the ninth vibration-第12节

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f　the　loveliness　that　lay　beyond　me。　So　might　a　man　love　a　king's　daughter　in　her　hopeless　heights。

〃It　may　be　very　beautiful　on　the　surface；〃　I　said　morosely；　〃but　there's　a　lot　of　misery　below　…　hateful；　they　tell　me。〃

〃Of　course。　We　shall　get　to　work　one　day。　But　look　at　the　sunset。　It　opens　like　a　mysterious　flower。　I　must　take　Winifred　home　now。〃

〃One　moment；〃　I　pleaded；　〃I　can　only　see　it　through　your　eyes。　I　feel　it　while　you　speak；　and　then　the　good　minute　goes。〃

She　laughed。

〃And　so　must　I。　Come；　Winifred。　Look；　there's　an　owl；　not　like　the　owls　in　the　summer　dark　in　England…

　〃Lovely　are　the　curves　of　the　white　owl　sweeping；　　Wavy　in　the　dark；　lit　by　one　low　star。〃

Suddenly　she　turned　again　and　looked　at　me　half　wistfully。

〃It　is　good　to　talk　to　you。　You　want　to　know。　You　are　so　near　it　all。　I　wish　I　could　help　you；　I　am　so　exquisitely　happy　myself。〃

My　writing　was　at　a　standstill。　It　seemed　the　groping　of　a　blind　man　in　a　radiant　world。　Once　perhaps　I　had　felt　that　life　was　good　in　itself　…　when　the　guns　came　thundering　toward　the　Vimy　Ridge　in　a　mad　gallop　of　horses；　and　men　shouting　and　swearing　and　frantically　urging　them　on。　Then；　riding　for　more　than　life；　I　had　tasted　life　for　an　instant。　Not　before　or　since。　But　this　woman　had　the　secret。

Lady　Meryon；　with　her　escort　of　girls　and　subalterns；　came　daintily　past　the　hotel　compound；　and　startled　me　from　my　brooding　with　her　pretty　silvery　voice。

〃Dreaming；　Mr。　Clifden？　It　isn't　at　all　wholesome　to　dream　in　the　East。　Come　and　dine　with　us　tomorrow。　A　tiny　dance　afterwards；　you　know；　or　bridge　for　those　who　like　it。〃

I　had　not　the　faintest　notion　whether　governesses　dined　with　the　family　or　came　in　afterward　with　the　coffee；　but　it　was　a　sporting　chance；　and　I　took　it。

Then　Sir　John　came　up　and　joined　us。

〃You　can't　well　dance　tomorrow；　Kitty；〃　he　said　to　his　wife。　〃There's　been　an　outpost　affair　in　the　Swat　Hills；　and　young　Fitzgerald　has　been　shot。　Come　to　dinner　of　course；　Clifden。　Glad　to　see　you。　But　no　dancing；　I　think。〃

Kitty　Meryon's　mouth　drooped　like　a　pouting　child's。　Was　it　for　the　lost　dance；　or　the　lost　soldier　lying　out　on　the　hills　in　the　dying　sunset。　Who　could　tell？　In　either　case　it　was　pretty　enough　for　the　illustrated　papers。

〃How　sad！　Such　a　dear　boy。　We　shall　miss　him　at　tennis。〃　Then　brightly；　〃Well；　we'll　have　to　put　the　dance　off　for　a　week；　but　come　tomorrow　anyhow。〃



II　


Next　evening　I　went　into　Lady　Meryon's　flower…scented　drawing…room。　The　electric　fans　were　fluttering　and　the　evening　air　was　cool。　Five　or　six　pretty　girls　and　as　many　men　made　up　the　party　…　Kitty　Meryon　the　prettiest　of　them　all；　fashionably　undressed　in　faint　pink　and　crystal；　with　a　charming　smile　in　readiness；　all　her　gay　little　flags　flying　in　the　rich　man's　honour。　I　am　no　vainer　than　other　men；　but　I　saw　that。　Whatever　her　charm　might　be　it　was　none　for　me。　What　could　I　say　to　interest　her　who　lived　in　her　foolish　little　world　as　one　shut　in　a　bright　bubble？　And　she　had　said　the　wrong　word　about　young　Fitzgerald　…　I　wanted　Vanna；　with　her　deep　seeing　eyes；　to　say　the　right　one　and　adjust　those　cruel　values。

