the egoist-第38部分

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her　the　double…blossom　wild　cherry…tree；　nothing　else。　One　sprig
of　it；　if　it　had　not　faded　and　gone　to　dust…colour　like　crusty
Alpine　snow　in　the　lower　hollows；　and　then　she　could　depart；
bearing　away　a　memory　of　the　best　here！　Her　fiction　of　the
headache　pained　her　no　longer。　She　changed　her　muslin　dress　for
silk；　she　was　contented　with　the　first　bonnet　Barclay　presented。
Amicable　toward　every　one　in　the　house；　Willoughby　included；　she
threw　up　her　window；　breathed。　blessed　mankind；　and　she　thought：
〃If　Willoughby　would　open　his　heart　to　nature；　he　would　be
relieved　of　his　wretched　opinion　of　the　world。〃　Nature　was　then
sparkling　refreshed　in　the　last　drops　of　a　sweeping　rain…curtain；
favourably　disposed　for　a　background　to　her　joyful　optimism。　A
little　nibble　of　hunger　within；　real　hunger；　unknown　to　her　of
late；　added　to　this　healthy　view；　without　precipitating　her　to
appease　it；　she　was　more　inclined　to　foster　it；　for　the　sake　of
the　sinewy　activity　of　mind　and　limb　it　gave　her；　and　in　the　style
of　young　ladies　very　light　of　heart；　she　went　downstairs　like　a
cascade；　and　like　the　meteor　observed　in　its　vanishing　trace　she
alighted　close　to　Colonel　De　Craye　and　entered　one　of　the　rooms
off　the　hall。

He　cocked　an　eye　at　the　half…shut　door。

Now　you　have　only　to　be　reminded　that　it　is　the　habit　of　the
sportive　gentleman　of　easy　life；　bewildered　as　he　would　otherwise
be　by　the　tricks；　twists；　and　windings　of　the　hunted　sex；　to
parcel　out　fair　women　into　classes；　and　some　are　flyers　and　some
are　runners；　these　birds　are　wild　on　the　wing；　those　exposed　their
bosoms　to　the　shot。　For　him　there　is　no　individual　woman。　He
grants　her　a　characteristic　only　to　enroll　her　in　a　class。　He　is
our　immortal　dunce　at　learning　to　distinguish　her　as　a　personal
variety；　of　a　separate　growth。

Colonel　De　Craye's　cock　of　the　eye　at　the　door　said　that　he　had
seen　a　rageing　coquette　go　behind　it。　He　had　his　excuse　for
forming　the　judgement。　She　had　spoken　strangely　of　the　fall　of　his
wedding…present；　strangely　of　Willoughby；　or　there　was　a　sound　of
strangeness　in　an　allusion　to　her　appointed　husband：　and　she　had
treated　Willoughby　strangely　when　they　met。　Above　all；　her　word
about　Flitch　was　curious。　And　then　that　look　of　hers！　And
subsequently　she　transferred　her　polite　attentions　to　Willoughby's
friend。　After　a　charming　colloquy；　the　sweetest　give　and　take
rattle　he　had　ever　enjoyed　with　a　girl；　she　developed　headache　to
avoid　him；　and　next　she　developed　blindness；　for　the　same　purpose。

He　was　feeling　hurt；　but　considered　it　preferable　to　feel
challenged。

Miss　Middleton　came　out　of　another　door。　She　had　seen　him　when
she　had　passed　him　and　when　it　was　too　late　to　convey　her
recognition；　and　now　she　addressed　him　with　an　air　of　having　bowed
as　she　went　by。

〃No　one？〃　she　said。　〃Am　I　alone　in　the　house？〃

〃There　is　a　figure　naught；〃　said　he；　〃but　it's　as　good　as
annihilated；　and　no　figure　at　all；　if　you　put　yourself　on　the
wrong　side　of　it；　and　wish　to　be　alone　in　the　house。〃

〃Where　is　Willoughby？〃

〃Away　on　business。〃

〃Riding？〃

〃Achmet　is　the　horse；　and　pray　don't　let　him　be　sold；　Miss
Middleton。　I　am　deputed　to　attend　on　you。〃

