terms。 The temptation was enormously great； the fiercest that he had
ever been called upon to face。 He looked at Barbara。 She had closed
her eyes and made absolutely no sign。 For some reason of her own she
had elected that he should determine this vital point without the
slightest assistance from her。 And it must be determined at once；
procrastination was impossible。 For a moment he hesitated。 On the one
side was Barbara； on the other his conscience。 After long doubts he
had come to a certain conclusion which he quite understood to be
inconvenient to his partners。 Should he throw it over now？ Should he
even try to make a sure and certain bargain as the price of his
surrender？ Probably he would not suffer if he did。 The flotation was
underwritten and bound to go through； the scandal would come
afterwards； months or years hence； long before which he might get out；
as most of the others meant to do。 No； he could not。 His conscience
was too much for him。
〃I do not see any use in reconsidering that question； Mr。 Haswell；〃 he
said quietly； 〃we settled it on Friday night。〃
Barbara reopened her brown eyes and stared amiably at the painted
ceiling； and Mr。 Haswell whistled。
〃Then I am afraid；〃 he said； 〃that I do not see any use in discussing
your kind proposal for my niece's hand。 ListenI will be quite open
with you。 I have other views for Barbara； and as it happens I have the
power to enforce them； or at any rate to prevent their frustration by
you。 If Barbara marries against my will before she is five and twenty；
that is within the next two years； her entire fortune； with the
exception of a pittance； goes elsewhere。 This I am sure is a fact that
will influence you； who have nothing and even if it did not； I presume
that you are scarcely so selfish as to wish to beggar her。〃
〃No；〃 answered Alan； 〃you need not fear that； for it would be wrong。 I
understand that you absolutely refuse to sanction my suit on the
ground of my poverty； which under the circumstances is perhaps not
wonderful。 Well； the only thing to do is to wait for two years； a long
time； but not endless； and meanwhile I can try to better my position。〃
〃Do what you will； Alan；〃 said Mr。 Haswell harshly； for now all his
/faux bonhomme/ manner had gone； leaving him revealed in his true
character of an unscrupulous tradesman with dark ends of his own to
serve。 〃Do what you will； but understand that I forbid all
communication between you and my niece； and that the sooner you cease
to trespass upon a hospitality which you have abused； the better I
shall be pleased。〃
〃I will go at once；〃 said Alan； rising； 〃before my temper gets the
better of me and I tell you some truths that I might regret； for after
all you are Barbara's uncle。 But on your part I ask you to understand
that I refuse to cut off from my cousin； who is of full age and has
promised to be my wife；〃 and he turned to go。
〃Stop a minute； Alan；〃 said Barbara； who all this while had sat
silent。 〃I have something to say which I wish you to hear。 You told us
just now； uncle； that you have other views for me； by which you meant
that you wish me to marry Sir Robert Aylward； whom； as you are
probably aware； I refused definitely this afternoon。 Now I wish to
make it clear at once that no earthly power will induce me to take as
a husband a man whom I dislike； and whose wealth； of which you think
so much； has in my opinion been dishonestly acquired。〃
〃What are you saying？〃 broke in her uncle furiously。 〃He has been my
partner for years； you are reflecting upon me。〃
〃I am sorry； uncle； but I withdraw nothing。 Even if Alan here were
dead； I would not marry that man； and perhaps you will make him
understand this；〃 she added with emphasis。 〃Indeed I had sooner die
myself。 You told us also that if I marry against your will； you can
take away all the property that my father left to me。 Uncle； I shall
not give you that satisfaction。 I shall wait until I am twenty…five
and do what I please with myself and my fortune。 Lastly； you said that
you forbade us to see each other or to correspond。 I answer that I
shall both write to and see Alan as often as I like。 If you attempt to
prevent me from doing so； I shall go to the Court of Chancery； lay all
the facts before it； as I have been advised that I can donot by Alan
please remember； /all/ the facts； and ask for its protection and for
a separate maintenance out of my estate until I am twenty…five。 I am
sure that the Court would grant me this and would declare that
considering his distinguished family and record Alan is a perfectly
proper person to be my affianced husband。 I think that is all I have
to say。〃
〃All you have to say！〃 gasped Mr。 Haswell； 〃all you have to say； you
impertinent and ungrateful minx！〃 Then he fell into a furious fit of
rage and in language that need not be repeated； poured a stream of
threats and abuse upon Alan and herself。 Barbara waited until he
ceased from exhaustion。
〃Uncle；〃 she said； 〃you should remember that your heart is weak and
you must not overexcite yourself； also when you are calmer； that if
