the patrician-第22章

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out　for　cruelty　or　injustice；　seemed　delighted　when　they　found　it
swelled　up；　as　it　were；　when　they　scented　it；　and　as　there　was　a　good
deal　about；　were　never　quite　of　normal　size。　　Men　who　lived　for　ideas
were；　in　fact；　to　one　for　whom　facts　sufficed　always　a　little
worrying！　　A　movement　from　Barbara　brought　him　back　to　actuality。
Was　the　possessor　of　that　crown　of　hair　and　those　divine　young
shoulders　the　little　Babs　who　had　ridden　with　him　in　the　Row？　　Time
was　certainly　the　Devil！　　Her　eyes　were　searching　for　something；　and
following　the　direction　of　that　glance；　Lord　Dennis　found　himself
observing　Miltoun。　　What　a　difference　between　those　two！　　Both　no
doubt　in　the　great　trouble　of　youth；　which　sometimes；　as　he　knew　too
well；　lasted　on　almost　to　old　age。　　It　was　a　curious　look　the　child
was　giving　her　brother；　as　if　asking　him　to　help　her。　　Lord　Dennis
had　seen　in　his　day　many　young　creatures　leave　the　shelter　of　their
freedom　and　enter　the　house　of　the　great　lottery；　many；　who　had　drawn
a　prize　and　thereat　lost　forever　the　coldness　of　life；　many　too；　the
light　of　whose　eyes　had　faded　behind　the　shutters　of　that　house；
having　drawn　a　blank。　　The　thought　of　'little'　Babs　on　the　threshold
of　that　inexorable　saloon；　filled　him　with　an　eager　sadness；　and　the
sight　of　the　two　men　watching　for　her；　waiting　for　her；　like　hunters；
was　to　him　distasteful。　　In　any　case；　let　her　not；　for　Heaven's　sake；
go　ranging　as　far　as　that　red　fellow　of　middle　age；　who　might　have
ideas；　but　had　no　pedigree；　let　her　stick　to　youth　and　her　own　order；
and　marry　theyoung　man；　confound　him；　who　looked　like　a　Greek　god；
of　the　wrong　period；　having　grown　a　moustache。　　He　remembered　her
words　the　other　evening　about　these　two　and　the　different　lives　they
lived。　　Some　romantic　notion　or　other　was　working　in　her！　　And　again
he　looked　at　Courtier。　　A　Quixotic　typethe　sort　that　rode　slap…bang
at　everything！　　All　very　wellbut　not　for　Babs！　　She　was　not　like
the　glorious　Garibaldi's　glorious　Anita！　　It　was　truly　characteristic
of　Lord　Dennisand　indeed　of　other　peoplethat　to　him　champions　of
Liberty　when　dead　were　far　dearer　than　champions　of　Liberty　when
living。　　Yes；　Babs　would　want　more；　or　was　it　less；　than　just　a　life
of　sleeping　under　the　stars　for　the　man　she　loved；　and　the　cause　he
fought　for。　　She　would　want　pleasure；　and；　not　too　much　effort；　and
presently　a　little　power；　not　the　uncomfortable　after…fame　of　a　woman
who　went　through　fire；　but　the　fame　and　power　of　beauty；　and　Society
prestige。　　This；　fancy　of　hers；　if　it　were　a　fancy；　could　be　nothing
but　the　romanticism　of　a　young　girl。　　For　the　sake　of　a　passing
shadow；　to　give　up　substance？　　It　wouldn't　do！。　　And　again　Lord
Dennis　fixed　his　shrewd　glance　on　his　great…niece。　　Those　eyes；　that
smile！　　Yes！　　She　would　grow　out　of　this。　　And　take　the　Greek　god；
the　dying　Gaulwhichever　that　young　man　was！




CHAPTER　XXI

It　was　not　till　the　morning　of　polling　day　itself　that　Courtier　left
Monkland　Court。　　He　had　already　suffered　for　some　time　from　bad
conscience。　　For　his　knee　was　practically　cured；　and　he　knew　well
that　it　was　Barbara；　and　Barbara　alone；　who　kept　him　staying　there。
The　atmosphere　of　that　big　house　with　its　army　of　servants；　the
impossibility　of　doing　anything　for　himself；　and　the　feeling　of
hopeless　insulation　from　the　vivid　and　necessitous　sides　of　life；
galled　him　greatly。　　He　felt　a　very　genuine　pity　for　these　people　who
seemed　to　lead　an　existence　as　it　were　smothered　under　their　own
social　importance。　　It　was　not　their　fault。　　He　recognized　that　they
did　their　best。　　They　were　good　specimens　of　their　kind；　neither　soft
nor　luxurious；　as　things　went　in　a　degenerate　and　extravagant　age；
they　evidently　tried　to　be　simpleand　this　seemed　to　him　to　heighten
the　pathos　of　their　situation。　　Fate　had　been　too　much　for　them。
What　human　spirit　could　emerge　untrammelled　and　unshrunken　from　that
great　encompassing　host　of　material　advantage？　　To　a　Bedouin　like
Courtier；　it　was　as　though　a　subtle；　but　very　terrible　tragedy　was
all　the　time　being　played　before　his　eyes；　and　in；　the　very　centre　of
this　tragedy　was　the　girl　who　so　greatly　attracted　him。　　Every　night
when　he　retired　to　that　lofty　room；　which　smelt　so　good；　and　where；
without　ostentation；　everything　was　so　perfectly　ordered　for　his
comfort；　he　thought：

