the patrician-第26节

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〃ThenBabs！〃

His　face　was　close　to　hers；　but　Barbara　did　not　shrink　back。　　She
just　shook　her　head；　and　Harbinger　flushed　up。

〃Why？〃　he　asked；　and　as　though　the　enormous　injustice　of　that
rejecting　gesture　had　suddenly　struck　him；　he　dropped　her　hand。

〃Why？〃　he　said　again；　sharply。

But　the　silence　was　only　broken　by　the　cheeping　of　sparrows　outside
the　round　window；　and　the　sound　of　the　horse；　Hal；　munching　the　last
morsel　of　his　carrot。　　Harbinger　was　aware　in　his　every　nerve　of　the
sweetish；　slightly　acrid；　husky　odour　of　the　loosebox；　mingling　with
the　scent　of　Barbara's　hair　and　clothes。　　And　rather　miserably；　he
said　for　the　third　time：

〃Why？〃

But　folding　her　hands　away　behind　her　back。　　she　answered　gently：

〃My　dear；　how　should　I　know　why？〃

She　was　calmly　exposed　to　his　embrace　if　he　had　only　dared；　but　he
did　not　dare；　and　went　back　to　the　loose…box　wall。　　Biting　his
finger；　he　stared　at　her　gloomily。　　She　was　stroking　the　muzzle　of
her　horse；　and　a　sort　of　dry　rage　began　whisking　and　rustling　in　his
heart。　　She　had　refused　himHarbinger！　　He　had　not　known；　had　not
suspected　how　much　he　wanted　her。　　How　could　there　be　anybody　else
for　him；　while　that　young；　calm；　sweet…scented；　smiling　thing　lived；
to　make　his　head　go　round；　his　senses　ache；　and　to　fill　his　heart
with　longing！　　He　seemed　to　himself　at　that　moment　the　most　unhappy
of　all　men。

〃I　shall　not　give　you　up；〃　he　muttered。

Barbara's　answer　was　a　smile；　faintly　curious；　compassionate；　yet
almost　grateful；　as　if　she　had　said：

〃Thank　youwho　knows？〃

And　rather　quickly；　a　yard　or　so　apart；　and　talking　of　horses；　they
returned　to　the　house。

It　was　about　noon；　when；　accompanied　by　Courtier；　she　rode　forth。

The　Sou…Westerly　spella　matter　of　three　dayshad　given　way　before
radiant　stillness；　and　merely　to　be　alive　was　to　feel　emotion。　　At　a
little　stream　running　beside　the　moor　under　the　wild　stone　man；　the
riders　stopped　their　horses；　just　to　listen；　and；　inhale　the　day。
The　far　sweet　chorus　of　life　was　tuned　to　a　most　delicate　rhythm；　not
one　of　those　small　mingled　pipings　of　streams　and　the　lazy　air；　of
beasts；　men；　birds；　and　bees；　jarred　out　too　harshly　through　the
garment　of　sound　enwrapping　the　earth。　　It　was　noonthe　still
momentbut　this　hymn　to　the　sun；　after　his　too　long　absence；　never
for　a　moment　ceased　to　be　murmured。　　And　the　earth　wore　an　under…robe
of　scent；　delicious；　very　finely　woven　of　the　young　fern　sap；　heather
buds；　larch…trees　not　yet　odourless；　gorse　just　going　brown；　drifted
woodsmoke；　and　the　breath　of　hawthorn。　　Above　Earth's　twin　vestments
of　sound　and　scent；　the　blue　enwrapping　scarf　of　air；　that　wistful
wide　champaign；　was　spanned　only　by　the　wings　of　Freedom。

After　that　long　drink　of　the　day；　the　riders　mounted　almost　in
silence　to　the　very　top　of　the　moor。　　There　again　they　sat　quite
still　on　their　horses；　examining　the　prospect。　　Far　away　to　South　and
East　lay　the　sea；　plainly　visible。　　Two　small　groups　of　wild　ponies
were　slowly　grazing　towards　each　other　on　the　hillside　below。

