the yellow crayon-第16章

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　…　with　you　…　it　has　been　different。〃

She　laughed　softly　upon　him；　laughed　more　with　her　eyes　than　with
her　lips。　　She　watched　him　curiously。

〃Dear　me！〃　she　murmured；　〃what　would　you　have？　　I　am　a　woman　…　I
have　been　a　woman　all　my　days；　and　the　memory　of　one　kiss　grows　cold。
So　I　will　admit　that　with　me　…　it　has　been　different。　　Come！　　What
then？〃

He　groaned。

〃I　wonder；〃　he　said；　〃what　miserable　fate；　what　cursed　stroke　of
fortune　brought　you　once　more　into　my　life？〃

She　threw　her　head　back　and　laughed　at　him；　this　time　heartily；
unaffectedly。

〃What　adorable　candour！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃My　dear　friend；　how
amiable　you　are。〃

He　looked　at　her　steadfastly；　and　somehow　the　laugh　died　away　from
her　lips。

〃Lucille；　will　you　marry　me？〃

〃Marry　you？　　I？　　Certainly　not。〃

〃And　why　not？〃

〃For　a　score　of　reasons；　if　you　want　them；〃　she　answered。　　〃First；
because　I　think　it　is　delightful　to　have　you　for　a　friend。　　I　can
never　quite　tell　what　you　are　going　to　do　or　say。　　As　a　husband　I
am　almost　sure　that　you　would　be　monotonous。　　But　then；　how　could
you　avoid　it？　　It　is　madness　to　think　of　destroying　a　pleasant
friendship　in　such　a　manner。〃

〃You　are　mocking　me；〃　he　said　sadly。

〃Well；〃　she　said；　〃why　not？　　Your　own　proposal　is　a　mockery。

〃A　mockery！　　My　proposal！〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered　steadily。　　〃You　know　quite　well　that　the　very
thought　of　such　a　thing　between　you　and　me　is　an　absurdity。　　I
abhor　your　politics；　I　detest　your　party。　　You　are　ambitious；　I
know。　　You　intend　to　be　Prime　Minister；　a　people's　Prime　Minister。
Well；　for　my　part；　I　hate　the　people。　　I　am　an　aristocrat。　　As
your　wife　I　should　be　in　a　perfectly　ridiculous　position。　　How
foolish！　　You　have　led　me　into　talking　of　this　thing　seriously。
Let　us　forget　all　this　rubbish。〃

He　stood　before　her　…　waiting　patiently；　his　mouth　close　set；　his
manner　dogged　with　purpose。

〃It　is　not　rubbish；〃　he　said。　　〃It　is　true　that　I　shall　be　Prime
Minister。　　It　is　true　also　that　you　will　be　my　wife。〃

She　shrank　back　from　him　…　uneasily。　　The　fire　in　his　eyes；　the
ring　in　his　tone　distressed　her。

〃As　for　my　politics；　you　do　not　understand　them。　　But　you　shall！　　I
will　convert　you　to　my　way　of　thinking。　　Yes；　I　will　do　that。　　The
cause　of　the　people；　of　freedom；　is　the　one　great　impulse　which
beats　through　all　the　world。　　You　too　shall　hear　it。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　she　said。　　〃I　have　no　wish　to　hear　it。　I　do　not　believe
in　what　you　call　freedom　for　the　people。　　I　have　discovered　in
America　how　uncomfortable　a　people's　country　can　he。〃

〃Yet　you　married　an　American。　　You　call　yourself　still　the　Countess
Radantz　。。。　but　you　married　Mr。　James　B。　Peterson！〃

〃It　is　true；　my　friend；〃　she　answered。　　〃But　the　American　in
question　was　a　person　of　culture　and　intelligence；　and　at　heart　he
was　no　more　a　democrat　than　I　am。　　Further；　I　am　an　extravagant
woman；　and　he　was　a　millionaire。〃

〃And　you；　after　his　death；　without　necessity　…　went　to　bury　yourself
in　his　country。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃I　am　jealous　of　every　year　of　your　life　which　lies　hidden　from　me；〃
he　said　slowly。

〃Dear　me　…　how　uncomfortable！〃

〃Before　you　…　reappeared；〃　he　said；　〃I　had　learnt；　yes　I　had　learnt
to　do　without　you。　　I　had　sealed　up　the　one　chapter　of　my　life
which　had　in　it　anything　to　do　with　sentiment。　　Your　coming　has
altered　all　that。　　You　have　disturbed　the　focus　of　my　ambitions。
Lucille！　　I　have　loved　you　for　more　than　half　a　lifetime。　　Isn't　it
time　I　had　my　reward？〃

He　took　a　quick　step　towards　her。　　In　his　tone　was　the　ring　of
mastery；　the　light　in　his　eyes　was　compelling。　　She　shrank　back；
but　he　seized　one　of　her　hands。　　It　lay　between　his；　a　cold　dead
thing。

〃What　have　my　politics　to　do　with　it？〃　he　asked　fiercely。　　〃You　are
not　an　Englishwoman。　　Be　content　that　I　shall　set　you　far　above
these　gods　of　my　later　life。　　There　is　my　work　to　be　done；　and　I
shall　do　it。　　Let　me　be　judge　of　these　things。　　Believe　me　that　it
is　a　great　work。　　If　you　are　ambitious　…　give　your　ambitions　into
my　keeping；　and　I　will　gratify　them。　　Only　I　cannot　bear　this
suspense…these　changing　moods。　　Marry　me…now　at　once；　or　send　me
back　to　the　old　life。〃

