fraternity-第29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！

y　back；　and　on　first　Sundaysa　great　borestayed　at　home　to　clear　off　the　friends　who　came　to　visit　her。　　In　the　evening　she　went　to　some　play　or　other；　produced　by　Societies　for　the　benefit　of　persons　compelled；　like　her；　to　keep　a　Sunday　with　which　they　felt　no　sympathy。

On　this　particular　〃first　Sunday；〃　having　made　the　circuit　of　her　drawing…room；　which　extended　the　whole　breadth　of　her　house；　and　through　long；　low　windows　cut　into　leaded　panes；　looked　out　both　back　and　front；　she　took　up　Mr。　Balladyce's　latest　book。　　She　sat；　with　her　paper…knife　pressed　against　the　tiny　hollow　in　her　flushed　cheek；　and　pretty　little　bits　of　lace　and　real　old　jewellery　nestling　close　to　her。　　And　while　she　turned　the　pages　of　Mr。　Balladyce's　book　Thyme　sat　opposite　in　a　bright　blue　frock；　and　turned　the　pages　of　Darwin's　work　on　earthworms。

Regarding　her　〃little　daughter；〃　who　was　so　much　more　solid　than　herself；　Cecilia's　face　wore　a　very　sweet；　faintly　surprised　expression。

'My　kitten　is　a　bonny　thing；'　it　seemed　to　say。　　'It　is　queer　that　I　should　have　a　thing　so　large。'

Outside　in　the　Square　Gardens　a　shower；　the　sunlight；　and　blossoms；　were　entangled。　　It　was　the　time　of　year　when　all　the　world　had　kittens；　young　things　were　everywheresoft；　sweet；　uncouth。　　Cecilia　felt　this　in　her　heart。　　It　brought　depth　into　her　bright；　quick　eyes。　　What　a　secret　satisfaction　it　was　that　she　had　once　so　far　committed　herself　as　to　have　borne　a　child！　　What　a　queer　vague　feeling　she　sometimes　experienced　in　the　Springalmost　amounting　to　a　desire　to　bear　another！　　So　one　may　mark　the　warm　eye　of　a　staid　mare；　following　with　her　gaze　the　first　strayings　of　her　foal。　　'I　must　get　used　to　it；'　she　seems　to　say。　　'I　certainly　do　miss　the　little　creature；　though　I　used　to　threaten　her　with　my　hoofs；　to　show　I　couldn't　be　bullied　by　anything　of　that　age。　　And　there　she　goes！　Ah；　well！'

Remembering　suddenly；　however；　that　she　was　sitting　there　to　clear　off　Mr。　Balladyce；　because　it　was　so　necessary　to　keep　up　with　what　he　wrote；　Cecilia　dropped　her　gaze　to　the　page　before　her；　and　instantly；　by　uncomfortable　chance；　not　the　choice　pastures　of　Mr。　Balladyce　appeared；　where　women　might　browse　at　leisure；　but　a　vision　of　the　little　model。　　She　had　not　thought　of　her　for　quite　an　hour；　she　had　tired　herself　out　with　thinking…not；　indeed；　of　her；　but　of　all　that　hinged　on　her；　ever　since　Stephen　had　spoken　of　his　talk　with　Hilary。　　Things　Hilary　had　said　seemed　to　Cecilia's　delicate。　and　rather　timid　soul　so　ominous；　so　unlike　himself。　　Was　there　really　going　to　be　complete　disruption　between　him　and　Biancaworse；　an　ugly　scandal？　　She；　who　knew　her　sister　better；　perhaps；　than　anyone；　remembered　from　schoolroom　days　Bianca's　moody　violence　when　anything　had　occurred　to　wound　herremembered；　too；　the　long　fits　of　brooding　that　followed。　　This　affair；　which　she　had　tried　to　persuade　herself　was　exaggerated；　loomed　up　larger　than　ever。　　It　was　not　an　isolated　squib；　it　was　a　lighted　match　held　to　a　train　of　gunpowder。　This　girl　of　the　people；　coming　from　who　knew　where；　destined　for　who　knew　whatthis　young；　not　very　beautiful；　not　even　clever　child；　with　nothing　but　a　sort　of　queer　haunting　naivete'　to　give　her　charm　might　even　be　a　finger　used　by　Fate！　　Cecilia　sat　very　still　before　that　sudden　vision　of　the　girl。　　There　was　no　staid　mare　to　guard　that　foal　with　the　dark　devotion　of　her　eye。　　There　was　no　wise　whinnying　to　answer　back　those　tiny　whinnies；　no　long　look　round　to　watch　the　little　creature　nodding　to　sleep　on　its　thin　trembling　legs　in　the　hot　sunlight；　no　ears　to　prick　up　and　hoofs　to　stamp　at　the　approach　of　other　living　things。　　These　thoughts　passed　through　Cecilia's　mind　and　were　gone；　being　too　far　and　pale　to　stay。　Turning　the　page　which　she　had　not　been　reading；　she　heaved　a　sigh。　Thyme　sighed　also。

