the dark flower-第20节

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had　gone　with　the　Ercotts　to　see　his　'things'；　for　it　was；　of
course；　and　especially　in　those　days；　quite　an　event　to　know　a
sculptorrather　like　having　a　zebra　in　your　park。　　The　Colonel　had
been　delighted　and　a　little　relieved　to　find　that　the　'things'　were
nearly　all　of　beasts　and　birds。　　〃Very　interestin'〃　to　one　full　of
curious　lore　about　such；　having　in　his　time　killed　many　of　them；
and　finding　himself　at　the　end　of　it　with　a　curious　aversion　to
killing　any　morewhich　he　never　put　into　words。

Acquaintanceship　had　ripened　fast　after　that　first　visit　to　his
studio；　and　now　it　was　her　turn　to　be　relieved　that　Mark　Lennan
devoted　himself　almost　entirely　to　beasts　and　birds　instead　of　to
the　human　form；　so…called　divine。　　Ah！　yesshe　would　have
suffered；　now　that　she　loved　him；　she　saw　that。　　At　all　events　she
could　watch　his　work　and　help　it　with　sympathy。　　That　could　not　be
wrong。　。　。　。

She　fell　asleep　at　last；　and　dreamed　that　she　was　in　a　boat　alone
on　the　river　near　her　country　cottage；　drifting　along　among　spiky
flowers　like　asphodels；　with　birds　singing　and　flying　round　her。
She　could　move　neither　face　nor　limbs；　but　that　helpless　feeling
was　not　unpleasant；　till　she　became　conscious　that　she　was　drawing
nearer　and　nearer　to　what　was　neither　water　nor　land；　light　nor
darkness；　but　simply　some　unutterable　feeling。　　And　then　she　saw；
gazing　at　her　out　of　the　rushes　on　the　banks；　a　great　bull　head。
It　moved　as　she　movedit　was　on　both　sides　of　her；　yet　all　the
time　only　one　head。　　She　tried　to　raise　her　hands　and　cover　her
eyes；　but　could　notand　woke　with　a　sob。　。　。　。　　It　was　light。

Nearly　six　o'clock　already！　　Her　dream　made　her　disinclined　to
trust　again　to　sleep。　　Sleep　was　a　robber　nowof　each　minute　of
these　few　days！　　She　got　up；　and　looked　out。　　The　morning　was　fine；
the　air　warm　already；　sweet　with　dew；　and　heliotrope　nailed　to　the
wall　outside　her　window。　　She　had　but　to　open　her　shutters　and　walk
into　the　sun。　　She　dressed；　took　her　sunshade；　stealthily　slipped
the　shutters　back；　and　stole　forth。　　Shunning　the　hotel　garden；
where　the　eccentricity　of　her　early　wandering　might　betray　the
condition　of　her　spirit；　she　passed　through　into　the　road　toward
the　Casino。　　Without　perhaps　knowing　it；　she　was　making　for　where
she　had　sat　with　him　yesterday　afternoon；　listening　to　the　band。
Hatless；　but　defended　by　her　sunshade；　she　excited　the　admiration
of　the　few　connoisseurs　as　yet　abroad；　strolling　in　blue　blouses　to
their　labours；　and　this　simple　admiration　gave　her　pleasure。　　For
once　she　was　really　conscious　of　the　grace　in　her　own　limbs；
actually　felt　the　gentle　vividness　of　her　own　face；　with　its　nearly
black　hair　and　eyes；　and　creamy　skinstrange　sensation；　and　very
comforting！

