fraternity- 第52部分

〃Well？〃

But　the　girl's　whole　face　had　changed。　　All　tear…stained；　indeed；　she　had　already　masked　it　with　a　sort　of　immovable　stolidity。

Bianca　went　swiftly　up　to　the　trunk。

〃You　shall！〃　she　said。　　〃Take　that　thing　and　go。〃

The　little　model　did　not　move。

〃So　you　won't？〃

The　girl　trembled　violently　all　over。　　She　moistened　her　lips；　tried　to　speak；　failed；　again　moistened　them；　and　this　time　murmured；　〃I'll　onlyI'll　onlyif　lie　tells　me！〃

〃So　you　still　imagine　he　will　tell　you！〃

The　little　model　merely　repeated：　〃I　won'twon't　do　anything　without　he　tells　me！〃

Bianca　laughed。　　〃Why；　it's　like　a　dog！〃　she　said。

But　the　girl　had　turned　abruptly　to　the　window。　　Her　lips　were　parted。　　She　was　shrinking；　fluttering；　trembling　at　what　she　saw。　She　was　indeed　like　a　spaniel　dog　who　sees　her　master　coming。　　Bianca　had　no　need　of　being　told　that　Hilary　was　outside。　　She　went　into　the　passage　and　opened　the　front　door。

He　was　coming　up　the　steps；　his　face　worn　like　that　of　a　man　in　fever；　and　at　the　sight　of　his　wife　he　stood　quite　still；　looking　into　her　face。

Without　the　quiver　of　an　eyelid；　without　the　faintest　trace　of　emotion；　or　the　slightest　sign　that　she　knew　him　to　be　there；　Bianca　passed　and　slowly　walked　away。




CHAPTER　XL

FINISH　OF　THE　COMEDY

Those　who　may　have　seen　Hilary　driving　towards　the　little　model's　lodgings　saw　one　who；　by　a　fixed　red　spot　on　either　cheek；　and　the　over…compression　of　his　quivering　lips；　betrayed　the　presence　of　that　animality　which　underlies　even　the　most　cultivated　men。

After　eighteen　hours　of　the　purgatory　of　indecision；　he　had　not　so　much　decided　to　pay　that　promised　visit　on　which　hung　the　future　of　two　lives；　as　allowed　himself　to　be　borne　towards　the　girl。

There　was　no　one　in　the　passage　to　see　him　after　he　had　passed　Bianca　in　the　doorway；　but　it　was　with　a　face　darkened　by　the　peculiar　stabbing　look　of　wounded　egoism　that　he　entered　the　little　model's　room。

The　sight　of　it　coming　so　closely　on　the　struggle　she　had　just　been　through　was　too　much　for　the　girl's　self…control。

Instead　of　going　up　to　him；　she　sat　down　on　the　corded　trunk　and　began　to　sob。　　It　was　the　sobbing　of　a　child　whose　school…treat　has　been　cancelled；　of　a　girl　whose　ball…dress　has　not　come　home　in　time。　It　only　irritated　Hilary；　whose　nerves　had　already　borne　all　they　could　bear。　　He　stood　literally　trembling；　as　though　each　one　of　these　common　little　sobs　were　a　blow　falling　on　the　drum…skin　of　his　spirit；　and　through　every　fibre　he　took　in　the　features　of　the　dusty；　scent…besprinkled　roomthe　brown　tin　trunk；　the　dismantled　bed；　the　rust…red　doors。

And　he　realised　that　she　had　burned　her　boats　to　make　it　impossible　for　a　man　of　sensibility　to　disappoint　her！

The　little　model　raised　her　face　and　looked　at　him。　　What　she　saw　must　have　been　less　reassuring　even　than　the　first　sight　had　been；　for　it　stopped　her　sobbing。　　She　rose　and　turned　to　the　window；　evidently　trying　with　handkerchief　and　powder…puff　to　repair　the　ravages　caused　by　her　tears；　and　when　she　had　finished　she　still　stood　there　with　her　back　to　him。　　Her　deep　breathing　made　her　young　form　quiver　from　her　waist　up　to　the　little　peacock's　feather　in　her　hat；　and　with　each　supple　movement　it　seemed　offering　itself　to　Hilary。

