pgw.uneasymoney-第30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！


。
　'I　mean；　can't　we　be　engaged　again；　Bill？'
　Bill's　overtaxed　brain　turned　one　convulsive　hand…spring；　and　came　to　rest　with　a　sense　of　having　dislocated　itself。　This　was　too　much。　This　was　not　right。　No　fellow　at　the　end　of　a　hard　evening　ought　to　have　to　grapple　with　this　sort　of　thing。　What　on　earth　did　she　mean；　springing　questions　like　that　on　him？　How　could　they　be　engaged？　She　was　going　to　marry　someone　else；　and　so　was　he。　Something　of　these　thoughts　he　managed　to　put　into　words：
　'But　you're　engaged　to'
　'I've　broken　my　engagement　with　Mr　Pickering。'
　'Great　Scot！　When？'
　'To…night。　I　found　out　his　true　character。　He　is　cruel　and　treacherous。　Something　happenedit　may　sound　nothing　to　you；　but　it　gave　me　an　insight　into　what　he　really　was。　Polly　Wetherby　had　a　little　monkey；　and　just　because　it　bit　Mr　Pickering　he　shot　it。'
　'Pickering！'
　'Yes。　He　wasn't　the　sort　of　man　I　should　have　expected　to　do　a　mean；　cruel　thing　like　that。　It　sickened　me。　I　gave　him　back　his　ring　then　and　there。　Oh；　what　a　relief　it　was！　What　a　fool　I　was　ever　to　have　got　engaged　to　such　a　man。'
　Bill　was　puzzled。　He　was　one　of　those　simple　men　who　take　their　fellows　on　trust；　but　who；　if　once　that　trust　is　shattered；　can　never　recover　it。　Like　most　simple　men；　he　was　tenacious　of　ideas　when　he　got　them；　and　the　belief　that　Claire　was　playing　fast　and　loose　was　not　lightly　to　be　removed　from　his　mind。　He　had　found　her　out　during　his　self…munion　that　night；　and　he　could　never　believe　her　again。　He　had　the　feeling　that　there　was　something　behind　what　she　was　saying。　He　could　not　put　his　finger　on　the　clue；　but　that　there　was　a　clue　he　was　certain。
　'I　only　got　engaged　to　him　out　of　pique。　I　was　angry　with　you；　andWell；　that's　how　it　happened。'
　Still　Bill　could　not　believe。　It　was　plausible。　It　sounded　true。　And　yet　some　instinct　told　him　that　it　was　not　true。　And　while　he　waited；　perplexed；　Claire　made　a　false　step。
　The　thing　had　been　so　close　to　the　top　of　her　mind　ever　since　she　had　e　to　the　knowledge　of　it　that　it　had　been　hard　for　her　to　keep　it　down。　Now　she　could　keep　it　down　no　longer。
　'How　wonderful　about　old　Mr　Nutbe；　Bill！'　she　said。
　A　vast　relief　rolled　over　Bill。　Despite　his　instinct；　he　had　been　wavering。　But　now　he　understood。　He　had　found　the　clue。
　'You　got　my　letter；　then？'
　'Yes；　it　was　forwarded　on　from　the　theatre。　I　got　it　to…night。'
　Too　late　she　realized　what　she　had　said　and　the　construction　that　an　intelligent　man　would　put　on　it。　Then　she　reflected　that　Bill　was　not　an　intelligent　man。　She　shot　a　swift　glance　at　him。　To　all　appearances　he　had　suspected　nothing。
　'It　went　all　over　the　place；'　she　hurried　on。　'The　people　at　the　Portsmouth　theatre　sent　it　to　the　London　office；　who　sent　it　home；　and　mother　mailed　it　on　to　me。'
　'I　see。'
　There　was　a　silence。　Claire　drew　a　step　nearer。
　'Bill！'　she　said　softly。
　Bill　shut　his　eyes。　The　moment　had　e　which　he　had　dreaded。　Not　even　the　thought　that　she　was　crooked；　that　she　had　been　playing　with　him；　could　make　it　any　better。　She　was　a　woman　and　he　was　a　man。　That　was　all　that　mattered；　and　nothing　could　alter　it。
　'I'm　sorry；'　he　said。　'It's　impossible。'
　Claire　stared　at　him　in　amazement。　She　had　not　been　prepared　for　this。　He　met　her　eyes；　but　every　nerve　in　his　body　was　protesting。
　'Bill！'
　'I'm　sorry。
　'But；　Bill！'
