an unsocial socialist-第45章

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hope　that　her　presence　would　not　disturb　them。　It　did　disturb
them。　Agatha　suspected　that　she　had　come　there　to　watch　them；　and
Sir　Charles　knew　it。　Besides；　Lady　Brandon；　even　when　her　mind
was　tranquil；　was　habitually　restless。　She　could　not　speak
because　of　the　music；　and；　though　she　held　an　open　book　in　her
hand；　she　could　not　read　and　watch　simultaneously。　She　gaped；　and
leaned　to　one　end　of　the　sofa　until；　on　the　point　of
overbalancing'　she　recovered　herself　with　a　prodigious　bounce。
The　floor　vibrated　at　her　every　movement。　At　last　she　could　keep
silence　no　longer。

〃Oh；　dear！〃　she　said；　yawning　audibly。　〃It　must　be　five　o'clock
at　the　very　earliest。〃

Agatha　turned　round　upon　the　piano…stool；　feeling　that　music　and
Lady　Brandon　were　incompatible。　Sir　Charles；　for　his　guest's
sake；　tried　hard　to　restrain　his　exasperation。

〃Probably　your　watch　will　tell　you；〃　he　said。

〃Thank　you　for　nothing；〃　said　Jane。　〃Agatha；　where　is　Gertrude？〃

〃How　can　Miss　Wylie　possibly　tell　you　where　she　is；　Jane？　I　think
you　have　gone　mad　to…day。〃

〃She　is　most　likely　playing　billiards　with　Mr。　Erskine；〃　said
Agatha；　interposing　quickly　to　forestall　a　retort　from　Jane；　with
its　usual　sequel　of　a　domestic　squabble。

〃I　think　it　is　very　strange　of　Gertrude　to　pass　the　whole　day
with　Chester　in　the　billiard　room；〃　said　Jane　discontentedly。

〃There　is　not　the　slightest　impropriety　in　her　doing　so；〃　said
Sir　Charles。　〃If　our　hospitality　does　not　place　Miss　Lindsay
above　suspicion；　the　more　shame　for　us。　How　would　you　feel　if
anyone　else　made　such　a　remark　？〃

〃Oh；　stuff！〃　said　Jane　peevishly。　〃You　are　always　preaching　long
rigmaroles　about　nothing　at　all。　I　did　not　say　there　was　any
impropriety　about　Gertrude。　She　is　too　proper　to　be　pleasant；　in
my　opinion。〃

Sir　Charles；　unable　to　trust　himself　further；　frowned　and　left
the　room；　Jane　speeding　him　with　a　contemptuous　laugh。

〃Don't　ever　be　such　a　fool　as　to　get　married；〃　she　said；　when　he
was　gone。　She　looked　up　as　she　spoke；　and　was　alarmed　to　see
Agatha　seated　on　the　pianoforte；　with　her　ankles　swinging　in　the
old　school　fashion。

〃Jane；〃　she　said；　surveying　her　hostess　coolly；　〃do　you　know　what
I　would　do　if　I　were　Sir　Charles？〃

Jane　did　not　know。

〃I　would　get　a　big　stick；　beat　you　black　and　blue；　and　then　lock
you　up　on　bread　and　water　for　a　week。〃

Jane　half　rose；　red　and　angry。　〃Whwhy？〃　she　said；　relapsing
upon　the　sofa。

〃If　I　were　a　man；　I　would　not；　for　mere　chivalry's　sake；　let　a
woman　treat　me　like　a　troublesome　dog。　You　want　a　sound
thrashing。〃

〃I'd　like　to　see　anybody　thrash　me；〃　said　Jane；　rising　again　and
displaying　her　formidable　person　erect。　Then　she　burst　into
tears；　and　said；　〃I　won't　have　such　things　said　to　me　in　my　own
house。　How　dare　you？〃

〃You　deserve　it　for　being　jealous　of　me；〃　said　Agatha。

Jane's　eyes　dilated　angrily。　〃I！I！jealous　of　you！〃　She　looked
round；　as　if　for　a　missile。　Not　finding　one；　she　sat　down　again；
and　said　in　a　voice　stifled　with　tears；　〃JJealous　of　YOU；
indeed！〃

〃You　have　good　reason　to　be；　for　he　is　fonder　of　me　than　of　you。〃

Jane　opened　her　mouth　and　eyes　convulsively；　but　only　uttered　a
gasp；　and　Agatha　proceeded　calmly；　〃I　am　polite　to　him；　which　you
never　are。　When　he　speaks　to　me　I　allow　him　to　finish　his
sentence　without　expressing；　as　you　do；　a　foregone　conclusion
that　it　is　not　worth　attending　to。　I　do　not　yawn　and　talk　whilst
he　is　singing。　When　he　converses　with　me　on　art　or　literature；
about　which　he　knows　twice　as　much　as　I　do；　and　at　least　ten
times　as　much　as　you〃　（Jane　gasped　again）　〃I　do　not　make　a　silly
answer　and　turn　to　my　neighbor　at　the　other　side　with　a　remark
about　the　tables　or　the　weather。　When　he　is　willing　to　be
pleased；　as　he　always　is；　I　am　willing　to　be　pleasant。　And　that
is　why　he　likes　me。〃

〃He　does　NOT　like　you。　He　is　the　same　to　everyone。〃

〃Except　his　wife。　He　likes　me　so　much　that　you；　like　a　great
goose　as　you　are；　came　up　here　to　watch　us　at　our　duets；　and　made
yourself　as　disagreeable　as　you　possibly　could　whilst　I　was
making　myself　charming。　The　poor　man　was　ashamed　of　you。〃

