the man between-第16节

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hold　the　vote　but　I　thought　it　my　duty　to　uphold　the　Mostyn　banner。　You　know　the　Mostyns　have　always　been　Tories　and　Conservatives。〃

〃Excuse　me；　but　I　am　afraid　I　am　ignorant　concerning　Mostyn　politics。　I　take　little　interest　in　the　English　parties。〃

〃Naturally。　Well；　I　hope　you　will　take　an　interest　in　my　affairs　and　give　me　your　advice　about　the　sale　of　Rawdon　Court。〃

〃I　think　my　advice　would　be　useless。　In　the　first　place；　I　never　saw　the　Court。　My　father　had　an　old　picture　of　it；　which　has　somehow　disappeared　since　his　death；　but　I　cannot　say　that　even　this　picture　interested　me　at　all。　You　know　I　am　an　American；　born　on　the　soil；　and　very　proud　of　it。　Then；　as　you　are　acquainted　with　all　the　ins　and　outs　of　the　difficulties　and　embarrassments；　and　I　know　nothing　at　all　about　them；　you　would　hardly　be　foolish　enough　to　take　my　opinion　against　your　own。　I　suppose　the　Squire　is　in　favor　of　your　buying　the　Court？〃

〃I　never　named　the　subject　to　him。　I　thought　perhaps　he　might　have　written　to　you　on　the　matter。　You　are　the　last　male　of　the　house　in　that　line。〃

〃He　has　never　written　to　me　about　the　Court。　Then；　I　am　not　the　last　male。　From　what　you　say；　I　think　the　Tyrrel…Rawdons　could　easily　supply　an　heir　to　Rawdon。〃

〃That　is　the　thing　to　be　avoided。　It　would　be　a　great　offense　to　the　county　families。〃

〃Why　should　they　be　considered？　A　Rawdon　is　always　a　Rawdon。〃

〃But　a　cotton　spinner；　sir！　A　mere　mill…　owner！〃

〃Well；　I　do　not　feel　with　you　and　the　other　county　people　in　that　respect。　I　think　a　cotton　spinner；　giving　bread　to　a　thousand　families；　is　a　vastly　more　respectable　and　important　man　than　a　fox…hunting；　idle　landlord。　A　mill…owning　Rawdon　might　do　a　deal　of　good　in　the　sleepy　old　village　of　Monk…Rawdon。〃

〃Your　sentiments　are　American；　not　English；　sir。〃

〃As　I　told　you；　we　look　at　things　from　very　different　standpoints。〃

〃Do　you　feel　inclined　to　lift　the　mortgage　yourself；　Judge？〃

〃I　have　not　the　power；　even　if　I　had　the　inclination　to　do　so。　My　money　is　well　invested；　and　I　could　not；　at　this　time；　turn　bonds　and　securities　into　cash　without　making　a　sacrifice　not　to　be　contemplated。　I　confess；　however；　that　if　the　Court　has　to　be　sold；　I　should　like　the　Tyrrel…Rawdons　to　buy　it。　I　dare　say　the　picture　of　the　offending　youth　is　still　in　the　gallery；　and　I　have　heard　my　mother　say　that　what　is　another's　always　yearns　for　its　lord。　Driven　from　his　heritage　for　Love's　sake；　it　would　be　at　least　interesting　if　Gold　gave　back　to　his　children　what　Love　lost　them。〃

〃That　is　pure　sentiment。　Surely　it　would　be　more　natural　that　the　Mostyns　should　succeed　the　Rawdons。　We　have；　as　it　were；　bought　the　right　with　at　least　a　dozen　intermarriages。〃

