the wheels of chance- 第31部分

〃My　dear　young　lady；〃　said　the　clergyman；　〃the　most　elementary　principles　of　decorumA　day　will　come　when　you　will　better　understand　how　entirely　subservient　your　ideas　are　to　the　very　fundamentals　of　our　present　civilisation；　when　you　will　better　understand　the　harrowing　anxiety　you　have　given　Mrs。　Milton　by　this　inexplicable　flight　of　yours。　We　can　only　put　things　down　at　present；　in　charity；　to　your　ignorance〃

〃You　have　to　consider　the　general　body　of　opinion；　too；〃　said　Widgery。

〃Precisely；〃　said　Miss　Mergle。　〃There　is　no　such　thing　as　conduct　in　the　absolute。〃　〃If　once　this　most　unfortunate　business　gets　about；〃　said　the　clergyman；　〃it　will　do　you　infinite　harm。〃

〃But　I'VE　done　nothing　wrong。　Why　should　I　be　responsible　for　other　people's〃

〃The　world　has　no　charity；〃　said　Mrs。　Milton。

〃For　a　girl；〃　said　Jessie。　〃No。〃

〃Now　do　let　us　stop　arguing；　my　dear　young　lady；　and　let　us　listen　to　reason。　Never　mind　how　or　why；　this　conduct　of　yours　will　do　you　infinite　harm；　if　once　it　is　generally　known。　And　not　only　that；　it　will　cause　infinite　pain　to　those　who　care　for　you。　But　if　you　will　return　at　once　to　your　home；　causing　it　to　be　understood　that　you　have　been　with　friends　for　these　last　few　days〃

〃Tell　lies；〃　said　Jessie。　〃Certainly　not。　Most　certainly　not。　But　I　understand　that　is　how　your　absence　is　understood　at　present；　and　there　is　no　reason〃

Jessie's　grip　tightened　on　her　handkerchief。　〃I　won't　go　back；〃　she　said；　〃to　have　it　as　I　did　before。　I　want　a　room　of　my　own；　what　books　I　need　to　read；　to　be　free　to　go　out　by　myself　alone；　Teaching〃

〃Anything；〃　said　Mrs。　Milton　；〃anything　in　reason。〃

〃But　will　you　keep　your　promise？〃　said　Jessie。

〃Surely　you　won't　dictate　to　your　mother！〃　said　Widgery。

〃My　stepmother！　I　don't　want　to　dictate。　I　want　definite　promises　now。〃

〃This　is　most　unreasonable；〃　said　the　clergyman。　〃Very　well；〃　said　Jessie；　swallowing　a　sob　but　with　unusual　resolution。　〃Then　I　won't　go　back。　My　life　is　being　frittered　away〃

〃LET　her　have　her　way；〃　said　Widgery。

〃A　room　then。　All　your　Men。　I'm　not　to　come　down　and　talk　away　half　my　days〃

〃My　dear　child；　if　only　to　save　you；〃　said　Mrs。　Milton。　〃If　you　don't　keep　your　promise〃

〃Then　I　take　it　the　matter　is　practically　concluded；〃　said　the　clergyman。　〃And　that　you　very　properly　submit　to　return　to　your　proper　home。　And　now；　if　I　may　offer　a　suggestion；　it　is　that　we　take　tea。　Freed　of　its　tannin；　nothing；　I　think；　is　more　refreshing　and　stimulating。〃　

〃There's　a　train　from　Lyndhurst　at　thirteen　minutes　to　six；〃　said　Widgery；　unfolding　a　time　table。　〃That　gives　us　about　half　an　hour　or　three…quarters　hereif　a　conveyance　is　obtainable；　that　is。〃

〃A　gelatine　lozenge　dropped　into　the　tea　cup　precipitates　the　tannin　in　the　form　of　tannate　of　gelatine；〃　said　the　clergyman　to　Miss　Mergle；　in　a　confidential　bray。

Jessie　stood　up；　and　saw　through　the　window　a　depressed　head　and　shoulders　over　the　top　of　the　back　of　a　garden　seat。　She　moved　towards　the　door。　〃While　you　have　tea；　mother；〃　she　said；　〃I　must　tell　Mr。　Hoopdriver　of　our　arrangements。〃

