the secret places of the heart-第22部分

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r　do　this　as　her　own　consciousness　of　being　possessed　by　a　devil　who　interrupted　conversations。　When　Miss　Grammont　was　keenly　interested　in　a　conversation；　then　Belinda　had　learnt　from　experience　that　it　was　wiser　to　go　off　with　her　devil　out　of　the　range　of　any　temptation　to　interrupt。　〃You　really　think；〃　said　Miss　Grammont；　〃that　it　would　be　possible　to　take　this　confused　old　world　and　reshape　it；　set　it　marching　towards　that　new　world　of　yoursof　two　hundred　and　fifty　million　fully　developed；　beautiful　and　happy　people？〃　〃Why　not？　Nobody　is　doing　anything　with　the　world　except　muddle　about。　Why　not　give　it　a　direction？　〃　〃You'd　take　it　in　your　hands　like　clay？〃　〃Obdurate　clay　with　a　sort　of　recalcitrant；　unintelligent　life　of　its　own。〃　Her　imagination　glowed　in　her　eyes　and　warmed　her　voice。　〃I　believe　what　you　say　is　possible。　If　people　dare。〃　〃I　am　tired　of　following　little　motives　that　are　like　flames　that　go　out　when　you　get　to　them。　I　am　tired　of　seeing　all　the　world　doing　the　same。　I　am　tired　of　a　world　in　which　there　is　nothing　great　but　great　disasters。　Here　is　something　mankind　can　attempt；　that　we　can　attempt。〃　〃And　will？　〃　〃I　believe　that　as　Mankind　grows　up　this　is　the　business　Man　has　to　settle　down　to　and　will　settle　down　to。〃　She　considered　that。　〃I've　been　getting　to　believe　something　like　this。　But　。　。　。　it　frightens　me。　I　suppose　most　of　us　have　this　same　sort　of　dread　of　taking　too　much　upon　ourselves。〃　〃So　we　just　live　like　pigs。　Sensible　little　piggywiggys。　I've　got　a　Committee　full　of　that　sort　of　thing。　We　live　like　little　modest　pigs。　And　let　the　world　go　hang。　And　pride　ourselves　upon　our　freedom　from　the　sin　of　presumption。　〃Not　quite　that！〃　〃Well！　How　do　you　put　it？〃　〃We　are　afraid；〃　she　said。　〃It's　too　vast。　We　want　bright　little　lives　of　our　own。　〃　〃Exactlysensible　little　piggy…wiggys。〃　〃We　have　a　right　to　lifeand　happiness。　〃First；〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　〃as　much　right　as　a　pig　has　to　food。　But　whether　we　get　life　and　happiness　or　fail　to　get　them　we　human　beings　who　have　imaginations　want　something　more　nowadays。　。　。　。　Of　course　we　want　bright　lives；　of　course　we　want　happiness。　Just　as　we　want　food；　just　as　we　want　sleep。　But　when　we　have　eaten；　when　we　have　slept；　when　we　have　jolly　things　about　usit　is　nothing。　We　have　been　made　an　exception　ofand　got　our　rations。　The　big　thing　confronts　us　still。　It　is　vast；　I　agree；　but　vast　as　it　is　it　is　the　thing　we　have　to　think　about。　I　do　not　know　why　it　should　be　so；　but　I　am　compelled　by　something　in　my　nature　to　want　to　serve　this　idea　of　a　new　age　for　mankind。　I　want　it　as　my　culminating　want。　I　want　a　world　in　order；　a　disciplined　mankind　going　on　to　greater　things。　Don't　you？〃　〃Now　you　tell　me　of　it；〃　she　said　with　a　smile；　〃I　do。〃　〃But　before？〃　〃No。　You've　made　it　clear。　It　wasn't　clear　before。〃　〃I've　been　talking　of　this　sort　of　thing　with　my　friend　Dr。　Martineau。　And　I've　been　thinking　as　well　as　talking。　That　perhaps　is　why　I'm　so　clear　and　positive。〃　〃I　don't　complain　that　you　are　clear　and　positive。　I've　been　coming　along　the　same　way。　。　。　。　It's　refreshing　to　meet　you。〃　〃I　found　it　refreshing　to　meet　Martineau。〃　A　twinge　of　conscience　about　Dr。　Martineau　turned　Sir　Richmond　into　a　new　channel。　〃He's　a　most　interesting　man；〃　he　said。　〃Rather　shy　in　some　respects。　Devoted　to　his　work。　And　he's　writing　a　book　which　has　saturated　him　in　these　ideas。　