pgw.adamselindistress-第17章

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ls　with　a　landscape　or　two。　In　fact；　when　George　had　removed　from　the　room　two　antimacassars；　three　group　photographs　of　the　farmer's　relations；　an　illuminated　text；　and　a　china　statuette　of　the　Infant　Samuel；　and　stacked　them　in　a　corner　of　the　empty　studio；　the　place　became　almost　a　home　from　home。
　Solitude　can　be　very　unsolitary　if　a　man　is　in　love。　George　never　even　began　to　be　bored。　The　only　thing　that　in　any　way　troubled　his　peace　was　the　thought　that　he　was　not　acplishing　a　great　deal　in　the　matter　of　helping　Maud　out　of　whatever　trouble　it　was　that　had　befallen　her。　The　most　he　could　do　was　to　prowl　about　roads　near　the　castle　in　the　hope　of　an　accidental　meeting。　And　such　was　his　good　fortune　that；　on　the　fourth　day　of　his　vigil；　the　accidental　meeting　occurred。
　Taking　his　morning　prowl　along　the　lanes；　he　was　rewarded　by　the　sight　of　a　grey　racing…car　at　the　side　of　the　road。　It　was　empty；　but　from　underneath　it　protruded　a　pair　of　long　legs；　while　beside　it　stood　a　girl；　at　the　sight　of　whom　George's　heart　began　to　thump　so　violently　that　the　long…legged　one　might　have　been　pardoned　had　he　supposed　that　his　engine　had　started　again　of　its　own　volition。
　Until　he　spoke　the　soft　grass　had　kept　her　from　hearing　his　approach。　He　stopped　close　behind　her；　and　cleared　his　throat。　　She　started　and　turned；　and　their　eyes　met。
　For　a　moment　hers　were　empty　of　any　recognition。　Then　they　lit　up。　She　caught　her　breath　quickly；　and　a　faint　flush　came　into　her　face。
　〃Can　I　help　you？〃　asked　George。
　The　long　legs　wriggled　out　into　the　road　followed　by　a　long　body。　The　young　man　under　the　car　sat　up；　turning　a　grease…streaked　and　pleasant　face　to　George。
　〃Eh；　what？〃
　〃Can　I　help　you？　I　know　how　to　fix　a　car。〃
　The　young　man　beamed　in　friendly　fashion。
　〃It's　awfully　good　of　you；　old　chap；　but　so　do　I。　It's　the　only　thing　I　can　do　well。　Thanks　very　much　and　so　forth　all　the　same。〃
　George　fastened　his　eyes　on　the　girl's。　She　had　not　spoken。
　〃If　there　is　anything　in　the　world　I　can　possibly　do　for　you；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃I　hope　you　will　let　me　know。　I　should　like　above　all　things　to　help　you。〃
　The　girl　spoke。
　〃Thank　you；〃　she　said　in　a　low　voice　almost　inaudible。
　George　walked　away。　The　grease…streaked　young　man　followed　him　with　his　gaze。
　〃Civil　cove；　that；〃　he　said。　〃Rather　gushing　though；　what？　American；　wasn't　he？〃
　〃Yes。　I　think　he　was。〃
　〃Americans　are　the　civillest　coves　I　ever　struck。　I　remember　asking　the　way　of　a　chappie　at　Baltimore　a　couple　of　years　ago　when　I　was　there　in　my　yacht；　and　he　followed　me　for　miles；　shrieking　advice　and　encouragement。　I　thought　it　deuced　civil　of　him。〃
　〃I　wish　you　would　hurry　up　and　get　the　car　right；　Reggie。　　We　shall　be　awfully　late　for　lunch。〃
　Reggie　Byng　began　to　slide　backwards　under　the　car。
　〃All　right；　dear　heart。　Rely　on　me。　It's　something　quite　simple。〃
　〃Well；　do　be　quick。〃
　〃Imitation　of　greased　lightningvery　difficult；〃　said　Reggie　encouragingly。　〃Be　patient。　Try　and　amuse　yourself　somehow。　　Ask　yourself　a　riddle。　Tell　yourself　a　few　anecdotes。　I'll　be　with　you　in　a　moment。　I　say；　I　wonder　what　the　cove　is　doing　at　Belpher？　Deuced　civil　cove；〃　said　Reggie　approvingly。　〃I　liked　him。　And　now；　business　of　repairing　breakdown。〃
　His　smiling　face　vanished　under　the　car　like　the　Cheshire　cat。　Maud　stood　looking　thoughtfully　down　the　road　in　the　direction　in　which　George　had　disappeared。
　
　CHAPTER　8。
　
　The　following　day　was　a　Thursday　and　on　Thursdays；　as　has　been　stated；　Belpher　Castle　was　thrown　open　to　the　general　public　between　the　hours　of　two　and　four。　It　was　a　tradition　of　long　standing；　this　periodical　lowering　of　the　barriers；　and　had　always　been　faithfully　observed　by　Lord　Marshmoreton　ever　since　his　accession　to　the　title。　By　the　permanent　occupants　of　the　castle　the　day　was　regarded　with　mixed　feelings。　Lord　Belpher；　while　approving　of　it　in　theory；　as　he　did　of　all　the　family　traditionsfor　he　was　a　great　supporter　of　all　things　feudal；　and　took　his　position　as　one　of　the　hereditary　aristocracy　of　Great　Britain　extremely　seriouslyheartily　disliked　it　in　practice。　More　than　once　he　had　been　obliged　to　exit　hastily　by　a　further　door　in　order　to　keep　from　being　discovered　by　a　drove　of　tourists　intent　on　inspecting　the　library　or　the　great　drawing…room；　and　now　it　was　his　custom　to　retire　to　his　bedroom　immediately　after　lunch　and　not　to　emerge　until　the　tide　of　invasion　had　ebbed　away。
