in the cage-第12部分

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〃I'd　do　anything　for　you。　　I'd　do　anything　for　you。〃　　Never　in　her

life　had　she　known　anything　so　high　and　fine　as　this；　just　letting

him　have　it　and　bravely　and　magnificently　leaving　it。　　Didn't　the

place；　the　associations　and　circumstances；　perfectly　make　it　sound

what　it　wasn't？　and　wasn't　that　exactly　the　beauty？



So　she　bravely　and　magnificently　left　it；　and　little　by　little　she

felt　him　take　it　up；　take　it　down；　as　if　they　had　been　on　a　satin

sofa　in　a　boudoir。　　She　had　never　seen　a　boudoir；　but　there　had

been　lots　of　boudoirs　in　the　telegrams。　　What　she　had　said　at　all

events　sank　into　him；　so　that　after　a　minute　he　simply　made　a

movement　that　had　the　result　of　placing　his　hand　on　her　own

presently　indeed　that　of　her　feeling　herself　firmly　enough　grasped。

There　was　no　pressure　she　need　return；　there　was　none　she　need

decline；　she　just　sat　admirably　still；　satisfied　for　the　time　with

the　surprise　and　bewilderment　of　the　impression　she　made　on　him。

His　agitation　was　even　greater　on　the　whole　than　she　had　at　first

allowed　for。　　〃I　say；　you　know；　you　mustn't　think　of　leaving！〃　he

at　last　broke　out。



〃Of　leaving　Cocker's；　you　mean？〃



〃Yes；　you　must　stay　on　there；　whatever　happens；　and　help　a　fellow。〃



She　was　silent　a　little；　partly　because　it　was　so　strange　and

exquisite　to　feel　him　watch　her　as　if　it　really　mattered　to　him　and

he　were　almost　in　suspense。　　〃Then　you　HAVE　quite　recognised　what

I've　tried　to　do？〃　she　asked。



〃Why；　wasn't　that　exactly　what　I　dashed　over　from　my　door　just　now

to　thank　you　for？〃



〃Yes；　so　you　said。〃



〃And　don't　you　believe　it？〃



She　looked　down　a　moment　at　his　hand；　which　continued　to　cover　her

own；　whereupon　he　presently　drew　it　back；　rather　restlessly　folding

his　arms。　　Without　answering　his　question　she　went　on：　　〃Have　you

ever　spoken　of　me？〃



〃Spoken　of　you？〃



〃Of　my　being　thereof　my　knowing；　and　that　sort　of　thing。〃



〃Oh　never　to　a　human　creature！〃　he　eagerly　declared。



She　had　a　small　drop　at　this；　which　was　expressed　in　another　pause；

and　she　then　returned　to　what　he　had　just　asked　her。　　〃Oh　yes；　I

quite　believe　you　like　itmy　always　being　there　and　our　taking

things　up　so　familiarly　and　successfully：　　if　not　exactly　where　we

left　them；〃　she　laughed；　〃almost　always　at　least　at　an　interesting

point！〃　　He　was　about　to　say　something　in　reply　to　this；　but　her

friendly　gaiety　was　quicker。　　〃You　want　a　great　many　things　in

life；　a　great　many　comforts　and　helps　and　luxuriesyou　want

everything　as　pleasant　as　possible。　　Therefore；　so　far　as　it's　in

the　power　of　any　particular　person　to　contribute　to　all　that〃

She　had　turned　her　face　to　him　smiling；　just　thinking。



〃Oh　see　here！〃　　But　he　was　highly　amused。　　〃Well；　what　then？〃　he

enquired　as　if　to　humour　her。



〃Why　the　particular　person　must　never　fail。　　We　must　manage　it　for

you　somehow。〃



He　threw　back　his　head；　laughing　out；　he　was　really　exhilarated。

〃Oh　yes；　somehow！〃



〃Well；　I　think　we　each　dodon't　we？in　one　little　way　and　another

and　according　to　our　limited　lights。　　I'm　pleased　at　any　rate；　for

myself；　that　you　are；　for　I　assure　you　I've　done　my　best。〃



〃You　do　better　than　any　one！〃　　He　had　struck　a　match　for　another

