fraternity-第45部分

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〃There　you　hit　it。　　But　answer　me　this　question：　Isn't　a　social　conscience；　broadly　speaking；　the　result　of　comfort　and　security？〃

Martin　shrugged　his　shoulders。

〃And　doesn't　comfort　also　destroy　the　power　of　action？〃

Again　Martin　shrugged。

〃Then；　if　those　who　have　the　social　conscience　and　can　see　what　is　wrong　have　lost　their　power　of　action；　how　can　you　say　there　is　any　light　at　the　end　of　this　dark　passage？〃

Martin　took　his　pipe　out；　filled　it；　and　pressed　the　filling　with　his　thumb。

〃There　is　light；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃in　spite　of　all　invertebrates。　Good…bye！　　I've　wasted　enough　time；〃　and　he　abruptly　strode　away。

〃And　in　spite　of　myopia？〃　　muttered　Hilary。

A　few　minutes　later；　coming　out　from　Messrs。　Rose　and　Thorn's；　where　he　had　gone　to　buy　tobacco；　he　came　suddenly　on　the　little　model；　evidently　waiting。

〃I　was　at　the　funeral；〃　she；　said；　and　her　face　added　plainly：　'I've　followed　you。'　　Uninvited；　she　walked　on　at　his　side。

'This　is　not　the　same　girl；'　he　thought；　'that　I　sent　away　five　days　ago。　　She　has　lost　something；　gained　something。　　I　don't　know　her。'

There　seemed　such　a　stubborn　purpose　in　her　face　and　manner。　　It　was　like　the　look　in　a　dog's　eyes　that　says：　'Master；　you　thought　to　shut　me　up　away　from　you；　I　know　now　what　that　is　like。　　Do　what　you　will；　I　mean　in　future　to　be　near　you。'

This　look；　by　its　simplicity；　frightened　one　to　whom　the　primitive　was　strange。　　Desiring　to　free　himself　of　his　companion；　yet　not　knowing　how；　Hilary　sat　down　in　Kensington　Gardens　on　the　first　bench　they　came　to。　　The　little　model　sat　down　beside　him。　　The　quiet　siege　laid　to　him　by　this　girl　was　quite　uncanny。　　It　was　as　though　someone　were　binding　him　with　toy　threads；　swelling　slowly　into　rope　before　his　eyes。　　In　this　fear　of　Hilary's　there　was　at　first　much　irritation。　　His　fastidiousness　and　sense　of　the　ridiculous　were　roused。　　What　did　this　little　creature　with　whom　he　had　no　thoughts　and　no　ideas　in　common；　whose　spirit　and　his　could　never　hope　to　meet；　think　that　she　could　get　from　him？　　Was　she　trying　to　weave　a　spell　over　him　too；　with　her　mute；　stubborn　adoration？　　Was　she　trying　to　change　his　protective　weakness　for　her　to　another　sort　of　weakness？　　He　turned　and　looked；　she　dropped　her　eyes　at　once；　and　sat　still　as　a　stone　figure。

As　in　her　spirit；　so　in　her　body；　she　was　different；　her　limbs　looked　freer；　rounder；　her　breath　seemed　stirring　her　more　deeply；　like　a　flower　of　early　June　she　was　opening　before　his　very　eyes。　　This；　though　it　gave　him　pleasure；　also　added　to　his　fear。　　The　strange　silence；　in　its　utter　naturalnessfor　what　could　he　talk　about　with　her？brought　home　to　him　more　vividly　than　anything　before；　the　barriers　of　class。　　All　he　thought　of　was　how　not　to　be　ridiculous！　She　was　inviting　him　in　some　strange；　unconscious；　subtle　way　to　treat　her　as　a　woman；　as　though　in　spirit　she　had　linked　her　round　young　arms　about　his　neck；　and　through　her　half…closed　lips　were　whispering　the　eternal　call　of　sex　to　sex。　　And　he；　a　middle…aged　and　cultivated　man；　conscious　of　everything；　could　not　even　speak　for　fear　of　breaking　through　his　shell　of　delicacy。　　He　hardly　breathed；　disturbed　to　his　very　depths　by　the　young　figure　sitting　by　his　side；　and　by　the　dread　of　showing　that　disturbance。

