villa rubein and other stories-第24部分

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〃Patience；〃　repeated　Dawney's　voice；　〃is　one　thing；　patience　where

there　is　responsibility　is　another。　　I've　not　had　a　wink　of　sleep

these　last　two　nights。〃



There　was　a　faint；　shrill　swish　of　silk。



〃Is　he　so　very　ill？〃



Christian　held　her　breath。　　The　answer　came　at　last。



〃Has　he　made　his　will？　　With　this　trouble　in　the　side　again；　I　tell

you　plainly；　Mrs。　Decie；　there's　little　or　no　chance。〃



Christian　put　her　hands　up　to　her　ears；　and　ran　out　into　the　air。

What　was　she　about　to　do；　thento　leave　him　dying！



On　the　following　day　Harz　was　summoned　to　the　Villa。　　Mr。　Treffry　had

just　risen；　and　was　garbed　in　a　dressing…suit；　old　and　worn；　which

had　a　certain　air　of　magnificence。　　His　seamed　cheeks　were　newly

shaved。



〃I　hope　I　see　you　well；〃　he　said　majestically。



Thinking　of　the　drive　and　their　last　parting；　Harz　felt　sorry　and

ashamed。　　Suddenly　Christian　came　into　the　room；　she　stood　for　a

moment　looking　at　him；　then　sat　down。



〃Chris！〃　said　Mr。　Treffry　reproachfully。　　She　shook　her　head；　and　did

not　move；　mournful　and　intent；　her　eyes　seemed　full　of　secret

knowledge。



Mr。　Treffry　spoke：



〃I've　no　right　to　blame　you；　Mr。　Harz；　and　Chris　tells　me　you　came　to

see　me　first；　which　is　what　I　would　have　expected　of　you；　but　you

shouldn't　have　come　back。〃



〃I　came　back；　sir；　because　I　found　I　was　obliged。　　I　must　speak　out。〃



〃I　ask　nothing　better；〃　Mr。　Treffry　replied。



Harz　looked　again　at　Christian；　but　she　made　no　sign；　sitting　with

her　chin　resting　on　her　hands。



〃I　have　come　for　her；〃　he　said；　〃I　can　make　my　livingenough　for

both　of　us。　　But　I　can't　wait。〃



〃Why？〃



Harz　made　no　answer。



Mr。　Treffry　boomed　out　again：　〃　Why？　　Isn't　she　worth　waiting　for？

Isn't　she　worth　serving　for？〃



〃I　can't　expect　you　to　understand　me；〃　the　painter　said。　　〃My　art　is

my　life　to　me。　　Do　you　suppose　that　if　it　wasn't　I　should　ever　have

left　my　village；　or　gone　through　all　that　I've　gone　through；　to　get

as　far　even　as　I　am？　　You　tell　me　to　wait。　　If　my　thoughts　and　my

will　aren't　free；　how　can　I　work？　　I　shan't　be　worth　my　salt。　　You

tell　me　to　go　back　to　Englandknowing　she　is　here；　amongst　you　who

hate　me；　a　thousand　miles　away。　　I　shall　know　that　there's　a　death

fight　going　on　in　her　and　outside　her　against　meyou　think　that　I

can　go　on　working　under　these　conditions。　　Others　may　be　able；　I　am

not。　　That's　the　plain　truth。　　If　I　loved　her　less〃



There　was　a　silence；　then　Mr。　Treffry　said：



〃It　isn't　fair　to　come　here　and　ask　what　you're　asking。　　You　don't

know　what's　in　the　future　for　you；　you　don't　know　that　you　can　keep　a

wife。　　It　isn't　pleasant；　either；　to　think　you　can't　hold　up　your

head　in　your　own　country。〃



Harz　turned　white。



〃Ah！　you　bring　that　up　again！〃　he　broke　out。　　〃Seven　years　ago　I　was

a　boy　and　starving；　if　you　had　been　in　my　place　you　would　have　done

what　I　did。　　My　country　is　as　much　to　me　as　your　country　is　to　you。

I've　been　an　exile　seven　years；　I　suppose　I　shall　always　be　I've　had

punishment　enough；　but　if　you　think　I　am　a　rascal；　I'll　go　and　give

myself　up。〃　　He　turned　on　his　heel。



〃Stop！　　I　beg　your　pardon！　　I　never　meant　to　hurt　you。　　It　isn't　easy

