pgw.adamselindistress-第39部分

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　〃He　will。　Don't　worry　about　that。　Well；　as　I　was　saying；　I　called　at　Belgrave　Square；　and　found　the　house　shut　up。　I　couldn't　get　any　answer　to　the　bell；　though　I　kept　my　thumb　on　it　for　minutes　at　a　time。　I　think　they　must　have　gone　abroad　again。〃
　〃No；　it　wasn't　that。　I　had　a　letter　from　Geoffrey　this　morning。　His　uncle　died　of　apoplexy；　while　they　were　in　Manchester　on　a　business　trip。〃　She　paused。　〃He　left　Geoffrey　all　his　money；〃　she　went　on。　〃Every　penny。〃
　The　silence　seemed　to　stretch　out　interminably。　The　music　from　the　castle　had　ceased。　The　quiet　of　the　summer　night　was　unbroken。　To　George　the　stillness　had　a　touch　of　the　sinister。　　It　was　the　ghastly　silence　of　the　end　of　the　world。　With　a　shock　he　realized　that　even　now　he　had　been　permitting　himself　to　hope；　futile　as　he　recognized　the　hope　to　be。　Maud　had　told　him　she　loved　another　man。　That　should　have　been　final。　　And　yet　somehow　his　indomitable　sub…conscious　self　had　refused　to　accept　it　as　final。　But　this　news　ended　everything。　The　only　obstacle　that　had　held　Maud　and　this　man　apart　was　removed。　　There　was　nothing　to　prevent　them　marrying。　George　was　conscious　of　a　vast　depression。　The　last　strand　of　the　rope　had　parted；　and　he　was　drifting　alone　out　into　the　ocean　of　desolation。
　〃Oh！〃　he　said；　and　was　surprised　that　his　voice　sounded　very　much　the　same　as　usual。　Speech　was　so　difficult　that　it　seemed　strange　that　it　should　show　no　signs　of　effort。　〃That　alters　everything；　doesn't　it。〃
　〃He　said　in　his　letter　that　he　wanted　me　to　meet　him　in　London　andtalk　things　over；　I　suppose。〃
　〃There's　nothing　now　to　prevent　your　going。　I　mean；　now　that　your　father　has　made　this　announcement；　you　are　free　to　go　where　you　please。〃
　〃Yes；　I　suppose　I　am。〃
　There　was　another　silence。
　〃Everything's　so　difficult；〃　said　Maud。
　〃In　what　way？〃
　〃Oh；　I　don't　know。〃
　〃If　you　are　thinking　of　me；〃　said　George；　〃please　don't。　I　know　exactly　what　you　mean。　You　are　hating　the　thought　of　hurting　my　feelings。　I　wish　you　would　look　on　me　as　having　no　feelings。　All　I　want　is　to　see　you　happy。　As　I　said　just　now；　it's　enough　for　me　to　know　that　I've　helped　you。　Do　be　reasonable　about　it。　The　fact　that　our　engagement　has　been　officially　announced　makes　no　difference　in　our　relations　to　each　other。　　As　far　as　we　two　are　concerned；　we　are　exactly　where　we　were　the　last　time　we　met。　It's　no　worse　for　me　now　than　it　was　then　to　know　that　I'm　not　the　man　you　love；　and　that　there's　somebody　else　you　loved　before　you　ever　knew　of　my　existence。　For　goodness'　sake；　a　girl　like　you　must　be　used　to　having　men　tell　her　that　they　love　her　and　having　to　tell　them　that　she　can't　love　them　in　return。〃
　〃But　you're　so　different。〃
　〃Not　a　bit　of　it。　I'm　just　one　of　the　crowd。〃
　〃I've　never　known　anybody　quite　like　you。〃
　〃Well；　you've　never　known　anybody　quite　like　Plummer；　I　should　imagine。　But　the　thought　of　his　sufferings　didn't　break　your　heart。〃
　〃I've　known　a　million　men　exactly　like　Edwin　Plummer；〃　said　Maud　emphatically。　〃All　the　men　I　ever　have　known　have　been　like　himquite　nice　and　pleasant　and　negative。　It　never　seemed　to　matter　refusing　them。　One　knew　that　they　would　be　just　a　little　bit　piqued　for　a　week　or　two　and　then　wander　off　and　fall　in　love　with　somebody　else。　But　you're　different。　　You　。　。　。　matter。〃
　〃That　is　where　we　disagree。　My　argument　is　that；　where　your　happiness　is　concerned；　I　don't　matter。〃
