the yellow god-第7部分

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eight。〃

Alan　took　the　note　and　asked　to　be　shown　to　his　room。　Once　there；
although　he　had　only　five　and　twenty　minutes；　he　opened　it　eagerly；
while　Jeekie　unpacked　his　bag。

　〃Dear　Alan；〃　it　ran：　〃Don't　be　late　for　dinner；　or　I　may　not　be
　　able　to　keep　a　place　next　to　me。　Of　course　Sir　Robert　takes　me　in。
　　They　are　a　worse　lot　than　usual　this　time；　odiousodious！and　I
　　can't　stand　one　on　the　left　hand　as　well　as　on　the　right。　Yours；

〃B。


　〃P。S。　What　/have/　you　been　doing？　Our　distinguished　guests；　to　say
　　nothing　of　my　uncle；　seem　to　be　in　a　great　fuss　about　you。　I
　　overheard　them　talking　when　I　was　pretending　to　arrange　some
　　flowers。　One　of　them　called　you　a　sanctimonious　prig　and　an
　　obstinate　donkey；　and　another　answeredI　think　it　was　Sir　Robert
　　'No　doubt；　but　obstinate　donkeys　can　kick　and　have　been　known　to
　　upset　other　people's　applecarts　ere　now。'　Is　the　Sahara　Syndicate
　　the　applecart？　If　so；　I'll　forgive　you。

　〃P。P。S。　Remember　that　we　will　walk　to　church　together　to…morrow；
　　but　come　down　to　breakfast　in　knickerbockers　or　something　to　put
　　them　off；　and　I'll　do　the　sameI　mean　I'll　dress　as　if　I　were
　　going　to　golf。　We　can　turn　into　Christians　later。　If　we　don't
　　dress　like　that；　I　meanthey'll　guess　and　all　want　to　come　to
　　church；　except　the　Jews；　which　would　bring　the　judgment　of　Heaven
　　on　us。

　〃P。P。P。S。　Don't　be　careless　and　leave　this　note　lying　about；　for
　　the　under…footman　who　waits　upon　you　reads　all　the　letters。　He
　　steams　them　over　a　kettle。　Smith　the　butler　is　the　only
　　respectable　man　in　this　house。〃

Alan　laughed　outright　as　he　finished　this　peculiar　and　outspoken
epistle；　which　somehow　revived　his　spirits；　that　since　the　previous
day　had　been　low　enough。　It　refreshed　him。　It　was　like　a　breath　of
frosty　air　from　an　open　window　blowing　clean　and　cold　into　a　scented；
overheated　room。　He　would　have　liked　to　keep　it；　but　remembering
Barbara's　injunctions　and　the　under…footman；　threw　it　onto　the　fire
and　watched　it　burn。　Jeekie　coughed　to　intimate　that　it　was　time　for
his　master　to　dress；　and　Alan　turned　and　looked　at　him　in　an　absent…
minded　fashion。

He　was　worth　looking　at；　was　Jeekie。　Let　the　reader　imagine　a　very
tall　and　powerfully…built　negro　with　a　skin　as　black　as　a　well…
polished　boot；　woolly　hair　as　white　as　snow；　a　little　tufted　beard
also　white；　a　hand　like　a　leg　of　mutton；　but　with　long　delicate
fingers　and　pink；　filbert…shaped　nails；　an　immovable　countenance；　but
set　in　it　beneath　a　massive　brow；　two　extraordinary　humorous　and
eloquent　black　eyes　which　expressed　every　emotion　passing　through　the
brain　behind　them；　that　is　when　their　owner　chose　to　allow　them　to　do
so。　Such　was　Jeekie。

〃Shall　I　unlace　your　boots；　Major？〃　he　said　in　his　full；　melodious
voice　and　speaking　the　most　perfect　English。　〃I　expect　that　the　gong
will　sound　in　nine　and　a　half　minutes。〃

〃Then　let　it　sound　and　be　hanged　to　it；〃　answered　Alan；　〃no；　I　forgot
I　must　hurry。　Jeekie；　put　that　fire　out　and　open　all　the　windows　as
soon　as　I　go　down。　This　room　is　like　a　hot…house。〃

〃Yes；　Major；　the　fire　shall　be　extinguished　and　the　sleeping…chamber
ventilated。　The　other　boot；　if　you　please；　Major。〃