She　drew　her　fingers　away；　and　sank　down　into　her　easy…chair。　　Her
head　was　buried　in　her　hands。　　Was　she　thinking　or　weeping？　　He
could　not　decide。　　While　he　hesitated　she　looked　up；　and　he　saw
that　there　was　no　trace　of　tears　upon　her　face。

〃You　are　too　masterful；〃　she　said　gently。　　〃I　will　not　marry　you。
I　will　not　give　myself　body　and　soul　to　any　man。　　Yet　that　is　what
you　ask。　　I　am　not　a　girl。　　My　opinions　are　as　dear　to　me　in　their
way　as　yours　are　to　you。　　You　want　me　to　close　my　eyes　while　you
drop　sugar　plums　into　my　mouth。　　That　is　not　my　idea　of　life。　　I
think　that　you　had　better　go　away。　　Let　us　forget　these　things。〃

〃Very　well；〃　he　answered。　　〃It　shall　be　as　you　say。〃　　He　did　not
wait　for　her　to　ring；　nor　did　he　attempt　any　sort　of　farewell。　　He
simply　took　up　his　hat；　and　before　she　could　realise　his　intention
he　had　left　the　room。　　Lucille　sat　quite　still；　looking　into　the
fire。

〃If　only；〃　she　murmured；　〃if　only　this　were　the　end。〃


CHAPTER　XIV

Duson　entered　the　sitting…room；　noiseless　as　ever；　with　pale；
passionless　face；　the　absolute　prototype　of　the　perfect　French
servant；　to　whom　any　expression　of　vigorous　life　seems　to　savour　of　presumption。　　He　carried　a
small　silver　salver；　on　which　reposed　a
card。

〃The　gentleman　is　in　the　ante…room；　sir；〃　he　announced。

Mr。　Sabin　took　up　the　card　and　studied　it。

〃Lord　Robert　Foulkes。〃

〃Do　I　know　this　gentleman；　Duson？〃　Mr。　Sabin　asked。

〃Not　to　my　knowledge；　sir；〃　the　man　answered。

〃You　must　show　him　in；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said；　with　a　sigh。　　〃In　this
country　one　must　never　be　rude　to　a　lord。〃

Duson　obeyed。　　Lord　Robert　Foulkes　was　a　small　young　man；　very
carefully　groomed；　nondescript　in　appearance。　　He　smiled
pleasantly　at　Mr。　Sabin　and　drew　off　his　gloves。

〃How　do　you　do；　Mr。　Sabin？〃　he　said。　　〃Don't　remember　me；　I　daresay。
Met　you　once　or　twice　last　time　you　were　in　London。　　I　wish　I　could
say　that　I　was　glad　to　see　you　here　again。〃

Mr。　Sabin's　forehead　lost　its　wrinkle。　　He　knew　where　he　was　now。

〃Sit　down；　Lord　Robert；〃　he　begged。　　〃I　do　not　remember　you；　it　is
true；　but　I　am　getting　an　old　man。　　My　memory　sometimes　plays　me
strange　tricks。〃

The　young　man　looked　at　Mr。　Sabin　and　laughed　softly。　　Indeed；
Mr。　Sabin　had　very　little　the　appearance　of　an　old　man。　　He　was
leaning　with　both　hands　clasped　upon　his　stick；　his　face　alert；
his　eyes　bright　and　searching。

〃You　carry　your　years　well；　Mr。　Sabin。　　Yet　while　we　are　on　the
subject；　do　you　know　that　London　is　the　unhealthiest　city　in　the
world？〃

〃I　am　always　remarkably　well　here；〃　Mr。　Sabin　said　drily。

〃London　has　changed　since　your　last　visit；〃　Lord　Robert　said；　with
a　gentle　smile。　　〃Believe　me　if　I　say　…　as　your　sincere　well…wisher
　…　that　there　is　something　in　the　air　at　present　positively
unwholesome　to　you。　　I　am　not　sure　that　unwholesome　is　not　too　weak
a　word。〃

〃Is　this　official？〃　Mr。　Sabin　asked　quietly。

The　young　man　fingered　the　gold　chain　which　disappeared　in　his
trousers　pocket。

〃Need　I　introduce　myself？〃　he　asked。

〃Quite　unnecessary；〃　Mr。　Sabin　assured　him。　　〃Permit　me　to　reflect
for　a　few　minutes。　　Your　visit　comes　upon　me　as　a　surprise。　　Will
you　smoke？　　There　are　cigarettes　at　your　elbow。〃

〃I　am　entirely　at　your　service；〃　Lord　Robert　answered。　　〃Thanks；　I
will　try　one　of　your　cigarettes。　　You　were　always　famous　for　your
tobacco。〃

There　was　a　short　silence。　　Mr。　Sabin　had　seldom　found　it　more
difficult　to　see　the　way　before　him。

〃I　imagined；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃from　several　little　incidents　which
occurred　previous　to　my　leaving　New　York　that　my　presence　here　was
regarded　as　superfluous。　　Do　you　know；　I　believe　that　I　could
convince　you　to　the　contrary。〃

Lord　Robert　raised　his　eyebrows。

〃Mr。　dear　Mr。　Sabin；〃　he　said；　〃pray　reflect。　　I　am　a　messenger。
No　more！　　A　hired　commissionaire！〃

Mr。　Sabin　bowed。

〃You　are　an　ambassador！〃　he　said。

The　young　man　shook　his　head。

〃You　magnify　my　position；〃　he　declared。　　〃My　errand　is　done　when　I
remin