villa rubein and other stories-第19章

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

stopped　to　think。　　The　farther　trees　were　fret…worked　black　against

the　lingering　gold　of　the　sunset；　a　huge　moth；　attracted　by　the　tip

of　his　cigar；　came　fluttering　in　his　face。　　The　music　of　a　concertina

rose　and　fell；　like　the　sighing　of　some　disillusioned　spirit。　　Dawney

stood　for　several　minutes　staring　at　the　house。



He　was　shown　to　Mrs。　Decie's　room。　　She　was　holding　a　magazine　before

her　eyes；　and　received　him　with　as　much　relief　as　philosophy

permitted。



〃You　are　the　very　person　I　wanted　to　see；〃　she　said。



He　noticed　that　the　magazine　she　held　was　uncut。



〃You　are　a　young　man；〃　pursued　Mrs。　Decie；　〃but　as　my　doctor　I　have　a

right　to　your　discretion。〃



Dawney　smiled；　the　features　of　his　broad；　clean…shaven　face　looked

ridiculously　small　on　such　occasions；　but　his　eyes　retained　their　air

of　calculation。



〃That　is　so；〃　he　answered。



〃It　is　about　this　unfortunate　affair。　　I　understand　that　Mr。　Harz　is

with　you。　　I　want　you　to　use　your　influence　to　dissuade　him　from

attempting　to　see　my　niece。〃



〃Influence！〃　said　Dawney；　〃you　know　Harz！〃



Mrs。　Decie's　voice　hardened。



〃Everybody；〃　she　said；　〃has　his　weak　points。　　This　young　man　is　open

to　approach　from　at　least　two　quartershis　pride　is　one；　his　work　an

other。　　I　am　seldom　wrong　in　gauging　character；　these　are　his　vital

spots；　and　they　are　of　the　essence　of　this　matter。　　I'm　sorry　for

him；　of　coursebut　at　his　age；　and　living　a　man's　life；　these

things〃　　Her　smile　was　extra　pale。　　〃I　wish　you　could　give　me

something　for　my　head。　　It's　foolish　to　worry。　　Nerves　of　course！

But　I　can't　help　it！　　You　know　my　opinion；　Dr。　Dawney。　　That　young

man　will　go　far　if　he　remains　unfettered；　he　will　make　a　name。　　You

will　be　doing　him　a　great　service　if　you　could　show　him　the　affair　as

it　really　isa　drag　on　him；　and　quite　unworthy　of　his　pride！　　Do

help　me！　　You　are　just　the　man　to　do　it！〃



Dawney　threw　up　his　head　as　if　to　shake　off　this　impeachment；　the

curve　of　his　chin　thus　displayed　was　imposing　in　its　fulness；

altogether　he　was　imposing；　having　an　air　of　capability。



She　struck　him；　indeed；　as　really　scared；　it　was　as　if　her　mask　of

smile　had　become　awry；　and　failed　to　cover　her　emotion；　and　he　was

puzzled；　thinking；　'I　wouldn't　have　believed　she　had　it　in　her。。。。'

〃It's　not　an　easy　business；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　think　it　over。〃



〃Thank　you！〃　murmured　Mrs。　Decie。　　〃You　are　most　kind。〃



Passing　the　schoolroom；　he　looked　in　through　the　open　door。

Christian　was　sitting　there。　　The　sight　of　her　face　shocked　him；　it

was　so　white；　so　resolutely　dumb。　　A　book　lay　on　her　knees；　she　was

not　reading；　but　staring　before　her。　　He　thought　suddenly：　'Poor

thing！　　If　I　don't　say　something　to　her；　I　shall　be　a　brute！'



