little novels-第90章

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〃You　were　angry　with　our　friends；〃　Dick　began；　〃when　they　asked　you　about　that　report　of　your　marriage。　You　won't　be　angry　with　Me。　Are　you　really　going　to　be　the　old　maid's　husband？〃

This　plain　question　received　a　plain　reply：　〃Yes；　I　am。〃

Dick　took　the　young　lord's　hand。　Simply　and　seriously；　he　said：　〃Accept　my　congratulations。〃

Howel　Beaucourt　started　as　if　he　had　received　a　blow　instead　of　a　compliment。

〃There　isn't　another　man　or　woman　in　the　whole　circle　of　my　acquaintance；〃　he　declared；　〃who　would　have　congratulated　me　on　marrying　Miss　Dulane。　I　believe　you　would　make　allowances　for　me　if　I　had　committed　murder。〃

〃I　hope　I　should；〃　Dick　answered　gravely。　〃When　a　man　is　my　friendmurder　or　marriageI　take　it　for　granted　that　he　has　a　reason　for　what　he　does。　Wait　a　minute。　You　mustn't　give　me　more　credit　than　I　deserve。　I　don't　agree　with　you。　If　I　were　a　marrying　man　myself；　I　shouldn't　pick　an　old　maidI　should　prefer　a　young　one。　That's　a　matter　of　taste。　You　are　not　like　me。　_You_　always　have　a　definite　object　in　view。　I　may　not　know　what　the　object　is。　Never　mind！　I　wish　you　joy　all　the　same。〃

Beaucourt　was　not　unworthy　of　the　friendship　he　had　inspired。　〃I　should　be　ungrateful　indeed；〃　he　said；　〃if　I　didn't　tell　you　what　my　object　is。　You　know　that　I　am　poor？〃

〃The　only　poor　friend　of　mine；〃　Dick　remarked；　〃who　has　never　borrowed　money　of　me。〃

Beaucourt　went　on　without　noticing　this。　〃I　have　three　expensive　tastes；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　to　get　into　Parliament；　I　want　to　have　a　yacht；　I　want　to　collect　pictures。　Add；　if　you　like；　the　selfish　luxury　of　helping　poverty　and　wretchedness；　and　hearing　my　conscience　tell　me　what　an　excellent　man　I　am。　I　can't　do　all　this　on　five　hundred　a　yearbut　I　can　do　it　on　forty　times　five　hundred　a　year。　Moral：　marry　Miss　Dulane。〃

Listening　attentively　until　the　other　had　done；　Dick　showed　a　sardonic　side　to　his　character　never　yet　discovered　in　Beaucourt's　experience　of　him。

〃I　suppose　you　have　made　the　necessary　arrangements；〃　he　said。　〃When　the　old　lady　releases　you；　she　will　leave　consolation　behind　her　in　her　will。〃

〃That's　the　first　ill…natured　thing　I　ever　heard　you　say；　Dick。　When　the　old　lady　dies；　my　sense　of　honor　takes　fright；　and　turns　its　back　on　her　will。　It's　a　condition　on　my　side；　that　every　farthing　of　her　money　shall　be　left　to　her　relations。〃

〃Don't　you　call　yourself　one　of　them？〃

〃What　a　question！　Am　I　her　relation　because　the　laws　of　society　force　a　mock　marriage　on　us？　How　can　I　make　use　of　her　money　unless　I　am　her　husband？　and　how　can　she　make　use　of　my　title　unless　she　is　my　wife？　As　long　as　she　lives　I　stand　honestly　by　my　side　of　the　bargain。　But　when　she　dies　the　transaction　is　at　an　end；　and　the　surviving　partner　returns　to　his　five　hundred　a　year。〃

Dick　exhibited　another　surprising　side　to　his　character。　The　most　compliant　of　men　now　became　as　obstinate　as　the　proverbial　mule。

〃All　very　well；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　doesn't　explain　whyif　you　must　sell　yourselfyou　have　sold　yourself　to　an　old　lady。　There　are　plenty　of　young　ones　and　pretty　ones　with　fortunes　to　tempt　you。　It　seems　odd　that　you　haven't　tried　your　luck　with　one　of　them。〃

〃No；　Dick。　It　would　have　been　odd；　and　worse　than　odd；　if　I　had　tried　my　luck　with　a　young　woman。〃

〃I　don't　see　that。〃

〃You　shall　see　it　directly。　If　I　marry　an　old　woman　for　her　money；　I　have　no　occasion　to　be　a　hypocrite；　we　both　know　that　our　marriage　is　a　mere　matter　of　form。　But　if　I　make　a　young　woman　my　wife　because　I　want　her　money；　and　if　that　young　woman　happens　to　be　worth　a　straw；　I　must　deceive　her　and　disgrace　myself　by　shamming　love。　That；　my　boy；　you　may　depend　upon　it；　I　will　never　do。〃

Dick's　face　suddenly　brightened　with　a　mingled　expression　of　relief　and　triumph。

〃Ha！　my　mercenary　friend；〃　he　burst　out；　〃there's　something　mixed　up　in　this　business　which　is　worthier　of　you　than　anything　I　have　heard　yet。　Stop！　I'm　going　to　be　clever　for　the　first　time　in　my　life。　A　man　who　talks　of　love　as　you　do；　must　have　felt　love　himself。　Where　is　the　young　one　and　the　pretty　one？　And　what　　has　she　done；　poor　dear；　to　be　deserted　for　an　old　woman？　Good　God！　how　you　look　at　me！　I　have　hurt　your　feelingsI　have　been　a　greater　fool　than　everI　am　more　ashamed　of　myself　than　words　can　say！〃

