the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第11节
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lacked the courage。 Cleggett said nothing。 He was too fine in grain to
force a confidence。 After a moment she continued： 〃I can tell you this；〃
she said； with a catch in her voice that was almost a sob； 〃that I am
practically friendless。 When you call a taxicab for me in a few moments；
and I leave you； with Elmer and my boxes； I shall have no place to go。〃
〃But； surely； madam〃
〃Do not call me madam。 Call me Lady Agatha。 I am Lady Agatha
Fairhaven。 What is your name？〃
Cleggett told her。
〃You have heard of me？〃 asked Lady Agatha。
Cleggett was obliged to confess that he had not。 He thought that a
shade of disappointment passed over the lady's face； but in a moment she
smiled and remarked：
〃How relative a thing is fame！ You have never heard of me！ And
yet I can assure you that I am well enough known in England。 I was one
of the very first militant suffragettes to break a windowif not the very
first。 The point is； indeed； in dispute。
And were it not for my devotion to the cause I would not now be in
my present terrible plightdoomed to wander from pillar to post with that
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thing〃 （she pointed with a shudder to the box into which Elmer was still
gloomily poking ice）…〃chained to me like alike a〃 She hesitated for a
word； and Cleggett； tactlessly enough； with some vague recollection of a
classical tale in his mind； suggested：
〃Like a corpse。〃
Lady Agatha turned pale。 She gazed at Cleggett with terror…stricken
eyes； her beautiful face became almost haggard in an instant； he thought
she was about to faint again； but she did not。 As he looked upon the
change his words had wrought； filled with wonder and compunction；
Cleggett suddenly divined that her occasional flashes of gayety had been；
all along； merely the forced vivacity of a brave and clever woman who
was making a gallant fight against total collapse。
〃Mr。 Cleggett；〃 she said； in a voice that was scarcely louder than a
whisper； 〃I am going to confide everything to youthe whole truth。 I
will spare myself nothing； I will throw myself upon your mercy。
〃I firmly believe； Mr。 CleggettI am practically certainthat the box
there； upon which Elmer is sitting； contains the body of Reginald
Maltravers； natural son of the tenth Earl of Claiborne； and the cousin of
my late husband； Sir Archibald Fairhaven。〃
CHAPTER VI
LADY AGATHA'S STORY
It was with the greatest difficulty that Cleggett repressed a start。
Another man might have shown the shock he felt。 But Cleggett had the
iron nerve of a Bismarck and the fine manner of a Richelieu。 He did not
even permit his eyes to wander towards the box in question。 He merely
sat and waited。
Lady Agatha； having brought herself to the point of revelation； seemed
to find a difficulty in proceeding。 Cleggett； mutely asking permission；
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lighted a cigarette。
〃Ohif you will！〃 said Lady Agatha； extending her hand towards the
case。 He passed it over； and when she had chosen one of the little rolls
and lighted it she said：
〃Mr。 Cleggett； have you ever lived in England？〃
〃I have never even visited England。〃
〃I wish you knew England。〃 She watched the curling smoke from
her tobacco as it drifted across the table。 〃If you knew England you
would comprehend so much more readily some parts of my story。
〃But； being an American； you can have no adequate conception of the
conservatism that still prevails in certain quarters。 I refer to the really old
families among the landed aristocracy。 Some of them have not changed
essentially； in their attitude towards the world in general； since the reign of
Queen Elizabeth。
They make of family a fetish。 They are ready to sacrifice everything
upon the altar of family。 They may exhibit this pride of race less
obviously than some of the French or Germans or Italians； but they have a
deeper sense of their own dignity； and of what is due to it； than any of your
more flighty and picturesque continentals。 There are certain things that
are done。 Certain things are not done。 One must conform or〃
She interrupted herself and delicately flicked the ash from her
cigarette。
〃Conform； or be jolly well damned；〃 she finished； crossing one leg
over the other and leaning back in her chair。 〃This； by the way； is the
only decent cigarette I have found in America。 I hate to smoke perfume
I like tobaccoand most of your shops seem to keep nothing but the
highly scented Turkish and Egyptian varieties。〃
〃They were made in London；〃 said Cleggett； bowing。
〃Ah！ But where was I？ Oh； yesone must conform。 Especially if
one belongs to； or has married into； the Claiborne family。 Of all the men
in England the Earl of Claiborne is the most conservative； the most
reactionary； the most deeply encrusted with prejudice。 He would stop at
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little where the question concerned the prestige of the aristocracy in
general； he would stop at nothing where the Claiborne family is
concerned。
〃I am telling you all this so that you may get an inkling of the blow it
was to him when I became a militant suffragist。 It was blow enough to
his nephew； Sir Archibald； my late husband。 The Earl maintains that it
hastened poor Archibald's death。 But that is ridiculous。 Archibald had
undermined his constitution with dissipation； and died following an
operation for gravel。 He was to have succeeded to the title； as both of the
Earl's legitimate sons were dead without issueone of them perished in the
Boer War； and the other was killed in the hunting field。
〃Upon Archibald's death the old Earl publicly acknowledged Reginald
Maltravers； his natural son； and took steps to have him legitimatized。 For
all of the bend sinister upon his escutcheon； Reginald Maltravers was as
fanatical concerning the family as his father。 Perhaps more fanatical；
because he secretly suffered for the irregularity of his own position in the
world。
〃At any rate； supported at first by the old Earl； he began a series of
persecutions designed to make me renounce my suffragist principles； or at
least to make me cease playing a conspicuous public part in the militant
propaganda。 As my husband was dead and there were no children； I
could not see that I was accountable to the Claiborne family for my
actions。 But the Claibornes took a different view of it。 In their
philosophy； once a Claiborne； always a Claiborne。 I was bringing
disgrace and humiliation upon the family； in their opinion。 Knowing the
old Earl as I do； I am aware that his suffering was genuine and intense。
But what was I to do？ One cannot desert one's principles merely because
they cause suffering； otherwise there could be no such thing as revolution。
〃Reginald Maltravers had another reason for his persecution。 After
the death of Sir Archibald he himself sought my hand in marriage。 I shall
always remember the form of his proposal； it concluded with these words：
'Had Archibald lived you would have been a countess。 You may still be a
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countessbut you must drop this suffragist show； you know。 It is all
bally rot； Agatha； all bally rot。' I would not have married him without the
condition； for I despised the man himself； but the condition made m
