the yellow god-第19节

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hung　upon　the　walls　as　those　of　his　own　ancestors；　declaring　that　he
had　brought　in　the　estate　because　he　was　a　relative　of　the　ancient　and
ruined　race。

Well；　it　was　the　way　of　the　world；　and　perhaps　it　must　be　so；　but　the
thought　of　it　made　Alan　Vernon　sad。　If　he　could　have　continued　that
business；　it　might　have　been　otherwise。　By　this　hour　his　late
partners；　Sir　Robert　Aylward　and　Mr。　Champers…Haswell；　were　doubtless
sitting　in　their　granite　office　in　the　City；　probably　in　consultation
with　Lord　Specton；　who　had　taken　his　place　upon　the　Board　of　the　great
Company　which　was　being　subscribed　that　day。　No　doubt　applications　for
shares　were　pouring　in　by　the　early　posts　and　by　telegram；　and　from
time　to　time　Mr。　Jeffreys　respectfully　reported　their　number　and
amount；　while　Sir　Robert　looked　unconcerned　and　Mr。　Haswell　rubbed　his
hands　and　whistled　cheerfully。　Almost　he　could　envy　them；　these　men
who　were　realizing　great　fortunes　amidst　the　bustle　and　excitement　of
that　fierce　financial　life；　whilst　he　stood　penniless　and　stared　at
the　trees　and　the　ewes　which　wandered　among　them　with　their　lambs；　he
who；　after　all　his　work；　was　but　a　failure。　With　a　sigh　he　turned　away
to　fetch　his　cap　and　go　out　walkingthere　was　a　tenant　whom　he　must
see；　a　shifty；　new…fangled　kind　of　man　who　was　always　clamouring　for
fresh　buildings　and　reductions　in　his　rent。　How　was　he　to　pay　for　more
buildings？　He　must　put　him　off；　or　let　him　go。

Just　then　a　sharp　sound　caught　his　ear；　that　of　an　electric　bell。　It
came　from　the　telephone　which；　since　he　had　been　a　member　of　a　City
firm；　he　had　caused　to　be　put　into　Yarleys　at　considerable　expense　in
order　that　he　might　be　able　to　communicate　with　the　office　in　London。
〃Were　they　calling　him　up　from　force　of　habit？〃　he　wondered。　He　went
to　the　instrument　which　was　fixed　in　a　little　room　he　used　as　a　study；
and　took　down　the　receiver。

〃Who　is　it？〃　he　asked。　〃I　am　Yarleys。　Alan　Vernon。〃

〃And　I　am　Barbara；〃　came　the　answer。　〃How　are　you；　dear？　Did　you　sleep
well？〃

〃No；　very　badly。〃

〃NervesAlan；　you　have　got　nerves。　Now　although　I　had　a　worse　day
than　you　did；　I　went　to　bed　at　nine；　and　protected　by　a　perfect
conscience；　slumbered　till　nine　this　morning；　exactly　twelve　hours。
Isn't　it　clever　of　me　to　think　of　this　telephone；　which　is　more　than
you　would　ever　have　done？　My　uncle　has　departed　to　London　vowing　that
no　letter　from　you　shall　enter　this　house；　but　he　forgot　that　there　is
a　telephone　in　every　room；　and　in　fact　at　this　moment　I　am　speaking
round　by　his　office　within　a　yard　or　two　of　his　head。　However；　he
can't　hear；　so　that　doesn't　matter。　My　blessing　be　on　the　man　who
invented　telephones；　which　hitherto　I　have　always　thought　an　awful
nuisance。　Are　you　feeling　cheerful；　Alan？〃

〃Very　much　the　reverse；〃　he　answered；　〃never　was　more　gloomy　in　my
life；　not　even　when　I　thought　I　had　to　die　within　six　hours　of
blackwater　fever。　Also　I　have　lots　that　I　want　to　talk　to　you　about
and　I　can't　do　it　at　the　end　of　this　confounded　wire　that　your　uncle
may　be　tapping。〃

