a laodicean-第38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！


greets　you　with　his　shoulder；　and　so　on。　　Ninety…and…nine　fair
women　at　the　present　moment　hate　me　like　poison　and　death　for
having　persistently　refused　to　plumb　the　depths　of　their
offered　eyes。'

'How　can　you　do　it；　who　are　by　nature　courteous？'

'I　cannot　alwaysI　break　down　sometimes。　　But；　upon　the
whole；　recollection　holds　me　to　it：　　dread　of　a　lapse。
Nothing　is　so　potent　as　fear　well　maintained。'

De　Stancy　narrated　these　details　in　a　grave　meditative　tone
with　his　eyes　on　the　wall；　as　if　he　were　scarcely　conscious　of
a　listener。

'But　haven't　you　reckless　moments；　captain？when　you　have
taken　a　little　more　wine　than　usual；　for　instance？'

'I　don't　take　wine。'

'O；　you　are　a　teetotaller？'

'Not　a　pledged　onebut　I　don't　touch　alcohol　unless　I　get
wet；　or　anything　of　that　sort。'

'Don't　you　sometimes　forget　this　vow　of　yours　to　my　mother？'

'No；　I　wear　a　reminder。'

'What　is　that　like？'

De　Stancy　held　up　his　left　hand；　on　the　third　finger　of　which
appeared　an　iron　ring。

Dare　surveyed　it；　saying；　'Yes；　I　have　seen　that　before；
though　I　never　knew　why　you　wore　it。　　Well；　I　wear　a　reminder
also；　but　of　a　different　sort。'

He　threw　open　his　shirt…front；　and　revealed　tattooed　on　his
breast　the　letters　DE　STANCY；　the　same　marks　which　Havill　had
seen　in　the　bedroom　by　the　light　of　the　moon。

The　captain　rather　winced　at　the　sight。　　'Well；　well；'　he　said
hastily；　'that's　enough。　。　。　。　　Now；　at　any　rate；　you
understand　my　objection　to　know　Miss　Power。'

'But；　captain；'　said　the　lad　coaxingly；　as　he　fastened　his
shirt；　'you　forget　me　and　the　good　you　may　do　me　by　marrying？
Surely　that's　a　sufficient　reason　for　a　change　of　sentiment。
This　inexperienced　sweet　creature　owns　the　castle　and　estate
which　bears　your　name；　even　to　the　furniture　and　pictures。
She　is　the　possessor　of　at　least　forty　thousand　a　yearhow
much　more　I　cannot　saywhile；　buried　here　in　Outer　Wessex；
she　lives　at　the　rate　of　twelve　hundred　in　her　simplicity。'

'It　is　very　good　of　you　to　set　this　before　me。　　But　I　prefer
to　go　on　as　I　am　going。'

'Well；　I　won't　bore　you　any　more　with　her　to…day。　　A　monk　in
regimentals！'tis　strange。'　　Dare　arose　and　was　about　to　open
the　door；　when；　looking　through　the　window；　Captain　De　Stancy
said；　'Stop。'　　He　had　perceived　his　father；　Sir　William　De
Stancy；　walking　among　the　tombstones　without。

'Yes；　indeed；'　said　Dare；　turning　the　key　in　the　door。　　'It
would　look　strange　if　he　were　to　find　us　here。'

As　the　old　man　seemed　indisposed　to　leave　the　churchyard　just
yet　they　sat　down　again。

'What　a　capital　card…table　this　green　cloth　would　make；'　said
Dare；　as　they　waited。　　'You　play；　captain；　I　suppose？'

'Very　seldom。'

'The　same　with　me。　　But　as　I　enjoy　a　hand　of　cards　with　a
friend；　I　don't　go　unprovided。'　　Saying　which；　Dare　drew　a
pack　from　the　tail　of　his　coat。　　'Shall　we　while　away　this
leisure　with　the　witching　things？'

'Really；　I'd　rather　not。'

'But；'　coaxed　the　young　man；　'I　am　in　the　humour　for　it；　so
don't　be　unkind！'

'But；　Willy；　why　do　you　care　for　these　things？　　Cards　are
harmless　enough　in　their　way；　but　I　don't　like　to　see　you
carrying　them　in　your　pocket。　　It　isn't　good　for　you。'

'It　was　by　the　merest　chance　I　had　them。　　Now　come；　just　one
hand；　since　we　are　prisoners。　　I　want　to　show　you　how　nicely　I
can　play。　　I　won't　corrupt　you！'

'Of　course　not；'　said　De　Stancy；　as　if　ashamed　of　what　his
objection　implied。　　'You　are　not　corrupt　enough　yourself　to　do
that；　I　should　hope。'

The　cards　were　dealt　and　they　began　to　playCaptain　De　Stancy
abstractedly；　and　with　his　eyes　mostly　straying　out　of　the
window　upon　the　large　yew；　whose　boughs　as　they　moved　were
distorted　by　the　old　green　window…panes。

'It　is　better　than　doing　nothing；'　said　Dare　cheerfully；　as
the　game　went　on。　　'I　hope　you　don't　dislike　it？'

'Not　if　it　pleases　you；'　said　De　Stancy　listlessly。

'And　the　consecration　of　this　place　does　not　extend　further
than　the　aisle　wall。'

