the egoist-第72部分

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correcting　his　resemblance　to　the　high…caste　culprit　as　soon　as　it
recurred　to　him。

〃But　you　know　Lady　Busshe；〃　said　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　genuinely　
solicitous　to　ease　the　proud　man　of　his　pain。　She　could　see
through　him　to　the　depth　of　the　skin；　which　his　fencing
sensitiveness　vainly　attempted　to　cover　as　it　did　the　heart　of
him。　〃Lady　Busshe　is　nothing　without　her　flights；　fads；　and
fancies。　She　has　always　insisted　that　you　have　an　unfortunate
nose。　I　remember　her　saying　on　the　day　of　your　majority；　it　was
the　nose　of　a　monarch　destined　to　lose　a　throne。〃

〃Have　I　ever　offended　Lady　Busshe？〃

〃She　trumpets　you。　She　carries　Lady　Culmer　with　her　too；　and　you
may　expect　a　visit　of　nods　and　hints　and　pots　of　alabaster。　They
worship　you：　you　are　the　hope　of　England　in　their　eyes；　and　no
woman　is　worthy　of　you：　but　they　are　a　pair　of　fatalists；　and　if
you　begin　upon　Letty　Dale　with　them；　you　might　as　well　forbid　your
banns。　They　will　be　all　over　the　country　exclaiming　on
predestination　and　marriages　made　in　heaven。〃

〃Clara　and　her　father！〃　cried　Sir　Willoughby。

Dr　Middleton　and　his　daughter　appeared　in　the　circle　of　shrubs　and
flowers。

〃Bring　her　to　me；　and　save　me　from　the　polyglot；〃　said　Mrs
Mountstuart；　in　afright　at　Dr。　Middleton's　manner　of　pouring　forth
into　the　ears　of　the　downcast　girl。

The　leisure　he　loved　that　he　might　debate　with　his　genius　upon　any
next　step　was　denied　to　Willoughby：　he　had　to　place　his　trust　in
the　skill　with　which　he　had　sown　and　prepared　Mrs　Mountstuart's
understanding　to　meet　the　girlbeautiful　abhorred　that　she　was！
detested　darling！　thing　to　squeeze　to　death　and　throw　to　the　dust；
and　mourn　over！

He　had　to　risk　it；　and　at　an　hour　when　Lady　Busshe's　prognostic　
grievously　impressed　his　intense　apprehensiveness　of　nature。

As　it　happened　that　Dr。　Middleton's　notion　of　a　disagreeable　duty
in　colloquy　was　to　deliver　all　that　he　contained；　and　escape　the
listening　to　a　syllable　of　reply；　Willoughby　withdrew　his　daughter
from　him　opportunely。

〃Mrs。　Mountstuart　wants　you；　Clara。〃

〃I　shall　be　very　happy；〃　Clara　replied；　and　put　on　a　new　face。　An
imperceptible　nervous　shrinking　was　met　by　another　force　in　her
bosom；　that　pushed　her　to　advance　without　a　sign　of　reluctance。
She　seemed　to　glitter。

She　was　handed　to　Mrs。　Mountstuart。

Dr　Middleton　laid　his　hand　over　Willoughby's　shoulder；　retiring　on
a　bow　before　the　great　lady　of　the　district。　He　blew　and　said：　〃An
opposition　of　female　instincts　to　masculine　intellect　necessarily
creates　a　corresponding　antagonism　of　intellect　to　instinct。〃

〃Her　answer；　sir？　Her　reasons？　Has　she　named　any？〃

〃The　cat；〃　said　Dr。　Middleton；　taking　breath　for　a　sentence；　〃that
humps　her　back　in　the　figure　of　the　letter　H；　or　a　Chinese　bridge
has　given　the　dog　her　answer　and　her　reasons；　we　may　presume：　but
he　that　undertakes　to　translate　them　into　human　speech　might
likewise　venture　to　propose　an　addition　to　the　alphabet　and　a
continuation　of　Homer。　The　one　performance　would　be　not　more
wonderful　than　the　other。　Daughters；　Willoughby；　daughters！　Above
most　human　peccancies；　I　do　abhor　a　breach　of　faith。　She　will　not
be　guilty　of　that。　I　demand　a　cheerful　fulfilment　of　a　pledge：
and　I　sigh　to　think　that　I　cannot　count　on　it　without
administering　a　lecture。〃

