tales and fantasies-第21章

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pleasure　in　her　voice　almost　bursting　through　the　whisper

into　song。



'Oh　yes；'　said　Dick；　'very。'



'I　knew　you　would　be；'　she　replied；　'I　told　him　how　you　loved

him。'



'Help　yourself；'　said　the　Admiral；　'help　yourself；　and　let　us

drink　to　a　new　existence。'



'To　a　new　existence；'　repeated　Dick；　and　he　raised　the

tumbler　to　his　lips；　but　set　it　down　untasted。　　He　had　had

enough　of　novelties　for　one　day。



Esther　was　sitting　on　a　stool　beside　her　father's　feet；

holding　her　knees　in　her　arms；　and　looking　with　pride　from

one　to　the　other　of　her　two　visitors。　　Her　eyes　were　so

bright　that　you　were　never　sure　if　there　were　tears　in　them

or　not；　little　voluptuous　shivers　ran　about　her　body；

sometimes　she　nestled　her　chin　into　her　throat；　sometimes

threw　back　her　head；　with　ecstasy；　in　a　word；　she　was　in　that

state　when　it　is　said　of　people　that　they　cannot　contain

themselves　for　happiness。　　It　would　be　hard　to　exaggerate　the

agony　of　Richard。



And；　in　the　meantime；　Van　Tromp　ran　on　interminably。



'I　never　forget　a　friend；'　said　he；　'nor　yet　an　enemy：　of　the

latter；　I　never　had　but　two　…　myself　and　the　public；　and　I

fancy　I　have　had　my　vengeance　pretty　freely　out　of　both。'　　He

chuckled。　　'But　those　days　are　done。　　Van　Tromp　is　no　more。

He　was　a　man　who　had　successes；　I　believe　you　knew　I　had

successes　…　to　which　we　shall　refer　no　farther；'　pulling　down

his　neckcloth　with　a　smile。　　'That　man　exists　no　more：　by　an

exercise　of　will　I　have　destroyed　him。　　There　is　something

like　it　in　the　poets。　　First；　a　brilliant　and　conspicuous

career　…　the　observed；　I　may　say；　of　all　observers；　including

the　bum…bailie：　and　then；　presto！　a　quiet；　sly；　old；　rustic

BONHOMME；　cultivating　roses。　　In　Paris；　Mr。　Naseby　…　'



'Call　him　Richard；　father；'　said　Esther。



'Richard；　if　he　will　allow　me。　　Indeed；　we　are　old　friends；

and　now　near　neighbours；　and；　A　PROPOS；　how　are　we　off　for

neighbours；　Richard？　　The　cottage　stands；　I　think；　upon　your

father's　land　…　a　family　which　I　respect　…　and　the　wood；　I

understand；　is　Lord　Trevanion's。　　Not　that　I　care；　I　am　an

old　Bohemian。　　I　have　cut　society　with　a　cut　direct；　I　cut　it

when　I　was　prosperous；　and　now　I　reap　my　reward；　and　can　cut

it　with　dignity　in　my　declension。　　These　are　our　little

AMOURS　PROPRES；　my　daughter：　your　father　must　respect

himself。　　Thank　you；　yes；　just　a　leetle；　leetle；　tiny　…

thanks；　thanks；　you　spoil　me。　　But；　as　I　was　saying；　Richard；

or　was　about　to　say；　my　daughter　has　been　allowed　to　rust；

her　aunt　was　a　mere　duenna；　hence；　in　parenthesis；　Richard；

her　distrust　of　me；　my　nature　and　that　of　the　duenna　are

poles　asunder　…　poles！　　But；　now　that　I　am　here；　now　that　I

have　given　up　the　fight；　and　live　henceforth　for　one　only　of

my　works　…　I　have　the　modesty　to　say　it　is　my　best　…　my

daughter　…　well；　we　shall　put　all　that　to　rights。　　The

neighbours；　Richard？'



Dick　was　understood　to　say　that　there　were　many　good　families

in　the　Vale　of　Thyme。



'You　shall　introduce　us；'　said　the　Admiral。



Dick's　shirt　was　wet；　he　made　a　lumbering　excuse　to　go；　which

Esther　explained　to　herself　by　a　fear　of　intrusion；　and　so

set　down　to　the　merit　side　of　Dick's　account；　while　she

proceeded　to　detain　him。



'Before　our　walk？'　she　cried。　　'Never！　　I　must　have　my　walk。'



'Let　us　all　go；'　said　the　Admiral；　rising。



'You　do　not　know　that　you　are　wanted；'　she　cried；　leaning　on

his　shoulder　with　a　caress。　　'I　might　wish　to　speak　to　my　old

friend　about　my　new　father。　　But　you　shall　come　to…day；　you

shall　do　all　you　want；　I　have　set　my　heart　on　spoiling　you。'



