pgw.adamselindistress-第30章

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　a　matter　of　minutes：　and　in　another　moment　or　two　Maud　would　be　out　of　sight。　Percy　ran　downstairs；　snatched　up　a　soft　shooting…hat；　which　proved；　too　late；　to　belong　to　a　person　with　a　head　two　sizes　smaller　than　his　own；　and　raced　out　into　the　grounds。　　He　was　just　in　time　to　see　Maud　disappearing　round　the　corner　of　the　drive。
　Lord　Belpher　had　never　belonged　to　that　virile　class　of　the　munity　which　considers　running　a　pleasure　and　a　pastime。　　At　Oxford；　on　those　occasions　when　the　members　of　his　college　had　turned　out　on　raw　afternoons　to　trot　along　the　river…bank　encouraging　the　college　eight　with　yelling　and　the　swinging　of　police…rattles；　Percy　had　always　stayed　prudently　in　his　rooms　with　tea　and　buttered　toast；　thereby　avoiding　who　knows　what　colds　and　coughs。　When　he　ran；　he　ran　reluctantly　and　with　a　definite　object　in　view；　such　as　the　catching　of　a　train。　He　was　consequently　not　in　the　best　of　condition；　and　the　sharp　sprint　which　was　imperative　at　this　juncture　if　he　was　to　keep　his　sister　in　view　left　him　spent　and　panting。　But　he　had　the　reward　of　reaching　the　gates　of　the　drive　not　many　seconds　after　Maud；　and　of　seeing　her　walkingmore　slowly　nowdown　the　road　that　led　to　Platt's。　This　confirmation　of　his　suspicions　enabled　him　momentarily　to　forget　the　blister　which　was　forming　on　the　heel　of　his　left　foot。　He　set　out　after　her　at　a　good　pace。
　The　road；　after　the　habit　of　country　roads；　wound　and　twisted。　　The　quarry　was　frequently　out　of　sight。　And　Percy's　anxiety　was　such　that；　every　time　Maud　vanished；　he　broke　into　a　gallop。　　Another　hundred　yards；　and　the　blister　no　longer　consented　to　be　ignored。　It　cried　for　attention　like　a　little　child；　and　was　rapidly　insinuating　itself　into　a　position　in　the　scheme　of　things　where　it　threatened　to　bee　the　centre　of　the　world。　By　the　time　the　third　bend　in　the　road　was　reached；　it　seemed　to　Percy　that　this　blister　had　bee　the　one　great　Fact　in　an　unreal　nightmare…like　universe。　He　hobbled　painfully：　and　when　he　stopped　suddenly　and　darted　back　into　the　shelter　of　the　hedge　his　foot　seemed　aflame。　　The　only　reason　why　the　blister　on　his　left　heel　did　not　at　this　juncture　attract　his　entire　attention　was　that　he　had　bee　aware　that　there　was　another　of　equal　proportions　forming　on　his　right　heel。
　Percy　had　stopped　and　sought　cover　in　the　hedge　because；　as　he　rounded　the　bend　in　the　road；　he　perceived；　before　he　had　time　to　check　his　gallop；　that　Maud　had　also　stopped。　She　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　looking　over　her　shoulder；　not　ten　yards　away。　Had　she　seen　him？　It　was　a　point　that　time　alone　could　solve。　No！　She　walked　on　again。　She　had　not　seen　him。　Lord　Belpher；　by　means　of　a　notable　triumph　of　mind　over　matter；　forgot　the　blisters　and　hurried　after　her。
　They　had　now　reached　that　point　in　the　road　where　three　choices　offer　themselves　to　the　wayfarer。　By　going　straight　on　he　may　win　through　to　the　village　of　Moresby…in…the…Vale；　a　charming　little　place　with　a　Norman　church；　by　turning　to　the　left　he　may　visit　the　equally　seductive　hamlet　of　Little　Weeting；　by　turning　to　the　right　off　the　main　road　and　going　down　a　leafy　lane　he　may　find　himself　at　the　door　of　Platt's　farm。　When　Maud；　reaching　the　cross…roads；　suddenly　swung　down　the　one　to　the　left；　Lord　Belpher　was　for　the　moment　pletely　baffled。　　Reason　reasserted　its　way　the　next　minute；　telling　him　that　this　was　but　a　ruse。　Whether　or　no　she　had　caught　sight　of　him；　there　was　no　doubt　that　Maud　intended　to　shake　off　any　possible　pursuit　by　taking　this　speciously　innocent　turning　and　making　a　detour。　She　could　have　no　possible　motive　in　going　to　Little　Weeting。　He　had　never　been　to　Little　Weeting　in　his　life；　and　there　was　no　reason　to　suppose　that　Maud　had　either。
