pgw.adamselindistress-第25章

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　The　solicitous　note　in　her　voice　made　Reggie　quiver　like　a　jelly。　He　had　never　known　her　speak　like　that　before。　For　a　moment　he　was　inclined　to　lay　bare　his　soul；　but　his　nerve　was　broken。　He　did　not　want　her　to　mistake　the　outpouring　of　a　strong　man's　heart　for　the　irresponsible　ravings　of　a　too　hearty　diner。　It　was　one　of　Life's　ironies。　Here　he　was　for　the　first　time　all　keyed　up　to　go　right　ahead；　and　he　couldn't　do　it。
　〃It's　the　heat　of　the　room；〃　said　Alice。　〃Shall　we　go　and　sit　outside　on　the　terrace？　Never　mind　about　the　lemonade。　I'm　not　really　thirsty。〃
　Reggie　followed　her　like　a　lamb。　The　prospect　of　the　cool　night　air　was　grateful。
　〃That；〃　murmured　George；　as　he　watched　them　depart；　〃ought　to　hold　you　for　a　while！〃
　He　perceived　Albert　hastening　towards　him。
　
　CHAPTER　13。
　
　Albert　was　in　a　hurry。　He　skimmed　over　the　carpet　like　a　water…beetle。
　〃Quick！〃　he　said。
　He　cast　a　glance　at　the　maid；　George's　co…worker。　She　was　reading　a　novelette　with　her　back　turned。
　〃Tell　'er　you'll　be　back　in　five　minutes；〃　said　Albert；　jerking　a　thumb。
　〃Unnecessary。　She　won't　notice　my　absence。　Ever　since　she　discovered　that　I　had　never　met　her　cousin　Frank　in　America；　I　have　meant　nothing　in　her　life。〃
　〃Then　e　on。〃
　〃Where？〃
　〃I'll　show　you。〃
　That　it　was　not　the　nearest　and　most　direct　route　which　they　took　to　the　trysting…place　George　became　aware　after　he　had　followed　his　young　guide　through　doors　and　up　stairs　and　down　stairs　and　had　at　last　e　to　a　halt　in　a　room　to　which　the　sound　of　the　music　penetrated　but　faintly。　He　recognized　the　room。　　He　had　been　in　it　before。　It　was　the　same　room　where　he　and　Billie　Dore　had　listened　to　Keggs　telling　the　story　of　Lord　Leonard　and　his　leap。　That　window　there；　he　remembered　now；　opened　on　to　the　very　balcony　from　which　the　historic　Leonard　had　done　his　spectacular　dive。　That　it　should　be　the　scene　of　this　other　secret　meeting　struck　George　as　appropriate。　　The　coincidence　appealed　to　him。
　Albert　vanished。　George　took　a　deep　breath。　Now　that　the　moment　had　arrived　for　which　he　had　waited　so　long　he　was　aware　of　a　return　of　that　feeling　of　stage…fright　which　had　e　upon　him　when　he　heard　Reggie　Byng's　voice。　This　sort　of　thing；　it　must　be　remembered；　was　not　in　George's　usual　line。　　His　had　been　a　quiet　and　uneventful　life；　and　the　only　exciting　thing　which；　in　his　recollection；　had　ever　happened　to　him　previous　to　the　dramatic　entry　of　Lady　Maud　into　his　taxi…cab　that　day　in　Piccadilly；　had　occurred　at　college　nearly　ten　years　before；　when　a　festive　room…mateno　doubt　with　the　best　motiveshad　placed　a　Mexican　horned　toad　in　his　bed　on　the　night　of　the　Yale　football　game。
　A　light　footstep　sounded　outside；　and　the　room　whirled　round　George　in　a　manner　which；　if　it　had　happened　to　Reggie　Byng；　would　have　caused　that　injudicious　drinker　to　abandon　the　habits　of　a　lifetime。　When　the　furniture　had　returned　to　its　place　and　the　rug　had　ceased　to　spin；　Maud　was　standing　before　him。
　Nothing　is　harder　to　remember　than　a　once…seen　face。　It　had　caused　George　a　good　deal　of　distress　and　inconvenience　that；　try　as　he　might；　he　could　not　conjure　up　anything　more　than　a　vague　vision　of　what　the　only　girl　in　the　world　really　looked　like。　　He　had　carried　away　with　him　from　their　meeting　in　the　cab　only　a　confused　recollection　of　eyes　that　shone　and　a　mouth　that　curved　in　a　smile；　and　the　brief　moment　in　which　he　was　able　to　refresh　his　memory；　when　he　found　her　in　the　lane　with　Reggie　Byng　and　the　broken…down　car；　had　not　been　enough　to　add　definiteness。　The　consequence　was　that　Maud　came　upon　him　now　with　the　stunning　effect　of　beauty　seen　for　the　first　time。　He　gasped。　In　that　dazzling　ball…dress；　with　the　flush　of　dancing　on　her　cheeks　and　the　light　of　dancing　in　her　eyes；　she　was　so　much　more　wonderful　than　any　picture　of　her　which　memory　had　been　able　to　produce　for　his　inspection　that　it　was　as　if　he　had　never　seen　her　before。
