villa rubein and other stories-第37章
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sordid； bold scheme； which； on the pivot of a trading venture； was
intended to spin a whole wheel of political convulsions。
〃They'll never let you get there；〃 said old Pearse。
〃Won't they？〃 returned Zachary。 〃Oh yes； they will； an' when I
leave； there'll be another dynasty； and I'll be a rich man。〃
〃Yu'll never leave；〃 answered the old man。
Zachary took out a sheet of paper covered with figures。 He had
worked the whole thing out。 So muchequipment； so muchtrade； so
muchconcessions； so muchemergencies。 〃My last mag！〃 he ended； 〃a
thousand short； the ship's ready； and if I'm not there within a month
my chance is as good as gone。〃
This was the pith of his confidencesan appeal for money； and we all
looked as men will when that crops up。
〃Mad！〃 muttered the old man； looking at the sea。
〃No；〃 said Zachary。 That one word was more eloquent than all the
rest of his words put together。 This fellow is no visionary。 His
scheme may be daring； and unprincipled； buthe knows very well what
he's about。
〃Well！〃 said old Pearse； 〃you shall have five 'undred of my money； if
it's only to learn what yu're made of。 Wheel me in！〃 Zachary
wheeled him into the house； but soon came back。
〃The old man's cheque for five hundred pounds！〃 he said； holding it
up。 〃Mr。 Treffry； give me another； and you shall have a third of the
profits。〃
I expected Dan to give a point…blank refusal。 But he only asked：
〃Would that clear you for starting？〃
〃With that；〃 said Zachary； 〃I can get to sea in a fortnight。〃
〃Good！〃 Dan said slowly。 〃Give me a written promise！ To sea in
fourteen days and my fair share on the five hundred poundsno more
no less。〃
Again I thought Pearse would have jumped at this； but he leaned his
chin on his hand； and looked at Dan； and Dan looked at him。 While
they were staring at each other like this； Pasiance came up with a
kitten。
〃See！〃 she said； 〃isn't it a darling？〃 The kitten crawled and clawed
its way up behind her neck。 I saw both men's eyes as they looked at
Pasiance； and suddenly understood what they were at。 The kitten
rubbed itself against Pasiance's cheek； overbalanced； and fell；
clawing； down her dress。 She caught it up and walked away。 Some
one； I don't know which of us； sighed； and Pearse cried 〃Done！〃
The bargain had been driven。
〃Good…bye； Mr。 Pearse；〃 said Dan； 〃 I guess that's all I'm wanted
for。 I'll find my pony waiting in the village。 George； you'll see
Pasiance home？〃
We heard the hoofs of his pony galloping down the road； Pearse
suddenly excused himself； and disappeared。
This venture of his may sound romantic and absurd； but it's matter…
of…fact enough。 He's after L。 s。 d。！ Shades of Drake； Raleigh；
Hawkins； Oxenham！ The worm of suspicion gnaws at the rose of
romance。 What if those fellows； too； were only after L。 s。 d。。。。？
I strolled into the pine…wood。 The earth there was covered like a
bee's body with black and gold stripes； there was the blue sea below；
and white； sleepy clouds； and bumble…bees booming above the heather；
it was all softness； a summer's day in Devon。 Suddenly I came on
Pearse standing at the edge of the cliff with Pasiance sitting in a
little hollow below； looking up at him。 I heard him say：
〃PasiancePasiance！〃 The sound of his voice； and the sight of her
soft； wondering face made me furious。 What business has she with
love； at her age？ What business have they with each other？
He told me presently that she had started off for home； and drove me
to the ferry； behind an old grey pony。 On the way he came back to
his offer of the other day。
〃Come with me；〃 he said。 〃It doesn't do to neglect the Press； you
can see the possibilities。 It's one of the few countries left。 If I
once get this business started you don't know where it's going to
stop。 You'd have free passage everywhere； and whatever you like in
