the vanished messenger-第39章

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He　paused　so　long　that　she　looked　at　him。　　He　moved　a　little　closer
to　her；　his　fingers　suddenly　gripped　her　hand。

〃Or　you　can　marry　me　and　come　away　from　it　all；〃　he　concluded
quietly。　　〃Forgive　me；　please　…　I　mean　it。〃

For　a　moment　the　startled　light　in　her　eyes　was　followed　by　a
delicious　softness。　　Her　lips　were　parted；　she　leaned　a　little
towards　him。　　Then　suddenly　she　seemed　to　remember。　　She　rose　with
swift　alertness　to　her　feet。

〃I　think；〃　she　said；　〃that　we　had　better　play　golf。〃

〃But　I　have　asked　you　to　marry　me；〃　he　protested；　as　he　scrambled　up。

〃Your　caddy　has　found　your　ball　a　long　time　ago；〃　she　pointed　out；
walking　swiftly　on　ahead。

He　played　his　shot　and　caught　her　up。

〃Miss　Fentolin　…　Esther；〃　he　pleaded　eagerly；　〃do　you　think　that　I
am　not　in　earnest？　　Because　I　am。　　I　mean　it。　　Even　if　I　have　only
known　you　for　a　few　days；　it　has　been　enough。　　I　think　that　I　knew
it　was　coming　from　the　moment　that　you　stepped　into　my　railway
carriage。〃

〃You　knew　that　what　was　coming？〃　she　asked；　raising　her　eyes
suddenly。

〃That　I　should　care　for　you。〃

〃It's　the　first　time　you've　told　me　she　reminded　him；　with　a　queer
little　smile。　　〃Oh；　forgive　me；　please！　　I　didn't　mean　to　say　that。
I　don't　want　to　have　you　tell　me　so。　　It's　all　too　ridiculous　and
impossible。〃

〃Is　it？　　And　why？〃

〃I　have　only　known　you　for　three　days。〃

〃We　can　make　up　for　that。〃

〃But　I　don't　…　care　about　you。　　I　have　never　thought　of　any　one　in
that　way。　　It　is　absurd；〃　she　went　on。

〃You'll　have　to；　sometime　or　other；〃　he　declared。　　〃I'll　take　you
travelling　with　me；　show　you　the　world；　new　worlds；　unnamed　rivers；
untrodden　mountains。　　Or　do　you　want　to　go　and　see　where　the　little
brown　people　live　among　the　mimosa　and　the　cherry　blossoms？　　I'll
take　you　so　far　away　that　this　place　and　this　life　will　seem　like
a　dream。〃

Her　breath　caught　a　little。

〃Don't；　please；〃　she　begged。　　〃You　know　very　well　…　or　rather　you
don't　know；　perhaps；　but　I　must　tell　you　…　that　I　couldn't。　　I　am
here；　tied　and　bound；　and　I　can't　escape。〃

〃Ah！　dear；　don't　believe　it；〃　he　went　on　earnestly。　　〃There　isn't
any　bond　so　strong　that　I　won't　break　it　for　you；　no　knot　I　won't
untie；　if　you　give　me　the　right。〃

They　were　climbing　slowly　on　to　the　tee。　　He　stepped　forward　and
pulled　her　up。　　Her　hand　was　cold。　　Her　eyes　were　raised　to　his；
very　softly　yet　almost　pleadingly。

〃Please　don't　say　anything　more；〃　she　begged。　　〃I　can't　…　quite　bear
it　just　now。　　You　know；　you　must　remember　…　there　is　my　mother。　　Do
you　think　that　I　could　leave　her　to　struggle　alone？〃

His　caddy；　who　had　teed　the　ball；　and　who　had　regarded　the
proceedings　with　a　moderately　tolerant　air；　felt　called　upon　at　last
to　interfere。

〃We'd　best　get　on；〃　he　remarked；　pointing　to　two　figures　in　the
distance；　〃or　they'll　say　we've　cut　in。〃

Hamel　smote　his　ball　far　and　true。　　On　a　more　moderate　scale　she
followed　his　example。　　They　descended　the　steps　together。

〃Love…making　isn't　going　to　spoil　our　golf；〃　he　whispered；　smiling；
as　he　touched　her　fingers　once　more。

She　looked　at　him　almost　shyly。

〃Is　this　love…making？〃　she　asked。

They　walked　together　from　the　eighteenth　green　towards　the
club…house。　　A　curious　silence　seemed　suddenly　to　have　enveloped
them。　　Hamel　was　conscious　of　a　strange　exhilaration；　a　queer
upheaval　of　ideas；　an　excitement　which　nothing　in　his　previous
life　had　yet　been　able　to　yield　him。　　The　wonder　of　it　amazed　him；
kept　him　silent。　　It　was　not　until　they　reached　the　steps；　indeed；
that　he　spoke。

〃On　our　way　home　…〃　he　began。

She　seemed　suddenly　to　have　stiffened。　　He　looked　at　her；　surprised。
She　was　standing　quite　still；　her　hand　gripping　the　post；　her　eyes
fixed　upon　the　waiting　motor…car。　　The　delicate　softness　had　gone
from　her　face。　　Once　more　that　look　of　partly　veiled　suffering　was
there；　suffering　mingled　with　fear。

〃Look！〃　she　whispered；　under　her　breath。　　〃Look！　　It　is　Mr。　Fentolin！
He　has　come　for　us　himself；　he　is　there　in　the　car。〃

Mr。　Fentolin；　a　strange　little　figure　lying　back　among　the　cushions
of　the　great　Daimler；　raised　his　hat　and　waved　it　to　them。