'I　will　just　take　ONE　drop　more；'　said　the　Admiral；　stooping

to　help　himself　to　brandy。　　'It　is　surprising　how　this

journey　has　fatigued　me。　　But　I　am　growing　old；　I　am　growing

old；　I　am　growing　old；　and　…　I　regret　to　add　…　bald。'



He　cocked　a　white　wide…awake　coquettishly　upon　his　head　…　the

habit　of　the　lady…killer　clung　to　him；　and　Esther　had　already

thrown　on　her　hat；　and　was　ready；　while　he　was　still　studying

the　result　in　a　mirror：　the　carbuncle　had　somewhat　painfully

arrested　his　attention。



'We　are　papa　now；　we　must　be　respectable；'　he　said　to　Dick；

in　explanation　of　his　dandyism：　and　then　he　went　to　a　bundle

and　chose　himself　a　staff。　　Where　were　the　elegant　canes　of

his　Parisian　epoch？　　This　was　a　support　for　age；　and　designed

for　rustic　scenes。　　Dick　began　to　see　and　appreciate　the

man's　enjoyment　in　a　new　part；　when　he　saw　how　carefully　he

had　'made　it　up。'　　He　had　invented　a　gait　for　this　first

country　stroll　with　his　daughter；　which　was　admirably　in　key。

He　walked　with　fatigue；　he　leaned　upon　the　staff；　he　looked

round　him　with　a　sad；　smiling　sympathy　on　all　that　he　beheld；

he　even　asked　the　name　of　a　plant；　and　rallied　himself　gently

for　an　old　town　bird；　ignorant　of　nature。　　'This　country　life

will　make　me　young　again；'　he　sighed。　　They　reached　the　top

of　the　hill　towards　the　first　hour　of　evening；　the　sun　was

descending　heaven；　the　colour　had　all　drawn　into　the　west；

the　hills　were　modelled　in　their　least　contour　by　the　soft；

slanting　shine；　and　the　wide　moorlands；　veined　with　glens　and

hazelwoods；　ran　west　and　north　in　a　hazy　glory　of　light。

Then　the　painter　wakened　in　Van　Tromp。



'Gad；　Dick；'　he　cried；　'what　value！'



An　ode　in　four　hundred　lines　would　not　have　seemed　so

touching　to　Esther；　her　eyes　filled　with　happy　tears；　yes；

here　was　the　father　of　whom　she　had　dreamed；　whom　Dick　had

described；　simple；　enthusiastic；　unworldly；　kind；　a　painter

at　heart；　and　a　fine　gentleman　in　manner。



And　just　then　the　Admiral　perceived　a　house　by　the　wayside；

and　something　depending　over　the　house　door　which　might　be

construed　as　a　sign　by　the　hopeful　and　thirsty。



'Is　that；'　he　asked；　pointing　with　his　stick；　'an　inn？'



There　was　a　marked　change　in　his　voice；　as　though　he　attached

importance　to　the　inquiry：　Esther　listened；　hoping　she　should

hear　wit　or　wisdom。



Dick　said　it　was。



'You　know　it？'　inquired　the　Admiral。



'I　have　passed　it　a　hundred　times；　but　that　is　all；'　replied

Dick。



'Ah；'　said　Van　Tromp；　with　a　smile；　and　shaking　his　head；

'you　are　not　an　old　campaigner；　you　have　the　world　to　learn。

Now　I；　you　see；　find　an　inn　so　very　near　my　own　home；　and　my

first　thought　is　my　neighbours。　　I　shall　go　forward　and　make

my　neighbours'　acquaintance；　no；　you　needn't　come；　I　shall

not　be　a　moment。'



And　he　walked　off　briskly　towards　the　inn；　leaving　Dick　alone

with　Esther　on　the　road。



'Dick；'　she　exclaimed；　'I　am　so　glad　to　get　a　word　with　you；

I　am　so　happy；　I　have　such　a　thousand　things　to　say；　and　I

want　you　to　do　me　a　favour。　　Imagine；　he　has　come　without　a

paint…box；　without　an　easel；　and　I　want　him　to　have　all。　　I

want　you　to　get　them　for　me　in　Thymebury。　　You　saw；　this

moment；　how　his　heart　turned　to　painting。　　They　can't　live

without　it；'　she　added；　meaning　perhaps　Van　Tromp　and　Michel

Angelo。



Up　to　that　moment；　she　had　observed　nothing　amiss　in　Dick's

behaviour。　　She　was　too　happy　to　be　curious；　and　his　silence；

in　presence　of　the　great　and　good　being　whom　she　called　her

father；　had　seemed　both　natural　and　praiseworthy。　　But　now

that　they　were　alone；　she　became　conscious　of　a　barrier

between　her　lover　and　herself；　and　alarm　sprang　up　in　her

heart。



'Dick；'　she　cried；　'you　don't　love　me。'