　He　set　his　teeth。　It　was　just　as　bad　as　he　had　thought　it　would　be。
　'But；　Bill；　I've　explained。　I've　told　you　how'
　'I　know。'
　Claire's　eyes　opened　wide。
　'I　thought　you　loved　me。'　She　came　closer。　She　pulled　at　his　sleeve。　Her　voice　took　on　a　note　of　soft　raillery。　'Don't　be　absurd；　Bill！　You　mustn't　behave　like　a　sulky　schoolboy。　It　isn't　like　you；　this。　You　surely　don't　want　me　to　humble　myself　more　than　I　have　done。'　She　gave　a　little　laugh。　'Why；　Bill；　I'm　proposing　to　you！　I　know　I've　treated　you　badly；　but　I've　explained　why。　You　must　be　just　enough　to　see　that　it　wasn't　altogether　my　fault。　I'm　only　human。　And　if　I　made　a　mistake　I've　done　all　I　can　do　to　undo　it。　I'
　'Claire；　listen：　I'm　engaged！'
　She　fell　back。　For　the　first　time　the　sense　of　defeat　came　to　her。　She　had　anticipated　many　things。　She　had　looked　for　difficulties。　But　she　had　not　expected　this。　A　feeling　of　cold　fury　surged　over　her　at　the　way　fate　had　tricked　her。　She　had　gambled　recklessly　on　her　power　of　fascination；　and　she　had　lost。
　Mr　Pickering；　at　that　moment　brooding　in　solitude　in　the　smoking…room　of　Lady　Wetherby's　house；　would　have　been　relieved　could　he　have　known　how　wistfully　she　was　thinking　of　him。
　'You're　engaged？'
　'Yes。'
　'Well！'　She　forced　another　laugh。　'How　veryrapid　of　you！　To　whom？'
　'To　Elizabeth　Boyd。'
　'I'm　afraid　I'm　very　ignorant；　but　who　is　Elizabeth　Boyd？　The　ornate　lady　you　were　dancing　with　at　the　restaurant？'
　'No！'
　'Who　then？'
　'She　is　old　Ira　Nutbe's　niece。　The　money　ought　to　have　been　left　to　her。　That　was　why　I　came　over　to　America；　to　see　if　I　could　do　anything　for　her。'
　'And　you're　going　to　marry　her？　How　very　romanticand　convenient！　What　an　excellent　arrangement　for　her。　Which　of　you　suggested　it？'
　Bill　drew　in　a　deep　breath。　All　this　was；　he　supposed；　unavoidable；　but　it　was　not　pleasant。
　Claire　suddenly　abandoned　her　pose　of　cool　amusement。　The　fire　behind　it　blazed　through。
　'You　fool！'　she　cried　passionately。　'Are　you　blind？　Can't　you　see　that　this　girl　is　simply　after　your　money？　A　child　could　see　it。'
　Bill　looked　at　her　steadily。
　'You're　quite　wrong。　She　doesn't　know　who　I　am。'
　'Doesn't　know　who　you　are？　What　do　you　mean？　She　must　know　by　this　time　that　her　uncle　left　his　money　to　you。'
　'But　she　doesn't　know　that　I　am　Lord　Dawlish。　I　came　to　America　under　another　name。　She　knows　me　as　Chalmers。'
　Claire　was　silent　for　a　moment。
　'How　did　you　get　to　know　her？'　she　asked；　more　quietly。
　'I　met　her　brother　by　chance　in　New　York。'
　'By　chance！'
　'Quite　by　chance。　A　man　I　knew　in　England　lent　me　his　rooms　in　New　York。　He　happened　to　be　a　friend　of　Boyd's。　Boyd　came　to　call　on　him　one　night；　and　found　me。'
　'Odd！　Had　your　mutual　friend　been　away　from　New　York　long？'
　'Some　months。'
　'And　in　all　that　time　Mr　Boyd　had　not　discovered　that　he　had　left。　They　must　have　been　great　friends！　What　happened　then？'
　'Boyd　invited　me　down　here。'
　'Down　here？'
　'They　live　in　this　house。'
　'Is　Miss　Boyd　the　girl　who　keeps　the　bee…farm？'
　'She　is。'
　Claire's　eyes　suddenly　lit　up。　She　began　to　speak　in　a　louder　voice：
　'Bill；　you're　an　infant；　a　perfect　infant！　Of　course；　she's　after　your　money。　Do　you　really　imagine　for　one　instant　that　this　Elizabeth　Boyd　of　yours　and　her　brother　don't　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　you　are　really　Lord　Dawlish？　I　always　thought　you　had　a　trustful　nature！　You　tell　me　the　brother　met　you　by　chance。　Chance！　And　invited　you　down　here。　I　bet　he　did！　He　knew　his　business！　And　now　you're　going　to　marry　the　girl　so　that　they　will　get　the　money　after　all！　Splendid！　Oh；　Bill；　you're　a　wonderful；　wonderful　creature！　Your　innocence　is　touching。'
