in the cage-第15章

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should　never　see　him　again。　　He　too　then　understood　now：　　he　had

made　out　that　she　had　secrets　and　reasons　and　impediments；　that

even　a　poor　girl　at　the　P。O。　might　have　her　complications。　　With

the　charm　she　had　cast　on　him　lightened　by　distance　he　had　suffered

a　final　delicacy　to　speak　to　him；　had　made　up　his　mind　that　it

would　be　only　decent　to　let　her　alone。　　Never　so　much　as　during

these　latter　days　had　she　felt　the　precariousness　of　their

relationthe　happy　beautiful　untroubled　original　one；　if　it　could

only　have　been　restoredin　which　the　public　servant　and　the　casual

public　only　were　concerned。　　It　hung　at　the　best　by　the　merest

silken　thread；　which　was　at　the　mercy　of　any　accident　and　might

snap　at　any　minute。　　She　arrived　by　the　end　of　the　fortnight　at　the

highest　sense　of　actual　fitness；　never　doubting　that　her　decision

was　now　complete。　　She　would　just　give　him　a　few　days　more　to　come

back　to　her　on　a　proper　impersonal　basisfor　even　to　an

embarrassing　representative　of　the　casual　public　a　public　servant

with　a　conscience　did　owe　somethingand　then　would　signify　to　Mr。

Mudge　that　she　was　ready　for　the　little　home。　　It　had　been　visited；

in　the　further　talk　she　had　had　with　him　at　Bournemouth；　from

garret　to　cellar；　and　they　had　especially　lingered；　with　their

respectively　darkened　brows；　before　the　niche　into　which　it　was　to

be　broached　to　her　mother　that　she　must　find　means　to　fit。



He　had　put　it　to　her　more　definitely　than　before　that　his

calculations　had　allowed　for　that　dingy　presence；　and　he　had

thereby　marked　the　greatest　impression　he　had　ever　made　on　her。　　It

was　a　stroke　superior　even　again　to　his　handling　of　the　drunken

soldier。　　What　she　considered　that　in　the　face　of　it　she　hung　on　at

Cocker's　for　was　something　she　could　only　have　described　as　the

common　fairness　of　a　last　word。　　Her　actual　last　word　had　been；

till　it　should　be　superseded；　that　she　wouldn't　forsake　her　other

friend；　and　it　stuck　to　her　through　thick　and　thin　that　she　was

still　at　her　post　and　on　her　honour。　　This　other　friend　had　shown

so　much　beauty　of　conduct　already　that　he　would　surely　after　all

just　re…appear　long　enough　to　relieve　her；　to　give　her　something

she　could　take　away。　　She　saw　it；　caught　it；　at　times；　his　parting

present；　and　there　were　moments　when　she　felt　herself　sitting　like

a　beggar　with　a　hand　held　out　to　almsgiver　who　only　fumbled。　　She

hadn't　taken　the　sovereigns；　but　she　WOULD　take　the　penny。　　She

heard；　in　imagination；　on　the　counter；　the　ring　of　the　copper。

〃Don't　put　yourself　out　any　longer；〃　he　would　say；　〃for　so　bad　a

case。　　You've　done　all　there　is　to　be　done。　　I　thank　and　acquit　and

release　you。　　Our　lives　take　us。　　I　don't　know　muchthough　I've

really　been　interestedabout　yours；　but　I　suppose　you've　got　one。

Mine　at　any　rate　will　take　MEand　where　it　will。　　Heigh…ho！　　Good…

bye。〃　　And　then　once　more；　for　the　sweetest　faintest　flower　of　all：

〃Only；　I　saysee　here！〃　　She　had　framed　the　whole　picture　with　a

squareness　that　included　also　the　image　of　how　again　she　would

decline　to　〃see　there；〃　decline；　as　she　might　say；　to　see　anywhere；

see　anything。　　Yet　it　befell　that　just　in　the　fury　of　this　escape

she　saw　more　than　ever。



He　came　back　one　night　with　a　rush；　near　the　moment　of　their

closing；　and　showed　her　a　face　so　different　and　new；　so　upset　and

anxious；　that　almost　anything　seemed　to　look　out　of　it　but　clear

recognition。　　He　poked　in　a　telegram　very　much　as　if　the　simple

sense　of　pressure；　the　distress　of　extreme　haste；　had　blurred　the

