the egoist-第87部分

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〃Why；　you；　you；　you；　it　was　you　who　craved　to　be　alone　with
Willoughby！〃　her　father　shouted；　〃and　here　we　are　rounded　to　our
starting…point；　with　the　solitary　difference　that　now　you　do　not
want　to　be　alone　with　Willoughby。　First　I　am　bidden　go；　next　I　am
pulled　back；　and　judging　by　collar　and　coat…tag；　I　suspect　you　to
be　a　young　woman　to　wear　an　angel's　temper　threadbare　before　you
determine　upon　which　one　of　the　tides　driving　him　to　and　fro　you
intend　to　launch　on　yourself；　Where　is　your　mind？〃

Clara　smoothed　her　forehead。

〃I　wish　to　please　you；　papa。〃

〃I　request　you　to　please　the　gentleman　who　is　your　appointed　
husband。〃

〃I　am　anxious　to　perform　my　duty。〃

〃That　should　be　a　satisfactory　basis　for　you；　Willoughby；　as　
girls　go！〃

〃Let　me；　sir；　simply　entreat　to　have　her　hand　in　mine　before　you。〃

〃Why　not；　Clara？〃

〃Why　an　empty　ceremony；　papa？〃

〃The　implication　is；　that　she　is　prepared　for　the　important　one；
friend　Willoughby。〃

〃Her　hand；　sir；　the　reassurance　of　her　hand　in　mine　under　your
eyes：after　all　that　I　have　suffered；　I　claim　it；　I　think　I
claim　it　reasonably；　to　restore　me　to　confidence。〃

〃Quite　reasonably；　which　is　not　to　say；　necessarily；　but；　I　will
add；　justifiably；　and　it　may　be；　sagaciously；　when　dealing　with
the　volatile。〃

〃And　here；〃　said　Willoughby；　〃is　my　hand。〃

Clara　recoiled。

He　stepped　on。　Her　father　frowned。　She　lifted　both　her　hands　from
the　shrinking　elbows；　darted　a　look　of　repulsion　at　her　pursuer；
and　ran　to　her　father；　crying：　〃Call　it　my　mood！　I　am　volatile；
capricious；　flighty；　very　foolish。　But　you　see　that　I　attach　a
real　meaning　to　it；　and　feel　it　to　be　binding：　I　cannot　think　it
an　empty　ceremony；　if　it　is　before　you。　Yes；　only　be　a　little
considerate　to　your　moody　girl。　She　will　be　in　a　fitter　state　in　a
few　hours。　Spare　me　this　moment；　I　must　collect　myself。　I　thought
I　was　free；　I　thought　he　would　not　press　me。　If　I　give　my　hand
hurriedly　now；　I　shall；　I　know；　immediately　repent　it。　There　is
the　picture　of　me！　But；　papa；　I　mean　to　try　to　be　above　that；　and
if　I　go　and　walk　by　myself；　I　shall　grow　calm　to　perceive　where　my
duty　lies　。　。　。〃

〃In　which　direction　shall　you　walk？〃　said　Willoughby。

〃Wisdom　is　not　upon　a　particular　road；〃　said　Dr。　Middleton。

〃I　have　a　dread；　sir；　of　that　one　which　leads　to　the
railway…station。〃

〃With　some　justice！〃　Dr。　Middleton　sighed　over　his　daughter。

Clara　coloured　to　deep　crimson：　but　she　was　beyond　anger；　and　was
rather　gratified　by　an　offence　coming　from　Willoughby。

〃I　will　promise　not　to　leave　his　grounds；　papa。〃

〃My　child；　you　have　threatened　to　be　a　breaker　of　promises。〃

〃Oh！〃　she　wailed。　〃But　I　will　make　it　a　vow　to　you。〃

〃Why　not　make　it　a　vow　to　me　this　moment；　for　this　gentleman's　
contentment；　that　he　shall　be　your　husband　within　a　given　period？〃

〃I　will　come　to　you　voluntarily。　I　burn　to　be　alone。〃

〃I　shall　lose　her；〃　exclaimed　Willoughby；　in　heartfelt　earnest。

〃How　so？〃　said　Dr。　Middleton。　〃I　have　her；　sir；　if　you　will　favour
me　by　continuing　in　abeyance。You　will　come　within　an　hour
voluntarily；　Clara；　and　you　will　either　at　once　yield　your　hand　to
him　or　you　will　furnish　reasons；　and　they　must　be　good　ones；　for
withholding　it。〃