Beside　the　cultivated　plant　the　self…sown　poppy　rears　itself；　round　the　stem　of　a　smooth　tree　the　honeysuckle　twines；　to　a　trim　wall　the　ivy　clings。

In　her　new…found　form　and　purpose　this　girl　had　gained　a　strange；　still　power；　she　no　longer　felt　it　mattered　whether　he　spoke　or　looked　at　her；　her　instinct；　piercing　through　his　shell；　was　certain　of　the　throbbing　of　his　pulses；　the　sweet　poison　in　his　blood。

The　perception　of　this　still　power；　more　than　all　else；　brought　fear　to　Hilary。　　He　need　not　speak；　she　would　not　care！　　He　need　not　even　look　at　her；　she　had　but　to　sit　there　silent；　motionless；　with　the　breath　of　youth　coming　through　her　parted　lips；　and　the　light　of　youth　stealing　through　her　half…closed　eyes。

And　abruptly　he　got　up　and　walked　away。




CHAPTER　XXXI

SWAN　SONG

The　new　wine；　if　it　does　not　break　the　old　bottle；　after　fierce　effervescence　seethes　and　bubbles　quietly。

It　was　so　in　Mr。　Stone's　old　bottle；　hour　by　hour　and　day　by　day；　throughout　the　month。　　A　pinker；　robuster　look　came　back　to　his　cheeks；　his　blue　eyes；　fixed　on　distance；　had　in　them　more　light；　his　knees　regained　their　powers；　he　bathed；　and；　all　unknown　to　him；　for　he　only　saw　the　waters　he　cleaved　with　his　ineffably　slow　stroke；　Hilary　and　Martin；　on　alternate　weeks；　and　keeping　at　a　proper　distance；　for　fear　he　should　see　them　doing　him　a　service；　attended　at　that　function　in　case　Mr。　Stone　should　again　remain　too　long　seated　at　the　bottom　of　the　Serpentine。　　Each　morning　after　his　cocoa　and　porridge　he　could　be　heard　sweeping　out　his　room　with　extraordinary　vigour；　and　as　ten　o'clock　came　near　anyone　who　listened　would　remark　a　sound　of　air　escaping；　as　he　moved　up　and　down　on　his　toes　in　preparation　for　the　labours　of　the　day。　　No　letters；　of　course；　nor　any　newspapers　disturbed　the　supreme　and　perfect　self…containment　of　this　life　devoted　to　Fraternityno　letters；　partly　because　he　lacked　a　known　address；　partly　because　for　years　he　had　not　answered　them；　and　with　regard　to　newspapers；　once　a　month　he　went　to　a　Public　Library；　and　could　be　seen　with　the　last　four　numbers　of　two　weekly　reviews　before　him；　making　himself　acquainted　with　the　habits　of　those　days；　and　moving　his　lips　as　though　in　prayer。　　At　ten　each　morning　anyone　in　the　corridor　outside　his　room　was　startled　by　the　whirr　of　an　alarum　clock；　perfect　silence　followed；　then　rose　a　sound　of　shuffling；　whistling；　rustling；　broken　by　sharply　muttered　words；　soon　from　this　turbid　lake　of　sound　the　articulate；　thin　fluting　of　an　old　man's　voice　streamed　forth。　　This；　alternating　with　the　squeak　of　a　quill　pen；　went　on　till　the　alarum　clock　once　more　went　off。　　Then　he　who　stood　outside　could　smell　that　Mr。　Stone　would　shortly　eat；　if；　stimulated　by　that　scent；　he　entered；　he　might　see　the　author　of　the　〃Book　of　Universal　Brotherhood〃　with　a　baked　potato　in　one　hand　and　a　cup　of　hot　milk　in　the　other；　on　the　table；　too；　the　ruined　forms　of　eggs；　tomatoes；　oranges；　bananas；　figs；　prunes；　cheese；　and　honeycomb；　which　had　passed　into　other　forms　already；　together　with　a　loaf　of　wholemeal　bread。　　Mr。　Stone　would　presently　emerge　in　his　cottage…　woven　tweeds；　and　old　hat　of　green…black　felt；　or；　if　wet；　in　a　long　coat　of　yellow　gaberdine；　and　sou'wester　cap　of　the　same　material；　but　always　with　a　little　osier　fruit…bag　in　his　hand。　　Thus　equipped；　he　walked　down　to　Rose　and　Thorn's；　entered；　and　to　the　first　man　he　saw　handed　the　osier　fruit…bag；　some　coins；　and　a　little　book　containing　seven　leaves；　headed　〃Food：　Monday；　Tuesday；　Wednesday；〃　and　so　forth。　　He　then　stood　looking　through　the　pickles　in　some　jar　or　other　at　things　beyond；　with　one　hand　held　out；　fingers　upwards；　awaiting　the　return　of　his　little　osier　fruit…bag。　　Feeling。　presently　that　it　had　been　restored　to　him；　he　would　turn　and　walk　out　of　the　shop。　　Behind　his　back；　on　the　face　of　the　department；　the　same　protecting　smile　always　rose。　　Long　habit　had　perfected　it。　　All　now　felt　that；　though　so　very　different　from　themselves；　this　aged　customer　was　dependent　on　them。　　By　not　one　single　farthing　or　one　pale　slip　of　cheese　would　they　have　defrauded　him　for　all　the　treasures　of　the　moon；　and　any　new　salesman　who　laughed　at　that　old　client　was　promptly　told　to　〃shut　his　head。〃