cigarette；　and　the　flame　lighted　an　instant　his　responsive　finished

face；　magnifying　into　a　pleasant　grimace　the　kindness　with　which　he

paid　her　this　tribute。　　〃You're　awfully　clever；　you　know；　cleverer；

cleverer；　cleverer！〃　　He　had　appeared　on　the　point　of　making　some

tremendous　statement；　then　suddenly；　puffing　his　cigarette　and

shifting　almost　with　violence　on　his　seat；　he　let　it　altogether

fall。







CHAPTER　XVII







In　spite　of　this　drop；　if　not　just　by　reason　of　it；　she　felt　as　if

Lady　Bradeen；　all　but　named　out；　had　popped　straight　up；　and　she

practically　betrayed　her　consciousness　by　waiting　a　little　before

she　rejoined：　　〃Cleverer　than　who？〃



〃Well；　if　I　wasn't　afraid　you'd　think　I　swagger；　I　should　saythan

anybody！　　If　you　leave　your　place　there；　where　shall　you　go？〃　he

more　gravely　asked。



〃Oh　too　far　for　you　ever　to　find　me！〃



〃I'd　find　you　anywhere。〃



The　tone　of　this　was　so　still　more　serious　that　she　had　but　her　one

acknowledgement。　　〃I'd　do　anything　for　youI'd　do　anything　for

you；〃　she　repeated。　　She　had　already；　she　felt；　said　it　all；　so

what　did　anything　more；　anything　less；　matter？　　That　was　the　very

reason　indeed　why　she　could；　with　a　lighter　note；　ease　him

generously　of　any　awkwardness　produced　by　solemnity；　either　his　own

or　hers。　　〃Of　course　it　must　be　nice　for　you　to　be　able　to　think

there　are　people　all　about　who　feel　in　such　a　way。〃



In　immediate　appreciation　of　this；　however；　he　only　smoked　without

looking　at　her。　　〃But　you　don't　want　to　give　up　your　present　work？〃

he　at　last　threw　out。　　〃I　mean　you　WILL　stay　in　the　post…office？〃



〃Oh　yes；　I　think　I've　a　genius　for　that。〃



〃Rather！　　No　one　can　touch　you。〃　　With　this　he　turned　more　to　her

again。　　〃But　you　can　get；　with　a　move；　greater　advantages？〃



〃I　can　get　in　the　suburbs　cheaper　lodgings。　　I　live　with　my　mother。

We　need　some　space。　　There's　a　particular　place　that　has　other

inducements。〃



He　just　hesitated。　　〃Where　is　it？〃



〃Oh　quite　out　of　YOUR　way。　　You'd　never　have　time。〃



〃But　I　tell　you　I'd　go　anywhere。　　Don't　you　believe　it？〃



〃Yes；　for　once　or　twice。　　But　you'd　soon　see　it　wouldn't　do　for

you。〃



He　smoked　and　considered；　seemed　to　stretch　himself　a　little　and；

with　his　legs　out；　surrender　himself　comfortably。　　〃Well；　well；

wellI　believe　everything　you　say。　　I　take　it　from　youanything

you　likein　the　most　extraordinary　way。〃　　It　struck　her　certainly…

…and　almost　without　bitternessthat　the　way　in　which　she　was

already；　as　if　she　had　been　an　old　friend；　arranging　for　him　and

preparing　the　only　magnificence　she　could　muster；　was　quite　the

most　extraordinary。　　〃Don't；　DON'T　go！〃　he　presently　went　on。　　〃I

shall　miss　you　too　horribly！〃



〃So　that　you　just　put　it　to　me　as　a　definite　request？〃oh　how　she

tried　to　divest　this　of　all　sound　of　the　hardness　of　bargaining！

That　ought　to　have　been　easy　enough；　for　what　was　she　arranging　to

get？　　Before　he　could　answer　she　had　continued：　　〃To　be　perfectly

fair　I　should　tell　you　I　recognise　at　Cocker's　certain　strong

attractions。　　All　you　people　come。　　I　like　all　the　horrors。〃



〃The　horrors？〃



〃Those　you　allyou　know　the　set　I　mean；　YOUR　setshow　me　with　as

good　a　conscience　as　if　I　had　no　more　feeling　than　a　letter…box。〃



He　looked　quite　excited　at　the　way　she　put　it。　　〃Oh　they　don't

