the secret places of the heart-第4章

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；　they　trip　your　feet　and　jog　your　elbow。　They　crowd　and　cluster　behind　you。　Wherever　your　shadow　falls；　they　creep　right　up　to　you；　creep　upon　you　and　struggle　to　take　possession　of　you。　The　souls　of　apes；　monkeys；　reptiles　and　creeping　things　haunt　the　passages　and　attics　and　cellars　of　this　living　house　in　which　your　consciousness　has　awakened　。　。　。　。　〃　The　doctor　gave　this　quotation　from　his　unpublished　book　the　advantages　of　an　abrupt　break　and　a　pause。　Sir　Richmond　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　smiled。　〃And　you　propose　a　vermin　hunt　in　the　old　tenement？〃　〃The　modern　man　has　to　be　master　in　his　own　house。　He　has　to　take　stock　and　know　what　is　there。〃　〃Three　weeks　of　self　vivisection。〃　〃To　begin　with。　Three　weeks　of　perfect　honesty　with　yourself。　As　an　opening。　。　。　。　It　will　take　longer　than　that　if　we　are　to　go　through　with　the　job。〃　It　is　a　considerableprocess。〃　〃It　is。〃　〃Yet　you　shrink　from　simple　things　like　drugs！〃　〃Self…knowledgewithout　anaesthetics。〃　〃Has　this　sort　of　thing　ever　done　anyone　any　good　at　all？〃　〃It　has　turned　hundreds　back　to　sanity　and　steady　work。〃　〃How　frank　are　we　going　to　be？　How　full　are　we　going　to　be？　Anyhowwe　can　break　off　at　any　time。　。　。　。　We'll　try　it。　We'll　try　it。　。　。　。　And　so　for　this　journey　into　the　west　of　England。　。　。　。　Andif　we　can　get　thereI'm　not　sure　that　we　can　get　thereinto　the　secret　places　of　my　heart。

CHAPTER　THE　SECOND　LADY　HARDY　The　patient　left　the　house　with　much　more　self　possession　than　he　had　shown　when　entering　it。　Dr。　Martineau　had　thrust　him　back　from　his　intenser　prepossessions　to　a　more　generalized　view　of　himself；　had　made　his　troubles　objective　and　detached　him　from　them。　He　could　even　find　something　amusing　now　in　his　situation。　He　liked　the　immense　scope　of　the　theoretical　duet　in　which　they　had　indulged。　He　felt　that　most　of　it　was　entirely　trueand；　in　some　untraceable　manner；　absurd。　There　were　entertaining　possibilities　in　the　prospect　of　the　doctor　drawing　him　outhe　himself　partly　assisting　and　partly　resisting。　He　was　a　man　of　extensive　reservations。　His　private　life　was　in　some　respects　exceptionally　private。　〃I　don't　confide　。　。　。　。　Do　I　even　confide　in　myself？　I　imagine　I　do　。　。　。　。　Is　there　anything　in　myself　that　I　haven't　looked　squarely　in　the　face？　。　。　。　How　much　are　we　going　into？　Even　as　regards　facts？　〃Does　it　really　help　a　manto　see　himself？。　。　。〃　Such　thoughts　engaged　him　until　he　found　himself　in　his　study。　His　desk　and　his　writing　table　were　piled　high　with　a　heavy　burthen　of　work。　Still　a　little　preoccupied　with　Dr。　Martineau's　exposition；　he　began　to　handle　this　confusion。　。　。　。　At　half　past　nine　he　found　himself　with　three　hours　of　good　work　behind　him。　It　had　seemed　like　two。　He　had　not　worked　like　this　for　many　weeks。　〃This　is　very　cheering；〃　he　said。　〃And　unexpected。　Can　old　Moon…face　have　hypnotized　me？　Anyhow。　。　。　Perhaps　I've　only　imagined　I　was　ill。　。　。　。　Dinner？〃　He　looked　at　his　watch　and　was　amazed　at　the　time。　〃Good　Lord！　I've　been　at　it　three　hours。　What　can　have　happened？　Funny　I　didn't　hear　the　gong。〃　He　went　downstairs　and　found　Lady　Hardy　reading　a　magazine　in　a　dining…room　armchair　and　finely　poised　between　devotion　and　martyrdom。　A　shadow　of　vexation　fell　athwart　his　mind　at　the　sight　of　her。　〃I'd　no　idea　it　was　so　late；〃　he　said。　〃I　heard　no　gong。〃　〃After　you　swore　so　at　poor　Bradley　I　ordered　that　there　should　be　no　gongs　when　we　were　alone。　I　did　come　up　to　your　door　about　half　past　eight。　I　crept　up。　But　I　was　afraid　I　might　upset　you　if　I　came　in。〃　〃But　you've　not　waited〃　〃I've　had　a　mouthful　of　soup。〃　Lady　Hardy　rang　the　bell。　〃I've　done　some　work　at　last；〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　astride　on　the　hearthrug。　〃I'm　glad；〃　said　Lady　Hardy；　without　gladness。　〃I　waited　for　three　hours。〃　Lady　Hardy　was　a　frail　little　blue…eyed　woman　with　uneven　shoulders　and　a　delicate　sweet　profile。　Hers　was　that　type　of　face　that　under　even　the　most　pleasant　and　luxurious　circumstances　still　looks　bravely　and　patiently　enduring。　Her　refinement　threw　a　tinge　of　coarseness　over　his　eager　consumption　of　his　excellent　clear　soup。　〃What's　this　fish；　Bradley？〃　he　asked。　〃Turbot；　Sir　Richmond。〃　〃Don't　you　have　any？〃　he　asked　his　wife。　〃I've　had　a　little　fish；　〃　said　Lady　Hardy。　When　Bradley　was　out　of　the　room；　Sir　Richmond　remarked：　〃I　saw　that　nerves　man；　Dr。　Martineau；　to…day。　He　wants　me　to　take　a　holiday。　〃　The　quiet　patience　of　the　lady's　manner　intensified。　She　said　nothing。　A　flash　of　resentment　lit　Sir　Richmond's　eyes。　When　he　spoke　again；　he　seemed　to　answer　unspoken　accusations。　〃Dr。　Martineau's　idea　is　that　he　should　come　with　me。〃　The　lady　adjusted　herself　to　a　new　point　of　view。　〃But　won't　that　be　reminding　you　of　your　illness　and　worries？〃　〃He　seems　a　good　sort　of　fellow。　。　。　。　I'm　inclined　to　like　him。　He'll　be　as　good　company　as　anyone。　。　。　。　This　TOURNEDOS　looks　excellent。　Have　some。〃　〃I　had　a　little　bird；〃　said　Lady　Hardy；　〃when　I　found　you　weren't　coming。〃　〃But　I　saydon't　wait　here　if　you've　dined。　Bradley　can　see　to　me。〃　She　smiled　and　shook　her　head　with　the　quiet　conviction　of　one　who　knew　her　duty　better。　〃Perhaps　I'll　have　a　little　ice　pudding　when　it　comes；〃　she　said。　Sir　Richmond　detested　eating　alone　in　an　atmosphere　of　observant　criticism。　And　he　did　not　like　talking　with　his　mouth　full　to　an　unembarrassed　interlocutor　who　made　no　conversational　leads　of　her　own。　After　a　few　mouthfuls　he　pushed　his　plate　away　from　him。　〃Then　let's　have　up　the　ice　pudding；〃　he　said　with　a　faint　note　of　bitterness。　〃But　have　you　finished？〃　〃The　ice　pudding！〃　he　exploded　wrathfully。　〃The　ice　pudding！〃　Lady　Hardy　sat　for　a　moment；　a　picture　of　meek　distress。　Then；　her　delicate　eyebrows　raised；　and　the　corners　of　her　mouth　drooping；　she　touched　the　button　of　the　silver　table…　bell。

