fraternity-第57部分

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ving　was　mingled　the　itch　to　justify　herself；　and　prove　that　she　could　rise　above　jealousy。

She　made　her　way　to　the　little　model's　lodging。

A　child　admitted　her　into　the　bleak　passage　that　served　for　hall。　The　strange　medley　of　emotions　passing　through　Bianca's　breast　while　she　stood　outside　the　girl's　door　did　not　show　in　her　face；　which　wore　its　customary　restrained；　half…mocking　look。

The　little　model's　voice　faintly　said：　〃Come　in。〃

The　room　was　in　disorder；　as　though　soon　to　be　deserted。　　A　closed　and　corded　trunk　stood　in　the　centre　of　the　floor；　the　bed；　stripped　of　clothing；　lay　disclosed　in　all　the　barrenness　of　discoloured　ticking。　　The　china　utensils　of　the　washstand　were　turned　head　downwards。　　Beside　that　washstand　the　little　model；　with　her　hat　on　the　hat　with　the　purplish…pink　roses　and　the　little　peacock's　feather…stood　in　the　struck；　shrinking　attitude　of　one　who；　coming　forward　in　the　expectation　of　a　kiss；　has　received　a　blow。

〃You　are　leaving　here；　then？〃　　Bianca　said　quietly。

〃Yes；〃　the　girl　murmured。

〃Don't　you　like　this　part？　　Is　it　too　far　from　your　work？〃

Again　the　little　model　whispered：　〃Yes。〃

Bianca's　eyes　travelled　slowly　over　the　blue　beflowered　walls　and　rust…red　doors；　through　the　dusty　closeness　of　this　dismantled　room　a　rank　scent　of　musk　and　violets　rose；　as　though　a　cheap　essence　had　been　scattered　as　libation。　　A　small　empty　scent…bottle　stood　on　the　shabby　looking…glass。

〃Have　you　found　new　lodgings？〃

The　little　model　edged　closer　to　the　window。　　A　stealthy　watchfulness　was　creeping　into　her　shrinking；　dazed　face。

She　shook　her　head。

〃I　don't　know　where　I'm　going。〃

Obeying　a　sudden　impulse　to　see　more　clearly；　Bianca　lifted　her　veil。　〃I　came　to　tell　you；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　shall　always　be　ready　to　help　you。〃

The　girl　did　not　answer；　but　suddenly　through　her　black　lashes　she　stole　a　look　upward　at　her　visitor。　　'Can　you；'　it　seemed　to　say；　'youhelp　me？　　Oh　no；　I　think　not！'　　And；　as　though　she　had　been　stung　by　that　glance；　Bianca　said　with　deadly　slowness：

〃It　is　my　business；　of　course；　entirely；　now　that　Mr。　Dallison　has　gone　abroad。〃

The　little　model　received　this　saying　with　a　quivering　jerk。　　It　might　have　been　an　arrow　transfixing　her　white　throat。　　For　a　moment　she　seemed　almost　about　to　fall；　but；　gripping　the　window…sill；　held　herself　erect。　　Her　eyes；　like　an　animal's　in　pain；　darted　here；　there；　everywhere；　then　rested　on　her　visitor's　breast；　quite　motionless。　　This　stare；　which　seemed　to　see　nothing；　but　to　be　doing；　as　it　were；　some　fateful　calculation；　was　uncanny。　　Colour　came　gradually　back　into　her　lips　and　eyes　and　cheeks；　she　seemed　to　have　succeeded　in　her　calculation；　to　be　reviving　from　that　stab。

And　suddenly　Bianca　understood。　　This　was　the　meaning　of　the　packed　trunk；　the　dismantled　room。　　He　was　going　to　take　her；　after　all！

In　the　turmoil　of　this　discovery　two　words　alone　escaped　her：

〃I　see！〃

They　were　enough。　　The　girl's　face　at　once　lost　all　trace　of　its　look　of　desperate　calculation；　brightened；　became　guilty；　and　from　guilty　sullen。

