five tales- 第9部分

But　Keith　shook　his　head。　　And　with　a　catch　in　her　breath；　she　said：

〃You　will　not　take　him　from　me。　　I　should　die。〃

He　turned　round　on　her　sharply。

〃I　don't　want　him　taken　from　you。　　I　want　to　help　you　keep　him。　　Are　you　ready　to　go　away；　at　any　time？〃

〃Yes。　　Oh；　yes！〃

〃And　he？〃

She　answered　almost　in　a　whisper：

〃Yes；　but　there　is　that　poor　man。〃

〃That　poor　man　is　a　graveyard　thief；　a　hyena；　a　ghoulnot　worth　consideration。〃　　And　the　rasp　in　his　own　voice　surprised　him。

〃Ah！〃　she　sighed。　　〃But　I　am　sorry　for　him。　　Perhaps　he　was　hungry。　I　have　been　hungryyou　do　things　then　that　you　would　not。　　And　perhaps　he　has　no　one　to　love；　if　you　have　no　one　to　love　you　can　be　very　bad。　　I　think　of　him　oftenin　prison。〃

Between　his　teeth　Keith　muttered：　〃And　Laurence？〃

〃We　do　never　speak　of　it；　we　are　afraid。〃

〃He's　not　told　you；　then；　about　the　trial？〃

Her　eyes　dilated。

〃The　trial！　　Oh！　　He　was　strange　last　night。　　This　morning；　too；　he　got　up　early。　　Is　it…is　it　over？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃What　has　come？〃

〃Guilty。〃

For　a　moment　Keith　thought　she　was　going　to　faint。　　She　had　closed　her　eyes；　and　swayed　so　that　he　took　a　step；　and　put　his　hands　on　her　arms。

〃Listen！〃　he　said。　　〃Help　me；　don't　let　Laurence　out　of　your　sight。　We　must　have　time。　　I　must　see　what　they　intend　to　do。　　They　can't　be　going　to　hang　this　man。　　I　must　have　time；　I　tell　you。　　You　must　prevent　his　giving　himself　up。〃

She　stood；　staring　in　his　face；　while　he　still　held　her　arms；　gripping　into　her　soft　flesh　through　the　velvety　sleeves。

〃Do　you　understand？〃

〃Yes…but　if　he　has　already！〃

Keith　felt　the　shiver　which　ran　through　her。　　And　the　thought　rushed　into　his　mind：　'My　God！　　Suppose　the　police　come　round　while　I'm　here！'　　If　Larry　had　indeed　gone　to　them！　　If　that　Policeman　who　had　seen　him　here　the　night　after　the　murder　should　find　him　here　again　just　after　the　verdict！　　He　said　almost　fiercely：

〃Can　I　trust　you　not　to　let　Larry　out　of　your　sight？　　Quick！　Answer！〃

Clasping　her　hands　to　her　breast；　she　answered　humbly：

〃I　will　try。〃

〃If　he　hasn't　already　done　this；　watch　him　like　a　lynx！　　Don't　let　him　go　out　without　you。　　I'll　come　to…morrow　morning　early。　　You're　a　Catholic；　aren't　you？　　Swear　to　me　that　you　won't　let　him　do　anything　till　he's　seen　me　again。〃

She　did　not　answer；　looking　past　him　at　the　door；　and　Keith　heard　a　key　in　the　latch。　　There　was　Laurence　himself；　holding　in　his　hand　a　great　bunch　of　pink　lilies　and　white　narcissi。　　His　face　was　pale　and　haggard。　　He　said　quietly：

〃Hallo；　Keith！〃

The　girl's　eyes　were　fastened　on　Larry's　face；　and　Keith；　looking　from　one　to　the　other；　knew　that　he　had　never　had　more　need　for　wariness。

〃Have　you　seen？〃　　he　said。

Laurence　nodded。　　His　expression；　as　a　rule　so　tell…tale　of　his　emotions；　baffled　Keith　utterly。

〃Well？〃

〃I've　been　expecting　it。〃

〃The　thing　can't　standthat's　certain。　　But　I　must　have　time　to　look　into　the　report。　　I　must　have　time　to　see　what　I　can　do。　　D'you　understand　me；　LarryI　must　have　time。〃　　He　knew　he　was　talking　at　random。　　The　only　thing　was　to　get　them　away　at　once　out　of　reach　of　confession；　but　he　dared　not　say　so。

〃Promise　me　that　you'll　do　nothing；　that　you　won't　go　out　even　till　I've　seen　you　to…morrow　morning。〃

