the dark flower-第37节

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much。〃

〃I'm　awfully　glad！　　Good…bye。〃

When　he　got　out　into　the　street；　he　felt　terribly　like　a　man　who；
instead　of　having　had　his　sleeve　touched；　has　had　his　heart　plucked
at。　　And　that　warm；　bewildered　feeling　lasted　him　all　the　way　home。

Changing　for　dinner；　he　looked　at　himself　with　unwonted　attention。
Yes；　his　dark　hair　was　still　thick；　but　going　distinctly　grey；
there　were　very　many　lines　about　his　eyes；　too；　and　those　eyes；
still　eager　when　they　smiled；　were　particularly　deepset；　as　if　life
had　forced　them　back。　　His　cheekbones　were　almost　'bopsies'　now；
and　his　cheeks　very　thin　and　dark；　and　his　jaw　looked　too　set　and
bony　below　the　almost　black　moustache。　　Altogether　a　face　that　life
had　worn　a　good　deal；　with　nothing　for　a　child　to　take　a　fancy　to
and　make　friends　with；　that　he　could　see。

Sylvia　came　in　while　he　was　thus　taking　stock　of　himself；　bringing
a　freshly…opened　flask　of　eau…de…Cologne。　　She　was　always　bringing
him　somethingnever　was　anyone　so　sweet　in　those　ways。　　In　that
grey；　low…cut　frock；　her　white；　still　prettiness　and　pale…gold
hair；　so　little　touched　by　Time；　only　just　fell　short　of　real
beauty　for　lack　of　a　spice　of　depth　and　of　incisiveness；　just　as
her　spirit　lacked　he　knew　not　what　of　poignancy。　　He　would　not　for
the　world　have　let　her　know　that　he　ever　felt　that　lack。　　If　a　man
could　not　hide　little　rifts　in　the　lute　from　one　so　good　and　humble
and　affectionate；　he　was　not　fit　to　live。

She　sang　'The　Castle　of　Dromore'　again　that　night　with　its　queer
haunting　lilt。　　And　when　she　had　gone　up；　and　he　was　smoking　over
the　fire；　the　girl　in　her　dark…red　frock　seemed　to　come；　and　sit
opposite　with　her　eyes　fixed　on　his；　just　as　she　had　been　sitting
while　they　talked。　　Dark　red　had　suited　her！　　Suited　the　look　on
her　face　when　she　said：

〃You're　not　to　go！〃　　Odd；　indeed；　if　she　had　not　some　devil　in　her；
with　that　parentage！


V


Next　day　they　had　summoned　him　from　the　studio　to　see　a　peculiar
phenomenonJohnny　Dromore；　very　well　groomed；　talking　to　Sylvia
with　unnatural　suavity；　and　carefully　masking　the　goggle　in　his
eyes！　　Mrs。　Lennan　ride？　　Ah！　　Too　busy；　of　course。　　Helped　Mark
with　hiser　　No！　　Really！　　Read　a　lot；　no　doubt？　　Never　had　any
time　for　readin'　himselfawful　bore　not　having　time　to　read！　　And
Sylvia　listening　and　smiling；　very　still　and　soft。

