wessex tales-第30章

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that　it　should　be　so；　for　he　did　not　go　anywhere　out　of　his
accustomed　ways　to　endeavour　to　discover　her。



CHAPTER　VIII



The　winter　and　the　spring　had　passed；　and　the　house　was　complete。
It　was　a　fine　morning　in　the　early　part　of　June；　and　Barnet；　though
not　in　the　habit　of　rising　early；　had　taken　a　long　walk　before
breakfast；　returning　by　way　of　the　new　building。　　A　sufficiently
exciting　cause　of　his　restlessness　to…day　might　have　been　the
intelligence　which　had　reached　him　the　night　before；　that　Lucy
Savile　was　going　to　India　after　all；　and　notwithstanding　the
representations　of　her　friends　that　such　a　journey　was　unadvisable
in　many　ways　for　an　unpractised　girl；　unless　some　more　definite
advantage　lay　at　the　end　of　it　than　she　could　show　to　be　the　case。
Barnet's　walk　up　the　slope　to　the　building　betrayed　that　he　was　in　a
dissatisfied　mood。　　He　hardly　saw　that　the　dewy　time　of　day　lent　an
unusual　freshness　to　the　bushes　and　trees　which　had　so　recently　put
on　their　summer　habit　of　heavy　leafage；　and　made　his　newly…laid　lawn
look　as　well　established　as　an　old　manorial　meadow。　　The　house　had
been　so　adroitly　placed　between　six　tall　elms　which　were　growing　on
the　site　beforehand；　that　they　seemed　like　real　ancestral　trees；　and
the　rooks；　young　and　old；　cawed　melodiously　to　their　visitor。

The　door　was　not　locked；　and　he　entered。　　No　workmen　appeared　to　be
present；　and　he　walked　from　sunny　window　to　sunny　window　of　the
empty　rooms；　with　a　sense　of　seclusion　which　might　have　been　very
pleasant　but　for　the　antecedent　knowledge　that　his　almost　paternal
care　of　Lucy　Savile　was　to　be　thrown　away　by　her　wilfulness。
Footsteps　echoed　through　an　adjoining　room；　and　bending　his　eyes　in
that　direction；　he　perceived　Mr。　Jones；　the　architect。　　He　had　come
to　look　over　the　building　before　giving　the　contractor　his　final
certificate。　　They　walked　over　the　house　together。　　Everything　was
finished　except　the　papering：　　there　were　the　latest　improvements　of
the　period　in　bell…hanging；　ventilating；　smoke…jacks；　fire…grates；
and　French　windows。　　The　business　was　soon　ended；　and　Jones；　having
directed　Barnet's　attention　to　a　roll　of　wall…paper　patterns　which
lay　on　a　bench　for　his　choice；　was　leaving　to　keep　another
engagement；　when　Barnet　said；　'Is　the　tomb　finished　yet　for　Mrs。
Downe？'

'Wellyes：　　it　is　at　last；'　said　the　architect；　coming　back　and
speaking　as　if　he　were　in　a　mood　to　make　a　confidence。　　'I　have　had
no　end　of　trouble　in　the　matter；　and；　to　tell　the　truth；　I　am
heartily　glad　it　is　over。'

Barnet　expressed　his　surprise。　　'I　thought　poor　Downe　had　given　up
those　extravagant　notions　of　his？　then　he　has　gone　back　to　the　altar
and　canopy　after　all？　　Well；　he　is　to　be　excused；　poor　fellow！'

'O　nohe　has　not　at　all　gone　back　to　themquite　the　reverse；'
Jones　hastened　to　say。　　'He　has　so　reduced　design　after　design；　that
the　whole　thing　has　been　nothing　but　waste　labour　for　me；　till　in
the　end　it　has　become　a　common　headstone；　which　a　mason　put　up　in
half　a　day。'

'A　common　headstone？'　said　Barnet。

'Yes。　　I　held　out　for　some　time　for　the　addition　of　a　footstone　at
least。　　But　he　said；　〃O　nohe　couldn't　afford　it。〃'

'Ah；　wellhis　family　is　growing　up；　poor　fellow；　and　his　expenses
are　getting　serious。'

'Yes；　exactly；'　said　Jones；　as　if　the　subject　were　none　of　his。　　And
again　directing　Barnet's　attention　to　the　wall…papers；　the　bustling
architect　left　him　to　keep　some　other　engagement。

'A　common　headstone；'　murmured　Barnet；　left　again　to　himself。　　He
mused　a　minute　or　two；　and　next　began　looking　over　and　selecting
from　the　patterns；　but　had　not　long　been　engaged　in　the　work　when　he
heard　another　footstep　on　the　gravel　without；　and　somebody　enter　the
open　porch。

Barnet　went　to　the　doorit　was　his　manservant　in　search　of　him。

'I　have　been　trying　for　some　time　to　find　you；　sir；'　he　said。　　'This
letter　has　come　by　the　post；　and　it　is　marked　immediate。　　And
there's　this　one　from　Mr。　Downe；　who　called　just　now　wanting　to　see
you。'　　He　searched　his　pocket　for　the　second。

