five tales-第54章

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d　chap！〃

Slowly；　as　was　their　wont；　they　crossed　among　the　constellations　of　buttercups　and　daisies；　and　entered　the　fernery。　　This　feature；　where　very　little　grew　as　yet；　had　been　judiciously　dropped　below　the　level　of　the　lawn　so　that　it　might　come　up　again　on　the　level　of　the　other　lawn　and　give　the　impression　of　irregularity；　so　important　in　horticulture。　　Its　rocks　and　earth　were　beloved　of　the　dog　Balthasar；　who　sometimes　found　a　mole　there。　　Old　Jolyon　made　a　point　of　passing　through　it　because；　though　it　was　not　beautiful；　he　intended　that　it　should　be；　some　day；　and　he　would　think：　'I　must　get　Varr　to　come　down　and　look　at　it；　he's　better　than　Beech。'　For　plants；　like　houses　and　human　complaints；　required　the　best　expert　consideration。　　It　was　inhabited　by　snails；　and　if　accompanied　by　his　grandchildren；　he　would　point　to　one　and　tell　them　the　story　of　the　little　boy　who　said：　'Have　plummers　got　leggers；　Mother？　　'No；　sonny。'　　'Then　darned　if　I　haven't　been　and　swallowed　a　snileybob。'　　And　when　they　skipped　and　clutched　his　hand；　thinking　of　the　snileybob　going　down　the　little　boy's　'red　lane；'　his；　eyes　would　twinkle。　　Emerging　from　the　fernery；　he　opened　the　wicket　gate；　which　just　there　led　into　the　first　field；　a　large　and　park…like　area；　out　of　which；　within　brick　walls；　the　vegetable　garden　had　been　carved。　　Old　Jolyon　avoided　this；　which　did　not　suit　his　mood；　and　made　down　the　hill　towards　the　pond。　　Balthasar；　who　knew　a　water…rat　or　two；　gambolled　in　front；　at　the　gait　which　marks　an　oldish　dog　who　takes　the　same　walk　every　day。　Arrived　at　the　edge；　old　Jolyon　stood；　noting　another　water…lily　opened　since　yesterday；　he　would　show　it　to　Holly　to…morrow；　when　'his　little　sweet'　had　got　over　the　upset　which　had　followed　on　her　eating　a　tomato　at　lunchher　little　arrangements　were　very　delicate。　Now　that　Jolly　had　gone　to　schoolhis　first　termHolly　was　with　him　nearly　all　day　long；　and　he　missed　her　badly。　　He　felt　that　pain　too；　which　often　bothered　him　now；　a　little　dragging　at　his　left　side。　　He　looked　back　up　the　hill。　　Really；　poor　young　Bosinney　had　made　an　uncommonly　good　job　of　the　house；　he　would　have　done　very　well　for　himself　if　he　had　lived！　　And　where　was　he　now？　Perhaps；　still　haunting　this；　the　site　of　his　last　work；　of　his　tragic　love　affair。　Or　was　Philip　Bosinney's　spirit　diffused　in　the　general？　　Who　could　say？　　That　dog　was　getting　his　legs　muddy！　　And　he　moved　towards　the　coppice。　　There　had　been　the　most　delightful　lot　of　bluebells；　and　he　knew　where　some　still　lingered　like　little　patches　of　sky　fallen　irk　between　the　trees；　away　out　of　the　sun。　　He　passed　the　cow…houses　and　the　hen…houses　there　installed；　and　pursued　a　path　into　the　thick　of　the　saplings；　making　for　one　of　the　bluebell　plots。　　Balthasar；　preceding　him　once　more；　uttered　a　low　growl。　　Old　Jolyon　stirred　him　with　his　foot；　but　the　dog　remained　motionless；　just　where　there　was　no　room　to　pass；　and　the　hair　rose　slowly　along　the　centre　of　his　woolly　back。　　Whether　from　the　growl　and　the　look　of　the　dog's　stivered　hair；　or　from　the　sensation　which　a　man　feels　in　a　wood；　old　Jolyon　also　felt　something　move　along　his　spine。　　And　then　the　path　turned；　and　there　was　an　old　mossy　log；　and　on　it　a　woman　sitting。　Her　face　was　turned　away；　and　he　had　just　time　to　think：　'She's　trespassingI　must　have　a　board　put　up！'　before　she　turned。　　Powers　above！　　The　face　he　had　seen　at　the　operathe　very　woman　he　had　just　been　thinking　of！　In　that　confused　moment　he　saw　things　blurred；　as　if　a　spiritqueer　effectthe　slant　of　sunlight　perhaps　on　her　violet…grey　frock！　And　then　she　rose　and　stood　smiling；　her　head　a　little　to　one　side。　　Old　Jolyon　thought：　'How　pretty　she　is！'　She　did　not　speak；　neither　did　he；　and　he　realized　why　with　a　certain　admiration。　　She　was　here　no　doubt　because　of　some　memory；　and　did　not　mean　to　try　and　get　out　of　it　by　vulgar　explanation。

〃Don't　let　that　dog　touch　your　frock；〃　he　said；　〃he's　got　wet　feet。　Come　here；　you！〃

But　the　dog　Balthasar　went　on　towards　the　visitor；　who　put　her　hand　down　and　stroked　his　head。　　Old　Jolyon　said　quickly：

