fraternity-第34章

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〃She　seemed　to　me；〃　she　answered；　〃such　a　very　likely　type。〃

〃Ah！〃　murmured　Stephen；　〃there　would　be；　I　suppose；　a　danger…〃　And　he　looked　angrily　at　Cecilia。

Without　ceasing　to　converse　with　Mr。　Purcey　and　Signor　Egregio　Pozzi；　she　moved　her　left　eye　upwards。　　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace　understood　this　to　mean：　'Be　frank；　and　guarded！'　Stephen；　however；　interpreted　it　otherwise。　　To　him　it　signified：　'What　the　deuce　do　you　look　at　me　for？'　And　he　felt　justly　hurt。　　He　therefore　said　abruptly：

〃What　would　you　do　in　a　case　like　that？〃

Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace；　sliding　her　face　sideways；　with　a　really　charming　little　smile；　asked　softly：

〃In　a　case　like　what？〃

And　her　little　eyes　fled　to　Thyme；　who　had　slipped　into　the　room；　and　was　whispering　to　her　mother。

Cecilia　rose。

〃You　know　my　daughter；〃　she　said。　　〃Will　you　excuse　me　just　a　minute？　I'm　so　very　sorry。〃　　She　glided　towards　the　door；　and　threw　a　flying　look　back。　　It　was　one　of　those　social　moments　precious　to　those　who　are　escaping　them。

Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace　was　smiling；　Stephen　frowning　at　his　boots；　Mr。　Purcey　stared　admiringly　at　Thyme；　and　Thyme；　sitting　very　upright；　was　calmly　regarding　the　unfortunate　Egregio　Pozzi；　who　apparently　could　not　bring　himself　to　speak。

When　Cecilia　found　herself　outside；　she　stood　still　a　moment　to　compose　her　nerves。　　Thyme　had　told　her　that　Hilary　was　in　the　dining…room；　and　wanted　specially　to　see　her。

As　in　most　women　of　her　class　and　bringing…up；　Cecilia's　qualities　of　reticence　and　subtlety；　the　delicate　treading　of　her　spirit；　were　seen　to　advantage　in　a　situation　such　as　this。　　Unlike　Stephen；　who　had　shown　at　once　that　he　had　something　on　his　mind；　she　received　Hilary　with　that　exact　shade　of　friendly；　intimate；　yet　cool　affection　long　established　by　her　as　the　proper　manner　towards　her　husband's　brother。　　It　was　not　quite　sisterly；　but　it　was　very　nearly　so。　　It　seemed　to　say：　'We　understand　each　other　as　far　as　it　is　right　and　fitting　that　we　should；　we　even　sympathise　with　the　difficulties　we　have　each　of　us　experienced　in　marrying　the　other's　sister　or　brother；　as　the　case　may　be。　　We　know　the　worst。　　And　we　like　to　see　each　other；　too；　because　there　are　bars　between　us；　which　make　it　almost　piquant。'

Giving　him　her　soft　little　hand；　she　began　at　once　to　talk　of　things　farthest　from　her　heart。　　She　saw　that　she　was　deceiving　Hilary；　and　this　feather　in　the　cap　of　her　subtlety　gave　her　pleasure。　　But　her　nerves　fluttered　at　once　when　he　said：　〃I　want　to　speak　to　you；　Cis。　You　know　that　Stephen　and　I　had　a　talk　yesterday；　I　suppose？〃

Cecilia　nodded。

〃I　have　spoken　to　B。！〃

〃Oh！〃　Cecilia　murmured。　　She　longed　to　ask　what　Bianca　had　said；　but　did　not　dare；　for　Hilary　had　his　armour　on；　the　retired；　ironical　look　he　always　wore　when　any　subject　was　broached　for　which　he　was　too　sensitive。

She　waited。

〃The　whole　thing　is　distasteful　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　must　do　something　for　this　child。　　I　can't　leave　her　completely　in　the　lurch。〃

Cecilia　had　an　inspiration。

〃Hilary；〃　she　said　softly；　〃Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace　is　in　the　drawing…room。　　She　was　just　speaking　of　the　girl　to　Stephen。　　Won't　you　come　in；　and　arrange　with　her　quietly？〃

Hilary　looked　at　his　sister…in…law　for　a　moment　without　speaking；　then　said：

〃I　draw　the　line　there。　　No；　thank　you。　　I'll　see　this　through　myself。〃

Cecilia　fluttered　out：

〃Oh；　but；　Hilary；　what　do　you　mean？〃

〃I　am　going　to　put　an　end　to　it。〃

It　needed　all　Cecilia's　subtlety　to　hide　her　consternation。　　End　to　what？　　Did　he　mean　that　he　and　B。　were　going　to　separate？

〃I　won't　have　all　this　vulgar　gossip　about　the　poor　girl。　　I　shall　go　and　find　another　room　for　her。〃

Cecilia　sighed　with　relief。

〃Would　you…would　you　like　me　to　come　too；　Hilary？〃

〃It's　very　good　of　you；〃　said　Hilary　dryly。　　〃My　actions　appear　to　rouse　suspicions。〃

Cecilia　blushed。

〃Oh；　that's　absurd！　　Still；　no　one　could　think　anything　if　I　come　with　you。　　Hilary；　have　you　thought　that　if　she　continues　coming　to　Father…〃