　She　swung　round。
　'Good　night；'　she　called　over　her　shoulder。
　He　could　hear　her　laughing　as　she　went　down　the　road。
　
　20
　In　the　smoking…room　of　Lady　Wetherby's　house；　chewing　the　dead　stump　of　a　once　imposing　cigar；　Dudley　Pickering　sat　alone　with　his　thoughts。　He　had　been　alone　for　half　an　hour　now。　Once　Lord　Wetherby　had　looked　in；　to　withdraw　at　once　coldly；　with　the　expression　of　a　groom　who　has　found　loathsome　things　in　the　harness…room。　Roscoe　Sherriff；　good；　easy　man；　who　could　never　dislike　people；　no　matter　what　they　had　done；　had　e　for　a　while　to　bear　him　pany；　but　Mr　Pickering's　society　was　not　for　the　time　being　entertaining。　He　had　answered　with　grunts　the　Press…agent's　kindly　attempts　at　conversation；　and　the　latter　Had　withdrawn　to　seek　a　more　congenial　audience。　And　now　Mr　Pickering　was　alone；　talking　things　over　with　his　subconscious　self。
　A　man's　subconscious　self　is　not　the　ideal　panion。　It　lurks　for　the　greater　part　of　his　life　in　some　dark　den　of　its　own；　hidden　away；　and　emerges　only　to　taunt　and　deride　and　increase　the　misery　of　a　miserable　hour。　Mr　Pickering's　rare　interviews　with　his　subconscious　self　had　happened　until　now　almost　entirely　in　the　small　hours　of　the　night；　when　it　had　popped　out　to　remind　him；　as　he　lay　sleepless；　that　all　flesh　was　grass　and　that　he　was　not　getting　any　younger。　To…night；　such　had　been　the　shock　of　the　evening's　events；　it　came　to　him　at　a　time　which　was　usually　his　happiestthe　time　that　lay　between　dinner　and　bed。　Mr　Pickering　at　that　point　of　the　day　was　generally　feeling　his　best。　But　to…night　was　different　from　the　other　nights　of　his　life。
　One　may　picture　Subconscious　Self　as　a　withered；　cynical；　malicious　person　standing　before　Mr　Pickering　and　regarding　him　with　an　evil　smile。　There　has　been　a　pause；　and　now　Subconscious　Self　speaks　again：
　'You　will　have　to　leave　to…morrow。　Couldn't　possibly　stop　on　after　what's　happened。　Now　you　see　what　es　of　behaving　like　a　boy。'
　Mr　Pickering　writhed。
　'Made　a　pretty　considerable　fool　of　yourself；　didn't　you；　with　your　revolvers　and　your　hidings　and　your　trailings？　Too　old　for　that　sort　of　thing；　you　know。　You're　getting　on。　Probably　have　a　touch　of　lumbago　to…morrow。　You　must　remember　you　aren't　a　youngster。　Got　to　take　care　of　yourself。　Next　time　you　feel　an　impulse　to　hide　in　shrubberies　and　take　moonlight　walks　through　damp　woods；　perhaps　you　will　listen　to　me。'
　Mr　Pickering　relit　the　stump　of　his　cigar　defiantly　and　smoked　in　long　gulps　for　a　while。　He　was　trying　to　persuade　himself　that　all　this　was　untrue；　but　it　was　not　easy。　The　cigar　became　unfortably　hot；　and　he　threw　it　away。　He　fumbled　in　his　waistcoat　pocket　and　produced　a　diamond　ring；　at　which　he　looked　pensively。
　'A　pretty　thing；　is　it　not？'　said　Subconscious　Self
　Mr　Pickering　sighed。　That　moment　when　Claire　had　thrown　the　ring　at　his　feet　and　swept　out　of　his　life　like　an　offended　queen　had　been　the　culminating　blow　of　a　night　of　blows；　the　knock…out　following　on　a　series　of　minor　punches。　Subconscious　Self　seized　the　opportunity　to　bee　offensive　again。
　'You've　lost　her；　all　through　your　own　silly　fault；'　it　said。　'How　on　earth　you　can　have　been　such　a　perfect　fool　b