated。　On　the　one
side　was　Barbara；　on　the　other　his　conscience。　After　long　doubts　he
had　come　to　a　certain　conclusion　which　he　quite　understood　to　be
inconvenient　to　his　partners。　Should　he　throw　it　over　now？　Should　he
even　try　to　make　a　sure　and　certain　bargain　as　the　price　of　his
surrender？　Probably　he　would　not　suffer　if　he　did。　The　flotation　was
underwritten　and　bound　to　go　through；　the　scandal　would　come
afterwards；　months　or　years　hence；　long　before　which　he　might　get　out；
as　most　of　the　others　meant　to　do。　No；　he　could　not。　His　conscience
was　too　much　for　him。

〃I　do　not　see　any　use　in　reconsidering　that　question；　Mr。　Haswell；〃　he
said　quietly；　〃we　settled　it　on　Friday　night。〃

Barbara　reopened　her　brown　eyes　and　stared　amiably　at　the　painted
ceiling；　and　Mr。　Haswell　whistled。

〃Then　I　am　afraid；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　do　not　see　any　use　in　discussing
your　kind　proposal　for　my　niece's　hand。　ListenI　will　be　quite　open
with　you。　I　have　other　views　for　Barbara；　and　as　it　happens　I　have　the
power　to　enforce　them；　or　at　any　rate　to　prevent　their　frustration　by
you。　If　Barbara　marries　against　my　will　before　she　is　five　and　twenty；
that　is　within　the　next　two　years；　her　entire　fortune；　with　the
exception　of　a　pittance；　goes　elsewhere。　This　I　am　sure　is　a　fact　that
will　influence　you；　who　have　nothing　and　even　if　it　did　not；　I　presume
that　you　are　scarcely　so　selfish　as　to　wish　to　beggar　her。〃

〃No；〃　answered　Alan；　〃you　need　not　fear　that；　for　it　would　be　wrong。　I
understand　that　you　absolutely　refuse　to　sanction　my　suit　on　the
ground　of　my　poverty；　which　under　the　circumstances　is　perhaps　not
wonderful。　Well；　the　only　thing　to　do　is　to　wait　for　two　years；　a　long
time；　but　not　endless；　and　meanwhile　I　can　try　to　better　my　position。〃

〃Do　what　you　will；　Alan；〃　said　Mr。　Haswell　harshly；　for　now　all　his
/faux　bonhomme/　manner　had　gone；　leaving　him　revealed　in　his　true
character　of　an　unscrupulous　tradesman　with　dark　ends　of　his　own　to
serve。　〃Do　what　you　will；　but　understand　that　I　forbid　all
communication　between　you　and　my　niece；　and　that　the　sooner　you　cease
to　trespass　upon　a　hospitality　which　you　have　abused；　the　better　I
shall　be　pleased。〃

〃I　will　go　at　once；〃　said　Alan；　rising；　〃before　my　temper　gets　the
better　of　me　and　I　tell　you　some　truths　that　I　might　regret；　for　after
all　you　are　Barbara's　uncle。　But　on　your　part　I　ask　you　to　understand
that　I　refuse　to　cut　off　from　my　cousin；　who　is　of　full　age　and　has
promised　to　be　my　wife；〃　and　he　turned　to　go。

〃Stop　a　minute；　Alan；〃　said　Barbara；　who　all　this　while　had　sat
silent。　〃I　have　something　to　say　which　I　wish　you　to　hear。　You　told　us
just　now；　uncle；　that　you　have　other　views　for　me；　by　which　you　meant
that　you　wish　me　to　marry　Sir　Robert　Aylward；　whom；　as　you　are
probably　aware；　I　refused　definitely　this　afternoon。　Now　I　wish　to
make　it　clear　at　once　that　no　earthly　power　will　induce　me　to　take　as
a　husband　a　man　whom　I　dislike；　and　whose　wealth；　of　which　you　think
so　much；　has　in　my　opinion　been　dishonestly　acquired。〃

〃What　are　you　saying？〃　broke　in　her　uncle　furiously。　〃He　has　been　my
partner　for　years；　you　are　reflecting　upon　me。〃

〃I　am　sorry；　uncle；　but　I　withdraw　nothing。　Even　if　Alan　here　were
dead；　I　would　not　marry　that　man；　and　perhaps　you　will　make　him
understand　this；〃　she　added　with　emphasis。　〃Indeed　I　had　sooner　die
myself。　You　told　us　also　that　if　I　marry　against　your　will；　you　can
take　away　all　the　property　that　my　father　left　to　me。　Uncle；　I　shall
not　give　you　that　satisfaction。　I　shall　wait　until　I　am　twenty…five
and　do　what　I　please　with　myself　and　my　fortune。　Lastly；　you　said　that
you　forbade　us　to　see　each　other　or　to　correspond。　I　answer　that　I
shall　both　write　to　and　see　Alan　as　often　as　I　like。　If　you　attempt　to
prevent　me　from　doing　so；　I　shall　go　to　the　Court　of　Chancery；　lay　all
the　facts　before　it；　as　I　have　been　advised　that　I　can　donot　by　Alan
please　remember；　/all/　the　facts；　and　ask　for　its　protection　and　for
a　separate　maintenance　out　of　my　estate　until　I　am　twenty…five。　I　am
sure　that　the　Court　would　grant　me　this　and　would　declare　that
considering　his　distinguished　family　and　record　Alan　is　a　perfectly
proper　person　to　be　my　affianced　husband。　I　think　that　is　all　I　have
to　say。〃

〃All　you　have　to　say！〃　gasped　Mr。　Haswell；　〃all　you　have　to　say；　you
impertinent　and　ungrateful　minx！〃　Then　he　fell　into　a　furious　fit　of
rage　and　in　language　that　need　not　be　repeated；　poured　a　stream　of
threats　and　abuse　upon　Alan　and　herself。　Barbara　waited　until　he
ceased　from　exhaustion。

〃Uncle；〃　she　said；　〃you　should　remember　that　your　heart　is　weak　and
you　must　not　overexcite　yourself；　also　when　you　are　calmer；　that　if
you　speak　to　me　like　that　again；　I　sh