In　the　Casino　gardens　she　walked　more　slowly；　savouring　the
aromatic　trees；　and　stopping　to　bend　and　look　at　almost　every
flower；　then；　on　the　seat；　where　she　had　sat　with　him　yesterday；
she　rested。　　A　few　paces　away　were　the　steps　that　led　to　the
railway…station；　trodden　upwards　eagerly　by　so　many；　day　after　day；
night　after　night；　and　lightly　or　sorrowfully　descended。　　Above
her；　two　pines；　a　pepper…tree；　and　a　palm　mingled　their　shadeso
fantastic　the　jumbling　of　trees　and　souls　in　this　strange　place！
She　furled　her　sunshade　and　leaned　back。　　Her　gaze；　free　and
friendly；　passed　from　bough　to　bough。　　Against　the　bright　sky；
unbesieged　as　yet　by　heat　or　dust；　they　had　a　spiritual　look；　lying
sharp　and　flat　along　the　air。　　She　plucked　a　cluster　of　pinkish
berries　from　the　pepper…tree；　crushing　and　rubbing　them　between　her
hands　to　get　their　fragrance。　　All　these　beautiful　and　sweet　things
seemed　to　be　a　part　of　her　joy　at　being　loved；　part　of　this　sudden
summer　in　her　heart。　　The　sky；　the　flowers；　that　jewel　of　green…
blue　sea；　the　bright　acacias；　were　nothing　in　the　world　but　love。

And　those　few　who　passed；　and　saw　her　sitting　there　under　the
pepper…tree；　wondered　no　doubt　at　the　stillness　of　this　dame　bien
mise；　who　had　risen　so　early。


V


In　the　small　hours；　which　so　many　wish　were　smaller；　the　Colonel
had　awakened；　with　the　affair　of　the　handkerchief　swelling　visibly。
His　niece's　husband　was　not　a　man　that　he　had　much　liking　fora
taciturn　fellow；　with　possibly　a　bit　of　the　brute　in　him；　a　man　who
rather　rode　people　down；　but；　since　Dolly　and　he　were　in　charge　of
Olive；　the　notion　that　young　Lennan　was　falling　in　love　with　her
under　their　very　noses　was　alarming　to　one　naturally　punctilious。
It　was　not　until　he　fell　asleep　again；　and　woke　in　full　morning
light；　that　the　remedy　occurred　to　him。　　She　must　be　taken　out　of
herself！　　Dolly　and　he　had　been　slack；　too　interested　in　this　queer
place；　this　queer　lot　of　people！　　They　had　neglected　her；　left　her
to。　。　。　　Boys　and　girls！One　ought　always　to　remember。　　But　it　was
not　too　late。　　She　was　old　Lindsay's　daughter；　would　not　forget
herself。　　Poor　old　Lindsayfine　fellow；　bit　too　much；　perhaps；　of
theHuguenot　in　him！　　Queer；　those　throw…backs！　　Had　noticed　in
horses；　time　and　againwhite　hairs　about　the　tail；　carriage　of　the
headskip　generations　and　then　pop　out。　　And　Olive　had　something
of　his　lookthe　same　ivory　skin；　same　colour　of　eyes　and　hair！
Only　she　was　not　severe；　like　her　father；　not　exactly！　　And　once
more　there　shot　through　the　Colonel　a　vague　dread；　as　of　a
trusteeship　neglected。　　It　disappeared；　however；　in　his　bath。

