five tales-第24章

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lways　drawn　so　that　they　refused　to　form　security　for　anything？　Thus；　hampered　and　troubled；　he　hailed　a　cab。　　He　was　dining　with　the　Ventnors　on　the　Cheshire　side；　and　would　be　late　if　he　didn't　get　home　sharp　to　dress。

Driving；　white…tiedand　waist…coated；　in　his　father's　car；　he　thought　with　a　certain　contumely　of　the　younger　Ventnor　girl；　whom　he　had　been　wont　to　consider　pretty　before　he　knew　Phyllis。　And　seated　next　her　at　dinner；　he　quite　enjoyed　his　new　sense　of　superiority　to　her　charms；　and　the　ease　with　which　he　could　chaff　and　be　agreeable。　And　all　the　time　he　suffered　from　the　suppressed　longing　which　scarcely　ever　left　him　now；　to　think　and　talk　of　Phyllis。　　Ventnor's　fizz　was　good　and　plentiful；　his　old　Madeira　absolutely　first　chop；　and　the　only　other　man　present　a　teetotal　curate；　who　withdrew　with　the　ladies　to　talk　his　parish　shop。　　Favoured　by　these　circumstances；　and　the　perception　that　Ventnor　was　an　agreeable　fellow；　Bob　Pillin　yielded　to　his　secret　itch　to　get　near　the　subject　of　his　affections。

〃Do　you　happen；〃　he　said　airily；　〃to　know　a　Mrs。　Larnerelative　of　old　Heythorp'srather　a　handsome　woman…she　writes　stories。〃

Mr。　Ventnor　shook　his　head。　　A　closer　scrutiny　than　Bob　Pillin's　would　have　seen　that　he　also　moved　his　ears。

〃Of　old　Heythorp's？　　Didn't　know　he　had　any；　except　his　daughter；　and　that　son　of　his　in　the　Admiralty。〃

Bob　Pillin　felt　the　glow　of　his　secret　hobby　spreading　within　him。

〃She　is；　thoughlives　rather　out　of　town；　got　a　son　and　daughter。　　I　thought　you　might　know　her　storiesclever　woman。〃

Mr。　Ventnor　smiled。　　〃Ah！〃　he　said　enigmatically；　〃these　lady　novelists！　　Does　she　make　any　money　by　them？〃

Bob　Pillin　knew　that　to　make　money　by　writing　meant　success；　but　that　not　to　make　money　by　writing　was　artistic；　and　implied　that　you　had　private　means；　which　perhaps　was　even　more　distinguished。　　And　he　said：

〃Oh！　　she　has　private　means；　I　know。〃

Mr。　Ventnor　reached　for　the　Madeira。

〃So　she's　a　relative　of　old　Heythorp's；〃　he　said。　　〃He's　a　very　old　friend　of　your　father's。　　He　ought　to　go　bankrupt；　you　know。〃

To　Bob　Pillin；　glowing　with　passion　and　Madeira；　the　idea　of　bankruptcy　seemed　discreditable　in　connection　with　a　relative　of　Phyllis。　　Besides；　the　old　boy　was　far　from　that！　　Had　he　not　just　made　this　settlement　on　Mrs。　Larne？　　And　he　said：

〃I　think　you're　mistaken。　　That's　of　the　past。〃

Mr。　Ventnor　smiled。

〃Will　you　bet？〃　　he　said。

Bob　Pillin　also　smiled。　　〃I　should　be　bettin'　on　a　certainty。〃

Mr。　Ventnor　passed　his　hand　over　his　whiskered　face。　　〃Don't　you　believe　it；　he　hasn't　a　mag　to　his　name。　　Fill　your　glass。〃

Bob　Pillin　said；　with　a　certain　resentment：

〃Well；　I　happen　to　know　he's　just　made　a　settlement　of　five　or　six　thousand　pounds。　　Don't　know　if　you　call　that　being　bankrupt。〃

〃What！　　On　this　Mrs。　Larne？〃

Confused；　uncertain　whether　he　had　said　something　derogatory　or　indiscreet；　or　something　which　added　distinction　to　Phyllis；　Bob　Pillin　hesitated；　then　gave　a　nod。

Mr。　Ventnor　rose　and　extended　his　short　legs　before　the　fire。

〃No；　my　boy；〃　he　said。　　〃No！〃

Unaccustomed　to　flat　contradiction；　Bob　Pillin　reddened。

〃I'll　bet　you　a　tenner。　　Ask　Scrivens。〃

Mr。　Ventnor　ejaculated：

〃Scrivens…but　they're　not〃　then；　staring　rather　hard；　he　added：　〃I　won't　bet。　　You　may　be　right。　　Scrivens　are　your　father's　solicitors　too；　aren't　they？　　Always　been　sorry　he　didn't　come　to　me。　Shall　we　join　the　ladies？〃　　And　to　the　drawing…room　he　preceded　a　young　man　more　uncertain　in　his　mind　than　on　his　feet。。。。

