pgw.adamselindistress-第16部分

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　Albert　rather　liked　this　part。　He　was　never　happy　in　narrative　unless　it　could　be　sprinkled　with　a　plentiful　supply　of　〃he　said's〃　and　〃she　said's。〃　He　finished　with　some　gusto。
　　　　〃She　said　…　I　am　aweary；　aweary；　　　　　　I　would　that　I　was　dead。〃
　Maud　had　listened　to　this　rendition　of　one　of　her　most　adored　poems　with　much　the　same　feeling　which　a　poser　with　an　over…sensitive　ear　would　suffer　on　hearing　his　pet　opus　assassinated　by　a　schoolgirl。　Albert；　who　was　a　willing　lad　and　prepared；　if　such　should　be　her　desire；　to　plough　his　way　through　the　entire　seven　stanzas；　began　the　second　verse；　but　Maud　gently　took　the　book　away　from　him。　Enough　was　sufficient。
　〃Now；　wouldn't　you　like　to　be　able　to　write　a　wonderful　thing　like　that；　Albert？〃
　〃Not　me；　m'lady。〃
　〃You　wouldn't　like　to　be　a　poet　when　you　grow　up？〃
　Albert　shook　his　golden　head。
　〃I　want　to　be　a　butcher　when　I　grow　up；　m'lady。〃
　Maud　uttered　a　little　cry。
　〃A　butcher？〃
　〃Yus；　m'lady。　Butchers　earn　good　money；〃　he　said；　a　light　of　enthusiasm　in　his　blue　eyes；　for　he　was　now　on　his　favourite　subject。　〃You've　got　to　'ave　meat；　yer　see；　m'lady。　It　ain't　like　poetry；　m'lady；　which　no　one　wants。〃
　〃But；　Albert；〃　cried　Maud　faintly。　〃Killing　poor　animals。　　Surely　you　wouldn't　like　that？〃
　Albert's　eyes　glowed　softly；　as　might　an　acolyte's　at　the　sight　of　the　censer。
　〃Mr。　Widgeon　down　at　the　'ome　farm；〃　he　murmured　reverently；　〃he　says；　if　I'm　a　good　boy；　'e'll　let　me　watch　'im　kill　a　pig　Toosday。〃
　He　gazed　out　over　the　water…lilies；　his　thoughts　far　away。　　Maud　shuddered。　She　wondered　if　medieval　pages　were　ever　quite　as　earthy　as　this。
　〃Perhaps　you　had　better　go　now；　Albert。　They　may　be　needing　you　in　the　house。〃
　〃Very　good；　m'lady。〃
　Albert　rose；　not　unwilling　to　call　it　a　day。　He　was　conscious　of　the　need　for　a　quiet　cigarette。　He　was　fond　of　Maud；　but　a　man　can't　spend　all　his　time　with　the　women。
　〃Pigs　squeal　like　billy…o；　m'lady！〃　he　observed　by　way　of　adding　a　parting　treasure　to　Maud's　stock　of　general　knowledge。　　〃Oo！　'Ear　'em　a　mile　orf；　you　can！〃
　Maud　remained　where　she　was；　thinking；　a　wistful　figure。　Tennyson's　〃Mariana〃　always　made　her　wistful　even　when　rendered　by　Albert。　In　the　occasional　moods　of　sentimental　depression　which　came　to　vary　her　normal　cheerfulness；　it　seemed　to　her　that　the　poem　might　have　been　written　with　a　prophetic　eye　to　her　special　case；　so　nearly　did　it　crystallize　in　magic　words　her　own　story。
　　　　　　　　〃With　blackest　moss　the　flower…pots　　　　　　　　　　Were　thickly　crusted；　one　and　all。〃
　Well；　no；　not　that　particular　part；　perhaps。　If　he　had　found　so　much　as　one　flower…pot　of　his　even　thinly　crusted　with　any　foreign　substance；　Lord　Marshmoreton　would　have　gone　through　the　place　like　an　east　wind；　dismissing　gardeners　and　under…gardeners　with　every　breath。　But
　　　　　　　　　〃She　only　said　'My　life　is　dreary；　　　　　　　　　　　　　He　eth　not；'　she　said。　　　　　　　　　　She　said　'I　am　aweary；　aweary。　　　　　　　　　　　　　I　would　that　I　were　dead！〃
　How　exactlyat　these　moments　when　she　was　not　out　on　the　links　picking　them　off　the　turf　with　a　midiron　or　engaged　in　one　of　those　other　healthful　sports　which　tend　to　take　the　mind　off　its　troublesthose　words　summed　up　her　case。
