villa rubein and other stories-第18章

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At　these　last　words　Herr　Paul　gave　a　start　of　real　disgust。　　〃Hum！〃

he　muttered；　it　was　as　if　the　world　were　bent　on　being　brutal　to　him。

Mrs。　Decie　continued：



〃If　I　know　anything　of　this　young　man；　he　will　not　come　here　again；

after　the　words　you　have　spoken。　　As　for　Christianyou　had　better

talk　to　Nicholas。　　I　am　going　to　lie　down。〃



Herr　Paul　nervously　fingered　the　shirt…collar　round　his　stout；　short

neck。



〃Nicholas！　　Certainlya　good　idea。　　Quelle　diable　d'afaire！〃



'French！'　thought　Mrs。　Decie；　'we　shall　soon　have　peace。　　Poor

Christian！　　I'm　sorry！　　After　all；　these　things　are　a　matter　of　time

and　opportunity。'　　This　consoled　her　a　good　deal。



But　for　Christian　the　hours　were　a　long　nightmare　of　grief　and　shame；

fear　and　anger。　　Would　he　forgive？　　Would　he　be　true　to　her？　　Or

would　he　go　away　without　a　word？　　Since　yesterday　it　was　as　if　she

had　stepped　into　another　world；　and　lost　it　again。　　In　place　of　that

new　feeling；　intoxicating　as　wine；　what　was　coming？　　What　bitter；

dreadful　ending？



A　rude　entrance　this　into　the　life　of　facts；　and　primitive　emotions！



She　let　Greta　into　her　room　after　a　time；　for　the　child　had　begun

sobbing；　but　she　would　not　talk；　and　sat　hour　after　hour　at　the

window　with　the　air　fanning　her　face；　and　the　pain　in　her　eyes　turned

to　the　sky　and　trees。　　After　one　or　two　attempts　at　consolation；

Greta　sank　on　the　floor；　and　remained　there；　humbly　gazing　at　her

sister　in　a　silence　only　broken　when　Christian　cleared　her　throat　of

tears；　and　by　the　song　of　birds　in　the　garden。　　In　the　afternoon　she

slipped　away　and　did　not　come　back　again。



After　his　interview　with　Mr。　Treffry；　Herr　Paul　took　a　bath；　perfumed

himself　with　precision；　and　caused　it　to　be　clearly　understood　that；

under　circumstances　such　as　these；　a　man's　house　was　not　suited　for　a

pig　to　live　in。　　He　shortly　afterwards　went　out　to　the　Kurbaus；　and

had　not　returned　by　dinner…time。



Christian　came　down　for　dinner。　　There　were　crimson　spots　in　her

cheeks；　dark　circles　round　her　eyes；　she　behaved；　however；　as　though

nothing　had　happened。　　Miss　Naylor；　affected　by　the　kindness　of　her

heart　and　the　shock　her　system　had　sustained；　rolled　a　number　of

bread　pills；　looking　at　each　as　it　came；　with　an　air　of　surprise；　and

concealing　it　with　difficulty。　　Mr。　Treffry　was　coughing；　and　when　he

talked　his　voice　seemed　to　rumble　even　more　than　usual。　　Greta　was

dumb；　trying　to　catch　Christian's　eye；　Mrs。　Decie　alone　seemed　at

ease。　　After　dinner　Mr。　Treffry　went　off　to　his　room；　leaning　heavily

on　Christian's　shoulder。　　As　he　sank　into　his　chair；　he　said　to　her：



〃Pull　yourself　together；　my　dear！〃　Christian　did　not　answer　him。



Outside　his　room　Greta　caught　her　by　the　sleeve。



〃Look！〃　she　whispered；　thrusting　a　piece　of　paper　into　Christian's

hand。　　〃It　is　to　me　from　Dr。　Edmund；　but　you　must　read　it。〃



Christian　opened　the　note；　which　ran　as　follows：





〃MY　PHILOSOPHER　AND　FRIEND；I　received　your　note；　and　went　to　our

friend's　studio；　he　was　not　in；　but　half　an　hour　ago　I　stumbled　on

him　in　the　Platz。　　He　is　not　quite　himself；　has　had　a　touch　of　the

sunnothing　serious：　I　took　him　to　my　hotel；　where　he　is　in　bed。　　If

he　will　stay　there　he　will　be　all　right　in　a　day　or　two。　　In　any　case

he　shall　not　elude　my　clutches　for　the　present。



〃My　warm　respects　to　Mistress　Christian。Yours　in　friendship　and

philosophy；



EDMUND　DAWNEY。〃





Christian　read　and　re…read　this　note；　then　turned　to　Greta。



〃What　did　you　say　to　Dr。　Dawney？〃



Greta　took　back　the　piece　of　paper；　and　replied：　〃　I　said：



〃'DEAR　DR。　EDMUND；We　are　anxious　about　Herr　Harz。　　We　think　he　is

perhaps　not　very　well　to…day。　　We　（I　and　Christian）　should　like　to

know。　　You　can　tell　us。　　Please　shall　you？　　GRETA。'



