st. ives-第61节

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'Well；　and　so　here　you　are！'　I　observed；　with　pointless　cordiality；　

for　I　was　bound　I　should　do　nothing　to　help　him　out。　　If　he　were；　

indeed；　here　running　errands　for　my　rival；　he　might　have　a　fair　

field；　but　certainly　no　favour。



'The　fact　is；'　he　began；　'I　would　rather　see　you　alone。'



'Why；　certainly；'　I　replied。　　'Rowley；　you　can　step　into　the　

bedroom。　　My　dear　fellow；'　I　continued；　'this　sounds　serious。　　

Nothing　wrong；　I　trust。'



'Well；　I'll　be　quite　honest；'　said　he。　　'I　AM　a　good　deal　

bothered。'



'And　I　bet　I　know　why！'　I　exclaimed。　　'And　I　bet　I　can　put　you　to　

rights；　too！'



'What　do　you　mean！'　he　asked。



'You　must　be　hard　up；'　said　I；　'and　all　I　can　say　is；　you've　come　

to　the　right　place。　　If　you　have　the　least　use　for　a　hundred　

pounds；　or　any　such　trifling　sum　as　that；　please　mention　it。　　It's　

here；　quite　at　your　service。'



'I　am　sure　it　is　most　kind　of　you；'　said　Ronald；　'and　the　truth　is；　

though　I　can't　think　how　you　guessed　it；　that　I　really　AM　a　little　

behind　board。　　But　I　haven't　come　to　talk　about　that。'



'No；　I　dare　say！'　cried　I。　　'Not　worth　talking　about！　　But　

remember；　Ronald；　you　and　I　are　on　different　sides　of　the　business。　　

Remember　that　you　did　me　one　of　those　services　that　make　men　

friends　for　ever。　　And　since　I　have　had　the　fortune　to　come　into　a　

fair　share　of　money；　just　oblige　me；　and　consider　so　much　of　it　as　

your　own。'



'No；'　he　said；　'I　couldn't　take　it；　I　couldn't；　really。　　Besides；　

the　fact　is；　I've　come　on　a　very　different　matter。　　It's　about　my　

sister；　St。　Ives；'　and　he　shook　his　head　menacingly　at　me。



'You're　quite　sure？'　I　persisted。　　'It's　here；　at　your　service　…　up　

to　five　hundred　pounds；　if　you　like。　　Well；　all　right；　only　

remember　where　it　is；　when　you　do　want　it。'



'Oh；　please　let　me　alone！'　cried　Ronald：　'I've　come　to　say　

something　unpleasant；　and　how　on　earth　can　I　do　it；　if　you　don't　

give　a　fellow　a　chance？　　It's　about　my　sister；　as　I　said。　　You　can　

see　for　yourself　that　it　can't　be　allowed　to　go　on。　　It's　

compromising；　it　don't　lead　to　anything；　and　you're　not　the　kind　of　

man　（you　must　feel　it　yourself）　that　I　can　allow　my　female　

relatives　to　have　anything　to　do　with。　　I　hate　saying　this；　St。　

Ives；　it　looks　like　hitting　a　man　when　he's　down；　you　know；　and　I　

told　the　Major　I　very　much　disliked　it　from　the　first。　　However；　it　

had　to　be　said；　and　now　it　has　been；　and；　between　gentlemen；　it　

shouldn't　be　necessary　to　refer　to　it　again。'



'It's　compromising；　it　doesn't　lead　to　anything；　not　the　kind　of　

man；'　I　repeated　thoughtfully。　　'Yes；　I　believe　I　understand；　and　

shall　make　haste　to　put　myself　EN　REGLE。'　　I　stood　up；　and　laid　my　

segar　down。　　'Mr。　Gilchrist；'　said　I；　with　a　bow；　'in　answer　to　

your　very　natural　observations；　I　beg　to　offer　myself　as　a　suitor　

for　your　sister's　hand。　　I　am　a　man　of　title；　of　which　we　think　

lightly　in　France；　but　of　ancient　lineage；　which　is　everywhere　

prized。　　I　can　display　thirty…two　quarterings　without　a　blot。　　My　

expectations　are　certainly　above　the　average：　I　believe　my　uncle's　

income　averages　about　thirty　thousand　pounds；　though　I　admit　I　was　

not　careful　to　inform　myself。　　Put　it　anywhere　between　fifteen　and　

fifty　thousand；　it　is　certainly　not　less。'



