the yellow god-第8节

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soon　as　I　go　down。　This　room　is　like　a　hot…house。〃

〃Yes；　Major；　the　fire　shall　be　extinguished　and　the　sleeping…chamber
ventilated。　The　other　boot；　if　you　please；　Major。〃

〃Jeekie；〃　said　Alan；　〃who　is　stopping　in　this　place？　Have　you　heard？〃

〃I　collected　some　names　on　my　way　upstairs；　Major。　Three　of　the
gentlemen　you　have　never　met　before；　but；〃　he　added　suddenly　breaking
away　from　his　high…flown　book…learned　English；　as　was　his　custom　when
in　earnest；　〃Jeekie　think　they　just　black　niggers　like　the　rest；　thief
people。　There　ain't　a　white　man　in　this　house；　except　you　and　Miss
Barbara　and　me；　Major。　Jeekie　learnt　all　that　in　servant's　hall
palaver。　No；　not　now；　other　time。　Everyone　tell　everything　to　Jeekie；
poor　old　African　fool；　and　he　look　up　an　answer；　'O　law！　you　don't　say
so？'　but　keep　his　eyes　and　ears　open　all　the　same。〃

〃I'll　be　bound　you　do；　Jeekie；〃　replied　Alan；　laughing　again。　〃Well；
go　on　keeping　them　open；　and　give　me　those　trousers。〃

〃Yes；　Major；〃　answered　Jeekie；　reassuming　his　grand　manner；　〃I　shall
continue　to　collect　information　which　may　prove　to　your　advantage；　but
personally　I　wish　that　you　were　clear　of　the　whole　caboodle；　except
Miss　Barbara。〃

〃Hear；　hear；〃　ejaculated　Alan；　〃there　goes　the　gong。　Mind　you　come　in
and　help　to　wait；〃　and　hurrying　into　his　coat　he　departed　downstairs。

The　guests　were　gathered　in　the　hall　drinking　sherry　and　bitters；　a
proceeding　that　to　Alan's　mind　set　a　stamp　upon　the　house。　His　host；
Mr。　Champers…Haswell；　came　forward　and　greeted　him　with　much
affectionate　enthusiasm；　and　Alan　noticed　that　he　looked　very　pale；
also　that　his　thoughts　seemed　to　be　wandering；　for　he　introduced　a
French　banker　to　him　as　a　noted　Jew；　and　the　noted　Jew　as　the　French
banker；　although　the　distinction　between　them　was　obvious　and　the
gentlemen　concerned　evidently　resented　the　mistake。　Sir　Robert
Aylward；　catching　sight　of　him；　came　across　the　hall　in　his　usual；
direct　fashion；　and　shook　him　by　the　hand。

〃Glad　to　see　you；　Vernon；〃　he　said；　fixing　his　piercing　eyes　upon　Alan
as　though　he　were　trying　to　read　his　thoughts。　〃Pleasant　change　this
from　the　City　and　all　that　eternal　business；　isn't　it？　Ah！　you　are
thinking　that　one　is　not　quite　clear　of　business　after　all；〃　and　he
glanced　round　at　the　company。　〃That's　one　of　your　cousin　Haswell's
faults；　he　can　never　shake　himself　free　of　the　thing；　never　get　any
real　recreation。　I'd　bet　you　a　sovereign　that　he　has　a　stenographer
waiting　by　a　telephone　in　the　next　room；　just　in　case　any　opportunity
should　arise　in　the　course　of　conversation。　That　is　magnificent；　but
it　is　not　wise。　His　heart　can't　stand　it；　it　will　wear　him　out　before
his　time。　Listen；　they　are　all　talking　about　the　Sahara。　I　wish　I　were
there；　it　must　be　quiet　at　any　rate。　The　sands　beneath；　the　eternal
stars　above。　Yes；　I　wish　I　were　there；〃　he　repeated　with　a　sigh；　and
Alan　noted　that　although　his　face　could　not　be　more　pallid　than　its
natural　colour；　it　looked　quite　worn　and　old。

