on the firing line-第39节

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The　shock　came　so　suddenly　that　neither　of　them　had　an　opportunity　to　prepare　to　resist　it。　It　was　Weldon　who　spoke　first；　however；　and　his　voice　was　level；　for　he　was　generous　enough　to　take　none　of　the　advantage　which　so　plainly　was　all　upon　his　side。

〃Miss　Dent　and　I　are　old　acquaintances；〃　he　said　quietly。

Fortunately　the　captain　was　garrulous。

〃Another　proof　of　the　smallness　of　the　world；〃　he　said　jovially。　〃In　time；　I　shall　learn　the　futility　of　introductions。　One　is　always　pointing　out　next…door　neighbors　to　each　other's　notice。　By　the　way；　Weldon；　didn't　you　know　Frazer　rather　well？　I　used　to　meet　him　at　your　house　so　often；　Miss　Dent。〃

Ethel's　fingers　shut　upon　the　sticks　of　her　fan。

〃Yes；〃　she　assented。　〃Captain　Frazer　was　one　of　our　best　friends。〃

All　at　once；　the　face　of　the　young　captain　grew　grave。

〃I　remember　now；〃　he　said　quite　slowly。　〃But　his　loss　was　a　sorrow　to　us　all。　His　place　can　never　be　entirely　filled。〃

There　came　a　momentary　pause。　Then；　as　the　captain's　broad　shoulders　vanished　in　the　heart　of　the　crowd；　Weldon　turned　and　looked　Ethel　squarely　between　the　eyes。

〃Believe　me；　Miss　Dent；〃　he　said　simply；　〃this　is　none　of　my　doing。〃

She　made　no　pretence　of　misunderstanding　him。　Instead　of　that；　her　quiet　voice　was　full　of　bitterness；　as　she　gave　brief　answer；　〃Quite　obviously；　Mr。　Weldon。〃

〃Thank　you　for　doing　me　that　justice；〃　he　said；　after　an　instant　when　their　meeting　eyes　flashed　like　meeting　blades　of　steel。　〃Stuart　had　no　notion　that　he　was　making　a　mess　of　things。〃

She　faced　him　a　little　proudly。

〃I　am　unable　to　see　what　mess　he　can　have　made；　Mr。　Weldon。　It　is　always　a　pleasure　to　meet　an　old　acquaintance。〃

Few　things　could　have　hurt　him　more　than　the　icy　conventionality　of　her　words。　All　the　gentler　side　of　his　nature　was　crying　out　for　mercy；　but　he　smothered　its　cries　and　faced　her　bravely；　praying　the　while　for　some　one　to　come　to　them　and　end　the　scene。　The　Ethel　Dent　he　had　known　in　the　old　days　had　been　a　woman　of　flesh　and　blood；　this　was　a　statue　of　marble；　polished　and　beautiful；　but　cold　withal。　He　could　only　seek　to　meet　her　with　equal　coldness；　then　make　his　escape　to　nurse　his　wounds　unseen。　Nevertheless；　in　spite　of　his　resolutions　to　the　contrary；　a　sudden　heat　crept　into　his　answering　words；

〃But　I　thought　you　had　annulled　the　acquaintance。〃

She　looked　up　at　him　in　mute　surprise。　Then；　mustering　her　pride；　she　forced　herself　to　smile。

〃I？〃　she　answered　lightly。　〃Oh；　no；　I　am　only　too　proud　to　count　a　V。　C。　among　my　friends。〃

He　waited　until　the　last　word　had　dropped　from　her　lips；　waited　until　the　silence　had　dropped　over　the　last　word。　Then　he　faced　her　yet　once　again。　This　time；　there　was　determination　in　his　eyes；　determination　and　a　great；　indomitable　love。

〃Ethel；〃　he　said　imperiously；　〃for　God's　sake；　stop　fencing　with　me；　and　have　it　out。　Remember　it　is　now；　or　never。〃

