the yellow god-第2章

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William　Vernon；　G。C。B。　I　believe　that　he　was　engaged　to　be　married　to
his　sister　years　ago；　only　she　died　or　something。　So　the　Major　ought
to　be　able　to　get　round　him　if　anybody　can。　Only　the　worst　of　it　is　I
don't　altogether　trust　that　young　gentleman。　It　suited　us　to　give　him
a　share　in　the　business　because　he　is　an　engineer　who　knows　the
country；　and　this　Sahara　scheme　was　his　notion；　a　very　good　one　in　a
way；　and　for　other　reasons。　Now　he　shows　signs　of　kicking　over　the
traces；　wants　to　know　too　much；　is　developing　a　conscience；　and　so
forth。　As　though　the　promoters　of　speculative　companies　had　any
business　with　consciences。　Ah！　here　he　comes。〃

Sir　Robert　seated　himself　at　his　desk　and　resumed　his　calculations
upon　a　half…sheet　of　note…paper；　and　that　moment　a　clear；　hearty　voice
was　heard　speaking　to　the　clerks　in　the　outer　office。　Then　came　the
sound　of　a　strong；　firm　footstep；　the　door　opened　and　Major　Alan
Vernon　appeared。

He　was　still　quite　a　young　man；　not　more　than　thirty…two　or　three
years　of　age；　though　he　lacked　the　ultra　robust　and　rubicund
appearance　which　is　typical　of　so　many　Englishmen　of　his　class　at　this
period　of　life。　A　heavy　bout　of　blackwater　fever　acquired　on　service
in　West　Africa；　which　would　have　killed　anyone　of　weaker　constitution；
had　robbed　his　face　of　its　bloom　and　left　it　much　sallower；　if　more
interesting　than　once　it　had　been。　For　in　a　way　there　was　interest
about　the　face；　also　a　certain　charm。　It　was　a　good　and　honest　face
with　a　rather　eager；　rather　puzzled　look；　that　of　a　man　who　has
imagination　and　ideas　and　who　searches　for　the　truth　but　fails　to　find
it。　As　for　the　charm；　it　lay　for　the　most　part　in　the　pleasant；　open
smile　and　in　the　frank　but　rather　round　brown　eyes　overhung　by　a
somewhat　massive　forehead　which　projected　a　little；　or　perhaps　the
severe　illness　already　alluded　to　had　caused　the　rest　of　the　face　to
sink。　Though　thin；　the　man　was　bigly　built；　with　broad　shoulders　and
well…developed　limbs；　measuring　a　trifle　under　six　feet　in　height。

Such　was　the　outward　appearance　of　Alan　Vernon。　As　for　his　mind；　it
was　able　enough　in　certain　fashions；　for　instance　those　of
engineering；　and　the　soldier…like　faculties　to　which　it　had　been
trained；　frank　and　kindly　also；　but　in　other　respects　not　quick；
perhaps　from　its　unsuspiciousness。　Alan　Vernon　was　a　man　slow　to
discover　ill　and　slower　still　to　believe　in　it　even　when　it　seemed　to
be　discovered；　a　weakness　that　may　have　gone　far　to　account　for　his
presence　in　the　office　of　those　eminent　and　brilliant　financiers；
Messrs。　Aylward　&　Champers…Haswell。　Just　now　he　looked　a　little
worried；　like　a　fish　out　of　water；　or　rather　a　fish　which　has　begun　to
suspect　the　quality　of　the　water；　something　in　its　smell　or　taste。

〃Jeffreys　tells　me　that　you　want　to　see　me；　Sir　Robert；〃　he　said　in
his　low　and　pleasant　voice；　looking　at　the　baronet　rather　anxiously。

〃Yes；　my　dear　Vernon；　I　wish　to　ask　you　to　do　something；　if　you　kindly
will；　although　it　is　not　quite　in　your　line。　Old　Jackson；　the　editor
of　/The　Judge/；　is　a　friend　of　yours；　isn't　he？〃

〃He　was　a　friend　of　my　father's；　and　I　used　to　know　him　slightly。〃

〃Well；　that's　near　enough。　As　I　daresay　you　have　heard；　he　is　an
unreasonable　old　beggar；　and　has　taken　a　dislike　to　our　Sahara　scheme。
Someone　has　set　him　against　it　and　he　refuses　to　receive
advertisements；　threatens　criticisms；　etc。　Now　the　opposition　of　/The
Judge/　or　any　other　paper　won't　kill　us；　and　if　necessary　we　can
fight；　but　at　the　same　time　it　is　always　wise　to　agree　with　your　enemy
while　he　is　in　the　way；　and　in　shortwould　you　mind　going　down　and
explaining　his　mistake　to　him？〃