〃I　should　like　a　stroll。〃

〃Are　you　perfectly　restored？〃

〃Perfectly。〃

〃Strong？〃

〃I　was　never　better。〃

〃It　was　the　answer　of　the　ghost　of　the　wicked　old　man's　wife　when
she　came　to　persuade　him　he　had　one　chance　remaining。　Then；　says
he；　I'll　believe　in　heaven　if　ye'll　stop　that　bottle；　and　hurls
it；　and　the　bottle　broke　and　he　committed　suicide；　not　without
suspicion　of　her　laying　a　trap　for　him。　These　showers　curling　away
and　leaving　sweet　scents　are　divine；　Miss　Middleton。　I　have　the
privilege　of　the　Christian　name　on　the　nuptial…day。　This　park　of
Willoughby's　is　one　of　the　best　things　in　England。　There's　a
glimpse　over　the　lake　that　smokes　of　a　corner　of　Killarney；　tempts
the　eye　to　dream；　I　mean。〃　De　Craye　wound　his　finger　spirally
upward；　like　a　smoke…wreath。　〃Are　you　for　Irish　scenery？〃

〃Irish；　English；　Scottish。〃

〃All's　one　so　long　as　it's　beautiful：　yes；　you　speak　for　me。
Cosmopolitanism　of　races　is　a　different　affair。　I　beg　leave　to
doubt　the　true　union　of　some；　Irish　and　Saxon；　for　example；　let
Cupid　be　master　of　the　ceremonies　and　the　dwelling…place　of　the
happy　couple　at　the　mouth　of　a　Cornucopia。　Yet　I　have　seen　a
flower　of　Erin　worn　by　a　Saxon　gentleman　proudly；　and　the　Hibernian
courting　a　Rowena！　So　we'll　undo　what　I　said；　and　consider　it
cancelled。〃

〃Are　you　of　the　rebel　party；　Colonel　De　Craye？〃

〃I　am　Protestant　and　Conservative；　Miss　Middleton。〃

〃I　have　not　a　head　for　politics。〃

〃The　political　heads　I　have　seen　would　tempt　me　to　that　opinion。〃

〃Did　Willoughby　say　when　he　would　be　back？〃

〃He　named　no　particular　time。　Doctor　Middleton　and　Mr。　Whitford
are　in　the　library　upon　a　battle　of　the　books。〃

〃Happy　battle！〃

〃You　are　accustomed　to　scholars。　They　are　rather　intolerant　of　us
poor　fellows。〃

〃Of　ignorance　perhaps；　not　of　persons。〃

〃Your　father　educated　you　himself；　I　presume？〃

〃He　gave　me　as　much　Latin　as　I　could　take。　The　fault　is　mine　that
it　is　little。〃

〃Greek？〃

〃A　little　Greek。〃

〃Ah！　And　you　carry　it　like　a　feather。〃

〃Because　it　is　so　light。〃

〃Miss　Middleton；　I　could　sit　down　to　be　instructed；　old　as　I　am。
When　women　beat　us；　I　verily　believe　we　are　the　most　beaten　dogs
in　existence。　You　like　the　theatre？〃

〃Ours？〃

〃Acting；　then。〃

〃Good　acting；　of　course。〃

〃May　I　venture　to　say　you　would　act　admirably？〃

〃The　venture　is　bold；　for　I　have　never　tried。〃

〃Let　me　see；　there　is　Miss　Dale　and　Mr。　Whitford；　you　and　I；
sufficient　for　a　two…act　piece。　THE　IRISHMAN　IN　SPAIN　would　do。〃
He　bent　to　touch　the　grass　as　she　stepped　on　it。　〃The　lawn　is
wet。〃

She　signified　that　she　had　no　dread　of　wet；　and　said：　〃English　
women　afraid　of　the　weather　might　as　well　be　shut　up。〃

De　Craye　proceeded：　〃Patrick　O'Neill　passes　over　from　Hibernia　to
Iberia；　a　disinherited　son　of　a　father　in　the　claws　of　the
lawyers；　with　a　letter　of　introduction　to　Don　Beltran　d'Arragon；　a
Grandee　of　the　First　Class；　who　has　a　daughter　Dona　Seraphina
（Miss　Middleton）；　the　proudest　beauty　of　her　day；　in　the　custody
of　a　duenna　（Miss　Dale）；　and　plighted　to　Don　Fernan；　of　the　Guzman
family　（Mr。　Whitford）。　There　you　have　our　dramatis　personae。〃

〃You　are　Patrick？〃

〃Patrick　himself。　And　I　lose　my　letter；　and　I　stand　on　the　Prado　of
Madrid　with　the　last　portrait　of　Britannia　in　the　palm　of　my　hand；
and　crying　in　the　purest　brogue　of　my　native　land：　'It's　all
through　dropping　a　letter　I'm　here　in　Iberia　instead　of　Hibernia；
worse　luck　to　the　spelling！'〃