What　had　Dromore　come　for？　　To　spy　out　the　land；　discover　why
Lennan　and　his　wife　thought　nothing　of　the　word　'outside'whether；
in　fact；　their　household　was　respectable。　。　。　。　　A　man　must　always
look　twice　at　'what…d'you…call…ems；'　even　if　they　have　shared　his
room　at　school！　。　。　。　　To　his　credit；　of　course；　to　be　so　careful
of　his　daughter；　at　the　expense　of　time　owed　to　the　creation　of　the
perfect　racehorse！　　On　the　whole　he　seemed　to　be　coming　to　the
conclusion　that　they　might　be　useful　to　Nell　in　the　uncomfortable
time　at　hand　when　she　would　have　to　go　about；　seemed　even　to　be
falling　under　the　spell　of　Sylvia's　transparent　goodness
abandoning　his　habitual　vigilance　against　being　scored　off　in
life's　perpetual　bet；　parting　with　his　armour　of　chaff。　　Almost　a
relief；　indeed；　once　out　of　Sylvia's　presence；　to　see　that
familiar；　unholy　curiosity　creeping　back　into　his　eyes；　as　though
they　were　hoping　against　parental　hope　to　find　somethinger
amusing　somewhere　about　that　mysterious　Mecca　of　good　timesa
'what…d'you…call…it's'　studio。　　Delicious　to　watch　the　conflict
between　relief　and　disappointment。　　Alas！　no　modelnot　even　a
statue　without　clothes；　nothing　but　portrait　heads；　casts　of
animals；　and　such…like　sobrietiesabsolutely　nothing　that　could
bring　a　blush　to　the　cheek　of　the　young　person；　or　a　glow　to　the
eyes　of　a　Johnny　Dromore。

With　what　curious　silence　he　walked　round　and　round　the　group　of
sheep…dogs；　inquiring　into　them　with　that　long　crinkled　nose　of
his！　　With　what　curious　suddenness；　he　said：　〃Damned　good！　　You
wouldn't　do　me　one　of　Nell　on　horseback？〃　　With　what　dubious
watchfulness　he　listened　to　the　answer：

〃I　might；　perhaps；　do　a　statuette　of　her；　if　I　did；　you　should　have
a　cast。〃

Did　he　think　that　in　some　way　he　was　being　outmanoeuvered？　　For　he
remained　some　seconds　in　a　sort　of　trance　before　muttering；　as
though　clinching　a　bet：

〃Done！　　And　if　you　want　to　ride　with　her　to　get　the　hang　of　it；　I
can　always　mount　you。〃

When　he　had　gone；　Lennan　remained　staring　at　his　unfinished　sheep…
dogs　in　the　gathering　dusk。　　Again　that　sense　of　irritation　at
contact　with　something　strange；　hostile；　uncomprehending！　　Why　let
these　Dromores　into　his　life　like　this？　　He　shut　the　studio；　and
went　back　to　the　drawing…room。　　Sylvia　was　sitting　on　the　fender；
gazing　at　the　fire；　and　she　edged　along　so　as　to　rest　against　his
knees。　　The　light　from　a　candle　on　her　writing…table　was　shining　on
her　hair；　her　cheek；　and　chin；　that　years　had　so　little　altered。　　A
pretty　picture　she　made；　with　just　that　candle　flame；　swaying
there；　burning　slowly；　surely　down　the　pale　waxcandle　flame；　of
all　lifeless　things　most　living；　most　like　a　spirit；　so　bland　and
vague；　one　would　hardly　have　known　it　was　fire　at　all。　　A　drift　of
wind　blew　it　this　way　and　that：　he　got　up　to　shut　the　window；　and
as　he　came　back；　Sylvia　said：

〃I　like　Mr。　Dromore。　　I　think　he's　nicer　than　he　looks。〃

〃He's　asked　me　to　make　a　statuette　of　his　daughter　on　horseback。〃

〃And　will　you？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃If　she's　really　so　pretty；　you'd　better。〃

〃Pretty's　hardly　the　wordbut　she's　not　ordinary。〃

She　turned　round；　and　looked　up　at　him；　and　instinctively　he　felt
that　something　difficult　to　answer　was　coming　next。

〃Mark。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　wanted　to　ask　you：　Are　you　really　happy　nowadays？〃

〃Of　course。　　Why　not？〃

What　else　to　be　said？　　To　speak　of　those　feelings　of　the　last　few
monthsthose　feelings　so　ridiculous　to　anyone　who　had　them　not
would　only　disturb　her　horribly。

And　having　received　her　answer；　Sylvia　turned　back　to　the　fire；
resting　silently　against　his　knees。　。　。　。


