the patrician-第9章

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biplane　from　Winkleigh；　and　brought　a　copy　of　'the　rag'　with　him。
The　one　member　of　the　small　house…party　who　had　not　heard　the　report
before　dinner　was　Lord　Dennis　Fitz…Harold；　Lady　Casterley's　brother。

Little；　of　course；　was　said。　　But　after　the　ladies　had　withdrawn；
Harbinger；　with　that　plain…spoken　spontaneity　which　was　so
unexpected；　perhaps　a　little　intentionally　so；　in　connection　with　his
almost　classically　formed　face；　uttered　words　to　the　effect　that；　if
they　did　not　fundamentally　kick　that　rumour；　it　was　all　up　with
Miltoun。　　Really　this　was　serious！　　And　the　beggars　knew　it；　and　they
were　going　to　work　it。　　And　Miltoun　had　gone　up　to　Town；　no　one　knew
what　for。　　It　was　the　devil　of　a　mess！

In　all　the　conversation　of　this　young　man　there　was　that　peculiar
brand　of　voice；　which　seems　ever　rebutting　an　accusation　of　being
seriousa　brand　of　voice　and　manner　warranted　against　anything　save
ridicule；　and　in　the　face　of　ridicule　apt　to　disappear。　　The　words；
just　a　little　satirically　spoken：　〃What　is；　my　dear　young　man？〃
stopped　him　at　once。

Looking　for　the　complement　and　counterpart　of　Lady　Casterley；　one
would　perhaps　have　singled　out　her　brother。　　All　her　abrupt　decision
was　negated　in　his　profound；　ironical　urbanity。　　His　voice　and　look
and　manner　were　like　his　velvet　coat；　which　had　here　and　there　a
whitish　sheen；　as　if　it　had　been　touched　by　moonlight。　　His　hair　too
had　that　sheen。　　His　very　delicate　features　were　framed　in　a　white
beard　and　moustache　of　Elizabethan　shape。　　His　eyes；　hazel　and　still
clear；　looked　out　very　straight；　with　a　certain　dry　kindliness。　　His
face；　though　unweathered　and　unseamed；　and　much　too　fine　and　thin　in
texture；　had　a　curious　affinity　to　the　faces　of　old　sailors　or
fishermen　who　have　lived　a　simple；　practical　life　in　the　light　of　an
overmastering　tradition。　　It　was　the　face　of　a　man　with　a　very　set
creed；　and　inclined　to　be　satiric　towards　innovations；　examined　by
him　and　rejected　full　fifty　years　ago。　　One　felt　that　a　brain　not
devoid　either　of　subtlety　or　aesthetic　quality　had　long　given　up　all
attempts　to　interfere　with　conduct；　that　all　shrewdness　of
speculation　had　given　place　to　shrewdness　of　practical　judgment　based
on　very　definite　experience。　　Owing　to　lack　of　advertising　power；
natural　to　one　so　conscious　of　his　dignity　as　to　have　lost　all　care
for　it；　and　to　his　devotion　to　a　certain　lady；　only　closed　by　death；
his　life　had　been　lived；　as　it　were；　in　shadow。　　Still；　he　possessed
a　peculiar　influence　in　Society；　because　it　was　known　to　be
impossible　to　get　him　to　look　at　things　in　a　complicated　way。　　He　was
regarded　rather　as　a　last　resort；　however。　　〃Bad　as　that？　　Well；
there's　old　Fitz…Harold！　　Try　him！　　He　won't　advise　you；　but　he'll
say　something。〃

And　in　the　heart　of　that　irreverent　young　man；　Harbinger；　there
stirred　a　sort　of　misgiving。　　Had　he　expressed　himself　too　freely？
Had　he　said　anything　too　thick？　　He　had　forgotten　the　old　boy！
Stirring　Bertie　up　with　his　foot；　he　murmured　〃Forgot　you　didn't
know；　sir。　　Bertie　will　explain。〃

Thus　called　on；　Bertie；　opening　his　lips　a　very　little　way；　and
fixing　his　half…closed　eyes　on　his　great…uncle；　explained。　　There　was
a　lady　at　the　cottagea　nice　womanMr。　Courtier　knew　herold
Miltoun　went　there　sometimesrather　late　the　other　eveningthese
devils　were　making　the　most　of　itsuggestinglose　him　the　election；
if　they　didn't　look　out。　　Perfect　rot；　of　course！

In　his　opinion；　old　Miltoun；　though　as　steady　as　Time；　had　been　a
flat　to　let　the　woman　come　out　with　him　on　to　the　Green；　showing
clearly　where　he　had　been；　when　he　ran　to　Courtier's　rescue。　　You
couldn't　play　about　with　women　who　had　no　form　that　anyone　knew
anything　of；　however　promising　they　might　look。

