villa rubein and other stories-第35章

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early　squatter's　times；　his　feats　with　horses　live　to　this　day；　and

he　was　through　the　Maori　wars；　as　Dan　says；　〃a　man　after　Uncle　Nic's

own　heart。〃



They　are　very　good　friends；　and　respect　each　other；　Dan　has　a　great

admiration　for　the　old　man；　but　the　attraction　is　Pasiance。　　He　talks

very　little　when　she's　in　the　room；　but　looks　at　her　in　a　sidelong；

wistful　sort　of　way。　　Pasiance's　conduct　to　him　would　be　cruel　in　any

one　else；　but　in　her；　one　takes　it　with　a　pinch　of　salt。　　Dan　goes

off；　but　turns　up　again　as　quiet　and　dogged　as　you　please。



Last　night；　for　instance；　we　were　sitting　in　the　loggia　after　supper。

Pasiance　was　fingering　the　strings　of　her　violin；　and　suddenly　Dan　（a

bold　thing　for　him）　asked　her　to　play。



〃What！〃　she　said；　〃before　men？　　No；　thank　you！〃



〃Why　not？〃



〃Because　I　hate　them。〃



Down　came　John　Ford's　hand　on　the　wicker　table：　〃You　forget　yourself！

Go　to　bed！〃



She　gave　Dan　a　look；　and　went；　we　could　hear　her　playing　in　her

bedroom；　it　sounded　like　a　dance　of　spirits；　and　just　when　one

thought　she　had　finished；　out　it　would　break　again　like　a　burst　of

laughter。　　Presently；　John　Ford　begged　our　pardons　ceremoniously；　and

stumped　off　indoors。　　The　violin　ceased；　we　heard　his　voice　growling

at　her；　down　he　came　again。　　Just　as　he　was　settled　in　his　chair

there　was　a　soft　swish；　and　something　dark　came　falling　through　the

apple　boughs。　　The　violin！　　You　should　have　seen　his　face！　　Dan　would

have　picked　the　violin　up；　but　the　old　man　stopped　him。　　Later；　from

my　bedroom　window；　I　saw　John　Ford　come　out　and　stand　looking　at　the

violin。　　He　raised　his　foot　as　if　to　stamp　on　it。　　At　last　he　picked

it　up；　wiped　it　carefully；　and　took　it　in。。。。



My　room　is　next　to　hers。　　I　kept　hearing　her　laugh；　a　noise　too　as　if

she　were　dragging　things　about　the　room。　　Then　I　fell　asleep；　but

woke　with　a　start；　and　went　to　the　window　for　a　breath　of　fresh　air。

Such　a　black；　breathless　night！　　Nothing　to　be　seen　but　the　twisted；

blacker　branches；　not　the　faintest　stir　of　leaves；　no　sound　but

muffled　grunting　from　the　cowhouse；　and　now　and　then　a　faint　sigh。　　I

had　the　queerest　feeling　of　unrest　and　fear；　the　last　thing　to　expect

on　such　a　night。　　There　is　something　here　that's　disturbing；　a　sort

of　suppressed　struggle。　　I've　never　in　my　life　seen　anything　so

irresponsible　as　this　girl；　or　so　uncompromising　as　the　old　man；　I

keep　thinking　of　the　way　he　wiped　that　violin。　　It's　just　as　if　a

spark　would　set　everything　in　a　blaze。　　There's　a　menace　of　tragedy

orperhaps　it's　only　the　heat；　and　too　much　of　Mother　Hopgood's

crame。。。。









II



〃Tuesday　。



。。。。。。I've　made　a　new　acquaintance。　　I　was　lying　in　the　orchard；　and

presently；　not　seeing　me；　he　came　alonga　man　of　middle　height；　with

a　singularly　good　balance；　and　no　lumberrather　old　blue　clothes；　a

flannel　shirt；　a　dull　red　necktie；　brown　shoes；　a　cap　with　a　leather

peak　pushed　up　on　the　forehead。　　Face　long　and　narrow；　bronzed　with　a

kind　of　pale　burnt…in　brownness；　a　good　forehead。　　A　brown　moustache；

beard　rather　pointed；　blackening　about　the　cheeks；　his　chin　not

visible；　but　from　the　beard's　growth　must　be　big；　mouth　I　should

judge　sensuous。　　Nose　straight　and　blunt；　eyes　grey；　with　an　upward

look；　not　exactly　frank；　because　defiant；　two　parallel　furrows　down

each　cheek；　one　from　the　inner　corner　of　the　eye；　one　from　the

nostril；　age　perhaps　thirty…five。　　About　the　face；　attitude；

movements；　something　immensely　vital；　adaptable；　daring；　and

unprincipled。



He　stood　in　front　of　the　loggia；　biting　his　fingers；　a　kind　of

nineteenth…century　buccaneer；　and　I　wondered　what　he　was　doing　in

this　galley。　They　say　you　can　tell　a　man　of　Kent　or　a　Somersetshire

man；　certainly　you　can　tell　a　Yorkshire　man；　and　this　fellow　could

only　have　been　a　man　of　Devon；　one　of　the　two　main　types　found　in

this　county。　　He　whistled；　and　out　came　Pasiance　in　a　geranium…

