malvina of brittany-第27章
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obsequious waiter to quite a charming bedroom on the second floor；
while the 〃English breakfast〃 placed before me later in the
coffee…room was of a size and character that in those days I did not
often enjoy。 About the work； also； he was as good as his word。 I
was rarely occupied for more than two hours each morning。 The
duties consisted chiefly of writing letters and sending off
telegrams。 The letters he signed and had posted himself； so that I
never learnt his real namenot during that fortnightbut I
gathered enough to be aware that he was a man whose business
interests must have been colossal and world…wide。
He never introduced me to 〃Mrs。 Horatio Jones；〃 and after a few days
he seemed to be bored with her； so that often I would take her place
as his companion in afternoon excursions。
I could not help liking the man。 Strength always compels the
adoration of youth； and there was something big and heroic about
him。 His daring； his swift decisions； his utter unscrupulousness；
his occasional cruelty when necessity seemed to demand it。 One
could imagine him in earlier days a born leader of savage hordes； a
lover of fighting for its own sake； meeting all obstacles with
fierce welcome； forcing his way onward； indifferent to the misery
and destruction caused by his progress； his eyes never swerving from
their goal； yet not without a sense of rough justice； not altogether
without kindliness when it could be indulged in without danger。
One afternoon he took me with him into the Jewish quarter of
Amsterdam； and threading his way without hesitation through its maze
of unsavoury slums； paused before a narrow three…storeyed house
overlooking a stagnant backwater。
〃The room I was born in；〃 he explained。 〃Window with the broken
pane on the second floor。 It has never been mended。〃
I stole a glance at him。 His face betrayed no suggestion of
sentiment； but rather of amusement。 He offered me a cigar； which I
was glad of； for the stench from the offal…laden water behind us was
distracting； and for a while we both smoked in silence： he with his
eyes half…closed； it was a trick of his when working out a business
problem。
〃Curious； my making such a choice；〃 he remarked。 〃A butcher's
assistant for my father and a consumptive buttonhole…maker for my
mother。 I suppose I knew what I was about。 Quite the right thing
for me to have done； as it turned out。〃
I stared at him； wondering whether he was speaking seriously or in
grim jest。 He was given at times to making odd remarks。 There was
a vein of the fantastic in him that was continually cropping out and
astonishing me。
〃It was a bit risky；〃 I suggested。 〃Better choose something a
little safer next time。〃
He looked round at me sharply； and； not quite sure of his mood； I
kept a grave face。
〃Perhaps you are right；〃 he agreed； with a laugh。 〃We must have a
talk about it one day。〃
After that visit to the Goortgasse he was less reserved with me； and
would often talk to me on subjects that I should never have guessed
would have interested him。 I found him a curious mixture。 Behind
the shrewd； cynical man of business I caught continual glimpses of
the visionary。
I parted from him at The Hague。 He paid my fare back to London； and
gave me an extra pound for travelling expenses； together with the
ten…pound note he had promised me。 He had packed off 〃Mrs。 Horatio
Jones〃 some days before； to the relief； I imagine； of both of them；
and he himself continued his journey to Berlin。 I never expected to
see him again； although for the next few months I often thought of
him； and even tried to discover him by inquiries in the City。 I
had； however； very little to go upon； and after I had left Fenchurch
Street behind me； and drifted into literature； I forgot him。
Until one day I received a letter addressed to the care of my
publishers。 It bore the Swiss postmark； and opening it and turning
to the signature I sat wondering for the moment where I had met
〃Horatio Jones。〃 And then I remembered。
He was lying bruised and broken in a woodcutter's hut on the slopes
of the Jungfrau。 Had been playing a fool's trick； so he described
it； thinking he could climb mountains at his age。 They would carry
him down to Lauterbrunnen as soon as he could be moved farther with
safety； but for the present he had no one to talk to but the nurse
and a Swiss doctor who climbed up to see him every third day。 He
begged me； if I could spare the time； to come over and spend a week
with him。 He enclosed a hundred…pound cheque for my expenses；
making no apology for doing so。 He was complimentary about my first
book； which he had been reading； and asked me to telegraph him my
reply； giving me his real name； which； as I had guessed it would；
proved to be one of the best known in the financial world。 My time
was my own now； and I wired him that I would be with him the
following Monday。
He was lying in the sun outside the hut when I arrived late in the
afternoon； after a three…hours' climb followed by a porter carrying
my small amount of luggage。 He could not raise his hand； but his
strangely brilliant eyes spoke their welcome。
〃I am glad you were able to come；〃 he said。 〃I have no near
relations； and my friendsif that is the right termare business
men who would be bored to tears。 Besides； they are not the people I
feel I want to talk to； now。〃
He was entirely reconciled to the coming of death。 Indeed； there
were moments when he gave me the idea that he was looking forward to
it with an awed curiosity。 With the conventional notion of cheering
him； I talked of staying till he was able to return with me to
civilisation； but he only laughed。
〃I am not going back；〃 he said。 〃Not that way。 What they may do
afterwards with these broken bones does not much concern either you
or me。
〃It's a good place to die in；〃 he continued。 〃A man can think up
here。〃
It was difficult to feel sorry for him； his own fate appearing to
make so little difference to himself。 The world was still full of
interest to himnot his own particular corner of it： that； he gave
me to understand； he had tidied up and dismissed from his mind。 It
was the future； its coming problems； its possibilities； its new
developments； about which he seemed eager to talk。 One might have
imagined him a young man with the years before him。
One eveningit was near the endwe were alone together。 The
woodcutter and his wife had gone down into the valley to see their
children； and the nurse； leaving him in my charge； had gone for a
walk。 We had carried him round to his favourite side of the hut
facing the towering mass of the Jungfrau。 As the shadows lengthened
it seemed to come nearer to us； and there fell a silence upon us。
Gradually I became aware that his piercing eyes were fixed on me；
and in answer I turned and looked at him。
〃I wonder if we shall meet again；〃 he said； 〃or； what is more
important； if we shall remember one another。〃
I was puzzled for the moment。 We had discussed more than once the
various religions of mankind； and his attitude towards the orthodox
beliefs had always been that of amused contempt。
〃It has been growing upon me these last few days；〃 he continued。
〃It flashed across me the first time I saw you on the boat。 We were
fellow…students。 Something； I don't know what； drew us very close
together。 There was a woman。 They were burning her。 And then
there was a rush of people and a sudden darkness； and your eyes
close to mine。〃
I suppose it was some form of hypnotism； for； as he spoke； his
searching eyes fixed on mine； there came to me a dream of narrow
streets filled with a strange crowd； of painted houses such as I had
never seen； and a haunting fear that seemed to be always lurking
behind each shadow。 I shook myself free； but not without an effort。
〃So that's what you meant；〃 I said； 〃that evening in the Goortgasse。
You believe in it？〃
〃A curious thing happened to me；〃 he said； 〃when I was a child。 I
could hardly have been six years old。 I had gone to Ghent with my
parents。 I think it was to visit some relative。 One day we went
into the castle。 It was in rui
