pgw.adamselindistress-第34章
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！
lper it would be a pleasure to work on that infernal Family History which was now such a bitter toil。 But the day…dream passed。 He knew perfectly well that he had not the courage to dismiss Alice。 In the hands of that calm…eyed girl he was as putty。 She exercised over him the hypnotic spell a lion…tamer exercises over his little playmates。
〃We have been pals for years；〃 said George 〃Billie is one of the best fellows in the world。〃
〃A charming girl。〃
〃She would give her last nickel to anyone that asked for it。〃
〃Delightful！〃
〃And as straight as a string。 No one ever said a word against Billie。〃
〃No？〃
〃She may go out to lunch and supper and all that kind of thing； but there's nothing to that。〃
〃Nothing！〃 agreed the earl warmly。 〃Girls must eat！〃
〃They do。 You ought to see them。〃
〃A little harmless relaxation after the fatigue of the day！〃
〃Exactly。 Nothing more。〃
Lord Marshmoreton felt more drawn than ever to this sensible young mansensible； at least； on all points but one。 It was a pity they could not see eye to eye on what was and what was not suitable in the matter of the love…affairs of the aristocracy。
〃So you are a poser； Mr。 Bevan？〃 he said affably。
〃Yes。〃
Lord Marshmoreton gave a little sigh。 〃It's a long time since I went to see a musical performance。 More than twenty years。 When I was up at Oxford； and for some years afterwards； I was a great theatre…goer。 Never used to miss a first night at the Gaiety。 Those were the days of Nellie Farren and Kate Vaughan。 Florence St。 John； too。 How excellent she was in Faust Up To Date！ But we missed Nellie Farren。 Meyer Lutz was the Gaiety poser then。 But a good deal of water has flowed under the bridge since those days。 I don't suppose you have ever heard of Meyer Lutz？〃
〃I don't think I have。〃
〃Johnnie Toole was playing a piece called Partners。 Not a good play。 And the Yeoman of the Guard had just been produced at the Savoy。 That makes it seem a long time ago； doesn't it？ Well； I mustn't take up all your time。 Good…bye； Mr。 Bevan。 I am glad to have had the opportunity of this little talk。 The Regal Theatre； I think you said； is where your piece is playing？ I shall probably be going to London shortly。 I hope to see it。〃 Lord Marshmoreton rose。 〃As regards the other matter； there is no hope of inducing you to see the matter in the right light？〃
〃We seem to disagree as to which is the right light。〃
〃Then there is nothing more to be said。 I will be perfectly frank with you； Mr。 Bevan。 I like you 。 。 。〃
〃The feeling is quite mutual。〃
〃But I don't want you as a son…in…law。 And； dammit；〃 exploded Lord Marshmoreton； 〃I won't have you as a son…in…law！ Good God！ do you think that you can harry and assault my son Percy in the heart of Piccadilly and generally make yourself a damned nuisance and then settle down here without an invitation at my very gates and expect to be weled into the bosom of the family？ If I were a young man 。 。 。〃
〃I thought we had agreed that you were a young man。〃
〃Don't interrupt me！〃
〃I only said 。 。 。〃
〃I heard what you said。 Flattery！〃
〃Nothing of the kind。 Truth。〃
Lord Marshmoreton melted。 He smiled。 〃Young idiot！〃
〃We agree there all right。〃
Lord Marshmoreton hesitated。 Then with a rush he unbosomed himself； and made his own position on the matter clear。
〃I know what you'll be saying to yourself the moment my back is turned。 You'll be calling me a stage heavy father and an old snob and a number of other things。 Don't interrupt me； dammit！ You will； I tell you！ And you'll be wrong。 I don't think the Marshmoretons are fenced off from the rest of the world by some sort of divinity。 My sister does。 Percy does。 But Percy's an ass！ If ever you find yourself thinking differently from my son Percy； on any subject； congratulate yourself。 You'll be right。〃
〃But 。 。 。〃
