the dark flower-第42节

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tried　to　paint　herwith　a　red　flower　in　her　hair；　a　pout　on　her
lips；　and　her　eyes　fey；　or　languorous。　　Goya　could　have　painted
her！

And　then；　just　as　he　had　given　her　up；　she　came。

After　taking　one　look　at　his　face；　she　slipped　in　ever　so　quietly；
like　a　very　good　child。　。　。　。　　Marvellous　the　instinct　and　finesse
of　the　young　when　they　are　women！　。　。　。　　Not　a　vestige　in　her　of
yesterday's　seductive　power；　not　a　sign　that　there　had　been　a
yesterday　at　alljust　confiding；　like　a　daughter。　　Sitting　there；
telling　him　about　Ireland；　showing　him　the　little　batch　of　drawings
she　had　done　while　she　was　away。　　Had　she　brought　them　because　she
knew　they　would　make　him　feel　sorry　for　her？　　What　could　have　been
less　dangerous；　more　appealing　to　the　protective　and　paternal　side
of　him　than　she　was　that　morning；　as　if　she　only　wanted　what　her
father　and　her　home　could　not　give　heronly　wanted　to　be　a　sort　of
daughter　to　him！

She　went　away　demurely；　as　she　had　come；　refusing　to　stay　to　lunch；
manifestly　avoiding　Sylvia。　　Only　then　he　realized　that　she　must
have　taken　alarm　from　the　look　of　strain　on　his　face；　been　afraid
that　he　would　send　her　away；　only　then　perceived　that；　with　her
appeal　to　his　protection；　she　had　been　binding　him　closer；　making
it　harder　for　him　to　break　away　and　hurt　her。　　And　the　fevered
aching　began　againworse　than　everthe　moment　he　lost　sight　of
her。　　And　more　than　ever　he　felt　in　the　grip　of　something　beyond
his　power　to　fight　against；　something　that；　however　he　swerved；　and
backed；　and　broke　away；　would　close　in　on　him；　find　means　to　bind
him　again　hand　and　foot。

In　the　afternoon　Dromore's　confidential　man　brought　him　a　note。
The　fellow；　with　his　cast…down　eyes；　and　his　well…parted　hair；
seemed　to　Lennan　to　be　saying：　〃Yes；　sirit　is　quite　natural　that
you　should　take　the　note　out　of　eyeshot；　sirBUT　I　KNOW；
fortunately；　there　is　no　necessity　for　alarmI　am　strictly
confidential。〃

And　this　was　what　the　note　contained：


〃You　promised　to　ride　with　me　onceyou　DID　promise；　and　you　never
have。　　Do　please　ride　with　me　to…morrow；　then　you　will　get　what　you
want　for　the　statuette　instead　of　being　so　cross　with　it。　　You　can
have　Dad's　horsehe　has　gone　to　Newmarket　again；　and　I'm　so
lonely。　　Pleaseto…morrow；　at　half…past　twostarting　from　here。
NELL。〃


To　hesitate　in　view　of　those　confidential　eyes　was　not　possible；　it
must　be　'Yes'　or　'No'；　and　if　'No；'　it　would　only　mean　that　she
would　come　in　the　morning　instead。　　So　he　said：

〃Just　say　'All　right！'〃

〃Very　good；　sir。〃　　Then　from　the　door：　〃Mr。　Dromore　will　be　away
till　Saturday；　sir。〃

Now；　why　had　the　fellow　said　that？　　Curious　how　this　desperate
secret　feeling　of　his　own　made　him　see　sinister　meaning　in　this
servant；　in　Oliver's　visit　of　last　nightin　everything。　　It　was
vilethis　suspiciousness！　　He　could　feel；　almost　see；　himself
deteriorating　already；　with　this　furtive　feeling　in　his　soul。　　It
would　soon　be　written　on　his　face！　　But　what　was　the　use　of
troubling？　　What　would　come；　wouldone　way　or　the　other。

