malvina of brittany-第20章

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his　occasional　cruelty　when　necessity　seemed　to　demand　it。　　One
could　imagine　him　in　earlier　days　a　born　leader　of　savage　hordes；　a
lover　of　fighting　for　its　own　sake；　meeting　all　obstacles　with
fierce　welcome；　forcing　his　way　onward；　indifferent　to　the　misery
and　destruction　caused　by　his　progress；　his　eyes　never　swerving　from
their　goal；　yet　not　without　a　sense　of　rough　justice；　not　altogether
without　kindliness　when　it　could　be　indulged　in　without　danger。

One　afternoon　he　took　me　with　him　into　the　Jewish　quarter　of
Amsterdam；　and　threading　his　way　without　hesitation　through　its　maze
of　unsavoury　slums；　paused　before　a　narrow　three…storeyed　house
overlooking　a　stagnant　backwater。

〃The　room　I　was　born　in；〃　he　explained。　　〃Window　with　the　broken
pane　on　the　second　floor。　　It　has　never　been　mended。〃

I　stole　a　glance　at　him。　　His　face　betrayed　no　suggestion　of
sentiment；　but　rather　of　amusement。　　He　offered　me　a　cigar；　which　I
was　glad　of；　for　the　stench　from　the　offal…laden　water　behind　us　was
distracting；　and　for　a　while　we　both　smoked　in　silence：　　he　with　his
eyes　half…closed；　it　was　a　trick　of　his　when　working　out　a　business
problem。

〃Curious；　my　making　such　a　choice；〃　he　remarked。　　〃A　butcher's
assistant　for　my　father　and　a　consumptive　buttonhole…maker　for　my
mother。　　I　suppose　I　knew　what　I　was　about。　　Quite　the　right　thing
for　me　to　have　done；　as　it　turned　out。〃

I　stared　at　him；　wondering　whether　he　was　speaking　seriously　or　in
grim　jest。　　He　was　given　at　times　to　making　odd　remarks。　　There　was
a　vein　of　the　fantastic　in　him　that　was　continually　cropping　out　and
astonishing　me。

〃It　was　a　bit　risky；〃　I　suggested。　　〃Better　choose　something　a
little　safer　next　time。〃

He　looked　round　at　me　sharply；　and；　not　quite　sure　of　his　mood；　I
kept　a　grave　face。

〃Perhaps　you　are　right；〃　he　agreed；　with　a　laugh。　　〃We　must　have　a
talk　about　it　one　day。〃

After　that　visit　to　the　Goortgasse　he　was　less　reserved　with　me；　and
would　often　talk　to　me　on　subjects　that　I　should　never　have　guessed
would　have　interested　him。　　I　found　him　a　curious　mixture。　　Behind
the　shrewd；　cynical　man　of　business　I　caught　continual　glimpses　of
the　visionary。

I　parted　from　him　at　The　Hague。　　He　paid　my　fare　back　to　London；　and
gave　me　an　extra　pound　for　travelling　expenses；　together　with　the
ten…pound　note　he　had　promised　me。　　He　had　packed　off　〃Mrs。　Horatio
Jones〃　some　days　before；　to　the　relief；　I　imagine；　of　both　of　them；
and　he　himself　continued　his　journey　to　Berlin。　　I　never　expected　to
see　him　again；　although　for　the　next　few　months　I　often　thought　of
him；　and　even　tried　to　discover　him　by　inquiries　in　the　City。　　I
had；　however；　very　little　to　go　upon；　and　after　I　had　left　Fenchurch
Street　behind　me；　and　drifted　into　literature；　I　forgot　him。

Until　one　day　I　received　a　letter　addressed　to　the　care　of　my
publishers。　　It　bore　the　Swiss　postmark；　and　opening　it　and　turning
to　the　signature　I　sat　wondering　for　the　moment　where　I　had　met
〃Horatio　Jones。〃　　And　then　I　remembered。

He　was　lying　bruised　and　broken　in　a　woodcutter's　hut　on　the　slopes
of　the　Jungfrau。　　Had　been　playing　a　fool's　trick；　so　he　described
it；　thinking　he　could　climb　mountains　at　his　age。　　They　would　carry
him　down　to　Lauterbrunnen　as　soon　as　he　could　be　moved　farther　with
safety；　but　for　the　present　he　had　no　one　to　talk　to　but　the　nurse
and　a　Swiss　doctor　who　climbed　up　to　see　him　every　third　day。　　He
begged　me；　if　I　could　spare　the　time；　to　come　over　and　spend　a　week
with　him。　　He　enclosed　a　hundred…pound　cheque　for　my　expenses；
making　no　apology　for　doing　so。　　He　was　complimentary　about　my　first
book；　which　he　had　been　reading；　and　asked　me　to　telegraph　him　my
reply；　giving　me　his　real　name；　which；　as　I　had　guessed　it　would；
proved　to　be　one　of　the　best　known　in　the　financial　world。　　My　time
was　my　own　now；　and　I　wired　him　that　I　would　be　with　him　the
following　Monday。