　The　sign…post　informed　hima　statement　strenuously　denied　by　the　twin…blistersthat　the　distance　to　Little　Weeting　was　one　and　a　half　miles。　Lord　Belpher's　view　of　it　was　that　it　was　nearer　fifty。　He　dragged　himself　along　wearily。　It　was　simpler　now　to　keep　Maud　in　sight；　for　the　road　ran　straight：　but；　there　being　a　catch　in　everything　in　this　world；　the　process　was　also　messier。　　In　order　to　avoid　being　seen；　it　was　necessary　for　Percy　to　leave　the　road　and　tramp　along　in　the　deep　ditch　which　ran　parallel　to　it。　There　is　nothing　half…hearted　about　these　ditches　which　acpany　English　country　roads。　They　know　they　are　intended　to　be　ditches；　not　mere　furrows；　and　they　behave　as　such。　　The　one　that　sheltered　Lord　Belpher　was　so　deep　that　only　his　head　and　neck　protruded　above　the　level　of　the　road；　and　so　dirty　that　a　bare　twenty　yards　of　travel　was　sufficient　to　coat　him　with　mud。　Rain；　once　fallen；　is　reluctant　to　leave　the　English　ditch。　　It　nestles　inside　it　for　weeks；　forming　a　rich；　oatmeal…like　substance　which　has　to　be　stirred　to　be　believed。　Percy　stirred　it。　　He　churned　it。　He　ploughed　and　sloshed　through　it。　The　mud　stuck　to　him　like　a　brother。
　Nevertheless；　being　a　determined　young　man；　he　did　not　give　in。　Once　he　lost　a　shoe；　but　a　little　searching　recovered　that。　　On　another　occasion；　a　passing　dog；　seeing　things　going　on　in　the　ditch　which　in　his　opinion　should　not　have　been　going　onhe　was　a　high…strung　dog；　unused　to　ing　upon　heads　moving　along　the　road　without　bodies　attachedacpanied　Percy　for　over　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　causing　him　exquisite　disfort　by　making　sudden　runs　at　his　face。　A　well…aimed　stone　settled　this　little　misunderstanding；　and　Percy　proceeded　on　his　journey　alone。　　He　had　Maud　well　in　view　when；　to　his　surprise　she　left　the　road　and　turned　into　the　gate　of　a　house　which　stood　not　far　from　the　church。
　Lord　Belpher　regained　the　road；　and　remained　there；　a　puzzled　man。　A　dreadful　thought　came　to　him　that　he　might　have　had　all　this　trouble　and　anguish　for　no　reason。　This　house　bore　the　unmistakable　stamp　of　a　vicarage。　Maud　could　have　no　reason　that　was　not　innocent　for　going　there。　Had　he　gone　through　all　this；　merely　to　see　his　sister　paying　a　visit　to　a　clergyman？　Too　late　it　occurred　to　him　that　she　might　quite　easily　be　on　visiting　terms　with　the　clergy　of　Little　Weeting。　He　had　forgotten　that　he　had　been　away　at　Oxford　for　many　weeks；　a　period　of　time　in　which　Maud；　finding　life　in　the　country　weigh　upon　her；　might　easily　have　interested　herself　charitably　in　the　life　of　this　village。　　He　paused　irresolutely。　He　was　baffled。
　Maud；　meanwhile；　had　rung　the　bell。　Ever　since；　looking　over　her　shoulder；　she　had　perceived　her　brother　Percy　dodging　about　in　the　background；　her　active　young　mind　had　been　busying　itself　with　schemes　for　throwing　him　off　the　trail。　She　must　see　George　that　morning。　She　could　not　wait　another　day　before　establishing　munication　between　herself　and　Geoffrey。　But　it　was　not　till　she　reached　Little　Weeting　that　there　occurred　to　her　any　plan　that　promised　success。
　A　trim　maid　opened　the　door。
　〃Is　the　vicar　in？〃
　〃No；　miss。　He　went　out　half　an　hour　back。〃
　Maud　was　as　baffled　for　the　moment　as　her　brother　Percy；　now　leaning　against　the　vicarage　wall　in　a　state　of　advanced　exhaustion。
　〃Oh；　dear！〃　she　said。
　The　maid　was　sympathetic。
　〃Mr。　Ferguson；　the　curate；　miss；　he's　here；　if　he　would　do。〃
　Maud　brightened。
　〃He　would　do　splendidly。　Will　you　ask　him　if　I　can　see　him　for　a　moment？〃
　〃Very　well；　miss。　What　name；　please？〃
　〃He　won't　know　my　name。　Will　you　please　tell　him　that　a　lady　wishes　to　see　him？〃
　〃Yes；　miss。　Won't　you　step　in？〃
　The　front　door　closed　behind　Maud。　She　followed　the　maid　into　the　drawing…room。　Presently　a　young　small　curate　entered。　　He　had　a　willing；　benevolent　face。　He　looked　alert　and　helpful。
　〃You　wished　to　see　me？〃
　〃I　am　so　sorry　to　trouble　you；〃　said　Maud；　rocking　the　young　man　in　his　tracks　with　a　smile　of　dazzling　brilliancy（〃No　trouble；　I　assure　you；〃　said　the　curate　dizzily）〃but　there　is　a　man　following　me！〃
　The　curate　clicked　his　tongue　indignantly。
　〃A　rough　sort　of　a　tramp　kind　of　man。　He　has　been　following　me　for　miles；　and　I'm　frightened。〃
　〃Brute！〃
　〃I　think　he's　outside　now。　I　can't　think　what　he　wants。　　Would　youwould　you　mind　being　kind　enough　to　go　and　send　him　away？〃
　The　eyes　that　had　settled　George's　fate　for　all　eternity　flashed　upon　the　curate；　who　blinked。　He　squared　his　shoulders　and　d