an unsocial socialist-第2部分

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the　Recording　Angel？〃

〃Serves　you　right　for　prompting　her；〃　said　Miss　Carpenter。　〃She
was　always　a　double…faced　cat；　and　you　ought　to　have　known
better。〃

〃Oh；　I　assure　you　it　was　not　for　her　sake　that　I　did　it；〃　replied
Miss　Lindsay。　〃It　was　to　prevent　that　Jackson　girl　from　getting
first　place。　I　don't　like　Helen　Plantagenet；　but　at　least　she　is
a　lady。'

〃Stuff；　Gertrude；〃　said　Agatha；　with　a　touch　of　earnestness。　〃One
would　think；　to　hear　you　talk；　that　your　grandmother　was　a　cook。
Don't　be　such　a　snob。〃

〃Miss　Wylie；〃　said　Gertrude；　becoming　scarlet：　〃you　are　veryoh！
oh！　Stop　Agoh！　I　will　tell　Missoh！〃　Agatha　had　inserted　a
steely　finger　between　her　ribs；　and　was　tickling　her　unendurably。

〃Sh…sh…sh；〃　whispered　Miss　Carpenter　anxiously。　〃The　door　is
open。〃

〃Am　I　Miss　Wylie？〃　demanded　Agatha；　relentlessly　continuing　the
torture。　〃Am　I　verywhatever　you　were　going　to　say？　Am　I？　am　I？
am　I？〃

〃No；　no；〃　gasped　Gertrude；　shrinking　into　a　chair；　almost　in
hysterics。　〃You　are　very　unkind；　Agatha。　You　have　hurt　me。〃

〃You　deserve　it。　If　you　ever　get　sulky　with　me　again；　or　call　me
Miss　Wylie；　I　will　kill　you。　I　will　tickle　the　soles　of　your　feet
with　a　feather；〃　（Miss　Lindsay　shuddered；　and　hid　her　feet
beneath　the　chair）　〃until　your　hair　turns　white。　And　now；　if　you
are　truly　repentant；　come　and　record。〃

〃You　must　record　first。　It　was　all　your　fault。〃

〃But　I　am　the　youngest；〃　said　Agatha。

〃Well；　then；〃　said　Gertrude；　afraid　to　press　the　point；　but
determined　not　to　record　first；　〃let　Jane　Carpenter　begin。　She　is
the　eldest。〃

〃Oh；　of　course；〃　said　Jane；　with　whimpering　irony。　〃Let　Jane　do
all　the　nasty　things　first。　I　think　it's　very　hard。　You　fancy
that　Jane　is　a　fool；　but　she　isn't。〃

〃You　are　certainly　not　such　a　fool　as　you　look；　Jane；〃　said
Agatha　gravely。　〃But　I　will　record　first；　if　you　like。〃

〃No；　you　shan't；〃　cried　Jane；　snatching　the　pen　from　her。　〃I　arm
the　eldest；　and　I　won't　be　put　out　of　my　place。〃

She　dipped　the　pen　in　the　ink　resolutely；　and　prepared　to　write。
Then　she　paused；　considered；　looked　bewildered；　and　at　last
appealed　piteously　to　Agatha。

〃What　shall　I　write？〃　she　said。　〃You　know　how　to　write　things
down；　and　I　don't。〃

〃First　put　the　date；〃　said　Agatha。

〃To　be　sure；〃　said　Jane；　writing　it　quickly。　〃I　forgot　that。
Well？〃

〃Now　write；　'I　am　very　sorry　that　Miss　Wilson　saw　me　when　I　slid
down　the　banisters　this　evening。　Jane　Carpenter。'〃

〃Is　that　all？〃

〃That's　all：　unless　you　wish　to　add　something　of　your　own
composition。〃

〃I　hope　it's　all　right；〃　said　Jane；　looking　suspiciously　at
Agatha。　〃However；　there　can't　be　any　harm　in　it；　for　it's　the
simple　truth。　Anyhow；　if　you　are　playing　one　of　your　jokes　on　me；
you　are　a　nasty　mean　thing；　and　I　don't　care。　Now；　Gertrude；　it's
your　turn。　Please　look　at　mine；　and　see　whether　the　spelling　is
right。〃

〃It　is　not　my　business　to　teach　you　to　spell；〃　said　Gertrude；
taking　the　pen。　And；　while　Jane　was　murmuring　at　her
churlishness；　she　wrote　in　a　bold　hand：

〃I　have　broken　the　rules　by　sliding　down　the　banisters　to…day
with　Miss　Carpenter　and　Miss　Wylie。　Miss　Wylie　went　first。〃