In　the　street　a　barrel…organ　had　begun　to　play　the　very　waltz　it　had　played　the　afternoon　when　Mr。　Stone　had　been　so　ill。　　Those　two　were　neither　of　them　conscious　of　that　tune；　too　absorbed　in　their　emotions；　and　yet；　quietly；　it　was　bringing　something　to　the　girl's　figure　like　the　dowering　of　scent　that　the　sun　brings　to　a　flower。　It　was　bringing　the　compression　back　to　Hilary's　lips；　the　flush　to　his　ears　and　cheeks；　as　a　draught　of　wind　will　blow　to　redness　a　fire　that　has　been　choked。　　Without　knowing　it；　without　sound；　inch　by　inch　he　moved　nearer　to　her；　and　as　though；　for　all　there　was　no　sign　of　his　advance；　she　knew　of　it；　she　stayed　utterly　unmoving　except　for　the　deep　breathing　that　so　stirred　the　warm　youth　in　her。　　In　that　stealthy　progress　was　the　history　of　life　and　the　mystery　of　sex。　　Inch　by　inch　he　neared　her；　and　she　swayed；　mesmerising　his　arms　to　fold　round　her　thus　poised；　as　if　she　must　fall　backward；　mesmerising　him　to　forget　that　there　was　anything　there；　anything　in　all　the　world；　but　just　her　young　form　waiting　for　himnothing　but　that！

The　barrel…organ　stopped；　the　spell　had　broken！　　She　turned　round　to　him。　　As　a　wind　obscures　with　grey　wrinkles　the　still　green　waters　of　enchantment　into　which　some　mortal　has　been　gazing；　so　Hilary's　reason　suddenly　swept　across　the　situation；　and　showed　it　once　more　as　it　was。　　Quick　to　mark　every　shade　that　passed　across　his　face；　the　girl　made　as　though　she　would　again　burst　into　tears；　then；　since　tears　had　been　so　useless；　she　pressed　her　hand　over　her　eyes。

Hilary　looked　at　that　round；　not　too　cleanly　hand。　　He　could　see　her　watching　him　between　her　fingers。　　It　was　uncanny；　almost　horrible；　like　the　sight　of　a　cat　watching　a　bird；　and　he　stood　appalled　at　the　terrible　reality　of　his　position；　at　the　sight　of　his　own　future　with　this　girl；　with　her　traditions；　customs；　life；　the　thousand　and　one　things　that　he　did　not　know　about　her；　that　he　would　have　to　live　with　if　he　once　took　her。　　A　minute　passed；　which　seemed　eternity；　for　into　it　was　condensed　every　force　of　her　long　pursuit；　her　instinctive　clutching　at　something　that　she　felt　to　be　security；　her　reaching　upwards；　her　twining　round　him。

Conscious　of　all　this；　held　back　by　that　vision　of　his　future；　yet　whipped　towards　her　by　his　senses；　Hilary　swayed　like　a　drunken　man。　And　suddenly　she　sprang　at　him；　wreathed　her　arms　round　his　neck；　and　fastened　her　mouth　to　his。　　The　touch　of　her　lips　was　moist　and　hot。　The　scent　of　stale　violet　powder　came　from　her；　warmed　by　her　humanity。　　It　penetrated　to　Hilary's　heart。　　He　started　back　in　sheer　physical　revolt。

Thus　repulsed；　the　girl　stood　rigid；　her　breast　heaving；　her　eyes　unnaturally　dilated；　her　mouth　still　loosened　by　the　kiss。　　Snatching　from　his　pocket　a　roll　of　notes；　Hilary　flung　them　on　the　bed。

〃I　can't　take　you！〃　he　almost　groaned。　　〃It's　madness！　　It's　impossible！〃　　And　he　went　out　into　the　passage。　　He　ran　down　the　steps　and　got　into　his　cab。　　An　immense　time　seemed　to　pass　before　it　began　to　move。　　It　started　at　last；　and　Hilary　sat　back　in　it；　his　hands　clenched；　still　as　a　dead　man。

His　mortified　face　was　recognised　by　the　landlady；　returning　from　her　morning's　visit　to　the　shops。　　The　gentleman　looked；　she　thought；　as　if　he　had　received　bad　news！　　She　not　unnaturally　connected　his　appearance　with　her　lodger。　　Tapping　on　the　girl's　door；　and　receiving　no　answer；　she　went　in。

The　little　model　was　lying　on　the　dismantled　bed；　pressing　her　face　into　the　blue　and　white　ticking　of　the　bolster。　　Her　shoulders　shook；　and　a　sound　of　smothered　sobbing　came　from　her。　　The　landlady　stood　staring　silently。

