the ivory child-第7部分

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and；　to　my　mind；　rather　awful…looking　person；　clad　in　black　satinshe

was　a　widowand　very　large　diamonds。　Her　hair　was　white；　her　nose　was

hooked；　her　dark　eyes　were　penetrating；　and　she　had　a　bad　cold　in　her

head。　That　was　all　I　found　time　to　notice　about　her；　for　suddenly　her

daughter　came　into　my　line　of　vision。



Truly　she　was　a　lovely　girl；　or　rather；　young　woman；　for　she　must　have

been　two　or　three…and…twenty。　Not　very　tall；　her　proportions　were

rounded　and　exquisite；　and　her　movements　as　graceful　as　those　of　a

doe。　Altogether　she　was　doe…like；　especially　in　the　fineness　of　her

lines　and　her　large　and　liquid　eyes。　She　was　a　dark　beauty；　with　rich

brown；　waving　hair；　a　clear　olive　complexion；　a　perfectly　shaped　mouth

and　very　red　lips。　To　me　she　looked　more　Italian　or　Spanish　than

Anglo…Saxon；　and　I　believe　that；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　she　had　some

southern　blood　in　her　on　her　father's　side。　She　wore　a　dress　of　soft

rose　colour；　and　her　only　ornaments　were　a　string　of　pearls　and　a

single　red　camellia。　I　could　see　but　one　blemish；　if　it　were　a

blemish；　in　her　perfect　person；　and　that　was　a　curious　white　mark　upon

her　breast；　which　in　its　shape　exactly　resembled　the　crescent　moon。



The　face；　however；　impressed　me　with　other　than　its　physical

qualities。　It　was　bright；　intelligent；　sympathetic　and；　just　now；

happy。　But　I　thought　it　more；　I　thought　it　mystical。　Something　that

her　mother　said　to　her；　probably　about　her　dress；　caused　her　smile　to

vanish　for　a　moment；　and　then；　from　beneath　it　as　it　were；　appeared

this　shadow　of　innate　mysticism。　In　a　second　it　was　gone　and　she　was

laughing　again；　but　I；　who　am　accustomed　to　observe；　had　caught　it；

perhaps　alone　of　all　that　company。　Moreover；　it　reminded　me　of

something。



What　was　it？　Ah！　I　knew。　A　look　that　sometimes　I　had　seen　upon　the

face　of　a　certain　Zulu　lady　named　Mameena；　especially　at　the　moment　of

her　wonderful　and　tragic　death。　The　thought　made　me　shiver　a　little；　I

could　not　tell　why；　for　certainly；　I　reflected；　this　high…placed　and

fortunate　English　girl　had　nothing　in　common　with　that　fate…driven

Child　of　Storm；　whose　dark　and　imperial　spirit　dwelt　in　the　woman

called　Mameena。　They　were　as　far　apart　as　Zululand　is　from　Essex。　Yet

it　was　quite　sure　that　both　of　them　had　touch　with　hidden　things。



Lord　Ragnall；　looking　more　like　a　splendid　Van　Dyck　than　ever　in　his

evening　dress；　stepped　forward　to　greet　his　fiancée　and　her　mother

with　a　courtly　bow；　and　I　turned　again　to　continue　my　contemplation　of

the　stalwart　Judith　and　the　very　ugly　head　of　Holofernes。　Presently　I

was　aware　of　a　soft　voicea　very　rich　and　thrilling　voiceasking

quite　close　to　me：



〃Which　is　he？　Oh！　you　need　not　answer；　dear。　I　know　him　from　the

description。〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Lord　Ragnall　to　Miss　Holmesfor　it　was　she〃you　are