〃I　saw　you　at　the　opera　the　other　night；　you　didn't　notice　me。〃

〃Oh；　yes！　I　did。〃

He　felt　a　subtle　flattery　in　that；　as　though　she　had　added：　'Do　you　think　one　could　miss　seeing　you？'

〃They're　all　in　Spain；〃　he　remarked　abruptly。　　〃I'm　alone；　I　drove　up　for　the　opera。　　The　Ravogli's　good。　　Have　you　seen　the　cow…houses？〃

In　a　situation　so　charged　with　mystery　and　something　very　like　emotion　he　moved　instinctively　towards　that　bit　of　property；　and　she　moved　beside　him。　　Her　figure　swayed　faintly；　like　the　best　kind　of　French　figures；　her　dress；　too；　was　a　sort　of　French　grey。　　He　noticed　two　or　three　silver　threads　in　her　amber…coloured　hair；　strange　hair　with　those　dark　eyes　of　hers；　and　that　creamy…pale　face。　A　sudden　sidelong　look　from　the　velvety　brown　eyes　disturbed　him。　　It　seemed　to　come　from　deep　and　far；　from　another　world　almost；　or　at　all　events　from　some　one　not　living　very　much　in　this。　　And　he　said　mechanically

〃Where　are　you　living　now？〃

〃I　have　a　little　flat　in　Chelsea。〃

He　did　not　want　to　hear　what　she　was　doing；　did　not　want　to　hear　anything；　but　the　perverse　word　came　out：

〃Alone？〃

She　nodded。　　It　was　a　relief　to　know　that。　　And　it　came　into　his　mind　that；　but　for　a　twist　of　fate；　she　would　have　been　mistress　of　this　coppice；　showing　these　cow…houses　to　him；　a　visitor。

〃All　Alderneys；〃　he　muttered；　〃they　give　the　best　milk。　　This　one's　a　pretty　creature。　　Woa；　Myrtle！〃

The　fawn…coloured　cow；　with　eyes　as　soft　and　brown　as　Irene's　own；　was　standing　absolutely　still；　not　having　long　been　milked。　　She　looked　round　at　them　out　of　the　corner　of　those　lustrous；　mild；　cynical　eyes；　and　from　her　grey　lips　a　little　dribble　of　saliva　threaded　its　way　towards　the　straw。　　The　scent　of　hay　and　vanilla　and　ammonia　rose　in　the　dim　light　of　the　cool　cow…house；　and　old　Jolyon　said：

〃You　must　come　up　and　have　some　dinner　with　me。　　I'll　send　you　home　in　the　carriage。〃

He　perceived　a　struggle　going　on　within　her；　natural；　no　doubt；　with　her　memories。　　But　he　wanted　her　company；　a　pretty　face；　a　charming　figure；　beauty！　　He　had　been　alone　all　the　afternoon。　　Perhaps　his　eyes　were　wistful；　for　she　answered：　〃Thank　you；　Uncle　Jolyon。　　I　should　like　to。〃

He　rubbed　his　hands；　and　said：

〃Capital！　Let's　go　up；　then！〃　And；　preceded　by　the　dog　Balthasar；　they　ascended　through　the　field。　　The　sun　was　almost　level　in　their　faces　now；　and　he　could　see；　not　only　those　silver　threads；　but　little　lines；　just　deep　enough　to　stamp　her　beauty　with　a　coin…like　finenessthe　special　look　of　life　unshared　with　others。　　〃I'll　take　her　in　by　the　terrace；　〃he　thought：　〃I　won't　make　a　common　visitor　of　her。〃

〃What　do　you　do　all　day？〃　he　said。

〃Teach　music；　I　have　another　interest；　too。〃

〃Work！〃　said　old　Jolyon；　picking　up　the　doll　from　off　the　swing；　and　smoothing　its　black　petticoat。　　〃Nothing　like　it；　is　there？　　I　don't　do　any　now。　　I'm　getting　on。　　What　interest　is　that？〃

〃Trying　to　help　women　who've　come　to　grief。〃　　Old　Jolyon　did　not　quite　understand。　　〃To　grief？〃　he　repeated；　then　realised　with　a　shock　that　she　meant　exactly　what　he　would　have　meant　himself　if　he　had　used　that　expression。　　Assisting　the　Magdalenes　of　London！　　What　a　weird　and　terrifying　interest！　　And；　curiosity　overcoming　his　natural　shrinking；　he　asked：

〃Why？　What　do　you　do　for　them？〃

〃Not　much。　　I've　no　money　to　spare。　　I　can　only　give　sympathy　and　food　sometimes。〃

Involuntarily　old　Jolyon's　hand　sought　his　purse。　　He　said　hastily：　〃How　d'you　get　hold　of　them？〃

〃I　go　to　a　hospital。〃

〃A　hospital！　Phew！〃

〃What　hurts　me　most　is　that　once　they　nearly　all　had　some　sort　of　beauty。〃

Old　Jolyon　straightened　the　doll。　　〃Beauty！〃　he　ejaculated：　〃Ha！　Yes！　A　sad　business！〃　and　he　moved　towards　the　house。　　Through　a　French　window；　under　sun…blinds　not　yet　drawn　up；　he　preceded　her　into　the　room　where　he　was　wont　to　study　'The　Times'　and　the　sheets　of　an　agricultural　magazine；　with　huge　illustrations　of　mangold　wurzels；　and　the　like；　which　provided　Holly　with　material　for　her　paint　brush。

〃Dinner's　in　half　an　hour。　　You'd　like　to　wash　your　hands！　　I'll　take　you　to　June's