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第66章

st. ives-第66章

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stony Bethiah was … how shall I say? … dazzled; but scandalised; by 

my appearance; and while; of course; she deplored the vanity that 

led to it; she could not wholly prevent herself from admiring the 

result。



'Ay; Mr。 Ducie; this is a poor employment for a wayfaring Christian 

man!' she said。  'Wi' Christ despised and rejectit in all pairts of 

the world and the flag of the Covenant flung doon; you will be 

muckle better on your knees!  However; I'll have to confess that it 

sets you weel。  And if it's the lassie ye're gaun to see the nicht; 

I suppose I'll just have to excuse ye!  Bairns maun be bairns!' she 

said; with a sigh。  'I mind when Mr。 McRankine came courtin'; and 

that's lang by…gane … I mind I had a green gown; passementit; that 

was thocht to become me to admiration。  I was nae just exactly what 

ye would ca' bonny; but I was pale; penetratin'; and interestin'。'  

And she leaned over the stair…rail with a candle to watch my 

descent as long as it should be possible。



It was but a little party at Mr。 Robbie's … by which; I do not so 

much mean that there were few people; for the rooms were crowded; 

as that there was very little attempted to entertain them。  In one 

apartment there were tables set out; where the elders were solemnly 

engaged upon whist; in the other and larger one; a great number of 

youth of both sexes entertained themselves languidly; the ladies 

sitting upon chairs to be courted; the gentlemen standing about in 

various attitudes of insinuation or indifference。  Conversation 

appeared the sole resource; except in so far as it was modified by 

a number of keepsakes and annuals which lay dispersed upon the 

tables; and of which the young beaux displayed the illustrations to 

the ladies。  Mr。 Robbie himself was customarily in the card…room; 

only now and again; when he cut out; he made an incursion among the 

young folks; and rolled about jovially from one to another; the 

very picture of the general uncle。



It chanced that Flora had met Mr。 Robbie in the course of the 

afternoon。  'Now; Miss Flora;' he had said; 'come early; for I have 

a Phoenix to show you … one Mr。 Ducie; a new client of mine that; I 

vow; I have fallen in love with'; and he was so good as to add a 

word or two on my appearance; from which Flora conceived a 

suspicion of the truth。  She had come to the party; in consequence; 

on the knife…edge of anticipation and alarm; had chosen a place by 

the door; where I found her; on my arrival; surrounded by a posse 

of vapid youths; and; when I drew near; sprang up to meet me in the 

most natural manner in the world; and; obviously; with a prepared 

form of words。



'How do you do; Mr。 Ducie?' she said。  'It is quite an age since I 

have seen you!'



'I have much to tell you; Miss Gilchrist;' I replied。  'May I sit 

down?'



For the artful girl; by sitting near the door; and the judicious 

use of her shawl; had contrived to keep a chair empty by her side。



She made room for me; as a matter of course; and the youths had the 

discretion to melt before us。  As soon as I was once seated her fan 

flew out; and she whispered behind it:



'Are you mad?'



'Madly in love;' I replied; 'but in no other sense。'



'I have no patience!  You cannot understand what I am suffering!' 

she said。  'What are you to say to Ronald; to Major Chevenix; to my 

aunt?'



Your aunt?' I cried; with a start。  'PECCAVI! is she here?'



'She is in the card…room at whist;' said Flora。



'Where she will probably stay all the evening?' I suggested。



'She may;' she admitted; 'she generally does!'



'Well; then; I must avoid the card…room;' said I; 'which is very 

much what I had counted upon doing。  I did not come here to play 

cards; but to contemplate a certain young lady to my heart's 

content … if it can ever be contented! … and to tell her some good 

news。'



'But there are still Ronald and the Major!' she persisted。  'They 

are not card…room fixtures!  Ronald will be coming and going。  And 

as for Mr。 Chevenix; he … '



'Always sits with Miss Flora?' I interrupted。  'And they talk of 

poor St。 Ives?  I had gathered as much; my dear; and Mr。 Ducie has 

come to prevent it!  But pray dismiss these fears!  I mind no one 

but your aunt。'



'Why my aunt?'



'Because your aunt is a lady; my dear; and a very clever lady; and; 

like all clever ladies; a very rash lady;' said I。  'You can never 

count upon them; unless you are sure of getting them in a corner; 

as I have got you; and talking them over rationally; as I am just 

engaged on with yourself!  It would be quite the same to your aunt 

to make the worst kind of a scandal; with an equal indifference to 

my danger and to the feelings of our good host!'



'Well;' she said; 'and what of Ronald; then?  Do you think HE is 

above making a scandal?  You must know him very little!'



'On the other hand; it is my pretension that I know him very well!' 

I replied。  'I must speak to Ronald first … not Ronald to me … that 

is all!'



'Then; please; go and speak to him at once!' she pleaded。  He is 

there … do you see? … at the upper end of the room; talking to that 

girl in pink。'



'And so lose this seat before I have told you my good news?' I 

exclaimed。  'Catch me!  And; besides; my dear one; think a little 

of me and my good news!  I thought the bearer of good news was 

always welcome!  I hoped he might be a little welcome for himself!  

Consider!  I have but one friend; and let me stay by her!  And 

there is only one thing I care to hear; and let me hear it!'



'Oh; Anne;' she sighed; 'if I did not love you; why should I be so 

uneasy?  I am turned into a coward; dear!  Think; if it were the 

other way round … if you were quite safe and I was in; oh; such 

danger!'



She had no sooner said it than I was convicted of being a dullard。  

'God forgive me; dear!'  I made haste to reply。  'I never saw 

before that there were two sides to this!'  And I told her my tale 

as briefly as I could; and rose to seek Ronald。  'You see; my dear; 

you are obeyed;' I said。



She gave me a look that was a reward in itself; and as I turned 

away from her; with a strong sense of turning away from the sun; I 

carried that look in my bosom like a caress。  The girl in pink was 

an arch; ogling person; with a good deal of eyes and teeth; and a 

great play of shoulders and rattle of conversation。  There could be 

no doubt; from Mr。 Ronald's attitude; that he worshipped the very 

chair she sat on。  But I was quite ruthless。  I laid my hand on his 

shoulder; as he was stooping over her like a hen over a chicken。



'Excuse me for one moment; Mr。 Gilchrist!' said I。



He started and span about in answer to my touch; and exhibited a 

face of inarticulate wonder。



 'Yes!' I continued; 'it is even myself!  Pardon me for 

interrupting so agreeable a TETE…A…TETE; but you know; my good 

fellow; we owe a first duty to Mr。 Robbie。  It would never do to 

risk making a scene in the man's drawing…room; so the first thing I 

had to attend to was to have you warned。  The name I go by is 

Ducie; too; in case of accidents。'



'I … I say; you know!' cried Ronald。  'Deuce take it; what are you 

doing here?'



'Hush; hush!' said I。  'Not the place; my dear fellow … not the 

place。  Come to my rooms; if you like; to…night after the party; or 

to…morrow in the morning; and we can talk it out over a segar。  But 

here; you know; it really won't do at all。'



Before he could collect his mind for an answer; I had given him my 

address in St。 James Square; and had again mingled with the crowd。  

Alas!  I was not fated to get back to Flora so easily!  Mr。 Robbie 

was in the path: he was insatiably loquacious; and as he continued 

to palaver I watched the insipid youths gather again about my idol; 

and cursed my fate and my host。  He remembered suddenly that I was 

to attend 

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