pgw.adamselindistress-第51章

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he　slim　Apollo　whom　she　had　loved　in　Wales；　and　this　colossal　changeling　had　arrived　in　his　stead。
　We　all　of　us　have　our　prejudices。　Maud　had　a　prejudice　against　fat　men。　It　may　have　been　the　spectacle　of　her　Percy；　bulging　more　and　more　every　year　she　had　that　had　caused　this　kink　in　her　character。　At　any　rate；　and　she　gazed　in　sickened　silence　at　Geoffrey。　He　had　turned　again　now；　and　she　was　enabled　to　get　a　full　and　plete　view　of　him。　He　was　not　merely　stout。　He　was　gross。　The　figure　which　had　haunted　her　for　a　year　had　spread　into　a　sea　of　waistcoat。　The　keen　lines　of　his　face　had　disappeared　altogether。　His　cheeks　were　pink　jellies。
　One　of　the　distressed　gentlewomen　had　approached　with　a　slow　disdain；　and　was　standing　by　the　table；　brooding　on　the　corpse　upstairs。　It　seemed　a　shame　to　bother　her。
　〃Tea　or　chocolate？〃　she　inquired　proudly。
　〃Tea；　please；〃　said　Maud；　finding　her　voice。
　〃One　tea；〃　sighed　the　mourner。
　〃Chocolate　for　me；〃　said　Geoffrey　briskly；　with　the　air　of　one　discoursing　on　a　congenial　topic。　〃I'd　like　plenty　of　whipped　cream。　And　please　see　that　it's　hot。〃
　〃One　chocolate。〃
　Geoffrey　pondered。　This　was　no　light　matter　that　occupied　him。
　〃And　bring　some　fancy　cakesI　like　the　ones　with　icing　on　themand　some　tea…cake　and　buttered　toast。　Please　see　there's　plenty　of　butter　on　it。〃
　Maud　shivered。　This　man　before　her　was　a　man　in　whose　lexicon　there　should　have　been　no　such　word　as　butter；　a　man　who　should　have　called　for　the　police　had　some　enemy　endeavoured　to　thrust　butter　upon　him。
　〃Well；〃　said　Geoffrey　leaning　forward；　as　the　haughty　ministrant　drifted　away；　〃you　haven't　changed　a　bit。　To　look　at；　I　mean。〃
　〃No？〃　said　Maud。
　〃You're　just　the　same。　I　think　I〃he　squinted　down　at　his　waistcoat〃have　put　on　a　little　weight。　I　don't　know　if　you　notice　it？〃
　Maud　shivered　again。　He　thought　he　had　put　on　a　little　weight；　and　didn't　know　if　she　had　noticed　it！　She　was　oppressed　by　the　eternal　melancholy　miracle　of　the　fat　man　who　does　not　realize　that　he　has　bee　fat。
　〃It　was　living　on　the　yacht　that　put　me　a　little　out　of　condition；〃　said　Geoffrey。　〃I　was　on　the　yacht　nearly　all　the　time　since　I　saw　you　last。　The　old　boy　had　a　Japanese　cook　and　lived　pretty　high。　It　was　apoplexy　that　got　him。　We　had　a　great　time　touring　about。　We　were　on　the　Mediterranean　all　last　winter；　mostly　at　Nice。〃
　〃I　should　like　to　go　to　Nice；〃　said　Maud；　for　something　to　say。　She　was　feeling　that　it　was　not　only　externally　that　Geoffrey　had　changed。　Or　had　he　in　reality　always　been　like　this；　monplace　and　prosaic；　and　was　it　merely　in　her　imagination　that　he　had　been　wonderful？
　〃If　you　ever　go；〃　said　Geoffrey；　earnestly；　〃don't　fail　to　lunch　at　the　Hotel　Cote　d'Azur。　They　give　you　the　most　amazing　selection　of　hors　d'oeuvres　you　ever　saw。　Crayfish　as　big　as　baby　lobsters！　And　there's　a　fishI've　forgotten　it's　name；　it'll　e　back　to　methat's　just　like　the　Florida　pompano。　Be　careful　to　have　it　broiled；　not　fried。　Otherwise　you　lose　the　flavour。　　Tell　the　waiter　you　must　have　it　broiled；　with　melted　butter　and　a　little　parsley　and　some　plain　boiled　potatoes。　It's　really　astonishing。　It's　best　to　stick　to　fish　on　the　Continent。　People　can　say　what　they　like；　but　I　maintain　that　the　French　don't　really　understand　steaks　or　any　sort　of　red　meat。　The　veal　isn't　bad；　though　I　prefer　our　way　of　serving　it。　Of　course；　what　the　French　are　real　geniuses　at　is　the　omelet。　I　remember；　when　we　put　in　at　Toulon　for　coal；　I　went　ashore　for　a　stroll；　and　had　the　most　delicious　omelet　with　chicken　livers　beautifully　cooked；　at　quite　a　small；　unpretentious　place　near　the　harbour。　I　shall　always　remember　it。〃
　The　mourner　returned；　bearing　a　laden　tray；　from　which　she　removed　the　funeral　bakemeats　and　placed　them　limply　on　the　table。　Geoffrey　shook　his　head；　annoyed。
