fraternity-第19章

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Hilary　seemed　making　for　their　seat；　but　Miranda；　aware　of　Martin；　stopped。　　〃A　man　of　action！〃　she　appeared　to　say。　　〃The　one　who　pulls　my　ears。〃　　And　turning；　as　though　unconscious；　she　endeavoured　to　lead　Hilary　away。　　Her　master；　however；　had　already　seen　his　niece。　He　came　and　sat　down　on　the　bench　beside　her。

〃We　wanted　you！〃　said　Martin；　eyeing　him　slowly；　as　a　young　dog　will　eye　another　of　a　different　age　and　breed。　　〃Thyme　and　I　have　been　to　see　the　Hughs　in　Hound　Street。　　Things　are　blowing　up　for　a　mess。　You；　or　whoever　put　the　girl　there；　ought　to　get　her　away　again　as　quick　as　possible。〃

Hilary　seemed　at　once　to　withdraw　into　himself。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃let　us　hear　all　about　it。〃

〃The　woman's　jealous　of　her：　that's　all　the　trouble！〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Hilary；　〃that's　all　the　trouble？〃

Thyme　murmured：　〃I　don't　see　a　bit　why　Uncle　Hilary　should　bother。　If　they　will　be　so　horridI　didn't　think　the　poor　were　like　that。　I　didn't　think　they　had　it　in　them。　　I'm　sure　the　girl　isn't　worth　it；　or　the　woman　either！〃

〃I　didn't　say　they　were；〃　growled　Martin。　　〃It's　a　question　of　what's　healthy。〃

Hilary　looked　from　one　of　his　young　companions　to　the　other。

〃I　see；〃　he　said。　　〃I　thought　perhaps　the　matter　was　more　delicate。〃

Martin's　lip　curled。'

〃Ah；　your　precious　delicacy！　　What's　the　good　of　that？　　What　did　it　ever　do？　　It's　the　curse　that　you're　all　suffering　from。　　Why　don't　you　act？　　You　could　think　about　it　afterwards。〃

A　flush　came　into　Hilary's　sallow　cheeks。

〃Do　you　never　think　before　you　act；　Martin？〃

Martin　got　up　and　stood　looking　down　on　Hilary。

〃Look　here！〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　go　in　for　your　subtleties。　　I　use　my　eyes　and　nose。　　I　can　see　that　the　woman　will　never　be　able　to　go　on　feeding　the　baby　in　the　neurotic　state　she's　in。　　It's　a　matter　of　health　for　both　of　them。〃

〃Is　everything　a　matter　of　health　with　you？〃

〃It　is。　　Take　any　subject　that　you　like。　　Take　the　poor　themselves…　what's　wanted？　　Health。　　Nothing　on　earth　but　health！　　The　discoveries　and　inventions　of　the　last　century　have　knocked　the　floor　out　of　the　old　order；　we've　got　to　put　a　new　one　in；　and　we're　going　to　put　it　in；　toothe　floor　of　health。　　The　crowd　doesn't　yet　see　what　it　wants；　but　they're　looking　for　it；　and　when　we　show　it　them　they'll　catch　on　fast　enough。〃

〃But　who　are　'you'？〃　　murmured　Hilary。

〃Who　are　we？　　I'll　tell　you　one　thing。　　While　all　the　reformers　are　pecking　at　each　other　we　shall　quietly　come　along　and　swallow　up　the　lot。　　We've　simply　grasped　this　elementary　fact；　that　theories　are　no　basis　for　reform。　　We　go　on　the　evidence　of　our　eyes　and　noses；　what　we　see　and　smell　is　wrong　we　correct　by　practical　and　scientific　means。〃

〃Will　you　apply　that　to　human　nature？〃

〃It's　human　nature　to　want　health。〃

〃I　wonder！　　It　doesn't　look　much　like　it　at　present。〃

〃Take　the　case　of　this　woman。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Hilary；　〃take　her　case。　　You　can't　make　this　too　clear　to　me；　Martin。〃

〃She's　no　usepoor　sort　altogether。　　The　man's　no　use。　　A　man　who's　been　wounded　in　the　head；　and　isn't　a　teetotaller；　is　done　for。　　The　girl's　no　useregular　pleasure…loving　type！〃

Thyme　flushed　crimson；　and；　seeing　that　flood　of　colour　in　his　niece's　face；　Hilary　bit　his　lips。

〃The　only　things　worth　considering　are　the　children。　　There's　this　baby…well；　as　I　said；　the　important　thing　is　that　the　mother　should　be　able　to　look　after　it　properly。　　Get　hold　of　that；　and　let　the　other　facts　go　hang。〃

〃Forgive　me；　but　my　difficulty　is　to　isolate　this　question　of　the　baby's　health　from　all　the　other　circumstances　of　the　case。〃

