malvina of brittany-第26章

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I'd　marry　him。　　And　he　seems　to　have　done　it。〃

〃There　are　ways　of　doing　everything；〃　I　said；　and；　seeing　it　wasn't
going　to　break　her　heart；　I　told　her　just　the　plain　facts。　　She
listened　without　a　word；　and　when　I　had　finished　she　put　her　arms
round　my　neck　and　kissed　me。　　I　am　old　enough　to　be　her　grandfather；
but　twenty　years　ago　it　might　have　upset　me。

〃I　think　I　shall　be　able　to　save　Miss　Bulstrode　that　three　hundred
pounds；〃　she　laughed；　and　ran　upstairs　and　changed　her　things。　　When
later　I　looked　into　the　kitchen　she　was　humming。

Mr。　John　came　up　by　the　car；　and　I　could　see　he　was　in　one　of　his
moods。

〃Pack　me　some　things　for　a　walking　tour；〃　he　said。　　〃Don't　forget
the　knapsack。　　I　am　going　to　Scotland　by　the　eight…thirty。〃

〃Will　you　be　away　long？〃　I　asked　him。

〃It　depends　upon　how　long　it　takes　me；〃　he　answered。　　〃When　I　come
back　I　am　going　to　be　married。〃

〃Who　is　the　lady？〃　I　asked；　though；　of　course；　I　knew。

〃Miss　Bulstrode；〃　he　said。

〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃she〃

〃That　will　do；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　had　all　that　from　the　three　of　them
for　the　last　two　days。　　She　is　a　Socialist；　and　a　Suffragist；　and
all　the　rest　of　it；　and　my　ideal　helpmate。　　She　is　well　off；　and
that　will　enable　me　to　devote　all　my　time　to　putting　the　world　to
rights　without　bothering　about　anything　else。　　Our　home　will　be　the
nursery　of　advanced　ideas。　　We　shall　share　together　the　joys　and
delights　of　the　public　platform。　　What　more　can　any　man　want？〃

〃You　will　want　your　dinner　early；〃　I　said；　〃if　you　are　going　by　the
eight…thirty。　　I　had　better　tell　cook〃

He　interrupted　me　again。

〃You　can　tell　cook　to　go　to　the　devil；〃　he　said。

I　naturally　stared　at　him。

〃She　is　going　to　marry　a　beastly　little　rotter　of　a　rent　collector
that　she　doesn't　care　a　damn　for；〃　he　went　on。

I　could　not　understand　why　he　seemed　so　mad　about　it。

〃I　don't　see；　in　any　case；　what　it's　got　to　do　with　you；〃　I　said；
〃but；　as　a　matter　of　fact；　she　isn't。〃

〃Isn't　what？〃　he　said；　stopping　short　and　turning　on　me。

〃Isn't　going　to　marry　him；〃　I　answered。

〃Why　not？〃　he　demanded。

〃Better　ask　her；〃　I　suggested。

I　didn't　know　at　the　time　that　it　was　a　silly　thing　to　say；　and　I　am
not　sure　that　I　should　not　have　said　it　if　I　had。　　When　he　is　in　one
of　his　moods　I　always　seem　to　get　into　one　of　mine。　　I　have　looked
after　Mr。　John　ever　since　he　was　a　baby；　so　that　we　do　not　either　of
us　treat　the　other　quite　as　perhaps　we　ought　to。

〃Tell　cook　I　want　her；〃　he　said。

〃She　is　just　in　the　middle〃　I　began。

〃I　don't　care　where　she　is；〃　he　said。　　He　seemed　determined　never　to
let　me　finish　a　sentence。　　〃Send　her　up　here。〃

She　was　in　the　kitchen　by　herself。

〃He　wants　to　see　you　at　once；〃　I　said。

〃Who　does？〃　she　asked。

〃Mr。　John；〃　I　said。

〃What's　he　want　to　see　me　for？〃　she　asked。

〃How　do　I　know？〃　I　answered。

〃But　you　do；〃　she　said。　　She　always　had　an　obstinate　twist　in　her；
and；　feeling　it　would　save　time；　I　told　her　what　had　happened。

〃Well；〃　I　said；　〃aren't　you　going？〃

She　was　standing　stock　still　staring　at　the　pastry　she　was　making。
She　turned　to　me；　and　there　was　a　curious　smile　about　her　lips。

〃Do　you　know　what　you　ought　to　be　wearing？〃　she　said。　　〃Wings；　and　a
little　bow　and　arrow。〃

She　didn't　even　think　to　wipe　her　hands；　but　went　straight　upstairs。
It　was　about　half　an　hour　later　when　the　bell　rang。　　Mr。　John　was
standing　by　the　window。

〃Is　that　bag　ready？〃　he　said。

〃It　will　be；〃　I　said。

I　went　out　into　the　hall　and　returned　with　the　clothes　brush。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　he　said。

〃Perhaps　you　don't　know　it；〃　I　said；　〃but　you　are　all　over　flour。〃

〃Cook's　going　with　me　to　Scotland；〃　he　said。

I　have　looked　after　Mr。　John　ever　since　he　was　a　boy。　　He　was
forty…two　last　birthday；　but　when　I　shook　hands　with　him　through　the
cab　window　I　could　have　sworn　he　was　twenty…five　again。




