villa rubein and other stories-第56章

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〃What？〃　said　Swithin；　〃and　you　gave　it　to　a　beggar？〃



〃My　name　is　BoleskeyStefan；〃　the　Hungarian　said；　raising　his　head；

〃of　the　Komorn　Boleskeys。〃　　The　simplicity　of　this　phraseas　who

shall　say：　What　need　of　further　description？made　an　impression　on

Swithin；　he　stopped　to　listen。　　Boleskey's　story　went　on　and　on。

〃There　were　many　abuses；〃　boomed　his　deep　voice；　〃much　wrong　done

much　cowardice。　　I　could　see　clouds　gatheringrolling　over　our

plains。　　The　Austrian　wished　to　strangle　the　breath　of　our　mouthsto

take　from　us　the　shadow　of　our　libertythe　shadowall　we　had。　　Two

years　agothe　year　of　'48；　when　every　man　and　boy　answered　the　great

voicebrother；　a　dog's　life！to　use　a　pen　when　all　of　your　blood

are　fighting；　but　it　was　decreed　for　me！　　My　son　was　killed；　my

brothers　takenand　myself　was　thrown　out　like　a　dogI　had　written

out　my　heart；　I　had　written　out　all　the　blood　that　was　in　my　body！〃

He　seemed　to　tower；　a　gaunt　shadow　of　a　man；　with　gloomy；　flickering

eyes　staring　at　the　wall。



Swithin　rose；　and　stammered；　〃Much　obligedvery　interesting。〃

Boleskey　made　no　effort　to　detain　him；　but　continued　staring　at　the

wall。　　〃Good…night！〃　said　Swithin；　and　stamped　heavily　downstairs。









III



When　at　last　Swithin　reached　the　Goldene　Alp；　he　found　his　brother

and　friend　standing　uneasily　at　the　door。　　Traquair；　a　prematurely

dried…up　man；　with　whiskers　and　a　Scotch　accent；　remarked；　〃Ye're

airly；　man！〃　　Swithin　growled　something　unintelligible；　and　swung　up

to　bed。　　He　discovered　a　slight　cut　on　his　arm。　　He　was　in　a　savage

temperthe　elements　had　conspired　to　show　him　things　he　did　not　want

to　see；　yet　now　and　then　a　memory　of　Rozsi；　of　her　soft　palm　in　his；

a　sense　of　having　been　stroked　and　flattered；　came　over　him。　　During

breakfast　next　morning　his　brother　and　Traquair　announced　their

intention　of　moving　on。　　James　Forsyte；　indeed；　remarked　that　it　was

no　place　for　a　〃collector；〃　since　all　the　〃old〃　shops　were　in　the

hands　of　Jews　or　very　grasping　personshe　had　discovered　this　at

once。　　Swithin　pushed　his　cup　aside。　　〃You　may　do　what　you　like；〃　he

said；　〃I'm　staying　here。〃



James　Forsyte　replied；　tumbling　over　his　own　words：　〃Why！　what　do　you

want　to　stay　here　for？　　There's　nothing　for　you　to　do　herethere's

nothing　to　see　here；　unless　you　go　up　the　Citadel；　an'　you　won't　do

that。〃



Swithin　growled；　〃Who　says　so？〃　　Having　gratified　his　perversity；　he

felt　in　a　better　temper。　　He　had　slung　his　arm　in　a　silk　sash；　and

accounted　for　it　by　saying　he　had　slipped。　　Later　he　went　out　and

walked　on　to　the　bridge。　　In　the　brilliant　sunshine　spires　were

glistening　against　the　pearly　background　of　the　hills；　the　town　had　a

clean；　joyous　air。　　Swithin　glanced　at　the　Citadel　and　thought；

'Looks　a　strong　place！　Shouldn't　wonder　if　it　were　impregnable！'　　And

this　for　some　occult　reason　gave　him　pleasure。　　It　occurred　to　him

suddenly　to　go　and　look　for　the　Hungarian's　house。



About　noon；　after　a　hunt　of　two　hours；　he　was　gazing　about　him

blankly；　pale　with　heat；　but　more　obstinate　than　ever；　when　a　voice

above　him　called；　〃Mister！〃　He　looked　up　and　saw　Rozsi。　　She　was

leaning　her　round　chin　on　her　round　hand；　gazing　down　at　him　with　her

deepset；　clever　eyes。　　When　Swithin　removed　his　hat；　she　clapped　her

hands。　　Again　he　had　the　sense　of　being　admired；　caressed。　　With　a

careless　air；　that　sat　grotesquely　on　his　tall　square　person；　he

walked　up　to　the　door；　both　girls　stood　in　the　passage。　　Swithin　felt

a　confused　desire　to　speak　in　some　foreign　tongue。　　〃Maam'selles；〃　he

began；　〃erbong　jour…er；　your　fatherpare；　comment？〃



〃We　also　speak　English；〃　said　the　elder　girl；　〃will　you　come　in；

please？〃



Swithin　swallowed　a　misgiving；　and　entered。　　The　room　had　a　worn

appearance　by　daylight；　as　if　it　had　always　been　the　nest　of　tragic

or　vivid　lives。　　He　sat　down；　and　his　eyes　said：　〃I　am　a　stranger；

