the egoist-第93部分

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extreme　in　low…toned　converse；　though　they　stood　sufficiently　
isolated　from　the　others。　These　had　by　this　time　been　joined　by
Colonel　De　Craye；　and　were　all　chatting　in　a　groupof　himself；
Willoughby　horribly　suspected。

Clara　was　gone　from　him！　Gone！　but　he　remembered　his　oath　and
vowed　it　again：　not　to　Horace　de　Craye！　She　was　gone；　lost；　sunk
into　the　world　of　waters　of　rival　men；　and　he　determined　that　his
whole　force　should　be　used　to　keep　her　from　that　man；　the　false
friend　who　had　supplanted　him　in　her　shallow　heart；　and　might；　if
he　succeeded；　boast　of　having　done　it　by　simply　appearing　on　the
scene。

Willoughby　intercepted　Mrs。　Mountstuart　as　she　was　passing　over　to
Dr　Middleton。　〃My　dear　lady！　spare　me　a　minute。〃

De　Craye　sauntered　up；　with　a　face　of　the　friendliest　humour：

〃Never　was　man　like　you；　Willoughby；　for　shaking　new　patterns　in　a
kaleidoscope。〃

〃Have　you　turned　punster；　Horace？〃　Willoughby　replied；　smarting　to
find　yet　another　in　the　demon　secret；　and　he　draw　Dr。　Middleton　two
or　three　steps　aside；　and　hurriedly　begged　him　to　abstain　from
prosecuting　the　subject　with　Clara。

〃We　must　try　to　make　her　happy　as　we　best　can；　sir。　She　may　have
her　reasonsa　young　lady's　reasons！〃　He　laughed；　and　left　the
Rev。　Doctor　considering　within　himself　under　the　arch　of　his　lofty
frown　of　stupefaction。

De　Craye　smiled　slyly　and　winningly　as　he　shadowed　a　deep　droop　on
the　bend　of　his　head　before　Clara；　signifying　his　absolute　
devotion　to　her　service；　and　this　present　good　fruit　for　witness
of　his　merits。

She　smiled　sweetly　though　vaguely。　There　was　no　concealment　of
their　intimacy。

〃The　battle　is　over；〃　Vernon　said　quietly；　when　Willoughby　had
walked　some　paces　beside　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　adding：　〃You　may　expect
to　see　Mr。　Dale　here。　He　knows。〃

Vernon　and　Clara　exchanged　one　look；　hard　on　his　part；　in　contrast
with　her　softness；　and　he　proceeded　to　the　house。　De　Craye　waited
for　a　word　or　a　promising　look。　He　was　patient；　being
self…assured；　and　passed　on。

Clara　linked　her　arm　with　her　father's　once　more；　and　said；　on　a
sudden　brightness：　〃Sirius；　papa！〃　〃　He　repeated　it　in　the
profoundest　manner：　〃Sirius！　And　is　there；〃　he　asked；　〃a　feminine
scintilla　of　sense　in　that？〃

〃It　is　the　name　of　the　star　I　was　thinking　of；　dear　papa。〃

〃It　was　the　star　observed　by　King　Agamemnon　before　the　sacrifice　in
Aulis。　　You　were　thinking　of　that？　But；　my　love；　my　Iphigenia；　you
have　not　a　father　who　will　insist　on　sacrificing　you。〃

〃Did　I　hear　him　tell　you　to　humour　me；　papa？〃

Dr　Middleton　humphed。

〃Verily　the　dog…star　rages　in　many　heads；〃　he　responded。




CHAPTER　XLIV

Dr　Middleton：　the　Ladies　Eleanor　and　Isabel：　and　Mr。　Dale

Clara　looked　up　at　the　flying　clouds。　She　travelled　with　them　now；
and　tasted　freedom；　but　she　prudently　forbore　to　vex　her　father；
she　held　herself　in　reserve。

They　were　summoned　by　the　midday　bell。

Few　were　speakers　at　the　meal；　few　were　eaters。　Clara　was
impelled　to　join　it　by　her　desire　to　study　Mrs。　Mountstuart's
face。　Willoughby　was　obliged　to　preside。　It　was　a　meal　of　an
assembly　of　mutes　and　plates；　that　struck　the　ear　like　the
well…known　sound　of　a　collection　of　offerings　in　church　after　an
impressive　exhortation　from　the　pulpit。　A　sally　of　Colonel　De
Craye's　met　the　reception　given　to　a　charity…boy's　muffled　burst
of　animal　spirits　in　the　silence　of　the　sacred　edifice。　Willoughby
tried　politics　with　Dr。　Middleton；　whose　regular　appetite　preserved
him　from　uncongenial　speculations　when　the　hour　for　appeasing　it
had　come；　and　he　alone　did　honour　to　the　dishes；　replying　to　his
host：