coloured　dress；　looking　like　some　tall　poppyyou　know　the　slight

droop　of　a　poppy's　head；　and　the　way　the　wind　sways　its　stem。。。。　She

is　a　human　poppy；　her　fuzzy　dark　hair　is　like　a　poppy's　lustreless

black　heart；　she　has　a　poppy's　tantalising　attraction　and　repulsion；

something　fatal；　or　rather　fateful。　　She　came　walking　up　to　my　new

friend；　then　caught　sight　of　me；　and　stopped　dead。



〃That；〃　she　said　to　me；　〃is　Zachary　Pearse。　　This；〃　she　said　to　him；

〃is　our　lodger。〃　　She　said　it　with　a　wonderful　soft　malice。　　She

wanted　to　scratch　me；　and　she　scratched。　　Half　an　hour　later　I　was　in

the　yard；　when　up　came　this　fellow　Pearse。



〃Glad　to　know　you；〃　he　said；　looking　thoughtfully　at　the　pigs。



〃You're　a　writer；　aren't　you？〃



〃A　sort　of　one；〃　I　said。



〃If　by　any　chance；〃　he　said　suddenly；　〃you're　looking　for　a　job；　I

could　put　something　in　your　way。　　Walk　down　to　the　beach　with　me；　and

I'll　tell　you；　my　boat's　at　anchor；　smartest　little　craft　in　these

parts。〃



It　was　very　hot；　and　I　had　no　desire　whatever　to　go　down　to　the

beachI　went；　all　the　same。　　We　had　not　gone　far　when　John　Ford　and

Dan　Treffry　came　into　the　lane。　　Our　friend　seemed　a　little

disconcerted；　but　soon　recovered　himself。　　We　met　in　the　middle　of

the　lane；　where　there　was　hardly　room　to　pass。　　John　Ford；　who　looked

very　haughty；　put　on　his　pince…nez　and　stared　at　Pearse。



〃Good…day！〃　said　Pearse；　〃fine　weather！　　I've　been　up　to　ask　Pasiance

to　come　for　a　sail。　　Wednesday　we　thought；　weather　permitting；　this

gentleman's　coming。　　Perhaps　you'll　come　too；　Mr。　Treffry。　　You've

never　seen　my　place。　　I'll　give　you　lunch；　and　show　you　my　father。

He's　worth　a　couple　of　hours'　sail　any　day。〃　　It　was　said　in　such　an

odd　way　that　one　couldn't　resent　his　impudence。　　John　Ford　was　seized

with　a　fit　of　wheezing；　and　seemed　on　the　eve　of　an　explosion；　he

glanced　at　me；　and　checked　himself。



〃You're　very　good；〃　he　said　icily；　〃my　granddaughter　has　other　things

to　do。　　You；　gentlemen；　will　please　yourselves〃；　and；　with　a　very

slight　bow；　he　went　stumping　on　to　the　house。　　Dan　looked　at　me；　and

I　looked　at　him。



〃You'll　come？〃　said　Pearse；　rather　wistfully。　　Dan　stammered：　〃Thank

you；　Mr。　Pearse；　I'm　a　better　man　on　a　horse　than　in　a　boat；　but

thank　you。〃　　Cornered　in　this　way；　he's　a　shy；　soft…hearted　being。

Pearse　smiled　his　thanks。　　〃Wednesday；　then；　at　ten　o'clock；　you

shan't　regret　it。〃



〃Pertinacious　beggar！〃　I　heard　Dan　mutter　in　his　beard；　and　found

myself　marching　down　the　lane　again　by　Pearse's　side。　　I　asked　him

what　he　was　good　enough　to　mean　by　saying　I　was　coming；　without

having　asked　me。　　He　answered；　unabashed：



〃You　see；　I'm　not　friends　with　the　old　man；　but　I　knew　he'd　not　be

impolite　to　you；　so　I　took　the　liberty。〃



He　has　certainly　a　knack　of　turning　one's　anger　to　curiosity。　　We

were　down　in　the　combe　now；　the　tide　was　running　out；　and　the　sand

all　little；　wet；　shining　ridges。　　About　a　quarter　of　a　mile　out　lay　a

cutter；　with　her　tan　sail　half　down；　swinging　to　the　swell。　　The

sunlight　was　making　the　pink　cliffs　glow　in　the　most　wonderful　way；

and　shifting　in　bright　patches　over　the　sea　like　moving　shoals　of

goldfish。　　Pearse　perched　himself　on　his　dinghy；　and　looked　out　under

his　hand。　　He　seemed　lost　in　admiration。



〃If　we　could　only　net　some　of　those　spangles；〃　he　said；　〃an'　make

gold　of　'em！　　No　more　work　then。〃



〃It's　a　big　job　I've　got　on；〃　he　said　presently；　〃I'll　tell　you　about

it　on　Wednesday。　I　want　a　journalist。〃



〃But　I　don't　write　for　the　papers；〃　I　said；　〃I　do　other　sort　of　work。

My　game　is　archaeology。〃



〃It　doesn't　matter；〃　he　said；　〃the　more　imagination　the　better。　　It'd

be　a　thundering　good　thing　for　you。〃



His　assurance　was　amazing；　but　it　was　past　supper…time；　and　hunger

getting　the　better　of　my　curiosity；　I　bade　him　good…night。　When　I

looked　back；　he　was　still　there；　on　the　edge　of　his　boat；　gazing　at

the　sea。　　A　queer　sort　of　bird　altogether；　but　attractive　somehow。



Nobo