the research magnificent-第32节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ful　things。　　He　was　a　swindler。　　And　when　he　went　out　of　the　dock　into　the　waiting…room　　He　had　a　signet　ring　with　prussic　acid　in　it　。　。　。〃　〃I　remember　now；〃　he　said。　A　silence　fell　between　them。　Benham　stood　quite　motionless　on　the　hearthrug　and　stared　very　hard　at　the　little　volume　of　Henley's　poetry　that　lay　upon　the　table。　He　cleared　his　throat　presently。　〃You　can't　go　and　see　them　then；〃　he　said。　　〃After　allsince　I　am　going　abroad　so　soon　。　。　。　　It　doesn't　so　very　much　matter。〃

10

To　Benham　it　did　not　seem　to　be　of　the　slightest　importance　that　Amanda's　father　was　a　convicted　swindler　who　had　committed　suicide。　Never　was　a　resolved　and　conscious　aristocrat　so　free　from　the　hereditary　delusion。　　Good　parents；　he　was　convinced；　are　only　an　advantage　in　so　far　as　they　have　made　you　good　stuff；　and　bad　parents　are　no　discredit　to　a　son　or　daughter　of　good　quality。　Conceivably　he　had　a　bias　against　too　close　an　examination　of　origins；　and　he　held　that　the　honour　of　the　children　should　atone　for　the　sins　of　the　fathers　and　the　questionable　achievements　of　any　intervening　testator。　　Not　half　a　dozen　rich　and　established　families　in　all　England　could　stand　even　the　most　conventional　inquiry　into　the　foundations　of　their　pride；　and　only　a　universal　amnesty　could　prevent　ridiculous　distinctions。　　But　he　brought　no　accusation　of　inconsistency　agt　of　you　I　knew　that。　。　。　。〃　They　embracedalertly　furtive。　Then　they　stood　a　little　apart。　　Some　one　was　coming　towards　them。　Amanda's　bearing　changed　swiftly。　　She　put　up　her　little　face　to　his；　confidently　and　intimately。　〃Don't　TELL　any　one；〃　she　whispered　eagerly　shaking　his　arm　to　emphasize　her　words。　　〃Don't　tell　any　onenot　yet。　　Not　for　a　few　days。　。　。　。〃　She　pushed　him　from　her　quickly　as　the　shadowy　form　of　Betty　appeared　in　a　little　path　between　the　artichokes　and　raspberry　canes。　〃Listening　to　the　nightingales？〃　cried　Betty。　〃Yes；　aren't　they？〃　said　Amanda　inconsecutively。　〃That's　our　very　own　nightingale！〃　cried　Betty　advancing。　　〃Do　you　hear　it；　Mr。　Benham？　　No；　not　that　one。　　That　is　a　quite　inferior　bird　that　performs　in　the　vicarage　trees。　。　。　。〃

11

When　a　man　has　found　and　won　his　mate　then　the　best　traditions　demainst　his　mother。　　She　looked　at　things　with　a　lighter　logic　and　a　kind　of　genius　for　the　acceptance　of　superficial　values。　　She　was　condoned　and　forgiven；　a　rescued　lamb；　re…established；　notoriously　bright　and　nice；　and　the　Morrises　were　damned。　　That　was　their　status；　exclusion；　damnation；　as　fixed　as　colour　in　Georgia　or　caste　in　Bengal。　　But　if　his　mother's　mind　worked　in　that　way　there　was　no　reason　why　his　should。　　So　far　as　he　was　concerned；　he　told　himself；　it　did　not　matter　whether　Amanda　was　the　daughter　of　a　swindler　or　the　daughter　of　a　god。　　He　had　no　doubt　that　she　herself　had　the　spirit　and　quality　of　divinity。　　He　had　seen　it。　So　there　was　nothing　for　it　in　the　failure　of　his　mother's　civilities　but　to　increase　his　own。　　He　would　go　down　to　Harting　and　take　his　leave　of　these　amiable　outcasts　himself。　　