the patrician-第41章

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Courtier　nodded。

〃Am　I　right　in　thinking　that　it　was　my　young　sister　who　sent　you　on
this　crusade？〃

Courtier　did　not　answer。

〃And　so；〃　Miltoun　went　on；　looking　him　through　and　through；
〃to…morrow　is　to　be　your　last　day；　too？　　Well；　you're　right　to　go。
She　is　not　an　ugly　duckling；　who　can　live　out　of　the　social　pond；
she'll　always　want　her　native　element。　　And　now；　we'll　say　goodbye！
Whatever　happens　to　us　both；　I　shall　remember　this　evening。〃
Smiling；　he　put　out　his　hand　'Moriturus　te　saluto。'




CHAPTER　XXIII

Courtier　sat　in　Hyde　Park　waiting　for　five　o'clock。　　The　day　had
recovered　somewhat　from　a　grey　morning；　as　though　the　glow　of　that
long　hot　summer　were　too　burnt…in　on　the　air　to　yield　to　the　first
assault。　　The　sun；　piercing　the　crisped　clouds；　those　breast　feathers
of　heavenly　doves；　darted　its　beams　at　the　mellowed　leaves；　and
showered　to　the　ground　their　delicate　shadow　stains。　　The　first；　too
early；　scent　from　leaves　about　to　fall；　penetrated　to　the　heart。　　And
sorrowful　sweet　birds　were　tuning　their　little　autumn　pipes；　blowing
into　them　fragments　of　Spring　odes　to　Liberty。

Courtier　thought　of　Miltoun　and　his　mistress。　　By　what　a　strange　fate
had　those　two　been　thrown　together；　to　what　end　was　their　love
coming？　　The　seeds　of　grief　were　already　sown；　what　flowers　of
darkness；　or　of　tumult　would　come　up？　　He　saw　her　again　as　a　little；
grave；　considering　child；　with　her　soft　eyes；　set　wide　apart　under
the　dark　arched　brows；　and　the　little　tuck　at　the　corner　of　her　mouth
that　used　to　come　when　he　teased　her。　　And　to　that　gentle　creature
who　would　sooner　die　than　force　anyone　to　anything；　had　been　given
this　queer　lover；　this　aristocrat　by　birth　and　nature；　with　the　dried
fervent　soul；　whose　every　fibre　had　been　bred　and　trained　in　and　to
the　service　of　Authority；　this　rejecter　of　the　Unity　of　Life；　this
worshipper　of　an　old　God！　　A　God　that　stood；　whip　in　hand；　driving
men　to　obedience。　　A　God　that　even　now　Courtier　could　conjure　up
staring　at　him　from　the　walls　of　his　nursery。　　The　God　his　own　father
had　believed　in。　　A　God　of　the　Old　Testament；　knowing　neither
sympathy　nor　understanding。　　Strange　that　He　should　be　alive　still；
that　there　should　still　be　thousands　who　worshipped　Him。　　Yet；　not　so
very　strange；　if；　as　they　said；　man　made　God　in　his　own　image！　　Here
indeed　was　a　curious　mating　of　what　the　philosophers　would　call　the
will　to　Love；　and　the　will　to　Power！

A　soldier　and　his　girl　came　and　sat　down　on　a　bench　close　by。　　They
looked　askance　at　this　trim　and　upright　figure　with　the　fighting
face；　then；　some　subtle　thing　informing　them　that　he　was　not　of　the
disturbing　breed　called　officer；　they　ceased　to　regard　him；
abandoning　themselves　to　dumb　and　inexpressive　felicity。　　Arm　in　arm；
touching　each　other；　they　seemed　to　Courtier　very　jolly；　having　that
look　of　living　entirely　in　the　moment；　which　always　especially
appealed　to　one　whose　blood　ran　too　fast　to　allow　him　to　speculate
much　upon　the　future　or　brood　much　over　the　past。

A　leaf　from　the　bough　above　him；　loosened　by　the　sun's　kisses；
dropped；　and　fell　yellow　at　his　feet。　　The　leaves　were　turning　very
soon。？

