an unsocial socialist-第44部分

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forefinger。

〃Do　take　pity　on　our　poor　sex；〃　said　Agatha　maliciously。　〃You　are
so　rich；　and　so　very　clever；　and　really　so　nice　looking　that　you
ought　to　share　yourself　with　somebody。　Gertrude　would　be　only　too
happy。

Trefusis　grinned　and　shook　his　head；　slowly　but　emphatically。

〃I　suppose　_I_　should　have　no　chance；〃　continued　Agatha
pathetically。

〃I　should　be　delighted；　of　course；〃　he　replied　with　simulated
confusion；　but　with　a　lurking　gleam　in　his　eye　that　might　have
checked　her；　had　she　noticed　it。

〃Do　marry　me；　Mr。　Trefusis；〃　she　pleaded；　clasping　her　hands　in　a
rapture　of　mischievous　raillery。　〃Pray　do。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Trefusis　determinedly；　〃I　will。〃

〃I　am　very　sure　you　shan't；〃　said　Agatha；　after　an　incredulous
pause；　springing　up　and　gathering　her　skirt　as　if　to　run　away。
〃You　do　not　suppose　I　was　in　earnest；　do　you？〃

〃Undoubtedly　I　do。　_I_　am　in　earnest。〃

Agatha　hesitated；　uncertain　whether　he　might　not　be　playing　with
her　as　she　had　just　been　playing　with　him。　〃Take　care；〃　she　said。
〃I　may　change　my　mind　and　be　in　earnest；　too；　and　then　how　will
you　feel；　Mr。　Trefusis？〃

〃I　think；　under　our　altered　relations；　you　had　better　call　me
Sidney。〃

〃I　think　we　had　better　drop　the　joke。　It　was　in　rather　bad　taste；
and　I　should　not　have　made　it；　perhaps。〃

〃It　would　be　an　execrable　joke；　therefore　I　have　no　intention　of
regarding　it　as　one。　You　shall　be　held　to　your　offer；　Agatha。　Are
you　in　love　with　me？〃

〃Not　in　the　least。　Not　the　very　smallest　bit　in　the　world。　I　do
not　know　anybody　with　whom　I　am　less　in　love　or　less　likely　to　be
in　love。〃

〃Then　you　must　marry　me。　If　you　were　in　love　with　me；　I　should
run　away。　My　sainted　Henrietta　adored　me；　and　I　proved　unworthy
of　adorationthough　I　was　immensely　flattered。〃　

〃Yes；　exactly！　The　way　you　treated　your　first　wife　ought　to　be
sufficient　to　warn　any　woman　against　becoming　your　second。〃

〃Any　woman　who　loved　me；　you　mean。　But　you　do　not　love　me；　and　if
I　run　away　you　will　have　the　advantage　of　being　rid　of　me。　Our
settlements　can　be　drawn　so　as　to　secure　you　half　my　fortune　in
such　an　event。〃

〃You　will　never　have　a　chance　of　running　away　from　me。〃

〃I　shall　not　want　to。　I　am　not　so　squeamish　as　I　was。　No；　I　do
not　think　I　shall　run　away　from　you。〃

〃I　do　not　think　so　either。〃

〃Well；　when　shall　we　be　married？〃

〃Never；〃　said　Agatha；　and　fled。　But　before　she　had　gone　a　step　he
caught　her。

〃Don't；〃　she　said　breathlessly。　〃Take　your　arm　away。　How　dare
you？〃

He　released　her　and　shut　the　door　of　the　conservatory。　〃Now；〃　he
said；　〃if　you　want　to　run　away　you　will　have　to　run　in　the　open。〃

〃You　are　very　impertinent。　Let　me　go　in　immediately。〃

〃Do　you　want　me　to　beg　you　to　marry　me　after　you　have　offered　to
do　it　freely？〃

〃But　I　was　only　joking；　I　don't　care　for　you；〃　she　said；　looking
round　for　an　outlet。

〃Agatha；〃　he　said；　with　grim　patience；　〃　half　an　hour　ago　I　had
no　more　intention　of　marrying　you　than　of　making　a　voyage　to　the
moon。　But　when　you　made　the　suggestion　I　felt　all　its　force　in　an
instant；　and　now　nothing　will　satisfy　me　but　your　keeping　your
word。　Of　all　the　women　I　know；　you　are　the　only　one　not　quite　a
fool。〃

〃I　should　be　a　great　fool　if〃

〃If　you　married　me；　you　were　going　to　say；　but　I　don't　think　so。
I　am　the　only　man；　not　quite　an　ass；　of　your　acquaintance。　I　know
my　value；　and　yours。　And　I　loved　you　long　ago；　when　I　had　no
right　to。〃

