an unsocial socialist-第30部分

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followed　the　procession；　which　was　by　this　time　out　of　sight。

Sir　Charles；　who；　waiting　to　speak；　had　been　repeatedly　baffled
by　the　hasty　speeches　of　his　wife　and　the　unhesitating　replies　of
Trefusis；　now　turned　angrily　upon　her；　saying：

〃What　do　you　mean　by　inviting　that　fellow　to　my　house　？〃

〃Your　house；　indeed！　I　will　invite　whom　I　please。　You　are　getting
into　one　of　your　tempers。〃

Sir　Charles　looked　about　him。　Erskine　had　discreetly　slipped
away；　and　was　in　the　road；　tightening　a　screw　in　his　bicycle。　The
few　persons　who　remained　were　out　of　earshot。

〃Who　and　what　the　devil　is　he；　and　how　do　you　come　to　know　him？〃
he　demanded。　He　never　swore　in　the　presence　of　any　lady　except
his　wife；　and　then　only　when　they　were　alone。

〃He　is　a　gentleman；　which　is　more　than　you　are；〃　she　retorted；
and；　with　a　cut　of　her　whip　that　narrowly　missed　her　husband's
shoulder；　sent　the　bay　plunging　through　the　gap。

〃Come　along；〃　she　said　to　Erskine。　〃We　shall　be　late　for
luncheon。〃

〃Had　we　not　better　wait　for　Sir　Charles？〃　he　asked　injudiciously。

〃Never　mind　Sir　Charles；　he　is　in　the　sulks；〃　she　said；　without
abating　her　voice。　〃Come　along。〃　And　she　went　off　at　a　canter；
Erskine　following　her　with　a　misgiving　that　his　visit　was
unfortunately　timed。　unworthy　of　yourself；　and　that　a　net　is
closing　round　you？〃

〃No。　Nothing　of　the　sort！〃

〃Then　why　are　you　so　anxious　to　get　away？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　said　Agatha；　affecting　to　laugh　as　he　looked
sceptically　at　her　from　beneath　his　lowered　eyelids。　〃Perhaps　I
do　feel　a　little　like　that；　but　not　so　much　as　you　say。〃

〃I　will　explain　the　emotion　to　you；〃　he　said；　with　a　subdued
ardor　that　affected　Agatha　strangely。　〃But　first　tell　me　whether
it　is　new　to　you　or　not。〃

〃It　is　not　an　emotion　at　all。　I　did　not　say　that　it　was。〃

〃Do　not　be　afraid　of　it。　It　is　only　being　alone　with　a　man　whom
you　have　bewitched。　You　would　be　mistress　of　the　situation　if　you
only　knew　how　to　manage　a　lover。　It　is　far　easier　than　managing　a
horse；　or　skating；　or　playing　the　piano；　or　half　a　dozen　other
feats　of　which　you　think　nothing。〃

Agatha　colored　and　raised　her　head。

〃Forgive　me；〃　he　said；　interrupting　the　action。　〃I　am　trying　to
offend　you　in　order　to　save　myself　from　falling　in　love　with　you；
and　I　have　not　the　heart　to　let　myself　succeed。　On　your　life；　do
not　listen　to　me　or　believe　me。　I　have　no　right　to　say　these
things　to　you。　Some　fiend　enters　into　me　when　I　am　at　your　side。
You　should　wear　a　veil；　Agatha。〃

She　blushed；　and　stood　burning　and　tingling；　her　presence　of　mind
gone；　and　her　chief　sensation　one　of　relief　to　hearfor　she　did
not　dare　to　seethat　he　was　departing。　Her　consciousness　was　in
a　delicious　confusion；　with　the　one　definite　thought　in　it　that
she　had　won　her　lover　at　last。　The　tone　of　Trefusis's　voice；　rich
with　truth　and　earnestness；　his　quick　insight；　and　his　passionate
warning　to　her　not　to　heed　him；　convinced　her　that　she　had
entered　into　a　relation　destined　to　influence　her　whole　life。

〃And　yet；〃　she　said　remorsefully；　〃I　cannot　love　him　as　he　loves
me。　I　am　selfish；　cold；　calculating；　worldly；　and　have　doubted
until　now　whether　such　a　thing　as　love　really　existed。　If　I　could
only　love　him　recklessly　and　wholly；　as　he　loves　me！〃

