the secret places of the heart-第20部分

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ment　they　stood　hand　in　hand；　appreciatively。　。　。　。　〃Well！〃　said　Dr。　Martineau；　as　the　door　closed　behind　the　two　Americans；　〃This　is　a　curious　encounter。〃　〃That　young　woman　has　brains；〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　standing　before　the　fireplace。　There　was　no　doubt　whatever　which　young　woman　he　meant。　But　Dr。　Martineau　grunted。　〃I　don't　like　the　American　type；〃　the　doctor　pronounced　judicially。　〃I　do；〃　Sir　Richmond　countered。　The　doctor　thought　for　a　moment　or　so。　〃You　are　committed　to　the　project　of　visiting　Avebury？〃　he　said。　〃They　ought　to　see　Avebury；　〃　said　Sir　Richmond。　〃H'm；〃　said　the　doctor；　ostentatiously　amused　by　his　thoughts　and　staring　at　the　fire。　〃Birth　Control！　I　NEVER　did。〃　Sir　Richmond　smiled　down　on　the　top　of　the　doctor's　head　and　said　nothing。　〃I　think〃　said　the　doctor　and　paused。　〃I　shall　leave　this　Avebury　expedition　to　you。〃　〃We　can　be　back　in　the　early　afternoon；〃　said　Sir　Richmond。　〃To　give　them　a　chance　of　seeing　the　cathedral。　The　chapter　house　here　is　not　one　to　miss　。　。　。　。　〃　〃And　then　I　suppose　we　shall　go　on？　〃As　you　please；〃　said　Sir　Richmond　insincerely。　〃I　must　confess　that　four　people　make　the　car　at　any　rate　seem　tremendously　overpopulated。　And　to　tell　the　truth；　I　do　not　find　this　encounter　so　amusing　as　you　seem　to　do。　。　。　。　I　shall　not　be　sorry　when　we　have　waved　good…bye　to　those　young　ladies；　and　resume　our　interrupted　conversation。〃　Sir　Richmond　considered　something　mulish　in　the　doctor's　averted　face。　〃I　find　Miss　Grammont　an　extremely　interestingand　stimulating　human　being。　〃Evidently。〃　The　doctor　sighed；　stood　up　and　found　himself　delivering　one　of　the　sentences　he　had　engendered　during　his　solitary　meditations　in　his　room　before　dinner。　He　surprised　himself　by　the　plainness　of　his　speech。　〃Let　me　be　frank；〃　he　said；　regarding　Sir　Richmond　squarely。　〃Considering　the　general　situation　of　things　and　your　position；　I　do　not　care　very　greatly　for　the　part　of　an　accessory　to　what　may　easily　develop；　as　you　know　very　well；　into　a　very　serious　flirtation。　An　absurd；　mischievous；　irrelevant　flirtation。　You　may　not　like　the　word。　You　may　pretend　it　is　a　conversation；　an　ordinary　intellectual　conversation。　That　is　not　the　word。　Simply　that　is　not　the　word。　You　people　eye　one　another。　。　。　。　Flirtation。　I　give　the　affair　its　proper　name。　That　is　all。　Merely　that。　When　I　thinkBut　we　will　not　discuss　it　now。　。　。　。　Good　night。　。　。　。　Forgive　me　if　I　put　before　you；　rather　bluntly；　my　particular　point　of　view。〃　Sir　Richmond　found　himself　alone。　With　his　eyebrows　raised。　Section　6　After　twenty…four　eventful　hours　our　two　students　of　human　motives　found　themselves　together　again　by　the　fireplace　in　the　Old　George　smoking…room。　They　had　resumed　their　overnight　conversation；　in　a　state　of　considerable　tension。　〃If　you　find　the　accommodation　of　the　car　insufficient；〃　said　Sir　Richmond　in　a　tone　of　extreme　reasonableness；　and　I　admit　it　is；　we　can　easily　hire　a　larger　car　in　a　place　like　this。　I　would　not　care　if　you　hired　an　omnibus；　said　Dr。　Martineau。　〃I　am　not　coming　on　if　these　young　women　are。〃　〃But　if　you　consider　it　scandalousand　really；　Martineau；　really！　as　one　man　to　another；　it　does　seem　to　me　to　be　a　bit　pernickety　of　you；　a　broad　and　original　thinker　as　you　are〃　〃Thought　is　one　matter。　Rash；　inconsiderate　action　quite　another。　And　above　all；　if　I　spend　another　day　in　or　near　the　company　of　Miss　Belinda　Seyffert　I　shallI　shall　be　extremely　rude　to　her。