〃Times　are　bad；　you　say；　and　we　have　a　Ministry　doing　with　us　what
they　will。　Well；　sir；　and　that　being　so；　and　opposition　a　manner
of　kicking　them　into　greater　stability；　it　is　the　time　for　wise
men　to　retire　within　themselves；　with　the　steady　determination　of
the　seed　in　the　earth　to　grow。　Repose　upon　nature；　sleep　in　firm
faith；　and　abide　the　seasons。　That　is　my　counsel　to　the　weaker
party。〃

The　counsel　was　excellent；　but　it　killed　the　topic。

Dr。　Middleton's　appetite　was　watched　for　the　signal　to　rise　and
breathe　freely；　and　such　is　the　grace　accorded　to　a　good　man　of　an
untroubled　conscience　engaged　in　doing　his　duty　to　himself；　that
he　perceived　nothing　of　the　general　restlessness；　he　went　through
the　dishes　calmly；　and　as　calmly　he　quoted　Milton　to　the　ladies
Eleanor　and　Isabel；　when　the　company　sprung　up　all　at　once　upon
his　closing　his　repast。　Vernon　was　taken　away　from　him　by
Willoughby。　Mrs　Mountstuart　beckoned　covertly　to　Clara。　Willoughby
should　have　had　something　to　say　to　him；　Dr。　Middleton　thought：　the
position　was　not　clear。　But　the　situation　was　not　disagreeable；
and　he　was　in　no　serious　hurry；　though　he　wished　to　be
enlightened。

〃This；〃　Dr。　Middleton　said　to　the　spinster　aunts；　as　he　accompanied
them　to　the　drawing…room；　〃shall　be　no　lost　day　for　me　if　I　may
devote　the　remainder　of　it　to　you。〃

〃The　thunder；　we　fear；　is　not　remote；〃　murmured　one。

〃We　fear　it　is　imminent；〃　sighed　the　other。

They　took　to　chanting　in　alternation。

〃We　are　accustomed　to　peruse　our　Willoughby；　and　we　know　him
by　a　shadow。〃

〃From　his　infancy　to　his　glorious　youth　and　his　established
manhood。〃

〃He　was　ever　the　soul　of　chivalry。〃

〃Duty：　duty　first。　The　happiness　of　his　family。　The　well…being
of　his　dependants。〃

〃If　proud　of　his　name　it　was　not　an　overweening　pride；　it　was
founded　in　the　conscious　possession　of　exalted　qualities。　He　could
be　humble　when　occasion　called　for　it。〃

Dr　Middleton　bowed　to　the　litany；　feeling　that　occasion　called
for　humbleness　from　him。

〃Let　us　hope　。。。　！〃　he　said；　with　unassumed　penitence　on　behalf　of
his　inscrutable　daughter。

The　ladies　resumed：

〃Vernon　Whitford；　not　of　his　blood；　is　his　brother！〃

〃A　thousand　instances！　Laetitia　Dale　remembers　them　better　than
we。〃

〃That　any　blow　should　strike　him！〃

〃That　another　should　be　in　store　for　him！〃

〃It　seems　impossible　he　can　be　quite　misunderstood！〃

〃Let　us　hope　。。。　！〃　said　Dr。　Middleton。

〃One　would　not　deem　it　too　much　for　the　dispenser　of　goodness　to
expect　to　be　a　little　looked　up　to！〃

〃When　he　was　a　child　he　one　day　mounted　a　chair；　and　there　he
stood　in　danger；　would　not　let　us　touch　him　because　he　was　taller
than　we；　and　we　were　to　gaze。　Do　you　remember　him；　Eleanor？　'I　am
the　sun　of　the　house！'　It　was　inimitable！〃

〃Your　feelings；　he　would　have　your　feelings！　He　was　fourteen　
when　his　cousin　Grace　Whitford　married；　and　we　lost　him。　They　had
been　the　greatest　friends；　and　it　was　long　before　he　appeared
among　us。　He　has　never　cared　to　see　her　since。〃

〃But　he　has
befriended　her　husband。　Never　has　he　failed　in　generosity。　His
only　fault　is〃