〃But　Patrick　will　be　sure　to　aspirate　the　initial　letter　of
Hibernia。〃

〃That　is　clever　criticism；　upon　my　word；　Miss　Middleton！　So　he
would。　And　there　we　have　two　letters　dropped。　But　he'd　do　it　in　a
groan；　so　that　it　wouldn't　count　for　more　than　a　ghost　of　one；　and
everything　goes　on　the　stage；　since　it's　only　the　laugh　we　want　on
the　brink　of　the　action。　Besides　you　are　to　suppose　the
performance　before　a　London　audience；　who　have　a　native　opposite
to　the　aspirate　and　wouldn't　bear　to　hear　him　spoil　a　joke；　as　if
he　were　a　lord　or　a　constable。　It's　an　instinct　of　the　English
democracy。　So　with　my　bit　of　coin　turning　over　and　over　in　an
undecided　way；　whether　it　shall　commit　suicide　to　supply　me　a
supper；　I　behold　a　pair　of　Spanish　eyes　like　violet　lightning　in
the　black　heavens　of　that　favoured　clime。　Won't　you　have　violet？〃

〃Violet　forbids　my　impersonation。〃

〃But　the　lustre　on　black　is　dark　violet　blue。〃

〃You　remind　me　that　I　have　no　pretension　to　black。〃

Colonel　De　Craye　permitted　himself　to　take　a　flitting　gaze　at　Miss
Middleton's　eyes。　〃Chestnut；〃　he　said。　〃Well；　and　Spain　is　the
land　of　chestnuts。〃

〃Then　it　follows　that　I　am　a　daughter　of　Spain。〃

〃Clearly。〃

〃Logically？〃

〃By　positive　deduction。〃

〃And　do　I　behold　Patrick？〃

〃As　one　looks　upon　a　beast　of　burden。〃

〃Oh！〃

Miss　Middleton's　exclamation　was　louder　than　the　matter　of　the
dialogue　seemed　to　require。　She　caught　her　hands　up。

In　the　line　of　the　outer　extremity　of　the　rhododendron；　screened
from　the　house　windows；　young　Crossjay　lay　at　his　length；　with　his
head　resting　on　a　doubled　arm；　and　his　ivy…wreathed　hat　on　his
cheek；　just　where　she　had　left　him；　commanding　him　to　stay。
Half…way　toward　him　up　the　lawn；　she　saw　the　poor　boy；　and　the
spur　of　that　pitiful　sight　set　her　gliding　swiftly。　Colonel　De
Craye　followed；　pulling　an　end　of　his　moustache。

Crossjay　jumped　to　his　feet。

〃My　dear；　dear　Crossjay！〃　she　addressed　him　and　reproached　him。
〃And　how　hungry　you　must　be！　And　you　must　be　drenched！　This　is
really　too　had。〃

〃You　told　me　to　wait　here；〃　said　Crossjay；　in　shy　self…defence。

〃I　did；　and　you　should　not　have　done　it；　foolish　boy！　I　told　him
to　wait　for　me　here　before　luncheon；　Colonel　De　Craye；　and　the
foolish；　foolish　boy！he　has　had　nothing　to　eat；　and　he　must
have　been　wet　through　two　or　three　times：because　I　did　not　come
to　him！〃

〃Quite　right。　And　the　lava　might　overflow　him　and　take　the　mould
of　him。　like　the　sentinel　at　Pompeii；　if　he's　of　the　true　stuff。〃

〃He　may　have　caught　cold；　he　may　have　a　fever。〃

〃He　was　under　your　orders　to　stay。〃

〃I　know。　and　I　cannot　forgive　myself。　Run　in；　Crossjay；　and　change
your　clothes。　Oh；　run；　run　to　Mrs。　Montague；　and　get　her　to　give
you　a　warm　bath；　and　tell　her　from　me　to　prepare　some　dinner　for
you。　And　change　every　garment　you　have。　This　is　unpardonable　of
me。　I　said'not　for　politics！'I　begin　to　think　I　have　not　a
head　for　anything。　But　could　it　be　imagined　that　Crossjay　would
not　move　for　the　dinner…bell！　through　all　that　rain！　I　forgot
you；　Crossjay。　I　am　so　sorry；　so　sorry！　You　shall　make　me　pay　any
forfeit　you　like。　Remember；　I　am　deep；　deep　in　your　debt。　And　now
let　me　see　you　run　fast。　You　shall　come　in　to　dessert　this
evening。〃

Crossjay　did　not　run。　He　touched　her　hand。

〃You　said　something？〃

〃What　did　I　say；　Crossjay？〃

〃You　promised。〃

〃What　did　I　promise？〃

〃Something。〃

〃Name　it；　my　dear　boy。〃

He　mumbled；　〃。　。　。　kiss　me。〃

Clara　plumped　down　on　him；　enveloped　him　and　kissed