〃So　do　I；〃　he　answered　with　enthusiasm。

Then　a　French　gentleman　on　his　left；　having　discovered　that　he　was　the
engineer　who　had　formulated　the　great　flooding　scheme；　began　to
address　him　as　〃Cher　maitre；〃　speaking　so　rapidly　his　own　language
that　Alan；　whose　French　was　none　of　the　best；　struggled　after　him　in
vain。　Whilst　he　was　trying　to　answer　a　question　which　he　did　not
understand；　the　door　at　the　end　of　the　hall　opened；　and　through　it
appeared　Barbara　Champers。

It　was　a　large　hall　and　she　was　a　long　way　off；　which　caused　her　to
look　small；　who　indeed　was　only　of　middle　height。　Yet　even　at　that
distance　it　was　impossible　to　mistake　the　dignity　of　her　appearance。　A
slim　woman　with　brown　hair；　cheerful　brown　eyes；　a　well…modelled　face；
a　rounded　figure　and　an　excellent　complexion；　such　was　Barbara。　Ten
thousand　young　ladies　could　be　found　as　good；　or　even　better　looking；
yet　something　about　her　differentiated　her　from　the　majority　of　her
sex。　There　was　determination　in　her　step；　and　overflowing　health　and
vigour　in　her　every　movement。　Her　eyes　had　a　trick　of　looking　straight
into　any　other　eyes　they　met；　not　boldly；　but　with　a　kind　of　virginal
fearlessness　and　enterprise　that　people　often　found　embarrassing。
Indeed　she　was　extremely　virginal　and　devoid　of　the　usual　fringe　of
feminine　airs　and　graces；　a　nymph　of　the　woods　and　waters；　who
although　she　was　three　and　twenty；　as　yet　recked　little　of　men　save　as
companions　whom　she　liked　or　disliked　according　to　her　instincts。　For
the　rest　she　was　sweetly　dressed　in　a　white　robe　with　silver　on　it；
and　wore　no　ornaments　save　a　row　of　small　pearls　about　her　throat　and
some　lilies　of　the　valley　at　her　breast。

Barbara　came　straight　onwards；　looking　neither　to　the　right　or　to　the
left；　till　she　reached　her　uncle；　to　whom　she　nodded。　Then　she　walked
to　Alan　and；　offering　him　her　hand；　said：

〃How　do　you　do！　Why　did　you　not　come　over　at　lunch　time？　I　wanted　to
play　a　round　of　golf　with　you　this　afternoon。〃

Alan　answered　something　about　being　busy　at　Yarleys。

〃Yarleys！〃　she　replied。　〃I　thought　that　you　lived　in　the　City　now；
making　money　out　of　speculations；　like　everyone　else　that　I　know。〃

〃Why；　Miss　Champers；〃　broke　in　Sir　Robert　reproachfully；　〃I　asked　you
to　play　a　round　of　golf　before　tea　and　you　would　not。〃

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃because　I　was　waiting　for　my　cousin。　We　are
better　matched；　Sir　Robert。〃

There　was　something　in　her　voice；　usually　so　soft　and　pleasant；　as　she
spoke　these　words；　something　of　steeliness　and　defiance　that　caused
Alan　to　feel　at　once　happy　and　uncomfortable。　Apparently　also　it
caused　Aylward　to　feel　angry；　for　he　flashed　a　glance　at　Alan　over　her
head　of　which　the　purport　could　not　be　mistaken；　though　his　pale　face
remained　as　immovable　as　ever。　〃We　are　enemies。　I　hate　you；〃　said　that
glance。　Probably　Barbara　saw　it；　at　any　rate　before　either　of　them
could　speak　again；　she　said：

〃Thank　goodness；　there　is　dinner　at　last。　Sir　Robert；　will　you　take　me
in；　and；　Alan；　will　you　sit　on　the　other　side　of　me？　My　uncle　will
show　the　rest　their　places。〃