Only　two　nights　ago　we　stood　here　and　talked　about　it。　The　Psychology　of　a　New　Age。　The　world；　he　believes；　is　entering　upon　a　new　phase　in　its　history；　the　adolescence；　so　to　speak；　of　mankind。　It　is　an　idea　that　seizes　the　imagination。　There　is　a　flow　of　new　ideas　abroad；　he　thinks；　widening　realizations；　unprecedented　hopes　and　fears。　There　is　a　consciousness　of　new　powers　and　new　responsibilities。　We　are　sharing　the　adolescence　of　our　race。　It　is　giving　history　a　new　and　more　intimate　meaning　for　us。　It　is　bringing　us　into　directer　relation　with　public　affairs；making　them　matter　as　formerly　they　didn't　seem　to　matter。　That　idea　of　the　bright　little　private　life　has　to　go　by　the　board。〃　〃I　suppose　it　has；〃　she　said；　meditatively；　as　though　she　had　been　thinking　over　some　such　question　before。　〃The　private　life；〃　she　said；　〃has　a　way　of　coming　aboard　again。〃　Her　reflections　travelled　fast　and　broke　out　now　far　ahead　of　him。　〃You　have　some　sort　of　work　cut　out　for　you；〃　she　said　abruptly。　〃Yes。　Yes；　I　have。〃　〃I　haven't；〃　she　said。　〃So　that　I　go　about；〃　she　added；　like　someone　who　is　looking　for　something。　I'd　like　to　know　if　it's　not　jabbing　too　searching　a　question　at　youwhat　you　have　found。〃　Sir　Richmond　considered。　〃Incidentally；〃　he　smiled；　〃　I　want　to　get　a　lasso　over　the　neck　of　that　very　forcible　and　barbaric　person；　your　father。　I　am　doing　my　best　to　help　lay　the　foundation　of　a　scientific　world　control　of　fuel　production　and　distribution。　We　have　a　Fuel　Commission　in　London　with　rather　wide　powers　of　enquiry　into　the　whole　world　problem　of　fuel。　We　shall　come　out　to　Washington　presently　with　proposals。　〃　Miss　Grammont　surveyed　the　landscape。　〃I　suppose；〃　she　said；　〃poor　father　IS　rather　like　an　unbroken　mule　in　business　affairs。　So　many　of　our　big　business　men　in　America　are。　He'll　lash　out　at　you。〃　〃I　don't　mind　if　only　he　lashes　out　openly　in　the　sight　of　all　men。〃　She　considered　and　turned　on　Sir　Richmond　gravely。　〃Tell　me　what　you　want　to　do　to　him。　You　find　out　so　many　things　for　me　that　I　seem　to　have　been　thinking　about　in　a　sort　of　almost　invisible　half…conscious　way。　I've　been　suspecting　for　a　long　time　that　Civilization　wasn't　much　good　unless　it　got　people　like　my　father　under　some　sort　of　control。　But　controlling　fatheras　distinguished　from　managing　him！〃　She　reviewed　some　private　and　amusing　memories。　〃He　is　a　most　intractable　man。〃　Section　3　They　had　gone　on　to　talk　of　her　father　and　of　the　types　of　men　who　controlled　international　business。　She　had　had　plentiful　opportunities　for　observation　in　their　homes　and　her　own。　Gunter　Lake；　the　big　banker；　she　knew　particularly　well；　because；　it　seemed；　she　had　been　engaged　or　was　engaged　to　marry　him。　〃All　these　people；〃　she　said；　〃are　pushing　things　about；　affecting　millions　of　lives；　hurting　and　disordering　hundreds　of　thousands　of　people。　They　don't　seem　to　know　what　they　are　doing。　They　have　no　plans　in　particular。　。　。　。　And　you　are　getting　something　going　that　will　be　a　plan　and　a　direction　and　a　conscience　and　a　control　for　them？　You　will　find　my　father　extremely　difficult；　but　some　of　our　younger　men　would　love　it。　〃And；〃　she　went　on；　〃there　are　American　women　who'd　love　it　too。　We're　petted。　We're　kept　out　of　things。　We　aren't　placed。　We　don't　get　enough　to　do。　We're　spenders　and　wasters　not　always　from　choice。　While　these　fathers　and　brothers　and　husbands　of　ours　play　about　with　the　fuel　and　power　and　life　and　hope　of　the　world　as　though　it　was　a　game　of　poker。　