an unsocial socialist-第47章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Unprotected！〃　said　Trefusis。　〃Why；　you　are　fenced　round　and
barred　in　with　conventions；　laws；　and　lies　that　would　frighten
the　truth　from　the　lips　of　any　man　whose　faith　in　Gertrude　was
less　strong　than　mine。　Go　to　Sir　Charles　and　tell　him　what　I　have
said　to　Miss　Lindsay；　and　within　ten　minutes　I　shall　have　passed
these　gates　with　a　warning　never　to　approach　them　again。　I　am　in
your　power；　and　were　I　in　Miss　Lindsay's　power　alone；　my　shrift
would　be　short。　Happily；　Gertrude；　though　she　sees　as　yet　but
darkly；　feels　that　Miss　Lindsay　is　her　bitterest　foe。〃

〃It　is　ridiculous。　I　am　not　two　persons；　I　am　only　one。　What　does
it　matter　to　me　if　your　contempt　for　me　is　as　illimitable　as　the
stars？〃

〃Ah；　you　remember　that；　do　you？　Whenever　you　hear　a　man　talking
about　the　stars　you　may　conclude　that　he　is　either　an　astronomer
or　a　fool。　But　you　and　a　fine　starry　night　would　make　a　fool　of
any　man。〃

〃I　don't　understand　you。　I　try　to；　but　I　cannot；　or；　if　I　guess；
I　cannot　tell　whether　you　are　in　earnest　or　not。〃

〃I　am　very　much　in　earnest。　Abandon　at　once　and　for　ever　all
misgivings　that　I　am　trifling　with　you；　or　passing　an　idle　hour
as　men　do　when　they　find　themselves　in　the　company　of　beautiful
women。　I　mean　what　I　say　literally；　and　in　the　deepest　sense。　You
doubt　me；　we　have　brought　society　to　such　a　state　that　we　all
suspect　one　another。　But　whatever　is　true　will　command　belief
sooner　or　later　from　those　who　have　wit　enough　to　comprehend
truth。　Now　let　me　recall　Miss　Lindsay　to　consciousness　by
remarking　that　we　have　been　out　for　ten　minutes；　and　that　our
hostess　is　not　the　woman　to　allow　our　absence　to　pass　without
comment。〃

〃Let　us　go　in。　Thank　you　for　reminding　me。〃

〃Thank　you　for　forgetting。〃

Erskine　heard　their　footsteps　retreating；　and　presently　saw　the
two　enter　the　glow　of　light　that　shone　from　the　open　window　of
the　billiard　room；　through　which　they　went　indoors。　Trefusis；　a
man　whom　he　had　seen　that　day　in　a　beautiful　landscape；　blind　to
everything　except　a　row　of　figures　in　a　Blue　Book；　was　his
successful　rival；　although　it　was　plain　from　the　very　sound　of
his　voice　that　he　did　notcould　notlove　Gertrude。　Only　a　poet
could　do　that。　Trefusis　was　no　poet；　but　a　sordid　brute　unlikely
to　inspire　interest　in　anything　more　human　than　a　public　meeting；
much　less　in　a　woman；　much　less　again　in　a　woman　so　ethereal　as
Gertrude。　She　was　proud　too；　yet　she　had　allowed　the　fellow　to
insult　herhad　forgiven　him　for　the　sake　of　a　few　broad
compliments。　Erskine　grew　angry　and　cynical。　The　situation　did
not　suit　his　poetry。　Instead　of　being　stricken　to　the　heart　with
a　solemn　sorrow；　as　a　Patriot　Martyr　would　have　been　under
similar　circumstances；　he　felt　slighted　and　ridiculous。　He　was
hardly　convinced　of　what　had　seemed　at　first　the　most　obvious
feature　of　the　case；　Trefusis's　inferiority　to　himself。

He　stood　under　the　trees　until　Trefusis　reappeared　on　his　way
home；　making；　Erskine　thought；　as　much　noise　with　his　heels　on
the　gravel　as　a　regiment　of　delicately　bred　men　would　have　done。
He　stopped　for　a　moment　to　make　inquiry　at　the　lodge　as　he　went
out；　then　his　footsteps　died　away　in　the　distance。

Erskine；　chilled；　stiff；　and　with　a　sensation　of　a　bad　cold
coming　on；　went　into　the　house；　and　was　relieved　to　find　that
Gertrude　had　retired；　and　that　Lady　Brandon；　though　she　had　been
sure　that　he　had　ridden　into　the　river　in　the　dark；　had
nevertheless　provided　a　warm　supper　for　him。



CHAPTER　XV

Erskine　soon　found　plenty　of　themes　for　his　newly　begotten
cynicism。　Gertrude's　manner　towards　him　softened　so　much　that　he；
believing　her　heart　given　to　his　rival；　concluded　that　she　was
tempting　him　to　make　a　proposal　which　she　had　no　intention　of
accepting。　Sir　Charles；　to　whom　he　told　what　he　had　overheard　in
the　avenue；　professed　sympathy；　but　was　evidently　pleased　to
learn　that　there　was　nothing　serious　in　the　attentions　Trefusis
paid　to　Agatha。　Erskine　wrote　three　bitter　sonnets　on　hollow
friendship　and　showed　them　to　Sir　Charles；　who；　failing　to　apply
them　to　himself；　praised　them　highly　and　showed　them　to　Trefusis
without　asking　the　author's　permission。　Trefusis　remarked　that　in
a　corrupt　society　expressions　of　dissatisfaction　were　always
creditable　to　a　writer's　sensibility；　but　he　did　not　say　much　in
praise　of　the　verse。

