pgw.adamselindistress-第13部分

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　〃Not　very。　But　it　was　awfully　sweet　of　you　to　take　me　into　town。〃
　〃How　would　it　be；〃　said　Reggie　nervously；　〃not　to　dwell　too　much　on　that　part　of　it？　What　I　mean　to　say　is；　for　heaven's　sake　don't　let　the　mater　know　I　rallied　round。〃
　〃Don't　worry；〃　said　Maud　with　a　laugh。　〃I'm　not　going　to　talk　about　the　thing　at　all。〃
　Lord　Belpher；　meanwhile；　in　the　library；　had　begun　with　the　aid　of　a　whisky　and　soda　to　feel　a　little　better。　There　was　something　about　the　library　with　its　sombre　half　tones　that　soothed　his　bruised　spirit。　The　room　held　something　of　the　peace　of　a　deserted　city。　The　world；　with　its　violent　adventures　and　tall　policemen；　did　not　enter　here。　There　was　balm　in　those　rows　and　rows　of　books　which　nobody　ever　read；　those　vast　writing　tables　at　which　nobody　ever　wrote。　From　the　broad　mantel…piece　the　bust　of　some　unnamed　ancient　looked　down　almost　sympathetically。　Something　remotely　resembling　peace　had　begun　to　steal　into　Percy's　soul；　when　it　was　expelled　by　the　abrupt　opening　of　the　door　and　the　entry　of　Lady　Caroline　Byng　and　his　father。　One　glance　at　the　face　of　the　former　was　enough　to　tell　Lord　Belpher　that　she　knew　all。
　He　rose　defensively。
　〃Let　me　explain。〃
　Lady　Caroline　quivered　with　repressed　emotion。　This　masterly　woman　had　not　lost　control　of　herself；　but　her　aristocratic　calm　had　seldom　been　so　severely　tested。　As　Reggie　had　surmised；　she　had　read　the　report　of　the　proceedings　in　the　evening　paper　in　the　train；　and　her　world　had　been　reeling　ever　since。　Caesar；　stabbed　by　Brutus；　could　scarcely　have　experienced　a　greater　shock。　The　other　members　of　her　family　had　disappointed　her　often。　She　had　bee　inured　to　the　spectacle　of　her　brother　working　in　the　garden　in　corduroy　trousers　and　in　other　ways　behaving　in　a　manner　beneath　the　dignity　of　an　Earl　of　Marshmoreton。　She　had　resigned　herself　to　the　innate　flaw　in　the　character　of　Maud　which　had　allowed　her　to　fall　in　love　with　a　nobody　whom　she　had　met　without　an　introduction。　　Even　Reggie　had　exhibited　at　times　democratic　traits　of　which　she　thoroughly　disapproved。　But　of　her　nephew　Percy　she　had　always　been　sure。　He　was　solid　rock。　He；　at　least；　she　had　always　felt；　would　never　do　anything　to　injure　the　family　prestige。　And　now；　so　to　speak；　〃Lo；　Ben　Adhem's　name　led　all　the　rest。〃　In　other　words；　Percy　was　the　worst　of　the　lot。　Whatever　indiscretions　the　rest　had　mitted；　at　least　they　had　never　got　the　family　into　the　ic　columns　of　the　evening　papers。　Lord　Marshmoreton　might　wear　corduroy　trousers　and　refuse　to　entertain　the　County　at　garden　parties　and　go　to　bed　with　a　book　when　it　was　his　duty　to　act　as　host　at　a　formal　ball；　Maud　might　give　her　heart　to　an　impossible　person　whom　nobody　had　ever　heard　of；　and　Reggie　might　be　seen　at　fashionable　restaurants　with　pugilists；　but　at　any　rate　evening　paper　poets　had　never　written　facetious　verses　about　their　exploits。　This　crowning　degradation　had　been　reserved　for　the　hitherto　blameless　Percy；　who；　of　all　the　young　men　of　Lady　Caroline's　acquaintance；　had　till　now　appeared　to　have　the　most　scrupulous　sense　of　his　position；　the　most　rigid　regard　for　the　dignity　of　his　great　name。　　Yet；　here　he　was；　if　the　carefully　considered　reports　in　the　daily　press　were　to　be　believed；　spending　his　time　in　the　very　spring…tide　of　his　life　running　about　London　like　a　frenzied　Hottentot；　brutally　assaulting　the　police。　Lady　Caroline　felt　as　a　bishop　might　feel　if　he　suddenly　discovered　that　some　favourite　curate　had　gone　over　to　the　worship　of　Mumbo　Jumbo。
　〃Explain？〃　she　cried。　〃How　can　you　explain？　Youmy　nephew；　the　heir　to　the　title；　behaving　like　a　mon　rowdy　in　the　streets　of　London　。　。　。　your　name　in　the　papers　。　。　。
　〃If　you　knew　the　circumstances。〃
　〃The　circumstances？　They　are　in　the　evening　paper。　They　are　in　print。〃
　〃In　verse；〃　added　Lord　Marshmoreton。　He　chuckled　amiably　at　the　recollection。　He　was　an　easily　amused　man。　　〃You　ought　to　read　it；　my　boy。　Some　of　it　was　capital　。　。　。〃
　〃John！〃