〃These　worms　are　fearfully　interesting；〃　she　said。　　〃Is　anybody　coming　in　this　afternoon？〃

〃Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace　was　going　to　bring　a　young　man　in；　a　Signor　Pozzi…Egregio　Pozzi；　or　some　such　name。　　She　says　he　is　the　coming　pianist。〃　　Cecilia's　face　was　spiced　with　faint　amusement。　　Some　strain　of　her　breeding　（the　Carfax　strain；　no　doubt）　still　heard　such　names　and　greeted　such　proclivities　with　an　inclination　to　derision。

Thyme　snatched　up　her　book。　　〃Well；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　be　in　the　attic。　　If　anyone　interesting　comes　you　might　send　up　to　me。〃

She　stood；　luxuriously　stretching；　and　turning　slowly　round　in　a　streak　of　sunlight　so　as　to　bathe　her　body　in　it。　　Then；　with　a　long　soft　yawn；　she　flung　up　her　chin　till　the　sun　streamed　on　her　face。　Her　eyelashes　rested　on　cheeks　already　faintly　browned；　her　lips　were　parted；　little　shivers　of　delight　ran　down　her；　her　chestnut　hair　glowed；　burnished　by　the　kisses　of　the　sun。

'Ah！'　Cecilia　thought；　'if　that　other　girl　were　like　this；　now；　I　could　understand　well　enough！'

〃Oh；　Lord！〃　said　Thyme；　〃there　they　are！〃　She　flew　towards　the　door。

〃My　dear；〃　murmured　Cecilia；　〃if　you　must　go；　do　please　tell　Father。〃

A　minute　later　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace　came　in；　followed　by　a　young　man　with　an　interesting；　pale　face　and　a　crop　of　dusky　hair。

Let　us　consider　for　a　minute　the　not　infrequent　case　of　a　youth　cursed　with　an　Italian　mother　and　a　father　of　the　name　of　Potts；　who　had　baptised　him　William。　　Had　he　emanated　from　the　lower　classes；　he　might　with　impunity　have　ground　an　organ　under　the　name　of　Bill；　but　springing　from　the　bourgeoisie；　and　playing　Chopin　at　the　age　of　four；　his　friends　had　been　confronted　with　a　problem　of　no　mean　difficulty。　　Heaven；　on　the　threshold　of　his　career；　had　intervened　to　solve　it。　　Hovering；　as　it　were；　with　one　leg　raised　before　the　gladiatorial　arena　of　musical　London；　where　all　were　waiting　to　turn　their　thumbs　down　on　the　figure　of　the　native　Potts；　he　had　received　a　letter　from　his　mother's　birthplace。　　It　was　inscribed：　〃Egregio　Signor　Pozzi。〃　　He　was　saved。　　By　the　simple　inversion　of　the　first　two　words；　the　substitution　of　z's　for　t's；　without　so　fortunately　making　any　difference　in　the　sound；　and　the　retention　of　that　i；　all　London　knew　him　now　to　be　the　rising　pianist。

