the man between-第34部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

　after　hour　beside　the　two　cradles；　looking　at　the　little　fellows；　and　they　nearly　came　to　words　this　morning　about　their　names。〃

〃I　am　so　delighted！〃　cried　Ethel。　〃And　what　are　you　going　to　call　them？〃

〃One　is　an　hour　older　than　the　other；　and　John　Thomas　wanted　them　called　Percival　and　Nicholas。　But　my　Nicholas　wanted　the　eldest　called　after　himself；　and　he　said　so　plain　enough。　And　John　Thomas　said　‘he　could　surely　name　his　own　sons；　and　then　Nicholas　told　him　to　remember　he　wouldn't　have　been　here　to　have　any　sons　at　all　but　for　his　father。'　And　just　then　I　came　into　the　room　to　have　a　look　at　the　little　lads；　and　when　I　heard　what　they　were　fratching　about；　I　told　them　it　was　none　of　their　business；　that　Lucy　had　the　right　to　name　the　children；　and　they　would　just　have　to　put　up　with　the　names　she　gave　them。〃

〃And　has　Lucy　named　them？〃

〃To　be　sure。　I　went　right　away　to　her　and　explained　the　dilemma；　and　I　said；　‘Now；　Lucy；　it　is　your　place　to　settle　this　question。'　And　she　answered　in　her　positive　little　way；　‘You　tell　father　the　eldest　is　to　be　called　Nicholas；　and　tell　John　Thomas　the　youngest　is　to　be　called　John　Thomas。　I　can　manage　two　of　that　name　very　well。　And　say　that　I　won't　have　any　more　disputing　about　names；　the　boys　are　as　good　as　christened　already。'　And　of　course　when　Lucy　said　that　we　all　knew　it　was　settled。　And　I'm　glad　the　eldest　is　Nicholas。　He　is　a　fine；　sturdy　little　York…　shireman；　bawling　out　already　for　what　he　wants；　and　flying　into　a　temper　if　he　doesn't　get　it　as　soon　as　he　wants　it。　Dearie　me；　Ethel；　I　am　a　proud　woman　this　morning。　And　Nicholas　is　going　to　give　all　the　hands　a　holiday；　and　a　trip　up　to　Ambleside　on　Saturday；　though　John　Thomas　is　very　much　against　it。〃

〃Why　is　he　against　it？〃

〃He　says　they　will　be　holding　a　meeting　on　Monday　night　to　try　and　find　out　what　Old　Nicholas　is　up　to；　and　that　if　he　doesn't　give　them　the　same　treat　on　the　same　date　next　year；　they'll　hold　an　indignation　meeting　about　being　swindled　out　of　their　rights。　And　I'll　pledge　you　my　word　John　Thomas　knows　the　men　he's　talking　about。　However；　Nicholas　is　close　with　his　money；　and　it　will　do　him　good　happen　to　lose　a　bit。　Blood…letting　is　healthy　for　the　body；　and　perhaps　gold…letting　may　help　the　soul　more　than　we　think　for。〃

This　news　stimulated　Ethel's　thinking；　and　when　she　also　stood　beside　the　two　cradles；　and　the　little　Nicholas　opened　his　big　blue　eyes　and　began　to　〃bawl　for　what　he　wanted；〃　a　certain　idea　took　fast　hold　of　her；　and　she　nursed　it　silently　for　the　next　month；　watch…　ing　Tyrrel　at　the　same　time。　It　was　near　October；　however；　before　she　found　the　proper　opportunity　for　speaking。　There　had　been　a　long　letter　from　the　Judge。　It　said　Ruth　and　he　were　home　again　after　a　wonderful　trip　over　the　Northern　Pacific　road。　He　wrote　with　enthusiasm　of　the　country　and　its　opportunities；　and　of　the　big　cities　they　had　visited　on　their　return　from　the　Pacific　coast。　Every　word　was　alive；　the　magnitude　and　stir　of　traffic　and　wrestling　humanity　seemed　to　rustle　the　paper。　He　described　New　York　as　overflowing　with　business。　His　own　plans；　the　plans　of　others；　the　jar　of　politics；　the　thrill　of　music　and　the　dramaall　the　multitudinous　vitality　that　crowded　the　streets　and　filled　the　air；　even　to　the　roofs　of　the　twenty…story　buildings；　contributed　to　the　potent　exhilaration　of　the　letter。

