villa rubein and other stories-第22章

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though。。。。　　'Kiss　her！　take　her　up！　show　her　the　pictures！'　　Amazing

fond　of　pictures　Chris　was！〃　　He　looked　dubiously　at　Harz；　then　took

a　long　pull　at　his　flask。　　〃What　would　the　doctor　say？　　Whisky　at

four　in　the　morning！　　Well！　　Thank　the　Lord　Doctors　aren't　always

with　us。〃　　Sitting　on　the　stone；　with　one　hand　pressed　against　his

side；　and　the　other　tilting　up　the　flask；　he　was　grey　from　head　to

foot。



Harz　had　dropped　on　to　another　stone。　　He；　too；　was　worn　out　by　the

excitement　and　fatigue；　coming　so　soon　after　his　illness。　　His　head

was　whirling；　and　the　next　thing　he　remembered　was　a　tree　walking　at

him；　turning　round；　yellow　from　the　roots　up；　everything　seemed

yellow；　even　his　own　feet。　　Somebody　opposite　to　him　was　jumping　up

and　down；　a　grey　bearwith　a　hatMr。　Treffry！　　He　cried：　〃Ha…

alloo！〃　　And　the　figure　seemed　to　fall　and　disappear。。。。



When　Harz　came　to　himself　a　hand　was　pouring　liquor　into　his　mouth；

and　a　wet　cloth　was　muffled　round　his　brows；　a　noise　of　humming　and

hoofs　seemed　familiar。　　Mr。　Treffry　loomed　up　alongside；　smoking　a

cigar；　he　was　muttering：　〃A　low　trick；　Paulbit　of　my　mind！〃　　Then；

as　if　a　curtain　had　been　snatched　aside；　the　vision　before　Harz

cleared　again。　　The　carriage　was　winding　between　uneven；　black…eaved

houses；　past　doorways　from　which　goats　and　cows　were　coming　out；　with

bells　on　their　necks。　　Black…eyed　boys；　and　here　and　there　a　drowsy

man　with　a　long；　cherry…stemmed　pipe　betwen　his　teeth；　stood　aside　to

stare。



Mr。　Treffry　seemed　to　have　taken　a　new　lease　of　strength；　like　an

angry　old　dog；　he　stared　from　side　to　side。　　〃My　bone！〃　he　seemed　to

say：　〃let's　see　who's　going　to　touch　it！〃



The　last　house　vanished；　glowing　in　the　early　sunshine；　and　the

carriage　with　its　trail　of　dust　became　entombed　once　more　in　the

gloom　of　tall　trees；　along　a　road　that　cleft　a　wilderness　of

mossgrown　rocks；　and　dewy　stems；　through　which　the　sun　had　not　yet

driven　paths。



Dominique　came　round　to　them；　bearing　appearance　of　one　who　has　seen

better　days；　and　a　pot　of　coffee　brewed　on　a　spirit　lamp。　　Breakfast

he　saidwas　served！



The　ears　of　the　horses　were　twitching　with　fatigue。　　Mr。　Treffry　said

sadly：　〃If　I　can　see　this　through；　you　can。　　Get　on；　my　beauties！〃



As　soon　as　the　sun　struck　through　the　trees；　Mr。　Treffry's　strength

ebbed　again。　　He　seemed　to　suffer　greatly；　but　did　not　complain。

They　had　reached　the　pass　at　last；　and　the　unchecked　sunlight　was

streaming　down　with　a　blinding　glare。



〃Jump　up！〃　Mr。　Treffry　cried　out。　　〃We'll　make　a　finish　of　it！〃　and

he　gave　the　reins　a　jerk。　　The　horses　flung　up　their　heads；　and　the

bleak　pass　with　its　circling　crown　of　jagged　peaks　soon　slipped　away。



Between　the　houses　on　the　very　top；　they　passed　at　a　slow　trot；　and

soon　began　slanting　down　the　other　side。　　Mr。　Treffry　brought　them　to

a　halt　where　a　mule　track　joined　the　road。



〃That's　all　I　can　do　for　you；　you'd　better　leave　me　here；〃　he　said。

〃Keep　this　track　down　to　the　rivergo　southyou'll　be　in　Italy　in　a

couple　of　hours。　　Get　rail　at　Feltre。　　Money？　　Yes？　　Well！〃　　He　held

out　his　hand；　Harz　gripped　it。



〃Give　her　up；　eh？〃



Harz　shook　his　head。



〃No？　　Then　it's　'pull　devil；　pull　baker；'　between　us。　　Good…bye；　and

good　luck　to　you！〃　　And　mustering　his　strength　for　a　last　attempt　at

dignity；　Mr。　Treffry　gathered　up　the　reins。



Harz　watched　his　figure　huddled　again　beneath　the　hood。　　The　carriage

moved　slowly　away。









XVIII



At　Villa　Rubein　people　went　about；　avoiding　each　other　as　if　detected

in　conspiracy。　　Miss　Naylor；　who　for　an　inscrutable　reason　had　put　on

her　best　frock；　a　purple；　relieved　at　the　chest　with　bird's…eye　blue；

conveyed　an　impression　of　trying　to　count　a　chicken　which　ran　about

too　fast。　　When　Greta　asked　what　she　had　lost　she　was　heard　to

mutter：　〃Mr。Needlecase。



Christian；　with　big　circles　round　her　eyes；　sat　silent　at　her　little

