initials only-第45部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Killed！〃　broke　from　his　brother's　lips。　　〃Slain　by　her　own　hand　under　an　impulse　of　wildness　and　terror！　　Can　I　ever　forget　that？　Do　not　expect　it；　Orlando。〃

〃Then　you　do　blame　me？〃　Orlando　turned　and　was　looking　full　at　Oswald。

〃I　blame　your　unreasonableness　and　your　overweening　pride。〃

Orlando　stood　a　moment；　then　moved　towards　the　door。　　The　heaviness　of　his　step　smote　upon　Oswald's　ear　and　caused　him　to　exclaim：

〃Forgive　me；　Orlando。〃　　But　the　other　cut　him　short　with　an　imperative：

〃Thanks　for　your　candour！　　If　her　spirit　is　destined　to　stand　like　an　immovable　shadow　between　you　and　me；　you　do　right　to　warn　me。　But　this　interview　must　end　all　allusion　to　the　subject。　　I　will　seek　and　find　another　man　to　share　my　fortunes；　（as　he　said　this　he　approached　suddenly；　and　took　his　papers　from　the　other's　hand）　or　…〃　　Here　he　hastily　retraced　his　steps　to　the　door　which　he　softly　opened。　　〃Or〃　he　repeated　…　But　though　Oswald　listened　for　the　rest；　it　did　not　come。　　While　he　waited；　the　other　had　given　him　one　deeply　concentrated　look　and　passed　out。

No　heartfelt　understanding　was　possible　between　these　two　men。

Crossing　the　hall；　Orlando　knocked　at　the　door　of　Doris'　little　sitting…room。

No　answer；　yet　she　was　there。　　He　knew　it　in　every　throbbing　fibre　of　his　body。　　She　was　there　and　quite　aware　of　his　presence；　of　this　he　felt　sure；　yet　she　did　not　bid　him　enter。　　Should　he　knock　again？　　Never！　　but　he　would　not　quit　the　threshold；　not　if　she　kept　him　waiting　there　for　hours。　　Perhaps　she　realised　this。　Perhaps　she　had　meant　to　open　the　door　to　him　from　the　very　first；　who　can　tell？　　What　avails　is　that　she　did　ultimately　open　it；　and　he；　meeting　her　soft　eye；　wished　from　his　very　heart　that　his　impulse　had　led　him　another　way；　even　if　that　way　had　been　to　the　edge　of　the　precipice　…　and　over。

For　the　face　he　looked　upon　was　serene；　and　there　was　no　serenity　in　him；　rather　a　confusion　of　unloosed　passions　fearful　of　barrier　and　yearning　tumultuously　for　freedom。　　But；　whatever　his　revolt；　the　secret　revolt　which　makes　no　show　in　look　or　movement；　he　kept　his　ground　and　forced　a　smile　of　greeting。　　If　her　face　was　quiet；　it　was　also　lovely；　…　too　lovely；　he　felt；　for　a　man　to　leave　it；　whatever　might　come　of　his　lingering。

Nothing　in　all　his　life　had　ever　affected　him　like　it。　　For　him　there　was　no　other　woman　in　the　past；　the　present　or　the　future；　and；　realising　this　…　taking　in　to　the　full　what　her　affection　and　her　trust　might　be　to　him　in　those　fearsome　days　to　come；　he　so　dreaded　a　rebuff　…　he；　who　had　been　the　courted　of　women　and　the　admired　of　men　ever　since　he　could　remember；　…　that　he　failed　to　respond　to　her　welcome　and　the　simple　congratulations　she　felt　forced　to　repeat。　　He　could　neither　speak　the　commonplace；　nor　listen　to　it。　　This　was　his　crucial　hour。　　He　must　find　support　here；　or　yield　hopelessly　to　the　maelstrom　in　whose　whirl　he　was　caught。

She　saw　his　excitement　and　faltered　back　a　step　…　a　move　which　she　regretted　the　next　minute；　for　he　took　advantage　of　it　to　enter　and　close　behind　him　the　door　which　she　would　never　have　shut　of　her　own　accord。　　Then　he　spoke；　abruptly；　passionately；　but　in　those　golden　tones　which　no　emotion　could　render　other　than　alluring：

