the yellow god-第7章

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so　much　and　swore　that　it　was　〃lucky。〃　At　any　rate　he　had　declined　and
there　was　an　end。

But　another　and　a　graver　matter　remained。　He　had　desired　wealth　to
save　Yarleys；　but　he　desired　it　still　more　for　a　different　purpose。
Above　everything　on　earth　he　loved　Barbara；　his　distant　cousin　and　the
niece　of　Mr。　Champers…Haswell；　who　until　an　hour　ago　had　been　his
partner。　Now　she　was　a　great　heiress；　and　without　fortune　he　could　not
marry　her；　even　if　she　would　marry　him；　which　remained　in　doubt。　For
one　thing　her　uncle　and　guardian　Haswell；　under　her　father's　will；　had
absolute　discretion　in　this　matter　until　she　reached　the　age　of
twenty…five；　and　for　another　he　was　too　proud。　Therefore　it　would　seem
that　in　abandoning　his　business；　he　had　abandoned　his　chance　of
Barbara　also；　which　was　a　truly　dreadful　thought。

Well；　it　was　in　order　that　he　might　see　her；　that　he　had　agreed　to
visit　The　Court　on　the　morrow；　even　though　it　meant　a　meeting　with　his
late　partners；　who　were　the　last　people　with　whom　he　desired　to
foregather　again　so　soon。　Then　and　there　he　made　up　his　mind　that
before　he　bade　Barbara　farewell；　he　would　tell　her　the　whole　story；　so
that　she　might　not　misjudge　him。　After　that　he　would　go　off　somewhere
to　Africa　perhaps。　Meanwhile　he　was　quite　tired　out；　as　tired　as
though　he　had　lain　a　week　in　the　grip　of　fever。　He　must　eat　some　food
and　get　to　bed。　Sufficient　unto　the　day　was　the　evil　thereof；　yet　on
the　whole　he　blessed　the　name　of　Jackson；　editor　of　/The　Judge/　and
his　father's　old　friend。



When　Alan　had　left　the　office　Sir　Robert　turned　to　Mr。　Champers…
Haswell　and　asked　him　abruptly；　〃What　the　devil　does　this　mean？〃

Mr。　Haswell　looked　up　at　the　ceiling　and　whistled　in　his　own　peculiar
fashion；　then　answered：

〃I　cannot　say　for　certain；　but　our　young　friend's　strange　conduct
seems　to　suggest　that　he　has　smelt　a　rat；　possibly　even　that　Jackson；
the　old　beast；　has　shown　him　a　ratof　a　large　Turkish　breed。〃

Sir　Robert　nodded。

〃Vernon　is　a　fellow　who　doesn't　like　rats；　they　seem　to　haunt　his
sleep；〃　he　said；　〃but　do　you　think　that　having　seen　it；　he　will　keep
it　in　the　bag？〃

〃Oh！　certainly；　certainly；〃　answered　Mr。　Haswell　with　cheerfulness；
〃the　man　is　the　soul　of　honour；　he　will　never　give　us　away。　Look　how
he　behaved　about　those　shares。　Still；　I　think　that　perhaps　we　are　well
rid　of　him。　Too　much　honour；　like　too　much　zeal；　is　a　very　dangerous
quality　in　any　business。〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I　agree　with　you；〃　answered　Sir　Robert。　〃I　am　not
sure　that　in　the　long　run　we　should　not　do　better　for　a　little　more　of
the　article。　For　my　part；　although　it　will　not　hurt　us　publicly；　for
the　thing　will　never　be　noticed；　I　am　sorry　that　we　have　lost　Vernon；
very　sorry　indeed。　I　don't　think　him　a　fool；　and　awkward　as　they　may
be；　I　respect　his　qualities。〃

〃So　do　I；　so　do　I；〃　answered　Mr。　Haswell；　〃and　of　course　we　have　acted
against　his　advice　throughout；　which　must　have　been　annoying　to　him。
The　scheme　as　he　suggested　it　was　a　fair　business　proposition　that
might　have　paid　ten　per　cent。　on　a　small　capital；　but　what　is　the　good
of　ten　per　cent。　to　you　and　me？　We　want　millions　and　we　are　going　to
get　them。　Well；　he　is　coming　to　The　Court　to…morrow；　and　perhaps　after
all　we　shall　be　able　to　arrange　matters。　I'll　give　Barbara　a　hint；　she
has　great　influence　with　him；　and　you　might　do　the　same；　Aylward。〃

〃Miss　Champers　has　great　influence　with　everyone　who　is　fortunate
enough　to　know　her；〃　answered　Sir　Robert　courteously。　〃But　even　if　she
chooses　to　use　it；　I　doubt　if　it　will　avail　in　this　case。　Vernon　has
been　making　up　his　mind　for　a　long　while。　I　have　watched　him　and　am
sure　of　that。　To…night　he　determined　to　take　the　plunge　and　I　do　not
think　that　we　shall　see　any　more　of　him　in　this　office。　Haswell；〃　he
added　with　sudden　energy；　〃I　tell　you　that　of　late　our　luck　has　been
too　good　to　last。　The　boom；　the　real　boom；　came　in　with　Vernon；　and
with　Vernon　I　think　that　it　will　go。〃

〃At　any　rate　it　must　leave　something　pretty　substantial　behind　it　this
time；　Aylward；　my　friend。　Whatever　happens；　within　a　week　we　shall　be
rich；　really　rich　for　life。〃

