the egoist-第6部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


One　was　the　English　gentleman　wherever　he　went；　the　other　was　a
new　kind　of　thing；　nondescript；　produced　in　England　of　late；　and
not　likely　to　come　to　much　good　himself；　or　do　much　good　to　the
country。

Vernon's　dancing　in　America　was　capitally　described　by　Willoughby。
〃Adieu　to　our　cousins！〃　the　latter　wrote　on　his　voyage　to　Japan。
〃I　may　possibly　have　had　some　vogue　in　their　ball…rooms；　and　in
showing　them　an　English　seat　on　horseback：　I　must　resign　myself　if
I　have　not　been　popular　among　them。　I　could　not　sing　their
national　songif　a　congery　of　states　be　a　nationand　I　must
confess　I　listened　with　frigid　politeness　to　their　singing　of　it。
A　great　people；　no　doubt。　Adieu　to　them。　I　have　had　to　tear　old
Vernon　away。　He　had　serious　thoughts　of　settling；　means　to
correspond　with　some　of　them。〃　On　the　whole；　forgetting　two　or
more　〃traits　of　insolence〃　on　the　part　of　his　hosts；　which　he
cited；　Willoughby　escaped　pretty　comfortably。　The　President　had
been；　consciously　or　not；　uncivil；　but　one　knew　his　origin！　Upon
these　interjections；　placable　flicks　of　the　lionly　tail　addressed
to　Britannia　the　Ruler；　who　expected　him　in　some　mildish　way　to
lash　terga　cauda　in　retiring；　Sir　Willoughby　Patterne　passed　from
a　land　of　alien　manners；　and　ever　after　he　spoke　of　America
respectfully　and　pensively；　with　a　tail　tucked　in；　as　it　were。　His
travels　were　profitable　to　himself。　The　fact　is；　that　there　are
cousins　who　come　to　greatness　and　must　be　pacified；　or　they　will
prove　annoying。　Heaven　forefend　a　collision　between　cousins！

Willoughby　returned　to　his　England　after　an　absence　of　three
years。　On　a　fair　April　morning；　the　last　of　the　month；　he　drove
along　his　park　palings；　and；　by　the　luck　of　things；　Laetitia　was
the　first　of　his　friends　whom　he　met。　She　was　crossing　from　field
to　field　with　a　band　of　school…children；　gathering　wild　flowers
for　the　morrow　May…day。　He　sprang　to　the　ground　and　seized　her
hand。　〃Laetitia　Dale！〃　he　said。　He　panted。　〃Your　name　is　sweet
English　music！　And　you　are　well？〃　The　anxious　question　permitted
him　to　read　deeply　in　her　eyes。　He　found　the　man　he　sought　there；
squeezed　him　passionately；　and　let　her　go；　saying：　〃I　could　not
have　prayed　for　a　lovelier　home…scene　to　welcome　me　than　you　and
these　children　flower…gathering。　I　don't　believe　in　chance。　It　was
decreed　that　we　should　meet。　Do　not　you　think　so？〃

Laetitia　breathed　faintly　of　her　gladness。

He　begged　her　to　distribute　a　gold　coin　among　the　little　ones；
asked　for　the　names　of　some　of　them；　and　repeated：　〃Mary；　Susan；
Charlotteonly　the　Christian　names；　pray！　Well；　my　dears；　you
will　bring　your　garlands　to　the　Hall　to…morrow　morning；　and　mind；
early！　no　slugabeds　tomorrow；　I　suppose　I　am　browned；　Laetitia？〃　He
smiled　in　apology　for　the　foreign　sun；　and　murmured　with　rapture：
〃The　green　of　this　English　country　is　unsurpassed。　It　is　wonderful。
Leave　England　and　be　baked；　if　you　would　appreciate　it。　You　can't；
unless　you　taste　exile　as　I　have　donefor　how　many　years？　How
many？〃

〃Three；〃　said　Laetitia。

〃Thirty！〃　said　he。　〃It　seems　to　me　that　length。　At　least；　I　am
immensely　older。　But　looking　at　you；　I　could　think　it　less　than
three。　You　have　not　changed。　You　are　absolutely　unchanged。　I　am
bound　to　hope　so。　I　shall　see　you　soon。　I　have　much　to　talk　of；
much　to　tell　you。　I　shall　hasten　to　call　on　your　father。　I　have
specially　to　speak　with　him。　Iwhat　happiness　this　is；　Laetitia！
But　I　must　not　forget　I　have　a　mother。　Adieu；　for　some　hoursnot
for　many！〃

