an unsocial socialist-第58章

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〃It　is　only　that　I　do　not　wish　to　be　spoken　to。　It　hurts　my　head
to　listen。〃

He　meekly　took　his　bicycle　from　the　ditch　and　wheeled　it　along
beside　her　to　the　Beeches　without　another　word。　They　went　in
through　the　conservatory；　and　parted　in　the　dining…room。　Before
leaving　him　she　said　with　some　remorse；　〃I　did　not　mean　to　be
rude；　Mr。　Erskine。〃

He　flushed；　murmured　something；　and　attempted　to　kiss　her　hand。
But　she　snatched　it　away　and　went　out　quickly。　He　was　stung　by
this　repulse；　and　stood　mortifying　himself　by　thinking　of　it
until　he　was　disturbed　by　the　entrance　of　a　maid…servant。
Learning　from　her　that　Sir　Charles　was　in　the　billiard　room；　he
joined　him　there；　and　asked　him　carelessly　if　he　had　heard　the
news。

〃About　Miss　Wylie？〃　said　Sir　Charles。　〃Yes；　I　should　think　so。　I
believe　the　whole　country　knows　it；　though　they　have　not　been
engaged　three　hours。　Have　you　seen　these？〃　And　he　pushed　a　couple
of　newspapers　across　the　table。

Erskine　had　to　make　several　efforts　before　he　could　read。　〃　You
were　a　fool　to　sign　that　document；〃　he　said。　〃I　told　you　so　at
the　time。〃

〃I　relied　on　the　fellow　being　a　gentleman；〃　said　Sir　Charles
warmly。　〃　I　do　not　see　that　I　was　a　fool。　I　see　that　he　is　a　cad；
and　but　for　this　business　of　Miss　Wylie's　I　would　let　him　know　my
opinion。　Let　me　tell　you；　Chester；　that　he　has　played　fast　and
loose　with　Miss　Lindsay。　There　is　a　deuce　of　a　row　upstairs。　She
has　just　told　Jane　that　she　must　go　home　at　once；　Miss　Wylie
declares　that　she　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　Trefusis　if　Miss
Lindsay　has　a　prior　claim　to　him；　and　Jane　is　annoyed　at　his
admiring　anybody　except　herself。　It　serves　me　right；　my　instinct
warned　me　against　the　fellow　from　the　first。〃　Just　then　luncheon
was　announced。　Gertrude　did　not　come　down。　Agatha　was　silent　and
moody。　Jane　tried　to　make　Erskine　describe　his　walk　with
Gertrude；　but　he　baffled　her　curiosity　by　omitting　from　his
account　everything　except　its　commonplaces。

〃I　think　her　conduct　very　strange；〃　said　Jane。　〃She　insists　on
going　to　town　by　the　four　o'clock　train。　I　consider　that　it's　not
polite　to　me；　although　she　always　made　a　point　of　her　perfect
manners。　I　never　heard　of　such　a　thing！〃

When　they　had　risen　from　the　table；　they　went　together　to　the
drawing…room。　They　had　hardly　arrived　there　when　Trefusis　was
announced；　and　he　was　in　their　presence　before　they　had　time　to
conceal　the　expression　of　consternation　his　name　brought　into
their　faces。

〃I　have　come　to　say　good…bye；〃　he　said。　〃I　find　that　I　must　go　to
town　by　the　four　o'clock　train　to　push　my　arrangements　in　person；
the　telegrams　I　have　received　breathe　nothing　but　delay。　Have　you
seen　the　'Times'？〃

〃I　have　indeed；〃　said　Sir　Charles；　emphatically。

〃You　are　in　some　other　paper　too；　and　will　be　in　half…a…dozen
more　in　the　course　of　the　next　fortnight。　Men　who　have　committed
themselves　to　an　opinion　are　always　in　trouble　with　the
newspapers；　some　because　they　cannot　get　into　them；　others
because　they　cannot　keep　out。　If　you　had　put　forward　a　thundering
revolutionary　manifesto；　not　a　daily　paper　would　have　dared
allude　to　it：　there　is　no　cowardice　like　Fleet　Street　cowardice！
I　must　run　off；　I　have　much　to　do　before　I　start；　and　it　is
getting　on　for　three。　Good…bye；　Lady　Brandon；　and　everybody。〃

He　shook　Jane's　hand；　dealt　nods　to　the　rest　rapidly；　making　no
distinction　in　favor　of　Agatha；　and　hurried　away。　They　stared
after　him　for　a　moment　and　then　Erskine　ran　out　and　went
downstairs　two　steps　at　a　time。　Nevertheless　he　had　to　run　as　far
as　the　avenue　before　he　overtook　his　man。

〃Trefusis；〃　he　said　breathlessly；　〃you　must　not　go　by　the　four
o'clock　train。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Miss　Lindsay　is　going　to　town　by　it。〃

〃So　much　the　better；　my　dear　boy；　so　much　the　better。　You　are　not
jealous　of　me　now；　are　you？〃

