the patrician-第5章

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make　certain　of　this　seat　down　here；　if　you　like　to　stand。〃

Miltoun　had　answered：　〃Thanks；　very　much；　I　don't　think　so　at
present。〃

Through　the　thin　fume　of　his　cigar　Lord　Valleys　watched　that　long
figure　sunk　deep　in　the　chair　opposite。

〃Why　not？〃　he　said。　　〃You　can't　begin　too　soon；　unless　you　think　you
ought　to　go　round　the　world。〃

〃Before　I　can　become　a　man　of　it？〃

Lord　Valleys　gave　a　rather　disconcerted　laugh。

〃There's　nothing　in　politics　you　can't　pick　up　as　you　go　along；〃　he
said。　　〃How　old　are　you？〃

〃Twenty…four。〃

〃You　look　older。〃　　A　faint　line；　as　of　contemplation；　rose　between
his　eyes。　　Was　it　fancy　that　a　little　smile　was　hovering　about
Miltoun's　lips？

〃I've　got　a　foolish　theory；〃　came　from　those　lips；　〃that　one　must
know　the　conditions　first。　　I　want　to　give　at　least　five　years　to
that。〃

Lord　Valleys　raised　his　eyebrows。　　〃Waste　of　time；〃　he　said。　　〃You'd
know　more　at　the　end　of　it；　if　you　went　into　the　House　at　once。　　You
take　the　matter　too　seriously。〃

〃No　doubt。〃

For　fully　a　minute　Lord　Valleys　made　no　answer；　he　felt　almost
ruffled。　　Waiting　till　the　sensation　had　passed；　he　said：　〃Well；　my
dear　fellow；　as　you　please。〃

Miltoun's　apprenticeship　to　the　profession　of　politics　was　served　in
a　slum　settlement；　on　his　father's　estates；　in　Chambers　at　the
Temple；　in　expeditions　to　Germany；　America；　and　the　British　Colonies；
in　work　at　elections；　and　in　two　forlorn　hopes　to　capture　a
constituency　which　could　be　trusted　not　to　change　its　principles。　　He
read　much；　slowly；　but　with　conscientious　tenacity；　poetry；　history；
and　works　on　philosophy；　religion；　and　social　matters。

Fiction；　and　especially　foreign　fiction；　he　did　not　care　for。　　With
the　utmost　desire　to　be　wide　and　impartial；　he　sucked　in　what
ministered　to　the　wants　of　his　nature；　rejecting　unconsciously　all
that　by　its　unsuitability　endangered　the　flame　of　his　private　spirit。
What　he　read；　in　fact；　served　only　to　strengthen　those　profounder
convictions　which　arose　from　his　temperament。　　With　a　contempt　of　the
vulgar　gewgaws　of　wealth　and　rank　he　combined　a　humble　but　intense
and　growing　conviction　of　his　capacity　for　leadership；　of　a　spiritual
superiority　to　those　whom　he　desired　to　benefit。　　There　was　no　trace；
indeed；　of　the　common　Pharisee　in　Miltoun；　he　was　simple　and　direct；
but　his　eyes；　his　gestures；　the　whole　man；　proclaimed　the　presence　of
some　secret　spring　of　certainty；　some　fundamental　well　into　which　no
disturbing　glimmers　penetrated。　　He　was　not　devoid　of　wit；　but　he　was
devoid　of　that　kind　of　wit　which　turns　its　eyes　inward；　and　sees
something　of　the　fun　that　lies　in　being　what　you　are。　　Miltoun　saw
the　world　and　all　the　things　thereof　shaped　like　spireseven　when
they　were　circles。　　He　seemed　to　have　no　sense　that　the　Universe　was
equally　compounded　of　those　two　symbols；　whose　point　of
reconciliation　had　not　yet　been　discovered。