reason。〃
I answered as rudely as I couldbut by no means as rudely as I
wantedthat his scheme was mad。 As a matter of fact； it's much too
sane for me； for； whatever the body of a scheme； its soul is the
fibre of the schemer。
〃Think of it；〃 he urged； as if he could see into me。 〃You can make
what you like of it。 Press paragraphs； of course。 But that's
mechanical； why； even I could do it； if I had time。 As for the rest；
you'll be as freeas free as a man。〃
There； in five words of one syllable； is the kernel of this fellow
Pearse〃As free as a man！〃 No rule； no law； not even the mysterious
shackles that bind men to their own self…respects！ 〃As free as a
man！〃 No ideals； no principles； no fixed star for his worship； no
coil he can't slide out of！ But the fellow has the tenacity of one
of the old Devon mastiffs； too。 He wouldn't take 〃No〃 for an answer。
〃Think of it；〃 he said； 〃any day will doI've got a fortnight。。。。
Look！ there she is！ 〃I thought that he meant Pasiance； but it was an
old steamer； sluggish and black in the blazing sun of mid…stream；
with a yellow…and…white funnel； and no sign of life on her decks。
〃That's herthe Pied Witcb！ Do her twelve knots； you wouldn't think
it！ Well！ good…evening！ You'd better come。 A word to me at any
time。 I'm going aboard now。〃
As I was being ferried across I saw him lolling in the stern…sheets
of a little boat； the sun crowning his straw hat with glory。
I came on Pasiance； about a mile up the road； sitting in the hedge。
We walked on together between the banksDevonshire banks； as high as
houses； thick with ivy and ferns； bramble and hazel boughs； and
honeysuckle。
〃Do you believe in a God？〃 she said suddenly。
〃Grandfather's God is simply awful。 When I'm playing the fiddle； I
can feel God； but grandfather's is such a stuffy Godyou know what I
mean： the sea； the wind； the trees； colours toothey make one feel。
But I don't believe that life was meant to 'be good' in。 Isn't there
anything better than being good？ When I'm 'good；' I simply feel
wicked。〃 She reached up； caught a flower from the hedge； and slowly
tore its petals。
〃What would you do；〃 she muttered； 〃if you wanted a thing； but were
afraid of it？ But I suppose you're never afraid！〃 she added； mocking
me。 I admitted that I was sometimes afraid； and often afraid of
being afraid。
〃That's nice！ I'm not afraid of illness； nor of grandfather； nor of
his God； butI want to be free。 If you want a thing badly； you're
afraid about it。〃
I thought of Zachary Pearse's words； 〃free as a man。〃
〃Why are you looking at me like that？〃 she said。
I stammered： 〃What do you mean by freedom？〃
〃Do you know what I shall do to…night？〃 she answered。 〃Get out of my
window by the apple…tree； and go to the woods； and play！〃
We were going down a steep lane； along the side of a wood； where
there's always a smell of sappy leaves； and the breath of the cows
that come close to the hedge to get the shade。
There was a cottage in the bottom； and a small boy sat outside
playing with a heap of dust。
〃Hallo； Johnny！〃 said Pasiance。 〃Hold your leg out and show this man
your bad place！〃 The small boy undid a bandage round his bare and
dirty little leg； and proudly revealed a sore。
〃Isn't it nasty？〃 cried Pasiance ruefully； tying up the bandage
again； 〃poor little feller！ Johnny； see what I've brought you！〃 She
produced from her pocket a stick of chocolate； the semblance of a
soldier made of sealing…wax and worsted； and a crooked sixpence。
It was a new glimpse of her。 All the way home she was telling me the
story of little Johnny's family； when she came to his mother's death；
she burst out： 〃A beastly shame； wasn't it； and they're so poor； it
might just as well have been somebody else。 I like poor people； but
I hate rich onesstuck…up beasts。〃
Mrs。 Hopgood was looking over the gate； with her cap on one side； and
one of Pasiance's cats rubbing itself ag
