the egoist-第60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！


downpour！　I　want　to　consult　Miss　Dale　on　the　important　theme　of　a
dress　I　think　of　wearing　at　Mrs　Mountstuart's　to…night。〃

〃Do。　She　is　unerring。〃

〃She　has　excellent　taste。〃

〃She　dresses　very　simply　herself。〃

〃But　it　becomes　her。　She　is　one　of　the　few　women　whom　I　feel　I
could　not　improve　with　a　touch。〃

〃She　has　judgement。〃

He　reflected　and　repeated　his　encomium。

The　shadow　of　a　dimple　in　Clara's　cheek　awakened　him　to　the　idea
that　she　had　struck　him　somewhere：　and　certainly　he　would　never
again　be　able　to　put　up　the　fiction　of　her　jealousy　of　Laetitia。
What；　then；　could　be　this　girl's　motive　for　praying　to　be
released？　The　interrogation　humbled　him：　he　fled　from　the　answer。

Willoughby　went　in　search　of　De　Craye。　That　sprightly　intriguer
had　no　intention　to　let　himself　be　caught　solus。　He　was
undiscoverable　until　the　assembly　sounded；　when　Clara　dropped　a
public　word　or　two；　and　he　spoke　in　perfect　harmony　with　her。
After　that；　he　gave　his　company　to　Willoughby　for　an　hour　at
billiards；　and　was　well　beaten。

The　announcement　of　a　visit　of　Mrs。　Mountstuart　Jenkinson　took　the
gentlemen　to　the　drawing…room；　rather　suspecting　that　something
stood　in　the　way　of　her　dinner…party。　As　it　happened；　she　was
lamenting　only　the　loss　of　one　of　the　jewels　of　the　party：　to　wit；
the　great　Professor　Crooklyn；　invited　to　meet　Dr。　Middleton　at　her
table；　and　she　related　how　she　had　driven　to　the　station　by
appointment；　the　professor　being　notoriously　a　bother…headed
traveller：　as　was　shown　by　the　fact　that　he　had　missed　his　train
in　town；　for　he　had　not　arrived；　nothing　had　been　seen　of　him。　She
cited　Vernon　Whitford　for　her　authority　that　the　train　had　been
inspected；　and　the　platform　scoured　to　find　the　professor。

〃And　so；〃　said　she；　〃I　drove　home　your　Green　Man　to　dry　him；　he
was　wet　through　and　chattering；　the　man　was　exactly　like　a
skeleton　wrapped　in　a　sponge；　and　if　he　escapes　a　cold　he　must　be
as　invulnerable　as　he　boasts　himself。　These　athletes　are　terrible
boasters。〃

〃They　climb　their　Alps　to　crow；〃　said　Clara；　excited　by　her
apprehension　that　Mrs。　Mountstuart　would　speak　of　having　seen　the
colonel　near　the　station。

There　was　a　laugh；　and　Colonel　De　Craye　laughed　loudly　as　it
flashed　through　him　that　a　quick…witted　impressionable　girl　like
Miss　Middleton　must；　before　his　arrival　at　the　Hall；　have
speculated　on　such　obdurate　clay　as　Vernon　Whitford　was；　with
humourous　despair　at　his　uselessness　to　her。　Glancing　round；　he
saw　Vernon　standing　fixed　in　a　stare　at　the　young　lady。

〃You　heard　that；　Whitford？〃　he　said；　and　Clara's　face　betokening　
an　extremer　contrition　than　he　thought　was　demanded；　the　colonel
rallied　the　Alpine　climber　for　striving　to　be　the　tallest　of　them
Signor　Excelsior！and　described　these　conquerors　of　mountains
pancaked　on　the　rocks　in　desperate　embraces；　bleached　here；　burned
there；　barked　all　over；　all　to　be　able　to　say　they　had　been　up　〃so
high〃had　conquered　another　mountain！　He　was　extravagantly　funny
and　self…satisfied：　a　conqueror　of　the　sex　having　such　different
rewards　of　enterprise。

Vernon　recovered　in　time　to　accept　the　absurdities　heaped　on　him。

〃Climbing　peaks　won't　compare　with　hunting　a　wriggler；〃　said　he。

His　allusion　to　the　incessant　pursuit　of　young　Crossjay　to　pin　him
to　lessons　was　appreciated。

