tales and fantasies-第31节

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His　father　was　no　society　for　him；　he　must　go　fuddling　with　a

Dutchman；　Nance；　and　now　he's　caught。　　Let　us　pray　he'll　take

the　lesson；'　he　added　more　gravely；　'but　youth　is　here　to

make　troubles；　and　age　to　pull　them　out　again。'



Nance　whimpered　and　recalled　several　episodes　of　Dick's

childhood；　which　moved　Mr。　Naseby　to　blow　his　nose　and　shake

her　hard　by　the　hand；　and　then；　the　horse　arriving

opportunely；　to　get　himself　without　delay　into　the　saddle　and

canter　off。



He　rode　straight；　hot　spur；　to　Thymebury；　where；　as　was　to　be

expected；　he　could　glean　no　tidings　of　the　runaways。　　They

had　not　been　seen　at　the　George；　they　had　not　been　seen　at

the　station。　　The　shadow　darkened　on　Mr。　Naseby's　face；　the

junction　did　not　occur　to　him；　his　last　hope　was　for　Van

Tromp's　cottage；　thither　he　bade　George　guide　him；　and

thither　he　followed；　nursing　grief；　anxiety；　and　indignation

in　his　heart。



'Here　it　is；　sir；'　said　George　stopping。



'What！　on　my　own　land！'　he　cried。　　'How's　this？　　I　let　this

place　to　somebody　…　M'Whirter　or　M'Glashan。'



'Miss　M'Glashan　was　the　young　lady's　aunt；　sir；　I　believe；'

returned　George。



'Ay　…　dummies；'　said　the　Squire。　　'I　shall　whistle　for　my

rent　too。　　Here；　take　my　horse。'



The　Admiral；　this　hot　afternoon；　was　sitting　by　the　window

with　a　long　glass。　　He　already　knew　the　Squire　by　sight；　and

now；　seeing　him　dismount　before　the　cottage　and　come　striding

through　the　garden；　concluded　without　doubt　he　was　there　to

ask　for　Esther's　hand。



'This　is　why　the　girl　is　not　yet　home；'　he　thought：　'a　very

suitable　delicacy　on　young　Naseby's　part。'



And　he　composed　himself　with　some　pomp；　answered　the　loud

rattle　of　the　riding…whip　upon　the　door　with　a　dulcet

invitation　to　enter；　and　coming　forward　with　a　bow　and　a

smile；　'Mr。　Naseby；　I　believe；'　said　he。



The　Squire　came　armed　for　battle；　took　in　his　man　from　top　to

toe　in　one　rapid　and　scornful　glance；　and　decided　on　a　course

at　once。　　He　must　let　the　fellow　see　that　he　understood　him。



'You　are　Mr。　Van　Tromp？'　he　returned　roughly；　and　without

taking　any　notice　of　the　proffered　hand。



'The　same；　sir；'　replied　the　Admiral。　　'Pray　be　seated。'



'No　sir；'　said　the　Squire；　point…blank；　'I　will　not　be

seated。　　I　am　told　that　you　are　an　admiral；'　he　added。



'No　sir；　I　am　not　an　admiral；'　returned　Van　Tromp；　who　now

began　to　grow　nettled　and　enter　into　the　spirit　of　the

interview。



'Then　why　do　you　call　yourself　one；　sir？'



'I　have　to　ask　your　pardon；　I　do　not；'　says　Van　Tromp；　as

grand　as　the　Pope。



But　nothing　was　of　avail　against　the　Squire。



'You　sail　under　false　colours　from　beginning　to　end；'　he

said。　　'Your　very　house　was　taken　under　a　sham　name。'



'It　is　not　my　house。　　I　am　my　daughter's　guest；'　replied　the

Admiral。　　'If　it　WERE　my　house　…　'



'Well？'　said　the　Squire；　'what　then？　hey？'



