the egoist-第91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！



〃On　behalf　of　old　Vernon？〃　he　said；　lightly　laughing。　〃The　idea　is
not　novel；　as　you　know。　They　are　suited；　if　they　could　see　it。
Laetitia　Dale　and　my　cousin　Vernon　Whitford；　sir。〃

〃Fairly　schemed；　my　friend；　and　I　will　say　for　you；　you　have　the
patience；　Willoughby；　of　a　husband！〃

Willoughby　bowed　to　the　encomium；　and　allowed　some　fatigue　to　be
visible。　He　half　yawned：　〃I　claim　no　happier　title；　sir；〃　and　made
light　of　the　weariful　discussion。　

Clara　was　shaken：　she　feared　that　Crossjay　had　heard　incorrectly；
or　that　Colonel　De　Craye　had　guessed　erroneously。　It　was　too
likely　that　Willoughby　should　have　proposed　Vernon　to　Laetitia。

There　was　nothing　to　reassure　her　save　the　vision　of　the　panic
amazement　of　his　face　at　her　persistency　in　speaking　of　Miss　Dale。
She　could　have　declared　on　oath　that　she　was　right；　while
admitting　all　the　suppositions　to　be　against　her。　And　unhappily　
all　the　Delicacies　（a　doughty　battalion　for　the　defence　of　ladies
until　they　enter　into　difficulties　and　are　shorn　of　them　at　a
blow；　bare　as　dairymaids）；　all　the　body…guard　of　a　young
gentlewoman；　the　drawing…room　sylphides；　which　bear　her　train；
which　wreathe　her　hair；　which　modulate　her　voice　and　tone　her
complexion；　which　are　arrows　and　shield　to　awe　the　creature　man；
forbade　her　utterance　of　what　she　felt；　on　pain　of　instant
fulfilment　of　their　oft…repeated　threat　of　late　to　leave　her　to
the　last　remnant　of　a　protecting　sprite。　She　could　not；　as　in　a
dear　melodrama；　from　the　aim　of　a　pointed　finger　denounce　him；　on
the　testimony　of　her　instincts；　false　of　speech；　false　in　deed。
She　could　not　even　declare　that　she　doubted　his　truthfulness。　The
refuge　of　a　sullen　fit；　the　refuge　of　tears；　the　pretext　of　a
mood；　were　denied　her　now　by　the　rigour　of　those　laws　of　decency
which　are　a　garment　to　ladies　of　pure　breeding。

〃One　more　respite；　papa；〃　she　implored　him；　bitterly　conscious　of
the　closer　tangle　her　petition　involved；　and；　if　it　must　be
betrayed　of　her；　perceiving　in　an　illumination　how　the　knot　might
become　so　woefully　Gordian　that　haply　in　a　cloud　of　wild　events
the　intervention　of　a　gallant　gentleman　out　of　heaven；　albeit　in
the　likeness　of　one　of　earth；　would　have　to　cut　it：　her　cry
within；　as　she　succumbed　to　weakness；　being　fervider；　〃Anything
but　marry　this　one！〃　She　was　faint　with　strife　and　dejected；　a
condition　in　the　young　when　their　imaginative　energies　hold　revel
uncontrolled　and　are　projectively　desperate。

〃No　respite！〃　said　Willoughby；　genially。

〃And　I　say；　no　respite！〃　observed　her　father。　〃You　have　assumed　a
position　that　has　not　been　granted　you；　Clara　Middleton。〃

〃I　cannot　bear　to　offend　you；　father。〃

〃Him！　Your　duty　is　not　to　offend　him。　Address　your　excuses　to
him。　I　refuse　to　be　dragged　over　the　same　ground；　to　reiterate　the
same　command　perpetually。〃

〃If　authority　is　deputed　to　me；　I　claim　you；〃　said　Willoughby。

〃You　have　not　broken　faith　with　me？〃

〃Assuredly　not；　or　would　it　be　possible　for　me　to　press　my　claim？〃

〃And　join　the　right　hand　to　the　right；〃　said　Dr。　Middleton；　no；　it
would　not　be　possible。　What　insane　root　she　has　been　nibbling；　I
know　not；　but　she　must　consign　herself　to　the　guidance　of　those
whom　the　gods　have　not　abandoned；　until　her　intellect　is
liberated。　She　was　once　。。。　there：　I　look　not　backif　she　it
was；　and　no　simulacrum　of　a　reasonable　daughter。　I　welcome　the
appearance　of　my　friend　Mr。　Whitford。　He　is　my　sea…bath　and　supper
on　the　beach　of　Troy；　after　the　day's　battle　and　dust。〃

