pgw.adamselindistress-第14部分

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is　man　was　like？〃
　〃Extremely　ordinary…looking。　In　fact；　all　I　can　remember　about　him　was　that　he　was　clean…shaven。　I　cannot　understand　how　Maud　could　have　e　to　lose　her　head　over　such　a　man。　　He　seemed　to　me　to　have　no　attraction　whatever；〃　said　Lord　Belpher；　a　little　unreasonably；　for　Apollo　himself　would　hardly　appear　attractive　when　knocking　one's　best　hat　off。
　〃It　must　have　been　the　same　man。〃
　〃Precisely。　If　we　wanted　further　proof；　he　was　an　American。　　You　recollect　that　we　heard　that　the　man　in　Wales　was　American。〃
　There　was　a　portentous　silence。　Percy　stared　at　the　floor。　Lady　Caroline　breathed　deeply。　Lord　Marshmoreton；　feeling　that　something　was　expected　of　him；　said　〃Good　Gad！〃　and　gazed　seriously　at　a　stuffed　owl　on　a　bracket。　Maud　and　Reggie　Byng　came　in。
　〃What　ho；　what　ho；　what　ho！〃　said　Reggie　breezily。　He　always　believed　in　starting　a　conversation　well；　and　putting　people　at　their　ease。　〃What　ho！　What　ho！〃
　Maud　braced　herself　for　the　encounter。
　〃Hullo；　Percy；　dear；〃　she　said；　meeting　her　brother's　accusing　eye　with　the　perfect　posure　that　es　only　from　a　thoroughly　guilty　conscience。　〃What's　all　this　I　hear　about　your　being　the　Scourge　of　London？　Reggie　says　that　policemen　dive　down　manholes　when　they　see　you　ing。〃
　The　chill　in　the　air　would　have　daunted　a　less　courageous　girl。　Lady　Caroline　had　risen；　and　was　staring　sternly。　Percy　was　pulling　the　puffs　of　an　overwrought　soul。　Lord　Marshmoreton；　whose　thoughts　had　wandered　off　to　the　rose　garden；　pulled　himself　together　and　tried　to　look　menacing。　Maud　went　on　without　waiting　for　a　reply。　She　was　all　bubbling　gaiety　and　insouciance；　a　charming　picture　of　young　English　girlhood　that　nearly　made　her　brother　foam　at　the　mouth。
　〃Father　dear；〃　she　said；　attaching　herself　affectionately　to　his　buttonhole；　〃I　went　round　the　links　in　eighty…three　this　morning。　I　did　the　long　hole　in　four。　One　under　par；　a　thing　I've　never　done　before　in　my　life。〃　（〃Bless　my　soul；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton　weakly；　as；　with　an　apprehensive　eye　on　his　sister；　he　patted　his　daughter's　shoulder。）　〃First；　I　sent　a　screecher　of　a　drive　right　down　the　middle　of　the　fairway。　Then　I　took　my　brassey　and　put　the　ball　just　on　the　edge　of　the　green。　A　hundred　and　eighty　yards　if　it　was　an　inch。　My　approach　putt〃
　Lady　Caroline；　who　was　no　devotee　of　the　royal　and　ancient　game；　interrupted　the　recital。
　〃Never　mind　what　you　did　this　morning。　What　did　you　do　yesterday　afternoon？〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Lord　Belpher。　〃Where　were　you　yesterday　afternoon？〃
　Maud's　gaze　was　the　gaze　of　a　young　child　who　has　never　even　attempted　to　put　anything　over　in　all　its　little　life。
　〃Whatever　do　you　mean？〃
　〃What　were　you　doing　in　Piccadilly　yesterday　afternoon？〃　said　Lady　Caroline。
　〃Piccadilly？　The　place　where　Percy　fights　policemen？　I　don't　understand。〃
　Lady　Caroline　was　no　sportsman。　She　put　one　of　those　direct　questions；　capable　of　being　answered　only　by　〃Yes〃　or　〃No〃；　which　ought　not　to　be　allowed　in　controversy。　They　are　the　verbal　equivalent　of　shooting　a　sitting　bird。
　〃Did　you　or　did　you　not　go　to　London　yesterday；　Maud？〃
　The　monstrous　unfairness　of　this　method　of　attack　pained　Maud。　From　childhood　up　she　had　held　the　customary　feminine　views　upon　the　Lie　Direct。　As　long　as　it　was　a　question　of　suppression　of　the　true　or　suggestion　of　the　false　she　had　no　scruples。　　But　she　had　a　distaste　for　deliberate　falsehood。　Faced　now　with　a　choice　between　two　evils；　she　chose　the　one　which　would　at　least　leave　her　self…respect。
　〃Yes；　I　did。〃
　Lady　Caroline　looked　at　Lord　Belpher。　Lord　Belpher　looked　at　Lady　Caroline。
　〃You　went　to　meet　that　American　of　yours？〃
　Reggie　Byng　slid　softly　from　the　room。　He　felt　that　he　would　be　happier　elsewhere。　He　had　been　an　acutely　embarrassed　spectator　of　this　distressing　scene；　and　had　been　passing　the　time　by　shuffling　his　feet；　playing　with　his　coat　buttons　and　perspiring。
　〃Don't　go；　Reggie；〃　said　Lord　Belpher。
　〃Well；　what　I　mean　to　say　isfamily　row　and　what　notif　you　see　what　I　meanI've　one　or　two　things　I　ought　to　do〃
