fraternity-第60章

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Hilary　answered　this　unjust　and　unexpected　outburst　by　a　look；　and　Stephen；　with　the　strange　feeling　of　inferiority　which　would　come　to　him　in　Hilary's　presence　against　his　better　judgment；　lowered　his　own　glance。

〃My　dear　boy；〃　said　Hilary；　〃if　any　bit　of　my　character　has　crept　into　Thyme；　I'm　truly　sorry。〃

Stephen　took　his　brother's　hand　and　gave　it　a　good　grip；　and；　Cecilia　coming　in；　they　all　sat　down。

Cecilia　at　once　noted　what　Stephen　in　his　preoccupation　had　notthat　Hilary　had　come　to　tell　them　something。　　But　she　did　not　like　to　ask　him　what　it　was；　though　she　knew　that　in　the　presence　of　their　trouble　Hilary　was　too　delicate　to　obtrude　his　own。　　She　did　not　like；　either；　to　talk　of　her　trouble　in　the　presence　of　his。　　They　all　talked；　therefore；　of　indifferent　thingswhat　music　they　had　heard；　what　plays　they　had　seeneating　but　little；　and　drinking　tea。　In　the　middle　of　a　remark　about　the　opera；　Stephen；　looking　up；　saw　Martin　himself　standing　in　the　doorway。　　The　young　Sanitist　looked　pale；　dusty；　and　dishevelled。　　He　advanced　towards　Cecilia；　and　said　with　his　usual　cool　determination：

〃I've　brought　her　back；　Aunt　Cis。〃

At　that　moment；　fraught　with　such　relief；　such　pure　joy；　such　desire　to　say　a　thousand　things；　Cecilia　could　only　murmur：　〃Oh；　Martin！〃

Stephen；　who　had　jumped　up；　asked：　〃Where　is　she？〃

〃Gone　to　her　room。〃

〃Then　perhaps；〃　said　Stephen；　regaining　at　once　his　dry　composure；　〃you　will　give　us　some　explanation　of　this　folly。〃

〃She's　no　use　to　us　at　present。〃

〃Indeed！〃

〃None。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Stephen；　〃kindly　understand　that　we　have　no　use　for　you　in　future；　or　any　of　your　sort。〃

Martin　looked　round　the　table；　resting　his　eyes　on　each　in　turn。

〃You're　right；〃　he　said。　　〃Good…bye！〃

Hilary　and　Cecilia　had　risen；　too。　　There　was　silence。　　Stephen　crossed　to　the　door。

〃You　seem　to　me；〃　he　said　suddenly；　in　his　driest　voice；　〃with　your　new　manners　and　ideas；　quite　a　pernicious　youth。〃

Cecilia　stretched　her　hands　out　towards　Martin；　and　there　was　a　faint　tinkling　as　of　chains。

〃You　must　know；　dear；〃　she　said；　〃how　anxious　we've　all　been。　　Of　course；　your　uncle　doesn't　mean　that。〃

The　same　scornful　tenderness　with　which　he　was　wont　to　look　at　Thyme　passed　into　Martin's　face。

〃All　right；　Aunt　Cis；〃　he　said；　〃if　Stephen　doesn't　mean　it；　he　ought　to。　　To　mean　things　is　what　matters。〃　　He　stooped　and　kissed　her　forehead。　　〃Give　that　to　Thyme　for　me；〃　he　said。　　〃I　shan't　see　her　for　a　bit。〃

〃You'll　never　see　her；　sir；〃　said　Stephen　dryly；　〃if　I　can　help　it！　The　liquor　of　your　Sanitism　is　too　bright　and　effervescent。〃

Martin's　smile　broadened。　　〃For　old　bottles；〃　he　said；　and　with　another　slow　look　round　went　out。

Stephen's　mouth　assumed　its　driest　twist。　　〃Bumptious　young　devil！〃　he　said。　　〃If　that　is　the　new　young　man；　defend　us！〃

Over　the　cool　dining…room；　with　its　faint　scent　of　pinks；　of　melon；　and　of　ham；　came　silence。　　Suddenly　Cecilia　glided　from　the　room。　Her　light　footsteps　were　heard　hurrying；　now　that　she　was　not　visible；　up　to　Thyme。

Hilary；　too；　had　moved　towards　the　door。　　In　spite　of　his　preoccupation；　Stephen　could　not　help　noticing　how　very　worn　his　brother　looked。

〃You　look　quite　seedy；　old　boy；〃　he　said。　　〃Will　you　have　some　brandy？〃

Hilary　shook　his　head。

〃Now　that　you've　got　Thyme　back；〃　he　said；　〃I'd　better　let　you　know　my　news。　　I'm　going　abroad　to…morrow。　　I　don't　know　whether　I　shall　come　back　again　to　live　with　B。〃

Stephen　gave　a　low　whistle；　then；　pressing　Hilary's　arm；　he　said：　〃Anything　you　decide；　old　man；　I'll　always　back　you　in；　but〃

〃I'm　going　alone。〃

In　his　relief　Stephen　violated　the　laws　of　reticence。

〃Thank　Heaven　for　that！　　I　was　afraid　you　were　beginning　to　lose　your　head　about　that　girl〃

〃I'm　not　quite　fool　enough；〃　said　Hilary；　〃to　imagine　that　such　a　liaison　would　be　anything　but　misery　in　the　long…run。　　If　I　took　the　child　I　should　have　to　stick　to　her；　but　I'm　not　proud　of　leaving　her　in　the　lurch；　Stevie。〃

