round the red lamp(红灯四周)-第26章
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But her mother's expression was rather that of the general who looked
upon the first smoke of the guns than of one who had won the victory。
〃All will be right； dear；〃 said she； glancing down at the fluffy yellow
curls and tiny ear。 〃There is still much to be done； but I think we may
venture to order the trousseau。〃
〃Oh I how brave you are！〃
〃Of course； it will in any case be a very quiet affair。 Arthur must get
the license。 I do not approve of hole…and…corner marriages； but where the
gentleman has to take up an official position some allowance must be
made。 We can have Lady Hilda Edgecombe； and the Trevors； and the
Grevilles； and I am sure that the Prime Minister would run down if he
could。〃
〃And papa？〃
〃Oh； yes； he will come too； if he is well enough。 We must wait until
Sir William goes； and； meanwhile； I shall write to Lord Arthur。〃
Half an hour had passed； and quite a number of notes had been dashed
off in the fine； bold； park… paling handwriting of the Lady Clara； when the
door clashed； and the wheels of the doctor's carriage were heard grating
outside against the kerb。 The Lady Clara laid down her pen； kissed her
daughter； and started off for the sick…room。 The Foreign Minister was
lying back in his chair； with a red silk handkerchief over his forehead； and
his bulbous； cotton…wadded foot still protruding upon its rest。
〃I think it is almost liniment time；〃 said Lady Clara； shaking a blue
crinkled bottle。 〃Shall I put on a little？〃
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〃Oh！ this pestilent toe！〃 groaned the sufferer。 〃Sir William won't hear
of my moving yet。 I do think he is the most completely obstinate and
pig… headed man that I have ever met。 I tell him that he has mistaken his
profession； and that I could find him a post at Constantinople。 We need a
mule out there。〃
〃Poor Sir William！〃 laughed Lady Clara。 But how has he roused
your wrath？〃
〃He is so persistent…so dogmatic。〃
〃Upon what point？ 〃
〃Well； he has been laying down the law about Ida。 He has decreed； it
seems； that she is to go to Tangier。〃
〃He said something to that effect before he went up to you。〃
〃Oh； he did； did he？〃
The slow…moving； inscrutable eye came sliding round to her。
Lady Clara's face had assumed an expression of transparent obvious
innocence； an intrusive candour which is never seen in nature save when a
woman is bent upon deception。
〃He examined her lungs； Charles。 He did not say much； but his
expression was very grave。〃
〃Not to say owlish；〃 interrupted the Minister。
〃No； no； Charles； it is no laughing matter。 He said that she must have
a change。 I am sure that he thought more than he said。 He spoke of
dulness and crepitation。 and the effects of the African air。 Then the talk
turned upon dry； bracing health resorts； and he agreed that Tangier was the
place。 He said that even a few months there would work a change。〃
〃And that was all？〃
〃Yes； that was all。〃
Lord Charles shrugged his shoulders with the air of a man who is but
half convinced。
〃But of course；〃 said Lady Clara； serenely； if you think it better that
Ida should not go she shall not。 The only thing is that if she should get
worse we might feel a little uncomfortable afterwards。 In a weakness of
that sort a very short time may make a difference。 Sir William evidently
thought the matter critical。 Still； there is no reason why he should
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influence you。 It is a little responsibility； however。 If you take it all
upon yourself and free me from any of it； so that afterwards〃
〃My dear Clara； how you do croak！〃
〃Oh！ I don't wish to do that； Charles。 But you remember what
happened to Lord Bellamy's child。 She was just Ida's age。 That was
another case in which Sir William's advice was disregarded。〃
Lord Charles groaned impatiently。
〃I have not disregarded it；〃 said he。
〃No； no； of course not。 I know your strong sense； and your good
heart too well； dear。 You were very wisely looking at both sides of the
question。 That is what we poor women cannot do。 It is emotion against
reason； as I have often heard you say。 We are swayed this way and that；
but you men are persistent； and so you gain your way with us。 But I am
so pleased that you have decided for Tangier。〃
〃Have I？〃
〃Well； dear； you said that you would not disregard Sir William。〃
〃Well； Clara； admitting that Ida is to go to Tangier； you will allow that
