pgw.adamselindistress-第29部分

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o　see　that　the　latter　must　inevitably　have　betrayed　her　trust。　　He　was　prepared　to　bet　a　hundred　pounds　that　Albert　had　been　given　letters　to　deliver　and　had　destroyed　them。　So　much　was　clear　to　Keggs。　It　only　remained　to　settle　on　some　plan　of　action　which　would　re…establish　the　broken　connection。　Keggs　did　not　conceal　a　tender　heart　beneath　a　rugged　exterior：　he　did　not　mourn　over　the　picture　of　two　loving　fellow　human　beings　separated　by　a　misunderstanding；　but　he　did　want　to　win　that　sweepstake。
　His　position；　of　course；　was　delicate。　He　could　not　got　to　Maud　and　beg　her　to　confide　in　him。　Maud　would　not　understand　his　motives；　and　might　leap　to　the　not　unjustifiable　conclusion　that　he　had　been　at　the　sherry。　No！　Men　were　easier　to　handle　than　women。　As　soon　as　his　duties　would　permitand　in　the　present　crowded　condition　of　the　house　they　were　arduoushe　set　out　for　George's　cottage。
　〃I　trust　I　do　not　disturb　or　interrupt　you；　sir；〃　he　said；　beaming　in　the　doorway　like　a　benevolent　high　priest。　He　had　doffed　his　professional　manner　of　austere　disapproval；　as　was　his　Custom　in　moments　of　leisure。
　〃Not　at　all；〃　replied　George；　puzzled。　〃Was　there　anything　。　。　。？〃
　〃There　was；　sir。〃
　〃e　along　in　and　sit　down。〃
　〃I　would　not　take　the　liberty；　if　it　is　all　the　same　to　you；　sir。　I　would　prefer　to　remain　standing。〃
　There　was　a　moment　of　unfortable　silence。　Unfortable；　that　is　to　say；　on　the　part　of　George；　who　was　wondering　if　the　butler　remembered　having　engaged　him　as　a　waiter　only　a　few　nights　back。　Keggs　himself　was　at　his　ease。　Few　things　ruffled　this　man。
　〃Fine　day；〃　said　George。
　〃Extremely；　sir；　but　for　the　rain。〃
　〃Oh；　is　it　raining？〃
　〃Sharp　downpour；　sir。〃
　〃Good　for　the　crops；〃　said　George。
　〃So　one　would　be　disposed　to　imagine；　sir。〃
　Silence　fell　again。　The　rain　dripped　from　the　eaves。
　〃If　I　might　speak　freely；　sir。。　。？〃　said　Keggs。
　〃Sure。　Shoot！〃
　〃I　beg　your　pardon；　sir？〃
　〃I　mean；　yes。　Go　ahead！〃
　The　butler　cleared　his　throat。
　〃Might　I　begin　by　remarking　that　your　little　affair　of　the　'eart；　if　I　may　use　the　expression；　is　no　secret　in　the　Servants'　'All？　I　'ave　no　wish　to　seem　to　be　taking　a　liberty　or　presuming；　but　I　should　like　to　intimate　that　the　Servants'　'All　is　aware　of　the　facts。〃
　〃You　don't　have　to　tell　me　that；〃　said　George　coldly。　〃I　know　all　about　the　sweepstake。〃
　A　flicker　of　embarrassment　passed　over　the　butler's　large；　smooth　facepassed；　and　was　gone。
　〃I　did　not　know　that　you　'ad　been　apprised　of　that　little　matter；　sir。　But　you　will　doubtless　understand　and　appreciate　our　point　of　view。　A　little　sporting　flutternothing　moredesigned　to　halleviate　the　monotony　of　life　in　the　country。〃
　〃Oh；　don't　apologize；〃　said　George；　and　was　reminded　of　a　point　which　had　exercised　him　a　little　from　time　to　time　since　his　vigil　on　the　balcony。　〃By　the　way；　if　it　isn't　giving　away　secrets；　who　drew　Plummer？〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃Which　of　you　drew　a　man　named　Plummer　in　the　sweep？〃
　〃I　rather　fancy；　sir；〃　Keggs'　brow　wrinkled　in　thought；　〃I　rather　fancy　it　was　one　of　the　visiting　gentlemen's　gentlemen。　　I　gave　the　point　but　slight　attention　at　the　time。　I　did　not　fancy　Mr。　Plummer's　chances。　It　seemed　to　me　that　Mr。　　Plummer　was　a　negligible　quantity。〃
　〃Your　knowledge　of　form　was　sound。　Plummer's　out！〃
