fraternity-第10章

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The　explanation　of　the　little　model's　absence　was　thus　stated　by　herself　to　Hilary：　〃I　had　an　appointment。〃

〃More　work？〃

〃A　friend　of　Mr。　French。〃

〃Yeswho？〃

〃Mr。　Lennard。　　He's　a　sculptor；　he's　got　a　studio　in　Chelsea。　　He　wants　me　to　pose　to　him。〃

〃Ah！〃

She　stole　a　glance　at　Hilary；　and　hung　her　head。

Hilary　turned　to　the　window。　　〃You　know　what　posing　to　a　sculptor　means；　of　course？〃

The　little　model's　voice　sounded　behind　him；　matter…of…fact　as　ever：　〃He　said　I　was　just　the　figure　he　was　looking　for。〃

Hilary　continued　to　stare　through　the　window。　　〃I　thought　you　didn't　mean　to　begin　standing　for　the　nude。〃

〃I　don't　want　to　stay　poor　always。〃

Hilary　turned　round　at　the　strange　tone　of　these　unexpected　words。

The　girl　was　in　a　streak　of　sunlight；　her　pale　cheeks　flushed；　her　pale；　half…opened　lips　red；　her　eyes；　in　their　setting　of　short　black　lashes；　wide　and　mutinous；　her　young　round　bosom　heaving　as　if　she　had　been　running。

〃I　don't　want　to　go　on　copying　books　all　my　life。〃

〃Oh；　very　well。〃

〃Mr。　Dallison！　　I　didn't　mean　thatI　didn't　really！　　I　want　to　do　what　you　tell　me　to　doI　do！〃

Hilary　stood　contemplating　her　with　the　dubious；　critical　look；　as　though　asking：　〃What　is　there　behind　you？　　Are　you　really　a　genuine　edition；　or　what？〃　which　had　so　disconcerted　her　before。　　At　last　he　said：　〃You　must　do　just　as　you　like。　　I　never　advise　anybody。〃

〃But　you　don't　want　me　toI　know　you　don't。　　Of　course；　if　you　don't　want　me　to；　then　it'll　be　a　pleasure　not　to！〃

Hilary　smiled。

〃Don't　you　like　copying　for　Mr。　Stone？〃

The　little　model　made　a　face。　　〃I　like　Mr。　Stonehe's　such　a　funny　old　gentleman。〃

〃That　is　the　general　opinion；〃　answered　Hilary。　　〃But　Mr。　Stone；　you　know；　thinks　that　we　are　funny。〃

The　little　model　smiled　faintly；　too；　the　streak　of　sunlight　had　slanted　past　her；　and；　standing　there　behind　its　glamour　and　million　floating　specks　of　gold…dust；　she　looked　for　the　moment　like　the　young　Shade　of　Spring；　watching　with　expectancy　for　what　the　year　would　bring　her。

With　the　words　〃I　am　ready；〃　spoken　from　the　doorway；　Mr。　Stone　interrupted　further　colloquy。。。。

But　though　the　girl's　position　in　the　household　had；　to　all　seeming；　become　established；　now　and　then　some　little　incidentstraws　blowing　down　the　windshowed　feelings　at　work　beneath　the　family's　apparent　friendliness；　beneath　that　tentative　and　almost　apologetic　manner　towards　the　poor　or　helpless；　which　marks　out　those　who　own　what　Hilary　had　called　the　〃social　conscience。〃　　Only　three　days；　indeed；　before　he　sat　in　his　brown　study；　meditating　beneath　the　bust　of　Socrates；　Cecilia；　coming　to　lunch；　had　let　fall　this　remark：

〃Of　course；　I　know　nobody　can　read　his　handwriting；　but　I　can't　think　why　father　doesn't　dictate　to　a　typist；　instead　of　to　that　little　girl。　　She　could　go　twice　the　pace！〃

Blanca's　answer；　deferred　for　a　few　seconds；　was：

〃Hilary　perhaps　knows。〃

〃Do　you　dislike　her　coming　here？〃　　asked　Hilary。

〃Not　particularly。　　Why？〃

〃I　thought　from　your　tone　you　did。〃

〃I　don't　dislike　her　coming　here　for　that　purpose。〃

〃Does　she　come　for　any　other？〃

Cecilia；　dropping　her　quick　glance　to　her　fork；　said　just　a　little　hastily：　〃Father　is　extraordinary；　of　course。〃

But　the　next　three　days　Hilary　was　out　in　the　afternoon　when　the　little　model　came。

This；　then；　was　the　other　reason；　on　the　morning　of　the　first　of　May；　which　made　him　not　averse　to　go　and　visit　Mrs。　Hughs　in　Hound　Street；　Kensington。




CHAPTER　VI

FIRST　PILGRIMAGE　TO　HOUND　STREET

Hilary　and　his　little　bulldog　entered　Hound　Street　from　its　eastern　end。　　It　was　a　grey　street　of　three…storied　houses；　all　in　one　style　of　architecture。　　Nearly　all　their　doors　were　open；　and　on　the　doorsteps　babes　and　children　were　enjoying　Easter　holidays。　　They　sat　in　apathy；　varied　by　sudden　little　slaps　and　bursts　of　noise。　　Nearly　all　were　dirty；　some　had　whole　boots；　some　half　boots；　and　two　or　three　had　none。　　In　the　gutters　more　children　were　at　play；　their　shrill　tongues　and　febrile　movements　gave　Hilary　the　feeling　that　their　〃caste〃　exacted　of　them　a　profession　of　this　faith：　〃To…day　we　live；　to…morrowif　there　be　onewill　be　like　to…day。〃