　He　vanished。　Lord　Belpher　frowned　a　sombre　frown。　　〃Then　it　was　that　man　who　knocked　my　hat　off？〃
　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　said　Lady　Caroline。　〃Knocked　your　hat　off？　You　never　told　me　he　knocked　your　hat　off。〃
　〃It　was　when　I　was　asking　him　to　let　me　look　inside　the　cab。　　I　had　grasped　the　handle　of　the　door；　when　he　suddenly　struck　my　hat；　causing　it　to　fly　off。　And；　while　I　was　picking　it　up；　he　drove　away。〃
　〃C'k；〃　exploded　Lord　Marshmoreton。　〃C'k；　c'k；　c'k。〃　He　twisted　his　face　by　a　supreme　exertion　of　will　power　into　a　mask　of　indignation。　〃You　ought　to　have　had　the　scoundrel　arrested；〃　he　said　vehemently。　〃It　was　a　technical　assault。〃
　〃The　man　who　knocked　your　hat　off；　Percy；〃　said　Maud；　〃was　　not　。　。　。　He　was　a　different　man　altogether。　A　stranger。〃
　〃As　if　you　would　be　in　a　cab　with　a　stranger；〃　said　Lady　Caroline　caustically。　〃There　are　limits；　I　hope；　to　even　your　indiscretions。〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　cleared　his　throat。　He　was　sorry　for　Maud；　whom　he　loved。
　〃Now；　looking　at　the　matter　broadly〃
　〃Be　quiet；〃　said　Lady　Caroline。
　Lord　Marshmoreton　subsided。
　〃I　wanted　to　avoid　you；〃　said　Maud；　〃so　I　jumped　into　the　first　cab　I　saw。〃
　〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　said　Percy。
　〃It's　the　truth。〃
　〃You　are　simply　trying　to　put　us　off　the　scent。〃
　Lady　Caroline　turned　to　Maud。　Her　manner　was　plaintive。　　She　looked　like　a　martyr　at　the　stake　who　deprecatingly　lodges　a　timid　plaint；　fearful　the　while　lest　she　may　be　hurting　the　feelings　of　her　persecutors　by　appearing　even　for　a　moment　out　of　sympathy　with　their　activities。
　〃My　dear　child；　why　will　you　not　be　reasonable　in　this　matter？　　Why　will　you　not　let　yourself　be　guided　by　those　who　are　older　and　wiser　than　you？〃
　〃Exactly；〃　said　Lord　Belpher。
　〃The　whole　thing　is　too　absurd。〃
　〃Precisely；〃　said　Lord　Belpher。
　Lady　Caroline　turned　on　him　irritably。
　〃Please　do　not　interrupt；　Percy。　Now；　you've　made　me　forget　what　I　was　going　to　say。〃
　〃To　my　mind；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton；　ing　to　the　surface　once　more；　〃the　proper　attitude　to　adopt　on　occasions　like　the　present〃
　〃Please；〃　said　Lady　Caroline。
　Lord　Marshmoreton　stopped；　and　resumed　his　silent　munion　with　the　stuffed　bird。
　〃You　can't　stop　yourself　being　in　love；　Aunt　Caroline；〃　said　Maud。
　〃You　can　be　stopped　if　you've　somebody　with　a　level　head　looking　after　you。〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　tore　himself　away　from　the　bird。
　〃Why；　when　I　was　at　Oxford　in　the　year　'87；〃　he　said　chattily；　〃I　fancied　myself　in　love　with　the　female　assistant　at　a　tobacconist　shop。　Desperately　in　love；　dammit。　Wanted　to　marry　her。　I　recollect　my　poor　father　took　me　away　from　Oxford　and　kept　me　here　at　Belpher　under　lock　and　key。　Lock　and　key；　dammit。　I　was　deucedly　upset　at　the　time；　I　remember。〃　His　mind　wandered　off　into　the　glorious　past。　〃I　wonder　what　that　girl's　name　was。　Odd　one　can't　remember　names。　She　had　chestnut　hair　and　a　mole　on　the　side　of　her　chin。　I　used　to　kiss　it；　I　recollect〃
　Lady　Caroline；　usually　such　an　advocate　of　her　brother's　researches　into　the　family　history；　cut　the　reminiscences　short。
　〃Never　mind　that　now。〃
　〃I　don't。　I　got　over　it。　That's　the　moral。〃
　〃Well；〃　said　Lady　Caroline；　〃at　any　rate　poor　father　acted　with　great　good　sense　on　that　occasion。　There　seems　nothing　to　do　but　to　treat　Maud　in　just　the　same　way。　You　shall　not　stir　a　step　from　the　castle　till　you　have　got　over　this　dreadful　infatuation。　You　will　be　watched。〃
　〃I　shall　watch　you；〃　said　Lord　Belpher　solemnly；　〃I　shall　watch　your　every　movement。〃
　A　dreamy　look　came　into　Maud's　brown　eyes。
　〃Stone　walls　do　not　a　prison　make　nor　iron　bars　a　cage；〃　she　said　softly。
　〃That　wasn't　your　experience；　Percy；　my　boy；〃　said　Lord　Marshmoreton。
　〃They　make　a　very　good　imitation；〃　said　Lady　Caroline　coldly；　ignoring　the　interruption。
　Maud　faced　her　defiantly。　She　looked　like　a　princess　in　captivity　facing　her　gaolers。
　〃I　don't　care。　I　love　him；　and　I　always　shall　love　him；　and　nothing　is　ever　going　to　stop　me　loving　himbecause　I　love　him；〃　she　concluded　a　little　lamely。
　〃Nonsense；〃　said　Lady　Caroline。　〃In　a　year　from　now　you　will　have　forgotten　his　name。　Don't　you　agree　with　me；　Percy？〃