the patrician-第31章

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her　protection。　　She　had　found　one　painting；　by　an　Italian　master；
the　subject　of　which　reminded　her　of　Miltoun；　and　before　this　she　sat
for　a　very　long　time；　attracting　at　last　the　gouty　stare　of　an
official。　　The　still　figure　of　this　lady；　with　the　oval　face　and
grave　beauty；　both　piqued　his　curiosity；　and　stimulated　certain　moral
qualms。　　She；　was　undoubtedly　waiting　for　her　lover。　　No　woman；　in
his　experience；　had　ever　sat　so　long　before　a　picture　without
ulterior　motive；　and　he　kept　his　eyes　well　opened　to　see　what　this
motive　would　be　like。　　It　gave　him；　therefore；　a　sensation　almost
amounting　to　chagrin　when　coming　round　once　more；　he　found　they　had
eluded　him　and　gone　off　together　without　coming　under　his　inspection。
Feeling　his　feet　a　good　deal；　for　he　had　been　on　them　all　day；　he　sat
down　in　the　hollow　which　she　had　left　behind　her；　and　against　his
will　found　himself　also　looking　at　the　picture。　　It　was　painted　in　a
style　he　did　not　care　for；　the　face　of　the　subject；　too；　gave　him　the
queer　feeling　that　the　gentleman　was　being　roasted　inside。　　He　had
not　been　sitting　there　long；　however；　before　he　perceived　the　lady
standing　by　the　picture；　and　the　lips　of　the　gentleman　in　the　picture
moving。　　It　seemed　to　him　against　the　rules；　and　he　got　up　at　once；
and　went　towards　it；　but　as　he　did　so；　he　found　that　his　eyes　were
shut；　and　opened　them　hastily。　　There　was　no　one　there。

》From　the　National　Gallery；　Audrey　had　gone　into　an　A。B。C。　for　tea；
and　then　home。　　Before　the　Mansions　was　a　taxi…cab；　and　the　maid　met
her　with　the　news　that　'Lady　Caradoc'　was　in　the　sitting…room。

Barbara　was　indeed　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　room　with　a　look　on
her　face　such　as　her　father　wore　sometimes　on　the　racecourse；　in　the
hunting　field；　or　at　stormy　Cabinet　Meetings；　a　look　both　resolute
and　sharp。　　She　spoke　at　once：

〃I　got　your　address　from　Mr。　Courtier。　　My　brother　is　ill。　　I'm
afraid　it'll　be　brain　fever；　I　think　you　had　better　go　and　see　him　at
his　rooms　in　the　Temple；　there's　no　time　to　be　lost。〃

To　Audrey　everything　in　the　room　seemed　to　go　round；　yet　all　her
senses　were　preternaturally　acute；　so　that　she　could　distinctly　smell
the　mud　of　the　river　at　low　tide。　　She　said；　with　a　shudder：

〃Oh！　I　will　go；　yes；　I　will　go　at　once。〃

〃He's　quite　alone。　　He　hasn't　asked　for　you；　but　I　think　your　going
is　the　only　chance。　　He　took　me　for　you。　　You　told　me　once　you　were　a
good　nurse。〃

〃Yes。〃

The　room　was　steady　enough　now；　but　she　had　lost　the　preternatural
acuteness　of　her　senses；　and　felt　confused。　　She　heard　Barbara　say：
〃I　can　take　you　to　the　door　in　my　cab；〃　and　murmuring：　〃I　will　get
ready；〃　went　into　her　bedroom。　　For　a　moment　she　was　so　utterly
bewildered　that　she　did　nothing。　　Then　every　other　thought　was　lost
in　a　strange；　soft；　almost　painful　delight；　as　if　some　new　instinct
were　being　born　in　her；　and　quickly；　but　without　confusion　or　hurry；
she　began　packing。　　She　put　into　a　valise　her　own　toilet　things；　then
flannel；　cotton…wool；　eau　de　Cologne；　hot…water　bottle；　Etna；　shawls；
thermometer；　everything　she　had　which　could　serve　in　illness。
Changing　to　a　plain　dress；　she　took　up　the　valise　and　returned　to
Barbara。　　They　went　out　together　to　the　cab。　　The　moment　it　began　to
bear　her　to　this　ordeal　at　once　so　longed…for　and　so　terrible；　fear
came　over　her　again；　so　that　she　screwed　herself　into　the　corner；
very　white　and　still。　　She　was　aware　of　Barbara　calling　to　the
driver：　〃Go　by　the　Strand；　and　stop　at　a　poulterer's　for　ice！〃　　And；
when　the　bag　of　ice　had　been　handed　in；　heard　her　saying：　〃I　will
bring　you　all　you　wantif　he　is　really　going　to　be　ill。〃

Then；　as　the　cab　stopped；　and　the　open　doorway　of　the　staircase　was
before　her；　all　her　courage　came　back。

