the egoist-第96部分

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a　sentiment　upon　which　I　need　not　dwell。　Impassioned　advocate；　he
said。〃

〃We　are　in　a　perfect　maelstrom！〃　cried　Lady　Busshe；　turning　to
everybody。

〃It　is　a　complete　hurricane！〃　cried　Lady　Culmer。

A　light　broke　over　the　faces　of　the　Patterne　ladies。　They　exchanged
it　with　one　another。

They　had　been　so　shocked　as　to　be　almost　offended　by　Lady　Busshe；
but　their　natural　gentleness　and　habitual　submission　rendered　them
unequal　to　the　task　of　checking　her。

〃Is　it　not；〃　said　Miss　Eleanor；　〃a　misunderstanding　that　a　change
of　names　will　rectify？〃

〃This　is　by　no　means　the　first　occasion；〃　said　Miss　Isabel；　〃that
Willoughby　has　pleaded　for　his　cousin　Vernon。〃

〃We　deplore　extremely　the　painful　error　into　which　Mr。　Dale　has
fallen。〃

〃It　springs；　we　now　perceive；　from　an　entire　misapprehension　of　Dr。
Middleton。〃

〃Vernon　was　in　his　mind。　It　was　clear　to　us。〃

〃Impossible　that　it　could　have　been　Willoughby！〃

〃You　see　the　impossibility；　the　error！〃

〃And　the　Middletons　here！〃　said　Lady　Busshe。　〃Oh！　if　we　leave
unilluminated　we　shall　be　the　laughing…stock　of　the　county。　Mr。
Dale；　please；　wake　up。　Do　you　see？　You　may　have　been　mistaken。〃

〃Lady　Busshe；〃　he　woke　up；　〃I　may　have　mistaken　Dr。　Middleton；　he
has　a　language　that　I　can　compare　only　to　a　review…day　of　the　field
forces。　But　I　have　the　story　on　authority　that　I　cannot　question：
it　is　confirmed　by　my　daughter's　unexampled　behaviour。　And　if　I
live　through　this　day　I　shall　look　about　me　as　a　ghost
to…morrow。〃

〃Dear　Mr。　Dale！〃　said　the　Patterne　ladies；　compassionately。　Lady
Busshe　murmured　to　them：　〃You　know　the　two　did　not　agree；　they　did
not　get　on：　I　saw　it；　I　predicted　it。〃

〃She　will　understand　him　in　time；〃　said　they。

〃Never。　And　my　belief　is；　they　have　parted　by　consent；　and　Letty
Dale　wins　the　day　at　last。　Yes；　now　I　do　believe　it。〃　

The　ladies　maintained　a　decided　negative；　but　they　knew　too　much
not　to　feel　perplexed；　and　they　betrayed　it；　though　they　said：
〃Dear　Lady　Busshe！　is　it　credible；　in　decency？〃

〃Dear　Mrs。　Mountstuart！〃　Lady　Busshe　invoked　her　great　rival
appearing　among　them：　〃You　come　most　opportunely；　we　are　in　a
state　of　inextricable　confusion：　we　are　bordering　on　frenzy。　You；
and　none　but　you；　can　help　us。　You　know；　you　always　know；　we　hang
on　you。　Is　there　any　truth　in　it？　a　particle？〃

Mrs。　Mountstuart　seated　herself　regally　〃Ah；　Mr。　Dale！〃　she　said；
inclining　to　him。　〃Yes；　dear　Lady　Busshe；　there　is　a　particle。〃

〃Now；　do　not　roast　us。　You　can；　you　have　the　art。　I　have　the　whole
story。　That　is；　I　have　a　part。　I　mean；　I　have　the　outlines；　I
cannot　be　deceived；　but　you　can　fill　thern　in；　I　know　you　can。　I
saw　it　yesterday。　Now；　tell　us；　tell　us。　It　must　be　quite　true　or
utterly　false。　Which　is　it？〃

〃Be　precise。〃

〃His　fatality！　you　called　her。　Yes；　I　was　sceptical。　But　here　we
have　it　all　come　round　again；　and　if　the　tale　is　true；　I　shall　own
you　infallible。　Has　he？and　she？〃

〃Both。〃

〃And　the　Middletons　here？　They　have　not　gone；　they　keep　the　field。
And　more　astounding；　she　refuses　him。　And　to　add　to　it；　Dr。
Middleton　intercedes　with　Mr。　Dale　for　Sir　Willoughby。〃

〃Dr。　Middleton　intercedes！〃　This　was　rather　astonishing　to　Mrs。
Mountstuart。

〃For　Vernon；〃　Miss　Eleanor　emphasized。

〃For　Vernon　Whitford；　his　cousin。〃　said　Miss　Isabel；　still　more
emphatically。

〃Who；〃　said　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　with　a　sovereign　lift　and　turn　of
her　head；　〃speaks　of　a　refusal？〃

