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！
though。。。。 'Kiss her！ take her up！ show her the pictures！' Amazing
fond of pictures Chris was！〃 He looked dubiously at Harz； then took
a long pull at his flask。 〃What would the doctor say？ Whisky at
four in the morning！ Well！ Thank the Lord Doctors aren't always
with us。〃 Sitting on the stone； with one hand pressed against his
side； and the other tilting up the flask； he was grey from head to
foot。
Harz had dropped on to another stone。 He； too； was worn out by the
excitement and fatigue； coming so soon after his illness。 His head
was whirling； and the next thing he remembered was a tree walking at
him； turning round； yellow from the roots up； everything seemed
yellow； even his own feet。 Somebody opposite to him was jumping up
and down； a grey bearwith a hatMr。 Treffry！ He cried： 〃Ha…
alloo！〃 And the figure seemed to fall and disappear。。。。
When Harz came to himself a hand was pouring liquor into his mouth；
and a wet cloth was muffled round his brows； a noise of humming and
hoofs seemed familiar。 Mr。 Treffry loomed up alongside； smoking a
cigar； he was muttering： 〃A low trick； Paulbit of my mind！〃 Then；
as if a curtain had been snatched aside； the vision before Harz
cleared again。 The carriage was winding between uneven； black…eaved
houses； past doorways from which goats and cows were coming out； with
bells on their necks。 Black…eyed boys； and here and there a drowsy
man with a long； cherry…stemmed pipe betwen his teeth； stood aside to
stare。
Mr。 Treffry seemed to have taken a new lease of strength； like an
angry old dog； he stared from side to side。 〃My bone！〃 he seemed to
say： 〃let's see who's going to touch it！〃
The last house vanished； glowing in the early sunshine； and the
carriage with its trail of dust became entombed once more in the
gloom of tall trees； along a road that cleft a wilderness of
mossgrown rocks； and dewy stems； through which the sun had not yet
driven paths。
Dominique came round to them； bearing appearance of one who has seen
better days； and a pot of coffee brewed on a spirit lamp。 Breakfast
he saidwas served！
The ears of the horses were twitching with fatigue。 Mr。 Treffry said
sadly： 〃If I can see this through； you can。 Get on； my beauties！〃
As soon as the sun struck through the trees； Mr。 Treffry's strength
ebbed again。 He seemed to suffer greatly； but did not complain。
They had reached the pass at last； and the unchecked sunlight was
streaming down with a blinding glare。
〃Jump up！〃 Mr。 Treffry cried out。 〃We'll make a finish of it！〃 and
he gave the reins a jerk。 The horses flung up their heads； and the
bleak pass with its circling crown of jagged peaks soon slipped away。
Between the houses on the very top； they passed at a slow trot； and
soon began slanting down the other side。 Mr。 Treffry brought them to
a halt where a mule track joined the road。
〃That's all I can do for you； you'd better leave me here；〃 he said。
〃Keep this track down to the rivergo southyou'll be in Italy in a
couple of hours。 Get rail at Feltre。 Money？ Yes？ Well！〃 He held
out his hand； Harz gripped it。
〃Give her up； eh？〃
Harz shook his head。
〃No？ Then it's 'pull devil； pull baker；' between us。 Good…bye； and
good luck to you！〃 And mustering his strength for a last attempt at
dignity； Mr。 Treffry gathered up the reins。
Harz watched his figure huddled again beneath the hood。 The carriage
moved slowly away。
XVIII
At Villa Rubein people went about； avoiding each other as if detected
in conspiracy。 Miss Naylor； who for an inscrutable reason had put on
her best frock； a purple； relieved at the chest with bird's…eye blue；
conveyed an impression of trying to count a chicken which ran about
too fast。 When Greta asked what she had lost she was heard to
mutter： 〃Mr。Needlecase。
Christian； with big circles round her eyes； sat silent at her little
table。 She had had no sleep。 Herr Paul coming into the room about
noon gave her a furtive look and went out again； after this he went
to his bedroom； took off all his clothes； flung them passionately one
by one into a footbath； and got into bed。
〃I might be a criminal！〃 he muttered to himself； while the buttons of
his garments rattled on the bath。
〃Am I her father？ Have I authority？ Do I know the world？ Bssss！ I
might be a frog！〃
Mrs。 Decie； having caused herself to be announced； found him smoking
a cigar； and counting the flies on the ceiling。
〃If you have really done this； Paul；〃 she said in a restrained voice；
〃you have done a very unkind thing； and what is worse； you have made
us all ridiculous。 But perhaps you have not done it？〃
〃I have done it；〃 cried Herr Paul； staring dreadfully： 〃I have done
it； I tell you； I have done it〃
〃Very well； you have done itand why； pray？ What conceivable good
was there in it？ I suppose you know that Nicholas has driven him to
the frontier？ Nicholas is probably more dead than alive by this
time； you know his state of health。〃
Herr Paul's fingers ploughed up his beard。
〃Nicholas is madand the girl is mad！ Leave me alone！ I will not
be made angry； do you understand？ I will not be worriedI am not
fit for it。〃 His prominent brown eyes stared round the room； as if
looking for a way of escape。
〃If I may prophesy； you will be worried a good deal；〃 said Mrs。 Decie
coldly； 〃before you have finished with this affair。〃
The anxious； uncertain glance which Herr Paul gave her at these words
roused an unwilling feeling of compunction in her。
〃You are not made for the outraged father of the family；〃 she said。
〃You had better give up the attitude； Paul； it does not suit you。〃
Herr Paul groaned。
〃I suppose it is not your fault；〃 she added。
Just then the door was opened； and Fritz； with an air of saying the
right thing； announced：
〃A gentleman of the police to see you； sir。〃
Herr Paul bounded。
〃Keep him out！〃 he cried。
Mrs。 Decie； covering her lips； disappeared with a rustling of silk；
in her place stood a stiff man in blue。。。。
Thus the morning dragged itself away without any one being able to
settle to anything； except Herr Paul； who was settled in bed。 As was
fitting in a house that had lost its soul； meals were neglected； even
by the dog。
About three o'clock a telegram came for Christian； containing these
words： 〃All right； self returns to…morrow。 Treffry。〃 After reading
it she put on her hat and went out； followed closely by Greta； who；
when she thought that she would not be sent away； ran up from behind
and pulled her by the sleeve。
〃Let me come； ChrisI shall not talk。〃
The two girls walked on together。 When they had gone some distance
Christian said：
〃I'm going to get his pictures； and take charge of them！〃
〃Oh！〃 said Greta timidly。
〃If you are afraid；〃 said Christian； 〃you had better go back home。〃