the egoist-第73部分

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Willoughby　Patterne；　a　prince　among　them　formerly。　Now；　did　you
observe　him　last　night？　did　you　notice　how；　instead　of　conversing；
instead　of　assisting　meas　he　was　bound　to　do　doubly　owing　to
the　defection　of　Vernon　Whitford：　a　thing　I　don't　yet　comprehend
there　he　sat　sharpening　his　lower　lip　for　cutting　remarks。　And　at
my　best　man！　at　Colonel　De　Craye！　If　he　had　attacked　Mr。　Capes；
with　his　Governor　of　Bomby；　as　the　man　pronounces　it；　or　Colonel
Wildjohn　and　his　Protestant　Church　in　Danger；　or　Sir　Wilson
Pettifer　harping　on　his　Monarchical　Republic；　or　any　other！　No；　he
preferred　to　be　sarcastic　upon　friend　Horace；　and　he　had　the　worst
of　it。　Sarcasm　is　so　silly！　What　is　the　gain　if　he　has　been　smart？
People　forget　the　epigram　and　remember　the　other's　good　temper。　On
that　field；　my　dear；　you　must　make　up　your　mind　to　be　beaten　by
'friend　Horace'。　I　have　my　prejudices　and　I　have　my
prepossessions；　but　I　love　good　temper；　and　I　love　wit；　and　when　I
see　a　man　possessed　of　both；　I　set　my　cap　at　him；　and　there's　my
flat　confession；　and　highly　unfeminine　it　is。〃

〃Not　at　all！〃　cried　Clara。

〃We　are　one；　then。〃

Clara　put　up　a　mouth　empty　of　words：　she　was　quite　one　with　her。
Mrs。　Mountstuart　pressed　her　hand。　〃When　one　does　get　intimate
with　a　dainty　rogue！〃　she　said。　〃You　forgive　me　all　that；　for　I
could　vow　that　Willoughby　has　betrayed　me。〃

Clara　looked　soft；　kind；　bright；　in　turns；　and　clouded　instantly　
when　the　lady　resumed：　〃A　friend　of　my　own　sex；　and　young；　and　a
close　neighbour；　is　just　what　I　would　have　prayed　for。　And　I'll
excuse　you；　my　dear；　for　not　being　so　anxious　about　the　friendship
of　an　old　woman。　But　I　shall　be　of　use　to　you；　you　will　find。　In
the　first　place；　I　never　tap　for　secrets。　In　the　second；　I　keep
them。　Thirdly；　I　have　some　power。　And　fourth；　every　young　married
woman　has　need　of　a　friend　like　me。　Yes；　and　Lady　Patterne　heading
all　the　county　will　be　the　stronger　for　my　backing。　You　don't　look
so　mighty　well　pleased；　my　dear。　Speak　out。〃

〃Dear　Mrs。　Mountstuart！〃

〃I　tell　you；　I　am　very　fond　of　Willoughby；　but　I　saw　the　faults　of
the　boy　and　see　the　man's。　He　has　the　pride　of　a　king；　and　it's　a
pity　if　you　offend　it。　He　is　prodigal　in　generosity；　but　he　can't
forgive。　As　to　his　own　errors；　you　must　be　blind　to　them　as　a
Saint。　The　secret　of　him　is；　that　he　is　one　of　those　excessively
civilized　creatures　who　aim　at　perfection：　and　I　think　he　ought　to
be　supported　in　his　conceit　of　having　attained　it；　for　the　more
men　of　that　class；　the　greater　our　influence。　He　excels　in　manly
sports；　because　he　won't　be　excelled　in　anything；　but　as　men　don't
comprehend　his　fineness；　he　comes　to　us；　and　his　wife　must　manage
him　by　that　key。　You　look　down　at　the　idea　of　managing。　It　has　to
be　done。　One　thing　you　may　be　assured　of；　he　will　be　proud　of
you。　His　wife　won't　be　very　much　enamoured　of　herself　if　she　is
not　the　happiest　woman　in　the　world。　You　will　have　the　best
horses；　the　best　dresses；　the　finest　jewels　in　England；　and　an
incomparable　cook。　The　house　will　be　changed　the　moment　you　enter
it　as　Lady　Patterne。　And；　my　dear；　just　where　he　is；　with　all　his
graces；　deficient　of　attraction；　yours　will　tell。　The　sort　of
Othello　he　would　make；　or　Leontes；　I　don't　know；　and　none　of　us
ever　needs　to　know。　My　impression　is；　that　if　even　a　shadow　of　a
suspicion　flitted　across　him；　he　is　a　sort　of　man　to　double…dye
himself　in　guilt　by　way　of　vengeance　in　anticipation　of　an
imagined　offence。　Not　uncommon　with　men。　I　have　heard　strange
stories　of　them：　and　so　will　you　in　your　time　to　come；　but　not
from　me。　No　young　woman　shall　ever　be　the　sourer　for　having　been
my　friend。　One　word　of　advice　now　we　are　on　the　topic：　never　play
at　counter…strokes　with　him。　He　will　be　certain　to　out…stroke　you；
and　you　will　be　driven　further　than　you　meant　to　go。　They　say　we
beat　men　at　that　game；　and　so　we　do；　at　the　cost　of　beating
ourselves。　And　if　once　we　are　started；　it　is　a　race…course　ending
on　a　precipiceover　goes　the　winner。　We　must　be　moderately　
slavish　to　keep　our　place；　which　is　given　us　in　appearance；　but
appearances　make　up　a　remarkably　large　part　of　life；　and　far　the
most　comfortable；　so　long　as　we　are　discreet　at　the　right　moment。
He　is　a　man　whose　pride；　when　hurt；　would　run　his　wife　to
perdition　to　solace　it。　If　he　married　a　troublesome　widow；　his
pamphlet　on　Suttee　would　be　out　within　the　year。　Vernon　Whitford
would　receive　instructions　about　it　the　first　frosty　moon。　You
like　Miss　Dale？〃

