fraternity-第3章

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Cecilia　looked　uneasily　at　the　rising　generation。　　They　were　standing　side　by　side　before　the　picture；　curiously　observant　and　detached；　exchanging　short　remarks　and　glances。　　They　seemed　to　watch　all　these　circling；　chatting；　bending；　smiling　people　with　a　sort　of　youthful；　matter…of…fact；　half…hostile　curiosity。　　The　young　man　had　a　pale　face；　clean…shaven；　with　a　strong　jaw；　a　long；　straight　nose；　a　rather　bumpy　forehead　which　did　not　recede；　and　clear　grey　eyes。　　His　sarcastic　lips　were　firm　and　quick；　and　he　looked　at　people　with　disconcerting　straightness。　　The　young　girl　wore　a　blue…green　frock。　Her　face　was　charming；　with　eager；　hazel…grey　eyes；　a　bright　colour；　and　fluffy　hair　the　colour　of　ripe　nuts。

〃That's　your　sister's　picture；　'The　Shadow；'　they're　looking　at；　isn't　it？〃　　asked　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace。　　〃I　remember　seeing　it　on　Christmas　Day；　and　the　little　model　who　was　sitting　for　itan　attractive　type！　　Your　brother…in…law　told　me　how　interested　you　all　were　in　her。　　Quite　a　romantic　story；　wasn't　it；　about　her　fainting　from　want　of　food　when　she　first　came　to　sit？〃

Cecilia　murmured　something。　　Her　hands　were　moving　nervously；　she　looked　ill　at　ease。

These　signs　passed　unperceived　by　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace；　whose　eyes　were　busy。

〃In　the　F。H。M。P。；　of　course；　I　see　a　lot　of　young　girls　placed　in　delicate　positions；　just　on　the　borders；　don't　you　know？　　You　should　really　join　the　F。H。M。P。；　Mrs。　Dallison。　　It's　a　first…rate　thing　most　absorbing　work。〃

The　doubting　deepened　in　Cecilia's　eyes。

〃Oh；　it　must　be！〃　she　said。　　〃I've　so　little　time。〃

Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace　went　on　at　once。

〃Don't　you　think　that　we　live　in　the　most　interesting　days？　　There　are　such　a　lot　of　movements　going　on。　　It's　quite　exciting。　　We　all　feel　that　we　can't　shut　our　eyes　any　longer　to　social　questions。　　I　mean　the　condition　of　the　people　alone　is　enough　to　give　one　nightmare！〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Cecilia；　〃it　is　dreadful；　of　course。

〃Politicians　and　officials　are　so　hopeless；　one　can't　look　for　anything　from　them。〃

Cecilia　drew　herself　up。　　〃Oh；　do　you　think　so？〃　　she　said。

〃I　was　just　talking　to　Mr。　Balladyce。　　He　says　that　Art　and　Literature　must　be　put　on　a　new　basis　altogether。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Cecilia；　〃really？　　Is　he　that　funny　little　man？〃

〃I　think　he's　so　monstrously　clever。〃

Cecilia　answered　quickly：　〃I　knowI　know。　　Of　course；　something　must　be　done。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace　absently；　〃I　think　we　all　feel　that。　　Oh；　do　tell　me！　　I've　been　talking　to　such　a　delightful　personjust　the　type　you　see　when　you　go　into　the　Citythousands　of　them；　all　in　such　good　black　coats。　　It's　so　unusual　to　really　meet　one　nowadays；　and　they're　so　refreshing；　they　have　such　nice　simple　views。　　There　he　is；　standing　just　behind　your　sister。〃

Cecilia　by　a　nervous　gesture　indicated　that　she　recognized　the　personality　alluded　to。　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　she　said；　〃Mr。　Purcey。　　I　don't　know　why　he　comes　to　see　us。〃

〃I　think　he's　so　delicious！〃　said　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace　dreamily。　Her　little　dark　eyes；　like　bees；　had　flown　to　sip　honey　from　the　flower　in　questiona　man　of　broad　build　and　medium　height；　dressed。　with　accuracy；　who　seemed　just　a　little　out　of　his　proper　bed。　　His　mustachioed　mouth　wore　a　set　smile；　his　cheerful　face　was　rather　red；　with　a　forehead　of　no　extravagant　height　or　breadth；　and　a　conspicuous　jaw；　his　hair　was　thick　and　light　in　colour；　and　his　eyes　were　small；　grey；　and　shrewd。　　He　was　looking　at　a　picture。

〃He's　so　delightfully　unconscious；〃　murmured　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace。　　〃He　didn't　even　seem　to　know　that　there　was　a　problem　of　the　lower　classes。〃

〃Did　he　tell　you　that　he　had　a　picture？〃　　asked　Cecilia　gloomily。

〃Oh　yes；　by　Harpignies；　with　the　accent　on　the　'pig。'　　It's　worth　three　times　what　he　gave　for　it。　　It's　so　nice　to　be　made　to　feel　that　there　is　still　all　that　mass　of　people　just　simply　measuring　everything　by　what　they　gave　for　it。〃

〃And　did　he　tell　you　my　grandfather　Carfax's　dictum　in　the　Banstock　case？〃　　muttered　Cecilia。

〃Oh　yes：　'The　man　who　does　not　know　his　own　mind　should　be　made　an　Irishman　by　Act　of　Parliament。'　　He　said　it　was　so　awfully　good。〃