He　was　out　before　eight　o'clock；　a　thin　upright　figure　in　hard
straw　hat　and　grey　flannel　clothes；　walking　with　the　indescribable
loose　poise　of　the　soldier　Englishman；　with　that　air；　different
from　the　French；　German；　what　not；　because　of　shoulders　ever
asserting；　through　their　drill；　the　right　to　put　on　mufti；　with
that　perfectly　quiet　and　modest　air　of　knowing　that；　whatever　might
be　said；　there　was　only　one　way　of　wearing　clothes　and　moving　legs。
And；　as　he　walked；　he　smoothed　his　drooping　grey　moustache；
considering　how　best　to　take　his　niece　out　of　herself。　　He　passed
along　by　the　Terrace；　and　stood　for　a　moment　looking　down　at　the
sea　beyond　the　pigeon…shooting　ground。　　Then　he　moved　on　round
under　the　Casino　into　the　gardens　at　the　back。　　A　beautiful　spot！
Wonderful　care　they　had　taken　with　the　plants！　　It　made　him　think　a
little　of　Tushawore；　where　his　old　friend　the　Rajahprecious　old
rascal！had　gardens　to　his　palace　rather　like　these。　　He　paced
again　to　the　front。　　It　was　nice　and　quiet　in　the　early　mornings；
with　the　sea　down　there；　and　nobody　trying　to　get　the　better　of
anybody　else。　　There　were　fellows　never　happy　unless　they　were
doing　someone　in　the　eye。　　He　had　known　men　who　would　ride　at　the
devil　himself；　make　it　a　point　of　honour　to　swindle　a　friend　out　of
a　few　pounds！　　Odd　place　this　'Monte'sort　of　a　Garden　of　Eden
gone　wrong。　　And　all　the　real；　but　quite　inarticulate　love　of
Nature；　which　had　supported　the　Colonel　through　deserts　and
jungles；　on　transports　at　sea；　and　in　mountain　camps；　awoke　in　the
sweetness　of　these　gardens。　　His　dear　mother！　　He　had　never
forgotten　the　words　with　which　she　had　shown　him　the　sunset　through
the　coppice　down　at　old　Withes　Norton；　when　he　was　nine　years　old：
〃That　is　beauty；　Jack！　　Do　you　feel　it；　darling？〃　　He　had　not　felt
it　at　the　timenot　he；　a　thick…headed；　scampering　youngster。　　Even
when　he　first　went　to　India　he　had　had　no　eye　for　a　sunset。　　The
rising　generation　were　different。　　That　young　couple；　for　instance；
under　the　pepper…tree；　sitting　there　without　a　word；　just　looking
at　the　trees。　　How　long；　he　wondered；　had　they　been　sitting　like
that？　　And　suddenly　something　in　the　Colonel　leaped；　his　steel…
coloured　eyes　took　on　their　look　of　out…facing　death。　　Choking　down
a　cough；　he　faced　about；　back　to　where　he　had　stood　above　the
pigeon…shooting　ground。　。　。　。　　Olive　and　that　young　fellow！　　An
assignation！　　At　this　time　in　the　morning！　　The　earth　reeled。　　His
brother's　childhis　favourite　niece！　　The　woman　whom　he　most
admiredthe　woman　for　whom　his　heart　was　softest。　　Leaning　over
the　stone　parapet；　no　longer　seeing　either　the　smooth　green　of　the
pigeon…shooting　ground；　or　the　smooth　blue　of　the　sea　beyond；　he
was　moved；　distressed；　bewildered　beyond　words。　　Before　breakfast！
That　was　the　devil　of　it！　　Confession；　as　it　were；　of　everything。
Moreover；　he　had　seen　their　hands　touching　on　the　seat。　　The　blood
rushed　up　to　his　face；　he　had　seen；　spied　out；　what　was　not
intended　for　his　eyes。　　Nice　positionthat！　　Dolly；　too；　last
night；　had　seen。　　But　that　was　different。　　Women　might　see　things
it　was　expected　of　them。　　But　for　a　manaa　gentleman！　　The
fullness　of　his　embarrassment　gradually　disclosed　itself。　　His
hands　were　tied。　　Could　he　even　consult　Dolly？　　He　had　a　feeling　of
isolation；　of　utter　solitude。　　Nobodynot　anybody　in　the　world
could　understand　his　secret　and　intense　discomfort。　　To　take　up　a
positionthe　position　he　was　bound　to　take　up；　as　Olive's　nearest
relative　and　protector；　andwhat　was　itchaperon；　by　the　aid　of
knowledge　come　at　in　such　a　way；　however　unintentionally！　　Never　in
all　his　days　in　the　regimentand　many　delicate　matters　affecting
honour　had　come　his　wayhad　he　had　a　thing　like　this　to　deal　with。
Poor　child！　　But　he　had　no　business　to　think　of