〃Miss　Devorell；〃　he　said：　〃You　can　reckon　on　him。〃



Christian　tried　to　speak；　but　her　lips　trembled　so　that　nothing　came

forth。



〃Good…night；〃　said　Dawney；　and　walked　out。。。。



Three　days　later　Harz　was　sitting　in　the　window　of　his　studio。　　It

was　the　first　day　he　had　found　it　possible　to　work；　and　now；　tired

out；　he　stared　through　the　dusk　at　the　slowly　lengthening　shadows　of

the　rafters。　　A　solitary　mosquito　hummed；　and　two　house　sparrows；　who

had　built　beneath　the　roof；　chirruped　sleepily。　　Swallows　darted　by

the　window；　dipping　their　blue　wings　towards　the　quiet　water；　a　hush

had　stolen　over　everything。　　He　fell　asleep。



He　woke；　with　a　dim　impression　of　some　near　presence。　　In　the　pale

glimmer　from　innumerable　stars；　the　room　was　full　of　shadowy　shapes。

He　lit　his　lantern。　　The　flame　darted　forth；　bickered；　then　slowly

lit　up　the　great　room。



〃Who's　there？〃



A　rustling　seemed　to　answer。　　He　peered　about；　went　to　the　doorway；

and　drew　the　curtain。　　A　woman's　cloaked　figure　shrank　against　the

wall。　　Her　face　was　buried　in　her　hands；　her　arms；　from　which　the

cloak　fell　back；　were　alone　visible。



〃Christian？〃



She　ran　past　him；　and　when　he　had　put　the　lantern　down；　was　standing

at　the　window。　　She　turned　quickly　to　him。　　〃Take　me　away　from　here！

Let　me　come　with　you！〃



〃Do　you　mean　it？〃



〃You　said　you　wouldn't　give　me　up！〃



〃You　know　what　you　are　doing？〃



She　made　a　motion　of　assent。



〃But　you　don't　grasp　what　this　means。　　Things　to　bear　that　you　know

nothing　ofhunger　perhaps！　　Think；　even　hunger！　　And　your　people

won't　forgiveyou'll　lose　everything。〃



She　shook　her　head。



〃I　must　chooseit's　one　thing　or　the　other。　　I　can't　give　you　up！

I　should　be　afraid！〃



〃But；　dear；　how　can　you　come　with　me？　　We　can't　be　married　here。〃



〃I　am　giving　my　life　to　you。〃



〃You　are　too　good　for　me；〃　said　Harz。　　〃The　life　you're　going　into

may　be　dark；　like　that！〃　he　pointed　to　the　window。



A　sound　of　footsteps　broke　the　hush。　　They　could　see　a　figure　on　the

path　below。　　It　stopped；　seemed　to　consider；　vanished。　　They　heard

the　sounds　of　groping　hands；　of　a　creaking　door；　of　uncertain　feet　on

the　stairs。



Harz　seized　her　hand。



〃Quick！〃　he　whispered；　〃behind　this　canvas！〃



Christian　was　trembling　violently。　　She　drew　her　hood　across　her

face。　　The　heavy　breathing　and　ejaculations　of　the　visitor　were　now

plainly　audible。



〃He's　there！　　Quick！　　Hide！〃



She　shook　her　head。



With　a　thrill　at　his　heart；　Harz　kissed　her；　then　walked　towards　the

entrance。　　The　curtain　was　pulled　aside。



It　was　Herr　Paul；　holding　a　cigar　in　one　hand；　his　hat　in　the　other；

and　breathing　hard。



〃Pardon！〃　he　said　huskily；　〃your　stairs　are　steep；　and　dark！　mais　en；

fin！　nous　voila！　　I　have　ventured　to　come　for　a　talk。〃　　His　glance

fell　on　the　cloaked　figure　in　the　shadow。



〃Pardon！　A　thousand　pardons！　　I　had　no　idea！　　I　beg　you　to　forgive

this　indiscretion！　　I　may　take　it　you　resign　pretensions　then？　　You

have　a　lady　hereI　have　nothing　more　to　say；　I　only　beg　a　million

pardons　for　intruding。　　A　thousand　times　forgive　me！　　Good…night！〃



He　bowed　and　turned　to　go。　　Christian　stepped　forward；　and　let　the

hood　fall　from　her　head。



〃It's　I！〃



Herr　Paul　pirouetted。



〃Good　God！〃　he　stammered；　dropping　cigar　and　hat。　　〃Good　God！〃



The　lantern　flared　suddenly；　revealing　his　crimson；　shaking　cheeks。



〃You　came　here；　at　night！　　You；　the　daughter　of　my　wife！〃　　His　eyes

wandered　with　a　dull　glare　round　the　room。



〃Take　care！〃　cried　Harz：　〃If　you　say　a　word　against　her…〃



The　two　men　stared　at　each　other's　eyes。　　And　without　warning；　the

lantern　flickered　and　went　out。　　Christian　drew　the　cloak　round　her

again。　　Herr　Paul's　voice　broke　the　silence；　he　had　recovered　his

self…possession。



〃Ah！　ah！〃　he　said：　〃Darkness！　Tant　mieux！　　The　right　thing　for　what

we　have　to　say。　　Since　we　do　not　esteem　each　other；　it　is　well　not　to

see　too　much。〃



〃Just　so；〃　said　Harz。



Christian　had　come　close　to　them。　　Her　pale　face　and　great　shining

eyes　could　just　be　seen　through　the　gloom。



Herr　Paul　waved　his　arm；　the　gesture　was　impressive；　annihilating。



〃This　is　a　matter；　I　believe；　between　two　men；〃　he　said；　addressing

Harz。　　〃Let　us　come　to　the　point。　　I　will　do　you　the　credit　to

suppose　that　you　have　a　marriage　in　view。　　You　know；　perhaps；　that

Miss　Devorell　has　no　money　till　I　die？〃



〃Yes。〃



〃And　I　am　passably　young！　You　have　money；　then？〃



〃No。〃



〃In　that　case；　you　would　propose　to　live　on　air？〃



〃No；　to　work；　it　has　been　done　before。〃



〃It　is　calculated　to　increase　hunger！　　You　are　prepared　to　take　Miss

Devorell；　a　young　lady　accustomed　to　luxury；　into　places　likethis！〃

he　peered　about　him；　〃into　places　that　smell　of　paint；　into　the

milieu　of　'the　people；'　into　the　society　of　Bohemianswho　knows？　of

anarchists；　perhaps？〃



Harz　clenched　his　hands：　〃I　will　answer　no　more　questions。〃



〃In　that　event；　we　reach　the　ultimatum；〃　said　Herr　Paul。　　〃Listen；

Herr　Outlaw！　　If　you　have　not　left　the