but　don't　try　to　get　the　better　of　me；　pleasethat　is　impossible。〃

The　girls　looked　at　him　in　silence。　　Rozsi　wore　a　rather　short　skirt

of　black　stuff；　a　white　shirt；　and　across　her　shoulders　an

embroidered　yoke；　her　sister　was　dressed　in　dark　green；　with　a　coral

necklace；　both　girls　had　their　hair　in　plaits。　　After　a　minute　Rozsi

touched　the　sleeve　of　his　hurt　arm。



〃It's　nothing！〃　muttered　Swithin。



〃Father　fought　with　a　chair；　but　you　had　no　chair；〃　she　said　in　a

wondering　voice。



He　doubled　the　fist　of　his　sound　arm　and　struck　a　blow　at　space。　　To

his　amazement　she　began　to　laugh。　　Nettled　at　this；　he　put　his　hand

beneath　the　heavy　table　and　lifted　it。　　Rozsi　clapped　her　hands。　　〃Ah

I　now　I　seehow　strong　you　are！〃　　She　made　him　a　curtsey　and　whisked

round　to　the　window。　　He　found　the　quick　intelligence　of　her　eyes

confusing；　sometimes　they　seemed　to　look　beyond　him　at　something

invisiblethis；　too；　confused　him。　　From　Margit　he　learned　that　they

had　been　two　years　in　England；　where　their　father　had　made　his　living

by　teaching　languages；　they　had　now　been　a　year　in　Salzburg。



〃We　wait；〃　suddenly　said。　　Rozsi；　and　Margit；　with　a　solemn　face；

repeated；　〃We　wait。〃



Swithin's　eyes　swelled　a　little　with　his　desire　to　see　what　they　were

waiting　for。　　How　queer　they　were；　with　their　eyes　that　gazed　beyond

him！　　He　looked　at　their　figures。　　'She　would　pay　for　dressing；'　he

thought；　and　he　tried　to　imagine　Rozsi　in　a　skirt　with　proper

flounces；　a　thin　waist；　and　hair　drawn　back　over　her　ears。　　She　would

pay　for　dressing；　with　that　supple　figure；　fluffy　hair；　and　little

hands！　　And　instantly　his　own　hands；　face；　and　clothes　disturbed　him。

He　got　up；　examined　the　pistols　on　the　wall；　and　felt　resentment　at

the　faded；　dusty　room。　　'Smells　like　a　pot…house！'　he　thought。　　He

sat　down　again　close　to　Rozsi。



〃Do　you　love　to　dance？〃　she　asked；　〃to　dance　is　to　live。　　First　you

hear　the　musichow　your　feet　itch！　　It　is　wonderful！　　You　begin

slow；　quickquicker；　you　flyyou　know　nothingyour　feet　are　in　the

air。　　It　is　wonderful！〃



A　slow　flush　had　mounted　into　Swithin's　face。



〃Ah！〃　continued　Rozsi；　her　eyes　fixed　on　him；　〃when　I　am　dancingout

there　I　see　the　plainsyour　feet　go　onetwothreequick；　quick；

quick；　quickeryou　fly。〃



She　stretched　herself；　a　shiver　seemed　to　pass　all　down　her。

〃Margit！　dance！〃　and；　to　Swithin's　consternation；　the　two　girls

their　hands　on　each　other's　shouldersbegan　shuffling　their　feet　and

swaying　to　and　fro。　　Their　heads　were　thrown　back；　their　eyes　half…

closed；　suddenly　the　step　quickened；　they　swung　to　one　side；　then　to

the　other；　and　began　whirling　round　in　front　of　him。　　The　sudden

fragrance　of　rose　leaves　enveloped　him。　　Round　they　flew　again。

While　they　were　still　dancing；　Boleskey　came　into　the　room。　　He

caught　Swithin　by　both　hands。



〃Brother；　welcome！　Ah！　your　arm　is　hurt！　I　do　not　forget。〃　　His

yellow　face　and　deep…set　eyes　expressed　a　dignified　gratitude。　　〃Let

me　introduce　to　you　my　friend　Baron　Kasteliz。〃



Swithin　bowed　to　a　man　with　a　small　forehead；　who　had　appeared

softly；　and　stood　with　his　gloved　hands　touching　his　waist。　　Swithin

conceived　a　sudden　aversion　for　this　catlike　man。　　About　Boleskey

there　was　that　which　made　contempt　impossiblethe　sense　of

comradeship　begotten　in　the　fight；　the　man's　height；　something　lofty

and　savage　in　his　face；　and　an　obscure　instinct　that　it　would　not　pay

to　show　distaste；　but　this　Kasteliz；　with　his　neat　jaw；　low　brow；　and

velvety；　volcanic　look；　excited　his　proper　English　animosity。　　〃Your

friends　are　mine；〃　murmured　Kasteliz。　　He　spoke　with　suavity；　and

hissed　his　s's。　　A　long；　vibrating　twang　quavered　through　the　room。

Swithin　turned　and　saw　Rozsi　sitting　at　the　czymbal；　the　notes　rang

under　the　little　hammers　in　her　hands；　incessant；　metallic；　rising

and　falling　with　that　strange　melody。　　Kasteliz　had　fixed　his　glowing

eyes　on　her；　Boleskey；　nodding　his　head；　was　staring　at　the　floor；

Margit；　with　a　pale　face；　stood　like　a　statue。



'What　can　they　see　in　i