an unsocial socialist-第13章

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more　desirous　of　obtaining　her　sympathy。　Besides；　she　had　already
learnt　to　tell　the　story　herself　rather　than　leave　its　narration
to　others；　whose　accounts　did　not；　she　felt；　put　her　case　in　the
proper　light。　So　she　told　Agatha　of　her　marriage；　her　wild　love
for　her　husband；　his　wild　love　for　her；　and　his　mysterious
disappearance　without　leaving　word　or　sign　behind　him。　She　did
not　mention　the　letter。

〃Have　you　had　him　searched　for？〃　said　Agatha；　repressing　an
inclination　to　laugh。

〃But　where？　Had　I　the　remotest　clue；　I　would　follow　him　barefoot
to　the　end　of　the　world。〃

〃I　think　you　ought　to　search　all　the　riversyou　would　have　to　do
that　barefoot。　He　must　have　fallen　in　somewhere；　or　fallen　down
some　place。〃

〃No；　no。　Do　you　think　I　should　be　here　if　I　thought　his　life　in
danger？　I　have　reasonsI　know　that　he　is　only　gone　away。〃

〃Oh；　indeed！　He　took　his　portmanteau　with　him；　did　he？　Perhaps　he
has　gone　to　Paris　to　buy　you　something　nice　and　give　you　a
pleasant　surprise。〃

〃No；〃　said　Henrietta　dejectedly。　〃He　knew　that　I　wanted　nothing。〃

〃Then　I　suppose　he　got　tired　of　you　and　ran　away。〃

Henrietta's　peculiar　scarlet　blush　flowed　rapidly　over　her　cheeks
as　she　flung　Agatha's　arm　away；　exclaiming；　〃How　dare　you　say　so！
You　have　no　heart。　He　adored　me。〃

〃Bosh！〃　said　Agatha。　〃People　always　grow　tired　of　one　another。　I
grow　tired　of　myself　whenever　I　am　left　alone　for　ten　minutes；
and　I　am　certain　that　I　am　fonder　of　myself　than　anyone　can　be　of
another　person。〃

〃I　know　you　are；〃　said　Henrietta；　pained　and　spiteful。　〃You　have
always　been　particularly　fond　of　yourself。〃

〃Very　likely　he　resembles　me　in　that　respect。　In　that　case　he
will　grow　tired　of　himself　and　come　back；　and　you　will　both　coo
like　turtle　doves　until　he　runs　away　again。　Ugh！　Serve　you　right
for　getting　married。　I　wonder　how　people　can　be　so　mad　as　to　do
it；　with　the　example　of　their　married　acquaintances　all　warning
them　against　it。〃

〃You　don't　know　what　it　is　to　love；〃　said　Henrietta；　plaintively；
and　yet　patronizingly。　〃Besides；　we　were　not　like　other　couples。〃

〃So　it　seems。　But　never　mind；　take　my　word　for　it；　he　will　return
to　you　as　soon　as　he　has　had　enough　of　his　own　company。　Don't
worry　thinking　about　him；　but　come　and　have　a　game　at　lawn
tennis。〃

During　this　conversation　they　had　left　the　drawing…room　and　made
a　detour　through　the　grounds。　They　were　now　approaching　the
tennis　courts　by　a　path　which　wound　between　two　laurel　hedges
through　the　shrubbery。　Meanwhile；　Smilash；　waiting　on　the　guests
in　his　white　apron　and　gloves　（which　he　had　positively　refused　to
take　off；　alleging　that　he　was　a　common　man；　with　common　hands
such　as　born　ladies　and　gentlemen　could　not　be　expected　to　take
meat　and　drink　from）；　had　behaved　himself　irreproachably　until
the　arrival　of　Miss　Wilson　and　her　visitors；　which　occurred　as　he
was　returning　to　the　table　with　an　empty　tray；　moving　so　swiftly
that　he　nearly　came　into　collision　with　Mrs。　Jansenius。　Instead
of　apologizing；　he　changed　countenance；　hastily　held　up　the　tray
like　a　shield　before　his　face；　and　began　to　walk　backward　from
her；　stumbling　presently　against　Miss　Lindsay；　who　was　running　to
return　a　ball。　Without　heeding　her　angry　look　and　curt　rebuke；　he
half　turned；　and　sidled　away　into　the　shrubbery；　whence　the　tray
presently　rose　into　the　air；　flew　across　the　laurel　hedge；　and
descended　with　a　peal　of　stage　thunder　on　the　stooped　shoulders
of　Josephs。　Miss　Wilson；　after　asking　the　housekeeper　with　some
asperity　why　she　had　allowed　that　man　to　interfere　in　the
attendance；　explained　to　the　guests　that　he　was　the　idiot　of　the
countryside。　Mr。　Jansenius　laughed；　and　said　that　he　had　not　seen
the　man's　face；　but　that　his　figure　reminded　him　forcibly　of　some
one；　he　could　not　just　then　recollect　exactly　whom。

Smilash；　making　off　through　the　shrubbery；　found　the　end　of　his
path　blocked　by　Agatha　and　a　young　lady　whose　appearance　alarmed
him　more　than　had　that　of　Mrs。　Jansenius。　He　attempted　to　force
his　tray　through　the　hedge；　but　in　vain；　the　laurel　was
impenetrable；　and　the　noise　he　made　attracted　the　attention　of
the　approaching　couple。　He　made　no　further　effort　to　escape；　but
threw　his　borrowed　apron　over　his　head　and　stood　bolt　upright
with　his　back　against　the　bushes。