With　a　certain　effusion。　　He　would　do　this　soon　because　he　was　now　within　sight　of　the　beginning　of　his　world　tour。　　He　had　made　his　plans　and　prepared　most　of　his　equipment。　　Little　remained　to　do　but　the　release　of　Merkle；　the　wrappering　and　locking　up　of　Finacue　Street；　which　could　await　him　indefinitely；　and　the　buying　of　tickets。　　He　decided　to　take　the　opportunity　afforded　by　a　visit　of　Sir　Godfrey　and　Lady　Marayne　to　the　Blights；　big　iron　people　in　the　North　of　England　of　so　austere　a　morality　that　even　Benham　was　ignored　by　it。　　He　announced　his　invasion　in　a　little　note　to　Mrs。　Wilder。　　He　parted　from　his　mother　on　Friday　afternoon；　she　was　already；　he　perceived；　a　little　reconciled　to　his　project　of　going　abroad；　and　contrived　his　arrival　at　South　Harting　for　that　sunset　hour　which　was　for　his　imagination　the　natural　halo　of　Amanda。　〃I'm　going　round　the　world；〃　he　told　them　simply。　　〃I　may　be　away　for　two　years；　and　I　thought　I　would　like　to　see　you　all　again　before　I　started。〃　That　was　quite　the　way　they　did　things。　The　supper…party　included　Mr。　Rathbone…Sanders；　who　displayed　a　curious　tendency　to　drift　in　between　Benham　and　Amanda；　a　literary　youth　with　a　Byronic　visage；　very　dark　curly　hair；　and　a　number　of　extraordinarily　mature　chins；　a　girl…friend　of　Betty's　who　had　cycled　down　from　London；　and　who　it　appeared　maintained　herself　at　large　in　London　by　drawing　for　advertisements；　and　a　silent　colourless　friend　of　Mr。　Rathbone…Sanders。　　The　talk　lit　by　Amanda's　enthusiasm　circled　actively　round　Benham's　expedition。　　It　was　clear　that　the　idea　of　giving　some　years　to　thinking　out　one's　possible　work　in　the　world　was　for　some　reason　that　remained　obscure　highly　irritating　to　both　Mr。　Rathbone…Sanders　and　the　Byronic　youth。　Betty　too　regarded　it　as　levity　when　there　was　〃so　much　to　be　done；〃　and　the　topic　whacked　about　and　rose　to　something　like　a　wrangle；　and　sat　down　and　rested　and　got　up　again　reinvigorated；　with　a　continuity　of　interest　that　Benham　had　never　yet　encountered　in　any　London　gathering。　　He　made　a　good　case　for　his　modern　version　of　the　Grand　Tour；　and　he　gave　them　something　of　his　intellectual　enthusiasm　for　the　distances　and　views；　the　cities　and　seas；　the　multitudinous　wide　spectacle　of　the　world　he　was　to　experience。　　He　had　been　reading　about　Benares　and　North　China。　　As　he　talked　Amanda；　who　had　been　animated　at　first；　fell　thoughtful　and　silent。　And　then　it　was　discovered　that　the　night　was　wonderfully　warm　and　the　moon　shining。　　They　drifted　out　into　the　garden；　but　Mr。　Rathbone…Sanders　was　suddenly　entangled　and　drawn　back　by　Mrs。　Wilder　and　the　young　woman　from　London　upon　some　technical　point；　and　taken　to　the　work…table　in　the　corner　of　the　dining…room　to　explain。　　He　was　never　able　to　get　to　the　garden。　Benham　found　himself　with　Amanda　upon　a　side　path；　a　little　isolated　by　some　swaggering　artichokes　and　a　couple　of　apple　trees　and　so　forth　from　the　general　conversation。　　They　cut　themselves　off　from　the　continuation　of　that　by　a　little　silence；　and　then　she　spoke　abruptly　and　with　the　quickness　of　a　speaker　who　has　thought　out　something　to　say　and　fears　interruption：　〃Why　did　you　come　down　here？