stories by english authors-orient (英国作家故事集)-第22章
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and rest；〃 she said； moving aside a little to let him pass。
She stood lingering a moment after he had entered the tent； as though
unwilling to leave the outer air； and before she turned to follow him she
drew a deep breath； and her hand went for one swift second to her throat
as though she felt stifled。
Later on that evening she sat in her tent； sewing by the light of the
lamp that stood on her little table。
Opposite to her； her husband stretched his ungainly length in a deck…
chair； and turned over a pile of official notes。 Every now and then her eyes
wandered from the gay silks of the table…cover she was embroidering to
the canvas walls which bounded the narrow space into which their few
household goods were crowded。 Outside there was a deep hush。 The
silence of the vast empty plain seemed to work its way slowly； steadily in
toward the little patch of light set in its midst。 The girl felt it in every
nerve； it was as though some soft…footed； noiseless； shapeless creature；
whose presence she only dimly divined； was approaching nearer/nearer/。
The heavy outer stillness was in some way made more terrifying by the
rustle of the papers her husband was reading； by the creaking of his chair
as he moved； and by the little fidgeting grunts and half…exclamations
which from time to time broke from him。 His wife's hand shook at every
unintelligible mutter from him； and the slight habitual contraction between
her eyes deepened。
All at once she threw her work down on to the table。 〃For heaven's
sake/please/； John； /talk/！〃 she cried。 Her eyes； for the moment's space in
which they met the startled ones of her husband； had a wild； hunted look；
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but it was gone almost before his slow brain had time to note that it had
been thereand was vaguely disturbing。 She laughed a little unsteadily。
〃Did I startle you？ I'm sorry。 I〃she laughed again〃I believe I'm a
little nervous。 When one is all day alone〃 She paused without finishing
the sentence。 The man's face changed suddenly。 A wave of tenderness
swept over it； and at the same time an expression of half… incredulous
delight shone in his pale eyes。
〃Poor little girl； are you really lonely？〃 he said。 Even the real feeling
in his tone failed to rob his voice of its peculiarly irritating grating quality。
He rose awkwardly； and moved to his wife's side。
Involuntarily she shrank a little； and the hand which he had stretched
out to touch her hair sank to his side。 She recovered herself immediately；
and turned her face up to his； though she did not raise her eyes； but he did
not kiss her。 Instead； he stood in an embarrassed fashion a moment by her
side； and then went back to his seat。
There was silence again for some time。 The man lay back in his chair；
gazing at his big； clumsy shoes as though he hoped for some inspiration
from that quarter； while his wife worked with nervous haste。
〃Don't let me keep you from reading； John；〃 she said； and her voice
had regained its usual gentle tone。
〃No； my dear； I'm just thinking of something to say to you； but I don't
seem〃
She smiled a little。 In spite of herself； her lip curled faintly。 〃Don't
worry about it； it was stupid of me to expect it。 I mean〃 she added；
hastily； immediately repenting the sarcasm。 She glanced furtively at him；
but his face was quite unmoved； evidently he had not noticed it； and she
smiled faintly again。
〃O Kathie； I knew there was /something/ I'd forgotten to tell you； my
dear； there's a man coming down here。 I don't know whether〃
She looked up sharply。 〃A man coming /here/？ What for？〃 she
interrupted； breathlessly。
〃Sent to help me about this oil…boring business； my dear。〃
He had lighted his pipe； and was smoking placidly； taking long whiffs
between his words。
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〃Well？〃 impatiently questioned his wife； fixing her bright eyes on his
face。
〃Wellthat's all； my dear。〃
She checked an exclamation。 〃But don't you know anything about
him his name？ where he comes from？ what he is like？〃 She was leaning
forward against the table； her needle； with a long end of yellow silk drawn
half…way through her work； held in her upraised hand； her whole attitude
one of quivering excitement and expectancy。
The man took his pipe from his mouth deliberately； with a look of
slow wonder。
〃Why； Kathie； you seem quite anxious。 I didn't know you'd be so
interested； my dear。 Well；〃another long pull at his pipe；〃his name's
Brook/Brookfield/； I think。〃 He paused again。 〃This pipe doesn't draw
well a bit； there's something wrong with it； I shouldn't wonder；〃 he added；
