the patrician-第42章

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from　the　black　glades　of　Hyde　Park；　in　front；　to　the　powdery　white
ghost　of　a　church　tower；　away　to　the　East。　　How　marvellous　was　this
city　of　night！　　And　as；　in　presence　of　that　wide　darkness　of　the　sea
before　dawn；　her　spirit　had　felt　little　and　timid　within　herso　it
felt　now；　in　face　of　this　great；　brooding；　beautiful　creature；　whom
man　had　made。　　She　singled　out　the　shapes　of　the　Piccadilly　hotels；
and　beyond　them　the　palaces　and　towers　of　Westminster　and　Whitehall；
and　everywhere　the　inextricable　loveliness　of　dim　blue　forms　and
sinuous　pallid　lines　of　light；　under　an　indigo…dark　sky。　　Near　at
hand；　she　could　see　plainly　the　still…lighted　windows；　the　motorcars
gliding　by　far　down；　even　the　tiny　shapes　of　people　walking；　and　the
thought　that　each　of　them　meant　someone　like　herself；　seemed　strange。

Drinking　of　this　wonder…cup；　she　began　to　experience　a　queer
intoxication；　and　lost　the　sense　of　being　little；　rather　she　had　the
feeling　of　power；　as　in　her　dream　at　Monkland。　　She　too；　as　well　as
this　great　thing　below　her；　seemed　to　have　shed　her　body；　to　be
emancipated　from　every　barrier…floating　deliciously　identified　with
air。　　She　seemed　to　be　one　with　the　enfranchised　spirit　of　the　city；
drowned　in　perception　of　its　beauty。　　Then　all　that　feeling　went；　and
left　her　frowning；　shivering；　though　the　wind　from　the　West　was　warm。
Her　whole　adventure　of　coming　up　here　seemed　bizarre；　ridiculous。
Very　stealthily　she　crept　down；　and　had　reached　once　more　the　door
into　'the　picture　gallery；　when　she　heard　her　mother's　voice　say　in
amazement：　〃That　you；　Babs？〃　And　turning；　saw　her　coming　from　the
doorway　of　the　sanctum。

Of　a　sudden　very　cool；　with　all　her　faculties　about　her；　Barbara
smiled；　and　stood　looking　at　Lady　Valleys；　who　said　with　hesitation：

〃Come　in　here；　dear；　a　minute；　will　you？〃

In　that　room　resorted　to　for　comfort；　Lord　Valleys　was　standing　with
his　back　to　the　hearth；　and　an　expression　on　his　face　that　wavered
between　vexation　and　decision。　　The　doubt　in　Agatha's　mind　whether
she　should　tell　or　no；　had　been　terribly　resolved　by　little　Ann；　who
in　a　pause　of　conversation　had　announced：　〃We　saw　Auntie　Babs　and　Mr。
Courtier　in　Gustard's；　but　we　didn't　speak　to　them。〃

Upset　by　the　events　of　the　afternoon；　Lady　Valleys　had　not　shown　her
usual　'savoir　faire'。　　She　had　told　her　husband。　　A　meeting　of　this
sort　in　a　shop　celebrated　for　little　save　its　wedding　cakes　was　in　a
sense　of　no　importance；　but；　being　disturbed　already　by　the　news　of
Miltoun；　it　seemed　to　them　both　nothing　less　than　sinister；　as　though
the　heavens　were　in　league　for　the　demolition　of　their　house。　　To
Lord　Valleys　it　was　peculiarly　mortifying；　because　of　his　real
admiration　for　his　daughter；　and　because　he　had　paid　so　little
attention　to　his　wife's　warning　of　some　weeks　back。　　In　consultation；
however；　they　had　only　succeeded　in　deciding　that　Lady　Valleys　should
talk　with　her。　　Though　without　much　spiritual　insight；　they　had；　each
of　them；　a　certain　cool　judgment；　and　were　fully　alive　to　the　danger
of　thwarting　Barbara。　　This　had　not　prevented　Lord　Valleys　from
expressing　himself　strongly　on　the　'confounded　unscrupulousness　of
that　fellow；'　and　secretly　forming　his　own　plan　for　dealing　with　this
matter。　　Lady　Valleys；　more　deeply　conversant　with　her　daughter's
nature；　and　by　reason　of　femininity　more　lenient　towards　the　other
sex；　had　not　tried　to　excuse　Courtier；　but　had　thought　privately：
'Babs　is　rather　a　flirt。'　　For　she　could　not　altogether　help
remembering　herself　at　the　same　age。

Summoned　thus　unexpectedly；　Barbara；　her　lips　very　firmly　pressed
together；　took　her　stand；　coolly　enough；　by　her　father's　writing…
table。