Clara　felt　the　thread　of　the　look　he　cast　from　herself　to　Colonel
De　Craye。　She　was　helpless；　if　he　chose　to　misjudge　her。　Colonel
De　Craye　did　not！

Crossjay　had　the　misfortune　to　enter　the　drawing…room　while　Mrs。
Mountstuart　was　compassionating　Vernon　for　his　ducking　in　pursuit
of　the　wriggler；　which　De　Craye　likened　to　〃going　through　the
river　after　his　eel：〃　and　immediately　there　was　a
cross…questioning　of　the　boy　between　De　Craye　and　Willoughby　on
the　subject　of　his　latest　truancy；　each　gentleman　trying　to　run
him　down　in　a　palpable　fib。　They　were　succeeding　brilliantly　when
Vernon　put　a　stop　to　it　by　marching　him　off　to　hard　labour。　Mrs。
Mountstuart　was　led　away　to　inspect　the　beautiful　porcelain
service；　the　present　of　Lady　Busshe。　〃Porcelain　again！〃　she　said
to　Willoughby；　and　would　have　signalled　to　the　〃dainty　rogue〃　to
come　with　them；　had　not　Clara　been　leaning　over　to　Laetitia；
talking　to　her　in　an　attitude　too　graceful　to　be　disturbed。　She
called　his　attention　to　it；　slightly　wondering　at　his　impatience。
She　departed　to　meet　an　afternoon　train　on　the　chance　that　it
would　land　the　professor。　〃But　tell　Dr。　Middleton；〃　said　she；　〃I
fear　I　shall　have　no　one　worthy　of　him！　And；〃　she　added　to
Willoughby；　as　she　walked　out　to　her　carriage；　〃I　shall　expect　you
to　do　the　great…gunnery　talk　at　table。〃

〃Miss　Dale　keeps　it　up　with　him　best；〃　said　Willoughby。

〃She　does　everything　best！　But　my　dinner…table　is　involved；　and　I
cannot　count　on　a　young　woman　to　talk　across　it。　I　would　hire　a
lion　of　a　menagerie；　if　one　were　handy；　rather　than　have　a　famous
scholar　at　my　table；　unsupported　by　another　famous　scholar。　Doctor
Middleton　would　ride　down　a　duke　when　the　wine　is　in　him。　He　will
terrify　my　poor　flock。　The　truth　is；　we　can't　leaven　him：　I
foresee　undigested　lumps　of　conversation；　unless　you　devote
yourself。〃

〃I　will　devote　myself；〃　said　Willoughby。

〃I　can　calculate　on　Colonel　De　Craye　and　our　porcelain　beauty　for
any　quantity　of　sparkles；　if　you　promise　that。　They　play　well
together。　You　are　not　to　be　one　of　the　gods　to…night；　but　a　kind
of　Jupiter's　cup…bearer；Juno's；　if　you　like；　and　Lady　Busshe
and　Lady　Culmer；　and　all　your　admirers　shall　know　subsequently
what　you　have　done。　You　see　my　alarm。　I　certainly　did　not　rank
Professor　Crooklyn　among　the　possibly　faithless；　or　I　never　would
have　ventured　on　Doctor　Middleton　at　my　table。　My　dinner…parties
have　hitherto　been　all　successes。　Naturally　I　feel　the　greater
anxiety　about　this　one。　For　a　single　failure　is　all　the　more
conspicuous。　The　exception　is　everlastingly　cited！　It　is　not　so
much　what　people　say；　but　my　own　sentiments。　I　hate　to　fail。
However；　if　you　are　true；　we　may　do。〃

〃Whenever　the　great　gun　goes　off　I　will　fall　on　my　face；　madam！〃

〃Something　of　that　sort；〃　said　the　dame；　smiling；　and　leaving　him
to　reflect　on　the　egoism　of　women。　For　the　sake　of　her
dinner…party　he　was　to　be　a　cipher　in　attendance　on　Dr。　Middleton；
and　Clara　and　De　Craye　were　to　be　encouraged　in　sparkling
together！　And　it　happened　that　he　particularly　wished　to　shine。
The　admiration　of　his　county　made　him　believe　he　had　a　flavour　in
general　society　that　was　not　yet　distinguished　by　his　bride；　and
he　was　to　relinquish　his　opportunity　in　order　to　please　Mrs。
Mountstuart！　Had　she　been　in　the　pay　of　his　rival；　she　could　not
have　stipulated　for　more。

