pgw.adamselindistress-第15部分

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corduroys　had　lit　his　pipe　and　was　bending　once　more　to　his　task。
　〃Well；　dadda；〃　said　Billie　amiably；　〃how　are　the　crops？〃
　The　man　straightened　himself。　He　was　a　nice…looking　man　of　middle　age；　with　the　kind　eyes　of　a　friendly　dog。　He　smiled　genially；　and　started　to　put　his　pipe　away。
　Billie　stopped　him。
　〃Don't　stop　smoking　on　my　account；〃　she　said。　〃I　like　it。　　Well；　you've　got　the　right　sort　of　a　job；　haven't　you！　If　I　was　a　man；　there's　nothing　I'd　like　better　than　to　put　in　my　eight　hours　in　a　rose…garden。〃　She　looked　about　her。　〃And　this；〃　she　said　with　approval；　〃is　just　what　a　rose…garden　ought　to　be。〃
　〃Are　you　fond　of　rosesmissy？〃
　〃You　bet　I　am！　You　must　have　every　kind　here　that　was　ever　invented。　All　the　fifty…seven　varieties。〃
　〃There　are　nearly　three　thousand　varieties；〃　said　the　man　in　corduroys　tolerantly。
　〃I　was　speaking　colloquially；　dadda。　You　can't　teach　me　anything　about　roses。　I'm　the　guy　that　invented　them。　Got　any　Ayrshires？〃
　The　man　in　corduroys　seemed　to　have　e　to　the　conclusion　that　Billie　was　the　only　thing　on　earth　that　mattered。　This　revelation　of　a　kindred　spirit　had　captured　him　pletely。　　George　was　merely　among　those　present。
　〃Thosethemover　there　are　Ayrshires；　missy。〃
　〃We　don't　get　Ayrshires　in　America。　At　least；　I　never　ran　across　them。　I　suppose　they　do　have　them。〃
　〃You　want　the　right　soil。〃
　〃Clay　and　lots　of　rain。〃
　〃You're　right。〃
　There　was　an　earnest　expression　on　Billie　Dore's　face　that　George　had　never　seen　there　before。
　〃Say；　listen；　dadda；　in　this　matter　of　rose…beetles；　what　would　you　do　if〃
　George　moved　away。　The　conversation　was　being　too　technical　for　him；　and　he　had　an　idea　that　he　would　not　be　missed。　There　had　e　to　him；　moreover；　in　a　flash　one　of　those　sudden　inspirations　which　great　generals　get。　He　had　visited　the　castle　this　afternoon　without　any　settled　plan　other　than　a　vague　hope　that　he　might　somehow　see　Maud。　He　now　perceived　that　there　was　no　chance　of　doing　this。　Evidently；　on　Thursdays；　the　family　went　to　earth　and　remained　hidden　until　the　sightseers　had　gone。　But　there　was　another　avenue　of　munication　open　to　him。　This　gardener　seemed　an　exceptionally　intelligent　man。　He　could　be　trusted　to　deliver　a　note　to　Maud。
　In　his　late　rambles　about　Belpher　Castle　in　the　pany　of　Keggs　and　his　followers；　George　had　been　privileged　to　inspect　the　library。　It　was　an　easily　accessible　room；　opening　off　the　main　hail。　He　left　Billie　and　her　new　friend　deep　in　a　discussion　of　slugs　and　plant…lice；　and　walked　quickly　back　to　the　house。　　The　library　was　unoccupied。
　George　was　a　thorough　young　man。　He　believed　in　leaving　nothing　to　chance。　The　gardener　had　seemed　a　trustworthy　soul；　but　you　never　knew。　It　was　possible　that　he　drank。　He　might　forget　or　lose　the　precious　note。　So；　with　a　wary　eye　on　the　door；　George　hastily　scribbled　it　in　duplicate。　This　took　him　but　a　few　minutes。　He　went　out　into　the　garden　again　to　find　Billie　Dore　on　the　point　of　stepping　into　a　blue　automobile。
　〃Oh；　there　you　are；　George。　I　wondered　where　you　had　got　to。　Say；　I　made　quite　a　hit　with　dadda。　I've　given　him　my　address；　and　he's　promised　to　send　me　a　whole　lot　of　roses。　By　the　way；　shake　hands　with　Mr。　Forsyth。　This　is　George　Bevan；　Freddie；　who　wrote　the　music　of　our　show。〃
　The　solemn　youth　at　the　wheel　extended　a　hand。
　〃Topping　show。　Topping　music。　Topping　all　round。〃
