the major- 第40部分

〃No；　Nora；〃　said　Jane　in　a　voice　of　quiet　decision。　　〃Last　night　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt　and　I　arranged　that　I　should　visit　her　to…day。〃

There　was　a　loud　chorus　of　protests；　each　one　making　an　alternative　suggestion　during　which　Jane　went　to　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt's　side　and　said　quietly；　〃I　want　to　stay　with　you　to…day。〃

〃All　right；　dear；〃　said　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt。　　〃Stay　you　shall。〃　　And；　then　to　the　company　announced；　〃We　have　it　all　arranged。　　Jane　and　I　are　to　have　a　visit　together。　　The　rest　of　you　go　off。〃

〃And　what　about　me；　Jane？〃　again　said　Larry。

〃You　are　going　with　the　others；〃　said　Jane　calmly；　〃and　in　the　afternoon　we　are　to　have　our　ride。〃

〃And　this　is　Jane；〃　said　Jack　Romayne　as　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt　ushered　the　girl　into　his　room。　　〃If　half　of　what　I　have　heard　is　true　then　I　am　a　lucky　man　to…day。　　Kathleen　has　been　telling　me　about　you。〃

Jane's　smile　expressed　her　delight。　　〃I　think　I　could　say　the　same　of　you；　Mr。　Romayne。〃

〃What？　　Has　Kathleen　been　talking　about　me？〃

〃No；　I　have　not　seen　Kathleen　since　I　came；　but　there　are　others；　you　know。〃

〃Are　there？〃　asked　Jack。　　〃I　hadn't　noticed。　　But　I　know　all　about　you。〃

It　was　a　hasty　introduction　for　Jane。　　Kathleen　was　easily　a　subject　for　a　day's　conversation。　　How　long　she　discoursed　upon　Kathleen　neither　of　them　knew。　　But　when　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt　had　finished　up　her　morning　household　duties　Jane　was　still　busy　dilating　upon　Kathleen's　charms　and　graces　and　expatiating　upon　her　triumphs　and　achievements　during　her　stay　in　Winnipeg　the　previous　winter。

〃Still　upon　Kathleen？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt。

〃Oh；　I　am　learning　a　great　deal　and　enjoying　myself　immensely；〃　said　Jack。

〃You　must　be　careful；　Jane。　　Don't　tell　Jack　everything　about　Kathleen。　　There　are　certain　things　we　keep　to　ourselves；　you　know。　I　don't　tell　Tom　everything。〃

Jane　opened　her　eyes。　　〃I　have　not　told　Jane　yet；　Sybil；〃　said　Jack　quietly。　　〃She　doesn't　know；　though　perhaps　she　has　guessed　how　dear　to　me　Kathleen　is。〃

〃Had　you　not　heard？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt。

〃No；　I　only　came　last　night；　you　see。〃　　Then　turning　to　Jack；　she　added；　〃And　isis　Kathleen　going　to　marry　you？〃　　Her　astonishment　was　evident　in　her　voice　and　eyes。

〃I　hope　so；〃　said　Jack；　〃and　you　are　no　more　astonished　than　I　am　myself。　　I　only　found　it　out　night　before　last。〃

It　was　characteristic　of　Jane　that　she　sat　gazing　at　him　in　silence；　her　tongue　had　not　learned　the　trick　of　easy　compliment。　She　was　trying　to　take　in　the　full　meaning　of　this　surprising　announcement。

〃Well？〃　said　Jack　after　he　had　waited　for　some　moments。

〃Oh；　I　beg　your　pardon；〃　she　said　hurriedly。　　〃I　congratulate　you。　I　think　you　are　a　very　lucky　man。〃

〃I　am；　indeed；〃　said　Jack　with　emphasis。　　〃And　Kathleen？　　You　are　not　so　sure　about　her　luck？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　you　yet；〃　said　Jane　gravely；　〃and　Kathleen　is　a　very　lovely　girl；　the　very　loveliest　girl　I　know。〃

〃You　are　quite　right；〃　said　Jack　in　a　tone　as　grave　as　her　own。　　〃I　am　not　good　enough　for　her。〃

〃Oh；　I　did　not　say　that。　　Only　I　don't　know　you；　and　you　see　I　know　Kathleen。　　She　is　so　lovely　and　so　good。　　I　love　her。〃　　Jane's　face　was　earnest　and　grave。

〃And　so　do　I；　Jane；　if　I　may　call　you　so；〃　said　Jack；　〃and　I　am　going　to　try　to　be　worthy　of　her。〃

