the egoist-第88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！



〃You're　worthy　of　a　gratuitous　breakfast　in　the　front　parlour　of
the　best　hotel　of　the　place　they　call　Arcadia。　And　how　about　your
bed　last　night？〃

〃Pretty　middling。〃

〃Hard；　was　it；　where　the　bones　haven't　cushion？〃

〃I　don't　care　for　bed。　A　couple　of　hours；　and　that's　enough　for
me。〃

〃But　you're　fond　of　Miss　Middleton　anyhow；　and　that's　a　virtue。〃

To　his　great　surprise；　Dr。　Corney　beheld　two　big　round　tears　force
their　way　out　of　this　tough　youngster's　eyes；　and　all　the　while
the　boy's　face　was　proud。

Crossjay　said；　when　he　could　trust　himself　to　disjoin　his　lips：

〃I　want　to　see　Mr。　Whitford。〃

〃Have　you　got　news　for　him？〃

〃I've　something　to　ask　him。　It's　about　what　I　ought　to　do。〃

〃Then；　my　boy；　you　have　the　right　name　addressed　in　the　wrong
direction：　for　I　found　you　turning　your　shoulders　on　Mr。　Whitford。
And　he　has　been　out　of　his　bed　hunting　you　all　the　unholy　night
you've　made　it　for　him。　That's　melancholy。　What　do　you　say　to
asking　my　advice？〃

Crossjay　sighed。　〃I　can't　speak　to　anybody　but　Mr。　Whitford。〃

〃And　you're　hot　to　speak　to　him？〃

〃I　want　to。〃

〃And　I　found　you　running　away　from　him。　You're　a　curiosity；　Mr。
Crossjay　Patterne。〃

〃Ah！　so'd　anybody　be　who　knew　as　much　as　I　do；〃　said　Crossjay。
with　a　sober　sadness　that　caused　the　doctor　to　treat　him
seriously。

〃The　fact　is；〃　he　said；　〃Mr。　Whitford　is　beating　the　country　for
you。　My　best　plan　will　be　to　drive　you　to　the　Hall。〃

〃I'd　rather　not　go　to　the　Hall；〃　Crossjay　spoke　resolutely。

〃You　won't　see　Miss　Middleton　anywhere　but　at　the　Hall。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　see　Miss　Middleton；　if　I　can't　be　a　bit　of　use　to
her。〃

〃No　danger　threatening　the　lady；　is　there？〃

Crossjay　treated　the　question　as　if　it　had　not　been　put。

〃Now；　tell　me；〃　said　Dr。　Corney；　〃would　there　be　a　chance　for　me；
supposing　Miss　Middleton　were　disengaged？〃

The　answer　was　easy。　〃I'm　sure　she　wouldn't。〃

〃And　why；　sir；　are　you　so　cock　sure？〃

There　was　no　saying；　but　the　doctor　pressed　for　it；　and　at　last
Crossjay　gave　his　opinion　that　she　would　take　Mr。　Whitford。

The　doctor　asked　why；　and　Crossjay　said　it　was　because　Mr。
Whitford　was　the　best　man　in　the　world。　To　which；　with　a　lusty
〃Amen　to　that；〃　Dr。　Corney　remarked：　〃I　should　have　fancied　Colonel
De　Craye　would　have　had　the　first　chance：　he's　more　of　a　lady's
man。〃

Crossjay　surprised　him　again　by　petulantly　saying：　〃Don't。〃　

The　boy　added：　〃I　don't　want　to　talk；　except　about　birds　and
things。　　What　a　jolly　morning　it　is！　I　saw　the　sun　rise。　No　rain
to…day。　　You're　right　about　hungry；　Doctor　Corney！〃　

The　kindly　little　man　swung　his　whip。　Crossjay　informed　him　of　his
disgrace　at　the　Hall；　and　of　every　incident　connected　with　it；
from　the　tramp　to　the　baronet；　save　Miss　Middleton's　adventure　and
the　night　scene　in　the　drawing…room。　A　strong　smell　of　something
left　out　struck　Dr。　Corney；　and　he　said：　　〃You'll　not　let　Miss
Middleton　know　of　my　affection。　After　all；　it's　only　a　little　bit
of　love。　But；　as　Patrick　said　to　Kathleen；　when　she　owned　to　such
a　little　bit；　'that's　the　best　bit　of　all！'　　and　he　was　as　right
as　I　am　about　hungry。〃

Crossjay　scorned　to　talk　of　loving；　he　declared。　〃I　never　tell
Miss　Middleton　what　I　feel。　Why；　there's　Miss　Dale's　cottage！〃