The　antagonism　of　all　the　long　past　months　was　now　declared　between　these　twoBianca's　pride　could　no　longer　conceal；　the　girl's　submissiveness　no　longer　obscure　it。　　They　stood　like　duellists；　one　on　each　side　of　the　trunkthat　common；　brown…Japanned；　tin　trunk；　corded　with　rope。　　Bianca　looked　at　it。

〃You；〃　she　said；　〃and　he？　　Ha；　ha；　ha；　ha！　　Ha；　ha；　ha！〃

Against　that　cruel　laughtermore　poignant　than　a　hundred　homilies　on　caste；　a　thousand　scornful　wordsthe　little　model　literally　could　not　stand；　she　sat　down　in　the　low　chair　where　she　had　evidently　been　sitting　to　watch　the　street。　　But　as　a　taste　of　blood　will　infuriate　a　hound；　so　her　own　laughter　seemed　to　bereave　Bianca　of　all　restraint。

〃What　do　you　imagine　he's　taking　you　for；　girl？　　Only　out　of　pity！　It's　not　exactly　the　emotion　to　live　on　in　exile。　　In　exilebut　that　you　do　not　understand！〃

The　little　model　staggered　to　her　feet　again。　　Her　face　had　grown　painfully　red。

〃He　wants　me！〃　she　said。

〃Wants　you？　　As　he　wants　his　dinner。　　And　when　he's　eaten　itwhat　then？　　No；　of　course　he'll　never　abandon　you；　his　conscience　is　too　tender。　　But　you'll　be　round　his　necklike　this！〃　　Bianca　raised　her　arms；　looped；　and　dragged　them　slowly　down；　as　a　mermaid's　arms　drag　at　a　drowning　sailor。

The　little　model　stammered：　〃I'll　do　what　he　tells　me！　　I'll　do　what　he　tells　me！〃

Bianca　stood　silent；　looking　at　the　girl；　whose　heaving　breast　and　little　peacock's　feather；　whose　small　round　hands　twisting　in　front　of　her；　and　scent　about　her　clothes；　all　seemed　an　offence。

〃And　do　you　suppose　that　he'll　tell　you　what　he　wants？　　Do　you　imagine　he'll　have　the　necessary　brutality　to　get　rid　of　you？　　He'll　think　himself　bound　to　keep　you　till　you　leave　him；　as　I　suppose　you　will　some　day！〃

The　girl　dropped　her　hands。　　〃I'll　never　leave　himnever！〃　she　cried　out　passionately。

〃Then　Heaven　help　him！〃　said　Bianca。

The　little　model's　eyes　seemed　to　lose　all　pupil；　like　two　chicory　flowers　that　have　no　dark　centres。　　Through　them；　all　that　she　was　feeling　struggled　to　find　an　outlet；　but；　too　deep　for　words；　those　feelings　would　not　pass　her　lips；　utterly　unused　to　express　emotion。　She　could　only　stammer：

〃I'm　notI'm　notI　will…〃　and　press　her　hands　again　to　her　breast。

Bianca's　lip　curled。

〃I　see；　you　imagine　yourself　capable　of　sacrifice。　　Well；　you　have　your　chance。　　Take　it！〃　She　pointed　to　the　corded　trunk。　　〃Now's　your　time；　you　have　only　to　disappear！〃

The　little　model　shrank　back　against　the　windowsill。　　〃He　wants　me！〃　she　muttered。　　〃I　know　he　wants　me。〃

Bianca　bit　her　lips　till　the　blood　came。

〃Your　idea　of　sacrifice；〃　she　said；　〃is　perfect！　　If　you　went　now；　in　a　month's　time　he'd　never　think　of　you　again。〃

The　girl　gulped。　　There　was　something　so　pitiful　in　the　movements　of　her　hands　that　Bianca　turned　away。　　She　stood　for　several　seconds　staring　at　the　door；　then；　turning　round　again；　said：

〃Well？〃

But　the　girl's　whole　face　had　changed。　　All　tear…stained；　indeed；　she　had　already　masked　it　with　a　sort　of　immovable　stolidity。