〃She　will　soon　be　my　care；　sir。〃

〃She　shall　be。　Why；　she　is　as　good　as　married。　She　is　at　the
altar。　She　is　in　her　house。　She　iswhy；　where　is　she　not？　She
has　entered　the　sanctuary。　She　is　out　of　the　market。　This　maenad
shriek　for　freedom　would　happily　entitle　her　to　the　Republican　cap
the　Phrygianin　a　revolutionary　Parisian　procession。　To　me　it
has　no　meaning；　and　but　that　I　cannot　credit　child　of　mine　with
mania；　I　should　be　in　trepidation　of　her　wits。〃

Sir　Willoughby's　livelier　fears　were　pacified　by　the　information　
that　Clara　had　simply　emitted　a　cry。　Clara　had　once　or　twice　given
him　cause　for　starting　and　considering　whether　to　think　of　her　sex
differently　or　condemningly　of　her；　yet　he　could　not　deem　her
capable　of　fully　unbosoming　herself　even　to　him；　and　under
excitement。　His　idea　of　the　cowardice　of　girls　combined　with　his
ideal　of　a　waxwork　sex　to　persuade　him　that　though　they　are　often
（he　had　experienced　it）　wantonly　desperate　in　their　acts；　their
tongues　are　curbed　by　rosy　prudency。　And　this　was　in　his　favour。
For　if　she　proved　speechless　and　stupid　with　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　the
lady　would　turn　her　over；　and　beat　her　flat；　beat　her　angular；　in
fine；　turn　her　to　any　shape；　despising　her；　and　cordially　believe
him　to　be　the　model　gentleman　of　Christendom。　She　would　fill　in
the　outlines　he　had　sketched　to　her　of　a　picture　that　he　had　small
pride　in　by　comparison　with　his　early　vision　of　a　fortune…favoured；
triumphing　squire；　whose　career　is　like　the　sun's；　intelligibly
lordly　to　all　comprehensions。　Not　like　your　model　gentleman；　that
has　to　be　expoundeda　thing　for　abstract　esteem！　　However；　it
was　the　choice　left　to　him。　And　an　alternative　was　enfolded　in
that。　Mrs。　Mountstuart's　model　gentleman　could　marry　either　one　of
two　women；　throwing　the　other　overboard。　He　was　bound　to　marry：　he
was　bound　to　take　to　himself　one　of　them：　and　whichever　one　he
selected　would　cast　a　lustre　on　his　reputation。　　At　least　she
would　rescue　him　from　the　claws　of　Lady　Busshe；　and　her　owl's
hoot　of　〃Willow　Pattern〃；　and　her　hag's　shriek　of　〃twice　jilted〃。
That　flying　infant　Willoughbyhis　unprotected　little　incorporeal
omnipresent　Self　（not　thought　of　so　much　as　passionately　felt　for）
would　not　be　scoffed　at　as　the　luckless　with　women。　A　fall
indeed　from　his　original　conception　of　his　name　of　fame　abroad！
But　Willoughby　had　the　high　consolation　of　knowing　that　others
have　fallen　lower。　There　is　the　fate　of　the　devils　to　comfort　us；
if　we　are　driven　hard。　〃For　one　of　your　pangs　another　bosom　is
racked　by　ten〃；　we　read　in　the　solacing　Book。

With　all　these　nice　calculations　at　work；　Willoughby　stood　above
himself；　contemplating　his　active　machinery；　which　he　could　partly
criticize　but　could　not　stop；　in　a　singular　wonderment　at　the　aims
and　schemes　and　tremours　of　one　who　was　handsome；　manly；
acceptable　in　the　world's　eyes：　and　had　he　not　loved　himself　most
heartily　he　would　have　been　divided　to　the　extent　of　repudiating
that　urgent　and　excited　half　of　his　being；　whose　motions　appeared
as　those　of　a　body　of　insects　perpetually　erecting　and　repairing　a
structure　of　extraordinary　pettiness。　He　loved　himself　too
seriously　to　dwell　on　the　division　for　more　than　a　minute　or　so。
But　having　seen　it；　and　for　the　first　time；　as　he　believed；　his
passion　for　the　woman　causing　it　became　surcharged　with
bitterness；　atrabiliar。

A　glance　behind　him；　as　he　walked　away　with　Dr。　Middleton；　showed
Clara；　cunning　creature　that　she　was；　airily　executing　her
malicious　graces　in　the　preliminary　courtesies　with　Mrs。
Mountstuart。



