the yellow god-第14章

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〃No；　my　darling；　no；〃　he　answered；　turning　white　at　the　very　thought；
〃we　couldn't　get　on　apartnow。　In　fact　I　don't　know　how　I　have　done
so　so　long　already；　except　that　I　was　always　hoping　that　a　time　would
come　when　we　shouldn't　be　apart。　That　is　why　I　went　into　that　infernal
business；　to　make　enough　money　to　be　able　to　ask　you　to　marry　me。　And
now　I　have　gone　out　of　the　business　and　asked　you　just　when　I
shouldn't。〃

〃Yes；　so　you　see　you　might　as　well　have　done　it　a　year　or　two　ago　when
perhaps　things　would　have　been　simpler。　Well；　it　is　a　fine　example　of
the　vanity　of　human　plans；　and；　Alan；　we　must　be　going　home　to　lunch。
If　we　don't；　Sir　Robert　will　be　organizing　a　search　party　to　look　for
us；　in　fact；　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　he　is　doing　that　already；　in　the
wrong　direction。〃

The　mention　of　Sir　Robert　Aylward's　name　fell　on　them　both　like　a
blast　of　cold　wind　in　summer；　and　for　a　while　they　walked　in　silence。

〃You　are　afraid　of　that　man；　Barbara；〃　said　Alan　presently；　guessing
her　thoughts。

〃A　little；〃　she　answered；　〃so　far　as　I　can　be　afraid　of　anything　any
more。　And　you？〃

〃A　little　also。　I　think　that　he　will　give　us　trouble。　He　can　be　very
malevolent　and　resourceful。〃

〃Resourceful；　Alan；　well；　so　can　I。　I'll　back　my　wits　against　his　any
day。　He　shan't　separate　us　by　anything　short　of　murder；　which　he　won't
go　in　for。　Men　like　that　don't　like　to　break　the　law；　they　have　too
much　to　lose。　But　no　doubt　he　will　make　things　uncomfortable　for　you；
if　he　can；　for　several　reasons。〃

Again　they　walked　on　lost　in　reflections；　when　Barbara　suddenly　saw
her　lover's　face　brighten。

〃What　is　it；　Alan？〃　she　asked。

〃Something　that　is　rare　enough　with　me；　Barbaraan　idea。　You　remember
speaking　about　that　Asiki　gold　just　now。　Well；　why　shouldn't　I　go　and
get　it？〃

She　stared　at　him。

〃It　sounds　a　little　speculative；〃　she　said；　〃something　like　one　of　my
uncle's　companies。〃

〃Not　half　so　speculative　as　you　think。　I　have　no　doubt　it　is　there　and
Jeekie　knows　the　way。　Also　I　seem　to　remember　that　there　is　a　map　and
an　account　of　the　whole　thing　in　Uncle　Austin's　diaries；　though　to
tell　you　the　truth　the　old　fellow　wrote　such　a　fearful　hand；　that　I
have　never　taken　the　trouble　to　read　it。　You　see；〃　he　went　on　with
enthusiasm；　〃it　is　the　kind　of　business　that　I　can　do。　I　am　thoroughly
salted　to　fever；　I　know　the　West　Coast；　where　I　spent　three　years　on
that　Boundary　Commission；　I　have　studied　the　natives　and　can　talk
several　of　their　dialects。　Of　course　there　would　be　a　risk；　but　there
are　risks　in　everything；　and　like　you　I　am　not　afraid　about　that；　for
I　believe　that　we　have　got　our　lives　before　us。〃

〃Read　up　those　diaries；　Alan；　and　we　will　talk　the　thing　over　again。
I'll　pump　Jeekie；　who　will　tell　me　anything　by　coaxing；　and　try　to　get
at　the　truth。　Meanwhile　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　my　uncle？〃

〃Speak　to　him；　of　course；　and　have　the　row　over。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered；　〃that　is　the　best　and　the　most　honest。　Of　course
he　can　turn　you　out；　but　he　can't　prevent　my　seeing　you。　If　he　does；
go　home　to　Yarleys　and　I'll　come　over　and　call。　Here　we　are；　let　us　go
in　by　the　back　door；〃　and　she　pointed　to　her　crushed　hat；　and　laughed。



CHAPTER　V

BARBARA　MAKES　A　SPEECH

While　Alan　and　Barbara；　on　the　most　momentous　occasion　of　their　lives；
were　seated　upon　the　fallen　oak　in　the　woods　that　thrilled　with　the
breath　of　spring；　another　interview　was　taking　place　in　Mr。　Champers…
Haswell's　private　suite　at　The　Court；　the　decorations　of　which；　as　he
was　wont　to　inform　his　visitors；　had　cost　nearly　￡2000。　Sir　Robert；
whose　taste　at　any　rate　was　good；　thought　them　so　appalling　that　while
waiting　for　his　host　and　partner；　whom　he　had　come　to　see；　he　took　a
seat　in　the　bow　window　of　the　sitting…room　and　studied　the　view　that
nobody　had　been　able　to　spoil。　Presently　Mr。　Haswell　emerged　from　his
bedroom；　wrapped　in　a　dressing　gown　and　looking　very　pale　and　shaky。

〃Delighted　to　see　you　all　right　again；〃　said　Sir　Robert　as　he　wheeled
up　a　chair　into　which　Mr。　Haswell　sank。