　〃Well；　good…bye；　George。　See　you　soon；　I　suppose？〃
　〃Oh；　yes。　Give　my　love　to　everybody。〃
　〃All　right。　Let　her　rip；　Freddie。　Good…bye。〃　　〃Good…bye。〃
　The　blue　car　gathered　speed　and　vanished　down　the　drive。　　George　returned　to　the　man　in　corduroys；　who　had　bent　himself　double　in　pursuit　of　a　slug。
　〃Just　a　minute；〃　said　George　hurriedly。　He　pulled　out　the　first　of　the　notes。　〃Give　this　to　Lady　Maud　the　first　chance　you　get。　It's　important。　Here's　a　sovereign　for　your　trouble。〃
　He　hastened　away。　He　noticed　that　gratification　had　turned　the　other　nearly　purple　in　the　face；　and　was　anxious　to　leave　him。　　He　was　a　modest　young　man；　and　effusive　thanks　always　embarrassed　him。
　There　now　remained　the　disposal　of　the　duplicate　note。　It　was　hardly　worth　while；　perhaps；　taking　such　a　precaution；　but　George　knew　that　victories　are　won　by　those　who　take　no　chances。　　He　had　wandered　perhaps　a　hundred　yards　from　the　rose…garden　when　he　encountered　a　small　boy　in　the　many…buttoned　uniform　of　a　page。　The　boy　had　appeared　from　behind　a　big　cedar；　where；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　he　had　been　smoking　a　stolen　cigarette。
　〃Do　you　want　to　earn　half　a　crown？〃　asked　George。
　The　market　value　of　messengers　had　slumped。
　The　stripling　held　his　hand　out。
　〃Give　this　note　to　Lady　Maud。〃
　〃Right　ho！〃
　〃See　that　it　reaches　her　at　once。〃
　George　walked　off　with　the　consciousness　of　a　good　day's　work　done。　Albert　the　page；　having　bitten　his　half…crown；　placed　it　in　his　pocket。　Then　he　hurried　away；　a　look　of　excitement　and　gratification　in　his　deep　blue　eyes。
　
　CHAPTER　9。
　
　While　George　and　Billie　Dore　wandered　to　the　rose　garden　to　interview　the　man　in　corduroys；　Maud　had　been　seated　not　a　hundred　yards　awayin　a　very　special　haunt　of　her　own；　a　cracked　stucco　temple　set　up　in　the　days　of　the　Regency　on　the　shores　of　a　little　lily…covered　pond。　She　was　reading　poetry　to　Albert　the　page。
　Albert　the　page　was　a　recent　addition　to　Maud's　inner　circle。　　She　had　interested　herself　in　him　some　two　months　back　in　much　the　same　spirit　as　the　prisoner　in　his　dungeon　cell　tames　and　pets　the　conventional　mouse。　To　educate　Albert；　to　raise　him　above　his　groove　in　life　and　develop　his　soul；　appealed　to　her　romantic　nature　as　a　worthy　task；　and　as　a　good　way　of　filling　in　the　time。　It　is　an　exceedingly　moot　pointand　one　which　his　associates　of　the　servants'　hall　would　have　bated　hotlywhether　Albert　possessed　a　soul。　The　most　one　could　say　for　certain　is　that　he　looked　as　if　he　possessed　one。　To　one　who　saw　his　deep　blue　eyes　and　their　sweet；　pensive　expression　as　they　searched　the　middle　distance　he　seemed　like　a　young　angel。　　How　was　the　watcher　to　know　that　the　thought　behind　that　far…off　gaze　was　simply　a　speculation　as　to　whether　the　bird　on　the　cedar　tree　was　or　was　not　within　range　of　his　catapult？　Certainly　Maud　had　no　such　suspicion。　She　worked　hopefully　day　by　day　to　rouse　Albert　to　an　appreciation　of　the　nobler　things　of　life。
　Not　but　what　it　was　tough　going。　Even　she　admitted　that。　Albert's　soul　did　not　soar　readily。　It　refused　to　leap　from　the　earth。　His　reception　of　the　poem　she　was　reading　could　scarcely　have　been　called　encouraging。　Maud　finished　it　in　a　hushed　voice；　and　looked　pensively　across　the　dappled　water　of　the　pool。　　A　gentle　breeze　stirred　the　water…lilies；　so　that　they　seemed　to　sigh。
　〃Isn't　that　beautiful；　Albert？〃　she　said。