〃Look　here；　Trefusis。　I　don't　know　and　I　don't　ask　what　there　has
been　between　you　and　Miss　Lindsay；　but　your　engagement　has　quite
upset　her；　and　she　is　running　away　to　London　in　consequence。　If
she　hears　that　you　are　going　by　the　same　train　she　will　wait
until　to…morrow；　and　I　believe　the　delay　would　be　very
disagreeable。　Will　you　inflict　that　additional　pain　upon　her？〃

Trefusis；　evidently　concerned；　looking　doubtfully　at　Erskine；　and
pondered　for　a　moment。　〃I　think　you　are　on　a　wrong　scent　about
this；〃　he　said。　〃My　relations　with　Miss　Lindsay　were　not　of　a
sentimental　kind。　Have　you　said　anything　to　heron　your　own
account；　I　mean？〃

〃I　have　spoken　to　her　on　both　accounts；　and　I　know　from　her　own
lips　that　I　am　right。〃

Trefusis　uttered　a　low　whistle。

〃It　is　not　the　first　time　I　have　had　the　evidence　of　my　senses　in
the　matter；〃　said　Erskine　significantly。　〃　Pray　think　of　it
seriously；　Trefusis。　Forgive　my　telling　you　frankly　that　nothing
but　your　own　utter　want　of　feeling　could　excuse　you　for　the　way
in　which　you　have　acted　towards　her。〃

Trefusis　smiled。　〃Forgive　me　in　turn　for　my　inquisitiveness；〃　he
said。　〃What　does　she　say　to　your　suit？〃

Erskine　hesitated；　showing　by　his　manner　that　he　thought　Trefusis
had　no　right　to　ask　the　question。　〃She　says　nothing；〃　he
answered。

〃Hm！〃　said　Trefusis。　〃Well；　you　may　rely　on　me　as　to　the　train。
There　is　my　hand　upon　it。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Erskine　fervently。　They　shook　hands　and　parted；
Trefusis　walking　away　with　a　grin　suggestive　of　anything　but　good
faith。



CHAPTER　XVII

Gertrude；　unaware　of　the　extent　to　which　she　had　already　betrayed
her　disappointment；　believed　that　anxiety　for　her　father's
health；　which　she　alleged　as　the　motive　of　her　sudden　departure；
was　an　excuse　plausible　enough　to　blind　her　friends　to　her
overpowering　reluctance　to　speak　to　Agatha　or　endure　her
presence；　to　her　fierce　shrinking　from　the　sort　of　pity　usually
accorded　to　a　jilted　woman；　and；　above　all；　to　her　dread　of
meeting　Trefusis。　She　had　for　some　time　past　thought　of　him　as　an
upright　and　perfect　man　deeply　interested　in　her。　Yet；
comparatively　liberal　as　her　education　had　been；　she　had　no　idea
of　any　interest　of　man　in　woman　existing　apart　from　a　desire　to
marry。　He　had；　in　his　serious　moments；　striven　to　make　her
sensible　of　the　baseness　he　saw　in　her　worldliness；　flattering
her　by　his　apparent　convictionwhich　she　sharedthat　she　was
capable　of　a　higher　life。　Almost　in　the　same　breath；　a　strain　of
gallantry　which　was　incorrigible　in　him；　and　to　which　his　humor
and　his　tenderness　to　women　whom　he　liked　gave　variety　and　charm；
would　supervene　upon　his　seriousness　with　a　rapidity　which　her
far　less　flexible　temperament　could　not　follow。　Hence　she；
thinking　him　still　in　earnest　when　he　had　swerved　into　florid
romance；　had　been　dangerously　misled。　He　had　no　conscientious
scruples　in　his　love…making；　because　he　was　unaccustomed　to
consider　himself　as　likely　to　inspire　love　in　women；　and　Gertrude
did　not　know　that　her　beauty　gave　to　an　hour　spent　alone　with　her
a　transient　charm　which　few　men　of　imagination　and　address　could
resist。　She；　who　had　lived　in　the　marriage　market　since　she　had
left　school；　looked　upon　love…making　as　the　most　serious　business
of　life。　To　him　it　was　only　a　pleasant　sort　of　trifling；　enhanced
by　a　dash　of　sadness　in　the　reflection　that　it　meant　so　little。

Of　the　ceremonies　attending　her　departure；　the　one　that　cost　her
most　was　the　kiss　she　felt　bound　to　offer　Agatha。　She　had　been
jealous　of　her　at　college；　where　she　had　esteemed　herself　the
better　bred　of　the　two；　but　that　opinion　had　hardly　consoled　her
for　Agatha's　superior　quickness　of　wit；　dexterity　of　hand；
audacity；　aptness　of　resource；　capacity　for　forming　or　following
intricate　associations　of　ideas；　and　consequent　power　to　dazzle
others。　Her　jealousy　of　these　qualities　was　now　barbed　by　the
knowledge　that　they　were　much　nearer　akin　than　her　own　to　those
of　Trefusis。　It　mattered　little　to　her　how　she　appeared　to
herself　in　comparison　with　Agatha。　But　it　mattered　the　whole
world　（she　thought）　that　she　must　appear　to　Trefusis　so　slow；
stiff；　cold；　and　studied；　and　that　she　had　no　means　to　make　him
understand　that　she　was　not　really　so。　For　she　would　not　admit
the　justice　of　impressions　made　by　what　she　did　not　intend　to　do；
however