Jane's　eyes　rested　quietly　on　his　face。　　She　made　up　her　mind　that　it　was　an　honest　face　and　a　face　one　could　trust；　but　to　Jane　it　seemed　as　if　something　portentous　had　befallen　her　friend　and　she　could　not　bring　herself　immediately　to　accept　this　new　situation　with　an　outburst　of　joyous　acclaim　such　as　ordinarily　greets　an　announcement　of　this　kind。　　For　a　reason　she　could　not　explain　her　mind　turned　to　the　memory　she　cherished　of　her　own　mother　and　of　the　place　she　had　held　with　her　father。　　She　wondered　if　this　man　could　give　to　Kathleen　a　place　so　high　and　so　secure　in　his　heart。　While　her　eyes　were　on　his　face　Jack　could　see　that　her　mind　was　far　away。　　She　was　not　thinking　of　him。

〃What　is　it；　Jane？〃　he　said　gently。

Jane　started　and　the　blood　rushed　to　her　face。　　She　hesitated；　then　said　quietly　but　with　charming　frankness；　〃I　was　thinking　of　my　mother。　　She　died　when　I　was　two　years　old。　　Father　says　I　am　like　her。　　But　I　am　not　at　all。　　She　was　very　lovely。　　Kathleen　makes　me　think　of　her；　and　father　often　tells　me　about　her。　　He　has　never　forgotten　her。　　You　see　I　think　he　loved　her　in　quite　a　wonderful　way；　and　he〃　　Jane　paused　abruptly。

Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt　rose　quietly；　came　to　her　side。　　〃Dear　Jane；　dear　child；〃　she　said；　kissing　her。　　〃That's　the　only　way　to　love。　　I　am　sure　your　mother　was　a　lovely　woman；　and　a　very　happy　woman；　and　you　are　like　her。〃

But　Jack　kept　his　face　turned　away　from　them。

〃Oh；　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt；〃　cried　Jane；　shaking　her　head　emphatically；　〃I　am　not　the　least　bit　like　her。　　That　is　one　of　the　points　on　which　I　disagree　with　father。　　We　do　not　agree　upon　everything；　you　know。〃

〃No？　　What　are　some　of　the　other　points？〃

〃We　agree　splendidly　about　Kathleen；〃　said　Jane；　laughing。　　〃Just　now　we　differ　about　Germany。〃

〃Aha；　how　is　that？〃　inquired　Jack；　immediately　alert。

〃Of　course；　I　know　very　little　about　it；　you　understand；　but　last　winter　our　minister；　Mr。　McPherson；　who　had　just　been　on　a　visit　to　Germany　the　summer　before；　gave　a　lecture　in　which　he　said　that　Germany　had　made　enormous　preparations　for　war　and　was　only　waiting　a　favourable　moment　to　strike。　　Papa　says　that　is　all　nonsense。〃

〃Oh；　Jane；　Jane；〃　cried　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt；　〃you　have　struck　upon　a　very　sore　spot　in　this　house。　　Jack　will　indorse　all　your　minister　said。　　He　will　doubtless　go　much　further。〃

〃What　did　he　say；　Jane？〃　inquired　Jack。

〃He　was　greatly　in　earnest　and　he　urged　preparation　by　Canada。　　He　thinks　we　ought　at　the　very　least　to　begin　getting　our　fleet　ready　right　away。〃

〃That's　politics；　of　course；〃　said　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt；　〃and　I　do　not　know　what　you　are。〃

〃I　am　not　sure　that　I　do　either；〃　she　replied；　〃but　I　believe　too　that　Canada　ought　to　get　at　her　fleet　without　loss　of　time。〃

〃But　what　did　he　say　about　Germany？〃　continued　Jack。

〃I　can't　tell　you　everything；　of　course；　but　he　assured　us　that　Germany　had　made　the　greatest　possible　preparation；　that　the　cities；　towns　and　villages　were　full　of　drilling　men；　that　there　were　great　stores　of　war　material；　guns　and　shells；　everywhere　throughout　Germany；　that　they　were　preparing　fleets　of　Zeppelins　and　submarines　too；　that　they　were　ready　to　march　at　twenty…four　hours'　notice；　that　the　whole　railroad　system　of　Germany　was　organised；　was　really　built　for　war；　that　within　the　last　few　years　the　whole　nation　had　come　to　believe　that　Germany　must　go　to　war　in　order　to　fulfil　her　great　destiny。　　Father　says　that　this　is　all　foolish　talk；　and　that　all　this　war　excitement　is　prompted　chiefly　by　professional　soldiers；　like　Lord　Roberts　and　others；　and　by　armament　makers　like　the　Armstrongs　and　the　Krupps。〃