Barnet　took　the　first　letterit　had　a　black　border；　and　bore　the
London　postmark。　　It　was　not　in　his　wife's　handwriting；　or　in　that
of　any　person　he　knew；　but　conjecture　soon　ceased　as　he　read　the
page；　wherein　he　was　briefly　informed　that　Mrs。　Barnet　had　died
suddenly　on　the　previous　day；　at　the　furnished　villa　she　had
occupied　near　London。

Barnet　looked　vaguely　round　the　empty　hall；　at　the　blank　walls；　out
of　the　doorway。　　Drawing　a　long　palpitating　breath；　and　with　eyes
downcast；　he　turned　and　climbed　the　stairs　slowly；　like　a　man　who
doubted　their　stability。　　The　fact　of　his　wife　having；　as　it　were；
died　once　already；　and　lived　on　again；　had　entirely　dislodged　the
possibility　of　her　actual　death　from　his　conjecture。　　He　went　to　the
landing；　leant　over　the　balusters；　and　after　a　reverie；　of　whose
duration　he　had　but　the　faintest　notion；　turned　to　the　window　and
stretched　his　gaze　to　the　cottage　further　down　the　road；　which　was
visible　from　his　landing；　and　from　which　Lucy　still　walked　to　the
solicitor's　house　by　a　cross　path。　　The　faint　words　that　came　from
his　moving　lips　were　simply；　'At　last！'

Then；　almost　involuntarily；　Barnet　fell　down　on　his　knees　and
murmured　some　incoherent　words　of　thanksgiving。　　Surely　his　virtue
in　restoring　his　wife　to　life　had　been　rewarded！　　But；　as　if　the
impulse　struck　uneasily　on　his　conscience；　he　quickly　rose；　brushed
the　dust　from　his　trousers　and　set　himself　to　think　of　his　next
movements。　　He　could　not　start　for　London　for　some　hours；　and　as　he
had　no　preparations　to　make　that　could　not　be　made　in　half…an…hour；
he　mechanically　descended　and　resumed　his　occupation　of　turning　over
the　wall…papers。　　They　had　all　got　brighter　for　him；　those　papers。
It　was　all　changedwho　would　sit　in　the　rooms　that　they　were　to
line？　　He　went　on　to　muse　upon　Lucy's　conduct　in　so　frequently
coming　to　the　house　with　the　children；　her　occasional　blush　in
speaking　to　him；　her　evident　interest　in　him。　　What　woman　can　in　the
long　run　avoid　being　interested　in　a　man　whom　she　knows　to　be
devoted　to　her？　　If　human　solicitation　could　ever　effect　anything；
there　should　be　no　going　to　India　for　Lucy　now。　　All　the　papers
previously　chosen　seemed　wrong　in　their　shades；　and　he　began　from
the　beginning　to　choose　again。

While　entering　on　the　task　he　heard　a　forced　'Ahem！'　from　without
the　porch；　evidently　uttered　to　attract　his　attention；　and　footsteps
again　advancing　to　the　door。　　His　man；　whom　he　had　quite　forgotten
in　his　mental　turmoil；　was　still　waiting　there。

'I　beg　your　pardon；　sir；'　the　man　said　from　round　the　doorway；　'but
here's　the　note　from　Mr。　Downe　that　you　didn't　take。　　He　called　just
after　you　went　out；　and　as　he　couldn't　wait；　he　wrote　this　on　your
study…table。'

He　handed　in　the　letterno　black…bordered　one　now；　but　a　practical…
looking　note　in　the　well…known　writing　of　the　solicitor。


'DEAR　BARNET'it　ran'Perhaps　you　will　be　prepared　for　the
information　I　am　about　to　givethat　Lucy　Savile　and　myself　are
going　to　be　married　this　morning。　　I　have　hitherto　said　nothing　as
to　my　intention　to　any　of　my　friends；　for　reasons　which　I　am　sure
you　will　fully　appreciate。　　The　crisis　has　been　brought　about　by　her
expressing　her　intention　to　join　her　brother　in　India。　　I　then
discovered　that　I　could　not　do　without　her。

'It　is　to　be　quite　a　private　wedding；　but　it　is　my　particular　wish
that　you　come　down　here　quietly　at　ten；　and　go　to　church　with　us；　it
will　add　greatly　to　the　pleasure　I　shall　experience　in　the　ceremony；
and；　I　believe；　to　Lucy's　also。　　I　have　called　on　you　very　early　to
make　the　request；　in　the　belief　that　I　should　find　you　at　home；　but
you　are　beforehand　with　me　in　your　early　rising。Yours　sincerely；
C。　Downe。'


'Need　I　wait；　sir？'　said　the　servant　after　a　dead　silence。

'That　will　do；　William。　　No　answer；'　said　Barnet　calmly。

When　the　man　had　gone　Barnet　re…read　the　letter。　　Turning　eventually
to　the　wall…papers；　which　he　had　been　at　such　pains　to　select；　he
deliberately　tore　them　into　halves　and　quarters；　and　threw　them　into
the　empty　fireplace。　　Then　he　went　out　of　the　house；　locked　the
door