Martin　grinned。

〃And　you'll　make　that　an　excuse；　I'm　certain；　for　doing　nothing。〃

Thyme　slipped　her　hand　into　Hilary's。

〃You　are　a　brute；　Martin；〃　she…murmured。

The　young　man　turned　on　her　a　look　that　said：　'It's　no　use　calling　me　a　brute；　I'm　proud　of　being　one。　　Besides；　you　know　you　don't　dislike　it。'

〃It's　better　to　be　a　brute　than　an　amateur；〃　he　said。

Thyme；　pressing　close　to　Hilary；　as　though　he　needed　her　protection；　cried　out：

〃Martin；　you　really　are　a　Goth！〃

Hilary　was　still　smiling；　but　his　face　quivered。

〃Not　at　all；〃　he　said。　　〃Martin's　powers　of　diagnosis　do　him　credit。〃

And；　raising　his　hat；　he　walked　away。

The　two　young　people；　both　on　their　feet　now；　looked　after　him。　Martin's　face　was　a　queer　study　of　contemptuous　compunction；　Thyme's　was　startled；　softened；　almost　tearful。

〃It　won't　do　him　any　harm；〃　muttered　the　young　man。　　〃It'll　shake　him　up。〃

Thyme　flashed　a　vicious　look　at　him。

〃I　hate　you　sometimes；〃　she　said。　　〃You're　so　coarse…grainedyour　skin's　just　like　leather。〃

Martin's　hand　descended　on　her　wrist。

〃And　yours；〃　he　said；　〃is　tissue…paper。　　You're　all　the　same；　you　amateurs。〃

〃I'd　rather　be　an　amateur　than　athan　a　bounder！〃

Martin　made　a　queer　movement　of　his　jaw；　then　smiled。　　That　smile　seemed　to　madden　Thyme。　　She　wrenched　her　wrist　away　and　darted　after　Hilary。

Martin　impassively　looked　after　her。　　Taking　out　his　pipe；　he　filled　it　with　tobacco；　slowly　pressing　the　golden　threads　down　into　the　bowl　with　his　little　finger。




CHAPTER　XVII

TWO　BROTHERS

If　has　been　said　that　Stephen　Dallison；　when　unable　to　get　his　golf　on　Saturdays；　went　to　his　club；　and　read　reviews。　　The　two　forms　of　exercise；　in　fact；　were　very　similar：　in　playing　golf　you　went　round　and　round；　in　reading　reviews　you　did　the　same；　for　in　course　of　time　you　were　assured　of　coming　to　articles　that；　nullified　articles　already　read。　　In　both　forms　of　sport　the　balance　was　preserved　which　keeps　a　man　both　sound　and　young。

And　to　be　both　sound　and　young　was　to　Stephen　an　everyday　necessity。　He　was　essentially　a　Cambridge　man；　springy　and　undemonstrative；　with　just　that　air　of　taking　a　continual　pinch　of　really　perfect　snuff。　Underneath　this　manner　he　was　a　good　worker；　a　good　husband；　a　good　father；　and　nothing　could　be　urged　against　him　except　his　regularity　and　the　fact　that　he　was　never　in　the　wrong。　　Where　he　worked；　and　indeed　in　other　places；　many　men　were　like　him。　　In　one　respect　he　resembled　them；　perhaps；　too　muchhe　disliked　leaving　the　ground　unless　he　knew　precisely　where　he　was　coming　down　again。

He　and　Cecilia　had　〃got　on〃　from　the　first。　　They　had　both　desired　to　have　one　childno　more；　they　had　both　desired　to　keep　up　with　the　timesno　more；　they　now　both　considered　Hilary's　position　awkward　no　more；　and　when　Cecilia；　in　the　special　Jacobean　bed；　and　taking　care　to　let　him　have　his　sleep　out　first；　had　told　him　of　this　matter　of　the　Hughs；　they　had　both　turned　it　over　very　carefully；　lying　on　their　backs；　and　speaking　in　grave　tones。　　Stephen　was　of　opinion　that　poor　old　Hilary　must　look　out　what　he　was　doing。　　Beyond　this　he　did　not　go；　keeping　even　from　his　wife　the　more　unpleasant　of　what　seemed　to　him　the　possibilities。

Then；　in　the　words　she　had　used　to　Hilary；　Cecilia　spoke：

〃It's　so　sordid；　Stephen。〃

He　looked　at　her；　and　almost　with　one　accord　they　both　said：

〃But　it's　all　nonsense！〃

These　speeches；　so　simultaneous；　stimulated　them　to　a　robuster　view。　What　was　this　affair；　if　real；　but　the　sort　of　episode　that　they　read　of　in　their　papers？　　What　was　it；　if　true；　but　a　duplicate　of　some　bit　of　fiction　or　drama　which　they　daily　saw　described　by　that　word　〃sordid〃？　　Cecilia；　indeed；　had　used　this　word　instinctively。　　It　had　come　into　her　mind　at　once。　　The　whole　affair　disturbed　her　ideals　of　virtue　and　good　tastethat　particular　mental　atmosphere　mysteriously；　inevitably　woven　round　the　soul　by　the　conditions　of　special　breeding　and　special　life。　　If；　then；　this　affair　were　real　it　was　sordid；　and　if　it　were　sordid　it　was　repellent　to　suppose　that　her　family　could　be　mixed　up　in　it；　but　her　people　were　mixed　up　in　it；　therefore　it　must　benonsense！

