the dark flower-第25章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


adventitious　knowledge。　　So　far　tradition；　and　indeed　character；
made　them　feel　at　one；　and　conspire　freely。　　But　they　diverged　on　a
deeper　plane。　　Mrs。　Ercott　had　SAID；　indeed；　that　here　was
something　which　could　not　be　controlled；　the　Colonel　had　FELT　ita
very　different　thing！　　Less　tolerant　in　theory；　he　was　touched　at
heart；　Mrs。　Ercott；　in　theory　almost　approvingshe　read　that
dangerous　authoress；　George　Eliotat　heart　felt　cold　towards　her
husband's　niece。　　For　these　reasons　they　could　not　in　fact　conspire
without；　in　the　end；　saying　suddenly：　〃Well；　it's　no　good　talking
about　it！〃　and　almost　at　once　beginning　to　talk　about　it　again。

In　proposing　to　her　that　mule；　the　Colonel　had　not　had　time；　or；
rather；　not　quite　conviction　enough　as　to　his　line　of　action；　to
explain　so　immediately　the　new　need　for　her　to　sit　upon　it。　　It　was
only　when；　to　his　somewhat　strange　relief；　she　had　refused　the
expedition；　and　Olive　had　started　without　them；　that　he　told　her　of
the　meeting　in　the　Gardens；　of　which　he　had　been　witness。　　She　then
said　at　once　that　if　she　had　known　she　would；　of　course；　have　put
up　with　anything　in　order　to　go；　not　because　she　approved　of
interfering；　but　because　they　must　think　of　Robert！　　And　the
Colonel　had　said：　〃Dn　the　fellow！〃　　And　there　the　matter　had
rested　for　the　moment；　for　both　of　them　were；　wondering　a　little
which　fellow　it　was　that　he　had　damned。　　That　indeed　was　the
trouble。　　If　the　Colonel　had　not　cared　so　much　about　his　niece；　and
had　liked；　instead　of　rather　disliking　Cramier；　if　Mrs。　Ercott　had
not　found　Mark　Lennan　a　'nice　boy；'　and　had　not　secretly　felt　her
husband's　niece　rather　dangerous　to　her　peace　of　mind；　if；　in　few
words；　those　three　had　been　puppets　made　of　wood　and　worked　by　law；
it　would　have　been　so　much　simpler　for　all　concerned。　　It　was　the
discovery　that　there　was　a　personal　equation　in　such　matters；
instead　of　just　a　simple　rule　of　three；　which　disorganized　the
Colonel　and　made　him　almost　angry；　which　depressed　Mrs。　Ercott　and
made　her　almost　silent。　。　。　。　　These　two　good　souls　had　stumbled　on
a　problem　which　has　divided　the　world　from　birth。　　Shall　cases　be
decided　on　their　individual　merits；　or　according　to　formal　codes？

Beneath　an　appearance　and　a　vocabulary　more　orthodox　than　ever；　the
Colonel's　allegiance　to　Authority　and　the　laws　of　Form　was　really
shaken；　he　simply　could　not　get　out　of　his　head　the　sight　of　those
two　young　people　sitting　side　by　side；　nor　the　tone　of　Olive's
voice；　when　she　had　repeated　his　regrettable　words　about　happiness
at　home。

If　only　the　thing　had　not　been　so　human！　　If　only　she　had　been
someone　else's　niece；　it　would　clearly　have　been　her　duty　to　remain
unhappy。　　As　it　was；　the　more　he　thought；　the　less　he　knew　what　to
think。　　A　man　who　had　never　had　any　balance　to　speak　of　at　his
bank；　and　from　the　nomadic　condition　of　his　life　had　no　exaggerated
feeling　for　a　settled　social　statusdeeming　Society　in　fact　rather
a　borehe　did　not　unduly　exaggerate　the　worldly　dangers　of　this
affair；　neither　did　he　honestly　believe　that　she　would　burn　in
everlasting　torment　if　she　did　not　succeed　in　remaining　true　to
'that　great　black　chap；'　as　he　secretly　called　Cramier。　　His
feeling　was　simply　that　it　was　an　awful　pity；　a　sort　of　unhappy
conviction　that　it　was　not　like　the　women　of　his　family　to　fall
upon　such　ways；　that　his　dead　brother　would　turn　in　his　grave；　in
two　words　that　it　was　'not　done。'　　Yet　he　was　by　no　means　of　those
who；　giving　latitude　to　women　in　general；　fall　with　whips　on　those
of　their　own　family　who　take　it。　　On　the　contrary；　believing　that
'Woman　in　general'　should　be　stainless　to　the　world's　eye；　he　was
inclined　to　make　allowance　for　any　individual　woman　that　he　knew
and　loved。　　A　suspicion　he　had　always　entertained；　that　Cramier　was
not　by　breeding　'quite　the　clean　potato'　may　insensibly　have
influenced　him　just　a　little。　　He　had　heard　indeed　that　he　was　not
even　entitled　to　the　name　of　Cramier；　but　had　been　adopted　by　a
childless　man；　who　had　brought　him　up　and　left　him　a　lot　of　money。
There　was　something　in　this　that　went　against　the　grain　of　the
childless　Colonel。　　He　had　never　adopted；　nor　been　adopted　by
anyone　himself。　　There　was　a　certain　lack　about　a　man　who　had　been
adopted；　of　reasonable　guaranteehe　was　like　a　non…vintage　wine；
or　a　horse　without　a　pedigree；　you　could　not　quite　rely　on　what　he
might　do；　having　no　tradition　in　his　blood。　　His　appearance；　too；
and　manner　somehow　lent　colour　to　this　distrust。　　A　touch　of　the
tar…brush　somewhere；　and　a　stubborn；　silent；　pushing　fellow。　　Why
on　earth　had　Olive　ever　married　him！　　But　then　women　were　such
kittle　cattle；　poor　things！　and　old　Lindsay；　with　his　vestments　and
his　views　on　obedience；　must　have　been　a　Tartar　as　a　father；　poor
old　chap！　　Besides；　Cramier；　no　doubt；　was　what　most　women　would
call　good…looking；　more　taking　to　the　eye　than　such　a　quiet　fellow
as　young　Lennan；　whose　features　were　rather　anyhow；　though　pleasant
enough；　and　with　a　nice　smilethe　sort　of　young　man　one　could　not
help　liking；　and　who　certainly　would　never　hurt　a　fly！　　And
suddenly　there　came　the　thought：　Why　should　he　not　go　to　young
Lennan　and　put　it　to　him　straight？　　That　he　was　in　love　with　Olive？
Not　quitebut　the　way　to　do　it　would　come　to　him。　　He　brooded　long
over　this　idea；　and　spoke　of　it　to　Mrs。　Ercott；　while　shaving；　the
next　morning。　　Her　answer：　〃My　dear　John；　bosh！〃　removed　his　last
doubt。