The　Admiral　looked　at　him　nobly；　but　was　silent。



'Look　here；'　said　Mr。　Naseby；　'this　intimidation　is　a　waste

of　time；　it　is　thrown　away　on　me；　sir；　it　will　not　succeed

with　me。　　I　will　not　permit　you　even　to　gain　time　by　your

fencing。　　Now；　sir；　I　presume　you　understand　what　brings　me

here。'



'I　am　entirely　at　a　loss　to　account　for　your　intrusion；'　bows

and　waves　Van　Tromp。



'I　will　try　to　tell　you　then。　　I　come　here　as　a　father'　…

down　came　the　riding…whip　upon　the　table　…　'I　have　right　and

justice　upon　my　side。　　I　understand　your　calculations；　but

you　calculated　without　me。　　I　am　a　man　of　the　world；　and　I

see　through　you　and　your　manoeuvres。　　I　am　dealing　now　with　a

conspiracy　…　I　stigmatise　it　as　such；　and　I　will　expose　it

and　crush　it。　　And　now　I　order　you　to　tell　me　how　far　things

have　gone；　and　whither　you　have　smuggled　my　unhappy　son。'



'My　God；　sir！'　Van　Tromp　broke　out；　'I　have　had　about　enough

of　this。　　Your　son？　　God　knows　where　he　is　for　me！　　What　the

devil　have　I　to　do　with　your　son？　　My　daughter　is　out；　for

the　matter　of　that；　I　might　ask　you　where　she　was；　and　what

would　you　say　to　that？　　But　this　is　all　midsummer　madness。

Name　your　business　distinctly；　and　be　off。'



'How　often　am　I　to　tell　you？'　cried　the　Squire。　　'Where　did

your　daughter　take　my　son　to…day　in　that　cursed　pony

carriage？'



'In　a　pony　carriage？'　repeated　Van　Tromp。



'Yes；　sir　…　with　luggage。'



'Luggage？'　…　Van　Tromp　had　turned　a　little　pale。



'Luggage；　I　said　…　luggage！'　shouted　Naseby。　　'You　may　spare

me　this　dissimulation。　　Where's　my　son。　　You　are　speaking　to

a　father；　sir；　a　father。'



'But；　sir；　if　this　be　true；'　out　came　Van　Tromp　in　a　new　key；

'it　is　I　who　have　an　explanation　to　demand？'



'Precisely。　　There　is　the　conspiracy；'　retorted　Naseby。

'Oh！'　he　added；　'I　am　a　man　of　the　world。　　I　can　see　through

and　through　you。'



Van　Tromp　began　to　understand。



'You　speak　a　great　deal　about　being　a　father；　Mr。　Naseby；'

said　he；　'I　believe　you　forget　that　the　appellation　is　common

to　both　of　us。　　I　am　at　a　loss　to　figure　to　myself；　however

dimly；　how　any　man　…　I　have　not　said　any　gentleman　…　could　so

brazenly　insult　another　as　you　have　been　insulting　me　since

you　entered　this　house。　　For　the　first　time　I　appreciate　your

base　insinuations；　and　I　despise　them　and　you。　　You　were；　I

am　told；　a　manufacturer；　I　am　an　artist；　I　have　seen　better

days；　I　have　moved　in　societies　where　you　would　not　be

received；　and　dined　where　you　would　be　glad　to　pay　a　pound　to

see　me　dining。　　The　so…called　aristocracy　of　wealth；　sir；　I

despise。　　I　refuse　to　help　you；　I　refuse　to　be　helped　by　you。

There　lies　the　door。'