it is impossible for me to escort her？
〃Utterly。〃
〃And for you？
〃While you are ill my place is by your side。〃
〃There is your sister？〃
〃She is going to Florida。〃
〃Lady Dumbarton； then？〃
〃She is nursing her father。 It is out of the question。〃
〃Well； then； whom can we possibly ask？ Especially just as the
season is commencing。 You see； Clara； the fates fight against Sir
William。〃
His wife rested her elbows against the back of the great red chair； and
passed her fingers through the statesman's grizzled curls； stooping down as
she did so until her lips were close to his ear。
〃There is Lord Arthur Sibthorpe；〃 said she softly。
Lord Charles bounded in his chair； and muttered a word or two such as
were more frequently heard from Cabinet Ministers in Lord Melbourne's
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time than now。
〃Are you mad； Clara！〃 he cried。 〃What can have put such a thought
into your head？〃
〃The Prime Minister。〃 〃Who？ The Prime Minister？〃
〃Yes； dear。 Now do； do be good！ Or perhaps I had better not speak
to you about it any more。〃
〃Well； I really think that you have gone rather too far to retreat。〃
〃It was the Prime Minister； then； who told me that Lord Arthur was
going to Tangier。〃
〃It is a fact； though it had escaped my memory for the instant。〃
〃And then came Sir William with his advice about Ida。 Oh！ Charlie；
it is surely more than a coincidence！〃
〃I am convinced；〃 said Lord Charles； with his shrewd； questioning
gaze； 〃that it is very much more than a coincidence； Lady Clara。 You are
a very clever woman； my dear。 A born manager and organiser。〃
Lady Clara brushed past the compliment。
〃Think of our own young days； Charlie；〃 she whispered； with her
fingers still toying with his hair。 〃What were you then？ A poor man；
not even Ambassador at Tangier。 But I loved you； and believed in you；
and have I ever regretted it？ Ida loves and believes in Lord Arthur； and
why should she ever regret it either？〃
Lord Charles was silent。 His eyes were fixed upon the green
branches which waved outside the window； but his mind had flashed back
to a Devonshire country…house of thirty years ago； and to the one fateful
evening when； between old yew hedges； he paced along beside a slender
girl； and poured out to her his hopes； his fears； and his ambitious。 He
took the white； thin hand and pressed it to his lips。
〃You； have been a good wife to me； Clara；〃 said he。
She said nothing。 She did not attempt to improve upon her advantage。
A less consummate general might have tried to do so； and ruined all。 She
stood silent and submissive； noting the quick play of thought which
peeped from his eyes and lip。 There was a sparkle in the one and a twitch
of amusement in the other； as he at last glanced up at her。
〃Clara；〃 said he； 〃deny it if you can！ You have ordered the
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trousseau。〃
She gave his ear a little pinch。
〃Subject to your approval；〃 said she。
〃You have written to the Archbishop。〃
〃It is not posted yet。〃
〃You have sent a note to Lord Arthur。〃
〃How could you tell that？〃
〃He is downstairs now。〃
〃No； but I think that is his brougham。〃
Lord Charles sank back with a look of half… comical despair。
〃Who is to fight against such a woman？〃 he cried。 〃Oh！ if I could
send you to Novikoff！ He is too much for any of my men。 But； Clara； I
cannot have them up here。〃
〃Not for your blessing？〃
〃No； no！〃
〃It would make them so happy。〃
〃I cannot stand scenes。〃
〃Then I shall convey it to them。〃
〃And pray say no more about itto…day； at any rate。 I have been
weak over the matter。〃
〃Oh！ Charlie； you who are so strong！〃
〃You have outflanked me； Clara。 It was very well done。 I must
congratulate you。〃
〃Well；〃 she murmured； as she kissed him； 〃you know I have been
studying a very clever diplomatist for thirty years。〃
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A MEDICAL DOCUMENT。
Medical men are； as a class； very much too busy to take stock of
singular situations or dramatic events。 Thus it happens that the ablest
chronicler of their experiences in our literature was a lawyer。 A life spent
in watching over death…bedsor over birth…beds which are infinitely more
tryingtakes something from a man's sense of proportion； as constant
strong waters might corrupt his palate。 The overstimulated nerve ceases
to respond。 Ask the surgeon for his best experiences and he may reply
that he has seen little that is remarkab
