the egoist-第55部分
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once。
〃Mr。 Whitford； let me come。 If you tell me to come I may。 Do let
me come；〃 Crossjay begged with great entreaty。 〃I sha'n't see her
for 。 。 。〃
〃Be off； quick！〃 Vernon cut him short and pushed on。
The tramp and Crossjay were audible to him； Crossjay spurning the
consolations of the professional sad man。
Vernon spun across the fields； timing himself by his watch to
reach Rendon station ten minutes before eleven； though without
clearly questioning the nature of the resolution which
precipitated him。 Dropping to the road； he had better foothold
than on the slippery field…path； and he ran。 His principal hope
was that Clara would have missed her way。 Another pelting of rain
agitated him on her behalf。 Might she not as well be suffered to
go？and sit three hours and more in a railway…carriage with wet
feet！
He clasped the visionary little feet to warm them on his breast。
But Willoughby's obstinate fatuity deserved the blow！But
neither she nor her father deserved the scandal。 But she was
desperate。 Could reasoning touch her？ if not； what would？ He knew
of nothing。 Yesterday he had spoken strongly to Willoughby； to
plead with him to favour her departure and give her leisure to
sound her mind； and he had left his cousin； convinced that Clara's
best measure was flight： a man so cunning in a pretended
obtuseness backed by senseless pride； and in petty tricks that
sprang of a grovelling tyranny； could only be taught by facts。
Her recent treatment of him； however； was very strange； so strange
that he might have known himself better if he had reflected on the
bound with which it shot him to a hard suspicion。 De Craye had
prepared the world to hear that he was leaving the Hall。 Were they
in concert？ The idea struck at his heart colder than if her damp
little feet had been there。
Vernon's full exoneration of her for making a confidant of
himself； did not extend its leniency to the young lady's character
when there was question of her doing the same with a second
gentleman。 He could suspect much： he could even expect to find De
Craye at the station。
That idea drew him up in his run； to meditate on the part he
should play； and by drove little Dr。 Corney on the way to Rendon
and hailed him； and gave his cheerless figure the nearest approach
to an Irish bug in the form of a dry seat under an umbrella and
water…proof covering。
〃Though it is the worst I can do for you； if you decline to
supplement it with a dose of hot brandy and water at the Dolphin；〃
said he： 〃and I'll see you take it； if you please。 I'm bound to
ease a Rendon patient out of the world。 Medicine's one of their
superstitions； which they cling to the harder the more useless it
gets。 Pill and priest launch him happy between them。'And what's
on your conscience； Pat？It's whether your blessing； your
Riverence； would disagree with another drop。 Then put the horse
before the cart； my son； and you shall have the two in harmony；
and God speed ye！'Rendon station； did you say； Vernon？ You
shall have my prescription at the Railway Arms； if you're hurried。
You have the look。 What is it？ Can I help？〃
〃No。 And don't ask。〃
〃You're like the Irish Grenadier who had a bullet in a humiliating
situation。 Here's Rendon； and through it we go with a spanking
clatter。 Here's Doctor Corney's dog…cart post…haste again。 For
there's no dying without him now； and Repentance is on the
death…bed for not calling him in before。 Half a charge of humbug
hurts no son of a gun； friend Vernon； if he'd have his firing take
effect。 Be tender to't in man or woman； particularly woman。 So； by
goes the meteoric doctor； and I'll bring noses to window…panes；
you'll see； which reminds me of the sweetest young lady I ever saw；
and the luckiest man。 When is she off for her bridal trousseau？
And when are they spliced？ I'll not call her perfection； for
that's a post； afraid to move。 But she's a dancing sprig of the
tree next it。 Poetry's wanted to speak of her。 I'm Irish and
inflammable； I suppose； but I never looked on a girl to make a man
comprehend the entire holy meaning of the word rapturous； like
that one。 And away she goes！ We'll not say another word。 But
you're a Grecian； friend Vernon。 Now； couldn't you think her just
a whiff of an idea of a daughter of a peccadillo…Goddess？〃
〃Deuce take you； Corney； drop me here； I shall be late for the
train；〃 said Vernon； laying hand on the doctor's arm to check him
on the way to the station in view。
Dr Corney had a Celtic intelligence for a meaning behind an
illogical tongue。 He drew up； observing。 〃Two minutes run won't
hurt you。〃
He slightly fancied he might have given offence； though he was
well acquainted with Vernon and had a cordial grasp at the
parting。
The truth must be told that Vernon could not at the moment bear
any more talk from an Irishman。 Dr。 Corney had succeeded in
persuading him not to wonder at Clara Middleton's liking for
Colonel de Craye。
CHAPTER XXVII
At the Railway Station
Clara stood in the waiting…room contemplating the white rails of