　〃I　particularly　asked　for　plenty　of　butter　on　my　toast！〃　he　said。　〃I　hate　buttered　toast　if　there　isn't　lots　of　butter。　It　isn't　worth　eating。　Get　me　a　couple　of　pats；　will　you；　and　I'll　spread　it　myself。　Do　hurry；　please；　before　the　toast　gets　cold。　It's　no　good　if　the　toast　gets　cold。　They　don't　understand　tea　as　a　meal　at　these　places；〃　he　said　to　Maud；　as　the　mourner　withdrew。　　〃You　have　to　go　to　the　country　to　appreciate　the　real　thing。　I　remember　we　lay　off　Lyme　Regis　down　Devonshire　way；　for　a　few　days；　and　I　went　and　had　tea　at　a　farmhouse　there。　It　was　quite　amazing！　Thick　Devonshire　cream　and　home…made　jam　and　cakes　of　every　kind。　This　sort　of　thing　here　is　just　a　farce。　　I　do　wish　that　woman　would　make　haste　with　that　butter。　It'll　be　too　late　in　a　minute。〃
　Maud　sipped　her　tea　in　silence。　Her　heart　was　like　lead　within　her。　The　recurrence　of　the　butter　theme　as　a　sort　of　leit　motif　in　her　panion's　conversation　was　fraying　her　nerves　till　she　felt　she　could　endure　little　more。　She　cast　her　mind's　eye　back　over　the　horrid　months　and　had　a　horrid　vision　of　Geoffrey　steadily　absorbing　butter；　day　after　day；　week　after　weekever　being　more　and　more　of　a　human　keg。　She　shuddered。
　Indignation　at　the　injustice　of　Fate　in　causing　her　to　give　her　heart　to　a　man　and　then　changing　him　into　another　and　quite　different　man　fought　with　a　cold　terror；　which　grew　as　she　realized　more　and　more　clearly　the　magnitude　of　the　mistake　she　had　made。　She　felt　that　she　must　escape。　And　yet　how　could　she　escape？　She　had　definitely　pledged　herself　to　this　man。　　（〃Ah！〃　cried　Geoffrey　gaily；　as　the　pats　of　butter　arrived。　　〃That's　more　like　it！〃　He　began　to　smear　the　toast。　Maud　averted　her　eyes。）　She　had　told　him　that　she　loved　him；　that　he　was　the　whole　world　to　her；　that　there　never　would　be　anyone　else。　He　had　e　to　claim　her。　How　could　she　refuse　him　just　because　he　was　about　thirty　pounds　overweight？
　Geoffrey　finished　his　meal。　He　took　out　a　cigarette。　（〃No　smoking；　please！〃　said　the　distressed　gentlewoman。）　He　put　the　cigarette　back　in　its　case。　There　was　a　new　expression　in　his　eyes　now；　a　tender　expression。　For　the　first　time　since　they　had　met　Maud　seemed　to　catch　a　far…off　glimpse　of　the　man　she　had　loved　in　Wales。　Butter　appeared　to　have　softened　Geoffrey。
　〃So　you　couldn't　wait！〃　he　said　with　pathos。
　Maud　did　not　understand。
　〃I　waited　over　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　It　was　you　who　were　late。〃
　〃I　don't　mean　that。　I　am　referring　to　your　engagement。　I　saw　the　announcement　in　the　Morning　Post。　Well；　I　hope　you　will　let　me　offer　you　my　best　wishes。　This　Mr。　George　Bevan；　whoever　he　is；　is　lucky。〃
　Maud　had　opened　her　mouth　to　explain；　to　say　that　it　was　all　a　mistake。　She　closed　it　again　without　speaking。
　〃So　you　couldn't　wait！〃　proceeded　Geoffrey　with　gentle　regret。　〃Well；　I　suppose　I　ought　not　to　blame　you。　You　are　at　an　age　when　it　is　easy　to　forget。　I　had　no　right　to　hope　that　you　would　be　proof　against　a　few　months'　separation。　I　expected　too　much。　But　it　is　ironical；　isn't　it！　There　was　I；　thinking　always　of　those　days　last　summer　when　we　were　everything　to　each　other；　while　you　had　forgotten　meForgotten　me！〃　sighed　Geoffrey。　He　picked　a　fragment　of　cake　absently　off　the　tablecloth　and　inserted　it　in　his　mouth。
　The　unfairness　of　the　attack　stung　Maud　to　speech。　She　looked　back　over　the　months；　thought　of　all　she　had　suffered；　and　ached　with　self…pity。
　〃I　hadn't；〃　she　cried。
　〃You　hadn't？　But　you　let　this　other　man；　this　George　Bevan；　make　love　to　you。〃
　〃I　didn't！　That　was　all　a　mistake。〃
　〃A　mistake？〃
　〃Yes。　It　would　take　too　long　to　explain；　but　。　。　。〃　She　stopped。　It　had　e　to　her　suddenly；　in　a　flash　of　clear　vision；　that　the　mistake　was　one　which　she　had　no　desire　to　correct。　　She　felt　like　one　who；　lost　in　a　jungle；　es　out　after　long　wandering　into　the　open　air。　For　days　she　had　been　thinking　confusedly；　unable　to　interpret　her　own　emotions：　and　now　everything　had　abruptly　bee　clarified。　It　was　as　if　the　sight　of　Geoffrey　had　been　the　key　to　a　cipher。　She　loved　George　Bevan；　the　man　she　had　sent　out　of　her　life　for　ever。　She　knew　it　now；　and　the　shock　of　realization　made　her　feel　faint　and　helpless。　And；　mingled　with　the　shock　of　realization；　there　came　to　her　the　mortification　of　knowing　that　her　aunt；　Lady　Caroline；　and　her　brother；　Percy；　had　been　right　after　all。　What　she　had　mistaken　for　the　love　of　a　lifetime　had　been