robert falconer-第97部分

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that。　　But　I　had　no　richt；　for　a'　that　passed；　to　intrude　mysel'

upo'　her　to　that　extent。'



'Weel；　I　reckon　ye're　richt。　　Yer　wounds　an'　yer　medals　ought　to

weigh　weel　against　a'　that。　　There's　this　comfort　in　't；　that　gin

she　bena　richt　weel　worthy　o'　ye；　auld　frien'；　she　winna　tak　ye。'



Shargar　did　not　seem　to　see　the　comfort　of　it。　　He　was　depressed　for

the　remainder　of　the　day。　　In　the　morning　he　was　in　wild　spirits

again。　　Just　before　he　started；　however；　he　said；　with　an　expression

of　tremulous　anxiety；



'Oucht　I　to　tell　her　a'　at　ancealreadyabootaboot　my　mither？'



'I　dinna　say　that。　　Maybe　it　wad　be　equally　fair　to　her　and　to

yersel'　to　lat　her　ken　ye　a　bit　better　afore　ye　do　that。We'll

think　that　ower。Whan　ye　gang　doon　the　stair；　ye'll　see　a　bit

brougham　at　the　door　waitin'　for　ye。　　Gie　the　coachman　ony　orders　ye

like。　　He's　your　servant　as　lang　's　ye're　in　London。　　Commit　yer　way

to　the　Lord；　my　boy。'



Though　Shargar　did　not　say　much；　he　felt　strengthened　by　Robert's

truth　to　meet　his　fate　with　something　of　composure。　　But　it　was　not

to　be　decided　that　day。　　Therein　lay　some　comfort。



He　returned　in　high　spirits　still。　　He　had　been　graciously　received

both　by　Miss　Hamilton　and　her　hostessa　kind…hearted　old　lady；　who

spoke　Scotch　with　the　pure　tone　of　a　gentlewoman；　he　saida　treat

not　to　be　had　once　in　a　twelvemonth。　　She　had　asked　him　to　go　to

dinner　in　the　evening；　and　to　bring　his　friend　with　him。　　Robert；

however；　begged　him　to　make　his　excuse；　as　he　had　an　engagement

ina　very　different　sort　of　place。



When　Shargar　returned；　Robert　had　not　come　in。　　He　was　too　excited

to　go　to　bed；　and　waited　for　him。　　It　was　two　o'clock　before　he　came

home。　　Shargar　told　him　there　was　to　be　a　large　party　at　Lady

Patterdale's　the　next　evening　but　one；　and　Lady　Janet　had　promised

to　procure　him　an　invitation。



The　next　morning　Robert　went　to　see　Mary　St。　John；　and　asked　if　she

knew　anything　of　Lady　Patterdale；　and　whether　she　could　get　him　an

invitation。　　Miss　St。　John　did　not　know　her；　but　she　thought　she

could　manage　it　for　him。　　He　told　her　all　about　Shargar；　for　whose

sake　he　wished　to　see　Miss　Hamilton　before　consenting　to　be

introduced　to　her。　　Miss　St。　John　set　out　at　once；　and　Falconer

received　a　card　the　next　day。　　When　the　evening　came；　he　allowed

Shargar　to　set　out　alone　in　his　brougham；　and　followed　an　hour　later

in　a　hansom。



When　he　reached　the　house；　the　rooms　were　tolerably　filled；　and　as

several　parties　had　arrived　just　before　him；　he　managed　to　enter

without　being　announced。　　After　a　little　while　he　caught　sight　of

Shargar。　　He　stood　alone；　almost　in　a　corner；　with　a　strange；　rather

raised　expression　in　his　eyes。　　Falconer　could　not　see　the　object　to

which　they　were　directed。　　Certainly；　their　look　was　not　that　of

love。　　He　made　his　way　up　to　him　and　laid　his　hand　on　his　arm。

Shargar　betrayed　no　little　astonishment　when　he　saw　him。



'You　here；　Robert！'　he　said。



'Yes；　I'm　here。　　Have　you　seen　her　yet？　　Is　she　here？'