Agatha　frowned。　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃There　is　no　use　in　saying
anything　more　about　it。　It　is　out　of　the　question。〃

〃Come；　don't　be　vindictive。　I　was　more　sincere　then　than　you
were。　But　that　has　nothing　to　do　with　the　present。　You　have　spent
our　renewed　acquaintance　on　the　defensive　against　me；　retorting
upon　me；　teasing　and　tempting　me。　Be　generous　for　once；　and　say
Yes　with　a　good　will。〃

〃Oh；　I　NEVER　tempted　you；〃　cried　Agatha。　〃I　did　not。　It　is　not
true。〃　He　said　nothing；　but　offered　his　hand。　〃No；　go　away；　I
will　not。〃　He　persisted；　and　she　felt　her　power　of　resistance
suddenly　wane。　Terror…stricken；　she　said　hastily；　〃There　is　not
the　least　use　in　bothering　me；　I　will　tell　you　nothing　to…day。〃

〃Promise　me　on　your　honor　that　you　will　say　Yes　to…morrow；　and　I
will　leave　you　in　peace　until　then。〃

〃I　will　not。〃

〃The　deuce　take　your　sex；〃　he　said　plaintively。

〃You　know　my　mind　now；　and　I　have　to　stand　here　coquetting
because　you　don't　know　your　own。　If　I　cared　for　my　comfort　I
should　remain　a　bachelor。〃

〃I　advise　you　to　do　so；〃　she　said；　stealing　backward　towards　the
door。　〃You　are　a　very　interesting　widower。　A　wife　would　spoil
you。　Consider　the　troubles　of　domesticity；　too。〃

〃I　like　troubles。　They　strengthenAha！〃　（she　had　snatched　at　the
knob　of　the　door；　and　he　swiftly　put　his　hand　on　hers　and　stayed
her）。　〃Not　yet；　if　you　please。　Can　you　not　speak　out　like　a
womanlike　a　man；　I　mean？　You　may　withhold　a　bone　from　Max　until
he　stands　on　his　hind　legs　to　beg　for　it；　but　you　should　not
treat　me　like　a　dog。　Say　Yes　frankly；　and　do　not　keep　me
begging。〃

〃What　in　the　world　do　you　want　to　marry　me　for？〃

〃Because　I　was　made　to　carry　a　house　on　my　shoulders；　and　will　do
so。　I　want　to　do　the　best　I　can　for　myself；　and　I　shall　never
have　such　a　chance　again。　And　I　cannot　help　myself；　and　don't
know　why；　that　is　the　plain　truth　of　the　matter。　You　will　marry
someone　some　day。〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃Yes；　you　will。　Why　not
marry　me？〃

Agatha　bit　her　nether　lip；　looked　ruefully　at　the　ground；　and；
after　a　long　pause；　said　reluctantly；　〃Very　well。　But　mind；　I
think　you　are　acting　very　foolishly；　and　if　you　are　disappointed
afterwards；　you　must　not　blame　ME。〃

〃I　take　the　risk　of　my　bargain；〃　he　said；　releasing　her　hand；　and
leaning　against　the　door　as　he　took　out　his　pocket　diary。　〃You
will　have　to　take　the　risk　of　yours；　which　I　hope　may　not　prove
the　worse　of　the　two。　This　is　the　seventeenth　of　June。　What　date
before　the　twenty…fourth　of　July　will　suit　you？〃

〃You　mean　the　twenty…fourth　of　July　next　year；　I　presume？〃

〃No；　I　mean　this　year。　I　am　going　abroad　on　that　date；　married　or
not；　to　attend　a　conference　at　Geneva；　and　I　want　you　to　come
with　me。　I　will　show　you　a　lot　of　places　and　things　that　you　have
never　seen　before。　It　is　your　right　to　name　the　day；　but　you　have
no　serious　business　to　provide　for；　and　I　have。〃

〃But　you　don't　know　all　the　things　I　shallI　should　have　to
provide。　You　had　better　wait　until　you　come　back　from　the
continent。〃

〃There　is　nothing　to　be　provided　on　your　part　but　settlements　and
your　trousseau。　The　trousseau　is　all　nonsense；　and　Jansenius
knows　me　of　old　in　the　matter　of　settlements。　I　got　married　in
six　weeks　before。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Agatha　sharply；　〃but　I　am　not　Henrietta。〃