〃That　also　is　pure　sentiment。　Gold　at　last　will　carry　the　succession。〃

〃But　not　your　gold；　I　infer？〃

〃Not　my　gold；　certainly　not。〃

〃Thank　you　for　your　decisive　words　They　make　my　course　clear。〃

〃That　is　well。　As　to　your　summer　movements；　I　am　equally　unable　to　give　you　advice。　I　think　you　need　the　sea　for　a　month；　and　after　that　McLean's　scheme　is　good。　And　a　return　to　Mostyn　to　look　after　your　affairs　is　equally　good。　If　I　were　you；　I　should　follow　my　inclinations。　If　you　put　your　heart　into　anything；　it　is　well　done　and　enjoyed；　if　you　do　a　thing　because　you　think　you　ought　to　do　it；　failure　and　disappointment　are　often　the　results。　So　do　as　you　want　to　do；　it　is　the　only　advice　I　can　offer　you。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir。　It　is　very　acceptable。　I　may　leave　for　Newport　to…morrow。　I　shall　call　on　the　ladies　in　the　morning。〃

〃I　will　tell　them；　but　it　is　just　possible　that　they；　too；　go　to　the　country　to…morrow；　to　look　after　a　little　cottage　on　the　Hudson　we　occupy　in　the　summer。　Good…by；　and　I　hope　you　will　soon　recover　your　usual　health。〃

Then　the　Judge　lifted　his　hat；　and　with　a　courteous　movement　left　the　room。　His　face　had　the　same　suave　urbanity　of　expression；　but　he　could　hardly　restrain　the　passion　in　his　heart。　Placid　as　he　looked　when　he　entered　his　house；　he　threw　off　all　pretenses　as　soon　as　he　reached　his　room。　The　Yorkshire　spirit　which　Ethel　had　declared　found　him　out　once　in　three　hundred　and　sixty…four　days　and　twenty…three　hours　was　then　in　full　pos…　session。　The　American　Judge　had　disappeared。　He　looked　as　like　his　ancestors　as　anything　outside　of　a　painted　picture　could　do。　His　flushed　face；　his　flashing　eyes；　his　passionate　exclamations；　the　stamp　of　his　foot；　the　blow　of　his　hand；　the　threatening　attitude　of　his　whole　figure　was　but　a　replica　of　his　great…grandfather；　Anthony　Rawdon；　giving　Radicals　at　the　hustings　or　careless　keepers　at　the　kennels　〃a　bit　of　his　mind。〃

〃‘Mostyn；　seems　to　be　the　natural　owner　of　Rawdon！　Rawdon　Court　lies　at　Mostyn's　gate！　Natural　that　the　Mostyns　should　succeed　the　Rawdons！　Bought　the　right　by　a　dozen　intermarriages！'　Confound　the　impudent　rascal！　Does　he　think　I　will　see　Squire　Rawdon　rogued　out　of　his　home？　Not　if　I　can　help　it！　Not　if　Ethel　can　help　it！　Not　if　heaven　and　earth　can　help　it！　He's　a　downright　rascal！　A　cool；　unruffled；　impudent　rascal！〃　And　these　ejaculations　were　followed　by　a　bitter；　biting；　blasting　hailstorm　of　such　epithets　as　could　only　be　written　with　one　letter　and　a　dash。

But　the　passion　of　imprecation　cooled　and　satisfied　his　anger　in　this　its　first　impetuous　outbreak；　and　he　sat　down；　clasped　the　arms　of　his　chair；　and　gave　himself　a　peremptory　order　of　control。　In　a　short　time　he　rose；　bathed　his　head　and　face　in　cold　water；　and　began　to　dress　for　dinner。　And　as　he　stood　before　the　glass　he　smiled　at　the　restored　color　and　calm　of　his　countenance。

〃You　are　a　prudent　lawyer；〃　he　said　sarcastically。　〃How　many　actionable　words　have　you　just　uttered！　If　the　devil　and　Fred　Mostyn　have　been　listening；　they　can；　as　mother　says；　‘get　the　law　on　you'；　but　I　think　Ethel　and　I　and　the　law　will　be　a　match　even　for　the　devil　and　Fred　Mostyn。〃　Then；　as　he　slowly　went　downstairs；　he　repeated　to　himself；　〃Mostyn　seems　to　be　the　natural　owner　of　Rawdon。　No；　sir；　neither　natural　nor　legal　owner。　Rawdon　Court　lies　at　Mostyn　gate。　Not　yet。　Mostyn　lies　at　Rawdon　gate。　Natural　that　the　Mostyns　should　succeed　the　Rawdons。　Power　of　God！　Neither　in　this　generation　nor　the　next。〃

