by shore and sedge(沙滩和苔草旁)-第22章
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father to visit her patient。 To avoid attracting attention she did not take a
light； but groped her way to the lower deck and rapped softly at the door。
It was instantly opened by de Ferrieres。 He had apparently appreciated the
few changes she had already made in the room； and had himself cleared
away the pallet from which he had risen to make two low seats against the
wall。 Two bits of candle placed on the floor illuminated the beams above；
the dressing…gown was artistically draped over the solitary chair； and a pile
of cushions formed another seat。 With elaborate courtesy he handed Miss
Rosey to the chair。 He looked pale and weak； though the gravity of the
attack had evidently passed。 Yet he persisted in remaining standing。 〃If I
sit；〃 he explained with a gesture； 〃I shall again disgrace myself by sleeping
in Mademoiselle's presence。 Yes！ I shall sleepI shall dreamand wake to
find her gone？〃
More embarrassed by his recovery than when he was lying helplessly
before her； she said hesitatingly that she was glad he was better； and that
she hoped he liked the broth。
〃It was manna from heaven； Mademoiselle。 See； I have taken it all
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every precious drop。 What else could I have done for Mademoiselle's
kindness？〃
He showed her the empty bowl。 A swift conviction came upon her that
the man had been suffering from want of food。 The thought restored her
self…possession even while it brought the tears to her eyes。 〃I wish you
would let me speak to fatheror some one；〃 she said impulsively； and
stopped。
A quick and half insane gleam of terror and suspicion lit up his deep
eyes。 〃For what； Mademoiselle！ For an accidentthat is nothing
absolutely nothing； for I am strong and well nowsee！〃 he said
tremblingly。 〃Or for a whimfor a folly you may say； that they will
misunderstand。 No； Mademoiselle is good； is wise。 She will say to herself；
'I understand； my friend Monsieur de Ferrieres for the moment has a secret。
He would seem poor； he would take the role of artisan； he would shut
himself up in these wallsperhaps I may guess why； but it is his secret。 I
think of it no more。'〃 He caught her hand in his with a gesture that he
would have made one of gallantry； but that in its tremulous intensity
became a piteous supplication。
〃I have said nothing； and will say nothing； if you wish it；〃 said Rosey
hastily； 〃but others may find out how you live here。 This is not fit work for
you。 You seem to be aa gentleman。 You ought to be a lawyer； or a doctor；
or in a bank；〃 she continued timidly； with a vague enumeration of the
prevailing degrees of local gentility。
He dropped her hand。 〃Ah！ does not Mademoiselle comprehend that it
is BECAUSE I am a gentleman that there is nothing between it and this？
Look！〃 he continued almost fiercely。 〃What if I told you it is the lawyer； it
is the doctor； it is the banker that brings me； a gentleman； to this； eh？ Ah；
bah！ What do I say？ This is honest； what I do！ But the lawyer； the banker；
the doctor； what are they？〃 He shrugged his shoulders； and pacing the
apartment with a furtive glance at the half anxious； half frightened girl；
suddenly stopped； dragged a small portmanteau from behind the heap of
bales and opened it。 〃Look； Mademoiselle；〃 he said； tremulously lifting a
handful of worn and soiled letters and papers。 〃Lookthese are the tools of
your banker； your lawyer； your doctor。 With this the banker will make you
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poor； the lawyer will prove you a thief； the doctor will swear you are crazy；
eh？ What shall you call the work of a gentlemanthis〃he dragged the
pile of cushions forward〃or this？〃
To the young girl's observant eyes some of the papers appeared to be
of a legal or official character； and others like bills of lading； with which
she was familiar。 Their half…theatrical exhibition reminded her of some
play she had seen； they might be the clue to some story； or the mere
worthless hoardings of a diseased fancy。 Whatever they were； de Ferrieres
did not apparently care to explain further； indeed； the next moment his
manner changed to his old absurd extravagance。 〃But this is stupid for
Mademoiselle to hear。 What shall we speak of？ Ah； what SHOULD we
speak of in Mademoiselle's presence？〃
〃But are not these papers valuable？〃 asked Rosey； partly to draw her
host's thoughts back to their former channel。
〃Perhaps。〃 He paused and regarded the young girl fixedly。 〃Does
Mademoiselle think so？〃
〃I don't know；〃 said Rosey。 〃How should I？〃
〃Ah！ if Mademoiselle thought soif Mademoiselle would deign〃 He
stopped again and placed his hand upon his forehead。 〃It might be so！〃 he
muttered。
〃I must go now；〃 said Rosey； hurriedly； rising with an awkward sense
of constraint。 〃Father will wonder where I am。〃
〃I shall explain。 I will accompany you； Mademoiselle。〃
〃No； no；〃 said Rosey； quickly； 〃he must not know I have been here！〃
She stopped。 The honest blush flew to her cheek； and then returned again；
because she had blushed。
De Ferrieres gazed at her with an exalted look。 Then drawing himself
to his full height； he said； with an exaggerated and indescribable gesture；
〃Go； my child； go。 Tell your father that you have been alone and
unprotected in the abode of poverty and suffering； butthat it was in the
presence of Armand de Ferrieres。〃
He threw open the door with a bow that nearly swept the ground； but
did not again offer to take her hand。 At once impressed and embarrassed at
this crowning incongruity； her pretty lip trembled between a smile and a
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cry as she said； 〃Good…night；〃 and slipped away into the darkness。
Erect and grotesque de Ferrieres retained the same attitude until the
sound of her footsteps was lost； when he slowly began to close the door。
But a strong arm arrested it from without； and a large carpeted foot
appeared at the bottom of the narrowing opening。 The door yielded； and
Mr。 Abner Nott entered the room。
IV
With an exclamation and a hurried glance around him； de Ferrieres
threw himself before the intruder。 But slowly lifting his large hand； and
placing it on his lodger's breast； he quietly overbore the sick man's feeble
resistance with an impact of power that seemed almost as moral as it was
physical。 He did not appear to take any notice of the room or its miserable
surroundings； indeed； scarcely of the occupant。 Still pushing him； with
abstracted eyes and immobile face； to the chair that Rosey had just quitted；
he made him sit down； and then took up his own position on the pile of
cushions opposite。 His usually underdone complexion was of watery
blueness； but his dull； abstracted glance appeared to exercise a certain
dumb； narcotic fascination on his lodger。
〃I mout；〃 said Nott； slowly； 〃hev laid ye out here on sight； without
enny wa
