the egoist-第105部分

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CHAPTER　L

Upon　Which　the　Curtain　Falls

〃Plain　sense　upon　the　marriage　question　is　my　demand　upon　man　and
woman；　for　the　stopping　of　many　a　tragedy。〃

These　were　Dr。　Middleton's　words　in　reply　to　Willoughby's　brief
explanation。

He　did　not　say　that　he　had　shown　it　parentally　while　the　tragedy
was　threatening；　or　at　least　there　was　danger　of　a　precipitate
descent　from　the　levels　of　comedy。　The　parents　of　hymeneal　men　and
women　he　was　indisposed　to　consider　as　dramatis　personae。　Nor　did
he　mention　certain　sympathetic　regrets　he　entertained　in
contemplation　of　the　health　of　Mr。　Dale；　for　whom；　poor
gentleman；　the　proffer　of　a　bottle　of　the　Patterne　Port　would　be
an　egregious　mockery。　He　paced　about；　anxious　for　his　departure；
and　seeming　better　pleased　with　the　society　of　Colonel　De　Craye
than　with　that　of　any　of　the　others。　Colonel　De　Craye　assiduously
courted　him；　was　anecdotal；　deferential；　charmingly　vivacious；　the
very　man　the　Rev。　Doctor　liked　for　company　when　plunged　in　the
bustle　of　the　preliminaries　to　a　journey。

〃You　would　be　a　cheerful　travelling　comrade。　sir；〃　he　remarked；　and
spoke　of　his　doom　to　lead　his　daughter　over　the　Alps　and　Alpine
lakes　for　the　Summer　months。

Strange　to　tell；　the　Alps；　for　the　Summer　months；　was　a　settled
project　of　the　colonel's。

And　thence　Dr。　Middleton　was　to　be　hauled　along　to　the　habitable
quarters　of　North　Italy　in　high　Summer…tide。　

That　also　had　been　traced　for　a　route　on　the　map　of　Colonel　De
Craye。

〃We　are　started　in　June；　I　am　informed；〃　said　Dr。　Middleton。

June；　by　miracle；　was　the　month　the　colonel　had　fixed　upon。

〃I　trust　we　shall　meet；　sir；〃　said　he。

〃I　would　gladly　reckon　it　in　my　catalogue　of　pleasures；〃　the　Rev。
Doctor　responded；　〃for　in　good　sooth　it　is　conjecturable　that　I
shall　he　left　very　much　alone。〃

〃Paris；　Strasburg；　Basle？〃　the　colonel　inquired。

〃The　Lake　of　Constance；　I　am　told；〃　said　Dr。　Middleton。　Colonel
De　Craye　spied　eagerly　for　an　opportunity　of　exchanging　a　pair　of
syllables　with　the　third　and　fairest　party　of　this　glorious
expedition　to　come。

Willoughby　met　him；　and　rewarded　the　colonel's　frankness　in
stating　that　he　was　on　the　look…out　for　Miss　Middleton　to　take　his
leave　of　her；　by　furnishing　him　the　occasion。　He　conducted　his
friend　Horace　to　the　Blue　Room；　where　Clara　and　Laetitia　were
seated　circling　a　half　embrace　with　a　brook　of　chatter；　and
contrived　an　excuse　for　leading　Laetitia　forth。　Some　minutes
later　Mrs。　Mountstuart　called　aloud　for　the　colonel；　to　drive　him
away。　Willoughby；　whose　good　offices　were　unabated　by　the　services
he　performed　to　each　in　rotation；　ushered　her　into　the　Blue　Room；
hearing　her　say；　as　she　stood　at　the　entrance：　〃Is　the　man　coming
to　spend　a　day　with　me　with　a　face　like　that？〃

She　was　met　and　detained　by　Clara。

De　Craye　came　out。

〃What　are　you　thinking　of？〃　said　Willoughby。

〃I　was　thinking；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃of　developing　a　heart；　like
you；　and　taking　to　think　of　others。〃

〃At　last！〃

〃Ay；　you're　a　true　friend；　Willoughby；　a　true　friend。　And　a　cousin
to　boot！〃

〃What！　has　Clara　been　communicative？〃

〃The　itinerary　of　a　voyage　Miss　Middleton　is　going　to　make。〃

〃Do　you　join　them？〃

〃Why；　it　would　be　delightful；　Willoughby；　but　it　happens　I've　got
a　lot　of　powder　I　want　to　let　off；　and　so　I've　an　idea　of
shouldering　my　gun　along　the　sea…coast　and　shooting　gulls：
which'll　be　a　harmless　form　of　committing　patricide　and　matricide
and　fratricidefor　there's　my　family；　and　I　come　of　it！the
gull！　And　I've　to　talk　lively　to　Mrs。　Mountstuart　for　something
like　a　matter　of　twelve　hours；　calculating　that　she　goes　to　bed　at
midnight：　and　I　wouldn't　bet　on　it；　such　is　the　energy　of　ladies
of　that　age！〃

Willoughby　scorned　the　man　who　could　not　conceal　a　blow；　even
though　be　joked　over　his　discomfiture。