　〃Indeed；　sir！　An　amiable　young　gentleman；　but　lacking　in　many　of　the　essential　qualities。　Perhaps　he　struck　you　that　way；　sir？〃
　〃I　never　met　him。　Nearly；　but　not　quite！〃
　〃It　entered　my　mind　that　you　might　possibly　have　encountered　Mr。　Plummer　on　the　night　of　the　ball；　sir。〃
　〃Ah；　I　was　wondering　if　you　remembered　me！〃
　〃I　remember　you　perfectly；　sir；　and　it　was　the　fact　that　we　had　already　met　in　what　one　might　almost　term　a　social　way　that　emboldened　me　to　e　'ere　today　and　offer　you　my　services　as　a　hintermediary；　should　you　feel　disposed　to　avail　yourself　of　them。〃
　George　was　puzzled。
　〃Your　services？〃
　〃Precisely；　sir。　I　fancy　I　am　in　a　position　to　lend　you　what　might　be　termed　an　'elping　'and。〃
　〃But　that's　remarkably　altruistic　of　you；　isn't　it？〃
　〃Sir？〃
　〃I　say　that　is　very　generous　of　you。　Aren't　you　forgetting　that　you　drew　Mr。　Byng？〃
　The　butler　smiled　indulgently。
　〃You　are　not　quite　abreast　of　the　progress　of　events；　sir。　　Since　the　original　drawing　of　names；　there　'as　been　a　trifling　hadjustment。　The　boy　Albert　now　'as　Mr。　Byng　and　I　'ave　you；　sir。　A　little　amicable　arrangement　informally　conducted　in　the　scullery　on　the　night　of　the　ball。〃
　〃Amicable？〃
　〃On　my　part；　entirely　so。〃
　George　began　to　understand　certain　things　that　had　been　perplexing　to　him。
　〃Then　all　this　while。　。　。？〃
　〃Precisely；　sir。　All　this　while　'er　ladyship；　under　the　impression　that　the　boy　Albert　was　devoted　to　'er　cause；　has　no　doubt　been　placing　a　misguided　confidence　in　'im　。　。　。　The　little　blighter！〃　said　Keggs；　abandoning　for　a　moment　his　pany　manners　and　permitting　vehemence　to　take　the　place　of　polish。　〃I　beg　your　pardon　for　the　expression；　sir；〃　he　added　gracefully。　〃It　escaped　me　inadvertently。〃
　〃You　think　that　Lady　Maud　gave　Albert　a　letter　to　give　to　me；　and　that　he　destroyed　it？〃
　〃Such；　I　should　imagine；　must　undoubtedly　have　been　the　case。　The　boy　'as　no　scruples；　no　scruples　whatsoever。〃
　〃Good　Lord！〃
　〃I　appreciate　your　consternation；　sir。〃
　〃That　must　be　exactly　what　has　happened。〃
　〃To　my　way　of　thinking　there　is　no　doubt　of　it。　It　was　for　that　reason　that　I　ventured　to　e　'ere。　In　the　'ope　that　I　might　be　hinstrumental　in　arranging　a　meeting。〃
　The　strong　distaste　which　George　had　had　for　plotting　with　this　overfed　menial　began　to　wane。　It　might　be　undignified；　he　told　himself　but　it　was　undeniably　practical。　And；　after　all；　a　man　who　has　plotted　with　page…boys　has　little　dignity　to　lose　by　plotting　with　butlers。　He　brightened　up。　If　it　meant　seeing　Maud　again　he　was　prepared　to　waive　the　decencies。
　〃What　do　you　suggest？〃　he　said。
　〃It　being　a　rainy　evening　and　everyone　indoors　playing　games　and　what　not；〃Keggs　was　amiably　tolerant　of　the　recreations　of　the　aristocracy〃you　would　experience　little　chance　of　a　hinterruption；　were　you　to　proceed　to　the　lane　outside　the　heast　entrance　of　the　castle　grounds　and　wait　there。　You　will　find　in　the　field　at　the　roadside　a　small　disused　barn　only　a　short　way　from　the　gates；　where　you　would　be　sheltered　from　the　rain。　In　the　meantime；　I　would　hinform　'er　ladyship　of　your　movements；　and　no　doubt　it　would　be　possible　for　'er　to　slip　off。〃
　〃It　sounds　all　right。〃
　〃It　is　all　right；　sir。　The　chances　of　a　hinterruption　may　be　said　to　be　reduced　to　a　minimum。　Shall　we　say　in　one　hour's　time？〃
　〃Very　well。〃
　〃Then　I　will　wish　you　good　evening；　sir。　Thank　you；　sir。　　I　am　glad　to　'ave　been　of　assistance。〃