〃You　wretch！〃　exclaimed　Agatha；　reading　over　her　shoulder。　〃And
your　father　is　an　admiral！〃

〃I　think　it　is　only　fair；〃　said　Miss　Lindsay；　quailing；　but
assuming　the　tone　of　a　moralist。　〃It　is　perfectly　true。〃

〃All　my　money　was　made　in　trade；〃　said　Agatha；　〃but　I　should　be
ashamed　to　save　myself　by　shifting　blame　to　your　aristocratic
shoulders。　You　pitiful　thing！　Here：　give　me　the　pen。〃

〃I　will　strike　it　out　if　you　wish；　but　I　think　〃

〃No：　it　shall　stay　there　to　witness　against　you。　How　see　how　I
confess　my　faults。〃　And　she　wrote；　in　a　fine；　rapid　hand：

〃This　evening　Gertrude　Lindsay　and　Jane　Carpenter　met　me　at　the
top　of　the　stairs；　and　said　they　wanted　to　slide　down　the
banisters　and　would　do　it　if　I　went　first。　I　told　them　that　it
was　against　the　rules；　but　they　said　that　did　not　matter；　and　as
they　are　older　than　I　am；　I　allowed　myself　to　be　persuaded；　and
did。〃

〃What　do　you　think　of　that？〃　said　Agatha；　displaying　the　page。

They　read　it；　and　protested　clamorously。

〃It　is　perfectly　true；〃　said　Agatha；　solemnly。

〃It's　beastly　mean；〃　said　Jane　energetically。　〃The　idea　of　your
finding　fault　with　Gertrude；　and　then　going　and　being　twice　as
bad　yourself！　I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing　in　my　life。〃

〃'Thus　bad　begins；　but　worse　remains　behind；'　as　the　Standard
Elocutionist　says；〃　said　Agatha；　adding　another　sentence　to　her
confession。

〃But　it　was　all　my　fault。　Also　I　was　rude　to　Miss　Wilson；　and
refused　to　leave　the　room　when　she　bade　me。　I　was　not　wilfully
wrong　except　in　sliding　down　the　banisters。　I　am　so　fond　of　a
slide　that　I　could　not　resist　the　temptation。〃

〃Be　warned　by　me；　Agatha；〃　said　Jane　impressively。　〃If　you　write
cheeky　things　in　that　book；　you　will　be　expelled。〃

〃Indeed！〃　replied　Agatha　significantly。　〃Wait　until　Miss　Wilson
sees　what　you　have　written。〃

〃Gertrude；〃　cried　Jane；　with　sudden　misgiving；　〃has　she　made　me
write　anything　improper？　Agatha；　do　tell　me　if〃

Here　a　gong　sounded；　and　the　three　girls　simultaneously　exclaimed
〃Grub！〃　and　rushed　from　the　room。

　　　　　　　　　　　

CHAPTER　II

One　sunny　afternoon；　a　hansom　drove　at　great　speed　along　Belsize
Avenue；　St。　John's　Wood；　and　stopped　before　a　large　mansion。　A
young　lady　sprang　out；　ran　up　the　steps；　and　rang　the　bell
impatiently。　She　was　of　the　olive　complexion；　with　a　sharp
profile：　dark　eyes　with　long　lashes；　narrow　mouth　with　delicately
sensuous　lips；　small　head；　feet；　and　hands；　with　long　taper
fingers；　lithe　and　very　slender　figure　moving　with　serpent…like
grace。　Oriental　taste　was　displayed　in　the　colors　of　her　costume；
which　consisted　of　a　white　dress；　close…fitting；　and　printed　with
an　elaborate　china　blue　pattern；　a　yellow　straw　hat　covered　with
artificial　hawthorn　and　scarlet　berries；　and　tan…colored　gloves
reaching　beyond　the　elbow；　and　decorated　with　a　profusion　of　gold
bangles。

The　door　not　being　opened　immediately；　she　rang　again；　violently；
and　w　as　presently　admitted　by　a　maid；　who　seemed　surprised　to
see　her。　Without　making　any　inquiry；　she　darted　upstairs　into　a
drawing…room；　where　a　matron　of　good　presence；　with　features　of
the　finest　Jewish　type；　sat　reading。　With　her　was　a　handsome　boy
in　black　velvet；　who　said：

〃Mamma；　here's　Henrietta！〃　

〃Arthur；〃　said　the　young　lady　excitedly；　〃leave　the　room　this
instant；　and　don't　dare　to　come　back　until　you　get　leave。〃

The　boy's　countenance　fell；　and　he　sulkily　went　out　without　a
word。

〃Is　anything　wrong？〃　said　the　matron；　putting　away　her　book　with
the　unconcerned　resignation　of　an　experienced　person　who　foresees
a　storm　in　a　teacup。　〃Where　is　Sidney？〃