quite　right。　I　will　introduce　you　to　him　presently。　But；　love；　whom　do

you　wish　to　take　you　in　to　dinner？　I　can'tyour　mother；　you　know；　and

as　there　are　no　titles　here　to…night；　you　may　make　your　choice。　Would

you　like　old　Dr。　Jeffreys；　the　clergyman？〃



〃No；〃　she　replied；　with　quiet　firmness；　〃I　know　him；　he　took　me　in

once　before。　I　wish　Mr。　Allan　Quatermain　to　take　me　in。　He　is

interesting；　and　I　want　to　hear　about　Africa。〃



〃Very　well；〃　he　answered；　〃and　he　/is/　more　interesting　than　all　the

rest　put　together。　But；　Luna；　why　are　you　always　thinking　and　talking

about　Africa？　One　might　imagine　that　you　were　going　to　live　there。〃



〃So　I　may　one　day；〃　she　answered　dreamily。　〃Who　knows　where　one　has

lived；　or　where　one　will　live！〃　And　again　I　saw　that　mystic　look　come

into　her　face。



I　heard　no　more　of　that　conversation；　which　it　is　improbable　that

anyone　whose　ears　had　not　been　sharpened　by　a　lifetime　of　listening　in

great　silences　would　have　caught　at　all。　To　tell　the　truth；　I　made

myself　scarce；　slipping　off　to　the　other　end　of　the　big　room　in　the

hope　of　evading　the　kind　intentions　of　Miss　Holmes。　I　have　a　great

dislike　of　being　put　out　of　my　place；　and　I　felt　that　among　all　these

local　celebrities　it　was　not　fitting　that　I　should　be　selected　to　take

in　the　future　bride　on　an　occasion　of　this　sort。　But　it　was　of　no　use；

for　presently　Lord　Ragnall　hunted　me　up；　bringing　the　young　lady　with

him。



〃Let　me　introduce　you　to　Miss　Holmes；　Quatermain；〃　he　said。　〃She　is

anxious　that　you　should　take　her　in　to　dinner；　if　you　will　be　so　kind。

She　is　very　interested　inin〃



〃Africa；〃　I　suggested。



〃In　Mr。　Quatermain；　who；　I　am　told；　is　one　of　the　greatest　hunters　in

Africa；〃　she　corrected　me；　with　a　dazzling　smile。



I　bowed；　not　knowing　what　to　say。　Lord　Ragnall　laughed　and　vanished；

leaving　us　together。　Dinner　was　announced。　Presently　we　were　wending

in　the　centre　of　a　long　and　glittering　procession　across　the　central

hall　to　the　banqueting　chamber；　a　splendid　room　with　a　roof　like　a

church　that　was　said　to　have　been　built　in　the　times　of　the

Plantagenets。　Here　Mr。　Savage；　who　evidently　had　been　looking　out　for

her　future　ladyship；　conducted　us　to　our　places；　which　were　upon　the

left　of　Lord　Ragnall；　who　sat　at　the　head　of　the　broad　table　with　Lady

Longden　on　his　right。　Then　the　old　clergyman；　Dr。　Jeffreys；　a　pompous

and　rather　frowsy　ecclesiastic；　said　grace；　for　grace　was　still　in

fashion　at　such　feasts　in　those　days；　asking　Heaven　to　make　us　truly

thankful　for　the　dinner　we　were　about　to　consume。



Certainly　there　was　a　great　deal　to　be　thankful　for　in　the　eating　and

drinking　line；　but　of　all　I　remember　little；　except　a　general　vision

of　silver　dishes；　champagne；　splendour；　and　things　I　did　not　want　to

eat　being　constantly　handed　to　me。　What　I　do　remember　is　Miss　Holmes；

and　nothing　but　Miss　Holmes；　the　charm　of　her　conversation；　the　light

of　her　beautiful　eyes；　the　fragrance　of　her　hair；　her　most　flattering

interest　in　my　unworthy　self。　To　tell　the　truth；　we　got　on　〃like　fire

in　the　winter　grass；〃　as　the　Zulus　say；　and　when　that　dinner　was　over

the　grass　was　still　burning。



I　don't　think　that　Lord　Ragnall　quite　liked　it；　but　fortunately　Lady

Longden　was　a　talkative　person。　First　she　conversed　about　her　cold　in

the　head；　sneezing　at　intervals；　poor　soul；　and　being　reduced　to　send

for　another　handkerchief　after　the　entrées。　Then　she　got　off　upon

business　matters；　to　judge　from　the　look　of　boredom　on　her　host's