Smilash　was　also　soliloquizing　as　he　went　on　his　way。

〃Now　I　have　made　the　poor　childwho　was　so　anxious　that　I　should
not　mistake　her　for　a　supernaturally　gifted　and　lovely　womanas
happy　as　an　angel；　and　so　is　that　fine　girl　whom　they　call　Jane
Carpenter。　I　hope　they　won't　exchange　confidences　on　the
subject。〃

　　　　

CHAPTER　XII

On　the　following　Thursday　Gertrude；　Agatha；　and　Jane　met　for　the
first　time　since　they　had　parted　at　Alton　College。　Agatha　was　the
shyest　of　the　three；　and　externally　the　least　changed。　She
fancied　herself　very　different　from　the　Agatha　of　Alton；　but　it
was　her　opinion　of　herself　that　had　altered；　not　her　person。
Expecting　to　find　a　corresponding　alteration　in　her　friends；　she
had　looked　forward　to　the　meeting　with　much　doubt　and　little　hope
of　its　proving　pleasant。

She　was　more　anxious　about　Gertrude　than　about　Jane；　concerning
whom；　at　a　brief　interview　in　London；　she　had　already　discovered
that　Lady　Brandon's　manner；　mind；　and　speech　were　just　what　Miss
Carpenter's　had　been。　But；　even　from　Agatha；　Jane　commanded　more
respect　than　before；　having　changed　from　an　overgrown　girl　into　a
fine　woman；　and　made　a　brilliant　match　in　her　first　season；
whilst　many　of　her　pretty；　proud；　and　clever　contemporaries；　whom
she　had　envied　at　school；　were　still　unmarried；　and　were　having
their　homes　made　uncomfortable　by　parents　anxious　to　get　rid　of
the　burthen　of　supporting　them；　and　to　profit　in　purse　or
position　by　their　marriages。

This　was　Gertrude's　case。　Like　Agatha；　she　had　thrown　away　her
matrimonial　opportunities。　Proud　of　her　rank　and　exclusiveness；
she　had　resolved　to　have　as　little　as　possible　to　do　with　persons
who　did　not　share　both　with　her。　She　began　by　repulsing　the
proffered　acquaintance　of　many　families　of　great　wealth　and
fashion；　who　either　did　not　know　their　grandparents　or　were
ashamed　of　them。　Having　shut　herself　out　of　their　circle；　she　was
presented　at　court；　and　thenceforth　accepted　the　invitations　of
those　only　who　had；　in　her　opinion；　a　right　to　the　same　honor。
And　she　was　far　stricter　on　that　point　than　the　Lord　Chamberlain；
who　had；　she　held；　betrayed　his　trust　by　practically　turning
Leveller。　She　was　well　educated；　refined　in　her　manners　and
habits；　skilled　in　etiquette　to　an　extent　irritating　to　the
ignorant；　and　gifted　with　a　delicate　complexion；　pearly　teeth；
and　a　face　that　would　have　been　Grecian　but　for　a　slight　upward
tilt　of　the　nose　and　traces　of　a　square；　heavy　type　in　the　jaw。
Her　father　was　a　retired　admiral；　with　sufficient　influence　to
have　had　a　sinecure　made　by　a　Conservative　government　expressly
for　the　maintenance　of　his　son　pending　alliance　with　some
heiress。　Yet　Gertrude　remained　single；　and　the　admiral；　who　had
formerly　spent　more　money　than　he　could　comfortably　afford　on　her
education；　and　was　still　doing　so　upon　her　state　and　personal
adornment；　was　complaining　so　unpleasantly　of　her　failure　to　get
taken　off　his　hands；　that　she　could　hardly　bear　to　live　at　home；
and　was　ready　to　marry　any　thoroughbred　gentleman；　however
unsuitable　his　age　or　character；　who　would　relieve　her　from　her
humiliating　dependence。　She　was　prepared　to　sacrifice　her　natural
desire　for　youth；　beauty；　and　virtue　in　a　husband　if　she　could
escape　from　her　parents　on　no　easier　terms；　but　she　was　resolved
to　die　an　old　maid　sooner　than　marry　an　upstart。