And　the　Admiral　stood　forth　in　a　halo。



It　was　then　that　Dick　entered。　　He　had　been　waiting　in　the

porch　for　some　time　back；　and　Esther　had　been　listlessly

standing　by　his　side。　　He　had　put　out　his　hand　to　bar　her

entrance；　and　she　had　submitted　without　surprise；　and　though

she　seemed　to　listen；　she　scarcely　appeared　to　comprehend。

Dick；　on　his　part；　was　as　white　as　a　sheet；　his　eyes　burned

and　his　lips　trembled　with　anger　as　he　thrust　the　door

suddenly　open；　introduced　Esther　with　ceremonious　gallantry；

and　stood　forward　and　knocked　his　hat　firmer　on　his　head　like

a　man　about　to　leap。



'What　is　all　this？'　he　demanded。



'Is　this　your　father；　Mr。　Naseby？'　inquired　the　Admiral。



'It　is；'　said　the　young　man。



'I　make　you　my　compliments；'　returned　Van　Tromp。



'Dick！'　cried　his　father；　suddenly　breaking　forth；　'it　is　not

too　late；　is　it？　　I　have　come　here　in　time　to　save　you。

Come；　come　away　with　me　…　come　away　from　this　place。'



And　he　fawned　upon　Dick　with　his　hands。



'Keep　your　hands　off　me；'　cried　Dick；　not　meaning　unkindness；

but　because　his　nerves　were　shattered　by　so　many　successive

miseries。



'No；　no；'　said　the　old　man；　'don't　repulse　your　father；　Dick；

when　he　has　come　here　to　save　you。　　Don't　repulse　me；　my　boy。

Perhaps　I　have　not　been　kind　to　you；　not　quite　considerate；

too　harsh；　my　boy；　it　was　not　for　want　of　love。　　Think　of　old

times。　　I　was　kind　to　you　then；　was　I　not？　　When　you　were　a

child；　and　your　mother　was　with　us。'　　Mr。　Naseby　was

interrupted　by　a　sort　of　sob。　　Dick　stood　looking　at　him　in　a

maze。　　'Come　away；'　pursued　the　father　in　a　whisper；　'you

need　not　be　afraid　of　any　consequences。　　I　am　a　man　of　the

world；　Dick；　and　she　can　have　no　claim　on　you　…　no　claim；　I

tell　you；　and　we'll　be　handsome　too；　Dick　…　we'll　give　them　a

good　round　figure；　father　and　daughter；　and　there's　an　end。'



He　had　been　trying　to　get　Dick　towards　the　door；　but　the

latter　stood　off。



'You　had　better　take　care；　sir；　how　you　insult　that　lady；'

said　the　son；　as　black　as　night。



'You　would　not　choose　between　your　father　and　your　mistress？'

said　the　father。



'What　do　you　call　her；　sir？'　cried　Dick；　high　and　clear。



Forbearance　and　patience　were　not　among　Mr。　Naseby's

qualities。



'I　called　her　your　mistress；'　he　shouted；　'and　I　might　have

called　her　a　…　'



'That　is　an　unmanly　lie；'　replied　Dick；　slowly。



'Dick！'　cried　the　father；　'Dick！'



'I　do　not　care；'　said　the　son；　strengthening　himself　against

his　own　heart；　'I　…　I　have　said　it；　and　it　is　the　truth。'



There　was　a　pause。



'Dick；'　said　the　old　man　at　last；　in　a　voice　that　was　shaken

as　by　a　gale　of　wind；　'I　am　going。　　I　leave　you　with　your

friends；　sir　…　with　your　friends。　　I　came　to　serve　you；　and

now　I　go　away　a　broken　man。　　For　years　I　have　seen　this

coming；　and　now　it　has　come。　　You　never　loved　me。　　Now　you

have　been　the　death　of　me。　　You　may　boast　of　that。　　Now　I

leave　you。　　God　pardon　you。'



With　that　he　was　gone；　and　the　three　who　remained　together

heard　his　horse's　hoofs　descend　the　lane。　　Esther　had　not

made　a　sign　throughout　the　interview；　and　still　kept　silence

now　that　it　was　over；　but　the　Admiral；　who　had　once　or　twice

moved　forward　and　drawn　back　again；　now　advanced　for　good。



'You　are　a　man　of　spirit；　sir；'