the lion and the unicorn(狮子与独角兽)-第25节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
you about meeting him at Oxford just a few months before his deathat a
children's tea…party？ He was so sweet and understanding with them！
Two women tried to lionize him； and he ran away and played with the
83
… Page 84…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
children。 I was more glad to meet him than any one I can think of。 Not
as a personage； you know； but because I felt grateful to him。〃
〃Yes； that way； distinctly；〃 said Mrs。 Collier。 〃I should have felt that
way towards Mrs。 Ewing more than any one else。〃
〃I know； 'Jackanapes；'〃 remarked Collier； shortly； 〃a brutal assault
upon the feelings； I say。〃
〃Some one else said it before you； Robert；〃 Mrs。 Collier commented；
calmly。 〃Perhaps Sir Charles met him at Apia。〃 They all turned and
looked at him。 He wished he could say he had met him at Apia。 He did
not quite see how they had made their way from a children's tea party at
Oxford to the South Pacific islands； but he was anxious to join in
somewhere with a clever observation。 But they never seemed to settle in
one place sufficiently long for him to recollect what he knew of it。 He
hoped they would get around to the west coast of Africa in time。 He had
been Governor of Sierra Leone for five years。
His success that night at dinner on the yacht was far better。 The
others seemed a little tired after the hours of sight…seeing to which he had
treated them； and they were content to listen。 In the absence of Mr。
Clarges； who knew them word by word； he felt free to tell his three stories
of life at Sierra Leone。 He took his time in the telling； and could
congratulate himself that his efforts had never been more keenly
appreciated。 He felt that he was holding his own。
The night was still and warm； and while the men lingered below at the
table； the two women mounted to the deck and watched the lights of the
town as they vanished one by one and left the moon in unchallenged
possession of the harbor。 For a long time Miss Cameron stood silent；
looking out across the bay at the shore and the hills beyond。 A fish
splashed near them； and the sound of oars rose from the mist that floated
above the water； until they were muffled in the distance。 The palms
along the shore glistened like silver； and overhead the Southern Cross
shone white against a sky of purple。 The silence deepened and continued
for so long a time that Mrs。 Collier felt its significance； and waited for the
girl to end it。
Miss Cameron raised her eyes to the stars and frowned。 〃I am not
84
… Page 85…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
surprised that he is content to stay here；〃 she said。 〃Are you？ It is so
beautiful； so wonderfully beautiful。〃
For a moment Mrs。 Collier made no answer。 〃Two years is a long
time； Florence；〃 she said； 〃and he is all I have； he is not only my only
brother； he is the only living soul who is related to me。
That makes it harder。〃
The girl seemed to find some implied reproach in the speech； for she
turned and looked at her friend closely。 〃Do you feel it is my fault；
Alice？〃 she asked。
The older woman shook her head。 〃How could it be your fault？〃 she
answered。 〃If you couldn't love him enough to marry him； you couldn't；
that's all。 But that is no reason why he should have hidden himself from
all of us。 Even if he could not stand being near you； caring as he did； he
need not have treated me so。 We have done all we can do； and Robert
has been more than fine about it。 He and his agents have written to every
consul and business house in Central America； and I don't believe there is
a city that he hasn't visited。 He has sent him money and letters to every
bank and to every post…office〃
The girl raised her head quickly。
〃but he never calls for either；〃 Mrs。 Collier continued； 〃for I know
that if he had read my letters he would have come home。〃
The girl lifted her head as though she were about to speak； and then
turned and walked slowly away。 After a few moments she returned； and
stood； with her hands resting on the rail； looking down into the water。 〃I
wrote him two letters；〃 she said。 In the silence of the night her voice was
unusually clear and distinct。 〃Iyou make me wonderif they ever
reached him。〃
Mrs。 Collier； with her eyes fixed upon the girl； rose slowly from her
chair and came towards her。 She reached out her hand and touched Miss
Cameron on the arm。
〃Florence；〃 she said； in a whisper； 〃have you〃
The girl raised her head slowly； and lowered it again。 〃Yes；〃 she
answered； 〃I told him to come backto come back to me。 Alice；〃 she
cried； 〃II begged him to come back！〃 She tossed her hands apart and
85
… Page 86…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
again walked rapidly away； leaving the older woman standing motionless。
A moment later； when Sir Charles and Mr。 Collier stepped out upon
the deck； they discovered the two women standing close together； two
white； ghostly figures in the moonlight； and as they advanced towards
them they saw Mrs。 Collier take the girl for an instant in her arms。
Sir Charles was asking Miss Cameron how long she thought an
immigrant should be made to work for his freehold allotment； when Mr。
Collier and his wife rose at the same moment and departed on separate
errands。 They met most mysteriously in the shadow of the wheel…house。
〃What is it？ Is anything wrong with Florence？〃 Collier asked；
anxiously。 〃Not homesick； is she？〃
Mrs。 Collier put her hands on her husband's shoulders and shook her
head。
〃Wrong？ No； thank Heaven！ it's as right as right can be！〃 she cried。
〃She's written to him to come back； but he's never answered； and soand
now it's all right。〃
Mr。 Collier gazed blankly at his wife's upturned face。 〃Well； I don't
see that；〃 he remonstrated。 〃What's the use of her being in love with him
now when he can't be found？ What？ Why didn't she love him two
years ago when he was where you could get at himat her house； for
instance。 He was there most of his time。 She would have saved a lot of
trouble。 However；〃 he added； energetically； 〃this makes it absolutely
necessary to find that young man and bring him to his senses。 We'll
search this place for the next few days； and then we'll try the mainland
again。 I think I'll offer a reward for him； and have it printed in Spanish；
and paste it up in all the plazas。 We might add a line in English； 'She has
changed her mind。' That would bring him home； wouldn't it？〃
〃Don't be unfeeling； Robert；〃 said Mrs。 Collier。
Her husband raised his eyes appealingly； and addressed himself to the
moon。 〃I ask you now；〃 he complained； 〃is that fair to a man who has
spent six months on muleback trying to round up a prodigal brother…in…
law？〃
That same evening； after the ladies had gone below； Mr。 Collier asked
Sir Charles to assist him in his search for his wife's brother； and Sir
86
… Page 87…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
Charles heartily promised his most active co… operation。 There were
several Americans at work in the interior； he said； as overseers on the
coffee…plantations。 It was possible that the runaway might be among
them。 It was only that morning； Sir Charles remembered； that an
American had been at work 〃repairing his lawn…