'Wha　do　ye　think　's　speakin'　till　her　this　verra　minute？　　Look

there！'　　Shargar　said　in　a　low　voice；　suppressed　yet　more　to　hide

his　excitement。



Following　his　directions；　Robert　saw；　amidst　a　little　group　of

gentlemen　surrounding　a　seated　lady；　of　whose　face　he　could　not　get

a　peep；　a　handsome　elderly　man；　who　looked　more　fashionable　than　his

years　justified；　and　whose　countenance　had　an　expression　which　he

felt　repulsive。　　He　thought　he　had　seen　him　before；　but　Shargar　gave

him　no　time　to　come　to　a　conclusion　of　himself。



'It's　my　brither　Sandy；　as　sure　's　deith！'　he　said；　'and　he's　been

hingin'　aboot　her　ever　sin'　she　cam　in。　　But　I　dinna　think　she　likes

him　a'thegither　by　the　leuk　o'　her。'



'What　for　dinna　ye　gang　up　till　her　yersel'；　man？　　I　wadna　stan'

that　gin　'twas　me。'



'I'm　feared　'at　he　ken　me。　　He's　terrible　gleg。　　A'　the　Morays　are

gleg；　and　yon　marquis　has　an　ee　like　a　hawk。'



'What　does　't　maitter？　　Ye　hae　dune　naething　to　be　ashamed　o'　like

him。'



'Ay；　but　it's　this。　　I　wadna　hae　her　hear　the　trowth　aboot　me　frae

that　boar's　mou'　o'　his　first。　　I　wad　hae　her　hear　't　frae　my　ain；

an'　syne　she　canna　think　I　meant　to　tak　her　in。'



At　this　moment　there　was　a　movement　in　the　group。　　Shargar；

receiving　no　reply；　looked　round　at　Robert。　　It　was　now　Shargar's

turn　to　be　surprised　at　his　expression。



'Are　ye　seein'　a　vraith；　Robert？'　he　said。　'What　gars　ye　leuk　like

that；　man？'



'Oh！'　answered　Robert；　recovering　himself；　'I　thought　I　saw　some　one

I　knew。　　But　I'm　not　sure。　　I'll　tell　you　afterwards。　　We've　been

talking　too　earnestly。　　People　are　beginning　to　look　at　us。'



So　saying；　he　moved　away　towards　the　group　of　which　the　marquis

still　formed　one。　　As　he　drew　near　he　saw　a　piano　behind　Miss

Hamilton。　　A　sudden　impulse　seized　him；　and　he　yielded　to　it。　　He

made　his　way　to　the　piano；　and　seating　himself；　began　to　play　very

softlyso　softly　that　the　sounds　could　scarcely　be　heard　beyond　the

immediate　neighbourhood　of　the　instrument。　　There　was　no　change　on

the　storm　of　talk　that　filled　the　room。　　But　in　a　few　minutes　a　face

white　as　a　shroud　was　turned　round　upon　him　from　the　group　in　front；

like　the　moon　dawning　out　of　a　cloud。　　He　stopped　at　once；　saying　to

himself；　'I　was　right；'　and　rising；　mingled　again　with　the　crowd。　　A

few　minutes　after；　he　saw　Shargar　leading　Miss　Hamilton　out　of　the

room；　and　Lady　Janet　following。　　He　did　not　intend　to　wait　his

return；　but　got　near　the　door；　that　he　might　slip　out　when　he　should

re…enter。　　But　Shargar　did　not　return。　　For；　the　moment　she　reached

the　fresh　air；　Miss　Hamilton　was　so　much　better　that　Lady　Janet；

whose　heart　was　as　young　towards　young　people　as　if　she　had　never

had　the　unfortunate　love　affair　tradition　assigned　her；　asked　him　to

see　them　home；　and　he　followed　them　into　her　carriage。　　Falconer

left　a　few　minutes　after；　anxious　for　quiet　that　he　might　make　up

his　mind　as　to　what　he　ought　to　do。　　Before　he　had　walked　home；　he

had　resolved　on　the　next　step。　　But　not　wishing　to　see　Shargar　yet；

and　at　the　same　time　wanting　to　have　a　night's　rest；　he　went　home

only　to　change　his　clothes；　and　betook　himself　to　a　hotel　in　Covent

Garden。



He　was　at　Lady　Janet's　door　by　ten　o'clock　the　next　morning；　and

sent　in　his　card　to　Miss　Hamilton。　　He　was　shown　into　the

drawing…room；　where　she　came　to　him。



'May　I　presume　on　old　acquaintance？'　he　asked；　holding　out　his　hand。



She　looked　in　his　face　quietly；　took　his　hand；　pressed　it　warmly；

and　said；



'No　one　has　so　good　a　right；　Mr。　Falconer。　　Do　sit　down。'



