the patrician-第57章

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Agatha　answered　coldly：

〃I　think　you　were　quite　mad　to　take　Mrs。　Noel　to　him。〃

〃The　whole　duty　of　woman；〃　murmured　Barbara；　〃includes　a　little
madness。〃

Agatha　looked　at　her　in　silence。

〃I　can't　make　you　out；〃　she　said　at　last；　〃you're　not　a　fool！〃

〃Only　a　knave。〃

〃You　may　think　it　right　to　joke　over　the　ruin　of　Miltoun's　life；〃
murmured　Agatha；　〃I　don't。〃

Barbara's　eyes　grew　bright；　and　in　a　hard　voice　she　answered：

〃The　world　is　not　your　nursery；　Angel！〃

Agatha　closed　her　lips　very　tightly；　as　who　should　imply：　〃Then　it
ought　to　be！〃　　But　she　only　answered：

〃I　don't　think　you　know　that　I　saw　you　just　now　in　Gustard's。〃

Barbara　eyed　her　for　a　moment　in　amazement；　and　began　to　laugh。

〃I　see；〃　she　said；　〃monstrous　depravitypoor　old　Gustard's！〃　　And
still　laughing　that　dangerous　laugh；　she　turned　on　her　heel　and　went
out。

At　dinner　and　afterwards　that　evening　she　was　very　silent；　having　on
her　face　the　same　look　that　she　wore　out　hunting；　especially　when　in
difficulties　of　any　kind；　or　if　advised　to　'take　a　pull。'　When　she
got　away　to　her　own　room　she　had　a　longing　to　relieve　herself　by　some
kind　of　action　that　would　hurt　someone；　if　only　herself。　　To　go　to
bed　and　toss　about　in　a　feverfor　she　knew　herself　in　these　thwarted
moodswas　of　no　use！　　For　a　moment　she　thought　of　going　out。　　That
would　be　fun；　and　hurt　them；　too；　but　it　was　difficult。　　She　did　not
want　to　be　seen；　and　have　the　humiliation　of　an　open　row。　　Then　there
came　into　her　head　the　memory　of　the　roof　of　the　tower；　where　she　had
once　been　as　a　little　girl。　　She　would　be　in　the　air　there；　she　would
be　able　to　breathe；　to　get　rid　of　this　feverishness。　　With　the
unhappy　pleasure　of　a　spoiled　child　taking　its　revenge；　she　took　care
to　leave　her　bedroom　door　open；　so　that　her　maid　would　wonder　where
she　was；　and　perhaps　be　anxious；　and　make　them　anxious。　　Slipping
through　the　moonlit　picture　gallery　on　to　the　landing；　outside　her
father's　sanctum；　whence　rose　the　stone　staircase　leading　to　the
roof；　she　began　to　mount。　　She　was　breathless　when；　after　that
unending　flight　of　stairs　she　emerged　on　to　the　roof　at　the　extreme
northern　end　of　the　big　house；　where；　below　her；　was　a　sheer　drop　of
a　hundred　feet。　　At　first　she　stood；　a　little　giddy；　grasping　the
rail　that　ran　round　that　garden　of　lead；　still　absorbed　in　her
brooding；　rebellious　thoughts。　　Gradually　she　lost　consciousness　of
everything　save　the　scene　before　her。　　High　above　all　neighbouring
houses；　she　was　almost　appalled　by　the　majesty　of　what　she　saw。　　This
night…clothed　city；　so　remote　and　dark；　so　white…gleaming　and　alive；
on　whose　purple　hills　and　valleys　grew　such　myriad　golden　flowers　of
light；　from　whose　heart　came　this　deep　incessant　murmurcould　it
possibly　be　the　same　city　through　which　she　had　been　walking　that
very　day！　　From　its　sleeping　body　the　supreme　wistful　spirit　had
emerged　in　dark　loveliness；　and　was　low…flying　down　there；　tempting
her。　　Barbara　turned　round；　to　take　in　all　that　amazing　prospect；
from　the　black　glades　of　Hyde　Park；　in　front；　to　the　powdery　white
ghost　of　a　church　tower；　away　to　the　East。　　How　marvellous　was　this
city　of　night！　　And　as；　in　presence　of　that　wide　darkness　of　the　sea
before　dawn；　her　spirit　had　felt　little　and　timid　within　herso　it
felt　now；　in　face　of　this　great；　brooding；　beautiful　creature；　whom
man　had　made。　　She　singled　out　the　shapes　of　the　Piccadilly　hotels；
and　beyond　them　the　palaces　and　towers　of　Westminster　and　Whitehall；
and　everywhere　the　inextricable　loveliness　of　dim　blue　forms　and
sinuous　pallid　lines　of　light；　under　an　indigo…dark　sky。　　Near　at
hand；　she　could　see　plainly　the　still…lighted　windows；　the　motorcars
gliding　by　far　down；　even　the　tiny　shapes　of　people　walking；　and　the
thought　that　each　of　them　meant　someone　like　herself；　seemed　strange。