CHAPTER　THE　THIRD　THE　DEPARTURE　Section　1　No　wise　man　goes　out　upon　a　novel　expedition　without　misgivings。　And　between　their　first　meeting　and　the　appointed　morning　both　Sir　Richmond　Hardy　and　Dr。　Martineau　were　the　prey　of　quite　disagreeable　doubts　about　each　other；　themselves；　and　the　excursion　before　them。　At　the　time　of　their　meeting　each　had　been　convinced　that　he　gauged　the　other　sufficiently　for　the　purposes　of　the　proposed　tour。　Afterwards　each　found　himself　trying　to　recall　the　other　with　greater　distinctness　and　able　to　recall　nothing　but　queer；　ominous　and　minatory　traits。　The　doctor's　impression　of　the　great　fuel　specialist　grew　ever　darker；　leaner；　taller　and　more　impatient。　Sir　Richmond　took　on　the　likeness　of　a　monster　obdurate　and　hostile；　he　spread　upwards　until　like　the　Djinn　out　of　the　bottle；　he　darkened　the　heavens。　And　he　talked　too　much。　He　talked　ever　so　much　too　much。　Sir　Richmond　also　thought　that　the　doctor　talked　too　much。　In　addition；　he　read　into　his　imperfect　memory　of　the　doctor's　face；　an　expression　of　protruded　curiosity。　What　was　all　this　problem　of　motives　and　inclinations　that　they　were　〃going　into〃　so　gaily？　He　had　merely　consulted　the　doctor　on　a　simple；　straightforward　need　for　a　nervous　tonicthat　was　what　he　had　neededa　tonic。　Instead　he　had　engaged　himself　forhe　scarcely　knew　whatan　indiscreet；　indelicate；　and　altogether　undesirable　experiment　in　confidences。　Both　men　were　considerably　reassured　when　at　last　they　set　eyes　on　each　other　again。　Indeed　each　was　surprised　to　find　something　almost　agreeable　in　the　appearance　of　the　other。　Dr。　Martineau　at　once　perceived　that　the　fierceness　of　Sir　Richmond　was　nothing　more　than　the　fierceness　of　an　overwrought　man；　and　Sir　Richmond　realized　at　a　glance　that　the　curiosity　of　Dr。　Martineau's　bearing　had　in　it　nothing　personal　or　base；　it　was　just　the　fine　alertness　of　the　scientific　mind。　Sir　Richmond　had　arrived　nearly　forty　minutes　late；　and　it　would　have　been　evident　to　a　much　less　highly　trained　observer　than　Dr。　Martineau　that　some　dissension　had　arisen　between　the　little；　ladylike；　cream　and　black　Charmeuse　car　and　its　owner。　There　was　a　faint　air　of　resentment　and　protest　between　them。　As　if　Sir　Richmond　had　been　in　some　way　rude　to　it。　The　cap　of　the　radiator　was　adorned　with　a　little　brass　figure　of　a　flying　Mercury。　Frozen　in　a　sprightly　attitude；　its　stiff　bound　and　its　fixed　heavenward　stare　was　highly　suggestive　of　a　forced　and　tactful　disregard　of　current　unpleasantness。