tales and fantasies-第26节

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of　the　hill　towards　the　first　hour　of　evening；　the　sun　was

descending　heaven；　the　colour　had　all　drawn　into　the　west；

the　hills　were　modelled　in　their　least　contour　by　the　soft；

slanting　shine；　and　the　wide　moorlands；　veined　with　glens　and

hazelwoods；　ran　west　and　north　in　a　hazy　glory　of　light。

Then　the　painter　wakened　in　Van　Tromp。



'Gad；　Dick；'　he　cried；　'what　value！'



An　ode　in　four　hundred　lines　would　not　have　seemed　so

touching　to　Esther；　her　eyes　filled　with　happy　tears；　yes；

here　was　the　father　of　whom　she　had　dreamed；　whom　Dick　had

described；　simple；　enthusiastic；　unworldly；　kind；　a　painter

at　heart；　and　a　fine　gentleman　in　manner。



And　just　then　the　Admiral　perceived　a　house　by　the　wayside；

and　something　depending　over　the　house　door　which　might　be

construed　as　a　sign　by　the　hopeful　and　thirsty。



'Is　that；'　he　asked；　pointing　with　his　stick；　'an　inn？'



There　was　a　marked　change　in　his　voice；　as　though　he　attached

importance　to　the　inquiry：　Esther　listened；　hoping　she　should

hear　wit　or　wisdom。



Dick　said　it　was。



'You　know　it？'　inquired　the　Admiral。



'I　have　passed　it　a　hundred　times；　but　that　is　all；'　replied

Dick。



'Ah；'　said　Van　Tromp；　with　a　smile；　and　shaking　his　head；

'you　are　not　an　old　campaigner；　you　have　the　world　to　learn。

Now　I；　you　see；　find　an　inn　so　very　near　my　own　home；　and　my

first　thought　is　my　neighbours。　　I　shall　go　forward　and　make

my　neighbours'　acquaintance；　no；　you　needn't　come；　I　shall

not　be　a　moment。'



And　he　walked　off　briskly　towards　the　inn；　leaving　Dick　alone

with　Esther　on　the　road。



'Dick；'　she　exclaimed；　'I　am　so　glad　to　get　a　word　with　you；

I　am　so　happy；　I　have　such　a　thousand　things　to　say；　and　I

want　you　to　do　me　a　favour。　　Imagine；　he　has　come　without　a

paint…box；　without　an　easel；　and　I　want　him　to　have　all。　　I

want　you　to　get　them　for　me　in　Thymebury。　　You　saw；　this

moment；　how　his　heart　turned　to　painting。　　They　can't　live

without　it；'　she　added；　meaning　perhaps　Van　Tromp　and　Michel

Angelo。



Up　to　that　moment；　she　had　observed　nothing　amiss　in　Dick's

behaviour。　　She　was　too　happy　to　be　curious；　and　his　silence；

in　presence　of　the　great　and　good　being　whom　she　called　her

father；　had　seemed　both　natural　and　praiseworthy。　　But　now

that　they　were　alone；　she　became　conscious　of　a　barrier

between　her　lover　and　herself；　and　alarm　sprang　up　in　her

heart。



'Dick；'　she　cried；　'you　don't　love　me。'