'All　this　is　very　easy　to　say；'　said　Ronald；　with　a　pitying　smile。　　

'Unfortunately；　these　things　are　in　the　air。'



'Pardon　me；　…　in　Buckinghamshire；'　said　I；　smiling。



'Well；　what　I　mean　is；　my　dear　St。　Ives；　that　you　CAN'T　PROVE　

them；'　he　continued。　　'They　might　just　as　well　not　be：　do　you　

follow　me？　　You　can't　bring　us　any　third　party　to　back　you。'



'Oh；　come！'　cried　I；　springing　up　and　hurrying　to　the　table。　　'You　

must　excuse　me！'　　I　wrote　Romaine's　address。　　'There　is　my　

reference；　Mr。　Gilchrist。　　Until　you　have　written　to　him；　and　

received　his　negative　answer；　I　have　a　right　to　be　treated；　and　I　

shall　see　that　you　treat　me；　as　a　gentleman。'　　He　was　brought　up　

with　a　round　turn　at　that。



'I　beg　your　pardon；　St。　Ives；'　said　he。　　'Believe　me；　I　had　no　wish　

to　be　offensive。　　But　there's　the　difficulty　of　this　affair；　I　

can't　make　any　of　my　points　without　offence！　　You　must　excuse　me；　

it's　not　my　fault。　　But；　at　any　rate；　you　must　see　for　yourself　

this　proposal　of　marriage　is　…　is　merely　impossible；　my　dear　

fellow。　　It's　nonsense！　　Our　countries　are　at　war；　you　are　a　

prisoner。'



'My　ancestor　of　the　time　of　the　Ligue；'　I　replied；　'married　a　

Huguenot　lady　out　of　the　Saintonge；　riding　two　hundred　miles　

through　an　enemy's　country　to　bring　off　his　bride；　and　it　was　a　

happy　marriage。'



'Well！'　he　began；　and　then　looked　down　into　the　fire；　and　became　

silent。



'Well？'　I　asked。



'Well；　there's　this　business　of　…　Goguelat；'　said　he；　still　looking　

at　the　coals　in　the　grate。



'What！'　I　exclaimed；　starting　in　my　chair。　　'What's　that　you　say？'



'This　business　about　Goguelat；'　he　repeated。



'Ronald；'　said　I；　'this　is　not　your　doing。　　These　are　not　your　own　

words。　　I　know　where　they　came　from：　a　coward　put　them　in　your　

mouth。'



'St。　Ives！'　he　cried；　'why　do　you　make　it　so　hard　for　me？　and　

where's　the　use　of　insulting　other　people？　　The　plain　English　is；　

that　I　can't　hear　of　any　proposal　of　marriage　from　a　man　under　a　

charge　like　that。　　You　must　see　it　for　yourself；　man！　　It's　the　

most　absurd　thing　I　ever　heard　of！　　And　you　go　on　forcing　me　to　

argue　with　you；　too！'



'Because　I　have　had　an　affair　of　honour　which　terminated　unhappily；　

you　…　a　young　soldier；　or　next…door　to　it　…　refuse　my　offer？　　Do　I　

understand　you　aright？'　said　I。



'My　dear　fellow！'　he　wailed；　'of　course　you　can　twist　my　words；　if　

you　like。　　You　SAY　it　was　an　affair　of　honour。　　Well；　I　can't；　of　

course；　tell　you　that　…　I　can't　…　I　mean；　you　must　see　that　that's　

just　the　point！　　Was　it？　　I　don't　know。'



