pgw.adamselindistress-第38部分

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　The　glare　of　a　pocket…torch　smote　upon　him。
　〃I　brought　it　to　see　my　way　back　with；〃　said　Maud　in　a　curious；　small　voice。　〃It's　very　dark　across　the　fields。　I　didn't　light　it　before；　because　I　was　afraid　somebody　might　see。〃
　She　came　towards　him；　holding　the　torch　over　her　head。　The　beam　showed　her　face；　troubled　and　sympathetic；　and　at　the　sight　all　George's　resentment　left　him。　There　were　mysteries　here　beyond　his　unravelling；　but　of　one　thing　he　was　certain：　this　girl　was　not　to　blame。　She　was　a　thoroughbred；　as　straight　as　a　wand。　She　was　pure　gold。
　〃I　came　here　to　tell　you　everything；〃　she　said。　She　placed　the　torch　on　the　wagon…wheel　so　that　its　ray　fell　in　a　pool　of　light　on　the　ground　between　them。　〃I'll　do　it　now。　Onlyonly　it　isn't　so　easy　now。　Mr。　Bevan；　there's　a　manthere's　a　man　that　father　and　Reggie　Byng　mistookthey　thought　。　。　。　You　see；　they　knew　it　was　you　that　I　was　with　that　day　in　the　cab；　and　so　they　naturally　thought；　when　you　came　down　here；　that　you　were　the　man　I　had　gone　to　meet　that　daythe　man　II〃
　〃The　man　you　love。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　Maud　in　a　small　voice；　and　there　was　silence　again。
　George　could　feel　nothing　but　sympathy。　It　mastered　other　emotion　in　him；　even　the　grey　despair　that　had　e　her　words。　He　could　feel　all　that　she　was　feeling。
　〃Tell　me　all　about　it；〃　he　said。
　〃I　met　him　in　Wales　last　year。〃　Maud's　voice　was　a　whisper。　　〃The　family　found　out；　and　I　was　hurried　back　here；　and　have　been　here　ever　since。　That　day　when　I　met　you　I　had　managed　to　slip　away　from　home。　I　had　found　out　that　he　was　in　London；　and　I　was　going　to　meet　him。　Then　I　saw　Percy；　and　got　into　your　cab。　It's　all　been　a　horrible　mistake。　I'm　sorry。〃
　〃I　see；〃　said　George　thoughtfully。　〃I　see。〃
　His　heart　ached　like　a　living　wound。　She　had　told　so　and　he　could　guess　so　much。　This　unknown　man　who　triumphed　seemed　to　sneer　scornfully　at　him　from　shadows。
　〃I'm　sorry；〃　said　Maud　again。
　〃You　mustn't　feel　like　that。　How　can　I　help　you？　That's　the　point。　What　is　it　you　want　me　to　do？〃
　〃But　I　can't　ask　you　now。〃
　〃Of　course　you　can。　Why　not？〃
　〃Whyoh；　I　couldn't！〃
　George　managed　to　laugh。　It　was　a　laugh　that　did　not　sound　convincing　even　to　himself；　but　it　served。
　〃That's　morbid；〃　he　said。　〃Be　sensible。　You　need　help；　and　I　may　be　able　to　give　it。　Surely　a　man　isn't　barred　for　ever　from　doing　you　a　service　just　because　he　happens　to　love　you？　　Suppose　you　were　drowning　and　Mr。　Plummer　was　the　only　swimmer　within　call；　wouldn't　you　let　him　rescue　you？〃
　〃Mr。　Plummer？　What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃You've　not　forgotten　that　I　was　a　reluctant　ear…witness　to　his　recent　proposal　of　marriage？〃
　Maud　uttered　an　exclamation。
　〃I　never　asked！　How　terrible　of　me。　Were　you　much　hurt？〃
　〃Hurt？〃　George　could　not　follow　her。
　〃That　night。　When　you　were　on　the　balcony；　and〃
　〃Oh！〃　George　understood。　〃Oh；　no；　hardly　at　all。　A　few　scratches。　I　scraped　my　hands　a　little。〃
　〃It　was　a　wonderful　thing　to　do；〃　said　Maud；　her　admiration　glowing　for　a　man　who　could　treat　such　a　leap　so　lightly。　She　had　always　had　a　private　theory　that　Lord　Leonard；　after　performing　the　same　feat；　had　bragged　about　it　for　the　rest　of　his　life。
　〃No；　no；　nothing；〃　said　George；　who　had　since　wondered　why　he　had　ever　made　such　a　to…do　about　climbing　up　a　perfectly　stout　sheet。
　〃It　was　splendid！〃
　George　blushed。
　〃We　are　wandering　from　the　main　theme；〃　he　said。　〃I　want　to　help　you。　I　came　here　at　enormous　expense　to　help　you。　　How　can　I　do　it？〃
　Maud　hesitated。
　〃I　think　you　may　be　offended　at　my　asking　such　a　thing。〃
　〃You　needn't。〃
　〃You　see；　the　whole　trouble　is　that　I　can't　get　in　touch　with　Geoffrey。　He's　in　London；　and　I'm　here。　And　any　chance　I　might　have　of　getting　to　London　vanished　that　day　I　met　you；　when　Percy　saw　me　in　Piccadilly。〃
　〃How　did　your　people　find　out　it　was　you？〃
　〃They　asked　mestraight　out。〃
　〃And　you　owned　up？〃
　〃I　had　to。　I　couldn't　tell　them　a　direct　lie。〃
　George　thrilled。　This　was　the　girl　he　had　had　doubts　of。
