all roads lead to calvary-第17章

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Niel　Singleton；　or　Keeley；　as　he　called　himself　upon　the　stage；　was　quite　unlike　his　sister。　　He　was　short　and　plump；　with　a　preternaturally　solemn　face；　contradicted　by　small　twinkling　eyes。　He　motioned　Joan　to　a　chair　and　told　her　to　keep　quiet　and　not　disturb　the　meeting。

〃Is　he　brainy？〃　he　whispered　after　a　minute。

〃I　like　him；〃　said　Joan。

〃I　didn't　ask　you　if　you　liked　him；〃　he　explained　to　her。　　〃I　asked　you　if　he　was　brainy。　　I'm　not　too　sure　that　you　like　brainy　men。〃

〃Yes；　I　do；〃　said　Joan。　　〃I　like　you；　sometimes。〃

〃Now；　none　of　that；〃　he　said　severely。　　〃It's　no　good　your　thinking　of　me。　　I'm　wedded　to　my　art。　　We　are　talking　about　Mr。　Halliday。〃

〃What　does　Madge　think　of　him？〃　asked　Joan。

〃Madge　has　fallen　in　love　with　him；　and　her　judgment　is　not　to　be　relied　upon；〃　he　said。　　〃I　suppose　you　couldn't　answer　a　straight　question；　if　you　tried。〃

〃Don't　be　so　harsh　with　me；〃　pleaded　Joan　meekly。　　〃I'm　trying　to　think。　　Yes；〃　she　continued；　〃decidedly　he's　got　brains。〃

〃Enough　for　the　two　of　them？〃　demanded　Mr。　Singleton。　　〃Because　he　will　want　them。　　Now　think　before　you　speak。〃

Joan　considered。　　〃Yes；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　should　say　he's　just　the　man　to　manage　her。〃

〃Then　it's　settled；〃　he　said。　　〃We　must　save　her。〃

〃Save　her　from　what？〃　demanded　Joan。

〃From　his　saying　to　himself：　　'This　is　Flossie's　idea　of　a　party。　This　is　the　sort　of　thing　that；　if　I　marry　her；　I　am　letting　myself　in　for。'　　If　he　hasn't　broken　off　the　engagement　already；　we　may　be　in　time。〃

He　led　the　way　to　the　piano。　　〃Tell　Madge　I　want　her；〃　he　whispered。　　He　struck　a　few　notes；　and　then　in　a　voice　that　drowned　every　other　sound　in　the　room；　struck　up　a　comic　song。

The　effect　was　magical。

He　followed　it　up　with　another。　　This　one　with　a　chorus；　consisting　chiefly　of　〃Umpty　Umpty　Umpty　Umpty　Ay；〃　which　was　vociferously　encored。

By　the　time　it　was　done　with；　Madge　had　discovered　a　girl　who　could　sing　〃Three　Little　Pigs；〃　and　a　sad；　pale…faced　gentleman　who　told　stories。　　At　the　end　of　one　of　them　Madge's　brother　spoke　to　Joan　in　a　tone　more　of　sorrow　than　of　anger。

〃Hardly　the　sort　of　anecdote　that　a　truly　noble　and　high…minded　young　woman　would　have　received　with　laughter；〃　he　commented。

〃Did　I　laugh？〃　said　Joan。

〃Your　having　done　so　unconsciously　only　makes　the　matter　worse；〃　observed　Mr。　Singleton。　　〃I　had　hoped　it　emanated　from　politeness；　not　enjoyment。〃

〃Don't　tease　her；〃　said　Madge。　　〃She's　having　an　evening　off。〃

Joan　and　the　Singletons　were　the　last　to　go。　　They　promised　to　show　Mr。　Halliday　a　short　cut　to　his　hotel　in　Holborn。

〃Have　you　thanked　Miss　Lessing　for　a　pleasant　evening？〃　asked　Mr。　Singleton；　turning　to　Mr。　Halliday。

