initials only-第40部分

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〃Then　you　do　not　blame　me　for　her　wretched　and　mysterious　death。　You　hold　me　guiltless　of　the　misery　which　nerved　her　despairing　arm？〃

〃Quite　guiltless。〃

Oswald's　wan　and　pinched　features　took　on　a　beautiful　expression　and　Mr。　Challoner　no　longer　wondered　at　his　daughter's　choice。

〃Thank　God！〃　fell　from　the　sick　man's　lips；　and　then　there　was　a　silence　during　which　their　two　hands　met。

It　was　some　minutes　before　either　spoke　and　then　it　was　Oswald　who　said：

〃I　must　confide　to　you　certain　facts。　　I　honoured　your　daughter　and　realised　her　position　fully。　　Our　plight　was　never　made　in　words；　nor　should　I　have　presumed　to　advance　any　claim　to　her　hand　if　I　had　not　made　good　my　expectations；　Mr。　Challoner。　　I　meant　to　win　both　her　regard　and　yours　by　acts；　not　words。　　I　felt　that　I　had　a　great　deal　to　do　and　I　was　prepared　to　work　and　wait。　　I　loved　her　…〃　　He　turned　away　his　head　and　the　silence　which　filled　up　the　gap；　united　those　two　hearts；　as　the　old　and　young　are　seldom　united。

But　when　a　little　later；　Mr。　Challoner　rejoined　Doris；　in　her　little　sitting…room；　he　nevertheless　showed　a　perplexity　she　had　hoped　to　see　removed　by　this　understanding　with　the　younger　Brotherson。

The　cause　became　apparent　as　soon　as　he　spoke。

〃These　brothers　hold　by　each　other；〃　said　he。　　〃Oswald　will　hear　nothing　against　Orlando。　　He　says　that　he　has　redeemed　his　fault。　He　does　not　even　protest　that　his　brother's　word　is　to　be　believed　in　this　matter。　　He　does　not　seem　to　think　that　necessary。　　He　evidently　regards　Orlando's　personality　as　speaking　as　truly　and　satisfactorily　for　itself；　as　his　own　does。　　And　I　dared　not　undeceive　him。〃

〃He　does　not　know　all　our　reasons　for　distrust。　　He　has　heard　nothing　about　the　poor　washerwoman。〃

〃No；　and　he　must　not；…　not　for　weeks。　　He　has　borne　all　that　he　can。〃

〃His　confidence　in　his　older　brother　is　sublime。　　I　do　not　share　it；　but　I　cannot　help　but　respect　him　for　it。〃

It　was　warmly　said；　and　Mr。　Challoner　could　not　forbear　casting　an　anxious　look　at　her　upturned　face。　　What　he　saw　there　made　him　turn　away　with　a　sigh。

〃This　confidence　has　for　me　a　very　unhappy　side；〃　he　remarked。　　〃It　shows　me　Oswald's　thought。　　He　who　loved　her　best；　accepts　the　cruel　verdict　of　an　unreasoning　public。〃

Doris'　large　eyes　burned　with　a　weird　light　upon　his　face。

〃He　has　not　had　my　dream；〃　she　murmured；　with　all　the　quiet　of　an　unmoved　conviction。

Yet　as　the　days　went　by；　even　her　manner　changed　towards　the　busy　inventor。　　It　was　hardly　possible　for　it　not　to。　　The　high　stand　he　took；　the　regard　accorded　him　on　every　side；　his　talent；　his　conversation；　which　was　an　education　in　itself；　and；　above　all；　his　absorption　in　a　work　daily　advancing　towards　completion；　removed　him　so　insensibly　and　yet　so　decidedly；　from　the　hideous　past　of　tragedy　with　which　his　name；　if　not　his　honour；　was　associated；　that；　unconsciously　to　herself；　she　gradually　lost　her　icy　air　of　repulsion　and　lent　him　a　more　or　less　attentive　ear；　when　he　chose　to　join　their　small　company　of　an　evening。　　The　result　was　that　he　turned　so　bright　a　side　upon　her　that　toleration　merged　from　day　to　day　into　admiration　and　memory　lost　itself　in　anticipation　of　the　event　which　was　to　prove　him　a　man　of　men；　if　not　one　of　the　world's　greatest　mechanical　geniuses。