　Keggs；　the　butler；　always　looked　forward　to　Thursdays　with　pleasurable　anticipation。　He　enjoyed　the　sense　of　authority　which　it　gave　him　to　herd　these　poor　outcasts　to　and　fro　among　the　surroundings　which　were　an　every…day　monplace　to　himself。　Also　he　liked　hearing　the　sound　of　his　own　voice　as　it　lectured　in　rolling　periods　on　the　objects　of　interest　by　the　way…side。　But　even　to　Keggs　there　was　a　bitter　mixed　with　the　sweet。　　No　one　was　better　aware　than　himself　that　the　nobility　of　his　manner；　excellent　as　a　means　of　impressing　the　mob；　worked　against　him　when　it　came　to　a　question　of　tips。　Again　and　again　had　he　been　harrowed　by　the　spectacle　of　tourists；　huddled　together　like　sheep；　debating　among　themselves　in　nervous　whispers　as　to　whether　they　could　offer　this　personage　anything　so　contemptible　as　half　a　crown　for　himself　and　deciding　that　such　an　insult　was　out　of　the　question。　It　was　his　endeavour；　especially　towards　the　end　of　the　proceedings；　to　cultivate　a　manner　blending　a　dignity　fitting　his　position　with　a　sunny　geniality　which　would　allay　the　timid　doubts　of　the　tourist　and　indicate　to　him　that；　bizarre　as　the　idea　might　seem；　there　was　nothing　to　prevent　him　placing　his　poor　silver　in　more　worthy　hands。
　Possibly　the　only　member　of　the　castle　munity　who　was　absolutely　indifferent　to　these　public　visits　was　Lord　Marshmoreton。　He　made　no　difference　between　Thursday　and　any　other　day。　Precisely　as　usual　he　donned　his　stained　corduroys　and　pottered　about　his　beloved　garden；　and　when；　as　happened　on　an　average　once　a　quarter；　some　visitor；　strayed　from　the　main　herd；　came　upon　him　as　he　worked　and　mistook　him　for　one　of　the　gardeners；　he　accepted　the　error　without　any　attempt　at　explanation；　sometimes　going　so　far　as　to　encourage　it　by　adopting　a　rustic　accent　in　keeping　with　his　appearance。　This　sort　thing　tickled　the　simple…minded　peer。
　George　joined　the　procession　punctually　at　two　o'clock；　just　as　Keggs　was　clearing　his　throat　preparatory　to　saying；　〃We　are　now　in　the　main　'all；　and　before　going　any　further　I　would　like　to　call　your　attention　to　Sir　Peter　Lely's　portrait　of〃　It　was　his　custom　to　begin　his　Thursday　lectures　with　this　remark；　but　today　it　was　postponed；　for；　no　sooner　had　George　appeared；　than　a　breezy　voice　on　the　outskirts　of　the　throng　spoke　in　a　tone　that　made　petition　impossible。
　〃For　goodness'　sake；　George。〃
　And　Billie　Dore　detached　herself　from　the　group；　a　trim　vision　in　blue。　She　wore　a　dust…coat　and　a　motor　veil；　and　her　eyes　and　cheeks　were　glowing　from　the　fresh　air。
　〃For　goodness'　sake；　George；　what　are　you　doing　here？〃
　〃I　was　just　going　to　ask　you　the　same　thing。〃
　〃Oh；　I　motored　down　with　a　boy　I　know。　We　had　a　breakdown　just　outside　the　gates。　We　were　on　our　way　to　Brighton　for　lunch。　He　suggested　I　should　pass　the　time　seeing　the　sights　while　he　fixed　up　the　sprockets　or　the　differential　gear　or　whatever　it　was。　　He's　ing　to　pick　me　up　when　he's　through。　　But；　on　the　level；　George；　how　do　you　get　this　way？　You　sneak　out　of　town　and　leave　the　show　flat；　and　nobody　has　a　notion　where　you　are。　Why；　we　were　thinking　of　advertising　for　you；　or　going　to　the　police　or　something。　For　all　anybody　knew；　you　might　have　been　sandbagged　or　dropped　in　the　river。〃
　This　aspect　of　the　matter　had　not　occurred　to　George　till　now。　　His　sudden　descent　on　Belpher　had　seemed　to　him　the　only　natural　course　to　pursue。　He　had　not　realized　that　he　would　be　missed；　and　that　his　absence　might　have　caused　grave　inconvenience　to　a　large　number　of　people。
　〃I　never　thought　of　that。　Iwell；　I　just　happened　to　e　here。〃
　〃You　aren't　living　in　this　old　castle？〃
　〃Not　quite。　I've　a　cottage　down　the　road。　I　wanted　a　few　days　in　the　country　so　I　rented　it。〃
　〃But　what　made　you　choose　this　place？