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！
forced to look at things which had no place in the light of day。
Freedom； equality； self…sacrifice！
'Why can't he settle down at some business；' he thought； 'instead of
all this talk？' Boleskey's sudden diffidences； self…depreciation；
fits of despair； irritated him。 〃Morbid beggar！〃 he would mutter；
〃thank God I haven't a thin skin。〃 And proud too！ Extraordinary！
An impecunious fellow like that！ One evening； moreover； Boleskey had
returned home drunk。 Swithin had hustled him away into his bedroom；
helped him to undress； and stayed until he was asleep。 'Too much of
a good thing！' he thought； 'before his own daughters； too！' It was
after this that he ordered his travelling carriage。 The other
occasion on which he packed was one evening； when not only Boleskey；
but Rozsi herself had picked chicken bones with her fingers。
Often in the mornings he would go to the Mirabell Garden to smoke his
cigar； there； in stolid contemplation of the statuesrows of half…
heroic men carrying off half…distressful femaleshe would spend an
hour pleasantly； his hat tilted to keep the sun off his nose。 The
day after Rozsi had fled from him on the stairs； he came there as
usual。 It was a morning of blue sky and sunlight glowing on the old
prim garden； on its yew…trees； and serio…comic statues； and walls
covered with apricots and plums。 When Swithin approached his usual
seat； who should be sitting there but Rozsi
〃Good…morning；〃 he stammered； 〃you knew this was my seat then？〃
Rozsi looked at the ground。 〃Yes；〃 she answered。
Swithin felt bewildered。 〃Do you know；〃 he said； 〃you treat me very
funnily？〃
To his surprise Rozsi put her little soft hand down and touched his；
then； without a word； sprang up and rushed away。 It took him a
minute to recover。 There were people present； he did not like to
run； but overtook her on the bridge； and slipped her hand beneath his
arm。
〃You shouldn't have done that；〃 he said； 〃you shouldn't have run away
from me； you know。〃
Rozsi laughed。 Swithin withdrew his arm； a desire to shake her
seized him。 He walked some way before he said； 〃Will you have the
goodness to tell me what you came to that seat for？〃
Rozsi flashed a look at him。 〃To…morrow is the fete；〃 she answered。
Swithin muttered； 〃Is that all？〃
〃If you do not take us； we cannot go。〃
〃Suppose I refuse；〃 he said sullenly； 〃there are plenty of others。〃
Rozsi bent her head； scurrying along。 〃No；〃 she murmured； 〃if you do
not goI do not wish。〃
Swithin drew her hand back within his arm。 How round and soft it
was！ He tried to see her face。 When she was nearly home he said
goodbye； not wishing； for some dark reason； to be seen with her。 He
watched till she had disappeared； then slowly retraced his steps to
the Mirabell Garden。 When he came to where she had been sitting； he
slowly lighted his cigar； and for a long time after it was smoked out
remained there in the silent presence of the statues。
VII
A crowd of people wandered round the booths； and Swithin found
himself obliged to give the girls his arms。 'Like a little Cockney
clerk！' he thought。 His indignation passed unnoticed； they talked；
they laughed； each sight and sound in all the hurly…burly seemed to
go straight into their hearts。 He eyed them ironicallytheir eager
voices； and little coos of sympathy seemed to him vulgar。 In the
thick of the crowd he slipped his arm out of Margit's； but； just as
he thought that he was free； the unwelcome hand slid up again。 He
tried again； but again Margit reappeared； serene； and full of
pleasant humour； and his failure this time appeared to him in a comic
light。 But when Rozsi leaned across him； the glow of her round
cheek； her curving lip； the inscrutable grey gleam of her eyes； sent
a thrill of longing through him。 He was obliged to stand by while
they parleyed with a gipsy； whose matted locks and skinny hands
inspired him with a not unwarranted disgust。 〃Folly！〃 he muttered；
as Rozsi held out her palm。 The old woman mumbled； and shot a
malignant look at him。 Rozsi drew back her hand； and crossed
herself。 ' Folly！' Swithin thought again； and seizing the girls'
arms； he hurried them away。
〃What did the old hag say？〃 he asked。
Rozsi shook her head。
〃You don't mean that you believe？〃
Her eyes were full of tears。 〃The gipsies are wise；〃 she murmured。
〃Come； what did she tell you？〃
This time Rozsi looked hurriedly round； and slipped away into the
crowd。 After a hunt they found her； and Swithin； who was scared；
growled： 〃You shouldn't do such thingsit's not respectable。〃
On higher ground； in the centre of a clear space； a military band was
playing。 For the privilege of entering this charmed circle Swithin
paid three kronen； choosing naturally the best seats。 He ordered
wine； too； watching Rozsi out of the corner of his eye as he poured
it out。 The protecting tenderness of yesterday was all lost in this
medley。 It was every man for himself； after all！ The colour had
deepened again in her cheeks； she laughed； pouting her lips。
Suddenly she put her glass aside。 〃Thank you； very much；〃 she said；
〃it is enough！〃
Margit； whose pretty mouth was all smiles； cried； 〃Lieber Gott！ is it
not good…life？〃 It was not a question Swithin could undertake to
answer。 The band began to play a waltz。 〃Now they will dance。
Lieber Gott！ and are the lights not wonderful？〃 Lamps were
flickering beneath the trees like a swarm of fireflies。 There was a
hum as from a gigantic beehive。 Passers…by lifted their faces； then
vanished into the crowd； Rozsi stood gazing at them spellbound； as if
their very going and coming were a delight。
The space was soon full of whirling couples。 Rozsi's head began to
beat time。 〃O Margit！〃 she whispered。
Swithin's face had assumed a solemn； uneasy expression。 A man
raising his hat； offered his arm to Margit。 She glanced back across
her shoulder to reassure Swithin。 〃It is a friend；〃 she said。
Swithin looked at Rozsiher eyes were bright； her lips tremulous。
He slipped his hand along the table and touched her fingers。 Then
she flashed a look at himappeal； reproach； tenderness； all were
expressed in it。 Was she expecting him to dance？ Did she want to
mix with the rift…raff there； wish him to make an exhibition of
himself in this hurly…burly？ A voice said； 〃Good…evening！〃 Before
them stood Kasteliz； in a dark coat tightly buttoned at the waist。
〃You are not dancing； Rozsi Kozsanony？〃 （Miss Rozsi）。 〃Let me； then；
have the pleasure。〃 He held out his arm。 Swithin stared in front of
him。 In the very act of going she gave him a look that said as plain
as words： 〃Will you not？〃 But for answer he turned his eyes away；
and when he looked again she was gone。 He paid the score and made
his way into the crowd。 But as he went she danced by close to him；
all flushed and panting。 She hu