〃I know what you're going to say。 Let me finish。 If I were the only person concerned； I wouldn't stand in Maud's way； whoever she wanted to marry； provided he was a good fellow and likely to make her happy。 But I'm not。 There's my sister Caroline。 There's a whole crowd of silly； cackling foolsmy sistersmy sons…in…lawall the whole pack of them！ If I didn't oppose Maud in this damned infatuation she's got for youif I stood by and let her marry youwhat do you think would happen to me？I'd never have a moment's peace！ The whole gabbling pack of them would be at me； saying I was to blame。 There would be arguments； discussions； family councils！ I hate arguments！ I loathe discussions！ Family councils make me sick！ I'm a peaceable man； and I like a quiet life！ And； damme； I'm going to have it。 So there's the thing for you in letters of one syllable。 I don't object to you personally； but I'm not going to have you bothering me like this。 I'll admit freely that； since I have made your acquaintance； I have altered the unfavourable opinion I had formed of you from…from hearsay。 。 。〃
〃Exactly the same with me；〃 said George。 〃You ought never to believe what people tell you。 Everyone told me your middle name was Nero； and that。 。 。〃
〃Don't interrupt me！〃
〃I wasn't。 I was just pointing out 。 。 。〃
〃Be quiet！ I say I have changed my opinion of you to a great extent。 I mention this unofficially； as a matter that has no bearing on the main issue； for； as regards any idea you may have of inducing me to agree to your marrying my daughter； let me tell you that I am unalterably opposed to any such thing！〃
〃Don't say that。〃
〃What the devil do you meandon't say that！ I do say that！ It is out of the question。 Do you understand？ Very well； then。 Good morning。〃
The door closed。 Lord Marshmoreton walked away feeling that he had been mendably stern。 George filled his pipe and sat smoking thoughtfully。 He wondered what Maud was doing at that moment。
Maud at that moment was greeting her brother with a bright smile； as he limped downstairs after a belated shave and change of costume。
〃Oh； Percy； dear；〃 she was saying； 〃I had quite an adventure this morning。 An awful tramp followed me for miles！ Such a horrible…looking brute。 I was so frightened that I had to ask a curate in the next village to drive him away。 I did wish I had had you there to protect me。 Why don't you e out with me sometimes when I take a country walk？ It really isn't safe for me to be alone！〃
CHAPTER 17。
The gift of hiding private emotion and keeping up appearances before strangers is not； as many suppose； entirely a product of our modern civilization。 Centuries before we were born or thought of there was a widely press…agented boy in Sparta who even went so far as to let a fox gnaw his tender young stomach without permitting the disfort inseparable from such a proceeding to interfere with either his facial expression or his flow of small talk。 Historians have handed it down that； even in the later stages of the meal； the polite lad continued to be the life and soul of the party。 But； while this feat may be said to have established a record never subsequently lowered； there is no doubt that almost every day in modem times men and women are performing similar and scarcely less impressive miracles of self…restraint。 Of all the qualities which belong exclusively to Man and are not shared by the lower animals； this surely is the one which marks him off most sharply from the beasts of the field。 Animals care nothing about keeping up appearances。 Observe Bertram the Bull when things are not going just as he could wish。 He stamps。 He snorts。 He paws the ground。 He throws back his head and bellows。 He is upset； and he doesn't care who knows it。 Instances could be readily multiplied。 Deposit a charge of shot in some outlying section of Thomas the Tiger； and note the effect。 Irritate Wilfred the Wasp； or stand behind Maud the Mule and prod her with a pin。 There is not an animal on the list who has even a rudimentary sense of the social amenities； and it is this more than anything else which should make us proud that we are human beings on a loftier plane of development。
In the days which followed Lord Marshmoreton's visit to George at the cottage； not a few of the occupants of Belpher Castle had their mettle sternly tested in this respect； and it
