pgw.adamselindistress-第38部分

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　〃I　want　to　go　on　the　stage。　Are　you　fond　of　the　theatre？〃
　〃Fairly。〃
　〃I　love　it。　Have　you　see　Hubert　Broadleigh　in　〃'Twas　Once　in　Spring'？〃
　〃I'm　afraid　I　haven't。〃
　〃He's　wonderful。　Have　you　see　Cynthia　Dane　in　'A　Woman's　No'？〃
　〃I　missed　that　one　too。〃
　〃Perhaps　you　prefer　musical　pieces？　I　saw　an　awfully　good　musical　edy　before　I　left　town。　It's　called　'Follow　the　Girl'。　It's　at　the　Regal　Theatre。　Have　you　see　it？〃
　〃I　wrote　it。〃
　〃Youwhat！〃
　〃That　is　to　say；　I　wrote　the　music。〃
　〃But　the　music's　lovely；〃　gasped　little　Miss　Plummer；　as　if　the　fact　made　his　claim　ridiculous。　〃I've　been　humming　it　ever　since。〃
　〃I　can't　help　that。　I　still　stick　to　it　that　I　wrote　it。〃
　〃You　aren't　George　Bevan！〃
　〃I　am！〃
　〃But〃　Miss　Plummer's　voice　almost　failed　here〃But　I've　been　dancing　to　your　music　for　years！　I've　got　about　fifty　of　your　records　on　the　Victrola　at　home。〃
　George　blushed。　However　successful　a　man　may　be　he　can　never　get　used　to　Fame　at　close　range。
　〃Why；　that　tricky　thingyou　know；　in　the　second　actis　the　darlingest　thing　I　ever　heard。　I'm　mad　about　it。〃
　〃Do　you　mean　the　one　that　goes　lumty…lumty…tum；　tumty…tumty…tum？〃
　〃No　the　one　that　goes　ta…rumty…tum…tum；　ta…rumty…tum。　You　know！　The　one　about　Granny　dancing　the　shimmy。〃
　〃I'm　not　responsible　for　the　words；　you　know；〃　urged　George　hastily。　〃Those　are　wished　on　me　by　the　lyrist。〃
　〃I　think　the　words　are　splendid。　Although　poor　popper　thinks　its　improper；　Granny's　always　doing　it　and　nobody　can　stop　her！　I　loved　it。〃　Miss　Plummer　leaned　forward　excitedly。　She　was　an　impulsive　girl。　〃Lady　Caroline。〃
　Conversation　stopped。　Lady　Caroline　turned。
　〃Yes；　Millie？〃
　〃Did　you　know　that　Mr。　Bevan　was　THE　Mr。　Bevan？〃
　Everybody　was　listening　now。　George　huddled　pinkly　in　his　chair。　He　had　not　foreseen　this　bally…hooing。　Shadrach；　Meschach　and　Abednego　bined　had　never　felt　a　tithe　of　the　warmth　that　consumed　him。　He　was　essentially　a　modest　young　man。
　〃THE　Mr。　Bevan？〃　echoed　Lady　Caroline　coldly。　It　was　painful　to　her　to　have　to　recognize　George's　existence　on　the　same　planet　as　herself。　To　admire　him；　as　Miss　Plummer　apparently　expected　her　to　do；　was　a　loathsome　task。　She　cast　one　glance；　fresh　from　the　refrigerator；　at　the　shrinking　George；　and　elevated　her　aristocratic　eyebrows。
　Miss　Plummer　was　not　damped。　She　was　at　the　hero…worshipping　age；　and　George　shared　with　the　Messrs。　Fairbanks；　Francis　X。　Bushman；　and　one　or　two　tennis　champions　an　imposing　pedestal　in　her　Hall　of　Fame。
　〃You　know！　George　Bevan；　who　wrote　the　music　of　'Follow　the　Girl'。〃
　Lady　Caroline　showed　no　signs　of　thawing。　She　had　not　heard　of　'Follow　the　Girl'。　Her　attitude　suggested　that；　while　she　admitted　the　possibility　of　George　having　disgraced　himself　in　the　manner　indicated；　it　was　nothing　to　her。
　〃And　all　those　other　things；〃　pursued　Miss　Plummer　indefatigably。　〃You　must　have　heard　his　music　on　the　Victrola。〃
　〃Why；　of　course！〃
　It　was　not　Lady　Caroline　who　spoke；　but　a　man　further　down　the　table。　He　spoke　with　enthusiasm。
　〃Of　course；　by　Jove！〃　he　said。　〃The　Schenectady　Shimmy；　by　Jove；　and　all　that！　Ripping！〃