　Maud　rested　her　chin　on　her　hand；　and　stared　out　into　the　velvet　darkness。
　〃You　ought　to　have　been　my　brother　instead　of　Percy；〃　she　said　at　last。　〃What　chums　we　should　have　been！　And　how　simple　that　would　have　made　everything！〃
　〃The　best　thing　for　you　to　do　is　to　regard　me　as　an　honorary　brother。　That　will　make　everything　simple。〃
　〃It's　easy　to　talk　like　that　。　。　。　No；　it　isn't。　It's　horribly　hard。　I　know　exactly　how　difficult　it　is　for　you　to　talk　as　you　have　been　doingto　try　to　make　me　feel　better　by　pretending　the　whole　trouble　is　just　a　trifle　。　。　。　It's　strange　。　。　。　We　have　only　met　really　for　a　few　minutes　at　a　time；　and　three　weeks　ago　I　didn't　know　there　was　such　a　person　as　you；　but　somehow　I　seem　to　know　everything　you're　thinking。　I've　never　felt　like　that　before　with　any　man　。　。　。　Even　Geoffrey。　。　。　He　always　puzzled　me。　。　。　。〃
　She　broke　off。　The　corncrake　began　to　call　again　out　in　the　distance。
　〃I　wish　I　knew　what　to　do；〃　she　said　with　a　catch　in　her　voice。
　〃I'll　tell　you　in　two　words　what　to　do。　The　whole　thing　is　absurdly　simple。　You　love　this　man　and　he　loves　you；　and　all　that　kept　you　apart　before　was　the　fact　that　he　could　not　afford　to　marry　you。　Now　that　he　is　rich；　there　is　no　obstacle　at　all。　I　simply　won't　let　you　look　on　me　and　my　feelings　as　an　obstacle。　　Rule　me　out　altogether。　Your　father's　mistake　has　made　the　situation　a　little　more　plicated　than　it　need　have　been；　but　that　can　easily　be　remedied。　Imitate　the　excellent　example　of　Reggie　Byng。　He　was　in　a　position　where　it　would　have　been　embarrassing　to　announce　what　he　intended　to　do；　so　he　very　sensibly　went　quietly　off　and　did　it　and　left　everybody　to　find　out　after　it　was　done。　I'm　bound　to　say　I　never　looked　on　Reggie　as　a　master　mind；　but；　when　it　came　to　find　a　way　out　of　embarrassing　situations；　one　has　to　admit　he　had　the　right　idea。　Do　what　he　did！〃
　Maud　started。　She　half　rose　from　the　stone　seat。　George　could　hear　the　quick　intake　of　her　breath。
　〃You　meanrun　away？〃
　〃Exactly。　Run　away！〃
　An　automobile　swung　round　the　corner　of　the　castle　from　the　direction　of　the　garage；　and　drew　up；　purring；　at　the　steps。　　There　was　a　flood　of　light　and　the　sound　of　voices；　as　the　great　door　opened。　Maud　rose。
　〃People　are　leaving；〃　she　said。　〃I　didn't　know　it　was　so　late。〃　She　stood　irresolutely。　〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　go　in　and　say　good…bye。　But　I　don't　think　I　can。〃
　〃Stay　where　you　are。　Nobody　will　see　you。〃
　More　automobiles　arrived。　The　quiet　of　the　night　was　shattered　by　the　noise　of　their　engines。　Maud　sat　down　again。
　〃I　suppose　they　will　think　it　very　odd　of　me　not　being　there。〃
　〃Never　mind　what　people　think。　Reggie　Byng　didn't。〃
　Maud's　foot　traced　circles　on　the　dry　turf。
　〃What　a　lovely　night；〃　she　said。　〃There's　no　dew　at　all。〃
　The　automobiles　snorted；　tooted；　back…fired；　and　passed　away。　Their　clamour　died　in　the　distance；　leaving　the　night　a　thing　of　peace　and　magic　once　more。　The　door　of　the　castle　closed　with　a　bang。
　〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　be　going　in　now；〃　said　Maud。
　〃I　suppose　so。　And　I　ought　to　be　there；　too；　politely　making　my　farewells。　But　something　seems　to　tell　me　that　Lady　Caroline　and　your　brother　will　be　quite　ready　to　dispense　with　the　formalities。　I　shall　go　home。〃
　They　faced　each　other　in　the　darkness。
　〃Would　you　really　do　that？〃　asked　Maud。　〃Run　away；　I　mean；　and　get　married　in　London。〃
