fraternity-第47章

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aid　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　with　each　supple　movement　it　seemed　offering　itself　to　Hilary。

In　the　street　a　barrel…organ　had　begun　to　play　the　very　waltz　it　had　played　the　afternoon　when　Mr。　Stone　had　been　so　ill。　　Those　two　were　neither　of　them　conscious　of　that　tune；　too　absorbed　in　their　emotions；　and　yet；　quietly；　it　was　bringing　something　to　the　girl's　figure　like　the　dowering　of　scent　that　the　sun　brings　to　a　flower。　It　was　bringing　the　compression　back　to　Hilary's　lips；　the　flush　to　his　ears　and　cheeks；　as　a　draught　of　wind　will　blow　to　redness　a　fire　that　has　been　choked。　　Without　knowing　it；　without　sound；　inch　by　inch　he　moved　nearer　to　her；　and　as　though；　for　all　there　was　no　sign　of　his　advance；　she　knew　of　it；　she　stayed　utterly　unmoving　except　for　the　deep　breathing　that　so　stirred　the　warm　youth　in　her。　　In　that　stealthy　progress　was　the　history　of　life　and　the　mystery　of　sex。　　Inch　by　inch　he　neared　her；　and　she　swayed；　mesmerising　his　arms　to　fold　round　her　thus　poised；　as　if　she　must　fall　backward；　mesmerising　him　to　forget　that　there　was　anything　there；　anything　in　all　the　world；　but　just　her　young　form　waiting　for　himnothing　but　that！

The　barrel…organ　stopped；　the　spell　had　broken！　　She　turned　round　to　him。　　As　a　wind　obscures　with　grey　wrinkles　the　still　green　waters　of　enchantment　into　which　some　mortal　has　been　gazing；　so　Hilary's　reason　suddenly　swept　across　the　situation；　and　showed　it　once　more　as　it　was。　　Quick　to　mark　every　shade　that　passed　across　his　face；　the　girl　made　as　though　she　would　again　burst　into　tears；　then；　since　tears　had　been　so　useless；　she　pressed　her　hand　over　her　eyes。

Hilary　looked　at　that　round；　not　too　cleanly　hand。　　He　could　see　her　watching　him　between　her　fingers。　　It　was　uncanny；　almost　horrible；　like　the　sight　of　a　cat　watching　a　bird；　and　he　stood　appalled　at　the　terrible　reality　of　his　position；　at　the　sight　of　his　own　future　with　this　girl；　with　her　traditions；　customs；　life；　the　thousand　and　one　things　that　he　did　not　know　about　her；　that　he　would　have　to　live　with　if　he　once　took　her。　　A　minute　passed；　which　seemed　eternity；　for　into　it　was　condensed　every　force　of　her　long　pursuit；　her　instinctive　clutching　at　something　that　she　felt　to　be　security；　her　reaching　upwards；　her　twining　round　him。

Conscious　of　all　this；　held　back　by　that　vision　of　his　future；　yet　whipped　towards　her　by　his　senses；　Hilary　swayed　like　a　drunken　man。　And　suddenly　she　sprang　at　him；　wreathed　her　arms　round　his　neck；　and　fastened　her　mouth　to　his。　　The　touch　of　her　lips　was　moist　and　hot。　The　scent　of　stale　violet　powder　came　from　her；　warmed　by　her　humanity。　　It　penetrated　to　Hilary's　heart。　　He　started　back　in　sheer　physical　revolt。

Thus　repulsed；　the　girl　stood　rigid；　her　breast　heaving；　her　eyes　unnaturally　dilated；　her　mouth　still　loosened　by　the　kiss。　　Snatching　from　his　pocket　a　roll　of　notes；　Hilary　flung　them　on　the　bed。

〃I　can't　take　you！〃　he　almost　groaned。　　〃It's　madness！　　It's　impossible！〃　　And　he　went　out　into　the　passage。　　He　ran　down　the　steps　and　got　into　his　cab。　　An　immense　time　seemed　to　pass　before　it　began　to　move。　　It　started　at　last；　and　Hilary　sat　back　in　it；　his　hands　clenched；　still　as　a　dead　man。

His　mortified　face　was　recognised　by　the　landlady；　returning　from　her　morning's　visit　to　the　shops。　　The　gentleman　looked；　she　thought；　as　if　he　had　received　bad　news！　　She　not　unnaturally　connected　his　appearance　with　her　lodger。　　Tapping　on　the　girl's　door；　and　receiving　no　answer；　she　went　in。

The　little　model　was　lying　on　the　dismantled　bed；　pressing　her　face　into　the　blue　and　white　ticking　of　the　bolster。　　Her　shoulders　shook；　and　a　sound　of　smothered　sobbing　came　from　her。　　The　landlady　stood　staring　silently。

Coming　of　Cornish　chapel…going　stock；　she　had　never　liked　this　girl；　her　instinct　telling　her　that　she　was　one　for　whom　life　had　already　been　too　much。　　Those　for　whom　life　had　so　early　been　too　much；　she　knew；　were　always　〃ones　for　pleasure！〃　　Her　experience　of　village　life　had　enabled　her　to　construct　the　little　model's　storythat　very　simple；　very　freque