〃Don't　you　think　I〃　began　the　clergyman。

〃No；〃　said　Jessie；　very　rudely；　〃I　don't。〃

〃But；　Jessie；　haven't　you　already〃

〃You　are　already　breaking　the　capitulation；〃　said　Jessie。

〃Will　you　want　the　whole　half　hour？〃　said　Widgery；　at　the　bell。　

〃Every　minute；〃　said　Jessie；　in　the　doorway。　〃He's　behaved　very　nobly　to　me。〃

〃There's　tea；〃　said　Widgery。

〃I've　had　tea。〃

〃He　may　not　have　behaved　badly；〃　said　the　clergyman。　〃But　he's　certainly　an　astonishingly　weak　person　to　let　a　wrong…headed　young　girl〃

Jessie　closed　the　door　into　the　garden。


Meanwhile　Mr。　Hoopdriver　made　a　sad　figure　in　the　sunlight　outside。　It　was　over；　this　wonderful　excursion　of　his；　so　far　as　she　was　concerned；　and　with　the　swift　blow　that　separated　them；　he　realised　all　that　those　days　had　done　for　him。　He　tried　to　grasp　the　bearings　of　their　position。　Of　course；　they　would　take　her　away　to　those　social　altitudes　of　hers。　She　would　become　an　inaccessible　young　lady　again。　Would　they　let　him　say　good…bye　to　her？

How　extraordinary　it　had　all　been！　He　recalled　the　moment　when　he　had　first　seen　her　riding；　with　the　sunlight　behind　her；　along　the　riverside　road；　he　recalled　that　wonderful　night　at　Bognor；　remembering　it　as　if　everything　had　been　done　of　his　own　initiative。　〃Brave；　brave！〃　she　had　called　him。　And　afterwards；　when　she　came　down　to　him　in　the　morning；　kindly；　quiet。　But　ought　he　to　have　persuaded　her　then　to　return　to　her　home？　He　remembered　some　intention　of　the　sort。　Now　these　people　snatched　her　away　from　him　as　though　he　was　scarcely　fit　to　live　in　the　same　world　with　her。　No　more　he　was！　He　felt　he　had　presumed　upon　her　worldly　ignorance　in　travelling　with　her　day　after　day。　She　was　so　dainty；　so　delightful；　so　serene。　He　began　to　recapitulate　her　expressions；　the　light　of　her　eyes；　the　turn　of　her　face　。　。　。

He　wasn't　good　enough　to　walk　in　the　same　road　with　her。　Nobody　was。　Suppose　they　let　him　say　good…bye　to　her；　what　could　he　say？　That？　But　they　were　sure　not　to　let　her　talk　to　him　alone；　her　mother　would　be　there　aswhat　was　it？　Chaperone。　He'd　never　once　had　a　chance　of　saying　what　he　felt；　indeed；　it　was　only　now　he　was　beginning　to　realise　what　he　felt。　Love　I　he　wouldn't　presume。　It　was　worship。　If　only　he　could　have　one　more　chance。　He　must　have　one　more　chance；　somewhere；　somehow。　Then　he　would　pour　out　his　soul　to　her　eloquently。　He　felt　eloquently；　and　words　would　come。　He　was　dust　under　her　feet　。　。　。

His　meditation　was　interrupted　by　the　click　of　a　door　handle；　and　Jessie　appeared　in　the　sunlight　under　the　verandah。　〃Come　away　from　here；〃　she　said　to　Hoopdriver；　as　he　rose　to　meet　her。　〃I'm　going　home　with　them。　We　have　to　say　good…bye。〃

Mr。　Hoopdriver　winced；　opened　and　shut　his　mouth；　and　rose　without　a　word。



XL

At　first　Jessie　Milton　and　Mr。　Hoopdriver　walked　away　from　the　hotel　in　silence。　He　heard　a　catching　in　her　breath　and　glanced　at　her　and　saw　her　ips　pressed　tight　and　a　tear　on　her　cheek。　Her　face　was　hot　and　bright。　She　was　looking　straight　before　her。　He　could　think　of　nothing　to　say；　and　thrust　his　hands　in　his　pockets　and　looked　away　from　her　intentionally。　After　a　while　she　began　to　talk。　They　dealt　disjointedly　with　scenery　first；　and　then　with　the　means　of　self…education。　She　took　his　address　at　Antrobus's　and　promised　to　send　him　some　books。　But　even　with　that　it　was　spiritless；　aching　talk；　Hoopdriver　felt；　for　the　fighting　mood　was　over。　She　seemed；　to　him；　preoccupied　with　the　memories　of　her　late　battle；　and　that　appearance　hurt　him。