The　color　mounted　swiftly　across　her　face；　then　faded；　and　even　to　her　own　ears　her　laugh　failed　to　ring　true。

〃I　am　sorry；　but　I　fear　it　is　impossible。　Here　comes　Colonel　Andersen　for　his　dance。〃

Weldon　faced　about。

〃Colonel　Andersen；　Miss　Dent　is　longing　for　an　ice；〃　he　said；　with　a　sudden　masterful　quietness。　〃May　I　take　a　convalescent's　privilege　and　ask　you　to　bring　it　to　her？〃　Then　he　turned　back　to　Ethel。　〃Come；〃　he　bade　her。

〃Where？〃　she　protested；　but　she　yielded　to　his　stronger　will　and　followed　him　across　the　floor　towards　a　deserted　corner　of　the　room。

〃Anywhere；　where　we　can　talk　for　a　moment；〃　he　answered　her；　with　the　same　dominant　quietness。　Then；　while　they　halted　beside　an　open　window；　he　bent　forward　and　laid　his　hand　upon　hers；　as　it　rested　upon　the　sill。　〃Ethel；〃　he　added；　〃I　am　going　home；　next　week。　I　may　never　see　South　Africa　again。　Before　I　go〃

Quietly　she　withdrew　her　hand。　〃Before　you　go；　you　will　come　to　say　good　by　to　my　mother；　I　hope；〃　she　said；　with　a　steadiness　which　gave　no　hint　of　the　tears　behind　her　lowered　lids。

Impatiently　he　brushed　her　words　aside。

〃That　is　for　you　to　say。　First　of　all；　I　must　know　one　thing。〃

Her　nerve　was　failing　fast；　but　she　still　held　to　her　resolve　that　he　should　gain　no　hint　of　her　weakness。　She　drew　back　a　step；　as　if　his　vehemence　terrified　her；　yet　she　dared　not　raise　her　eyes　to　his。　It　was　all　she　could　do　to　hold　her　voice　in　subjection。

〃And　what　is　that？〃　she　asked。

He　waited　for　an　instant；　before　he　answered　her　question。　Her　next　words　might　contain　all；　or　nothing。　His　lips　shut　to　a　narrow　line；　then　he　straightened　his　shoulders。

〃Ethel；〃　he　said　rapidly；　〃I　have　been　in　a　good　many　fights；　I've　found　that　it　hurts　more　to　be　mangled　than　it　does　to　be　killed。　Speak　out；　then；　and　end　this　thing　once　for　all。　Was　it　final；　what　you　said　to　the　Captain；　that　day？〃

She　bit　her　lip；　but　her　voice　would　not　come；　and　she　could　only　give　a　little；　dreary　nod。　Weldon　watched　her　steadily　for　a　moment；　then　he　turned　to　go　away。

For　another　moment；　Ethel　stared　after　him；　heedless　now　of　the　drops　that　were　sliding　down　her　cheeks。　Then；　of　a　sudden；　she　found　her　voice。　〃Wait！〃　she　said；　as　she　stepped　forward　with　a　swift　gesture　which　was　wholly　imploring；　wholly　feminine。　〃It　may　have　been　final；　but　finality　is　not　always　truth。〃

He　halted　at　her　words。

〃And　you　mean？〃

〃I　mean；〃　she　answered　him；　〃I　mean　that　then；　and　now；　and　always；　I　loved　one　man；　and　he〃　she　caught　her　breath；　then　she　lifted　her　head　proudly；　〃was　you。　The　rest　was　all　a　mistake；　but　I　did　what　I　thought　was　best。〃

Weldon　bowed　his　head。

〃No　matter　now；〃　he　answered。

Then；　taking　her　hand；　he　led　her　back　to　the　open　window　where　they　stood　together　long；　while；　in　the　room　beyond；　an　anxious　colonel　threaded　his　way　to　and　fro　in　the　crowd；　impatiently　hunting　the　partner　in　whose　memory　he　had　ceased　to　exist。







End