the patrician-第23章
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and battered hat adorned with those artificial and other flies； which
infest Harris tweed； he crept along among the hazel bushes and thorn…
trees； perfectly happy。 Like an old spaniel； who has once gloried in
the fetching of hares； rabbits； and all manner of fowl； and is now
glad if you will but throw a stick for him； so one； who had been a
famous fisher before the Lord； who had harried the waters of Scotland
and Norway； Florida and Iceland； now pursued trout no bigger than
sardines。 The glamour of a thousand memories hallowed the hours he
thus spent by that brown water。 He fished unhasting； religious； like
some good Catholic adding one more to the row of beads already told；
as though he would fish himself； gravely； without complaint； into the
other world。 With each fish caught he experienced a solemn
satisfaction。
Though he would have liked Barbara with him that morning； he had only
looked at her once after breakfast in such a way that she could not
see him； and with a dry smile gone off by himself。 Down by the
stream it was dappled； both cool and warm； windless； the trees met
over the river； and there were many stones； forming little basins
which held up the ripple； so that the casting of a fly required much
cunning。 This long dingle ran for miles through the foot…growth of
folding hills。 It was beloved of jays； but of human beings there
were none； except a chicken…farmer's widow； who lived in a house
thatched almost to the ground； and made her livelihood by directing
tourists； with such cunning that they soon came back to her for tea。
It was while throwing a rather longer line than usual to reach a
little dark piece of crisp water that Lord Dennis heard the swishing
and crackling of someone advancing at full speed。 He frowned
slightly； feeling for the nerves of his fishes； whom he did not wish
startled。 The invader was Miltoun； hot； pale； dishevelled； with a
queer； hunted look on his face。 He stopped on seeing his great…
uncle； and instantly assumed the mask of his smile。
Lord Dennis was not the man to see what was not intended for him； and
he merely said：
〃Well； Eustace！〃 as he might have spoken； meeting his nephew in the
hall of one of his London Clubs。
Miltoun； no less polite； murmured：
〃Hope I haven't lost you anything。〃
Lord Dennis shook his head； and laying his rod on the bank； said：
〃Sit down and have a chat； old fellow。 You don't fish； I think？〃
He had not； in the least； missed the suffering behind Miltoun's mask；
his eyes were still good； and there was a little matter of some
twenty years' suffering of his own on account of a womanancient
history nowwhich had left him quaintly sensitive； for an old man；
to signs of suffering in others。
Miltoun would not have obeyed that invitation from anyone else； but
there was something about Lord Dennis which people did not resist；
his power lay in a dry ironic suavity which could not but persuade
people that impoliteness was altogether too new and raw a thing to be
indulged in。
The two sat side by side on the roots of trees。 At first they talked
a little of birds； and then were dumb； so dumb that the invisible
creatures of the woods consulted together audibly。 Lord Dennis broke
that silence。
〃This place；〃 he said； 〃always reminds me of Mark Twain's writings
can't tell why； unless it's the ever…greenness。 I like the evergreen
philosophers； Twain and Meredith。 There's no salvation except
through courage； though I never could stomach the 'strong man'
captain of his soul； Henley and Nietzsche and that sortgoes against
the grain with me。 What do you say； Eustace？〃
〃They meant well；〃 answered Miltoun； 〃but they protested too much。〃
Lord Dennis moved his head in assent。
〃To be captain of your soul！〃 continued Miltoun in a bitter voice；
〃it's a pretty phrase！〃
〃Pretty enough；〃 murmured Lord Dennis。
Miltoun looked at him。
〃And suitable to you；〃 he said。
〃No； my dear；〃 Lord Dennis answered dryly； 〃a long way off that；
thank God！〃
His eyes were fixed intently on the place where a large trout had
risen in the stillest toffee…coloured pool。 He knew that fellow； a
half…pounder at least； and his thoughts began flighting round the top
of his head； hovering over the various merits of the flies。 His
fingers itched too； but he made no movement； and the ash…tree under
which he sat let its leaves tremble； as though in sympathy。
〃See that hawk？〃 said Miltoun。
At a height more than level with the tops of the hills a buzzard hawk
was stationary in the blue directly over them。 Inspired by curiosity
at their stillness； he was looking down to see whether they were
edible； the upcurved ends of his great wings flirted just once to
show that he was part of the living glory of the aira symbol of
freedom to men and fishes。
Lord Dennis looked at his great…nephew。 The boyfor what else was
thirty to seventy…six？was taking it hard； whatever it might be；
taking it very hard！ He was that sortran till he dropped。 The
worst kind to helpthe sort that made for troublethat let things
gnaw at them！ And there flashed before the old man's mind the image
of Prometheus devoured by the eagle。 It was his favourite tragedy；
which he still read periodically； in the Greek； helping himself now
and then out of his old lexicon to the meaning of some word which had
flown to Erebus。 Yes； Eustace was a fellow for the heights and
depths！
He said quietly：
〃You don't care to talk about it； I suppose？〃
Miltoun shook his head； and again there was silence。
The buzzard hawk having seen them move； quivered his wings like a
moth's； and deserted that plane of air。 A robin from the dappled
warmth of a mossy stone； was regarding them instead。 There was
another splash in the pool。
Lord Dennis said gently：
〃That fellow's risen twice； I believe he'd take a 'Wistman's
treasure。'〃 Extracting from his hat its latest fly； and binding it
on； he began softly to swish his line。
〃I shall have him yet！〃 he muttered。 But Miltoun had stolen away。。。。
The further piece of information about Mrs。 Noel； already known by
Barbara； and diffused by the 'Bucklandbury News'； had not become
common knowledge at the Court till after Lord Dennis had started out
to fish。 In combination with the report that Miltoun had arrived and
gone out without breakfast； it had been received with mingled
feelings。 Bertie； Harbinger； and Shropton； in a short conclave；
after agreeing that from the point of view of the election it was
perhaps better than if she had been a divorcee； were still inclined
to the belief that no time was to be lostin doing what； however；
they were unable to determine。 Apart from the impossibility of
knowing how a fellow like Miltoun would take the matter； they were
faced with the devilish subtlety of all situations to which the
proverb 'Least said； soonest mended' applies。 They were in the
presence of that awe…inspiring thing； the power of scandal。 Simple
statements of simple facts； without moral drawn （to which no legal
exception could be taken） laid before the public as pieces of
interesting information； or at the worst exposed in perfect good
faith； lest the public should blindly elect as their representative
one whose private life might not stand the inspection of daylight
what could be more justifiable！ And yet Miltoun's supporters knew
that this simple statement of where he spent his evenings had a
poisonous potency； through its power of stimulating that side of the
human imagination the most easily excited。 They recognized only too
well； how strong was a certain primitive desire； especially in rural
districts； by yielding to which the world was made to go； and how
remarkably hard it； was not to yield to it； and how interesting and
exciting to see or hear of others yielding to it； and how （though
here； of course； men might differ secretly） reprehensible of them to
do so！ They recognized； too well； how a certain kind of conscience
would appreciate this rumour； and how the puritans would lick their
lengthened chops。 They knew； too； how irresistible to people of any
imagination at all； was the mere combination of a member of a class；
tradi