〃　〃But；〃　said　Sir　Richmond　and　bit　his　lower　lip　and　considered。　〃We　might　drop　Belinda；〃　he　suggested　turning　to　his　friend　and　speaking　in　low；　confidential　tones。　〃She　is　quite　a　manageable　person。　Quite。　She　couldfor　examplebe　left　behind　with　the　luggage　and　sent　on　by　train。　I　do　not　know　if　you　realize　how　the　land　lies　in　that　quarter。　It　needs　only　a　word　to　Miss　Grammont。　〃　There　was　no　immediate　reply。　For　a　moment　he　had　a　wild　hope　that　his　companion　would　agree；　and　then　he　perceived　that　the　doctor's　silence　meant　only　the　preparation　of　an　ultimatum。　〃I　object　to　Miss　Grammont　and　that　side　of　the　thing；　more　than　I　do　to　Miss　Seyffert。〃　Sir　Richmond　said　nothing。　〃It　may　help　you　to　see　this　affair　from　a　slightly　different　angle　if　I　tell　you　that　twice　today　Miss　Seyffert　has　asked　me　if　you　were　a　married　man。〃　〃And　of　course　you　told　her　I　was。〃　〃On　the　second　occasion。〃　Sir　Richmond　smiled　again。　〃Frankly；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃this　adventure　is　altogether　uncongenial　to　me。　It　is　the　sort　of　thing　that　has　never　happened　in　my　life。　This　highway　coupling〃　〃Don't　you　think；〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　〃that　you　are　attaching　rather　too　muchwhat　shall　I　sayromantic？flirtatious？　meaning　to　this　affair？　I　don't　mind　that　after　my　rather　lavish　confessions　you　should　consider　me　a　rather　oversexed　person；　but　isn't　your　attitude　rather　unfair；unjust；　indeed；　and　almost　insulting；　to　this　Miss　Grammont？　After　all；　she's　a　young　lady　of　very　good　social　position　indeed。　She　doesn't　strike　youdoes　she？as　an　undignified　or　helpless　human　being。　Her　manners　suggest　a　person　of　considerable　self…control。　And　knowing　less　of　me　than　you　do；　she　probably　regards　me　as　almost　as　safe　asa　maiden　aunt　say。　I'm　twice　her　age。　We　are　a　party　of　four。　There　are　conventions；　there　are　considerations。　。　。　。　Aren't　you　really；　my　dear　Martineau；　overdoing　all　this　side　of　this　very　pleasant　little　enlargement　of　our　interests。〃　〃AM　I？〃　said　Dr。　Martineau　and　brought　a　scrutinizing　eye　to　bear　on　Sir　Richmond's　face。　〃I　want　to　go　on　talking　to　Miss　Grammont　for　a　day　or　so；〃　Sir　Richmond　admitted。　〃Then　I　shall　prefer　to　leave　your　party。〃　There　were　some　moments　of　silence。　〃I　am　really　very　sorry　to　find　myself　in　this　dilemma；〃　said　Sir　Richmond　with　a　note　of　genuine　regret　in　his　voice。　〃It　is　not　a　dilemma；〃　said　Dr。　Martineau；　with　a　corresponding　loss　of　asperity。　〃I　grant　you　we　discover　we　differ　upon　a　question　of　taste　and　convenience。　But　before　I　suggested　this　trip；　I　had　intended　to　spend　a　little　time　with　my　old　friend　Sir　Kenelm　Latter　at　Bournemouth。　Nothing　simpler　than　to　go　to　him　now　。　。　。　。〃　〃I　shall　be　sorry　all　the　same。〃　〃I　could　have　wished；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃that　these　ladies　had　happened　a　little　later。　。　。　。〃　The　matter　was　settled。　Nothing　more　of　a　practical　nature　remained　to　be　said。　But　neither　gentleman　wished　to　break　off　with　a　harsh　and　bare　decision。　〃When　the　New　Age　is　here；〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　〃then；　surely；　a　friendship　between　a　man　and　a　woman　will　not　be　subjected　to　thethe　inconveniences　your　present　code　would　set　about　it？　They　would　travel　about　together　as　they　chose？〃　〃The　fundamental　principle　of　the　new　age；〃　said　the　doctor；　will　be　Honi　soit　qui　mal　y　pense。　In　these　matters。　With　perhaps　Fay　ce　que　vouldras　as　its　next　injunction。　So　long　as　other　lives　are　not　affected。　