Seeing　her　suddenly　appear；　Lord　Valleys　instinctively　relaxed　his
frown；　his　experience　of　men　and　things；　his　thousands　of　diplomatic
hours；　served　to　give　him　an　air　of　coolness　and　detachment　which　he
was　very　far　from　feeling。　　In　truth　he　would　rather　have　faced　a
hostile　mob　than　his　favourite　daughter　in　such　circumstances。　　His
tanned　face　with　its　crisp　grey　moustache；　his　whole　head　indeed；
took　on；　unconsciously；　a　more　than　ordinarily　soldierlike
appearance。　　His　eyelids　drooped　a　little；　his　brows　rose　slightly。

She　was　wearing　a　blue　wrap　over　her　evening　frock；　and　he　seized
instinctively　on　that　indifferent　trifle　to　begin　this　talk。

〃Ah！　　Babs；　have　you　been　out？〃

Alive　to　her　very　finger…nails；　with　every　nerve　tingling；　but
showing　no　sign；　Barbara　answered：

〃No；　on　the　roof　of　the　tower。〃

It　gave　her　a　real　malicious　pleasure　to　feel　the　perplexity　beneath
her　father's　dignified　exterior。　　And　detecting　that　covert　mockery；
Lord　Valleys　said　dryly：

〃Star…gazing？〃

Then；　with　that　sudden　resolution　peculiar　to　him；　as　though　he　were
bored　with　having　to　delay　and　temporize；　he　added：

〃Do　you　know；　I　doubt　whether　it's　wise　to　make　appointments　in
confectioner's　shops　when　Ann　is　in　London。〃

The　dangerous　little　gleam　in　Barbara's　eyes　escaped　his　vision　but
not　that　of　Lady　Valleys；　who　said　at　once：

〃No　doubt　you　had　the　best　of　reasons；　my　dear。〃

Barbara　curled　her　lip。　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　scene　they　had　been
through　that　day　with　Miltoun；　and　for　their　very　real　anxiety；　both
would　have　seen；　then；　that　while　their　daughter　was　in　this　mood；
least　said　was　soonest　mended。　　But　their　nerves　were　not　quite
within　control；　and　with　more　than　a　touch　of　impatience　Lord　Valleys
ejaculated：

〃It　doesn't　appear　to　you；　I　suppose；　to　require　any　explanation？〃

Barbara　answered：

〃No。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Lord　Valleys：　〃I　see。　　An　explanation　can　be　had　no　doubt
from　the　gentleman　whose　sense　of　proportion　was　such　as　to　cause　him
to　suggest　such　a　thing。〃

〃He　did　not　suggest　it。　　I　did。〃

Lord　Valleys'　eyebrows　rose　still　higher。

〃Indeed！〃　he　said。

〃Geoffrey！〃　murmured　Lady　Valleys；　〃I　thought　I　was　to　talk　to　Babs。〃

〃It　would　no　doubt　be　wiser。〃

In　Barbara；　thus　for　the　first　time　in　her　life　seriously
reprimanded；　there　was　at　work　the　most　peculiar　sensation　she　had
ever　felt；　as　if　something　were　scraping　her　very　skina　sick；　and
at　the　same　time　devilish；　feeling。　　At　that　moment　she　could　have
struck　her　father　dead。　　But　she　showed　nothing；　having　lowered　the
lids　of　her　eyes。

〃Anything　else？〃　she　said。

Lord　Valleys'　jaw　had　become　suddenly　more　prominent。

〃As　a　sequel　to　your　share　in　Miltoun's　business；　it　is　peculiarly
entrancing。〃

〃My　dear；〃　broke　in　Lady　Valleys　very　suddenly；　〃Babs　will　tell　me。
It's　nothing；　of　course。〃

Barbara's　calm　voice　said　again：

〃Anything　else？〃

The　repetition　of　this　phrase　in　that　maddening；　cool　voice　almost
broke　down　her　father's　sorely　tried　control。

〃Nothing　from　you；〃　he　said　with　deadly　coldness。　　〃I　shall　have　the
honour　of　telling　this　gentleman　what　I　think　of　him。〃

At　those　words　Barbara　drew　herself　together；　and　turned　her　eyes
from　one　face　to　the　other。

Under　that　gaze；　which　for　all　its　cool　hardness；　was　so　furiously
alive；　neither　Lord　nor　Lady　Valleys　could　keep　quite　still。　　It　was
as　if　she　had　stripped　from　them　the　well…bred　mask　of　those　whose
spirits；　by　long　unquestioning　acceptance　of　themselves；　have　become
inelastic；　inexpansive；　commoner　than　they　knew。　　In　fact　a　rather
awful　moment！　　Then　Barbara　said：