The　meal　was　long　and　magnificent；　the　price　of　each　dish　of　it　would
have　kept　a　poor　family　for　a　month；　and　on　the　cost　of　the　exquisite
wines　they　might　have　lived　for　a　year　or　two。　Also　the　last　were　well
patronized　by　everyone　except　Barbara；　who　drank　water；　and　Alan；　who
since　his　severe　fever　took　nothing　but　weak　whiskey　and　soda　and　a
little　claret。　Even　Aylward；　a　temperate　person；　absorbed　a　good　deal
of　champagne。　As　a　consequence　the　conversation　grew　animated；　and
under　cover　of　it；　while　Sir　Robert　was　arguing　with　his　neighbour　on
the　left；　Barbara　asked　in　a　low　voice：

〃What　is　the　row；　Alan？　Tell　me；　I　can't　wait　any　longer。〃

〃I　have　quarrelled　with　them；〃　he　answered；　staring　at　his　mutton　as
though　he　were　criticizing　it。　〃I　mean；　I　have　left　the　firm　and　have
nothing　more　to　do　with　the　business。〃

Barbara's　eyes　lit　up　as　she　whispered　back：

〃Glad　of　it。　Best　news　I　have　heard　for　many　a　day。　But　then；　may　I
ask　why　you　are　here？〃

〃I　came　to　see　you；〃　he　replied　humbly〃thought　perhaps　you　wouldn't
mind；〃　and　in　his　confusion　he　let　his　knife　fall　into　the　mutton；
whence　it　rebounded；　staining　his　shirt　front。

Barbara　laughed；　that　happy；　delightful　little　laugh　of　hers；
presumably　at　the　accident　with　the　knife。　Whether　or　no　she　〃minded〃
did　not　appear；　only　she　handed　her　handkerchief；　a　costly；　last…
fringed　trifle；　to　Alan　to　wipe　the　gravy　off　his　shirt；　which　he　took
thinking　it　was　a　napkin；　and　as　she　did　so；　touched　his　hand　with　a
little　caressing　movement　of　her　fingers。　Whether　this　was　done　by
chance　or　on　purpose　did　not　appear　either。　At　least　it　made　Alan　feel
extremely　happy。　Also　when　he　discovered　what　it　was；　he　kept　that
gravy…stained　handkerchief；　nor　did　she　ever　ask　for　it　back　again。
Only　once　in　after　days　when　she　happened　to　come　across　it　stuffed
away　in　the　corner　of　a　despatch…box；　she　blushed　all　over；　and　said
that　she　had　no　idea　that　any　man　could　be　so　foolish　out　of　a　book。

〃Now　that　/you/　are　really　clear　of　it；　I　am　going　for　them；〃　she　said
presently　when　the　wiping　process　was　finished。　〃I　have　only
restrained　myself　for　your　sake；〃　and　leaning　back　in　her　chair　she
stared　at　the　ceiling；　lost　in　meditation。

Presently　there　came　one　of　those　silences　which　will　fall　upon
dinner…parties　at　times；　however　excellent　and　plentiful　the
champagne。

〃Sir　Robert　Aylward；〃　said　Barbara　in　that　clear；　carrying　voice　of
hers；　〃will　you；　as　an　expert；　instruct　a　very　ignorant　person？　I　want
a　little　information。〃

〃Miss　Champers；〃　he　answered；　〃am　I　not　always　at　your　service？〃　and
all　listened　to　hear　upon　what　point　their　hostess　desired　to　be
enlightened。

〃Sir　Robert；〃　she　went　on　calmly；　〃everyone　here　is；　I　believe；　what
is　called　a　financier；　that　is　except　myself　and　Major　Vernon；　who
only　tries　to　be　and　will；　I　am　sure；　fail；　since　Nature　made　him
something　else；　a　soldier　andwhat　else　did　Nature　make　you；　Alan？〃

As　he　vouchsafed　no　answer　to　question；　although　Sir　Robert　muttered
an　uncomplimentary　one　between　his　lips　which　Barbara　heard；　or　read；
she