Vernon　walked　straight　up　to　them：　an　act　unusual　with　him；
for　he　was　shy　of　committing　an　intrusion。

Clara　guessed　by　that；　and　more　by　the　dancing　frown　of
speculative　humour　he　turned　on　Willoughby；　that　he　had　come
charged　in　support　of　her。　His　forehead　was　curiously　lively；　as
of　one　who　has　got　a　surprise　well　under；　to　feed　on　its　amusing
contents。

〃Have　you　seen　Crossjay；　Mr。　Whitford？〃　she　said。

〃I've　pounced　on　Crossjay；　his　bones　are　sound。〃

〃Where　did　he　sleep？〃

〃On　a　sofa；　it　seems。〃

She　smiled；　with　good　hopeVernon　had　the　story。

Willoughby　thought　it　just　to　himself　that　he　should　defend　his
measure　of　severity。

〃The　boy　lied；　he　played　a　double　game。〃

〃For　which　he　should　have　been　reasoned　with　at　the　Grecian
portico　of　a　boy；〃　said　the　Rev。　Doctor。

〃My　system　is　different；　sir。　I　could　not　inflict　what　I　would
not　endure　myself〃

〃So　is　Greek　excluded　from　the　later　generations；　and　you　leave　a
field；　the　most　fertile　in　the　moralities　in　youth；　unplowed　and
unsown。　Ah！　well。　This　growing　too　fine　is　our　way　of　relapsing
upon　barbarism。　Beware　of　over…sensitiveness；　where　nature　has
plainly　indicated　her　alternative　gateway　of　knowledge。　And　now；　I
presume；　I　am　at　liberty。〃

〃Vernon　will　excuse　us　for　a　minute　or　two。〃

〃I　hold　by　Mr。　Whitford　now　I　have　him。〃

〃I'll　join　you　in　the　laboratory；　Vernon；〃　Willoughby　nodded
bluntly。

〃We　will　leave　them；　Mr。　Whitford。　They　are　at　the　time…honoured　
dissension　upon　a　particular　day；　that；　for　the　sake　of　dignity；
blushes　to　be　named。〃

〃What　day？〃　said　Vernon；　like　a　rustic。

〃THE　day；　these　people　call　it。〃

Vernon　sent　one　of　his　vivid　eyeshots　from　one　to　the　other。　His
eyes　fixed　on　Willoughby's　with　a　quivering　glow；　beyond
amazement；　as　if　his　humour　stood　at　furnace…heat；　and　absorbed
all　that　came。

Willoughby　motioned　to　him　to　go。

〃Have　you　seen　Miss　Dale；　Mr。　Whitford？〃　said　Clara。

He　answered；　〃No。　Something　has　shocked　her。〃

〃Is　it　her　feeling　for　Crossjay？〃

〃Ah！〃　Vernon　said　to　Willoughby；　〃your　pocketing　of　the　key　of
Crossjay's　bedroom　door　was　a　master…stroke！〃

The　celestial　irony　suffused　her；　and　she　bathed　and　swam　in　it；
on　hearing　its　dupe　reply：　〃My　methods　of　discipline　are　short。　I
was　not　aware　that　she　had　been　to　his　door。〃

〃But　I　may　hope　that　Miss　Dale　will　see　me；〃　said　Clara。　〃We　are
in　sympathy　about　the　boy。〃

〃Mr。　Dale　might　be　seen。　He　seems　to　be　of　a　divided　mind　with　his
daughter；〃　Vernon　rejoined。　〃She　has　locked　herself　up　in　her
room。〃

〃He　is　not　the　only　father　in　that　unwholesome　predicament；〃　said
Dr　Middleton。

〃He　talks　of　coming　to　you；　Willoughby。〃

〃Why　to　me？〃　Willoughby　chastened　his　irritation：　〃He　will　be
welcome；　of　course。　It　would　be　better　that　the　boy　should　come。〃

〃If　there　is　a　chance　of　your　forgiving　him；〃　said　Clara。　〃Let
the　Dales　know　I　am　prepared　to　listen　to　the　boy；　Vernon。　There
can　be　no　necessity　for　Mr。　Dale　to　drag　himself　here。〃

〃How　are　Mr。　Dale　and　his　daughter　of　a　divided　mind；　Mr。
Whitford？〃　said　Clara。

Vernon　simulated　an　uneasiness。　With　a　vacant　gaze　that　enlarged
around　Willoughby　and　was　more　discomforting　than　intentness；　he
replied：　〃Perhaps　she　is　unwilling　to　give　him　her　entire
confidence；　Miss　Middleton。〃

