the patrician- 第16部分

〃I　wonder　if　you　will　answer　me　a　question；　Mr。　Courtier？〃

〃If　I　may；　and　can。〃

Her　low…cut　dress　was　of　yew…green；　with；　little　threads　of　flame…
colour；　matching　her　hair；　so　that　there　was　about　her　a　splendour　of
darkness　and　whiteness　and　gold；　almost　dazzling；　and　she　stood　very
still；　leaning　back　against　the　lighter　green　of　the　billiard…table；
grasping　its　edge　so　tightly　that　the　smooth　strong　backs　of　her
hands　quivered。

〃We　have　just　heard　that　Miltoun　is　going　to　ask　Mrs。　Noel　to　marry
him。　　People　are　never　mysterious；　are　they；　without　good　reason？　　I
wanted　you　to　tell　mewho　is　she？〃

〃I　don't　think　I　quite　grasp　the　situation；〃　murmured　Courtier。　　〃You
saidto　marry　him？〃

Seeing　that　she　had　put　out　her　hand；　as　if　begging　for　the　truth；　he
added：　〃How　can　your　brother　marry　hershe's　married！〃

〃Oh！〃

〃I'd　no　idea　you　didn't　know　that　much。〃

〃We　thought　there　was　a　divorce。〃

The　expression　of　which　mention　has　been　madethat　peculiar　white…
hot　sardonically　jolly　lookvisited　Courtier's　face　at　once。　　〃Hoist
with　their　own　petard！　　The　usual　thing。　　Let　a　pretty　woman　live
alonethe　tongues　of　men　will　do　the　rest。〃

〃It　was　not　so　bad　as　that；〃　said　Barbara　dryly；　〃they　said　she　had
divorced　her　husband。〃

Caught　out　thus　characteristically　riding　past　the　hounds　Courtier
bit　his　lips。

〃You　had　better　hear　the　story　now。　　Her　father　was　a　country　parson；
and　a　friend　of　my　father's；　so　that　I've　known　her　from　a　child。
Stephen　Lees　Noel　was　his　curate。　　It　was　a　'snap'　marriageshe　was
only　twenty；　and　had　met　hardly　any　men。　　Her　father　was　ill　and
wanted　to　see　her　settled　before　he　died。　　Well；　she　found　out　almost
directly；　like　a　good　many　other　people；　that　she'd　made　an　utter
mistake。〃

Barbara　came　a　little　closer。

〃What　was　the　man　like？〃

〃Not　bad　in　his　way；　but　one　of　those　narrow；　conscientious　pig…
headed　fellows　who　make　the　most　trying　kind　of　husbandbone
egoistic。　　A　parson　of　that　type　has　no　chance　at　all。　　Every　mortal
thing　he　has　to　do　or　say　helps　him　to　develop　his　worst　points。　　The
wife　of　a　man　like　that's　no　better　than　a　slave。　　She　began　to　show
the　strain　of　it　at　last；　though　she's　the　sort　who　goes　on　till　she
snaps。　　It　took　him　four　years　to　realize。　　Then；　the　question　was；
what　were　they　to　do？　　He's　a　very　High　Churchman；　with　all　their
feeling　about　marriage；　but　luckily　his　pride　was　wounded。　　Anyway；
they　separated　two　years　ago；　and　there　she　is；　left　high　and　dry。
People　say　it　was　her　fault。　　She　ought　to　have　known　her　own　mind
at　twenty！　　She　ought　to　have　held　on　and　hidden　it　up　somehow。
Confound　their　thick…skinned　charitable　souls；　what　do　they　know　of
how　a　sensitive　woman　suffers？　　Forgive　me；　Lady　BarbaraI　get　hot
over　this。〃　　He　was　silent；　then　seeing　her　eyes　fixed　on　him；　went
on：　〃Her　mother　died　when　she　was　born；　her　father　soon　after　her
marriage。　　She's　enough　money　of　her　own；　luckily；　to　live　on
quietly。　　As　for　him；　he　changed　his　parish　and　runs　one　somewhere　in
the　Midlands。　　One's　sorry　for　the　poor　devil；　too；　of　course！　　They
never　see　each　other；　and；　so　far　as　I　know；　they　don't　correspond。
That；　Lady　Barbara；　is　the　simple　history。〃

Barbara；　said；　〃Thank　you；〃　and　turned　away；　and　he　heard　her　mutter：
〃What　a　shame！〃

