the egoist-第92部分

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〃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？〃

〃Ay；　my　friend；　a　lusty　lover　would　have　her　gladly　on　those
terms；　well　knowing　it　to　be　for　the　lady's　good。　What　do　you　say；
Willoughby？〃

〃Sir！　Say？　What　can　I　say？　Miss　Dale　has　not　plighted　her　faith。
Had　she　done　so；　she　is　a　lady　who　would　never　dishonour　it。〃

〃She　is　an　ideal　of　constancy；　who　would　keep　to　it　though　it　had
been　broken　on　the　other　side；〃　said　Vernon；　and　Clara　thrilled。

〃I　take　that；　sir；　to　be　a　statue　of　constancy；　modelled　upon
which　a　lady　of　our　flesh　may　be　proclaimed　as　graduating　for　the
condition　of　idiocy；〃　said　Dr。　Middleton。

〃But　faith　is　faith；　sir。〃

〃But　the　broken　is　the　broken；　sir；　whether　in　porcelain　or　in
human　engagements；　and　all　that　one　of　the　two　continuing　
faithful；　I　should　rather　say；　regretful；　can　do；　is　to　devote　the
remainder　of　life　to　the　picking　up　of　the　fragments；　an
occupation　properly　to　be　pursued；　for　the　comfort　of　mankind；　
within　the　enclosure　of　an　appointed　asylum。〃

〃You　destroy　the　poetry　of　sentiment；　Dr。　Middleton。〃

〃To　invigorate　the　poetry　of　nature；　Mr。　Whitford。〃

〃Then　you　maintain；　sir；　that　when　faith　is　broken　by　one；　the
engagement　ceases；　and　the　other　is　absolutely　free？〃

〃I　do；　I　am　the　champion　of　that　platitude；　and　sound　that　knell
to　the　sentimental　world；　and　since　you　have　chosen　to　defend　it；
I　will　appeal　to　Willoughby；　and　ask　him　if　he　would　not　side　with
the　world　of　good　sense　in　applauding　the　nuptials　of　man　or　maid
married　within　a　month　of　a　jilting？〃　Clara　slipped　her　arm　under
her　father's。

〃Poetry；　sir；〃　said　Willoughby；　〃I　never　have　been　hypocrite　
enough　to　pretend　to　understand　or　care　for。〃

Dr。　Middleton　laughed。　Vernon　too　seemed　to　admire　his　cousin　for　a
reply　that　rung　in　Clara's　ears　as　the　dullest　ever　spoken。　Her
arm　grew　cold　on　her　father's。　She　began　to　fear　Willoughby　again。

He　depended　entirely　on　his　agility　to　elude　the　thrusts　that
assailed　him。　Had　he　been　able　to　believe　in　the　treachery　of　the
Powers　above；　he　would　at　once　have　seen　design　in　these　deadly
strokes；　for　his　feelings　had　rarely　been　more　acute　than　at　the
present　crisis；　and　he　would　then　have　led　away　Clara；　to　wrangle
it　out　with　her；　relying　on　Vernon's　friendliness　not　to　betray
him　to　her　father：　but　a　wrangle　with　Clara　promised　no　immediate
fruits；　nothing　agreeable；　and　the　lifelong　trust　he　had　reposed　in
his　protecting　genii　obscured　his　intelligence　to　evidence　he
would　otherwise　have　accepted　on　the　spot；　on　the　faith　of　his
delicate　susceptibility　to　the　mildest　impressions　which　wounded
him。　Clara　might　have　stooped　to　listen　at　the　door：　she　might
have　heard　sufficient　to　create　a　suspicion。　But　Vernon　was　not　in
the　house　last　night；　she　could　not　have　communicated　it　to　him；
and　he　had　not　seen　Laetitia；　who　was；　besides　trustworthy；　an
admirable　if　a　foolish　and　ill…fated　woman。

Preferring　to　consider　Vernon　a　pragmatical　moralist　played　upon
by　a　sententious　drone；　he　thought　it　politic　to　detach　them；　and
vanquish　Clara　while　she　was　in　the　beaten　mood；　as　she　had
appeared　before　Vernon's　vexatious　arrival。

〃I'm　afraid；　my　dear　fellow；　you　are　rather　too　dainty　and　fussy
for　a　very　successful　wooer；〃　he　said。　〃It's　beautiful　on　paper；
and　absurd　in　life。　We　have　a　bit　of　private　business　to　discuss。
We　will　go　inside；　sir；　I　think。　I　will　soon　release　you。〃　Clara
pressed　her　father's　arm。

