villa rubein and other stories-第11章

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her　in　that　dress。



Mrs。　Decie　understood　the　art　of　diningthe　dinner；　ordered　by　Herr

Paul；　was　admirable；　the　servants　silent　as　their；　shadows；　there　was

always　a　hum　of　conversation。



Sarelli；　who　sat　on　her　right　hand；　seemed　to　partake　of　little

except　olives；　which　he　dipped　into　a　glass　of　sherry。　　He　turned　his

black；　solemn　eyes　silently　from　face　to　face；　now　and　then　asking

the　meaning　of　an　English　word。　　After　a　discussion　on　modern　Rome；

it　was　debated　whether　or　no　a　criminal　could　be　told　by　the

expression　of　his　face。



〃Crime；〃　said　Mrs。　Decie；　passing　her　hand　across　her　brow〃crime　is

but　the　hallmark　of　strong　individuality。〃



Miss　Naylor；　gushing　rather　pink；　stammered：　〃A　great　crime　must　show

itselfa　murder。　　Why；　of　course！〃



〃If　that　were　so；〃　said　Dawney；　〃we　should　only　have　to　look　about

usno　more　detectives。〃



Miss　Naylor　rejoined　with　slight　severity：　〃I　cannot　conceive　that

such　a　thing　can　pass　the　human　face　by；　leaving　no　impression！〃



Harz　said　abruptly：　〃There　are　worse　things　than　murder。〃



〃Ah！　par　exemple！〃　said　Sarelli。



There　was　a　slight　stir　all　round　the　table。



〃Verry　good；〃　cried　out　Herr　Paul；　〃a　vot'　sante；　cher。〃



Miss　Naylor　shivered；　as　if　some　one　had　put　a　penny　down　her　back；

and　Mrs。　Decie；　leaning　towards　Harz；　smiled　like　one　who　has　made　a

pet　dog　do　a　trick。　　Christian　alone　was　motionless；　looking

thoughtfully　at　Harz。



〃I　saw　a　man　tried　for　murder　once；〃　he　said；　〃a　murder　for　revenge；

I　watched　the　judge；　and　I　thought　all　the　time：　'I'd　rather　be　that

murderer　than　you；　I've　never　seen　a　meaner　face；　you　crawl　through

life；　you're　not　a　criminal；　simply　because　you　haven't　the

courage。'〃



In　the　dubious　silence　following　the　painter's　speech；　Mr。　Treffry

could　distinctly　be　heard　humming。　　Then　Sarelli　said：　〃What　do　you

say　to　anarchists；　who　are　not　men；　but　savage　beasts；　whom　I　would

tear　to　pieces！〃



〃As　to　that；〃　Harz　answered　defiantly；　〃it　maybe　wise　to　hang　them；

but　then　there　are　so　many　other　men　that　it　would　be　wise　to　hang。〃



〃How　can　we　tell　what　they　went　through；　what　their　lives　were？〃

murmured　Christian。



Miss　Naylor；　who　had　been　rolling　a　pellet　of　bread；　concealed　it

hastily。　　〃They　arealways　given　a　chance　torepentI　believe；〃

she　said。



〃For　what　they　are　about　to　receive；〃　drawled　Dawney。



Mrs。　Decie　signalled　with　her　fan：　〃We　are　trying　to　express　the

inexpressibleshall　we　go　into　the　garden？〃



All　rose；　Harz　stood　by　the　window；　and　in　passing；　Christian　looked

at　him。



He　sat　down　again　with　a　sudden　sense　of　loss。　　There　was　no　white

figure　opposite　now。　　Raising　his　eyes　he　met　Sarelli's。　　The　Italian

was　regarding　him　with　a　curious　stare。



Herr　Paul　began　retailing　apiece　of　scandal　he　had　heard　that

afternoon。



〃Shocking　affair！〃　he　said；　〃I　could　never　have　believed　it　of　her！

B…　is　quite　beside　himself。　　Yesterday　there　was　a　row；　it　seems！〃



〃There　has　been　one　every　day　for　months；〃　muttered　Dawney。



〃But　to　leave　without　a　word；　and　go　no　one　knows　where！　　B…　is

'viveur'　no　doubt；　mais；　mon　Dieu；　que　voulezvous？　　She　was　always　a

poor；　pale　thing。　　Why！；　when　my…〃　he　flourished　his　cigar；　〃I　was

not　always…what　I　should　have　been…one　lives　in　a　world　of　flesh

and　blood…we　are　not　all　angels…que　diable！　　But　this　is　a　very

vulgar　business。　　She　goes　off；　leaves　everything…without　a　word；

and　B…is　very　fond　of　her。　　These　things　are　not　done！〃　the

starched　bosom　of　his　shirt　seemed　swollen　by　indignation。



Mr。　Treffry；　with　a　heavy　hand　on　the　table；　eyed　him　sideways。

Dawney　said　slowly：



〃B…　is　a　beast；　I'm　sorry　for　the　poor　woman；　but　what　can　she　do

alone？〃



〃There　is；　no　doubt；　a　man；〃　put　in　Sarelli。



Herr　Paul　muttered：　〃Who　knows？〃



〃What　is　B…　going　to　do？〃　said　Dawney。



〃Ah！〃　said　Herr　Paul。　　〃He　is　fond　of　her。　　He　is　a　chap　of

