villa rubein and other stories-第29章

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〃I　am　going　away　to　be　married；　Barbi；〃　said　Christian　at　last；

〃don't　speak　of　it　to　any　one；　please。〃



Barbi　leant　a　little　forward　with　the　towels　clasped　to　the　blue

cotton　bosom　of　her　dress。



〃No；　no！　　I　will　not　speak。　　But；　dear　Fraulein；　that　is　a　big

matter；　have　you　well　thought？〃



〃Thought；　Barbi？　　Have　I　not！〃



〃But；　dear　FrauIein；　will　you　be　rich？〃



〃No！　I　shall　be　as　poor　as　you。〃



〃Ach！　dear　God！　that　is　terrible。　　Katrina；　my　sister；　she　is

married；　she　tells　me　all　her　life；　she　tells　me　it　is　very　hard；　and

but　for　the　money　in　her　stocking　it　would　be　harder。　　Dear　Fraulein；

think　again！　　And　is　he　good？　　Sometimes　they　are　not　good。〃



〃He　is　good；〃　said　Christian；　rising；　〃it　is　all　settled！〃　and　she

kissed　Barbi　on　the　cheek。



〃You　are　crying；　liebes　Fraulein！　　Think　yet　again；　perhaps　it　is　not

quite　all　settled；　it　is　not　possible　that　a　maiden　should　not　a　way

out　leave？〃



Christian　smiled。　　〃I　don't　do　things　that　way；　Barbi。〃



Barbi　hung　the　towels　on　the　horse；　and　crossed　herself。



Mr。　Treffry's　gaze　was　fixed　on　a　tortoise…shell　butterfly　fluttering

round　the　ceiling。　　The　insect　seemed　to　fascinate　him；　as　things

which　move　quickly　always　fascinate　the　helpless。　　Christian　came

softly　in。



〃Couldn't　stay　in　bed；　Chris；〃　he　called　out　with　an　air　of　guilt。

〃The　heat　was　something　awful。　　The　doctor　piped　off　in　a　huff；　just

because　o'　this。〃　　He　motioned　towards　a　jug　of　claret…cup　and　a　pipe

on　the　table　by　his　elbow。　　〃I　was　only　looking　at　'em。〃



Christian；　sitting　down　beside　him；　took　up　a　fan。



〃If　I　could　get　out　of　this　heat〃　he　said；　and　closed　his　eyes。



'I　must　tell　him；'　she　thought；　'I　can't　slink　away。'



〃Pour　me　out　some　of　that　stuff；　Chris。〃



She　reached　for　the　jug。　　Yes！　She　must　tell　him！　Her　heart　sank。



Mr。　Treffry　took　a　lengthy　draught。　　〃Broken　my　promise；　don't

matterwon't　hurt　any　one　but　me。〃　　He　took　up　the　pipe　and　pressed

tobacco　into　it。　　〃I've　been　lying　here　with　this　pain　going　right

through　me；　and　never　a　smoke！　　D'you　tell　me　anything　the　parsons

say　can　do　me　half　the　good　of　this　pipe？〃　　He　leaned　back；　steeped

in　a　luxury　of　satisfaction。　　He　went　on；　pursuing　a　private　train　of

thought：　〃Things　have　changed　a　lot　since　my　young　days。　　When　I　was

a　youngster；　a　young　fellow　had　to　look　out　for　peck　and　perchhe

put　the　future　in　his　pocket。　　He　did　well　or　not；　according　as　he

had　stuff　in　him。　　Now　he's　not　content　with　that；　it　seemstrades

on　his　own　opinion　of　himself；　thinks　he　is　what　he　says　he's　going

to　be。〃



〃You　are　unjust；〃　said　Christian。



Mr。　Treffry　grunted。　　〃Ah；　well！　I　like　to　know　where　I　am。　　If　I

lend　money　to　a　man；　I　like　to　know　whether　he's　going　to　pay　it

back；　I　may　not　care　whether　he　does　or　not；　but　I　like　to　know。　　The

same　with　other　things。　　I　don't　care　what　a　man　hasthough；　mind

you；　Chris；　it's　not　a　bad　rule　that　measures　men　by　the　balance　at

their　banks；　but　when　it　comes　to　marriage；　there's　a　very　simple

rule；　What's　not　enough　for　one　is　not　enough　for　two。　　You　can't

talk　black　white；　or　bread　into　your　mouth。　　I　don't　care　to　speak

about　myself；　as　you　know；　Chris；　but　I　tell　you　thiswhen　I　came　to

London　I　wanted　to　marryI　hadn't　any　money；　and　I　had　to　want。

When　I　had　the　moneybut　that's　neither　here　nor　there！〃　　He

frowned；　fingering　his　pipe。



〃I　didn't　ask　her；　Chris；　I　didn't　think　it　the　square　thing；　it

seems　that's　out　of　fashion！〃



Christian's　cheeks　were　burning。



〃I　think　a　lot　while　I　lie　here；〃　Mr。　Treffry　went　on；　〃nothing　much

else　to　do。　　What　I　ask　myself　is　this：　What　do　you　know　about　what's

best　for　you？　　What　do　you　know　of　life？　　Take　it　or　leave　it；　life's

not　all　you　think；　it's　give　and　get　all　the　way；　a　fair　start　is

everything。〃



Christian　thought：　'Will　he　never　see？'



