fraternity-第40章

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　he　must　expect　of　that；　she　bein'　his　wife。　But　what　a　misfortune！　　He'll　be　back　again　in　no　time；　and　what'll　happen　then？　　It　won't　improve　him；　shut　up　in　one　of　them　low　prisons！〃　　Then；　raising　his　old　face　to　Hilary：　〃Oh　dear！　　It's　like　awalkin'　on　a　black　night；　when　ye　can't　see　your　'and　before　yer。〃

Hilary　was　unable　to　find　a　suitable　answer　to　this　simile。

The　impression　made　on　him　by　the　old　butler's　recital　was　queerly　twofold；　his　more　fastidious　side　felt　distinct　relief　that　he　had　severed　connection　with　an　episode　capable　of　developments　so　sordid　and　conspicuous。　　But　all　the　side　of　himand　Hilary　was　a　complicated　productwhich　felt　compassion　for　the　helpless；　his　suppressed　chivalry；　in　fact；　had　also　received　its　fillip。　　The　old　butler's　references　to　the　girl　showed　clearly　how　the　hands　of　all　men　and　women　were　against　her。　　She　was　that　pariah；　a　young　girl　without　property　or　friends；　spiritually　soft；　physically　alluring。

To　recompense　〃Westminister〃　for　the　loss　of　his　day's　work；　to　make　a　dubious　statement　that　nights　were　never　so　black　as　they　appeared　to　be；　was　all　that　he　could　venture　to　do。　　Creed　hesitated　in　the　doorway。

〃Oh　dear；〃　he　said；　〃there's　a…one　thing　that　the　woman　was　a…saying　that　I've　forgot　to　tell　you。　　It's　a…concernin'　of　what　this　'ere　man　was　boastin'　in　his　rage。　　'Let　them；'　he　says；　'as　is　responsive　for　the　movin'　of　her　look　out；'　he　says；　'I　ain't　done　with　them！'　That's　conspiracy；　I　should　think！〃

Smiling　away　this　diagnosis　of　Hughs'　words；　Hilary　shook　the　old　man's　withered　hand；　and　closed　the　door。　　Sitting　down　again　at　his　writing…table；　he　buried　himself　almost　angrily　in　his　work。　　But　the　queer；　half…pleasurable；　fevered　feeling；　which　had　been　his；　since　the　night　he　walked　down　Piccadilly；　and　met　the　image　of　the　little　model；　was　unfavourable　to　the　austere　process　of　his　thoughts。




CHAPTER　XXV

MR。　STONE　IN　WAITING

That　same　afternoon；　；while　Mr。　Stone　was　writing；　he　heard　a　voice　saying：

〃Dad；　stop　writing　just　a　minute；　and　talk　to　me。〃

Recognition　came　into　his　eyes。　　It　was　his　younger　daughter。

〃My　dear；〃　he　said；　〃are　you　unwell？〃

Keeping　his　hand；　fragile　and　veined　and　chill；　under　her　own　warm　grasp；　Bianca　answered：　〃Lonely。〃

Mr。　Stone　looked　straight　before　him。

〃Loneliness；〃　he　said；　〃is　man's　chief　fault〃；　and　seeing　his　pen　lying　on　the　desk；　he　tried　to　lift　his　hand。　　Bianca　held　it　down。　At　that　hot　clasp　something　seemed　to　stir　in　Mr。　Stone。　　His　cheeks　grew　pink。

〃Kiss　me；　Dad。〃

Mr。　Stone　hesitated。　　Then　his　lips　resolutely　touched　her　eye。　　〃It　is　wet；〃　he　said。　　He　seemed　for　a　moment　struggling　to　grasp　the　meaning　of　moisture　in　connection　with　the　human　eye。　　Soon　his　face　again　became　serene。　　〃The　heart；〃　he　said；　〃is　a　dark　well；　its　depth　unknown。　　I　have　lived　eighty　years。　　I　am　still　drawing　water。〃

〃Draw　a　little　for　me；　Dad。〃

This　time　Mr。　Stone　looked　at　his　daughter　anxiously；　and　suddenly　spoke；　as　if　afraid　that　if　he　waited　he　might　forget。

〃You　are　unhappy！〃

Bianca　put　her　face　down　to　his　tweed　sleeve。　　〃How　nice　your　coat　smells！〃　she　murmured。

〃You　are　unhappy；〃　repeated　Mr。　Stone。

Bianca　dropped　his　hand；　and　moved　away。

Mr。　Stone　followed　her。　　〃Why？〃　　he　said。　　Then；　grasping　his　brow；　he　added：　〃If　it　would　do　you　any　good；　my　dear；　to　hear　a　page　or　two；　I　could　read　to　you。〃

Bianca　shook　her　head。

〃No；　talk　to　me！〃

Mr。　Stone　answered　simply：　〃I　have　forgotten。〃

〃You　talk　to　that　little　girl；〃　murmured　Bianca。

Mr。　Stone　seemed　to　lose　himself　in　reverie。

〃If　that　is　true；〃　he　said；　following　out　his　thoughts；　〃it　must　be　due　to　the　sex　instinct　not　yet　quite　extinct。　　It　is　stated　that　the　blackcock　will　dance　before　his　females　to　a　great　age；　though　I　have　never　seen　it。〃

〃If　you　dance　before　her；〃　said　Bianca；　with　her　face　averted；　〃can't　you　even　talk　to　me？〃

〃I　do　not　dance；　my　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Stone；　〃　I　will　do　my　best　to　talk　to　you。〃

