pgw.adamselindistress-第34部分

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lper　it　would　be　a　pleasure　to　work　on　that　infernal　Family　History　which　was　now　such　a　bitter　toil。　But　the　day…dream　passed。　He　knew　perfectly　well　that　he　had　not　the　courage　to　dismiss　Alice。　In　the　hands　of　that　calm…eyed　girl　he　was　as　putty。　She　exercised　over　him　the　hypnotic　spell　a　lion…tamer　exercises　over　his　little　playmates。
　〃We　have　been　pals　for　years；〃　said　George　〃Billie　is　one　of　the　best　fellows　in　the　world。〃
　〃A　charming　girl。〃
　〃She　would　give　her　last　nickel　to　anyone　that　asked　for　it。〃
　〃Delightful！〃
　〃And　as　straight　as　a　string。　No　one　ever　said　a　word　against　Billie。〃
　〃No？〃
　〃She　may　go　out　to　lunch　and　supper　and　all　that　kind　of　thing；　but　there's　nothing　to　that。〃
　〃Nothing！〃　agreed　the　earl　warmly。　〃Girls　must　eat！〃
　〃They　do。　You　ought　to　see　them。〃
　〃A　little　harmless　relaxation　after　the　fatigue　of　the　day！〃
　〃Exactly。　Nothing　more。〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　felt　more　drawn　than　ever　to　this　sensible　young　mansensible；　at　least；　on　all　points　but　one。　It　was　a　pity　they　could　not　see　eye　to　eye　on　what　was　and　what　was　not　suitable　in　the　matter　of　the　love…affairs　of　the　aristocracy。
　〃So　you　are　a　poser；　Mr。　Bevan？〃　he　said　affably。
　〃Yes。〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　gave　a　little　sigh。　〃It's　a　long　time　since　I　went　to　see　a　musical　performance。　More　than　twenty　years。　　When　I　was　up　at　Oxford；　and　for　some　years　afterwards；　I　was　a　great　theatre…goer。　Never　used　to　miss　a　first　night　at　the　Gaiety。　Those　were　the　days　of　Nellie　Farren　and　Kate　Vaughan。　　Florence　St。　John；　too。　How　excellent　she　was　in　Faust　Up　To　Date！　But　we　missed　Nellie　Farren。　Meyer　Lutz　was　the　Gaiety　poser　then。　But　a　good　deal　of　water　has　flowed　under　the　bridge　since　those　days。　I　don't　suppose　you　have　ever　heard　of　Meyer　Lutz？〃
　〃I　don't　think　I　have。〃
　〃Johnnie　Toole　was　playing　a　piece　called　Partners。　Not　a　good　play。　And　the　Yeoman　of　the　Guard　had　just　been　produced　at　the　Savoy。　That　makes　it　seem　a　long　time　ago；　doesn't　it？　Well；　I　mustn't　take　up　all　your　time。　Good…bye；　Mr。　　Bevan。　I　am　glad　to　have　had　the　opportunity　of　this　little　talk。　　The　Regal　Theatre；　I　think　you　said；　is　where　your　piece　is　playing？　I　shall　probably　be　going　to　London　shortly。　I　hope　to　see　it。〃　Lord　Marshmoreton　rose。　〃As　regards　the　other　matter；　there　is　no　hope　of　inducing　you　to　see　the　matter　in　the　right　light？〃
　〃We　seem　to　disagree　as　to　which　is　the　right　light。〃
　〃Then　there　is　nothing　more　to　be　said。　I　will　be　perfectly　frank　with　you；　Mr。　Bevan。　I　like　you　。　。　。〃
　〃The　feeling　is　quite　mutual。〃
　〃But　I　don't　want　you　as　a　son…in…law。　And；　dammit；〃　exploded　Lord　Marshmoreton；　〃I　won't　have　you　as　a　son…in…law！　Good　God！　do　you　think　that　you　can　harry　and　assault　my　son　Percy　in　the　heart　of　Piccadilly　and　generally　make　yourself　a　damned　nuisance　and　then　settle　down　here　without　an　invitation　at　my　very　gates　and　expect　to　be　weled　into　the　bosom　of　the　family？　If　I　were　a　young　　man　。　。　。〃
　〃I　thought　we　had　agreed　that　you　were　a　young　man。〃
　〃Don't　interrupt　me！〃
　〃I　only　said　。　。　。〃
　〃I　heard　what　you　said。　Flattery！〃
　〃Nothing　of　the　kind。　Truth。〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　melted。　He　smiled。　〃Young　idiot！〃
　〃We　agree　there　all　right。〃
　Lord　Marshmoreton　hesitated。　Then　with　a　rush　he　unbosomed　himself；　and　made　his　own　position　on　the　matter　clear。
　〃I　know　what　you'll　be　saying　to　yourself　the　moment　my　back　is　turned。　You'll　be　calling　me　a　stage　heavy　father　and　an　old　snob　and　a　number　of　other　things。　Don't　interrupt　me；　dammit！　You　will；　I　tell　you！　And　you'll　be　wrong。　I　don't　think　the　Marshmoretons　are　fenced　off　from　the　rest　of　the　world　by　some　sort　of　divinity。　My　sister　does。　Percy　does。　　But　Percy's　an　ass！　If　ever　you　find　yourself　thinking　differently　from　my　son　Percy；　on　any　subject；　congratulate　yourself。　You'll　be　right。〃
　〃But　。　。　。〃
