pgw.adamselindistress-第48部分

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　〃What　shall　we　do？〃　said　Maud。　She　was　sitting　on　the　stone　seat　where　Reggie　Byng　had　sat　and　meditated　on　his　love　for　Alice　Faraday　and　his　unfortunate　habit　of　slicing　his　approach…shots。　To　George；　as　he　stood　beside　her；　she　was　a　white　blur　in　the　darkness。　He　could　not　see　her　face。
　〃I　don't　know！〃　he　said　frankly。
　Nor　did　he。　Like　Lady　Caroline　and　Lord　Belpher　and　Keggs；　the　butler；　he　had　been　pletely　overwhelmed　by　Lord　Marshmoreton's　dramatic　announcement。　The　situation　had　e　upon　him　unheralded　by　any　warning；　and　had　found　him　unequal　to　it。
　A　choking　sound　suddenly　proceeded　from　the　whiteness　that　was　Maud。　In　the　stillness　it　sounded　like　some　loud　noise。　　It　jarred　on　George's　disturbed　nerves。
　〃Please！〃
　〃I　c…can't　help　it！〃
　〃There's　nothing　to　cry　about；　really！　If　we　think　long　enough；　we　shall　find　some　way　out　all　right。　Please　don't　cry。〃
　〃I'm　not　crying！〃　The　choking　sound　became　an　unmistakable　ripple　of　mirth。　〃It's　so　absurd！　Poor　father　getting　up　like　that　in　front　of　everyone！　Did　you　see　Aunt　Caroline's　face？〃
　〃It　haunts　me　still；〃　said　George。　〃I　shall　never　forget　it。　　Your　brother　didn't　seem　any　too　pleased；　either。〃
　Maud　stopped　laughing。
　〃It's　an　awful　position；〃　she　said　soberly。　〃The　announcement　will　be　in　the　Morning　Post　the　day　after　tomorrow。　And　then　the　letters　of　congratulation　will　begin　to　pour　in。　And　after　that　the　presents。　And　I　simply　can't　see　how　we　can　convince　them　all　that　there　has　been　a　mistake。〃　Another　aspect　of　the　matter　struck　her。　〃It's　so　hard　on　you；　too。〃
　〃Don't　think　about　me；〃　urged　George。　〃Heaven　knows　I'd　give　the　whole　world　if　we　could　just　let　the　thing　go　on；　but　there's　no　use　discussing　impossibilities。〃　He　lowered　his　voice。　　〃There's　no　use；　either；　in　my　pretending　that　I'm　not　going　to　have　a　pretty　bad　time。　But　we　won't　discuss　that。　It　was　my　own　fault。　I　came　butting　in　on　your　life　of　my　own　free　will；　and；　whatever　happens；　it's　been　worth　it　to　have　known　you　and　tried　to　be　of　service　to　you。〃
　〃You're　the　best　friend　I've　ever　had。〃
　〃I'm　glad　you　think　that。〃
　〃The　best　and　kindest　friend　any　girl　ever　had。　I　wish　。　。　。〃　She　broke　off。　〃Oh；　well。　。　。〃
　There　was　a　silence。　In　the　castle　somebody　had　begun　to　play　the　piano。　Then　a　man's　voice　began　to　sing。
　〃That's　Edwin　Plummer；〃　said　Maud。　〃How　badly　he　sings。〃
　George　laughed。　Somehow　the　intrusion　of　Plummer　had　removed　the　tension。　Plummer；　whether　designedly　and　as　a　sombre　mentary　on　the　situation　or　because　he　was　the　sort　of　man　who　does　sing　that　particular　song；　was　chanting　Tosti's　〃Good…bye〃。　He　was　giving　to　its　never　very　cheery　notes　a　wailing　melancholy　all　his　own。　A　dog　in　the　stables　began　to　howl　in　sympathy；　and　with　the　sound　came　a　curious　soothing　of　George's　nerves。　He　might　feel　broken…hearted　later；　but　for　the　moment；　with　this　double　acpaniment；　it　was　impossible　for　a　man　with　humour　in　his　soul　to　dwell　on　the　deeper　emotions。　　Plummer　and　his　canine　duettist　had　brought　him　to　earth。　He　felt　calm　and　practical。
　〃We'd　better　talk　the　whole　thing　over　quietly；〃　he　said。　　〃There's　certain　to　be　some　solution。　At　the　worst　you　can　always　go　to　Lord　Marshmoreton　and　tell　him　that　he　spoke　without　a　sufficient　grasp　of　his　subject。〃
　〃I　could；〃　said　Maud；　〃but；　just　at　present；　I　feel　as　if　I'd　rather　do　anything　else　in　the　world。　You　don't　realize　what　it　must　have　cost　father　to　defy　Aunt　Caroline　openly　like　that。　　Ever　since　I　was　old　enough　to　notice　anything；　I've　seen　how　she　dominated　him。　It　was　Aunt　Caroline　who　really　caused　all　this　trouble。　If　it　had　only　been　father；　I　could　have　coaxed　him　to　let　me　marry　anyone　I　pleased。　I　wish；　if　you　possibly　can；　you　would　think　of　some　other　solution。〃
　〃I　haven't　had　an　opportunity　of　telling　you；〃　said　George；　〃that　I　called　at　Belgrave　Square；　as　you　asked　me　to　do。　I　went　there　directly　I　had　seen　Reggie　Byng　safely　married。〃
　〃Did　you　see　him　married？〃
　〃I　was　best　man。〃
　〃Dear　old　Reggie！　I　hope　he　will　be　happy。〃