Courtier　said。　　in　a　low　voice：

〃'Thus　will　I　sit　and　sing；　with　love　in　my　arms；　watching　our　two
herds　mingle　together；　and　below　us　the　far；　divine；　cerulean　sea。'〃

And；　after　another　silence；　looking　steadily　in　Barbara's　face；　he
added：

〃Lady　Barbara；　I　am　afraid　this　is　the　last　time　we　shall　be　alone
together。　　While　I　have　the　chance；　therefore；　I　must　do　homage。。。。
You　will　always　be　the　fixed　star　for　my　worship。　　But　your　rays　are
too　bright；　I　shall　worship　from　afar。　　From　your　seventh　Heaven；
therefore；　look　down　on　me　with　kindly　eyes；　and　do　not　quite　forget
me：〃

Under　that　speech；　so　strangely　compounded　of　irony　and　fervour；
Barbara　sat　very　still；　with　glowing　cheeks。

〃Yes；〃　said　Courtier；　〃only　an　immortal　must　embrace　a　goddess。
Outside　the　purlieus　of　Authority　I　shall　sit　cross…legged；　and
prostrate　myself　three　times　a　day。〃

But　Barbara　answered　nothing。

〃In　the　early　morning；〃　went　on　Courtier；　〃leaving　the　dark　and
dismal　homes　of　Freedom　I　shall　look　towards　the　Temples　of　the
Great；　there　with　the　eye　of　faith　I　shall　see　you。〃

He　stopped；　for　Barbara's　lips　were　moving。

〃Don't　hurt　me；　please。〃

Courtier　leaned　over；　took　her　hand；　and　put　it　to　his　lips。　　〃We
will　now　ride　on。。。。〃

That　night　at　dinner　Lord　Dennis；　seated　opposite　his　great…niece；
was　struck　by　her　appearance。