　〃But　deplorable；　of　course；〃　added　Lord　Marshmoreton　hastily。　〃Very　deplorable。〃　He　endeavoured　to　regain　his　sister's　esteem　by　a　show　of　righteous　indignation。　〃What　do　you　mean　by　it；　damn　it？　You're　my　only　son。　I　have　watched　you　grow　from　child　to　boy；　from　boy　to　man；　with　tender　solicitude。　I　have　wanted　to　be　proud　of　you。　And　all　the　time；　dash　it；　you　are　prowling　about　London　like　a　lion；　seeking　whom　you　may　devour；　terrorising　the　metropolis；　putting　harmless　policemen　in　fear　of　their　lives。　。　。〃
　〃Will　you　listen　to　me　for　a　moment？〃　shouted　Percy。　He　began　to　speak　rapidly；　as　one　conscious　of　the　necessity　of　saying　his　say　while　the　saying　was　good。　〃The　facts　are　these。　I　was　walking　along　Piccadilly　on　my　way　to　lunch　at　the　club；　when；　near　Burlington　Arcade；　I　was　amazed　to　see　Maud。〃
　Lady　Caroline　uttered　an　exclamation。
　〃Maud？　But　Maud　was　here。〃
　〃I　can't　understand　it；〃　went　on　Lord　Marshmoreton；　pursuing　his　remarks。　Righteous　indignation　had；　he　felt；　gone　well。　It　might　be　judicious　to　continue　in　that　vein；　though　privately　he　held　the　opinion　that　nothing　in　Percy's　life　so　became　him　as　this　assault　on　the　Force。　Lord　Marshmoreton；　who　in　his　time　had　mitted　all　the　follies　of　youth；　had　e　to　look　on　his　blameless　son　as　scarcely　human。　〃It's　not　as　if　you　were　wild。　　You've　never　got　into　any　scrapes　at　Oxford。　　You've　spent　your　time　collecting　old　china　and　prayer　rugs。　　You　wear　flannel　next　your　skin　。　。　。〃
　〃Will　you　please　be　quiet；〃　said　Lady　Caroline　impatiently。　　〃Go　on；　Percy。〃
　〃Oh；　very　well；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton。　〃I　only　spoke。　　I　merely　made　a　remark。〃
　〃You　say　you　saw　Maud　in　Piccadilly；　Percy？〃
　〃Precisely。　I　was　on　the　point　of　putting　it　down　to　an　extraordinary　resemblance；　when　suddenly　she　got　into　a　cab。　Then　I　knew。〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　could　not　permit　this　to　pass　in　silence。　　He　was　a　fair…minded　man。
　〃Why　shouldn't　the　girl　have　got　into　a　cab？　Why　must　a　girl　walking　along　Piccadilly　be　my　daughter　Maud　just　because　she　got　into　a　cab。　London；〃　he　proceeded；　warming　to　the　argument　and　thrilled　by　the　clearness　and　coherence　of　his　reasoning；　〃is　full　of　girls　who　take　cabs。〃
　〃She　didn't　take　a　cab。〃
　〃You　just　said　she　did；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton　cleverly。
　〃I　said　she　got　into　a　cab。　There　was　somebody　else　already　in　the　cab。　A　man。　Aunt　Caroline；　it　was　the　man。〃
　〃Good　gracious；〃　ejaculated　Lady　Caroline；　falling　into　a　chair　as　if　she　had　been　hamstrung。
　〃I　am　absolutely　convinced　of　it；〃　proceeded　Lord　Belpher　solemnly。　〃His　behaviour　was　enough　to　confirm　my　suspicions。　　The　cab　had　stopped　in　a　block　of　the　traffic；　and　I　went　up　and　requested　him　in　a　perfectly　civil　manner　to　allow　me　to　look　at　the　lady　who　had　just　got　in。　He　denied　that　there　was　a　lady　in　the　cab。　And　I　had　seen　her　jump　in　with　my　own　eyes。　Throughout　the　conversation　he　was　leaning　out　of　the　window　with　the　obvious　intention　of　screening　whoever　was　inside　from　my　view。　　I　followed　him　along　Piccadilly　in　another　cab；　and　tracked　him　to　the　Carlton。　When　I　arrived　there　he　was　standing　on　the　pavement　outside。　There　were　no　signs　of　Maud。　I　demanded　that　he　tell　me　her　whereabouts。　。　。〃
　〃That　reminds　me；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton　cheerfully；　〃of　a　story　I　read　in　one　of　the　papers。　I　daresay　it's　old。　Stop　me　if　you've　heard　it。　A　woman　says　to　the　maid：　'Do　you　know　anything　of　my　husband's　whereabouts？'　And　the　maid　replies〃
　〃Do　be　quiet；〃　snapped　Lady　Caroline。　〃I　should　have　thought　that　you　would　be　interested　in　a　matter　affecting　the　vital　welfare　of　your　only　daughter。〃
　〃I　am。　I　am；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton　hastily。　〃The　maid　replied：　'They're　at　the　wash。'　Of　course　I　am。　Go　on；　Percy。　Good　God；　boy；　don't　take　all　day　telling　us　your　story。〃
　〃At　that　moment　the　fool　of　a　policeman　came　up　and　wanted　to　know　what　the　matter　was。　I　lost　my　head。　I　admit　it　freely。　The　policeman　grasped　my　shoulder；　and　I　struck　him。〃
　〃Where？〃　asked　Lord　Marshmoreton；　a　stickler　for　detail。
　〃What　does　that　matter？〃　demanded　Lady　Caroline。　〃You　did　quite　right；　Percy。　These　insolent　jacks　in　office　ought　not　to　be　allowed　to　manhandle　people。　Tell　me；　what　this　man　was　like？〃
　〃Extremely　ordinary…looking。　In