the yellow god-第12章

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determined　to　earn。　Thenceforth；　set　above　the　accidents　of　fortune；　I
propose　to　devote　myself　to　higher　aims；　those　of　legitimate　ambition。
So　far　as　my　time　would　allow　I　have　already　taken　some　share　in
politics　as　a　worker；　I　intend　to　continue　in　them　as　a　ruler　which　I
still　have　the　health　and　ability　to　do。　I　mean　to　be　one　of　the　first
men　in　this　Empire；　to　ride　to　power　over　the　heads　of　all　the
nonentities　whose　only　claim　upon　the　confidence　of　their　countrymen
is　that　they　were　born　in　a　certain　class；　with　money　in　their　pockets
and　without　the　need　to　spend　the　best　of　their　manhood　in　work。　With
you　at　my　side　I　can　do　all　these　things　and　more；　and　such　is　the
future　that　I　have　to　offer　you。〃

Again　she　would　have　broken　in　upon　his　speech　and　again　he　stopped
her；　reading　the　unspoken　answer　on　her　lips。

〃Listen：　I　have　not　told　you　all。　Perhaps　I　have　put　first　what　should
have　come　last。　I　have　not　told　you　that　I　love　you　earnestly　and
sincerely；　with　the　settled；　unalterable　love　that　sometimes　comes　to
men　in　middle…age　who　have　never　turned　their　thought　that　way　before。
I　will　not　attempt　the　rhapsodies　of　passion　which　at　my　time　of　life
might　sound　foolish　or　out　of　place；　yet　it　is　true　that　I　am　filled
with　this　passion　which　has　descended　on　me　and　taken　possession　of
me。　I　who　often　have　laughed　at　such　things　in　other　men；　adore　you。
You　are　a　joy　to　my　eyes。　If　you　are　not　in　the　room；　for　me　it　is
empty。　I　admire　the　uprightness　of　your　character；　and　even　your
prejudices；　and　to　your　standard　I　desire　to　approximate　my　own。　I
think　that　no　man　can　ever　love　you　quite　so　well　as　I　do；　Barbara
Champers。　Now　speak。　I　am　ready　to　meet　the　best　or　the　worst。〃

After　her　fashion　Barbara　looked　him　straight　in　the　face　with　her
steady　eyes；　and　answered　gently　enough；　for　the　man's　method　of
presenting　his　case；　elaborate　and　prepared　though　it　evidently　was；
had　touched　her。

〃I　fear　it　is　the　worst；　Sir　Robert。　There　are　hundreds　of　women
superior　to　myself　in　every　way　who　would　be　glad　to　give　you　the　help
and　companionship　you　ask；　with　their　hearts　thrown　in。　Choose　one　of
them；　for　I　cannot　do　so。〃

He　heard　and　for　the　first　time　his　face　broke；　as　it　were。　All　this
while　it　had　remained　masklike　and　immovable；　even　when　he　spoke　of
his　love；　but　now　it　broke　as　ice　breaks　at　the　pressure　of　a　sudden
flood　beneath；　and　she　saw　the　depths　and　eddies　of　his　nature　and
understood　their　strength。　Not　that　he　revealed　them　in　speech；　angry
or　pleading；　for　that　remained　calm　and　measured　enough。　She　did　not
hear；　she　saw；　and　even　then　it　was　marvellous　to　her　that　a　mere
change　in　a　man's　expression　could　explain　so　much。

〃Those　are　very　cruel　words；〃　he　said。　〃Are　they　unalterable？〃

〃Quite。　I　do　not　play　in　such　matters；　it　would　be　wicked。〃

〃May　I　ask　you　one　question；　for　if　the　answer　is　in　the　negative；　I
shall　still　continue　to　hope？　Do　you　care　for　any　other　man？〃

Again　she　looked　at　him　with　her　fearless　eyes　and　answered：

〃Yes；　I　am　engaged　to　another　man。〃

〃To　Alan　Vernon？〃

She　nodded。

〃When　did　that　happen？　Some　years　ago？〃

〃No；　this　morning。〃

〃Great　Heavens！〃　he　muttered　in　a　hoarse　voice　turning　his　head　away；
〃this　morning。　Then　last　night　it　might　not　have　been　too　late；　and
last　night　I　should　have　spoken　to　you；　I　had　arranged　it　all。　Yes；　if
it　had　not　been　for　the　story　of　that　accursed　fetish　and　your　uncle's
illness；　I　should　have　spoken　to　you；　and　perhaps　succeeded。〃

〃I　think　not；〃　she　said。

He　turned　upon　her　and　notwithstanding　the　tears　in　his　eyes　they
burned　like　fire。