And　suddenly　he　remembered　with　a　shock　that　it　was　the　first　of
NovemberSylvia's　birthday！　　He　had　never　before　forgotten　it。　　In
the　disturbance　of　that　discovery　he　was　very　near　to　going　and
pouring　out　to　her　the　whole　story　of　his　feelings。　　A　charming
birthday　present；　that　would　make！　　Taking　his　hat；　instead；　he
dashed　round　to　the　nearest　flower　shop。　　A　Frenchwoman　kept　it。

What　had　she？

What　did　Monsieur　desire？　　〃Des　oeillets　rouges？　　J'en　ai　de　bien
beaux　ce　soir。〃

Nonot　those。　　White　flowers！

〃Une　belle　azalee？〃

Yes；　that　would　doto　be　sent　at　onceat　once！

Next　door　was　a　jeweller's。　　He　had　never　really　known　if　Sylvia
cared　for　jewels；　since　one　day　he　happened　to　remark　that　they
were　vulgar。　　And　feeling　that　he　had　fallen　low　indeed；　to　be
trying　to　atone　with　some　miserable　gewgaw　for　never　having　thought
of　her　all　day；　because　he　had　been　thinking　of　another；　he　went　in
and　bought　the　only　ornament　whose　ingredients　did　not　make　his
gorge　rise；　two　small　pear…shaped　black　pearls；　one　at　each　end　of
a　fine　platinum　chain。　　Coming　out　with　it；　he　noticed　over　the
street；　in　a　clear　sky　fast　deepening　to　indigo；　the　thinnest　slip
of　a　new　moon；　like　a　bright　swallow；　with　wings　bent　back；　flying
towards　the　ground。　　That　meantfine　weather！　　If　it　could　only　be
fine　weather　in　his　heart！　　And　in　order　that　the　azalea　might
arrive　first；　he　walked　up　and　down　the　Square　which　he　and　Oliver
had　patrolled　the　night　before。

When　he　went　in；　Sylvia　was　just　placing　the　white　azalea　in　the
window　of　the　drawing…room；　and　stealing　up　behind　her　he　clasped
the　little　necklet　round　her　throat。　　She　turned　round　and　clung　to
him。　　He　could　feel　that　she　was　greatly　moved。　　And　remorse
stirred　and　stirred　in　him　that　he　was　betraying　her　with　his　kiss。

But；　even　while　he　kissed　her；　he　was　hardening　his　heart。


XI


Next　day；　still　following　the　lead　of　her　words　about　fresh　air　and
his　tired　look；　he　told　her　that　he　was　going　to　ride；　and　did　not
say　with　whom。　　After　applauding　his　resolution；　she　was　silent　for
a　littlethen　asked：

〃Why　don't　you　ride　with　Nell？〃

He　had　already　so　lost　his　dignity；　that　he　hardly　felt　disgraced
in　answering：

〃It　might　bore　her！〃

〃Oh；　no；　it　wouldn't　bore　her。〃

Had　she　meant　anything　by　that？　　And　feeling　as　if　he　were　fencing
with　his　own　soul；　he　said：

〃Very　well；　I　will。〃

He　had　perceived　suddenly　that　he　did　not　know　his　wife；　having
always　till　now　believed　that　it　was　she　who　did　not　quite　know
him。

If　she　had　not　been　out　at　lunch…time；　he　would　have　lunched　out
himselfafraid　of　his　own　face。　　For　feverishness　in　sick　persons
mounts　steadily　with　the　approach　of　a　certain　hour。　　And　surely
his　face；　to　anyone　who　could　have　seen　him　being　conveyed　to
Piccadilly；　would　have　suggested　a　fevered　invalid　rather　than　a
healthy；　middle…aged　sculptor　in　a　cab。

The　horses　were　before　the　doorthe　little　magpie　horse；　and　a
thoroughbred　bay　mare；　weeded　from　Dromore's　racing　stable。　　Nell；
too；　was　standing　ready；　her　cheeks　very　pink；　and　her　eyes　very
bright。　　She　did　not　wait　for　him　to　mount　her；　but　took　the　aid　of
the　confidential　man。　　What　was　it　that　made　her　look　so　perfect　on
that　little　horseshape　of　limb；　or　something　soft　and　fiery　in
her　spirit　that　the　little　creature　knew　of？