It　was　characteristic　of　this　man；　who　could　be　so　hot　over　the　lost
causes　of　others；　that；　sitting　there　within　half　an　hour　of　the
final　loss　of　his　own　cause；　he　could　be　so　calm；　so　almost
apathetic。　　This　apathy　was　partly　due　to　the　hopelessness；　which
Nature　had　long　perceived；　of　trying　to　make　him　feel　oppressed；　but
also　to　the　habits　of　a　man　incurably　accustomed　to　carrying　his
fortunes　in　his　hand；　and　that　hand　open。　　It　did　not　seem　real　to
him　that　he　was　actually　going　to　suffer　a　defeat；　to　have　to　confess
that　he　had　hankered　after　this　girl　all　these　past　weeks；　and　that
to…morrow　all　would　be　wasted；　and　she　as　dead　to　him　as　if　he　had
never　seen　her。　　No；　it　was　not　exactly　resignation；　it　was　rather
sheer　lack　of　commercial　instinct。　　If　only　this　had　been　the　lost
cause　of　another　person。　　How　gallantly　he　would　have　rushed　to　the
assault；　and　taken　her　by　storm！　　If　only　he　himself　could　have　been
that　other　person；　how　easily；　how　passionately　could　he　not　have
pleaded；　letting　forth　from　him　all　those　words　which　had　knocked　at
his　teeth　ever　since　he　knew　her；　and　which　would　have　seemed　so
ridiculous　and　so　unworthy；　spoken　on　his　own　behalf。　　Yes；　for　that
other　person　he　could　have　cut　her　out　from　under　the　guns　of　the
enemy；　he　could　have　taken　her；　that　fairest　prize。
And　in　queer；　cheery…looking　apathynot　far　removed　perhaps　from
despairhe　sat；　watching　the　leaves　turn　over　and　fall；　and　now　and
then　cutting　with　his　stick　at　the　air；　where　autumn　was　already
riding。　　And；　if　in　imagination　he　saw　himself　carrying　her　away　into
the　wilderness；　and　with　his　devotion　making　her　happiness　to　grow；
it　was　so　far　a　flight；　that　a　smile　crept　about　his　lips；　and　once
or　twice　he　snapped　his　jaws。

The　soldier　and　his　girl　rose；　passing　in　front　of　him　down　the　Row。
He　watched　their　scarlet　and　blue　figures；　moving　slowly　towards　the
sun；　and　another　couple　close　to　the　rails；　crossing　those　receding
forms。　　Very　straight　and　tall；　there　was　something　exhilarating　in
the　way　this　new　couple　swung　along；　holding　their　heads　up；　turning
towards　each　other；　to　exchange　words　or　smiles。　　Even　at　that
distance　they　could　be　seen　to　be　of　high　fashion；　in　their　gait　was
the　almost　insolent　poise　of　those　who　are　above　doubts　and　cares；
certain　of　the　world　and　of　themselves。　　The　girl's　dress　was　tawny
brown；　her　hair　and　hat　too　of　the　same　hue；　and　the　pursuing
sunlight　endowed　her　with　a　hazy　splendour。　　Then；　Courtier　saw　who
they　werethat　couple！

Except　for　an　unconscious　grinding　of　his　teeth；　he　made　no　sound　or
movement；　so　that　they　went　by　without　seeing　him。　　Her　voice；　though
not　the　words；　came　to　him　distinctly。　　He　saw　her　hand　slip　up　under
Harbinger's　arm　and　swiftly　down　again。　　A　smile；　of　whose　existence
he　was　unaware；　settled　on　his　lips。　　He　got　up；　shook　himself；　as　a
dog　shakes　off　a　beating；　and　walked　away；　with　his　mouth　set　very
firm。




CHAPTER　XXIV

Left　alone　among　the　little　mahogany　tables　of　Gustard's；　where　the
scent　of　cake　and　of　orange…flower　water　made　happy　all　the　air；
Barbara　had　sat　for　some　minutes；　her　eyes　cast　downas　a　child　from
whom　a　toy　has　been　taken　contemplates　the　ground；　not　knowing
precisely　what　she　is　feeling。　　Then；　paying　one　of　the　middle…aged
females；　she　went　out　into　the　Square。　　There　a　German　band　was
playing　Delibes'　Coppelia；　and　the　murdered　tune　came　haunting　her；　a
very　ghost　of　incongruity。

She　went　straight　back　to　Valleys　House。　　In　the　room　where　three
hours　ago　she　had　been　left　alone　after　lunch　with　Harbinger；　her
sister　was　seated　in　the　window；　looking　decidedly　upset。　　In　fact；
Agatha　had　just　spent　an　awkward　hour。　　Chancing；　with　little　Ann；
into　that　confectioner's　where　she　could　best　obtain　a　particularly
gummy　sweet　which　she　believed　wholesome　for　her　children；　she　had
been　engaged　in　purchasing　a　pound；　when　looking　down；　she　perceived
Ann　standing　stock…still；　with　her　sudden　little　nose　pointed　down
the　shop；　and　her　mouth　opening；　glancing　in　the　direction　of　those
frank；　enquiring　eyes；　Agatha　saw　to　her　amazement　her　sister；　and　a
man　whom　she　recognized　as　Courtier。　　With　a　readiness　which　did　her
complete　credit；　she　placed　a　sweet　in　Ann's　mouth；　and　saying　to　the
middle…aged　female：　〃Then　you'll　send　those；　please。　　Come；　Ann！〃
went　out。　　Shocks　never　coming　singly；　she　had　no　sooner　reached
home；　than　from　her　father　she　learned　of　the　development　of
Miltoun's　love　affair。　　When　Barbara　returned；　she　was　sitting；
unfeignedly　disturbed　and　grieved；　unable　to　decide　whether　or　no　she
ought　to　divulge　what　she　herself　had　seen；　but　withal　buoyed…up　by
that　peculiar　indignation　of　the　essentially　domestic　woman；　whose
ideals　have　been　outraged。

