tales and fantasies-第26章

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to　both　of　us。　　I　am　at　a　loss　to　figure　to　myself；　however

dimly；　how　any　man　…　I　have　not　said　any　gentleman　…　could　so

brazenly　insult　another　as　you　have　been　insulting　me　since

you　entered　this　house。　　For　the　first　time　I　appreciate　your

base　insinuations；　and　I　despise　them　and　you。　　You　were；　I

am　told；　a　manufacturer；　I　am　an　artist；　I　have　seen　better

days；　I　have　moved　in　societies　where　you　would　not　be

received；　and　dined　where　you　would　be　glad　to　pay　a　pound　to

see　me　dining。　　The　so…called　aristocracy　of　wealth；　sir；　I

despise。　　I　refuse　to　help　you；　I　refuse　to　be　helped　by　you。

There　lies　the　door。'



And　the　Admiral　stood　forth　in　a　halo。



It　was　then　that　Dick　entered。　　He　had　been　waiting　in　the

porch　for　some　time　back；　and　Esther　had　been　listlessly

standing　by　his　side。　　He　had　put　out　his　hand　to　bar　her

entrance；　and　she　had　submitted　without　surprise；　and　though

she　seemed　to　listen；　she　scarcely　appeared　to　comprehend。

Dick；　on　his　part；　was　as　white　as　a　sheet；　his　eyes　burned

and　his　lips　trembled　with　anger　as　he　thrust　the　door

suddenly　open；　introduced　Esther　with　ceremonious　gallantry；

and　stood　forward　and　knocked　his　hat　firmer　on　his　head　like

a　man　about　to　leap。



'What　is　all　this？'　he　demanded。



'Is　this　your　father；　Mr。　Naseby？'　inquired　the　Admiral。



'It　is；'　said　the　young　man。



'I　make　you　my　compliments；'　returned　Van　Tromp。



'Dick！'　cried　his　father；　suddenly　breaking　forth；　'it　is　not

too　late；　is　it？　　I　have　come　here　in　time　to　save　you。

Come；　come　away　with　me　…　come　away　from　this　place。'



And　he　fawned　upon　Dick　with　his　hands。



'Keep　your　hands　off　me；'　cried　Dick；　not　meaning　unkindness；

but　because　his　nerves　were　shattered　by　so　many　successive

miseries。



'No；　no；'　said　the　old　man；　'don't　repulse　your　father；　Dick；

when　he　has　come　here　to　save　you。　　Don't　repulse　me；　my　boy。

Perhaps　I　have　not　been　kind　to　you；　not　quite　considerate；

too　harsh；　my　boy；　it　was　not　for　want　of　love。　　Think　of　old

times。　　I　was　kind　to　you　then；　was　I　not？　　When　you　were　a

child；　and　your　mother　was　with　us。'　　Mr。　Naseby　was

interrupted　by　a　sort　of　sob。　　Dick　stood　looking　at　him　in　a

maze。　　'Come　away；'　pursued　the　father　in　a　whisper；　'you

need　not　be　afraid　of　any　consequences。　　I　am　a　man　of　the

world；　Dick；　and　she　can　have　no　claim　on　you　…　no　claim；　I

tell　you；　and　we'll　be　handsome　too；　Dick　…　we'll　give　them　a

good　round　figure；　father　and　daughter；　and　there's　an　end。'



He　had　been　trying　to　get　Dick　towards　the　door；　but　the

latter　stood　off。



'You　had　better　take　care；　sir；　how　you　insult　that　lady；'

said　the　son；　as　black　as　night。



'You　would　not　choose　between　your　father　and　your　mistress？'

said　the　father。



'What　do　you　call　her；　sir？'　cried　Dick；　high　and　clear。



Forbearance　and　patience　were　not　among　Mr。　Naseby's

qualities。



'I　called　her　your　mistress；'　he　shouted；　'and　I　might　have

called　her　a　…　'



'That　is　an　unmanly　lie；'　replied　Dick；　slowly。



'Dick！'　cried　the　father；　'Dick！'



'I　do　not　care；'　said　the　son；　strengthening　himself　against

his　own　heart；　'I　…　I　have　said　it；　and　it　is　the　truth。'



There　was　a　pause。



'Dick；'　said　the　old　man　at　last；　in　a　voice　that　was　shaken

as　by　a　gale　of　wind；　'I　am　going。　　I　leave　you　with　your

friends；　sir　…　with　your　friends。　　I　came　to　serve　you；　and

now　I　go　away　a　broken　man。　　For　years　I　have　seen　this

coming；　and　now　it　has　come。　　You　never　loved　me。　　Now　you

have　been　the　death　of　me。　　You　may　boast　of　that。　　Now　I

leave　you。　　God　pardon　you。'



