villa rubein and other stories-第62章

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nothing　of。　　He　sprang　up　and　paced　the　room；　and　for　a　moment

thought　he　would　go　mad。



They　meant　him　to　marry　her！　　Even　sheshe　meant　him　to　marry　her！

Her　tantalising　inscrutability；　her　sudden　little　tendernesses；　her

quick　laughter；　her　swift；　burning　kisses；　even　the　movements　of　her

hands；　her　tearsall　were　evidence　against　her。　　Not　one　of　these

things　that　Nature　made　her　do　counted　on　her　side；　but　how　they

fanned　his　longing；　his　desire；　and　distress！　　He　went　to　the　glass

and　tried　to　part　his　hair　with　his　fingers；　but　being　rather　fine；

it　fell　into　lank　streaks。　　There　was　no　comfort　to　be　got　from　it。

He　drew　his　muddy　boots　on。　　Suddenly　he　thought：　'If　I　could　see　her

alone；　I　could　arrive　at　some　arrangement！'　　Then；　with　a　sense　of

stupefaction；　he　made　the　discovery　that　no　arrangement　could

possibly　be　made　that　would　not　be　dangerous；　even　desperate。　　He

seized　his　hat；　and；　like　a　rabbit　that　has　been　fired　at；　bolted

from　the　room。　　He　plodded　along　amongst　the　damp　woods　with　his　head

down；　and　resentment　and　dismay　in　his　heart。　　But；　as　the　sun　rose；

and　the　air　grew　sweet　with　pine　scent；　he　slowly　regained　a　sort　of

equability。　　After　all；　she　had　already　yielded；　it　was　not　as　if。。。！

And　the　tramp　of　his　own　footsteps　lulled　him　into　feeling　that　it

would　all　come　right。



'Look　at　the　thing　practically；'　he　thought。　　The　faster　he　walked

the　firmer　became　his　conviction　that　he　could　still　see　it　through。

He　took　out　his　watchit　was　past　sevenhe　began　to　hasten　back。

In　the　yard　of　the　inn　his　driver　was　harnessing　the　horses；　Swithin

went　up　to　him。



〃Who　told　you　to　put　them　in？〃　he　asked。



The　driver　answered；　〃Der　Herr。〃



Swithin　turned　away。　　'In　ten　minutes；'　he　thought；　'I　shall　be　in

that　carriage　again；　with　this　going　on　in　my　head！　　Driving　away

from　England；　from　all　I'm　used　to…driving　to…what？'　　Could　he　face

it？　　Could　he　face　all　that　he　had　been　through　that　morning；　face　it

day　after　day；　night　after　night？　　Looking　up；　he　saw　Rozsi　at　her

open　window　gazing　down　at　him；　never　had　she　looked　sweeter；　more

roguish。　　An　inexplicable　terror　seized　on　him；　he　ran　across　the

yard　and　jumped　into　his　carriage。　　〃To　Salzburg！〃　he　cried；　〃drive

on！〃　　And　rattling　out　of　the　yard　without　a　look　behind；　he　flung　a

sovereign　at　the　hostler。　　Flying　back　along　the　road　faster　even

than　he　had　come；　with　pale　face；　and　eyes　blank　and　staring　like　a

pug…dog's；　Swithin　spoke　no　single　word；　nor；　till　he　had　reached　the

door　of　his　lodgings；　did　he　suffer　the　driver　to　draw　rein。









XII



Towards　evening；　five　days　later；　Swithin；　yellow　and　travel…worn；

was　ferried　in　a　gondola　to　Danielli's　Hotel。　　His　brother；　who　was

on　the　steps；　looked　at　him　with　an　apprehensive　curiosity。



〃Why；　it's　you！〃　he　mumbled。　　〃So　you've　got　here　safe？〃



〃Safe？〃　growled　Swithin。



James　replied；　〃I　thought　you　wouldn't　leave　your　friends！〃　　Then；

with　a　jerk　of　suspicion；　〃You　haven't　brought　your　friends？〃



〃What　friends？〃　growled　Swithin。



James　changed　the　subject。　　〃You　don't　look　the　thing；〃　he　said。



〃Really！〃　muttered　Swithin；　〃what's　that　to　you？〃



He　appeared　at　dinner　that　night；　but　fell　asleep　over　his　coffee。

Neither　Traquair　nor　James　asked　him　any　further　question；　nor　did

they　allude　to　Salzburg；　and　during　the　four　days　which　concluded　the

stay　in　Venice　Swithin　went　about　with　his　head　up；　but　his　eyes

half…closed　like　a　dazed　man。　　Only　after　they　had　taken　ship　at

Genoa　did　he　show　signs　of　any　healthy　interest　in　life；　when；

finding　that　a　man　on　board　was　perpetually　strumming；　he　locked　the

piano　up　and　pitched　the　key　into　the　sea。



That　winter　in　London　he　behaved　much　as　usual；　but　fits　of

moroseness　would　seize　on　him；　during　which　he　was　not　pleasant　to

approach。



One　evening　when　he　was　walking　with　a　friend　in　Piccadilly；　a　girl

coming　from　a　side…street　accosted　him　in　German。　　Swithin；　after

staring　at　her　in　silence　for　some　seconds；　handed　her　a　five…pound

note；　to　the　great　amazement　of　his　friend；　nor　could　he　himself　have

explained　the　meaning　of　this　freak　of　generosity。



Of　Rozsi　he　never　heard　again。。。。



This；　then；　was　the　substance　of　what　he　remembered　as　he　lay　ill　in

bed。　　Stretching　out　his　hand　he　pressed　the　bell。　　His　valet

appeared；　crossing　the　room　like　a　cat；　a　Swede；　who　had　been　with

Swithin　many　years；　a　little　man　with　a　dried　face　and　fierce

moustache；　morbidly　sharp　nerves；　and　a　queer　devotion　to　his　master。



Swithin　made　a　feeble　gesture。　　〃Adolf；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　very　bad。〃



