the egoist-第36部分

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the　Hall。　I　say；　Willoughby；　it　would　be　a　good　bit　of　work　to
take　him　back。　Think　of　it；　you'll　do　the　popular　thing；　I'm　sure。
I've　a　superstition　that　Flitch　ought　to　drive　you　from　the
church…door。　If　I　were　in　luck；　I'd　have　him　drive　me。〃

〃The　man's　a　drunkard；　Horace。〃

〃He　fuddles　his　poor　nose。　〃'Tis　merely　unction　to　the　exile。
Sober　struggles　below。　He　drinks　to　rock　his　heart；　because　he　has
one。　Now　let　me　intercede　for　poor　Flitch。〃

〃Not　a　word　of　him。　He　threw　up　his　place。〃

〃To　try　his　fortune　in　the　world；　as　the　best　of　us　do；　though
livery　runs　after　us　to　tell　us　there's　no　being　an　independent
gentleman；　and　comes　a　cold　day　we　haul　on　the　metal…button　coat
again；　with　a　good　ha！　of　satisfaction。　You'll　do　the　popular
thing。　Miss　Middleton　joins　in　the　pleading。〃

〃No　pleading！〃

〃When　I've　vowed　upon　my　eloquence；　Willoughby；　I'd　bring　you　to
pardon　the　poor　dog？〃

〃Not　a　word　of　him！〃

〃Just　one！〃

Sir　Willoughby　battled　with　himself　to　repress　a　state　of　temper
that　put　him　to　marked　disadvantage　beside　his　friend　Horace　in
high　spirits。　Ordinarily　he　enjoyed　these　fits　of　Irish　of　him；
which　were　Horace's　fun　and　play；　at　times　involuntary；　and　then
they　indicated　a　recklessness　that　might　embrace　mischief。　De
Craye；　as　Willoughby　had　often　reminded　him；　was　properly　Norman。
The　blood　of　two　or　three　Irish　mothers　in　his　line；　however；　was
enough　to　dance　him；　and　if　his　fine　profile　spoke　of　the　stiffer
race；　his　eyes　and　the　quick　run　of　the　lip　in　the　cheek；　and　a
number　of　his　qualities；　were　evidence　of　the　maternal　legacy。

〃My　word　has　been　said　about　the　man；〃　Willoughby　replied。

〃But　I've　wagered　on　your　heart　against　your　word；　and
cant　afford　to　lose；　and　there's　a　double　reason　for　revoking
for　you！〃

〃I　don't　see　either　of　them。　Here　are　the　ladies。〃

〃You'll　think　of　the　poor　beast；　Willoughby。〃

〃I　hope　for　better　occupation。〃

〃If　he　drives　a　wheelbarrow　at　the　Hall　he'll　be　happier　than　on
board　a　chariot　at　large。　He's　broken…hearted。〃

〃He's　too　much　in　the　way　of　breakages；　my　dear　Horace。〃

〃Oh；　the　vase！　the　bit　of　porcelain！〃　sung　De　Craye。　〃Well；　we'll
talk　him　over　by　and　by。〃

〃If　it　pleases　you；　but　my　rules　are　never　amended。〃

〃Inalterable；　are　they？like　those　of　an　ancient　people；　who
might　as　well　have　worn　a　jacket　of　lead　for　the　comfort　they　had
of　their　boast。　The　beauty　of　laws　for　human　creatures　is　their
adaptability　to　new　stitchings。〃

Colonel　De　Craye　walked　at　the　heels　of　his　leader　to　make　his　bow
to　the　ladies　Eleanor　and　Isabel。

Sir　Willoughby　had　guessed　the　person　who　inspired　his　friend
Horace　to　plead　so　pertinaciously　and　inopportunely　for　the　man
Flitch：　and　it　had　not　improved　his　temper　or　the　pose　of　his
rejoinders；　he　had　winced　under　the　contrast　of　his　friend
Horace's　easy；　laughing；　sparkling；　musical　air　and　manner　with
his　own　stiffness；　and　he　had　seen　Clara's　face；　too；　scanning　the
contrasthe　was　fatally　driven　to　exaggerate　his　discontentment；
which　did　not　restore　him　to　serenity。　He　would　have　learned　more
from　what　his　abrupt　swing　round　of　the　shoulder　precluded　his
beholding。　There　was　an　interchange　between　Colonel　De　Craye　and
Miss　Middleton；　spontaneous　on　both　sides。　His　was　a　look　that
said：　〃You　were　right〃；　hers：　〃I　knew　it〃。　Her　look　was　calmer；
and　after　the　first　instant　clouded　as　by　wearifulness　of
sameness；　his　was　brilliant；　astonished；　speculative；　and
admiring；　pitiful：　a　look　that　poised　over　a　revelation；　called　
up　the　hosts　of　wonder　to　question　strange　fact。