〃I　think　I　like　her　better　than　she　likes　me；〃　said　Clara。

〃Have　you　never　warmed　together？〃

〃I　have　tried　it。　She　is　not　one　bit　to　blame。　I　can　see　how　it　is
that　she　misunderstands　me：　or　justly　condemns　me；　perhaps　I
should　say。〃

〃The　hero　of　two　women　must　die　and　be　wept　over　in　common　before
they　can　appreciate　one　another。　You　are　not　cold？〃

〃No。〃

〃You　shuddered；　my　dear。〃

〃Did　l？〃

〃I　do　sometimes。　Feet　will　be　walking　over　ones　grave；　wherever　it
lies。　Be　sure　of　this：　Willoughby　Patterne　is　a　man　of
unimpeachable　honour。〃

〃I　do　not　doubt　it。〃

〃He　means　to　be　devoted　to　you。　He　has　been　accustomed　to　have
women　hanging　around　him　like　votive　offerings。〃

〃I　。。。！〃

〃You　cannot：　of　course　not：　any　one　could　see　that　at　a　glance。
You　are　all　the　sweeter　to　me　for　not　being　tame。　Marriage　cures
a　multitude　of　indispositions。〃

〃Oh！　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　will　you　listen　to　me？〃

〃Presently。　Don't　threaten　me　with　confidences。　Eloquence　is　a
terrible　thing　in　woman。　I　suspect；　my　dear；　that　we　both　know　as
much　as　could　be　spoken。〃

〃You　hardly　suspect　the　truth；　I　fear。〃

〃Let　me　tell　you　one　thing　about　jealous　menwhen　they　are　not
blackamoors　married　to　disobedient　daughters。　I　speak　of　our　civil
creature　of　the　drawing…rooms：　and　lovers；　mind；　not　husbands：　two
distinct　species；　married　or　not：they're　rarely　given　to
jealousy　unless　they　are　flighty　themselves。　The　jealousy　fixes
them。　They　have　only　to　imagine　that　we　are　for　some　fun　likewise
and　they　grow　as　deferential　as　my　footman；　as　harmless　as　the
sportsman　whose　gun　has　burst。　Ah！　my　fair　Middleton；　am　I
pretending　to　teach　you？　You　have　read　him　his　lesson；　and　my
table　suffered　for　it　last　night；　but　I　bear　no　rancour。〃

〃You　bewilder　me；　Mrs。　Mountstuart。〃

〃Not　if　I　tell　you　that　you　have　driven　the　poor　man　to　try
whether　it　would　be　possible　for　him　to　give　you　up。〃