But　he　could　not　tell　whether　it　was　Mrs。　Noel's　fate；　or　the
husband's　fate；　or　the　thought　of　Miltoun　that　had　moved　her　to　those
words。

She　puzzled　him　by　her　self…possession；　so　almost　hard；　her　way　of
refusing　to　show　feeling。'　Yet　what　a　woman　she　would　make　if　the
drying　curse　of　high…caste　life　were　not　allowed　to　stereotype　and
shrivel　her！　　If　enthusiasm　were　suffered　to　penetrate　and　fertilize
her　soul！　　She　reminded　him　of　a　great　tawny　lily。　　He　had　a　vision
of　her；　as　that　flower；　floating；　freed　of　roots　and　the　mould　of　its
cultivated　soil；　in　the　liberty　of　the　impartial　air。　　What　a
passionate　and　noble　thing　she　might　become！　　What　radiance　and
perfume　she　would　exhale！　　A　spirit　Fleur…de…Lys！　　Sister　to　all　the
noble　flowers　of　light　that　inhabited　the　wind！

Leaning　in　the　deep　embrasure　of　his　window；　he　looked　at　anonymous
Night。　　He　could　hear　the　owls　hoot；　and　feel　a　heart　beating　out
there　somewhere　in　the　darkness；　but　there　came　no　answer　to　his
wondering。　　Would　shethis　great　tawny　lily　of　a　girlever　become
unconscious　of　her　environment；　not　in　manner　merely；　but　in　the　very
soul；　so　that　she　might　be　just　a　woman；　breathing；　suffering；
loving；　and　rejoicing　with　the　poet　soul　of　all　mankind？　　Would　she
ever　be　capable　of　riding　out　with　the　little　company　of　big　hearts；
naked　of　advantage？　　Courtier　had　not　been　inside　a　church　for　twenty
years；　having　long　felt　that　he　must　not　enter　the　mosques　of　his
country　without　putting　off　the　shoes　of　freedom；　but　he　read　the
Bible；　considering　it　a　very　great　poem。　　And　the　old　words　came
haunting　him：　'Verily　I　say　unto　you；　It　is　harder　for　a　camel　to
pass　through　the　eye　of　a　needle　than　for　a　rich　man　to　enter　the
kingdom　of　Heaven。'　And　now；　looking　into　the　Night；　whose　darkness
seemed　to　hold　the　answer　to　all　secrets；　he　tried　to　read　the　riddle
of　this　girl's　future；　with　which　there　seemed　so　interwoven　that
larger　enigma；　how　far　the　spirit　can　free　itself；　in　this　life；　from
the　matter　that　encompasseth。

The　Night　whispered　suddenly；　and　low　down；　as　if　rising　from　the
sea；　came　the　moon；　dropping　a　wan　robe　of　light　till　she　gleamed　out
nude　against　the　sky…curtain。　　Night　was　no　longer　anonymous。　　There
in　the　dusky　garden　the　statue　of　Diana　formed　slowly　before　his
eyes；　and　behind　heras　it　were；　her　templerose　the　tall　spire　of
the　cypress　tree。




CHAPTER　XIV

A　copy　of　the　Bucklandbury　News；　containing　an　account　of　his　evening
adventure；　did　not　reach　Miltoun　till　he　was　just　starting　on　his
return　journey。　　It　came　marked　with　blue　pencil　together　with　a
note。

〃MY　DEAR　EUSTACE；

〃The　enclosedhowever　unwarranted　and　impudentrequires　attention。
But　we　shall　do　nothing　till　you　come　back。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Yours　ever；
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃WILLIAM　SHROPTON。〃

The　effect　on　Miltoun　might　perhaps　have　been　different　had　he　not
been　so　conscious　of　his　intention　to　ask　Audrey　Noel　to　be　his　wife；
but　in　any　circumstances　it　is　doubtful　whether　he　would　have　done
more　than　smile；　and　tear　the　paper　up。　　Truly　that　sort　of　thing　had
so　little　power　to　hurt　or　disturb　him　personally；　that　he　was
incapable　of　seeing　how　it　could　hurt　or　disturb　others。　　If　those
who　read　it　were　affected；　so　much　the　worse　for　them。　　He　had　a
real；　if　unobtrusive；　contempt　for　groundlings；　of　whatever　class；
and　it　never　entered　his　head　to　step　an　inch　out　of　his　course　in
deference　to　their　vagaries。　　Nor　did　it　come　home　to　him　that　Mrs。
Noel；　wrapped　in　the　glamour　which　he　cast　about　her；　could　possibly
suffer　from　the　meanness　of　vulgar　minds。　　Shropton's　note；　indeed；
caused　him　the　more　annoyance　of　those　two　documents。　　It　was　like
his　brother…in…law　to　make　much　of　little！