Then；　out　of　a　silence　Winlow　asked：　What　was　to　be　done？　　Should
Miltoun　be　wired　for？　　A　thing　like　this　spread　like　wildfire！　　Sir
Williama　man　not　accustomed　to　underrate　difficultieswas　afraid
it　was　going　to　be　troublesome。　　Harbinger　expressed　the　opinion　that
the　editor　ought　to　be　kicked。　　Did　anybody　know　what　Courtier　had
done　when　he　heard　of　it。　　Where　was　hedining　in　his　room？　　Bertie
suggested　that　if　Miltoun　was　at　Valleys　House；　it　mightn't　be　too
late　to　wire　to　him。　　The　thing　ought　to　be　stemmed　at　once！　　And　in
all　this　concern　about　the　situation　there　kept　cropping　out　quaint
little　outbursts　of　desire　to　disregard　the　whole　thing　as　infernal
insolence；　and　metaphorically　to　punch　the　beggars'　heads；　natural　to
young　men　of　breeding。

Then；　out　of　another　silence　came　the　voice　of　Lord　Dennis：

〃I　am　thinking　of　this　poor　lady。〃

Turning　a　little　abruptly　towards　that　dry　suave　voice；　and
recovering　the　self…possession　which　seldom　deserted　him；　Harbinger
murmured：

〃Quite　so；　sir；　of　course！〃




CHAPTER　IX

In　the　lesser　withdrawing　room；　used　when　there　was　so　small　a　party；
Mrs。　Winlow　had　gone　to　the　piano　and　was　playing　to　herself；　for
Lady　Casterley；　Lady　Valleys；　and　her　two　daughters　had　drawn
together　as　though　united　to　face　this　invading　rumour。

It　was　curious　testimony　to　Miltoun's　character　that；　no　more　here
than　in　the　dining…hall；　was　there　any　doubt　of　the　integrity　of　his
relations　with　Mrs。　Noel。　　But　whereas；　there　the　matter　was　confined
to　its　electioneering　aspect；　here　that　aspect　was　already　perceived
to　be　only　the　fringe　of　its　importance。　　Those　feminine　minds；　going
with　intuitive　swiftness　to　the　core　of　anything　which　affected　their
own　males；　had　already　grasped　the　fact　that　the　rumour　would；　as　it
were；　chain　a　man　of　Miltoun's　temper　to　this　woman。

But　they　were　walking　on　such　a　thin　crust　of　facts；　and　there　was　so
deep　a　quagmire　of　supposition　beneath；　that　talk　was　almost
painfully　difficult。　　Never　before　perhaps　had　each　of　these　four
women　realized　so　clearly　how　much　Miltounthat　rather　strange　and
unknown　grandson；　son；　and　brothercounted　in　the　scheme　of
existence。　　Their　suppressed　agitation　was　manifested　in　very
different　ways。　　Lady　Casterley；　upright　in　her　chair；　showed　it　only
by　an　added　decision　of　speech；　a　continual　restless　movement　of　one
hand；　a　thin　line　between　her　usually　smooth　brows。　　Lady　Valleys
wore　a　puzzled　look；　as　if　a　little　surprised　that　she　felt　serious。
Agatha　looked　frankly　anxious。　　She　was　in　her　quiet　way　a　woman　of
much　character；　endowed　with　that　natural　piety；　which　accepts
without　questioning　the　established　order　in　life　and　religion。　　The
world　to　her　being　home　and　family；　she　had　a　real；　if　gently
expressed；　horror　of　all　that　she　instinctively　felt　to　be　subversive
of　this　ideal。　　People　judged　her　a　little　quiet；　dull；　and　narrow；
they　compared　her　to　a　hen　for　ever　clucking　round　her　chicks。　　The
streak　of　heroism　that　lay　in　her　nature　was　not　perhaps　of　patent
order。　　Her　feeling　about　her　brother's　situation　however　was　sincere
and　not　to　be　changed　or　comforted。　　She　saw　him　in　danger　of　being
damaged　in　the　only　sense　in　which　she　could　conceive　of　a　manas　a
husband　and　a　father。　　It　was　this　that　went　to　her　heart；　though　her
piety　proclaimed　to　her　also　the　peril　of　his　soul；　for　she　shared
the　High　Church　view　of　the　indissolubility　of　marriage。

As　to　Barbara；　she　stood　by　the　hearth；　leaning　her　white　shoulders
against　the　carved　marble；　her　hands　behind　her；　looking　down。　　Now
and　then　her　lips　curled；　her　level　brows　twitched；　a　faint　sigh　came
from　her；　then　a　little　smile　would　break　out；　and　be　instantly
suppressed。　　She　alone　was　silentYouth　criticizing　Life；　her
judgment　voiced　itself　only　in　the　untroubled　rise　and　fall　of　her
young　bosom；　the　impatience　of　her　brows；　the　downward　look　of　her
blue　eyes；　full　of　a　lazy；　inextinguishable　light：