〃My　God；　to…morrow　I'll　be　off！〃

But　every　morning　when　he　met　her　at　breakfast　his　thought　was
precisely　the　same；　and　there　were　moments　when　he　caught　himself
wondering：　〃Am　I　falling　under　the　spell　of　this　existenceam　I
getting　soft？〃　　He　recognized　as　never　before　that　the　peculiar
artificial　'hardness'　of　the　patrician　was　a　brine　or　pickle；　in
which；　with　the　instinct　of　self…preservation　they　deliberately
soaked　themselves；　to　prevent　the　decay　of　their　overprotected　fibre。
He　perceived　it　even　in　Barbaraa　sort　of　sentiment…proof　overall；　a
species　of　mistrust　of　the　emotional　or　lyrical；　a　kind　of　contempt
of　sympathy　and　feeling。　　And　every　day　he　was　more　and　more　tempted
to　lay　rude　hands　on　this　garment；　to　see　whether　he　could　not　make
her　catch　fire；　and　flare　up　with　some　emotion　or　idea。　　In　spite　of
her　tantalizing；　youthful　self…possession；　he　saw　that　she　felt　this
longing　in　him；　and　now　and　then　he　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　streak　of
recklessness　in　her　which　lured　him　on：

And　yet；　when　at　last　he　was　saying　good…bye　on　the　night　before
polling　day；　he　could　not　flatter　himself　that　he　had　really　struck
any　spark　from　her。　　Certainly　she　gave　him　no　chance；　at　that　final
interview；　but　stood　amongst　the　other　women；　calm　and　smiling；　as　if
determined　that　he　should　not　again　mock　her　with　his　ironical
devotion。

He　got　up　very　early　the　next　morning；　intending　to　pass　away　unseen。
In　the　car　put　at　his　disposal；　he　found　a　small　figure　in　a　holland…
frock；　leaning　back　against　the　cushions　so　that　some　sandalled　toes
pointed　up　at　the　chauffeur's　back。　　They　belonged　to　little　Ann；　who
in　the　course　of　business　had　discovered　the　vehicle　before　the　door。
Her　sudden　little　voice　under　her　sudden　little　nose；　friendly　but
not　too　friendly；　was　comforting　to　Courtier。

〃Are　you　going？　　I　can　come　as；　far　as　the　gate。〃　　〃That　is　lucky。〃

〃Yes。　　Is　that　all　your　luggage？〃

〃I'm　afraid　it　is。〃

〃Oh！　　It's　quite　a　lot；　really；　isn't　it？〃

〃As　much　as　I　deserve。〃

〃Of　course　you　don't　have　to　take　guinea…pigs　about　with　you？〃

〃Not　as　a　rule。〃

〃I　always　do。　　There's　great…Granny！〃

There　certainly　was　Lady　Casterley；　standing　a　little　back　from　the
drive；　and　directing　a　tall　gardener　how　to　deal　with　an　old　oak…
tree。　　Courtier　alighted；　and　went　towards　her　to　say　good…bye。　　She
greeted　him　with　a　certain　grim　cordiality。

〃So　you　are　going！　　I　am　glad　of　that；　though　you　quite　understand
that　I　like　you　personally。〃

〃Quite！〃

Her　eyes　gleamed　maliciously。

〃Men　who　laugh　like　you　are　dangerous；　as　I've　told　you　before！〃

Then；　with　great　gravity；　she　added

〃My　granddaughter　will　marry　Lord　Harbinger。　　I　mention　that；　Mr。
Courtier；　for　your　peace　of　mind。　　You　are　a　man　of　honour；　it　will
go　no　further。〃

Courtier；　bowing　over　her　hand；　answered：

〃He　will　be　lucky。〃

The　little　old　lady　regarded　him　unflinchingly。

〃He　will；　sir。　　Good…bye！〃

Courtier　smilingly　raised　his　hat。　　His　cheeks　were　burning。
Regaining　the　car；　he　looked　round。　　Lady　Casterley　was　busy　once
more　exhorting　the　tall　gardener。　　The　voice　of　little　Ann　broke　in
on　his　thoughts：