'I　do　that；'　he　said　heartily。



'But　you　are　unhappy；　you　are　strange；　you　…　you　are　not　glad

to　see　my　father；'　she　concluded；　with　a　break　in　her　voice。



'Esther；'　he　said；　'I　tell　you　that　I　love　you；　if　you　love

me；　you　know　what　that　means；　and　that　all　I　wish　is　to　see

you　happy。　　Do　you　think　I　cannot　enjoy　your　pleasures？

Esther；　I　do。　　If　I　am　uneasy；　if　I　am　alarmed；　if　…　。　　Oh；

believe　me；　try　and　believe　in　me；'　he　cried；　giving　up

argument　with　perhaps　a　happy　inspiration。



But　the　girl's　suspicions　were　aroused；　and　though　she

pressed　the　matter　no　farther　（indeed；　her　father　was　already

seen　returning）；　it　by　no　means　left　her　thoughts。　　At　one

moment　she　simply　resented　the　selfishness　of　a　man　who　had

obtruded　his　dark　looks　and　passionate　language　on　her　joy；

for　there　is　nothing　that　a　woman　can　less　easily　forgive

than　the　language　of　a　passion　which；　even　if　only　for　the

moment；　she　does　not　share。　　At　another；　she　suspected　him　of

jealousy　against　her　father；　and　for　that；　although　she　could

see　excuses　for　it；　she　yet　despised　him。　　And　at　least；　in

one　way　or　the　other；　here　was　the　dangerous　beginning　of　a

separation　between　two　hearts。　　Esther　found　herself　at

variance　with　her　sweetest　friend；　she　could　no　longer　look

into　his　heart　and　find　it　written　with　the　same　language　as

her　own；　she　could　no　longer　think　of　him　as　the　sun　which

radiated　happiness　upon　her　life；　for　she　had　turned　to　him

once；　and　he　had　breathed　upon　her　black　and　chilly；　radiated

blackness　and　frost。　　To　put　the　whole　matter　in　a　word；　she

was　beginning；　although　ever　so　slightly；　to　fall　out　of

love。







CHAPTER　VI　…　THE　PRODIGAL　FATHER　GOES　ON　FROM　STRENGTH　TO

STRENGTH







WE　will　not　follow　all　the　steps　of　the　Admiral's　return　and

installation；　but　hurry　forward　towards　the　catastrophe；

merely　chronicling　by　the　way　a　few　salient　incidents；

wherein　we　must　rely　entirely　upon　the　evidence　of　Richard；

for　Esther　to　this　day　has　never　opened　her　mouth　upon　this

trying　passage　of　her　life；　and　as　for　the　Admiral　…　well；

that　naval　officer；　although　still　alive；　and　now　more

suitably　installed　in　a　seaport　town　where　he　has　a　telescope

and　a　flag　in　his　front　garden；　is　incapable　of　throwing　the

slightest　gleam　of　light　upon　the　affair。　　Often　and　often

has　he　remarked　to　the　present　writer：　'If　I　know　what　it　was

all　about；　sir；　I'll　be　…　'　in　short；　be　what　I　hope　he　will

not。　　And　then　he　will　look　across　at　his　daughter's

portrait；　a　photograph；　shake　his　head　with　an　amused

appearance；　and　mix　himself　another　grog　by　way　of

consolation。　　Once　I　heard　him　go　farther；　and　express　his

feelings　with　regard　to　Esther　in　a　single　but　eloquent　word。

'A　minx；　sir；'　he　said；　not　in　anger；　rather　in　amusement：

and　he　cordially　drank　her　health　upon　the　back　of　it。　　His

worst　enemy　must　admit　him　to　be　a　man　without　malice；　he

never　bore　a　grudge　in　his　life；　lacking　the　necessary　taste

and　industry　of　attention。



Yet　it　was　during　this　obscure　period　that　the　drama　was

really　performed；　and　its　scene　was　in　the　heart　of　Esther；

shut　away　from　all　eyes。　　Had　this　warm；　upright；　sullen　girl

been　differently　used　by　destiny；　had　events　come　upon　her

even　in　a　different　succession；　for　some　things　lead　easily

to　others；　the　whole　course　of　this　tale　would　have　been

changed；　and　Esther　never　would　have　run　away。　　As　it　was；

through　a　series　of　acts　and　words　of　which　we　know　but　few；

and　a　series