And　at　the　same　moment　Mostyn；　having　thought　over　his　interview　with　Judge　Rawdon；　walked　thoughtfully　to　a　window　and　muttered　to　himself：　〃Whatever　was　the　matter　with　the　old　man？　Polite　as　a　courtier；　but　something　was　wrong。　The　room　felt　as　if　there　was　an　iceberg　in　it；　and　he　kept　his　right　hand　in　his　pocket。　I　be…　lieve　he　was　afraid　I　would　shake　hands　with　himit　is　Ethel；　I　suppose。　Naturally　he　is　disappointed。　Wanted　her　at　Rawdon。　Well；　it　is　a　pity；　but　I　really　cannot！　Oh；　Dora！　Dora！　My　heart；　my　hungry　and　thirsty　heart　calls　you！　Burning　with　love；　dying　with　longing；　I　am　waiting　for　you！〃

The　dinner　passed　pleasantly　enough；　but　both　Ethel　and　Ruth　noticed　the　Judge　was　under　strong　but　well…controlled　feeling。　While　servants　were　present　it　passed　for　high　spirits；　but　as　soon　as　the　three　were　alone　in　the　library；　the　excitement　took　at　once　a　serious　aspect。

〃My　dears；〃　he　said；　standing　up　and　facing　them；　〃I　have　had　a　very　painful　interview　with　Fred　Mostyn。　He　holds　a　mortgage　over　Rawdon　Court；　and　is　going　to　press　it　in　Septemberthat　is；　he　proposes　to　sell　the　place　in　order　to　obtain　his　money　and　the　poor　Squire！〃　He　ceased　speaking；　walked　across　the　room　and　back　again；　and　appeared　greatly　disturbed。

〃What　of　the　Squire？〃　asked　Ruth。

〃God　knows；　Ruth。　He　has　no　other　home。〃

〃Why　is　this　thing　to　be　done？　Is　there　no　way　to　prevent　it？〃

〃Mostyn　wants　the　money；　he　says；　to　invest　in　American　securities。　He　does　not。　He　wants　to　force　a　sale；　so　that　he　may　buy　the　place　for　the　mortgage；　and　then　either　keep　it　for　his　pride；　or　more　likely　resell　it　to　the　Tyrrel…Rawdons　for　double　the　money。〃　Then　with　gradually　increasing　passion　he　repeated　in　a　low；　intense　voice　the　remarks　which　Mostyn　had　made；　and　which　had　so　infuriated　the　Judge。　Before　he　had　finished　speaking　the　two　women　had　caught　his　temper　and　spirit。　Ethel's　face　was　white　with　anger；　her　eyes　flashing；　her　whole　attitude　full　of　fight。　Ruth　was　troubled　and　sorrowful；　and　she　looked　anxiously　at　the　Judge　for　some　solution　of　the　condition。　It　was　Ethel　who　voiced　the　anxiety。　〃Father；〃　she　asked；　〃what　is　to　be　done？　What　can　you　do？〃

〃Nothing；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　Ethel。　My　money　is　absolutely　tied　upfor　this　year；　at　any　rate。　I　cannot　touch　it　without　wronging　others　as　well　as　myself；　nor　yet　without　the　most　ruinous　sacrifice。〃

〃If　I　could　do　anything；　I　would　not　care　at　what　sacrifice。〃

〃You　can　do　all　that　is　necessary；　Ethel；　and　you　are　the　only　person　who　can。　You　have　at　least　eight　hundred　thousand　dollars　in　cash　and　negotiable　securities。　Your　mother's　fortune　is　all　yours；　with　its　legitimate　accruements；　and　it　was　left　at　your　own　disposal　after　your　twenty…first　birthday。　It　has　been　at　your　own　disposal　WITH　MY　CONSENT　since　your　nineteenth　birthday。〃

〃Then；　father；　we　need　not　trouble　about　the　Squire。　I　wish　with　all　my　heart　to　make　his　home　sure　to　him　as　long　as　he　lives。　You　are　a　lawyer；　you　know　what　ought　to　be　done。〃

〃Good　girl！　I