　Even　her　brother；　Percy；　a　stern　critic　where　his　nearest　and　dearest　were　concerned；　had　admitted　on　meeting　her　in　the　drawing…room　before　dinner　that　that　particular　dress　suited　Maud。　It　was　a　shimmering　dream…thing　of　rose…leaves　and　moon…beams。　That；　at　least；　was　how　it　struck　George；　a　dressmaker　would　have　found　a　longer　and　less　romantic　description　for　it。　　But　that　does　not　matter。　Whoever　wishes　for　a　cold　and　technical　catalogue　of　the　stuffs　which　went　to　make　up　the　picture　that　deprived　George　of　speech　may　consult　the　files　of　the　Belpher　Intelligencer　and　Farmers'　Guide；　and　read　the　report　of　the　editor's　wife；　who　〃does〃　the　dresses　for　the　Intelligencer　under　the　pen…name　of　〃Birdie　Bright…Eye〃。　As　far　as　George　was　concerned；　the　thing　was　made　of　rose…leaves　and　moon…beams。
　George；　as　I　say；　was　deprived　of　speech。　That　any　girl　could　possibly　look　so　beautiful　was　enough　to　paralyse　his　faculties；　but　that　this　ethereal　being　straight　from　Fairyland　could　have　stooped　to　love　himhiman　earthy　brute　who　wore　sock…suspenders　and　drank　coffee　for　breakfast　。　。　。　that　was　what　robbed　George　of　the　power　to　articulate。　He　could　do　nothing　but　look　at　her。
　From　the　Hills　of　Fairyland　soft　music　came。　Or；　if　we　must　be　exact；　Maud　spoke。
　〃I　couldn't　get　away　before！〃　Then　she　stopped　short　and　darted　to　the　door　listening。　〃Was　that　somebody　ing？　　I　had　to　cut　a　dance　with　Mr。　Plummer　to　get　here；　and　I'm　so　afraid　he　may。　。　。〃
　He　had。　A　moment　later　it　was　only　too　evident　that　this　was　precisely　what　Mr。　Plummer　had　done。　There　was　a　footstep　on　the　stairs；　a　heavy　footstep　this　time；　and　from　outside　the　voice　of　the　pursuer　made　itself　heard。
　〃Oh；　there　you　are；　Lady　Maud！　I　was　looking　for　you。　　This　is　our　dance。〃
　George　did　not　know　who　Mr。　Plummer　was。　He　did　not　want　to　know。　His　only　thought　regarding　Mr。　Plummer　was　a　passionate　realization　of　the　superfluity　of　his　existence。　It　is　the　presence　on　the　globe　of　these　Plummers　that　delays　the　ing　of　the　Millennium。
　His　stunned　mind　leaped　into　sudden　activity。　He　must　not　be　found　here；　that　was　certain。　Waiters　who　ramble　at　large　about　a　feudal　castle　and　are　discovered　in　conversation　with　the　daughter　of　the　house　excite　ment。　And；　conversely；　daughters　of　the　house　who　talk　in　secluded　rooms　with　waiters　also　find　explanations　necessary。　He　must　withdraw。　He　must　withdraw　quickly。　And；　as　a　gesture　from　Maud　indicated；　the　withdrawal　must　be　effected　through　the　french　window　opening　on　the　balcony。　Estimating　the　distance　that　separated　him　from　the　approaching　Plummer　at　three　stairsthe　voice　had　e　from　belowand　a　landing；　the　space　of　time　allotted　to　him　by　a　hustling　Fate　for　disappearing　was　some　four　seconds。　　Inside　two　and　half；　the　french　window　had　opened　and　closed；　and　George　was　out　under　the　stars；　with　the　cool　winds　of　the　night　playing　on　his　heated　forehead。
　He　had　now　time　for　meditation。　There　are　few　situations　which　provide　more　scope　for　meditation　than　that　of　the　man　penned　up　on　a　small　balcony　a　considerable　distance　from　the　ground；　with　his　only　avenue　of　retreat　cut　off　behind　him。　So　George　meditated。　First；　he　mused　on　Plummer。　He　thought　some　hard　thoughts　about　Plummer。　Then　he　brooded　on　the　unkindness　of　a　fortune　which　had　granted　him　the　opportunity　of　this　meeting　with　Maud；　only　to　snatch　it　away　almost　before　it　had　begun。　He　wondered　how　long　the　late　Lord　Leonard　had　been　permitted　to　talk　on　that　occasion　before　he；　too；　had　had　to　retire　through　these　same　windows。　There　was　no　doubt　about　one　thing。　Lovers　who　chose　that　room　for　their　interviews　seemed　to　have　very　little　luck。
　It　had　not　occurred　to　George　at　first　that　there　could　be　any　further　disadvantage　attached　to　his　position　other　than　the　obvious　drawbacks　which　had　already　e　to　his　notice。　He　was　now　to　perceive　that　he　had　been　mistaken。　A　voice　was　speaking　in　the　room　he　had　left；　a　plainly　audible　voice；　deep　and　throaty；　and　within　a　minute　George　had　bee　aware　that　he　was　to　suffer　the　additional　disfort　of　being　obliged　to　listen　to　a　fellow　manone　could　call　Plummer　that　by　stretching　the　facts　a　littleproposing　marriage。　The　gruesomeness　of　the　situation　became　intensified。　Of　all　moments　when　a　manand　justice