the dark flower-第42章

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〃I　might；　perhaps；　do　a　statuette　of　her；　if　I　did；　you　should　have
a　cast。〃

Did　he　think　that　in　some　way　he　was　being　outmanoeuvered？　　For　he
remained　some　seconds　in　a　sort　of　trance　before　muttering；　as
though　clinching　a　bet：

〃Done！　　And　if　you　want　to　ride　with　her　to　get　the　hang　of　it；　I
can　always　mount　you。〃

When　he　had　gone；　Lennan　remained　staring　at　his　unfinished　sheep…
dogs　in　the　gathering　dusk。　　Again　that　sense　of　irritation　at
contact　with　something　strange；　hostile；　uncomprehending！　　Why　let
these　Dromores　into　his　life　like　this？　　He　shut　the　studio；　and
went　back　to　the　drawing…room。　　Sylvia　was　sitting　on　the　fender；
gazing　at　the　fire；　and　she　edged　along　so　as　to　rest　against　his
knees。　　The　light　from　a　candle　on　her　writing…table　was　shining　on
her　hair；　her　cheek；　and　chin；　that　years　had　so　little　altered。　　A
pretty　picture　she　made；　with　just　that　candle　flame；　swaying
there；　burning　slowly；　surely　down　the　pale　waxcandle　flame；　of
all　lifeless　things　most　living；　most　like　a　spirit；　so　bland　and
vague；　one　would　hardly　have　known　it　was　fire　at　all。　　A　drift　of
wind　blew　it　this　way　and　that：　he　got　up　to　shut　the　window；　and
as　he　came　back；　Sylvia　said：

〃I　like　Mr。　Dromore。　　I　think　he's　nicer　than　he　looks。〃

〃He's　asked　me　to　make　a　statuette　of　his　daughter　on　horseback。〃

〃And　will　you？〃

〃I　don't　know。〃

〃If　she's　really　so　pretty；　you'd　better。〃

〃Pretty's　hardly　the　wordbut　she's　not　ordinary。〃

She　turned　round；　and　looked　up　at　him；　and　instinctively　he　felt
that　something　difficult　to　answer　was　coming　next。

〃Mark。〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　wanted　to　ask　you：　Are　you　really　happy　nowadays？〃

〃Of　course。　　Why　not？〃

What　else　to　be　said？　　To　speak　of　those　feelings　of　the　last　few
monthsthose　feelings　so　ridiculous　to　anyone　who　had　them　not
would　only　disturb　her　horribly。

And　having　received　her　answer；　Sylvia　turned　back　to　the　fire；
resting　silently　against　his　knees。　。　。　。


Three　days　later　the　sheep…dogs　suddenly　abandoned　the　pose　into
which　he　had　lured　them　with　such　difficulty；　and　made　for　the
studio　door。　　There　in　the　street　was　Nell　Dromore；　mounted　on　a
narrow　little　black　horse　with　a　white　star；　a　white　hoof；　and
devilish　little　goat's　ears；　pricked；　and　very　close　together　at
the　tips。

〃Dad　said　I　had　better　ride　round　and　show　you　Magpie。　　He's　not
very　good　at　standing　still。　　Are　those　your　dogs？　　What　darlings！〃

She　had　slipped　her　knee　already　from　the　pummel；　and　slid　down；
the　sheep…dogs　were　instantly　on　their　hind…feet；　propping
themselves　against　her　waist。　　Lennan　held　the　black　horsea
bizarre　little　beast；　all　fire　and　whipcord；　with　a　skin　like
satin；　liquid　eyes；　very　straight　hocks；　and　a　thin　bang…tail
reaching　down　to　them。　　The　little　creature　had　none　of　those
commonplace　good　looks　so　discouraging　to　artists。

He　had　forgotten　its　rider；　till　she　looked　up　from　the　dogs；　and
said：　〃Do　you　like　him？　　It　IS　nice　of　you　to　be　going　to　do　us。〃

When　she　had　ridden　away；　looking　back　until　she　turned　the　corner；
he　tried　to　lure　the　two　dogs　once　more　to　their　pose。　　But　they
would　sit　no　more；　going　continually　to　the　door；　listening　and
sniffing；　and　everything　felt　disturbed　and　out　of　gear。

That　same　afternoon　at　Sylvia's　suggestion　he　went　with　her　to　call
on　the　Dromores。

While　they　were　being　ushered　in　he　heard　a　man's　voice　rather
high…pitched　speaking　in　some　language　not　his　own；　then　the　girl：

〃No；　no；　Oliver。　　'Dans　l'amour　il　y　a　toujours　un　qui　aime；　et
l'autre　qui　se　laisse　aimer。'〃

She　was　sitting　in　her　father's　chair；　and　on　the　window…sill　they
saw　a　young　man　lolling；　who　rose　and　stood　stock…still；　with　an
almost　insolent　expression　on　his　broad；　good…looking　face。　　Lennan
scrutinized　him　with　interestabout　twenty…four　he　might　be；
rather　dandified；　clean…shaved；　with　crisp　dark　hair　and　wide…set
hazel　eyes；　and；　as　in　his　photograph；　a　curious　look　of　daring。
His　voice；　when　he　vouchsafed　a　greeting；　was　rather　high　and　not
unpleasant；　with　a　touch　of　lazy　drawl。

