友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
九色书籍 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

villa rubein and other stories-第10章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!






Harz said abruptly: 〃There are worse things than murder。〃



〃Ah! par exemple!〃 said Sarelli。



There was a slight stir all round the table。



〃Verry good;〃 cried out Herr Paul; 〃a vot' sante; cher。〃



Miss Naylor shivered; as if some one had put a penny down her back;

and Mrs。 Decie; leaning towards Harz; smiled like one who has made a

pet dog do a trick。  Christian alone was motionless; looking

thoughtfully at Harz。



〃I saw a man tried for murder once;〃 he said; 〃a murder for revenge;

I watched the judge; and I thought all the time: 'I'd rather be that

murderer than you; I've never seen a meaner face; you crawl through

life; you're not a criminal; simply because you haven't the

courage。'〃



In the dubious silence following the painter's speech; Mr。 Treffry

could distinctly be heard humming。  Then Sarelli said: 〃What do you

say to anarchists; who are not men; but savage beasts; whom I would

tear to pieces!〃



〃As to that;〃 Harz answered defiantly; 〃it maybe wise to hang them;

but then there are so many other men that it would be wise to hang。〃



〃How can we tell what they went through; what their lives were?〃

murmured Christian。



Miss Naylor; who had been rolling a pellet of bread; concealed it

hastily。  〃They arealways given a chance torepentI believe;〃

she said。



〃For what they are about to receive;〃 drawled Dawney。



Mrs。 Decie signalled with her fan: 〃We are trying to express the

inexpressibleshall we go into the garden?〃



All rose; Harz stood by the window; and in passing; Christian looked

at him。



He sat down again with a sudden sense of loss。  There was no white

figure opposite now。  Raising his eyes he met Sarelli's。  The Italian

was regarding him with a curious stare。



Herr Paul began retailing apiece of scandal he had heard that

afternoon。



〃Shocking affair!〃 he said; 〃I could never have believed it of her!

B… is quite beside himself。  Yesterday there was a row; it seems!〃



〃There has been one every day for months;〃 muttered Dawney。



〃But to leave without a word; and go no one knows where!  B… is

'viveur' no doubt; mais; mon Dieu; que voulezvous?  She was always a

poor; pale thing。  Why!; when my…〃 he flourished his cigar; 〃I was

not always…what I should have been…one lives in a world of flesh

and blood…we are not all angels…que diable!  But this is a very

vulgar business。  She goes off; leaves everything…without a word;

and B…is very fond of her。  These things are not done!〃 the

starched bosom of his shirt seemed swollen by indignation。



Mr。 Treffry; with a heavy hand on the table; eyed him sideways。

Dawney said slowly:



〃B… is a beast; I'm sorry for the poor woman; but what can she do

alone?〃



〃There is; no doubt; a man;〃 put in Sarelli。



Herr Paul muttered: 〃Who knows?〃



〃What is B… going to do?〃 said Dawney。



〃Ah!〃 said Herr Paul。  〃He is fond of her。  He is a chap of

resolution; he will get her back。  He told me: 'Well; you know; I

shall follow her wherever she goes till she comes back。'  He will do

it; he is a determined chap; he will follow her wherever she goes。〃



Mr。 Treffry drank his wine off at a gulp; and sucked his moustache in

sharply。



〃She was a fool to marry him;〃 said Dawney; 〃they haven't a point in

common; she hates him like poison; and she's the better of the two。

But it doesn't pay a woman to run off like that。  B… had better

hurry up; though。  What do you think; sir?〃 he said to Mr。 Treffry。



〃Eh?〃 said Mr。 Treffry; 〃how should I know?  Ask Paul there; he's one

of your moral men; or Count Sarelli。〃



The latter said impassively: 〃If I cared for her I should very likely

kill herif not〃 he shrugged his shoulders。



Harz; who was watching; was reminded of his other words at dinner;

〃wild beasts whom I would tear to pieces。〃  He looked with interest

at this quiet man who said these extremely ferocious things; and

thought: 'I should like to paint that fellow。'