Drinking　of　this　wonder…cup；　she　began　to　experience　a　queer
intoxication；　and　lost　the　sense　of　being　little；　rather　she　had　the
feeling　of　power；　as　in　her　dream　at　Monkland。　　She　too；　as　well　as
this　great　thing　below　her；　seemed　to　have　shed　her　body；　to　be
emancipated　from　every　barrier…floating　deliciously　identified　with
air。　　She　seemed　to　be　one　with　the　enfranchised　spirit　of　the　city；
drowned　in　perception　of　its　beauty。　　Then　all　that　feeling　went；　and
left　her　frowning；　shivering；　though　the　wind　from　the　West　was　warm。
Her　whole　adventure　of　coming　up　here　seemed　bizarre；　ridiculous。
Very　stealthily　she　crept　down；　and　had　reached　once　more　the　door
into　'the　picture　gallery；　when　she　heard　her　mother's　voice　say　in
amazement：　〃That　you；　Babs？〃　And　turning；　saw　her　coming　from　the
doorway　of　the　sanctum。

Of　a　sudden　very　cool；　with　all　her　faculties　about　her；　Barbara
smiled；　and　stood　looking　at　Lady　Valleys；　who　said　with　hesitation：

〃Come　in　here；　dear；　a　minute；　will　you？〃

In　that　room　resorted　to　for　comfort；　Lord　Valleys　was　standing　with
his　back　to　the　hearth；　and　an　expression　on　his　face　that　wavered
between　vexation　and　decision。　　The　doubt　in　Agatha's　mind　whether
she　should　tell　or　no；　had　been　terribly　resolved　by　little　Ann；　who
in　a　pause　of　conversation　had　announced：　〃We　saw　Auntie　Babs　and　Mr。
Courtier　in　Gustard's；　but　we　didn't　speak　to　them。〃

Upset　by　the　events　of　the　afternoon；　Lady　Valleys　had　not　shown　her
usual　'savoir　faire'。　　She　had　told　her　husband。　　A　meeting　of　this
sort　in　a　shop　celebrated　for　little　save　its　wedding　cakes　was　in　a
sense　of　no　importance；　but；　being　disturbed　already　by　the　news　of
Miltoun；　it　seemed　to　them　both　nothing　less　than　sinister；　as　though
the　heavens　were　in　league　for　the　demolition　of　their　house。　　To
Lord　Valleys　it　was　peculiarly　mortifying；　because　of　his　real
admiration　for　his　daughter；　and　because　he　had　paid　so　little
attention　to　his　wife's　warning　of　some　weeks　back。　　In　consultation；
however；　they　had　only　succeeded　in　deciding　that　Lady　Valleys　should
talk　with　her。　　Though　without　much　spiritual　insight；　they　had；　each
of　them；　a　certain　cool　judgment；　and　were　fully　alive　to　the　danger
of　thwarting　Barbara。　　This　had　not　prevented　Lord　Valleys　from
expressing　himself　strongly　on　the　'confounded　unscrupulousness　of
that　fellow；'　and　secretly　forming　his　own　plan　for　dealing　with　this
matter。　　Lady　Valleys；　more　deeply　conversant　with　her　daughter's
nature；　and　by　reason　of　femininity　more　lenient　towards　the　other
sex；　had　not　tried　to　excuse　Courtier；　but　had　thought　privately：
'Babs　is　rather　a　flirt。'　　For　she　could　not　altogether　help
remembering　herself　at　the　same　age。

Summoned　thus　unexpectedly；　Barbara；　her　lips　very　firmly　pressed
together；　took　her　stand；　coolly　enough；　by　her　father's　writing…
table。

Seeing　her　suddenly　appear；　Lord　Valleys　instinctively　relaxed　his
frown；　his　experience　of　men　and　things；　his　thousands　of　diplomatic
hours；　served　to　give　him　an　air　of　coolness　and　detachment　which　he
was　very　far　from　feeling。　　In　truth　he　would　rather　have　faced　a
hostile　mob　than　his　favourite　daughter　in　such　circumstances。　　His
tanned　face　with　its　crisp　grey　moustache；　his　whole　head　indeed；
took　on；　unconsciously；　a　more　than　ordinarily　soldierlike
appearance。　　His　eyelids　drooped　a　little；　his　brows　rose　slightly。

She　was　wearing　a　blue　wrap　over　her　evening　frock；　and　he　seized
instinctively　on　that　indifferent　trifle　to　begin　this　talk。

〃Ah！　　Babs；　have　you　been　out？〃

Alive　to　her　very　finger…nails；　with　every　nerve　tingling；　but
showing　no　sign；　Barbara　answered：

〃No；　on　the　roof　of　the　tower。〃

It　gave　her　a　real　malicious　pleasure　to　feel　the　perplexity　beneath
her　father's　dignified　exterior。　　And　detecting　that　covert　mockery；
Lord　Valleys　said　dryly：

〃Star…gazing？〃

Then；　with　that　sudden　resolution　peculiar　to　him；　as　though　he　were
bored　with　having　to　delay　and　temporize；　he　added：

〃Do　you　know；　I　doubt　whether　it's　wise　to　make　appointments　in
confectioner's　shops　when　Ann　is　in　London。〃

The　dangerous　little　gleam　in　Barbara's　eyes　escaped　his　vision　but
not　that　of　Lady　Valleys；　who　said　at　once：

〃No　doubt　you　had　the　best　of　reasons；　my　dear。〃

Barbara　curled　her　lip。　　Had　it　not　been　for　the　sce