〃Gone！　Gone！　Deserted　me！　I〃　The　young　lady's　utterance　failed；
and　she　threw　herself　upon　an　ottoman；　sobbing　with　passionate
spite。

〃Nonsense！　I　thought　Sidney　had　more　sense。　There；　Henrietta；
don't　be　silly。　I　suppose　you　have　quarrelled。〃

〃No！　No！！　No！！！〃　cried　Henrietta；　stamping　on　the　carpet。　〃We　had
not　a　word。　I　have　not　lost　my　temper　since　we　were　married；
mamma；　I　solemnly　swear　I　have　not。　I　will　kill　myself；　there　is
no　other　way。　There's　a　curse　on　me。　I　am　marked　out　to　be
miserable。　He〃

〃Tut；　tut！　What　has　happened；　Henrietta？　As　you　have　been　married
now　nearly　six　weeks；　you　can　hardly　be　surprised　at　a　little
tiff　arising。　You　are　so　excitable！　You　cannot　expect　the　sky　to
be　always　cloudless。　Most　likely　you　are　to　blame；　for　Sidney　is
far　more　reasonable　than　you。　Stop　crying；　and　behave　like　a
woman　of　sense；　and　I　will　go　to　Sidney　and　make　everything
right。〃

〃But　he's　gone；　and　I　can't　find　out　where。　Oh；　what　shall　I　do？〃

〃What　has　happened？〃

Henrietta　writhed　with　impatience。　Then；　forcing　herself　to　tell
her　story；　she　answered：

〃We　arranged　on　Monday　that　I　should　spend　two　days　with　Aunt
Judith　instead　of　going　with　him　to　Birmingham　to　that　horrid
Trade　Congress。　We　parted　on　the　best　of　terms。　He　couldn't　have
been　more　affectionate。　I　will　kill　myself；　I　don't　care　about
anything　or　anybody。　And　when　I　came　back　on　Wednesday　he　was
gone；　and　there　was　this　letter。〃　She　produced　a　letter；　and　wept
more　bitterly　than　before。

〃Let　me　see　it。〃

Henrietta　hesitated；　but　her　mother　took　the　letter　from　her；　sat
down　near　the　window；　and　composed　herself　to　read　without　the
least　regard　to　her　daughter's　vehement　distress。　The　letter　ran
thus：

〃Monday　night。

〃My　Dearest：　I　am　offsurfeited　with　endearmentto　live　my　own
life　and　do　my　own　work。　I　could　only　have　prepared　you　for　this
by　coldness　or　neglect；　which　are　wholly　impossible　to　me　when
the　spell　of　your　presence　is　upon　me。　I　find　that　I　must　fly　if
I　am　to　save　myself。

〃I　am　afraid　that　I　cannot　give　you　satisfactory　and　intelligible
reasons　for　this　step。　You　are　a　beautiful　and　luxurious
creature：　life　is　to　you　full　and　complete　only　when　it　is　a
carnival　of　love。　My　case　is　just　the　reverse。　Before　three　soft
speeches　have　escaped　me　I　rebuke　myself　for　folly　and
insincerity。　Before　a　caress　has　had　time　to　cool；　a　strenuous
revulsion　seizes　me：　I　long　to　return　to　my　old　lonely　ascetic
hermit　life；　to　my　dry　books；　my　Socialist　propagandism；　my
voyage　of　discovery　through　the　wilderness　of　thought。　I　married
in　an　insane　fit　of　belief　that　I　had　a　share　of　the　natural
affection　which　carries　other　men　through　lifetimes　of　matrimony。
Already　I　am　undeceived。　You　are　to　me　the　loveliest　woman　in　the
world。　Well；　for　five　weeks　I　have　walked　and　tallied　and　dallied
with　the　loveliest　woman　in　the　world；　and　the　upshot　is　that　I
am　flying　from　her；　and　am　for　a　hermit's　cave　until　I　die。　Love
cannot　keep　possession　of　me：　all　my　strongest　powers　rise　up
against　it　and　will　not　endure　it。　Forgive　me　for　writing
nonsense　that　you　won't　understand；　and　do　not　think　too　hardly
of　me。　I　have　been　as　good　to　you　as　my　selfish　nature　allowed。
Do　not　seek　to　disturb　me　in　the　obscurity　which　I　desire　and
deserve。　My　solicitor　will　call　on　your　father　to　arrange
business　matters；　and　you　shall　be　as　happy　as　wealth　and　liberty
can　make　you。　We　shall　meet　againsome　day。