the egoist-第5部分

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Willoughby　met　her　on　a　Sunday　morning；　as　she　crossed　his　park
solitarily　to　church。　They　were　within　ten　days　of　the　appointed
ceremony。　He　should　have　been　away　at　Miss　Durham's　end　of　the
county。　He　had；　Laetitia　knew；　ridden　over　to　her　the　day　before；
but　there　he　was；　and　very　unwontedly；　quite　surprisingly；　he
presented　his　arm　to　conduct　Laetitia　to　the　church…door；　and
talked　and　laughed　in　a　way　that　reminded　her　of　a　hunting
gentleman　she　had　seen　once　rising　to　his　feet；　staggering　from　an
ugly　fall　across　hedge　and　fence　into　one　of　the　lanes　of　her
short　winter　walks。　〃All's　well；　all　sound；　never　better；　only　a
scratch！〃　the　gentleman　had　said；　as　he　reeled　and　pressed　a
bleeding　head。　Sir　Willoughby　chattered　of　his　felicity　in　meeting
her。　〃I　am　really　wonderfully　lucky；〃　he　said；　and　he　said　that
and　other　things　over　and　over；　incessantly　talking；　and　telling
an　anecdote　of　county　occurrences；　and　laughing　at　it　with　a　mouth
that　would　not　widen。　He　went　on　talking　in　the　church　porch；　and
murmuring　softly　some　steps　up　the　aisle；　passing　the　pews　of　Mrs。
Mountstuart　Jenkinson　and　Lady　Busshe。　Of　course　he　was
entertaining；　but　what　a　strangeness　it　was　to　Laetitia！　His　face
would　have　been　half　under　an　antique　bonnet。　It　came　very　close
to　hers；　and　the　scrutiny　he　bent　on　her　was　most　solicitous。

After　the　service；　he　avoided　the　great　ladies　by　sauntering　up　to
within　a　yard　or　two　of　where　she　sat；　he　craved　her　hand　on　his
arm　to　lead　her　forth　by　the　park　entrance　to　the　church；　all　the
while　bending　to　her；　discoursing　rapidly；　appearing　radiantly
interested　in　her　quiet　replies；　with　fits　of　intentness　that
stared　itself　out　into　dim　abstraction。　She　hazarded　the　briefest
replies　for　fear　of　not　having　understood　him。

One　question　she　asked：　〃Miss　Durham　is　well；　I　trust？〃

And　he　answered　〃Durham？〃　and　said；　〃There　is　no　Miss　Durham　to　my
knowledge。〃

The　impression　he　left　with　her　was；　that　he　might　yesterday
during　his　ride　have　had　an　accident　and　fallen　on　his　head。

She　would　have　asked　that；　if　she　had　not　known　him　for　so
thorough　an　Englishman；　in　his　dislike　to　have　it　thought　that
accidents　could　hurt　even　when　they　happened　to　him。

He　called　the　next　day　to　claim　her　for　a　walk。　He　assured　her　she
had　promised　it；　and　he　appealed　to　her　father；　who　could　not
testify　to　a　promise　he　had　not　heard；　but　begged　her　to　leave　him
to　have　her　walk。　So　once　more　she　was　in　the　park　with　Sir
Willoughby；　listening　to　his　raptures　over　old　days。　A　word　of
assent　from　her　sufficed　him。　〃I　am　now　myself；〃　was　one　of　the
remarks　he　repeated　this　day。　She　dilated　on　the　beauty　of　the
park　and　the　Hall　to　gratify　him。

He　did　not　speak　of　Miss　Durham；　and　Laetitia　became　afraid　to
mention　her　name。

At　their　parting；　Willoughby　promised　Laetitia　that　he　would　call
on　the　morrow。　He　did　not　come；　and　she　could　well　excuse　him；
after　her　hearing　of　the　tale。

