the yellow god-第15章

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to　be　understood　even　than　the　coincidence　of　the　Yellow　God；　but　at
my　present　age　of　forty…four；　for　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　have
committed　the　folly　of　what　is　called　falling　in　love。　It　is　not　the
case　of　a　successful；　middle…aged　man　wishing　to　/ranger/　himself　and
settle　down　with　a　desirable　/partie/；　but　of　sheer；　stark
infatuation。　I　adore　Barbara；　the　worse　she　treats　me　the　more　I　adore
her。　I　had　rather　that　the　Sahara　flotation　should　fail　than　that　she
should　refuse　me。　I　would　rather　lose　three…quarters　of　my　fortune
than　lose　her。　Do　you　understand？〃

His　partner　looked　at　him；　pursed　up　his　lips　to　whistle；　then
remembered　and　shook　his　head　instead。

〃No；〃　he　answered。　〃Barbara　is　a　nice　girl；　but　I　should　not　have
imagined　her　capable　of　inspiring　such　sentiments　in　a　man　almost　old
enough　to　be　her　father。　I　think　that　you　are　the　victim　of　a　kind　of
mania；　which　I　have　heard　of　but　never　experienced。　Venusor　is　it
Cupid？has　netted　you；　my　dear　Aylward。〃

〃Oh！　pray　leave　gods　and　goddesses　out　of　it；　we　have　had　enough　of
them　already；〃　he　answered；　exasperated。　〃That　is　my　case　at　any　rate；
and　what　I　want　to　know　now　is　if　I　have　your　support　in　my　suit。
Remember；　I　have　something　to　offer；　Haswell；　for　instance；　a　large
fortune　of　which　I　will　settle　halfit　is　a　good　thing　to　do　in　our
business；and　a　baronetcy　that　will　be　a　peerage　before　long。〃

〃A　peerage！　Have　you　squared　that？〃

〃I　think　so。　There　will　be　a　General　Election　within　the　next　three
months；　and　on　such　occasions　a　couple　of　hundred　thousand　in　cool
cash　come　in　useful　to　a　Party　that　is　short　of　ready　money。　I　think　I
may　say　that　it　is　settled。　She　will　be　the　Lady　Aylward；　or　any　other
name　she　may　fancy；　and　one　of　the　richest　women　in　England。　Now　have
I　your　support？〃

〃Yes；　my　dear　friend；　why　not；　though　Barbara　does　not　want　money；　for
she　has　plenty　of　her　own；　in　first…class　securities　that　I　could
never　persuade　her　to　vary；　for　she　is　shrewd　in　that　way　and　steadily
refuses　to　sign　anything。　Also　she　will　probably　be　my　heiressand；
Aylward；〃　here　a　sickly　look　of　alarm　spread　itself　over　his　face；　〃I
don't　know　how　long　I　have　to　live。　That　infernal　doctor　examined　my
heart　this　morning　and　told　me　that　it　was　weak。　Weak　was　his　word；
but　from　the　tone　in　which　he　said　it；　I　believe　that　he　meant　more。
Aylward；　I　gather　that　I　may　die　any　day。〃

〃Nonsense；　Haswell；　so　may　we　all；〃　he　replied；　with　an　affectation　of
cheerfulness　which　failed　to　carry　conviction。

Presently　Mr。　Haswell；　who　had　hidden　his　face　in　his　hand；　looked　up
with　a　sigh　and　said：

〃Oh！　yes；　of　course　you　have　my　support；　for　after　all　she　is　my　only
relation　and　I　should　be　glad　to　see　her　safely　married。　Also；　as　it
happens；　she　can't　marry　anyone　without　my　consent；　at　any　rate　until
she　is　five　and　twenty；　for　if　she　does；　under　her　father's　will　all
her　property　goes　away；　most　of　it　to　charities；　except　a　beggarly
￡200　a　year。　You　see　my　brother　John　had　a　great　horror　of　imprudent
marriages　and　a　still　greater　belief　in　me；　which　as　it　chances；　is　a
good　thing　for　you。〃

〃Had　he？〃　said　Sir　Robert。　〃And　pray　why　is　it　a　good　thing　for　me？〃

〃Because；　my　dear　Aylward；　unless　my　observation　is　at　fault；　there　is
another　Richard　in　the　field；　our　late　partner；　Vernon；　of　whom；　by
the　way；　Barbara　is　extremely　fond；　though　it　may　only　be　in　a
friendly　fashion。　At　any　rate　she　pays　more　attention　to　his　wishes
and　opinions　than　to　mine　and　yours　put　together。〃

At　the　mention　of　Alan's　name　Aylward　started　violently。

〃I　feared　it；〃　he　said；　〃and　he　is　more　than　ten　years　my　junior　and　a
soldier；　not　a　man　of　business。　Also　there　is　no　use　disguising　the
truth；　although　I　am　a　baronet　and　shall　be　a　peer　and　he　is　nothing
but　a　beggarly　country　gentleman　with　a　D。S。O。　tacked　on　to　his　name；
he　belongs　to　a　different　class　to　us；　as　she　does　too　on　her　mother's
side。　Well；　I　can　smash　him　up；　for　you　remember　I　took　over　that
mortgage　on　Yarleys；　and　I'll　do　it　if　necessary。　Practically　our
friend　has　not　a　shilling　that　he　can　call　his　own。　Therefore；
Haswell；　unless　you　play　me　false；　which　I　don't　think　you　will；　for　I
can　be　a　nasty　enemy；〃　he　added　with　a　threat　in　his　voice；　〃Alan
Vernon　hasn't　much　chance　in　that　direction。〃