resolution；　he　will　get　her　back。　　He　told　me：　'Well；　you　know；　I

shall　follow　her　wherever　she　goes　till　she　comes　back。'　　He　will　do

it；　he　is　a　determined　chap；　he　will　follow　her　wherever　she　goes。〃



Mr。　Treffry　drank　his　wine　off　at　a　gulp；　and　sucked　his　moustache　in

sharply。



〃She　was　a　fool　to　marry　him；〃　said　Dawney；　〃they　haven't　a　point　in

common；　she　hates　him　like　poison；　and　she's　the　better　of　the　two。

But　it　doesn't　pay　a　woman　to　run　off　like　that。　　B…　had　better

hurry　up；　though。　　What　do　you　think；　sir？〃　he　said　to　Mr。　Treffry。



〃Eh？〃　said　Mr。　Treffry；　〃how　should　I　know？　　Ask　Paul　there；　he's　one

of　your　moral　men；　or　Count　Sarelli。〃



The　latter　said　impassively：　〃If　I　cared　for　her　I　should　very　likely

kill　herif　not〃　he　shrugged　his　shoulders。



Harz；　who　was　watching；　was　reminded　of　his　other　words　at　dinner；

〃wild　beasts　whom　I　would　tear　to　pieces。〃　　He　looked　with　interest

at　this　quiet　man　who　said　these　extremely　ferocious　things；　and

thought：　'I　should　like　to　paint　that　fellow。'



Herr　Paul　twirled　his　wine…glass　in　his　fingers。　　〃There　are　family

ties；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　society；　there　is　decency；　a　wife　should　be

with　her　husband。　　B…　will　do　quite　right。　　He　must　go　after　her；

she　will　not　perhaps　come　back　at　first；　he　will　follow　her；　she　will

begin　to　think；　'I　am　helplessI　am　ridiculous！'　　A　woman　is　soon

beaten。　　They　will　return。　　She　is　once　more　with　her　husband

Society　will　forgive；　it　will　be　all　right。〃



〃By　Jove；　Paul；〃　growled　Mr。　Treffry；　〃wonderful　power　of　argument！〃



〃A　wife　is　a　wife；〃　pursued　Herr　Paul；　〃a　man　has　a　right　to　her

society。〃



〃What　do　you　say　to　that；　sir？〃　asked　Dawney。



Mr。　Treffry　tugged　at　his　beard：　〃Make　a　woman　live　with　you；　if　she

don't　want　to？　　I　call　it　low。〃



〃But；　my　dear；〃　exclaimed　Herr　Paul；　〃how　should　you　know？　　You　have

not　been　married。〃



〃No；　thank　the　Lord！〃　Mr。　Treffry　replied。



〃But　looking　at　the　question　broadly；　sir；〃　said　Dawney；　〃if　a

husband　always　lets　his　wife　do　as　she　likes；　how　would　the　thing

work　out？　　What　becomes　of　the　marriage　tie？〃



〃The　marriage　tie；〃　growled　Mr。　Treffry；　〃is　the　biggest　thing　there

is！　　But；　by　Jove；　Doctor；　I'm　a　Dutchman　if　hunting　women　ever

helped　the　marriage　tie！〃



〃I　am　not　thinking　of　myself；〃　Herr　Paul　cried　out；　〃I　think　of　the

community。　　There　are　rights。〃



〃A　decent　community　never　yet　asked　a　man　to　tread　on　his　self…

respect。　　If　I　get　my　fingers　skinned　over　my　marriage；　which　I

undertake　at　my　own　risk；　what's　the　community　to　do　with　it？　　D'you

think　I'm　going　to　whine　to　it　to　put　the　plaster　on？　　As　to　rights；

it'd　be　a　deuced　sight　better　for　us　all　if　there　wasn't　such　a　fuss

about　'em。　　Leave　that　to　women！　　I　don't　give　a　tinker's　damn　for

men　who　talk　about　their　rights　in　such　matters。〃



Sarelli　rose。　　〃But　your　honour；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　your　honour！〃



Mr。　Treffry　stared　at　him。



〃Honour！　　If　huntin'　women's　your　idea　of　honour；　wellit　isn't

mine。〃



〃Then　you'd　forgive　her；　sir；　whatever　happened；〃　Dawney　said。



〃Forgiveness　is　another　thing。　　I　leave　that　to　your　sanctimonious

beggars。　　But；　hunt　a　woman！　　Hang　it；　sir；　I'm　not　a　cad！〃　and

bringing　his　hand　down　with　a　rattle；　he　added：　〃This　is　a　subject

that　don't　bear　talking　of。〃



Sarelli　fell　back　in　his　seat；　twirling　his　moustaches　fiercely。

Harz；　who　had　risen；　looked　at　Christian's　empty　place。



'If　I　were　married！'　he　thought　suddenly。



Herr　Paul；　with　a　somewhat　vinous　glare；　still　muttered；　〃But　your

duty　to　the　family！〃



Harz　slipped　through　the　window。　　The　moon　was　like　a　wonderful　white

lantern　in　the　purple　sky；　there　was　but　a　smoulder　of　stars。

Beneath　the　softness　of　the　air　was　the　iciness　of　the　snow；　it　made

him　want　to　run　and　leap。　　A　sleepy　beetle　dropped　on　its　back；　he

turned　it　over　and　watched　it　scurry　across　the　grass。



Someone　was　playing　Schumann's　Kinderscenen。　　Harz　stood　still　to

list