〃I　have　it　from　Mr。　Dale；〃　said　Lady　Busshe。

〃I　had　it；　I　thought；　distinctly　from　Dr。　Middleton；〃　said　Mr。
Dale。

〃That　Willoughby　proposed　to　Laetitia　for　his　cousin　Vernon；
Doctor　Middleton　meant；〃　said　Miss　Eleanor。

Her　sister　followed：　〃Hence　this　really　ridiculous　misconception！　
sad；　indeed；〃　she　added；　for　balm　to　Mr。　Dale。

〃Willoughby　was　Vernon's　proxy。　His　cousin；　if　not　his　first；　is
ever　the　second　thought　with　him。〃

〃But　can　we　continue　。。。　？

〃Such　a　discussion！〃

Mrs。　Mountstuart　gave　them　a　judicial　hearing。　They　were　regarded
in　the　county　as　the　most　indulgent　of　nonentities；　and　she　as
little　as　Lady　Busshe　was　restrained　from　the　burning　topic　in
their　presence。　She　pronounced：

〃Each　party　is　right；　and　each　is　wrong。〃

A　dry：　〃I　shall　shriek！〃　came　from　Lady　Busshe。

〃Cruel！〃　groaned　Lady　Culmer。

〃Mixed；　you　are　all　wrong。　Disentangled；　you　are　each　of　you
right。　Sir　Willoughby　does　think　of　his　cousin　Vernon；　he　is
anxious　to　establish　him；　he　is　the　author　of　a　proposal　to　that
effect。〃

〃We　know　it！〃　the　Patterne　ladies　exclaimed。　〃And　Laetitia
rejected　poor　Vernon　once　more！〃

〃Who　spoke　of　Miss　Dale's　rejection　of　Mr。　Whitford？〃

〃Is　he　not　rejected？〃　Lady　Culmer　inquired。

〃It　is　in　debate；　and　at　this　moment　being　decided。〃　

〃Oh！　do　he　seated；　Mr。　Dale；〃　Lady　Busshe　implored　him；　rising　to
thrust　him　back　to　his　chair　if　necessary。　〃Any　dislocation；　and
we　are　thrown　out　again！　We　must　hold　together　if　this　riddle　is
ever　to　be　read。　Then；　dear　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　we　are　to　say　that
there　is…no　truth　in　the　other　story？〃

〃You　are　to　say　nothing　of　the　sort；　dear　Lady　Busshe。〃　

〃Be　merciful！　And　what　of　the　fatality？〃

〃As　positive　as　the　Pole　to　the　needle。〃

〃She　has　not　refused　him？〃

〃Ask　your　own　sagacity。〃

〃Accepted？〃

〃Wait。〃

〃And　all　the　world's　ahead　of　me！　Now；　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　you　are
oracle。　Riddles；　if　you　like；　only　speak。　If　we　can't　have　corn；
why；　give　us　husks。〃

〃Is　any　one　of　us　able　to　anticipate　events；　Lady　Busshe？〃　

〃Yes；　I　believe　that　you　are。　I　bow　to　you。　I　do　sincerely。　So
it's　another　person　for　Mr。　Whitford？　You　nod。　And　it　is　our
Laetitia　for　Sir　Willoughby？　You　smile。　You　would　not　deceive　me？
A　very　little；　and　I　run　about　crazed　and　howl　at　your　doors。　And
Dr。　　Middleton　is　made　to　play　blind　man　in　the　midst？　And　the
other　person　isnow　I　see　day！　An　amicable　rupture；　and　a　smooth
new　arrangement。　She　has　money；　she　was　never　the　match　for　our
hero；　never；　I　saw　it　yesterday；　and　before；　often；　and　so　he
hands　her　overtuthe…rum…tum…tum；　tuthe…rum…tum…tum；〃　Lady
Busshe　struck　a　quick　march　on　her　knee。　〃Now　isn't　that　clever
guessing？　The　shadow　of　a　clue　for　me。　And　because　I　know　human
nature。　One　peep；　and　I　see　the　combination　in　a　minute。　So　he
keeps　the　money　in　the　family；　becomes　a　benefactor　to　his　cousin
by　getting　rid　of　the　girl；　and　succumbs　to　his　fatality。　Rather　a
pity　he　let　it　ebb　and　flow　so　long。　Time　counts　the　tides；　you
know。　But　it　improves　the　story。　I　defy　any　other　county　in　the
kingdom　to　produce　one　fresh　and　living　to　equal　it。　Let　me　tell
you　I　suspected　Mr。　Whitford；　and　I　hinted　it　yesterday。〃

