fraternity-第28章

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〃In　what　this　ruffian　says。〃

〃No；〃　said　Hilary；　〃there's　nothing　in　it；　though　what　there　may　be　if　people　give　me　credit　for　what　there　isn't；　is　another　thing。〃

Stephen　digested　this　remark；　which　hurt　him。　　He　saw　that　his　suspicions　had　been　fathomed；　and　this　injured　his　opinion　of　his　own　diplomacy。

〃You　mustn't　lose　your　head；　old　man；〃　he　said　at　last。

They　were　crossing　the　bridge　over　the　Serpentine。　　On　the　bright　waters；　below；　young　clerks　were　sculling　their　inamoratas　up　and　down；　the　ripples　set　free　by　their　oars　gleamed　beneath　the　sun；　and　ducks　swam　lazily　along　the　banks。　　Hilary　leaned　over。

〃Look　here；　Stephen；　I　take　an　interest　in　this　childshe's　a　helpless　sort　of　little　creature；　and　she　seems　to　have　put　herself　under　my　protection。　　I　can't　help　that。　　But　that's　all。　　Do　you　understand？〃

This　speech　produced　a　queer　turmoil　in　Stephen；　as　though　his　brother　had　accused　him　of　a　petty　view　of　things。　　Feeling　that　he　must　justify　himself　somehow；　he　began：

〃Oh；　of　course　I　understand；　old　boy！　　But　don't　think；　anyway；　that　I　should　care　a　damnI　mean　as　far　as　I'm　concernedeven　if　you　had　gone　as　far　as　ever　you　liked；　considering　what　you　have　to　put　up　with。　　What　I'm　thinking　of　is　the　general　situation。〃

By　this　clear　statement　of　his　point　of　view　Stephen　felt　he　had　put　things　back　on　a　broad　basis；　and　recovered　his　position　as　a　man　of　liberal　thought。　　He　too　leaned　over；　looking　at　the　ducks。　　There　was　a　silence。　　Then　Hilary　said：

〃If　Bianca　won't　get　that　child　into　some　fresh　place；　I　shall。〃

Stephen　looked　at　his　brother　in　surprise；　amounting　almost　to　dismay；　he　had　spoken　with　such　unwonted　resolution。

〃My　dear　old　chap；〃　he　said；　〃I　wouldn't　go　to　B。　　Women　are　so　funny。〃

Hilary　smiled。　　Stephen　took　this　for　a　sign　of　restored　impersonality。

〃I'll　tell　you　exactly　how　the　thing　appeals　to　me。　　It'll　be　much　better　for　you　to　chuck　it　altogether。　　Let　Cis　see　to　it！〃

Hilary's　eyes　became　bright　with　angry　humour。

〃Many　thanks；〃　he　said；　〃but　this　is　entirely　our　affair。〃

Stephen　answered　hastily：

〃That's　exactly　what　makes　it　difficult　for　you　to　look　at　it　all　round。　　That　fellow　Hughs　could　make　himself　quite　nasty。　　I　wouldn't　give　him　any　sort　of　chance。　　I　mean　to　saygiving　the　girl　clothes　and　that　kind　of　thing…〃

〃I　see；〃　said　Hilary。

〃You　know；　old　man；〃　Stephen　went　on　hastily；　〃I　don't　think　you'll　get　Bianca　to　look　at　things　in　your　light。　　If　you　were　onon　terms；　of　course　it　would　be　different。　　I　mean　the　girl；　you　know；　is　rather　attractive　in　her　way。〃

Hilary　roused　himself　from　contemplation　of　the　ducks；　and　they　moved　on　towards　the　Powder　Magazine。　　Stephen　carefully　abstained　from　looking　at　his　brother；　the　respect　he　had　for　Hilaryresult；　perhaps；　of　the　latter's　seniority；　perhaps　of　the　feeling　that　Hilary　knew　more　of　him　than　he　of　Hilarywas　beginning　to　assert　itself　in　a　way　he　did　not　like。　　With　every　word；　too；　of　this　talk；　the　ground；　instead　of　growing　firmer；　felt　less　and　less　secure。　Hilary　spoke：

〃You　mistrust　my　powers　of　action？〃

〃No；　no；〃　said　Stephen。　　〃I　don't　want　you　to　act　at　all。〃

Hilary　laughed。　　Hearing　that　rather　bitter　laugh；　Stephen　felt　a　little　ache　about　his　heart。

〃Come；　old　boy；〃　he　said；　〃we　can　trust　each　other；　anyway。〃

Hilary　gave　his　brother's　arm　a　squeeze。

Moved　by　that　pressure；　Stephen　spoke：

〃I　hate　you　to　be　worried　over　such　a　rotten　business。〃

The　whizz　of　a　motor…car　rapidly　approaching　them　became　a　sort　of　roar；　and　out　of　it　a　voice　shouted：　〃How　are　you？〃　　A　hand　was　seen　to　rise　in　salute。　　It　was　Mr。　Purcey　driving　his　A。i。　Damyer　back　to　Wimbledon。　　Before　him　in　the　sunlight　a　little　shadow　fled；　behind　him　the　reek　of　petrol　seemed　to　darken　the　road。

〃There's　a　symbol　for　you；〃　muttered　Hilary。

〃How　do　you　mean？〃　　said　Stephen　dryly。　　The　word　〃symbol〃　was　distasteful　to　him。

〃The　machine　in　the　middle　moving　on　its　business；　shadows　like　you　and　me　skipping　in　front；　oil　and　used…up　stuff　dropping　behind。　Society…body；　beak；　and　bones。〃