Again　Laurence　nodded。　　And　Keith　looked　at　the　girl。　　Would　she　see　that　he　did　not　break　that　promise？　　Her　eyes　were　still　fixed　immovably　on　Larry's　face。　　And　with　the　feeling　that　he　could　get　no　further；　Keith　turned　to　go。

〃Promise　me；〃　he　said。

Laurence　answered：　〃I　promise。〃

He　was　smiling。　　Keith　could　make　nothing　of　that　smile；　nor　of　the　expression　in　the　girl's　eyes。　　And　saying：　〃I　have　your　promise；　I　rely　on　it！〃　　he　went。




IX

To　keep　from　any　woman　who　loves；　knowledge　of　her　lover's　mood；　is　as　hard　as　to　keep　music　from　moving　the　heart。　　But　when　that　woman　has　lived　in　suffering；　and　for　the　first　time　knows　the　comfort　of　love；　then　let　the　lover　try　as　he　may　to　disguise　his　heartno　use！　Yet　by　virtue　of　subtler　abnegation　she　will　often　succeed　in　keeping　it　from　him　that　she　knows。

When　Keith　was　gone　the　girl　made　no　outcry；　asked　no　questions；　managed　that　Larry　should　not　suspect　her　intuition；　all　that　evening　she　acted　as　if　she　knew　of　nothing　preparing　within　him；　and　through　him；　within　herself。

His　words；　caresses；　the　very　zest　with　which　he　helped　her　to　prepare　the　feast；　the　flowers　he　had　brought；　the　wine　he　made　her　drink；　the　avoidance　of　any　word　which　could　spoil　their　happiness；　allall　told　her。　　He　was　too　inexorably　gay　and　loving。　　Not　for　herto　whom　every　word　and　every　kiss　had　uncannily　the　desperate　value　of　a　last　word　and　kissnot　for　her　to　deprive　herself　of　these　by　any　sign　or　gesture　which　might　betray　her　prescience。　　Poor　soulshe　took　all；　and　would　have　taken　more；　a　hundredfold。　　She　did　not　want　to　drink　the　wine　he　kept　tilting　into　her　glass；　but；　with　the　acceptance　learned　by　women　who　have　lived　her　life；　she　did　not　refuse。　　She　had　never　refused　him　anything。　　So　much　had　been　required　of　her　by　the　detestable；　that　anything　required　by　a　loved　one　was　but　an　honour。

Laurence　drank　deeply；　but　he　had　never　felt　clearer；　never　seen　things　more　clearly。　　The　wine　gave　him　what　he　wanted；　an　edge　to　these　few　hours　of　pleasure；　an　exaltation　of　energy。　　It　dulled　his　sense　of　pity；　too。　　It　was　pity　he　was　afraid　offor　himself；　and　for　this　girl。　　To　make　even　this　tawdry　room　look　beautiful；　with　firelight　and　candlelight；　dark　amber　wine　in　the　glasses；　tall　pink　lilies　spilling　their　saffron；　exuding　their　hot　perfume　he　and　even　himself　must　look　their　best。　　And　with　a　weight　as　of　lead　on　her　heart；　she　managed　that　for　him；　letting　him　strew　her　with　flowers　and　crush　them　together　with　herself。　　Not　even　music　was　lacking　to　their　feast。　　Someone　was　playing　a　pianola　across　the　street；　and　the　sound；　very　faint；　came　stealing　when　they　were　silentswelling；　sinking；　festive；　mournful；　having　a　far…off　life　of　its　own；　like　the　flickering　fire…flames　before　which　they　lay　embraced；　or　the　lilies　delicate　between　the　candles。　　Listening　to　that　music；　tracing　with　his　finger　the　tiny　veins　on　her　breast；　he　lay　like　one　recovering　from　a　swoon。　　No　parting。　　None！　　But　sleep；　as　the　firelight　sleeps　when　flames　die；　as　music　sleeps　on　its　deserted　strings。

And　the　girl　watched　him。

It　was　nearly　ten　when　he　bade　her　go　to　bed。　　And　after　she　had　gone　obedient　into　the　bedroom；　he　brought　ink　and　paper　down　by　the　fire。　The　drifter；　the　unstable；　the　good…for…nothingdid　not　falter。　　He　had　thought；　when　it　came　to　the　point；　he　would　fail　himself；　but　a　sort　of　rage　bore　him　forward。　　If　he　lived　on；　and　confessed；　they　would　shut　him　up；　take　from　him　the　one　thing　he　loved；　cut　him　off　from　her；　sand　up　his　only　well　in　the　desert。　　Curse　them！　　And　he　wrote　by　firelight　which　mellowed　the　white　sheets　of　paper；　while；　against　the　dark　curtain；　the　girl；　in　her　nightgown；　unconscious　of　the　cold；　stood　watching。