〃I　thought　it　might　be　so；〃　answered　Barbara；　〃so　I　just　rang　you　up
to　wish　you　good…morning　and　to　say　that　I　am　coming　over　in　the　motor
to　lunch　with　my　maid　Snell　as　chaperone。　All　right；　don't
remonstrate；　I　/am　coming/　over　to　lunchI　can't　hear　younever　mind
what　people　will　say。　I　am　coming　over　to　lunch　at　one　o'clock；　mind
you　are　in。　Good…bye；　I　don't　want　much　to　eat；　but　have　something　for
Snell　and　the　chauffeur。　Good…bye。〃

Then　the　wire　went　dead；　nor　could　all　Alan's　〃Hello's〃　and　〃Are　you
there's？〃　extract　another　syllable。

Having　ordered　the　best　luncheon　that　his　old　housekeeper　could
provide　Alan　went　off　for　his　walk　in　much　better　spirits；　which　were
further　improved　by　his　success　in　persuading　the　tenant　to　do　without
the　new　buildings　for　another　year。　In　a　year；　he　reflected；　anything
might　happen。　Then　he　returned　by　the　wood　where　a　number　of　new…
felled　oaks　lay　ready　for　barking。　This　was　not　a　cheerful　sight；　it
seemed　so　cruel　to　kill　the　great　trees　just　as　they　were　pushing
their　buds　for　another　summer　of　life。　But　he　consoled　himself　by
recalling　that　they　had　been　too　crowded　and　that　the　timber　was
really　needed　on　the　estate。　As　he　reached　the　house　again　carrying　a
bunch　of　white　violets　which　he　had　plucked　in　a　sheltered　place　for
Barbara；　he　perceived　a　motor　travelling　at　much　more　than　the　legal
speed　up　the　walnut　avenue　which　was　the　pride　of　the　place。　In　it　sat
that　young　lady　herself；　and　her　maid；　Snell；　a　middle…aged　woman　with
whom；　as　it　chanced；　he　was　on　very　good　terms；　as　once；　at　some
trouble　to　himself；　he　had　been　able　to　do　her　a　kindness。

The　motor　pulled　up　at　the　front　door　and　out　of　it　sprang　Barbara；
laughing　pleasantly　and　looking　fresh　and　charming　as　the　spring
itself。

〃There　will　be　a　row　over　this；　dear；〃　said　Alan；　shaking　his　head
doubtfully　when　at　last　they　were　alone　together　in　the　hall。

〃Of　course；　there'll　be　a　row；〃　she　answered。　〃I　mean　that　there
should　be　a　row。　I　mean　to　have　a　row　every　day　if　necessary；　until
they　leave　me　alone　to　follow　my　own　road；　and　if　they　won't；　as　I
said；　to　go　to　the　Court　of　Chancery　for　protection。　Oh！　by　the　way；　I
have　brought　you　a　copy　of　/The　Judge/。　There's　a　most　awful　article
in　it　about　that　Sahara　flotation；　and　among　other　things　it　announces
that　you　have　left　the　firm　and　congratulates　you　upon　having　done
so。〃

〃They'll　think　I　have　put　it　in；〃　groaned　Alan　as　he　glanced　at　the
head　lines；　which　were　almost　libellous　in　their　vigour；　and　the
summaries　of　the　financial　careers　of　Sir　Robert　Aylward　and　Mr。
Champers…Haswell。　〃It　will　make　them　hate　me　more　than　ever；　and　I
say；　Barbara；　we　can't　live　in　an　atmosphere　of　perpetual　warfare　for
the　next　two　years。〃

〃I　can；　if　need　be；〃　answered　that　determined　young　woman。　〃But　I
admit　that　it　would　be　trying　for　you；　if　you　stay　here。〃

〃That's　just　the　point；　Barbara。　I　must　not　stay　here；　I　must　go　away；
the　further　the　better；　until　you　are　your　own　mistress。〃