Such　was　he；　then；　when　the　Member　for　his　native　division　was　made　a
peer。

He　had　reached　the　age　of　thirty　without　ever　having　been　in　love；
leading　a　life　of　almost　savage　purity；　with　one　solitary　breakdown。
Women　were　afraid　of　him。　　And　he　was　perhaps　a　little　afraid　of
woman。　　She　was　in　theory　too　lovely　and　desirablethe　half…moon。
in　a　summer　sky；　in　practice　too　cloying；　or　too　harsh。　　He　had　an
affection　for　Barbara；　his　younger　sister；　but　to　his　mother；　his
grandmother；　or　his　elder　sister　Agatha；　he　had　never　felt　close。　　It
was　indeed　amusing　to　see　Lady　Valleys　with　her　first…born。　　Her　fine
figure；　the　blown　roses　of　her　face；　her　grey…blue　eyes　which　had　a
slight　tendency　to　roll；　as　though　amusement　just　touched　with
naughtiness　bubbled　behind　them；　were　reduced　to　a　queer；　satirical
decorum　in　Miltoun's　presence。　　Thoughts　and　sayings　verging　on　the
risky　were　characteristic　of　her　robust　physique；　of　her　soul　which
could　afford　to　express　almost　ail　that　occurred　to　it。　　Miltoun　had
never；　not　even　as　a　child；　given　her　his　confidence。　　She　bore　him
no　resentment；　being　of　that　large；　generous　build　in　body　and　mind；
rarelynever　in　her　classassociated　with　the　capacity　for　feeling
aggrieved　or　lowered　in　any　estimation；　even　its　own。　　He　was；　and
always　had　been；　an　odd　boy；　and　there　was　an　end　of　it！　　Nothing　had
perhaps　so　disconcerted　Lady　Valleys　as　his　want　of　behaviour　in
regard　to　women。　　She　felt　it　abnormal；　just　as　she　recognized　the
essential　if　duly　veiled　normality　of　her　husband　and　younger　son。
It　was　this　feeling　which　made　her　realize　almost　more　vividly　than
she　had　time　for；　in　the　whirl　of　politics　and　fashion；　the　danger　of
his　friendship　with　this　lady　to　whom　she　alluded　so　discreetly　as
'Anonyma。'

Pure　chance　had　been　responsible　for　the　inception　of　that
friendship。　　Going　one　December　afternoon　to　the　farmhouse　of　a
tenant；　just　killed　by　a　fall　from　his　horse；　Miltoun　had　found　the
widow　in　a　state　of　bewildered　grief；　thinly　cloaked　in　the　manner　of
one　who　had　almost　lost　the　power　to　express　her　feelings；　and　quite
lost　it　in　presence　of　'the　gentry。'　　Having　assured　the　poor　soul
that　she　need　have　no　fear　about　her　tenancy；　he　was　just　leaving；
when　he　met；　in　the　stone…flagged　entrance；　a　lady　in　a　fur　cap　and
jacket；　carrying　in　her　arms　a　little　crying　boy；　bleeding　from　a　cut
on　the　forehead。　　Taking　him　from　her　and　placing　him　on　a　table　in
the　parlour；　Miltoun　looked　at　this　lady；　and　saw　that　she　was
extremely　grave；　and　soft；　and　charming。　　He　inquired　of　her　whether
the　mother　should　be　told。

She　shook　her　head。

〃Poor　thing；　not　just　now：　let's　wash　it；　and　bind　it　up　first。〃

Together　therefore　they　washed　and　bound　up　the　cut。　　Having
finished；　she　looked　at　Miltoun；　and　seemed　to　say：　〃You　would　do　the
telling　so　much　better　than　I〃

He；　therefore；　told　the　mother　and　was　rewarded　by　a　little　smile
from　the　grave　lady。

》From　that　meeting　he　took　away　the　knowledge　of　her　name；　Audrey　Lees
Noel；　and　the　remembrance　of　a　face；　whose　beauty；　under　a　cap　of
squirrel's　fur；　pursued　him。　　Some　days　later　passing　by　the　village
green；　he　saw　her　entering　a　garden　gate。　　On　this　occasion　he　had
asked　her　whether　she　would　like　her　cottage　re…thatched；　an
inspection　of　the　roof　had　followed；　he　had　stayed　talking　a　long
time。　　Accustomed　to　womenover　the　best　of　whom；　for　all　their
grace　and　lack　of　affectation；　high…caste　life　had　wrapped　the　manner
which　seems　to　take　all　things　for　grantedthere　was　a　peculiar
charm　for　Miltoun　in　this　soft；　dark…eyed　lady　who　evidently　lived
quite　out　of　the　world；　and　had　so　poignant；　and　shy；　a　flavour。
Thus　from　a　chance　seed　had　blossomed　swiftly　one　of　those　rare
friendships　between　lonely　people；　which　can　in　short　time　fill　great
spaces　of　two　lives。

One　day　she　asked　him：　〃You　know　about　me；　I　suppose？〃　　Miltoun　made
a　motion　of　his　head；　signifying　that　he　did。　　His　informant　had　been
the　vicar。

〃Yes；　I　am　told；　her　story　is　a　sad　onea　divorce。〃

〃Do　you　mean　that　she　has　been　divorced；　or〃

For　the　fraction　of　a　second　the　vicar　perhaps　had　hesitated。

〃Oh！　　nono。　　Sinned　against；　I　am　sure。　　A　nice　woman；　so　far　as　I
have　seen；　though　I'm　afraid　not　one　of　my　congregation。〃

With　this；　Miltoun；　in　whom　chivalry　had　already　been　awakened；　was
content。　　When　she　asked　if　he　knew　her　story；　he　would　not　for　the
world　have　had　her　rake　up　what　was　painful。　　Whatever　that　story；
she　could　not　have　been　to　blame。　　She　had　begun　already　to　be　shaped
by　his　own　spirit；　had　become　not　a　human　being　as　it　was；　but　an
expression　of　his　aspiration。。。。