Without　saying　where　he　was　going；　he　strolled　out　the　moment　after
breakfastand　took　a　train　to　Beaulieu。　　At　the　young　man's　hotel
he　sent　in　his　card；　and　was　told　that　this　Monsieur　had　already
gone　out　for　the　day。　　His　mood　of　marching　straight　up　to　the　guns
thus　checked；　he　was　left　pensive　and　distraught。　　Not　having　seen
Beaulieu　（they　spoke　of　it　then　as　a　coming　place）；　he　made　his　way
up　an　incline。　　That　whole　hillside　was　covered　with　rose…trees。
Thousands　of　these　flowers　were　starring　the　lower　air；　and　the
strewn　petals　of　blown　and　fallen　roses　covered　the　light　soil。
The　Colonel　put　his　nose　to　blossoms　here　and　there；　but　they　had
little　scent；　as　if　they　knew　that　the　season　was　already　over。　　A
few　blue…bloused　peasants　were　still　busy　among　them。　　And　suddenly
he　came　on　young　Lennan　himself；　sitting　on　a　stone　and　dabbing
away　with　his　fingers　at　a　lump　of　putty　stuff。　　The　Colonel
hesitated。　　Apart　from　obvious　reasons　for　discomfiture；　he　had
that　feeling　towards　Art　common　to　so　many　of　his　caste。　　It　was
not　work；　of　course；　but　it　was　very　clevera　mystery　to　him　how
anyone　could　do　it！　　On　seeing　him；　Lennan　had　risen；　dropping　his
handkerchief　over　what　he　was　modellingbut　not　before　the　Colonel
had　received　a　dim　impression　of　something　familiar。　　The　young　man
was　very　redthe　Colonel；　too；　was　conscious　suddenly　of　the　heat。
He　held　out　his　hand。

〃Nice　quiet　place　this；〃　he　stammered；　〃never　seen　it　before。　　I
called　at　your　hotel。〃

Now　that　he　had　his　chance；　he　was　completely　at　a　loss。　　The　sight
of　the　face　emerging　from　that　lump　of　'putty　stuff'　had　quite
unnerved　him。　　The　notion　of　this　young　man　working　at　it　up　here
all　by　himself；　just　because　he　was　away　an　hour　or　two　from　the
original；　touched　him。　　How　on　earth　to　say　what　he　had　come　to
say？　　It　was　altogether　different　from　what　he　had　thought。　　And　it
suddenly　flashed　through　himDolly　was　right！　　She's　always　right
hang　it！

〃You're　busy；〃　he　said；　〃I　mustn't　interrupt　you。〃

〃Not　at　all；　sir。　　It　was　awfully　good　of　you　to　look　me　up。〃

The　Colonel　stared。　　There　was　something　about　young　Lennan　that　he
had　not　noticed　before；　a　'Don't　take　liberties　with　me！'　look　that
made　things　difficult。　　But　still　he　lingered；　staring　wistfully　at
the　young　man；　who　stood　waiting　with　such　politeness。　　Then　a　safe
question　shot　into　his　mind：

〃Ah！　　And　when　do　you　go　back　to　England？　　We're　off　on　Tuesday。〃

While　he　spoke；　a　puff　of　wind　lifted　the　handkerchief　from　the
modelled　face。　　Would　the　young　fellow　put　it　back？　　He　did　not。
And　the　Colonel　thought：

〃It　would　have　been　bad　form。　　He　knew　I　wouldn't　take　advantage。
Yes！　　He's　a　gentleman！〃

Lifting　his　hand　to　the　s