　〃It's　the　only　thing　to　do。〃
　〃But　。　。　。　can　one　get　married　as　quickly　as　that？〃
　〃At　a　registrar's？　Nothing　simpler。　You　should　have　seen　Reggie　Byng's　wedding。　It　was　over　before　one　realized　it　had　started。　A　snuffy　little　man　in　a　black　coat　with　a　cold　in　his　head　asked　a　few　questions；　wrote　a　few　words；　and　the　thing　was　done。〃
　〃That　sounds　rather　。　。　。　dreadful。〃
　〃Reggie　didn't　seem　to　think　so。〃
　〃Unromantic；　I　mean。　。　。　。　Prosaic。〃
　〃You　would　supply　the　romance。〃
　〃Of　course；　one　ought　to　be　sensible。　It　is　just　the　same　as　a　regular　wedding。〃
　〃In　effects；　absolutely。〃
　They　moved　up　the　terrace　together。　On　the　gravel　drive　by　the　steps　they　paused。
　〃I'll　do　it！〃　said　Maud。
　George　had　to　make　an　effort　before　he　could　reply。　For　all　his　sane　and　convincing　arguments；　he　could　not　check　a　pang　at　this　definite　acceptance　of　them。　He　had　begun　to　appreciate　now　the　strain　under　which　he　had　been　speaking。
　〃You　must；〃　he　said。　〃Well　。　。　。　good…bye。〃
　There　was　light　on　the　drive。　He　could　see　her　face。　Her　eyes　were　troubled。
　〃What　will　you　do？〃　she　asked。
　〃Do？〃
　〃I　mean；　are　you　going　to　stay　on　in　your　cottage？〃
　〃No；　I　hardly　think　I　could　do　that。　I　shall　go　back　to　London　tomorrow；　and　stay　at　the　Carlton　for　a　few　days。　Then　I　shall　sail　for　America。　There　are　a　couple　of　pieces　I've　got　to　do　for　the　Fall。　I　ought　to　be　starting　on　them。〃
　Maud　looked　away。
　〃You've　got　your　work；〃　she　said　almost　inaudibly。
　George　understood　her。
　〃Yes；　I've　got　my　work。〃
　〃I'm　glad。〃
　She　held　out　her　hand。
　〃You've　been　very　wonderful。。。　Right　from　the　beginning　。　。　。　You've　been　。　。　。　oh；　what's　the　use　of　me　saying　anything？〃
　〃I've　had　my　reward。　I've　known　you。　We're　friends；　aren't　we？〃
　〃My　best　friend。〃
　〃Pals？〃
　〃Pals！〃
　They　shook　hands。
　
　CHAPTER　25。
　
　〃I　was　never　so　upset　in　my　life！〃　said　Lady　Caroline。
　She　had　been　saying　the　same　thing　and　many　other　things　for　the　past　five　minutes。　Until　the　departure　of　the　last　guest　she　had　kept　an　icy　mand　of　herself　and　shown　an　unruffled　front　to　the　world。　She　had　even　contrived　to　smile。　　But　now；　with　the　final　automobile　whirring　homewards；　she　had　thrown　off　the　mask。　The　very　furniture　of　Lord　Marshmoreton's　study　seemed　to　shrink；　seared　by　the　flame　of　her　wrath。　As　for　Lord　Marshmoreton　himself；　he　looked　quite　shrivelled。
　It　had　not　been　an　easy　matter　to　bring　her　erring　brother　to　bay。　The　hunt　had　been　in　progress　full　ten　minutes　before　she　and　Lord　Belpher　finally　cornered　the　poor　wretch。　His　plea；　through　the　keyhole　of　the　locked　door；　that　he　was　working　on　the　family　history　and　could　not　be　disturbed；　was　ignored；　and　now　he　was　face　to　face　with　the　avengers。
　〃I　cannot　understand　it；〃　continued　Lady　Caroline。　〃You　know　that　for　months　we　have　all　been　straining　every　nerve　to　break　off　this　horrible　entanglement；　and；　just　as　we　had　begun　to　hope　that　something　might　be　done；　you　announce　the　engagement　in　the　most　public　manner。　I　think　you　must　be　out　of　your　mind。　I　can　hardly　believe　even　now　that　this　appalling　thing　has　happened。　I　am　hoping　that　I　shall　wake　up　and　find　it　is　all　a　nightmare。　How　you　can　have　done　such　a　thing；　I　cannot　understand。〃
　〃Quite！〃　said　Lord　Belpher。
　If　Lady　Caroline　was　upset；　there　are　no　words　in　the　language　that　will　adequately　describe　the　emotions　of　Percy。
　From　the　very　start　of　this　lamentable　episode