Beaucourt　stopped　him　there；　gently　and　firmly。

〃You　have　made　a　very　natural　mistake；〃　he　said。　〃There　_was_　a　young　lady。　She　has　refused　meabsolutely　refused　me。　There　is　no　more　love　in　my　life。　It's　a　dark　life　and　an　empty　life　for　the　rest　of　my　days。　I　must　see　what　money　can　do　for　me　next。　When　I　have　thoroughly　hardened　my　heart　I　may　not　feel　my　misfortune　as　I　feel　it　now。　Pity　me　or　despise　me。　In　either　case　let　us　say　goodnight。〃

He　went　out　into　the　hall　and　took　his　hat。　Dick　went　out　into　the　hall　and　took　_his_　hat。

〃Have　your　own　way；〃　he　answered；　〃I　mean　to　have　mineI'll　go　home　with　you。〃

The　man　was　simply　irresistible。　Beaucourt　sat　down　resignedly　on　the　nearest　of　the　hall　chairs。　Dick　asked　him　to　return　to　the　dining…room。　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃it's　not　worth　while。　What　I　can　tell　you　may　be　told　in　two　minutes。〃　Dick　submitted；　and　took　the　next　of　the　hall　chairs。　In　that　inappropriate　place　the　young　lord's　unpremeditated　confession　was　forced　out　of　him；　by　no　more　formidable　exercise　of　power　than　the　kindness　of　his　friend。

〃When　you　hear　where　I　met　with　her；〃　he　began；　〃you　will　most　likely　not　want　to　hear　any　more。　I　saw　her；　for　the　first　time；　on　the　stage　of　a　music　hall。〃

He　looked　at　Dick。　Perfectly　quiet　and　perfectly　impenetrable；　Dick　only　said；　〃Go　on。〃　Beaucourt　continued　in　these　words：

〃She　was　singing　Arne's　delicious　setting　of　Ariel's　song　in　the　'Tempest；'　with　a　taste　and　feeling　completely　thrown　away　on　the　greater　part　of　the　audience。　That　she　was　beautifulin　my　eyes　at　leastI　needn't　say。　That　she　had　descended　to　a　sphere　unworthy　of　her　and　new　to　her；　nobody　could　doubt。　Her　modest　dress；　her　refinement　of　manner；　seemed　rather　to　puzzle　than　to　please　most　of　the　people　present；　they　applauded　her；　but　not　very　warmly；　when　she　retired。　I　obtained　an　introduction　through　her　music…master；　who　happened　to　be　acquainted　professionally　with　some　relatives　of　mine。　He　told　me　that　she　was　a　young　widow；　and　he　assured　me　that　the　calamity　through　which　her　family　had　lost　their　place　in　the　world　had　brought　no　sort　of　disgrace　on　them。　If　I　wanted　to　know　more；　he　referred　me　to　the　lady　herself。　I　found　her　very　reserved。　A　long　time　passed　before　I　could　win　her　confidenceand　a　longer　time　still　before　I　ventured　to　confess　the　feeling　with　which　she　had　inspired　me。　You　know　the　rest。〃

〃You　mean；　of　course；　that　you　offered　her　marriage？〃

〃Certainly。〃

〃And　she　refused　you　on　account　of　your　position　in　life。〃

〃No。　I　had　foreseen　that　obstacle；　and　had　followed　the　example　of　the　adventurous　nobleman　in　the　old　story。　Like　him；　I　assumed　a　name；　and　presented　myself　as　belonging　to　her　own　respectable　middle　class　of　life。　You　are　too　old　a　friend　to　suspect　me　of　vanity　if　I　tell　you　that　she　had　no　objection　to　me；　and　no　suspicion　that　I　had　approached　her　（personally　speaking）　under　a　disguise。〃

〃What　motive　could　she　possibly　have　had　for　refusing　you？〃　Dick　asked。

〃A　motive　associated　with　her　dead　husband；〃　Beaucourt　answered。　〃He　had　married　hermind；　innocently　married　herwhile　his　first　wife　was　living。　The　woman　was　an　inveterate　drunkard；　they　had　been　separated　for　years。　Her　death　had　been　publicly　reported　in　the　newspapers；　among　the　persons　killed　in　a　railway　accident　abroad。　When　she　claimed　her　unhappy　husband　he　was　in　delicate　health。　The　shock　killed　him。　His　widowI　can't；　and　won't；　speak　of　her　misfortune　as　if　it　was　her　faultknew　of　no　living　friends　who　were　in　a　position　to　help　her。　Not　a　great　artist　with　a　wonderful　voice；　she　could　still　trust　to　her　musical　accomplishments　to　provide　for　the　necessities　of　life。　Plead　as　I　might　with　her　to　forget　the　past；　I　always　got　the　same　reply：　'If　I　was　base　enough　to　let　myself　be　tempted　by　the　happy　future　that　you　offer；　I　should　deserve　the　unmerited　disgrace　which　has　fallen　on　me。　Marry　a　woman　whose　reputation