table。　　She　had　had　no　sleep。　　Herr　Paul　coming　into　the　room　about

noon　gave　her　a　furtive　look　and　went　out　again；　after　this　he　went

to　his　bedroom；　took　off　all　his　clothes；　flung　them　passionately　one

by　one　into　a　footbath；　and　got　into　bed。



〃I　might　be　a　criminal！〃　he　muttered　to　himself；　while　the　buttons　of

his　garments　rattled　on　the　bath。



〃Am　I　her　father？　　Have　I　authority？　　Do　I　know　the　world？　　Bssss！　　I

might　be　a　frog！〃



Mrs。　Decie；　having　caused　herself　to　be　announced；　found　him　smoking

a　cigar；　and　counting　the　flies　on　the　ceiling。



〃If　you　have　really　done　this；　Paul；〃　she　said　in　a　restrained　voice；

〃you　have　done　a　very　unkind　thing；　and　what　is　worse；　you　have　made

us　all　ridiculous。　　But　perhaps　you　have　not　done　it？〃



〃I　have　done　it；〃　cried　Herr　Paul；　staring　dreadfully：　〃I　have　done

it；　I　tell　you；　I　have　done　it〃



〃Very　well；　you　have　done　itand　why；　pray？　　What　conceivable　good

was　there　in　it？　　I　suppose　you　know　that　Nicholas　has　driven　him　to

the　frontier？　　Nicholas　is　probably　more　dead　than　alive　by　this

time；　you　know　his　state　of　health。〃



Herr　Paul's　fingers　ploughed　up　his　beard。



〃Nicholas　is　madand　the　girl　is　mad！　　Leave　me　alone！　　I　will　not

be　made　angry；　do　you　understand？　　I　will　not　be　worriedI　am　not

fit　for　it。〃　　His　prominent　brown　eyes　stared　round　the　room；　as　if

looking　for　a　way　of　escape。



〃If　I　may　prophesy；　you　will　be　worried　a　good　deal；〃　said　Mrs。　Decie

coldly；　〃before　you　have　finished　with　this　affair。〃



The　anxious；　uncertain　glance　which　Herr　Paul　gave　her　at　these　words

roused　an　unwilling　feeling　of　compunction　in　her。



〃You　are　not　made　for　the　outraged　father　of　the　family；〃　she　said。

〃You　had　better　give　up　the　attitude；　Paul；　it　does　not　suit　you。〃



Herr　Paul　groaned。



〃I　suppose　it　is　not　your　fault；〃　she　added。



Just　then　the　door　was　opened；　and　Fritz；　with　an　air　of　saying　the

right　thing；　announced：



〃A　gentleman　of　the　police　to　see　you；　sir。〃



Herr　Paul　bounded。



〃Keep　him　out！〃　he　cried。



Mrs。　Decie；　covering　her　lips；　disappeared　with　a　rustling　of　silk；

in　her　place　stood　a　stiff　man　in　blue。。。。



Thus　the　morning　dragged　itself　away　without　any　one　being　able　to

settle　to　anything；　except　Herr　Paul；　who　was　settled　in　bed。　　As　was

fitting　in　a　house　that　had　lost　its　soul；　meals　were　neglected；　even

by　the　dog。



About　three　o'clock　a　telegram　came　for　Christian；　containing　these

words：　〃All　right；　self　returns　to…morrow。　　Treffry。〃　　After　reading

it　she　put　on　her　hat　and　went　out；　followed　closely　by　Greta；　who；

when　she　thought　that　she　would　not　be　sent　away；　ran　up　from　behind

and　pulled　her　by　the　sleeve。



〃Let　me　come；　ChrisI　shall　not　talk。〃



The　two　girls　walked　on　together。　　When　they　had　gone　some　distance

Christian　said：



〃I'm　going　to　get　his　pictures；　and　take　charge　of　them！〃



〃Oh！〃　said　Greta　timidly。



〃If　you　are　afraid；〃　said　Christian；　〃you　had　better　go　back　home。〃



〃I　am　not　afraid；　Chris；〃　said　Greta　meekly。



Neither　girl　spoke　again　till　they　had　taken　the　path　along　the　wall。

Over　the　tops　of　the　vines　the　heat　was　dancing。



〃The　sun…fairies　are　on　the　vines！〃　murmured　Greta　to　herself。



At　the　old　house　they　stopped；　and　Christian；　breathing　quickly；

pushed　the　door；　it　was　immovable。



〃Look！〃　said　Greta；　〃they　have　screwed　it！〃　　She　pointed　out　three

screws　with　a　rosy…tipped　forefinger。



Christian　stamped　her　foot。



〃We　mustn't　stand　here；〃　she　said；　〃let's　sit　on　that　bench　and

think。〃



〃Yes；〃　murmured　Greta；　〃let　us　think。〃　　Dangling　an　end　of　hair；　she

regarded　Christian　with　her　wide　blue　eyes。



〃I　can't　make　any　plan；〃　Christian　cried　at　last；　〃while　you　stare　at

me　like　that。〃



〃I　was　thinking；〃　said　Greta　humbly；　〃if　they　have　screwed　it　up；

perhaps　we　shall　screw　it　down　again；　there　is　the　big　screw…driver

of　Fritz。〃



〃It　would　take　a　long　time；　people　are　always　passin