〃Come　along；　children；〃　he　cried。　　〃You　see；　I　am　here　to　fetch　you
myself。　　The　sunshine　has　tempted　me。　　What　a　heavenly　morning！
Come　and　sit　by　my　side；　Esther；　and　fight　your　battle　all　over
again。　　That　is　one　of　the　joys　of　golf；　isn't　it？〃　he　asked；
turning　to　Hamel。　　〃You　need　not　be　afraid　of　boring　me。　　To…day
is　one　of　my　bright　days。　　I　suppose　that　it　is　the　sunshine　and
the　warm　wind。　　On　the　way　here　we　passed　some　fields。　　I　could
swear　that　I　smelt　violets。　　Where　are　you　going；　Esther？

〃To　take　my　clubs　to　my　locker　and　pay　my　caddy；〃　she　replied。

〃Mr。　Hamel　will　do　that　for　you；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　declared。　　〃Come　and
take　your　seat　by　my　side；　and　let　us　wait　for　him。　　I　am　tired　of
being　alone。〃

She　gave　up　her　clubs　reluctantly。　　All　the　life　seemed　to　have　gone
from　her　face。

〃Why　didn't　mother　come　with　you？〃　she　asked　simply。

〃To　tell　you　the　truth；　dear　Esther；〃　he　answered；　〃when　I　started；
I　had　a　fancy　to　be　alone。　　I　think　…　in　fact　I　am　sure　…　that　your
mother　wanted　to　come。　　The　sunshine；　too；　was　tempting　her。　　Perhaps
it　was　selfish　of　me　not　to　bring　her；　but　then；　there　is　a　great
deal　to　be　forgiven　me；　isn't　there；　Esther？〃

〃A　great　deal；〃　she　echoed；　looking　steadily　ahead　of　her。

〃I　came；〃　he　went　on；　〃because　it　occurred　to　me　that；　after　all；
I　had　my　duties　as　your　guardian；　dear　Esther。　　I　am　not　sure　that
we　can　permit　flirtations；　you　know。　　Let　me　see；　how　old　are　you？〃

〃Twenty…one；〃　she　replied。

〃In　a　magazine　I　was　reading　the　other　day；〃　he　continued；　〃I　was
interested　to　observe　that　the　modern　idea　as　regards　marriage　is
a　changed　one。　　A　woman；　they　say；　should　not　marry　until　she
is　twenty…seven　or　twenty…eight　…　a　very　excellent　idea。　　I　think
we　agree；　do　we　not；　on　that；　Esther？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　she　replied。　　〃I　have　never　thought　about　the
matter。〃

〃Then；〃　he　went　on；　〃we　will　make　up　our　minds　to　agree。
Twenty…seven　or　twenty…eight；　let　us　say。　　A　very　excellent　age！
A　girl　should　know　her　own　mind　by　then。　　And　meanwhile；　dear　Esther；
would　it　be　wise；　I　wonder；　to　see　a　little　less　of　our　friend　Mr。
Hamel？　　He　leaves　us　to…day；　I　think。　　He　is　very　obstinate　about
that。　　If　he　were　staying　still　in　the　house；　well；　it　might　be
different。　　But　if　he　persists　in　leaving　us；　you　will　not　forget；
dear；　that　association　with　a　guest　is　one　thing；　association　with
a　young　man　living　out　of　the　house　is　another。　　A　great　deal　less
of　Mr。　Hamel　I　think　that　we　must　see。〃

She　made　no　reply　whatever。　　Hamel　was　coming　now　towards　them。

〃Really　a　very　personable　young　man；〃　Mr。　　Fentolin　remarked；
studying　him　through　his　eyeglass。　　〃Is　it　my　fancy；　I　wonder；　as
an　observant　person；　or　is　he　just　a　little　…　just　a　little　taken
with　you；　Esther？　　A　pity　if　it　is　so　…　a　great　pity。〃

She　said　nothing；　but　her　hand　which　rested　upon　the　rug　was
trembling　a　little。

〃If　you　have　an　opportunity；〃　Mr。　Fentolin　suggested；　dropping　his
voice；　〃you　might　very　delicately；　you　know　…　girls　are　so　clever
at　that　sort　of　thing…convey　my　views　to　Mr。　Hamel　as　regards　his
leaving　us　and　its　effect　upon　your　companionship。　　You　understand
me；　I　am　sure？〃

For　the　first　time　she　turned　her　head　towards　him。

〃I　understand；〃　she　said；　〃that　you　have　some　particular　reason　for
not　wishing　Mr。　Hamel　to　leave　St。　David's　Hall。〃

He　smiled　benignly。

〃You　do　my　hospitable　impulses　full　justice；　dear　Esther；〃　he
declared。　　〃Sometimes　I　think　that　you　understand　me　almost　as　well
as　your　dear　mother。　　If；　by　any　chance；　Mr。　Hamel　should　change
his　mind　as　to　taking　up　his　residence　at　the　Tower；　I　think　you
would　not　find　me　in　any　sense　of　the　word　an　obdurate　or　exacting
guardian。　　Come　along；　Mr。　Hamel。　　That　seat　opposite　to　us　is　quite
comfortable。　　You　see；　I　resign　myself　to　the　inevitable。　　I　have
come　to　fetch　golfers　home　to　luncheon；　and　I　compose　myself　to
listen。　　Which　of　you　will　begin　the　epic　of　missed　putts　and
brassey　shots　which　failed　by　a　foot　to　carry？〃