He　had　unconsciously　chosen　the　very　centre　of　the　street　to　walk　in；　and　Miranda；　who　had　never　in　her　life　demeaned　herself　to　this　extent；　ran　at　his　heels；　turning　up　her　eyes；　as　though　to　say：　'One　thing　I　make　a　point　ofno　dog　must　speak　to　me！'

Fortunately；　there　were　no　dogs；　but　there　were　many　cats；　and　these　cats　were　thin。

Through　the　upper　windows　of　the　houses　Hilary　had　glimpses　of　women　in　poor　habiliments　doing　various　kinds　of　work；　but　stopping　now　and　then　to　gaze　into　the　street。　　He　walked　to　the　end；　where　a　wall　stopped　him；　and；　still　in　the　centre　of　the　road；　he　walked　the　whole　length　back。　　The　children　stared　at　his　tall　figure　with　indifference；　they　evidently　felt　that　he　was　not　of　those　who；　like　themselves；　had　no　to…morrow。

No。　1；　Hound　Street；　abutting　on　the　garden　of　a　house　of　better　class；　was　distinctly　the　show　building　of　the　street。　　The　door；　however；　was　not　closed；　and　pulling　the　remnant　of　a　bell；　Hilary　walked　in。

The　first　thing　that　he　noticed　was　a　smell；　it　was　not　precisely　bad；　but　it　might　have　been　better。　　It　was　a　smell　of　walls　and　washing；　varied　rather　vaguely　by　red　herrings。　　The　second　thing　he　noticed　was　his　moonlight　bulldog；　who　stood　on　the　doorstep　eyeing　a　tiny　sandy　cat。　　This　very　little　cat；　whose　back　was　arched　with　fury；　he　was　obliged　to　chase　away　before　his　bulldog　would　come　in。　The　third　thing　he　noticed　was　a　lame　woman　of　short　stature；　standing　in　the　doorway　of　a　room。　　Her　face；　with　big　cheek…bones；　and　wide…open；　light　grey；　dark…lashed　eyes；　was　broad　and　patient；　she　rested　her　lame　leg　by　holding　to　the　handle　of　the　door。

〃I　dunno　if　you'll　find　anyone　upstairs。　　I'd　go　and　ask；　but　my　leg's　lame。〃

〃So　I　see；〃　said　Hilary；　〃I'm　sorry。〃

The　woman　sighed：　〃Been　like　that　these　five　years〃；　and　turned　back　into　her　room。

〃Is　there　nothing　to　be　done　for　it？〃

〃Well；　I　did　think　so　once；〃　replied　the　woman；　〃but　they　say　the　bone's　diseased；　I　neglected　it　at　the　start。〃

〃Oh　dear！〃

〃We　hadn't　the　time　to　give　to　it；〃　the　woman　said　defensively；　retiring　into　a　room　so　full　of　china　cups；　photographs；　coloured　prints；　waxwork　fruits；　and　other　ornaments；　that　there　seemed　no　room　for　the　enormous　bed。

Wishing　her　good…morning；　Hilary　began　to　mount　the　stairs。　　On　the　first　floor　he　paused。　　Here；　in　the　back　room；　the　little　model　lived。

He　looked　around　him。　　The　paper　on　the　passage　walls　was　of　a　dingy　orange　colour；　the　blind　of　the　window　torn；　and　still　pursuing　him；　pervading　everything；　was　the　scent　of　walls　and　washing　and　red　herrings。　　There　came　on　him　a　sickness；　a　sort　of　spiritual　revolt。　To　live　here；　to　pass　up　these　stairs；　between　these　dingy；　bilious　walls；　on　this　dirty　carpet；　with　thisugh！　every　day；　twice；　four　times；　six　times；　who　knew　how　many　times　a　day！　　And　that　sense；　the　first　to　be　attracted　or　revolted；　the　first　to　become　fastidious　with　the　culture　of　the　body；　the　last　to　be　expelled　from　the　temple　of　the　pure…spirit；　that　sense　to　whose　refinement　all　breeding　and　all　education　is　devoted；　that　sense　which；　ever　an　inch　at　least　in　front　of　man；　is　able　to　retard　the　development　of　nations；　and　paralyse　all　social　schemesthis　Sense　of　Smell　awakened　within　him　the　centuries　of　his　gentility；　the　ghosts　of　all　those　Dallisons　who；　for　three　hundred　years　and　more；　had　served　Church　or　State。　It　revived　the　souls　of　scents　he　was　accustomed　to；　and　with　them；　subtly　mingled；　the　whole　live　fabric　of　aestheticism；　woven　in　fresh　air　and　laid　in　lavender。　　It　roused　the　simple；　non…extravagant　demand　of　perfect　cleanliness。　　And　though　he　knew　that　chemists　would　have　certified　the　composition　of　his　blood　to　be　the　same　as　that　of　the　dwellers　in　this　house；　and　that　this　smell；　composed　of　walls　and　washing　and　red　herrings；　was　really　rather　healthy；　he　stood　frowning　fixedly　at　the　girl's　door；　and　the　memory　of　his　young　niece's　delicately　wrinkled　nose　as　she　described　the　house　rose　before　him