With　all　the　empty　unspeakable　solemnity　of　the　male。　And　treat　us　as　though　we　ought　to　be　satisfied　if　they　bring　home　part　of　the　winnings。　〃That　can't　go　on；〃　she　said。　Her　eyes　went　back　to　the　long；　low；　undulating　skyline　of　the　downs。　She　spoke　as　though　she　took　up　the　thread　of　some　controversy　that　had　played　a　large　part　in　her　life。　〃That　isn't　going　on；〃　she　said　with　an　effect　of　conclusive　decision。　Sir　Richmond　recalled　that　little　speech　now　as　he　returned　from　Salisbury　station　to　the　Old　George　after　his　farewell　to　Martineau。　He　recalled　too　the　soft　firmness　of　her　profile　and　the　delicate　line　of　her　lifted　chin。　He　felt　that　this　time　at　any　rate　he　was　not　being　deceived　by　the　outward　shows　of　a　charming　human　being。　This　young　woman　had　real　firmness　of　character　to　back　up　her　free　and　independent　judgments。　He　smiled　at　the　idea　of　any　facile　passion　in　the　composition　of　so　sure　and　gallant　a　personality。　Martineau　was　very　fine…minded　in　many　respects；　but　he　was　an　old　maid；　and　like　all　old　maids　he　saw　man　and　woman　in　every　encounter。　But　passion　was　a　thing　men　and　women　fell　back　upon　when　they　had　nothing　else　in　common。　When　they　thought　in　the　pleasantest　harmony　and　every　remark　seemed　to　weave　a　fresh　thread　of　common　interest；　then　it　wasn't　so　necessary。　It　might　happen；　but　it　wasn't　so　necessary。　。　。　。　If　it　did　it　would　be　a　secondary　thing　to　companionship。　That's　what　she　was；a　companion。　But　a　very　lovely　and　wonderful　companion；　the　companion　one　would　not　relinquish　until　the　very　last　moment　one　could　keep　with　her。　Her　views　about　America　and　about　her　own　place　in　the　world　seemed　equally　fresh　and　original　to　Sir　Richmond。　〃I　realize　I've　got　to　be　a　responsible　American　citizen；〃　she　had　said。　That　didn't　mean　that　she　attached　very　much　importance　to　her　recently　acquired　vote。　She　evidently　classified　voters　into　the　irresponsible　who　just　had　votes　and　the　responsible　who　also　had　a　considerable　amount　of　property　as　well。　She　had　no　illusions　about　the　power　of　the　former　class。　It　didn't　exist。　They　were　steered　to　their　decisions　by　people　employed；　directed　or　stimulated　by　〃father〃　and　his　friends　and　associates；　the　owners　of　America；　the　real　〃responsible　citizens。〃　Or　they　fell　a　prey　to　the　merely　adventurous　leading　of　〃revolutionaries。〃　But　anyhow　they　were　steered。　She　herself；　it　was　clear；　was　bound　to　become　a　very　responsible　citizen　indeed。　She　would　some　day；　she　laughed；　be　swimming　in　oil　and　such　like　property。　Her　interest　in　Sir　Richmond's　schemes　for　a　scientific　world　management　of　fuel　was　therefore；　she　realized；　a　very　direct　one。　But　it　was　remarkable　to　find　a　young　woman　seeing　it　like　that。　Father　it　seemed　varied　very　much　in　his　attitude　towards　her。　He　despised　and　distrusted　women　generally；　and　it　was　evident　he　had　made　it　quite　clear　to　her　how　grave　an　error　it　was　on　her　part　to　persist　in　being　a　daughter　and　not　a　son。　At　moments　it　seemed　to　Sir　Richmond　that　she　was　disposed　to　agree　with　father　upon　that。　When　Mr。　Grammont's　sense　of　her　regrettable　femininity　was　uppermost；　then　he　gave　his　intelligence　chiefly　to　schemes　for　tying　her　up　against　the　machinations　of　adventurers　by　means　of　trustees；　partners；　lawyers；　advisers；　agreements　and　suchlike　complications；　or　for　acquiring　a　workable　son　by　marriage。　To　this　last　idea　it　would　seem　the　importance　in　her　life　of　the　ra