the egoist-第89部分

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looked　it　when　you　made　a　dash　at　my　midriff。〃

〃I　don't　believe　there　are　such　things。　Do　you；　colonel？　You
can't！〃

〃There's　no　saying。　We'll　hope　not；　for　it　wouldn't　be　fair
fighting。　A　man　with　a　ghost　to　back　him'd　beat　any　ten。　We
couldn't　box　him　or　play　cards；　or　stand　a　chance　with　him　as　a
rival　in　love。　Did　you；　now；　catch　a　sight　of　a　ghost？〃

〃They　weren't　ghosts！〃　Crossjay　said　what　he　was　sure　of；　and　his
voice　pronounced　his　conviction。

〃I　doubt　whether　Miss　Middleton　is　particularly　happy；〃　remarked
the　colonel。　〃Why？　Why；　you　upset　her；　you　know；　now　and　then。〃

The　boy　swelled。　〃I'd　do　。。。　I'd　go　。。。　I　wouldn't　have　her
unhappy　。。。　It's　that！　that's　it！　And　I　don't　know　what　I　ought　to
do。　I　wish　I　could　see　Mr。　Whitford。〃

〃You　get　into　such　headlong　scrapes；　my　lad。〃

〃I　wasn't　in　any　scrape　yesterday。〃

〃So　you　made　yourself　up　a　comfortable　bed　in　the　drawing…room？　
Luckily　Sir　Willoughby　didn't　see　you。〃

〃He　didn't；　though！〃

〃A　close　shave；　was　it？〃

〃I　was　under　a　covering　of　something　silk。〃

〃He　woke　you？〃

〃I　suppose　he　did。　I　heard　him。〃

〃Talking？〃

〃He　was　talking。〃

〃What！　talking　to　himself？〃

〃No。〃

The　secret　threatened　Crossjay　to　be　out　or　suffocate　him。　De
Craye　gave　him　a　respite。

〃You　like　Sir　Willoughby；　don't　you？〃

Crossjay　produced　a　still…born　affirmative。

〃He's　kind　to　you；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃he'll　set　you　up　and　look
after　your　interests。〃

〃Yes；　I　like　him；〃　said　Crossjay；　with　his　customary　rapidity　in
touching　the　subject；　〃I　like　him；　he's　kind　and　all　that；　and
tips　and　plays　with　you；　and　all　that；　but　I　never　can　make　out
why　he　wouldn't　see　my　father　when　my　father　came　here　to　see　him
ten　miles；　and　had　to　walk　back　ten　miles　in　the　rain；　to　go　by
rail　a　long　way；　down　home；　as　far　as　Devonport；　because　Sir
Willoughby　wouldn't　see　him；　though　he　was　at　home；　my　father　saw。
We　all　thought　it　so　odd：　and　my　father　wouldn't　let　us　talk　much
about　it。　My　father's　a　very　brave　man。〃

〃Captain　Patterne　is　as　brave　a　man　as　ever　lived；〃　said　De　Craye。

〃I'm　positive　you'd　like　him；　colonel。〃

〃I　know　of　his　deeds；　and　I　admire　him；　and　that's　a　good　step　to
liking。〃

He　warmed　the　boy's　thoughts　of　his　father。

〃Because；　what　they　say　at　home　is；　a　little　bread　and　cheese；　and
a　glass　of　ale；　and　a　rest；　to　a　poor　manlots　of　great　houses
will　give　you　that；　and　we　wouldn't　have　asked　for　more　than　that。
My　sisters　say　they　think　Sir　Willoughby　must　be　selfish。　He's
awfully　proud；　and　perhaps　it　was　because　my　father　wasn't　dressed
well　enough。　But　what　can　we　do？　We're　very　poor　at　home；　and　lots
of　us；　and　all　hungry。　My　father　says　he　isn't　paid　very　well　for
his　services　to　the　Government。　He's　only　a　marine。〃

〃He's　a　hero！〃　said　De　Craye。

〃He　came　home　very　tired；　with　a　cold；　and　had　a　doctor。　But　Sir
Willoughby　did　send　him　money；　and　mother　wished　to　send　it　back；
and　my　father　said　she　was　not　like　a　womanwith　our　big　family。
He　said　he　thought　Sir　Willoughby　an　extraordinary　man。〃

〃Not　at　all；　very　common；　indigenous；〃　said　De　Craye。　　〃The　art　of
cutting　is　one　of　the　branches　of　a　polite　education　in　this
country；　and　you'll　have　to　learn　it；　if　you　expect　to　be　looked
on　as　a　gentleman　and　a　Patterne；　my　boy。　I　begin　to　see　how　it　is
Miss　Middleton　takes　to　you　so。　Follow　her　directions。　　But　I　hope
you　did　not　listen　to　a　private　conversation。　Miss　Middleton　would
not　approve　of　that。〃

