pgw.adamselindistress-第42章

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　〃Now　that　I　take　a　good　look；　precious；〃　replied　Reggie　with　alacrity；　〃no！　Absolutely　not！　Not　my　style　at　all！〃
　His　wife　crumbled　bread。
　〃I　think　she　must　know　you；　Reggie　dear；〃　she　said　softly。　　〃She's　waving　to　you。〃
　〃She's　waving　to　ME；〃　said　George；　bringing　back　the　sunshine　to　Reggie's　life；　and　causing　the　latter's　face　to　lose　its　hunted　look。　〃I　know　her　very　well。　Her　name's　Dore。　　Billie　Dore。〃
　〃Old　man；〃　said　Reggie；　〃be　a　good　fellow　and　slide　over　to　their　table　and　cover　our　retreat。　I　know　there's　nothing　to　be　afraid　of　really；　but　I　simply　can't　face　the　old　boy。〃
　〃And　break　the　news　to　him　that　I've　gone；　Mr。　Bevan；〃　added　Alice。
　〃Very　well；　I'll　say　good…bye；　then。〃
　〃Good…bye；　Mr。　Bevan；　and　thank　you　ever　so　much。〃
　Reggie　shook　George's　hand　warmly。
　〃Good…bye；　Bevan　old　thing；　you're　a　ripper。　I　can't　tell　you　how　bucked　up　I　am　at　the　sportsmanlike　way　you've　rallied　round。　I'll　do　the　same　for　you　one　of　these　days。　Just　hold　the　old　boy　in　play　for　a　minute　or　two　while　we　leg　it。　And；　if　he　wants　us；　tell　him　our　address　till　further　notice　is　Paris。　What　ho！　What　ho！　What　ho！　Toodle…oo；　laddie；　toodle…oo！〃
　George　threaded　his　way　across　the　room。　Billie　Dore　weled　him　with　a　friendly　smile。　The　earl；　who　had　turned　to　observe　his　progress；　seemed　less　delighted　to　see　him。　His　weather…beaten　face　wore　an　almost　furtive　look。　He　reminded　George　of　a　schoolboy　who　has　been　caught　in　some　breach　of　the　law。
　〃Fancy　seeing　you　here；　George！〃　said　Billie。　〃We're　always　meeting；　aren't　we？　How　did　you　e　to　separate　yourself　from　the　pigs　and　chickens？　I　thought　you　were　never　going　to　leave　them。〃
　〃I　had　to　run　up　on　business；〃　explained　George。　〃How　are　you；　Lord　Marshmoreton？〃
　The　earl　nodded　briefly。
　〃So　you're　on　to　him；　too？〃　said　Billie。　〃When　did　you　get　wise？〃
　〃Lord　Marshmoreton　was　kind　enough　to　call　on　me　the　other　morning　and　drop　the　incognito。〃
　〃Isn't　dadda　the　foxiest　old　thing！〃　said　Billie　delightedly。　〃Imagine　him　standing　there　that　day　in　the　garden；　kidding　us　along　like　that！　I　tell　you；　when　they　brought　me　his　card　last　night　after　the　first　act　and　I　went　down　to　take　a　slant　at　this　Lord　Marshmoreton　and　found　dadda　hanging　round　the　stage　door；　you　could　have　knocked　me　over　with　a　whisk…broom。〃
　〃I　have　not　stood　at　the　stage…door　for　twenty…five　years；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton　sadly。
　〃Now；　it's　no　use　your　pulling　that　Henry　W。　Methuselah　stuff；〃　said　Billie　affectionately。　〃You　can't　get　away　with　it。　　Anyone　can　see　you're　just　a　kid。　Can't　they；　George？〃　She　indicated　the　blushing　earl　with　a　wave　of　the　hand。　〃Isn't　dadda　the　youngest　thing　that　ever　happened？〃
　〃Exactly　what　I　told　him　myself。〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　giggled。　There　is　no　other　verb　that　describes　the　sound　that　proceeded　from　him。
　〃I　feel　young；〃　he　admitted。
　〃I　wish　some　of　the　juveniles　in　the　shows　I've　been　in；〃　said　Billie；　〃were　as　young　as　you。　It's　getting　so　nowadays　that　one's　thankful　if　a　juvenile　has　teeth。〃　She　glanced　across　the　room。　〃Your　pals　are　walking　out　on　you；　George。　The　people　you　were　lunching　with；〃　she　explained。　〃They're　leaving。〃
　〃That's　all　right。　I　said　good…bye　to　them。〃　He　looked　at　Lord　Marshmoreton。　It　seemed　a　suitable　opportunity　to　break　the　news。　〃I　was　lunching　with　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Byng；〃　he　said。
　Nothing　appeared　to　stir　beneath　Lord　Marshmoreton's　tanned　forehead。
　〃Reggie　Byng　and　his　wife；　Lord　Marshmoreton；〃　added　George。
　This　time　he　secured　the　earl's　interest。　Lord　Marshmoreton　started。
　〃What！〃
　〃They　are　just　off　to　Paris；〃　said　George。
　〃Reggie　Byng　is　not　married！〃
　〃Married　this　morning。　I　was　best　man。〃
　〃Busy　little　creature！〃　interjected　Billie。
　〃Butbut！〃
　〃You　know　his　wife；〃　said　George　casually。　〃She　was　a　Miss　Faraday。　I　think　she　was　your　secretary。〃
　It　would　have　been　impossible　to　deny　that　Lord　Marshmoreton　showed　emotion。　His　mouth　opened；　and　he　clutched　the　tablecloth。　　But　just　what　the　emotion　was　George　was　unable　to　say　till；　with　a　sigh　that　seemed　to　e　from　his　innermost　being；　the　other　exclaimed　〃Thank　Heaven！〃