'I　have　the　honour　to　inform　you；'　said　I。



'Well；　other　people　say　the　reverse；　you　see！'



'They　lie；　Ronald；　and　I　will　prove　it　in　time。'



'The　short　and　the　long　of　it　is；　that　any　man　who　is　so　

unfortunate　as　to　have　such　things　said　about　him　is　not　the　man　to　

be　my　brother…in…law！'　he　cried。



'Do　you　know　who　will　be　my　first　witness　at　the　court？　　Arthur　

Chevenix！'　said　I。



'I　don't　care！'　he　cried；　rising　from　his　chair　and　beginning　to　

pace　outrageously　about　the　room。　　'What　do　you　mean；　St。　Ives？　　

What　is　this　about？　　It's　like　a　dream；　I　declare！　　You　made　an　

offer；　and　I　have　refused　it。　　I　don't　like　it；　I　don't　want　it；　

and　whatever　I　did；　or　didn't；　wouldn't　matter　…　my　aunt　wouldn't　

bear　of　it　anyway！　　Can't　you　take　your　answer；　man？'



'You　must　remember；　Ronald；　that　we　are　playing　with　edged　tools；'　

said　I。　　'An　offer　of　marriage　is　a　delicate　subject　to　handle。　　

You　have　refused；　and　you　have　justified　your　refusal　by　several　

statements：　first；　that　I　was　an　impostor；　second；　that　our　

countries　were　at　war；　and　third　…　　No；　I　will　speak；'　said　I；　'you　

can　answer　when　I　have　done；　…　and　third；　that　I　had　dishonourably　

killed　…　or　was　said　to　have　done　so　…　the　man　Goguelat。　　Now；　my　

dear　fellow；　these　are　very　awkward　grounds　to　be　taking。　　From　any　

one　else's　lips　I　need　scarce　tell　you　how　I　should　resent　them；　

but　my　hands　are　tied。　　I　have　so　much　gratitude　to　you；　without　

talking　of　the　love　I　bear　your　sister；　that　you　insult　me；　when　

you　do　so；　under　the　cover　of　a　complete　impunity。　　I　must　feel　the　

pain　…　and　I　do　feel　it　acutely　…　I　can　do　nothing　to　protect　

myself。'　　He　had　been　anxious　enough　to　interrupt　me　in　the　

beginning；　but　now；　and　after　I　had　ceased；　he　stood　a　long　while　

silent。



'St。　Ives；'　he　said　at　last；　'I　think　I　had　better　go　away。　　This　

has　been　very　irritating。　　I　never　at　all　meant　to　say　anything　of　

the　kind；　and　I　apologise　to　you。　　I　have　all　the　esteem　for　you　

that　one　gentleman　should　have　for　another。　　I　only　meant　to　tell　

you　…　to　show　you　what　had　influenced　my　mind；　and　that；　in　short；　

the　thing　was　impossible。　　One　thing　you　may　be　quite　sure　of：　I　

shall　do　nothing　against　you。　　Will　you　shake　hands　before　I　go　

away？'　he　blurted　out。



'Yes；'　said　I；　'I　agree　with　you　…　the　interview　has　been　

irritating。　　Let　bygones　be　bygones。　　Good…bye；　Ronald。'



'Good…bye；　St。　Ives！'　he　returned。　　'I'm　heartily　sorry。'



And　with　that　he　was　gone。



The　windows　of　my　own　sitting…room　looked　towards　the　north；　but　

the　entrance　passage　drew　its　light　from　the　direction　of　the　

square。　　Hence　I　was　able　to　observe　Ronald's　departure；　his　very　

disheartened　gait；　and　the　fact　that　he　was　joined；　about　half…way；　

by　no　less　a　man　than　Major　Chevenix。　　At　this；　I　could　scarce　keep　

from　smiling；　so　unpalatable　an　interview　must　be　before　the　pair　

of　them；　and　I　could　hear　their　voices；　clashing　like　crossed　

swords；　in　that　eternal　antiphony　of　'I　told　you；'　an