He　laughed　and　put　his　arm　round　her。　　〃Poor　little　woman；〃　he　said。　　〃You're　looking　so　tired。　　It　was　jolly　at　the　end。〃　　He　kissed　her。

He　had　passed　through　the　swing　doors；　and　they　were　standing　on　the　pavement　waiting　for　Joan's　bus。

〃Why　did　we　all　like　him？〃　asked　Joan。　　〃Even　Miss　Lavery。　　There's　nothing　extraordinary　about　him。〃

〃Oh　yes　there　is；〃　said　Madge。　　〃Love　has　lent　him　gilded　armour。　From　his　helmet　waves　her　crest；〃　she　quoted。　　〃Most　men　look　fine　in　that　costume。　　Pity　they　can't　always　wear　it。〃

The　conductor　seemed　impatient。　　Joan　sprang　upon　the　step　and　waved　her　hand。



CHAPTER　VII



Joan　was　making　herself　a　cup　of　tea　when　there　came　a　tap　at　the　door。　　It　was　Mrs。　Phillips。

〃I　heard　you　come　in；〃　she　said。　　〃You're　not　busy；　are　you？〃

〃No；〃　answered　Joan。　　〃I　hope　you're　not。　　I'm　generally　in　about　this　time；　and　it's　always　nice　to　gossip　over　a　dish　of　tea。〃

〃Why　do　you　say　'dish'　of　tea！〃　asked　Mrs。　Phillips；　as　she　lowered　herself　with　evident　satisfaction　into　the　easy　chair　Joan　placed　for　her。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　laughed　Joan。　　〃Dr。　Johnson　always　talked　of　a　'dish'　of　tea。　　Gives　it　a　literary　flavour。〃

〃I've　heard　of　him；〃　said　Mrs。　Phillips。　　〃He's　worth　reading；　isn't　he？〃

〃Well；　he　talked　more　amusingly　than　he　wrote；〃　explained　Joan。　〃Get　Boswell's　Life　of　him。　　Or　I'll　lend　you　mine；〃　she　added；　〃if　you'll　be　careful　of　it。　　You'll　find　all　the　passages　marked　that　are　best　worth　remembering。　　At　least；　I　think　so。〃

〃Thanks；〃　said　Mrs。　Phillips。　　〃You　see；　as　the　wife　of　a　public　man；　I　get　so　little　time　for　study。〃

〃Is　it　settled　yet？〃　asked　Joan。　　〃Are　they　going　to　make　room　for　him　in　the　Cabinet？

〃I'm　afraid　so；〃　answered　Mrs。　Phillips。　　〃Oh；　of　course；　I　want　him　to；〃　she　corrected　herself。　　〃And　he　must；　of　course；　if　the　King　insists　upon　it。　　But　I　wish　it　hadn't　all　come　with　such　a　whirl。　　What　shall　I　have　to　do；　do　you　think？〃

Joan　was　pouring　out　the　tea。　　〃Oh；　nothing；〃　she　answered；　〃but　just　be　agreeable　to　the　right　people。　　He'll　tell　you　who　they　are。　　And　take　care　of　him。〃

〃I　wish　I'd　taken　more　interest　in　politics　when　I　was　young；〃　said　Mrs。　Phillips。　　〃Of　course；　when　I　was　a　girl；　women　weren't　supposed　to。〃

〃Do　you　know；　I　shouldn't　worry　about　them；　if　I　were　you；〃　Joan　advised　her。　　〃Let　him　forget　them　when　he's　with　you。　　A　man　can　have　too　much　of　a　good　thing；〃　she　laughed。

〃I　wonder　if　you're　right；〃　mused　Mrs。　Phillips。　　〃He　does　often　say　that　he'd　just　as　soon　I　didn't　talk　about　them。〃

Joan　shot　a　glance　from　over　her　cup。　　The　poor　puzzled　face　was　staring　into　the　fire。　　Joan　could　almost　hear　him　saying　it。