　Albert's　blue　eyes　lit　up。　His　lips　parted　eagerly；
　〃That's　the　first　hornet　I　seen　this　year；〃　he　said　pointing。
　Maud　felt　a　little　damped。
　〃Haven't　you　been　listening；　Albert？〃
　〃Oh；　yes；　m'lady！　Ain't　he　a　wopper；　too？〃
　〃Never　mind　the　hornet；　Albert。〃
　〃Very　good；　m'lady。〃
　〃I　wish　you　wouldn't　say　'Very　good；　m'lady'。　It's　likelike〃　She　paused。　She　had　been　about　to　say　that　it　was　like　a　butler；　but；　she　reflected　regretfully；　it　was　probably　Albert's　dearest　ambition　to　be　like　a　butler。　〃It　doesn't　sound　right。　Just　say　'Yes'。〃
　〃Yes；　m'lady。〃
　Maud　was　not　enthusiastic　about　the　'M'lady'；　but　she　let　it　go。　After　all；　she　had　not　quite　settled　in　her　own　mind　what　exactly　she　wished　Albert's　attitude　towards　herself　to　be。　　Broadly　speaking；　she　wanted　him　to　be　as　like　as　he　could　to　a　medieval　page；　one　of　those　silk…and…satined　little　treasures　she　had　read　about　in　the　Ingoldsby　Legends。　And；　of　course；　they　presumably　said　'my　lady'。　And　yetshe　feltnot　for　the　first　timethat　it　is　not　easy；　to　revive　the　Middle　Ages　in　these　curious　days。　Pages　like　other　things；　seem　to　have　changed　since　then。
　〃That　poem　was　written　by　a　very　clever　man　who　married　one　of　my　ancestresses。　He　ran　away　with　her　from　this　very　castle　in　the　seventeenth　century。〃
　〃Lor'〃；　said　Albert　as　a　concession；　but　he　was　still　interested　n　the　hornet。
　〃He　was　far　below　her　in　the　eyes　of　the　world；　but　she　knew　what　a　wonderful　man　he　was；　so　she　didn't　mind　what　people　said　about　her　marrying　beneath　her。〃
　〃Like　Susan　when　she　married　the　pleeceman。〃
　〃Who　was　Susan？〃
　〃Red…'eaded　gel　that　used　to　be　cook　'ere。　Mr。　Keggs　says　to　'er；　'e　says；　'You're　marrying　beneath　you；　Susan'；　'e　says。　I　'eard　'im。　I　was　listenin'　at　the　door。　And　she　says　to　'im；　she　says；　'Oh；　go　and　boil　your　fat　'ead'；　she　says。〃
　This　translation　of　a　favourite　romance　into　terms　of　the　servants'　hall　chilled　Maud　like　a　cold　shower。　She　recoiled　from　it。
　〃Wouldn't　you　like　to　get　a　good　education；　Albert；〃　she　said　perseveringly；　〃and　bee　a　great　poet　and　write　wonderful　poems？〃
　Albert　considered　the　point；　and　shook　his　head。
　〃No；　m'lady。〃
　It　was　discouraging。　But　Maud　was　a　girl　of　pluck。　You　cannot　leap　into　strange　cabs　in　Piccadilly　unless　you　have　pluck。　　She　picked　up　another　book　from　the　stone　seat。
　〃Read　me　some　of　this；〃　she　said；　〃and　then　tell　me　if　it　doesn't　make　you　feel　you　want　to　do　big　things。〃
　Albert　took　the　book　cautiously。　He　was　getting　a　little　fed　up　with　all　this　sort　of　thing。　True；　'er　ladyship　gave　him　chocolates　to　eat　during　these　sessions；　but　for　all　that　it　was　too　much　like　school　for　his　taste。　He　regarded　the　open　page　with　disfavour。
　〃Go　on；〃　said　Maud；　closing　her　eyes。　〃It's　very　beautiful。〃
　Albert　began。　He　had　a　husky　voice；　due；　it　is　to　be　feared；　to　precocious　cigarette　smoking；　and　his　enunciation　was　not　as　good　as　it　might　have　been。
　　　　〃Wiv'　blekest　morss　the　flower…ports　　　　　　　Was…I　mean　were…crusted　one　and　orl；　　　　　Ther　rusted　niles　fell　from　the　knorts　　　　　　　That　'eld　the　pear　to　the　garden…worll。　　　　　Ther　broken　sheds　looked　sed　and　stringe；　　　　　　　Unlifted　was　the　clinking　latch；　　　　　　　Weeded　and　worn　their　ancient　thatch　　　　　Er…pon　ther　lownely　moated　gringe；　　　　　　　She　only　said　'Me　life　is　dreary；　　　　　　　　　'E　eth　not；'　she　said。〃
　Albert　rather　liked　this　part。　He　was　never　happy　in　narrative　unless　it　could　be　sprinkled　with　a　plentiful　supply　of　〃he　sa