〃He　would；〃　replied　Cecilia。

〃He　seems　to　depress　you；　rather！〃

〃Oh　no；　I　believe　he's　quite　a　nice　sort　of　person。　　One　can't　be　rude　to　him；　he　really　did　what　he　thought　a　very　kind　thing　to　my　father。　　That's　how　we　came　to　know　him。　　Only　it's　rather　trying　when　he　will　come　to　call　regularly。　　He　gets　a　little　on　one's　nerves。〃

〃Ah；　that's　just　what　I　feel　is　so　jolly　about　him；　no　one　would　ever　get　on　his　nerves。　　I　do　think　we've　got　too　many　nerves；　don't　you？　Here's　your　brother…in…law。　　He's　such　an　uncommon…looking　man；　I　want　to　have　a　talk　with　him　about　that　little　model。　　A　country　girl；　wasn't　she？〃

She　had　turned　her　head　towards　a　tall　man　with　a　very　slight　stoop　and　a　brown；　thin；　bearded　face；　who　was　approaching　from　the　door。　She　did　not　see　that　Cecilia　had　flushed；　and　was　looking　at　her　almost　angrily。　　The　tall　thin　man　put　his　hand　on　Cecilia's　arm；　saying　gently：　〃Hallo　Cis！　　Stephen　here　yet？〃

Cecilia　shook　her　head。

〃You　know　；　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace；　Hilary？〃

The　tall　man　bowed。　　His　hazel…coloured　eyes　were　shy；　gentle；　and　deep…set；　his　eyebrows；　hardly　ever　still；　gave　him　a　look　of　austere　whimsicality。　　His　dark　brown　hair　was　very　lightly　touched　with　grey；　and　a　frequent　kindly　smile　played　on　his　lips。　　His　unmannerismed　manner　was　quiet　to　the　point　of　extinction。　　He　had　long；　thin；　brown　hands；　and　nothing　peculiar　about　his　dress。

〃I'll　leave　you　to　talk　to　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace；〃　Cecilia　said。

A　knot　of　people　round　Mr。　Balladyce　prevented　her　from　moving　far；　however；　and　the　voice　of　Mrs。　Smallpeace　travelled　to　her　ears。

〃I　was　talking　about　that　little　model。　　It　was　so　good　of　you　to　take　such　interest　in　the　girl。　　I　wondered　whether　we　could　do　anything　for　her。〃

Cecilia's　hearing　was　too　excellent　to　miss　the　tone　of　Hilary's　reply：

〃Oh；　thank　you；　I　don't　think　so。〃

〃I　fancied　perhaps　you　might　feel　that　our　Society…hers　is　an　unsatisfactory　profession　for　young　girls！〃

Cecilia　saw　the　back　of　Hilary's　neck　grow　red。　　She　turned　her　head　away。

〃Of　course；　there　are　many　very　nice　models　indeed；〃　said　the　voice　of　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace。　　〃I　don't　mean　that　they　are　necessarily　at　allif　they're　girls　of　strong　character；　and　especially　if　they　don't　sit　for　thethe　altogether。〃

Hilary's　dry；　staccato　answer　came　to　Cecilia's　ears：　〃Thank　you；　it's　very　kind　of　you。〃

〃Oh；　of　course；　if　it's　not　necessary。　　Your　wife's　picture　was　so　clever；　Mr。　Dallisonsuch　an　interesting　type。〃

Without　intention　Cecilia　found　herself　before　that　picture。　　It　stood　with　its　face　a　little　turned　towards　the　wall；　as　though　somewhat　in　disgrace；　portraying　the　full…length　figure　of　a　girl　standing　in　deep　shadow；　with　her　arms　half　outstretched；　as　if　asking　for　something。　　Her　eyes　were　fixed　on　Cecilia；　and　through　her　parted　lips　breath　almost　seemed　to　come。　　The　only　colour　in　the　picture　was　the　pale　blue　of　those　eyes；　the　pallid　red　of　those　parted　lips；　the　still　paler　brown　of　the　hair；　the　rest　was　shadow。　In　the　foreground　light　was　falling　as　though　from　a　street…lamp。

Cecilia　thought：　〃That　girl's　eyes　and　mouth　haunt　me。　　Whatever　made　Blanca　choose　such　a　subject？　　It　is　clever；　of　coursefor　her。〃




CHAPTER　II

A　FAMILY　DISCUSSION

The　marriage　of　Sylvanus　Stone；　Professor　of　the　Natural　Sciences；　to　Anne；　daughter　of　Mr。　Justice　Carfax；　of　the　well…known　county　familythe　Carfaxes　of　Spring　Deans；　Hantswas　recorded　in　the　sixties。　　The　baptisms　of　Martin；　Cecilia；　and　Bianca；　son　and　daughters　of　Sylvanus　and　Anne　Stone；　were　to　be　discovered　registered　in　Kensington　in　the　three　consecutive　years　following；　as　though　some　single…minded　person　had　been　connected　with　their　births。　　After　this　the　baptisms　of　no　more　offspring　were　to　be　found　anywhere；　as　if　that　single　mind　had　encountered　opposition。　But　in　the　eighties　there　was　noted　in　the　register　of　the　same　church　the　burial　of　〃Anne；　nee　Carfax；　wife　of　Sylvanus　Stone。〃　　In　that　〃nee　Carfax〃　there　was；　to　those　who　kn