the yellow god-第16章

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was　speaking　of　another　kind　of　partnership；　that　which　Nature　has
ordained　between　men　and　womenmarriage。　Will　you　accept　me　as　a
husband？〃

She　opened　her　lips　to　speak；　but　he　lifted　his　hand　and　went　on。
〃Listen　before　you　give　that　ready　answer　which　it　is　so　hard　to
recall；　or　smooth　away。　I　know　all　my　disadvantages；　my　years；　which
to　you　may　seem　many；　my　modest　origin；　my　trade；　which；　not
altogether　without　reason；　you　despise　and　dislike。　Well；　the　first
two　cannot　be　changed　except　for　the　worse；　the　second　can　be；　and
already　is；　buried　beneath　the　gold　and　ermine　of　wealth　and　titles。
What　does　it　matter　if　I　am　the　son　of　a　City　clerk　who　never　earned
more　than　￡2　a　week　and　was　born　in　a　tenement　at　Battersea；　when　I　am
one　of　the　rich　men　of　this　rich　land　and　shall　die　a　peer　in　a
palace；　leaving　millions　and　honours　to　my　children？　As　for　the　third；
my　occupation；　I　am　prepared　to　give　it　up。　It　has　served　my　turn；　and
after　next　week　I　shall　have　earned　the　amount　that　years　ago　I
determined　to　earn。　Thenceforth；　set　above　the　accidents　of　fortune；　I
propose　to　devote　myself　to　higher　aims；　those　of　legitimate　ambition。
So　far　as　my　time　would　allow　I　have　already　taken　some　share　in
politics　as　a　worker；　I　intend　to　continue　in　them　as　a　ruler　which　I
still　have　the　health　and　ability　to　do。　I　mean　to　be　one　of　the　first
men　in　this　Empire；　to　ride　to　power　over　the　heads　of　all　the
nonentities　whose　only　claim　upon　the　confidence　of　their　countrymen
is　that　they　were　born　in　a　certain　class；　with　money　in　their　pockets
and　without　the　need　to　spend　the　best　of　their　manhood　in　work。　With
you　at　my　side　I　can　do　all　these　things　and　more；　and　such　is　the
future　that　I　have　to　offer　you。〃

Again　she　would　have　broken　in　upon　his　speech　and　again　he　stopped
her；　reading　the　unspoken　answer　on　her　lips。

〃Listen：　I　have　not　told　you　all。　Perhaps　I　have　put　first　what　should
have　come　last。　I　have　not　told　you　that　I　love　you　earnestly　and
sincerely；　with　the　settled；　unalterable　love　that　sometimes　comes　to
men　in　middle…age　who　have　never　turned　their　thought　that　way　before。
I　will　not　attempt　the　rhapsodies　of　passion　which　at　my　time　of　life
might　sound　foolish　or　out　of　place；　yet　it　is　true　that　I　am　filled
with　this　passion　which　has　descended　on　me　and　taken　possession　of
me。　I　who　often　have　laughed　at　such　things　in　other　men；　adore　you。
You　are　a　joy　to　my　eyes。　If　you　are　not　in　the　room；　for　me　it　is
empty。　I　admire　the　uprightness　of　your　character；　and　even　your
prejudices；　and　to　your　standard　I　desire　to　approximate　my　own。　I
think　that　no　man　can　ever　love　you　quite　so　well　as　I　do；　Barbara
Champers。　Now　speak。　I　am　ready　to　meet　the　best　or　the　worst。〃

After　her　fashion　Barbara　looked　him　straight　in　the　face　with　her
steady　eyes；　and　answered　gently　enough；　for　the　man's　method　of
presenting　his　case；　elaborate　and　prepared　though　it　evidently　was；
had　touched　her。

〃I　fear　it　is　the　worst；　Sir　Robert。　There　are　hundreds　of　women
superior　to　myself　in　every　way　who　would　be　glad　to　give　you　the　help
and　companionship　you　ask；　with　their　hearts　thrown　in。　Choose　one　of
them；　for　I　cannot　do　so。〃

He　heard　and　for　the　first　time　his　face　broke；　as　it　were。　All　this
while　it　had　remained　masklike　and　immovable；　even　when　he　spoke　of
his　love；　but　now　it　broke　as　ice　breaks　at　the　pressure　of　a　sudden
flood　beneath；　and　she　saw　the　depths　and　eddies　of　his　nature　and
understood　their　strength。　Not　that　he　revealed　them　in　speech；　angry
or　pleading；　for　that　remained　calm　and　measured　enough。　She　did　not
hear；　she　saw；　and　even　then　it　was　marvellous　to　her　that　a　mere
change　in　a　man's　expression　could　explain　so　much。

〃Those　are　very　cruel　words；〃　he　said。　〃Are　they　unalterable？〃

〃Quite。　I　do　not　play　in　such　matters；　it　would　be　wicked。〃

〃May　I　ask　you　one　question；　for　if　the　answer　is　in　the　negative；　I
shall　still　continue　to　hope？　Do　you　care　for　any　other　man？〃