The　difficulty　in　her　way　was　pecuniary。　The　admiral　was　poor。　He
had　not　quite　six　thousand　a　year；　and　though　he　practiced　the
utmost　economy　in　order　to　keep　up　the　most　expensive　habits；　he
could　not　afford　to　give　his　daughter　a　dowry。　Now　the　well　born
bachelors　of　her　set；　having　more　blue　bood；　but　much　less
wealth；　than　they　needed；　admired　her；　paid　her　compliments；
danced　with　her；　but　could　not　afford　to　marry　her。　Some　of　them
even　told　her　so；　married　rich　daughters　of　tea　merchants；　iron
founders；　or　successful　stocktrokers；　and　then　tried　to　make
matches　between　her　and　their　lowly　born　brothers…in…law。

So；　when　Gertrude　met　Lady　Brandon；　her　lot　was　secretly
wretched；　and　she　was　glad　to　accept　an　invitation　to　Brandon
Beeches　in　order　to　escape　for　a　while　from　the　admiral's　daily
sarcasms　on　the　marriage　list　in　the　〃Times。〃　The　invitation　was
the　more　acceptable　because　Sir　Charles　was　no　mushroom　noble；
and；　in　the　schooldays　which　Gertrude　now　remembered　as　the
happiest　of　her　life；　she　had　acknowledged　that　Jane's　family　and
connections　were　more　aristocratic　than　those　of　any　other
student　then　at　Alton；　herself　excepted。　To　Agatha；　whose
grandfather　had　amassed　wealth　as　a　proprietor　of　gasworks
（novelties　in　his　time）；　she　had　never　offered　her　intimacy。
Agatha　had　taken　it　by　force；　partly　moral；　partly　physical。　But
the　gasworks　were　never　forgotten；　and　when　Lady　Brandon
mentioned；　as　a　piece　of　delightful　news；　that　she　had　found　out
their　old　school　companion；　and　had　asked　her　to　join　them；
Gertrude　was　not　quite　pleased。　Yet；　when　they　met；　her　eyes　were
the　only　wet　ones　there；　for　she　was　the　least　happy　of　the
three；　and；　though　she　did　not　know　it；　her　spirit　was　somewhat
broken。　Agatha；　she　thought；　had　lost　the　bloom　of　girlhood；　but
was　bolder；　stronger；　and　cleverer　than　before。　Agatha　had；　in
fact；　summoned　all　her　self…possession　to　hide　her　shyness。　She
detected　the　emotion　of　Gertrude；　who　at　the　last　moment　did　not
try　to　conceal　it。　It　would　have　been　poured　out　freely　in　words；
had　Gertrude's　social　training　taught　her　to　express　her　feelings
as　well　as　it　had　accustomed　her　to　dissemble　them。

〃Do　you　remember　Miss　Wilson？〃　said　Jane；　as　the　three　drove　from
the　railway　station　to　Brandon　Beeches。　〃Do　you　remember　Mrs。
Miller　and　her　cat？　Do　you　remember　the　Recording　Angel？　Do　you
remember　how　I　fell　into　the　canal？〃

These　reminiscences　lasted　until　they　reached　the　house　and　went
together　to　Agatha's　room。　Here　Jane；　having　some　orders　to　give
in　the　household；　had　to　leave　themreluctantly；　for　she　was
jealous　lest　Gertrude　should　get　the　start　of　her　in　the　renewal
of　Agatha's　affection。　She　even　tried　to　take　her　rival　away　with
her；　but　in　vain。　Gertrude　would　not　budge。

〃What　a　beautiful　house　and　splendid　place！〃　said　Agatha　when
Jane　was　gone。　〃And　what　a　nice　fellow　Sir　Charles　is！　We　used　to
laugh　at　Jane；　but　she　can　afford　to　laugh　at　the　luckiest　of　us
now。　I　always　said　she　would　blunder　into　the　best　of　everything。
Is　it　true　that　she　married　in　her　first　season？〃

〃Yes。　And　Sir　Charles　is　a　man　of　great　culture。　I　cannot
understand　it。　Her　size　is　really　beyond　everything；　and　her
manners　are　bad。〃

〃Hm！〃　said　Agatha　with　a　wise　air。　〃There　was　always　something
about　Jane　that　attracted　men。　And　she　is　more　knave　than　fool。
But　she　is　certainly　a　great　ass。〃

Gertrude　looked　serious；　to　imply　that　she　had　grown　out　of　the
habit　of　using　or　listening　to　such　language。　Agatha；　stimulated
by　this；　continued：

〃Here　are