He　pressed　her　hand　again。　He　was　gone。

She　dismissed　the　children　to　their　homes。　Plucking　primroses　was
hard　labour　nowa　dusty　business。　She　could　have　wished　that　her
planet　had　not　descended　to　earth；　his　presence　agitated　her　so；
but　his　enthusiastic　patriotism　was　like　a　shower　that；　in　the
Spring　season　of　the　year；　sweeps　against　the　hard…binding　East
and　melts　the　air　and　brings　out　new　colours；　makes　life　flow；　and
her　thoughts　recurred　in　wonderment　to　the　behaviour　of　Constantia
Durham。　That　was　Laetitia's　manner　of　taking　up　her　weakness　once
more。　She　could　almost　have　reviled　the　woman　who　had　given　this
beneficent　magician；　this　pathetic　exile；　of　the　aristocratic
sunburned　visage　and　deeply　scrutinizing　eyes；　cause　for　grief。
How　deeply　his　eyes　could　read！　The　starveling　of　patience　awoke
to　the　idea　of　a　feast。　The　sense　of　hunger　came　with　it；　and　hope
came；　and　patience　fled。　She　would　have　rejected　hope　to　keep
patience　nigh　her；　but　surely　it　can　not　always　be　Winter！　said
her　reasoning　blood；　and　we　must　excuse　her　as　best　we　can　if　she
was　assured；　by　her　restored　warmth　that　Willoughby　came　in　the
order　of　the　revolving　seasons；　marking　a　long　Winter　past。　He　had
specially　to　speak　with　her　father；　he　had　said。　What　could　that
mean？　What；　butShe　dared　not　phrase　it　or　view　it。

At　their　next　meeting　she　was　〃Miss　Dale〃。

A　week　later　he　was　closeted　with　her　father。

Mr。　Dale；　in　the　evening　of　that　pregnant　day；　eulogized　Sir
Willoughby　as　a　landlord。　A　new　lease　of　the　cottage　was　to　be
granted　him　on　the　old　terms；　he　said。　Except　that　Sir　Willoughby
had　congratulated　him　in　the　possession　of　an　excellent　daughter；
their　interview　was　one　of　landlord　and　tenant；　it　appeared；　and
Laetitia　said；　〃So　we　shall　not　have　to　leave　the　cottage？〃　in　a
tone　of　satisfaction；　while　she　quietly　gave　a　wrench　to　the　neck
of　the　young　hope　in　her　breast。　At　night　her　diary　received　the
line：　〃This　day　I　was　a　fool。　To…morrow？〃

To…morrow　and　many　days　afterwards　there　were　dashes　instead　of
words。

Patience　travelled　back　to　her　sullenly。　As　we　must　have　some　kind
of　food；　and　she　had　nothing　else；　she　took　to　that　and　found　it
dryer　than　of　yore。　It　is　a　composing　but　a　lean　dietary。　The　dead
are　patient；　and　we　get　a　certain　likeness　to　them　in　feeding　on
it　unintermittingly　overlong。　Her　hollowed　cheeks　with　the　fallen
leaf　in　them　pleaded　against　herself　to　justify　her　idol　for　not
looking　down　on　one　like　her。　She　saw　him　when　he　was　at　the　Hall。
He　did　not　notice　any　change。　He　was　exceedingly　gentle　and
courteous。　More　than　once　she　discovered　his　eyes　dwelling　on　her；
and　then　he　looked　hurriedly　at　his　mother；　and　Laetitia　had　to
shut　her　mind　from　thinking；　lest　thinking　should　be　a　sin　and
hope　a　guilty　spectre。　But　had　his　mother　objected　to　her？　She
could　not　avoid　asking　herself。　His　tour　of　the　globe　had　been
undertaken　at　his　mother's　desire；　she　was　an　ambitious　lady；　in
failing　health；　and　she　wished　to　have　him　living　with　her　at
Patterne；　yet　seemed　to　agree　that　he　did　wisely　to　reside　in
London。