〃More？〃　said　he。

〃Five　minutes。　There's　a　slight　delusion　to　clear；　sir。　My　dear
Clara；　you　will　see　with　different　eyes。〃

〃Papa　wishes　to　work　with　Mr。　Whitford。〃

Her　heart　sunk　to　hear　her　father　say：　〃No；　'tis　a　lost　morning。　I
must　consent　to　pay　tax　of　it　for　giving　another　young　woman　to
the　world。　I　have　a　daughter！　You　will；　I　hope；　compensate　me；　Mr。
Whitford；　in　the　afternoon。　Be　not　downcast。　I　have　observed　you
meditative　of　late。　You　will　have　no　clear　brain　so　long　as　that
stuff　is　on　the　mind。　I　could　venture　to　propose　to　do　some
pleading　for　you；　should　it　be　needed　for　the　prompter　expedition
of　the　affair。〃

Vernon　briefly　thanked　him；　and　said：

〃Willoughby　has　exerted　all　his　eloquence；　and　you　see　the　result：
you　have　lost　Miss　Dale　and　I　have　not　won　her。　He　did　everything
that　one　man　can　do　for　another　in　so　delicate　a　case：　even　to　the
repeating　of　her　famous　birthday　verses　to　him；　to　flatter　the
poetess。　His　best　efforts　were　foiled　by　the　lady's　indisposition
for　me。〃

〃Behold；〃　said　Dr。　Middleton；　as　Willoughby；　electrified　by　the
mention　of　the　verses；　took　a　sharp　stride　or　two；　〃you　have　in
him　an　advocate　who　will　not　be　rebuffed　by　one　refusal；　and　I
can　affirm　that　he　is　tenacious；　pertinacious　as　are　few。　Justly
so。　Not　to　believe　in　a　lady's　No　is　the　approved　method　of
carrying　that　fortress　built　to　yield。　Although　unquestionably　to
have　a　young　man　pleading　in　our　interests　with　a　lady；　counts　its
objections。　Yet　Willoughby　being　notoriously　engaged；　may　be　held
to　enjoy　the　privileges　of　his　elders。〃

〃As　an　engaged　man；　sir；　he　was　on　a　level　with　his　elders　in
pleading　on　my　behalf　with　Miss　Dale；〃　said　Vernon。　Willoughby
strode　and　muttered。　Providence　had　grown　mythical　in　his
thoughts；　if　not　malicious：　and　it　is　the　peril　of　this　worship
that　the　object　will　wear　such　an　alternative　aspect　when　it
appears　no　longer　subservient。

〃Are　we　coming；　sir？〃　he　said；　and　was　unheeded。　The　Rev。　Doctor
would　not　be　defrauded　of　rolling　his　billow。

〃As　an　honourable　gentleman　faithful　to　his　own　engagement　and
desirous　of　establishing　his　relatives；　he　deserves；　in　my
judgement；　the　lady's　esteem　as　well　as　your　cordial　thanks；　nor
should　a　temporary　failure　dishearten　either　of　you；
notwithstanding　the　precipitate　retreat　of　the　lady　from　Patterne；
and　her　seclusion　in　her　sanctum　on　the　occasion　of　your　recent
visit。〃

〃Supposing　he　had　succeeded；〃　said　Vernon；　driving　Willoughby　to
frenzy；　〃should　I　have　been　bound　to　marry？〃　Matter　for　cogitation
was　offered　to　Dr。　Middleton。

〃The　proposal　was　without　your　sanction？〃

〃Entirely。〃

〃You　admire　the　lady？〃

〃Respectfully。〃

〃You　do　not　incline　to　the　state？〃

〃An　inch　of　an　angle　would　exaggerate　my　inclination。〃

〃How　long　are　we　to　stand　and　hear　this　insufferable　nonsense　you
talk？〃　cried　Willoughby。

〃But　if　Mr。　Whitford　was　not　consulted。　。　。〃　Dr。　Middleton　said；
and　was　overborne　by　Willoughby's　hurried；　〃Oblige　me；　sir。
Oblige　me；　my　good　fellow！〃　He　swept　his　arm　to　Vernon；　and
gestured　a　conducting　hand　to　Clara。

〃Here　is　Mrs。　Mountstuart！〃　she　exclaimed。

Willoughby　stared。　Was　it　an　irruption　of　a　friend　or　a　foe？　He
doubted；　and　stood　petrified　between　the　double　question。　Clara
had　seen　Mrs。　Mountstuart　and　Colonel　De　Craye　separating：　and　now
the　great　lady　sailed　along　the　sward　like　a　royal　barge　in
festival　trim。