〃I　am　an　unhappy　man；　Miss　Scott。　　I　see　that　my　presence　here　is　not　welcome；　yet　am　sure　that　it　would　be　so　if　it　were　not　for　a　prejudice　which　your　generous　nature　should　be　the　first　to　cast　aside；　in　face　of　the　outspoken　confidence　of　my　brother：　Oswald。　Doris；　little　Doris；　I　love　you。　　I　have　loved　you　from　the　moment　of　our　first　meeting。　　Not　to　many　men　is　it　given　to　find　his　heart　so　late；　and　when　he　does；　it　is　for　his　whole　life；　no　second　passion　can　follow　it。　　I　know　that　I　am　premature　in　saying　this；　that　you　are　not　prepared　to　hear　such　words　from　me　and　that　it　might　be　wiser　for　me　to　withhold　them；　but　I　must　leave　Derby　soon；　and　I　cannot　go　until　I　know　whether　there　is　the　least　hope　that　you　will　yet　lend　a　light　to　my　career　or　whether　that　career　must　burn　itself　to　ashes　at　your　feet。　　Oswald　…　nay；　hear　me　out　　…　Oswald　lives　in　his　memories；　but　I　must　have　an　active　hope　…　a　tangible　expectation　…　if　I　am　to　be　the　man　I　was　meant　to　be。　Will　you；　then；　coldly　dismiss　me；　or　will　you　let　my　whole　future　life　prove　to　you　the　innocence　of　my　past？　　I　will　not　hasten　anything；　all　I　ask　is　some　indulgence。　　Time　will　do　the　rest。〃

〃Impossible；〃　she　murmured。

But　that　was　a　word　for　which　he　had　no　ear。　　He　saw　that　she　was　moved；　unexpectedly　so；　that　while　her　eyes　wandered　restlessly　at　times　towards　the　door；　they　ever　came　back　in　girlish　wonder；　if　not　fascination；　to　his　face；　emboldening　him　so　that　he　ventured　at　last；　to　add：

〃Doris；　little　Doris；　I　will　teach　you　a　marvellous　lesson；　if　you　will　only　turn　your　dainty　ear　my　way。　　Love　such　as　mine　carries　infinite　treasure　with　it。　　Will　you　have　that　treasure　heaped；　piled　before　your　feet？　　Your　lips　say　no；　but　your　eyes　…　the　truest　eyes　I　ever　saw　…　whisper　a　different　language。　　The　day　will　come　when　you　will　find　your　joy　in　the　breast　of　him　you　are　now　afraid　to　trust。〃　　And　not　waiting　for　disclaimer　or　even　a　glance　of　reproach　from　the　eyes　he　had　so　wilfully　misread；　he　withdrew　with　a　movement　as　abrupt　as　that　with　which　he　had　entered。

Why；　then；　with　the　memory　of　this　exultant　hour　to　fend　off　all　shadows；　did　the　midnight　find　him　in　his　solitary　hangar　in　the　moonlit　woods；　a　deeply　desponding　figure　again。　　Beside　him；　swung　the　huge　machine　which　represented　a　life　of　power　and　luxury；　but　he　no　longer　saw　it。　　It　called　to　him　with　many　a　creak　and　quiet　snap；　…　sounds　to　start　his　blood　and　fire　his　eye　a　week　…　nay；　a　day　ago。　　But　he　was　deaf　to　this　music　now；　the　call　went　unheeded；　the　future　had　no　further　meaning；　for　him；　nor　did　he　know　or　think　whether　he　sat　in　light　or　in　darkness；　whether　the　woods　were　silent　about　him；　or　panting　with　life　and　sound。　　His　demon　had　gripped　him　again　and　the　final　battle　was　on。　　There　would　never　be　another。　　Mighty　as　he　felt　himself　to　be；　there　were　limits　even　to　his　capacity　for　endurance。　　He　could　sustain　no　further　conflict。　　How　then　would　it　end？　　He　never　had　a　doubt　himself！　　Yet　he　sat　there。

Around　him　in　the　forest；　the　night　owls　screeched　and　innumerable　small　things　without　a　name；　skurried　from　lair　to　lair。

He　heard　them　not。

Above；　the　moon　rode；　flecking　the　deepest　shadows　with　the　silver　from　her　half…turned　urn；　but　none　of　the　soft　and　healing　drops　fell　upon　him。　　Nature　was　no　longer　a　goddess；　but　an　avenger；　light　a　revealer；　not　a　solace。　　Darkness　the　only　boon。

