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！
raising his hat； offered his arm to Margit。 She glanced back across
her shoulder to reassure Swithin。 〃It is a friend；〃 she said。
Swithin looked at Rozsiher eyes were bright； her lips tremulous。
He slipped his hand along the table and touched her fingers。 Then
she flashed a look at himappeal； reproach； tenderness； all were
expressed in it。 Was she expecting him to dance？ Did she want to
mix with the rift…raff there； wish him to make an exhibition of
himself in this hurly…burly？ A voice said； 〃Good…evening！〃 Before
them stood Kasteliz； in a dark coat tightly buttoned at the waist。
〃You are not dancing； Rozsi Kozsanony？〃 （Miss Rozsi）。 〃Let me； then；
have the pleasure。〃 He held out his arm。 Swithin stared in front of
him。 In the very act of going she gave him a look that said as plain
as words： 〃Will you not？〃 But for answer he turned his eyes away；
and when he looked again she was gone。 He paid the score and made
his way into the crowd。 But as he went she danced by close to him；
all flushed and panting。 She hung back as if to stop him； and he
caught the glistening of tears。 Then he lost sight of her again。 To
be deserted the first minute he was alone with her； and for that
jackanapes with the small head and the volcanic glances！ It was too
much！ And suddenly it occurred to him that she was alone with
Kastelizalone at night； and far from home。 ' Well；' he thought；
'what do I care？' and shouldered his way on through the crowd。 It
served him right for mixing with such people here。 He left the fair；
but the further he went； the more he nursed his rage； the more
heinous seemed her offence； the sharper grew his jealousy。 〃A
beggarly baron！〃 was his thought。
A figure came alongsideit was Boleskey。 One look showed Swithin
his condition。 Drunk again！ This was the last straw！
Unfortunately Boleskey had recognised him。 He seemed violently
excited。 〃Wherewhere are my daughters？〃 he began。
Swithin brushed past； but Boleskey caught his arm。 〃Listen
brother！〃 he said； 〃news of my country！ After to…morrow。。。。〃
〃Keep it to yourself！〃 growled Swithin； wrenching his arm free。 He
went straight to his lodgings； and； lying on the hard sofa of his
unlighted sitting…room； gave himself up to bitter thoughts。 But in
spite of all his anger； Rozsi's supply…moving figure； with its
pouting lips； and roguish appealing eyes； still haunted him。
VIII
Next morning there was not a carriage to be had； and Swithin was
compelled to put off his departure till the morrow。 The day was grey
and misty； he wandered about with the strained； inquiring look of a
lost dog in his eyes。
Late in the afternoon he went back to his lodgings。 In a corner of
the sitting…room stood Rozsi。 The thrill of triumph； the sense of
appeasement； the emotion； that seized on him； crept through to his
lips in a faint smile。 Rozsi made no sound； her face was hidden by
her hands。 And this silence of hers weighed on Swithin。 She was
forcing him to break it。 What was behind her hands？ His own face
was visible！ Why didn't she speak？ Why was she here？ Alone？ That
was not right surely。
Suddenly Rozsi dropped her hands； her flushed face was quiveringit
seemed as though a word； a sign； even； might bring a burst of tears。
He walked over to the window。 'I must give her time！' he thought；
then seized by unreasoning terror at this silence； spun round； and
caught her by the arms。 Rozsi held back from him； swayed forward and
buried her face on his breast。。。。
Half an hour later Swithin was pacing up and down his room。 The
scent of rose leaves had not yet died away。 A glove lay on the
floor； he picked it up； and for a long time stood weighing it in his
hand。 All sorts of confused thoughts and feelings haunted him。 It
was the purest and least selfish moment of his life； this moment
after she had yielded。 But that pure gratitude at her fiery； simple
abnegation did not last； it was followed by a petty sense of triumph；
and by uneasiness。 He was still weighing the little glove in his
hand； when he had another visitor。 It was Kasteliz。
〃What can I do for you？〃 Swithin asked ironically。
The Hungarian seemed suffering from excitement。 Why had Swithin left
his charges the night before？ What excuse had he to make？ What sort
of conduct did he call this？