She　felt　the　girl's　warm　hand　against　her　own；　and　grasping　her
valise　and　the　bag　of　ice；　got　out；　and　hurried　up　the　steps。




CHAPTER　IX

On　leaving　Nettlefold；　Miltoun　had　gone　straight　back　to　his　rooms；
and　begun　at　once　to　work　at　his　book　on　the　land　question。　　He
worked　all　through　that　nighthis　third　night　without　sleep；　and　all
the　following　day。　　In　the　evening；　feeling　queer　in　the　head；　he
went　out　and　walked　up　and　down　the　Embankment。　　Then；　fearing　to　go
to　bed　and　lie　sleepless；　he　sat　down　in　his　arm…chair。　　Falling
asleep　there；　he　had　fearful　dreams；　and　awoke　unrefreshed。　　After
his　bath；　he　drank　coffee；　and　again　forced　himself　to　work。　　By　the
middle　of　the　day　he　felt　dizzy　and　exhausted；　but　utterly
disinclined　to　eat。　　He　went　out　into　the　hot　Strand；　bought　himself
a　necessary　book；　and　after　drinking　more　coffee；　came　back　and　again
began　to　work。　　At　four　o'clock　he　found　that　he　was　not　taking　in
the　words。　　His　head　was　burning　hot；　and　he　went　into　his　bedroom　to
bathe　it。　　Then　somehow　he　began　walking　up　and　down；　talking　to
himself；　as　Barbara　had　found　him。

She　had　no　sooner　gone；　than　he　felt　utterly　exhausted。　　A　small
crucifix　hung　over　his　bed；　and　throwing　himself　down　before　it；　he
remained　motionless　with　his　face　buried　in　the　coverlet；　and　his
arms　stretched　out　towards　the　wall。　　He　did　not　pray；　but　merely
sought　rest　from　sensation。　　Across　his　half…hypnotized　consciousness
little　threads　of　burning　fancy　kept　shooting。　　Then　he　could　feel
nothing　but　utter　physical　sickness；　and　against　this　his　will
revolted。　　He　resolved　that　he　would　not　be　ill；　a　ridiculous　log　for
women　to　hang　over。　　But　the　moments　of　sickness　grew　longer　and　more
frequent；　and　to　drive　them　away　he　rose　from　his　knees；　and　for　some
time　again　walked　up　and　down；　then；　seized　with　vertigo；　he　was
obliged　to　sit　on　the　bed　to　save　himself　from　falling。　　From　being
burning　hot　he　had　become　deadly　cold；　glad　to　cover　himself　with　the
bedclothes。　　The　heat　soon　flamed　up　in　him　again；　but　with　a　sick
man's　instinct　he　did　not　throw　off　the　clothes；　and　stayed　quite
still。　　The　room　seemed　to　have　turned　to　a　thick　white　substance
like　a　cloud；　in　which　he　lay　enwrapped；　unable　to　move　hand　or　foot。
His　sense　of　smell　and　hearing　had　become　unnaturally　acute；　he
smelled　the　distant　streets；　flowers；　dust；　and　the　leather　of　his
books；　even　the　scent　left　by　Barbara's　clothes；　and　a　curious。
odour　of　river　mud。　　A　clock　struck　six；　he　counted　each　stroke；　and
instantly　the　whole　world　seemed　full　of　striking　clocks；　the　sound
of　horses'　hoofs；　bicycle　bells；　people's　footfalls。　　His　sense　of
vision；　on　the　contrary；　was　absorbed　in　consciousness　of　this　white
blanket　of　cloud　wherein　he　was　lifted　above　the　earth；　in　the　midst
of　a　dull　incessant　hammering。　　On　the　surface　of　the　cloud　there
seemed　to　be　forming　a　number　of　little　golden　spots；　these　spots
were　moving；　and　he　saw　that　they　were　toads。　　Then；　beyond　them；　a
huge　face　shaped　itself；　very　dark；　as　if　of　bronze；　with　eyes
burning　into　his　brain。　　The　more　he　struggled　to　get　away　from　these
eyes；　the　more　they　bored　and　burned　into　him。　　His　voice　was　gone；
so　that　he　was　unable　to　cry　out；　and　suddenly　the　face　marched　over
him。

When　he　recovered　consciousness　his　head　was　damp　with　moisture
trickling　from　something　held　to　his　forehead　by　a　figure　leaning
above　him。　　Lifting　his　hand　he　touched　a　cheek；　and　hearing　a　sob
instantly　suppressed；　he　sighed。　　His　hand　was　gently　taken；　he　felt
kisses　on　it。