　He　withdrew　as　he　had　e；　with　a　large　impressiveness。　　The　room　seemed　very　empty　without　him。　George；　with　trembling　fingers；　began　to　put　on　a　pair　of　thick　boots。
　For　some　minutes　after　he　had　set　foot　outside　the　door　of　the　cottage；　George　was　inclined　to　revile　the　weather　for　having　played　him　false。　On　this　evening　of　all　evenings；　he　felt；　the　elements　should；　so　to　speak；　have　rallied　round　and　done　their　bit。　The　air　should　have　been　soft　and　clear　and　scented：　there　should　have　been　an　afterglow　of　sunset　in　the　sky　to　light　him　on　his　way。　Instead；　the　air　was　full　of　that　peculiar　smell　of　hopeless　dampness　which　es　at　the　end　of　a　wet　English　day。　The　sky　was　leaden。　The　rain　hissed　down　in　a　steady　flow；　whispering　of　mud　and　desolation；　making　a　dreary　morass　of　the　lane　through　which　he　tramped。　A　curious　sense　of　foreboding　came　upon　George。　It　was　as　if　some　voice　of　the　night　had　murmured　maliciously　in　his　ear　a　hint　of　troubles　to　e。　He　felt　oddly　nervous；　as　he　entered　the　barn。
　The　barn　was　both　dark　and　dismal。　In　one　of　the　dark　corners　an　intermittent　dripping　betrayed　the　presence　of　a　gap　in　its　ancient　roof。　A　rat　scurried　across　the　floor。　The　dripping　stopped　and　began　again。　George　struck　a　match　and　looked　at　his　watch。　He　was　early。　Another　ten　minutes　must　elapse　before　he　could　hope　for　her　arrival。　He　sat　down　on　a　broken　wagon　which　lay　on　its　side　against　one　of　the　walls。
　Depression　returned。　It　was　impossible　to　fight　against　it　in　this　beast　of　a　barn。　The　place　was　like　a　sepulchre。　No　one　but　a　fool　of　a　butler　would　have　suggested　it　as　a　trysting…place。　　He　wondered　irritably　why　places　like　this　were　allowed　to　get　into　this　condition。　If　people　wanted　a　barn　earnestly　enough　to　take　the　trouble　of　building　one；　why　was　it　not　worth　while　to　keep　the　thing　in　proper　repair？　Waste　and　futility！　That　was　what　it　was。　That　was　what　everything　was；　if　you　came　down　to　it。　Sitting　here；　for　instance；　was　a　futile　waste　of　time。　　She　wouldn't　e。　There　were　a　dozen　reasons　why　she　should　not　e。　So　what　was　the　use　of　his　courting　rheumatism　by　waiting　in　this　morgue　of　dead　agricultural　ambitions？　None　whateverGeorge　went　on　waiting。
　And　what　an　awful　place　to　expect　her　to　e　to；　if　by　some　miracle　she　did　ewhere　she　would　be　stifled　by　the　smell　of　mouldy　hay；　damped　by　raindrops　andreflected　George　gloomily　as　there　was　another　scurry　and　scutter　along　the　unseen　floorgnawed　by　rats。　You　could　not　expect　a　delicately…nurtured　girl；　accustomed　to　all　the　forts　of　a　home；　to　be　bright　and　sunny　with　a　platoon　of　rats　crawling　all　over　her。。。。
　The　grey　oblong　that　was　the　doorway　suddenly　darkened。
　〃Mr。　Bevan！〃
　George　sprang　up。　At　the　sound　of　her　voice　every　nerve　in　his　body　danced　in　mad　exhilaration。　He　was　another　man。　　Depression　fell　from　him　like　a　garment。　He　perceived　that　he　had　misjudged　all　sorts　of　things。　The　evening；　for　instance；　was　a　splendid　eveningnot　one　of　those　awful　dry；　baking　evenings　which　make　you　feel　you　can't　breathe；　but　pleasantly　moist　and　full　of　a　delightfully　musical　patter　of　rain。　And　the　barn！　He　had　been　all　wrong　about　the　barn。　It　was　a　great　little　place；　fortable；　airy；　and　cheerful。　What　could　be　more　invigorating　than　that　smell　of　hay？　Even　the　rats；　he　felt；　must　be　pretty　decent　rats；　when　you　came　to　know　them。
　〃I'm　here！〃
　Maud　advanced　quickly。　His　eyes　had　grown　accustomed　to　the　murk；　and　he　could　see　her　dimly。　The　smell　of　her　damp　raincoat　came　to　h