〃Great　George！〃　exclaimed　Tyrrel。　〃That　is　life！　That　is　living！　I　wish　we　were　back　in　America！〃

〃So　do　I；　Tyrrel。〃

〃I　am　so　glad。　When　shall　we　go？　It　is　now　the　twenty…eighth　of　September。〃

〃Are　you　very　weary　of　Rawdon　Court〃'

〃Yes。　If　a　man　could　live　for　the　sake　of　eating　and　sleeping　and　having　a　pleasant　time；　why　Rawdon　Court　would　be　a　heaven　to　him；　but　if　he　wants　to　DO　something　with　his　life；　he　would　be　most　unhappy　here。〃

〃And　you　want　to　do　something？〃

〃You　would　not　have　loved　a　man　who　did　not　want　TO　DO。　We　have　been　here　four　months。　Think　of　it！　If　I　take　four　months　out　of　every　year　for　twenty　years；　I　shall　lose；　with　travel；　about　seven　years　of　my　life；　and　the　other　things　to　be　dropped　with　them　may　be　of　incalculable　value。〃

〃I　see；　Tyrrel。　I　am　not　bound　in　any　way　to　keep　Rawdon　Court。　I　can　sell　it　to…　morrow。〃

〃But　you　would　be　grieved　to　do　so？〃

〃Not　at　all。　Being　a　lady　of　the　Manor　does　not　flatter　me。　The　other　squires　would　rather　have　a　good　man　in　my　place。〃

〃Why　did　you　buy　it？〃

〃As　I　have　told　you；　to　keep　Mostyn　out；　and　to　keep　a　Rawdon　here。　But　Nicholas　Rawdon　craves　the　place；　and　will　pay　well　for　his　desire。　It　cost　me　eighty　thousand　pounds。　He　told　father　he　would　gladly　give　me　one　hundred　thousand　pounds　whenever　I　was　tired　of　my　bargain。　I　will　take　the　hundred　thousand　pounds　to…morrow。　There　would　then　be　four　good　heirs　to　Rawdon　on　the　place。〃

Here　the　conversation　was　interrupted　by　Mrs。　Nicholas；　who　came　to　invite　them　to　the　christening　feast　of　the　twins。　Tyrrel　soon　left　the　ladies　together；　and　Ethel　at　once　opened　the　desired　conversation。

〃I　am　afraid　we　may　have　left　the　Court　before　the　christening；〃　she　said。　〃Mr。　Rawdon　is　very　unhappy　here。　He　is　really　homesick。〃

〃But　this　is　his　home；　isn't　it？　And　a　very　fine　one。〃

〃He　cannot　feel　it　so。　He　has　large　interests　in　America。　I　doubt　if　I　ever　induce　him　to　come　here　again。　You　see；　this　visit　has　been　our　marriage　trip。〃

〃And　you　won't　live　here！　I　never　heard　the　line。　What　will　you　do　with　the　Court？　It　will　be　badly　used　if　it　is　left　to　servants　seven　or　eight　months　every　year。〃

〃I　suppose　I　must　sell　it。　I　see　no〃

〃If　you　only　would　let　Nicholas　buy　it。　You　might　be　sure　then　it　would　be　well　cared　for；　and　the　little　lads　growing　up　in　it；　who　would　finally　heir　it。　Oh；　Ethel；　if　you　would　think　of　Nicholas　first。　He　would　honor　the　place　and　be　an　honor　to　it。〃