So　the　matter　rested　until　Thyme　came　back　from　her　visit　to　her　grandfather；　and　told　them　of　the　little　model's　new　and　pretty　clothes。　　When　she　detailed　this　news　they　were　all　sitting　at　dinner；　over　the　ordering　of　which　Cecilia's　loyalty　had　been　taxed　till　her　little　headache　came；　so　that　there　might　be　nothing　too　conventional　to　over…nourish　Stephen　or　so　essentially　aesthetic　as　not　to　nourish　him　at　all。　　The　man　servant　being　in　the　room；　they　neither　of　them　raised　their　eyes。　　But　when　he　was　gone　to　fetch　the　bird；　each　found　the　other　looking　furtively　across　the　table。　　By　some　queer　misfortune　the　word　〃sordid〃　had　leaped　into　their　minds　again。　　Who　had　given　her　those　clothes？　　But　feeling　that　it　was　sordid　to　pursue　this　thought；　they　looked　away；　and；　eating　hastily；　began　pursuing　it。　　Being　man　and　woman；　they　naturally　took　a　different　line　of　chase；　Cecilia　hunting　in　one　grove　and　Stephen　in　another。

Thus　ran　Stephen's　pack　of　meditations：

'If　old　Hilary　has　been　giving　her　money　and　clothes　and　that　sort　of　thing；　he's　either　a　greater　duffer　than　I　took　him　for；　or　there's　something　in　it。　　B。's　got　herself　to　thank；　but　that　won't　help　to　keep　Hughs　quiet。　　He　wants　money；　I　expect。　　Oh；　damn！'

Cecilia's　pack　ran　other　ways：

'I　know　the　girl　can't　have　bought　those　things　out　of　her　proper　earnings。　　I　believe　she's　a　really　bad　lot。　　I　don't　like　to　think　it；　but　it　must　be　so。　　Hilary　can't　have　been　so　stupid　after　what　I　said　to　him。　　If　she　really　is　bad；　it　simplifies　things　very　much；　but　Hilary　is　just　the　sort　of　man　who　will　never　believe　it。　　Oh　dear！'

It　was；　to　be　quite　fair；　immensely　difficult　for　Stephen　and　his　wifeor　any　of　their　class　and　circlein　spite　of　genuinely　good　intentions；　to　really　feel　the　existence　of　their　〃shadows；〃　except　in　so　far　as　they　saw　them　on　the　pavements。　　They　knew　that　these　people　lived；　because　they　saw　them；　but　they　did　not　feel　itwith　such　extraordinary　care　had　the　web　of　social　life　been　spun。　　They　were；　and　were　bound　to　be；　as　utterly　divorced　from　understanding　of；　or　faith　in；　all　that　shadowy　life；　as　those　〃shadows〃　in　their　by…streets　were　from　knowledge　or　belief　that　gentlefolk　really　existed　except　in　so　far　as　they　had　money　from　them。

Stephen　and　Cecilia；　and　their　thousands；　knew　these　〃shadows〃　as　〃the　people；〃　knew　them　as　slums；　as　districts；　as　sweated　industries；　of　different　sorts　of　workers；　knew　them　in　the　capacity　of　persons　performing　odd　jobs　for　them；　but　as　human　beings　possessing　the　same　faculties　and　passions　with　themselves；　they　did　not；　could　not；　know　them。　　The　reason；　the　long　reason；　extending　back　through　generations；　was　so　plain；　so　very　simple；　that　it　was　never　mentionedin　their　heart　of　hearts；　where　there　was　no　room　for　cant；　they　knew　it　to　be　just　a　little　matter　of　the　senses。　They　knew　that；　whatever　they　might　say；　whatever　money　they　might　give；　or　time　devote；　their　hearts　could　never　open；　unlessunless　they　closed　their　ears；　and　eyes；　and　noses。　　This　little　fact；　more　potent　than　all　the　teaching　of　philosophers；　than　every　Act　of　Parliament；　and　all　the　sermons　ever　preached；　reigned　paramount；　supreme。　　It　divided　class　from　class；　man　from　his　shadowas　the　Great　Underlying　Law　had　set　dark　apart　from　light。

On　this　little　fact；　too　gross　to　mention；　they　and　their　kind　had　in　secret　built　and　built；　till　it　was　not　too　much　to　say　that　laws；　worship；　trade；　and　every　art　were