Meantime；　Oswald　was　steadily　improving　in　health；　if　not　in　spirits。　He　had　taken　his　first　walk　without　any　unfavourable　results；　and　Orlando　decided　from　this　that　the　time　had　come　for　an　explanation　of　his　device　and　his　requirements　in　regard　to　it。　　Seated　together　in　Oswald's　room；　he　broached　the　subject　thus：

〃Oswald；　what　is　your　idea　about　what　I'm　making　up　there？〃

〃That　it　will　be　a　success。〃

〃I　know；　but　its　character；　its　use？　　What　do　you　think　it　is？〃

〃I've　an　idea；　but　my　idea　don't　fit　the　conditions。〃

〃How's　that？〃

〃The　shed　is　too　closely　hemmed　in。　　You　haven't　room　…〃

〃For　what？〃

〃To　start　an　aeroplane。〃

〃Yet　it　is　certainly　a　device　for　flying。〃

〃I　supposed　so；　but　…〃

〃It　is　an　air…car　with　a　new　and　valuable　idea　…　the　idea　for　which　the　whole　world　has　been　seeking　ever　since　the　first　aeroplane　found　its　way　up　from　the　earth。　　My　car　needs　no　room　to　start　in　save　that　which　it　occupies。　　If　it　did；　it　would　be　but　the　modification　of　a　hundred　others。〃

〃Orlando！〃

As　Oswald　thus　gave　expression　to　his　surprise；　their　two　faces　were　a　study：　the　fire　of　genius　in　the　one；　the　light　of　sympathetic　understanding　in　the　other。

〃If　this　car；　now　within　three　days　of　its　completion；〃　Orlando　proceeded；　〃　does　not　rise　from　the　oval　of　my　hangar　like　a　bird　from　its　nest；　and　after　a　wide　and　circling　flight　descend　again　into　the　self　same　spot　without　any　swerving　from　its　direct　course；　then　have　I　failed　in　my　endeavour　and　must　take　a　back　seat　with　the　rest。　　But　it　will　not　fail。　　I'm　certain　of　success；　Oswald。　All　I　want　just　now　is　a　sympathetic　helper　…　you；　for　instance；　someone　who　will　aid　me　with　the　final　fittings　and　hold　his　peace　to　all　eternity　if　the　impossible　occurs　and　the　thing　proves　a　failure。〃　

〃Have　you　such　pride　as　that？〃

〃Precisely。〃

〃So　much　that　you　cannot　face　failure？〃

〃Not　when　attached　to　my　name。　　You　can　see　how　I　feel　about　that　by　the　secrecy　I　have　worked　under。　　No　other　person　living　knows　what　I　have　just　communicated　to　you。　　Every　part　shipped　here　came　from　different　manufacturing　firms；　sometimes　a　part　of　a　part　was　all　I　allowed　to　be　made　in　any　one　place。　　My　fame；　like　my　ship；　must　rise　with　one　bound　into　the　air；　or　it　must　never　rise　at　all。　It　was　not　made　for　petty　accomplishment；　or　the　slow　plodding　of　commonplace　minds。　　I　must　startle；　or　remain　obscure。　　That　is　why　I　chose　this　place　for　my　venture；　and　you　for　my　helper　and　associate。

〃You　want　me　to　ascend　with　you。？〃

〃Exactly。〃

〃At　the　end　of　three　days？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Orlando；　I　cannot。〃

〃You　cannot？　　Not　strong　enough　yet？　　I'll　wait　then；　…　three　days　more。〃

〃The　time's　too　short。　　A　month　is　scarcely　sufficient。　　It　would　be　folly；　such　as　you　never　show；　to　trust　a　nerve　so　undermined　as　mine　till　time　has　restored　its　power。　　For　an　enterprise　like　this　you　need　a　man　of　ready　strength　and　resources；　not　one　whose　condition　you　might　be　obliged　to　consider　at　a　very　critical　moment。〃

Orlando；　balked　thus　at　the　outset；　showed　his　displeasure。

〃You　do　not　do　justice　to　your　will。　　It　is　strong　enough　to　carry　you　through　anything。〃

〃It　was。〃

〃You　can　force　it　to　act　for　you。〃

〃I　fear　not；　Orlando。〃

〃I　counted　on　you　and　you　thwart　me　at　the　most　critical　moment　of　my　life。〃

Oswald　smiled；　his　whole　candid　and　generous　nature　bursting　into　view；　in　one　quick　flash。