He　remembered　young　Crossjay's　instant　quietude；　after　struggling
in　his　grasp；　when　Clara　laid　her　hand　on　the　boy：　and　from　that
infinitesimal　circumstance　he　deduced　the　boy's　perception　of　a
differing　between　himself　and　his　bride；　and　a　transfer　of
Crossjay's　allegiance　from　him　to　her。　She　shone；　she　had　the
gift　of　female　beauty；　the　boy　was　attracted　to　it。　That　boy　must
be　made　to　feel　his　treason。　But　the　point　of　the　cogitation　was；
that　similarly　were　Clara　to　see　her　affianced　shining；　as　shine
he　could　when　lighted　up　by　admirers；　there　was　the　probability
that　the　sensation　of　her　littleness　would　animate　her　to　take　aim
at　him　once　more。　And　then　was　the　time　for　her　chastisement。

A　visit　to　Dr。　Middleton　in　the　library　satisfied　him　that　she　had
not　been　renewing　her　entreaties　to　leave　Patterne。　No；　the
miserable　coquette　had　now　her　pastime；　and　was　content　to　stay。
Deceit　was　in　the　air：　he　heard　the　sound　of　the　shuttle　of　deceit
without　seeing　it；　but；　on　the　whole；　mindful　of　what　he　had
dreaded　during　the　hours　of　her　absence；　he　was　rather　flattered；
witheringly　flattered。　What　was　it　that　he　had　dreaded？　Nothing
less　than　news　of　her　running　away。　Indeed　a　silly　fancy；　a
lover's　fancy！　yet　it　had　led　him　so　far　as　to　suspect；　after
parting　with　De　Craye　in　the　rain；　that　his　friend　and　his　bride
were　in　collusion；　and　that　he　should　not　see　them　again。　He　had
actually　shouted　on　the　rainy　road　the　theatric　call　〃Fooled！〃　one
of　the　stage…cries　which　are　cries　of　nature！　particularly　the　cry
of　nature　with　men　who　have　driven　other　men　to　the　cry。

Constantia　Durham　had　taught　him　to　believe　women　capable　of
explosions　of　treason　at　half　a　minute's　notice。　And　strangely；
to　prove　that　women　are　all　of　a　pack；　she　had　worn　exactly　the
same　placidity　of　countenance　just　before　she　fled；　as　Clara
yesterday　and　to…day；　no　nervousness；　no　flushes；　no　twitches　of
the　brows；　but　smoothness；　ease　of　manneran　elegant
sisterliness；　one　might　almost　say：　as　if　the　creature　had　found　a
midway　and　borderline　to　walk　on　between　cruelty　and　kindness；　and
between　repulsion　and　attraction；　so　that　up　to　the　verge　of　her
breath　she　did　forcefully　attract；　repelling　at　one　foot's　length
with　her　armour　of　chill　serenity。　Not　with　any　disdain；　with　no
passion：　such　a　line　as　she　herself　pursued　she　indicated　to　him
on　a　neighbouring　parallel。　The　passion　in　her　was　like　a　place　of
waves　evaporated　to　a　crust　of　salt。　Clara's　resemblance　to
Constantia　in　this　instance　was　ominous。　For　him　whose　tragic
privilege　it　had　been　to　fold　each　of　them　in　his　arms；　and　weigh
on　their　eyelids；　and　see　the　dissolving　mist…deeps　in　their　eyes；
it　was　horrible。　Once　more　the　comparison　overcame　him。　Constantia
he　could　condemn　for　revealing　too　much　to　his　manly　sight：　she
had　met　him　almost　half…way：　well；　that　was　complimentary　and
sanguine：　but　her　frankness　was　a　baldness　often　rendering　it
doubtful　which　of　the　two；　lady　or　gentleman；　was　the　object　of
the　chasean　extreme　perplexity　to　his　manly　soul。　Now　Clara's
inner　spirit　was　shyer；　shy　as　a　doe　down　those　rose…tinged
abysses；　she　allured　both　the　lover　and　the　hunter；　forests　of
heavenliness　were　in　her　flitting　eyes。　Here　the　difference　of
these　fair　women　made　his　present　fate　an　intolerable　anguish。　For
if　Constantia　was　like　certain　of　the　ladies　whom　he　had　rendered
unhappy；　triumphed　over；　as　it　is　queerly　called；　Clara　was　not。
Her　individuality　as　a　woman　was　a　thing　he　had　to　bo