With　that　he　was　gone；　and　the　three　who　remained　together

heard　his　horse's　hoofs　descend　the　lane。　　Esther　had　not

made　a　sign　throughout　the　interview；　and　still　kept　silence

now　that　it　was　over；　but　the　Admiral；　who　had　once　or　twice

moved　forward　and　drawn　back　again；　now　advanced　for　good。



'You　are　a　man　of　spirit；　sir；'　said　he　to　Dick；　'but　though

I　am　no　friend　to　parental　interference；　I　will　say　that　you

were　heavy　on　the　governor。'　　Then　he　added　with　a　chuckle：

'You　began；　Richard；　with　a　silver　spoon；　and　here　you　are　in

the　water　like　the　rest。　　Work；　work；　nothing　like　work。　　You

have　parts；　you　have　manners；　why；　with　application　you　may

die　a　millionaire！'　　Dick　shook　himself。　　He　took　Esther　by

the　hand；　looking　at　her　mournfully。



'Then　this　is　farewell；'　he　said。



'Yes；'　she　answered。　　There　was　no　tone　in　her　voice；　and　she

did　not　return　his　gaze。



'For　ever；'　added　Dick。



'For　ever；'　she　repeated　mechanically。



'I　have　had　hard　measure；'　he　continued。　　'In　time　I　believe

I　could　have　shown　you　I　was　worthy；　and　there　was　no　time

long　enough　to　show　how　much　I　loved　you。　　But　it　was　not　to

be。　　I　have　lost　all。'



He　relinquished　her　hand；　still　looking　at　her；　and　she

turned　to　leave　the　room。



'Why；　what　in　fortune's　name　is　the　meaning　of　all　this？'

cried　Van　Tromp。　　'Esther　come　back！'



'Let　her　go；'　said　Dick；　and　he　watched　her　disappear　with

strangely　mingled　feelings。　　For　he　had　fallen　into　that

stage　when　men　have　the　vertigo　of　misfortune；　court　the

strokes　of　destiny；　and　rush　towards　anything　decisive；　that

it　may　free　them　from　suspense　though　at　the　cost　of　ruin。

It　is　one　of　the　many　minor　forms　of　suicide。



'She　did　not　love　me；'　he　said；　turning　to　her　father。



'I　feared　as　much；'　said　he；　'when　I　sounded　her。　　Poor　Dick；

poor　Dick。　　And　yet　I　believe　I　am　as　much　cut　up　as　you　are。

I　was　born　to　see　others　happy。'



'You　forget；'　returned　Dick；　with　something　like　a　sneer；

'that　I　am　now　a　pauper。'



Van　Tromp　snapped　his　fingers。



'Tut！'　said　he；　'Esther　has　plenty　for　us　all。'



Dick　looked　at　him　with　some　wonder。　　It　had　never　dawned

upon　him　that　this　shiftless；　thriftless；　worthless；　sponging

parasite　was　yet；　after　and　in　spite　of　all；　not　mercenary　in

the　issue　of　his　thoughts；　yet　so　it　was。



'Now；'　said　Dick；　'I　must　go。'



'Go？'　cried　Van　Tromp。　　'Where？　　Not　one　foot；　Mr。　Richard

Naseby。　　Here　you　shall　stay　in　the　meantime！　and　…　well；　and

do　something　practical　…　advertise　for　a　situation　as　private

secretary　…　and　when　you　have　it；　go　and　welcome。　　But　in　the

meantime；　sir；　no　false　pride；　we　must　stay　with　our　friends；

we　must　sponge　a　while　on　Papa　Van　Tromp；　who　has　sponged　so

often　upon　us。'



'By　God；'　cried　Dick；　'I　believe　you　are　the　best　of　the

lot。'



'Dick；　my　boy；'　replied　the　Admiral；　winking；　'you　mark　me；　I

am　not　the　worst。'



'Then　why；'　began　Dick；　and　then　paused。　　'But　Esther；'　he

began　again；　once　more　to　interrupt　himself。　　'The　fact　is；

Admiral；'　he　came　out　with　it　roundly　now；　'your　daughter

wished　to　run　away　from　you　to…day；　and　I　only　brought　her

back　with　difficulty。'



'In　the　pony　carriage？'　asked　the　Admiral；　with　the　silliness

of　extreme　surprise。



'Yes；'　Dick　answered。



'Why；　what　the　devil　was　she　running　away　from？'



Dick　found　the　question　unusually　hard　to　answer。



'Why；'　said　he；　'you　know；　you're　a　bit　of　a　rip。'