Men；　when　they　drown；　remember　their　pasts。　　Like　the　lost　poet　he　had　〃gone　with　the　wind。〃　　Now　it　was　for　him　to　be　true　in　his　fashion。　　A　man　may　falter　for　weeks　and　weeks；　consciously；　subconsciously；　even　in　his　dreams；　till　there　comes　that　moment　when　the　only　thing　impossible　is　to　go　on　faltering。　　The　black　cap；　the　little　driven　grey　man　looking　up　at　it　with　a　sort　of　wonder　faltering　had　ceased！

He　had　finished　now；　and　was　but　staring　into　the　fire。

　　　　　　　　　〃No　more；　no　more；　the　moon　is　dead；　　　　　　　　　　　And　all　the　people　in　it；　　　　　　　　　　　The　poppy　maidens　strew　the　bed；　　　　　　　　　　　We'll　come　in　half　a　minute。〃

Why　did　doggerel　start　up　in　the　mind　like　that？　　Wanda！　　The　weed…　flower　become　so　rare　he　would　not　be　parted　from　her！　　The　fire；　the　candles；　and　the　fireno　more　the　flame　and　flicker！

And；　by　the　dark　curtain；　the　girl　watched。




X

Keith　went；　not　home；　but　to　his　club；　and　in　the　room　devoted　to　the　reception　of　guests；　empty　at　this　hour；　he　sat　down　and　read　the　report　of　the　trial。　　The　fools　had　made　out　a　case　that　looked　black　enough。　　And　for　a　long　time；　on　the　thick　soft　carpet　which　let　out　no　sound　of　footfall；　he　paced　up　and　down；　thinking。　　He　might　see　the　defending　counsel；　might　surely　do　that　as　an　expert　who　thought　there　had　been　miscarriage　of　justice。　　They　must　appeal；　a　petition　too　might　be　started　in　the　last　event。　　The　thing　couldmust　be　put　right　yet；　if　only　Larry　and　that　girl　did　nothing！

He　had　no　appetite；　but　the　custom　of　dining　is　too　strong。　　And　while　he　ate；　he　glanced　with　irritation　at　his　fellow…members。　　They　looked　so　at　their　ease。　　Unjustthat　this　black　cloud　should　hang　over　one　blameless　as　any　of　them！　　Friends；　connoisseurs　of　such　thingsa　judge　among　themcame　specially　to　his　table　to　express　their　admiration　of　his　conduct　of　that　will　case。　　Tonight　he　had　real　excuse　for　pride；　but　he　felt　none。　　Yet；　in　this　well…warmed　quietly　glowing　room；　filled　with　decorously　eating；　decorously　talking　men；　he　gained　insensibly　some　comfort。　　This　surely　was　reality；　that　shadowy　business　out　there　only　the　drear　sound　of　a　wind　one　must　and　did　keep　outlike　the　poverty　and　grime　which　had　no　real　existence　for　the　secure　and　prosperous。　　He　drank　champagne。　It　helped　to　fortify　reality；　to　make　shadows　seem　more　shadowy。　　And　down　in　the　smoking…room　he　sat　before　the　fire；　in　one　of　those　chairs　which　embalm　after…dinner　dreams。　　He　grew　sleepy　there；　and　at　eleven　o'clock　rose　to　go　home。　　But　when　he　had　once　passed　down　the　shallow　marble　steps；　out　through　the　revolving　door　which　let　in　no　draughts；　he　was　visited　by　fear；　as　if　he　had　drawn　it　in　with　the　breath　of　the　January　wind。　　Larry's　face；　and　the　girl　watching　it！　　Why　had　she　watched　like　that？　　Larry's　smile；　and　the　flowers　in　his　hand？　　Buying　flowers　at　such　a　moment！　　The　girl　was　his　slave…whatever　he　told　her；　she　would　do。　　But　she　would　never　be　able　to　stop　him。　　At　this　very　moment　he　might　be　rushing　to　give　himself　up！

His　hand；　thrust　deep　into　the　pocket　of　his　fur　coat；　came　in　contact　suddenly　with　something　cold。　　The　keys　Larry　had　given　him　all　that　time　ago。　　There　they　had　lain　forg