〃Jeekie；〃　said　Alan；　〃who　is　stopping　in　this　place？　Have　you　heard？〃

〃I　collected　some　names　on　my　way　upstairs；　Major。　Three　of　the
gentlemen　you　have　never　met　before；　but；〃　he　added　suddenly　breaking
away　from　his　high…flown　book…learned　English；　as　was　his　custom　when
in　earnest；　〃Jeekie　think　they　just　black　niggers　like　the　rest；　thief
people。　There　ain't　a　white　man　in　this　house；　except　you　and　Miss
Barbara　and　me；　Major。　Jeekie　learnt　all　that　in　servant's　hall
palaver。　No；　not　now；　other　time。　Everyone　tell　everything　to　Jeekie；
poor　old　African　fool；　and　he　look　up　an　answer；　'O　law！　you　don't　say
so？'　but　keep　his　eyes　and　ears　open　all　the　same。〃

〃I'll　be　bound　you　do；　Jeekie；〃　replied　Alan；　laughing　again。　〃Well；
go　on　keeping　them　open；　and　give　me　those　trousers。〃

〃Yes；　Major；〃　answered　Jeekie；　reassuming　his　grand　manner；　〃I　shall
continue　to　collect　information　which　may　prove　to　your　advantage；　but
personally　I　wish　that　you　were　clear　of　the　whole　caboodle；　except
Miss　Barbara。〃

〃Hear；　hear；〃　ejaculated　Alan；　〃there　goes　the　gong。　Mind　you　come　in
and　help　to　wait；〃　and　hurrying　into　his　coat　he　departed　downstairs。

The　guests　were　gathered　in　the　hall　drinking　sherry　and　bitters；　a
proceeding　that　to　Alan's　mind　set　a　stamp　upon　the　house。　His　host；
Mr。　Champers…Haswell；　came　forward　and　greeted　him　with　much
affectionate　enthusiasm；　and　Alan　noticed　that　he　looked　very　pale；
also　that　his　thoughts　seemed　to　be　wandering；　for　he　introduced　a
French　banker　to　him　as　a　noted　Jew；　and　the　noted　Jew　as　the　French
banker；　although　the　distinction　between　them　was　obvious　and　the
gentlemen　concerned　evidently　resented　the　mistake。　Sir　Robert
Aylward；　catching　sight　of　him；　came　across　the　hall　in　his　usual；
direct　fashion；　and　shook　him　by　the　hand。

〃Glad　to　see　you；　Vernon；〃　he　said；　fixing　his　piercing　eyes　upon　Alan
as　though　he　were　trying　to　read　his　thoughts。　〃Pleasant　change　this
from　the　City　and　all　that　eternal　business；　isn't　it？　Ah！　you　are
thinking　that　one　is　not　quite　clear　of　business　after　all；〃　and　he
glanced　round　at　the　company。　〃That's　one　of　your　cousin　Haswell's
faults；　he　can　never　shake　himself　free　of　the　thing；　never　get　any
real　recreation。　I'd　bet　you　a　sovereign　that　he　has　a　stenographer
waiting　by　a　telephone　in　the　next　room；　just　in　case　any　opportunity
should　arise　in　the　course　of　conversation。　That　is　magnificent；　but
it　is　not　wise。　His　heart　can't　stand　it；　it　will　wear　him　out　before
his　time。　Listen；　they　are　all　talking　about　the　Sahara。　I　wish　I　were
there；　it　must　be　quiet　at　any　rate。　The　sands　beneath；　the　eternal
stars　above。　Yes；　I　wish　I　were　there；〃　he　repeated　with　a　sigh；　and
Alan　noted　that　although　his　face　could　not　be　more　pallid　than　its
natural　colour；　it　looked　quite　worn　and　old。

〃So　do　I；〃　he　answered　with　enthusiasm。

Then　a　French　gentleman　on　his　left；　having　discovered　that　he　was　the
engineer　who　had　formulated　the　great　flooding　scheme；　began　to
address　him　as　〃Cher　maitre；〃　speaking　so　rapidly　his　own　language
that　Alan；　whose　French　was　none　of　the　best；　struggled　after　him　in
vain。　Whilst　he　was　trying　to　answer　a　question　which　he　did　not
understand；　the　door　at　the　end　of　the　hall　opened；　and　through　it
appeared　Barbara　Champers。