〃I　hope　you'll　come　again。　　Because　I　expect　I　shall　be　here　at
Christmas；　and　my　brothers　will　be　here　then；　that　is；　Jock　and
Tiddy；　not　Christopher　because　he's　young。　　I　must　go　now。　　Good…bye！
Hallo；　Susie！〃

Courtier　saw　her　slide　away；　and　join　the　little　pale　adoring　figure
of　the　lodge…keeper's　daughter。

The　car　passed　out　into　the　lane。

If　Lady　Casterley　had　planned　this　disclosure；　which　indeed　she　had
not；　for　the　impulse　had　only　come　over　her　at　the　sound　of
Courtier's　laugh；　she　could　not　have；　devised　one　more　effectual；　for
there　was　deep　down　in　him　all　a　wanderer's　very　real　distrust；；
amounting　almost　to　contempt；　of　people　so　settled　and　done　for；　as
aristocrats　or　bourgeois；　and　all　a　man　of　action's　horror　of　what　he
called　puking　and　muling。　　The　pursuit　of　Barbara　with　any　other
object　but　that　of　marriage　had　naturally　not　occurred　to　one　who　had
little　sense　of　conventional　morality；　but　much　self…respect；　and　a
secret　endeavour　to　cut　out　Harbinger；　ending　in　a　marriage　whereat
he　would　figure　as　a　sort　of　pirate；　was　quite　as　little　to　the　taste
of　a　man　not　unaccustomed　to　think　himself　as　good　as　other　people。

He　caused　the　car　to　deviate　up　the　lane　that　led　to　Audrey　Noel's；
hating　to　go　away　without　a　hail　of　cheer　to　that　ship　in　distress。

She　came　out　to　him　on　the　verandah。　　From　the　clasp　of　her　hand；
thin　and　faintly　brownedthe　hand　of　a　woman　never　quite　idlehe
felt　that　she　relied　on　him　to　understand　and　sympathize；　and　nothing
so　awakened　the　best　in　Courtier　as　such　mute　appeals　to　his
protection。　　He　said　gently：

〃Don't　let　them　think　you're　down；〃　and；　squeezing　her　hand　hard：
〃Why　should　you　be　wasted　like　this？　　It's　a　sin　and　shame！〃

But　he　stopped　in　what　he　felt　to　be　an　unlucky　speech　at　sight　of
her　face；　which　without　movement　expressed　so　much　more　than　his
words。　　He　was　protesting　as　a　civilized　man；　her　face　was　the
protest　of　Nature；　the　soundless　declaration　of　beauty　wasted　against
its　will；　beauty　that　was　life's　invitation　to　the　embrace　which　gave
life　birth。

〃I'm　clearing　out；　myself；〃　he　said：　〃You　and　I；　you　know；　are　not
good　for　these　people。　　No　birds　of　freedom　allowed！〃

Pressing　his　hand；　she　turned　away　into　the　house；　leaving　Courtier
gazing　at　the　patch　of　air　where　her　white　figure　had　stood。　　He　had
always　had　a　special　protective　feeling　for　Audrey　Noel；　a　feeling
which　with　but　little　encouragement　might　have　become　something
warmer。　　But　since　she　had　been　placed　in　her　anomalous　position；　he
would　not　for　the　world　have　brushed　the　dew　off　her　belief　that　she
could　trust　him。　　And；　now　that　he　had　fixed　his　own　gaze　　elsewhere；
and　she　was　in　this　bitter　trouble；　he　felt　on　her　account　the
rancour　that　a　brother　feels　when　Justice　and　Pity　have　conspired　to
flout　his　sister。　　The　voice　of　Frith　the　chauffeur　roused　him　from
gloomy　reverie。

〃Lady　Barbara；　sir！〃

Following　the　man's　eyes；　Courtier　saw　against　the　sky…line　on　the
for　above　Ashman's　Folly；　an　equestrian　statue。　　He　stopped　the　car
at　once；　and　got　out。

He　reached　her　at　the　ruin；　screened　from　the　road；　by　that　divine
chance　which　attends　on　men　who　take　care　that　it　shall。　　He　could
not　tell　whether　she　knew　of　his　approach；　and　he　would　have　given
all　he　had；　which　was　not　much；　to　have　seen　through　the　stiff　grey
of　her　coat；　and　the　soft　cream　of　her　body；　into　that　mysterious
cave；　her　heart。　　To　have　been　for　a　moment；　like　Ashman；　done　for
good　and　all　with　material　things；　and　living　the　white　life　where
are　no　barriers　between　man　and　woman。　　The　smile　on　her　lips　so
baffled　him；　puffed　there　by　her　spirit；　as　a　first　flower　is　puffed
through　the　sur　fa