〃He　wasn't；〃　said　Jane；　sobbing。　〃I　didn't　do　anything。　I　didn't
say　anything。　I　won't　bear　it。　I　will　get　a　divorce。　I　will〃

〃You　will　mend　your　ways　if　you　have　any　sense　left；〃　said　Agatha
remorselessly。　〃Do　not　make　such　a　noise；　or　someone　will　come　to
see　what　is　the　matter；　and　I　shall　have　to　get　down　from　the
piano；　where　I　am　very　comfortable。〃

〃It　is　you　who　are　jealous。〃

〃Oh；　is　it；　Jane？　I　have　not　allowed　Sir　Charles　to　fall　in　love
with　me　yet；　but　I　can　do　so　very　easily。　What　will　you　wager
that　he　will　not　kiss　me　before　to…morrow　evening？〃

〃It　will　be　very　mean　and　nasty　of　you　if　he　does。　You　seem　to
think　that　I　can　be　treated　like　a　child。〃

〃So　you　are　a　child；〃　said　Agatha；　descending　from　her　perch　and
preparing　to　go。　〃An　occasional　slapping　does　you　good。〃

〃It　is　nothing　to　you　whether　I　agree　with　my　husband　or　not；〃
said　Jane　with　sudden　fierceness。

〃Not　if　you　quarrel　with　him　in　private；　as　wellbred　couples　do。
But　when　it　occurs　in　my　presence　it　makes　me　uncomfortable；　and
I　object　to　being　made　uncomfortable。〃

〃You　would　not　be　here　at　all　if　I　had　not　asked　you。〃

〃Just　think　how　dull　the　house　would　be　without　me；　Jane！〃

〃Indeed！　It　was　not　dull　before　you　came。　Gertrude　always　behaved
like　a　lady；　at　least。〃

〃I　am　sorry　that　her　example　was　so　utterly　lost　on　you。〃

〃I　won't　bear　it；〃　said　Jane　with　a　sob　and　a　plunge　upon　the
sofa　that　made　the　lustres　of　the　chandeliers　rattle。　〃I　wouldn't
have　asked　you　if　I　had　thought　you　could　be　so　hateful。　I　will
never　ask　you　again。〃

〃I　will　make　Sir　Charles　divorce　you　for　incompatibility　of
temper　and　marry　me。　Then　I　shall　have　the　place　to　myself。〃

〃He　can't　divorce　me　for　that；　thank　goodness。　You　don't　know
what　you're　talking　about。〃

Agatha　laughed。　〃Come；〃　she　said　good…humoredly；　〃don't　be　an　old
ass；　Jane。　Wash　your　face　before　anyone　sees　it；　and　remember
what　I　have　told　you　about　Sir　Charles。〃

〃It　is　very　hard　to　be　called　an　ass　in　one's　own　house。〃

〃It　is　harder　to　be　treated　as　one；　like　your　husband。　I　am　going
to　look　for　him　in　the　billiard　room。〃

Jane　ran　after　her；　and　caught　her　by　the　sleeve。

〃Agatha；〃　she　pleaded；　〃promise　me　that　you　won't　be　mean。　Say
that　you　won't　make　love　to　him。〃

〃I　will　consider　about　it；〃　replied　Agatha　gravely。

Jane　uttered　a　groan　and　sank　into　a　chair；　which　creaked　at　the
shock。　Agatha　turned　on　the　threshold；　and　seeing　her　shaking　her
head；　pressing　her　eyes；　and　tapping　with　her　heel　in　a
restrained　frenzy；　said　quickly；

〃Here　are　the　Waltons；　and　the　Fitzgeorges；　and　Mr。　Trefusis
coming　upstairs。　How　do　you　do；　Mrs。　Walton？　Lady　Brandon　will　be
SO　glad　to　see　you。　Good…evening；　Mr。　Fitzgeorge。〃

Jane　sprang　up；　wiped　her　eyes；　and；　with　her　hands　on　her　hair；
smoothing　it；　rushed　to　a　mirror。　No　visitors　appearing；　she
perceived　that　she　was；　for　perhaps　the　hundredth　time　in　her
life；　the　victim　of　an　imposture　devised　by　Agatha。　She；
gratified　by　the　success　of　her　attempt　to　regain　her　old
ascendancy　over　Janeshe　had　made　it　with　misgiving；
notwithstanding　her　apparent　confidencewent　downstairs　to　the
library；　where　she　found　Sir　Charles　gloomily　trying　to　drown　his
domestic　troubles　in　art　criticism。

〃I　thought　you　were　in　the　billiard　room；〃　said　Agatha。

〃I　only　peeped　in；〃　he　replied；　〃but　as　I　saw　something
particular　going　on；　I　thought　it　best　to　slip　away；　and　I　have
been　alone　ever　since。〃

The　something　particular　which　Sir　Charles　had　not　wished　to
interrupt　was　only　a　game　of　billiards。

It　was　the　first　opportunity　Erskine　had　ever　enjoyed　of　speaking
to　Gertrude　at　leisure　and　alone。　Yet　their　conversation　had
never　been　so　commonplace。　She；　liking　the　game；　played　very　well
and　chatted　indifferently；　he　played　badly；　and　broached　trivial
topics　in　spite　of　himself。　After　an　hour…and…a…half's　play；
Gertrude　had　announced　that　this　game　must　be　their　last。　He
thought　desperately　that　if　he　were　to　miss　many　more　strokes　the
game　must　presently　end；　and　an　opportunity　which　m