〃Yes；　papa。〃

〃You　will？〃

〃I　will。〃

〃Mind；　I　say　reasons。〃

〃Reasons；　papa。　If　I　have　none　。。。〃

〃If　you　have　none　that　are　to　my　satisfaction；　you　implicitly　and
instantly；　and　cordially　obey　my　command。〃

〃I　will　obey。〃

〃What　more　would　you　require？〃　Dr。　Middleton　bowed　to　Sir
Willoughby　in　triumph。

〃Will　she。。。〃

〃Sir！　Sir！〃

〃She　is　your　daughter；　sir。　I　am　satisfied。〃

〃She　has　perchance　wrestled　with　her　engagement；　as　the
aboriginals　of　a　land　newly　discovered　by　a　crew　of　adventurous　
colonists　do　battle　with　the　garments　imposed　on　them　by　our
considerate　civilization；ultimately　to　rejoice　with　excessive　
dignity　in　the　wearing　of　a　battered　cocked…hat　and　trowsers　not
extending　to　the　shanks：　but　she　did　not　break　her　engagement；
sir；　and　we　will　anticipate　that；　moderating　a　young　woman's
native　wildness；　she　may；　after　the　manner　of　my　comparison；　take
a　similar　pride　in　her　fortune　in　good　season。〃

Willoughby　had　not　leisure　to　sound　the　depth　of　Dr。　Middleton's
compliment。　He　had　seen　Clara　gliding　out　of　the　room　during　the
delivery；　and　his　fear　returned　on　him　that；　not　being　won；　she
was　lost。

〃She　has　gone。〃　Her　father　noticed　her　absence。　〃She　does　not
waste　time　in　her　mission　to　procure　that　astonishing　product　of　a
shallow　soil；　her　reasons；　if　such　be　the　object　of　her　search。
But　no：　it　signifies　that　she　deems　herself　to　have　need　of
composurenothing　more。　No　one　likes　to　be　turned　about；　we　like
to　turn　ourselves　about；　and　in　the　question　of　an　act　to　be
committed；　we　stipulate　that　it　shall　be　our　actgirls　and
others。　　After　the　lapse　of　an　hour；　it　will　appear　to　her　as　her
act。　　Happily；　Willoughby；　we　do　not　dine　away　from　Patterne
to…night。〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃It　may　be　attributable　to　a　sense　of　deserving；　but　I　could　plead
guilty　to　a　weakness　for　old　Port　to…day。〃

〃There　shall　be　an　extra　bottle；　sir。〃

〃All　going　favourably　with　you；　as　I　have　no　cause　to　doubt；〃　said
Dr　Middleton；　with　the　motion　of　wafting　his　host　out　of　the
library。



CHAPTER　XLII

Shows　the　Divining　Arts　of　a　Perceptive　Mind

Starting　from　the　Hall　a　few　minutes　before　Dr。　Middleton　and　Sir
Willoughby　had　entered　the　drawing…room　overnight；　Vernon　parted
company　with　Colonel　De　Craye　at　the　park…gates；　and　betook　himself
to　the　cottage　of　the　Dales；　where　nothing　had　been　heard　of　his
wanderer；　and　he　received　the　same　disappointing　reply　from　Dr。
Corney；　out　of　the　bedroom　window　of　the　genial　physician；　whose
astonishment　at　his　covering　so　long　a　stretch　of　road　at　night
for　news　of　a　boy　like　Crossjaygifted　with　the　lives　of　a　cat
became　violent　and　rapped　Punch…like　blows　on　the　window…sill　at
Vernon's　refusal　to　take　shelter　and　rest。　Vernon's　excuse　was
that　he　had　〃no　one　but　that　fellow　to　care　for〃；　and　he　strode
off；　naming　a　farm　five　miles　distant。　Dr。　Corney　howled　an
invitation　to　early　breakfast　to　him；　in　the　event　of　his　passing
on　his　way　back；　and　retired　to　bed　to　think　of　him。　The　result　of
a　variety　of　conjectures　caused　him　to　set　Vernon　down　as　Miss
Middleton's　knight；　and　he　felt　a　strong　compassion　for　his　poor
friend。　〃Though；〃　thought　he；　〃a　hopeless　attachment　is　as　pretty
an　accompaniment　to　the　tune　of　life　as　a　gentleman　might　wish　to
have；　for　it's　one　of　those　big　doses　of　discord　which　make　all
the　minor　ones　fit　in　like　an　agreeable　harmony；　and　so　he
shuffles　along　as　pleasantly　as　the　fortune…favoured；　when　they
come　to　compute！〃