〃You　thinkyou　think；〃　he　gasped；　〃but　I　know。　Of　course　after　this
morning　it　was　impossible。　But；　Barbara；　I　say　that　I　will　win　you
yet。　I　have　never　failed　in　any　object　that　I　set　before　myself；　and
do　not　suppose　that　I　shall　fail　in　this。　Although　in　a　way　I　liked
and　respected　him；　I　have　always　felt　that　Vernon　was　my　enemy；　one
destined　to　bring　grief　and　loss　upon　me；　even　if　he　did　not　intend　to
do　so。　Now　I　understand　why；　and　he　shall　learn　that　I　am　stronger
than　he。　God　help　him！　I　say。〃

〃I　think　He　will；〃　Barbara　answered；　calmly。　〃You　are　speaking　wildly；
and　I　understand　the　reason　and　hope　that　you　will　forget　your　words；
but　whether　you　forget　or　remember；　do　not　suppose　that　you　frighten
me。　You　men　who　have　made　money；〃　she　went　on　with　swelling
indignation；　〃who　have　made　money　somehow；　and　have　bought　honours
with　the　moneys　somehow；　think　yourselves　great；　and　in　your　little
day；　your　little；　little　day　that　will　end　with　three　lines　in　small
type　in　/The　Times/；　you　are　great　in　this　vulgar　land。　You　can　buy
what　you　want　and　people　creep　round　you　and　ask　you　for　doles　and
favours；　and　railway　porters　call　you　'my　Lord'　at　every　other　step。
But　you　forget　your　limitations　in　this　world；　and　that　which　lives
above　you。　You　say　you　will　do　this　and　that。　You　should　study　a　book
which　few　of　you　ever　read；　where　it　tells　you　that　you　do　not　know
what　you　will　be　on　the　morrow；　that　your　life　is　even　as　a　vapour
appearing　for　a　little　time　and　then　vanishing　away。　You　think　that
you　can　crush　the　man　to　whom　I　have　given　my　heart　because　he　is
honest　and　you　are　dishonest；　because　you　are　rich　and　he　is　poor；　and
because　he　chances　to　have　succeeded　where　you　have　not。　Well；　for
myself　and　for　him　I　defy　you。　Do　your　worst　and　fail；　and　when　you
have　failed；　in　the　hour　of　your　extremity　remember　my　words　to…day。
If　I　have　given　you　pain　by　refusing　you　it　is　not　my　fault　and　I　am
sorry；　but　when　you　threaten　the　man　who　has　honoured　me　with　his　love
and　whom　I　honour　above　every　creature　upon　the　earth；　then　I　threaten
back；　and　may　the　Power　that　made　us　all　judge　between　you　and　me；　as
judge　it　will；〃　and　bursting　into　tears　she　turned　and　left　him。

Sir　Robert　watched　her　go。

〃What　a　woman！〃　he　said　meditatively；　〃what　a　womanto　have　lost。
Well　she　has　set　the　stakes　and　we　will　play　out　the　game。　The　cards
all　seem　to　be　in　my　hands；　but　it　would　not　in　the　least　surprise　me
if　she　won　the　rubber；　for　the　element　that　I　call　Chance　and　she
would　call　something　else；　may　come　in。　Still；　I　never　refused　a
challenge　yet　and　we　will　play　the　game　out　without　pity　to　the
loser。〃



That　night　the　first　trick　was　played。　When　he　got　back　to　The　Court
Sir　Robert　ordered　his　motorcar　and　departed　on　urgent　business；
either　to　his　own　place；　Old　Hall；　or　to　London；　saying　only　that　he
had　been　summoned　away　by　telegram。　As　the　70…horse…power　Mercedes
glided　out　of　the　gates　a　pencilled　note　was　put　into　Mr。　Haswell's
hand。

　　It　ran：　〃I　have　tried　and　failedfor　the　present。　By　ill…luck
　　A。V。　had　been　before　me；　only　this　morning。　If　I　had　not　missed　my
　　chance　last　night　owing　to　your　illness；　it　would　have　been
　　different。　I　do　not；　however；　in　the　least　abandon　my　plan；　in
　　which　of　course　I　rely　on　and　expect　your　support。　Keep　V。　in　the
　　office　or　let　him　go　as　you　like。　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　if
　　you　could　prevail　upon　him　to　stop　there　until　after　the
　　flotation。　But　whatever　you　say　at　the　moment；　I　trust　to　you　to
　　absolutely　veto　any　engagement　between　him　and　your　niece；　and　to
　　that　end　to　use　all　your　powers　and　authority　as　her　guardian。
　　Burn　this　note。
〃R。A。〃



