the dark flower-第7章

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tutor　was　standing　beside　him。

〃You　and　I；　Lennan；　must　console　each　other。　　Dancing's　for　the
young；　eh？〃

Fortunately　it　was　the　boy's　instinct　and　his　training　not　to　show
his　feelings；　to　be　pleasant；　though　suffering。

〃Yes；　sir。　　Jolly　moonlight；　isn't　it；　out　there？〃

〃Ah！　very　jolly；　yes。　　When　I　was　your　age　I　twirled　the　light
fantastic　with　the　best。　　But　gradually；　Lennan；　one　came　to　see　it
could　not　be　done　without　a　partnerthere　was　the　rub！　　Tell　me
do　you　regard　women　as　responsible　beings？　　I　should　like　to　have
your　opinion　on　that。〃

It　was；　of　course；　ironicalyet　there　was　something　in　those
wordssomething！

〃I　think　it's　you；　sir；　who　ought　to　give　me　yours。〃

〃My　dear　Lennanmy　experience　is　a　mere　nothing！〃

That　was　meant　for　unkindness　to　her！　　He　would　not　answer。　　If
only　Stormer　would　go　away！　　The　music　had　stopped。　　They　would　be
sitting　out　somewhere；　talking！　　He　made　an　effort；　and　said：

〃I　was　up　the　hill　at　the　back　this　morning；　where　the　cross　is。
There　were　some　jolly　goats。〃

And　suddenly　he　saw　her　coming。　　She　was　aloneflushed；　smiling；
it　struck　him　that　her　frock　was　the　same　colour　as　the　moonlight。

〃Harold；　will　you　dance？〃

He　would　say　'Yes；'　and　she　would　be　gone　again！　　But　his　tutor
only　made　her　a　little　bow；　and　said　with　that　smile　of　his：

〃Lennan　and　I　have　agreed　that　dancing　is　for　the　young。〃

〃Sometimes　the　old　must　sacrifice　themselves。　　Mark；　will　you
dance？〃

Behind　him　he　heard　his　tutor　murmur：

〃Ah！　　Lennanyou　betray　me！〃

That　little　silent　journey　with　her　to　the　dancing…room　was　the
happiest　moment　perhaps　that　he　had　ever　known。　　And　he　need　not
have　been　so　much　afraid　about　his　dancing。　　Truly；　it　was　not
polished；　but　it　could　not　spoil　hers；　so　light；　firm；　buoyant！　　It
was　wonderful　to　dance　with　her。　　Only　when　the　music　stopped　and
they　sat　down　did　he　know　how　his　head　was　going　round。　　He　felt
strange；　very　strange　indeed。　　He　heard　her　say：

〃What　is　it；　dear　boy？　　You　look　so　white！〃

Without　quite　knowing　what　he　did；　he　bent　his　face　towards　the
hand　that　she　had　laid　on　his　sleeve；　then　knew　no　more；　having
fainted。


VIII


Growing　boyover…exertion　in　the　morning！　　That　was　all！　　He　was
himself　very　quickly；　and　walked　up　to　bed　without　assistance。
Rotten　of　him！　　Never　was　anyone　more　ashamed　of　his　little
weakness　than　this　boy。　　Now　that　he　was　really　a　trifle
indisposed；　he　simply　could　not　bear　the　idea　of　being　nursed　at
all　or　tended。　　Almost　rudely　he　had　got　away。　　Only　when　he　was　in
bed　did　he　remember　the　look　on　her　face　as　he　left　her。　　How
wistful　and　unhappy；　seeming　to　implore　him　to　forgive　her！　　As　if
there　were　anything　to　forgive！　　As　if　she　had　not　made　him
perfectly　happy　when　she　danced　with　him！　　He　longed　to　say　to　her：
〃If　I　might　be　close　to　you　like　that　one　minute　every　day；　then　I
don't　mind　all　the　rest！〃　　Perhaps　he　would　dare　say　that　to…
morrow。　　Lying　there　he　still　felt　a　little　funny。　　He　had
forgotten　to　close　the　ribs　of　the　blinds；　and　moonlight　was
filtering　in；　but　he　was　too　idle；　too　drowsy　to　get　up　now　and　do
it。　　They　had　given　him　brandy；　rather　a　lotthat　perhaps　was　the
reason　he　felt　so　queer；　not　ill；　but　mazy；　as　if　dreaming；　as　if
he　had　lost　the　desire　ever　to　move　again。　　Just　to　lie　there；　and
watch　the　powdery　moonlight；　and　hear　faraway　music　throbbing　down
below；　and　still　feel　the　touch　of　her；　as　in　the　dance　she　swayed
against　him；　and　all　the　time　to　have　the　scent　about　him　of
flowers！　　His　thoughts　were　dreams；　his　dreams　thoughtsall
precious　unreality。　　And　then　it　seemed　to　him　that　the　moonlight
was　gathered　into　a　single　slip　of　pallorthere　was　a　thrumming；　a
throbbing；　and　that　shape　of　moonlight　moved　towards　him。　　It　came
so　close　that　he　felt　its　warmth　against　his　brow；　it　sighed；
hovered；　drew　back　soundless；　and　was　gone。　　He　must　have　fallen
then　into　dreamless　sleep。　。　。　。

What　time　was　it　when　he　was　awakened　by　that　delicate　'rat…tat'　to
see　his　tutor　standing　in　the　door…way　with　a　cup　of　tea？