'I　do　that；'　he　said　heartily。



'But　you　are　unhappy；　you　are　strange；　you　…　you　are　not　glad

to　see　my　father；'　she　concluded；　with　a　break　in　her　voice。



'Esther；'　he　said；　'I　tell　you　that　I　love　you；　if　you　love

me；　you　know　what　that　means；　and　that　all　I　wish　is　to　see

you　happy。　　Do　you　think　I　cannot　enjoy　your　pleasures？

Esther；　I　do。　　If　I　am　uneasy；　if　I　am　alarmed；　if　…　。　　Oh；

believe　me；　try　and　believe　in　me；'　he　cried；　giving　up

argument　with　perhaps　a　happy　inspiration。



But　the　girl's　suspicions　were　aroused；　and　though　she

pressed　the　matter　no　farther　（indeed；　her　father　was　already

seen　returning）；　it　by　no　means　left　her　thoughts。　　At　one

moment　she　simply　resented　the　selfishness　of　a　man　who　had

obtruded　his　dark　looks　and　passionate　language　on　her　joy；

for　there　is　nothing　that　a　woman　can　less　easily　forgive

than　the　language　of　a　passion　which；　even　if　only　for　the

moment；　she　does　not　share。　　At　another；　she　suspected　him　of

jealousy　against　her　father；　and　for　that；　although　she　could

see　excuses　for　it；　she　yet　despised　him。　　And　at　least；　in

one　way　or　the　other；　here　was　the　dangerous　beginning　of　a

separation　between　two　hearts。　　Esther　found　herself　at

variance　with　her　sweetest　friend；　she　could　no　longer　look

into　his　heart　and　find　it　written　with　the　same　language　as

her　own；　she　could　no　longer　think　of　him　as　the　sun　which

radiated　happiness　upon　her　life；　for　she　had　turned　to　him

once；　and　he　had　breathed　upon　her　black　and　chilly；　radiated

blackness　and　frost。　　To　put　the　whole　matter　in　a　word；　she

was　beginning；　although　ever　so　slightly；　to　fall　out　of

love。







CHAPTER　VI　…　THE　PRODIGAL　FATHER　GOES　ON　FROM　STRENGTH　TO

STRENGTH







WE　will　not　follow　all　the　steps　of　the　Admiral's　return　and

installation；　but　hurry　forward　towards　the　catastrophe；

merely　chronicling　by　the　way　a　few　salient　incidents；

wherein　we　must　rely　entirely　upon　the　evidence　of　Richard；

for　Esther　to　this　day　has　never　opened　her　mouth　upon　this

trying　passage　of　her　life；　and　as　for　the　Admiral　…　well；

that　naval　officer；　although　still　alive；　and　now　more

suitably　installed　in　a　seaport　town　where　he　has　a　telescope

and　a　flag　in　his　front　garden；　is　incapable　of　throwing　the

slightest　gleam　of　light　upon　the　affair。　　Often　and　often

has　he　remarked　to　the　present　writer：　'If　I　know　what　it　was

all　about；　sir；　I'll　be　…　'　in　short；　be　what　I　hope　he　will

not。　　And　then　he　will　look　across　at　his　daughter's

portrait；　a　photograph；　shake　his　head　with　an　amused

appearance；　and　mix　himself　another　grog　by　way　of

consolation。　　Once　I　heard　him　go　farther；　and　express　his

feelings　with　regard　to　Esther　in　a　single　but　eloquent　word。

'A　minx；　sir；'　he　said；　not　in　anger；　rather　in　amusement：

and　he　cordially　drank　her　health　upon　the　back　of　it。　　His

worst　enemy　must　admit　him　to　be　a　man　without　malice；　he

never　bore　a　grudge　in　his　life；　lacking　the　necessary　taste

and　industry　of　attention。



Yet　it　was　during　this　obscure　period　that　the　drama　was

really　performed；　and　its　scene　was　in　the　heart　of　Esther；

shut　away　from　all　eyes。　　Had　this　warm；　upright；　sullen　girl

been　differently　used　by　destiny；　had　events　come　upon　her

even　in　a　different　succession；　for　some　things　lead　easily

to　others；　the　whole　course　of　this　tale　would　have　been

changed；　and　Esther　never　would　have　run　away。　　As　it　was；

through　a　series　of　acts　and　words　of　which　we　know　but　few；

and　a　series　of　thoughts　which　any　one　may　imagine　for

himself；　she　was　awakened　in　four　days　from　the　dream　of　a

life。



The　first　tangible　cause　of　disenchantment　was　when　Dick

brought　home　a　painter's　arsenal　on　Friday　evening。　　The

Admiral　was　in　the　chimney…corner；　once　more　'sirrupping'

some　brandy　and　water；　and　Esther　sat　at　the　table　at　work。

They　both　came　forward　to　greet　the　new　arrival；　and　the

girl；　relieving　him　of　his　monstrous　burthen；　proceeded　to

display　her　offerings　to　her　father。　　Van　Tromp's　countenance

fell　several　degrees；　he　became　quite　querulous。



'God　bless　me；'　he　said；　and　then；　'I　must　really　ask　you　not

to　interfere；　child；'　in　a　tone　of　undisguised　hostility。



'Father；'　she　said；　'forgive　me；　I　knew　you　had　given　up　your

art　…　'



'Oh　yes！'　cried　the　Admiral；　'I've　done　with　it　to　the

judgment…day！'



'Pardon　me　again；'　she　said　firmly；　'but　I　do　not；　I　cannot

think　that　you　are　right　in　this。　　Suppose　the　world　is

unjust；　suppose　that　no　one　understands　you；　you　have　still　a

duty　to　yourself。　　And；　oh；　don't　spoil　the　pleasure　of　your

coming　home　to　me；　show　me　that　you　can　be　my　father　and　yet

not　neglect　your　destiny。　　I　am　not　like　some　daughters；　I

will　not　be　jealous　of　your　art；　and　I　will　try　to　understand

it。'



The　situation　was　odiously　farcical。　　Richard　groaned　under

it；　he　longed　to　leap　forward　and　denounce　the　humbug。　　And

the　humbug　himself？　　Do　you　fancy　he　was　easier　in　his　mind？

I　am　sure；　on　the　other　hand；　that　he　was　acutely　miserable；

and　he　betrayed　his　sufferings　by　a　perfectly　silly　and

undignified　access　of　temper；　during　which　he　broke　his　pipe

in　several　pieces；　threw　his　brandy　and　water　in　the　fire；

and　employed　words　which　were　very　plain　although　the　drift

of　them　was　somewhat　vague。　　It　was　of　very　brief　duration。

Van　Tromp　was　himself　again；　and　in　a　most　delightful　humour

within　three　minutes　of　the　first　explosion。



'I　am　an　old　fool；'　he　said　frankly。　　'I　was　spoiled　when　a

child。　　As　for　you；　Esther；　you　take　after　your　mother；　you

have　a　morbid　sense　of　duty；　particularly　for　others；　strive

against　it；　my　dear　…　strive　against　it。　　And　as　for　the

pigments；　well；　I'll　use　them；　some　of　these　days；　and　to

show　that　I'm　in　earnest；　I'll　get　Dick　here　to　prepare　a

canvas。'



Dick　was　put　to　this　menial　task　forthwith；　the　Admiral　not

even　watching　how　he　did；　but　quite　occupied　with　another

grog　and　a　pleasant　vein　of　talk。



A　little　after　Esther　arose；　and　making　some　pretext；　good　or

bad；　went　off　to　bed。　　Dick　was　left　hobbled　by　the　canvas；

and　was　subjected　to　Van　Tromp　for　about　an　hour。



The　next　day；　Saturday；　it　is　believed　that　little

intercourse　took　place　between　Esther　and　her　father；　but

towards　the　afternoon　Dick　met　the　latter　returning　from　the

direction　of　the　inn；　where　he　had　struck　up　quite　a

friendship　with　the　landlord。　　Dick　wondered　who　paid　for

these　excursions；　and