In　matters　of　personal　behaviour　the　world　will　probably　be　much　more　free　and　individuals　much　more　open　in　their　conscience　and　honour　than　they　have　ever　been　before。　In　matters　of　property；　economics　and　public　conduct　it　will　probably　be　just　the　reverse。　Then；　there　will　be　much　more　collective　control　and　much　more　insistence；　legal　insistence；　upon　individual　responsibility。　But　we　are　not　living　in　a　new　age　yet；　we　are　living　in　the　patched…up　ruins　of　a　very　old　one。　And　you　if　you　will　forgive　meare　living　in　the　patched　up　remains　of　a　life　that　had　already　had　its　complications。　This　young　lady；　whose　charm　and　cleverness　I　admit；　behaves　as　if　the　new　age　were　already　here。　Well；　that　may　be　a　very　dangerous　mistake　both　for　her　and　for　you。　。　。　。　This　affair；　if　it　goes　on　for　a　few　days　more；　may　involve　very　serious　consequences　indeed；　with　which　I；　for　one；　do　not　wish　to　be　involved。〃　Sir　Richmond；　upon　the　hearthrug；　had　a　curious　feeling　that　he　was　back　in　the　head　master's　study　at　Caxton。　Dr。　Martineau　went　on　with　a　lucidity　that　Sir　Richmond　found　rather　trying；　to　give　his　impression　of　Miss　Grammont　and　her　position　in　life。　〃She　is；〃　he　said；　〃manifestly　a　very　expensively　educated　girl。　And　in　many　ways　interesting。　I　have　been　watching　her。　I　have　not　been　favoured　with　very　much　of　her　attention；　but　that　fact　has　enabled　me　to　see　her　in　profile。　Miss　Seyffert　is　a　fairly　crude　mixture　of　frankness；　insincerity　and　self…　explanatory　egotism；　and　I　have　been　able　to　disregard　a　considerable　amount　of　the　conversation　she　has　addressed　to　me。　Now　I　guess　this　Miss　Grammont　has　had　no　mother　since　she　was　quite　little。〃　〃Your　guesses；　doctor；　are　apt　to　be　pretty　good；〃　said　Sir　Richmond。　〃You　know　that？〃　〃She　has　told　me　as　much。〃　〃H'm。　WellShe　impressed　me　as　having　the　air　of　a　girl　who　has　had　to　solve　many　problems　for　which　the　normal　mother　provides　ready　made　solutions。　That　is　how　I　inferred　that　there　was　no　mother。　I　don't　think　there　has　been　any　stepmother；　either　friendly　or　hostile？　There　hasn't　been。　I　thought　not。　She　has　had　various　governesses　and　companions；　ladies　of　birth　and　education；　engaged　to　look　after　her　and　she　has　done　exactly　what　she　liked　with　them。　Her　manner　with　Miss　Seyffert；　an　excellent　manner　for　Miss　Seyffert；　by　the　bye；　isn't　the　sort　of　manner　anyone　acquires　in　a　day。　Or　for　one　person　only。　She　is　a　very　sure　and　commanding　young　woman。〃　Sir　Richmond　nodded。　〃I　suppose　her　father　adores　and　neglects　her；　and　whenever　she　has　wanted　a　companion　or　governess　butchered；　the　thing　has　been　done。　。　。　。　These　business　Americans；　I　am　told；　neglect　their　womenkind；　give　them　money　and　power；　let　them　loose　on　the　world。　。　。　。　It　is　a　sort　of　moral　laziness　masquerading　as　affection。　。　。　。　Still　I　suppose　custom　and　tradition　kept　this　girl　in　her　place　and　she　was　petted；　honoured；　amused；　talked　about　but　not　in　a　harmful　way；　and　rather　bored　right　up　to　the　time　when　America　came　into　the　war。　Theoretically　she　had　a　tremendously　good　time。〃　〃I　think　this　must　be　near　the　truth　of　her　biography；〃　said　Sir　Richmond。　〃I　suppose　she　has　lovers。〃　〃You　don't　mean？〃　〃No；　I　don't。　Though　that　is　a　matter　that　ought　to　have　no　special　interest　for　you。　I　mean　that　she　was　surrounded　by　a　retinue　of　men　who　wanted　to　marry　her　or　who　behaved　as　though　they　wanted　to　marry　her　or　who　made　her　happiness　and　her　gratifications　and　her　condescensions　seem　a　matter　of　very　great　importance　to