Lady　Valleys　sighed。

〃If　only　he　weren't　such　a　queer　boy！　　He's　quite　capable　of　marrying
her　from　sheer　perversity。〃

〃What！〃　said　Lady　Casterley。

〃You　haven't　seen　her；　my　dear。　　A　most　unfortunately　attractive
creaturequite　a　charming　face。〃

Agatha　said　quietly：

〃Mother；　if　she　was　divorced；　I　don't　think　Eustace　would。〃

〃There's　that；　certainly；〃　murmured　Lady　Valleys；　〃hope　for　the
best！〃

〃Don't　you　even　know　which　way　it　was？〃　said　Lady　Casterley。

〃Well；　the　vicar　says　she　did　the　divorcing。　　But　he's　very
charitable；　it　may　be　as　Agatha　hopes。〃

〃I　detest　vagueness。　　Why　doesn't　someone　ask　the　woman？〃

〃You　shall　come　with　me；　Granny　dear；　and　ask　her　yourself；　you　will
do　it　so　nicely。〃

Lady　Casterley　looked　up。

〃We　shall　see；〃　she　said。　　Something　struggled　with　the　autocratic
criticism　in　her　eyes。　　No　more　than　the　rest　of　the　world　could　she
help　indulging　Barbara。　　As　one　who　believed　in　the　divinity　of　her
order；　she　liked　this　splendid　child。　　She　even　admiredthough
admiration　was　not　what　she　excelled　inthat　warm　joy　in　life；　as　of
some　great　nymph；　parting　the　waves　with　bare　limbs；　tossing　from　her
the　foam　of　breakers。　　She　felt　that　in　this　granddaughter；　rather
than　in　the　good　Agatha；　the　patrician　spirit　was　housed。　　There　were
points　to　Agatha；　earnestness　and　high　principle；　but　something
morally　narrow　and　over…Anglican　slightly　offended　the　practical；
this…worldly　temper　of　Lady　Casteriey。　　It　was　a　weakness；　and　she
disliked　weakness。　　Barbara　would　never　be　squeamish　over　moral
questions　or　matters　such　as　were　not　really；　essential　to
aristocracy。　　She　might；　indeed；　err　too　much　the　other　way　from
sheer　high　spirits。　　As　the　impudent　child　had　said：　〃If　people　had
no　pasts；　they　would　have　no　futures。〃　　And　Lady　Casterley　could　not
bear　people　without　futures。　　She　was　ambitious；　not　with　the　low
ambition　of　one　who　had　risen　from　nothing；　but　with　the　high　passion
of　one　on　the　top；　who　meant　to　stay　there。

〃And　where　have　you　been　meeting　thiseranonymous　creature？〃　she
asked。

Barbara　came　from　the　hearth；　and　bending　down　beside　Lady
Casterley's　chair；　seemed　to　envelop　her　completely。

〃I'm　all　right；　Granny；　she　couldn't　corrupt　me。〃

Lady　Casterley's　face　peered　out　doubtfully　from　that　warmth；　wearing
a　look　of　disapproving　pleasure。

〃I　know　your　wiles！〃　she　said。　　〃Come；　now！〃

〃I　see　her　about。　　She's　nice　to　look　at。　　We　talk。〃

Again　with　that　hurried　quietness　Agatha　said：

〃My　dear　Babs；　I　do　think　you　ought　to　wait。〃

〃My　dear　Angel；　why？　　What　is　it　to　me　if　she's　had　four　husbands？〃

Agatha　bit　her　lips；　and　Lady　Valleys　murmured　with　a　laugh：

〃You　really　are　a　terror；　Babs。〃

But　the　sound　of　Mrs。　Winlow's　music　had　ceasedthe　men　had　come　in。
And　the　faces　of　the　four　women　hardened；　as　if　they　had　slipped　on
masks；　for　though　this　was　almost　or　quite　a　family　party；　the
Winlows　being　second　cousins；　still　the　subject　was　one　which　each　of
these　four　in　their　very　different　ways　felt　to　be　beyond　general
discussion。　　Talk；　now；　began　glancing　from　the　war　scareWinlow　had
it　very　specially　that　this　would　be　over　in　a　weekto　Brabrook's
speech；　in　progress　at　that　very　moment；　of　which　Harbinger　provided
an　imitation。　　It　sped　to　Winlow's　flightto　Andrew　Grant's　articles
in　the　'Parthenon'to　the　caricature　of　Harbinger　in　the　'Cackler'；
inscribed　'The　New　Tory。　　Lord　H…rb…ng…r　brings　Social　Reform　beneath
the　notice　of　his　friends；