'Doesn't　it？'　said　De　Stancy；　as　he　mechanically　played　out
his　cards。　　'What　became　of　that　box　of　books　I　sent　you　with
my　last　cheque？'

'Well；　as　I　hadn't　time　to　read　them；　and　as　I　knew　you　would
not　like　them　to　be　wasted；　I　sold　them　to　a　bloke　who　peruses
them　from　morning　till　night。　　Ah；　now　you　have　lost　a　fiver
altogetherhow　queer！　　We'll　double　the　stakes。　　So；　as　I　was
saying；　just　at　the　time　the　books　came　I　got　an　inkling　of
this　important　business；　and　literature　went　to　the　wall。'

'Important　businesswhat？'

'The　capture　of　this　lady；　to　be　sure。'

De　Stancy　sighed　impatiently。　　'I　wish　you　were　less
calculating；　and　had　more　of　the　impulse　natural　to　your
years！'

'Gameby　Jove！　　You　have　lost　again；　captain。　　That　makes
let　me　seenine　pounds　fifteen　to　square　us。'

'I　owe　you　that？'　said　De　Stancy；　startled。　　'It　is　more　than
I　have　in　cash。　　I　must　write　another　cheque。'

'Never　mind。　　Make　it　payable　to　yourself；　and　our　connection
will　be　quite　unsuspected。'

Captain　De　Stancy　did　as　requested；　and　rose　from　his　seat。
Sir　William；　though　further　off；　was　still　in　the　churchyard。

'How　can　you　hesitate　for　a　moment　about　this　girl？'　said
Dare；　pointing　to　the　bent　figure　of　the　old　man。　　'Think　of
the　satisfaction　it　would　be　to　him　to　see　his　son　within　the
family　walls　again。　　It　should　be　a　religion　with　you　to
compass　such　a　legitimate　end　as　this。'

'Well；　well；　I'll　think　of　it；'　said　the　captain；　with　an
impatient　laugh。　　'You　are　quite　a　Mephistopheles；　WillI　say
it　to　my　sorrow！'

'Would　that　I　were　in　your　place。'

'Would　that　you　were！　　Fifteen　years　ago　I　might　have　called
the　chance　a　magnificent　one。'

'But　you　are　a　young　man　still；　and　you　look　younger　than　you
are。　　Nobody　knows　our　relationship；　and　I　am　not　such　a　fool
as　to　divulge　it。　　Of　course；　if　through　me　you　reclaim　this
splendid　possession；　I　should　leave　it　to　your　feelings　what
you　would　do　for　me。'

Sir　William　had　by　this　time　cleared　out　of　the　churchyard；
and　the　pair　emerged　from　the　vestry　and　departed。　　Proceeding
towards　Markton　by　the　same　bypath；　they　presently　came　to　an
eminence　covered　with　bushes　of　blackthorn；　and　tufts　of
yellowing　fern。　　From　this　point　a　good　view　of　the　woods　and
glades　about　Stancy　Castle　could　be　obtained。　　Dare　stood
still　on　the　top　and　stretched　out　his　finger；　the　captain's
eye　followed　the　direction；　and　he　saw　above　the　many…hued
foliage　in　the　middle　distance　the　towering　keep　of　Paula's
castle。

'That's　the　goal　of　your　ambition；　captainambition　do　I
say？most　righteous　and　dutiful　endeavour！　　How　the　hoary
shape　catches　the　sunlightit　is　the　raison　d'etre　of　the
landscape；　and　its　possession　is　coveted　by　a　thousand　hearts。
Surely　it　is　an　hereditary　desire　of　yours？　　You　must　make　a
point　of　returning　to　it；　and　appearing　in　the　map　of　the
future　as　in　that　of　the　past。　　I　delight　in　this　work　of
encouraging　you；　and　pushing　you　forward　towards　your　own。
You　are　really　very　clever；　you　know；　butI　say　it　with
respecthow　comes　it　that　you　want　so　much　waking　up？'

'Because　I　know　the　day　is　not　so　bright　as　it　seems；　my　boy。
However；　you　make　a　little　mistake。　　If　I　care　for　anything　on
earth；　I　do　care　for　that　old　fortress　of　my　forefathers。　　I
respect　so　little　among　the　living　that　all　my　reverence　is
for　my　own　dead。　　But　manoeuvring；　even　for　my　own；　as　you
call　it；　is　not　in　my　line。　　It　is　distastefulit　is
positively　hateful　to　me。'

'Well；　well；　let　it　stand　thus　for　the　present。　　But　will　you
refuse　me　one　little　requestmerely　to　see　her？　　I'll
contrive　it　so　that　she　may　not　see　you。　　Don't　refuse　me；　it
is　the　one　thing　I　ask；　and　I　shall　think　it　hard　if　you　deny
me。'

'O　Will！'　said　the　captain　wearily。　　'Why　will　you　plead　so？
Noeven　though　your　mind　is　particularly　set　upon　it；　I
cannot　see　her；　or　bestow　a　thought　upon　her；　much　as　I　should
like　to　gratify　you。'



VI。

When　they　had　parted　Dare　walked　along　towards　Markton　with
resolve　on　his　mouth　and　an　unscrupulous　light　in　his
prominent　black　eye。　　Could　any　person　who　had　heard　the
previous　conversation　have　seen　him　now；　he　would　have　found
little　difficulty　in　d