the patrician-第25章

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Lord　Valleys　stared　at　his　nails。　　〃It's　putting　a　drag　on　the　whole
estate；〃　he　said。

〃I　know；　but　how　could　we　face　the　peopleI　should　never　be　able　to
go　down　there。　　And　most　of　them　have　such　enormous　families。〃

Since　Lord　Valleys　continued　to　bend　on　his　nails　that　slow；　thought…
forming　stare；　she　went　on　earnestly：

〃Rather　than　that　I'd　make　sacrifices。　　I'd　sooner　Pendridny　were　let
than　throw　all　those　people　out　of　work。　　I　suppose　it　would　let。〃

〃Let？　　Best　woodcock　shooting　in　the　world。〃

Lady　Valleys；　pursuing　her　thoughts；　went　on：

〃In　time　we　might　get　the　people　drafted　into　other　things。　　Have　you
consulted　Miltoun？〃

〃No；〃　said　Lord　Valleys　shortly；　〃and　don't　mean　tohe's　too
unpractical。〃

〃He　always　seems　to　know　what　he　wants　very　well。〃

〃I　tell　you；〃　repeated　Lord　Valleys；　〃Miltoun's　no　good　in　a　matter
of　this　sorthe　and　his　ideas　throw　back　to　the　Middle　Ages。〃

Lady　Valleys　went　closer；　and　took　him　by　the　lapels　of　his　collar。

〃Geoff…really；　to　please　me；　some　other　way！〃

Lord　Valleys　frowned；　staring　at　her　for　some　time；　and　at　last
answered：

〃To　please　youI'll　leave　it　over　another　year。〃

〃You　think　that's　better　than　letting？〃

〃I　don't　like　the　thought　of　some　outsider　there。　　Time　enough　to
come　to　that　if　we　must。　　Take　it　as　my　Christmas　present。〃

Lady　Valleys；　rather　flushed；　bent　forward　and　kissed　his　ear。

It　was　at　this　moment　that　little　Ann　had　entered。

When　she　was　gone；　and　they　had　exchanged　that　dubious　look；　Lady
Valleys　said：

〃I　came　about　Babs。　　I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　her　since　we　came
up。　　She's　not　putting　her　heart　into　things。〃

Lord　Valleys　answered　almost　sulkily：

〃It's　the　heat　probablyor　Claud　Harbinger。〃　　In　spite　of　his　easy…
going　parentalism；　he　disliked　the　thought　of　losing　the　child　whom
he　so　affectionately　admired。

〃Ah！〃　said　Lady　Valleys　slowly；〃　I'm　not　so　sure。〃

〃How　do　you　mean？〃

〃There's　something　queer　about　her。　　I'm　by　no　means　certain　she
hasn't　got　some　sort　of　feeling　for　that　Mr。　Courtier。〃

〃What！〃　said　Lord　Valleys；　growing　most　unphilosophically　red。

〃Exactly！〃

〃Confound　it；　Gertrude；　Miltoun's　business　was　quite　enough　for　one
year。〃

〃For　twenty；〃　murmured　Lady　Valleys。　　〃I'm　watching　her。　　He's　going
to　Persia；　they　say。〃

〃And　leaving　his　bones　there；　I　hope；〃　muttered　Lord　Valleys。
〃Really；　it's　too　much。　　I　should　think　you're　all　wrong；　though。〃

Lady　Valleys　raised　her　eyebrows。　　Men　were　very　queer　about　such
things！　　Very　queer　and　worse　than　helpless！

〃Well；〃　she　said；　〃I　must　go　to　my　meeting。　　I'll　take　her；　and　see
if　I　can　get　at　something；〃　and　she　went　away。

It　was　the　inaugural　meeting　of　the　Society　for　the　Promotion　of　the
Birth　Rate；　over　which　she　had　promised　to　preside。　　The　scheme　was
one　in　which　she　had　been　prominent　from　the　start；　appealing　as　it
did　to　her　large　and　full…blooded　nature。　　Many　movements；　to　which
she　found　it　impossible　to　refuse　her　name；　had　in　themselves　but
small　attraction；　and　it　was　a　real　comfort　to　feel　something
approaching　enthusiasm　for　one　branch　of　her　public　work。　　Not　that
there　was　any　academic　consistency　about　her　in　the　matter；　for　in
private　life　amongst　her　friends　she　was　not　narrowly　dogmatic　on　the
duty　of　wives　to　multiply　exceedingly。　　She　thought　imperially　on　the
subject；　without　bigotry。　　Large；　healthy　families；　in　all　cases　save
individual　ones！　　The　prime　idea　at　the　back　of　her　mind　was
National　Expansion！　　Her　motto；　and　she　intended　if　possible　to　make
it　the　motto　of　the　League；　was：　'De　l'audace；　et　encore　de
l'audace！'　　It　was　a　question　of　the　full　realization　of　the　nation。
She　had　a　true；　and　in　a　sense　touching　belief　in　'the　flag；'　apart
from　what　it　might　cover。　　It　was　her　idealism。　　〃You　may　talk；〃　she
would　say；　〃as　much　as　you　like　about　directing　national　life　in
accordance　with　social　justice！　　What　does　the　nation　care　about
social　justice？　　The　thing　is　much　bigger　than　that。　　It's　a　matter
of　sentiment。　　We　must　expand！〃