She　looked　friendly；　but　friendly　to　everybody；　which　was　always　a
frost　on　Willoughby；　and　terribly　friendly　to　Clara。　

Coming　up　to　her　she　whispered：　〃News；　indeed！　Wonderful！　I　could
not　credit　his　hint　of　it　yesterday。　Are　you　satisfied？〃

〃Pray；　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　take　an　opportunity　to　speak　to　papa；〃
Clara　whispered　in　return。

Mrs。　Mountstuart　bowed　to　Dr。　Middleton；　nodded　to　Vernon；　and　swam
upon　Willoughby；　with；　〃Is　it？　But　is　it？　Am　I　really　to　believe？
You　have？　My　dear　Sir　Willoughby？　Really？　The　confounded
gentleman　heaved　on　a　bare　plank　of　wreck　in　mid　sea。

He　could　oppose　only　a　paralyzed　smile　to　the　assault。　

His　intuitive　discretion　taught　him　to　fall　back　a　step　while　she
said；　〃So！〃　the　plummet　word　of　our　mysterious　deep　fathoms；　and
he　fell　back　further　saying；　〃Madam？〃　in　a　tone　advising　her　to
speak　low。

She　recovered　her　volubility；　followed　his　partial　retreat；　and
dropped　her　voice；

〃Impossible　to　have　imagined　it　as　an　actual　fact！　You　were　always
full　of　surprises；　but　this！　this！　Nothing　manlier；　nothing　more
gentlemanly　has　ever　been　done：　nothing：　nothing　that　so
completely　changes　an　untenable　situation　into　a　comfortable　and
proper　footing　for　everybody。　It　is　what　I　like：　it　is　what　I
love：sound　sense！　Men　are　so　selfish：　one　cannot　persuade　them
to　be　reasonable　in　such　positions。　But　you；　Sir　Willoughby；　have
shown　wisdom　and　sentiment：　the　rarest　of　all　combinations　in
men。〃

〃Where　have　you？　。　。　。〃　Willoughby　contrived　to　say。

〃Heard？　The　hedges；　the　housetops；　everywhere。　All　the
neighbourhood　will　have　it　before　nightfall。　Lady　Busshe　and　Lady
Culmer　will　soon　be　rushing　here；　and　declaring　they　never
expected　anything　else；　I　do　not　doubt。　I　am　not　so　pretentious。　I
beg　your　excuse　for　that　'twice'　of　mine　yesterday。　Even　if　it
hurt　my　vanity；　I　should　be　happy　to　confess　my　error：　I　was
utterly　out。　But　then　I　did　not　reckon　on　a　fatal　attachment；　I
thought　men　were　incapable　of　it。　I　thought　we　women　were　the　only
poor　creatures　persecuted　by　a　fatality。　It　is　a　fatality！　You
tried　hard　to　escape；　indeed　you　did。　And　she　will　do　honour　to
your　final　surrender；　my　dear　friend。　She　is　gentle；　and　very
clever；　very：　she　is　devoted　to　you：　she　will　entertain
excellently。　I　see　her　like　a　flower　in　sunshine。　She　will　expand
to　a　perfect　hostess。　Patterne　will　shine　under　her　reign；　you
have　my　warrant　for　that。　And　so　will　you。　Yes；　you　flourish　best
when　adored。　It　must　be　adoration。　You　have　been　under　a　cloud　of
late。　Years　ago　I　said　it　was　a　match；　when　no　one　supposed　you
could　stoop。　Lady　Busshe　would　have　it　was　a　screen；　and　she　was
deemed　high　wisdom。　The　world　will　be　with　you。　All　the　women
will　be：　excepting；　of　course；　Lady　Busshe；　whose　pride　is　in
prophecy；　and　she　will　soon　be　too　glad　to　swell　the　host。　There；
my　friend；　your　sincerest　and　oldest　admirer　congratulates　you。　I
could　not　contain　myself；　I　was　compelled　to　pour　forth。　And　now
I　must　go　and　be　talked　to　by　Dr。　Middleton。　How　does　he　take　it？
They　leave？〃

〃He　is　perfectly　well；〃　said　Willoughby；　aloud；　quite　distraught。

She　acknowledged　his　just　correction　of　her　for　running　on　to　an
extreme　in　low…toned　converse；　though　the