〃I　have？〃

〃Well；　and　you　are　successful。〃

〃I　am？〃

〃Jump；　my　dear！〃

〃He　will？〃

〃When　men　love　stale　instead　of　fresh；　withered　better　than
blooming；　excellence　in　the　abstract　rather　than　the　palpable。
With　their　idle　prate　of　feminine　intellect；　and　a　grotto　nymph；
and　a　mother　of　Gracchi！　Why；　he　must　think　me　dazed　with
admiration　of　him　to　talk　to　me！　One　listens；　you　know。　And　he　is
one　of　the　men　who　cast　a　kind　of　physical　spell　on　you　while　he
has　you　by　the　ear；　until　you　begin　to　think　of　it　by　talking　to
somebody　else。　I　suppose　there　are　clever　people　who　do　see　deep
into　the　breast　while　dialogue　is　in　progress。　One　reads　of　them。
No；　my　dear；　you　have　very　cleverly　managed　to　show　him　that　it
isn't　at　all　possible：　he　can't。　And　the　real　cause　for　alarm；　in
my　humble　opinion；　is　lest　your　amiable　foil　should　have　been　a
trifle；　as　he　would　say；　deceived；　too　much　in　earnest；　led　too
far。　One　may　reprove　him　for　not　being　wiser；　but　men　won't　learn
without　groaning　that　they　are　simply　weapons　taken　up　to　be　put
down　when　done　with。　Leave　it　to　me　to　compose　him。Willoughby　
can't　give　you　up。　I'm　certain　he　has　tried；　his　pride　has　been
horridly　wounded。　You　were　shrewd；　and　he　has　had　his　lesson。　If
these　little　rufflings　don't　come　before　marriage　they　come　after；
so　it's　not　time　lost；　and　it's　good　to　be　able　to　look　back　on
them。　You　are　very　white；　my　child。〃

〃Can　you；　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　can　you　think　I　would　be　so
heartlessly　treacherous？〃

〃Be　honest；　fair　Middleton；　and　answer　me：　Can　you　say　you　had　not
a　corner　of　an　idea　of　producing　an　effect　on　Willoughby？〃

Clara　checked　the　instinct　of　her　tongue　to　defend　her　reddening　
cheeks；　with　a　sense　that　she　was　disintegrating　and　crumbling；
but　she　wanted　this　lady　for　a　friend；　and　she　had　to　submit　to
the　conditions；　and　be　red　and　silent。

Mrs。　Mountstuart　examined　her　leisurely。

〃That　will　do。　Conscience　blushes。　One　knows　it　by　the
conflagration。　Don't　be　hard　on　yourself。。　there　you　are　in　the
other　extreme。　That　blush　of　yours　would　count　with　me　against　any
quantity　of　evidenceall　the　Crooklyns　in　the　kingdom。　You　lost
your　purse。〃

〃I　discovered　that　it　was　lost　this　morning。〃

〃Flitch　has　been　here　with　it。　Willoughby　has　it。　You　will　ask　him
for　it；　he　will　demand　payment：　you　will　be　a　couple　of　yards〃
length　or　so　of　cramoisy：　and　there　ends　the　episode；　nobody
killed；　only　a　poor　man　melancholy…wounded；　and　I　must　offer　him
my　hand　to　mend　him；　vowing　to　prove　to　him　that　Suttee　was
properly　abolished。　Well；　and　now　to　business。　I　said　I　wanted　to
sound　you。　You　have　been　overdone　with　porcelain。　Poor　Lady　Busshe
is　in　despair　at　your　disappointment。　Now；　I　mean　my
wedding…present　to　be　to　your　taste。〃

〃Madam！〃

〃Who　is　the　madam　you　are　imploring？〃

〃Dear　Mrs。　Mountstuart！〃

〃Well？〃

〃I　shall　fall　in　your　esteem。　Perhaps　you　will　help　me。　No　one
else　can。　I　am　a　prisoner：　I　am　compelled　to　continue　this
imposture。　Oh；　I　shun　speaking　much：　you　object　to　it　and　I
dislike　it：　but　I　must　endeavour　to　explain　to　you　that　I　am
unworthy　of　the　position　you　think　a　proud　one。〃

〃Tut…tut；　we　are　all　unworthy；　cross　our　arms；　bow　our　heads；　and
accept　the　honours。　Are　you　playing　humble　handmaid？　What　an　old
organ…tune　that　is！　Well？　Give　me　reasons。〃

〃I　do　not　wish　to　marry。〃

〃He's　the　great　match　of　the　county！〃

〃I　cannot　marry　him。〃

〃Why；　you　are　at　the　church　door　with　him！　Cannot　marry　him？〃

〃It　does　not　bind　me。〃

〃The　church　door　is　as　binding　as　the　altar　to　an　honourable　girl。
What　have　you　been　about？　Since　I　am　in　for　confidences；　half　ones
won't　do。　We　must　have　honourable　young　women　as　well　as　men　of
honour。　You　can't　imagine　he　is　to　be　thrown　over　now；　at　this
hour？　What　have　you　aga