pgw.adamselindistress-第46部分

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She　had　received　her　first　shock　when　the　love…sick　Plummer；　emerging　from　a　mixed　crowd　of　relatives　and　friends；　had　informed　her　that　he　was　to　take　her　in。　She　had　not　expected　Plummer　to　be　there；　though　he　lived　in　the　neighbourhood。　Plummer；　at　their　last　meeting；　had　stated　his　intention　of　going　abroad　for　a　bit　to　mend　his　bruised　heart：　and　it　was　a　little　disconcerting　to　a　sensitive　girl　to　find　her　victim　popping　up　again　like　this。　She　did　not　know　that；　as　far　as　Plummer　was　concerned；　the　whole　affair　was　to　be　considered　opened　again。　　To　Plummer；　analysing　the　girl's　motives　in　refusing　him；　there　had　e　the　idea　that　there　was　Another；　and　that　this　other　must　be　Reggie　Byng。　From　the　first　he　had　always　looked　upon　Reggie　as　his　worst　rival。　And　now　Reggie　had　bolted　with　the　Faraday　girl；　leaving　Maud　in　excellent　condition；　so　it　seemed　to　Plummer；　to　console　herself　with　a　worthier　man。　Plummer　knew　all　about　the　Rebound　and　the　part　it　plays　in　the　affairs　of　the　heart。　His　own　breach…of…promise　case　two　years　earlier　had　been　entirely　due　to　the　fact　that　the　refusal　of　the　youngest　Devenish　girl　to　marry　him　had　caused　him　to　rebound　into　the　dangerous　society　of　the　second　girl　from　the　O。P。　end　of　the　first　row　in　the　〃Summertime　is　Kissing…time〃　number　in　the　Alhambra　revue。　He　had　e　to　the　castle　tonight　gloomy；　but　not　without　hope。
　Maud's　second　shock　eclipsed　the　first　entirely。　No　notification　　had　been　given　to　her　either　by　her　father　or　by　Percy　of　the　proposed　extension　of　the　hand　of　hospitality　to　George；　and　the　sight　of　him　standing　there　talking　to　her　aunt　Caroline　made　her　momentarily　dizzy。　Life；　which　for　several　days　had　had　all　the　properties　now　of　a　dream；　now　of　a　nightmare；　became　more　unreal　than　ever。　She　could　conceive　no　explanation　of　George's　presence。　He　could　not　be　therethat　was　all　there　was　to　it；　yet　there　undoubtedly　he　was。　Her　manner；　as　she　acpanied　Plummer　down　the　stairs；　took　on　such　a　dazed　sweetness　that　her　escort　felt　that　in　ing　there　that　night　he　had　done　the　wisest　act　of　a　lifetime　studded　but　sparsely　with　wise　acts。　It　seemed　to　Plummer　that　this　girl　had　softened　towards　him。　Certainly　something　had　changed　her。　He　could　not　know　that　she　was　merely　wondering　if　she　was　awake。
　George；　meanwhile；　across　the　table；　was　also　having　a　little　difficulty　in　adjusting　his　faculties　to　the　progress　of　events。　He　had　given　up　trying　to　imagine　why　he　had　been　invited　to　this　dinner；　and　was　now　endeavouring　to　find　some　theory　which　would　square　with　the　fact　of　Billie　Dore　being　at　the　castle。　　At　precisely　this　hour　Billie；　by　rights；　should　have　been　putting　the　finishing　touches　on　her　make…up　in　a　second…floor　dressing…room　at　the　Regal。　Yet　there　she　sat；　very　much　at　her　ease　in　this　aristocratic　pany；　so　quietly　and　unobtrusively　dressed　in　some　black　stuff　that　at　first　he　had　scarcely　recognized　her。　　She　was　talking　to　the　Bishop。　。　。
　The　voice　of　Keggs　at　his　elbow　broke　in　on　his　reverie。
　〃Sherry　or　'ock；　sir？〃
　George　could　not　have　explained　why　this　reminder　of　the　butler's　presence　should　have　made　him　feel　better；　but　it　did。　　There　was　something　solid　and　tranquilizing　about　Keggs。　He　had　noticed　it　before。　For　the　first　time　the　sensation　of　having　been　smitten　over　the　head　with　some　blunt　instrument　began　to　abate。　It　was　as　if　Keggs　by　the　mere　intonation　of　his　voice　had　said；　〃All　this　no　doubt　seems　very　strange　and　unusual　to　you；　but　feel　no　alarm！　Jam　here！〃
　George　began　to　sit　up　and　take　notice。　A　cloud　seemed　to　have　cleared　from　his　brain。　He　found　himself　looking　on　his　fellow…diners　as　individuals　rather　than　as　a　confused　mass。　　The　prophet　Daniel；　after　the　initial　embarrassment　of　finding　himself　in　the　society　of　the　lions　had　passed　away；　must　have　experienced　a　somewhat　similar　sensation。