　〃So　then　it　was　worse　then　ever；〃　continued　Maud。　〃I　daren't　risk　writing　to　Geoffrey　and　having　the　letter　intercepted。　　I　was　wonderingI　had　the　idea　almost　as　soon　as　I　found　that　you　had　e　here〃
　〃You　want　me　to　take　a　letter　from　you　and　see　that　it　reaches　him。　And　then　he　can　write　back　to　my　address；　and　I　can　smuggle　the　letter　to　you？〃
　〃That's　exactly　what　I　do　want。　But　I　almost　didn't　like　to　ask。〃
　〃Why　not？　I'll　be　delighted　to　do　it。〃
　〃I'm　so　grateful。〃
　〃Why；　it's　nothing。　I　thought　you　were　going　to　ask　me　to　look　in　on　your　brother　and　smash　another　of　his　hats。〃
　Maud　laughed　delightedly。　The　whole　tension　of　the　situation　had　been　eased　for　her。　More　and　more　she　found　herself　liking　George。　Yet；　deep　down　in　her；　she　realized　with　a　pang　that　for　him　there　had　been　no　easing　of　the　situation。　She　was　sad　for　George。　The　Plummers　of　this　world　she　had　consigned　to　what　they　declared　would　be　perpetual　sorrow　with　scarcely　a　twinge　of　regret。　But　George　was　different。
　〃Poor　Percy！〃　she　said。　〃I　don't　suppose　he'll　ever　get　over　it。　He　will　have　other　hats；　but　it　won't　be　the　same。〃　She　came　back　to　the　subject　nearest　her　heart。　〃Mr。　Bevan；　I　wonder　if　you　would　do　just　a　little　more　for　me？〃
　〃If　it　isn't　criminal。　Or；　for　that　matter；　if　it　is。〃
　〃Could　you　go　to　Geoffrey；　and　see　him；　and　tell　him　all　about　me　andand　e　back　and　tell　me　how　he　looks；　and　what　he　said　andand　so　on？〃
　〃Certainly。　What　is　his　name；　and　where　do　I　find　him？〃
　〃I　never　told　you。　How　stupid　of　me。　His　name　is　Geoffrey　Raymond；　and　he　lives　with　his　uncle；　Mr。　Wilbur　Raymond；　at　11a；　Belgrave　Square。〃
　〃I'll　go　to　him　tomorrow。〃
　〃Thank　you　ever　so　much。〃
　George　got　up。　The　movement　seemed　to　put　him　in　touch　with　the　outer　world。　He　noticed　that　the　rain　had　stopped；　and　that　stars　had　climbed　into　the　oblong　of　the　doorway。　He　had　an　impression　that　he　had　been　in　the　barn　a　very　long　time；　and　confirmed　this　with　a　glance　at　his　watch；　though　the　watch；　he　felt；　understated　the　facts　by　the　length　of　several　centuries。　He　was　abstaining　from　too　close　an　examination　of　his　emotions　from　a　prudent　feeling　that　he　was　going　to　suffer　soon　enough　without　assistance　from　himself。
　〃I　think　you　had　better　be　going　back；〃　he　said。　〃It's　rather　late。　They　may　be　missing　you。〃
　Maud　laughed　happily。
　〃I　don't　mind　now　what　they　do。　But　I　suppose　dinners　must　be　dressed　for；　whatever　happens。〃　They　moved　together　to　the　door。　〃What　a　lovely　night　after　all！　I　never　thought　the　rain　would　stop　in　this　world。　It's　like　when　you're　unhappy　and　think　it's　going　on　for　ever。〃
　〃Yes；〃　said　George。
　Maud　held　out　her　hand。
　〃Good　night；　Mr。　Bevan。〃
　〃Good　night。〃
　He　wondered　if　there　would　be　any　allusion　to　the　earlier　passages　of　their　interview。　There　was　none。　Maud　was　of　the　class　whose　education　consists　mainly　of　a　training　in　the　delicate　ignoring　of　delicate　situations。
　〃Then　you　will　go　and　see　Geoffrey？〃
　〃Tomorrow。〃
　〃Thank　you　ever　so　much。〃
　〃Not　at　all。〃
　George　admired　her。　The　little　touch　of　formality　which　she　had　contrived　to　impart　to　the　conversation　struck　just　the　right　note；　created　just　the　atmosphere　which　would　enable　them　to　part　without　weighing　too　heavily　on　the　deeper　aspect　of　that　parting。
　〃You're　a　real　friend；　Mr。　Bevan。〃
　〃Watch　me　prove　it。〃
　〃Well；　I　must　rush；　I　suppose。　Good　night！〃
　〃Good　night！〃
　She　moved　off　quickly　across　the　field。　Darkness　covered　her。　　The　dog　in　the　distance　had　begun　to　howl　again。　He　had　his　troubles；　too。
　
　CHAPTER　20。
　
　Trouble　sharpens　the　vision。　In　our　moments　of　distress　we　can　see　clearly　that　what　is　wrong　with　this　world　of　ours　is　the　fact　that　Misery　loves　pany　and　seldom　gets　it。　Toothache　is　an　unpleasant　ailment；　but；　if　toothache　were　a　natural　condition　of　life；　if　all　mankind　were　afflicted　with　toothache　at　birth；　we　should　not　notice　it。　It　is　the　freedom　from　aching　teeth　of　all　those　with　whom　we　e　in　contact　that　emphasizes　the　agony。　And；　as　with　toothache；　so　with　trouble。　Until　our　private　affairs　go　wrong；　we　never　realize　how　bubbling　over　with　happiness　the　bulk　of　mankind　seems　to　be。　Our　aching　heart　is　app