Nor　had　time　a　meaning。　　From　early　eve　to　early　morn　he　sat　there　and　knew　not　if　it　were　one　hour　or　twelve。　　Earth　was　his　no　longer。　He　roused；　when　the　sun　made　everything　light　about　him；　but　he　did　not　think　about　it。　　He　rose；　but　was　not　conscious　that　he　rose。　He　unlocked　the　door　and　stepped　out　into　the　forest；　but　he　could　never　remember　doing　this。　　He　only　knew　later　that　he　had　been　in　the　woods　and　now　was　in　his　room　at　the　hotel；　all　the　rest　was　phantasmagoria；　agony　and　defeat。

He　had　crossed　the　Rubicon　of　this　world's　hopes　and　fears；　but　he　had　been　unconscious　of　the　passage。



XXXIX

THE　AVENGER


　　〃Dear　Mr。　Challoner：

　　〃With　every　apology　for　the　intrusion；　may　I　request　　　a　few　minutes　of　private　conversation　with　you　this　evening　　　at　seven　o'clock？　　Let　it　be　in　your　own　room。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Yours　truly；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃ORLANDO　BROTHERSON。〃

Mr。　Challoner　had　been　called　upon　to　face　many　difficult　and　heartrending　duties　since　the　blow　which　　had　desolated　his　home　fell　upon　him。

But　from　none　of　them　had　he　shrunk　as　he　did　from　the　interview　thus　demanded。　　He　had　supposed　himself　rid　of　this　man。　　He　had　dismissed　him　from　his　life　when　he　had　dismissed　Sweetwater。　　His　face；　accordingly；　wore　anything　but　a　propitiatory　look；　when　promptly　at　the　hour　of　seven；　Orlando　Brotherson　entered　his　apartments。

His　pleasure　or　his　displeasure　was；　however；　a　matter　of　small　consequence　to　his　self…invited　visitor。　　He　had　come　there　with　a　set　purpose；　and　nothing　in　heaven　or　earth　could　deter　him　from　it　now。　　Declining　the　offer　of　a　seat；　with　the　slightest　of　acknowledgments　in　the　way　of　a　bow；　he　took　a　careful　survey　of　the　room　before　saying：

〃Are　we　alone；　Mr。　Challoner；　or　is　that　man　Sweetwater　lurking　somewhere　within　hearing？〃

〃Mr。　Sweetwater　is　gone；　as　I　had　the　honour　of　telling　you　yesterday；〃　was　the　somewhat　stiff　reply。　　〃There　are　no　witnesses　to　this　conference；　if　that　is　what　you　wish　to　know。

〃Thank　you；　but　you　will　pardon　my　insistence　if　I　request　the　privilege　of　closing　that　door。〃　　He　pointed　to　the　one　communicating　with　the　bedroom。　　〃The　information　I　have　to　give　you　is　not　such　as　I　am　willing　to　have　shared；　at　least　for　the　present。〃

〃You　may　close　the　door；〃　said　Mr。　Challoner　coldly。　　〃But　is　it　necessary　for　you　to　give　me　the　information　you　mention；　to…night？　If　it　is　of　such　a　nature　that　you　cannot　accord　me　the　privilege　of　sharing　it；　as　yet；　with　others；　why　not　spare　me　till　you　can？　　I　have　gone　through　much；　Mr。　Brotherson。〃

〃You　have；〃　came　in　steady　assent　as　the　man　thus　addressed　stepped　to　the　door　he　had　indicated　and　quietly　closed　it。　　〃　But；〃　he　continued；　as　he　crossed　back　to　his　former　position；　〃would　it　be　easier　for　you　to　go　through　the　night　now　in　anticipation　of　what　I　have　to　reveal　than　to　hear　it　at　once　from　my　lips　while　I　am　in　the　mood　to　speak？〃

The　answer　was　slow　in　coming。　　The　courage　which　had　upheld　this　rapidly　aging　man　through　so　many　trying　interviews；　seemed　inadequate　for　the　test　put　so　cruelly　upon　it。　　He　faltered　and　sank　heavily　into　a　chair；　while　the　stern　man　watching　him；　gave　no　signs　of　responsive　sympathy　or　even　interest；　only　a　patient　and　icy…tempered　resolve。

〃I　cannot　live　in　uncertainty；〃　such　were　finally　Mr。　Challoner's　words。　　〃What　you　have　to　say　concerns　Edith？〃　　The　pause　he　made　was　infinitesimal　in　length；　but　it　was　long　enough　for　a　quick　disclaimer。　　But　no　such　disclaimer　came。　　〃I　will　hear　it