CHAPTER　XXXV

Miss　Middleton　and　Mrs。　Mountstuart

〃Sit　beside　me；　fair　Middleton；〃　said　the　great　lady。

〃Gladly；〃　said　Clara；　bowing　to　her　title。

〃I　want　to　sound　you；　my　dear。〃

Clara　presented　an　open　countenance　with　a　dim　interrogation　on
the　forehead。　〃Yes？〃　she　said；　submissively。

〃You　were　one　of　my　bright　faces　last　night。　I　was　in　love　with
you。　Delicate　vessels　ring　sweetly　to　a　finger…nail；　and　if　the
wit　is　true；　you　answer　to　it；　that　I　can　see；　and　that　is　what　I
like。　Most　of　the　people　one　has　at　a　table　are　drums。　A
ruba…dub…dub　on　them　is　the　only　way　to　get　a　sound。　When　they　can
be　persuaded　to　do　it　upon　one　another；　they　call　it
conversation。〃

〃Colonel　De　Craye　was　very　funny。〃

〃Funny；　and　witty　too。〃

〃But　never　spiteful。〃

〃These　Irish　or　half　Irishmen　are　my　taste。　If　they're　not
politicians；　mind；　I　mean　Irish　gentlemen。　I　will　never　have
another　dinner…party　without　one。　Our　men's　tempers　are　uncertain。
You　can't　get　them　to　forget　themselves。　And　when　the　wine　is　in
them　the　nature　comes　out；　and　they　must　be　buffetting；　and
up　start　politics；　and　good…bye　to　harmony！　My　husband；　I　am　sorry
to　say；　was　one　of　those　who　have　a　long　account　of　ruined　dinners
against　them。　I　have　seen　him　and　his　friends　red　as　the　roast　and
white　as　the　boiled　with　wrath　on　a　popular　topic　they　had　excited
themselves　over；　intrinsically　not　worth　a　snap　of　the　fingers。　In
London！〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　to　aggravate　the　charge
against　her　lord　in　the　Shades。　〃But　town　or　country；　the　table
should　be　sacred。　I　have　heard　women　say　it　is　a　plot　on　the　side
of　the　men　to　teach　us　our　littleness。　I　don't　believe　they　have　a
plot。　It　would　be　to　compliment　them　on　a　talent。　I　believe　they
fall　upon　one　another　blindly；　simply　because　they　are　full；
which　is；　we　are　told；　the　preparation　for　the　fighting　Englishman。
They　cannot　eat　and　keep　a　truce。　Did　you　notice　that　dreadful　Mr。
Capes？〃

〃The　gentleman　who　frequently　contradicted　papa？　But　Colonel　De
Craye　was　good　enough　to　relieve　us。〃

〃How；　my　dear？〃

〃You　did　not　hear　him？　He　took　advantage　of　an　interval　when　Mr。
Capes　was　breathing　after　a　paean　to　his　friend；　the　GovernorI
thinkof　one　of　the　presidencies；　to　say　to　the　lady　beside　him：
'He　was　a　wonderful　administrator　and　great　logician；　he　married
an　Anglo…Indian　widow；　and　soon　after　published　a　pamphlet　in
favour　of　Suttee。'〃

〃And　what　did　the　lady　say？〃

〃She　said：　'Oh。'〃

〃Hark　at　her！　And　was　it　heard？〃

〃Mr。　Capes　granted　the　widow；　but　declared　he　had　never　seen　the
pamphlet　in　favour　of　Suttee；　and　disbelieved　in　it。　He　insisted
that　it　was　to　be　named　Sati。　He　was　vehement。〃

〃Now　I　do　remember：which　must　have　delighted　the　colonel。　And
Mr。　Capes　retired　from　the　front　upon　a　repetition　of　'in　toto；　in
toto'。　As　if　'in　toto'　were　the　language　of　a　dinner…table！　But
what　will　ever　teach　these　men？　Must　we　import　Frenchmen　to　give
them　an　example　in　the　art　of　conversation；　as　their　grandfathers
brought　over　marquises　to　instruct　them　in　salads？　And　our　young
men　too！　Women　have　to　take　to　the　hunting…field　to　be　able　to
talk　with　them；　and　be　on　a　par　with　their　grooms。　Now；　there　was
Willoughby　Patterne；　a　prince　among　them　formerly。　Now；　did　you
observe　him　last　night？　did　you　notice　how；　in