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！
Herr Paul regarded her with glassy eyes。
〃Mein Gott！〃 he said。 〃Your aunt and I！〃
〃What have you said to him？〃 repeated Christian。
〃The impudence！ An anarchist！。 A beggar！〃
〃Paul！〃 murmured Mrs。 Decie。
〃The outlaw！ The fellow！〃 Herr Paul began to stride about the room。
Quivering from head to foot； Christian cried： 〃How dared you？〃 and
ran from the room； pushing aside Miss Naylor and Greta； who stood
blanched and frightened in the doorway。
Herr Paul stopped in his tramp； and； still with his eyes fixed on the
floor； growled：
〃A fine thing…hein？ What's coming？ Will you please tell me？ An
anarchista beggar！〃
〃Paul！〃 murmured Mrs。 Decie。
〃Paul！ Paul！ And you！〃 he pointed to Miss Naylor〃Two women with
eyes！hein！〃
〃There is nothing to be gained by violence；〃 Mrs。 Decie murmured；
passing her handkerchief across her lips。 Miss Naylor； whose thin
brown cheeks had flushed； advanced towards him。
〃I hope you do not〃she said； 〃I am sure there was nothing that I
could have preventedI should be glad if that were understood。〃
And； turning with some dignity； the little lady went away； closing
the door behind her。
〃You hear！〃 Herr Paul said； violently sarcastic： 〃nothing she could
have prevented！ Enfin；！ Will you please tell me what I am to do？〃
〃Men of the world〃whose philosophy is a creature of circumstance
and accepted thingsfind any deviation from the path of their
convictions dangerous； shocking； and an intolerable bore。 Herr Paul
had spent his life laughing at convictions； the matter had but to
touch him personally； and the tap of laughter was turned off。 That
any one to whom he was the lawful guardian should marry other than a
well…groomed man； properly endowed with goods； properly selected； was
beyond expression horrid。 From his point of view he had great excuse
for horror； and he was naturally unable to judge whether he had
excuse for horror from other points of view。 His amazement had in it
a spice of the pathetic； he was like a child in the presence of a
thing that he absolutely could not understand。 The interview had
left him with a sense of insecurity which he felt to be particularly
unfair。
The door was again opened； and Greta flew in； her cheeks flushed； her
hair floating behind her； and tears streaming down her cheeks。
〃Papa！〃 she cried； 〃you have been cruel to Chris。 The door is
locked； I can hear her cryingwhy have you been cruel？〃 Without
waiting to be answered； she flew out again。
Herr Paul seized his hair with both his hands： 〃Good！ Very good！ My
own child； please！ What next then？〃
Mrs。 Decie rose from her chair languidly。 〃My head is very bad；〃 she
said； shading her eyes and speaking in low tones： 〃It is no use
making a fussnothing can come of thishe has not a penny。
Christian will have nothing till you die； which will not be for a
long time yet； if you can but avoid an apoplectic fit！〃
At these last words Herr Paul gave a start of real disgust。 〃Hum！〃
he muttered； it was as if the world were bent on being brutal to him。
Mrs。 Decie continued：
〃If I know anything of this young man； he will not come here again；
after the words you have spoken。 As for Christianyou had better
talk to Nicholas。 I am going to lie down。〃
Herr Paul nervously fingered the shirt…collar round his stout； short
neck。
〃Nicholas！ Certainlya good idea。 Quelle diable d'afaire！〃
'French！' thought Mrs。 Decie； 'we shall soon have peace。 Poor
Christian！ I'm sorry！ After all； these things are a matter of time
and opportunity。' This consoled her a good deal。
But for Christian the hours were a long nightmare of grief and shame；
fear and anger。 Would he forgive？ Would he be true to her？ Or
would he go away without a word？ Since yesterday it was as if she
had stepped into another world； and lost it again。 In place of that
new feeling； intoxicating as wine； what was coming？ What bitter；
dreadful ending？
A rude entrance this into the life of facts； and primitive emotions！
She let Greta into her room after a time； for the child had begun
sobbing； but she would not talk； and sat hour after hour at the
window with the air fanning her face； and the pain in her eyes turned
to the sky and trees。 After one or two attempts at consolation；
Greta sank on the floor； and remained there； humbly gazing at her
sister in a silence only broken when Christian cleared her throat of
tears； and by the song of birds in the garden。 In the afternoon she
slipped away and did not come back again。
After his interview with Mr。 Treffry； Herr Paul took a bath； perfumed
himself with precision； and caused it to be clearly understood that；
under circumstances such as these； a man's house was not suited for a
pig to live in。 He shortly afterwards went out to the Kurbaus； and
had not returned by dinner…time。
Christian came down for dinner。 There were crimson spots in her
cheeks； dark circles round her eyes； she behaved； however； as though
nothing had happened。 Miss Naylor； affected by the kindness of her
heart and the shock her system had sustained； rolled a number of
bread pills； looking at each as it came； with an air of surprise； and
concealing it with difficulty。 Mr。 Treffry was coughing； and when he
talked his voice seemed to rumble even more than usual。 Greta was
dumb； trying to catch Christian's eye； Mrs。 Decie alone seemed at
ease。 After dinner Mr。 Treffry went off to his room； leaning heavily
on Christian's shoulder。 As he sank into his chair； he said to her：
〃Pull yourself together； my dear！〃 Christian did not answer him。
Outside his room Greta caught her by the sleeve。
〃Look！〃 she whispered； thrusting a piece of paper into Christian's
hand。 〃It is to me from Dr。 Edmund； but you must read it。〃
Christian opened the note； which ran as follows：
〃MY PHILOSOPHER AND FRIEND；I received your note； and went to our
friend's studio； he was not in； but half an hour ago I stumbled on
him in the Platz。 He is not quite himself； has had a touch of the
sunnothing serious： I took him to my hotel； where he is in bed。 If
he will stay there he will be all right in a day or two。 In any case
he shall not elude my clutches for the present。
〃My warm respects to Mistress Christian。Yours in friendship and
philosophy；
EDMUND DAWNEY。〃
Christian read and re…read this note； then turned to Greta。
〃What did you say to Dr。 Dawney？〃
Greta took back the piece of paper； and replied： 〃 I said：
〃'DEAR DR。 EDMUND；We are anxious about Herr Harz。 We think he is
perhaps not very well to…day。 We （I and Christian） should like to
know。 You can tell us。 Please shall you？ GRETA。'
〃That is what I said。〃
Christian dropped her eyes。 〃What made you write？〃
Greta gazed at her mournfully： 〃I thoughtO Chris！ come into the
garden。 I am so hot； and it is so dull without you！〃