〃For　life；　Haswell；　yes；　for　life。　But　what　is　life？　A　bubble　that　any
pin　may　prick。　Oh！　I　know　that　you　do　not　like　the　subject；　but　it　is
as　well　to　look　it　in　the　face　sometimes。　I'm　no　church…goer；　but　if　I
remember　right　we　were　taught　to　pray　the　good　Lord　to　deliver　us
especially　'in　all　times　of　our　wealth；'　which　is　followed　by
something　about　tribulation　and　sudden　death；　for　when　they　wrote　that
prayer　the　wheel　of　human　fortune　went　round　just　as　it　does　to…day。
There；　let's　get　out　of　this　before　I　grow　superstitious；　as　men　who
believe　in　nothing　sometimes　do；　because　after　all　they　must　believe
in　something；　I　suppose。　Got　your　hat　and　coat？　So　have　I；　come　on；〃
and　he　switched　off　the　light；　so　that　the　room　was　left　in　darkness
except　for　the　faint　glimmering　of　the　fire。

His　partner　grumbled　audibly；　for　in　turning　he　had　knocked　his　hand
against　the　desk。

〃Leave　me　my　only　economy；　Haswell；〃　he　answered　with　a　hard　little
laugh。　〃Electricity　is　strength　and　I　hate　to　see　strength　burning　to
waste。　Why　do　you　mind？〃　he　went　on　as　he　stepped　towards　the　door。
〃Is　it　the　contrast？　In　all　times　of　our　wealth；　in　all　times　of　our
tribulation；　from　sickness　and　from　sudden　death〃

〃Good　Lord　deliver　us；〃　chimed　in　Mr。　Haswell　in　a　shaking　voice
behind　him。　〃What　the　devil's　that？〃

Sir　Robert　looked　round　and　saw；　or　thought　that　he　saw；　something
very　strange。　From　the　pillar　on　which　it　stood　the　golden　fetish　with
a　woman's　face；　appeared　to　have　floated。　The　firelight　showed　it
gliding　towards　them　across；　but　a　few　inches　above　the　floor　of　the
great　room。　It　came　very　slowly；　but　it　came。　Now　it　reached　them　and
paused；　and　now　it　rose　into　the　air　until　it　attained　the　height　of
Mr。　Champers…Haswell　and　stayed　there；　staring　into　his　face　and　not　a
hand's　breadth　away；　just　as　though　it　were　a　real　woman　glaring　at
him。

He　uttered　a　sound；　half　whistle　and　half　groan；　and　fell　back；　as　it
chanced　on　to　a　morocco…covered　seat　behind　him。　For　a　moment　or　two
the　gleaming；　golden　mask　floated　in　the　air。　Then　it　turned　very
deliberately；　rose　a　little　way；　and　moving　sidelong　to　where　Sir
Robert　stood；　hung　in　front　of　/his/　face。

Presently　Aylward　staggered　to　the　mantelpiece　and　began　to　fumble　for
the　switch；　in　the　silence　his　nails　scratching　at　the　panelling　made
a　sound　like　to　that　of　a　gnawing　mouse。　He　found　it　at　last；　and　next
instant　the　office　broke　into　a　blaze　of　light；　showing　Mr。　Haswell；
his　rubicund　face　quite　pale；　his　hat　and　umbrella　on　the　floor；
gasping　like　a　dying　man　upon　the　couch；　and　Sir　Robert　himself
clinging　to　the　mantel…shelf　as　a　person　might　do　who　had　received　a
mortal　wound；　while　the　golden　fetish　reposed　calmly　on　its　pillar；　to
all　appearance　as　immovable　and　undisturbed　as　the　antique　Venus　which
matched　it　at　the　other　end　of　the　room。　For　a　while　there　was
silence。　Then　Sir　Robert；　recovering　himself；　asked：

〃Did　you　notice　anything　unusual　just　now；　Haswell？〃

〃Yes；〃　whispered　his　partner。　〃I　thought　that　hideous　African　thing
which　Vernon　brought　here；　came　sliding　across　the　floor　and　stared
into　my　face　with　its　glittering　eyes；　and　in　the　eyes〃

〃Well；　what　was　in　the　eyes？〃

〃I　can't　remember。　It　was　a　kind　of　picture　and　the　meaning　of　it　was
Sudden　Deathoh　Lord！　Sudden　Death。　Tell　me　it　was　a　fancy　bred　of
that　ill…omened　talk　of　yours？〃

〃I　can't　tell　you　anything　of　the　sort；〃　answered　Aylward　in　a　hollow
voice；　〃for　I　saw　something　also。〃

〃What？〃　asked　his　partner。

〃Death　that　wasn't　sudden；　and　other　things。〃

Again　the　silence　fell　till　it　was　broken　by　Aylward。

〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃we　have　been　over…workingtoo　much　strain；　and　now
the　reaction。　Keep　this　rubbish　to　yourself；　or　they　will　lock　you　up
in　an　asylum。〃

〃Certainly；　Aylward；　certainly。　But　can't　you　get　rid　of　that　beastly
image？〃

〃Not　on　any　account；　Haswell；　even　if　it　haunts　us　all　day。　Here　it
shall　stop　until　the　Saharas　are　floated　on　Monday；　if　I　have　to　lock
it　in　the　strongro