the lion and the unicorn-第25章
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〃Good heavens！〃 exclaimed Sir Charles； miserably。 〃It is my
fault entirely。 I assure you I had no idea。 How could I？ But I
should have known； I should have guessed it。〃 He dismissed the
sentries with a gesture。 〃That will do；〃 he said。 〃Return to
your posts。〃
Mr。 Collier laughed with relief。
〃Then it is not serious？〃 he asked。
〃Hehe had no money； that was all；〃 exclaimed Sir Charles。
〃Serious？ Certainly not。 Upon my word； I'm sorry〃
The young man had released himself from his sister's embrace； and
was coming towards them； and Sir Charles； eager to redeem
himself； advanced hurriedly to greet him。 But the young man did
not see him； he was looking past him up the steps to where Miss
Cameron stood in the shadow。
Sir Charles hesitated and drew back。 The young man stopped at
the foot of the steps； and stood with his head raised； staring up
at the white figure of the girl； who came slowly forward。
It was forced upon Sir Charles that in spite of the fact that the
young man before them had but just then been rescued from arrest；
that in spite of his mean garments and ragged sandals； something
about himthe glamour that surrounds the prodigal； or possibly
the moonlightgave him an air of great dignity and distinction。
As Miss Cameron descended the stairs； Sir Charles recognized for
the first time that the young man was remarkably handsome； and he
resented it。 It hurt him； as did also the prodigal's youth and
his assured bearing。 He felt a sudden sinking fear； a weakening
of all his vital forces； and he drew in his breath slowly and
deeply。 But no one noticed him； they were looking at the tall
figure of the prodigal； standing with his hat at his hip and his
head thrown back； holding the girl with his eyes。
Collier touched Sir Charles on the arm； and nodded his head
towards the library。 〃Come；〃 he whispered； 〃let us old people
leave them together。 They've a good deal to say。〃 Sir Charles
obeyed in silence； and crossing the library to the great oak
chair； seated himself and leaned wearily on the table before him。
He picked up one of the goose quills and began separating it into
little pieces。 Mr。 Collier was pacing up and down； biting
excitedly on the end of his cigar。 〃Well； this has
certainly been a great night；〃 he said。 〃And it is all due to
you； Sir Charlesall due to you。 Yes； they have you to thank
for it。〃
〃They？ 〃 said Sir Charles。 He knew that it had to come。 He
wanted the man to strike quickly。
〃They？ YesFlorence Cameron and Henry；〃 Mr。 Collier answered。
〃Henry went away because she wouldn't marry him。 She didn't care
for him then； but afterwards she cared。 Now they're reunited；
and so they're happy； and my wife is more than happy； and I won't
have to bother any more； and it's all right； and all through
you。〃
〃I am glad；〃 said Sir Charles。 There was a long pause； which the
men； each deep in his own thoughts； did not notice。
〃You will be leaving now； I suppose？〃 Sir Charles asked。 He was
looking down； examining the broken pen in his hand。
Mr。 Collier stopped in his walk and considered。 〃Yes； I suppose
they will want to get back；〃 he said。 〃I shall be sorry myself。
And you？ What will you do？〃
Sir Charles started slightly。 He had not yet thought what he
would do。 His eyes wandered over the neglected work； which had
accumulated on the desk before him。 Only an hour before he had
thought of it as petty and little； as something unworthy of his
energy。 Since that time what change had taken place in him？
For him everything had changed； he answered； but in him there had
been no change； and if this thing which the girl had brought into
his life had meant the best in life； it must always mean that。
She had been an inspiration； she must remain his spring of
action。 Was he a slave； he asked himself； that he should rebel？
Was he a boy； that he could turn his love to aught but the
best account？ He must remember her not as the woman who had
crushed his spirit； but as she who had helped him； who had lifted
him up to something better and finer。 He would make sacrifice in
her name； it would be in her name that he would rise to high
places and accomplish much good。
She would not know this； but he would know。
He rose and brushed the papers away from him with an impatient
sweep of the hand。
〃I shall follow out the plan of which I spoke at dinner；〃 he
answered。 〃I shall resign here； and return home and enter
Parliament。〃
Mr。 Collier laughed admiringly。 〃I love the way you English take
your share of public life；〃 he said； 〃the way you spend
yourselves for your country； and give your brains； your lives；
everything you haveall for the empire。〃
Through the open window Sir Charles saw Miss Cameron half hidden
by the vines of the veranda。 The moonlight falling about
her transformed her into a figure which was ideal； mysterious；
and elusive； like a woman in a dream。 He shook his head wearily。
〃For the empire？〃 he asked。
THE LAST RIDE TOGETHER
A SKETCH CONTAINING THREE POINTS OF VIEW
What the Poet Laureate wrote。
〃There are girls in the Gold Reef City
There are mothers and children too！
And they cry 'Hurry up for pity！'
So what can a brave man do？
〃I suppose we were wrong； were mad men；
Still I think at the Judgment Day；
When God sifts the good from the bad men；
There'll be something more to say。〃
What more the Lord Chief Justice found to say。
〃In this case we know the immediate consequence of your crime。
It has been the loss of human life； it has been the
disturbance of public peace； it has been the creation of a
certain sense of distrust of public professions and of public
faith。 。 。 。 The sentence of this Court therefore is that； as to
you； Leander Starr Jameson； you be confined for a period of
fifteen months without hard labor； that you； Sir John Willoughby；
have ten months' imprisonment； and that you； etc。； etc。〃
London Times； July 29th。
What the Hon。 〃Reggie〃 Blake thought about it。
〃H。 M。 HOLLOWAY PRISON；
〃July 28th。
〃I am going to keep a diary while I am in prison； that is； if
they will let me。 I never kept one before because I hadn't the
time； when I was home on leave there was too much going on to
bother about it； and when I was up country I always came back
after a day's riding so tired that I was too sleepy to write
anything。 And now that I have the time； I won't have anything to
write about。 I fancy that more things happened to me today
than are likely to happen again for the next eight months； so I
will make this day take up as much room in the diary as it can。
I am writing this on the back of the paper the Warder uses for
his official reports； while he is hunting up cells to put us in。
We came down on him rather unexpectedly and he is nervous。
〃Of course； I had prepared myself for this after a fashion；
but now I see that somehow I never really did think I would be in
here； and all my friends outside； and everything going on just
the same as though I wasn't alive somewhere。 It's like telling
yourself that your horse can't possibly pull off a race； so that
you won't mind so much if he doesn't； but you always feel just as
bad when he comes in a loser。 A man can't fool himself into
thinking one way when he is hoping the other。
〃But I am glad it is over； and settled。 It was a great bore
not knowing your luck and having the thing hanging over your head
every morning when you woke up。 Indeed it was quite a relief
when the counsel got all through arguing over those
proclamations； and the Chief Justice summed up； but I nearly
went to sleep when I found he was going all over it again to the
jury。 I didn't understand about those proclamations myself and
I'll lay a fiver the jury didn't either。 The Colonel said he
didn't。 I couldn't keep my mind on what Russell was explaining
about； and I got to thinking how much old Justice Hawkins looked
like the counsel in 'Alice in Wonderland' when they tried the
knave of spades for stealing the tarts。 He