Mr。　Treffry　went　on：



〃I　get　better　every　day；　but　I　can't　last　for　ever。　　It's　not

pleasant　to　lie　here　and　know　that　when　I'm　gone　there'll　be　no　one

to　keep　a　hand　on　the　check　string！〃



〃Don't　talk　like　that；　dear！〃　Christian　murmured。



〃It's　no　use　blinking　facts；　Chris。　　I've　lived　a　long　time　in　the

world；　I've　seen　things　pretty　well　as　they　are；　and　now　there's　not

much　left　for　me　to　think　about　but　you。〃



〃But；　Uncle；　if　you　loved　him；　as　I　do；　you　couldn't　tell　me　to　be

afraid！　　It's　cowardly　and　mean　to　be　afraid。　　You　must　have

forgotten！〃



Mr。　Treffry　closed　his　eyes。



〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　old。〃



The　fan　had　dropped　into　Christian's　lap；　it　rested　on　her　white

frock　like　a　large　crimson　leaf；　her　eyes　were　fixed　on　it。



Mr。　Treffry　looked　at　her。　　〃Have　you　heard　from　him？〃　he　asked　with

sudden　intuition。



〃Last　night；　in　that　room；　when　you　thought　I　was　talking　to

Dominique〃



The　pipe　fell　from　his　hand。



〃What！〃　he　stammered：　〃Back？〃



Christian；　without　looking　up；　said：



〃Yes；　he's　back；　he　wants　meI　must　go　to　him；　Uncle。〃



There　was　a　long　silence。



〃You　must　go　to　him？〃　he　repeated。



She　longed　to　fling　herself　down　at　his　knees；　but　he　was　so　still；

that　to　move　seemed　impossible；　she　remained　silent；　with　folded

hands。



Mr。　Treffry　spoke：



〃You'll　let　me　knowbeforeyougo。　　Goodnight！〃



Christian　stole　out　into　the　passage。　　A　bead　curtain　rustled　in　the

draught；　voices　reached　her。



〃My　honour　is　involved；　or　I　would　give　the　case　up。〃



〃He　is　very　trying；　poor　Nicholas！　　He　always　had　that　peculiar

quality　of　opposition；　it　has　brought　him　to　grief　a　hundred　times。

There　is　opposition　in　our　blood；　my　family　all　have　it。　　My　eldest

brother　died　of　it；　with　my　poor　sister；　who　was　as　gentle　as　a　lamb；

it　took　the　form　of　doing　the　right　thing　in　the　wrong　place。　　It　is

a　matter　of　temperament；　you　see。　　You　must　have　patience。〃



〃Patience；〃　repeated　Dawney's　voice；　〃is　one　thing；　patience　where

there　is　responsibility　is　another。　　I've　not　had　a　wink　of　sleep

these　last　two　nights。〃



There　was　a　faint；　shrill　swish　of　silk。



〃Is　he　so　very　ill？〃



Christian　held　her　breath。　　The　answer　came　at　last。



〃Has　he　made　his　will？　　With　this　trouble　in　the　side　again；　I　tell

you　plainly；　Mrs。　Decie；　there's　little　or　no　chance。〃



Christian　put　her　hands　up　to　her　ears；　and　ran　out　into　the　air。

What　was　she　about　to　do；　thento　leave　him　dying！



On　the　following　day　Harz　was　summoned　to　the　Villa。　　Mr。　Treffry　had

just　risen；　and　was　garbed　in　a　dressing…suit；　old　and　worn；　which

had　a　certain　air　of　magnificence。　　His　seamed　cheeks　were　newly

shaved。



〃I　hope　I　see　you　well；〃　he　said　majestically。



Thinking　of　the　drive　and　their　last　parting；　Harz　felt　sorry　and

ashamed。　　Suddenly　Christian　came　into　the　room；　she　stood　for　a

moment　looking　at　him；　then　sat　down。



〃Chris！〃　said　Mr。　Treffry　reproachfully。　　She　shook　her　head；　and　did

not　move；　mournful　and　intent；　her　eyes　seemed　full　of　secret

knowledge。



Mr。　Treffry　spoke：



〃I've　no　right　to　blame　you；　Mr。　Harz；　and　Chris　tells　me　you　came　to

see　me　first；　which　is　what　I　would　have　expected　of　you；　but　you

shouldn't　have　come　back。〃



〃I　came　back；　sir；　because　I　found　I　was　obliged。　　I　must　speak　out。〃



〃I　ask　nothing　better；〃　Mr。　Treffry　replied。



Harz　looked　again　at　Christian；　but　she　made　no　sign；　sitting　with

her　chin　resting　on　her　hands。



〃I　have　come　for　her；〃　he　said；　〃I　can　make　my　livingenough　for

both　of　us。　　But　I　can't　wait。〃



〃Why？〃



Harz　made　no　answer。



Mr。　Treffry　boomed　out　again：　〃　Why？　　Isn't　she　worth　waiting　for？

Isn't　she　worth　serving　for？〃



〃I　can't　expect　you　to　understand　me；〃　the　painter　said。　　〃My　art　is

my　life　to　me。　　Do　you　suppose　that　if　it　wasn't　I　should　ever　have

left　my　village；　or　gone　through　all　that　I've　gone　through；　to　get

as　far　even　as　I　am？　　You　tell　me　to　wait。　　If　my　thoughts　and　my

wi