〃His　sensitiveness。　And　that　is〃

〃His　secret。　And　that〃

〃You　are　not　to　discover！　It　is　the　same　with　him　in
manhood。　No　one　will　accuse　Willoughby　Patterne　of　a　deficiency　of
manlinesss：　but　what　is　it？he　suffers；　as　none　suffer；　if　he　is
not　loved。　He　himself　is　inalterably　constant　in　affection。〃

〃What　it　is　no　one　can　say。　We　have　lived　with　him　all　his　life；
and　we　know　him　ready　to　make　any　sacrifice；　only；　he　does　demand
the　whole　heart　in　return。　And　if　he　doubts；　he　looks　as　we　have
seen　him　to…day。〃

〃Shattered：　as　we　have　never　seen　him　look　before。〃

〃We　will　hope；〃　said　Dr。　Middleton；　this　time　hastily。　He　tingled
to　say；　〃what　it　was〃：　he　had　it　in　him　to　solve　perplexity　in
their　inquiry。　He　did　say；　adopting　familiar　speech　to　suit　the
theme；　〃You　know；　ladies；　we　English　come　of　a　rough　stock。　A　dose
of　rough　dealing　in　our　youth　does　us　no　harm；　braces　us。
Otherwise　we　are　likely　to　feel　chilly：　we　grow　too　fine　where
tenuity　of　stature　is　necessarily　buffetted　by　gales；　namely；　in
our　self…esteem。　We　are　barbarians；　on　a　forcing　soil　of　wealth；
in　a　conservatory　of　comfortable　security；　but　still　barbarians。
So；　you　see；　we　shine　at　our　best　when　we　are　plucked　out　of　that；
to　where　hard　blows　are　given；　in　a　state　of　war。　In　a　state　of
war　we　are　at　home；　our　men　are　high…minded　fellows；　Scipios　and
good　legionaries。　In　the　state　of　peace　we　do　not　live　in　peace：
our　native　roughness　breaks　out　in　unexpected　places；　under
extraordinary　aspectstyrannies；　extravagances；　domestic
exactions：　and　if　we　have　not　had　sharp　early　training　。。。　within
and　without　。。。　the　old…fashioned　island…instrument　to　drill　into
us　the　civilization　of　our　masters；　the　ancients；　we　show　it　by
running　here　and　there　to　some　excess。　Ahem。　Yet；〃　added　the　Rev。
Doctor；　abandoning　his　effort　to　deliver　a　weighty　truth　obscurely
for　the　comprehension　of　dainty　spinster　ladies；　the
superabundance　of　whom　in　England　was　in　his　opinion　largely　the
cause　of　our　decay　as　a　people；　〃Yet　I　have　not　observed　this
ultra…sensitiveness　in　Willoughby。　He　has　borne　to　hear　more　than
I；　certainly　no　example　of　the　frailty；　could　have　endured。〃

〃He　concealed　it；〃　said　the　ladies。　〃It　is　intense。〃

〃Then　is　it　a　disease？〃

〃It　bears　no　explanation；　it　is　mystic。〃

〃It　is　a　cultus；　then；　a　form　of　self…worship。〃

〃Self！〃　they　ejaculated。　〃But　is　not　Self　indifferent　to　others？
Is　it　Self　that　craves　for　sympathy；　love；　and　devotion？〃

〃He　is　an　admirable　host；　ladies。〃

〃He　is　admirable　in　all　respects。〃

〃Admirable　must　he　be　who　can　impress　discerning　women；
his　life…long　housemates；　so　favourably。　He　is；　I　repeat；　a
perfect　host。〃

〃He　will　be　a　perfect　husband。〃

〃In　all　probability。〃

〃It　is　a　certainty。　Let　him　be　loved　and　obeyed；　he　will　be
guided。　That　is　the　secret　for　her　whom　he　so　fatally　loves。
That；　if　we　had　dared；　we　would　have　hinted　to　her。　She　will　rule
him　through　her　love　of　him；　and　through　him　all　about　her。　And　it
will　not　be　a　rule　he　submits　to；　but　a　love　he　accepts。　If　she
could　see　it！〃

〃If　she　were　a　metaphysician！〃　sighed　Dr。　Middleton。

〃But　a　sensitiveness　so　keen　as　his　might〃

〃Fretted　by　an　unsympathizing　mate〃

〃In　the　end　become；　for　the　best　of　us　is　mortal〃

〃Callous！〃

〃He　would　feel　perhaps　as　much〃

〃Or　more！〃

〃He　would　still　be　tender〃

〃But　he　might　grow　outwardly　hard！〃

Both　ladies　looked　up　at　Dr。　Middleton；　as　the