The　tone　of　his　voice　was　so　bitter　that　Stephen　seized　his　hand。

〃My　dear　old　man；　you're　too　kind。　　Why；　she's　no　hold　on　younot　the　smallest　in　the　world！〃

〃Except　the　hold　of　this　devotion　I've　roused　in　her；　God　knows　how；　and　her　destitution。〃

〃You　let　these　people　haunt　you；〃　said　Stephen。　　〃It's　quite　a　mistakeit　really　is。〃

〃I　had　forgotten　to　mention　that　I　am　not　an　iceberg；〃　muttered　Hilary。

Stephen　looked　into　his　face　without　speaking；　then　with　the　utmost　earnestness　he　said：

〃However　much　you　may　be　attracted；　it's　simply　unthinkable　for　a　man　like　you　to　go　outside　his　class。〃

〃Class！　　Yes！〃　muttered　Hilary：　〃Good…bye！〃

And　with　a　long　grip　of　his　brother's　hand　he　went　away。

Stephen　turned　to　the　window。　　For　all　the　care　and　contrivance　bestowed　on　the　view；　far　away　to　the　left　the　back　courts　of　an　alley　could　be　seen；　and　as　though　some　gadfly　had　planted　in　him　its　small　poisonous　sting；　he　moved　back　from　the　sight　at　once。　'Confusion！'　he　thought。　　'Are　we　never　to　get　rid　of　these　infernal　people？'

His　eyes　lighted　on　the　melon。　　A　single　slice　lay　by　itself　on　a　blue…green　dish。　　Leaning　over　a　plate；　with　a　desperation　quite　unlike　himself；　he　took　an　enormous　bite。　　Again　and　again　he　bit　the　slice；　then　almost　threw　it　from　him；　and　dipped　his　fingers　in　a　bowl。

'Thank　God！'　he　thought；　'that's　over！　　What　an　escape！'

Whether　he　meant　Hilary's　escape　or　Thyme's　was　doubtful；　but　there　came　on　him　a　longing　to　rush　up　to　his　little　daughter's　room；　and　hug　her。　　He　suppressed　it；　and　sat　down　at　the　bureau；　he　was　suddenly　experiencing　a　sensation　such　as　he　had　sometimes　felt　on　a　perfect　day；　or　after　physical　danger；　of　too　much　benefit；　of　something　that　he　would　like　to　return　thanks　for；　yet　knew　not　how。　His　hand　stole　to　the　inner　pocket　of　his　black　coat。　　It　stole　out　again；　there　was　a　cheque…book　in　it。　　Before　his　mind's　eye；　starting　up　one　after　the　other；　he　saw　the　names　of　the　societies　he　supported；　or　meant　sometime；　if　he　could　afford　it；　to　support。　　He　reached　his　hand　out　for　a　pen。　　The　still；　small　noise　of　the　nib　travelling　across　the　cheques　mingled　with　the　buzzing　of　a　single　fly。

These　sounds　Cecilia　heard；　when；　from　the　open　door；　she　saw　the　thin　back　of　her　husband's　neck；　with　its　softly　graduated　hair；　bent　forward　above　the　bureau。　　She　stole　over　to　him；　and　pressed　herself　against　his　arm。

Stephen；　staying　the　progress　of　his　pen；　looked　up　at　her。　　Their　eyes　met；　and；　bending　down；　Cecilia　put　her　cheek　to　his。




CHAPTER　XXXVII

THE　FLOWERING　OF　THE　ALOE

This　same　day；　returning　through　Kensington　Gardens；　from　his　preparations　for　departure；　Hilary　came　suddenly　on　Bianca　standing　by　the　shores　of　the　Round　Pond。

To　the　eyes　of　the　frequenters　of　these　Elysian　fields；　where　so　many　men　and　shadows　daily　steal　recreation；　to　the　eyes　of　all　drinking　in　those　green　gardens　their　honeyed　draught　of　peace；　this　husband　and　wife　appeared　merely　a　distinguished…looking　couple；　animated　by　a　leisured　harmony。　　For　the　time　was　not　yet　when　men　were　one；　and　could　tell　by　instinct　what　was　passing　in　each　other's　hearts。

In　truth；　there　were　not　too　many　people　in　London　who；　in　their　situation；　would　have　behaved　with　such　seemlinessnot　too　many　so　civilised　as　they！

Estranged；　and　soon　to　part；　they　retained　the　manner　of　accord　up　to　the　last。　　Not　for　them　the　matrimonial　brawl；　the　solemn　accusation　and　recrimination；　the　pathetic　protestations　of　proprietary　rights。　For　them　no　sacred　view　that　at　all　costs　they　must　make　each　other　miserablenot　even　the　belief　that　they　had　the　right　to　do　so。　　No；　there　was　no　relief　for　their　sore　hearts。　　They　walked　side　by　side；　treating　each　other's　feelings　with　respect；　as　if　there　had　been　no　terrible　heart…turnings　throughout　the　eighteen　years　in　which　they　had　first　loved；　then；　through　mysterious　disharmony；　drifted　apart；　as　if　there　were　now　between　them　no　question　of　this　girl。

Presently　Hilary　said：

〃I've　been　into　town　and　made　my　preparations；　I'm　starting　tomorrow　for　the　mountains。　　There　will　be　no　necessity　for　you　to　leave　your　father。〃

〃Are　you　taking　her？〃

It　was　beautifully