〃Where　to；　Alan？〃

〃To　West　Africa；　I　think。〃

〃To　West　Africa？〃　repeated　Barbara；　her　voice　trembling　a　little。
〃After　that　treasure；　Alan？〃

〃Yes；　Barbara。　But　first　come　and　have　your　lunch；　then　we　will　talk。
I　have　got　lots　to　tell　and　show　you。〃

So　they　lunched；　speaking　of　indifferent　things；　for　the　servant　was
there　waiting　on　them。　Just　as　they　were　finishing　their　meal　Jeekie
entered　the　room　carrying　a　box　and　a　large　envelope　addressed　to　his
master；　which　he　said　had　been　sent　by　special　messenger　from　the
office　in　London。

〃What's　in　the　box？〃　asked　Alan；　looking　somewhat　nervously　at　the
envelope；　which　was　addressed　in　a　writing　that　he　knew。

〃Don't　know　for　certain；　Major；〃　answered　Jeekie；　〃but　think　Little
Bonsa；　think　I　smell　her　through　wood。〃

〃Well；　look　and　see；〃　replied　Alan；　while　he　broke　the　seal　of　the
envelope　and　drew　out　its　contents。　They　proved　to　be　sundry　documents
sent　by　the　firm's　lawyers；　among　which　were　a　notice　of　the　formal
dissolution　of　partnership　to　be　approved　by　him　before　it　appeared　in
the　/Gazette/；　a　second　notice　calling　in　a　mortgage　for　fifteen
thousand　and　odd　pounds　on　Yarleys；　which　as　a　matter　of　business　had
been　taken　over　by　the　firm　while　he　was　a　partner；　a　cash　account
showing　a　small　balance　against　him；　and　finally　a　receipt　for　him　to
sign　acknowledging　the　return　of　the　gold　image　that　was　his　property。

〃You　see；〃　said　Alan　with　a　sigh；　pushing　over　the　papers　to　Barbara；
who　read　them　carefully　one　by　one。

〃I　see；〃　she　answered　presently。　〃It　is　war　to　the　knife。　Alan；　I　hate
the　idea　of　it；　but　perhaps　you　had　better　go　away。　While　you　are　here
they　will　harass　the　life　out　of　you。〃

Meanwhile　with　the　aid　of　a　big　jack…knife　and　the　dining…room　poker；
Jeekie　had　prized　off　the　lid　of　the　box。　Chancing　to　look　round
Barbara　saw　him　on　his　knees　muttering　something　in　a　strange　tongue；
and　bowing　his　white　head　until　it　touched　an　object　that　lay　within
the　box。

〃What　are　you　doing；　Jeekie？〃　she　asked。

〃Make　bow　to　Little　Bonsa；　Miss　Barbara；　tell　her　how　glad　I　am　see
her　come　back　from　town。　She　like　feel　welcome。　Now　you　come　bow　too；
Little　Bonsa　take　that　as　compliment。〃

〃I　won't　bow；　but　I　will　look；　Jeekie；　for　although　I　have　heard　so
much　about　it　I　have　never　really　examined　this　Yellow　God。〃

〃Very　good；　you　come　look；　miss；〃　and　Jeekie　propped　up　the　case　upon
the　end　of　the　dining…room　table。　As　from　its　height　and　position　she
could　not　see　its　contents　very　well　whilst　standing　above　it；　Barbara
knelt　down　to　get　a　better　view　of　it。

〃My　goodness！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃what　a　terrible　face；　beautiful　too　in
its　way。〃

Hardly　had　the　words　left　her　lips　when　for　some　reason　unexplained
that　probably　had　to　do　with　the　shifting　of　the　centre　of　gravity；
Little　Bonsa　appeared　to　glide　or　fall　out　of　her　box　with　a　startling
suddenness；　and　project　herself　straight　at　Barbara；　who；　with　a　faint
scream；　fearing　lest　the　precious　thing　should　be　injured；　caught　it
in　her　arms　and　for　a　moment　hugged　it　to　her　breast。

〃Saved！〃　she　exclaimed；　recovering