　Why　didn't　Geoffrey　e？　Or　at　least　write？　She　could　not　write　to　him。　Letters　from　the　castle　left　only　by　way　of　the　castle　post…bag；　which　Rogers；　the　chauffeur；　took　down　to　the　village　every　evening。　Impossible　to　entrust　the　kind　of　letter　she　wished　to　write　to　any　mode　of　delivery　so　publicespecially　now；　when　her　movements　were　watched。　To　open　and　read　another's　letters　is　a　low　and　dastardly　act；　but　she　believed　that　Lady　Caroline　would　do　it　like　a　shot。　She　longed　to　pour　out　her　heart　to　Geoffrey　in　a　long；　intimate　letter；　but　she　did　not　dare　to　take　the　risk　of　writing　for　a　wider　public。　Things　were　bad　enough　as　it　was；　after　that　disastrous　sortie　to　London。
　At　this　point　a　soothing　vision　came　to　herthe　vision　of　George　Bevan　knocking　off　her　brother　Percy's　hat。　It　was　the　only　pleasant　thing　that　had　happened　almost　as　far　back　as　she　could　remember。　And　then；　for　the　first　time；　her　mind　condescended　to　dwell　for　a　moment　on　the　author　of　that　act；　George　Bevan；　the　friend　in　need；　whom　she　had　met　only　the　day　before　in　the　lane。　What　was　George　doing　at　Belpher？　　His　presence　there　was　significant；　and　his　words　even　more　so。　　He　had　stated　explicitly　that　he　wished　to　help　her。
　She　found　herself　oppressed　by　the　irony　of　things。　A　knight　had　e　to　the　rescuebut　the　wrong　knight。　Why　could　it　not　have　been　Geoffrey　who　waited　in　ambush　outside　the　castle；　and　not　a　pleasant　but　negligible　stranger？　Whether；　deep　down　in　her　consciousness；　she　was　aware　of　a　fleeting　sense　of　disappointment　in　Geoffrey；　a　swiftly　passing　thought　that　he　had　failed　her；　she　could　hardly　have　said；　so　quickly　did　she　crush　it　down。
　She　pondered　on　the　arrival　of　George。　What　was　the　use　of　his　being　somewhere　in　the　neighbourhood　if　she　had　no　means　of　knowing　where　she　could　find　him？　Situated　as　she　was；　she　could　not　wander　at　will　about　the　countryside；　looking　for　him。　　And；　even　if　she　found　him；　what　then？　There　was　not　much　that　any　stranger；　however　pleasant；　could　do。
　She　flushed　at　a　sudden　thought。　Of　course　there　was　something　George　could　do　for　her　if　he　were　willing。　He　could　receive；　despatch　and　deliver　letters。　If　only　she　could　get　in　touch　with　him；　she　couldthrough　himget　in　touch　with　Geoffrey。
　The　whole　world　changed　for　her。　The　sun　was　setting　and　chill　little　winds　had　begun　to　stir　the　lily…pads；　giving　a　depressing　air　to　the　scene；　but　to　Maud　it　seemed　as　if　all　Nature　smiled。　With　the　egotism　of　love；　she　did　not　perceive　that　what　she　proposed　to　ask　George　to　do　was　practically　to　fulfil　the　humble　role　of　the　hollow　tree　in　which　lovers　dump　letters；　to　be　extracted　later；　she　did　not　consider　George's　feelings　at　all。　　He　had　offered　to　help　her；　and　this　was　his　job。　The　world　is　full　of　Georges　whose　task　it　is　to　hang　about　in　the　background　and　make　themselves　unobtrusively　useful。
　She　had　reached　this　conclusion　when　Albert；　who　had　taken　a　short　cut　the　more　rapidly　to　acplish　his　errand；　burst　upon　her　dramatically　from　the　heart　of　a　rhododendron　thicket。
　〃M'lady！　Gentleman　give　me　this　to　give　yer！〃
　Maud　read　the　note。　It　was　brief；　and　to　the　point。
　　　　〃I　am　staying　near　the　castle　at　a　cottage　they　call　'the　　　　　one　down　by　Platt's'。　It　is　a　rather　new；　red…brick　place。　　　　　You　can　easily　find　it。　I　shall　be　waiting　there　if　you　want　　　　　me。〃
　It　was　signed　〃The　Man　in　the　Cab〃。
　〃Do　you　know　a　cottage　called　'the　one　down　by　Platt's'；　Albert？〃　asked　Maud。
　〃Yes；　m'lady。　It's　down　by　Platt's　farm。　I　see　a　chicken　killed　there　Wednesday　week。　Do　you　know；　m'lady；　after　a　chicken's　'ead　is　cut　orf；　it　goes　running　licketty…split？〃