On　the　way　to　the　meeting；　occupied　with　her　speech；　she　made　no
attempt　to　draw　Barbara　into　conversation。　　That　must　wait。　　The
child；　though　languid；　and　pale；　was　looking　so　beautiful　that　it　was
a　pleasure　to　have　her　support　in　such　a　movement。

In　a　little　dark　room　behind　the　hall　the　Committee　were　already
assembled；　and　they　went　at　once　on　to　the　platform。




CHAPTER　II

Unmoved　by　the　stares　of　the　audience；　Barbara　sat　absorbed　in　moody
thoughts。

Into　the　three　weeks　since　Miltoun's　election　there　had　been　crowded
such　a　multitude　of　functions　that　she　had　found；　as　it　were；　no
time；　no　energy　to　know　where　she　stood　with　herself。　　Since　that
morning　in　the　stable；　when　he　had　watched　her　with　the　horse　Hal；
Harbinger　had　seemed　to　live　only　to　be　close　to　her。　　And　the
consciousness　of　his　passion　gave　her　a　tingling　sense　of　pleasure。
She　had　been　riding　and　dancing　with　him；　and　sometimes　this　had　been
almost　blissful。　　But　there　were　times　too；　when　she　feltthough
always　with　a　certain　contempt　of　herself；　as　when　she　sat　on　that
sunwarmed　stone　below　the　tora　queer　dissatisfaction；　a　longing　for
something　outside　a　world　where　she　had　to　invent　her　own　starvations
and　simplicities；　to　make…believe　in　earnestness。

She　had　seen　Courtier　three　times。　　Once　he　had　come　to　dine；　in
response　to　an　invitation　from　Lady　Valleys　worded　in　that　charming；
almost　wistful　style；　which　she　had　taught　herself　to　use　to　those
below　her　in　social　rank；　especially　if　they　were　intelligent；　once
to　the　Valleys　House　garden　party；　and　next　day；　having　told　him　what
time　she　would　be　riding；　she　had　found　him　in　the　Row；　not　mounted；
but　standing　by　the　rail　just　where　she　must　pass；　with　that　look　on
his　face　of　mingled　deference　and　ironic　self…containment；　of　which
he　was　a　master。　　It　appeared　that　he　was　leaving　England；　and　to　her
questions　why；　and　where；　he　had　only　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　Up　on
this　dusty　platform；　in　the　hot　bare　hall；　facing　all　those　people；
listening　to　speeches　whose　sense　she　was　too　languid　and　preoccupied
to　take　in；　the　whole　medley　of　thoughts；　and　faces　round　her；　and
the　sound　of　the　speakers'　voices；　formed　a　kind　of　nightmare；　out　of
which　she　noted　with　extreme　exactitude　the　colour　of　her　mother's
neck　beneath　a　large　black　hat；　and　the　expression　on　the　face　of　a
Committee　man　to　the　right；　who　was　biting　his　fingers　under　cover　of
a　blue　paper。　　She　realized　that　someone　was　speaking　amongst　the
audience；　casting　forth；　as　it　were；　small　bunches　of　words。　　She
could　see　hima　little　man　in　a　black　coat；　with　a　white　face　which
kept　jerking　up　and　down。

〃I　feel　that　this　is　terrible；〃　she　heard　him　say；　〃I　feel　that　this
is　blasphemy。　　That　we　should　try　to　tamper　with　the　greatest　force；
the　greatest　and　the　most　sacred　and　secret…force；　thatthat　moves
in　the　world；　is　to　me　horrible。　　I　cannot　bear　to　listen；　it　seems
to　make　everything　so　small！〃　　She　saw　him　sit　down；　and　her　mother
rising　to　answer。

〃We　must　all　sympathize　with　the　sincerity　and　to　a　certain　extent
with　the　intention　of　our　friend　in　the　body　of　the　hall。　　But　we
must　ask　ourselves：

Have　we　the　right　to　allow　ourselves　the　luxury；　of　private　feelings
in　a　matter　which　concerns　the　national　expansion。　　We　must　not　give
way　to　sentiment。　　Our　friend　in　the　body　of　the　hall　spokehe　will
forgive　me　for　saying　solike　a　poet；　rather　than　a　serious
reformer。　　I　am　afraid　that　if　we　let　ourselves　drop　into　poetry；　the
birth　rate　of　this　country　will　very　soon　drop　into　poetry　too。　　And
that　I　think　it　is　impossible　for　us　to　contemplate　with　folded
hands。　　The　resolution　I　was　about　to　propose　when　our　friend　in　the
body　of　the　hall〃

