five tales-第29章

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！　　Carpe　diem！　while　you　lived；　get　something　out　of　it。　　And　now　that　he　had　made　all　the　provision　he　could　for　those　youngsters；　his　life　was　no　good　to　any　one　but　himself；　and　the　sooner　he　went　off　the　better；　if　he　ceased　to　enjoy　what　there　was　left；　or　lost　the　power　to　say：　〃I'll　do　this　and　that；　and　you　be　jiggered！〃　　Keep　a　stiff　lip　until　you　crashed；　and　then　go　clean！　　He　sounded　the　bell　beside　him　twice…for　Molly；　not　his　man。　　And　when　the　girl　came　in；　and　stood；　pretty　in　her　print　frock；　her　fluffy　over…fine　dark　hair　escaping　from　under　her　cap；　he　gazed　at　her　in　silence。

〃Yes；　sirr？〃

〃Want　to　look　at　you；　that's　all。〃

〃Oh　I　an'　I'm　not　tidy；　sirr。〃

〃Never　mind。　　Had　your　valentine？〃

〃No；　sirr；　who　would　send　me　one；　then？〃

〃Haven't　you　a　young　man？〃

〃Well；　I　might。　　But　he's　over　in　my　country。

〃What　d'you　think　of　this？〃

He　held　out　the　little　boy。

The　girl　took　the　card　and　scrutinised　it　reverently；　she　said　in　a　detached　voice：

〃Indeed；　an'　ut's　pretty；　too。〃

〃Would　you　like　it？〃

〃Oh　I　if　'tis　not　taking　ut　from　you。〃

Old　Heythorp　shook　his　head；　and　pointed　to　the　dressing…table。

〃Over　thereyou'll　find　a　sovereign。　　Little　present　for　a　good　girl。〃

She　uttered　a　deep　sigh。　　〃Oh！　　sirr；　'tis　too　much；　'tis　kingly。〃

〃Take　it。〃

She　took　it；　and　came　back；　her　hands　clasping　the　sovereign　and　the　valentine；　in　an　attitude　as　of　prayer。

The　old　man's　gaze　rested　on　her　with　satisfaction。

〃I　like　pretty　facescan't　bear　sour　ones。　　Tell　Meller　to　get　my　bath　ready。〃

When　she　had　gone　he　took　up　the　other　lettersome　lawyer's　writing；　and　opening　it　with　the　usual　difficulty；　read：

〃February　13；　1905。

〃SIR；Certain　facts　having　come　to　my　knowledge；　I　deem　it　my　duty　to　call　a　special　meeting　of　the　shareholders　of　'The　Island　Navigation　Coy。；'　to　consider　circumstances　in　connection　with　the　purchase　of　Mr。　Joseph　Pillin's　fleet。　　And　I　give　you　notice　that　at　this　meeting　your　conduct　will　be　called　in　question。

〃I　am；　Sir；　〃Yours　faithfully；

〃CHARLES　VENTNOR。

〃SYLVANUS　HEYTHORP；　ESQ。〃


Having　read　this　missive；　old　Heythorp　remained　some　minutes　without　stirring。　　Ventnor！　　That　solicitor　chap　who　had　made　himself　unpleasant　at　the　creditors'　meetings！

There　are　men　whom　a　really　bad　bit　of　news　at　once　stampedes　out　of　all　power　of　coherent　thought　and　action；　and　men　who　at　first　simply　do　not　take　it　in。　　Old　Heythorp　took　it　in　fast　enough；　coming　from　a　lawyer　it　was　about　as　nasty　as　it　could　be。　　But；　at　once；　with　stoic　wariness　his　old　brain　began　casting　round。　　What　did　this　fellow　really　know？　　And　what　exactly　could　he　do？　　One　thing　was　certain；　even　if　he　knew　everything；　he　couldn't　upset　that　settlement。　　The　youngsters　were　all　right。　　The　old　man　grasped　the　fact　that　only　his　own　position　was　at　stake。　　But　this　was　enough　in　all　conscience；　a　name　which　had　been　before　the　public　fifty　odd　yearsincome；　independence；　more　perhaps。　　It　would　take　little；　seeing　his　age　and　feebleness；　to　make　his　Companies　throw　him　over。　But　what　had　the　fellow　got　hold　of？　　How　decide　whether　or　no　to　take　notice；　to　let　him　do　his　worst；　or　try　and　get　into　touch　with　him？　　And　what　was　the　fellow's　motive？　　He　held　ten　shares！　　That　would　never　make　a　man　take　all　this　trouble；　and　over　a　purchase　which　was　really　first…rate　business　for　the　Company。　　Yes！　　His　conscience　was　quite　clean。　　He　had　not　betrayed　his　Companyon　the　contrary；　had　done　it　a　good　turn；　got　them　four　sound　ships　at　a　low　priceagainst　much　opposition。　　That　he　might　have　done　the　Company　a　better　turn；　and　got　the　ships　at　fifty…four　thousand；　did　not　trouble　himthe　six　thousand　was　a　deuced　sight　better　employed；　and　he　had　not　pocketed　a　penny　piece　himself！　　But　the　fellow's　motive？　Spite？　　Looked　like　it。　　Spite；　because　he　had　been　disappointed　of　his　money；　and　defied　into　the　bargain！　　H'm！　　If　that　were　so；　he　might　still　be　got　to　blow　cold　again。　　His　eyes　lighted　on　the　pink　note　with　the　blue　forget…me…not。　　It　marked　as　it　were　the　high　water　mark　of　what　was　left　to　him　of　life；　and　this　other　letter　in　his　hand…by　Jove！　　Low　water　mark！　　And　with　a　deep　and　rumbling　sigh　he　thought：　'No；　I'm　not　going　to　be　beaten　by　this　fellow。'