〃It's　nearer　to　your　empty　inside　than　my　mansion；〃　said　the
doctor；　〃and　we'll　stop　just　to　inquire　whether　a　bed's　to　be　had
for　you　there　to…night；　and　if　not；　I'll　have　you　with　me；　and
bottle　you；　and　exhibit　you；　for　you're　a　rare　specimen。
Breakfast　you　may　count　on　from　Mr。　Dale。　I　spy　a　gentleman。〃

〃It's　Colonel　De　Craye。〃

〃Come　after　news　of　you。〃

〃I　wonder！〃

〃Miss　Middleton　sends　him；　of　course　she　does。〃

Crossjay　turned　his　full　face　to　the　doctor。　〃I　haven't　seen　her
for　such　a　long　time！　But　he　saw　me　last　night；　and　he　might　have
told　her　that；　if　she's　anxious。Good…morning；　colonel。　I've　had
a　good　walk；　and　a　capital　drive；　and　I'm　as　hungry　as　the　boat's
crew　of　Captain　Bligh。〃

He　jumped　down。

The　colonel　and　the　doctor　saluted；　smiling。

〃I've　rung　the　bell；〃　said　De　Craye。

A　maid　came　to　the　gate；　and　upon　her　steps　appeared　Miss　Dale；
who　flung　herself　at　Crossjay；　mingling　kisses　and　reproaches。　She
scarcely　raised　her　face　to　the　colonel　more　than　to　reply　to　his
greeting；　and　excuse　the　hungry　boy　for　hurrying　indoors　to
breakfast。

〃I'll　wait；〃　said　De　Craye。　He　had　seen　that　she　was　paler　than
usual。　So　had　Dr。　Corney；　and　the　doctor　called　to　her　concerning
her　father's　health。　She　reported　that　he　had　not　yet　risen；　and
took　Crossjay　to　herself。

〃That's　well；〃　said　the　doctor；　〃if　the　invalid　sleeps　long。　The
lady　is　not　looking　so　well；　though。　But　ladies　vary；　they　show
the　mind　on　the　countenance；　for　want　of　the　punching　we　meet　with
to　conceal　it；　they're　like　military　flags　for　a　funeral　or　a
gala；　one　day　furled；　and　next　day　streaming。　Men　are　ships〃
figure…heads；　about　the　same　for　a　storm　or　a　calm；　and　not　too
handsome；　thanks　to　the　ocean。　It's　an　age　since　we　encountered
last；　colonel：　on　board　the　Dublin　boat；　I　recollect；　and　a　night
it　was。〃

〃I　recollect　that　you　set　me　on　my　legs；　doctor。〃

〃Ah！　and　you'll　please　to　notify　that　Corney's　no　quack　at　sea；　by
favour　of　the　monks　of　the　Chartreuse；　whose　elixir　has　power　to
still　the　waves。　And　we　hear　that　miracles　are　done　with！〃

〃Roll　a　physician　and　a　monk　together；　doctor！〃

〃True：　it'll　be　a　miracle　if　they　combine。　Though　the　cure　of　the
soul　is　often　the　entire　and　total　cure　of　the　body：　and　it's
maliciously　said　that　the　body　given　over　to　our　treatment　is　a
signal　to　set　the　soul　flying。　By　the　way；　colonel；　that　boy　has　a
trifle　on　his　mind。〃

〃I　suppose　he　has　been　worrying　a　farmer　or　a　gamekeeper。〃

〃Try　him。　You'll　find　him　tight。　He's　got　Miss　Middleton　on　the
brain。　There's　a　bit　of　a　secret；　and　he's　not　so　cheerful　about
it。〃

〃We'll　see；〃　said　the　colonel。

Dr　Corney　nodded。　〃I　have　to　visit　my　patient　here　presently。　I'm
too　early　for　him：　so　I'll　make　a　call　or　two　on　the　lame　birds
that　are　up；〃　he　remarked；　and　drove　away。