face；　I　think　it　must　have　been　of　settlements。　Three　times　did　I　hear

him　refer　her　to　the　lawyerswithout　avail。　Lastly；　when　he　thought

he　had　escaped；　she　embarked　upon　a　quite　vigorous　argument　with　Dr。

Jeffreys　about　church　mattersI　gathered　that　she　was　〃low〃　and　he

was　〃high〃in　which　she　insisted　upon　his　lordship　acting　as　referee。



〃Do　try　and　keep　your　attention　fixed；　George；〃　I　heard　her　say

severely。　〃To　allow　it　to　wander　when　high　spiritual　affairs　are　under

discussion　（sneeze）　is　scarcely　reverent。　Could　you　tell　the　man　to

shut　that　door？　The　draught　is　dreadful。　It　is　quite　impossible　for

you　to　agree　with　both　of　us；　as　you　say　you　do；　seeing　that

metaphorically　Dr。　Jeffreys　is　at　one　pole　and　I　am　at　the　other。〃

（Sneeze。）



〃Then　I　wish　I　were　at　the　Tropic　of　Cancer；〃　I　heard　him　mutter　with

a　groan。



In　vain；　he　had　to　keep　his　〃attention　fixed〃　on　this　point　for　the

next　three…quarters　of　an　hour。　So　as　Miss　Manners　was　at　the　other

side　of　me；　and　Scroope；　unhampered　by　the　presence　of　any　prospective

mother…in…law；　was　at　the　other　side　of　her；　for　all　practical

purposes　Miss　Holmes　and　I　were　left　alone。



She　began　by　saying：



〃I　hear　you　beat　Sir　Junius　Fortescue　out　shooting　to…day；　and　won　a

lot　of　money　from　him　which　you　gave　to　the　Cottage　Hospital。　I　don't

like　shooting；　and　I　don't　like　betting；　and　it's　strange；　because　you

don't　look　like　a　man　who　bets。　But　I　detest　Sir　Junius　Fortescue；　and

that　is　a　bond　of　union　between　us。〃



〃I　never　said　I　detested　him。〃



〃No；　but　I　am　sure　you　do。　Your　face　changed　when　I　mentioned　his

name。〃



〃As　it　happens；　you　are　right。　But；　Miss　Holmes；　I　should　like　you　to

understand　that　you　were　also　right　when　you　said　I　did　not　look　like

a　betting　man。〃　And　I　told　her　some　of　the　story　of　Van　Koop　and　the

￡250。



〃Ah！〃　she　said；　when　I　had　finished；　〃I　always　felt　sure　he　was　a

horror。　And　my　mother　wanted　me；　just　because　he　pretended　to　be　low

churchbut　that's　a　secret。〃



Then　I　congratulated　her　upon　her　approaching　marriage；　saying　what　a

joyful　thing　it　was　now　and　again　to　see　everything　going　in　real；

happy；　storybook　fashion：　beauty；　male　and　female；　united　by　love；

high　rank；　wealth；　troops　of　friends；　health　of　body；　a　lovely　and　an

ancient　home　in　a　settled　land　where　dangers　do　not　comeat　present

respect　and　affection　of　crowds　of　dependants；　the　prospect　of　a　high

and　useful　career　of　a　sort　whereof　the　door　is　shut　to　most　people；

everything　in　short　that　human　beings　who　are　not　actually　royalty

could　desire　or　deserve。　Indeed　after　my　second　glass　of　champagne　I

grew　quite　eloquent　on　these　and　kindred　points；　being　moved　thereto

by　memories　of　the　misery　that　is　in　the　world　which　formed　so　great　a

contrast　to　the　lot　of　this　striking　and　brilliant　pair。



She　listened　to　me　attentively　and　answered：



〃Thank　you　for　your　kind　thoughts　and　wishes。　But　does　it　not　strike

you；　Mr。　Quatermain；　that　there　is　something　ill…omened　in　such　talk？

I　believe　that　it　does；　that　as　you　finished　speaking　it　occurred　to

you　that　after　all　the　future　is　as　much　veiled　from　all　of　us　asas

the　picture　which　hangs　behind　its　curtain　of　rose…coloured　silk　in

Lord　Ragnall's　study　is　from　you。〃



〃How　did　you　know　that？〃　I　asked　sharply　in　a　low　voice。　For　by　the

strangest　of　coincidences；　as　I　concluded　my　somewhat　old…fashioned

little　speech　of　compliments；　this　very　reflection　had　entered　my

mind；　and　with　it　the　memory　of　the　veiled　picture　which　Mr。　Savage

had　pointed　out　to　me　on　the　p