Three　days　later　the　sheep…dogs　suddenly　abandoned　the　pose　into
which　he　had　lured　them　with　such　difficulty；　and　made　for　the
studio　door。　　There　in　the　street　was　Nell　Dromore；　mounted　on　a
narrow　little　black　horse　with　a　white　star；　a　white　hoof；　and
devilish　little　goat's　ears；　pricked；　and　very　close　together　at
the　tips。

〃Dad　said　I　had　better　ride　round　and　show　you　Magpie。　　He's　not
very　good　at　standing　still。　　Are　those　your　dogs？　　What　darlings！〃

She　had　slipped　her　knee　already　from　the　pummel；　and　slid　down；
the　sheep…dogs　were　instantly　on　their　hind…feet；　propping
themselves　against　her　waist。　　Lennan　held　the　black　horsea
bizarre　little　beast；　all　fire　and　whipcord；　with　a　skin　like
satin；　liquid　eyes；　very　straight　hocks；　and　a　thin　bang…tail
reaching　down　to　them。　　The　little　creature　had　none　of　those
commonplace　good　looks　so　discouraging　to　artists。

He　had　forgotten　its　rider；　till　she　looked　up　from　the　dogs；　and
said：　〃Do　you　like　him？　　It　IS　nice　of　you　to　be　going　to　do　us。〃

When　she　had　ridden　away；　looking　back　until　she　turned　the　corner；
he　tried　to　lure　the　two　dogs　once　more　to　their　pose。　　But　they
would　sit　no　more；　going　continually　to　the　door；　listening　and
sniffing；　and　everything　felt　disturbed　and　out　of　gear。

That　same　afternoon　at　Sylvia's　suggestion　he　went　with　her　to　call
on　the　Dromores。

While　they　were　being　ushered　in　he　heard　a　man's　voice　rather
high…pitched　speaking　in　some　language　not　his　own；　then　the　girl：

〃No；　no；　Oliver。　　'Dans　l'amour　il　y　a　toujours　un　qui　aime；　et
l'autre　qui　se　laisse　aimer。'〃

She　was　sitting　in　her　father's　chair；　and　on　the　window…sill　they
saw　a　young　man　lolling；　who　rose　and　stood　stock…still；　with　an
almost　insolent　expression　on　his　broad；　good…looking　face。　　Lennan
scrutinized　him　with　interestabout　twenty…four　he　might　be；
rather　dandified；　clean…shaved；　with　crisp　dark　hair　and　wide…set
hazel　eyes；　and；　as　in　his　photograph；　a　curious　look　of　daring。
His　voice；　when　he　vouchsafed　a　greeting；　was　rather　high　and　not
unpleasant；　with　a　touch　of　lazy　drawl。

They　stayed　but　a　few　minutes；　and　going　down　those　dimly　lighted
stairs　again；　Sylvia　remarked：

〃How　prettily　she　said　good…byeas　if　she　were　putting　up　her　face
to　be　kissed！　　I　think　she's　lovely。　　So　does　that　young　man。　　They
go　well　together。〃

Rather　abruptly　Lennan　answered：

〃Ah！　　I　suppose　they　do。〃


VI


She　came　to　them　often　after　that；　sometimes　alone；　twice　with
Johnny　Dromore；　sometimes　with　young　Oliver；　who；　under　Sylvia's
spell；　soon　lost　his　stand…off　air。　　And　the　statuette　was　begun。
Then　came　Spring　in　earnest；　and　that　real　business　of　lifethe
racing　of　horses　'on　the　flat；'　when　Johnny　Dromore's　genius　was　no
longer　hampered　by　the　illegitimate　risks　of　'jumpin'。'　　He　came　to
dine　with　them　the　day　before　the　first　Newmarket　meeting。　　He　had
a　soft　spot　for　Sylvia；　always　saying　to　Lennan　as　he　went　away：
〃Charmin'　womanyour　wife！〃　　She；　too；　had　a　soft　spot　for　him；
having　fathomed　the　utter　helplessness　of　this　worldling's　wisdom；
and　thinking　him　pathetic。

After　he　was　gone　that　evening；　she　said：

〃Ought　we　to　have　Nell　to　stay　with　us　while