Bianca　went　swiftly　up　to　the　trunk。

〃You　shall！〃　she　said。　　〃Take　that　thing　and　go。〃

The　little　model　did　not　move。

〃So　you　won't？〃

The　girl　trembled　violently　all　over。　　She　moistened　her　lips；　tried　to　speak；　failed；　again　moistened　them；　and　this　time　murmured；　〃I'll　onlyI'll　onlyif　lie　tells　me！〃

〃So　you　still　imagine　he　will　tell　you！〃

The　little　model　merely　repeated：　〃I　won'twon't　do　anything　without　he　tells　me！〃

Bianca　laughed。　　〃Why；　it's　like　a　dog！〃　she　said。

But　the　girl　had　turned　abruptly　to　the　window。　　Her　lips　were　parted。　　She　was　shrinking；　fluttering；　trembling　at　what　she　saw。　She　was　indeed　like　a　spaniel　dog　who　sees　her　master　coming。　　Bianca　had　no　need　of　being　told　that　Hilary　was　outside。　　She　went　into　the　passage　and　opened　the　front　door。

He　was　coming　up　the　steps；　his　face　worn　like　that　of　a　man　in　fever；　and　at　the　sight　of　his　wife　he　stood　quite　still；　looking　into　her　face。

Without　the　quiver　of　an　eyelid；　without　the　faintest　trace　of　emotion；　or　the　slightest　sign　that　she　knew　him　to　be　there；　Bianca　passed　and　slowly　walked　away。




CHAPTER　XL

FINISH　OF　THE　COMEDY

Those　who　may　have　seen　Hilary　driving　towards　the　little　model's　lodgings　saw　one　who；　by　a　fixed　red　spot　on　either　cheek；　and　the　over…compression　of　his　quivering　lips；　betrayed　the　presence　of　that　animality　which　underlies　even　the　most　cultivated　men。

After　eighteen　hours　of　the　purgatory　of　indecision；　he　had　not　so　much　decided　to　pay　that　promised　visit　on　which　hung　the　future　of　two　lives；　as　allowed　himself　to　be　borne　towards　the　girl。

There　was　no　one　in　the　passage　to　see　him　after　he　had　passed　Bianca　in　the　doorway；　but　it　was　with　a　face　darkened　by　the　peculiar　stabbing　look　of　wounded　egoism　that　he　entered　the　little　model's　room。

The　sight　of　it　coming　so　closely　on　the　struggle　she　had　just　been　through　was　too　much　for　the　girl's　self…control。

Instead　of　going　up　to　him；　she　sat　down　on　the　corded　trunk　and　began　to　sob。　　It　was　the　sobbing　of　a　child　whose　school…treat　has　been　cancelled；　of　a　girl　whose　ball…dress　has　not　come　home　in　time。　It　only　irritated　Hilary；　whose　nerves　had　already　borne　all　they　could　bear。　　He　stood　literally　trembling；　as　though　each　one　of　these　common　little　sobs　were　a　blow　falling　on　the　drum…skin　of　his　spirit；　and　through　every　fibre　he　took　in　the　features　of　the　dusty；　scent…besprinkled　roomthe　brown　tin　trunk；　the　dismantled　bed；　the　rust…red　doors。

And　he　realised　that　she　had　burned　her　boats　to　make　it　impossible　for　a　man　of　sensibility　to　disappoint　her！

The　little　model　raised　her　face　and　looked　at　him。　　What　she　saw　must　have　been　less　reassuring　even　than　the　first　sight　had　been；　for　it　stopped　her　sobbing。　　She　rose　and　turned　to　the　window；　evidently　trying　with　handkerchief　and　powder…puff　to　repair　the　ravages　caused　by　her　tears；　and　when　she　had　finished　she　still　stood　there　with　her　back　to　him。　　Her　deep　breathing　made　her　young　form　quiver　from　her　waist　up　to　the　little　peacock's　feather　in　her　hat；　and