　Everybody　seemed　pleased　and　interested。　Everybody；　that　is　to　say；　except　Lady　Caroline　and　Lord　Belpher。　Percy　was　feeling　that　he　had　been　tricked。　He　cursed　the　imbecility　of　Keggs　in　suggesting　that　this　man　should　be　invited　to　dinner。　　Everything　had　gone　wrong。　George　was　an　undoubted　success。　　The　majority　of　the　pany　were　solid　for　him。　As　far　as　exposing　his　unworthiness　in　the　eyes　of　Maud　was　concerned；　the　dinner　had　been　a　ghastly　failure。　Much　better　to　have　left　him　to　lurk　in　his　infernal　cottage。　Lord　Belpher　drained　his　glass　moodily。　He　was　seriously　upset。
　But　his　disfort　at　that　moment　was　as　nothing　to　the　agony　which　rent　his　tortured　soul　a　moment　later。　Lord　Marshmoreton；　who　had　been　listening　with　growing　excitement　to　the　chorus　of　approval；　rose　from　his　seat。　He　cleared　his　throat。　　It　was　plain　that　Lord　Marshmoreton　had　something　on　his　mind。
　〃Er。　。　。　。〃　he　said。
　The　clatter　of　conversation　ceased　once　morestunned；　as　it　always　is　at　dinner　parties　when　one　of　the　gathering　is　seen　to　have　assumed　an　upright　position。　Lord　Marshmoreton　cleared　his　throat　again。　His　tanned　face　had　taken　on　a　deeper　hue；　and　there　was　a　look　in　his　eyes　which　seemed　to　suggest　that　he　was　defying　something　or　somebody。　It　was　the　look　which　Ajax　had　in　his　eyes　when　he　defied　the　lightning；　the　look　which　nervous　husbands　have　when　they　announce　their　intention　of　going　round　the　corner　to　bowl　a　few　games　with　the　boys。　　One　could　not　say　definitely　that　Lord　Marshmoreton　looked　pop…eyed。　On　the　other　hand；　one　could　not　assert　truthfully　that　he　did　not。　At　any　rate；　he　was　manifestly　embarrassed。　　He　had　made　up　his　mind　to　a　certain　course　of　action　on　the　spur　of　the　moment；　taking　advantage；　as　others　have　done；　of　the　trend　of　popular　enthusiasm：　and　his　state　of　mind　was　nervous　but　resolute；　like　that　of　a　soldier　going　over　the　top。　He　cleared　his　throat　for　the　third　time；　took　one　swift　glance　at　his　sister　Caroline；　then　gazed　glassily　into　the　emptiness　above　her　head。
　〃Take　this　opportunity；〃　he　said　rapidly；　clutching　at　the　table…cloth　for　support；　〃take　this　opportunity　of　announcing　the　engagement　of　my　daughter　Maud　to　Mr。　Bevan。　And；〃　he　concluded　with　a　rush；　pouring　back　into　his　chair；　〃I　should　like　you　all　to　drink　their　health！〃
　There　was　a　silence　that　hurt。　It　was　broken　by　two　sounds；　occurring　simultaneously　in　different　parts　of　the　room。　One　was　a　gasp　from　Lady　Caroline。　The　other　was　a　crash　of　glass。
　For　the　first　time　in　a　long　unblemished　career　Keggs　the　butler　had　dropped　a　tray。
　
　CHAPTER　24。
　
　Out　on　the　terrace　the　night　was　very　still。　From　a　steel…blue　sky　the　stars　looked　down　as　calmly　as　they　had　looked　on　the　night　of　the　ball；　when　George　had　waited　by　the　shrubbery　listening　to　the　wailing　of　the　music　and　thinking　long　thoughts。　　From　the　dark　meadows　by　the　brook　came　the　cry　of　a　corncrake；　its　harsh　note　softened　by　distance。
　〃What　shall　we　do？〃　said　Maud。　She　was　sitting　on　the　stone　seat　where　Reggie　Byng　had　sat　and　meditated　on　his　love　for　Alice　Faraday　and　his　unfortunate　habit　of　slicing　his　approach…shots。　To　George；　as　he　stood　beside　her；　she　was　a　white　blur　in　the　darkness。　He　could　not　see　her　face。
　〃I　don't　know！〃　he　said　frankly。
　Nor　did　he。　Like　Lady　Caroline　and　Lord　Belpher　and　Keggs；　the　butler；　he　had　been　pletely　overwhelmed　by　Lord　Marshmoreton's　dramatic　announcement。　The　situation　had　e　upon　him　unheralded　by　any　warning；　and　had　found　him　unequal　to　it。
　A　choking　sound　suddenly　proceeded　from　the　whiteness　that　was　Maud。　In　the　stillness　it　sounded　like　some　loud　noise。　　It　jarred　on　George's　disturbed　nerves。