know！〃



〃Don't　know　I'm　not　stupid？　　No；　how　should　they？〃



〃Yes；　how　should　they？〃　said　the　Captain　sympathetically。　　〃But

isn't　'horrors'　rather　strong？〃



〃What　you　DO　is　rather　strong！〃　the　girl　promptly　returned。



〃What　I　do？〃



〃Your　extravagance；　your　selfishness；　your　immorality；　your

crimes；〃　she　pursued；　without　heeding　his　expression。



〃I　SAY！〃her　companion　showed　the　queerest　stare。



〃I　like　them；　as　I　tell　youI　revel　in　them。　　But　we　needn't　go

into　that；〃　she　quietly　went　on；　〃for　all　I　get　out　of　it　is　the

harmless　pleasure　of　knowing。　　I　know；　I　know；　I　know！〃she

breathed　it　ever　so　gently。



〃Yes；　that's　what　has　been　between　us；〃　he　answered　much　more

simply。



She　could　enjoy　his　simplicity　in　silence；　and　for　a　moment　she　did

so。　　〃If　I　do　stay　because　you　want　itand　I'm　rather　capable　of

thatthere　are　two　or　three　things　I　think　you　ought　to　remember。

One　is；　you　know；　that　I'm　there　sometimes　for　days　and　weeks

together　without　your　ever　coming。〃



〃Oh　I'll　come　every　day！〃　he　honestly　cried。



She　was　on　the　point；　at　this；　of　imitating　with　her　hand　his

movement　of　shortly　before；　but　she　checked　herself；　and　there　was

no　want　of　effect　in　her　soothing　substitute。　　〃How　can　you？　　How

can　you？〃　　He　had；　too　manifestly；　only　to　look　at　it　there；　in　the

vulgarly　animated　gloom；　to　see　that　he　couldn't；　and　at　this

point；　by　the　mere　action　of　his　silence；　everything　they　had　so

definitely　not　named；　the　whole　presence　round　which　they　had　been

circling；　became　part　of　their　reference；　settled　in　solidly

between　them。　　It　was　as　if　then　for　a　minute　they　sat　and　saw　it

all　in　each　other's　eyes；　saw　so　much　that　there　was　no　need　of　a

pretext　for　sounding　it　at　last。　　〃Your　danger；　your　danger！〃

Her　voice　indeed　trembled　with　it；　and　she　could　only　for　the

moment　again　leave　it　so。



During　this　moment　he　leaned　back　on　the　bench；　meeting　her　in

silence　and　with　a　face　that　grew　more　strange。　　It　grew　so　strange

that　after　a　further　instant　she　got　straight　up。　　She　stood　there

as　if　their　talk　were　now　over；　and　he　just　sat　and　watched　her。

It　was　as　if　nowowing　to　the　third　person　they　had　brought　in

they　must　be　more　careful；　so　that　the　most　he　could　finally　say

was：　　〃That's　where　it　is！〃



〃That's　where　it　is！〃　the　girl　as　guardedly　replied。　　He　sat　still；

and　she　added：　　〃I　won't　give　you　up。　　Good…bye。〃



〃Good…bye？〃he　appealed；　but　without　moving。



〃I　don't　quite　see　my　way；　but　I　won't　give　you　up；〃　she　repeated。

〃There。　　Good…bye。〃



It　brought　him　with　a　jerk　to　his　feet；　tossing　away　his　cigarette。

His　poor　face　was　flushed。　　〃See　heresee　here！〃



〃No；　I　won't；　but　I　must　leave　you　now；〃　she　went　on　as　if　not

hearing　him。



〃See　heresee　here！〃　　He　tried；　from　the　bench；　to　take　her　hand

again。



But　that　definitely　settled　it　for　her：　　this　would；　after　all；　be

as　bad　as　his　asking　her　to　supper。　　〃You　mustn't　come　with　meno；

no！〃



He　sank　back；　quite　blank；　as　if　she　had　pushed　him。　　〃I　mayn't　see

you　home？〃



〃No；　no；　let　me　go。〃　　He　looked　almost　as　if　she　had　struck　him；

but　she　didn't　care；　and　the　manner　in　which　she　spokeit　was

literally　as　if　she　were　angryhad　the　force　of　a　command。　　〃Stay

where　you　are！〃



〃See　heresee　here！〃　he