He　was　lying　in　the　sun　outside　the　hut　when　I　arrived　late　in　the
afternoon；　after　a　three…hours'　climb　followed　by　a　porter　carrying
my　small　amount　of　luggage。　　He　could　not　raise　his　hand；　but　his
strangely　brilliant　eyes　spoke　their　welcome。

〃I　am　glad　you　were　able　to　come；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　no　near
relations；　and　my　friendsif　that　is　the　right　termare　business
men　who　would　be　bored　to　tears。　　Besides；　they　are　not　the　people　I
feel　I　want　to　talk　to；　now。〃

He　was　entirely　reconciled　to　the　coming　of　death。　　Indeed；　there
were　moments　when　he　gave　me　the　idea　that　he　was　looking　forward　to
it　with　an　awed　curiosity。　　With　the　conventional　notion　of　cheering
him；　I　talked　of　staying　till　he　was　able　to　return　with　me　to
civilisation；　but　he　only　laughed。

〃I　am　not　going　back；〃　he　said。　　〃Not　that　way。　　What　they　may　do
afterwards　with　these　broken　bones　does　not　much　concern　either　you
or　me。

〃It's　a　good　place　to　die　in；〃　he　continued。　　〃A　man　can　think　up
here。〃

It　was　difficult　to　feel　sorry　for　him；　his　own　fate　appearing　to
make　so　little　difference　to　himself。　　The　world　was　still　full　of
interest　to　himnot　his　own　particular　corner　of　it：　　that；　he　gave
me　to　understand；　he　had　tidied　up　and　dismissed　from　his　mind。　　It
was　the　future；　its　coming　problems；　its　possibilities；　its　new
developments；　about　which　he　seemed　eager　to　talk。　　One　might　have
imagined　him　a　young　man　with　the　years　before　him。

One　eveningit　was　near　the　endwe　were　alone　together。　　The
woodcutter　and　his　wife　had　gone　down　into　the　valley　to　see　their
children；　and　the　nurse；　leaving　him　in　my　charge；　had　gone　for　a
walk。　　We　had　carried　him　round　to　his　favourite　side　of　the　hut
facing　the　towering　mass　of　the　Jungfrau。　　As　the　shadows　lengthened
it　seemed　to　come　nearer　to　us；　and　there　fell　a　silence　upon　us。

Gradually　I　became　aware　that　his　piercing　eyes　were　fixed　on　me；
and　in　answer　I　turned　and　looked　at　him。

〃I　wonder　if　we　shall　meet　again；〃　he　said；　〃or；　what　is　more
important；　if　we　shall　remember　one　another。〃

I　was　puzzled　for　the　moment。　　We　had　discussed　more　than　once　the
various　religions　of　mankind；　and　his　attitude　towards　the　orthodox
beliefs　had　always　been　that　of　amused　contempt。

〃It　has　been　growing　upon　me　these　last　few　days；〃　he　continued。
〃It　flashed　across　me　the　first　time　I　saw　you　on　the　boat。　　We　were
fellow…students。　　Something；　I　don't　know　what；　drew　us　very　close
together。　　There　was　a　woman。　　They　were　burning　her。　　And　then
there　was　a　rush　of　people　and　a　sudden　darkness；　and　your　eyes
close　to　mine。〃

I　suppose　it　was　some　form　of　hypnotism；　for；　as　he　spoke；　his
searching　eyes　fixed　on　mine；　there　came　to　me　a　dream　of　narrow
streets　filled　with　a　strange　crowd；　of　painted　houses　such　as　I　had
never　seen；　and　a　haunting　fear　that　seemed　to　be　always　lurking
behind　each　shadow。　　I　shook　myself　free；　but　not　without　an　effort。

〃So　that's　what　you　meant；〃　I　said；　〃that　evening　in　the　Goortgasse。
You　believe　in　it？〃