Again　she　looked　at　him　with　her　fearless　eyes　and　answered：

〃Yes；　I　am　engaged　to　another　man。〃

〃To　Alan　Vernon？〃

She　nodded。

〃When　did　that　happen？　Some　years　ago？〃

〃No；　this　morning。〃

〃Great　Heavens！〃　he　muttered　in　a　hoarse　voice　turning　his　head　away；
〃this　morning。　Then　last　night　it　might　not　have　been　too　late；　and
last　night　I　should　have　spoken　to　you；　I　had　arranged　it　all。　Yes；　if
it　had　not　been　for　the　story　of　that　accursed　fetish　and　your　uncle's
illness；　I　should　have　spoken　to　you；　and　perhaps　succeeded。〃

〃I　think　not；〃　she　said。

He　turned　upon　her　and　notwithstanding　the　tears　in　his　eyes　they
burned　like　fire。

〃You　thinkyou　think；〃　he　gasped；　〃but　I　know。　Of　course　after　this
morning　it　was　impossible。　But；　Barbara；　I　say　that　I　will　win　you
yet。　I　have　never　failed　in　any　object　that　I　set　before　myself；　and
do　not　suppose　that　I　shall　fail　in　this。　Although　in　a　way　I　liked
and　respected　him；　I　have　always　felt　that　Vernon　was　my　enemy；　one
destined　to　bring　grief　and　loss　upon　me；　even　if　he　did　not　intend　to
do　so。　Now　I　understand　why；　and　he　shall　learn　that　I　am　stronger
than　he。　God　help　him！　I　say。〃

〃I　think　He　will；〃　Barbara　answered；　calmly。　〃You　are　speaking　wildly；
and　I　understand　the　reason　and　hope　that　you　will　forget　your　words；
but　whether　you　forget　or　remember；　do　not　suppose　that　you　frighten
me。　You　men　who　have　made　money；〃　she　went　on　with　swelling
indignation；　〃who　have　made　money　somehow；　and　have　bought　honours
with　the　moneys　somehow；　think　yourselves　great；　and　in　your　little
day；　your　little；　little　day　that　will　end　with　three　lines　in　small
type　in　/The　Times/；　you　are　great　in　this　vulgar　land。　You　can　buy
what　you　want　and　people　creep　round　you　and　ask　you　for　doles　and
favours；　and　railway　porters　call　you　'my　Lord'　at　every　other　step。
But　you　forget　your　limitations　in　this　world；　and　that　which　lives
above　you。　You　say　you　will　do　this　and　that。　You　should　study　a　book
which　few　of　you　ever　read；　where　it　tells　you　that　you　do　not　know
what　you　will　be　on　the　morrow；　that　your　life　is　even　as　a　vapour
appearing　for　a　little　time　and　then　vanishing　away。　You　think　that
you　can　crush　the　man　to　whom　I　have　given　my　heart　because　he　is
honest　and　you　are　dishonest；　because　you　are　rich　and　he　is　poor；　and
because　he　chances　to　have　succeeded　where　you　have　not。　Well；　for
myself　and　for　him　I　defy　you。　Do　your　worst　and　fail；　and　when　you
have　failed；　in　the　hour　of　your　extremity　remember　my　words　to…day。
If　I　have　given　you　pain　by　refusing　you　it　is　not　my　fault　and　I　am
sorry；　but　when　you　threaten　the　man　who　has　honoured　me　with　his　love
and　whom　I　honour　above　every　creature　upon　the　earth；　then　I　threaten
back；　and　may　the　Power　that　made　us　all　judge　between　you　and　me；　as
judge　it　will；〃　and　bursting　into　tears　she　turned　and　left　him。

Sir　Robert　watched　her　go。

〃What　a　woman！〃　he　said　meditatively；　〃what　a　womanto　have　lost。
Well　she　has　set　the　stakes　and　we　will　play　out　the　game。　The　cards
all　seem　to　be　in　my　hands；　but　it　would　not　in　the　least　surprise　me
if　she　won　the　rubber；　for　the　element　that　I　call　Chance　and　she
would　call　something　else；　may　come　in。　Still；　I　never　refused　a
challenge　yet　and　we　will　play　the　game　out　without　pity　to　the
loser。〃



That　night　the　first　trick　was　played。　When　he　got　back　to　The　Court
Sir　Robert　ordered　his　motorcar　and　departed　on　urgent　business；
either　to　his　own　place；　Old　Hall；　or　to　London；　saying　only　that　he
had　been　summoned　away　by　telegram。　As　the　70…horse…power　Mercedes
glided　out　of　the　gates　a　pencilled　note　was　put　into　Mr。　Haswell's
hand。

　　It　ran：　〃I　have　tried　and　failedfor　the　present。　By　ill…luck
　　A。V。　had　been　before　me；　only　this　morning。　If　I　had　not　missed　my
　　chance　last　night　owing　to　your　illness；　it　would　have　been
　　different。　I　do　not；　however；　in　the　least　abandon　my　plan；　in
　　which　of　course　I　rely　on　and　expect　your　support。　Keep　V。　in　the
　　office　or　let　him　go　as　you　like。　Perhaps　it　would　be　better　if
　　you　could　prevail　upon　him　to　stop　there　until　after　the
　　flotation。　But　whatever　you　say　at　the　moment；　I　trust