One　day　Sir　Willoughby；　in　the　quiet　manner　which　was
his　humour；　informed　her　that　he　had　become　a　country
gentleman；　he　had　abandoned　London；　he　loathed　it　as　the
burial…place　of　the　individual　man。　He　intended　to　sit　down　on
his　estates　and　have　his　cousin　Vernon　Whitford　to　assist　him
in　managing　them；　he　said；　and　very　amusing　was　his　description　
of　his　cousin's　shifts　to　live　by　literature；　and　add　enough
to　a　beggarly　income　to　get　his　usual　two　months　of　the　year
in　the　Alps。　Previous　to　his　great　tour；　Willoughby　had　spoken
of　Vernon's　judgement　with　derision；　nor　was　it　entirely　unknown　
that　Vernon　had　offended　his　family　pride　by　some
extravagant　act。　But　after　their　return　he　acknowledged
Vernon's　talents；　and　seemed　unable　to　do　without　him。

The　new　arrangement　gave　Laetitia　a　companion　for　her　walks。
Pedestrianism　was　a　sour　business　to　Willoughby；　whose　exclamation
of　the　word　indicated　a　willingness　for　any　amount　of　exercise　on
horseback；　but　she　had　no　horse；　and　so；　while　he　hunted；　Laetitia
and　Vernon　walked；　and　the　neighbourhood　speculated　on　the
circumstances；　until　the　ladies　Eleanor　and　Isabel　Patterne
engaged　her　more　frequently　for　carriage　exercise；　and　Sir
Willoughby　was　observed　riding　beside　them。

A　real　and　sunny　pleasure　befell　Laetitia　in　the　establishment　of
young　Crossjay　Patterne　under　her　roof；　the　son　of　the
lieutenant；　now　captain；　of　Marines；　a　boy　of　twelve　with　the
sprights　of　twelve　boys　in　him；　for　whose　board　and　lodgement　
Vernon　provided　by　arrangement　with　her　father。　Vernon　was　one　of
your　men　that　have　no　occupation　for　their　money；　no　bills　to　pay
for　repair　of　their　property；　and　are　insane　to　spend。　He　had
heard　of　Captain　Patterne's　large　family；　and　proposed　to　have　his
eldest　boy　at　the　Hall；　to　teach　him；　but　Willoughby　declined　to
house　the　son　of　such　a　father；　predicting　that　the　boy's　hair
would　be　red；　his　skin　eruptive；　and　his　practices　detestable。　So
Vernon；　having　obtained　Mr。　Dale's　consent　to　accommodate　this
youth；　stalked　off　to　Devonport；　and　brought　back　a　rosy…cheeked；
round…bodied　rogue　of　a　boy；　who　fell　upon　meats　and　puddings；　and
defeated　them；　with　a　captivating　simplicity　in　his　confession
that　he　had　never　had　enough　to　eat　in　his　life。　He　had　gone
through　a　training　for　a　plentiful　table。　At　first；　after　a　number
of　helps；　young　Crossjay　would　sit　and　sigh　heavily；　in
contemplation　of　the　unfinished　dish。　Subsequently；　he　told　his
host　and　hostess　that　he　had　two　sisters　above　his　own　age；　and
three　brothers　and　two　sisters　younger　than　he：　〃All　hungry！〃　said
die　boy。

His　pathos　was　most　comical。　It　was　a　good　month　before　he　could
see　pudding　taken　away　from　table　without　a　sigh　of　regret　that　he
could　not　finish　it　as　deputy　for　the　Devonport　household。　The
pranks　of　the　little　fellow；　and　his　revel　in　a　country　life；　and
muddy　wildness　in　it；　amused　Laetitia　from　morning　to　night。　She。
when　she　had　caught　him；　taught　him　in　the　morning；　Vernon；
favoured　by　the　chase；　in　the　afternoon。　Young　Crossjay　would　have
enlivened　any　household。　He　was　not　only　indolent；　he　was　opposed
to　the　acquisition　of　knowledge　through　the　medium　of　books；　and
would　say：　〃But　I　don't　want　to！〃　in　a　tone　to　make　a　logician
thoughtful。　Nature　was　very　strong　in　him。　He　had；　on　each　return
of　the　hour　for　instruction；　to　be　plucked　out　of　the　earth；　rank
of　the　soil；　like　a　root；　for　the　exercise　of　his　big　round
headpiece　on　those　tyrannous　puzzles。　But　the　habits　of　birds；　and
the　place　for　their　eggs；　and　the　management　of　rabbits；　and　the
tickling