They　started　in　silence；　but　as　soon　as　the　sound　of　hoofs　died　on
the　tan　of　Rotten　Row；　she　turned　to　him。

〃It　was　lovely　of　you　to　come！　　I　thought　you'd　be　afraidyou　ARE
afraid　of　me。〃

And　Lennan　thought：　You're　right！

〃But　please　don't　look　like　yesterday。　　To…day's　too　heavenly。　　Oh！
I　love　beautiful　days；　and　I　love　riding；　and〃　　She　broke　off　and
looked　at　him。　　'Why　can't　you　just　be　nice　to　me'she　seemed　to
be　saying'and　love　me　as　you　ought！'　　That　was　her　powerthe
conviction　that　he　did；　and　ought　to　love　her；　that　she　ought　to
and　did　love　him。　　How　simple！

But　riding；　too；　is　a　simple　passion；　and　simple　passions　distract
each　other。　　It　was　a　treat　to　be　on　that　bay　mare。　　Who　so　to　be
trusted　to　ride　the　best　as　Johnny　Dromore？

At　the　far　end　of　the　Row　she　cried　out：　〃Let's　go　on　to　Richmond
now；〃　and　trotted　off　into　the　road；　as　if　she　knew　she　could　do
with　him　what　she　wished。　　And；　following　meekly；　he　asked　himself：
Why？　　What　was　there　in　her　to　make　up　to　him　for　all　that　he　was
losinghis　power　of　work；　his　dignity；　his　self…respect？　　What　was
there？　　Just　those　eyes；　and　lips；　and　hair？

And　as　if　she　knew　what　he　was　thinking；　she　looked　round　and
smiled。

So　they　jogged　on　over　the　Bridge　and　across　Barnes　Common　into
Richmond　Park。

But　the　moment　they　touched　turf；　with　one　look　back　at　him；　she
was　off。　　Had　she　all　the　time　meant　to　give　him　this　breakneck
chaseor　had　the　loveliness　of　that　Autumn　day　gone　to　her　head
blue　sky　and　coppery　flames　of　bracken　in　the　sun；　and　the　beech
leaves　and　the　oak　leaves；　pure　Highland　colouring　come　South　for
once。

When　in　the　first　burst　he　had　tested　the　mare's　wind；　this　chase
of　her；　indeed；　was　sheer　delight。　　Through　glades；　over　fallen
tree…trunks；　in　bracken　up　to　the　hocks；　out　across　the　open；　past
a　herd　of　amazed　and　solemn　deer；　over　rotten　ground　all　rabbit…
burrows；　till　just　as　he　thought　he　was　up　to　her；　she　slipped　away
by　a　quick　turn　round　trees。　　Mischief　incarnate；　but　something
deeper　than　mischief；　too！　　He　came　up　with　her　at　last；　and　leaned
over　to　seize　her　rein。　　With　a　cut　of　her　whip　that　missed　his
hand　by　a　bare　inch；　and　a　wrench；　she　made　him　shoot　past；　wheeled
in　her　tracks；　and　was　off　again　like　an　arrow；　back　amongst　the
treeslying　right　forward　under　the　boughs；　along　the　neck　of　her
little　horse。　　Then　out　from　amongst　the　trees　she　shot　downhill。
Right　down　she　went；　full　tilt；　and　after　her　went　Lennan；　lying
back；　and　expecting　the　bay　mare　to　come　down　at　every　stride。
This　was　her　idea　of　fun！　　She　switched　round　at　the　bottom　and
went　galloping　along　the　foot　of　the　hill；　and　he　thought：　Now　I've
got　her！　　She　could　not　break　back　up　that　hill；　and　there　was　no
other　cover　for　fully　half　a　mile。

Then