He　placed　a　chair　for　her；　and　obeyed。



After　a　moment's　silence　on　both　sides：



'Are　you　aware；　Miss？'　he　said　and　hesitated。



'Miss　Hamilton；'　she　said　with　a　smile。　'I　was　Miss　Lindsay　when　you

knew　me　so　many　years　ago。　　I　will　explain　presently。'



Then　with　an　air　of　expectation　she　awaited　the　finish　of　his

sentence。



'Are　you　aware；　Miss　Hamilton；　that　I　am　Major　Moray's　oldest

friend？'



'I　am　quite　aware　of　it；　and　delighted　to　know　it。　　He　told　me　so

last　night。'



Somewhat　dismayed　at　this　answer；　Falconer　resumed；



'Did　Major　Moray　likewise　communicate　with　you　concerning　his　own

history？'



'He　did。　　He　told　me　all。'



Falconer　was　again　silent　for　some　moments。



'Shall　I　be　presuming　too　far　if　I　venture　to　conclude　that　my

friend　will　not　continue　his　visits？'



'On　the　contrary；'　she　answered；　with　the　same　delicate　blush　that

in　old　times　used　to　overspread　the　lovely　whiteness　of　her　face；　'I

expect　him　within　half…an…hour。'



'Then　there　is　no　time　to　be　lost；'　thought　Falconer。



'Without　presuming　to　express　any　opinion　of　my　own；'　he　said

quietly；　'a　social　code　far　less　severe　than　that　which　prevails　in

England；　would　take　for　granted　that　an　impassable　barrier　existed

between　Major　Moray　and　Miss　Hamilton。'



'Do　not　suppose；　Mr。　Falconer；　that　I　could　not　meet　Major　Moray's

honesty　with　equal　openness　on　my　side。'



Falconer；　for　the　first　time　almost　in　his　life；　was　incapable　of

speech　from　bewilderment。　　But　Miss　Hamilton　did　not　in　the　least

enjoy　his　perplexity；　and　made　haste　to　rescue　both　him　and　herself。

With　a　blush　that　was　now　deep　as　any　rose；　she　resumed；



'But　I　owe　you　equal　frankness；　Mr。　Falconer。　　There　is　no　barrier

between　Major　Moray　and　myself　but　the　foolishno；

wickedindiscretion　of　an　otherwise　innocent　and　ignorant　girl。

Listen；　Mr。　Falconer：　under　the　necessity　of　the　circumstances　you

will　not　misjudge　me　if　I　compel　myself　to　speak　calmly。　　This；　I

trust；　will　be　my　final　penance。　　I　thought　Lord　Rothie　was　going　to

marry　me。　　To　do　him　justice；　he　never　said　so。　　Make　what　excuse

for　my　folly　you　can。　　I　was　lost　in　a　mist　of　vain　imaginations。　　I

had　had　no　mother　to　teach　me　anything；　Mr。　Falconer；　and　my　father

never　suspected　the　necessity　of　teaching　me　anything。　　I　was　very

ill　on　the　passage　to　Antwerp；　and　when　I　began　to　recover　a　little；

I　found　myself　beginning　to　doubt　both　my　own　conduct　and　his

lordship's　intentions。　　Possibly　the　fact　that　he　was　not　quite　so

kind　to　me　in　my　illness　as　I　had　expected；　and　that　I　felt　hurt　in

consequence；　aided　the　doubt。　　Then　the　thought　of　my　father

returning　and　finding　that　I　had　left　him；　came　and　burned　in　my

heart　like　fire。　　But　what　was　I　to　do？　　I　had　never　been　out　of

Aberdeen　before。　　I　did　not　know　even　a　word　of　French。　　I　was

altogether　in　Lord　Rothie's　power。　　I　thought　I　loved　him；　but　it

was　not　much　of　love　that　sea…sickness　could　get　the　better　of。

With　a　heart　full　of　despair　I　went　on　shore。　　The　captain　slipped

a　note　into　my　hand。　　I　put　it　in　my　pocket；　but　pulled　it　out　with

my　handkerchief　in　the　street。　　Lord　Rothie　picked　it　up。　　I　begged

him　to　give　it　me；　but　he　read　it；　and　then　tore　it　in　pieces。　　I

entered　the　hotel；　as