villa rubein and other stories-第3部分

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〃Ah！〃　he　said；　〃why　did　you　do　that？〃



This　girl；　who　stood　with　a　bit　of　the　torn　sketch　in　either　hand；

was　slight　and　straight；　and　her　face　earnest　and　serene。　　She　gazed

at　Harz　with　large；　clear；　greenish　eyes；　her　lips　and　chin　were

defiant；　her　forehead　tranquil。



〃I　don't　like　it。〃



〃Will　you　let　me　look　at　it？　　I　am　a　painter。〃



〃It　isn't　worth　looking　at；　butif　you　wish〃



He　put　the　two　halves　of　the　sketch　together。



〃You　see！〃　she　said　at　last；　〃I　told　you。〃



Harz　did　not　answer；　still　looking　at　the　sketch。　　The　girl　frowned。



Harz　asked　her　suddenly：



〃Why　do　you　paint？〃



She　coloured；　and　said：



〃Show　me　what　is　wrong。〃



〃I　cannot　show　you　what　is　wrong；　there　is　nothing　wrongbut　why　do

you　paint？〃



〃I　don't　understand。〃



Harz　shrugged　his　shoulders。



〃You've　no　business　to　do　that；〃　said　the　girl　in　a　hurt　voice；　〃I

want　to　know。〃



〃Your　heart　is　not　in　it；〃　said　Harz。



She　looked　at　him；　startled；　her　eyes　had　grown　thoughtful。



〃I　suppose　that　is　it。　　There　are　so　many　other　things〃



〃There　should　be　nothing　else；〃　said　Harz。



She　broke　in：　〃I　don't　want　always　to　be　thinking　of　myself。

Suppose〃



〃Ah！　When　you　begin　supposing！〃



The　girl　confronted　him；　she　had　torn　the　sketch　again。



〃You　mean　that　if　it　does　not　matter　enough；　one　had　better　not　do　it

at　all。　　I　don't　know　if　you　are　rightI　think　you　are。〃



There　was　the　sound　of　a　nervous　cough；　and　Harz　saw　behind　him　his

three　visitorsMiss　Naylor　offering　him　her　hand；　Greta；　flushed；

with　a　bunch　of　wild　flowers；　staring　intently　in　his　face；　and　the

terrier；　sniffing　at　his　trousers。



Miss　Naylor　broke　an　awkward　silence。



〃We　wondered　if　you　would　still　be　here；　Christian。　　I　am　sorry　to

interrupt　youI　was　not　aware　that　you　knew　Mr。Herr〃



〃Harz　is　my　namewe　were　just　talking〃



〃About　my　sketch。　　Oh；　Greta；　you　do　tickle！　　Will　you　come　and　have

breakfast　with　us　to…day；　Herr　Harz？　　It's　our　turn；　you　know。〃



Harz；　glancing　at　his　dusty　clothes；　excused　himself。



But　Greta　in　a　pleading　voice　said：　〃Oh！　do　come！　　Scruff　likes　you。

It　is　so　dull　when　there　is　nobody　for　breakfast　but　ourselves。〃



Miss　Naylor's　mouth　began　to　twist。　　Harz　hurriedly　broke　in：



〃Thank　you。　　I　will　come　with　pleasure；　you　don't　mind　my　being

dirty？〃



〃Oh　no！　we　do　not　mind；　then　we　shall　none　of　us　wash；　and　afterwards

I　shall　show　you　my　rabbits。〃



Miss　Naylor；　moving　from　foot　to　foot；　like　a　bird　on　its　perch；

exclaimed：



〃I　hope　you　won't　regret　it；　not　a　very　good　mealthe　girls　are　so

impulsivesuch　informal　invitation；　we　shall　be　very　glad。〃



But　Greta　pulled　softly　at　her　sister's　sleeve；　and　Christian；

gathering　her　things；　led　the　way。



Harz　followed　in　amazement；　nothing　of　this　kind　had　come　into　his

life　before。　　He　kept　shyly　glancing　at　the　girls；　and；　noting　the

speculative　innocence　in　Greta's　eyes；　he　smiled。　　They　soon　came　to

two　great　poplar…trees；　which　stood；　like　sentinels；　one　on　either

side　of　an　unweeded　gravel　walk　leading　through　lilac　bushes　to　a

house　painted　dull　pink；　with　green…shuttered　windows；　and　a　roof　of

greenish　slate。　　Over　the　door　in　faded　crimson　letters　were　written

the　words；　〃Villa　Rubein。〃