They　stayed　but　a　few　minutes；　and　going　down　those　dimly　lighted
stairs　again；　Sylvia　remarked：

〃How　prettily　she　said　good…byeas　if　she　were　putting　up　her　face
to　be　kissed！　　I　think　she's　lovely。　　So　does　that　young　man。　　They
go　well　together。〃

Rather　abruptly　Lennan　answered：

〃Ah！　　I　suppose　they　do。〃


VI


She　came　to　them　often　after　that；　sometimes　alone；　twice　with
Johnny　Dromore；　sometimes　with　young　Oliver；　who；　under　Sylvia's
spell；　soon　lost　his　stand…off　air。　　And　the　statuette　was　begun。
Then　came　Spring　in　earnest；　and　that　real　business　of　lifethe
racing　of　horses　'on　the　flat；'　when　Johnny　Dromore's　genius　was　no
longer　hampered　by　the　illegitimate　risks　of　'jumpin'。'　　He　came　to
dine　with　them　the　day　before　the　first　Newmarket　meeting。　　He　had
a　soft　spot　for　Sylvia；　always　saying　to　Lennan　as　he　went　away：
〃Charmin'　womanyour　wife！〃　　She；　too；　had　a　soft　spot　for　him；
having　fathomed　the　utter　helplessness　of　this　worldling's　wisdom；
and　thinking　him　pathetic。

After　he　was　gone　that　evening；　she　said：

〃Ought　we　to　have　Nell　to　stay　with　us　while　you're　finishing　her？
She　must　be　very　lonely　now　her　father's　so　much　away。〃

It　was　like　Sylvia　to　think　of　that；　but　would　it　be　pleasure　or
vexation　to　have　in　the　house　this　child　with　her　quaint　grown…
upness；　her　confiding　ways；　and　those　'Perdita'　eyes？　　In　truth　he
did　not　know。

She　came　to　them　with　touching　alacrityvery　like　a　dog；　who；　left
at　home　when　the　family　goes　for　a　holiday；　takes　at　once　to　those
who　make　much　of　it。

And　she　was　no　trouble；　too　well　accustomed　to　amuse　herself；　and
always　quaint　to　watch；　with　her　continual　changes　from　child　to
woman　of　the　world。　　A　new　sensation；　thisof　a　young　creature　in
the　house。　　Both　he　and　Sylvia　had　wanted　children；　without　luck。
Twice　illness　had　stood　in　the　way。　　Was　it；　perhaps；　just　that
little　lack　in　herthat　lack　of　poignancy；　which　had　prevented　her
from　becoming　a　mother？　　An　only　child　herself；　she　had　no　nieces
or　nephews；　Cicely's　boys　had　always　been　at　school；　and　now　were
out　in　the　world。　　Yes；　a　new　sensation；　and　one　in　which　Lennan's
restless　feelings　seemed　to　merge　and　vanish。

Outside　the　hours　when　Nell　sat　to　him；　he　purposely　saw　but　little
of　her；　leaving　her　to　nestle　under　Sylvia's　wing；　and　this　she
did；　as　if　she　never　wanted　to　come　out。　　Thus　he　preserved　his
amusement　at　her　quaint　warmths；　and　quainter　calmness；　his
aesthetic　pleasure　in　watching　her；　whose　strange；　half…hypnotized；
half…hypnotic　gaze；　had　a　sort　of　dreamy　and　pathetic　lovingness；
as　if　she　were　brimful　of　affections　that　had　no　outlet。

Every　morning　after　'sitting'　she　would　stay　an　hour　bent　over　her
own　drawing；　which　made　practically　no　progress；　and　he　would　often
catch　her　following　his　movements　with　those　great　eyes　of　hers；
while　the　sheep…dogs　would　lie　perfectly　still　at　her　feet；
blinking　horriblysuch　was　her　attraction。　　His　birds　also；　a
jackdaw　and　an　owl；　who　had　the　run　of　the　studio；　tolerated　her　as
they　tolerated　no　other　female；　save　the　housekeeper。　　The　jackdaw
would　perch　on　her　and　peck　her　dress；　but　the　owl　merely　engaged
her　in　combats　of　mesmeric　gazing；　which　never　ended　in　victory　for
either。

Now　that　she　was　with　them；　Oliver　Dromore　began　to　haunt　the
house；　coming　at　all　hours；　on　very　transparent　excuses。　　She
behaved　to　him　with　extreme　capriciousness；　sometimes　hardly
speaking；　sometimes　treating　him　like　a　brother；　and　in　spite　of
all　his　nonchalance；　the　poor　youth　would　just　sit　glowering；　or
gazing　out　his　adoration；　according　to　her　mood。

One　of　these　July　evenings　Lennan　remembered　beyond　all　others。　　He
had　come；　after　a　hard　day's　work；　out　from　his　studio　into　the
courtyard　garden　to　smoke　a　cigarette　and　feel　the　sun　on　his　cheek
before　it　sank　behind　the　wall。　　A　piano…organ　far　away　was
grinding　out　a　waltz；　and　on　an　hydrangea　tub；　under　the　drawing…
room　window；　he　sat　down　to　listen。　　Nothing　was　visible　from
there；　save　just　the　square　patch　of　a　quite　blue　sky；　and　one　soft
plume　of　smoke　from　his　own　k