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！
know； sir。 Bertie will explain。〃
Thus called on； Bertie； opening his lips a very little way； and
fixing his half…closed eyes on his great…uncle； explained。 There was
a lady at the cottagea nice womanMr。 Courtier knew herold
Miltoun went there sometimesrather late the other eveningthese
devils were making the most of itsuggestinglose him the election；
if they didn't look out。 Perfect rot； of course！
In his opinion； old Miltoun； though as steady as Time； had been a
flat to let the woman come out with him on to the Green； showing
clearly where he had been； when he ran to Courtier's rescue。 You
couldn't play about with women who had no form that anyone knew
anything of； however promising they might look。
Then； out of a silence Winlow asked： What was to be done？ Should
Miltoun be wired for？ A thing like this spread like wildfire！ Sir
Williama man not accustomed to underrate difficultieswas afraid
it was going to be troublesome。 Harbinger expressed the opinion that
the editor ought to be kicked。 Did anybody know what Courtier had
done when he heard of it。 Where was hedining in his room？ Bertie
suggested that if Miltoun was at Valleys House； it mightn't be too
late to wire to him。 The thing ought to be stemmed at once！ And in
all this concern about the situation there kept cropping out quaint
little outbursts of desire to disregard the whole thing as infernal
insolence； and metaphorically to punch the beggars' heads； natural to
young men of breeding。
Then； out of another silence came the voice of Lord Dennis：
〃I am thinking of this poor lady。〃
Turning a little abruptly towards that dry suave voice； and
recovering the self…possession which seldom deserted him； Harbinger
murmured：
〃Quite so； sir； of course！〃
CHAPTER IX
In the lesser withdrawing room； used when there was so small a party；
Mrs。 Winlow had gone to the piano and was playing to herself； for
Lady Casterley； Lady Valleys； and her two daughters had drawn
together as though united to face this invading rumour。
It was curious testimony to Miltoun's character that； no more here
than in the dining…hall； was there any doubt of the integrity of his
relations with Mrs。 Noel。 But whereas； there the matter was confined
to its electioneering aspect； here that aspect was already perceived
to be only the fringe of its importance。 Those feminine minds； going
with intuitive swiftness to the core of anything which affected their
own males； had already grasped the fact that the rumour would； as it
were； chain a man of Miltoun's temper to this woman。
But they were walking on such a thin crust of facts； and there was so
deep a quagmire of supposition beneath； that talk was almost
painfully difficult。 Never before perhaps had each of these four
women realized so clearly how much Miltounthat rather strange and
unknown grandson； son； and brothercounted in the scheme of
existence。 Their suppressed agitation was manifested in very
different ways。 Lady Casterley； upright in her chair； showed it only
by an added decision of speech； a continual restless movement of one
hand； a thin line between her usually smooth brows。 Lady Valleys
wore a puzzled look； as if a little surprised that she felt serious。
Agatha looked frankly anxious。 She was in her quiet way a woman of
much character； endowed with that natural piety； which accepts
without questioning the established order in life and religion。 The
world to her being home and family； she had a real； if gently
expressed； horror of all that she instinctively felt to be subversive
of this ideal。 People judged her a little quiet； dull； and narrow；
they compared her to a hen for ever clucking round her chicks。 The
streak of heroism that lay in her nature was not perhaps of patent
order。 Her feeling about her brother's situation however was sincere
and not to be changed or comforted。 She saw him in danger of being
damaged in the only sense in which she could conceive of a manas a
husband and a father。 It was this that went to her heart； though her
piety proclaimed to her also the peril of his soul； for she shared
the High Church view of the indissolubility of marriage。
As to Barbara； she stood by the hearth； leaning her white shoulders
against the carved marble； her hands behind her； looking down。 Now
and then her lips curled； her level brows twitched； a faint sigh came
from her； then a little smile would break out； and be instantly
suppressed。 She alone was silentYouth criticizing Life； her
judgment voiced itself only in the untroubled rise and fall of her
young bosom； the impatience of her brows； the downward look of her
blue eyes； full of a lazy； inextinguishable light：
Lady Valleys sighed。
〃If only he weren't such a queer boy！ He's quite capable of marrying
her from sheer perversity。〃
〃What！〃 said Lady Casterley。
〃You haven't seen her； my dear。 A most unfortunately attractive
creaturequite a charming face。〃
Agatha said quietly：
〃Mother； if she was divorced； I don't think Eustace would。〃
〃There's that； certainly；〃 murmured Lady Valleys； 〃hope for the
best！〃
〃Don't you even know which way it was？〃 said Lady Casterley。
〃Well； the vicar says she did the divorcing。 But he's very
charitable； it may be as Agatha hopes。〃
〃I detest vagueness。 Why doesn't someone ask the woman？〃
〃You shall come with me； Granny dear； and ask her yourself； you will
do it so nicely。〃
Lady Casterley looked up。
〃We shall see；〃 she said。 Something struggled with the autocratic
criticism in her eyes。 No more than the rest of the world could she
help indulging Barbara。 As one who believed in the divinity of her
order； she liked this splendid child。 She even admiredthough
admiration was not what she excelled inthat warm joy in life； as of
some great nymph； parting the waves with bare limbs； tossing from her
the foam of breakers。 She felt that in this granddaughter； rather
than in the good Agatha； the patrician spirit was housed。 There were
points to Agatha； earnestness and high principle； but something
morally narrow and over…Anglican slightly offended the practical；
this…worldly temper of Lady Casteriey。 It was a weakness； and she
disliked weakness。 Barbara would never be squeamish over moral
questions or matters such as were not really； essential to
aristocracy。 She might； indeed； err too much the other way from
sheer high spirits。 As the impudent child had said： 〃If people had
no pasts； they would have no futures。〃 And Lady Casterley could not
bear people without futures。 She was ambitious； not with the low
ambition of one who had risen from nothing； but with the high passion
of one on the top； who meant to stay there。
〃And where have you been meeting thiseranonymous creature？〃 she
asked。
Barbara came from the hearth； and bending down beside Lady
Casterley's chair； seemed to envelop her completely。
〃I'm all right； Granny； she couldn't corrupt me。〃
Lady Casterley's face peered out doubtfully from that warmth； wearing
a look of disapproving pleasure。
〃I know your wiles！〃 she said。 〃Come； now！〃
〃I see her about。 She's nice to look at。 We talk。〃
Again with that hurr