〃Why　has　he　taken　to　writing　in　this　vein？〃　he　said。　〃Has　he　been
disappointed　in　any　way　of　late？　Has　he　proposed　to　Miss　Lindsay
and　been　rejected？〃

〃No；〃　said　Sir　Charles　surprised　by　this　blunt　reference　to　a
subject　they　had　never　before　discussed。　〃He　does　not　intend　to
propose　to　Miss　Lindsay。〃

〃But　he　did　intend　to。〃

〃He　certainly　did；　but　he　has　given　up　the　idea。〃

〃Why？〃　said　Trefusis；　apparently　disapproving　strongly　of　the
renunciation。

Sir　Charles　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　did　not　reply。

〃I　am　sorry　to　hear　it。　I　wish　you　could　induce　him　to　change　his
mind。　He　is　a　nice　fellow；　with　enough　to　live　on　comfortably；
whilst　he　is　yet　what　is　called　a　poor　man；　so　that　she　could
feel　perfectly　disinterested　in　marrying　him。　It　will　do　her　good
to　marry　without　making　a　pecuniary　profit　by　it；　she　will
respect　herself　the　more　afterwards；　and　will　neither　want　bread
and　butter　nor　be　ashamed　of　her　husband's　origin；　in　spite　of
having　married　for　love　alone。　Make　a　match　of　it　if　you　can。　I
take　an　interest　in　the　girl；　she　has　good　instincts。〃

Sir　Charles's　suspicion　that　Trefusis　was　really　paying　court　to
Agatha　returned　after　this　conversation；　which　he　repeated　to
Erskine；　who；　much　annoyed　because　his　poems　had　been　shown　to　a
reader　of　Blue　Books；　thought　it　only　a　blind　for　Trefusis's
design　upon　Gertrude。　Sir　Charles　pooh…poohed　this　view；　and　the
two　friends　were　sharp　with　one　another　in　discussing　it。　After
dinner；　when　the　ladies　had　left　them；　Sir　Charles；　repentant　and
cordial；　urged　Erskine　to　speak　to　Gertrude　without　troubling
himself　as　to　the　sincerity　of　Trefusis。　But　Erskine；　knowing
himself　ill　able　to　brook　a　refusal；　was　loth　to　expose　himself
to　o


278

〃If　you　had　heard　the　tone　of　her　voice　when　she　asked　him
whether　he　was　in　earnest；　you　would　not　talk　to　me　like　this；〃
he　said　despondently。　〃I　wish　he　had　never　come　here。〃

〃Well；　that；　at　least；　was　no　fault　of　mine；　my　dear　fellow；〃
said　Sir　Charles。　〃He　came　among　us　against　my　will。　And　now　that
he　appears　to　have　been　in　the　rightlegallyabout　the　field；
it　would　look　like　spite　if　I　cut　him。　Besides；　he　really　isn't　a
bad　man　if　he　would　only　let　the　women　alone。〃

〃If　he　trifles　with　Miss　Lindsay；　I　shall　ask　him　to　cross　the
Channel；　and　have　a　shot　at　him。〃

〃I　don't　think　he'd　go；〃　said　Sir　Charles　dubiously。　〃If　I　were
you；　I　would　try　my　luck　with　Gertrude　at　once。　In　spite　of　what
you　heard；　I　don't　believe　she　would　marry　a　man　of　his　origin。
His　money　gives　him　an　advantage；　certainly；　but　Gertrude　has
sent　richer　men　to　the　rightabout。〃

〃Let　the　fellow　have　fair　play；〃　said　Erskine。　〃I　may　be　wrong；
of　course；　all　men　are　liable　to　err　in　judging　themselves；　but　I
think　I　could　make　her　happier　than　he　can。〃

Sir　Charles　was　not　so　sure　of　that；　but　he　cheerfully　responded；
〃Certainly。　He　is　not　the　man　for　her　at　all；　and　you　are。　He
knows　it；　too。〃

〃Hmf！〃　muttered　Erskine；　rising　dejectedly。　〃Let's　go　upstairs。〃

〃By…the…bye；　we　are　to　call　on　him　to…morrow；　to　go　through　his
house；　and　his　collection　of　photographs。　Photographs！　Ha；　ha〃
Damn　his　house！〃　said　Erskine。

Next　day　they　went　together　to　Sallust's　House。　It　stood　in　the
midst　of　an　acre　of　land；　waste　except　a　little　kitchen　garden　at
the　rear。　The　lodge　at　the　entrance　was　uninhabited；　and　the
gates　stood　open；　with　dust　and　fallen　leaves　heaped　up　against
them。　Free　ingress　had　thus　been　afforded　to　two　stray　ponies；　a
goat；　and　a　tramp；　who　lay　asleep　in　the　grass。　His　wife　sat
near；　watching　him。

〃I　have　a　mind　to　turn　back；〃　said　Sir　Charles；　looking　about　him
in　disgust。　〃　The　place　is　scandalously　neglected。　Look　at　that
rascal　asleep　within　full　view　of　the　windows。〃

〃I　admire　his　cheek；〃　said　Erskine。　〃Nice　pair　of　ponies；　too。〃

Sallust's　House　wa