〃A　very　beautiful　child；〃　he　thought；　〃a　most　lovely　young　creature！〃

She　was　placed　between　Courtier　and　Harbinger。　　And　the　old　man's
still　keen　eyes　carefully　watched　those　two。　　Though　attentive　to
their　neighbours　on　the　other　side；　they　were　both　of　them　keeping
the　corner　of　an　eye　on　Barbara　and　on　each　other。　　The　thing　was
transparent　to　Lord　Dennis；　and　a　smile　settled　in　that　nest　of
gravity　between　his　white　peaked　beard　and　moustaches。　　But　he
waited；　the　instinct　of　a　fisherman　bidding　him　to　neglect　no　piece
of　water；　till　he　saw　the　child　silent　and　in　repose；　and　watched
carefully　to　see　what　would　rise。　　Although　she　was　so　calmly；　so
healthily　eating；　her　eyes　stole　round　at　Courtier。　　This　quick　look
seemed　to　Lord　Dennis　perturbed；　as　if　something　were　exciting　her。
Then　Harbinger　spoke；　and　she　turned　to　answer　him。　　Her　face　was
calm　now；　faintly　smiling；　a　little　eager；　provocative　in　its　joy　of
life。　　It　made　Lord　Dennis　think　of　his　own　youth。　　What　a　splendid
couple！　　If　Babs　married　young　Harbinger　there　would　not　be　a　finer
pair　in　all　England。　　His　eyes　travelled　back　to　Courtier。　　Manly
enough！　　They　called　him　dangerous！　　There　was　a　look　of
effervescence；　carefully　corked　downmight　perhaps　be　attractive　to
a　girl！　　To　his　essentially　practical　and　sober　mind；　a　type　like
Courtier　was　puzzling。　　He　liked　the　look　of　him；　but　distrusted　his
ironic　expression；　and　that　appearance　of　blood　to　the　head。　　Fellow
no　doubtthat　would　ride　off　on　his　ideas；　humanitarian！　　To　Lord
Dennis　there　was　something　queer　about　humanitarians。　　They　offended
perhaps　his　dry　and　precise　sense　of　form。　　They　were　always　looking
out　for　cruelty　or　injustice；　seemed　delighted　when　they　found　it
swelled　up；　as　it　were；　when　they　scented　it；　and　as　there　was　a　good
deal　about；　were　never　quite　of　normal　size。　　Men　who　lived　for　ideas
were；　in　fact；　to　one　for　whom　facts　sufficed　always　a　little
worrying！　　A　movement　from　Barbara　brought　him　back　to　actuality。
Was　the　possessor　of　that　crown　of　hair　and　those　divine　young
shoulders　the　little　Babs　who　had　ridden　with　him　in　the　Row？　　Time
was　certainly　the　Devil！　　Her　eyes　were　searching　for　something；　and
following　the　direction　of　that　glance；　Lord　Dennis　found　himself
observing　Miltoun。　　What　a　difference　between　those　two！　　Both　no
doubt　in　the　great　trouble　of　youth；　which　sometimes；　as　he　knew　too
well；　lasted　on　almost　to　old　age。　　It　was　a　curious　look　the　child
was　giving　her　brother；　as　if　asking　him　to　help　her。　　Lord　Dennis
had　seen　in　his　day　many　young　creatures　leave　the　shelter　of　their
freedom　and　enter　the　house　of　the　great　lottery；　many；　who　had　drawn
a　prize　and　thereat　lost　forever　the　coldness　of　life；　many　too；　the
light　of　whose　eyes　had　faded　behind　the　shutters　of　that　house；
having　drawn　a　blank。　　The　thought　of　'little'　Babs　on　the　threshold
of　that　inexorable　saloon；　filled　him　with　an　eager　sadness；　and　the
sight　of　the　two　men　watching　for　her；　waiting　for　her；　like　hunters；
was　to　him　distasteful。　　In　any　case；　let　her　not；　for　Heaven's　sake；
go　ranging　as　far　as　that　red　fellow　of　middle　age；　who　might　have
ideas；　but　had　no　pedigree；　let　her　stick　to　youth　and　her　own　order；
and　marry　theyoung　man；　confound　him；　who　looked　like　a　Greek　god；
of　the　wrong　period；　having　grown　a　moustache。　　He　remembered　her
words　the　other　evening　about　these　two　and　the　different　lives　they
lived。　　Some　romantic　notion　or　other　was　working　in　her！　　And　again
he　looked　at　Courtier。　　A　Quixotic　typethe　sort　that　rode　slap…bang
at　everything！　　All　very　wellbut　not　for　Babs！　　She　was　not　like
the　glorious　Garibaldi's　glorious　Anita！　　It　was　truly　characteristic
of　Lord　Dennisand　indeed　of　other　peoplethat　to　him　champions　of
Liberty　when　dead　were　far　dearer　than　champions　of　Liberty　when
living。　　Yes；　Babs　would　want　more；　or　was　it　less；　than　just　a　life
of　sleeping　under　the　stars　for　the　man　she　loved；　and　the　cause　he
fought　for。　　She　would　want　pleasure；　and；　not　too　much　effort；　and
presently　a　little　power；　not　the　uncomfortable　after…fame　of　a　woman
who　went　through　fire；　but　the　fame　and　power　of　beauty；　and　Society
prestige。　　This；　fancy　of　hers；　if　it　were　a　fancy；　could　be　nothing
but　the　romanticism　of　a　young　girl。　　For　the　sake　of　a　passing
shadow；　to　give　up　substance？　　It　wouldn't　do！。　　And　again　Lord
Dennis　fixed　his　shrewd　glance　on　his　great…niece。　　Those　eyes；　that
smile！　　Yes！　　She　would　grow　out　of　this。　　And　take　the　Greek　god；
the　dying　Gaulwhichever　that　young　man　was！




CHAPTER　XXI

It　was　not　till　the　morning　of　polling　day　itself　that　Courtier　left
Monkland　Court。　　He　had　already　suffered　for　some　time　from　bad
conscience。　　For　his　knee　was　practically　cured；　and　he　kn