Before　answering　Major　Vernon　walked　to　the　window　leisurely　and
looked　out。

〃I　don't　like　asking　favours　from　family　friends；〃　he　replied　at
length；　〃and；　as　you　said；　I　think　it　isn't　quite　my　line。　Though　of
course　if　it　has　anything　to　do　with　the　engineering　possibilities；　I
shall　be　most　happy　to　see　him；〃　he　added；　brightening。

〃I　don't　know　what　it　has　to　do　with；　that　is　what　I　shall　be　obliged
if　you　will　find　out；〃　answered　Sir　Robert　with　some　asperity。　〃One
can't　divide　a　matter　of　this　sort　into　watertight　compartments。　It　is
true　that　in　so　important　a　concern　each　of　us　has　charge　of　his　own
division；　but　the　fact　remains　that　we　are　jointly　and　severally
responsible　for　the　whole。　I　am　not　sure　that　you　bear　this
sufficiently　in　mind；　my　dear　Vernon；〃　he　added　with　slow　emphasis。

His　partner　moved　quickly；　it　might　almost　have　been　said　that　he
shivered；　though　whether　the　movement；　or　the　shiver；　was　produced　by
the　argument　of　joint　and　several　liability　or　by　the　familiarity　of
the　〃my　dear　Vernon；〃　remains　uncertain。　Perhaps　it　was　the　latter；
since　although　the　elder　man　was　a　baronet　and　the　younger　only　a
retired　Major　of　Engineers；　the　gulf　between　them；　as　any　one　of
discernment　could　see；　was　wide。　They　were　born；　lived；　and　moved　in
different　spheres　unbridged　by　any　common　element　or　impulse。

〃I　think　that　I　do　bear　it　in　mind；　especially　of　late；　Sir　Robert；〃
answered　Alan　Vernon　slowly。

His　partner　threw　a　searching　glance　on　him；　for　he　felt　that　there
was　meaning　in　the　words；　but　only　said：

〃That's　all　right。　My　motor　is　outside　and　will　take　you　to　Fleet
Street　in　no　time。　Meanwhile　you　might　tell　them　to　telephone　that　you
are　coming；　and　perhaps　you　will　just　look　in　when　you　get　back。　I
haven't　got　to　go　to　the　House　to…night；　so　shall　be　here　till　dinner
time；　and　so；　I　think；　will　your　cousin　Haswell。　Muzzle　that　old
bulldog；　Jackson；　somehow。　No　doubt　he　has　his　price　like　the　rest　of
them；　in　meal　or　malt；　and　you　needn't　stick　at　the　figure。　We　don't
want　him　hanging　on　our　throat　for　the　next　week　or　two。〃

Ten　minutes　later　the　splendid；　two…thousand　guinea　motor　brougham
drew　up　at　the　offices　of　the　/Judge/　and　the　obsequious　motor…footman
bowed　Major　Vernon　through　its　rather　grimy　doorway。　Within；　a　small
boy　in　a　kind　of　box　asked　his　business；　and　when　he　heard　his　name；
said　that　the　〃Guvnor〃　had　sent　down　word　that　he　was　go　up　at　once
third　floor；　first　to　the　right　and　second　to　the　left。　So　up　he　went；
and　when　he　reached　the　indicated　locality　was　taken　possession　of　by
a　worried…looking　clerk　who　had　evidently　been　waiting　for　him；　and
almost　thrust　through　a　door　to　find　himself　in　a　big；　worn；　untidy
room。　At　a　huge　desk　in　this　room　sat　an　elderly　man；　also　big；　worn；
and　untidy…looking；　who　waved　a　long　slip　of　galley…proof　in　his　hand；
and　was　engaged　in　scolding　a　sub…editor。

〃Who　is　that？〃　he　said；　wheeling　round。　〃I'm　busy；　can't　see　anyone。〃

〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　answered　the　Major　with　humility；　〃your　people
told　me　to　come　up。　My　name　is　Alan　Vernon。〃

〃Oh！　I　remember。　Sit　down　for　a　moment；　will　you；　andMr。　Thomas；
oblige　me　by　taking　away　this　rot　and　rewriting　it　entirely　in　the
sense　I　have　outlined。〃

Mr。　Thomas　snatched　his　rejected　copy　and　vanished　through　another
door；　whereon　his　chief　remarked　in　an　audible　voice：

〃That　man　is　a　perfect　fool。　Lucky　I　thought　to　look　at　his　stuff。
Well；　he　is　no　worse　than　the　rest；　in　this　weary　world；〃　and　he　burst
into　a　hearty　laugh　and　swung　his　chair　round；　adding；　〃Now　then；
Alan；　what　is　it？　I　have　a　quarter　of　an　hour　at　your　service。　Why；
bless　me！　I　was　forgetting　that　it's　more　than　a　dozen　years　since　we
met；　you　were　still　a　boy　then；　and　now　you　have　left　the　army　with　a
D。S。O。　and　gratuity；　and　turned　financier；　which　I　think　wouldn't　have
pleased　your　old　father。　Come；　sit　down　here　and　let　us　talk。〃