Was　young　Lennan　all　right？　　Yes；　he　was　perfectly　all　rightwould
be　down　directly！　　It　was　most　frightfully　good　of　Mr。　Stormer　to
come！　　He　really　didn't　want　anything。

Yes；　yes；　but　the　maimed　and　the　halt　must　be　attended　to！

His　face　seemed　to　the　boy　very　kind　just　thenonly　to　laugh　at
him　a　very　littlejust　enough。　　And　it　was　awfully　decent　of　him
to　have　come；　and　to　stand　there　while　he　drank　the　tea。　　He　was
really　all　right；　but　for　a　little　headache。　　Many　times　while　he
was　dressing　he　stood　still；　trying　to　remember。　　That　white　slip
of　moonlight？　　Was　it　moonlight？　　Was　it　part　of　a　dream；　or　was
it；　could　it　have　been　she；　in　her　moonlight…coloured　frock？　　Why
had　he　not　stayed　awake？　　He　would　not　dare　to　ask　her；　and　now
would　never　know　whether　the　vague　memory　of　warmth　on　his　brow　had
been　a　kiss。

He　breakfasted　alone　in　the　room　where　they　had　danced。　　There　were
two　letters　for　him。　　One　from　his　guardian　enclosing　money；　and
complaining　of　the　shyness　of　the　trout；　the　other　from　his　sister。
The　man　she　was　engaged　tohe　was　a　budding　diplomat；　attached　to
the　Embassy　at　Romewas　afraid　that　his　leave　was　going　to　be
curtailed。　　They　would　have　to　be　married　at　once。　　They　might　even
have　to　get　a　special　licence。　　It　was　lucky　Mark　was　coming　back
so　soon。　　They　simply　MUST　have　him　for　best　man。　　The　only
bridesmaid　now　would　be　Sylvia。　。　。　。　　Sylvia　Doone？　　Why；　she　was
only　a　kid！　　And　the　memory　of　a　little　girl　in　a　very　short
holland　frock；　with　flaxen　hair；　pretty　blue　eyes；　and　a　face　so
fair　that　you　could　almost　see　through　it；　came　up　before　him。　　But
that；　of　course；　was　six　years　ago；　she　would　not　still　be　in　a
frock　that　showed　her　knees；　or　wear　beads；　or　be　afraid　of　bulls
that　were　never　there。　　It　was　stupid　being　best　manthey　might
have　got　some　decent　chap！　　And　then　he　forgot　allfor　there　was
SHE；　out　on　the　terrace。　　In　his　rush　to　join　her　he　passed　several
of　the　'English　Grundys；'　who　stared　at　him　askance。　　Indeed；　his
conduct　of　the　night　before　might　well　have　upset　them。　　An　Oxford
man；　fainting　in　an　hotel！　　Something　wrong　there！　。　。　。

And　then；　when　he　reached　her；　he　did　find　courage。

〃Was　it　really　moonlight？〃

〃All　moonlight。〃

〃But　it　was　warm！〃

And；　when　she　did　not　answer　that；　he　had　within　him　just　the　same
light；　intoxicated　feeling　as　after　he　had　won　a　race　at　school。

But　now　came　a　dreadful　blow。　　His　tutor's　old　guide　had　suddenly
turned　up；　after　a　climb　with　a　party　of　Germans。　　The　war…horse
had　been　aroused　in　Stormer。　　He　wished　to　start　that　afternoon　for
a　certain　hut；　and　go　up　a　certain　peak　at　dawn　next　day。　　But
Lennan　was　not　to　go。　　Why　not？　　Because　of　last　night's　faint；　and
because；　forsooth；　he　was　not　some　stupid　thing　they　called　'an
expert。'　　As　if！　　Where　she　could　go　he　could！　　This　was　to　treat
him　like　a　child。　　Of　course　he　could　go　up　this　rotten　mountain。
It　was　because　she　did　not　care　enough　to　take　him！　　She　did　not
think　him　man　enough！　　Did　she　think　that　he　could　not　climb　what
her　husbandcould？　　And　if　it　were　dangerous　SHE　ought　not　to　be
going；　leaving　him　behindthat　was　simply　cruel！　　But　she　only
smiled；　and　he　flung　away　from　her；　not　having　seen　that　all　this
grief　of　his　only　made　her　happy。

And　that　afternoon　they　went　off　without　him。　　What　deep；　dark
thoughts　he　had　then！　　What　passionate　hatred　of　his　own　youth！
What　schemes　he　wove；　by　which　she　might　come　back；　and　find　him
gone…up　some　mountain　far　more　dangerous　and　fatiguing！　　If　people
did　not　think　him　fit　to　climb　with；　he　would　climb　by　himself。
That；　anyway；　everyone　admitted；　was　dangerous。　　And　it　would　be
her　fault。　　She　would　be　sorry　then。　　He　would　get　up；　and　be　off
before　dawn；　he　put　his　things　out　ready；　and　filled　his　flask。
The　moonlight　that　evening　was　more　wonderful　than　ever；　the
mountains　like　great　ghosts　of　themselves。　　And　she　was　up　there　at
the　hut；　among　them！　　It　was　very　long　before　he　went　to　sleep；
brooding　over　his　injuriesintending　not　to　sleep　at　all；　so　as　to
be　ready　to　be　off　at　three　o'clock。　　A