Sir　Willoughby　was　the　fortune…favoured　in　the　little　doctor's
mind；　that　high…stepping　gentleman　having　wealth；　and　public
consideration；　and　the　most　ravishing　young　lady　in　the　world　for
a　bride。　Still；　though　he　reckoned　all　these　advantages　enjoyed　by
Sir　Willoughby　at　their　full　value；　he　could　imagine　the　ultimate
balance　of　good　fortune　to　be　in　favour　of　Vernon。　But　to　do　so；
he　had　to　reduce　the　whole　calculation　to　the　extreme　abstract；
and　feed　his　lean　friend；　as　it　were；　on　dew　and　roots；　and　the
happy　effect　for　Vernon　lay　in　a　distant　future；　on　the　borders　of
old　age；　where　he　was　to　be　blessed　with　his　lady's　regretful
preference；　and　rejoice　in　the　fruits　of　good　constitutional
habits。　The　reviewing　mind　was　Irish。　Sir　Willoughby　was　a
character　of　man　profoundly　opposed　to　Dr。　Corney's　nature；　the
latter's　instincts　bristled　with　antagonismnot　to　his　race；　for
Vernon　was　of　the　same　race；　partly　of　the　same　blood；　and　Corney
loved　him：　the　type　of　person　was　the　annoyance。　And　the
circumstance　of　its　prevailing　successfulness　in　the　country　where
he　was　placed；　while　it　held　him　silent　as　if　under　a　law；　heaped
stores　of　insurgency　in　the　Celtic　bosom。　Corney　contemplating　Sir
Willoughby；　and　a　trotting　kern　governed　by　Strongbow；　have　a
point　of　likeness　between　them；　with　the　point　of　difference；　that
Corney　was　enlightened　to　know　of　a　friend　better　adapted　for
eminent　station；　and　especially　better　adapted　to　please　a　lovely
ladycould　these　high…bred　Englishwomen　but　be　taught　to
conceive　another　idea　of　manliness　than　the　formal　carved…in…wood
idol　of　their　national　worship！

Dr　Corney　breakfasted　very　early；　without　seeing　Vernon。　He　was
off　to　a　patient　while　the　first　lark　of　the　morning　carolled
above；　and　the　business　of　the　day；　not　yet　fallen　upon　men　in　the
shape　of　cloud；　was　happily　intermixed　with　nature's　hues　and
pipings。　Turning　off　the　high…road　tip　a　green　lane；　an　hour
later；　he　beheld　a　youngster　prying　into　a　hedge　head　and　arms；　by
the　peculiar　strenuous　twist　of　whose　hinder　parts；　indicative　of
a　frame　plunged　on　the　pursuit　in　hand；　he　clearly　distinguished
young　Crossjay。　Out　came　eggs。　The　doctor　pulled　up。

〃What　bird？〃　he　bellowed。

〃Yellowhammer；〃　Crossjay　yelled　back。

〃Now；　sir；　you'll　drop　a　couple　of　those　eggs　in　the　nest。〃

〃Don't　order　me；〃　Crossjay　was　retorting。　〃Oh；　it's　you；　Doctor
Corney。　Good　morning。　I　said　that；　because　I　always　do　drop　a
couple　back。　I　promised　Mr。　Whitford　I　would；　and　Miss　Middleton
too。〃

〃Had　breakfast？〃

〃Not　yet。〃

〃Not　hungry？〃

〃I　should　be　if　I　thought　about　it。〃

〃Jump　up。〃

〃I　think　I'd　rather　not；　Doctor　Corney。〃

〃And　you'll　just　do　what　Doctor　Corney　tells　you；　and　set　your
mind　on　rashers　of　curly　fat　bacon　and　sweetly　smoking　coffee；
toast；　hot　cakes；　marmalade；　and　damson…jam。　Wide　go　the　fellow's
nostrils；　and　there's　water　at　the　dimples　of　his　mouth！　Up；　my
man。〃

Crossjay　jumped　up　beside　the　doctor；　who　remarked；　as　he　touched
his　horse：　〃I　don't　want　a　man　this　morning；　though　I'll　enlist
you　in　my　service　if　I　do。　You're　fond　of　Miss　Middleton？〃

Instead　of　answering；　Crossjay　heaved　the　sigh　of　love　that　bears
a　burden。

〃And　so　am　I；〃　pursued　the　doctor：　〃You'll　have　to　put　up　with　a
rival。　It's　worse　than　fond：　I'm　in　love　with　her。　How　do　you　like
that？〃

〃I　don't　mind　how　many　love　her；〃　said　Crossjay。

〃You're　worthy　of　a　gratuitous　breakfast　in　the　front　parlour　of
t