Judging　at　once　from　the　expression　of　her　face　that　she　must　have
heard　the　news　of　Miltoun；　Barbara　said：

〃Well；　my　dear　Angel；　any　lecture　for　me？〃

Agatha　answered　coldly：

〃I　think　you　were　quite　mad　to　take　Mrs。　Noel　to　him。〃

〃The　whole　duty　of　woman；〃　murmured　Barbara；　〃includes　a　little
madness。〃

Agatha　looked　at　her　in　silence。

〃I　can't　make　you　out；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃you're　not　a　fool！〃

〃Only　a　knave。〃

〃You　may　think　it　right　to　joke　over　the　ruin　of　Miltoun's　life；〃
murmured　Agatha；　〃I　don't。〃

Barbara's　eyes　grew　bright；　and　in　a　hard　voice　she　answered：

〃The　world　is　not　your　nursery；　Angel！〃

Agatha　closed　her　lips　very　tightly；　as　who　should　imply：　〃Then　it
ought　to　be！〃　　But　she　only　answered：

〃I　don't　think　you　know　that　I　saw　you　just　now　in　Gustard's。〃

Barbara　eyed　her　for　a　moment　in　amazement；　and　began　to　laugh。

〃I　see；〃　she　said；　〃monstrous　depravitypoor　old　Gustard's！〃　　And
still　laughing　that　dangerous　laugh；　she　turned　on　her　heel　and　went
out。

At　dinner　and　afterwards　that　evening　she　was　very　silent；　having　on
her　face　the　same　look　that　she　wore　out　hunting；　especially　when　in
difficulties　of　any　kind；　or　if　advised　to　'take　a　pull。'　When　she
got　away　to　her　own　room　she　had　a　longing　to　relieve　herself　by　some
kind　of　action　that　would　hurt　someone；　if　only　herself。　　To　go　to
bed　and　toss　about　in　a　feverfor　she　knew　herself　in　these　thwarted
moodswas　of　no　use！　　For　a　moment　she　thought　of　going　out。　　That
would　be　fun；　and　hurt　them；　too；　but　it　was　difficult。　　She　did　not
want　to　be　seen；　and　have　the　humiliation　of　an　open　row。　　Then　there
came　into　her　head　the　memory　of　the　roof　of　the　tower；　where　she　had
once　been　as　a　little　girl。　　She　would　be　in　the　air　there；　she　would
be　able　to　breathe；　to　get　rid　of　this　feverishness。　　With　the
unhappy　pleasure　of　a　spoiled　child　taking　its　revenge；　she　took　care
to　leave　her　bedroom　door　open；　so　that　her　maid　would　wonder　where
she　was；　and　perhaps　be　anxious；　and　make　them　anxious。　　Slipping
through　the　moonlit　picture　gallery　on　to　the　landing；　outside　her
father's　sanctum；　whence　rose　the　stone　staircase　leading　to　the
roof；　she　began　to　mount。　　She　was　breathless　when；　after　that
unending　flight　of　stairs　she　emerged　on　to　the　roof　at　the　extreme
northern　end　of　the　big　house；　where；　below　her；　was　a　sheer　drop　of
a　hundred　feet。　　At　first　she　stood；　a　little　giddy；　grasping　the
rail　that　ran　round　that　garden　of　lead；　still　absorbed　in　her
brooding；　rebellious　thoughts。　　Gradually　she　lost　consciousness　of
everything　save　the　scene　before　her。　　High　above　all　neighbouring
houses；　she　was　almost　appalled　by　the　majesty　of　what　she　saw。　　This
night…clothed　city；　so　remote　and　dark；　so　white…gleaming　and　alive；
on　whose　purple　hills　and　valleys　grew　such　myriad　golden　flowers　of
light；　from　whose　heart　came　this　deep　incessant　murmurcould　it
possibly　be　the　same　city　through　which　she　had　been　walking　that
very　day！　　From　its　sleeping　body　the　supreme　wistful　spirit　had
emerged　in　dark　loveliness；　and　was　low…flying　down　there；　tempting
her。　　Barbara　turned　round；　to　take　in　all　that　amazing　prospect；
from　the　black　glades　of　Hyde　Park；　in　front；　to　the　powdery　white
ghost　of　a　church　towe