remembrance　of　where　in　particular　he　was。　　But　as　she　met　his　eyes

a　light　came；　it　broke　indeed　on　the　spot　into　a　positive　conscious

glare。　　That　made　up　for　everything；　since　it　was　an　instant

proclamation　of　the　celebrated　〃danger〃；　it　seemed　to　pour　things

out　in　a　flood。　　〃Oh　yes；　here　it　isit's　upon　me　at　last！

Forget；　for　God's　sake；　my　having　worried　or　bored　you；　and　just

help　me；　just　SAVE　me；　by　getting　this　off　without　the　loss　of　a

second！〃　　Something　grave　had　clearly　occurred；　a　crisis　declared

itself。　　She　recognised　immediately　the　person　to　whom　the　telegram

was　addressedthe　Miss　Dolman　of　Parade　Lodge　to　whom　Lady　Bradeen

had　wired；　at　Dover；　on　the　last　occasion；　and　whom　she　had　then；

with　her　recollection　of　previous　arrangements；　fitted　into　a

particular　setting。　　Miss　Dolman　had　figured　before　and　not　figured

since；　but　she　was　now　the　subject　of　an　imperative　appeal。

〃Absolutely　necessary　to　see　you。　　Take　last　train　Victoria　if　you

can　catch　it。　　If　not；　earliest　morning；　and　answer　me　direct

either　way。〃



〃Reply　paid？〃　said　the　girl。　　Mr。　Buckton　had　just　departed　and　the

counter…clerk　was　at　the　sounder。　　There　was　no　other

representative　of　the　public；　and　she　had　never　yet；　as　it　seemed

to　her；　not　even　in　the　street　or　in　the　Park；　been　so　alone　with

him。



〃Oh　yes；　reply　paid；　and　as　sharp　as　possible；　please。〃



She　affixed　the　stamps　in　a　flash。　　〃She'll　catch　the　train！〃　she

then　declared　to　him　breathlessly；　as　if　she　could　absolutely

guarantee　it。



〃I　don't　knowI　hope　so。　　It's　awfully　important。　　So　kind　of　you。

Awfully　sharp；　please。〃　　It　was　wonderfully　innocent　now；　his

oblivion　of　all　but　his　danger。　　Anything　else　that　had　ever　passed

between　them　was　utterly　out　of　it。　　Well；　she　had　wanted　him　to　be

impersonal！



There　was　less　of　the　same　need　therefore；　happily；　for　herself；

yet　she　only　took　time；　before　she　flew　to　the　sounder；　to　gasp　at

him：　　〃You're　in　trouble？〃



〃Horrid；　horridthere's　a　row！〃　　But　they　parted；　on　it；　in　the

next　breath；　and　as　she　dashed　at　the　sounder；　almost　pushing；　in

her　violence；　the　counter…clerk　off　the　stool；　she　caught　the　bang

with　which；　at　Cocker's　door；　in　his　further　precipitation；　he

closed　the　apron　of　the　cab　into　which　he　had　leaped。　　As　he

rebounded　to　some　other　precaution　suggested　by　his　alarm；　his

appeal　to　Miss　Dolman　flashed　straight　away。



But　she　had　not；　on　the　morrow；　been　in　the　place　five　minutes

before　he　was　with　her　again；　still　more　discomposed　and　quite；

now；　as　she　said　to　herself；　like　a　frightened　child　coming　to　its

mother。　　Her　companions　were　there；　and　she　felt　it　to　be

remarkable　how；　in　the　presence　of　his　agitation；　his　mere　scared

exposed　nature；　she　suddenly　ceased　to　mind。　　It　came　to　her　as　it

had　never　come　to　her　before　that　with　absolute　directness　and

assurance　they　might　carry　almost　anything　off。　　He　had　nothing　to

sendshe　was　sure　he　had　been　wiring　all　overand　yet　his

business　was　evidently　huge。　　There　was　nothing　but　that　in　his

eyesnot　a　glimmer　of　reference　or　memory。　　He　was　almost　haggard

with　anxiety　and　had　clearly　not　slept　a　wink。　　Her　pity　for　him

would　have　given　her　any　courage；　and　she　seemed　to　know　at　last

why　she　had　been　such　a　fool。　　〃She　didn't　come？〃　she　panted。



〃Oh　yes；　she　came；　but　there　has　been　some　mistake。　　We　want　a

telegram。〃



〃A　telegram？〃



〃One　that　was　sent　from　here　ever　so　long　ago。　　There　was　something

in　it　that　has　to　be　recovered。　　Something　very；　very　important；

pleasewe　want　it　immediately。〃



He　really　spoke　to　her　as　if　she　had　been　some　strange　young　woman