The　room　was　so　dark；　that　he　could　scarcely　see　her　facehis　sight
too　was　dim；　but　he　could　hear　her　breathing　and　the　least　sound　of
her　dress　and　movementsthe　scent　too　of　her　hands　and　hair　seemed
to　envelop　him；　and　in　the　midst　of　all　the　acute　discomfort　of　his
fever；　he　felt　the　band　round　his　brain　relax。　　He　did　not　ask　how
long　she　had　been　there；　but　lay　quite　still；　trying　to　keep　his　eyes
on　her；　for　fear　of　that　face；　which　seemed　lurking　behind　the　air；
ready　to　march　on　him　again。　　Then　feeling　suddenly　that　he　could　not
hold　it　back；　he　beckoned；　and　clutched　at　her；　trying　to　cover
himself　with　the　protection　of　her　breast。　　This　time　his　swoon　was
not　so　deep；　it　gave　way　to　delirium；　with　intervals　when　he　knew
that　she　was　there；　and　by　the　shaded　candle　light　could　see　her　in　a
white　garment；　floating　close　to　him；　or　sitting　still　with　her　hand
on　his；　he　could　even　feel　the　faint　comfort　of　the　ice　cap；　and　of
the　scent　of　eau　de　Cologne。　　Then　he　would　lose　all　consciousness　of
her　presence；　and　pass　through　into　the　incoherent　world；　where　the
crucifix　above　his　bed　seemed　to　bulge　and　hang　out；　as　if　it　must
fall　on　him。　　He　conceived　a　violent　longing　to　tear　it　down；　which
grew　till　he　had　struggled　up　in　bed　and　wrenched　it　from　off　the
wall。　　Yet　a　mysterious　consciousness　of　her　presence　permeated　even
his　darkest　journeys　into　the　strange　land；　and　once　she　seemed　to　be
with　him；　where　a　strange　light　showed　them　fields　and　trees；　a　dark
line　of　moor；　and　a　bright　sea；　all　whitened；　and　flashing　with　sweet
violence。

Soon　after　dawn　he　had　a　long　interval　of　consciousness；　and　took　in
with　a　sort　of　wonder　her　presence　in　the　low　chair　by　his　bed。　　So
still　she　sat　in　a　white　loose　gown；　pale　with　watching；　her　eyes
immovably　fixed　on　him；　her　lips　pressed　together；　and　quivering　at
his　faintest　motion。　　He　drank　in　desperately　the　sweetness　of　her
face；　which　had　so　lost　remembrance　of　self。




CHAPTER　X

Barbara　gave　the　news　of　her　brother's　illness　to　no　one　else；　common
sense　telling　her　to　run　no　risk　of　disturbance。　　Of　her　own
initiative；　she　brought　a　doctor；　and　went　down　twice　a　day　to　hear
reports　of　Miltoun's　progress。

As　a　fact；　her　father　and　mother　had　gone　to　Lord　Dennis；　for
Goodwood；　and　the　chief　difficulty　had　been　to　excuse　her　own　neglect
of　that　favourite　Meeting。　　She　had　fallen　back　on　the　half…truth
that　Eustace　wanted　her　in　Town；　and；　since　Lord　and　Lady　Valleys　had
neither　of　them　shaken　off　a　certain　uneasiness　about　their　son；　the
pretext　sufficed：

It　was　not　until　the　sixth　day；　when　the　crisis　was　well　past　and
Miltoun　quite　free　from　fever；　that　she　again　went　down　to
Nettlefold。

On　arriving　she　at　once　sought　out　her　mother；　whom　she　found　in　her
bedroom；　resting。　　It　had　been　very　hot　at　Goodwood。

Barbara　was　not　afraid　of　hershe　was　not；　indeed；　afraid　of　anyone；
except　Miltoun；　and　in　some　strange　way；　a　little　perhaps　of
Courtier；　yet；　when　the　maid　had　gone；　she　did　not　at　once　begin　her
tale。　　Lady　Valleys；　who　at　Goodwood　had　just　heard　details　of　a
Society　scandal；　began　a　carefully　expurgated　account　of　it　suitable
to　her　daughter's　earsfor　some　account　she　felt　she　must　give　to
somebody。

〃Mother；〃　said　Barbara　suddenly；　〃Eustace　has　been　ill。　　He's　out　of
danger　now；　and　going　on　all　right。〃　　Then；　looking　hard　at　the
bewildered　lady；　she　added：　〃Mrs。　Noel　is　nursing　him。〃

The　past　tense　in　which　illness　had　been　mentioned；　checking　at　the
first　moment　any　rush　of　panic　in　Lady　Valleys；　left　her　confused　by
the　situation　conjured　up　in　Barbara's　last　words。　　Instead　of
feeding　that　part　of　man　which　loves　a　scandal；　she　was　being　fed；
always　an　unenviable　sensation。　　A　woman　did　not　nurse　a　man　under
such　circumstances　without　being　everything　to　him；　in　the　world's
eyes。　　Her　daughter　went　on：

〃I　took　her