taking it out and examining the bowl as though struck with the brilliance
of the idea。
The woman opposite put down her work and clinched her hands under
the table。
〃Go on； John；〃 she said； presently； in a tense； vibrating voice； 〃his
name is Brookfield。 Well； where does he come from？〃
〃Straight from home； my dear； I believe。〃 He fumbled in his pocket；
and after some time extricated a pencil； with which he began to poke the
tobacco in the bowl in an ineffectual aimless fashion； becoming
completely engrossed in the occupation apparently。 There was another
long pause。 The woman went on working； or feigning to work； for her
hands were trembling a good deal。
After some moments she raised her head again。 〃John； will you mind
attending to me one moment； and answering these questions as quickly as
you can？〃 The emphasis on the last word was so faint as to be almost as
imperceptible as the touch of exasperated contempt which she could not
absolutely banish from her tone。
Her husband； looking up； met her clear bright gaze； and reddened like
a school…boy。
〃Whereabouts '/from home/' does he come？〃 she asked； in a studiedly
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gentle fashion。
〃Well； from London； I think；〃 he replied； almost briskly for him；
though he stammered and tripped over the words。 〃He's a university chap；
I used to hear he was clever； I don't know about that； I'm sure； he used to
chaff me； I remember； but〃
〃Chaff /you/？ You have met him then？〃
〃Yes； my dear；〃he was fast relapsing into his slow drawl again；
〃that is； I went to school with him； but it's a long time ago。 Brookfield
yes； that must be his name。〃
She waited a moment； then； 〃When is he coming？〃 she inquired；
abruptly。
〃Let me seeto…day's〃
〃/Monday/；〃 the word came swiftly between her set teeth。
〃Ah； yesMonday； well；〃 reflectively； 〃/next/ Monday； my dear。〃
Mrs。 Drayton rose； and began to pace softly the narrow passage
between the table and the tent wall； her hands clasped loosely behind her。
〃How long have you known this？〃 she said； stopping abruptly。 〃O John；
you /needn't/ consider； it's quite a simple question。 To…day？ Yesterday？
Her foot moved restlessly on the ground as she waited。
〃I think it was the day before yesterday；〃 he replied。
〃Then why； in heaven's name； didn't you tell me before？〃 she broke
out； fiercely。
〃My dear； it slipped my memory。 If I'd thought you would be
interested〃
〃Interested！〃 She laughed shortly。 〃It /is/ rather interesting to hear that
after six months of this〃she made a quick comprehensive gesture with
her hand〃one will have some one to speak tosome one。 It is the hand of
Providence； it comes just in time to save me from〃 She checked herself
abruptly。
He sat staring up at her stupidly； without a word。
〃It's all right； John；〃 she said； with a quick change of tone； gathering
up her work quietly as she spoke。 〃I'm not madyet。 You you must get
used to these little outbreaks；〃 she added； after a moment； smiling faintly；
〃and； to do me justice； I don't /often/ trouble you with them； do I？ I'm just
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a little tired； or it's the heat orsomething。 Nodon't touch me！〃 she cried；
shrinking back； for he had risen slowly and was coming toward her。
She had lost command over her voice； and the shrill note of horror in it
was unmistakable。 The man heard it； and shrank in his turn。
〃I'm so sorry； John；〃 she murmured； raising her great bright eyes to his
face。 They had not lost their goaded expression； though they were full of
tears。 〃I'm awfully sorry； but I'm just nervous and stupid； and I can't bear
/any one/ to touch me when I'm nervous。〃
〃Here's Broomhurst； my dear！ I made a mistake in his name after all； I
find。 I told you /Brookfield/； I believe； didn't I？ Well； it isn't Brookfield； he
says； it's Broomhurst。〃
Mrs。 Drayton had walked some little distance across the plain to meet
and welcome the expected guest。 She stood quietly waiting while her
husband stammered over his incoherent sentences； and then put out her
hand。
〃We are very glad to see you；〃 she said； with a quick glance at the
new…comer's face as she spoke。
As they walked together toward the tent； after the first greetings； she
felt his keen eyes upon her before he turned to her husband。
〃I'm afraid Mrs。 Drayton finds the climate trying？〃 he asked。 〃Perhaps
she ought not to have come so far in this heat？〃
〃Kathie is often pale。 You /do/ look white to…day； my dear；〃 he
observed； turning anxiously toward his wife。
〃Do I？〃 she replied。 The unsteadiness of her tone was hardly
appreciable； but it was not lost on Broomhurst's quick ears。 〃Oh； I don't
think so。 I /feel/ very well。〃
〃I'll come and see if they've fixed you up all right；〃 said Drayton；
following his c