It　had　passed　unseen　by　Sir　Willoughby。　The　observer　was　the　one
who　could　also　supply　the　key　of　the　secret。　Miss　Dale　had　found
Colonel　De　Craye　in　company　with　Miss　Middleton　at　her　gateway。
They　were　laughing　and　talking　together　like　friends　of　old
standing；　De　Craye　as　Irish　as　he　could　be：　and　the　Irish　tongue
and　gentlemanly　manner　are　an　irresistible　challenge　to　the
opening　steps　of　familiarity　when　accident　has　broken　the　ice。
Flitch　was　their　theme；　and：　〃Oh；　but　if　we　go　tip　to　Willoughby
hand　in　hand；　and　bob　a　courtesy　to　〃m　and　beg　his　pardon　for
Mister　Flitch；　won't　he　melt　to　such　a　pair　of　suppliants？　of
course　he　will！〃　Miss　Middleton　said　he　would　not。　Colonel　De
Craye　wagered　he　would；　he　knew　Willoughby　best。　　Miss　Middleton
looked　simply　grave；　a　way　of　asserting　the　contrary　opinion　that
tells　of　rueful　experience。　〃We'll　see；〃　said　the　colonel。　They
chatted　like　a　couple　unexpectedly　discovering　in　one　another　a
common　dialect　among　strangers。　Can　there　be　an　end　to　it　when
those　two　meet？　They　prattle；　they　fill　the　minutes；　as　though
they　were　violently　to　be　torn　asunder　at　a　coming　signal；　and
must　have　it　out　while　they　can；　it　is　a　meeting　of　mountain
brooks；　not　a　colloquy；　but　a　chasing；　impossible　to　say　which
flies；　which　follows；　or　what　the　topic；　so　interlinguistic　are
they　and　rapidly　counterchanging。　After　their　conversation　of　an
hour　before；　Laetitia　watched　Miss　Middleton　in　surprise　at　her
lightness　of　mind。　Clara　bathed　in　mirth。　A　boy　in　a　summer　stream
shows　not　heartier　refreshment　of　his　whole　being。　Laetitia　could
now　understand　Vernon's　idea　of　her　wit。　And　it　seemed　that　she
also　had　Irish　blood。　Speaking　of　Ireland；　Miss　Middleton　said　she
had　cousins　there；　her　only　relatives。

〃The　laugh　told　me　that；〃　said　Colonel　De　Craye。

Laetitia　and　Vernon　paced　up　and　down　the　lawn。　Colonel　De　Craye
was　talking　with　English　sedateness　to　the　ladies　Eleanor　and
Isabel。　Clara　and　young　Crossjay　strayed。

〃If　I　might　advise；　I　would　say；　do　not　leave　the　Hall
immediately；　not　yet；〃　Laetitia　said　to　Vernon。

〃You　know；　then？〃

〃I　cannot　understand　why　it　was　that　I　was　taken　into　her
confidence。〃

〃I　counselled　it。〃

〃But　it　was　done　without　an　object　that　I　can　see。〃

〃The　speaking　did　her　good。〃

〃But　how　capricious！　how　changeful！〃

〃Better　now　than　later。〃

〃Surely　she　has　only　to　ask　to　be　released？to　ask　earnestly：
if　it　is　her　wish。〃

〃You　are　mistaken。〃

〃Why　does　she　not　make　a　confidant　of　her　father？〃

〃That　she　will　have　to　do。　She　wished　to　spare　him。〃

〃He　cannot　be　spared　if　she　is　to　break　the　engagement。〃

She　thought　of　sparing　him　the　annoyance。　〃Now　there's　to　be　a
tussle；　he　must　share　in　it。〃

〃Or　she　thought　he　might　not　side　with　her？〃

〃She　has　not　a　single　instinct　of　cunning。　You　judge　her
harshly。〃

〃She　moved　me　on　the　walk　out。　Coming　home　I　felt　differently。〃

Vernon　glanced　at　Colonel　De　Craye。

〃She　wants　good　guidance；〃　continued　Laetitia。

〃She　has　not　an　idea　of　treachery。〃

〃You　think　so？　It　may　be　true。　But　she　seems　one　born　devoid　of
patience；　easily　made　reckless。　There　is　a　wildness　。。。　I　judge
by　her　way　of　speaking；　that　at　least　appeared　sincere。　She　does
not　practise　concealment。　He　will　naturally　find　it　almost
incredible。　The　change　in　her；　so　sudden；　so　wayward；　is
unintelligible　to　me。　To　me　it　is　the　conduct　of　a　creature
untamed。　He　may　hold　her　to　her　word　and　be　justified。〃