CHAPTER　VI

MR。　HASWELL　LOSES　HIS　TEMPER

Alan　and　Barbara　sat　in　Mr。　Champers…Haswell's　private　sitting…room
with　the　awful　decorations；　and　before　them　by　the　fire　Mr。　Champers…
Haswell　reclined　upon　his　couch。　Alan　in　a　few；　brief；　soldier…like
words　had　just　informed　him　of　his　engagement　to　Barbara。　During　the
recital　of　this　interesting　fact　Barbara　said　nothing；　but　Mr。　Haswell
had　whistled　several　times。　Now　at　length　he　spoke；　in　that　tone　of
forced　geniality　which　he　generally　adopted　towards　his　cousin。

〃You　are　asking　for　the　hand　of　a　considerable　heiress；　Alan　my　boy；〃
he　said；　〃but　you　have　neglected　to　inform　me　of　your　own　position。〃

〃Where　is　the　use　of　telling　you　what　you　know　already；　Mr。　Haswell？　I
have　left　the　firm；　therefore　I　have　practically　nothing。〃

〃You　have　practically　nothing；　and　yet　Well；　in　my　young　days　men
were　more　delicate；　they　did　not　like　being　called　fortune…hunters；
but　of　course　times　have　changed。〃

Alan　bit　his　lip　and　Barbara　sat　up　quite　straight　in　her　chair；
observing　which　indications；　Mr。　Haswell　went　on　hurriedly：

〃Now　if　you　had　stopped　in　the　firm　and　earned　the　very　handsome
competence　in　a　small　way　which　would　have　become　due　to　you　this
week；　instead　of　throwing　us　over　at　the　last　moment　for　some　quixotic
reasons　of　your　own；　it　might　have　been　a　different　matter。　I　do　not
say　it　would　have　been；　I　say　it　might　have　been；　and　you　may　remember
a　proverb　about　winks　and　nods　and　blind　horses。　So　I　ask　you　whether
you　are　inclined　to　withdraw　that　resignation　of　yours　and　bring　up
this　question　again　let　us　say；　next　Sunday？〃

Alan　thought　a　while　before　he　answered。　As　he　understood　Mr。　Haswell
practically　was　promising　to　assent　to　the　engagement　upon　these
terms。　The　temptation　was　enormously　great；　the　fiercest　that　he　had
ever　been　called　upon　to　face。　He　looked　at　Barbara。　She　had　closed
her　eyes　and　made　absolutely　no　sign。　For　some　reason　of　her　own　she
had　elected　that　he　should　determine　this　vital　point　without　the
slightest　assistance　from　her。　And　it　must　be　determined　at　once；
procrastination　was　impossible。　For　a　moment　he　hesitated。　On　the　one
side　was　Barbara；　on　the　other　his　conscience。　After　long　doubts　he
had　come　to　a　certain　conclusion　which　he　quite　understood　to　be
inconvenient　to　his　partners。　Should　he　throw　it　over　now？　Should　he
even　try　to　make　a　sure　and　certain　bargain　as　the　price　of　his
surrender？　Probably　he　would　not　suffer　if　he　did。　The　flotation　was
underwritten　and　bound　to　go　through；　the　scandal　would　come
afterwards；　months　or　years　hence；　long　before　which　he　might　get　out；
as　most　of　the　others　meant　to　do。　No；　he　could　not。　His　conscience
was　too　much　for　him。

〃I　do　not　see　any　use　in　reconsidering　that　question；　Mr。　Haswell；〃　he
said　quietly；　〃we　settled　it　on　Friday　night。〃

Barbara　reopened　her　brown　eyes　and　stared　amiably　at　the　painted
ceiling；　and　Mr。　Haswell　whistled。

〃Then　I　am　afraid；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　do　not　see　any　use　in　discussing
your　kind　proposal　for　my　niece's　hand。　ListenI　will　be　quite　open
with　you。　I　have　other　views　for　Barbara；　and　as　it　happens　I　have　the
power　to　enforce　them；　or　at　any　rate　to　prevent　their　frustration　by
you。　If　Barbara　marries　against　my　will　before　she　is　five　and　twenty；
that　is　within　the　next　two　years；　her　entire　fortune；　with　the
exception　of　a　pittance；　goes　elsewhere。　This　I　am　sure　is　a　fact　that
will　influence　you；　who　have　nothing　and　even　if　it　did　not；　I　presume
that　you　are　scarcely　so　selfish　as　to　wish　to　beggar　her。〃

〃No；〃　answered　Alan；　〃you　need　not　fear　that；　for　it　would　be　wrong。　I
understand　that　you　absolutely　refuse　to　sanction　my　suit　on　the
ground　of　my　poverty；　which　under　the　circumstances　is　perhaps　not
wonderful。　Well；　the　only　thing　to　do　is　to　wait　for　two　years；　a　long
time；　but　not　endless；　and　m