〃Did　you　indeed！〃　said　Mrs。　Mountstuart；　humouring　her　excessive
acuteness。

〃I　really　did。　There　is　that　dear　good　man　on　his　feet　again。　And
looks　agitated　again。〃

Mr。　Dale　had　been　compelled　both　by　the　lady's　voice　and　his
interest　in　the　subject　to　listen。　He　had　listened　more　than
enough；　he　was　exceedingly　nervous。　He　held　on　by　his　chair；
afraid　to　quit　his　moorings；　and　〃Manners！〃　he　said　to　himself
unconsciously　aloud；　as　he　cogitated　on　the　libertine　way　with
which　these　chartered　great　ladies　of　the　district　discussed　his
daughter。　He　was　heard　and　unnoticed。　The　supposition；　if　any；
would　have　been　that　he　was　admonishing　himself。　At　this　juncture
Sir　Willoughby　entered　the　drawing…room　by　the　garden　window；　and
simultaneously　Dr。　Middleton　by　the　door。



CHAPTER　XLVI

The　Scene　of　Sir　Willoughby's　Generalship

History；　we　may　fear；　will　never　know　the　qualities　of　leadership
inherent　in　Sir　Willoughby　Patterne　to　fit　him　for　the　post　of
Commander　of　an　army；　seeing　that　he　avoided　the　fatigues　of　the
service　and　preferred　the　honours　bestowed　in　his　country　upon　the
quiet　administrators　of　their　own　estates：　but　his　possession　of
particular　gifts；　which　are　military；　and　especially　of　the
proleptic　mind；　which　is　the　stamp　and　sign…warrant　of　the
heaven…sent　General；　was　displayed　on　every　urgent　occasion　when；
in　the　midst　of　difficulties　likely　to　have　extinguished　one　less
alert　than　he　to　the　threatening　aspect　of　disaster；　he　had　to
manoeuvre　himself。

He　had　received　no　intimation　of　Mr。　Dale's　presence　in　his　house；
nor　of　the　arrival　of　the　dreaded　women　Lady　Busshe　and　Lady
Culmer：　his　locked　door　was　too　great　a　terror　to　his　domestics。
Having　finished　with　Vernon；　after　a　tedious　endeavour　to　bring
the　fellow　to　a　sense　of　the　policy　of　the　step　urged　on　him；　he
walked　out　on　the　lawn　with　the　desire　to　behold　the　opening　of　an
interview　not　promising　to　lead　to　much；　and　possibly　to　profit　by
its　failure。　Clara　had　been　prepared；　according　to　his　directions；
by　Mrs。　Mountstuart　Jenkinson；　as　Vernon　had　been　prepared　by　him。
His　wishes；　candidly　and　kindly　expressed　both　to　Vernon　and　Mrs
Mountstuart；　were；　that　since　the　girl　appeared　disinclined　to
make　him　a　happy　man；　she　would　make　one　of　his　cousin。
Intimating　to　Mrs。　Mountstuart　that　he　would　be　happier　without
her；　he　alluded　to　the　benefit　of　the　girl's　money　to　poor　old
Vernon；　the　general　escape　from　a　scandal　if　old　Vernon　could
manage　to　catch　her　as　she　dropped；　the　harmonious　arrangement　it
would　be　for　all　parties。　And　only　on　the　condition　of　her　taking
Vernon　would　he　consent　to　give　her　up。　This　he　said　imperatively；
adding　that　such　was　the　meaning　of　the　news　she　had　received
relating　to　Laetitia　Dale。　From　what　quarter　had　she　received　it？
he　asked。　　She　shuffled　in　her　reply；　made　a　gesture　to　signify
that　it　was　in　the　air；　universal；　and　fell　upon　the　proposed
arrangement。　He　would　listen　to　none　of　Mrs。　Mountstuart's
woman…of…the…world　instances　of　the　folly　of　pressing　it　upon　a
girl　who　had　shown　herself　a　girl　of　spirit。　She　foretold　the
failure。　He　would　not　be　advised；　he　said：　〃It　is　my　scheme〃；　and
perhaps　the　look　of　mad　benevolence　about　it　induced　the　lady　to
try　whether　there　was　a　chance　that　it　would　hit　the　madness　in
our　nature；　and　somehow　succeed　or　lead　to　a　pacification。　Sir
Willoughby　condescended　to　arrange　things　thus　for　Clara's　good；
he　would　then　proceed　to　realize　his　own。　Such　was　the　face　he　put
upon　it。　We　can　wear　what　appearance　we　please　before　t