It　was　a　large　hall　and　she　was　a　long　way　off；　which　caused　her　to
look　small；　who　indeed　was　only　of　middle　height。　Yet　even　at　that
distance　it　was　impossible　to　mistake　the　dignity　of　her　appearance。　A
slim　woman　with　brown　hair；　cheerful　brown　eyes；　a　well…modelled　face；
a　rounded　figure　and　an　excellent　complexion；　such　was　Barbara。　Ten
thousand　young　ladies　could　be　found　as　good；　or　even　better　looking；
yet　something　about　her　differentiated　her　from　the　majority　of　her
sex。　There　was　determination　in　her　step；　and　overflowing　health　and
vigour　in　her　every　movement。　Her　eyes　had　a　trick　of　looking　straight
into　any　other　eyes　they　met；　not　boldly；　but　with　a　kind　of　virginal
fearlessness　and　enterprise　that　people　often　found　embarrassing。
Indeed　she　was　extremely　virginal　and　devoid　of　the　usual　fringe　of
feminine　airs　and　graces；　a　nymph　of　the　woods　and　waters；　who
although　she　was　three　and　twenty；　as　yet　recked　little　of　men　save　as
companions　whom　she　liked　or　disliked　according　to　her　instincts。　For
the　rest　she　was　sweetly　dressed　in　a　white　robe　with　silver　on　it；
and　wore　no　ornaments　save　a　row　of　small　pearls　about　her　throat　and
some　lilies　of　the　valley　at　her　breast。

Barbara　came　straight　onwards；　looking　neither　to　the　right　or　to　the
left；　till　she　reached　her　uncle；　to　whom　she　nodded。　Then　she　walked
to　Alan　and；　offering　him　her　hand；　said：

〃How　do　you　do！　Why　did　you　not　come　over　at　lunch　time？　I　wanted　to
play　a　round　of　golf　with　you　this　afternoon。〃

Alan　answered　something　about　being　busy　at　Yarleys。

〃Yarleys！〃　she　replied。　〃I　thought　that　you　lived　in　the　City　now；
making　money　out　of　speculations；　like　everyone　else　that　I　know。〃

〃Why；　Miss　Champers；〃　broke　in　Sir　Robert　reproachfully；　〃I　asked　you
to　play　a　round　of　golf　before　tea　and　you　would　not。〃

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃because　I　was　waiting　for　my　cousin。　We　are
better　matched；　Sir　Robert。〃

There　was　something　in　her　voice；　usually　so　soft　and　pleasant；　as　she
spoke　these　words；　something　of　steeliness　and　defiance　that　caused
Alan　to　feel　at　once　happy　and　uncomfortable。　Apparently　also　it
caused　Aylward　to　feel　angry；　for　he　flashed　a　glance　at　Alan　over　her
head　of　which　the　purport　could　not　be　mistaken；　though　his　pale　face
remained　as　immovable　as　ever。　〃We　are　enemies。　I　hate　you；〃　said　that
glance。　Probably　Barbara　saw　it；　at　any　rate　before　either　of　them
could　speak　again；　she　said：

〃Thank　goodness；　there　is　dinner　at　last。　Sir　Robert；　will　you　take　me
in；　and；　Alan；　will　you　sit　on　the　other　side　of　me？　My　uncle　will
show　the　rest　their　places。〃

The　meal　was　long　and　magnificent；　the　price　of　each　dish　of　it　would
have　kept　a　poor　family　for　a　month；　and　on　the　cost　of　the　exquisite
wines　they　might　have　lived　for　a　year　or　two。　Also　the　last　were　well
patronized　by　everyone　except　Barbara；　who　drank　water；　and　Alan；　who
since　his　severe　fever　took　nothing　but　weak　whiskey　and　soda　and　a
little　claret。　Even　Aylward；　a　temperate　person；　absorbed　a　good　deal
of　champagne。　As　a　consequence　the　conversation　grew　animated；　and
under　cover　of　it；　while　Sir　Robert　was　arguing　with　his　neighbour　on
the　left；　Barbara　asked　in　a　low　voice：

〃What　is　the　row；　Alan？　Tell　me；　I　can't　wait　any　longer。〃

〃I　have　quarrelled　with　them；〃　he　answered；　staring　at　his　mutton　as
though　he　were　criticizing　it。　〃I　mean；　I　have　left　the　firm　and　have
nothing　more　to　do　with　the　business。〃

Barbara's　eyes　lit　up　as　she　whispered　back：

〃Glad　of　it。　Best　news　I　have　heard　for　many　a　day。　But　then；　may　I
ask　why　you　are　here？〃

〃I　came　to　see　you；〃　he　replied　humbly〃thought　perhaps　you　wouldn't
mind；〃　and　in　his　confusion　he　let　h