〃That　is　to　the　stables；〃　said　Greta；　pointing　down　a　path；　where

some　pigeons　were　sunning　themselves　on　a　wall。　　〃Uncle　Nic　keeps　his

horses　there：　Countess　and　Cuckoohis　horses　begin　with　C；　because

of　Christhey　are　quite　beautiful。　　He　says　he　could　drive　them　to

Kingdom…Come　and　they　would　not　turn　their　hair。　　Bow；　and　say　'Good…

morning'　to　our　house！〃



Harz　bowed。



〃Father　said　all　strangers　should；　and　I　think　it　brings　good　luck。〃

》From　the　doorstep　she　looked　round　at　Harz；　then　ran　into　the　house。



A　broad；　thick…set　man；　with　stiff；　brushed…up　hair；　a　short；　brown；

bushy　beard　parted　at　the　chin；　a　fresh　complexion；　and　blue　glasses

across　a　thick　nose；　came　out；　and　called　in　a　bluff　voice：



〃Ha！　my　good　dears；　kiss　me　quickprrt！　　How　goes　it　then　this

morning？　　A　good　walk；　hein？〃　　The　sound　of　many　loud　rapid　kisses

followed。



〃Ha；　Fraulein；　good！〃　　He　became　aware　of　Harz's　figure　standing　in

the　doorway：　〃Und　der　Herr？〃



Miss　Naylor　hurriedly　explained。



〃Good！　　An　artist！　　Kommen　Sie　herein；　I　am　delight。　　You　will

breakfast？　　I　tooyes；　yes；　my　dearsI　too　breakfast　with　you　this

morning。　　I　have　the　hunter's　appetite。〃



Harz；　looking　at　him　keenly；　perceived　him　to　be　of　middle　height　and

age；　stout；　dressed　in　a　loose　holland　jacket；　a　very　white；　starched

shirt；　and　blue　silk　sash；　that　he　looked　particularly　clean；　had　an

air　of　belonging　to　Society；　and　exhaled　a　really　fine　aroma　of

excellent　cigars　and　the　best　hairdresser's　essences。



The　room　they　entered　was　long　and　rather　bare；　there　was　a　huge　map

on　the　wall；　and　below　it　a　pair　of　globes　on　crooked　supports；

resembling　two　inflated　frogs　erect　on　their　hind　legs。　　In　one

corner　was　a　cottage　piano；　close　to　a　writing…table　heaped　with

books　and　papers；　this　nook；　sacred　to　Christian；　was　foreign　to　the

rest　of　the　room；　which　was　arranged　with　supernatural　neatness。　　A

table　was　laid　for　breakfast；　and　the　sun…warmed　air　came　in　through

French　windows。



The　meal　went　merrily；　Herr　Paul　von　Morawitz　was　never　in　such

spirits　as　at　table。　　Words　streamed　from　him。　　Conversing　with　Harz；

he　talked　of　Art　as　who　should　say：　〃One　does　not　claim　to　be　a

connoisseurpas　si　betestill；　one　has　a　little　knowledge；　que

diable！〃　　He　recommended　him　a　man　in　the　town　who　sold　cigars　that

were　〃not　so　very　bad。〃　　He　consumed　porridge；　ate　an　omelette；　and

bending　across　to　Greta　gave　her　a　sounding　kiss；　muttering：　〃Kiss　me

quick！〃an　expression　he　had　picked　up　in　a　London　music…hall；　long

ago；　and　considered　chic。　　He　asked　his　daughters'　plans；　and　held

out　porridge　to　the　terrier；　who　refused　it　with　a　sniff。



〃Well；〃　he　said　suddenly；　looking　at　Miss　Naylor；　〃here　is　a

gentleman　who　has　not　even　heard　our　names！〃



The　little　lady　began　her　introductions　in　a　breathless　voice。



〃Good！〃　　Herr　Paul　said；　puffing　out　his　lips：　〃Now　we　know　each

other！〃　and；　brushing　up　the　ends　of　his　moustaches；　he　carried　off

Harz　into　another　room；　decorated　with　pipe…racks；　prints　of　dancing…

girls；　spittoons；　easy…chairs　well…seasoned　by　cigar　smoke；　French

novels；　and　newspapers。



The　household　at　Villa　Rubein　was　indeed　of　a　mixed　and　curious

nature。　　Cut　on　both　floors　by　corridors；　the　Villa　was　divided　into