De　Craye　strolled　through　the　garden。　He　was　a　gentleman　of　those
actively　perceptive　wits　which；　if　ever　they　reflect；　do　so　by
hops　and　jumps：　upon　some　dancing　mirror　within；　we　may　fancy。　He
penetrated　a　plot　in　a　flash；　and　in　a　flash　he　formed　one；　but　in
both　cases；　it　was　after　long　hovering　and　not　over…eager
deliberation；　by　the　patient　exercise　of　his　quick　perceptives。
The　fact　that　Crossjay　was　considered　to　have　Miss　Middleton　on
the　brain；　threw　a　series　of　images　of　everything　relating　to
Crossjay　for　the　last　forty　hours　into　relief　before　him：　and　as
he　did　not　in　the　slightest　degree　speculate　on　any　one　of　them；
but　merely　shifted　and　surveyed　them；　the　falcon　that　he　was　in
spirit　as　well　as　in　his　handsome　face　leisurely　allowed　his
instinct　to　direct　him　where　to　strike。　A　reflective　disposition
has　this　danger　in　action；　that　it　commonly　precipitates
conjecture　for　the　purpose　of　working　upon　probabilities　with　the
methods　and　in　the　tracks　to　which　it　is　accustomed：　and　to
conjecture　rashly　is　to　play　into　the　puzzles　of　the　maze。　He　who
can　watch　circling　above　it　awhile；　quietly　viewing；　and
collecting　in　his　eye；　gathers　matter　that　makes　the　secret　thing
discourse　to　the　brain　by　weight　and　balance；　he　will　get　either
the　right　clue　or　none；　more　frequently　none；　but　he　will　escape
the　entanglement　of　his　own　cleverness；　he　will　always　be　nearer
to　the　enigma　than　the　guesser　or　the　calculator；　and　he　will
retain　a　breadth　of　vision　forfeited　by　them。　He　must；　however；　to
have　his　chance　of　success；　be　acutely　besides　calmly　perceptive；
a　reader　of　features；　audacious　at　the　proper　moment。

De　Craye　wished　to　look　at　Miss　Dale。　She　had　returned　home　very
suddenly；　not；　as　it　appeared；　owing　to　her　father's　illness；　and
he　remembered　a　redness　of　her　eyelids　when　he　passed　her　on　the
corridor　one　night。　She　sent　Crossjay　out　to　him　as　soon　as　the
boy　was　well　filled。　He　sent　Crossjay　back　with　a　request。　She　did
not　yield　to　it　immediately。　She　stepped　to　the　front　door
reluctantly；　and　seemed　disconcerted。　De　Craye　begged　for　a
message　to　Miss　Middleton。　There　was　none　to　give。　He　persisted。
But　there　was　really　none　at　present；　she　said。

〃You　won't　entrust　me　with　the　smallest　word？〃　said　he；　and　set
her　visibly　thinking　whether　she　could　dispatch　a　word。　She　could
not；　she　had　no　heart　for　messages。

〃I　shall　see　her　in　a　day　or　two；　Colonel　De　Craye。〃

〃She　will　miss　you　severely。〃

〃We　shall　soon　meet。〃

〃And　poor　Willoughby！〃

Laetitia　coloured　and　stood　silent。

A　butterfly　of　some　rarity　allured　Crossjay。

〃I　fear　he　has　been　doing　mischief；〃　she　said。　〃I　cannot　get　him
to　look　at　me。〃

〃His　appetite　is　good？〃

〃Very　good　indeed。〃

De　Craye　nodded。　A　boy　with　a　noble　appetite　is　never　a　hopeless
lock。

The　colonel　and　Crossjay　lounged　over　the　garden。

〃And　now；〃　said　the　colonel；　〃we'll　see　if　we　can't　arrange　a
meeting　between　you　and　Miss　Middleton。　You're　a　lucky　fellow；　for
she's　always　thinking　of　you。〃

〃I　know　I'm　always　thinking　of　her；〃　said　Crossjay。

〃If　ever　you're　in　a　scrape；　she's　the　person　you　must　go　to。〃

〃Yes；　if　I　know　where　she　is！〃

〃Why；　generally　she'll　be　at　the　Hall。〃

There　was　no　reply：　Crossjay's　dreadful　secret　jumped　to　his
throat。　He　certainly　was　a　weaker　lock　for　being　full　of
breakfast。

〃I　want　to　see　Mr。　Whitford　so　much；〃　he　said。

〃Something　to　tell　him？〃

〃I　don't　know　what　to　do：　I　don't　understand　it！〃　The　secret
wriggled　to　his　mouth。　He　swallowed　it　down。　〃Yes；　I　want　to　talk
to　Mr。　Whitford。〃

〃He's　another　of　Miss　Middleton's　friends。〃

〃I　know　he　is。　He's　true　steel。〃

〃We're　all　her　friends；　Crossjay。　I　flatter　myself　I'm　a　Toledo　when
I'm　wanted。　How　long　had　you　been　in　the　house　last　night　before
you　ran　into　me？〃

〃I　don't　know；　sir；　I　fell　asleep　for　some　time；　and　then　I　woke！　。
。　。〃

〃Where　did　you　find　yourself？〃

〃I　was　in　the　drawing…room。〃

〃Come；　Crossjay；　you're　not　a　fellow　to　be　scared　by　ghosts？　You
looked　it　when　you　made　a　dash　at　my　midriff。〃

〃I　don't　believe　there　are