Stephen　took　time　to　answer。　　〃That's　rather　far…fetched；〃　he　said。　〃You　mean　these　Hughs　and　people　are　the　droppings？〃

〃Quite　so；〃　was　Hilary's　sardonic　answer。　　〃There's　the　body　of　that　fellow　and　his　car　between　our　sort　and　themand　no　getting　over　it；　Stevie。〃

〃Well；　who　wants　to？　　If　you're　thinking　of　our　old　friend's　Fraternity；　I'm　not　taking　any。〃　　And　Stephen　suddenly　added：　〃Look　here；　I　believe　this　affair　is　all　'a　plant。'〃

〃You　see　that　Powder　Magazine？〃　　said　Hilary。　　〃Well；　this　business　that　you　call　a　'plant'　is　more　like　that。　　I　don't　want　to　alarm　you；　but　I　think　you　as　well　as　our　young　friend　Martin；　are　inclined　to　underrate　the　emotional　capacity　of　human　nature。〃

Disquietude　broke　up　the　customary　mask　on　Stephen's　face：　〃I　don't　understand；〃　he　stammered。

〃Well；　we're　none　of　us　machines；　not　even　amateurs　like　menot　even　under…dogs　like　Hughs。　　I　fancy　you　may　find　a　certain　warmth；　not　to　say　violence；　about　this　business。　　I　tell　you　frankly　that　I　don't　live　in　married　celibacy　quite　with　impunity。　　I　can't　answer　for　anything；　in　fact。　　You　had　better　stand　clear；　Stephenthat's　all。〃

Stephen　marked　his　thin　hands　quivering；　and　this　alarmed　him　as　nothing　else　had　done。

They　walked　on　beside　the　water。　　Stephen　spoke　quietly；　looking　at　the　ground。　　〃How　can　I　stand　clear；　old　man；　if　you　are　going　to　get　into　a　mess？　　That's　impossible。〃

He　saw　at　once　that　this　shot；　which　indeed　was　from　his　heart；　had　gone　right　home　to　Hilary's。　　He　sought　within　him　how　to　deepen　the　impression。

〃You　mean　a　lot　to　us；〃　he　said。　　〃Cis　and　Thyme　would　feel　it　awfully　if　you　and　B。…〃　　He　stopped。

Hilary　was　looking　at　him；　that　faintly　smiling　glance；　searching　him　through　and　through；　suddenly　made　Stephen　feel　inferior。　　He　had　been　detected　trying　to　extract　capital　from　the　effect　of　his　little　piece　of　brotherly　love。　　He　was　irritated　at　his　brother's　insight。

〃I　have　no　right　to　give　advice；　I　suppose；〃　he　said；　〃but　in　my　opinion　you　should　drop　itdrop　it　dead。　　The　girl　is　not　worth　your　looking　after。　　Turn　her　over　to　that　SocietyMrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace's　thing　whatever　it's　called。〃

At　a　sound　as　of　mirth　Stephen；　who　was　not　accustomed　to　hear　his　brother　laugh；　looked　round。

〃Martin；〃　said　Hilary；　〃also　wants　the　case　to　be　treated　on　strictly　hygienic　grounds。〃

Nettled　by　this；　Stephen　answered：

〃Don't　confound　me　with　our　young　Sanitist；　please；　I　simply　think　there　are　probably　a　hundred　things　you　don't　know　about　the　girl　which　ought　to　be　cleared　up。〃

〃And　then？〃

〃Then；〃　said　Stephen；　〃they　coulderdeal　with　her　accordingly。〃

Hilary　shrank　so　palpably　at　this　remark　that　he　added　rather　hastily：

〃You　call　that　cold…blooded；　I　suppose；　but　I　think；　you　know；　old　chap；　that　you're　too　sensitive。〃

Hilary　stopped　rather　abruptly。

〃If　you　don't　mind；　Stevie；〃　he　said；　〃we'll　part　here。　　I　want　to　think　it　over。〃　　So　saying；　he　turned　back；　and　sat　down　on　a　seat　that　faced　the　sun。




CHAPTER　XVIII

THE　PERFECT　DOG

Hilary　sat　long　in　the　sun；　watching　the　pale　bright　waters　and　many　well…bred　ducks　circling　about　the　shrubs；　searching　with　their　round；　bright　eyes　for　worms。　　Between　the　bench　where　he　was　sitting　and　the　spiked　iron　railings　people　passed　continuallymen；　women；　children　of　all　kinds。　　Every　now　and　then　a　duck　would　stop　and　cast　her　knowing　glance　at　these　creatures；　as　though　comparing　the　condition　of　their　forms　and　plumage　with　her　own。　　'If　I　had　had　the　breeding　of　you；'　she　seemed　to　say；　'I　could　have　made　a　better　fist　of　it　than　that。　　A　worse…looking　lot　of　ducks；　take　you　all　round。　I　never　wish　to　see！'　And　with　a　quick　but　heavy　movement　of　her　shoulders；　she　would　turn　away　and　join　her　fellows。

Hilary；　however；　got　small　distraction　from　the　ducks。　　The　situation　gradually　developing　was　something　of　a　dilemma　to　a　man　better　acquainted　with　ideas　than　facts；　with　the　trimming　of　words　than　with　the　shaping　of　events。　　He　turned　a　queer；　perplexed；　almost　quizzical　eye　on　it。　　Stephen　had　irritated　him　profoundly。　　He　had　such　a　w