〃Yes；　sir！〃



〃Why　do　you　stand　there　like　a　cow？〃　asked　Swithin；　〃can't　you　see

I'm　very　bad？〃



〃Yes；　sir！〃　　The　valet's　face　twitched　as　though　it　masked　the　dance

of　obscure　emotions。



〃I　shall　feel　better　after　dinner。　　What　time　is　it？〃



〃Five　o'clock。〃



〃I　thought　it　was　more。　　The　afternoons　are　very　long。〃



〃Yes；　sir！〃Swithin　sighed；　as　though　he　had　expected　the　consolation

of　denial。



〃Very　likely　I　shall　have　a　nap。　　Bring　up　hot　water　at　half…past　six

and　shave　me　before　dinner。〃



The　valet　moved　towards　the　door。　　Swithin　raised　himself。



〃What　did　Mr。　James　say　to　you？〃



〃He　said　you　ought　to　have　another　doctor；　two　doctors；　he　said；

better　than　one。　　He　said；　also；　he　would　look　in　again　on　his　way

'home。'〃



Swithin　grunted；　〃Umph！　What　else　did　he　say？〃



〃He　said　you　didn't　take　care　of　yourself。〃



Swithin　glared。



〃Has　anybody　else　been　to　see　me？〃



The　valet　turned　away　his　eyes。　　〃Mrs。　Thomas　Forsyte　came　last

Monday　fortnight。〃



〃How　long　have　I　been　ill？〃



〃Five　weeks　on　Saturday。〃



〃Do　you　think　I'm　very　bad？〃



Adolf's　face　was　covered　suddenly　with　crow's…feet。　　〃You　have　no

business　to　ask　me　question　like　that！　　I　am　not　paid；　sir；　to　answer

question　like　that。〃



Swithin　said　faintly：　〃You're　a　peppery　fool！　　Open　a　bottle　of

champagne！〃



Adolf　took　a　bottle　of　champagnefrom　a　cupboard　and　held　nippers　to

it。　　He　fixed　his　eyes　on　Swithin。　　〃The　doctor　said〃



〃Open　the　bottle！〃



〃It　is　not〃



〃Open　the　bottleor　I　give　you　warning。〃



Adolf　removed　the　cork。　　He　wiped　a　glass　elaborately；　filled　it；　and

bore　it　scrupulously　to　the　bedside。　　Suddenly　twirling　his

moustaches；　he　wrung　his　hands；　and　burst　out：　〃It　is　poison。〃



Swithin　grinned　faintly。　　〃You　foreign　fool！〃　he　said。　　〃Get　out！〃



The　valet　vanished。



'He　forgot　himself！'　thought　Swithin。　　Slowly　he　raised　the　glass；

slowly　put　it　back；　and　sank　gasping　on　his　pillows。　　Almost　at　once

he　fell　asleep。



He　dreamed　that　he　was　at　his　club；　sitting　after　dinner　in　the

crowded　smoking…room；　with　its　bright　walls　and　trefoils　of　light。

It　was　there　that　he　sat　every　evening；　patient；　solemn；　lonely；　and

sometimes　fell　asleep；　his　square；　pale　old　face　nodding　to　one　side。

He　dreamed　that　he　was　gazing　at　the　picture　over　the　fireplace；　of

an　old　statesman　with　a　high　collar；　supremely　finished　face；　and

sceptical　eyebrowsthe　picture；　smooth；　and　reticent　as　sealing…wax；

of　one　who　seemed　for　ever　exhaling　the　narrow　wisdom　of　final

judgments。　　All　round　him；　his　fellow　members　were　chattering。　　Only

he　himself；　the　old　sick　member；　was　silent。　　If　fellows　only　knew

what　it　was　like　to　sit　by　yourself　and　feel　ill　all　the　time！　　What

they　were　saying　he　had　heard　a　hundred　times。　　They　were　talking　of

investments；　of　cigars；　horses；　actresses；　machinery。　　What　was　that？

A　foreign　patent　for　cleaning　boilers？　　There　was　no　such　thing；

boilers　couldn't　be　cleaned；　any　fool　knew　that！　　If　an　Englishman

couldn't　clean　a　boiler；　no　foreigner　could　clean　one。　　He　appealed

to　the　old　statesman's　eyes。　　But　for　once　those　eyes　seemed

hesitating；　blurred；　wanting　in　finality。　　They　vanished。　　In　their

place　were　Rozsi's　little　deep…set　eyes；　with　their　wide　and　far