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第69章

st. ives-第69章

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shall see that you treat me; as a gentleman。'  He was brought up 

with a round turn at that。



'I beg your pardon; St。 Ives;' said he。  'Believe me; I had no wish 

to be offensive。  But there's the difficulty of this affair; I 

can't make any of my points without offence!  You must excuse me; 

it's not my fault。  But; at any rate; you must see for yourself 

this proposal of marriage is … is merely impossible; my dear 

fellow。  It's nonsense!  Our countries are at war; you are a 

prisoner。'



'My ancestor of the time of the Ligue;' I replied; 'married a 

Huguenot lady out of the Saintonge; riding two hundred miles 

through an enemy's country to bring off his bride; and it was a 

happy marriage。'



'Well!' he began; and then looked down into the fire; and became 

silent。



'Well?' I asked。



'Well; there's this business of … Goguelat;' said he; still looking 

at the coals in the grate。



'What!' I exclaimed; starting in my chair。  'What's that you say?'



'This business about Goguelat;' he repeated。



'Ronald;' said I; 'this is not your doing。  These are not your own 

words。  I know where they came from: a coward put them in your 

mouth。'



'St。 Ives!' he cried; 'why do you make it so hard for me? and 

where's the use of insulting other people?  The plain English is; 

that I can't hear of any proposal of marriage from a man under a 

charge like that。  You must see it for yourself; man!  It's the 

most absurd thing I ever heard of!  And you go on forcing me to 

argue with you; too!'



'Because I have had an affair of honour which terminated unhappily; 

you … a young soldier; or next…door to it … refuse my offer?  Do I 

understand you aright?' said I。



'My dear fellow!' he wailed; 'of course you can twist my words; if 

you like。  You SAY it was an affair of honour。  Well; I can't; of 

course; tell you that … I can't … I mean; you must see that that's 

just the point!  Was it?  I don't know。'



'I have the honour to inform you;' said I。



'Well; other people say the reverse; you see!'



'They lie; Ronald; and I will prove it in time。'



'The short and the long of it is; that any man who is so 

unfortunate as to have such things said about him is not the man to 

be my brother…in…law!' he cried。



'Do you know who will be my first witness at the court?  Arthur 

Chevenix!' said I。



'I don't care!' he cried; rising from his chair and beginning to 

pace outrageously about the room。  'What do you mean; St。 Ives?  

What is this about?  It's like a dream; I declare!  You made an 

offer; and I have refused it。  I don't like it; I don't want it; 

and whatever I did; or didn't; wouldn't matter … my aunt wouldn't 

bear of it anyway!  Can't you take your answer; man?'



'You must remember; Ronald; that we are playing with edged tools;' 

said I。  'An offer of marriage is a delicate subject to handle。  

You have refused; and you have justified your refusal by several 

statements: first; that I was an impostor; second; that our 

countries were at war; and third …  No; I will speak;' said I; 'you 

can answer when I have done; … and third; that I had dishonourably 

killed … or was said to have done so … the man Goguelat。  Now; my 

dear fellow; these are very awkward grounds to be taking。  From any 

one else's lips I need scarce tell you how I should resent them; 

but my hands are tied。  I have so much gratitude to you; without 

talking of the love I bear your sister; that you insult me; when 

you do so; under the cover of a complete impunity。  I must feel the 

pain … and I do feel it acutely … I can do nothing to protect 

myself。'  He had been anxious enough to interrupt me in the 

beginning; but now; and after I had ceased; he stood a long while 

silent。



'St。 Ives;' he said at last; 'I think I had better go away。  This 

has been very irritating。  I never at all meant to say anything of 

the kind; and I apologise to you。  I have all the esteem for you 

that one gentleman should have for another。  I only meant to tell 

you … to show you what had influenced my mind; and that; in short; 

the thing was impossible。  One thing you may be quite sure of: I 

shall do nothing against you。  Will you shake hands before I go 

away?' he blurted out。



'Yes;' said I; 'I agree with you … the interview has been 

irritating。  Let bygones be bygones。  Good…bye; Ronald。'



'Good…bye; St。 Ives!' he returned。  'I'm heartily sorry。'



And with that he was gone。



The windows of my own sitting…room looked towards the north; but 

the entrance passage drew its light from the direction of the 

square。  Hence I was able to observe Ronald's departure; his very 

disheartened gait; and the fact that he was joined; about half…way; 

by no less a man than Major Chevenix。  At this; I could scarce keep 

from smiling; so unpalatable an interview must be before the pair 

of them; and I could hear their voices; clashing like crossed 

swords; in that eternal antiphony of 'I told you;' and 'I told you 

not。'  Without doubt; they had gained very little by their visit; 

but then I had gained less than nothing; and had been bitterly 

dispirited into the bargain。  Ronald had stuck to his guns and 

refused me to the last。  It was no news; but; on the other hand; it 

could not be contorted into good news。  I was now certain that 

during my temporary absence in France; all irons would be put into 

the fire; and the world turned upside down; to make Flora disown 

the obtrusive Frenchman and accept Chevenix。  Without doubt she 

would resist these instances: but the thought of them did not 

please me; and I felt she should be warned and prepared for the 

battle。



It was no use to try and see her now; but I promised myself early 

that evening to return to Swanston。  In the meantime I had to make 

all my preparations; and look the coming journey in the face。  Here 

in Edinburgh I was within four miles of the sea; yet the business 

of approaching random fishermen with my hat in the one hand and a 

knife in the other; appeared so desperate; that I saw nothing for 

it but to retrace my steps over the northern counties; and knock a 

second time at the doors of Birchell Fenn。  To do this; money would 

be necessary; and after leaving my paper in the hands of Flora I 

had still a balance of about fifteen hundred pounds。  Or rather I 

may say I had them and I had them not; for after my luncheon with 

Mr。 Robbie I had placed the amount; all but thirty pounds of 

change; in a bank in George Street; on a deposit receipt in the 

name of Mr。 Rowley。  This I had designed to be my gift to him; in 

case I must suddenly depart。  But now; thinking better of the 

arrangement; I despatched my little man; cockade and all; to lift 

the fifteen hundred。



He was not long gone; and returned with a flushed face; and the 

deposit receipt still in his hand。



'No go; Mr。 Anne;' says he。



'How's that?' I inquired;



'Well; sir; I found the place all right; and no mistake;' said he。  

'But I tell you what gave me a blue fright!  There was a customer 

standing by the door; and I reckonised him!  Who do you think it 

was; Mr。 Anne?  W'y; that same Red…Breast … him I had breakfast 

with near Aylesbury。'



'You are sure you are not mistaken? ' I asked。



'Certain sure;' he replied。  'Not Mr。 Lavender; I don't mean; sir; 

I mean the other party。  〃Wot's he doing here?' says I。  It don't 

look right。〃'



'Not by any means;' I agreed。



I walked to and fro in the apartment reflecting。  This particular 

Bow Street runner might be here by accident; but it was to imagine 

a singular play of coincidence that he; who had met Rowley and 

spoken with him in the 'Green Dragon;' hard by Aylesbury; should be 

now in Scotland; where he could have no legitimate business; and by 

the doors of the bank where Rowley kept his account。



'Rowley;' said I; 'he didn't see you; did he?'



'Ne

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