But　Barbara's　attention；　had　wandered　off　again　into　that　queer
medley　of　thoughts；　and　feelings；　out　of　which　the　little　man　had　so
abruptly　roused　her。　　Then　she　realized　that　the　meeting　was　breaking
up；　and　her　mother　saying：

〃Now；　my　dear；　it's　hospital　day。　　We've　just　time。〃

When　they　were　once　more　in　the　car；　she　leaned　back　very　silent；
watching　the　traffic。

Lady　Valleys　eyed　her　sidelong。

〃What　a　little　bombshell；〃　she　said；　〃from　that　small　person！　　He
must　have　got　in　by　mistake。　　I　hear　Mr。　Courtier　has　a　card　for
Helen　Gloucester's　ball　to…night；　Babs。〃

〃Poor　man！〃

〃You　will　be　there；〃　said　Lady　Valleys　dryly。

Barbara　drew　back　into　her　corner。

〃Don't　tease　me；　Mother！〃

An　expression　of　compunction　crossed　Lady　Valleys'　face；　she　tried　to
possess　herself　of　Barbara's　hand。　　But　that　languid　hand　did　not
return　her　squeeze。

〃I　know　the　mood　you're　in；　dear。　　It　wants　all　one's　pluck　to　shake
it　off；　don't　let　it　grow　on　you。　　You'd　better　go　down　to　Uncle
Dennis　to…morrow。　　You've　been　overdoing　it。〃

Barbara　sighed。

〃I　wish　it　were　to…morrow。〃

The　car　had　stopped；　and　Lady　Valleys　said：

〃Will　you　come　in；　or　are　you　too　tired？　　It　always　does　them　good　to
see　you。〃

〃You're　twice　as　tired　as　me；〃　Barbara　answered；　〃of　course　I'll
come。〃

At　the　entrance　of　the　two　ladies；　there　rose　at　once　a　faint　buzz
and　murmur。　　Lady　Valleys；　whose　ample　presence　radiated　suddenly　a
businesslike　and　cheery　confidence；　went　to　a　bedside　and　sat　down。
But　Barbara　stood　in　a　thin　streak　of　the　July　sunlight；　uncertain
where　to　begin；　amongst　the　faces　turned　towards　her。　　The　poor　dears
looked　so　humble；　and　so　wistful；　and　so　tired。　　There　was　one　lying
quite　flat；　who　had　not　even　raised　her　head　to　see　who　had　come　in。
That　slumbering；　pale；　high　cheek…boned　face　had　a　frailty　as　if　a
touch；　a　breath；　would　shatter　it；　a　wisp　of　the　blackest　hair；　finer
than　silk；　lay　across　the　forehead；　the　closed　eyes　were　deep　sunk；
one　hand；　scarred　almost　to　the　bone　with　work；　rested　above　her
breast。　　She　breathed　between　lips　which　had　no　colour。　　About　her；
sleeping；　was　a　kind　of　beauty。　　And　there　came　over　the　girl　a　queer
rush　of　emotion。　　The　sleeper　seemed　so　apart　from　everything　there；
from　all　the　formality　and　stiffness　of　the　ward。　　To　look　at　her
swept　away　the　languid；　hollow　feeling　with　which　she　had　come　in；　it
made　her　think　of　the　tors　at　home；　when　the　wind　was　blowing；　and
all　was　bare；　and　grand；　and　sometimes　terrible。　　There　was　something
elemental　in　that　still　sleep。　　And　the　old　lady　in　the　next　led；
with　a　brown　wrinkled　face　and　bright　black　eyes　brimful　of　life；
seemed　almost　vulgar　beside　such　remote　tranquillity；　while　she　was
telling　Barbara　that　a　little　bunch　of　heather　in　the　better　half　of
a　soap…dish　on　the　window…sill　had　come　from　Wales；　because；　as　she
explained：　〃My　mother　was　born　in　Stirling；　dearie；　so　I　likes　a　bit
of　heather；　though　I　never　been　out　o'　Bethnal　Green　meself。〃

But　when　Barbara　again　passed；　the　sleeping　woman　was　sitting　up；　and
looked　but　a　poor　ordinary　thingher　strange　fragile　beauty　all
withdrawn。

It　was　a　relief　when　Lady　Valleys　said：

〃My　dear；　my　Naval　Bazaar　at　five…thirty；　and　while　I'm　there　you
must　go　home　and　have　a　rest；　and　freshen　yourself　up　for　the
evening。　　We　dine　at　Plassey　House。〃

The　Duchess　of　Gloucester's　Ball；　a　function　which　no　on