〃I　shall　tell　her　that　she　mustn't！〃

Cecilia's　heart　gave　two　thumps；　the　first　with　pleasure；　the　second　with　sympathy。

〃It　will　be　horrid　for　you；〃　she　said。　　〃You　hate　doing　anything　of　that　sort。〃

Hilary　nodded。

〃But　I'm　afraid　it's　the　only　way；〃　went　on　Cecilia；　rather　hastily。　〃And；　of　course；　it　will　be　no　good　saying　anything　to　Father；　one　must　simply　let　him　suppose　that　she　has　got　tired　of　it。〃

Again　Hilary　nodded。

〃He　will　think　it　very　funny；〃；　murmured　Cecilia　pensively。　　〃Oh；　and　have　you　thought　that　taking　her　away　from　where　she　is　will　only　make　those　people　talk　the　more？〃

Hilary　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃It　may　make　that　man　furious；〃　Cecilia　added。

〃It　will。〃

〃Oh；　but　then；　of　course；　if　you　don't　see　her　afterwards；　they　will　have　nono　excuse　at　all。〃

〃I　shall　not　see　her　afterwards；〃　said　Hilary；　〃if　I　can　avoid　it。〃

Cecilia　looked　at　him。

〃It's　very　sweet　of　you；　Hilary。〃

〃What　is　sweet？〃　　asked　Hilary　stonily。

〃Why；　to　take　all　this　trouble。　　Is　it　really　necessary　for　you　to　do　anything？〃　　But　looking　in　his　face；　she　went　on　hastily：　〃Yes；　yes；　it's　best。　　Let's　go　at　once。　　Oh；　those　people　in　the　drawing…room！　Do　wait　ten　minutes。〃

A　little　later；　running　up　to　put　her　hat　on；　she　wondered　why　it　was　that　Hilary　always　made　her　want　to　comfort　him。　　Stephen　never　affected　her　like　this。

Having　little　or　no　notion　where　to　go；　they　walked　in　the　direction　of　Bayswater。　　To　place　the　Park　between　Hound　Street　and　the　little　model　was　the　first　essential。　　On　arriving　at　the　other　side　of　the　Broad　Walk；　they　made　instinctively　away　from　every　sight　of　green。　In　a　long；　grey　street　of　dismally　respectable　appearance　they　found　what　they　were　looking　for；　a　bed…sitting　room　furnished；　advertised　on　a　card　in　the　window。　　The　door　was　opened　by　the　landlady；　a　tall　woman　of　narrow　build；　with　a　West…Country　accent；　and　a　rather　hungry　sweetness　running　through　her　hardness。　　They　stood　talking　with　her　in　a　passage；　whose　oilcloth　of　variegated　pattern　emitted　a　faint　odour。　　The　staircase　could　be　seen　climbing　steeply　up　past　walls　covered　with　a　shining　paper　cut　by　narrow　red　lines　into　small　yellow　squares。　　An　almanack；　of　so　floral　a　design　that　nobody　would　surely　want　to　steal　it；　hung　on　the　wall；　below　it　was　an　umbrella　stand　without　umbrellas。　　The　dim　little　passage　led　past　two　grimly　closed　doors　painted　rusty　red　to　two　half…open　doors　with　dull　glass　in　their　panels。　　Outside；　in　the　street　from　which　they　had　mounted　by　stone　steps；　a　shower　of　sleet　had　begun　to　fall。　　Hilary　shut　the　door；　but　the　cold　spirit　of　that　shower　had　already　slipped　into　the　bleak；　narrow　house。

〃This　is　the　apartment；　m'm；〃　said　the　landlady；　opening　the　first　of　the　rusty…coloured　doors。　　The　room；　which　had　a　paper　of　blue　roses　on　a　yellow　ground；　was　separated　from　another　room　by　double　doors。

〃I　let　the　rooms　together　sometimes；　but　just　now　that　room's　taken　a　young　gentleman　in　the　City；　that's　why　I'm　able　to　let　this　cheap。〃

Cecilia　looked　at　Hilary。　　〃I　hardly　think…〃

The　landlady　quickly　turned　the　handles　of　the　doors；　showing　that　they　would　not　open。

〃I　keep　the　key；〃　she　said。　　〃There's　a　bolt　on　both　sides。〃

Reassured；　Cecilia　walked　round　the　room　as　far　as　this　was　possible；　for　it　was　practically　all　furniture。　　There　was　the　same　little　wrinkle　across　her　nose　as　across　Thyme's　nose　when　she　spoke　of　Hound　Street。　　Suddenly　she　caught　sight　of　Hilary。　　He　was　standing　with　his　back　against　the　door。　　On　his　face　was　a　strange　and　bitter　look；　such　as　a　man　might　have　on　seeing　the　face　of　Ugliness　herself；　feeling　that　she　was　not　only　without　him；　but　withina　universal　spirit；　the　look　of　a　man　who　had　thought　that　he　was　chivalrous；　and　found　that　he　was　not；　of　a　leader　about　to　give　an　order　that　he　would　not　himself　have　executed。

Seeing　that　look；　Cecilia　said　with　some　haste：

〃It's　all　very　nice　and　clean；　it　will　do　very　well；　I　think。　　Seven　shillings　a　week；　I　believe　you　said。　　We　will　take　it　for　a　fortnight；　at　all　events。〃

The　first　glimmer　of　a　smile　appeared　on　the　landlady's　grim　face；　with　its