villa rubein and other stories-第20章

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

Herr　Outlaw！　　If　you　have　not　left　the　country　by　noon　to…morrow；　you

shall　be　introduced　to　the　police！〃



Christian　uttered　a　cry。　　For　a　minute　in　the　gloom　the　only　sound

heard　was　the　short；　hard　breathing　of　the　two　men。



Suddenly　Harz　cried：　〃You　coward；　I　defy　you！〃



〃Coward！〃　Herr　Paul　repeated。　　〃That　is　indeed　the　last　word。　　Look

to　yourself；　my　friend！〃



Stooping　and　fumbling　on　the　floor；　he　picked　up　his　hat。　　Christian

had　already　vanished；　the　sound　of　her　hurrying　footsteps　was

distinctly　audible　at　the　top　of　the　dark　stairs。　　Herr　Paul　stood

still　a　minute。



〃Look　to　yourself；　my　dear　friend！〃　he　said　in　a　thick　voice；　groping

for　the　wall。　　Planting　his　hat　askew　on　his　head；　he　began　slowly　to

descend　the　stairs。









XV



Nicholas　Treffry　sat　reading　the　paper　in　his　room　by　the　light　of　a

lamp　with　a　green　shade；　on　his　sound　foot　the　terrier　Scruff　was

asleep　and　snoring　lightlythe　dog　habitually　came　down　when　Greta

was　in　bed；　and　remained　till　Mr。　Treffry；　always　the　latest　member

of　the　household；　retired　to　rest。



Through　the　long　window　a　little　river　of　light　shone　out　on　the

veranda　tiles；　and；　flowing　past；　cut　the　garden　in　two。



There　was　the　sound　of　hurried　footsteps；　a　rustling　of　draperies；

Christian；　running　through　the　window；　stood　before　him。



Mr。　Treffry　dropped　his　paper；　such　a　fury　of　passion　and　alarm　shone

in　the　girl's　eyes。



〃Chris！　What　is　it？〃



〃Hateful！〃



〃Chris！〃



〃Oh！　Uncle！　　He's　insulted；　threatened！　　And　I　love　his　little　finger

more　than　all　the；　world！〃



Her　passionate　voice　trembled；　her　eyes　were　shining。



Mr。　Treffry's　profound　discomfort　found　vent　in　the　gruff　words：　〃Sit

down！〃



〃I'll　never　speak　to　Father　again！　　Oh！　Uncle！　I　love　him！〃



Quiet　in　the　extremity　of　his　disturbance；　Mr。　Treffry　leaned　forward

in　his　chair；　rested　his　big　hands　on　its　arms；　and　stared　at　her。



Chris！　　Here　was　a　woman　he　did　not　know！　　His　lips　moved　under　the

heavy　droop　of　his　moustache。　　The　girl's　face　had　suddenly　grown

white。　　She　sank　down　on　her　knees；　and　laid　her　cheek　against　his

hand。　　He　felt　it　wet；　and　a　lump　rose　in　his　throat。　　Drawing　his

hand　away；　he　stared　at　it；　and　wiped　it　with　his　sleeve。



〃Don't　cry！〃　he　said。



She　seized　it　again　and　clung　to　it；　that　clutch　seemed　to　fill　him

with　sudden　rage。



〃What's　the　matter？　　How　the　devil　can　I　do　anything　if　you　don't

tell　me？〃



She　looked　up　at　him。　　The　distress　of　the　last　days；　the　passion　and

fear　of　the　last　hour；　the　tide　of　that　new　life　of　the　spirit　and

the　flesh；　stirring　within　her；　flowed　out　in　a　stream　of　words。



When　she　had　finished；　there　was　so　dead　a　silence　that　the

fluttering　of　a　moth　round　the　lamp　could　be　heard　plainly。



Mr。　Treffry　raised　himself；　crossed　the　room；　and　touched　the　bell。

〃Tell　the　groom；〃　he　said　to　Dominique；　〃to　put　the　horses　to；　and

have　'em　round　at　once；　bring　my　old　boots；　we　drive　all　night。。。。〃



His　bent　figure　looked　huge；　body　and　legs　outlined　by　light；　head

and　shoulders　towering　into　shadow。　　〃He　shall　have　a　run　for　his

money！〃　he　said。　　His　eyes　stared　down　sombrely　at　his　niece。　　〃It's

more　than　he　deserves！it's　more　than　you　deserve；　Chris。　　Sit　down

there　and　write　to　him；　tell　him　to　put　himself　entirely　in　my

hands。〃　　He　turned　his　back　on　her；　and　went　into　his　bedroom。



Christian　rose；　and　sat　down　at　the　writing…table。　　A　whisper

startled　her。　　It　came　from　Dominique；　who　was　holding　out　a　pair　of

boots。



〃M'mselle　Chris；　what　is　this？to　run　about　all　night？〃　　But

Christian　did　not　answer。



〃M'mselle　Chris；　are　you　ill？〃　　Then　seeing　her　face；　he　slipped　away

again。



She　finished　her　letter　and　went　out　to　the　carriage。　　Mr。　Treffry

was　seated　under　the　hood。



〃Shan't　want　you；〃　he　called　out　to　the　groom；　〃Get　up；　Dominique。〃