〃Colonel　De　Craye；　how　could　I　help　myself？　I　heard　a　lot　before　I
knew　what　it　was。　There　was　poetry！〃

〃Still；　Crossjay；　if　it　was　importantwas　it？〃

The　boy　swelled　again；　and　the　colonel　asked　him；　〃Does　Miss　Dale
know　of　your　having　played　listener？〃

〃She！〃　said　Crossjay。　〃Oh；　I　couldn't　tell　her。〃

He　breathed　thick；　then　came　a　threat　of　tears。　〃She　wouldn't　do
anything　to　hurt　Miss　Middleton。　I'm　sure　of　that。　It　wasn't　her
fault。　SheThere　goes　Mr。　Whitford！〃　Crossjay　bounded　away。

The　colonel　had　no　inclination　to　wait　for　his　return。　He　walked
fast　up　the　road；　not　perspicuously　conscious　that　his　motive　was
to　be　well　in　advance　of　Vernon　Whitford：　to　whom；　after　all；　the
knowledge　imparted　by　Crossjay　would　be　of　small　advantage。　That
fellow　would　probably　trot　of　to　Willoughby　to　row　him　for　breaking
his　word　to　Miss　Middleton！　There　are　men；　thought　De　Craye；　who
see　nothing；　feel　nothing。

He　crossed　a　stile　into　the　wood　above　the　lake；　where；　as　he　was
in　the　humour　to　think　himself　signally　lucky；　espying　her；　he
took　it　as　a　matter　of　course　that　the　lady　who　taught　his　heart
to　leap　should　be　posted　by　the　Fates。　And　he　wondered　little　at
her　power；　for　rarely　had　the　world　seen　such　union　of　princess
and　sylph　as　in　that　lady's　figure。　She　stood　holding　by　a
beech…branch；　gazing　down　on　the　water。

She　had　not　heard　him。　When　she　looked　she　flushed　at　the
spectacle　of　one　of　her　thousand　thoughts；　but　she　was　not
startled；　the　colour　overflowed　a　grave　face。

〃And　'tis　not　quite　the　first　time　that　Willoughby　has　played　this
trick！〃　De　Craye　said　to　her；　keenly　smiling　with　a　parted　mouth。

Clara　moved　her　lips　to　recall　remarks　introductory　to　so　abrupt
and　strange　a　plunge。

He　smiled　in　that　peculiar　manner　of　an　illuminated　comic
perception：　for　the　moment　he　was　all　falcon；　and　he　surprised
himself　more　than　Clara；　who　was　not　in　the　mood　to　take
surprises。　It　was　the　sight　of　her　which　had　animated　him　to
strike　his　game；　he　was　down　on　it。

Another　instinct　at　work　（they　spring　up　in　twenties　oftener　than
in　twos　when　the　heart　is　the　hunter）　prompted　him　to　directness
and　quickness；　to　carry　her　on　the　flood　of　the　discovery。

She　regained　something　of　her　mental　self…possession　as　soon　as
she　was　on　a　level　with　a　meaning　she　had　not　yet　inspected；　but
she　had　to　submit　to　his　lead；　distinctly　perceiving　where　its
drift　divided　to　the　forked　currents　of　what　might　be　in　his　mind
and　what　was　in　hers。

〃Miss　Middleton；　I　bear　a　bit　of　a　likeness　to　the　messenger　to
the　glorious　despotmy　head　is　off　if　I　speak　not　true！
Everything　I　have　is　on　the　die。　Did　I　guess　wrong　your　wish？I
read　it　in　the　dark；　by　the　heart。　But　here's　a　certainty：
Willoughby　sets　you　free。〃

〃You　have　come　from　him？〃　she　could　imagine　nothing　else；　and　she
was　unable　to　preserve　a　disguise；　she　trembled。

〃From　Miss　Dale。〃

〃Ah！〃　Clara　drooped。　〃She　told　me　that　once。〃

〃'Tis　the　fact　that　tells　it　now。〃

〃You　have　not　seen　him　since　you　left　the　house？〃

〃Darkly：　clear　enough：　not　unlike　the　hand　of　destinythrough　a
veil。　He　offered　himself　to　Miss　Dale　last　night；　about　between　the
witching　hours　of　twelve　and　one。〃