On　the　third　evening　after　his　passage　of　arms　with　Courtier；　he　was
again　at　her　little　white　cottage　sheltering　within　its　high　garden
walls。　　Smothered　in　roses；　and　with　a　black…brown　thatch　overhanging
the　old…fashioned　leaded　panes　of　the　upper　windows；　it　had　an　air　of
hiding　from　the　world。　　Behind；　as　though　on　guard；　two　pine　trees
spread　their　dark　boughs　over　the　outhouses；　and　in　any　south…west
wind　could　be　heard　speaking　gravely　about　the　weather。　　Tall　lilac
bushes　flanked　the　garden；　and　a　huge　lime…tree　in　the　adjoining
field　sighed　and　rustled；　or　on　still　days　let　forth　the　drowsy　hum
of　countless　small　dusky　bees　who　frequented　that　green　hostelry。

He　found　her　altering　a　dress；　sitting　over　it　in　her　peculiar
delicate　fashionas　if　all　objects　whatsoever；　dresses；　flowers；
books；　music；　required　from　her　the　same　sympathy。

He　had　come　from　a　long　day's　electioneering；　had　been　heckled　at　two
meetings；　and　was　still　sore　from　the　experience。　　To　watch　her；　to
be　soothed；　and　ministered　to　by　her　had　never　been　so　restful；　and
stretched　out　in　a　long　chair　he　listened　to　her　playing。

Over　the　hill　a　Pierrot　moon　was　slowly　moving　up　in　a　sky　the　colour
of　grey　irises。　　And　in　a　sort　of　trance　Miltoun　stared　at　the　burnt…
out　star；　travelling　in　bright　pallor。

Across　the　moor　a　sea　of　shallow　mist　was　rolling；　and　the　trees　in
the　valley；　like　browsing　cattle；　stood　knee…deep　in　whiteness；　with
all　the　air　above　them　wan　from　an　innumerable　rain　as　of　moondust；
falling　into　that　white　sea。　　Then　the　moon　passed　behind　the　lime…
tree；　so　that　a　great　lighted　Chinese　lantern　seemed　to　hang　blue…
black　from　the　sky。

Suddenly；　jarring　and　shivering　the　music；　came　a　sound　of　hooting。
It　swelled；　died　away；　and　swelled　again。

Miltoun　rose。

〃That　has　spoiled　my　vision；〃　he　said。　　〃Mrs。　Noel；　I　have　something
I　want　to　say。〃　　But　looking　down　at　her；　sitting　so　still；　with　her
hands　resting　on　the　keys；　he　was　silent　in　sheer　adoration。

A　voice　from　the　door　ejaculated：

〃Oh！　　ma'amoh！　　my　lord！　　They're　devilling　a　gentleman　on　the
green！〃




CHAPTER　VI

When　the　immortal　Don　set　out　to　ring　all　the　bells　of　merriment；　he
was　followed　by　one　clown。　　Charles　Courtier　on　the　other　hand　had
always　been　accompanied　by　thousands；　who　really　could　not　understand
the　conduct　of　this　man　with　no　commercial　sense。　　But　though　he
puzzled　his　contemporaries；　they　did　not　exactly　laugh　at　him；
because　it　was　reported　that　he　had　really　killed　some　men；　and　loved
some　women。　　They　found　such　a　combination　irresistible；　when　coupled
with　an　appearance　both　vigorous　and　gallant。　　The　son　of　an
Oxfordshire　clergyman；　and　mounted　on　a　lost　cause；　he　had　been
riding　through　the　world　ever　since　he　was　eighteen；　without　once
getting　out　of　the　saddle。　　The　secret　of　this　endurance　lay　perhaps
in　his　unconsciousness　that　he　was　in　the　saddle　at　all。　　It　was　as
much　his　natural　seat　as　office　stools　to　other　mortals。　　He　made　no
capital　out　of　errantry；　his　temperament　being　far　too　like　his　red…
gold　hair；　which　people　compared　to　flames；　consuming　all　before
them。　　His　vices　were　patent；　too　incurable　an　optimism；　an
admiration　for　beauty　such　as　must　sometimes　have　caused　him　to
forget　which　woman　he　was　most　in　love　with；　too　thin　a　skin；　too　hot
a　heart；　hatred　of　humbug；　and　habitual　neglect　of　his　own　interest。
Unmarried；　and　with　many　friends；　and　many　enemies；　he　kept　his　body
like　a　sword…blade；　and　his　soul　always　at　white　heat。

That　one　who　admitted　to　having　taken　part　in　five　wars　should　be
mixing　in　a　by…election　in　the　cause　of　Peace；