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！
Her eyes travelled toward the hills she had been used to watch at this hour；
and rested on them with a vague； unseeing gaze。
〃Tired Kathie？ A penny for your thoughts； my dear；〃 said her husband；
coming in presently to find her still sitting there。
〃I'm thinking what a curious world this is； and what an ironical vein of
humour the gods who look after it must possess；〃 she replied； with a
mirthless laugh； rising as she spoke。
John looked puzzled。
〃Funny my having known Broomhurst before； you mean？〃 he said
doubtfully。
〃I was fishing down at Lynmouth this time last year；〃 Broomhurst said
at dinner。 〃You know Lynmouth； Mrs。 Drayton？ Do you never imagine
you hear the gurgling of the stream？ I am tantalised already by the sound
of it rushing through the beautiful green gloom of those woods /aren't/
they lovely？ And /I/ haven't been in this burnt…up spot as many hours as
you've had months of it。〃
She smiled a little。
〃You must learn to possess your soul in patience；〃 she said； and
glanced inconsequently from Broomhurst to her husband； and then
dropped her eyes and was silent a moment。
John was obviously； and a little audibly； enjoying his dinner。 He sat
with his chair pushed close to the table； and his elbows awkwardly raised；
swallowing his soup in gulps。 He grasped his spoon tightly in his bony
hand； so that its swollen joints stood out larger and uglier than ever； his
wife thought。
Her eyes wandered to Broomhurst's hands。 They were well shaped；
95
… Page 96…
STORIES
and； though not small； there was a look of refinement about them； he had a
way of touching things delicately； a little lingeringly； she noticed。 There
was an air of distinction about his clear…cut； clean…shaven face； possibly
intensified by contrast with Drayton's blurred features； and it was； perhaps；
also by contrast with the gray cuffs that showed beneath John's ill…cut drab
suit that the linen Broomhurst wore seemed to her particularly spotless。
Broomhurst's thoughts； for his part； were a good deal occupied with
his hostess。
She was pretty； he thought； or perhaps it was that； with the wide； dry
lonely plain as a setting； her fragile delicacy of appearance was invested
with a certain flower…like charm。
〃The silence here seems rather strange； rather appalling at first； when
one is fresh from a town；〃 he pursued； after a moment's pause； 〃but I
suppose you're used to it； eh； Drayton？ How do /you/ find life here； Mrs。
Drayton？〃 he asked； a little curiously； turning to her as he spoke。
She hesitated a second。 〃Oh； much the same as I should find it
anywhere else； I expect；〃 she replied； 〃after all； one carries the
possibilities of a happy life about with one； don't you think so？ The
Garden of Eden wouldn't necessarily make my life any happier； or less
happy； than a howling wilderness like this。 It depends on one's self
entirely。〃
〃Given the right Adam and Eve； the desert blossoms like the rose； in
fact；〃 Broomhurst answered； lightly； with a smiling glance inclusive of
husband and wife； 〃you two don't feel as though you'd been driven out of
Paradise； evidently。〃
Drayton raised his eyes from his plate with a smile of total
incomprehension。
〃Great heavens！ what an Adam to select！〃 thought Broomhurst；
involuntarily； as Mrs。 Drayton rose rather suddenly from the table。
〃I'll come and help with that packing…case；〃 John said； rising； in his
turn； lumberingly from his place； 〃then we can have a smokeeh！ Kathie
don't mind； if we sit near the entrance。
The two men went out together； Broomhurst holding the lantern； for
the moon had not yet risen。 Mrs。 Drayton followed them to the doorway；
96
… Page 97…
STORIES
and； pushing the looped…up hanging farther aside； stepped out into the cool
darkness。
Her heart was beating quickly； and there was a great lump in her throat
that frightened her as though she were choking。
〃And I am his /wife/I /belong/ to him！〃 she cried； almost aloud。
She pressed both her hands tightly against her breast； and set her teeth；
fighting to keep down the rising flood that threatened to sweep away her
composure。 〃Oh； what a fool I am！ What an hysterical fool of a woman I
am！〃 she whispered below her breath。 She began to walk slowly up and
down outside the tent； in the space illumined by the lamplight； as though
striving to make her outwardly quiet movements react upon the inward
tumult。 In a little while she had conquered； she quietly entered the tent；
drew a low chair to the entrance； and took up a book； just as footsteps
became audible。 A moment afterward Broomhurst emerged from the
darkness into the circle of light outside； and Mrs。 Drayton raised her eyes
from the pages she was turning to greet him with a smile。
〃Are your things all right？〃
〃Oh； yes； more or less； thank you。 I was a little concerned about a case
of books； but it isn't much damaged fortunately。 Perhaps I've some you
would care to look at？〃
〃The books will be a godsend；〃 she returned； with a sudden
brightening of the eyes； 〃I was getting /desperate/for books。〃
〃What are you reading now？〃 he asked； glancing at the volume that lay
in her lap。
〃It's a Browning。 I carry it about a good deal。 I think I like to have it
with me； but I don't seem to read it much。〃
〃Are you waiting for a suitable optimistic moment？〃 Broomhurst
inquired； smiling。
〃Yes； now that you mention it； I think that must be why I am waiting；〃
she replied； slowly。
〃And it doesn't comeeven in the Garden of Eden？ Surely the serpent；
pessimism； hasn't been insolent enough to draw you into conversation with
him？〃 he said； lightly。
〃There has been no one to converse with at allwhen John is away； I
97
… Page 98…
STORIES
mean。 I think I should have liked a little chat with the serpent immensely
by way of a change；〃 she replied； in the same tone。
〃Ah； yes；〃 Broomhurst said； with sudden seriousness； 〃it must be
unbearably dull for you alone here； with Drayton away all day。〃
Mrs。 Drayton's hand shook a little as she fluttered a page of her open
book。
〃I should think it quite natural you would be irritated beyond
endurance to hear that all's right with the world； for instance； when you
were sighing for the long day to pass；〃 he continued。
〃I don't mind the day so much； it's the evenings。〃 She abruptly checked
the swift words； and flushed painfully。 〃I meanI've grown stupidly
nervous； I thinkeven when John is here。 Oh； you have no idea of the
awful /silence/ of this place at night；〃 she added； rising hurriedly from her
low seat； and moving closer to the doorway。 〃It is so close； isn't it？〃 she
said； almost apologetically。 There was silence for quite a minute。
Broomhurst's quick eyes noted the silent momentary clinching of the
hands that hung at her side； as she stood leaning against the support at the
entrance。
〃But how stupid of me to give you such a bad impression of the camp…
… the first evening； too！〃 Mrs。 Drayton exclaimed； presently； and her
companion mentally commended the admirable composure of her voice。
〃Probably you will never notice that it /is/ lonely at all；〃 she continued；
〃John likes it here。 He is immensely interested in his work； you know。 I
hope /you/ are too。 If you are interested it is all quite right。 I think the
climate tries me a little。 I never used to be stupidand nervous。 Ah； here's
John； he's been round to the kitchen tent； I suppose。〃
〃Been looking after that fellow cleanin' my gun； my dear；〃 John
explained； shambling toward the deck…chair。
Later Broomhurst stood at his own tent door。 He looked up at the star…