　〃I　know　what　you're　going　to　say。　Let　me　finish。　If　I　were　the　only　person　concerned；　I　wouldn't　stand　in　Maud's　way；　whoever　she　wanted　to　marry；　provided　he　was　a　good　fellow　and　likely　to　make　her　happy。　But　I'm　not。　There's　my　sister　Caroline。　There's　a　whole　crowd　of　silly；　cackling　foolsmy　sistersmy　sons…in…lawall　the　whole　pack　of　them！　If　I　didn't　oppose　Maud　in　this　damned　infatuation　she's　got　for　youif　I　stood　by　and　let　her　marry　youwhat　do　you　think　would　happen　to　me？I'd　never　have　a　moment's　peace！　The　whole　gabbling　pack　of　them　would　be　at　me；　saying　I　was　to　blame。　　There　would　be　arguments；　discussions；　family　councils！　I　hate　arguments！　I　loathe　discussions！　Family　councils　make　me　sick！　I'm　a　peaceable　man；　and　I　like　a　quiet　life！　And；　damme；　I'm　going　to　have　it。　So　there's　the　thing　for　you　in　letters　of　one　syllable。　I　don't　object　to　you　personally；　but　I'm　not　going　to　have　you　bothering　me　like　this。　I'll　admit　freely　that；　since　I　have　made　your　acquaintance；　I　have　altered　the　unfavourable　opinion　I　had　formed　of　you　from…from　hearsay。　。　。〃
　〃Exactly　the　same　with　me；〃　said　George。　〃You　ought　never　to　believe　what　people　tell　you。　Everyone　told　me　your　middle　name　was　Nero；　and　that。　。　。〃
　〃Don't　interrupt　me！〃
　〃I　wasn't。　I　was　just　pointing　out　。　。　。〃
　〃Be　quiet！　I　say　I　have　changed　my　opinion　of　you　to　a　great　extent。　I　mention　this　unofficially；　as　a　matter　that　has　no　bearing　on　the　main　issue；　for；　as　regards　any　idea　you　may　have　of　inducing　me　to　agree　to　your　marrying　my　daughter；　let　me　tell　you　that　I　am　unalterably　opposed　to　any　such　thing！〃
　〃Don't　say　that。〃
　〃What　the　devil　do　you　meandon't　say　that！　I　do　say　that！　　It　is　out　of　the　question。　Do　you　understand？　Very　well；　then。　Good　morning。〃
　The　door　closed。　Lord　Marshmoreton　walked　away　feeling　that　he　had　been　mendably　stern。　George　filled　his　pipe　and　sat　smoking　thoughtfully。　He　wondered　what　Maud　was　doing　at　that　moment。
　Maud　at　that　moment　was　greeting　her　brother　with　a　bright　smile；　as　he　limped　downstairs　after　a　belated　shave　and　change　of　costume。
　〃Oh；　Percy；　dear；〃　she　was　saying；　〃I　had　quite　an　adventure　this　morning。　An　awful　tramp　followed　me　for　miles！　Such　a　horrible…looking　brute。　I　was　so　frightened　that　I　had　to　ask　a　curate　in　the　next　village　to　drive　him　away。　I　did　wish　I　had　had　you　there　to　protect　me。　Why　don't　you　e　out　with　me　sometimes　when　I　take　a　country　walk？　It　really　isn't　safe　for　me　to　be　alone！〃
　
　CHAPTER　17。
　
　The　gift　of　hiding　private　emotion　and　keeping　up　appearances　before　strangers　is　not；　as　many　suppose；　entirely　a　product　of　our　modern　civilization。　Centuries　before　we　were　born　or　thought　of　there　was　a　widely　press…agented　boy　in　Sparta　who　even　went　so　far　as　to　let　a　fox　gnaw　his　tender　young　stomach　without　permitting　the　disfort　inseparable　from　such　a　proceeding　to　interfere　with　either　his　facial　expression　or　his　flow　of　small　talk。　Historians　have　handed　it　down　that；　even　in　the　later　stages　of　the　meal；　the　polite　lad　continued　to　be　the　life　and　soul　of　the　party。　But；　while　this　feat　may　be　said　to　have　established　a　record　never　subsequently　lowered；　there　is　no　doubt　that　almost　every　day　in　modem　times　men　and　women　are　performing　similar　and　scarcely　less　impressive　miracles　of　self…restraint。　Of　all　the　qualities　which　belong　exclusively　to　Man　and　are　not　shared　by　the　lower　animals；　this　surely　is　the　one　which　marks　him　off　most　sharply　from　the　beasts　of　the　field。　　Animals　care　nothing　about　keeping　up　appearances。　Observe　Bertram　the　Bull　when　things　are　not　going　just　as　he　could　wish。　He　stamps。　He　snorts。　He　paws　the　ground。　He　throws　back　his　head　and　bellows。　He　is　upset；　and　he　doesn't　care　who　knows　it。　Instances　could　be　readily　multiplied。　　Deposit　a　charge　of　shot　in　some　outlying　section　of　Thomas　the　Tiger；　and　note　the　effect。　Irritate　Wilfred　the　Wasp；　or　stand　behind　Maud　the　Mule　and　prod　her　with　a　pin。　There　is　not　an　animal　on　the　list　who　has　even　a　rudimentary　sense　of　the　social　amenities；　and　it　is　this　more　than　anything　else　which　should　make　us　proud　that　we　are　human　beings　on　a　loftier　plane　of　development。
　In　the　days　which　followed　Lord　Marshmoreton's　visit　to　George　at　the　cottage；　not　a　few　of　the　occupants　of　Belpher　Castle　had　their　mettle　sternly　tested　in　this　respect；　and　it