the lion and the unicorn-第6章

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the　shop　in　Cranbourne　Street　where　she　was　accustomed　to
purchase　the　materials　she　used　in　painting；　and　Fate；　which　uses
strange　agents　to　work　out　its　ends；　so　directed　it　that　the
cabman　stopped　a　few　doors　below　this　shop；　and　opposite　one
where　jewelry　and　other　personal　effects　were　bought　and　sold。　
At　any　other　time；　or　had　she　been　in　any　other　mood；　what
followed　might　not　have　occurred；　but　Fate；　in　the　person　of　the
cabman；　arranged　it　so　that　the　hour　and　the　opportunity　came
together。

There　were　some　old　mezzotints　in　the　window　of　the　loan　shop；　a
string　of　coins　and　medals；　a　row　of　new　French　posters；　and　far
down　to　the　front　a　tray　filled　with　gold　and　silver　cigarette…
cases　and　watches　and　rings。　　It　occurred　to　Helen；　who　was　still
bent　on　making　restitution　for　her　neglect；　that　a　cigarette…case
would　be　more　appropriate　for　a　man　than　flowers；　and　more
lasting。　　And　she　scanned　the　contents　of　the　window　with　the
eye　of　one　who　now　saw　in　everything　only　something　which　might
give　Philip　pleasure。　　The　two　objects　of　value　in　the　tray　upon
which　her　eyes　first　fell　were　the　gold　seal…ring　with　which
Philip　had　sealed　his　letters　to　her；　and；　lying　next　to　it；　his
gold　watch！　　There　was　something　almost　human　in　the　way　the　ring
and　watch　spoke　to　her　from　the　pastin　the　way　they　appealed　to
her　to　rescue　them　from　the　surroundings　to　which　they　had　been
abandoned。　　She　did　not　know　what　she　meant　to　do　with　them　nor
how　she　could　return　them　to　Philip；　but　there　was　no　question　of
doubt　in　her　manner　as　she　swept　with　a　rush　into　the　shop。　
There　was　no　attempt；　either；　at　bargaining　in　the　way　in　which
she　pointed　out　to　the　young　woman　behind　the　counter　the
particular　ring　and　watch　she　wanted。　　They　had　not　been　left　as
collateral；　the　young　woman　said；　they　had　been　sold　outright。

〃Then　any　one　can　buy　them？〃　Helen　asked　eagerly。　　〃They　are　for
sale　to　the　publicto　any　one？〃


The　young　woman　made　note　of　the　customer's　eagerness；　but
with　an　unmoved　countenance。

〃Yes；　miss；　they　are　for　sale。　　The　ring　is　four　pounds　and　the
watch　twenty…five。〃

〃Twenty…nine　pounds！〃　Helen　gasped。

That　was　more　money　than　she　had　in　the　world；　but　the　fact　did
not　distress　her；　for　she　had　a　true　artistic　disregard　for　ready
money；　and　the　absence　of　it　had　never　disturbed　her。　　But　now　it
assumed　a　sudden　and　alarming　value。　　She　had　ten　pounds　in　her
purse　and　ten　pounds　at　her　studiothese　were　just　enough　to　pay
for　a　quarter's　rent　and　the　rates；　and　there　was　a　hat　and　cloak
in　Bond　Street　which　she　certainly　must　have。　　Her　only　assets
consisted　of　the　possibility　that　some　one　might　soon　order　a
miniature；　and　to　her　mind　that　was　sufficient。　　Some　one　always
had　ordered　a　miniature；　and　there　was　no　reasonable　doubt　but
that　some　one　would　do　it　again。　　For　a　moment　she　questioned　if
it　would　not　be　sufficient　if　she　bought　the　ring　and　allowed　the
watch　to　remain。　　But　she　recognized　that　the　ring　meant　more　to
her　than　the　watch；　while　the　latter；　as　an　old　heirloom　which
had　been　passed　down　to　him　from　a　great…grandfather；　meant
more　to　Philip。　　It　was　for　Philip　she　was　doing　this；　she
reminded　herself。　　She　stood　holding　his　possessions；　one　in　each
hand；　and　looking　at　the　young　woman　blankly。　　She　had　no　doubt
in　her　mind　that　at　least　part　of　the　money　he　had　received　for
them　had　paid　for　the　flowers　he　had　sent　to　her　in　Scotland。　
The　certainty　of　this　left　her　no　choice。　　She　laid　the　ring　and
watch　down　and　pulled　the　only　ring　she　possessed　from　her　own
finger。　　It　was　a　gift　from　Lady　Gower。　　She　had　no　doubt　that　it
was　of　great　value。

〃Can　you　lend　me　some　money　on　that？〃　she　asked。　　It　was　the
first　time　she　had　conducted　a　business　transaction　of　this
nature；　and　she　felt　as　though　she　were　engaging　in　a　burglary。

〃We　don't　lend　money；　miss；〃　the　girl　said；　〃we　buy　outright。　　I
can　give　you　twenty…eight　shillings　for　this；〃　she　added。

〃Twenty…eight　shillings；〃　Helen　gasped；　〃why；　it　is　worthoh；
ever　so　much　more　than　that！〃