〃In　which　respect；　then；　our　situations　present　their　solitary
point　of　unlikeness　in　resemblance；　for　I　have　it　in　excess；〃
observed　Dr。　Middleton。

Clara　dropped　her　eyelids　for　the　wave　to　pass　over。　〃It　struck　me
that　Miss　Dale　was　a　person　of　the　extremest　candour。〃

〃Why　should　we　be　prying　into　the　domestic　affairs　of　the　Dales？〃
Willoughby　interjected；　and　drew　out　his　watch；　merely　for　a
diversion；　he　was　on　tiptoe　to　learn　whether　Vernon　was　as　well
instructed　as　Clara；　and　hung　to　the　view　that　he　could　not　be；
while　drenching　in　the　sensation　that　he　was：and　if　so；　what
were　the　Powers　above　but　a　body　of　conspirators？　He　paid　Laetitia
that　compliment。　He　could　not　conceive　the　human　betrayal　of　the
secret。　Clara's　discovery　of　it　had　set　his　common　sense　adrift。

〃The　domestic　affairs　of　the　Dales　do　not　concern　me；〃　said
Vernon。

〃And　yet；　my　friend；〃　Dr。　Middleton　balanced　himself；　and　with　an
air　of　benevolent　slyness　the　import　of　which　did　not　awaken
Willoughby；　until　too　late；　remarked：　〃They　might　concern　you。　I
will　even　add；　that　there　is　a　probability　of　your　being　not　less
than　the　fount　and　origin　of　this　division　of　father　and　daughter；
though　Willoughby　in　the　drawingroom　last　night　stands　accusably
the　agent。〃

〃Favour　me；　sir；　with　an　explanation；〃　said　Vernon；　seeking　to
gather　it　from　Clara。

Dr　Middleton　threw　the　explanation　upon　Willoughby。

Clara；　communicated　as　much　as　she　was　able　in　one　of　those　looks
of　still　depth　which　say；　Think！　and　without　causing　a　thought　to
stir；　takes　us　into　the　pellucid　mind。

Vernon　was　enlightened　before　Willoughby　had　spoken。
His　mouth　shut　rigidly；　and　there　was　a　springing　increase　of　the
luminous　wavering　of　his　eyes。　Some　star　that　Clara　had　watched
at　night　was　like　them　in　the　vivid　wink　and　overflow　of　its
light。　Yet；　as　he　was　perfectly　sedate；　none　could　have　suspected
his　blood　to　be　chasing　wild　with　laughter；　and　his　frame　strung
to　the　utmost　to　keep　it　from　volleying。　So　happy　was　she　in　his
aspect；　that　her　chief　anxiety　was　to　recover　the　name　of　the　star
whose　shining　beckons　and　speaks；　and　is　in　the　quick　of
spirit…fire。　It　is　the　sole　star　which　on　a
night　of　frost　and　strong　moonlight　preserves　an　indomitable
fervency：　that　she　remembered；　and　the　picture　of　a　hoar　earth　and
a　lean　Orion　in　flooded　heavens；　and　the　star　beneath　Eastward　of
him：　but　the　name！　the　name！She　heard　Willoughby　indistinctly。

〃Oh；　the　old　story；　another　effort；　you　know　my　wish；　a　failure；
of　course；　and　no　thanks　on　either　side；　I　suppose　I　must　ask　your
excuse。They　neither　of　them　see　what's　good　for　them；　sir。〃

〃Manifestly；　however；〃　said　Dr。　Middleton；　〃if　one　may　opine　from
the　division　we　have　heard　of；　the　father　is　disposed　to　back　your
nominee。〃

〃I　can't　say；　as　far　as　I　am　concerned；　I　made　a　mess　of　it。〃
Vernon　withstood　the　incitement　to　acquiesce；　but　he　sparkled　with
his　recognition　of　the　fact。

〃You　meant　well；　Willoughby。〃

〃I　hope　so；　Vernon。〃

〃Only　you　have　driven　her　away。〃

〃We　must　resign　ourselves。〃

〃It　won't　affect　me；　for　I'm　off　to…morrow。〃

〃You　see；　sir；　the　thanks　I　get。〃

〃Mr。　Whitford；〃　said　Dr。　Middleton；　〃You　have　a　tower　of　strength
in　the　lady's　father。〃

〃Would　you　have　me　bring　it　to　bear　upon　the　lady；　sir？〃

〃Wherefore　not？〃

〃To　make　her　marriage　a　matter　of　obedience　to　her　father？〃