He　hardly　dozed　at　all　during　his　swift　journey　through　the　sleeping
country；　nor　when　he　reached　his　room　at　Monkland　did　he　go　to　bed。
He　had　the　wonderful；　upborne　feeling　of　man　on　the　verge　of
achievement。　　His　spirit　and　senses　were　both　on　firefor　that　was
the　quality　of　this　woman；　she　suffered　no　part　of　him　to　sleep；　and
he　was　glad　of　her　exactions。

He　drank　some　tea；　went　out；　and　took　a　path　up　to　the　moor。　　It　was
not　yet　eight　o'clock　when　he　reached　the　top　of　the　nearest　tor。
And　there；　below　him；　around；　and　above；　was　a　land　and　sky
transcending　even　his　exaltation。　　It　was　like　a　symphony　of　great
music；　or　the　nobility　of　a　stupendous　mind　laid　bare；　it　was　God　up
there；　in　His　many　moods。　　Serenity　was　spread　in　the　middle　heavens；
blue；　illimitable；　and　along　to　the　East；　three　huge　clouds；　like
thoughts　brooding　over　the　destinies　below；　moved　slowly　toward　the
sea；　so　that　great　shadows　filled　the　valleys。　　And　the　land　that　lay
under　all　the　other　sky　was　gleaming；　and　quivering　with　every
colour；　as　it　were；　clothed　with　the　divine　smile。　　The　wind；　from
the　North；　whereon　floated　the　white　birds　of　the　smaller　clouds；　had
no　voice；　for　it　was　above　barriers；　utterly　free。　　Before　Miltoun；
turning　to　this　wind；　lay　the　maze　of　the　lower　lands；　the　misty
greens；　rose　pinks；　and　browns　of　the　fields；　and　white　and　grey　dots
and　strokes　of　cottages　and　church　towers；　fading　into　the　blue　veil
of　distance；　confined　by　a　far　range　of　hills。　　Behind　him　there　was
nothing　but　the　restless　surface　of　the　moor；　coloured　purplish…
brown。　　On　that　untamed　sea　of　graven　wildness　could　be　seen　no　ship
of　man；　save　one；　on　the　far　horizonthe　grim　hulk；　Dartmoor　Prison。
There　was　no　sound；　no　scent；　and　it　seemed　to　Miltoun　as　if　his
spirit　had　left　his　body；　and　become　part　of　the　solemnity　of　God。
Yet；　as　he　stood　there；　with　his　head　bared；　that　strange　smile　which
haunted　him　in　moments　of　deep　feeling；　showed　that　he　had　not
surrendered　to　the　Universal；　that　his　own　spirit　was　but　being
fortified；　and　that　this　was　the　true　and　secret　source　of　his
delight。　　He　lay　down　in　a　scoop　of　the　stones。　　The　sun　entered
there；　but　no　wind；　so　that　a　dry　sweet　scent　exuded　from　the　young
shoots　of　heather。　　That　warmth　and　perfume　crept　through　the　shield
of　his　spirit；　and　stole　into　his　blood；　ardent　images　rose　before
him；　the　vision　of　an　unending　embrace。　　Out　of　an　embrace　sprang
Life；　out　of　that　the　World　was　made；　this　World；　with　its
innumerable　forms；　and　naturesno　two　alike！　　And　from　him　and　her
would　spring　forms　to　take　their　place　in　the　great　pattern。　　This
seemed　wonderful；　and　right…for　they　would　be　worthy　forms；　who　would
hand　on　those　traditions　which　seemed　to　him　so　necessary　and　great。
And　then　there　broke　on　him　one　of　those　delirious　waves　of　natural
desire；　against　which　he　had　so　often　fought；　so　often　with　great
pain　conquered。　　He　got　up；　and　ran　downhill；　leaping　over　the
stones；　and　the　thicker　clumps　of　heather。

Audrey　Noel；　too；　had　been　early　astir；　though　she　had　gone　late
enough　to　bed。　　She　dressed　languidly；