〃If　there's　nothing　else；　I'm　going　to　bed。　　Goodnight！〃

And　as　calmly　as　she　had　come　in；　she　went　out。

When　she　had　regained　her　room；　she　locked　the　door；　threw　off　her
cloak；　and　looked　at　herself　in　the　glass。　　With　pleasure　she　saw　how
firmly　her　teeth　were　clenched；　how　her　breast　was　heaving；　and　how
her　eyes　seemed　to　be　stabbing　herself。　　And　all　the　time　she
thought：

〃Very　well！　　My　dears！　　Very　well！〃




CHAPTER　XXV

In　that　mood　of　rebellious　mortification　she　fell　asleep。　　And；
curiously　enough；　dreamed　not　of　him　whom　she　had　in　mind　been　so
furiously　defending；　but　of　Harbinger。　　She　fancied　herself　in
prison；　lying　in　a　cell　fashioned　like　the　drawing…room　at　Sea　house；
and　in　the　next　cell；　into　which　she　could　somehow　look；　Harbinger
was　digging　at　the　wall　with　his　nails。　　She　could　distinctly　see　the
hair　on　the　back　of　his　hands；　and　hear　him　breathing。　　The　hole　he
was　making　grew　larger　and　larger。　　Her　heart　began　to　beat
furiously；　she　awoke。

She　rose　with　a　new　and　malicious　resolution　to　show　no　sign　of
rebellion；　to　go　through　the　day　as　if　nothing　had　happened；　to
deceive　them　all；　and　then！　　Exactly　what　'and　then'　meant；　she　did
not　explain　even　to　herself。

In　accordance　with　this　plan　of　action　she　presented　an　untroubled
front　at　breakfast；　went　out　riding　with　little　Ann；　and　shopping
with　her　mother　afterwards。　　Owing　to　this　news　of　Miltoun　the
journey　to　Scotland　had　been　postponed。　　She　parried　with　cool
ingenuity　each　attempt　made　by　Lady　Valleys　to　draw　her　into
conversation　on　the　subject　of　that　meeting　at　Gustard's；　nor　would
she　talk　of　her　brother；　in　every　other　way　she　was　her　usual　self。
In　the　afternoon　she　even　volunteered　to　accompany　her　mother　to　old
Lady　Harbinger's　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Prince's　Gate。　　She　knew
that　Harbinger　would　be　there；　and　with　the　thought　of　meeting　that
other　at　'five　o'clock；'　had　a　cynical　pleasure　in　thus　encountering
him。　　It　was　so　complete　a　blind　to　them　all！　　Then；　feeling　that　she
was　accomplishing　a　masterstroke；　she　even　told　him；　in　her　mother's
hearing；　that　she　would　walk　home；　and　he　might　come　if　he　cared。　　He
did　care。

But　when　once　she　had　begun　to　swing　along　in　the　mellow　afternoon；
under　the　mellow　trees；　where　the　air　was　sweetened　by　the　South…West
wind；　all　that　mutinous；　reckless　mood　of　hers　vanished；　she　felt
suddenly　happy　and　kind；　glad　to　be　walking　with　him。　　To…day　too　he
was　cheerful；　as　if　determined　not　to　spoil　her　gaiety；　and　she　was
grateful　for　this。　　Once　or　twice　she　even　put　her　hand　up　and
touched　his　sleeve；　calling　his　attention　to　birds　or　trees；
friendly；　and　glad；　after　all　those　hours　of　bitter　feelings；　to　be
giving　happiness。　　When　they　parted　at　the　door　of　Valleys　House；　she
looked　back　at　him　with　a　queer；　half…rueful　smile。　　For；　now　the
hour　had　come！

In　a　little　unfrequented　ante…room；　all　white　panels　and　polish；　she
sat　down　to　wait。　　The　entrance　drive　was　visible　from　here；　and　she
meant　to　encounter　Courtier　casually　in　the　hall。　　She　was　excited；
and　a　little　scornful　of　her　own　excitement。　　She　had　expected　him　to
be　punctual；　but　it　was　already　past　five；　and　soon　she　began　to　feel
uneasy；　almost　ridiculous；　sitting　in　this　room　where　no　one　ever
came。　　Going　to　the　window；　she　looked　out。

A　sudden　voice　behind　her；　said：

〃Auntie　Babs！〃。

Turning；　she　saw　little　Ann　regarding　her　with　those　wide；　frank；
hazel　eyes。　　A　shiver　of　nerves　passed　through　Barbara。

〃Is　this　your　room？　　It's　a　nice　room；　isn't　it？〃

She　answered：

〃Quite　a　nice　room；　Ann。〃

〃Yes。　　I've　never　been　in　here　before。　　There's　somebody　just　come；
so　I　must　go　now。〃

Barbara　involuntarily　put　her　hands　up　to　her　cheeks；　and　quickly
passed　with　her　niece　into　the　hall。　　At　the　very　door　the　footman
William　handed　her　a　note。　　She　looked　at　the　superscription。　　It　was
f