when the world shook-第59章

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be　a　little　monotonous；　still　it　would　not　be　entirely　devoid　of

interest。〃



〃You　mean　Christmas　decorations　and　that　sort　of　thing？〃



〃Yes；　and　choir　treats　and　entertaining　Deputations　and

attending　other　Church　activities。〃



〃Well；　and　what　did　she　say；　Bastin？〃



〃Oh！　she　was　most　kind　and　flattering。　Indeed　that　hour　will

always　remain　the　pleasantest　of　my　life。　I　don't　know　how　it

happened；　but　when　it　was　over　I　felt　quite　delighted　that　she

had　refused　me。　Indeed　on　second　thoughts；　I　am　not　certain　but

that　I　shall　be　much　happier　in　the　capacities　of　a　brother　and

teacher　which　she　asked　me　to　fill；　than　I　should　have　been　as

her　husband。　To　tell　you　the　truth；　Arbuthnot；　there　are　moments

when　I　am　not　sure　whether　I　entirely　understand　the　Lady　Yva。　It

was　rather　like　proposing　to　one's　guardian　angel。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　said；　〃that's　about　it；　old　fellow。　'Guardian　Angel'

is　not　a　bad　name　for　her。〃



Afterwards　I　received　the　confidence　of　Bickley。



〃Look　here；　Arbuthnot；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　to　own　up　to