you speak to me like that again； I shall go to the Court at once； for
I will not be sworn at by you or by any other man。 I apologize to you；
Alan； I am afraid I have brought you into strange company。 Come； my
dear； we will go and order your dogcart；〃 and putting her arm
affectionately through his； she went with him from the room。
〃I wonder who put her up to all this？〃 gasped Haswell； as the door
closed behind them。 〃Some infernal lawyer； I'll be bound。 Well； she
has got the whip hand of me； and I can't face an investigation in
Chancery； especially as the only thing against Vernon is that the
value of his land has fallen。 But I swear that she shall never marry
him while I live；〃 he ended in a kind of shout and the domed and
painted ceiling echoed back his words〃/while I live/〃 after which
the room was silent； save for the heavy thumping of his heart。
When Alan reached home that night after his ten…mile drive he sent
Jeekie to tell the housekeeper to find him some food。 In his
mysterious African fashion the negro had already collected much
intelligence as to the events of the day； mostly in the servants'
hall； and more particularly from the two golf…caddies； sons of one of
the gardeners； who it seemed instead of retiring with the clubs； had
taken shelter in some tall whins and thence followed the interview
between Barbara and Sir Robert with the intensest interest。 Reflecting
that this was not the time to satisfy his burning curiosity； Jeekie
went and in due course returned with some cold mutton and a bottle of
claret。 Then came his chance； for Alan could scarcely touch the mutton
and demanded toast and butter。
〃Very inferior chop〃that was his West African word for food〃for a
gentleman； Major；〃 he said； shaking his white head sympathetically and
pointing to the mutton；〃specially when he has unexpectedly departed
from magnificent eating of The Court。 Why did you not wait till after
dinner； Major； before retiring？〃
Alan laughed at the man's inflated English； and answered in a more
nervous and colloquial style：
〃Because I was kicked out； Jeekie。〃
〃Ah！ I gathered that kicking was in the wind； Major。 Sir Robert
Aylward； Bart。； he also was kicked out； but by smaller toe。〃
Again Alan laughed and； as it was a relief to talk even to Jeekie；
asked him：
〃How do you know that？〃
〃I gathered it out of atmosphere； Major； from Sir Robert's gentleman；
from two youths who watch Sir Robert and Miss Barbara talking upon
golf green No。 9； from the machine driver of Sir Robert whose eyes he
damn in public； and last but not least from his own noble
countenance。〃
〃I see that you are observant； Jeekie。〃
〃Observation； Major； it is art of life。 I see Miss Barbara's eyes red
like morning sky and I deduct。 I see you shot out and gloomy like
evening cloud； and I deduct。 I listen at door of Mr。 Haswell's room； I
hear him curse and swear like holy saint in Book； and you and Miss
Barbara answer him not like saint； though what you speak I cannot
hear； and I deduct。 Jeekie deduct thisthat you make love to Miss
Barbara in proper gentlemanlike； 'nogamous； Christian fashion such as
your late Reverend Uncle approve； and Miss Barbara； she make love to
you with ten per cent。 compound interest； but old gent with whistle；
he /not/ approve； he say； 'Where corresponding cash！' He say 'Noble
Sir Robert have much cash and interested in identical business。 I
prefer Sir Robert。 Get out； you Cashless。' Often I see this same thing
when boy in West Africa； very common wherever sun shine。 I note all
these matters and I deductthat Jeekie's way and Jeekie seldom
wrong。〃
Alan laughed for the third time； until the tears ran down his face
indeed。
〃Jeekie；〃 he said； 〃you are a great rascal〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 interrupted Jeekie； 〃great rascal。 Best thing to be in
this world； Major。 Honourable Sir Robert； Bart。； M。P。； and Mr。
Champers…Haswell； D。L。； J。P。； they find that out long ago and sit on
top of tree of opulent renown。 Jeekie great rascal and therefore have
Savings Bank accountgo on； Major。〃
〃Well； Jeekie； because if you are a rascal you are kind…hearted and
because I believe that you care for me〃
〃Oh！ Major；〃 broke in Jeekie again； 〃that most 'utterably true。 Honour
bright I love you； Major； better than anyone on earth； except my late
old woman； now happily dead； gone and forgotten in best oak coffin； ￡4
10 without fittings but polished； and perhaps your holy uncle；
Reverend Mr。 Austin； also coffined and departed； who saved me from
early extinction in a dark place。 Major； I no like graves； I see too
much of them； and can't tell what lie on other side。 Though everyone
say they know； Jeekie not quite sure。 May be all light and crowns of
glory； may be damp black hole and no way out。 But this at least true；
that I love you better； yes； better than Miss Barbara； for love of
woman very poor； uncertain thing； quick come； quick go。 Jeekie find
that outoften。 Yes； if need be； though death most nasty； if need be
I say I die for you； which great unpleasant sacrifice；〃 and Jeekie in
the genuine enthusiasm of his warm heart； throwing himself