〃　〃I　wanted　to　see　you　before　I　went。〃　〃You　disturb　me。　　You　fill　me　with　envy。〃　〃I　didn't　think　of　that。　　I　wanted　to　see　you　again。〃　〃And　then　you　will　go　off　round　the　world；　you　will　see　the　Tropics；　you　will　see　India；　you　will　go　into　Chinese　cities　all　hung　with　vermilion；　you　will　climb　mountains。　　Oh！　men　can　do　all　the　splendid　things。　　Wnd　a　lyrical　interlude。　　It　should　be　possible　to　tell；　in　that　ecstatic　manner　which　melts　words　into　moonshine；　makes　prose　almost　uncomfortably　rhythmic；　and　brings　all　the　freshness　of　every　spring　that　ever　was　across　the　page；　of　the　joyous　exaltation　of　the　happy　lover。　　This　at　any　rate　was　what　White　had　always　done　in　his　novels　hitherto；　and　what　he　hy　do　you　come　here　to　remind　me　of　it？　　I　have　never　been　anywhere；　anywhere　at　all。　　I　never　shall　go　anywhere。　Never　in　my　life　have　I　seen　a　mountain。　　Those　Downs　therelook　at　them！are　my　highest。　　And　while　you　are　travelling　I　shall　think　of　youand　think　of　you。　。　。　。〃　〃Would　YOU　like　to　travel？〃　he　asked　as　though　that　was　an　extraordinary　idea。　〃Do　you　think　EVERY　girl　wants　to　sit　at　home　and　rock　a　cradle？〃　〃I　never　thought　YOU　did。〃　〃Then　what　did　you　think　I　wanted？〃　〃What　DO　you　want？〃　She　held　her　arms　out　widely；　and　the　moonlight　shone　in　her　eyes　as　she　turned　her　face　to　him。　〃Just　what　you　want；〃　she　said；　〃THE　WHOLE　WORLD！　〃Life　is　like　a　feast；〃　she　went　on；　〃it　is　spread　before　everybody　and　nobody　must　touch　it。　　What　am　I？　　Just　a　prisoner。　　In　a　cottage　garden。　　Looking　for　ever　over　a　hedge。　　I　should　be　happier　if　I　couldn't　look。　　I　remember　once；　only　a　little　time　ago；　there　was　a　cheap　excursion　to　London。　　Our　only　servant　went。　　She　had　to　get　up　at　an　unearthly　hour；　and　II　got　up　too。　　I　helped　her　to　get　off。　　And　when　she　was　gone　I　went　up　to　my　bedroom　again　and　cried。　　I　cried　with　envy　for　any　one；　any　one　who　could　go　away。　I've　been　nowhereexcept　to　school　at　Chichester　and　three　or　four　times　to　Emsworth　and　Bognorfor　eight　years。　　When　you　go〃the　tears　glittered　in　the　moonlight〃I　shall　cry。　　It　will　be　worse　than　the　excursion　to　London。　。　。　。　　Ever　since　you　were　here　before　I've　been　thinking　of　it。〃　It　seemed　to　Benham　that　here　indeed　was　the　very　sister　of　his　spirit。　　His　words　sprang　into　his　mind　as　one　thinks　of　a　repartee。　〃But　why　shouldn't　you　come　too？〃　he　said。　She　stared　at　him　in　silence。　　The　two　white…lit　faces　examined　each　other。　　Both　she　and　Benham　were　trembling。　〃COME　TOO？〃　she　repeated。　〃Yes；　with　me。〃　〃ButHOW？〃　Then　suddenly　she　was　weeping　like　a　child　that　is　teased；　her　troubled　eyes　looked　out　from　under　puckered　brows。　　〃You　don't　mean　it；〃　she　said。　　〃You　don't　mean　it。〃　And　then　indeed　he　meant　it。　〃Marry　me；〃　he　said　very　quickly；　glancing　towards　the　dark　group　at　the　end　of　the　garden。　　〃And　we　will　go　together。〃　He　seized　her　arm　and　drew　her　to　him。　　〃I　love　you；〃　he　said。　　〃I　love　your　spirit。　　You　are　not　like　any　one　else。〃　There　was　a　moment's　hesitation。　Both　he　and　she　looked　to　see　how　far　they　were　still　alone。　Then　they　turned　the