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第66章

fraternity-第66章

小说: fraternity 字数: 每页4000字

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Stephen walked across to the rustic bench and sat down。  He stared gloomily through the dusk at his patent…leather boots; and every now and then he flicked his evening trousers with the letter。  Across the dark garden; where the boughs hung soft; unmoved by wind; the light from Mr。 Stone's open window flowed out in a pale river; moths; born of the sudden heat; were fluttering up this river to its source。

Stephen looked irritably at the figure of Mr。 Stone; which could be seen; bowed; and utterly still; beside his desk; so; by lifting the spy…hole thatch; one may see a convict in his cell stand gazing at his work; without movement; numb with solitude。

'He's getting awfully broken up;' thought Stephen。  'Poor old chap! His ideas are killing him。  They're not human nature; never will be。' Again he flicked his trousers with the letter; as though that document emphasised the fact。  'I can't help being sorry for the sublime old idiot!'

He rose; the better to see his father…in…law's unconscious figure。 It looked as lifeless and as cold as though Mr。 Stone had followed some thought below the ground; and left his body standing there to await his return。  Its appearance oppressed Stephen。

'You might set the house on fire;' he thought; 'he'd never notice。'

Mr。 Stone's figure moved; the sound of along sigh came out to Stephen in the windless garden。  He turned his eyes away; with the sudden feeling that it was not the thing to watch the old chap like this; then; getting up; he went indoors。  In his brother's study he stood turning over the knick…knacks on the writing…table。

'I warned Hilary that he was burning his fingers;' he thought。

At the sound of the latch…key he went back to the hall。

However much he had secretly disapproved of her from the beginning; because she had always seemed to him such an uncomfortable and tantalising person; Stephen was impressed that night by the haunting unhappiness of Bianca's face; as if it had been suddenly disclosed to him that she could not help herself。  This was disconcerting; being; in a sense; a disorderly way of seeing things。

〃You look tired; B。;〃 he said。  〃I'm sorry; but I thought it better to bring this round tonight。〃

Bianca glanced at the letter。

〃It is to you;〃 she said。  〃I don't wish to read it; thank you。〃

Stephen compressed his lips。

〃But I wish you to hear it; please;〃 he said。  〃I'll read it out; if you'll allow me。

〃'CHARING CROSS STATION。

〃'DEAR STEVIE;

〃'I told you yesterday morning that I was going abroad alone。 Afterwards I changed my mindI meant to take her。  I went to her lodgings for the purpose。  I have lived too long amongst sentiments for such a piece of reality as that。  Class has saved me; it has triumphed over my most primitive instincts。

〃'I am going aloneback to my sentiments。  No slight has been placed on Biancabut my married life having become a mockery; I shall not return to it。  The following address will find me; and I shall ask you presently to send on my household gods。

〃'Please let Bianca know the substance of this letter。

〃'Ever your affectionate brother;

〃'HILARY DALLISON。〃'


With a frown Stephen folded up the letter; and restored it to his breast pocket。

'It's more bitter than I thought;' he reflected; 'and yet he's done the only possible thing!'

Bianca was leaning her elbow on the mantelpiece with her face turned to the wall。  Her silence irritated Stephen; whose loyalty to his brother longed to fend a vent。

〃I'm very much relieved; of course;〃 he said at last。  〃It would have been fatal〃

She did not move; and Stephen became increasingly aware that this was a most awkward matter to touch on。

〃Of course;〃 he began again。  〃But; B。; I do think youratherI mean…〃 And again he stopped before her utter silence; her utter immobility。  Then; unable to go away without having in some sort expressed his loyalty to Hilary; he tried once more: 〃Hilary is the kindest man I know。  It's not his fault if he's out of touch with lifeif he's not fit to deal with things。  He's negative!〃

And having thus in a single word; somewhat to his own astonishment; described his brother; he held out his hand。

The hand which Bianca placed in it was feverishly hot。  Stephen felt suddenly compunctious。

〃I'm awfully sorry;〃 he stammered; 〃about the whole thing。  I'm awfully sorry for you…〃

Bianca drew back her hand。

With a little shrug Stephen turned away。

'What are you to do with women like that?' was his thought; and saying dryly; 〃Good…night; B。;〃 he went。

For some time Bianca sat in Hilary's chair。  Then; by the faint glimmer coming through the half…open door; she began to wander round the room; touching the walls; the books; the prints; all the familiar things among which he had lived so many years。。。。

In that dim continual journey she was like a disharmonic spirit traversing the air above where its body lies。

The door creaked behind her。  A voice said sharply:

〃What are you doing in this house?〃

Mr。 Stone was standing beside the bust of Socrates。  Bianca went up to him。

〃Father!〃

Mr。 Stone stared。  〃It is you!  I thought it was a thief!  Where is Hilary?〃

〃Gone away。〃

〃Alone?〃

Bianca bowed her head。  〃It is very late; Dad;〃 she whispered。

Mr。 Stone's hand moved as though he would have stroked her。

〃The human heart;〃 he murmured; 〃is the tomb of many feelings。〃

Bianca put her arm round him。

〃You must go to bed; Dad;〃 she said; trying to get him to the door; for in her heart something seemed giving way。

Mr。 Stone stumbled; the door swung to; the room was plunged in darkness。  A hand; cold as ice; brushed her cheek。  With all her force she stiffed a scream。

〃I am here;〃 Mr。 Stone said。

His hand; wandering downwards; touched her shoulder; and she seized it with her own burning hand。  Thus linked; they groped their way out into the passage towards his room。

〃Good…night; dear;〃 Bianca murmured。

By the light of his now open door Mr。 Stone seemed to try and see her face; but she would not show it him。  Closing the door gently; she stole upstairs。

Sitting down in her bedroom by the open window; it seemed to her that the room was full of peopleher nerves were so unstrung。  It was as if walls had not the power this night to exclude human presences。 Moving; or motionless; now distinct; then covered suddenly by the thick veil of some material object; they circled round her quiet figure; lying back in the chair with shut eyes。  These disharmonic shadows flitting in the room made a stir like the rubbing of dry straw or the hum of bees among clover stalks。  When she sat up they vanished; and the sounds became the distant din of homing traffic; but the moment she closed her eyes; her visitors again began to steal round her with that dry; mysterious hum。

She fell asleep presently; and woke with a start。  There; in a glimmer of pale light; stood the little model; as in the fatal picture Bianca had painted of her。  Her face was powder white; with shadows beneath the eyes。  Breath seemed coming through her parted lips; just touched with colour。  In her hat lay the tiny peacock's feather beside the two purplish…pink roses。  A scent came from her; toobut faint; as ever was the scent of chicory flower。  How long had she been standing there?  Bianca started to her feet; and as she rose the vision vanished。

She went towards the spot。  There was nothing in that corner but moonlight; the scent she had perceived was merely that of the trees drifting in。

But so vivid had that vision been that she stood at the window; panting for air; passing her hand again and again across her eyes。

Outside; over the dark gardens; the moon hung full and almost golden。 Its honey…pale light filtered down on every little shape of tree; and leaf; and sleeping flower。  That soft; vibrating radiance seemed to have woven all into one mysterious whole; stilling disharmony; so that each little separate shape had no meaning to itself。

Bianca looked long at the rain of moonlight falling on the earth's carpet; like a covering shower of blossom which bees have sucked and spilled。  Then; below her; out through candescent space; she saw a shadow dart forth along the grass; and to her

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