〃I　don't　know；　Aylward；　I　don't　know；〃　replied　Haswell；　shaking　his
white　head。　〃Barbara　is　a　strong…willed　woman　and　she　might　choose　to
take　the　man　and　let　the　money　go；　and　thenwho　can　stop　her？　Also　I
don't　like　your　idea　of　smashing　Vernon。　It　isn't　right；　and　it　may
come　back　on　our　own　heads；　especially　yours。　I　am　sorry　that　he　has
left　us；　as　you　were　on　Friday　night；　for　somehow　he　was　a　good；
honest　stick　to　lean　on；　and　we　want　such　a　stick。　But　I　am　tired　now；
I　really　can't　talk　any　more。　The　doctor　warned　me　against　excitement。
Get　the　girl's　consent；　Aylward；　and　we'll　see。　Ah！　here　comes　my
soup。　Good…bye　for　the　present。〃

When　Sir　Robert　came　down　to　luncheon　he　found　Barbara　looking
particularly　radiant　and　charming；　already　presiding　at　that　meal　and
conversing　in　her　best　French　to　the　foreign　gentlemen；　who　were
paying　her　compliments。

〃Forgive　me　for　being　late；〃　he　said；　〃first　of　all　I　have　been
talking　to　your　uncle；　and　afterwards　skimming　through　the　articles　in
yesterday's　papers　on　our　little　venture　which　comes　out　to…morrow。　A
cheerful　occupation　on　the　whole；　for　with　one　or　two　exceptions　they
are　all　favourable。〃

〃Mon　Dieu；〃　said　the　French　gentlemen　on　the　right；　〃seeing　what　they
did　cost；　that　is　not　strange。　Your　English　papers　they　are　so
expensive；　in　Paris　we　have　done　it　for　half　the　money。〃

Barbara　and　some　of　the　guests　laughed　outright；　finding　this
frankness　charming。

〃But　where　have　you　been；　Miss　Champers？　I　thought　that　we　were　going
to　have　a　round　of　golf　together。　The　caddies　were　there；　I　was　there；
the　greens　had　been　specially　rolled　this　morning；　but　there　was　no
You。〃

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃because　Major　Vernon　and　I　walked　to　church　and
heard　a　very　good　sermon　upon　the　observance　of　the　Sabbath。〃

〃You　are　severe；〃　he　said。　〃Do　you　think　it　wrong　for　men　who　work
hard　all　the　week　to　play　a　harmless　game　on　Sunday？〃

〃Not　at　all；　Sir　Robert。〃　Then　she　looked　at　him　and；　coming　to　a
sudden　decision；　added；　〃If　you　like　I　will　play　you　nine　holes　this
afternoon　and　give　you　a　stroke　a　hole；　or　would　you　prefer　a
foursome？〃

〃No；　let　us　fight　alone　and　let　the　best　player　win。〃

〃Very　well；　Sir　Robert；　but　you　mustn't　forget　that　I　am　handicapped。〃

〃Don't　look　angry；〃　she　whispered　to　Alan　as　they　strolled　out　into
the　garden　after　lunch；　〃I　must　clear　things　up　and　know　what　we　have
to　face。　I'll　be　back　by　tea…time；　and　we　will　have　it　out　with　my
uncle。〃



The　nine　holes　had　been　played；　and　by　a　single　stroke　Barbara　had　won
the　match；　which　pleased　her　very　much；　for　she　had　done　her　best；　and
with　such　heavy　odds　in　his　favour　Sir　Robert；　who　had　also　done　his
best；　was　no　mean　opponent；　even　for　a　player　of　her　skill。　Indeed　the
fight　had　been　quite　earnest；　for　each　party　knew　that　it　was　but　a
prelude　to　another　and　more　serious　fight；　and　looked　upon　the　result
as　in　some　sense　an　omen。

〃I　am　conquered；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　in　which　vexation　struggled　with
a　laugh；　〃and　by　a　woman　over　whom　I　had　an　advantage。　It　is
humiliating；　for　I　confess　I　do　not　like　being　beaten。〃

〃Don't　you　think　that　women　generally　win　if　they　mean　to？〃　asked
Barbara。　〃I　believe　that　when　they　fail；　which　is　often　enough；　it　is
because　they　don't　care；　or　can't　make　up　their　minds。　A　woman　in
earnest　is　a　dangerous　antagonist。〃

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃or　the　best　of　allies。〃　Then　he　gave　the　clubs
and　half…a…crown　to　the　caddies；　and　when　they　were　out　of　hearing；
added；　〃Miss　Champers；　I　have　been　wondering　for　some　time　whether　it
is　possible　that　you　would　become　such　an　ally　to　me。〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　business；　Sir　Robert；　my　tastes　do　not　lie　that
way。〃

〃You　know　well　that　I　was　not　speaking　of　business；　Miss　Champers。　I
was　speaking　of　another　kind　of　partnership；　that　which　Nature　has
ordained　between　men　and