〃No；　thank　Heaven；〃　he　assented　placidly。

Agatha　was　struck　with　remorse。　〃That　was　a　vile　thing　for　me　to
say；〃　she　said；　〃and　for　you　too。〃

〃Whatever　is　true　is　to　the　purpose；　vile　or　not。　Will　you　come
to　Geneva　on　the　twenty…fourth？〃　

〃ButI　really　was　not　thinking　when　II　did　not　intend　to　say
that　I　wouldI〃

〃I　know。　You　will　come　if　we　are　married。〃

〃Yes。　IF　we　are　married。〃

〃We　shall　be　married。　Do　not　write　either　to　your　mother　or
Jansenius　until　I　ask　you。〃

〃I　don't　intend　to。　I　have　nothing　to　write　about。〃

〃Wretch　that　you　are！　And　do　not　be　jealous　if　you　catch　me
making　love　to　Lady　Brandon。　I　always　do　so；　she　expects　it。〃

〃You　may　make　love　to　whom　you　please。　It　is　no　concern　of　mine。〃

〃Here　comes　the　wagonette　with　Lady　Brandon　and　Gerand　Miss
Lindsay。　I　mustn't　call　her　Gertrude　now　except　when　you　are　not
by。　Before　they　interrupt　us；　let　me　remind　you　of　the　three
points　we　are　agreed　upon。　I　love　you。　You　do　not　love　me。　We　are
to　be　married　before　the　twenty…fourth　of　next　month。　Now　I　must
fly　to　help　her　ladyship　to　alight。〃

He　hastened　to　the　house　door；　at　which　the　wagonette　had　just
stopped。　Agatha；　bewildered；　and　ashamed　to　face　her　friends；
went　in　through　the　conservatory；　and　locked　herself　in　her　room。

Trefusis　went　into　the　library　with　Gertrude　whilst　Lady　Brandon
loitered　in　the　hall　to　take　off　her　gloves　and　ask　questions　of
the　servants。　When　she　followed；　she　found　the　two　standing
together　at　the　window。　Gertrude　was　listening　to　him　with　the
patient　expression　she　now　often　wore　when　he　talked。　He　was
smiling；　but　it　struck　Jane　that　he　was　not　quite　at　ease。　〃I　was
just　beginning　to　tell　Miss　Lindsay；〃　he　said；　〃of　an
extraordinary　thing　that　has　happened　during　your　absence。〃

〃I　know；〃　exclaimed　Jane；　with　sudden　conviction。　〃The　heater　in
the　conservatory　has　cracked。〃

〃Possibly；〃　said　Trefusis；　〃but；　if　so；　I　have　not　heard　of　it。〃

〃If　it　hasn't　cracked；　it　will；〃　said　Jane　gloomily。　Then；
assuming　with　some　effort　an　interest　in　Trefusis's　news；　she
added：　〃Well；　what　has　happened？〃

〃I　was　chatting　with　Miss　Wylie　just　now；　when　a　singular　idea
occurred　to　us。　We　discussed　it　for　some　time；　and　the　upshot　is
that　we　are　to　be　married　before　the　end　of　next　month。〃

Jane　reddened　and　stared　at　him；　and　he　looked　keenly　back　at
her。　Gertrude；　though　unobserved；　did　not　suffer　her　expression
of　patient　happiness　to　change　in　the　least；　but　a　greenish…white
color　suddenly　appeared　in　her　face；　and　only　gave　place　very
slowly　to　her　usual　complexion。

〃Do　you　mean　to　say　that　you　are　going　to　marry　AGATHA？〃　said
Lady　Brandon　incredulously；　after　a　pause。

〃Yes。　I　had　no　intention　of　doing　so　when　I　last　saw　you　or　I
should　have　told　you。〃

〃I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing　in　my　life！　You　fell　in　love　with
one　another　in　five　minutes；　I　suppose。〃

〃Good　Heavens；　no！　we　are　not　in　love　with　one　another。　Can　you
believe　that　I　would　marry　for　such　a　frivolous　reason？　No。　The
subject　turned　up　accidentally；　and　the　advantage　of　a　match
between　us　struck　me　forcibly。　I　was　fortunate　enough　to　convert
her　to　my　opinion。〃

〃Yes；　she　wanted　a　lot　of　pressing；　I　dare　say；〃　said　Jane；
glancing　at　Gertrude；　who　was　smiling　unmeaningly。

〃As　you　imply；〃　said　Trefusis　coolly；　〃her　reluctance　may　have
been　affected；　and　she　only　too　glad　to　get　such　a　charming
husband。　Assuming　that　to　be　the　case；　she　dissembled　remarkably
well。