Out　of　this　conversation　the　outcome　was　as　satisfactory　as　it　was　certain；　and　within　two　weeks　Nicholas　Rawdon　was　Squire　of　Rawdon　Manor；　and　possessor　of　the　famous　old　Manor　House。　Then　there　followed　a　busy　two　weeks　for　Tyrrel；　who　had　the　superintendence　of　the　packing；　which　was　no　light　business。　For　though　Ethel　would　not　denude　the　Court　of　its　ancient　furniture　and　ornaments；　there　were　many　things　belonging　to　the　personal　estate　of　the　late　Squire　which　had　been　given　to　her　by　his　will；　and　could　not　be　left　behind。　But　by　the　end　of　October　cases　and　trunks　were　all　sent　off　to　the　steamship　in　which　their　passage　was　taken；　and　the　Rawdon　estate；　which　had　played　such　a　momentous　part　in　Ethel's　life　having　finished　its　mission；　had　no　further　influence；　and　without　regret　passed　out　of　her　physical　life　forever。

Indeed；　their　willingness　to　resign　all　claims　to　the　old　home　was　a　marvel　to　both　Tyrrel　and　Ethel。　On　their　last　afternoon　there　they　walked　through　the　garden；　and　stood　under　the　plane　tree　where　their　vows　of　love　had　been　pledged；　and　smiled　and　wondered　at　their　indifference。　The　beauteous　glamor　of　first　love　was　gone　as　com…　pletely　as　the　flowers　and　scents　and　songs　that　had　then　filled　the　charming　place。　But　amid　the　sweet　decay　of　these　things　they　once　more　clasped　hands；　looking　with　supreme　confidence　into　each　other's　eyes。　All　that　had　then　been　promised　was　now　certain；　and　with　an　affection　infinitely　sweeter　and　surer；　Tyrrel　drew　Ethel　to　his　heart；　and　on　her　lips　kissed　the　tenderest；　proudest　words　a　woman　hears；　〃My　dear　wife！〃

This　visit　was　their　last　adieu；　all　the　rest　had　been　said；　and　early　the　next　morning　they　left　Monk…Rawdon　station　as　quietly　as　they　had　arrived。　During　their　short　reign　at　Rawdon　Court　they　had　been　very　popular；　and　perhaps　their　resignation　was　equally　so。　After　all；　they　were　foreigners；　and　Nicholas　Rawdon　was　Yorkshire；　root　and　branch。

〃Nice　young　people；〃　said　Justice　Manningham　at　a　hunt　dinner；　〃but　our　ways　are　not　their　ways；　nor　like　to　be。　The　young　man　was　born　a　fighter；　and　there　are　neither　bears　nor　Indians　here　for　him　to　fight；　and　our　politics　are　Greek　to　him；　and　the　lady；　very　sweet　and　beautiful；　but　full　of　new　ideasideas　not　suitable　for　women；　and　we　do　not　wish　our　women　changed。〃

〃Good　enough　as　they　are；〃　mumbled　Squire　Oakes。

〃Nicest　Americans　I　ever　met；〃　added　Earl　Danvers；　〃but　Nicholas　Rawdon　will　be　better　at　Rawdon　Court。〃　To　which　statement　there　was　a　general　assent；　and　then　the　subject　was　considered　settled。

In　the　meantime　Tyrrel　and　Ethel　had　reached　London　and　gone　to　the　Metropole　Hotel；　because；　as　Ethel　said；　no　one　knew　where　Dora　was；　but　if　in　England；　she　was　likely　to　be　at　the　Savoy。　They　were　to　be　two　days　in　London。　Tyrrel　had　banking　and　other　business　to　fully　occupy　the　time；　and　Ethel　remembered　she　had　some　shopping　to　do；　a　thing　any　woman　would　discover　if　she　found　herself　in　the　neighborhood　of　Regent　Street　and　Piccadilly。　On　the　afternoon　of　the　second　day　this　duty　was　finished；　and　she　returned　to　her　hotel　satisfied　but　a　little　weary。　As　she　was　going　up　the　steps　she　noticed　a　woman　coming　slowly　down　them。　It　was　Dora　Mostyn。　They　met　with　great　enthusiasm　on　Dora's　part；　and　she　turned　back　and　went　with　Ethel　to　her　room。

Ethel　looked　at　her　with　astonishment。　She　was　not　like　any　Dor