〃Gull！〃　he　muttered。

〃A　bird　that's　easy　to　be　had；　and　better　for　stuffing　than　for
eating；〃　said　De　Craye。　〃You'll　miss　your　cousin。〃

〃I　have；〃　replied　Willoughby；　〃one　fully　equal　to　supplying　his
place。〃

There　was　confusion　in　the　hall　for　a　time；　and　an　assembly　of　the
household　to　witness　the　departure　of　Dr。　Middleton　and　his
daughter。　Vernon　had　been　driven　off　by　Dr。　Corney；　who　further
recommended　rest　for　Mr。　Dale；　and　promised　to　keep　an　eye　for
Crossjay　along　the　road。

〃I　think　you　will　find　him　at　the　station；　and　if　you　do；　command　
him　to　come　straight　back　here；〃　Laetitia　said　to　Clara。　The
answer　was　an　affectionate　squeeze；　and　Clara's　hand　was　extended
to　Willoughby；　who　bowed　over　it　with　perfect　courtesy；　bidding
her　adieu。

So　the　knot　was　cut。　And　the　next　carriage　to　Dr。　Middleton's　was
Mrs。　Mountstuart's；　conveying　the　great　lady　and　Colonel　De　Craye。

〃I　beg　you　not　to　wear　that　face　with　me；〃　she　said　to　him。

〃I　have　had　to　dissemble；　which　I　hate；　and　I　have　quite　enough　to
endure；　and　I　must　be　amused；　or　I　shall　run　away　from　you　and
enlist　that　little　countryman　of　yours；　and　him　I　can　count　on　to
be　professionally　restorative。　Who　can　fathom　the　heart　of　a　girl！
Here　is　Lady　Busshe　right　once　more！　And　I　was　wrong。　She　must　be
a　gambler　by　nature。　I　never　should　have　risked　such　a　guess　as
that。　Colonel　De　Craye；　you　lengthen　your　face　preternaturally；　
you　distort　it　purposely。〃

〃Ma'am；〃　returned　De　Craye；　〃the　boast　of　our　army　is　never　to
know　when　we　are　beaten；　and　that　tells　of　a　great…hearted　
soldiery。　But　there's　a　field　where　the　Briton　must　own　his
defeat；　whether　smiling　or　crying；　and　I'm　not　so　sure　that　a
short　howl　doesn't　do　him　honour。〃

〃She　was；　I　am　certain；　in　love　with　Vernon　Whitford　all　along。
Colonel　De　Craye！〃

〃Ah！〃　the　colonel　drank　it　in。　〃I　have　learnt　that　it　was　not　the
gentleman　in　whom　I　am　chiefly　interested。　So　it　was　not　so　hard
for　the　lady　to　vow　to　friend　Willoughby　she　would　marry　no　one
else？〃

〃Girls　are　unfathomable！　And　Lady　BussheI　know　she　did　not　go
by　charactershot　one　of　her　random　guesses；　and　she　triumphs。
We　shall　never　hear　the　last　of　it。　And　I　had　all　the
opportunities。　I'm　bound　to　confess　I　had。〃

〃Did　you　by　chance；　ma'am；〃　De　Craye　said；　with　a　twinkle；　〃drop　a
hint　to　Willoughby　of　her　turn　for　Vernon　Whitford？〃

〃No；〃　said　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　〃I'm　not　a　mischief…maker；　and　the
policy　of　the　county　is　to　keep　him　in　love　with　himself；　or
Patterne　will　be　likely　to　be　as　dull　as　it　was　without　a　lady
enthroned。　When　his　pride　is　at　ease　he　is　a　prince。　I　can　read
men。　Now；　Colonel　De　Craye；　pray；　be　lively。〃

〃I　should　have　been　livelier；　I'm　afraid；　if　you　had　dropped　a　bit
of　a　hint　to　Willoughby。　But　you're　the　magnanimous　person；　ma'am；
and　revenge　for　a　stroke　in　the　game　of　love　shows　us　unworthy　to
win。〃

Mrs。　Mountstuart　menaced　him　with　her　parasol。　〃I　forbid
sentiments；　Colonel　De　Craye。　They　are　always　followed　by　sighs。〃

〃Grant　me　five　minutes　of　inward　retirement；　and　I'll　come　out
formed　for　your　commands；　ma'am；〃　said　he。

Before　the　termination　of　that　space　De　Craye　was　enchanting　Mrs。
Mountstuart；　and　she　in　consequence　was　restored　to　her　natural
wit。

So；　and　much　so　universally；　the　world　of　his　dread　and　his
unconscious　worship　wagged　over　Sir　Willoughby　Patterne　and　his
change　of　brides；　until　the　preparations　for　the　festivities　of　the
marriage　flushed　him　in　his　county's　eyes　to　something　of　the
splendid　glow　he　had　worn　on　the　great　day　of　his　majority。　That　was
upon　the　season　when　two　lovers　met　between　the　Swiss　and　Tyrol　Alps
over　the　Lake　of　Constance。　Sitting　beside　them　the　Comic　Muse　is
grave　and　sisterly。　But　taking　a　glance　at　the　others　of　her　late
company　of　actors；　she　compresses　her　lips。





End