villa rubein and other stories-第59章

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from　me；　you　know。〃



Rozsi　laughed。　　Swithin　withdrew　his　arm；　a　desire　to　shake　her

seized　him。　　He　walked　some　way　before　he　said；　〃Will　you　have　the

goodness　to　tell　me　what　you　came　to　that　seat　for？〃



Rozsi　flashed　a　look　at　him。　　〃To…morrow　is　the　fete；〃　she　answered。



Swithin　muttered；　〃Is　that　all？〃



〃If　you　do　not　take　us；　we　cannot　go。〃



〃Suppose　I　refuse；〃　he　said　sullenly；　〃there　are　plenty　of　others。〃



Rozsi　bent　her　head；　scurrying　along。　　〃No；〃　she　murmured；　〃if　you　do

not　goI　do　not　wish。〃



Swithin　drew　her　hand　back　within　his　arm。　　How　round　and　soft　it

was！　　He　tried　to　see　her　face。　　When　she　was　nearly　home　he　said

goodbye；　not　wishing；　for　some　dark　reason；　to　be　seen　with　her。　　He

watched　till　she　had　disappeared；　then　slowly　retraced　his　steps　to

the　Mirabell　Garden。　　When　he　came　to　where　she　had　been　sitting；　he

slowly　lighted　his　cigar；　and　for　a　long　time　after　it　was　smoked　out

remained　there　in　the　silent　presence　of　the　statues。









VII



A　crowd　of　people　wandered　round　the　booths；　and　Swithin　found

himself　obliged　to　give　the　girls　his　arms。　　'Like　a　little　Cockney

clerk！'　he　thought。　　His　indignation　passed　unnoticed；　they　talked；

they　laughed；　each　sight　and　sound　in　all　the　hurly…burly　seemed　to

go　straight　into　their　hearts。　　He　eyed　them　ironicallytheir　eager

voices；　and　little　coos　of　sympathy　seemed　to　him　vulgar。　　In　the

thick　of　the　crowd　he　slipped　his　arm　out　of　Margit's；　but；　just　as

he　thought　that　he　was　free；　the　unwelcome　hand　slid　up　again。　　He

tried　again；　but　again　Margit　reappeared；　serene；　and　full　of

pleasant　humour；　and　his　failure　this　time　appeared　to　him　in　a　comic

light。　　But　when　Rozsi　leaned　across　him；　the　glow　of　her　round

cheek；　her　curving　lip；　the　inscrutable　grey　gleam　of　her　eyes；　sent

a　thrill　of　longing　through　him。　　He　was　obliged　to　stand　by　while

they　parleyed　with　a　gipsy；　whose　matted　locks　and　skinny　hands

inspired　him　with　a　not　unwarranted　disgust。　　〃Folly！〃　he　muttered；

as　Rozsi　held　out　her　palm。　　The　old　woman　mumbled；　and　shot　a

malignant　look　at　him。　　Rozsi　drew　back　her　hand；　and　crossed

herself。　　'　Folly！'　Swithin　thought　again；　and　seizing　the　girls'

arms；　he　hurried　them　away。



〃What　did　the　old　hag　say？〃　he　asked。



Rozsi　shook　her　head。



〃You　don't　mean　that　you　believe？〃



Her　eyes　were　full　of　tears。　　〃The　gipsies　are　wise；〃　she　murmured。



〃Come；　what　did　she　tell　you？〃



This　time　Rozsi　looked　hurriedly　round；　and　slipped　away　into　the

crowd。　　After　a　hunt　they　found　her；　and　Swithin；　who　was　scared；

growled：　〃You　shouldn't　do　such　thingsit's　not　respectable。〃



On　higher　ground；　in　the　centre　of　a　clear　space；　a　military　band　was

playing。　　For　the　privilege　of　entering　this　charmed　circle　Swithin

paid　three　kronen；　choosing　naturally　the　best　seats。　　He　ordered

wine；　too；　watching　Rozsi　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　as　he　poured