It　was　a　lamentable　tale。　He　had　ridden　to　Sir　John　Durham's　
mansion；　a　distance　of　thirty　miles；　to　hear；　on　his　arrival；　that
Constantia　had　quitted　her　father's　house　two　days　previously　on　a
visit　to　an　aunt　in　London；　and　had　just　sent　word　that　she　was
the　wife　of　Captain　Oxford；　hussar；　and　messmate　of　one　of　her
brothers。　A　letter　from　the　bride　awaited　Willoughby　at　the　Hall。
He　had　ridden　back　at　night；　not　caring　how　he　used　his　horse　in
order　to　get　swiftly　home；　so　forgetful　of　himself　was　he　under
the　terrible　blow。　That　was　the　night　of　Saturday。　On　the　day
following；　being　Sunday；　he　met　Laetitia　in　his　park；　led　her　to
church；　led　her　out　of　it；　and　the　day　after　that；　previous　to　his
disappearance　for　some　weeks；　was　walking　with　her　in　full　view　of
the　carriages　along　the　road。

He　had；　indeed；　you　see；　been　very　fortunately；　if　not
considerately；　liberated　by　Miss　Durham。　He；　as　a　man　of　honour；
could　not　have　taken　the　initiative；　but　the　frenzy　of　a　jealous
girl　might　urge　her　to　such　a　course；　and　how　little　he　suffered
from　it　had　been　shown　to　the　world。　Miss　Durham；　the　story　went；
was　his　mother's　choice　for　him　against　his　heart's　inclinations；
which　had　finally　subdued　Lady　Patterne。　Consequently；　there　was
no　longer　an　obstacle　between　Sir　Willoughby　and　Miss　Dale。　It　was
a　pleasant　and　romantic　story；　and　it　put　most　people　in　good
humour　with　the　county's　favourite；　as　his　choice　of　a　portionless
girl　of　no　position　would　not　have　done　without　the　shock　of
astonishment　at　the　conduct　of　Miss　Durham；　and　the　desire　to　feel
that　so　prevailing　a　gentleman　was　not　in　any　degree　pitiable。
Constantia　was　called　〃that　mad　thing〃。　Laetitia　broke　forth　in
novel　and　abundant　merits；　and　one　of　the　chief　points　of
requisition　in　relation　to　Patternea　Lady　Willoughby　who　would
entertain　well　and　animate　the　deadness　of　the　Hall；　became　a
certainty　when　her　gentleness　and　liveliness　and　exceeding
cleverness　were　considered。　She　was　often　a　visitor　at　the　Hall　by
Lady　Patterne's　express　invitation；　and　sometimes　on　these
occasions　Willoughby　was　there　too；　superintending　the　filling　up
of　his　laboratory；　though　he　was　not　at　home　to　the　county；　it　was
not　expected　that　he　should　be　yet。　He　had　taken　heartily　to　the
pursuit　of　science；　and　spoke　of　little　else。　Science；　he　said；
was　in　our　days　the　sole　object　worth　a　devoted　pursuit。　But　the
sweeping　remark　could　hardly　apply　to　Laetitia；　of　whom　he　was　the
courteous；　quiet　wooer　you　behold　when　a　man　has　broken　loose　from
an　unhappy　tangle　to　return　to　the　lady　of　his　first　and　strongest
affections。

Some　months　of　homely　courtship　ensued；　and　then；　the　decent
interval　prescribed　by　the　situation　having　elapsed；　Sir
Willoughby　Patterne　left　his　native　land　on　a　tour　of　the　globe。

CHAPTER　IV

Laetitia　Dale

That　was　another　surprise　to　the　county。

Let　us　not　inquire　into　the　feelings　of　patiently　starving　women；
they　must　obtain　some　sustenance　of　their　own；　since；　as　you
perceive；　they　live；　evidently　they　are　not　in　need　of　a　great
amount　of　nourishment；　and　we　may　set　them　down　for　creatures　with
a　rush…light　of　animal　fire　to　warm　them。　They　cannot　have　much
vitality　who　are　so　little　exclamatory。　A　corresponding　sentiment
of　patient　compassion；　akin　to　scorn；　is　provoked　by　persons
having　the　opportunity　for　pathos；　and　declining　to　use　it。　The
public　bosom　was　open　to　Laetitia　for　several　weeks；　and　had　she
run　to　it　to　bewail　herself　she　would　have　been　cherished　in
thankfulness　for　a　country　drama。　There　would　have　been　a　party
against　her；　cold　people；　critical　of　her　pretensions　to　rise　from
an　unrecognized　sphere　to　be　mistress　of　Patterne　Hall；　but　there
would　also　have　been　a　party　against　Sir　Willoughby；　composed　of
the　two　or　three　revolutionists；　tired　of　the　yoke；　which　are　to
be　found　in　England　when　there　is　a　stir；　a　larger　number　of　born
sympathetics；　ever　ready　to　yield　the　tear　for　the　tear；　and　here
and　there　a　Samaritan　soul　prompt　to　succour　poor　humanity　in
distress。　The　opportunity　passed　undramatized。　Laetitia　presented
herself　at　church　with　a　face　mildly　devout；　according　to　her
custom；　and　she　accepted　invitations　to　the　Hall；　she　assisted　at
the　reading　of　Willoughby's　letters　to　his　family；　and　fed　on　dry
husks　of　him　wherein　her　name　was　not　mentioned；　never　one　note　of
the　summoning　call　for　pathos　did　this　young　lady　blow。