〃I　am　not　all　right；　Aylward；〃　he　answered；　〃I　am　not　all　right　at
all。　Never　had　such　an　upset　in　my　life；　thought　I　was　going　to　die
when　that　accursed　savage　told　his　beastly　tale。　Aylward；　you　are　a
man　of　the　world；　tell　me；　what　is　the　meaning　of　the　thing？　You
remember　what　we　thought　we　saw　in　the　office；　and　thenthat　story。〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　answered；　〃frankly　I　don't　know。　I　am　a　man　who　has
never　believed　in　anything　I　cannot　see　and　test；　one　who　utterly
lacks　faith。　In　my　leisure　I　have　examined　into　the　various　religious
systems　and　found　them　to　be　rubbish。　I　am　convinced　that　we　are　but
highly…developed　mammals　born　by　chance；　and　when　our　day　is　done；
departing　into　the　black　nothingness　out　of　which　we　came。　Everything
else；　that　is；　what　is　called　the　higher　and　spiritual　part；　I
attribute　to　the　superstitions　incident　to　the　terror　of　the　hideous
position　in　which　we　find　ourselves；　that　of　gods　of　a　sort　hemmed　in
by　a　few　years　of　fearful　and　tormented　life。　But　you　know　the　old
arguments；　so　why　should　I　enter　on　them？　And　now　I　am　confronted　with
an　experience　which　I　cannot　explain。　I　certainly　thought　that　in　the
office　on　Friday　evening　I　saw　that　gold　mask　to　which　I　had　taken　so
strange　a　fancy　that　I　offered　to　give　Vernon　￡17；000　for　it　because　I
thought　that　it　brought　us　luck；　swim　across　the　floor　of　our　room　and
look　first　into　your　face　and　then　into　mine。　Well；　the　next　night
that　negro　tells　his　story。　What　am　I　to　make　of　it？〃

〃Can't　tell　you；〃　answered　Mr。　Champers…Haswell　with　a　groan。　〃All　I
know　is　that　it　nearly　made　a　corpse　of　me。　I　am　not　like　you；
Aylward；　I　was　brought　up　as　an　Evangelical；　and　although　I　haven't
given　much　thought　to　these　matters　of　late　yearswell；　we　don't
shake　them　off　in　a　hurry。　I　daresay　there　is　something　somewhere；　and
when　the　black　man　was　speaking；　that　something　seemed　uncommonly
near。　It　got　up　and　gripped　me　by　the　throat；　shaking　the　mortal
breath　out　of　me；　and　upon　my　word；　Aylward；　I　have　been　wishing　all
the　morning　that　I　had　led　a　different　kind　of　life；　as　my　old　parents
and　my　brother　John；　Barbara's　father；　who　was　a　very　religious　kind
of　man；　did　before　me。〃

〃It　is　rather　late　to　think　of　all　that　now；　Haswell；〃　said　Sir
Robert；　shrugging　his　shoulders。　〃One　takes　one's　line　and　there's　an
end。　Personally　I　believe　that　we　are　overstrained　with　the　fearful
and　anxious　work　of　this　flotation；　and　have　been　the　victims　of　an
hallucination　and　a　coincidence。　Although　I　confess　that　I　came　to
look　upon　the　thing　as　a　kind　of　mascot；　I　put　no　trust　in　any　fetish。
How　can　a　bit　of　gold　move；　and　how　can　it　know　the　future？　Well；　I
have　written　to　them　to　clear　it　out　of　the　office　to…morrow；　so　it
won't　trouble　us　any　more。　And　now　I　have　come　to　speak　to　you　on
another　matter。〃

〃Not　business；〃　said　Mr。　Haswell　with　a　sigh。　〃We　have　that　all　the
week　and　there　will　be　enough　of　it　on　Monday。〃

〃No；〃　he　answered；　〃something　more　important。　About　your　niece
Barbara。〃

Mr。　Haswell　glanced　at　him　with　those　little　eyes　of　his　which　were　so
sharp　that　they　seemed　to　bore　like　gimlets。

〃Barbara？〃　he　said。　〃What　of　Barbara？〃

〃Can't　you　guess；　Haswell？　You　are　pretty　good　at　it；　generally。　Well；
it　is　no　use　beating　about　the　bush；　I　want　to　marry　her。〃

At　this　sudden　announcement　his　partner　became　exceedingly　interested。
Leaning　back　in　the　chair　he　stared　at　the　decorated　ceiling；　and
uttered　his　favourite　wind…in…the…wires　whistle。

〃Indeed；〃　he　said。　〃I　never　knew　that　matrimony　was　in　your　line；
Aylward；　any　more　than　it　has　been　in　mine；　especially　as　you　are
always　preaching　against　it。　Well；　has　the　young　lady　given　her
consent？〃

〃No；　I　have　not　spoken　to　her。　I　meant　to　do　so　this　morning；　but　she
has　slipped　off　somewhere；　with　Vernon；　I　suppose。〃

Mr。　Haswell　whistled　again；　but　on　a　new　note。

〃Pray　do　stop　that　noise；〃　said　Sir　Robert；　〃it　gets　upon　my　nerves；
which　are　shaky　this　morning。　Listen：　It　is　a　curious　thing；　one　less
to　be　understood　even　than　the　coincidence　of　the　Yellow　God；　but　at
my　present　age　of　forty…f