the research magnificent-第13节

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lluminating　young　man　whom　Lady　Marayne　decided　to　invite　to　Chexington；　into　the　neighbourhood　of　herself；　Sir　Godfrey；　and　her　circle　of　friends。

7

He　was　quite　anxious　to　satisfy　the　requirements　of　Benham's　people　and　to　do　his　friend　credit。　　He　was　still　in　the　phase　of　being　a　penitent　pig；　and　he　inquired　carefully　into　the　needs　and　duties　of　a　summer　guest　in　a　country　house。　　He　knew　it　was　quite　a　considerable　country　house；　and　that　Sir　Godfrey　wasn't　Benham's　father；　but　like　most　people；　he　was　persuaded　that　Lady　Marayne　had　divorced　the　parental　Benham。　　He　arrived　dressed　very　neatly　in　a　brown　suit　that　had　only　one　fault；　it　had　not　the　remotest　suggestion　of　having　been　made　for　him。　　It　fitted　his　body　fairly　well；　it　did　annex　his　body　with　only　a　few　slight　incompatibilities；　but　it　repudiated　his　hands　and　face。　　He　had　a　conspicuously　old　Gladstone　bag　and　a　conspicuously　new　despatch　case；　and　he　had　forgotten　black　ties　and　dress　socks　and　a　hair　brush。　　He　arrived　in　the　late　afternoon；　was　met　by　Benham；　in　tennis　flannels；　looking　smartened　up　and　a　little　unfamiliar；　and　taken　off　in　a　spirited　dog…cart　driven　by　a　typical　groom。　　He　met　his　host　and　hostess　at　dinner。　Sir　Godfrey　was　a　rationalist　and　a　residuum。　　Very　much　of　him；　too　much　perhaps；　had　gone　into　the　acquirement　and　perfect　performance　of　the　caecal　operation；　the　man　one　met　in　the　social　world　was　what　was　left　over。　　It　had　the　effect　of　being　quiet；　but　in　its　unobtrusive　way　knobby。　　He　had　a　knobby　brow；　with　an　air　about　it　of　having　recently　been　intent；　and　his　conversation　was　curiously　spotted　with　little　knobby　arrested　anecdotes。　　If　any　one　of　any　distinction　was　named；　he　would　reflect　and　say；　〃Of　course；ah；　yes；　I　know　him；　I　know　him。　　Yes；　I　did　him　a　little　servicein　‘96。〃　And　something　in　his　manner　would　suggest　a　satisfaction；　or　a　dissatisfaction　with　confidential　mysteries。　He　welcomed　Billy　Prothero　in　a　colourless　manner；　and　made　conversation　about　Cambridge。　　He　had　known　one　or　two　of　the　higher　dons。　　One　he　had　done　at　Cambridge　quite　recently。　　〃The　inns　are　better　than　they　are　at　Oxford；　which　is　not　saying　very　much；　but　the　place　struck　me　as　being　changed。　　The　men　seemed　younger。　。　。　。〃　The　burden　of　the　conversation　fell　upon　Lady　Marayne。　　She　looked　extraordinarily　like　a　flower　to　Billy；　a　little　diamond　buckle　on　a　black　velvet　band　glittered　between　the　two　masses　of　butter…　coloured　hair　that　flowed　back　from　her　forehead；　her　head　was　poised　on　the　prettiest　neck　conceivable；　and　her　shapely　little　shoulders　and　her　shapely　little　arms　came　decidedly　but　pleasantly　out　of　a　softness　and　sparkle　of　white　and　silver　and　old　rose。　　She　talked　what　sounded　like　innocent　commonplaces　a　little　spiced　by　whim；　though　indeed　each　remark　had　an　exploratory　quality；　and　her　soft　blue　eyes　rested　ever　and　again　upon　Billy's　white　tie。　　It　seemed　she　did　so　by　the　merest　inadvertency；　but　it　made　the　young　man　wish　he　had　after　all　borrowed　a　black　one　from　Benham。　　