at　Knightsbridge　or　Paddington；　but　it　had　no　other　effect　on　her

than　to　give　her　the　measure　of　his　tremendous　flurry。　　Then　it　was

that；　above　all；　she　felt　how　much　she　had　missed　in　the　gaps　and

blanks　and　absent　answershow　much　she　had　had　to　dispense　with：

it　was　now　black　darkness　save　for　this　little　wild　red　flare。　　So

much　as　that　she　saw；　so　much　her　mind　dealt　with。　　One　of　the

lovers　was　quaking　somewhere　out　of　town；　and　the　other　was　quaking

just　where　he　stood。　　This　was　vivid　enough；　and　after　an　instant

she　knew　it　was　all　she　wanted。　　She　wanted　no　detail；　no　factshe

wanted　no　nearer　vision　of　discovery　or　shame。　　〃When　was　your

telegram？　　Do　you　mean　you　sent　it　from　here？〃　　She　tried　to　do　the

young　woman　at　Knightsbridge。



〃Oh　yes；　from　hereseveral　weeks　ago。　　Five；　six；　seven〃he　was

confused　and　impatient〃don't　you　remember？〃



〃Remember？〃　she　could　scarcely　keep　out　of　her　face；　at　the　word；

the　strangest　of　smiles。



But　the　way　he　didn't　catch　what　it　meant　was　perhaps　even　stranger

still。　　〃I　mean；　don't　you　keep　the　old　ones？〃



〃For　a　certain　time。〃



〃But　how　long？〃



She　thought；　she　must　do　the　young　woman；　and　she　knew　exactly　what

the　young　woman　would　say　and；　still　more；　wouldn't。　　〃Can　you　give

me　the　date？〃



〃Oh　God；　no！　　It　was　some　time　or　other　in　Augusttoward　the　end。

It　was　to　the　same　address　as　the　one　I　gave　you　last　night。〃



〃Oh！〃　said　the　girl；　knowing　at　this　the　deepest　thrill　she　had

ever　felt。　　It　came　to　her　there；　with　her　eyes　on　his　face；　that

she　held　the　whole　thing　in　her　hand；　held　it　as　she　held　her

pencil；　which　might　have　broken　at　that　instant　in　her　tightened

grip。　　This　made　her　feel　like　the　very　fountain　of　fate；　but　the

emotion　was　such　a　flood　that　she　had　to　press　it　back　with　all　her

force。　　That　was　positively　the　reason；　again；　of　her　flute…like

Paddington　tone。　　〃You　can't　give　us　anything　a　little　nearer？〃

Her　〃little〃　and　her　〃us〃　came　straight　from　Paddington。　　These

things　were　no　false　note　for　himhis　difficulty　absorbed　them

all。　　The　eyes　with　which　he　pressed　her；　and　in　the　depths　of

which　she　read　terror　and　rage　and　literal　tears；　were　just　the

same　he　would　have　shown　any　other　prim　person。



〃I　don't　know　the　date。　　I　only　know　the　thing　went　from　here；　and

just　about　the　time　I　speak　of。　　It　wasn't　delivered；　you　see。

We've　got　to　recover　it。〃







CHAPTER　XXIII







She　was　as　struck　with　the　beauty　of　his　plural　pronoun　as　she　had

judged　he　might　be　with　that　of　her　own；　but　she　knew　now　so　well

what　she　was　about　that　she　could　almost　play　with　him　and　with　her

new…born　joy。　　〃You　say　'about　the　time　you　speak　of。'　　But　I　don't

think　you　speak　of　an　exact　timedo　you？〃



He　looked　splendidly　helpless。　　〃That's　just　what　I　want　to　find

out。　　Don't　you　keep　the　old　ones？can't　you　look　it　up？〃



Our　young　ladystill　at　Paddingtonturned　the　question　over。　　〃It

wasn't　delivered？〃



〃Yes；　it　WAS；　yet；　at　the　same　time；　don't　you　know？　it　wasn't。〃

He　just　hung　back；　but　he　brought　it　out。　　〃I　mean　it　was

intercepted；　don't　you　know？　and　there　was　something　in　it。〃　　He

paused　again　and；　as　if　to　further　his　quest　and　woo　and　supplicate

success　and　recovery；　even　smiled　with　an　effort　at　the　agreeable

that　was　almost　ghastly　and　that　turned　the　knife　in　her

tenderness。　　What　must　be　the　pain　of　it　all；　of　the　open　gulf　and

the　throbbing　fever；　when　this　was　the　mere　hot　breath？　　〃We　want

to　get　what　was　in　itto　know　what　it　was。〃



〃I　seeI　see。〃　　She　managed　just　the　accent　they　had　at　Paddington

when　they　stared　like　dead　fish。　　〃And　you　have　no　clue？〃



〃Not　at　allI've　the　clue　I've　ju