　〃He　will。　Don't　worry　about　that。　Well；　as　I　was　saying；　I　called　at　Belgrave　Square；　and　found　the　house　shut　up。　I　couldn't　get　any　answer　to　the　bell；　though　I　kept　my　thumb　on　it　for　minutes　at　a　time。　I　think　they　must　have　gone　abroad　again。〃
　〃No；　it　wasn't　that。　I　had　a　letter　from　Geoffrey　this　morning。　His　uncle　died　of　apoplexy；　while　they　were　in　Manchester　on　a　business　trip。〃　She　paused。　〃He　left　Geoffrey　all　his　money；〃　she　went　on。　〃Every　penny。〃
　The　silence　seemed　to　stretch　out　interminably。　The　music　from　the　castle　had　ceased。　The　quiet　of　the　summer　night　was　unbroken。　To　George　the　stillness　had　a　touch　of　the　sinister。　　It　was　the　ghastly　silence　of　the　end　of　the　world。　With　a　shock　he　realized　that　even　now　he　had　been　permitting　himself　to　hope；　futile　as　he　recognized　the　hope　to　be。　Maud　had　told　him　she　loved　another　man。　That　should　have　been　final。　　And　yet　somehow　his　indomitable　sub…conscious　self　had　refused　to　accept　it　as　final。　But　this　news　ended　everything。　The　only　obstacle　that　had　held　Maud　and　this　man　apart　was　removed。　　There　was　nothing　to　prevent　them　marrying。　George　was　conscious　of　a　vast　depression。　The　last　strand　of　the　rope　had　parted；　and　he　was　drifting　alone　out　into　the　ocean　of　desolation。
　〃Oh！〃　he　said；　and　was　surprised　that　his　voice　sounded　very　much　the　same　as　usual。　Speech　was　so　difficult　that　it　seemed　strange　that　it　should　show　no　signs　of　effort。　〃That　alters　everything；　doesn't　it。〃
　〃He　said　in　his　letter　that　he　wanted　me　to　meet　him　in　London　andtalk　things　over；　I　suppose。〃
　〃There's　nothing　now　to　prevent　your　going。　I　mean；　now　that　your　father　has　made　this　announcement；　you　are　free　to　go　where　you　please。〃
　〃Yes；　I　suppose　I　am。〃
　There　was　another　silence。
　〃Everything's　so　difficult；〃　said　Maud。
　〃In　what　way？〃
　〃Oh；　I　don't　know。〃
　〃If　you　are　thinking　of　me；〃　said　George；　〃please　don't。　I　know　exactly　what　you　mean。　You　are　hating　the　thought　of　hurting　my　feelings。　I　wish　you　would　look　on　me　as　having　no　feelings。　All　I　want　is　to　see　you　happy。　As　I　said　just　now；　it's　enough　for　me　to　know　that　I've　helped　you。　Do　be　reasonable　about　it。　The　fact　that　our　engagement　has　been　officially　announced　makes　no　difference　in　our　relations　to　each　other。　　As　far　as　we　two　are　concerned；　we　are　exactly　where　we　were　the　last　time　we　met。　It's　no　worse　for　me　now　than　it　was　then　to　know　that　I'm　not　the　man　you　love；　and　that　there's　somebody　else　you　loved　before　you　ever　knew　of　my　existence。　For　goodness'　sake；　a　girl　like　you　must　be　used　to　having　men　tell　her　that　they　love　her　and　having　to　tell　them　that　she　can't　love　them　in　return。〃
　〃But　you're　so　different。〃
　〃Not　a　bit　of　it。　I'm　just　one　of　the　crowd。〃
　〃I've　never　known　anybody　quite　like　you。〃
　〃Well；　you've　never　known　anybody　quite　like　Plummer；　I　should　imagine。　But　the　thought　of　his　sufferings　didn't　break　your　heart。〃
　〃I've　known　a　million　men　exactly　like　Edwin　Plummer；〃　said　Maud　emphatically。　〃All　the　men　I　ever　have　known　have　been　like　himquite　nice　and　pleasant　and　negative。　It　never　seemed　to　matter　refusing　them。　One　knew　that　they　would　be　just　a　little　bit　piqued　for　a　week　or　two　and　then　wander　off　and　fall　in　love　with　somebody　else。　But　you're　different。　　You　。　。　。　matter。〃
　〃That　is　where　we　disagree。　My　argument　is　that；　where　your　happiness　is　concerned；　I　don't　matter。〃
　Maud　rested　her　chin　on　her　hand；　and　stared　out　into　the　velvet　darkness。
　〃You　ought　to　have　been　my　brother　instead　of　Percy；〃　she　said　at　last。　〃What　chums　we　should　have　been！　And　how　simple　that　would　have　made　everything！〃
　〃The　best　thing　for　you　to　do　is　to　regard　me　as　an　honorary　brother。　That　will　make　everything　simple。〃
　〃It's　easy　to　talk　like　that　。　。　。　No；　it　isn't。　It's　horribly　hard。　I　know　exactly　how　difficult　it　is　for　you　to　talk　as　you　have　been　doingto　try　to　make　me　feel　better　by　pretending　the　whole　trouble　is　just　a　trifle　。　。　。　It's　strange　。　。　。　We　have　only　met　really　for　a　few　minutes　at　a　time；　and　three　weeks　ago　I　didn't　know　there　was　such　a　person　as　you；　but　somehow　I　seem　to　know　everything　you're　thinking。　I'v