　He　began　to　sort　these　people　out　and　label　them。　There　had　been　introductions　in　the　drawing…room；　but　they　had　left　him　with　a　bewildered　sense　of　having　heard　somebody　recite　a　page　from　Burke's　peerage。　Not　since　that　day　in　the　free　library　in　London；　when　he　had　dived　into　that　fascinating　volume　in　order　to　discover　Maud's　identity；　had　he　undergone　such　a　rain　of　titles。　He　now　took　stock；　to　ascertain　how　many　of　these　people　he　could　identify。
　The　stock…taking　was　an　absolute　failure。　Of　all　those　present　the　only　individuals　he　could　swear　to　were　his　own　personal　little　playmates　with　whom　he　had　sported　in　other　surroundings。　There　was　Lord　Belpher；　for　instance；　eyeing　him　with　a　hostility　that　could　hardly　be　called　veiled。　There　was　Lord　Marshmoreton　at　the　head　of　the　table；　listening　glumly　to　the　conversation　of　a　stout　woman　with　a　pearl　necklace；　but　who　was　that　woman？　Was　it　Lady　Jane　Allenby　or　Lady　Edith　Wade…Beverly　or　Lady　Patricia　Fowles？　And　who；　above　all；　was　the　pie…faced　fellow　with　the　moustache　talking　to　Maud？
　He　sought　assistance　from　the　girl　he　had　taken　in　to　dinner。　　She　appeared；　as　far　as　he　could　ascertain　from　a　short　acquaintance；　to　be　an　amiable　little　thing。　She　was　small　and　young　and　fluffy；　and　he　had　caught　enough　of　her　name　at　the　moment　of　introduction　to　gather　that　she　was　plain　〃Miss〃　Somethinga　fact　which　seemed　to　him　to　draw　them　together。
　〃I　wish　you　would　tell　me　who　some　of　these　people　are；〃　he　said；　as　she　turned　from　talking　to　the　man　on　her　other…side。　　〃Who　is　the　man　over　there？〃
　〃Which　man？〃
　〃The　one　talking　to　Lady　Maud。　The　fellow　whose　face　ought　to　be　shuffled　and　dealt　again。〃
　〃That's　my　brother。〃
　That　held　George　during　the　soup。
　〃I'm　sorry　about　your　brother；〃　he　said　rallying　with　the　fish。
　〃That's　very　sweet　of　you。〃
　〃It　was　the　light　that　deceived　me。　Now　that　I　look　again；　I　see　that　his　face　has　great　charm。〃
　The　girl　giggled。　George　began　to　feel　better。
　〃Who　are　some　of　the　others？　I　didn't　get　your　name；　for　instance。　They　shot　it　at　me　so　quick　that　it　had　whizzed　by　before　I　could　catch　it。〃
　〃My　name　is　Plummer。〃
　George　was　electrified。　He　looked　across　the　table　with　more　vivid　interest。　The　amorous　Plummer　had　been　just　a　Voice　to　him　till　now。　It　was　exciting　to　see　him　in　the　flesh。
　〃And　who　are　the　rest　of　them？〃
　〃They　are　all　members　of　the　family。　I　thought　you　knew　them。〃
　〃I　know　Lord　Marshmoreton。　And　Lady　Maud。　And；　of　course；　Lord　Belpher。〃　He　caught　Percy's　eye　as　it　surveyed　him　coldly　from　the　other　side　of　the　table；　and　nodded　cheerfully。　　〃Great　pal　of　mine；　Lord　Belpher。〃
　The　fluffy　Miss　Plummer　twisted　her　pretty　face　into　a　grimace　of　disapproval。
　〃I　don't　like　Percy。〃
　〃No！〃
　〃I　think　he's　conceited。〃
　〃Surely　not？　'What　could　he　have　to　be　conceited　about？〃
　〃He's　stiff。〃
　〃Yes；　of　course；　that's　how　he　strikes　people　at　first。　The　first　time　I　met　him；　I　thought　he　was　an　awful　stiff。　But　you　should　see　him　in　his　moments　of　relaxation。　He's　one　of　those　fellows　you　have　to　get　to　know。　He　grows　on　you。〃
　〃Yes；　but　look　at　that　affair　with　the　policeman　in　London。　Everybody　in　the　county　is　talking　about　it。〃
　〃Young　blood！〃　sighed　George。　〃Young　blood！　Of　course；　Percy　is　wild。〃
　〃He　must　have　been　intoxicated。〃
　〃Oh；　undoubtedly；〃　said　George。
　Miss　Plummer　glanced　across　the　table。
　〃Do　look　at　Edwin！〃
　〃Which　is　Edwin？〃
　〃My　brother；　I　mean。　Look　at　the　way　he　keeps　staring　Maud。　Edwin's　awfully　in　love　with　Maud；〃　she　rattled　on　with　engaging　frankness。　〃At　least；　he　thinks　he　is。　He's　been　in　love　with　a　different　girl　every　season　since　I　came　out。　And　now　that　Reggie　Byng　has　gone　and　married　Alice　Faraday；　he　thinks　he　has　a　chance。　You　heard　about　that；　I　suppose？〃
　〃Yes；　I　did　hear　something　about　it。〃
　〃Of　course；　Edwin's　wasting　his　time；　really。　I　happen　to　know〃Miss　Plummer　sank　her　voice　to　a　whisper〃I　happen　to　know　that　Maud's　awfully　in　love　with　some　man　she　met　in　Wales　last　year；　but　the　family　won't　hear　of　it。〃
　〃Families　are　like　that；〃　agreed　George。
　〃Nobody　knows　who　he　is；　but　everybody　in　the　county　knows　all　about　it。　Those　things　get　about；　you　know。　Of　course；　out　of　the　question。　Maud　will　have　to　marry　somebody　awfully　rich　or　with　a　title。　Her　family's　one　of　the　oldest　in　England