〃I　didn't　leave　the　army；　Mr。　Jackson；〃　answered　his　visitor；　〃it　left
me；　I　was　invalided　out。　They　said　I　should　never　get　my　health　back
after　that　last　go　of　fever；　but　I　did。〃

〃Ah！　bad　luck；　very　bad　luck；　just　at　the　beginning　of　what　should
have　been　a　big　career；　for　I　know　they　thought　highly　of　you　at　the
War　Office；　that　is；　if　they　can　think。　Well；　you　have　grown　into　a
fine…looking　fellow；　like　your　father；　very；　and　someone　else　too；〃
and　he　sighed；　running　his　fingers　through　his　grizzled　hair。　〃But　you
don't　remember　her；　she　was　before　your　time。　Now　let　us　get　to
business；　there's　no　time　for　reminiscences　in　this　office。　What　is
it；　Alan；　for　like　other　people　I　suppose　that　you　want　something？〃

〃It　is　about　that　Sahara　flotation；　Mr。　Jackson；〃　he　began　rather
doubtfully。

The　old　editor's　face　darkened。　〃The　Sahara　flotation！　That
accursed〃　and　he　ceased　abruptly。　〃What　have　you；　of　all　people　in
the　world；　got　to　do　with　it？　Oh！　I　remember。　Someone　told　me　that　you
had　gone　into　partnership　with　Aylward　the　company　promoter；　and　that
little　beast；　Champers…Haswell；　who　really　is　the　clever　one。　Well；
set　it　out；　set　it　out。〃

〃It　seems；　Mr。　Jackson；　that　/The　Judge/　has　refused　not　only　our
article；　but　also　the　advertisement　of　the　company。　I　don't　know　much
about　this　side　of　the　affair　myself；　but　Sir　Robert　asked　me　if　I
would　come　round　and　see　if　things　couldn't　be　arranged。〃

〃You　mean　that　the　man　sent　you　to　try　and　work　on　me　because　he　knew
that　I　used　to　be　intimate　with　your　family。　Well；　it　is　a　poor　errand
and　will　have　a　poor　end。　You　can'tno　one　on　earth　can；　while　I　sit
in　this　chair；　not　even　my　proprietors。〃

There　was　silence　broken　at　last　by　Alan；　who　remarked　awkwardly：

〃If　that　is　so；　I　must　not　take　up　your　time　any　longer。〃

〃I　said　that　I　would　give　you　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　and　you　have　only
been　here　four　minutes。　Now；　Alan　Vernon；　tell　me　as　your　father's　old
friend；　why　you　have　gone　to　herd　with　these　gilded　swine？〃

There　was　something　so　earnest　about　the　man's　question　that　it　did
not　even　occur　to　his　visitor　to　resent　its　roughness。

〃Of　course　it　is　not　original；〃　he　answered；　〃but　I　had　this　idea
about　flooding　the　Desert；　I　spent　a　furlough　up　there　a　few　years　ago
and　employed　my　time　in　making　some　rough　surveys。　Then　I　was　obliged
to　leave　the　Service　and　went　down　to　Yarleys　after　my　father's　death
it's　mine　now；　you　know；　but　worth　nothing　except　a　shooting　rent；
which　just　pays　for　the　repairs。　There　I　met　Champers…Haswell；　who
lives　near　and　is　a　kind　of　distant　cousin　of　minemy　mother　was　a
Champersand　happened　to　mention　the　thing　to　him。　He　took　it　up　at
once　and　introduced　me　to　Aylward；　and　the　end　of　it　was；　that　they
offered　me　a　partnership　with　a　small　share　in　the　business；　because
they　said　I　was　just　the　man　they　wanted。〃

〃Just　the　man　they　wanted；〃　repeated　the　editor　after　him。　〃Yes；　the
last　of　the　Vernons；　an　engineer　with　an　old　name　in　his　county；　a
clean　record　and　plenty　of　ability。　Yes；　you　would　be　just　the　man
they　wanted。　And　you　accepted？〃

〃Yes。　I　was　on　my　beam　ends　with　nothing　to　do；　I　wanted　to　make　some
money。　You　see　Yarleys　has　been　in　the　family　for　over　five　hundred
years；　and　it　seemed　hard　to　have　to　sell　it。　Alsoalso〃　and　he
paused。

〃Ever　meet　Barbara　Champers？〃　asked　Mr。　Jackson　inconsequently。　〃I　did
once。　Wonderfully　nice　girl；　and　very　good…looking　too。　But　of　course
you　know　her；　and　she　is　her　uncle's　ward；　and　their　place　isn't　far
off　Yarleys；　you　say。　Must　be　a　connection　of　yours　also。〃

Major　Vernon　started