the rain…swept line。 Her lips parted at the sight of Vernon。
〃You have your ticket？〃 said he。
She nodded； and breathed more freely； the matter…of…fact question
was reassuring。
〃You are wet；〃 he resumed； and it could not be denied。
〃A little。 I do not feel it。〃
〃I must beg you to come to the inn hard byhalf a dozen steps。
We shall see your train signalled。 Come。〃
She thought him startlingly authoritative； but he had good sense
to back him； and depressed as she was by the dampness； she was
disposed to yield to reason if he continued to respect her
independence。 So she submitted outwardly； resisted inwardly； on
the watch to stop him from taking any decisive lead。
〃Shall we be sure to see the signal； Mr。 Whitford？〃
〃I'll provide for that。〃
He spoke to the station…clerk； and conducted her across the road。
〃You are quite alone； Miss Middleton？〃
〃I am： I have not brought my maid。〃
〃You must take off boots and stockings at once； and have them
dried。 I'll put you in the hands of the landlady。〃
〃But my train！〃
〃You have full fifteen minutes； besides fair chances of delay。 〃
He seemed reasonable； the reverse of hostile； in spite of his
commanding air； and that was not unpleasant in one friendly to her
adventure。 She controlled her alert distrustfulness； and passed
from him to the landlady； for her feet were wet and cold； the
skirts of her dress were soiled； generally inspecting herself； she
was an object to be shuddered at； and she was grateful to Vernon
for his inattention to her appearance。
Vernon ordered Dr。 Corney's dose； and was ushered upstairs to a
room of portraits； where the publican's ancestors and family sat
against the walls； flat on their canvas as weeds of the botanist's
portfolio； although corpulency was pretty generally insisted on；
and there were formidable battalions of bust among the females。
All of them had the aspect of the national energy which has
vanquished obstacles to subside on its ideal。 They all gazed
straight at the guest。 〃Drink； and come to this！〃 they might have
been labelled to say to him。 He was in the private Walhalla of a
large class of his countrymen。 The existing host had taken
forethought to be of the party in his prime； and in the central
place； looking fresh…fattened there and sanguine from the
performance。 By and by a son would shove him aside； meanwhile he
shelved his parent； according to the manners of energy。
One should not be a critic of our works of Art in uncomfortable
garments。 Vernon turned from the portraits to a stuffed pike in a
glass case； and plunged into sympathy with the fish for a refuge。
Clara soon rejoined him； saying： 〃But you； you must be very wet。
You were without an umbrella。 You must be wet through； Mr。
Whitford。〃
〃We're all wet through； to…day；〃 said Vernon。 〃Crossjay's wet
through； and a tramp he met。〃
〃The horrid man！ But Crossjay should have turned back when I told
him。 Cannot the landlord assist you？ You are not tied to time。 I
begged Crossjay to turn back when it began to rain： when it became
heavy I compelled him。 So you met my poor Crossjay？〃
〃You have not to blame him for betraying you。 The tramp did that。
I was thrown on your track quite by accident。 Now pardon me for
using authority； and don't be alarmed； Miss Middleton； you are
perfectly free for me； but you must not run a risk to your health。
I met Doctor Corney coming along； and he prescribed hot brandy and
water for a wet skin； especially for sitting in it。 There's the
stuff on the table； I see you have been aware of a singular odour；
you must consent to sip some； as medicine； merely to give you
warmth。〃
〃Impossible； Mr。 Whitford： I could not taste it。 But pray； obey Dr。
Corney； if he ordered it for you。〃
〃I can't。 unless you do。〃
〃I will； then： I will try。〃
She held the glass； attempted； and was baffled by the reek of
it。
〃Try： you can do anything；〃 said Vernon。
〃Now that you find me here； Mr。 Whitford！ Anything for myself it
would seem； and nothing to save a friend。 But I will really try。〃
〃It must be a good mouthful。〃
〃I will try。 And you will finish the glass？〃
〃With your permission； if you do not leave too much。〃
They were to drink out of the same glass； and she was to drink
some of this infamous mixture： and she was in a kind of hotel
alone with him： and he was drenched in running after her：all
this came of breaking loose for an hour！
〃Oh！ what a misfortune that it should be such a day； Mr。
Whitford！〃
〃Did you not choose the day？〃
〃Not the weather。〃
〃And the worst of it is； that Willoughby will come upon Crossjay
wet to the bone； and pump him and get nothing but shufflings；
blank lies； and then find him out and chase him from the house。〃
Clara drank immediately； and more than she intended。 She held the
glass as an enemy to be delivered from； gasping； uncertain of her
breath。
〃Never let me be asked to endure such a thing again！〃
〃You are unlikely to be running away from father and friends
again。〃
She panted still with the fiery liquid she had gulped： and she
wondered that it should belie its reputation in not fortifying
h