〃Your　bath　is　ready；　sir。〃

Crumpling　the　two　letters　into　the　pocket　of　his　dressing…gown；　he　said：

〃Help　me　up；　and　telephone　to　Mr。　Farney　to　be　good　enough　to　come　round。〃　。。。。

An　hour　later；　when　the　secretary　entered；　his　chairman　was　sitting　by　the　fire　perusing　the　articles　of　association。　　And；　waiting　for　him　to　look　up；　watching　the　articles　shaking　in　that　thick；　feeble　hand；　the　secretary　had　one　of　those　moments　of　philosophy　not　too　frequent　with　his　kind。　　Some　said　the　only　happy　time　of　life　was　when　you　had　no　passions；　nothing　to　hope　and　live　for。　　But　did　you　really　ever　reach　such　a　stage？　　The　old　chairman；　for　instance；　still　had　his　passion　for　getting　his　own　way；　still　had　his　prestige；　and　set　a　lot　of　store　by　it！　　And　he　said：

〃Good　morning；　sir；　I　hope　you're　all　right　in　this　east　wind。　　The　purchase　is　completed。〃

〃Best　thing　the　company　ever　did。　　Have　you　heard　from　a　shareholder　called　Ventnor。　　You　know　the　man　I　mean？〃

〃No；　sir。　　I　haven't。〃

〃Well！　　You　may　get　a　letter　that'll　make　you　open　your　eyes。　　An　impudent　scoundrel！　　Just　write　at　my　dictation。〃

〃February　14th；　1905。

〃CHARLES　VENTNOR；　Esq。

〃SIR；I　have　your　letter　of　yesterday's　date；　the　contents　of　which　I　am　at　a　loss　to　understand。　　My　solicitors　will　be　instructed　to　take　the　necessary　measures。

'Phew　What's　all　this　about？'　the　secretary　thought。

〃Yours　truly。。。。〃

〃I'll　sign。〃　　And　the　shaky　letters　closed　the　page：

〃SYLVANUS　HEYTHORP。〃


〃Post　that　as　you　go。〃

〃Anything　else　I　can　do　for　you；　sir？〃

〃Nothing；　except　to　let　me　know　if　you　hear　from　this　fellow。〃

When　the　secretary　had　gone　the　old　man　thought：　'So！　　The　ruffian　hasn't　called　the　meeting　yet。　　That'll　bring　him　round　here　fast　enough　if　it's　his　money　he　wants…blackmailing　scoundrel！'

〃Mr。　Pillin；　sir；　and　will　you　wait　lunch；　or　will　you　have　it　in　the　dining…room？〃

〃In　the　dining…room。〃

At　sight　of　that　death's…head　of　a　fellow；　old　Heythorp　felt　a　sort　of　pity。　　He　looked　bad　enough　alreadyand　this　news　would　make　him　look　worse。　　Joe　Pillin　glanced　round　at　the　two　closed　doors。

〃How　are　you；　Sylvanus　？　　I'm　very　poorly。〃　　He　came　closer；　and　lowered　his　voice：　〃Why　did　you　get　me　to　make　that　settlement？　　I　must　have　been　mad。　　I've　had　a　man　called　VentnorI　didn't　like　his　manner。　　He　asked　me　if　I　knew　a　Mrs。　Larne。〃

〃Ha！　　What　did　you　say？〃

〃What　could　I　say？　　I　don't　know　her。　　But　why　did　he　ask？〃

〃Smells　a　rat。〃

Joe　Pillin　grasped　the　edge　of　the　table　with　both　hands。

〃Oh！〃　　he　murmured。　　〃Oh！　　don't　say　that！〃

Old　Heythorp　held　out　to　him　the　crumpled　letter。

When　he　had　read　it　Joe　Pillin　sat　down　abruptly　before　the　fire。

〃Pull　yourself　together；　Joe；　they　can't　touch　you；　and　they　can't　upset　either　the　purchase　or　the　settlement。　　They　can　upset　me；　that's　all。〃

Joe　Pillin　answered；　with　trembling　lips：

〃How　you　can　sit　there；　and　look　the　same　as　ever！　　Are　you　sure　they　can't　touch　me？〃

Old　Heyworth　nodded　grimly。

〃They　talk　of　an　Act；　but　they　haven't　passed　it　yet。　　They　might　prove　a　breach　of　trust　against　me。　　But　I'll　diddle　them。　　Keep　your　pecker　up；　and　get　off　abroad。〃

〃Yes；　yes。　　I　must。　　I'm　very　bad。　　I　was　going　to…morrow。　　But　I　don't　know；　I'm　sure；　with　this　hanging　over　me。　　My　son　knowing　her　makes　it　worse。　　He　picks　up　with　everybody。　　He　knows　this　man　Ventnor　too。　　And　I　daren't　say　anything　to　Bob。　　What　are　you　thinking　of；　Sylvanus？　　You　look　very　funny！〃

Old　Heythorp　seemed　to　rouse　himself　from　a　sort　of　coma。

〃I　want　my　lunch；〃　he　said。　　〃Will　you　stop　and　have　some？〃

Joe　Pillin　stammered　out：

〃Lunch！　I　don't　know　when　I　shall　eat　again。　　What　are　you　going　to　do；　Sylvanus？〃

〃Bluff　the　beggar　out　of　it。〃

〃But　suppose　you　can't？〃

〃Buy　him　off。　　He's　oneof　my　creditors。〃

Joe　Pillin　stared　at　him　afresh。　　〃You　always　had　such　nerve；〃　he　said　yearningly。　　〃Do　you　ever