〃What　do　you　think　about　it　all；　Jane？〃　inquired　Jack；　looking　at　her　curiously。

〃Well；　he　had　spent　some　months　in　Germany　and　had　taken　pains　to　inquire　of　all　kinds　of　people；　officers　and　professors　and　preachers　and　working　people　and　politicians；　and　so　I　think　he　ought　to　know　better　than　others　who　just　read　books　and　the　newspapers；　don't　you　think　so？〃

〃I　think　you　are　entirely　right；　and　I　hope　that　minister　of　yours　will　deliver　that　lecture　in　many　places　throughout　this　country；　for　there　are　not　many　people；　even　in　England；　who　believe　in　the　reality　of　the　German　menace。　　But　this　is　my　hobby；　my　sister　says；　and　I　don't　want　to　bore　you。〃

〃But　I　am　really　interested；　Mr。　Romayne。　　Papa　laughs　at　me；　and　Larry　too。　　He　does　not　believe　in　the　possibility　of　war。　　But　I　think　that　if　there　is　a　chance；　even　the　slightest　chance；　of　it　being　true；　it　is　so　terrible　that　we　all　ought　to　be　making　preparation　to　defend　ourselves。〃

〃Well；　if　it　won't　bore　you；〃　said　Jack；　〃I　shall　tell　you　a　few　things。〃

〃Then　excuse　me；〃　said　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt。　　〃I　have　some　matters　to　attend　to。　　I　have　no　doubt　that　you　at　least；　Jack；　will　have　a　perfectly　lovely　time。〃

〃I　am　sure　I　shall　too；〃　cried　Jane　enthusiastically。　　〃I　just　want　to　hear　about　this。〃

〃Will　you　please　pass　me　that　green　book？〃　said　Jack；　after　Mrs。　Waring…Gaunt　had　left　the　room。　　〃No；　the　next　one。　　Yes。　　The　first　thing　that　it　is　almost　impossible　for　us　Britishers　to　get　into　our　minds　is　this；　that　Germany；　not　simply　the　Kaiser　and　the　governing　classes；　but　the　whole　body　of　the　German　people；　take　themselves　and　their　empire　and　their　destiny　with　most　amazing　seriousness。　　Listen　to　this；　for　instance。　　This　will　give　you；　I　say；　the　psychological　condition　out　of　which　war　may　easily　and　naturally　arise。〃　　He　turned　the　leaves　of　the　book　and　read：

〃'To　live　and　expand　at　the　expense　of　other　less　meritorious　peoples　finds　its　justification　in　the　conviction　that　we　are　of　all　people　the　most　noble　and　the　most　pure；　destined　before　others　to　work　for　the　highest　development　of　humanity。'

〃One　of　their　poetsI　haven't　got　him　herespeaks　of　the　'German　life　curing　all　the　evils　of　humanity　by　mere　contact　with　it。'　You　see　that　row　of　books？　　These　are　only　a　few。　　Most　of　them　are　German。　　They　are　all　by　different　authors　and　on　different　subjects；　but　they　are　quite　unanimous　in　setting　forth　the　German　ideal；　the　governing　principle　of　German　World　politics。　　They　are　filled　with　the　most　unbelievable　glorification　of　Germany　and　the　German　people；　and　the　most　extraordinary　prophecies　as　to　her　wonderful　destiny　as　a　World　Power。　　Unhappily　the　German　has　no　sense　of　humour。　　A　Britisher　talking　in　this　way　about　his　country　would　feel　himself　to　be　a　fool。　　Not　so　the　German。　　With　a　perfectly　serious　face　he　will　attribute　to　himself　and　to　his　nation　all　the　virtues　in　the　calendar。　　For　instance；　listen　to　this：

〃'Domination　belongs　to　Germany　because　it　is　a　superior　nation；　a　noble　race；　and　it　is　fitting　that　it　should　control　its　neighbours　just　as　it　is　the　right　and　duty　of　every　individual　endowed　with　superior　intellect　and　force　to　control　inferior　individuals　about　him。'

〃Here's　another　choice　bit：

〃'We　are　the　superior　race　in　the　fields　of　science　and　of　art。