Coming　of　Cornish　chapel…going　stock；　she　had　never　liked　this　girl；　her　instinct　telling　her　that　she　was　one　for　whom　life　had　already　been　too　much。　　Those　for　whom　life　had　so　early　been　too　much；　she　knew；　were　always　〃ones　for　pleasure！〃　　Her　experience　of　village　life　had　enabled　her　to　construct　the　little　model's　storythat　very　simple；　very　frequent　little　story。　　Sometimes；　indeed；　trouble　of　that　sort　was　soon　over　and　forgotten；　but　sometimes；　if　the　young　man　didn't　do　the　right　thing　by　her；　and　the　girl's　folk　took　it　hardly；　well；　then…！　　So　had　run　the　reasoning　of　this　good　woman。　Being　of　the　same　class；　she　had　looked　at　her　lodger　from　the　first　without　obliquity　of　vision。

But　seeing　her　now　apparently　so　overwhelmed；　and　having　something　soft　and　warm　down　beneath　her　granitic　face　and　hungry　eyes；　she　touched　her　on　the　back。

〃Come；　now！〃　she　said；　〃you　mustn't　take　on！　　What　is　it？〃

The　little　model　shook　off　the　hand　as　a　passionate　child　shakes　itself　free　of　consolation。　　〃Let　me　alone！〃　she　muttered。

The　landlady　drew　back。　　〃Has　anyone　done　you　a　harm？〃　　she　said。

The　little　model　shook　her　head。

Baffled　by　this　dumb　grief；　the　landlady　was　silent；　then；　with　the　stolidity　of　those　whose　lives　are　one　long　wrestling　with　fortune；　she　muttered：

〃I　don't　like　to　see　anyone　cry　like　that！〃

And　finding　that　the　girl　remained　obstinately　withdrawn　from　sight　or　sympathy；　she　moved　towards　the　door。

〃Well；〃　she　said；　with　ironical　compassion；　〃if　you　want　me；　I'll　be　in　the　kitchen。〃

The　little　model　remained　lying　on　her　bed。　　Every　now　and　then　she　gulped；　like　a　child　flung　down　on　the　grass　apart　from　its　comrades；　trying　to　swallow　down　its　rage；　trying　to　bury　in　the　earth　its　little　black　moment　of　despair。　　Slowly　those　gulps　grew　fewer；　feebler；　and　at　last　died　away。　　She　sat　up；　sweeping　Hilary's　bundle　of　notes；　on　which　she　had　been　lying；　to　the　floor。

At　sight　of　that　bundle　she　broke　out　afresh；　flinging　herself　down　sideways　with　her　cheek　on　the　wet　bolster；　and；　for　some　time　after　her　sobs　had　ceased　again；　still　lay　there。　　At　last　she　rose　and　dragged　herself　over　to　the　looking…glass；　scrutinising　her　streaked；　discoloured　face；　the　stains　in　the　cheeks；　the　swollen　eyelids；　the　marks　beneath　her　eyes；　and　listlessly　she　tidied　herself。　　Then；　sitting　down　on　the　brown　tin　trunk；　she　picked　the　bundle　of　notes　off　the　floor。　　They　gave　forth　a　dry　peculiar　crackle。　　Fifteen　ten…　pound　notesall　Hilary's　travelling　money。　　Her　eyes　opened　wider　and　wider　as　she　counted；　and　tears；　quite　suddenly；　rolled　down　on　to　those　thin　slips　of　paper。

Then　slowly　she　undid　her　dress；　and　forced　them　down　till　they　rested；　with　nothing　but　her　vest　between　them　and　the　quivering　warm　flesh　which　hid　her　heart。




CHAPTER　XLI

THE　HOUSE　OF　HARMONY

At　half…past　ten　that　evening　Stephen　walked　up　the　stone…flagged　pathway　of　his　brother's　house。

〃Can　I　see　Mrs。　Hilary？〃

〃Mr。　Hilary　went　abroad　this　morning；　sir；　and　Mrs。　Hilary　has　not　yet　come　in。〃

〃Will　you　give　her　this　letter？　　No；　I'll　wait。　　I　suppose　I　can　wait　for　her　in　the　garden？〃

〃Oh　yes；　sit！〃

〃Very　well。〃

〃I'll　leave　the　door　open；　sir；　in　case　you　want　to　come　in。〃

Stephen　walked　across　to　the　rustic　bench　and　sat　down。　　He　stare