　George　was　surprised。
　〃You're　glad？〃
　〃Of　course　I'm　glad！〃
　〃It's　a　pity　they　didn't　know　how　you　were　going　to　feel。　It　would　have　saved　them　a　lot　of　anxiety。　I　rather　gathered　they　supposed　that　the　shock　was　apt　to　darken　your　whole　life。〃
　〃That　girl；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton　vehemently；　〃was　driving　me　crazy。　Always　bothering　me　to　e　and　work　on　that　damned　family　history。　Never　gave　me　a　moment's　peace　。　。　。〃
　〃I　liked　her；〃　said　George。
　〃Nice　enough　girl；〃　admitted　his　lordship　grudgingly。　〃But　a　damned　nuisance　about　the　house；　always　at　me　to　go　on　with　the　family　history。　As　if　there　weren't　better　things　to　do　with　one's　time　than　writing　all　day　about　my　infernal　fools　of　ancestors！〃
　〃Isn't　dadda　fractious　today？〃　said　Billie　reprovingly；　giving　the　Earl's　hand　a　pat。　〃Quit　knocking　your　ancestors！　You're　very　lucky　to　have　ancestors。　I　wish　I　had。　The　Dore　family　seems　to　go　back　about　as　far　as　the　presidency　of　Willard　Filmore；　and　then　it　kind　of　gets　discouraged　and　quite　cold。　　Gee！　I'd　like　to　feel　that　my　great…great…great…grandmother　had　helped　Queen　Elizabeth　with　the　rent。　I'm　strong　for　the　fine　old　stately　families　of　England。〃
　〃Stately　old　fiddlesticks！〃　snapped　the　earl。
　〃Did　you　see　his　eyes　flash　then；　George？　That's　what　they　call　aristocratic　rage。　It's　the　fine　old　spirit　of　the　Marshmoretons　boiling　over。〃
　〃I　noticed　it；〃　said　George。　〃Just　like　lightning。〃
　〃It's　no　use　trying　to　fool　us；　dadda；〃　said　Billie。　〃You　know　just　as　well　as　I　do　that　it　makes　you　feel　good　to　think　that；　every　time　you　cut　yourself　with　your　safety…razor；　you　bleed　blue！〃
　〃A　lot　of　silly　nonsense！〃　grumbled　the　earl。
　〃What　is？〃
　〃This　foolery　of　titles　and　aristocracy。　Silly　fetish…worship！　One　man's　as　good　as　another。　。　。　。〃
　〃This　is　the　spirit　of　'76！〃　said　George　approvingly。
　〃Regular　I。W。W。　stuff；〃　agreed　Billie。　〃Shake　hands　the　President　of　the　Bolsheviki！〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　ignored　the　interruption。　There　was　a　strange　look　in　his　eyes。　It　was　evident　to　George；　watching　him　with　close　interest；　that　here　was　a　revelation　of　the　man's　soul；　that　thoughts；　locked　away　for　years　in　the　other's　bosom　were　crying　for　utterance。
　〃Damned　silly　nonsense！　When　I　was　a　boy；　I　wanted　to　be　an　engine…driver。　When　I　was　a　young　man；　I　was　a　Socialist　and　hadn't　any　idea　except　to　work　for　my　living　and　make　a　name　for　myself。　I　was　going　to　the　colonies。　Canada。　The　fruit　farm　was　actually　bought。　Bought　and　paid　for！〃　He　brooded　a　moment　on　that　long…lost　fruit　farm。　〃My　father　was　a　younger　son。　And　then　my　uncle　must　go　and　break　his　neck　hunting；　and　the　baby；　poor　little　chap；　got　croup　or　something　。　。　。　And　there　I　was；　saddled　with　the　title；　and　all　my　plans　gone　up　in　smoke　。　。　。　Silly　nonsense！　Silly　nonsense！〃
　He　bit　the　end　of　a　cigar。　〃And　you　can't　stand　up　against　it；〃　he　went　on　ruefully。　〃It　saps　you。　It's　like　some　damned　drug。　　I　fought　against　it　as　long　as　I　could；　but　it　was　no　use。　I'm　as　big　a　snob　as　any　of　them　now。　I'm　afraid　to　do　what　I　want　to　do。　Always　thinking　of　the　family　dignity。　I　haven't　taken　a　free　step　for　twenty…five　years。〃
　George　and　Billie　exchanged　glances。　Each　had　the　unfortable　feeling　that　they　were　eavesdropping　and　hearing　things　not　meant　to　be　heard。　George　rose。
　〃I　must　be　getting　along　now；〃　he　said。　〃I've　one　or　two　things　to　do。　Glad　to　have　seen　you　again；　Billie。　Is　the　show　going　all　right？〃
　〃Fine。　Making　money　for　you　right　along。〃
　〃Good…bye；　Lord　Marshmoreton。〃
　The　earl　nodded　without　speaking。　It　was　not　often　now　that　he　rebelled　even　in　thoughts　against　the　lot　which　fate　had　thrust　upon　him；　and　never　in　his　life　before　had　he　done　so　in　words。　　He　was　still　in　the　grip　of　the　strange　discontent　which　had　e　upon　him　so　abruptly。
　There　was　a　silence　after　George　had　gone。
　〃I'm　glad　we　met　George；〃　said　Billie。　〃He's　a　good　boy。〃　She　spoke　soberly。　She　was　conscious　of　a　curious　feeling　of　affection　for　the　sturdy；　weather…tanned　little　man　opposite　her。　　The　glimpse　she　had　been　given　of　his　inner　s