〃Miss　Dale　。　。　。〃

〃Would　she　other？　Could　she？　The　poor　lady　has　languished　beyond　a
decade。　She's　love　in　the　feminine　person。〃

〃Are　you　speaking　seriously；　Colonel　De　Craye？〃

〃Would　I　dare　to　trifle　with　you；　Miss　Middleton？〃

〃I　have　reason　to　know　it　cannot　be。〃

〃If　I　have　a　head；　it　is　a　fresh　and　blooming　truth。　And　moreI
stake　my　vanity　on　it！〃

〃Let　me　go　to　her。〃　She　stepped。

〃Consider；〃　said　he。

〃Miss　Dale　and　I　are　excellent　friends。　It　would　not　seem
indelicate　to　her。　She　has　a　kind　of　regard　for　me；　through
Crossjay。Oh；　can　it　be？　There　must　be　some　delusion。　You　have
seenyou　wish　to　be　of　service　to　me；　you　may　too　easily　be
deceived。　Last　night？he　last　night　。。。　？　And　this　morning！〃

〃'Tis　not　the　first　time　our　friend　has　played　the　trick；　Miss
Middleton。〃

〃But　this　is　incredible；　that　last　night　。。。　and　this　morning；　in
my　father's　presence；　he　presses！　。。。　You　have　seen　Miss　Dale？
Everything　is　possible　of　him：　they　were　together；　I　know。
Colonel　De　Craye；　I　have　not　the　slightest　chance　of　concealment
with　you。　I　think　I　felt　that　when　I　first　saw　you。　Will　you　let
me　hear　why　you　are　so　certain？〃

〃Miss　Middleton；　when　I　first　had　the　honour　of　looking　on　you；　it
was　in　a　posture　that　necessitated　my　looking　up；　and　morally　so
it　has　been　since。　I　conceived　that　Willoughby　had　won　the
greatest　prize　of　earth。　And　next　I　was　led　to　the　conclusion　that
he　had　won　it　to　lose　it。　Whether　he　much　cares；　is　the　mystery　I
haven't　leisure　to　fathom。　Himself　is　the　principal　consideration
with　himself；　and　ever　was。〃

〃You　discovered　it！〃　said　Clara。

〃He　uncovered　it；〃　said　De　Craye。　〃The　miracle　was；　that　the　world
wouldn't　see。　But　the　world　is　a　piggy…wiggy　world　for　the
wealthy　fellow　who　fills　a　trough　for　it；　and　that　he　has　always
very　sagaciously　done。　Only　women　besides　myself　have　detected
him。　I　have　never　exposed　him；　I　have　been　an　observer　pure　and
simple；　and　because　I　apprehended　another　catastrophemaking
something　like　the　fourth；　to　my　knowledge；　one　being　public　。　。
。〃

〃You　knew　Miss　Durham？〃

〃And　Harry　Oxford　too。　And　they're　a　pair　as　happy　as　blackbirds
in　a　cherry…tree；　in　a　summer　sunrise；　with　the　owner　of　the
garden　asleep。　Because　of　that　apprehension　of　mine；　I　refused　the
office　of　best　man　till　Willoughby　had　sent　me　a　third　letter。　He
insisted　on　my　coming。　I　came；　saw；　and　was　conquered。　I　trust
with　all　my　soul　I　did　not　betray　myself；　I　owed　that　duty　to　my
position　of　concealing　it。　As　for　entirely　hiding　that　I　had　used
my　eyes；　I　can't　say：　they　must　answer　for　it。〃

The　colonel　was　using　his　eyes　with　an　increasing　suavity　that
threatened　more　than　sweetness。

〃I　believe　you　have　been　sincerely　kind；〃　said　Clara。　〃We　will
descend　to　the　path　round　the　lake。〃

She　did　not　refuse　her　hand　on　the　descent；　and　he　let　it　escape
the　moment　the　service　was　done。　As　he　was　performing　the
admirable　character　of　the　man　of　honour；　he　had　to　attend　to　the
observance　of　details；　and　sure　of　her　though　he　was　beginning　to
feel；　there　was　a　touch　of　the　unknown　in　Clara　Middleton　which
made　him　fear　to　stamp　assurance；　despite　a　barely　resistible
impulse；　coming　of　his　emotions　and　approved　by　his　maxims。　He
looked　at　the　hand；　now　a　free　lady's　hand。　Willoughby　settled；
his　chance　was　great。　Who　else　was　in　the　way？　No　one。　He
counselled　himself　to　wait　for　her；　she　might　have　ideas　of
delicacy。　Her　face　was　troubled；　speculative；　the　brows　clouded；
the　lips　compressed。