〃Let　him　look　out　if　he　does！〃

Is　not　that　harsher　than　anything　I　have　said　of　her？〃

〃I'm　not　appointed　to　praise　her。　I　fancy　I　read　the　case；　and　it's
a　case　of　opposition　of　temperaments。　We　never　can　tell　the　person
quite　suited　to　us；　it　strikes　us　in　a　flash。〃

〃That　they　are　not　suited　to　us？　Oh；　no；　that　comes　by　degrees。〃

〃Yes；　but　the　accumulation　of　evidence；　or　sentience；　if　you　like；
is　combustible；　we　don't　command　the　spark；　it　may　be　late　in
falling。　And　you　argue　in　her　favour。　Consider　her　as　a　generous
and　impulsive　girl；　outwearied　at　last。〃

〃By　what？〃

By　anything；　by　his　loftiness；　if　you　like。　He　flies　too　high　for
her；　we　will　say。〃

〃Sir　Willoughby　an　eagle？〃

〃She　may　be　tired　of　his　eyrie。〃

The　sound　of　the　word　in　Vernon's　mouth　smote　on　a　consciousness　
she　had　of　his　full　grasp　of　Sir　Willoughby　and　her　own　timid
knowledge；　though　he　was　not　a　man　who　played　on　words。

If　he　had　eased　his　heart　in　stressing　the　first　syllable；　it　was
only　temporary　relief。　He　was　heavy…browed　enough。

〃But　I　cannot　conceive　what　she　expects　me　to　do　by　confiding　her
sense　of　her　position　to　me；〃　said　Laetitia。

〃We　none　of　us　know　what　will　be　done。　We　hang　on　Willoughby；　who
hangs　on　whatever　it　is　that　supports　him：　and　there　we　are　in　a
swarm。〃

〃You　see　the　wisdom　of　staying；　Mr。　Whitford。〃

〃It　must　be　over　in　a　day　or　two。　Yes；　I　stay。〃

〃She　inclines　to　obey　you。〃

〃I　should　be　sorry　to　stake　my　authority　on　her　obedience。　We
must　decide　something　about　Crossjay；　and　get　the　money　for　his
crammer；　if　it　is　to　be　got。　If　not；　I　may　get　a　man　to　trust　me。
I　mean　to　drag　the　boy　away。　Willoughby　has　been　at　him　with　the
tune　of　gentleman；　and　has　laid　hold　of　him　by　one　ear。　When　I　say
'her　obedience；'　she　is　not　in　a　situation；　nor　in　a　condition　to
be　led　blindly　by　anybody。　She　must　rely　on　herself；　do　everything
herself。　It's　a　knot　that　won't　bear　touching　by　any　hand　save
hers。〃

〃I　fear　。　。　。〃　said　Laetitia。

〃Have　no　such　fear。〃

〃If　it　should　come　to　his　positively　refusing。〃

〃He　faces　the　consequences。〃

〃You　do　not　think　of　her。〃

Vernon　looked　at　his　companion。




CHAPTER　XIX

Colonel　De　Craye　and　Clara　Middleton

MISS　MIDDLETON　finished　her　stroll　with　Crossjay　by　winding　her
trailer　of　ivy　in　a　wreath　round　his　hat　and　sticking　her　bunch　of
grasses　in　the　wreath。　She　then　commanded　him　to　sit　on　the　ground
beside　a　big　rhododendron；　there　to　await　her　return。　Crossjay　had
informed　her　of　a　design　he　entertained　to　be　off　with　a　horde　of
boys　nesting　in　high　trees；　and　marking　spots　where　wasps　and
hornets　were　to　be　attacked　in　Autumn：　she　thought　it　a　dangerous
business；　and　as　the　boy's　dinner…bell　had　very　little　restraint
over　him　when　he　was　in　the　flush　of　a　scheme　of　this　description；
she　wished　to　make　tolerably　sure　of　him　through　the　charm　she　not
unreadily　believed　she　could　fling　on　lads　of　his　age。　〃Promise　me
you　will　not　move　from　here　until　I　come　back；　and　when　I　come　I
will　give　you　a　kiss。〃　Crossjay　promised。　She　left　him　and　forgot
him。

Seeing　by　her　watch　fifteen　minutes　to　the　ringing