Governesses　dine；　it　appeared；　only　to　fill　an　unexpected　place；　or　make　a　decorous　entry　afterward；　to　play　accompaniments。　Fortunately　Kitty　Meryon　sang；　in　a　pinched　little　soprano；　not　nearly　so　pretty　as　her　silver　ripple　of　talk。

It　was　when　the　party　had　settled　down　to　bridge　and　I　was　standing　out；　that　I　ventured　to　go　up　to　her　as　she　sat　knitting　by　a　window　…　not　unwatched　by　the　quick　flash　of　Lady　Meryon's　eyes　as　I　did　it。

〃I　think　you　hypnotize　me；　Miss　Loring。　When　I　hear　anything　I　straightway　want　to　know　what　you　will　say。　Have　you　heard　of　Fitzgerald's　death？〃

〃That　is　why　we　are　not　dancing　tonight。　Tomorrow　the　cable　will　reach　his　home　in　England。　He　was　an　only　child；　and　they　are　the　great　people　of　the　village　where　we　are　the　little　people。　I　knew　his　mother　as　one　knows　a　great　lady　who　is　kind　to　all　the　village　folk。　It　may　kill　her。　It　is　travelling　tonight　like　a　bullet　to　her　heart；　and　she　does　not　know。〃

〃His　father？〃

〃A　brave　man　…　a　soldier　himself。　He　will　know　it　was　a　good　death　and　that　Harry　would　not　fail。　He　did　not　at　Ypres。　He　would　not　here。　But　all　joy　and　hope　will　be　dead　in　that　house　tomorrow。〃

〃And　what　do　you　think？〃

〃I　am　not　sorry　for　Harry；　if　you　mean　that。　He　knew　…　we　all　know　…　that　he　was　on　guard　here　holding　the　outposts　against　blood　and　treachery　and　terrible　things　…　playing　the　Great　Game。　One　never　loses　at　that　game　if　one　plays　it　straight；　and　I　am　sure　that　at　the　last　it　was　joy　he　felt　and　not　fear。　He　has　not　lost。　Did　you　notice　in　the　church　a　niche　before　every　soldier's　seat　to　hold　his　loaded　gun？　And　the　tablets　on　the　walls；　〃Killed　at　Kabul　River；　aged　22。〃　…　〃Killed　on　outpost　duty。〃　…　〃Murdered　by　an　Afghan　fanatic。〃　This　will　be　one　memory　more。　Why　be　sorry。〃

Presently：…

〃I　am　going　up　to　the　hills　tomorrow；　to　the　Malakhand　Fort；　with　Mrs。　Delany；　Lady　Meryon's　aunt；　and　we　shall　see　the　wonderful　Tahkt…i…Bahi　Monastery　on　the　way。　You　should　do　that　run　before　you　go。　The　fort　is　the　last　but　one　on　the　way　to　Chitral；　and　beyond　that　the　road　is　so　beset　that　only　soldiers　may　go　farther；　and　indeed　the　regiments　escort　each　other　up　and　down。　But　it　is　an　early　start；　for　we　must　be　back　in　Peshawar　at　six　for　fear　of　raiding　natives。〃

〃I　know；　they　hauled　me　up　in　the　dusk　the　other　day；　and　told　me　I　should　be　swept　off　to　the　hills　if　I　fooled　about　after　dusk。　But　I　say　…　is　it　safe　for　you　to　go？　You　ought　to　have　a　man。　Could　I　go　too？〃

I　thought　she　did　not　look　enthusiastic　at　the　proposal。

〃Ask。　You　know　I　settle　nothing。　I　go　where　I　am　sent。〃　She　said　it　with　the　happiest　smile。　I　knew　they　could　send　her　nowhere　that　she　would　not　find　joy。　I　thought　her　mere　presence　must　send　the　vibrations　of　happiness　through　the　household。　Yet　again　…　why？　For　where　there　is　no　receiver　the　current　speaks　in　vain；　and　for　an　instant　I　seemed　to　see　the　air　full　of　messages　…　of　speech　striving　to　utter　its　passionate　truths　to　deaf　ears　stopped　for　ever　against　the　breaking　waves　of　sound。　But　Vanna　heard。