THE　LESSON。




The　first　time　I　met　him；　to　my　knowledge；　was　on　an　evil…smelling；
one…funnelled　steam　boat　that　in　those　days　plied　between　London
Bridge　and　Antwerp。　　He　was　walking　the　deck　arm…in…arm　with　a
showily　dressed　but　decidedly　attractive　young　woman；　both　of　them
talking　and　laughing　loudly。　　It　struck　me　as　odd；　finding　him　a
fellow…traveller　by　such　a　route。　　The　passage　occupied　eighteen
hours；　and　the　first…class　return　fare　was　one　pound　twelve　and　six；
including　three　meals　each　way；　drinks；　as　the　contract　was　careful
to　explain；　being　extra。　　I　was　earning　thirty　shillings　a　week　at
the　time　as　clerk　with　a　firm　of　agents　in　Fenchurch　Street。　　Our
business　was　the　purchasing　of　articles　on　commission　for　customers
in　India；　and　I　had　learned　to　be　a　judge　of　values。　　The　beaver
lined　coat　he　was　wearingfor　the　evening；　although　it　was　late
summer；　was　chillymust　have　cost　him　a　couple　of　hundred　pounds；
while　his　carelessly　displayed　jewellery　he　could　easily　have　pawned
for　a　thousand　or　more。

I　could　not　help　staring　at　him；　and　once；　as　they　passed；　he
returned　my　look。

After　dinner；　as　I　was　leaning　with　my　back　against　the　gunwale　on
the　starboard　side；　he　came　out　of　the　only　private　cabin　that　the
vessel　boasted；　and　taking　up　a　position　opposite　to　me；　with　his
legs　well　apart　and　a　big　cigar　between　his　thick　lips；　stood　coolly
regarding　me；　as　if　appraising　me。

〃Treating　yourself　to　a　little　holiday　on　the　Continent？〃　he
inquired。

I　had　not　been　quite　sure　before　he　spoke；　but　his　lisp；　though
slight；　betrayed　the　Jew。　　His　features　were　coarse；　almost　brutal；
but　the　restless　eyes　were　so　brilliant；　the　whole　face　so
suggestive　of　power　and　character；　that；　taking　him　as　a　whole；　the
feeling　he　inspired　was　admiration；　tempered　by　fear。　　His　tone　was
one　of　kindly　contemptthe　tone　of　a　man　accustomed　to　find　most
people　his　inferiors；　and　too　used　to　the　discovery　to　be　conceited
about　it。

Behind　it　was　a　note　of　authority　that　it　did　not　occur　to　me　to
dispute。

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　adding　the　information　that　I　had　never　been
abroad　before；　and　had　heard　that　Antwerp　was　an　interesting　town。

〃How　long　have　you　got？〃　he　asked。

〃A　fortnight；〃　I　told　him。

〃Like　to　see　a　bit　more　than　Antwerp；　if　you　could　afford　it；
wouldn't　you？〃　he　suggested。　　〃Fascinating　little　country　Holland。
Just　long　enougha　fortnightto　do　the　whole　of　it。　　I'm　a
Dutchman；　a　Dutch　Jew。〃

〃You　speak　English　just　like　an　Englishman；〃　I　told　him。　　It　was
somehow　in　my　mind　to　please　him。　　I　could　hardly　have　explained
why。

〃And　half　a　dozen　other　languages　equally　well；〃　he　answered；
laughing。　　〃I　left　Amsterdam　when　I　was　eighteen　as　steerage
passenger　in　an　emigrant　ship。　　I　haven't　seen　it　since。〃

He　closed　the　cabin　door　behind　him；　and；　crossing　over；　laid　a
strong　hand　on　my　shoulder。

〃I　will　make　a　proposal　to　you；〃　he　said。　　〃My　business　is　not　of
the　kind　that　can　be　put　out　of　mind；　even　for　a　few　days；　and　there
are　reasons〃he　glanced　over　his　shoulder　towards　the　cabin　door；
and　gave　vent　to　a　short　laugh〃why　I　did　not　want　to　bring　any　of
my　own　staff　with　me。　　If　you　care　for　a　short　tour；　all　expenses
paid　at　slap…up　hotels　and　a　ten…pound　note　in　your　pocket　at　the
end；　you　can　have　it　for　two　hours'　work　a　day。〃

I　suppose　my　face　expressed　my　acceptance；　for　he　did　not　wait　for
me　to　speak。

〃Only　one　thing　I　stipulate　for；〃　he　added；　〃that　you　mind　your　own
business　and　keep　your　mouth　shut。　　You're　by　yourself；　aren't　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　told　him。

He　wrote　on　a　sheet　of　his　notebook；　and；　tearing　it　out；　handed　it
to　me。

〃That's　your　hotel　at　Antwerp；〃　he　said。　　〃You　are　Mr。　Horatio
Jones's　secretary。〃　　He　chuckled　to　himself　as　he　repeated　the　name；
which　certainly　did　not　fit　him。　　〃Knock　at　my　sitting…room　door　at
nine　o'clock　tomorrow　morning。　　Good　night！〃

He　ended　the　conversation　as　abruptly　as　he　had　begun　it；　and
returned　to　his　cabin。

I　got　a　glimpse　of　him　next　morning；　coming　out　of　the　hotel　bureau。
He　was　speaking　to　the　manager　in　French；　and　had　evidently　given
instructions　concerning　me；　for　I　found　myself　preceded　by　an
obsequious　waiter　to　quite　a　charming　bedroom　on　the　second　floor；
while　the　〃English　breakfast〃　place