Swithin； very like a bull…dog at that moment； answered： What business
was it of his？
The business of a gentleman！ What right had the Englishman to pursue
a young girl？
〃Pursue？〃 said Swithin； 〃you've been spying； then？〃
〃SpyingIKastelizMaurus Johannan insult！〃
〃Insult！〃 sneered Swithin； d'you mean to tell me you weren't in the
street just now？〃
Kasteliz answered with a hiss； 〃If you do not leave the city I will
make you； with my sworddo you understand？〃
〃And if you do not leave my room I will throw you out of the window！〃
For some minutes Kasteliz spoke in pure Hungarian while Swithin
waited； with a forced smile and a fixed look in his eye。 He did not
understand Hungarian。
〃If you are still in the city to…morrow evening；〃 said Kasteliz at
last in English； 〃 I will spit you in the street。〃
Swithin turned to the window and watched his visitor's retiring back
with a queer mixture of amusement； stubbornness； and anxiety。
'Well；' he thought； 'I suppose he'll run me through！' The thought
was unpleasant； and it kept recurring； but it only served to harden
his determination。 His head was busy with plans for seeing Rozsi；
his blood on fire with the kisses she had given him。
IX
Swithin was long in deciding to go forth next day。 He had made up
his mind not to go to Rozsi till five o'clock。 'Mustn't make myself
too cheap；' he thought。 It was a little past that hour when he at
last sallied out； and with a beating heart walked towards Boleskey's。
He looked up at the window； more than half expecting to see Rozsi
there； but she was not； and he noticed with faint surprise that the
window was not open； the plants； too； outside； looked singularly
arid。 He knocked。 No one came。 He beat a fierce tatto。 At last
the door was opened by a man with a reddish beard； and one of those
sardonic faces only to be seen on shoemakers of Teutonic origin。
〃What do you want； making all this noise？〃 he asked in German。
Swithin pointed up the stairs。 The man grinned； and shook his head。
〃I want to go up；〃 said Swithin。
The cobbler shrugged his shoulders； and Swithin rushed upstairs。 The
rooms were empty。 The furniture remained； but all signs of life were
gone。 One of his own bouquets； faded； stood in a glass； the ashes of
a fire were barely cold； little scraps of paper strewed the hearth；
already the room smelt musty。 He went into the bedrooms； and with a
feeling of stupefaction stood staring at the girls' beds； side by
side against the wall。 A bit of ribbon caught his eye； he picked it
up and put it in his pocketit was a piece of evidence that she had
once existed。 By the mirror some pins were dropped about； a little
powder had been spilled。 He looked at his own disquiet face and
thought； 'I've been cheated！'
The shoemaker's voice aroused him。 〃Tausend Teufel！ Eilen Sie； nur！
Zeit is Geld！ Kann nich' Langer warten！〃 Slowly he descended。
〃Where have they gone？〃 asked Swithin painfully。 〃A pound for every
English word you speak。 A pound！〃 and he made an O with his fingers。
The corners of the shoemaker's lips curled。 〃Geld！ Mf！ Eilen Sie；
nur！〃
But in Swithin a sullen anger had begun to burn。 〃If you don't tell
me；〃 he said； 〃it'll be the worse for you。〃
〃Sind ein komischer Kerl！〃 remarked the shoemaker。 〃Hier ist meine
Frau！〃
A battered…looking woman came hurrying down the passage； calling out
in German； 〃Don't let him go！〃
With a snarling sound the shoemaker turned his back； and shambled
off。
The woman furtively thrust a letter into Swithin's hand； and
furtively waited。
The letter was from Rozsi。
〃Forgive me〃it ran〃that I leave you and do not say goodbye。 To…
day our father had the call from our dear Father…town so long
awaited。 In two hours we are ready。 I pray to the Virgin to keep
you ever safe； and that you do not quite forget me。Your
unforgetting good friend； ROZSI
When Swithin read it his first sensation was that of a man sinking in
a bog； then his obstinacy stiffened。 'I won't be done；' he thought。
Taking out a sovereign he tried to make the woman comprehend that she
could earn it； by telling him where they had gone。 He got her
finally to write the words out in his pocket…book； gave her the
sovereign； and hurried to the Goldene Alp； where there was a waiter
who spoke English。 The translation given him was this：
〃At three o'clock they start in a carriage on the road to Linzthey
have bad horsesthe Herr also ri