〃It's　the　end；〃　he　whispered　to　himself。　〃It's　the　end。〃

They　went　into　a　hollow　and　up　a　gentle　wooded　slope；　and　came　at　last　to　a　high　and　open　space　overlooking　a　wide　expanse　of　country。　There；　by　a　common　impulse；　they　stopped。　She　looked　at　her　watcha　little　ostentatiously。　They　stared　at　the　billows　of　forest　rolling　away　beneath　them；　crest　beyond　crest；　of　leafy　trees；　fading　at　last　into　blue。

〃The　end〃　ran　through　his　mind；　to　the　exclusion　of　all　speakable　thoughts。

〃And　so；〃　she　said；　presently；　breaking　the　silence；　〃it　comes　to　good…bye。〃

For　half　a　minute　he　did　not　answer。　Then　he　gathered　his　resolution。　〃There　is　one　thing　I　MUST　say。〃

〃Well？〃　she　said；　surprised　and　abruptly　forgetting　the　recent　argument。　〃I　ask　no　return。　But〃

Then　he　stopped。　〃I　won't　say　it。　It's　no　good。　It　would　be　rot　from　menow。　I　wasn't　going　to　say　anything。　Good…bye。〃

She　looked　at　him　with　a　startled　expression　in　her　eyes。　〃No；〃　she　said。　〃But　don't　forget　you　are　going　to　work。　Remember；　brother　Chris；　you　are　my　friend。　You　will　work。　You　are　not　a　very　strong　man；　you　know；　nowyou　will　forgive　menor　do　you　know　all　you　should。　But　what　will　you　be　in　six　years'　time？〃

He　stared　hard　in　front　of　him　still；　and　the　lines　about　his　weak　mouth　seemed　to　strengthen。　He　knew　she　understood　what　he　could　not　say。　

〃I'll　work；〃　he　said；　concisely。　They　stood　side　by　side　for　a　moment。　Then　he　said；　with　a　motion　of　his　head；　〃I　won't　come　back　to　THEM。　Do　you　mind？　Going　back　alone？〃

She　took　ten　seconds　to　think。　〃No。〃　she　said；　and　held　out　her　hand；　biting　her　nether　lip。　〃GOOD…BYE；〃　she　whispered。

He　turned；　with　a　white　face；　looked　into　her　eyes；　took　her　hand　limply；　and　then　with　a　sudden　impulse；　lifted　it　to　his　lips。　She　would　have　snatched　it　away；　but　his　grip　tightened　to　her　movement。　She　felt　the　touch　of　his　lips；　and　then　he　had　dropped　her　fingers　and　turned　from　her　and　was　striding　down　the　slope。　A　dozen　paces　away　his　foot　turned　in　the　lip　of　a　rabbit　hole；　and　he　stumbled　forward　and　almost　fell。　He　recovered　his　balance　and　went　on；　not　looking　back。　He　never　once　looked　back。　She　stared　at　his　receding　figure　until　it　was　small　and　far　below　her；　and　then；　the　tears　running　over　her　eyelids　now；　turned　slowly；　and　walked　with　her　hands　gripped　hard　together　behind　her；　towards　Stoney　Cross　again。

〃I　did　not　know；〃　she　whispered　to　herself。　〃I　did　not　understand。　Even　nowNo；　I　do　not　understand。〃



THE　ENVOY

XLI

So　the　story　ends；　dear　Reader。　Mr。　Hoopdriver；　sprawling　down　there　among　the　bracken；　must　sprawl　without　our　prying；　I　think；　or　listening　to　what　chances　to　his　breathing。　And　of　what　came　of　it　all；　of　the　six　years　and　afterwards；　this　is　no　place　to　tell。　In　truth；　there　is　no　telling　it；　for　the　years　have　still　to　run。　But　if　you　see　how　a　mere　counter…jumper；　a　cad　on　castors；　and　a　fool　to　boot；　may　come　to　feel　the　little　insufficiencies　of　life；　and　if　he　has　to　any　extent　won　your　sympathies；　my　end　is　attained。　（If　it　is　not　attained；　may　Heaven　forgive　us　both！）　Nor　will　we　follow　this　adventurous　young　lady　of　ours　back　to　her　home　at　Surbiton；　to　her　new　struggle　against　Widgery　and　Mrs。　Milton　combined。　For；　as　she　will　presently　hear；　that　devoted　man　has　got　his　reward。　For　her；　also；　your　sympathies　are　invited。

The　rest　of　this　great　holiday；　toofive　days　there　are　left　of　itis　beyond　the　limits　of　our　design。　You　see　fitfully　a　slender　figure　in　a　dusty　brown　suit　and　heather　mixture　stockings；　and　brown　shoes　not　intended　to　be　cycled　in；　flitting　Londonward　through　Hampshir