for　me　to　eat　my　words；〃　Mr。　Treffry　said　wistfully；　〃let　that　count

for　something。〃　　He　held　out　his　hand。



Harz　came　quickly　back　and　took　it。　　Christian's　gaze　was　never　for　a

moment　withdrawn；　she　seemed　trying　to　store　up　the　sight　of　him

within　her。　　The　light　darting　through　the　half…closed　shutters　gave

her　eyes　a　strange；　bright　intensity；　and　shone　in　the　folds　of　her

white　dress　like　the　sheen　of　birds'　wings。



Mr。　Treffry　glanced　uneasily　about　him。　　〃God　knows　I　don't　want

anything　but　her　happiness；〃　he　said。　　〃What　is　it　to　me　if　you'd

murdered　your　mother？　　It's　her　I'm　thinking　of。〃



〃How　can　you　tell　what　is　happiness　to　her？　　You　have　your　own　ideas

of　happinessnot　hers；　not　mine。　　You　can't　dare　to　stop　us；　sir！〃



〃Dare？〃　said　Mr。　Treffry。　　〃Her　father　gave　her　over　to　me　when　she

was　a　mite　of　a　little　thing；　I've　known　her　all　her　life。　　I've

I've　loved　herand　you　come　here　with　your　'dare'！　　〃　His　hand

dragged　at　his　beard；　and　shook　as　though　palsied。



A　look　of　terror　came　into　Christian's　face。



〃All　right；　Chris！　I　don't　ask　for　quarter；　and　I　don't　give　it！〃



Harz　made　a　gesture　of　despair。



〃I've　acted　squarely　by　you；　sir；〃　Mr。　Treffry　went　on；　〃I　ask　the

same　of　you。　　I　ask　you　to　wait；　and　come　like　an　honest　man；　when

you　can　say；　'I　see　my　wayhere's　this　and　that　for　her。'　　What

makes　this　art　you　talk　of　different　from　any　other　call　in　life？　　It

doesn't　alter　facts；　or　give　you　what　other　men　have　no　right　to

expect。　　It　doesn't　put　grit　into　you；　or　keep　your　hands　clean；　or

prove　that　two　and　two　make　five。〃



Harz　answered　bitterly：



〃You　know　as　much　of　art　as　I　know　of　money。　　If　we　live　a　thousand

years　we　shall　never　understand　each　other。　　I　am　doing　what　I　feel

is　best　for　both　of　us。〃



Mr。　Treffry　took　hold　of　the　painter's　sleeve。



〃I　make　you　an　offer；〃　he　said。　　〃Your　word　not　to　see　or　write　to

her　for　a　year！　　Then；　position　or　not；　money　or　no　money；　if　she'll

have　you；　I'll　make　it　right　for　you。〃



〃I　could　not　take　your　money。〃



A　kind　of　despair　seemed　suddenly　to　seize　on　Mr。　Nicholas　Treffry。

He　rose；　and　stood　towering　over　them。



〃All　my　life〃　he　said；　but　something　seemed　to　click　deep　down　in

his　throat；　and　he　sank　back　in　his　seat。



〃Go！〃　whispered　Christian；　〃go！〃　But　Mr。　Treffry　found　his　voice

again：　〃It's　for　the　child　to　say。　　Well；　Chris！〃



Christian　did　not　speak。



It　was　Harz　who　broke　the　silence。　　He　pointed　to　Mr。　Treffry。



〃You　know　I　can't　tell　you　to　come　withthat；　there。　　Why　did　you

send　for　me？〃　　And；　turning；　he　went　out。



Christian　sank　on　her　knees；　burying　her　face　in　her　hands。　　Mr。

Treffry　pressed　his　handkerchief　with　a　stealthy　movement　to　his

mouth。　　It　was　dyed　crimson　with　the　price　of　his　victory。









XXVI



A　telegram　had　summoned　Herr　Paul　from　Vienna。　　He　had　started

forthwith；　leaving　several　unpaid　accounts　to　a　more　joyful

opportunity；　amongst　them　a　chemist's　bill；　for　a　wonderful　quack

medicine　of　which　he　brought　six　bottles。



He　came　from　Mr。　Treffry's　room　with　tears　rolling　down　his　cheeks；

saying：



〃Poor　Nicholas！　　Poor　Nicholas！　　Il　n'a　pas　de　chance！〃



It　was　difficult　to　find　any　one　to　listen；　the　women　were　scared　and

silent；　waiting　for　the　orders　that　were　now　and　then　whispered