There　was　a　silence；　and　he　began　to　pace　the　room。　　Bianca；　by　the　empty　fireplace；　watched　a　shower　of　rain　driving　past　the　open　window。

〃This　is　the　time　of　year；〃　said　Mr。　Stone　suddenly；　〃when　lambs　leap　off　the　ground　with　all　four　legs　at　a　time。〃　　He　paused　as　though　for　an　answer；　then；　out　of　the　silence；　his　voice　rose　againit　sounded　different：　〃There　is　nothing　in　Nature　more　symptomatic　of　that　principle　which　should　underlie　all　life。　　Live　in　the　future；　regret　nothing；　leap！　　A　lamb　which　has　left　earth　with　all　four　legs　at　once　is　the　symbol　of　true　life。　　That　she　must　come　down　again　is　but　an　inevitable　accident。　　'In　those　days　men　were　living　on　their　pasts。　　They　leaped　with　one；　or；　at　the　most；　two　legs　at　a　time；　they　never　left　the　ground；　or　in　leaving；　they　wished　to　know　the　reason　why。　　It　was　this　paralysis'〃Mr。　Stone　did　not　pause；　but；　finding　himself　close　beside　his　desk；　took　up　his　pen〃'it　was　this　paralysis　of　the　leaping　nerve　which　undermined　their　progress。　Instead　of　millions　of　leaping　lambs；　ignorant　of　why　they　leaped；　they　were　a　flock　of　sheep　lifting　up　one　leg　and　asking　whether　it　was　or　was　not　worth　their　while　to　lift　another。'〃

The　words　were　followed　by　a　silence；　broken　only　by　the　scratching　of　the　quill　with　which　Mr。　Stone　was　writing。

Having　finished；　he　again　began　to　pace　the　room；　and　coming　suddenly　on　his　daughter；　stopped　short。　　Touching　her　shoulder　timidly；　he　said：　〃I　was　talking　to　you；　I　think；　my　dear；　where　were　we？〃

Bianca　rubbed　her　cheek　against　his　hand。

〃In　the　air；　I　think。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Mr。　Stone；　〃I　remember。　　You　must　not　let　me　wander　from　the　point　again。〃

〃No；　dear。〃

〃Lambs；〃　said　Mr。　Stone；　〃remind　me　at　times　of　that　young　girl　who　comes　to　copy　for　me。　　I　make　her　skip　to　promote　her　circulation　before　tea。　　I　myself　do　this　exercise。〃　　Leaning　against　the　wall；　with　his　feet　twelve　inches　from　it；　he　rose　slowly　on　his　toes。　　〃Do　you　know　that　exercise？　　It　is　excellent　for　the　calves　of　the　legs；　and　for　the　lumbar　regions。〃　　So　saying；　Mr。　Stone　left　the　wall；　and　began　again　to　pace　the　room；　the　whitewash　had　also　left　the　wall；　and　clung　in　a　large　square　patch　on　his　shaggy　coat。　　〃I　have　seen　sheep　in　Spring；〃　he　said；　〃actually　imitate　their　lambs　in　rising　from　the　ground　with　all　four　legs　at　once。〃　　He　stood　still。　　A　thought　had　evidently　struck　him。

〃If　Life　is　not　all　Spring；　it　is　of　no　value　whatsoever；　better　to　die；　and　to　begin　again。　　Life　is　a　tree　putting　on　a　new　green　gown；　it　is　a　young　moon　risingno；　that　is　not　so；　we　do　not　see　the　young　moon　risingit　is　a　young　moon　setting；　never　younger　than　when　we　are　about　to　die〃

Bianca　cried　out　sharply：　〃Don't；　Father！　　Don't　talk　like　that；　it's　so　untrue！　　Life　is　all　autumn；　it　seems　to　me！〃

Mr。　Stone's　eyes　grew　very　blue。

〃That　is　a　foul　heresy；〃　he　stammered；　〃I　cannot　listen　to　it。　　Life　is　the　cuckoo's　song；　it　is　a　hill…side　bursting　into　leaf；　it　is　the　wind；　I　feel　it　in　me　every　day！〃

He　was　trembling　like　a　leaf　in　the　wind　he　spoke　of；　and　Bianca　moved　hastily　towards　him；　holding　out　her　arms。　　Suddenly　his　lips　began　to　move；　she　heard　him　mutter：　〃I　have　lost　force；　I　will　boil　some　milk。　　I　must　be　ready　when　she　comes。〃　　And　at　those　words　her　heart　felt　like　a　lump　of　ice。

Always　that　girl！　　And　without　again　attracting　his　attention　she　went　away。　　As　she　passed　out　through　the　garden　she　saw　him　at　the　window　holding　a　cup　of　milk；　from　which　the　steam　was　rising。




CHAPTER　XXVI

THIRD　PILGRIMAGE　TO　HOUND　STREET

Like　water；　human　character　will　find　its　level；　and　Nature；　with　her　way　of　fitting　men　to　their　environment；　had　made　young　Martin　Stone　what　Stephen　called　a　〃Sanitist。〃　　There　had　been　nothing　else　for　her　to　do　with　him。

This　young　man　had　come　into　the　social　scheme　at　a　moment　when　the　conception　of　existence　as　a　present　life　corrected　by　a　life　to　come；　was　tottering；　and　the　conception　of　the　world　as　an　upper…　class　preserve　somewhat　seriously　disturbed。

Losing　his　father　and　mother　at　an　early　age；　and　brought　up　till　he　was　fourteen　by　Mr。　Stone；　he　had　formed　the　habit　of　thinking　for　himself。