So；　very　soon　the　public　bosom　closed。　She　had；　under　the　fresh
interpretation　of　affairs；　too　small　a　spirit　to　be　Lady
Willoughby　of　Patterne；　she　could　not　have　entertained　becomingly；
he　must　have　seen　that　the　girl　was　not　the　match　for　him　in
station；　and　off　he　went　to　conquer　the　remainder　of　a　troublesome
first　attachment；　no　longer　extremely　disturbing；　to　judge　from
the　tenour　of　his　letters；　really　incomparable　letters！　Lady
Busshe　and　Mrs。　Mountstuart　Jenkinson　enjoyed　a　perusal　of　them。
Sir　Willoughby　appeared　as　a　splendid　young　representative　island
lord　in　these　letters　to　his　family；　despatched　from　the　principal
cities　of　the　United　States　of　America。　He　would　give　them　a
sketch　of　〃our　democratic　cousins〃；　he　said。　Such　cousins！　They
might　all　have　been　in　the　Marines。　He　carried　his　English
standard　over　that　continent；　and　by　simply　jotting　down　facts；　he
left　an　idea　of　the　results　of　the　measurement　to　his　family　and
friends　at　home。　He　was　an　adept　in　the　irony　of　incongruously　
grouping。　The　nature　of　the　Equality　under　the　stars　and　stripes
was　presented　in　this　manner。　Equality！　Reflections　came
occasionally：　〃These　cousins　of　ours　are　highly　amusing。　I　am
among　the　descendants　of　the　Roundheads。　Now　and　then　an　allusion
to　old　domestic　differences；　in　perfect　good　temper。　We　go　on　in
our　way；　they　theirs；　in　the　apparent　belief　that　Republicanism
operates　remarkable　changes　in　human　nature。　Vernon　tries　hard　to
think　it　does。　The　upper　ten　of　our　cousins　are　the　Infernal　of
Paris。　The　rest　of　them　is　Radical　England；　as　far　as　I　am
acquainted　with　that　section　of　my　country。〃Where　we　compared；
they　were　absurd；　where　we　contrasted；　they　were　monstrous。　The
contrast　of　Vernon's　letters　with　Willoughby's　was　just　as　extreme。
You　could　hardly　have　taken　them　for　relatives　travelling
together；　or　Vernon　Whitford　for　a　born　and　bred　Englishman。　The
same　scenes　furnished　by　these　two　pens　might　have　been　sketched
in　different　hemispheres。　Vernon　had　no　irony。　He　had　nothing　of
Willoughby's　epistolary　creative　power；　which；　causing　his　family
and　friends　to　exclaim：　〃How　like　him　that　is！〃　conjured　them
across　the　broad　Atlantic　to　behold　and　clap　hands　at　his
lordliness。

They　saw　him　distinctly；　as　with　the　naked　eye；　a　word；　a　turn　of
the　pen；　or　a　word　unsaid；　offered　the　picture　of　him　in　America；
Japan；　China；　Australia；　nay；　the　continent　of　Europe；　holding　an
English　review　of　his　Maker's　grotesques。　Vernon　seemed　a
sheepish　fellow；　without　stature　abroad；　glad　of　a　compliment；
grateful　for　a　dinner；　endeavouring　sadly　to　digest　all　he　saw　and
heard。　But　one　was　a　Patterne；　the　other　a　Whitford。　One　had
genius；　the　other　pottered　after　him　with　the　title　of　student。
One　was　the　English　gentleman　wherever　he　went；　the　other　was