He　was　a　quiet；　well…mannered　youth；　invaluable　just　then　to　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace；　a　woman　never　happy　unless　slightly　leading　a　genius　in　strings。

Cecilia；　while　engaging　them　to　right　and　left　in　her　half…　sympathetic；　faintly　mocking　wayas　if　doubting　whether　they　really　wanted　to　see　her　or　she　themheard　a　word　of　fear。

〃Mr。　Purcey。〃

'Oh　Heaven！'　she　thought。

Mr。　Purcey；　whose　A。i。　Damyer　could　be　heard　outside；　advanced　in　his　direct　and　simple　way。

〃I　thought　I'd　give　my　car　a　run；〃　he　said。　　〃How's　your　sister？〃　And　seeing　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace；　he　added：　〃How　do　you　do？　　We　met　the　other　day。〃

〃We　did；〃　said　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace；　whose　little　eyes　were　sparkling。　　〃We　talked　about　the　poor；　do　you　remember？〃

Mr。　Purcey；　a　sensitive　man　if　you　could　get　through　his　skin；　gave　her　a　shrewd　look。　　'I　don't　quite　cotton　to　this　woman；'　he　seemed　saying；　'there's　a　laugh　about　her　I　don't　like。'

〃Ah！　　yesyou　were　tellin'　me　about　them。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Purcey；　but　you　had　heard　of　them；　you　remember！〃

Mr。　Purcey　made　a　movement　of　his　face　which　caused　it　to　seem　all　jaw。　　It　was　a　sort　of　unconscious　declaration　of　a　somewhat　formidable　character。　　So　one　may　see　bulldogs；　those　amiable　animals；　suddenly　disclose　their　tenacity。

〃It's　rather　a　blue　subject；〃　he　said　bluntly。

Something　in　Cecilia　fluttered　at　those　words。　　It　was　like　the　saying　of　a　healthy　man　looking　at　a　box　of　pills　which　he　did　not　mean　to　open。　　Why　could　not　she　and　Stephen　keep　that　lid　on；　too？　And　at　this　moment；　to　her　deep　astonishment；　Stephen　entered。　　She　had　sent　for　him；　it　is　true；　but　had　never　expected　he　would　come。

His　entrance；　indeed；　requires　explanation。

Feeling；　as　he　said；　a　little　〃off　colour；〃　Stephen　had　not　gone　to　Richmond　to　play　golf。　　He　had　spent　the　day　instead　in　the　company　of　his　pipe　and　those　ancient　coins；　of　which　he　had　the　best　collection　of　any　man　he　had　ever　met。　　His　thoughts　had　wandered　from　them；　more　than　he　thought　proper；　to　Hilary　and　that　girl。　　He　had　felt　from　the　beginning　that　he　was　so　much　more　the　man　to　deal　with　an　affair　like　this　than　poor　old　Hilary。　　When；　therefore；　Thyme　put　her　head　into　his　study　and　said；　〃Father；　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace！〃　he　had　first　thought；　'That　busybody！'　and　then；　'I　wonderperhaps　I'd　better　go　and　see　if　I　can　get　anything　out　of　her。'

In　considering　Stephen's　attitude　towards　a　woman　so　firmly　embedded　in　the　various　social　movements　of　the　day；　it　must　be　remembered　that　he　represented　that　large　class　of　men　who；　unhappily　too　cultivated　to　put　aside；　like　Mr。　Purcey；　all　blue　subjects；　or　deny　the　need　for　movements　to　make　them　less　blue；　still　could　not　move；　for　fear　of　being　out　of　order。　　He　was　also　temperamentally　distrustful　of　anything　too　feminine；　and　Mrs。　Tallents　Smallpeace　was　undoubtedly　extremely　feminine。　　Her　merit；　in　his　eyes；　consisted　of　her　attachment　to　Societies。　　So　long　as　mankind　worked　through　Societies；　Stephen；　who　knew　the　power　of　rules　and　minute　books；　did　not　despair　of　too　little　progress　being　made。　　He