〃That　is　what　I　said。〃



Christian　dropped　her　eyes。　　〃What　made　you　write？〃



Greta　gazed　at　her　mournfully：　〃I　thoughtO　Chris！　come　into　the

garden。　　I　am　so　hot；　and　it　is　so　dull　without　you！〃



Christian　bent　her　head　forward　and　rubbed　her　cheek　against　Greta's；

then　without　another　word　ran　upstairs　and　locked　herself　into　her

room。　　The　child　stood　listening；　hearing　the　key　turn　in　the　lock；

she　sank　down　on　the　bottom　step　and　took　Scruff　in　her　arms。



Half　an　hour　later　Miss　Naylor；　carrying　a　candle；　found　her　there

fast　asleep；　with　her　head　resting　on　the　terrier's　back；　and　tear

stains　on　her　cheeks。。。。



Mrs。　Decie　presently　came　out；　also　carrying　a　candle；　and　went　to

her　brother's　room。　　She　stood　before　his　chair；　with　folded　hands。



〃Nicholas；　what　is　to　be　done？〃



Mr。　Treffry　was　pouring　whisky　into　a　glass。



〃Damn　it；　Con！〃　he　answered；　〃how　should　I　know？〃



〃There's　something　in　Christian　that　makes　interference　dangerous。　　I

know　very　well　that　I've　no　influence　with　her　at　all。〃



〃You're　right　there；　Con；〃　Mr。　Treffry　replied。



Mrs。　Decie's　pale　eyes；　fastened　on　his　face；　forced　him　to　look　up。



〃I　wish　you　would　leave　off　drinking　whisky　and　attend　to　me。　　Paul

is　an　element〃



〃Paul；〃　Mr。　Treffry　growled；　〃is　an　ass！〃



〃Paul；〃　pursued　Mrs。　Decie；　〃is　an　element　of　danger　in　the

situation；　any　ill…timed　opposition　of　his　might　drive　her　to　I　don't

know　what。　　Christian　is　gentle；　she　is　'sympathetic'　as　they　say；

but　thwart　her；　and　she　is　as　obstinate　as。。。。



〃You　or　I！　　Leave　her　alone！〃



〃I　understand　her　character；　but　I　confess　that　I　am　at　a　loss　what

to　do。〃



〃Do　nothing！〃　　He　drank　again。



Mrs。　Decie　took　up　the　candle。



〃Men！〃　she　said　with　a　mysterious　intonation；　shrugging　her

shoulders；　she　walked　out。



Mr。　Treffry　put　down　his　glass。



'Understand？'　he　thought；　'no；　you　don't；　and　I　don't。　　Who

understands　a　young　girl？　　Vapourings；　dreams；　moonshine　I。。。。　　What

does　she　see　in　this　painter　fellow？　　I　wonder！'　　He　breathed

heavily。　　'By　heavens！　I　wouldn't　have　had　this　happen　for　a　hundred

thousand　pounds！'









XIII



For　many　hours　after　Dawney　had　taken　him　to　his　hotel；　Harz　was

prostrate　with　stunning　pains　in　the　head　and　neck。　　He　had　been　all

day　without　food；　exposed　to　burning　sun；　suffering　violent　emotion。

Movement　of　any　sort　caused　him　such　agony　that　he　could　only　lie　in

stupor；　counting　the　spots　dancing　before；　his　eyes。　　Dawney　did

everything　for　him；　and　Harz　resented　in　a　listless　way　the　intent

scrutiny　of　the　doctor's　calm；　black　eyes。



Towards　the　end　of　the　second　day　he　was　able　to　get　up；　Dawney　found

him　sitting　on　the　bed　in　shirt　and　trousers。



〃My　son；〃　he　said；　〃you　had　better　tell　me　what　the　trouble　isit

will　do　your　stubborn　carcase　good。〃



〃I　must　go　back　to　work；〃　said　Harz。



〃Work！〃　said　Dawney　deliberately：　〃you　couldn't；　if　you　tried。〃



〃I　must。〃



〃My　dear　fellow；　you　couldn't　tell　one　colour　from　another。〃



〃I　must　be　doing　something；　I　can't　sit　here　and　think。〃



Dawney　hooked　his　thumbs　into　his　waistcoat：　〃You　won't　see　the　sun

for　three　days　yet；　if　I　can　help　it。〃



Harz　got　up。



〃I'm　going　to　my　studio　to…morrow；〃　he　said。　　〃I　promise　not　to　go

out。　　I　must　be　where　I　can　see　my　work。　　If　I　can't　paint；　I　can

draw；　I　can　feel　my　brushes；　move　my　things　about。　　I　shall　go　mad　if

I　do　nothing。〃



Dawney　took　his　arm；　and　walked　him　up　and　down。



〃I'll　let　you　go；〃　he　said；　〃but　give　me　a　chance！　　It's　as　much　to

me　to　put　you　straight　as　it　is　to　you　to　paint　a　decent　picture。

Now　go　to　bed；　I'll　have　a　carriage　for　you　to…morrow　morning。〃



Harz　sat　down　on　the　bed　again；　and　for　a　long　time　stayed　without

moving；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　floor。　　The　sight　of　him；　so　desperate

and　miserable；　hurt　the　young　doctor。



〃Can　you　get　to　bed　by　yourself？〃　he　asked　at　last。



Harz　nodded。



〃Then；　good…night；　old　chap！〃　and　Dawney　left　the　room。



He　took　his　hat　and　turned　towards　the　Villa。　　Between　the　poplars　he

stopped　to　think。　　The