pgw.uneasymoney-第41章
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tty a good many names and threatened him with imprisonment。
'You can imagine how delighted Nutty was when I came in and told him that I was engaged to you。 In his curious way； he took it for granted that I had heard about his financial operations； and was doing it entirely for his sake； to get him out of his fix。 And while I was trying to put him right on that point he began to console me。 You see； Nutty looks on you as the enemy of the family； and it didn't strike him that it was possible that I didn't look on you in that light too。 So； after being delighted for a while； he very sweetly thought that he ought to cheer me up and point out some of the pensations of marriage with you。 AndWell； that was what you heard。 There you have the full explanation。 You can't possibly believe it。'
She broke off and began to drum her fingers on the table。 And as she did so there came to Bill a sudden relief from all the doubts and black thoughts that had tortured him。 Elizabeth was straight。 Whatever appearances might seem to suggest； nothing could convince him that she was playing an underhand game。 It was as if something evil had gone out of him。 He felt lighter； cleaner。 He could breathe。
'I do believe it；' he said。 'I believe every word you say。'
She shook her head。
'You can't in the face of the evidence。'
'I believe it。'
'No。 You may persuade yourself for the moment that you do； but after a while you will have to go by the evidence。 You won't be able to help yourself。 You haven't realized what a crushing thing evidence is。 You have to go by it against your will。 You see； evidence is the only guide。 You don't know that I am speaking the truth； you just feel it。 You're trusting your heart and not your head。 The head must win in the end。 You might go on believing for a time； but sooner or later you would be bound to begin to doubt and worry and torment yourself。 You couldn't fight against the evidence； when once your instinctor whatever it is that tells you that I am speaking the truthhad begun to weaken。 And it would weaken。 Think what it would have to be fighting all the time。 Think of the case your intelligence would be making out； day after day； till it crushed you。 It's impossible that you could keep yourself from docketing the evidence and arranging it and absorbing it。 Think！ Consider what you know are actual facts！ Nutty invites you down here； knowing that you are Lord Dawlish。 All you know about my attitude towards Lord Dawlish is what I told you on the first morning of your visit。 I told you I hated him。 Yet； knowing you are Lord Dawlish； I bee engaged to you。 Directly afterwards you hear Nutty consoling me as if I were marrying you against my will。 Isn't that an absolutely fair statement of what has happened？ How could you go on believing me with all that against you？'
'I know you're straight。 You couldn't do anything crooked。'
'The evidence proves that I did。'
'I don't care。'
'Not now。'
'Never。'
She shook her head。
'It's dear of you； Bill； but you're promising an impossibility。 And just because it's impossible； and because I love you too much to face what would be bound to happen； I'm going to send you away。'
'Send me away！'
'Yes。 It's going to hurt。 You don't know how it's going to hurt； Bill； but it's the only thing to do。 I love you too much to live with you for the rest of my life wondering all the time whether you still believed or whether the weight of the evidence had crushed out that tiny little spark of intuition which is all that makes you believe me now。 You could never know the truth for certain； you seethat's the horror of it； and sometimes you would be able to make yourself believe； but more often； in spite of all you could do； you would doubt。 It would poison both our lives。 Little things would happen； insignificant in themselves； which would bee tremendously important just because they added a little bit more to the doubt which you would never be able to get rid of。
'When we had quarrelswhich we should； as we are both humanthey wouldn't be over and done with in an hour。 They would stick in your mind and rankle； because； you see； they might be proofs that I didn't really love you。 And then when I seemed happy with you； you would wonder if I was acting。 I know all this sounds morbid and exaggerated； but it isn't。 What have you got to go on； as regards me？ What do you really know of me？ If something like this had happened after we had been married half a dozen years and really knew each other； we could laugh at it。 But we are strangers。 We came together and loved each other because there was something in each of us which attracted the other。 We took that little something as a foundation and built on it。 But what has happened has knocked away our poor little foundation。 That's all。 We don't really know anything at all about each other for certain。 It's just guesswork。'
She broke off and looked at the clock。
'I had better be packing if you're to catch the train。'
He gave a rueful laugh。
'You're throwing me out！'
'Yes； I am。 I want you to go while I am strong enough to let you go。'
'If you really feel like that； why send me away？'
'How do you know I really feel like that？ How do you know that I am not pretending to feel like that as part of a carefully…prepared plan？'
He made an impatient gesture。
'Yes； I know；' she said。 'You think I am going out of my way to manufacture unnecessary plications。 I'm not； I'm simply looking ahead。 If I were trying to trap you for the sake of your money； could I play a stronger card than by seeming anxious to give you up？ If I were to give in now； sooner or later that suspicion would e to you。 You would drive it away。 You might drive it away a hundred times。 But you couldn't kill it。 In the end it would beat you。'
He shrugged his shoulders helplessly。
'I can't argue。'
'Nor can I。 I can only put very badly things which I know are true。 e and pack。'
'I'll do it。 Don't you bother。'
'Nonsense！ No man knows how to pack properly。'
He followed her to his room； pulled out his suitcase； the symbol of the end of all things； watched her as she flitted about； the sun shining on her hair as she passed and repassed the window。 She was picking things up； folding them； packing them。 Bill looked on with an aching sense of desolation。 It was all so friendly； so intimate； so exactly as it would have been if she were his wife。 It seemed to him needlessly cruel that she should be playing on this note of domesticity at the moment when she was barring for ever the door between him and happiness。 He rebelled helplessly against the attitude she had taken。 He had not thought it all out； as she had done。 It was folly； insanity； ruining their two lives like this for a scruple。
Once again he was to encounter that practical strain in the feminine mind which jars upon a man in trouble。 She was holding something in her hand and looking at it with concern。
'Why didn't you tell me？' she said。 'Your socks are in an awful state； poor boy！'
He had the feeling of having been hit by something。 A man has not a woman's gift of being able to transfer his mind at will from sorrow to socks。
'Like sieves！' She sighed。 A troubled frown wrinkled her forehead。 'Men are so helpless！ Oh； dear； I'm sure you don't pay any attention to anything important。 I don't believe you ever bother your head about keeping warm in winter and not getting your feet wet。 And now I shan't be able to look after you！'
Bill's voice broke。 He felt himself trembling。
'Elizabeth！'
She was kneeling on the floor； her head bent over the suitcase。 She looked up and met his eyes。
'It's no use； Bill； dear。 I must。 It's the only way。'
The sense of the nearness of the end broke down the numbness which held him。
'Elizabeth！ It's so utterly absurd。 It's justchucking everything away！'
She was silent for a moment。
'Bill； dear； I haven't said anything about it before but don't you see that there's my side to be considered too？ I only showed you that you could never possibly know that I loved you。 How am I to know that you really love me？'
He had moved a step towards her。 He drew back； chilled。
'I can't do more than tell you；' he said。
'You can'