She　left　the　room；　and　when　the　bridge　was　over；　I　made　my　request。　Lady　Meryon　shrugged　her　shoulders　and　declared　it　would　be　a　terribly　dull　run　…　the　scenery　nothing；　〃and　only〃　（she　whispered）　〃Aunt　Selina　and　poor　Miss　Loring？〃

Of　course　I　saw　at　once　that　she　did　not　like　it；　but　Sir　John　was　all　for　my　going；　and　that　saved　the　situation。

I　certainly　could　have　dispensed　with　Aunt　Selina　when　the　automobile　drew　up　in　the　golden　river　of　the　sunrise　at　the　hotel。　There　were　only　the　driver；　a　personal　servant；　and　the　two　ladies；　Mrs。　Delany；　comely；　pleasant；　talkative；　and　Vanna…

Her　face　in　its　dark　motoring　veil；　fine　and　delicate　as　a　young　moon　in　a　cloud　drift　…　the　sensitive　sweet　mouth　that　had　quivered　a　little　when　she　spoke　of　Fitzgerald　…　the　pure　glance　that　radiated　such　kindness　to　all　the　world。　She　sat　there　with　the　Key　of　Dreams　pressed　against　her　slight　bosom　…　her　eyes　dreaming　above　it。　Already　the　strange　airs　of　her　unknown　world　were　breathing　about　me；　and　as　yet　I　knew　not　the　things　that　belonged　unto　my　peace。

We　glided　along　the　straight　military　road　from　Peshawar　to　Nowshera；　the　gold…bright　sun　dazzling　in　its　whiteness　…　a　strange　drive　through　the　flat；　burned　country；　with　the　ominous　Kabul　River　flowing　through　it。　Military　preparations　everywhere；　and　the　hills　looking　watchfully　down　…　alive；　as　it　were；　with　keen；　hostile　eyes。　War　was　at　present　about　us　as　behind　the　lines　in　France；　and　when　we　crossed　the　Kabul　River　on　a　bridge　of　boats；　and　I　saw　its　haunted　waters；　I　began　to　feel　the　atmosphere　of　the　place　closing　down　upon　me。　It　had　a　sinister　beauty；　it　breathed　suspense；　and　I　wished；　as　I　was　sure　Vanna　did；　for　silence　that　was　not　at　our　command。

For　Mrs。　Delany　felt　nothing　of　it。　A　bright　shallow　ripple　of　talk　was　her　contribution　to　the　joys　of　the　day；　though　it　was；　fortunately；　enough　for　her　happiness　if　we　listened　and　agreed。　I　knew　Vanna　listened　only　in　show。　Her　intent　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　Tahkt…i…Bahi　hills　after　we　had　swept　out　of　Nowshera；　and　when　the　car　drew　up　at　the　rough　track；　she　had　a　strange　look　of　suspense　and　pallor。　I　remember　I　wondered　at　the　time　if　she　were　nervous　in　the　wild　open　country。

〃Now　pray　don't　be　shocked；〃　said　Mrs。　Delany　comfortably；　〃but　you　two　young　people　may　go　up　to　the　monastery；　and　I　shall　stay　here。　I　am　dreadfully　ashamed　of　myself；　but　the　sight　of　that　hill　is　enough　for　me。　Don't　hurry。　I　may　have　a　little　doze；　and　be　all　the　better　company　when　you　get　back。　No；　don't　try　to　persuade　me；　Mr。　Clifden。　It　isn't　the　part　of　a　friend。〃

I　cannot　say　I　was　sorry；　though　I　had　a　moment　of　panic　when　Vanna　offered　to　stay　with　her　…　very　much；　too；　as　if　she　really　meant　it。　So　we　set　out　perforce；　Vanna　leading　steadily；　as　if　she　knew　the　way。　She　never　looked　up；　and　her　wish　for　silence　was　so　evident；　that　I　followed；　lending　my　hand　mutely　when　the　difficulties　obliged　it；　she　accepting　absently；　and　as　if　her　thoughts　were　fa