〃A　curious　thing　happened　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃when　I　was　a　child。　　I
could　hardly　have　been　six　years　old。　　I　had　gone　to　Ghent　with　my
parents。　　I　think　it　was　to　visit　some　relative。　　One　day　we　went
into　the　castle。　　It　was　in　ruins　then；　but　has　since　been　restored。
We　were　in　what　was　once　the　council　chamber。　　I　stole　away　by
myself　to　the　other　end　of　the　great　room　and；　not　knowing　why　I　did
so；　I　touched　a　spring　concealed　in　the　masonry；　and　a　door　swung
open　with　a　harsh；　grinding　noise。　　I　remember　peering　round　the
opening。　　The　others　had　their　backs　towards　me；　and　I　slipped
through　and　closed　the　door　behind　me。　　I　seemed　instinctively　to
know　my　way。　　I　ran　down　a　flight　of　steps　and　along　dark　corridors
through　which　I　had　to　feel　my　way　with　my　hands；　till　I　came　to　a
small　door　in　an　angle　of　the　wall。　　I　knew　the　room　that　lay　the
other　side。　　A　photograph　was　taken　of　it　and　published　years
afterwards；　when　the　place　was　discovered；　and　it　was　exactly　as　I
knew　it　with　its　way　out　underneath　the　city　wall　through　one　of　the
small　houses　in　the　Aussermarkt。

〃I　could　not　open　the　door。　　Some　stones　had　fallen　against　it；　and
fearing　to　get　punished；　I　made　my　way　back　into　the　council　room。
It　was　empty　when　I　reached　it。　　They　were　searching　for　me　in　the
other　rooms；　and　I　never　told　them　of　my　adventure。〃

At　any　other　time　I　might　have　laughed。　　Later；　recalling　his　talk
that　evening；　I　dismissed　the　whole　story　as　mere　suggestion；　based
upon　the　imagination　of　a　child；　but　at　the　time　those　strangely
brilliant　eyes　had　taken　possession　of　me。　　They　remained　still
fixed　upon　me　as　I　sat　on　the　low　rail　of　the　veranda　watching　his
white　face；　into　which　the　hues　of　death　seemed　already　to　be
creeping。

I　had　a　feeling　that；　through　them；　he　was　trying　to　force
remembrance　of　himself　upon　me。　　The　man　himselfthe　very　soul　of
himseemed　to　be　concentrated　in　them。　　Something　formless　and　yet
distinct　was　visualising　itself　before　me。　　It　came　to　me　as　a
physical　relief　when　a　spasm　of　pain　caused　him　to　turn　his　eyes
away　from　me。

〃You　will　find　a　letter　when　I　am　gone；〃　he　went　on；　after　a
moment's　silence。　　〃I　thought　that　you　might　come　too　late；　or　that
I　might　not　have　strength　enough　to　tell　you。　　I　felt　that　out　of
the　few　people　I　have　met　outside　business；　you　would　be　the　most
likely　not　to　dismiss　the　matter　as　mere　nonsense。　　What　I　am　glad
of　myself；　and　what　I　wish　you　to　remember；　is　that　I　am　dying　with
all　my　faculties　about　me。　　The　one　thing　I　have　always　feared
through　life　was　old　age；　with　its　gradual　mental　decay。　　It　has
always　seemed　to　me　that　I　have　died　more　or　less　suddenly　while
still　in　possession　of　my　will。　　I　have　always　thanked　God　for
that。〃

He　closed　his　eyes；　but　I　do　not　think　he　was　sleeping；　and　a　little
later　the　nurse　returned；　and　we　carried　him　indoors。　　I　had　no
further　conversation　with　him；　though　at　his　wish　during　the
following　two　days　I　continued　to　read　to　him；　and　on　the　third　day
he　died。

I　found　the　letter　he　had　spoken　of。　　He　had　told　me　where　it　would
be。　　It　contained　a　bundle　of　banknotes　which　he　was　giving　meso
he　wrotewith　the　advice　to　get　rid　of　them　as　quickly　as　possible。

〃If　I　had　not　loved　you；〃　the　letter　continued；　〃I　would　have　left
you　an　income；　and　you　would　have　blessed　me；　instead　of　cursing　me；
as　you　should　have　done；　for　spoiling　your　life。〃

This　world　was　a　school；　so　he　viewed　it；　for　the　making　of　men；　and
the　one　thing　essential　to　a　man　was　strength。　　One　gathered　the
impression　of　a　deeply　religious　man。　　In　these　days　he　would；　no
doubt；　have　been　claimed　as　a　theosophist；　but　his　beliefs　he　had
made　for；　and　adapted　to；　himselfto　his　vehement；　conquering
temperament。　　God　needed　men　to　serve　Himto　help　Him。　　So；　through
many　changes；　through　many　ages；　God　gave　men　life：　　that　by　contest
and　by　struggle　they　might　ever　increase　in　strength；　to　those　who
proved　themselves　most　fit　the　sterner　task；　the　humbler　beginnings；
the　greater　obstacles。　　And　the　crown　of　well…doing　was　ever
victory。　　He　appeared　to　have　convinced　himself　that　he　was　one　of
the　chosen；　that　he　was　destined　for　great　ends。　　He　had　been　a
slave　in　the　time　of　the　Pharaohs；　a　priest　in　B