　Maud　shivered　slightly。　Albert's　fresh　young　enthusiasms　frequently　jarred　upon　her。
　〃I　find　a　friend　of　mine　is　staying　there。　I　want　you　to　take　a　note　to　him　from　me。〃
　〃Very　good；　m'lady。〃
　〃And；　Albert〃
　〃Yes；　m'lady？〃
　〃Perhaps　it　would　be　as　well　if　you　said　nothing　about　this　to　any　of　your　friends。〃
　In　Lord　Marshmoreton's　study　a　council　of　three　was　sitting　in　debate。　The　subject　under　discussion　was　that　other　note　which　George　had　written　and　so　ill…advisedly　entrusted　to　one　whom　he　had　taken　for　a　guileless　gardener。　The　council　consisted　of　Lord　Marshmoreton；　looking　rather　shamefaced；　his　son　Percy　looking　swollen　and　serious；　and　Lady　Caroline　Byng；　looking　like　a　tragedy　queen。
　〃This〃；　Lord　Belpher　was　saying　in　a　determined　voice；　〃settles　it。　From　now　on　Maud　must　not　be　allowed　out　of　our　sight。〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　spoke。
　〃I　rather　wish〃；　he　said　regretfully；　〃I　hadn't　spoken　about　the　note。　I　only　mentioned　it　because　I　thought　you　might　think　it　amusing。〃
　〃Amusing！〃　Lady　Caroline's　voice　shook　the　furniture。
　〃Amusing　that　the　fellow　should　have　handed　me　of　all　people　a　letter　for　Maud；〃　explained　her　brother。　〃I　don't　want　to　get　Maud　into　trouble。〃
　〃You　are　criminally　weak；〃　said　Lady　Caroline　severely。　〃I　really　honestly　believe　that　you　were　capable　of　giving　the　note　to　that　poor；　misguided　girl；　and　saying　nothing　about　it。〃　She　flushed。　〃The　insolence　of　the　man；　ing　here　and　settling　down　at　the　very　gates　of　the　castle！　If　it　was　anybody　but　this　man　Platt　who　was　giving　him　shelter　I　should　insist　on　his　being　turned　out。　But　that　man　Platt　would　be　only　too　glad　to　know　that　he　is　causing　us　annoyance。〃
　〃Quite！〃　said　Lord　Belpher。
　〃You　must　go　to　this　man　as　soon　as　possible；〃　continued　Lady　Caroline；　fixing　her　brother　with　a　manding　stare；　〃and　do　your　best　to　make　him　see　how　abominable　his　behaviour　is。〃
　〃Oh；　I　couldn't！〃　pleaded　the　earl。　〃I　don't　know　the　fellow。　　He'd　throw　me　out。〃
　〃Nonsense。　Go　at　the　very　earliest　opportunity。〃
　〃Oh；　all　right；　all　right；　all　right。　Well；　I　think　I'll　be　slipping　out　to　the　rose　garden　again　now。　There's　a　clear　hour　before　dinner。〃
　There　was　a　tap　at　the　door。　Alice　Faraday　entered　bearing　papers；　a　smile　of　sweet　helpfulness　on　her　pretty　face。
　〃I　hoped　I　should　find　you　here；　Lord　Marshmoreton。　You　promised　to　go　over　these　notes　with　me；　the　ones　about　the　Essex　branch〃
　The　hunted　peer　looked　as　if　he　were　about　to　dive　through　the　window。
　〃Some　other　time；　some　other　time。　II　have　important　matters〃
　〃Oh；　if　you're　busy〃
　〃Of　course；　Lord　Marshmoreton　will　be　delighted　to　work　on　your　notes；　Miss　Faraday；〃　said　Lady　Caroline　crisply。　　〃Take　this　chair。　We　are　just　going。〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　gave　one　wistful　glance　through　the　open　window。　Then　he　sat　down　with　a　sigh；　and　felt　for　his　reading…glasses。
　
　CHAPTER　10。
　
　Your　true　golfer　is　a　man　who；　knowing　that　life　is　short　and　perfection　hard　to　attain；　neglects　no　opportunity　of　practising　his　chosen　sport；　allowing　neither　wind　nor　weather　nor　any　external　influence　to　keep　him　from　it。　There　is　a　story；　with　an　excellent　moral　lesson；　of　a　golfer　whose　wife　had　determined　to　leave　him　for　ever。　〃Will　nothing　alter　your　decision？〃　he　says。　〃Will　nothing　induce　you　to　stay？　Well；　then；　while　you're　packing；　I　think　I'll　go　out　on　the　lawn　and　rub　u