four　divisions；　each　of　which　had　its　separate　inhabitants；　an

arrangement　which　had　come　about　in　the　following　way：



When　old　Nicholas　Treffry　died；　his　estate；　on　the　boundary　of

Cornwall；　had　been　sold　and　divided　up　among　his　three　surviving

childrenNicholas；　who　was　much　the　eldest；　a　partner　in　the　well…

known　firm　of　Forsyte　and　Treffry；　teamen；　of　the　Strand；　Constance；

married　to　a　man　called　Decie；　and　Margaret；　at　her　father's　death

engaged　to　the　curate　of　the　parish；　John　Devorell；　who　shortly

afterwards　became　its　rector。　　By　his　marriage　with　Margaret　Treffry

the　rector　had　one　child　called　Christian。　　Soon　after　this　he　came

into　some　property；　and　died；　leaving　it　unfettered　to　his　widow。

Three　years　went　by；　and　when　the　child　was　six　years　old；　Mrs。

Devorell；　still　young　and　pretty；　came　to　live　in　London　with　her

brother　Nicholas。　　It　was　there　that　she　met　Paul　von　Morawitzthe

last　of　an　old　Czech　family；　who　had　lived　for　many　hundred　years　on

their　estates　near　Budweiss。　　Paul　had　been　left　an　orphan　at　the　age

of　ten；　and　without　a　solitary　ancestral　acre。　　Instead　of　acres；　he

inherited　the　faith　that　nothing　was　too　good　for　a　von　Morawitz。　　In

later　years　his　savoir　faire　enabled　him　to　laugh　at　faith；　but　it

stayed　quietly　with　him　all　the　same。　　The　absence　of　acres　was　of　no

great　consequence；　for　through　his　mother；　the　daughter　of　a　banker

in　Vienna；　he　came　into　a　well…nursed　fortune。　　It　befitted　a　von

Morawitz　that　he　should　go　into　the　Cavalry；　but；　unshaped　for

soldiering；　he　soon　left　the　Service；　some　said　he　had　a　difference

with　his　Colonel　over　the　quality　of　food　provided　during　some

manoeuvres；　others　that　he　had　retired　because　his　chargers　did　not

fit　his　legs；　which　were；　indeed；　rather　round。



He　had　an　admirable　appetite　for　pleasure；　a　man…about…town's　life

suited　him。　　He　went　his　genial；　unreflecting；　costly　way　in　Vienna；

Paris；　London。　　He　loved　exclusively　those　towns；　and　boasted　that　he

was　as　much　at　home　in　one　as　in　another。　　He　combined　exuberant

vitality　with　fastidiousness　of　palate；　and　devoted　both　to　the

acquisition　of　a　special　taste　in　women；　weeds；　and　wines；　above　all

he　was　blessed　with　a　remarkable　digestion。　　He　was　thirty　when　he

met　Mrs。　Devorell；　and　she　married　him　because　he　was　so　very

different　from　anybody　she　had　ever　seen。　　People　more　dissimilar

were　never　mated。　　To　Paulaccustomed　to　stage　doorsfreshness；

serene　tranquillity；　and　obvious　purity　were　the　baits；　he　had　run

through　more　than　half　his　fortune；　too；　and　the　fact　that　she　had

money　was　possibly　not　overlooked。　　Be　that　as　it　may；　he　was　fond　of

her；　his　heart　was　soft；　he　developed　a　domestic　side。



Greta　was　born　to　them　after　a　year　of　marriage。　　The　instinct　of　the

〃freeman〃　was；　however；　not　dead　in　Paul；　he　became　a　gambler。　　He

lost　the　remainder　of　his　fortune　without　being　greatly　disturbed。

When　he　began　to　lose　his　wife's　fortune　too　things　naturally　became

more　difficult。　　Not　too　much　remained　when　Nicholas　Treffry　stepped

in；　and　caused　his　sister　to　settle　what　was　left　on　her　daughters；

after　providing　a　life…interest　for　herself　and　Paul。　　Losing　his

supplies；　the　good　man　had　given　up　his　cards。　　But　the　instinct　of

the　〃freeman〃　was　still　living　in　his　breast；　he　took　to　dr