Christian　thrust　her　letter　into　his　hand。　　〃Give　him　that；〃　she

said；　clinging　to　his　arm　with　sudden　terror。　　〃Oh！　Uncle！　do　take

care！〃



〃Chris；　if　I　do　this　for　you〃　　They　looked　wistfully　at　one

another。　　Then；　shaking　his　head；　Mr。　Treffry　gathered　up　the　reins。



〃Don't　fret；　my　dear；　don't　fret！　　Whoa；　mare！〃



The　carriage　with　a　jerk　plunged　forward　into　darkness；　curved　with　a

crunch　of　wheels；　and　vanished；　swinging　between　the　black

treepillars　at　the　entrance。。。。



Christian　stood；　straining　to　catch　the　failing　sound　of　the　hoofs。



Down　the　passage　came　a　flutter　of　white　garments；　soft　limbs　were

twined　about　her；　some　ends　of　hair　fell　on　her　face。



〃What　is　it；　Chris？　　Where　have　you　been？　　Where　is　Uncle　Nic　going？

Tell　me！〃



Christian　tore　herself　away。　　〃I　don't　know；〃　she　cried；　〃I　know

nothing！〃



Greta　stroked　her　face。　　〃Poor　Chris！〃　she　murmured。　　Her　bare　feet

gleamed；　her　hair　shone　gold　against　her　nightdress。　　〃Come　to　bed；

poor　Chris！〃



Christian　laughed。　　〃You　little　white　moth！　　Feel　how　hot　I　am！

You'll　burn　your　wings！〃



Harz　had　lain　down；　fully　dressed。　　He　was　no　longer　angry；　but　felt

that　he　would　rather　die　than　yield。　　Presently　he　heard　footsteps

coming　up　the　stairs。



〃M'sieu！〃



It　was　the　voice　of　Dominique；　whose　face；　illumined　by　a　match；　wore

an　expression　of　ironical　disgust。



〃My　master；〃　he　said；　〃makes　you　his　compliments；　he　says　there　is　no

time　to　waste。　　You　are　to　please　come　and　drive　with　him！〃



〃Your　master　is　very　kind。　　Tell　him　I'm　in　bed。〃



〃Ah；　M'sieu；〃　said　Dominique；　grimacing；　〃I　must　not　go　back　with

such　an　answer。　　If　you　would　not　come；　I　was　to　give　you　this。〃



Harz　broke　the　seal　and　read　Christian's　letter。



〃I　will　come；〃　he　said。



A　clock　was　striking　as　they　went　out　through　the　gate。　　From　within

the　dark　cave　of　the　phaeton　hood　Mr。　Treffry　said　gruffly：　〃Come

along；　sir！〃



Harz　flung　his　knapsack　in；　and　followed。



His　companion's　figure　swayed；　the　whiplash　slid　softly　along　the

flank　of　the　off　horse；　and；　as　the　carriage　rattled　forward；　Mr。

Treffry　called　out；　as　if　by　afterthought：　〃Hallo；　Dominique！〃

Dominque's　voice；　shaken　and　ironical；　answered　from　behind：　〃M'

v'la；　M'sieu！〃



In　the　long　street　of　silent　houses；　men　sitting　in　the　lighted　cafes

turned　with　glasses　at　their　lips　to　stare　after　the　carriage。　　The

narrow　river　of　the　sky　spread　suddenly　to　a　vast；　limpid　ocean

tremulous　with　stars。　　They　had　turned　into　the　road　for　Italy。



Mr。　Treffry　took　a　pull　at　his　horses。　　〃Whoa；　mare！　Dogged　does　it！〃

and　the　near　horse；　throwing　up　her　head；　whinnied；　a　fleck　of　foam

drifted　into　Harz's　face。



The　painter　had　come　on　impulse；　because　Christian　had　told　him　to；

not　of　his　own　free　will。　　He　was　angry　with　himself；　wounded　in

self…esteem；　for　having　allowed　any　one　to　render　him　this　service。

The　smooth　swift　movement　through　velvet　blackness　splashed　on　either

hand　with　the　flying　lamp…light；　the　strong　sweet　air　blowing　in　his

face…air　that　had　kissed　the　tops　of　mountains　and　stolen　their

spirit；　the　snort　and　snuffle　of　the　horses；　and　crisp　rattling　of

their　hoofsall　this　soon　roused　in　him　another　feeling。　　He　looked

at　Mr。　Treffry's　profile；　with　its　tufted　chin；　at　the　grey　road

adventuring　in　darkness；　at　the　purple　mass　of　mountains　piled　above

it。　　All　seemed　utterly　unreal。



As　if　suddenly　aware　that　he　had　a　neighbour；　Mr。　Treffry　turned　his

head。　　〃We　shall　do　better　than　this　presently；〃　he　said；　〃bit　of　a

slope　coming。　　Haven't　had　'em　out　for　three　days。　　Whoa…mare！

Steady！〃



〃Why　are　you　taking　this　trouble　for　me？〃　asked　Harz。



〃I'm　an　old　chap；　Mr。　Harz；　and　an　old　chap　may　do　a　stupid　thing

once　in　a　while！〃



〃You　are　very　good；〃　said　Harz；　〃but　I　want　no　favours。〃



Mr。　Treffry　stared　at　him。



〃Just　so；〃　he　said　drily；　〃but　you　see　there's　my　n