Mr。　Stone's　frail　form；　bent　somewhat　to　one　side　by　the　increased　gravamen　of　the　osier　bag；　was　now　seen　moving　homewards。　　He　arrived　perhaps　ten　minutes　before　the　three　o'clock　alarum；　and　soon　passing　through　preliminary　chaos；　the　articulate；　thin　fluting　of　his　voice　streamed　forth　again；　broken　by　the　squeaking　and　spluttering　of　his　quill。

But　towards　four　o'clock　signs　of　cerebral　excitement　became　visible；　his　lips　would　cease　to　utter　sounds；　his　pen　to　squeak。　　His　face；　with　a　flushed　forehead；　would　appear　at　the　open　window。　　As　soon　as　the　little　model　came　in　sighther　eyes　fixed；　not　on　his　window；　but　on　Hilary'she　turned　his　back；　evidently　waiting　for　her　to　enter　by　the　door。　　His　first　words　were　uttered　in　a　tranquil　voice：　〃I　have　several　pages。　　I　have　placed　your　chair。　　Are　you　ready？　Follow！〃

Except　for　that　strange　tranquillity　of　voice　and　the　disappearance　of　the　flush　on　his　brow；　there　was　no　sign　of　the　rejuvenescence　that　she　brought；　of　such　refreshment　as　steals　on　the　traveller　who　sits　down　beneath　a　lime…tree　toward　the　end　of　along　day's　journey；　no　sign　of　the　mysterious　comfort　distilled　into　his　veins　by　the　sight　of　her　moody　young　face；　her　young；　soft　limbs。　　So　from　some　stimulant　men　very　near　their　end　will　draw　energy；　watching；　as　it　were；　a　shape　beckoning　them　forward；　till　suddenly　it　disappears　in　darkness。

In　the　quarter　of　an　hour　sacred　to　their　tea　and　conversation　he　never　noticed　that　she　was　always　listening　for　sounds　beyond；　it　was　enough　that　in　her　presence　he　felt　singleness　of　purpose　strong　within　him。

When　she　had　gone；　moving　languidly；　moodily　away；　her　eyes　darting　about　for　signs　of　Hilary；　Mr。