the patrician-第47章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


its　candle　flame。　　And　something　in　Miltoun's　heart　took　wings　after
it；　searching　for　the　warmth　and　light　of　his　blown　candle　of　love。
Then；　in　the　hush　he　heard　a　sound　as　of　a　branch　ceaselessly　trailed
through　long　grass；　fainter　and　fainter；　more　and　more　distinct；
again　fainter；　but　nothing　could　he　see　that　should　make　that
homeless　sound。　　And　the　sense　of　some　near　but　unseen　presence　crept
on　him；　till　the　hair　moved　on　his　scalp。　　If　God　would　light　the
moon　or　stars；　and　let　him　see！　　If　God　would　end　the　expectation　of
this　night；　let　one　wan　glimmer　down　into　her　garden；　and　one　wan
glimmer　into　his　breast！　　But　it　stayed　dark；　and　the　homeless　noise
never　ceased。　　The　weird　thought　came　to　Miltoun　that　it　was　made　by
his　own　heart；　wandering　out　there；　trying　to　feel　warm　again。　　He
closed　his　eyes　and　at　once　knew　that　it　was　not　his　heart；　but
indeed　some　external　presence；　unconsoled。　　And　stretching　his　hands
out　he　moved　forward　to　arrest　that　sound。　　As　he　reached　the
railing；　it　ceased。　　And　he　saw　a　flame　leap　up；　a　pale　broad　pathway
of　light　blanching　the　grass。

And；　realizing　that　she　was　there；　within；　he　gasped。　　His　finger…
nails　bent　and　broke　against　the　iron　railing　without　his　knowing。
It　was　not　as　on　that　night　when　the　red　flowers　on　her　windowsill
had　wafted　their　scent　to　him；　it　was　no　sheer　overpowering　rush　of
passion。　　Profounder；　more　terrible；　was　this　rising　up　within　him　of
yearning　for　loveas　if；　now　defeated；　it　would　nevermore　stir；　but
lie　dead　on　that　dark　grass　beneath　those　dark　boughs。　　And　if
victoriouswhat　then？　　He　stole　back　under　the　tree。

He　could　see　little　white　moths　travelling　down　that　path　of
lamplight；　he　could　see　the　white　flowers　quite　plainly　now；　a　pale
watch　of　blossoms　guarding　the　dark　sleepy　ones；　and　he　stood；　not
reasoning；　hardly　any　longer　feeling；　stunned；　battered　by　struggle。
His　face　and　hands　were　sticky　with　the　honey…dew；　slowly；　invisibly
distilling　from　the　lime…tree。　　He　bent　down　and　felt　the　grass。　　And
suddenly　there　came　over　him　the　certainty　of　her　presence。　　Yes；　she
was　thereout　on　the　verandah！　　He　could　see　her　white　figure　from
head　to　foot；　and；　not　realizing　that　she　could　not　see　him；　he
expected　her　to　utter　some　cry。　　But　no　sound　came　from　her；　no
gesture；　she　turned　back　into　the　house。　　Miltoun　ran　forward　to　the
railing。　　But　there；　once　more；　he　stoppedunable　to　think；　unable
to　feel；　as　it　were　abandoned　by　himself。　　And　he　suddenly　found　his
hand　up　at　his　mouth；　as　though　there　were　blood　there　to　be
staunched　that　had　escaped　from　his　heart。

Still　holding　that　hand　before　his　mouth；　and　smothering　the　sound　of
his　feet　in　the　long　grass；　he　crept　away。




CHAPTER　XXX

In　the　great　glass　house　at　Ravensham；　Lady　Casterley　stood　close　to
some　Japanese　lilies；　with　a　letter　in　her　hand。　　Her　face　was　very
white；　for　it　was　the　first　day　she　had　been　allowed　down　after　an
attack　of　influenza；　nor　had　the　hand　in　which　she　held　the　letter
its　usual　steadiness。　　She　read：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃MONKLAND　COURT。

〃Just　a　line；　dear；　before　the　post　goes；　to　tell　you　that　Babs　has
gone　off　happily。　　The　child　looked　beautiful。　　She　sent　you　her
love；　and　some　absurd　messagethat　you　would　be　glad　to　hear；　she
was　perfectly　safe；　with　both　feet　firmly　on　the　ground。〃


A　grim　little　smile　played　on　Lady　Casterley's　pale　lips：…　Yes；
indeed；　and　time　too！　　The　child　had　been　very　near　the　edge　of　the
cliffs！　　Very　near　committing　a　piece　of　romantic　folly！　　That　was
well　over！　　And　raising　the　letter　again；　she　read　on：


〃We　were　all　down　for　it；　of　course；　and　come　back　tomorrow。
Geoffrey　is　quite　cut　up。　　Things　can't　be　what　they　were　without　our
Babs。　　I've　watched　Eustace　very　carefully；　and　I　really　believe　he's
safely　over　that　affair　at　last。　　He　is　doing　extraordinarily　well　in
the　House　just　now。　　Geoffrey　says　his　speech　on　the　Poor　Law　was
head　and　shoulders　the　best　made。〃


Lady　Casterley　let　fall　the　hand　which　held　the　letter。　　Safe？　　Yes；
he　was　safe！　　He　had　done　the　rightthe　natural　thing！　　And　in　time
he　would　be　happy！　　He　would　rise　now　to　that　pinnacle　of　desired
authority　which　she　had　dreamed　of　for　him；　ever　since　he　was　a　tiny
thing；　ever　since　his　little　thin　brown　hand　had　clasped　hers　in
their　wanderings　amongst　the　flowers；　and　the　furniture　of　tall
rooms。　　But；　as　she　stoodcrumpling　the　letter；　grey…white　as　some
small　resolute　ghost；　among　her　tall　lilies　that　filled　with　their
scent　the　great　glass　house…shadows　flitted　across　her　face。　　Was　it
the　fugitive　noon　sunshine？　　Or　was　it　some　glimmering　perception　of
the　old　Greek　saying'Character　is　Fate；'　some　sudden　sense　of　the
universal　truth　that　all　are　in　bond　to　their　own　natures；　and　what　a
man　has　most　desired　shall　in　the　end　enslave　him？







End