something。　I　think　I　ought　to；　because　of　certain　things　I　have

observed；　in　order　to　prevent　possible　future　misunderstandings。〃



〃What's　that？〃　I　asked　innocently。



〃Only　this。　As　you　know；　I　have　always　been　a　confirmed

bachelor　on　principle。　Women　introduce　too　many　complications

into　life；　and　although　it　involves　some　sacrifice；　on　the　whole；

I　have　thought　it　best　to　do　without　them　and　leave　the　carrying

on　of　the　world　to　others。〃



〃Well；　what　of　it？　Your　views　are　not　singular；　Bickley。〃



〃Only　this。　While　you　were　ill　the　sweetness　of　that　Lady　Yva

and　her　wonderful　qualities　as　a　nurse　overcame　me。　I　went　to

pieces　all　of　a　sudden。　I　saw　in　her　a　realisation　of　every　ideal

I　had　ever　entertained　of　perfect　womanhood。　So　to　speak；　my

resolves　of　a　lifetime　melted　like　wax　in　the　sun。

Notwithstanding　her　queer　history　and　the　marvels　with　which　she

is　mixed　up；　I　wished　to　marry　her。　No　doubt　her　physical

loveliness　was　at　the　bottom　of　it；　but；　however　that　may　be；

there　it　was。〃



〃She　is　beautiful；〃　I　commented；　〃though　I　daresay　older　than

she　looks。〃



〃That　is　a　point　on　which　I　made　no　inquiries；　and　I　should

advise　you；　when　your　turn　comes；　as　no　doubt　it　will；　to　follow

my　example。　You　know；　Arbuthnot；〃　he　mused；　〃however　lovely　a

woman　may　be；　it　would　put　one　off　if　suddenly　she　announced　that

she　waslet　us　saya　hundred　and　fifty　years　old。〃



〃Yes；〃　I　admitted；　〃for　nobody　wants　to　marry　the　contemporary

of　his　great…grandmother。　However；　she　gave　her　age　as　twenty…

seven　years　and　three　moons。〃



〃And　doubtless　for　once　did　not　tell　the　truth。　But；　as　she

does　not　look　more　than　twenty…five；　I　think　that　we　may　all

agree　to　let　it　stand　at　that；　namely；　twenty…seven；　plus　an

indefinite　period　of　sleep。　At　any　rate；　she　is　a　sweet　and　most

gracious　woman；　apparently　in　the　bloom　of　youth；　and；　to　cut　it

short；　I　fell　in　love　with　her。〃



〃Like　Bastin；〃　I　said。



〃Bastin！〃　exclaimed　Bickley　indignantly。　〃You　don't　mean　to　say

that　clerical　oaf　presumedwell；　well；　after　all；　I　suppose　that

he　is　a　man；　so　one　mustn't　be　hard　on　him。　But　who　could　have

thought　that　he　would　run　so　cunning；　even　when　he　knew　my

sentiments　towards　the　lady？　I　hope　she　told　him　her　mind。〃



〃The　point　is；　what　did　she　tell　you；　Bickley？〃



〃Me？　Oh；　she　was　perfectly　charming！　It　really　was　a　pleasure

to　be　refused　by　her；　she　puts　one　so　thoroughly　at　one's　ease。〃

（Here；　remembering　Bastin　and　his　story；　I　turned　away　my　face　to

hide　a　smile。）　〃She　saidwhat　did　she　say　exactly？　Such　a　lot

that　it　is　difficult　to　remember。　Oh！　that　she　was　not　thinking

of　marriage。　Also；　that　she　had　not　yet　recovered　from　some

recent　love　affair　which　left　her　heart　sore；　since　the　time　of

her　sleep　did　not　count。　Also；　that　her　father　would　never

consent；　and　that　the　mere　idea　of　such　a　thing　would　excite　his

animosity　against　all　of　us。〃



〃Is　that　all？〃　I　asked。



〃Not　quite。　She　added　that　she　felt　wonderfully　flattered　and

extremely　honoured　by　what　I　had　been　so　good　as　to　say　to　her。

She　hoped；　however；　that　I　should　never　repeat　it　or　even　allude

to　the　matter　again；　as　her　dearest　wish　was　to　be　able　to　look

upon　me　as　her　most　intimate　friend　to　whom　she　could　always　come

for　sympathy　and　counsel。〃



〃What　happened　then？〃



〃Nothing；　of　course；　except　that　I　promised　everything　that　she

wished；　and　mean　to　stick　to　it；　too。　Naturally；　I　was　very　sore

and　upset；　but　I　am　getting　over　it；　having　always　practised

self…control。〃



〃I　am　sorry　for　you；　old　fellow。〃



〃Are　you？〃　he　asked　suspiciously。　〃Then　perhaps　you　have　tried

your　luck；　too？〃



〃No；　Bickley。〃



His　face　fell　a　little　at　this　denial；　and　he　answered：



〃Well；　it　would　have　been　scarcely　decent　if　you　had；　seeing

how　lately　you　were　married。　But　then；　so　was　that　artful　Bastin。

Perhaps　you　will　get　over　itrecent　marriage；　I　meanas　he

has。〃　He　hesitated　a　while；　then　went　on：　〃Of　course　you　will；

old　fellow；　I　know　it；　and；　what　is　more；　I　seem　to　know　that

when　your　turn　comes　you　will　get　a　different　answer。　If　so；　it

will　keep　her　in　the　family　as　it　wereand　good　luck　to　you。

Only〃



〃Only　what？〃　I　asked　anxiously。



〃To　be　honest；　Arbuthnot；　I　don't　think　that　there　will　be　real

good　luck　for　any　one　of　us　over　this　womannot　in　the　ordinary

sense；　I　mean。　The　whole　business　is　too　strange　and　superhuman。

Is　she　quite　a　woman；　and　could　she　really　marry　a　man　as　others

do？〃



〃It　is　curious　that　you　should　talk　like　that；〃　I　said

uneasily。　〃I　thought　that　you　had　made　up　your　mind　that　the

whole　business　was　either　illusion　or　trickeryI　mean；　the　odd

side　of　it。〃



〃If　it　is　illusion；　Arbuthnot；　then　a　man　cannot　marry　an

illusion。　And　if　it　is　trickery；　then　he　will　certainly　be

tricked。　But；　supposing　that　I　am　wrong；　what　then？〃



〃You　mean；　supposing　things　are　as　they　seem　to　be？〃



〃Yes。　In　that　event；　Arbuthnot；　I　am　sure　that　something　will

occur　to　prevent　your　being　united　to　a　woman　who　lived　thousands

of　years　ago。　I　am　sorry　to　say　it；　but　Fate　will　intervene。

Remember；　it　is　the　god　of　her　people　that　I　suppose　she

worships；　and；　I　may　add；　to　which　the　whole　world　bows。〃



At　his　words　a　kind　of　chill　fell　upon　me。　I　think　he　saw　or

divined　it；　for　after　a　few　remarks　upon　some　indifferent　matter；

he　turned　and　went　away。



Shortly　after　this　Yva　came　to　sit　with　me。　She　studied　me　for

a　while　and　I　studied　her。　I　had　reason　to　do　so；　for　I　observed

that　of　late　her　dress　had　become　much　more　modern；　and　on　the

present　occasion　this　struck　me　forcibly。　I　do　not　know　exactly

in　what　the　change；　or　changes；　consisted；　because　I　am　not

skilled　in　such　matters　and　can　only　judge　of　a　woman's　garments

by　their　general　effect。　At　any　rate；　the　gorgeous　sweeping　robes

were　gone；　and　though　her　attire　still　looked　foreign　and

somewhat　oriental；　with　a　touch　of　barbaric　splendour　about　it

it　was　simpler　than　it　had　been　and　showed　more　of　her　figure；

which　was　delicate；　yet　gracious。



〃You　have　changed　your　robes；　Lady；〃　I　said。　〃Yes；　Humphrey。

Bastin　gave　me　pictures　of　those　your　women　wear。〃　（On　further

investigation　I　found　that　this　referred　to　an　old　copy　of　the

Queen　newspaper；　which；　somehow　or　other；　had　been　brought　with

the　books　from　the　ship。）　〃I　have　tried　to　copy　them　a　little；〃

she　added　doubtfully。



〃How　do　you　do　it？　Where　do　you　get　the　material？〃　I　asked。



〃Oh！〃　she　answered　with　an　airy　wave　of　her　hand；　〃I　make　it

it　is　there。〃



〃I　don't　understand；〃　I　said；　but　she　only　smiled　radiantly；

offering　no　further　explanation。　Then；　before　I　could　pursue　the

subject；　she　asked　me　suddenly：



〃What　has　Bickley　been　saying　to　you　about　me？〃　I　fenced；

answering：　〃I　don't　know。　Bastin　and　Bickley　talk　of　little　else。

You　seem　to　have　been　a