〃Perhaps；〃　he　assented；　〃but　you　will　thank　me　when　you　realise　my　weakness。　　Another　man　must　be　found　…　quick；　deft；　secret；　yet　honourably　alive　to　the　importance　of　the　occasion　and　your　rights　as　a　great　original　thinker　and　mechanician。〃

〃Do　you　know　such　a　man？〃

〃I　don't；　but　there　must　be　many　such　among　our　workmen。〃

〃There　isn't　one；　and　I　haven't　time　to　send　to　Brooklyn。　　I　reckoned　on　you。〃

〃Can　you　wait　a　month？〃

〃No。〃

〃A　fortnight；　then？〃

〃No；　not　ten　days。〃

Oswald　looked　surprised。　　He　would　like　to　have　asked　why　such　precipitation　was　necessary；　but　their　tone　in　which　this　ultimatum　was　given　was　of　that　decisive　character　which　admits　of　no　argument。　He；　therefore；　merely　looked　his　query。　　But　Orlando　was　not　one　to　answer　looks；　besides；　he　had　no　reply　for　the　same　importunate　question　urged　by　his　own　good　sense。　　He　knew　that　he　must　make　the　attempt　upon　which　his　future　rested　soon；　and　without　risk　of　the　sapping　influence　of　lengthened　suspense　and　weeks　of　waiting。　He　could　hold　on　to　those　two　demons　leagued　in　attack　against　him；　for　a　definite　seven　days；　but　not　for　an　indeterminate　time。　　If　he　were　to　be　saved　from　folly；　…　from　himself　…　events　must　rush。

He；　therefore；　repeated　his　no；　with　increased　vehemence；　adding；　as　he　marked　the　reproach　in　his　brother's　eye；　〃I　cannot　wait。　　The　test　must　be　made　on　Saturday　evening　next；　whatever　the　conditions；　whatever　the　weather。　　An　air…car　to　be　serviceable　must　be　ready　to　meet　lightning　and　tempest；　and　what　is　worse；　perhaps；　an　insufficient　crew。〃　　Then　rising；　he　exclaimed；　with　a　determination　which　rendered　him　majestic；　〃If　help　is　not　forthcoming；　I'll　do　it　all　myself。　　Nothing　shall　hold　me　back；　nothing　shall　stop　me；　and　when　you　see　me　and　my　car　rise　above　the　treetops；　you'll　feel　that　I　have　done　what　I　could　to　make　you　forget　…　〃

He　did　not　need　to　continue。　　Oswald　understood　and　flashed　a　grateful　look　his　way　before　saying：

〃You　will　make　the　attempt　at　night？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃And　on　Saturday？〃

〃I've　said　it。〃

〃I　will　run　over　in　my　mind　the　qualifications　of　such　men　as　I　know　and　acquaint　you　with　the　result　to…morrow。〃

〃There　are　adjustments　to　be　made。　　A　man　of　accuracy　is　necessary。〃

〃I　will　remember。〃

〃And　he　must　be　likable。　　I　can　do　nothing　with　a　man　with　whom　I'm　not　perfectly　in　accord。〃

〃I　understand　that。〃

〃Good…night　then。〃　　A　moment　of　hesitancy；　then；　〃I　wish　not　only　yourself　but　Miss　Scott　to　be　present　at　this　test。　　Prepare　her　for　the　spectacle；　but　not　yet；　not　till　within　an　hour　or　two　of　the　occasion。〃

And　with　a　proud　smile　in　which　flashed　a　significance　which　startled　Oswald；　he　gave　a　hurried　nod　and　turned　away。

When　in　an　hour　afterwards；　Doris　looked　in　through　the　open　door；　she　found　Oswald　sitting　with　face　buried　in　his　hands；　thinking　so　deeply　that　he　did　not　hear　her。　　He　had　sat　like　this；　immovable　and　absorbed；　ever　since　his　brother　had　left　him。



XXXV

SILENCE　…　AND　A　KNOCK


Oswald　did　not　succeed　in　finding　a　man　to　please　Orlando。　　He　suggested　one　person　after　another　to　the　exacting　inventor；　but　none　were　satisfactory　to　him　and　each　in　turn　was　turned　down。　It　is　not　every　one　we　want　to　have　share　a　world…wide　triumph　or　an　ignominious　defeat。　　And　the　days　were　passing。

He　had　said　in　a　moment　of　elation；　〃I　will　do　it　alone；〃　but　he　knew　even　then　that　he　could　not。　　Two　hands　were　necessary　to　start　the　car；　afterwards；　he　might　manag