But　the　manservant　who　had　put　his　things　out　had　put　it　out；　and　he　hadn't　been　quite　sure。　　Also　she　noted　all　the　little　things　he　did　with　fork　and　spoon　and　glass。　　She　gave　him　an　unusual　sense　of　being　brightly；　accurately　and　completely　visible。　Chexington；　it　seemed　to　Billy；　was　done　with　a　large　and　costly　and　easy　completeness。　　The　table　with　its　silver　and　flowers　was　much　more　beautifully　done　than　any　table　he　had　sat　at　before；　and　in　the　dimness　beyond　the　brightness　there　were　two　men　to　wait　on　the　four　of　them。　　The　old　grey　butler　was　really　wonderfully　good。　。　。　。　〃You　shoot；　Mr。　Prothero？〃　〃You　hunt；　Mr。　Prothero？〃　〃You　know　Scotland　well；　Mr。　Prothero？〃　These　questions　disturbed　Prothero。　　He　did　not　shoot；　he　did　not　hunt；　he　did　not　go　to　Scotland　for　the　grouse；　he　did　not　belong；　and　Lady　Marayne　ought　to　have　seen　that　he　did　not　belong　to　the　class　that　does　these　things。　〃You　ride　much；　Mr。　Prothero？〃　Billy　conceived　a　suspicion　that　these　innocent　inquiries　were　designed　to　emphasize　a　contrast　in　his　social　quality。　　But　he　could　not　be　sure。　　One　never　could　be　sure　with　Lady　Marayne。　　It　might　be　just　that　she　did　not　understand　the　sort　of　man　he　was。　And　in　that　case　ought　he　to　maintain　the　smooth　social　surface　unbroken　by　pretending　as　far　as　possible　to　be　this　kind　of　person；　or　ought　he　to　make　a　sudden　gap　in　it　by　telling　his　realities。　　He　evaded　the　shooting　question　anyhow。　　He　left　it　open　for　Lady　Marayne　and　the　venerable　butler　and　Sir　Godfrey　and　every　one　to　suppose　he　just　happened　to　be　the　sort　of　gentleman　of　leisure　who　doesn't　shoot。　　He　disavowed　hunting；　he　made　it　appear　he　travelled　when　he　travelled　in　directions　other　than　Scotland。　　But　the　fourth　question　brought　him　to　bay。　　He　regarded　his　questioner　with　his　small　rufous　eye。　〃I　have　never　been　across　a　horse　in　my　life；　Lady　Marayne。〃　〃Tut；　tut；〃　said　Sir　Godfrey。　　〃Why！it's　the　best　of　exercise。　Every　man　ought　to　ride。　　Good　for　the　health。　　Keeps　him　fit。　Prevents　lodgments。　　Most　trouble　due　to　lodgments。〃　〃I've　never　had　a　chance　of　riding。　　And　I　think　I'm　afraid　of　horses。〃　〃That's　only　an　excuse；〃　said　Lady　Marayne。　　〃Everybody's　afraid　of　horses　and　nobody's　really　afraid　of　horses。〃　〃But　I'm　not　used　to　horses。　　You　seeI　live　on　my　mother。　　And　she　can't　afford　to　keep　a　stable。〃　His　hostess　did　not　see　his　expression　of　discomfort。　　Her　pretty　eyes　were　intent　upon　the　peas　with　which　she　was　being　served。　〃Does　your　mother　live　in　the　country？〃　she　asked；　and　took　her　peas　with　fastidious　exactness。　Prothero　coloured　brightly。　　〃She　lives　in　London。〃　〃All　the　year？〃　〃All　the　year。〃　〃But　isn't　it　dreadfully　hot　in　town　in　the　summer？〃　Prothero　had　an　uncomfortable　sense　of　being　very　red　in　the　face。　This　kept　him　red。　　〃We're　suburban　people；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　thoughtisn't　there　the　seaside？〃　〃My　mother　has　a　business；〃　said　Prothero；　redder　than　ever。　〃O…oh！〃　said　Lady　Marayne。　　〃What　fun　that　must　be　for　her？〃　〃It's　a　real　business；　and　she　has　to　live　by　it。　　Sometimes　it's　a　worry。〃　〃But　a　business　of　her　own！