the lion and the unicorn(狮子与独角兽)-第21章
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The older woman shook her head。 〃How could it be your fault？〃 she
answered。 〃If you couldn't love him enough to marry him； you couldn't；
that's all。 But that is no reason why he should have hidden himself from
all of us。 Even if he could not stand being near you； caring as he did； he
need not have treated me so。 We have done all we can do； and Robert
has been more than fine about it。 He and his agents have written to every
consul and business house in Central America； and I don't believe there is
a city that he hasn't visited。 He has sent him money and letters to every
bank and to every post…office〃
The girl raised her head quickly。
〃but he never calls for either；〃 Mrs。 Collier continued； 〃for I know
that if he had read my letters he would have come home。〃
The girl lifted her head as though she were about to speak； and then
turned and walked slowly away。 After a few moments she returned； and
stood； with her hands resting on the rail； looking down into the water。 〃I
wrote him two letters；〃 she said。 In the silence of the night her voice was
unusually clear and distinct。 〃Iyou make me wonderif they ever
reached him。〃
Mrs。 Collier； with her eyes fixed upon the girl； rose slowly from her
chair and came towards her。 She reached out her hand and touched Miss
Cameron on the arm。
〃Florence；〃 she said； in a whisper； 〃have you〃
The girl raised her head slowly； and lowered it again。 〃Yes；〃 she
answered； 〃I told him to come backto come back to me。 Alice；〃 she
cried； 〃II begged him to come back！〃 She tossed her hands apart and
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again walked rapidly away； leaving the older woman standing motionless。
A moment later； when Sir Charles and Mr。 Collier stepped out upon
the deck； they discovered the two women standing close together； two
white； ghostly figures in the moonlight； and as they advanced towards
them they saw Mrs。 Collier take the girl for an instant in her arms。
Sir Charles was asking Miss Cameron how long she thought an
immigrant should be made to work for his freehold allotment； when Mr。
Collier and his wife rose at the same moment and departed on separate
errands。 They met most mysteriously in the shadow of the wheel…house。
〃What is it？ Is anything wrong with Florence？〃 Collier asked；
anxiously。 〃Not homesick； is she？〃
Mrs。 Collier put her hands on her husband's shoulders and shook her
head。
〃Wrong？ No； thank Heaven！ it's as right as right can be！〃 she cried。
〃She's written to him to come back； but he's never answered； and soand
now it's all right。〃
Mr。 Collier gazed blankly at his wife's upturned face。 〃Well； I don't
see that；〃 he remonstrated。 〃What's the use of her being in love with him
now when he can't be found？ What？ Why didn't she love him two
years ago when he was where you could get at himat her house； for
instance。 He was there most of his time。 She would have saved a lot of
trouble。 However；〃 he added； energetically； 〃this makes it absolutely
necessary to find that young man and bring him to his senses。 We'll
search this place for the next few days； and then we'll try the mainland
again。 I think I'll offer a reward for him； and have it printed in Spanish；
and paste it up in all the plazas。 We might add a line in English； 'She has
changed her mind。' That would bring him home； wouldn't it？〃
〃Don't be unfeeling； Robert；〃 said Mrs。 Collier。
Her husband raised his eyes appealingly； and addressed himself to the
moon。 〃I ask you now；〃 he complained； 〃is that fair to a man who has
spent six months on muleback trying to round up a prodigal brother…in…
law？〃
That same evening； after the ladies had gone below； Mr。 Collier asked
Sir Charles to assist him in his search for his wife's brother； and Sir
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Charles heartily promised his most active co… operation。 There were
several Americans at work in the interior； he said； as overseers on the
coffee…plantations。 It was possible that the runaway might be among
them。 It was only that morning； Sir Charles remembered； that an
American had been at work 〃repairing his lawn…mower；〃 as he
considerately expressed it。 He would send for him on the morrow。
But on the morrow the slave of the lawn…mower was reported on the
list of prisoners as 〃missing；〃 and Corporal Mallon was grieved； but
refused to consider himself responsible。 Sir Charles himself had allowed