〃That　is　all　it　is　worth　to　us；〃　the　girl　answered。　　She　regarded
the　ring　indifferently　and　laid　it　away　from　her　on　the　counter。　
The　action　was　final。

Helen's　hands　rose　slowly　to　her　breast；　where　a　pretty　watch
dangled　from　a　bowknot　of　crushed　diamonds。　　It　was　her　only
possession；　and　she　was　very　fond　of　it。　　It　also　was　the　gift　of
one　of　the　several　great　ladies　who　had　adopted　her　since　her
residence　in　London。　　Helen　had　painted　a　miniature　of　this
particular　great　lady　which　had　looked　so　beautiful　that　the
pleasure　which　the　original　of　the　portrait　derived　from　the
thought　that　she　still　really　looked　as　she　did　in　the　miniature
was　worth　more　to　her　than　many　diamonds。

But　it　was　different　with　Helen；　and　no　one　could　count　what　it
cost　her　to　tear　away　her　one　proud　possession。

〃What　will　you　give　me　for　this？〃　she　asked　defiantly。

The　girl's　eyes　showed　greater　interest。　　〃I　can　give　you　twenty
pounds　for　that；〃　she　said。

〃Take　it；　please；〃　Helen　begged；　as　though　she　feared　if　she
kept　it　a　moment　longer　she　might　not　be　able　to　make　the
sacrifice。

〃That　will　be　enough　now；〃　she　went　on；　taking　out　her　ten…pound
note。　　She　put　Lady　Gower's　ring　back　upon　her　finger　and　picked
up　Philip's　ring　and　watch　with　the　pleasure　of　one　who　has　come
into　a　great　fortune。　　She　turned　back　at　the　door。

〃Oh；〃　she　stammered；　〃in　case　any　one　should　inquire；　you　are　not
to　say　who　bought　these。〃

〃No；　miss；　certainly　not；〃　said　the　woman。　　Helen　gave　the
direction　to　the　cabman　and；　closing　the　doors　of　the　hansom；　sat
looking　down　at　the　watch　and　the　ring；　as　they　lay　in　her　lap。　
The　thought　that　they　had　been　his　most　valued　possessions；　which
he　had　abandoned　forever；　and　that　they　were　now　entirely　hers；
to　do　with　as　she　liked；　filled　her　with　most　intense　delight　and
pleasure。　　She　took　up　the　heavy　gold　ring　and　placed　it　on　the
little　finger　of　her　left　hand；　it　was　much　too　large；　and　she
removed　it　and　balanced　it　for　a　moment　doubtfully　in　the　palm　of
her　right　hand。　　She　was　smiling；　and　her　face　was　lit　with
shy　and　tender　thoughts。　　She　cast　a　quick　glance　to　the　left　and
right　as　though　fearful　that　people　passing　in　the　street　would
observe　her；　and　then　slipped　the　ring　over　the　fourth　finger　of
her　left　hand。　　She　gazed　at　it　with　a　guilty　smile　and　then；
covering　it　hastily　with　her　other　hand；　leaned　back；　clasping　it
closely；　and　sat　frowning　far　out　before　her　with　puzzled　eyes。

To　Carroll　all　roads　led　past　Helen's　studio；　and　during　the
summer；　while　she　had　been　absent　in　Scotland　it　was　one　of　his
sad　pleasures　to　make　a　pilgrimage　to　her　street　and　to　pause
opposite　the　house　and　look　up　at　the　empty　windows　of　her　rooms。

It　was　during　this　daily　exercise　that　he　learned；　through　the
arrival　of　her　luggage；　of　her　return　to　London；　and　when　day
followed　day　without　her　having　shown　any　desire　to　see　him　or　to
tell　him　of　her　return　he　denounced　himself　most　bitterly　as　a
fatuous　fool。

At　the　end　of　the　week　he　sat　down　and　considered　his　case　quite
calmly。　　For　three　years　he　had　loved　this　girl；　deeply　and
tenderly。　　He　had　been　lover；　brother；　friend；　and　guardian。　
During　that　time；　even　though　she　had　accepted　him　in　every
capacity　except　as　that　of　the　prospective　husband；　she　had　never
given　him　any　real　affection；　nor　sympathy；　nor　help；　all　she　had
done　for　him　had　been　done　without　her　knowledge　or　intent。　　To
know　her；　to　love　her；　and　to　scheme　to　give　her　pleasure　had
been　its　own　reward；　and　the　only　one。　　For　the　last　few　months
he　had　been　living　like　a　crossing…sweeper　in　order　to　be　able　to
stay　in　London　until　she　came　back　to　it；　and　that　he　might　still
send　her　the　gifts　he　had　always　laid　on　her　altar。　　He　had　not
seen　her　in　three　months。　　Three　months　that　had　been　to　him　a
blank；　except　for　his　workwhich　like　all　else　that　he　did；　was
inspired　and　carried　on　for　her。　　Now　at　last　she　had　returned
and　had　shown　that；　even　as　a　friend；　he　was　of　so　little　account
in　her　thoughts；　of　so　little　consequence　in　her　life；　that　after
this　long　absence