through　the　door。　　Herr　Paul　could　not　bear　this　silence；　and　talked

to　his　servant　for　half　an　hour；　till　Fritz　also　vanished　to　fetch

something　from　the　town。　　Then　in　despair　Herr　Paul　went　to　his　room。



It　was　hard　not　to　be　allowed　to　helpit　was　hard　to　wait！　　When　the

heart　was　suffering；　it　was　frightful！　　He　turned　and；　looking

furtively　about　him；　lighted　a　cigar。　　Yes；　it　came　to　every　oneat

some　time　or　other；　and　what　was　it；　that　death　they　talked　of？　　Was

it　any　worse　than　life？　　That　frightful　jumble　people　made　for

themselves！　　Poor　Nicholas！　　After　all；　it　was　he　that　had　the　luck！



His　eyes　filled　with　tears；　and　drawing　a　penknife　from　his　pocket；

he　began　to　stab　it　into　the　stuffing　of　his　chair。　　Scruff；　who　sat

watching　the　chink　of　light　under　the　door；　turned　his　head；　blinked

at　him；　and　began　feebly　tapping　with　a　claw。



It　was　intolerable；　this　uncertaintyto　be　near；　and　yet　so　far；　was

not　endurable！



Herr　Paul　stepped　across　the　room。　　The　dog；　following；　threw　his

black…marked　muzzle　upwards　with　a　gruff　noise；　and　went　back　to　the

door。　　His　master　was　holding　in　his　hand　a　bottle　of　champagne。



Poor　Nicholas！　　He　had　chosen　it。　　Herr　Paul　drained　a　glass。



Poor　Nicholas！　　The　prince　of　fellows；　and　of　what　use　was　one？　　They

kept　him　away　from　Nicholas！



Herr　Paul's　eyes　fell　on　the　terrier。　　〃Ach！　my　dear；〃　he　said；　〃you

and　I；　we　alone　are　kept　away！〃



He　drained　a　second　glass。



What　was　it？　　This　life！　　Froth…like　that！　He　tossed　off　a　third

glass。　　Forget！　　If　one　could　not　help；　it　was　better　to　forget！



He　put　on　his　hat。　　Yes。　　There　was　no　room　for　him　there！　　He　was

not　wanted！



He　finished　the　bottle；　and　went　out　into　the　passage。　　Scruff　ran

and　lay　down　at　Mr。　Treffry's　door。　　Herr　Paul　looked　at　him。　　〃Ach！〃

he　said；　tapping　his　chest；　〃ungrateful　hound！〃　　And　opening　the

front　door　he　went　out　on　tiptoe。。。。



Late　that　afternoon　Greta　stole　hatless　through　the　lilac　bushes；　she

looked　tired　after　her　night　journey；　and　sat　idly　on　a　chair　in　the

speckled　shadow　of　a　lime…tree。



'It　is　not　like　home；'　she　thought；　'I　am　unhappy。　　Even　the　birds

are　silent；　but　perhaps　that　is　because　it　is　so　hot。　　I　have　never

been　sad　like　thisfor　it　is　not　fancy　that　I　am　sad　this　time；　as

it　is　sometimes。　　It　is　in　my　heart　like　the　sound　the　wind　makes

through　a　wood；　it　feels　quite　empty　in　my　heart。　　If　it　is　always

like　this　to　be　unhappy；　then　I　am　sorry　for　all　the　unhappy　things

in　the　world；　I　am　sorrier　than　I　ever　was　before。'



A　shadow　fell　on　the　grass；　she　raised　her　eyes；　and　saw　Dawney。



〃Dr。　Edmund！〃　she　whispered。



Dawney　turned　to　her；　a　heavy　furrow　showed　between　his　brows。　　His

eyes；　always　rather　close　together；　stared　painfully。



〃Dr。　Edmund；〃　Greta　whispered；　〃is　it　true？〃



He　took　her　hand；　and　spread　his　own　palm　over　it。



〃Perhaps；〃　he　said；　〃perhaps　not。　　We　must　hope。〃



Greta　looked　up；　awed。



〃They　say　he　is　dying。〃



〃We　have　sent　for　the　best　man　in　Vienna。〃



Greta　shook　her　head。



〃But　you　are　clever；　Dr。　Edmund；　and　you　are　afraid。〃



〃He　is　brave；〃　said　Dawney；　〃we　must　all　be　brave；　you　know。　　You

too！〃



〃Brave？〃　repeated　Greta；　〃what　is　it　to　be　brave？　　If　it　is　not　to

cry　and　make　a　fussthat