　〃Please！〃
　〃I　c…can't　help　it！〃
　〃There's　nothing　to　cry　about；　really！　If　we　think　long　enough；　we　shall　find　some　way　out　all　right。　Please　don't　cry。〃
　〃I'm　not　crying！〃　The　choking　sound　became　an　unmistakable　ripple　of　mirth。　〃It's　so　absurd！　Poor　father　getting　up　like　that　in　front　of　everyone！　Did　you　see　Aunt　Caroline's　face？〃
　〃It　haunts　me　still；〃　said　George。　〃I　shall　never　forget　it。　　Your　brother　didn't　seem　any　too　pleased；　either。〃
　Maud　stopped　laughing。
　〃It's　an　awful　position；〃　she　said　soberly。　〃The　announcement　will　be　in　the　Morning　Post　the　day　after　tomorrow。　And　then　the　letters　of　congratulation　will　begin　to　pour　in。　And　after　that　the　presents。　And　I　simply　can't　see　how　we　can　convince　them　all　that　there　has　been　a　mistake。〃　Another　aspect　of　the　matter　struck　her。　〃It's　so　hard　on　you；　too。〃
　〃Don't　think　about　me；〃　urged　George。　〃Heaven　knows　I'd　give　the　whole　world　if　we　could　just　let　the　thing　go　on；　but　there's　no　use　discussing　impossibilities。〃　He　lowered　his　voice。　　〃There's　no　use；　either；　in　my　pretending　that　I'm　not　going　to　have　a　pretty　bad　time。　But　we　won't　discuss　that。　It　was　my　own　fault。　I　came　butting　in　on　your　life　of　my　own　free　will；　and；　whatever　happens；　it's　been　worth　it　to　have　known　you　and　tried　to　be　of　service　to　you。〃
　〃You're　the　best　friend　I've　ever　had。〃
　〃I'm　glad　you　think　that。〃
　〃The　best　and　kindest　friend　any　girl　ever　had。　I　wish　。　。　。〃　She　broke　off。　〃Oh；　well。　。　。〃
　There　was　a　silence。　In　the　castle　somebody　had　begun　to　play　the　piano。　Then　a　man's　voice　began　to　sing。
　〃That's　Edwin　Plummer；〃　said　Maud。　〃How　badly　he　sings。〃
　George　laughed。　Somehow　the　intrusion　of　Plummer　had　removed　the　tension。　Plummer；　whether　designedly　and　as　a　sombre　mentary　on　the　situation　or　because　he　was　the　sort　of　man　who　does　sing　that　particular　song；　was　chanting　Tosti's　〃Good…bye〃。　He　was　giving　to　its　never　very　cheery　notes　a　wailing　melancholy　all　his　own。　A　dog　in　the　stables　began　to　howl　in　sympathy；　and　with　the　sound　came　a　curious　soothing　of　George's　nerves。　He　might　feel　broken…hearted　later；　but　for　the　moment；　with　this　double　acpaniment；　it　was　impossible　for　a　man　with　humour　in　his　soul　to　dwell　on　the　deeper　emotions。　　Plummer　and　his　canine　duettist　had　brought　him　to　earth。　He　felt　calm　and　practical。
　〃We'd　better　talk　the　whole　thing　over　quietly；〃　he　said。　　〃There's　certain　to　be　some　solution。　At　the　worst　you　can　always　go　to　Lord　Marshmoreton　and　tell　him　that　he　spoke　without　a　sufficient　grasp　of　his　subject。〃
　〃I　could；〃　said　Maud；　〃but；　just　at　present；　I　feel　as　if　I'd　rather　do　anything　else　in　the　world。　You　don't　realize　what　it　must　have　cost　father　to　defy　Aunt　Caroline　openly　like　that。　　Ever　since　I　was　old　enough　to　notice　anything；　I've　seen　how　she　dominated　him。　It　was　Aunt　Caroline　who　really　caused　all　this　trouble。　If　it　had　only　been　father；　I　could　have　coaxed　him　to　let　me　marry　anyone　I　pleased。　I　wish；　if　you　possibly　can；　you　would　think　of　some　other　solution。〃
　〃I　haven't　had　an　opportunity　of　telling　you；〃　said　George；　〃that　I　called　at　Belgrave　Square；　as　you　asked　me　to　do。　I　went　there　directly　I　had　seen　Reggie　Byng　safely　married。〃
　〃Did　you　see　him　married？〃
　〃I　was　best　man。〃
　〃Dear　old　Reggie！　I　hope　he　will　be　happy。〃
　〃He　will。　Don't　worry　about　that。　Well；　as　I　was　saying；　I　called　at　Belgrave　Square；　and　found　the　house　shut