'I　behave　to　that　girl；　sir；　like　an　archdeacon；'　replied　Van

Tromp　warmly。



'Well　…　excuse　me　…　but　you　know　you　drink；'　insisted　Dick。



'I　know　that　I　was　a　sheet　in　the　wind's　eye；　sir；　once　…

once　only；　since　I　reached　this　place；'　retorted　the　Admiral。

'And　even　then　I　was　fit　for　any　drawing…room。　　I　should　like

you　to　tell　me　how　many　fathers；　lay　and　clerical；　go

upstairs　every　day　with　a　face　like　a　lobster　and　cod's　eyes

…　and　are　dull；　upon　the　back　of　it　…　not　even　mirth　for　the

money！　　No；　if　that's　what　she　runs　for；　all　I　say　is；　let

her　run。'



'You　see；'　Dick　tried　it　again；　'she　has　fancies　…　'



'Confound　her　fancies！'　cried　Van　Tromp。　　'I　used　her　kindly；

she　had　her　own　way；　I　was　her　father。　　Besides　I　had　taken

quite　a　liking　to　the　girl；　and　meant　to　stay　with　her　for

good。　　But　I　tell　you　what　it　is；　Dick；　since　she　has　trifled

with　you　…　Oh；　yes；　she　did　though！　…　and　since　her　old

papa's　not　good　enough　for　her　…　the　devil　take　her；　say　I。'



'You　will　be　kind　to　her　at　least？'　said　Dick。



'I　never　was　unkind　to　a　living　soul；'　replied　the　Admiral。

'Firm　I　can　be；　but　not　unkind。'



'Well；'　said　Dick；　offering　his　hand；　'God　bless　you；　and

farewell。'



The　Admiral　swore　by　all　his　gods　he　should　not　go。　　'Dick；'

he　said；　'You　are　a　selfish　dog；　you　forget　your　old　Admiral。

You　wouldn't　leave　him　alone；　would　you？'



It　was　useless　to　remind　him　that　the　house　was　not　his　to

dispose　of；　that　being　a　class　of　considerations　to　which　his

intelligence　was　closed；　so　Dick　tore　himself　off　by　force；

and；　shouting　a　good…bye；　made　off　along　the　lane　to

Thymebury。









CHAPTER　IX　…　IN　WHICH　THE　LIBERAL　EDITOR　RE…APPEARS　AS　'DEUS

EX　MACHINA'







IT　was　perhaps　a　week　later；　as　old　Mr。　Naseby　sat　brooding

in　his　study；　that　there　was　shown　in　upon　him；　on　urgent

business；　a　little　hectic　gentleman　shabbily　attired。



'I　have　to　ask　pardon　for　this　intrusion；　Mr。　Naseby；'　he

said；　'but　I　come　here　to　perform　a　duty。　　My　card　has　been

sent　in；　but　perhaps　you　may　not　know；　what　it　does　not　tell

you；　that　I　am　the　editor　of　the　THYMEBURY　STAR。'



Mr。　Naseby　looked　up；　indignant。



'I　cannot　fancy；'　he　said；　'that　we　have　much　in　common　to

discuss。'



'I　have　only　a　word　to　say　…　one　piece　of　information　to

communicate。　　Some　months　ago；　we　had　…　you　will　pardon　my

referring　to　it；　it　is　absolutely　necessary　…　but　we　had　an

unfortunate　difference　as　to　facts。'



'Have　you　come　to　apologise？'　asked　the　Squire；　sternly。



'No；　sir；　to　mention　a　circumstance。　　On　the　morning　in

question；　your　son；　Mr。　Richard　Naseby　…　'



'I　do　not　permit　his　name　to　be　mentioned。'



'You　will；　however；　permit　me；'　replied　the　Editor。



'You　are　cruel；'　said　the　Squire。　　He　was　right；　he　was　a

broken　man。



Then　the　Editor　described　Dick's　warning　visit；　and　how　he

had　seen　in　the　lad's　eye　that　there　was　a　thrashing　in　the

wind；　and　had　escaped　through　pity　only　…　so　the　Editor　put

it　…　'through　pity　only　sir。　　And　oh；　sir；'　he　went　on；　'if

you　had　seen　him　speaking　up　for　you；　I　am　sure　you　would

have　been　proud　of　your　son。　　I　know　I　admired　the　lad

myself；　and　indeed　that's　what　brings　me　here。'



'I　have　misjudged　him；'　said　the　Squire。　　'Do　you　know　where

he　is？'



'Yes；　sir；　he　lies　sick　at　Thymebury。'



'You　can　take　me　to　him？'



'I　can。'



'I　pray　God　he　may　forgive　me；'　said　the　father。



And　he　and　the　Editor　made　post…haste　for　the　country　town。



Next　day　the　report　went　abroad　that　Mr。　Richard　was

reconciled　to　his　father　and　had　been　taken　home　to　Naseby

House。　　He　was　still　ailing；　it　was　said；　and　the　Squire

nursed　him　like　the　proverbial　woman。　　Rumour；　in　this

in