the vagrant unusual freedom； and the vagrant had taken advantage of it；
and probably escaped to the hills； or up the river to the logwood camp。
〃Telegraph a description of him to Inspector Garrett；〃 Sir Charles
directed； 〃and to the heads of all up stations。 And when he returns； bring
him to me。〃
So great was his zeal that Sir Charles further offered to join Mr。 Collier
in his search among the outlying plantations； but Mr。 Collier preferred to
work alone。 He accordingly set out at once； armed with letters to the
different district inspectors； and in his absence delegated to Sir Charles the
pleasant duty of caring for the wants of Miss Cameron and his wife。 Sir
Charles regarded the latter as deserving of all sympathy； for Mr。 Collier； in
his efforts to conceal the fact from the Governor that Florence Cameron
was responsible； or in any way concerned； in the disappearance of the
missing man； had been too mysterious。 Sir Charles was convinced that
the fugitive had swindled his brother… in…law and stolen his sister's jewels。
The days which followed were to the Governor days and nights of
strange discoveries。 He recognized that the missionaries from the great
outside world had invaded his shores and disturbed his gods and temples。
Their religion of progress and activity filled him with doubt and unrest。
〃In this century；〃 Mr。 Collier had declared； 〃nothing can stand still。
It's the same with a corporation； or a country； or a man。
We must either march ahead or fall out。 We can't mark time。
What？〃
〃Exactlycertainly not；〃 Sir Charles had answered。 But in his heart
he knew that he himself had been marking time under these soft tropical
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skies while the world was pushing forward。 The thought had not
disturbed him before。 Now he felt guilty。 He conceived a sudden
intolerance； if not contempt； for the little village of whitewashed houses；
for the rafts of mahogany and of logwood that bumped against the pier…
heads； for the sacks of coffee piled high like barricades under the
corrugated zinc sheds along the wharf。 Each season it had been his pride
to note the increase in these exports。 The development of the resources
of his colony had been a work in which he had felt that the Colonial
Secretary took an immediate interest。 He had believed that he was one of
the important wheels of the machinery which moved the British Empire：
and now； in a day； he was undeceived。 It was forced upon him that to the
eyes of the outside world he was only a greengrocer operating on a large
scale； he provided the British public with coffee for its breakfast； with
drugs for its stomach； and with strange woods for its dining…room furniture
and walking…sticks。 He combated this ignominious characterization of
his position indignantly。 The new arrivals certainly gave him no hint that
they considered him so lightly。 This thought greatly comforted him； for
he felt that in some way he was summoning to his aid all of his assets and
resources to meet an expert and final valuation。 As he ranged them
before him he was disturbed and happy to find that the value he placed
upon them was the value they would have in the eyes of a young girl not
a girl of the shy； mother…obeying； man…worshipping English type； but a
girl such as Miss Cameron seemed to be； a girl who could understand what
you were trying to say before you said it； who could take an interest in
rates of exchange and preside at a dinner table； who was charmingly
feminine and clever； and who was respectful of herself and of others。 In
fact； he decided； with a flush； that Miss Cameron herself was the young
girl he had in his mind。
〃Why not？〃 he asked。
The question came to him in his room； the sixth night of their visit；
and he strode over to the long pier…glass and stood studying himself
critically for the first time in years。 He was still a fine…looking； well…kept
man。 His hair was thin； but that fact did not show； and his waist was lost；
but riding and tennis would set that right。 He had means outside of his
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official salary； and there was the title； such as it was。 Lady Greville the
wife of the birthday knight sounded as well as Lady Greville the
marchioness。 And Americans cared for these things。 He doubted
whether this particular American would do so； but he was adding up all he
had to offer； and that was one of the assets。 He was sure she would not
be content to remain mistress of the Windless Isles。 Nor； indeed