it　out。　　The　protecting　tenderness　of　yesterday　was　all　lost　in　this

medley。　　It　was　every　man　for　himself；　after　all！　　The　colour　had

deepened　again　in　her　cheeks；　she　laughed；　pouting　her　lips。

Suddenly　she　put　her　glass　aside。　　〃Thank　you；　very　much；〃　she　said；

〃it　is　enough！〃



Margit；　whose　pretty　mouth　was　all　smiles；　cried；　〃Lieber　Gott！　is　it

not　good…life？〃　　It　was　not　a　question　Swithin　could　undertake　to

answer。　　The　band　began　to　play　a　waltz。　　〃Now　they　will　dance。

Lieber　Gott！　and　are　the　lights　not　wonderful？〃　　Lamps　were

flickering　beneath　the　trees　like　a　swarm　of　fireflies。　　There　was　a

hum　as　from　a　gigantic　beehive。　　Passers…by　lifted　their　faces；　then

vanished　into　the　crowd；　Rozsi　stood　gazing　at　them　spellbound；　as　if

their　very　going　and　coming　were　a　delight。



The　space　was　soon　full　of　whirling　couples。　　Rozsi's　head　began　to

beat　time。　　〃O　Margit！〃　she　whispered。



Swithin's　face　had　assumed　a　solemn；　uneasy　expression。　　A　man

raising　his　hat；　offered　his　arm　to　Margit。　　She　glanced　back　across

her　shoulder　to　reassure　Swithin。　　〃It　is　a　friend；〃　she　said。



Swithin　looked　at　Rozsiher　eyes　were　bright；　her　lips　tremulous。

He　slipped　his　hand　along　the　table　and　touched　her　fingers。　　Then

she　flashed　a　look　at　himappeal；　reproach；　tenderness；　all　were

expressed　in　it。　　Was　she　expecting　him　to　dance？　　Did　she　want　to

mix　with　the　rift…raff　there；　wish　him　to　make　an　exhibition　of

himself　in　this　hurly…burly？　　A　voice　said；　〃Good…evening！〃　　Before

them　stood　Kasteliz；　in　a　dark　coat　tightly　buttoned　at　the　waist。



〃You　are　not　dancing；　Rozsi　Kozsanony？〃　（Miss　Rozsi）。　　〃Let　me；　then；

have　the　pleasure。〃　　He　held　out　his　arm。　　Swithin　stared　in　front　of

him。　　In　the　very　act　of　going　she　gave　him　a　look　that　said　as　plain

as　words：　〃Will　you　not？〃　　But　for　answer　he　turned　his　eyes　away；

and　when　he　looked　again　she　was　gone。　　He　paid　the　score　and　made

his　way　into　the　crowd。　　But　as　he　went　she　danced　by　close　to　him；

all　flushed　and　panting。　　She　hung　back　as　if　to　stop　him；　and　he

caught　the　glistening　of　tears。　　Then　he　lost　sight　of　her　again。　　To

be　deserted　the　first　minute　he　was　alone　with　her；　and　for　that

jackanapes　with　the　small　head　and　the　volcanic　glances！　　It　was　too

much！　　And　suddenly　it　occurred　to　him　that　she　was　alone　with

Kastelizalone　at　night；　and　far　from　home。　　'　Well；'　he　thought；

'what　do　I　care？'　and　shouldered　his　way　on　through　the　crowd。　　It

served　him　right　for　mixing　with　such　people　here。　　He　left　the　fair；

but　the　further　he　went；　the　more　he　nursed　his　rage；　the　more

heinous　seemed　her　offence；　the　sharper　grew　his　jealousy。　　〃A

beggarly　baron！〃　was　his　thought。



A　figure　came　alongsideit　was　Boleskey。　　One　look　showed　Swithin

his　condition。　　Drunk　again！　　This　was　the　last　straw！



Unfortunately　Boleskey　had　recognised　him。　　He　seemed　violently

excited。　　〃Wherewhere　are　my　daughters？〃　he　began。



Swithin　brushed　past；　but　Boleskey　caught　his　arm。　　〃Listen

brother！〃　he　said；　〃news　of　my　country！　　After　to…morrow。。。。〃



〃Keep　it　to　yourself！〃　growled　Swithin；　wrenching　his　arm　free。　　He

went　straight　to　his　lodgings；　and；　lying　on　the　hard　sofa　of　his

unlighted　sitting…room；　gave　himself　up　to　bitter　thoughts。　　But　in

spite　of　all　his　anger；　Rozsi's　supply…moving　figure；　with　its

pouting　lips；　and　roguish　appealing　eyes；　still　haunted　him。









VIII



Next　morning　there　was　not　a　carriage　to　be　had；　and　Swithin　was

compelled　to　put　off　his　departure　till　the　morrow。　　The　day　was　grey

and　misty；　he　wandered　about　with　the　strained；　inquiring　look　of　a

lost　dog　in　his　eyes。



Late　in　the　afternoon　he　went　back　to　his　lodgings。　　In　a　corner　of

the　sitting…room　stood　Rozsi。　　The　thrill　of　triumph；　the　sense　of

appeasement；　the　emotion；　that　seized　on　him；　crept　through　to　his

lips　in　a　faint　smile。　　Rozsi　made　no　sound；　her　face　was　hidden　by

her　hands。　　And　this　silence　of　hers　weighed　on　Swithin。　　She　was

forcing　him　to　break　it。　　What　was　behind　her　hands？　　His　own　face

was　visible！　　Why　didn't　she　speak？　　Why　was　she　here？　　Alone？　　That

was　not　right　surely。



Suddenly　Rozsi　dropped　her　hands；　her　flushed　face　was　quiveringit

seemed　as　though　a　word；　a　sign；　even；　might　bring　a　burst　of　tears。



He　walked　over　to　the　window。　　'I　must　give　her　time！'　he　thought；

then　seized　by　unreasoning　terror　at　this　silence；　spun　round；　and

caught　her　by　the　arms。　　Rozsi　held　back　from　him；　swayed　forward　and

buried　her　face　on　his　breast。。。。



Half　an　hour　later　Swithin　was　pacing　up　and　down　his　room。　　The

scent　of　rose　leaves　had　not　yet　died　away。　　A　glove　lay　on　the

floor；　he　picked　it　up；　and　for　a　long　time　stood　weighing　it　in　his

hand。　　All　sorts　of　confused　thoughts　and　feelings　haunted　him。　　It

was　the　purest　and　least　selfish　moment　of　his　life；　this　moment

after　she　had　yielded。　　But　that　pure　gratitude　at　her　fiery；　simple

abnegation　did　not　last；　it　was　followed　by　a　petty　sense　of　triumph