〃What　is　that　man　doing　there？〃　said　Henrietta；　stopping
mistrustfully。

Agatha　laughed；　and　said　loudly；　so　that　he　might　hear：　〃It　is
only　a　harmless　madman　that　Miss　Wilson　employs。　He　is　fond　of
disguising　himself　in　some　silly　way　and　trying　to　frighten　us。
Don't　be　afraid。　Come　on。〃

Henrietta　hung　back；　but　her　arm　was　linked　in　Agatha's；　and　she
was　drawn　along　in　spite　of　herself。　Smilash　did　not　move。　Agatha
strolled　on　coolly；　and　as　she　passed　him；　adroitly　caught　the
apron　between　her　finger　and　thumb　and　twitched　it　from　his　face。
Instantly　Henrietta　uttered　a　piercing　scream；　and　Smilash　caught
her　in　his　arms。

〃Quick；〃　he　said　to　Agatha；　〃she　is　fainting。　Run　for　some　water。
Run！〃　And　he　bent　over　Henrietta；　who　clung　to　him　frantically。
Agatha；　bewildered　by　the　effect　of　her　practical　joke；　hesitated
a　moment；　and　then　ran　to　the　lawn。

〃What　is　the　matter？〃　said　Fairholme。

〃Nothing。　I　want　some　waterquick；　please。　Henrietta　has　fainted
in　the　shrubbery；　that　is　all。〃

〃Please　do　not　stir；〃　said　Miss　Wilson　authoritatively；　〃you　will
crowd　the　path　and　delay　useful　assistance。　Miss　Ward；　kindly　get
some　water　and　bring　it　to　us。　Agatha；　come　with　me　and　point　out
where　Mrs。　Trefusis　is。　You　may　come　too；　Miss　Carpenter；　you　are
so　strong。　The　rest　will　please　remain　where　they　are。〃

Followed　by　the　two　girls；　she　hurried　into　the　shrubbery；　where
Mr。　Jansenius　was　already　looking　anxiously　for　his　daughter。　He
was　the　only　person　they　found　there。　Smilash　and　Henrietta　were
gone。

At　first　the　seekers；　merely　puzzled；　did　nothing　but　question
Agatha　incredulously　as　to　the　exact　spot　on　which　Henrietta　had
fallen。　But　Mr。　Jansenius　soon　made　them　understand　that　the
position　of　a　lady　in　the　hands　of　a　half…witted　laborer　was　one
of　danger。　His　agitation　infected　them；　and　when　Agatha
endeavored　to　reassure　him　by　declaring　that　Smilash　was　a
disguised　gentleman；　Miss　Wilson；　supposing　this　to　be　a　mere
repetition　of　her　former　idle　conjecture；　told　her　sharply　to
hold　her　tongue；　as　the　time　was　not　one　for　talking　nonsense。
The　news　now　spread　through　the　whole　company；　and　the　excitement
became　intense。　Fairholme　shouted　for　volunteers　to　make　up　a
searching　party。　All　the　men　present　responded；　and　they　were
about　to　rush　to　the　college　gates　in　a　body　when　it　Occurred　to
the　cooler　among　them　that　they　had　better　divide　into　several
parties；　in　order　that　search　might　be　made　at　once　in　different
quarters。　Ten　minutes　of　confusion　followed。　Mr。　Jansenius
started　several　times　in　quest　of　Henrietta；　and；　when　he　had
gone　a　few　steps；　returned　and　begged　that　no　more　time　should　be
wasted。　Josephs；　whose　faith　was　simple；　retired　to　pray；　and　did
good；　as　far　as　it　went；　by　withdrawing　one　voice　from　the　din　of
plans；　objections；　and　suggestions　which　the　rest　were　making；
each　person　trying　to　be　heard　above　the　others。

At　last　Miss　Wilson　quelled　the　prevailing　anarchy。　Servants　were
sent　to　alarm　the　neighbors　and　call　in　the　village　police。
Detachments　were　sent　in　various　directions　under　the　command　of
Fairholme　and　other　energetic　spirits。　The　girls　formed　parties
among　themselves；　which　were　reinforced　by　male　deserters　from
the　previous　levies。　Miss　Wilson　then　went　indoors　and　conducted
a　search　through　the　interior　of　the　college。　Only　two　persons
were　left　on　the　tennis　groundAgatha　and　Mrs。　Jansenius；　who
had　been　surprisingly　calm　throughout。

〃You　need　not　be　anxious；〃　said　Agatha；　who　had　been　standing
aloof　since　her　rebuff　by　Miss　Wilson。　〃I　am　sure　there　is　no
danger。　It　is　most　extraordinary　that　they　have　gone　away；　but
the　man　is　no　more　mad　than　I　am；　and　I　know　he　is　a　gentleman　He
told　me　so。〃

〃Let　us　hope　for　the　best；〃　said　Mrs。　Jansenius；　smoothly。　〃I
think　I　will　sit　downI　feel　so　tired。　Thanks。〃　（Agatha　had
handed　her　a　chair。）　〃W