〃　　She　surveyed　the　confusion　of　his　visage　with　a　sweet　intelligence。　　〃Is　it　an　amusing　sort　of　business；　Mr。　Prothero？〃　Prothero　looked　mulish。　　〃My　mother　is　a　dressmaker；〃　he　said。　　〃In　Brixton。　　She　doesn't　do　particularly　badlyor　well。　　I　live　on　my　scholarship。　　I　have　lived　on　scholarships　since　I　was　thirteen。　And　you　see；　Lady　Marayne；　Brixton　is　a　poor　hunting　country。〃　Lady　Marayne　felt　she　had　unmasked　Prothero　almost　indecently。　Whatever　happened　there　must　be　no　pause。　　There　must　be　no　sign　of　a　hitch。　〃But　it's　good　at　tennis；〃　she　said。　　〃You　DO　play　tennis；　Mr。　Prothero？〃　〃II　gesticulate；〃　said　Prothero。　Lady　Marayne；　still　in　flight　from　that　pause；　went　off　at　a　tangent。　〃Poff；　my　dear；〃　she　said；　〃I've　had　a　diving…board　put　at　the　deep　end　of　the　pond。〃　The　remark　hung　unanswered　for　a　moment。　　The　transition　had　been　too　quick　for　Benham's　state　of　mind。　〃Do　you　swim；　Mr。　Prothero？〃　the　lady　asked；　though　a　moment　before　she　had　determined　that　she　would　never　ask　him　a　question　again。　But　this　time　it　was　a　lucky　question。　〃Prothero　mopped　up　the　lot　of　us　at　Minchinghampton　with　his　diving　and　swimming；〃　Benham　explained；　and　the　tension　was　relaxed。　Lady　Marayne　spoke　of　her　own　swimming；　and　became　daring　and　amusing　at　her　difficulties　with　local　feeling　when　first　she　swam　in　the　pond。　　The　high　road　ran　along　the　far　side　of　the　pond〃And　it　didn't　wear　a　hedge　or　anything；〃　said　Lady　Marayne。　　〃That　was　what　they　didn't　quite　like。　　Swimming　in　an　undraped　pond。　。　。　。〃　Prothero　had　been　examined　enough。　　Now　he　must　be　entertained。　　She　told　stories　about　the　village　people　in　her　brightest　manner。　　The　third　story　she　regretted　as　soon　as　she　was　fairly　launched　upon　it；　it　was　how　she　had　interviewed　the　village　dressmaker；　when　Sir　Godfrey　insisted　upon　her　supporting　local　industries。　　It　was　very　amusing　but　technical。　　The　devil　had　put　it　into　her　head。　　She　had　to　go　through　with　it。　　She　infused　an　extreme　innocence　into　her　eyes　and　fixed　them　on　Prothero；　although　she　felt　a　certain　deepening　pinkness　in　her　cheeks　was　betraying　her；　and　she　did　not　look　at　Benham　until　her　unhappy；　but　otherwise　quite　amusing　anecdote；　was　dead　and　gone　and　safely　buried　under　another。　。　。　。　But　people　ought　not　to　go　about　having　dressmakers　for　mothers。　。　。　。　And　coming　into　other　people's　houses　and　influencing　their　sons。　。　。　。

8

That　night　when　everything　was　over　Billy　sat　at　the　writing…table　of　his　sumptuous　bedroomthe　bed　was　gilt　wood；　the　curtains　of　the　three　great　windows　were　tremendous；　and　there　was　a　cheval　glass　that　showed　the　full　length　of　him　and　seemed　to　look　over　his　head　for　more；and　meditated　upon　this　visit　of　his。　　It　was　more　than　he　had　been　prepared　for。　　It　was　going　to　be　a　great　strain。　　The　sleek　young　manservant　in　an　alpaca　jacket；　who　said　〃Sir〃　whenever　you　looked　at　him；　and　who　had　seized　upon　and　unpacked　Billy's　most　private　Gladstone　bag　without　even　asking　if　he　might　do　so；　and　put　away　and　displayed　Billy's　things　in　a　way　that　struck　Billy　as　faintly　ironical；　was　unexpected。　　And　it　was　unexpected　that　the　brown　s