〃I'm　sure　I　am；〃　she　said。　　〃Make　home…coming　a　change　to　him。　　As　you　said　yourself　the　other　evening。　　It's　good　for　him　to　get　away　from　it　all；　now　and　then。〃

〃I　must　try；〃　agreed　Mrs。　Phillips；　looking　up。　　〃What　sort　of　things　ought　I　to　talk　to　him　about；　do　you　think？〃

Joan　gave　an　inward　sigh。　　Hadn't　the　poor　lady　any　friends　of　her　own。　　〃Oh；　almost　anything；〃　she　answered　vaguely：　　〃so　long　as　it's　cheerful　and　non…political。　　What　used　you　to　talk　about　before　he　became　a　great　man？〃

There　came　a　wistful　look　into　the　worried　eyes。　　〃Oh；　it　was　all　so　different　then；〃　she　said。　　〃'E　just　liked　toyou　know。　　We　didn't　seem　to　'ave　to　talk。　　'E　was　a　rare　one　to　tease。　　I　didn't　know　'ow　clever　'e　was；　then。〃

It　seemed　a　difficult　case　to　advise　upon。　　〃How　long　have　you　been　married？〃　Joan　asked。

〃Fifteen　years；〃　she　answered。　　〃I　was　a　bit　older　than　'im。　　But　I've　never　looked　my　age；　they　tell　me。　　Lord；　what　a　boy　'e　was！　Swept　you　off　your　feet；　like。　　'E　wasn't　the　only　one。　　I'd　got　a　way　with　me；　I　suppose。　　Anyhow；　the　men　seemed　to　think　so。　　There　was　always　a　few　'anging　about。　　Like　flies　round　a　'oney…pot；　Mother　used　to　say。〃　　She　giggled。　　〃But　'e　wouldn't　take　No　for　an　answer。　　And　I　didn't　want　to　give　it　'im；　neither。　　I　was　gone　on　'im；　right　enough。　　No　use　saying　I　wasn't。〃

〃You　must　be　glad　you　didn't　say　No；〃　suggested　Joan。

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　〃'E's　got　on。　　I　always　think　of　that　little　poem；　'Lord　Burleigh；'〃　she　continued；　〃whenever　I　get　worrying　about　myself。　　Ever　read　it？〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Joan。　　〃He　was　a　landscape　painter；　wasn't　he？〃

〃That's　the　one；〃　said　Mrs。　Phillips。　　〃I　little　thought　I　was　letting　myself　in　for　being　the　wife　of　a　big　pot　when　Bob　Phillips　came　along　in　'is　miner's　jacket。〃

〃You'll　soon　get　used　to　it；〃　Joan　told　her。　　〃The　great　thing　is　not　to　be　afraid　of　one's　fate；　whatever　it　is；　but　just　to　do　one's　best。〃　　It　was　rather　like　talking　to　a　child。

〃You're　the　right　sort　to　put　'eart　into　a　body。　　I'm　glad　I　came　up；〃　said　Mrs。　Phillips。　　〃I　get　a　bit　down　in　the　mouth　sometimes　when　'e　goes　off　into　one　of　'is　brown　studies；　and　I　don't　seem　to　know　what　'e's　thinking　about。　　But　it　don't　last　long。　　I　was　always　one　of　the　light…'earted　ones。〃

They　discussed　life　on　two　thousand　a　year；　the　problems　it　would　present；　and　Mrs。　Phillips　became　more　cheerful。　　Joan　laid　herself　out　to　be　friendly。　　She　hoped　to　establish　an　influence　over　Mrs。　Phillips　that　should　be　for　the　poor　lady's　good；　and；　as　she　felt　instinctively；　for　poor　Phillips's　also。　　It　was　not　an　unpleasing　face。　　Underneath　the　paint；　it　was　kind　and　womanly。　　Joan　was　sure　he　would　like　it　better　clean。　　A　few　months'　attention　to　diet　would　make　a　decent　figure　of　her　and　improve　her　wind。　　Joan　watched　her　spreadin