Herr Paul twirled his wine…glass in his fingers。  〃There are family

ties;〃 he said; 〃there is society; there is decency; a wife should be

with her husband。  B… will do quite right。  He must go after her;

she will not perhaps come back at first; he will follow her; she will

begin to think; 'I am helplessI am ridiculous!'  A woman is soon

beaten。  They will return。  She is once more with her husband

Society will forgive; it will be all right。〃



〃By Jove; Paul;〃 growled Mr。 Treffry; 〃wonderful power of argument!〃



〃A wife is a wife;〃 pursued Herr Paul; 〃a man has a right to her

society。〃



〃What do you say to that; sir?〃 asked Dawney。



Mr。 Treffry tugged at his beard: 〃Make a woman live with you; if she

don't want to?  I call it low。〃



〃But; my dear;〃 exclaimed Herr Paul; 〃how should you know?  You have

not been married。〃



〃No; thank the Lord!〃 Mr。 Treffry replied。



〃But looking at the question broadly; sir;〃 said Dawney; 〃if a

husband always lets his wife do as she likes; how would the thing

work out?  What becomes of the marriage tie?〃



〃The marriage tie;〃 growled Mr。 Treffry; 〃is the biggest thing there

is!  But; by Jove; Doctor; I'm a Dutchman if hunting women ever

helped the marriage tie!〃



〃I am not thinking of myself;〃 Herr Paul cried out; 〃I think of the

community。  There are rights。〃



〃A decent community never yet asked a man to tread on his self…

respect。  If I get my fingers skinned over my marriage; which I

undertake at my own risk; what's the community to do with it?  D'you

think I'm going to whine to it to put the plaster on?  As to rights;

it'd be a deuced sight better for us all if there wasn't such a fuss

about 'em。  Leave that to women!  I don't give a tinker's damn for

men who talk about their rights in such matters。〃



Sarelli rose。  〃But your honour;〃 he said; 〃there is your honour!〃



Mr。 Treffry stared at him。



〃Honour!  If huntin' women's your idea of honour; wellit isn't

mine。〃



〃Then you'd forgive her; sir; whatever happened;〃 Dawney said。



〃Forgiveness is another thing。  I leave that to your sanctimonious

beggars。  But; hunt a woman!  Hang it; sir; I'm not a cad!〃 and

bringing his hand down with a rattle; he added: 〃This is a subject

that don't bear talking of。〃



Sarelli fell back in his seat; twirling his moustaches fiercely。

Harz; who had risen; looked at Christian's empty place。



'If I were married!' he thought suddenly。



Herr Paul; with a somewhat vinous glare; still muttered; 〃But your

duty to the family!〃



Harz slipped through the window。  The moon was like a wonderful white

lantern in the purple sky; there was but a smoulder of stars。

Beneath the softness of the air was the iciness of the snow; it made

him want to run and leap。  A sleepy beetle dropped on its back; he

turned it over and watched it scurry across the grass。



Someone was playing Schumann's Kinderscenen。  Harz stood still to

listen。  The notes came twining; weaving round his thoughts; the

whole night seemed full of girlish voices; of hopes and fancies;

soaring away to mountain heightsinvisible; yet present。  Between

the stems of the acacia…trees he could see the flicker of white

dresses; where Christian and Greta were walking arm in arm。  He went

towards them; the blood flushed up in his face; he felt almost

surfeited by some sweet emotion。  Then; in sudden horror; he stood

still。  He was in love!  With nothing done with everything before

him!  He was going to bow down to a face!  The flicker of the dresses

was no longer visible。  He would not be fettered; he would stamp it

out!  He turned away; but with each step; something seemed to jab at

his heart。



Round the corner of the house; in the shadow of the wall; Dominique;

the Luganese; in embroidered slippers; was smoking a long cherry…wood

pipe; leaning against a treeMephistopheles in evening clothes。

Harz went up to him。



〃Lend me a pencil; Dominique。〃



〃Bien; M'sieu。〃



Resting a card against the tree Harz wrote to Mrs。 Decie: 〃Forgive

me; I am obliged to go away。  In a few days I shall hope to return;

and finish the picture of your nieces。〃



He sent Dominique for his hat。  During the man's absence he was on

the point of tearing up the card and going back into the house。



When the Luganese returned he thrust the card into his hand; and

walked out between the tall poplars; waiting; like ragged ghosts;

silver with moonlight。









VIII



Harz walked away along the road。  A dog was howling。  The sound

seemed too appropriate。  He put his fingers to his ears; but the

lugubrious noise passed those barriers; and made its way into his

heart。  Was there nothing that would put an end to this emotion?  It

was no better in the old house on the wall; he spent the night

tramping up and down。



Just before daybreak he slipped out with a knapsack; taking the road

towards Meran。



He had not quite
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!