Charles　Ventnor　was　not　one　to　let　you　see　that　more　was　going　on　within　than　met　the　eye。　　But　there　was　a　good　deal　going　on　that　evening；　and　after　his　conversation　with　young　Bob　he　had　occasion　more　than　once　to　turn　away　and　rub　his　hands　together。　　When；　after　that　second　creditors'　meeting；　he　had　walked　down　the　stairway　which　led　to　the　offices　of　〃The　Island　Navigation　Company；〃　he　had　been　deep　in　thought。　　Short；　squarely　built；　rather　stout；　with　moustache　and　large　mutton…chop　whiskers　of　a　red　brown；　and　a　faint　floridity　in　face　and　dress；　he　impressed　at　first　sight　only　by　a　certain　truly　British　vulgarity。　　One　felt　that　here　was　a　hail…fellowwell…　met　man　who　liked　lunch　and　dinner；　went　to　Scarborough　for　his　summer　holidays；　sat　on　his　wife；　took　his　daughters　out　in　a　boat　and　was　never　sick。　　One　felt　that　he　went　to　church　every　Sunday　morning；　looked　upwards　as　he　moved　through　life；　disliked　the　unsuccessful；　and　expanded　with　his　second　glass　of　wine。　But　then　a　clear　look　into　his　well…clothed　face　and　red…brown　eyes　would　give　the　feeling：　'There's　something　fulvous　here；　he　might　be　a　bit　too　foxy。'　　A　third　look　brought　the　thought：　'He's　certainly　a　bully。'　He　was　not　a　large　creditor　of　old　Heythorp。　　With　interest　on　the　original；　he　calculated　his　claim　at　three　hundred　poundsunredeemed　shares　in　that　old　Ecuador　mine。　But　he　had　waited　for　his　money　eight　years；　and　could　never　imagine　how　it　came　about　that　he　had　been　induced　to　wait　so　long。　　There　had　been；　of　course；　for　one　who　liked　〃big　pots；〃　a　certain　glamour　about　the　personality　of　old　Heythorp；　still　a　bit　of　a　swell　in　shipping　circles；　and　a　bit　of　an　aristocrat　in　Liverpool。　　But　during　the　last　year　Charles　Ventnor　had　realised　that　the　old　chap's　star　had　definitely　setwhen　that　happens；　of　course；　there　is　no　more　glamour；　and　the　time　has　come　to　get　your　money。　　Weakness　in　oneself　and　others　is　despicable！　Besides；　he　had　food　for　thought；　and　descending　the　stairs　he　chewed　it：　He　smelt　a　ratcreatures　for　which　both　by　nature　and　profession　he　had　a　nose。　　Through　Bob　Pillin；　on　whom　he　sometimes　dwelt　in　connection　with　his　younger　daughter；　he　knew　that　old　Pillin　and　old　Heythorp　had　been　friends　for　thirty　years　and　more。　　That；　to　an　astute　mind；　suggested　something　behind　this　sale。　　The　thought　had　already　occurred　to　him　when　he　read　his　copy　of　the　report。　　A　commission　would　be　a　breach　of　trust；　of　course；　but　there　were　ways　of　doing　things；　the　old　chap　was　devilish　hard　pressed；　and　human　nature　was　human　nature！　　His　lawyerish　mind　habitually　put　two　and　two　together。　　The　old　fellow　had　deliberately　appointed　to　meet　his　creditors　again　just　after　the　general　meeting　which　would　decide　the　purchasehad　said　he　might　do　something　for　them　then。　　Had　that　no　significance？

In　these　circumstances　Charles　Ventnor　had　come　to　the　meeting　with　eyes　wide　open　and　mouth　tight　closed。　　And　he　had　watched。　　It　was　certainly　remarkable　that　such　an　old　and　feeble　man；　with　no　neck　at　all；　who　looked　indeed　as　if　he　might　go　off　with　apoplexy　any　moment；　should　actually　say　that　he　〃stood　or　fell〃　by　this　purchase；　knowing　that　if　he　fell　he　would　be　a　beggar。　　Why　should　the　old　chap　be　so　keen　on　getting　it　through？　　It　would　do　him　personally　no　good；　unlessExactly！　　He　had　left　the　meeting；　therefore；　secretly　confident　that　old　Heythorp　had　got　something　out　of　this　transaction　which　would　enable　him　to　make　a　substantial　proposal　to　his　creditors。　　So　that　when　the　old　man　had　declared　that　he　was　going　to　make　none；　something　had　turned　sour　in　his　heart；　and　he　had　said　to　himself：　〃All　right；　you　old　rascal！　　You　don't　know　C。　V。〃　　The　cavalier　manner　of　that　beggarly　old　rip；　the　defiant　look　of　his　deep　little　eyes；　had　put　a　polish　on　the　rancour　of　one　who　prided　himself　on　letting　no　man　get　the　better　of　him。　　All　that　evening；　seated　on　one　side　of　the　fire；　while　Mrs。　Ventnor　sat　on　the　other；　and　the　younger　daughter　played　Gounod's　Serenade　on　the　violinhe　cogitated。　　And　now　and　again　he　smiled；　but　not　too　much。　　He　did　not　see　his　way　as　yet；　but　had　little　doubt　that　before　long　he　would。　　It　would　not　be　hard　to　knock　that　chipped　old　idol　off　his　perch。　　There　was　already　a　healthy　feeling　among　the　shareholders　that　he　was　past　work　and　should　be　scrapped。　　The　old　chap　should　find　that　Charles　V。　was　not　to　be　defied；　that　when　he　got　his　teeth　into　a　thing；　he　did　not　let　it　go。　　By　hook　or　crook　he　would　have　the　old　man　off　his　Boards；　or　his　debt　out　of　him　as　the　price　of　leaving　him　alone。　　His　life　or　his　moneyand　the　old　fellow　should　determine　which。　　With　the　memor