But presently he shook his head, sighing. Chance had put into his hands a weapon, and a formidable weapon, it seemed to him, but the colonel did not care to use it. He preferred to strike with some less grimy cudgel.
Then he rang for one of the servants, questioned him, and was informed that Mr. Charteris had gone down to the beach just after luncheon6. A moment later, Colonel Musgrave was walking through the gardens in this direction.
As he came to the thicket7 which screens the beach, he called Charteris's name loudly, in order to ascertain8 his whereabouts. And the novelist's voice answered—yet not at once, but after a brief silence. It chanced that, at this moment, Musgrave had come to a thin place in the thicket, and could plainly see Mr. Charteris; he was concealing9 some white object in the hollow of a log that lay by the river. A little later, Musgrave came out upon the beach, and found Charteris seated upon the same log, an open book upon his knees, and looking back over his shoulder wonderingly.
"Oh," said John Charteris, "so it was you, Rudolph? I could not imagine who it was that called."
Now, there are five little red-and-white bath-houses upon the beach at Matocton; the nearest of them was some thirty feet from Mr. Charteris. It might have been either imagination or the prevalent breeze, but Musgrave certainly thought he heard a door closing. Moreover, as he walked around the end of the log, he glanced downward as in a casual manner, and perceived a protrusion11 which bore an undeniable resemblance to the handle of a parasol. Musgrave whistled, though, at the bottom of his heart, he was not surprised; and then, he sat down upon the log, and for a moment was silent.
"A beautiful evening," said Mr. Charteris.
Musgrave lighted a cigarette.
"Jack, I have something rather difficult to say to you—yes, it is deuced difficult, and the sooner it is over the better. I—why, confound it all, man! I want you to stop making love to my wife."
"Now, you are about to make a scene, you know," said Musgrave, raising his hand in protest, "and we are not here for that. We are not going to tear any passions to tatters; we are not going to rant13; we are simply going to have a quiet and sensible talk. We don't happen to be characters in a romance; for you aren't Lancelot, you know, and I am not up to the part of Arthur by a great deal. I am not angry, I am not jealous, nor do I put the matter on any high moral grounds. I simply say it won't do—no, hang it, it won't do!"
"I dare not question you are an authority in such matters," said John Charteris, sweetly—"since among many others, Clarice Pendomer is near enough to be an obtainable witness."
Colonel Musgrave grimaced14. "But what a gesture!" he thought, half-enviously. Jack Charteris, quite certainly, meant to make the most of the immunity15 Musgrave had purchased for him. None the less, Musgrave had now his cue. Patricia must be listening.
And so what Colonel Musgrave said was: "Put it that a burnt child dreads16 the fire—is that a reason he should not warn his friends against it?"
"At least," said Charteris at length, "you are commendably17 frank. I appreciate that, Rudolph. I honestly appreciate the fact you have come to me, not as the husband of that fiction in which kitchen-maids delight, breathing fire and speaking balderdash, but as one sensible man to another. Let us be frank, then; let us play with the cards upon the table. You have charged me with loving your wife; and I answer you frankly18—I do. She does me the honor to return this affection. What, then, Rudolph?"
Musgrave blew out a puff19 of smoke. "I don't especially mind," he said, slowly. "According to tradition, of course, I ought to spring at your throat with a smothered20 curse. But, as a matter of fact, I don't see why I should be irritated. No, in common reason," he added, upon consideration, "I am only rather sorry for you both."
Mr. Charteris sprang to his feet, and walked up and down the beach. "Ah, you hide your feelings well," he cried, and his laughter was a trifle unconvincing and a bit angry. "But it is unavailing with me. I know! I know the sick and impotent hatred21 of me that is seething22 in your heart; and I feel for you the pity you pretend to entertain toward me. Yes, I pity you. But what would you have? Frankly, while in many ways an estimable man, you are no fit mate for Patricia. She has the sensitive, artistic23 temperament24, poor girl; and only we who are cursed with it can tell you what its possession implies. And you—since frankness is the order of the day, you know—well, you impress me as being a trifle inadequate25. It is not your fault, perhaps, but the fact remains26 that you have never amounted to anything personally. You have simply traded upon the accident of being born a Musgrave of Matocton. In consequence you were enabled to marry Patricia's money, just as the Musgraves of Matocton always marry some woman who is able to support them. Ah, but it was her money you married, and not Patricia! Any community of interest between you was impossible, and is radically27 impossible. Your marriage was a hideous28 mistake, just as mine was. For you are starving her soul, Rudolph, just as Anne has starved mine. And now, at last, when Patricia and I have seen our single chance of happiness, we cannot—no! we cannot and we will not—defer to any outworn tradition or to fear of Mrs. Grundy's narrow-minded prattle29!"
Charteris swept aside the dogmas of the world with an indignant gesture of somewhat conscious nobility; and he turned to his companion in an attitude of defiance30.
Musgrave was smiling. He smoked and seemed to enjoy his cigarette.
The day was approaching sunset. The sun, a glowing ball of copper31, hung low in the west over a rampart of purple clouds, whose heights were smeared32 with red. A slight, almost imperceptible, mist rose from the river, and, where the horizon should have been, a dubious33 cloudland prevailed. Far to the west were orange-colored quiverings upon the stream's surface, but, nearer, the river dimpled with silver-tipped waves; and, at their feet, the water grew transparent34, and splashed over the sleek35, brown sand, and sucked back, leaving a curved line of bubbles which, one by one, winked36, gaped37 and burst. There was a drowsy38 peacefulness in the air; behind them, among the beeches39, were many stealthy wood-sounds; and, at long intervals41, a sleepy, peevish42 twittering went about the nested trees.
"May I ask," said he at length, "what you propose doing?"
Mr. Charteris answered promptly44. "I, of course, propose," said he, "to ask Patricia to share the remainder of my life."
"Rudolph!" cried Charteris, drawing himself to his full height—and he was not to blame for the fact that it was but five-feet-six—"I am, I hope, an honorable man! I cannot eat your salt and steal your honor. So I loot openly, or not at all."
"I presuppose you have counted the cost—and estimated the necessary breakage?"
"True love," the novelist declared, in a hushed, sweet voice, "is above such considerations."
"I think," said Musgrave slowly, "that any love worthy47 of the name will always appraise48 the cost—to the woman. It is of Patricia I am thinking."
"She loves me," Charteris murmured. He glanced up and laughed. "Upon my soul, you know, I cannot help thinking the situation a bit farcical—you and I talking over matters in this fashion. But I honestly believe the one chance of happiness for any of us hinges on Patricia and me chucking the whole affair, and bolting."
"No! it won't do—no, hang it, Jack, it will not do!" Musgrave glanced toward the bath-house, and he lifted his voice. "I am not considering you in the least—and under the circumstances, you could hardly expect me to. It is of Patricia I am thinking. I haven't made her altogether happy. Our marriage was a mating of incongruities—and possibly you are justified49 in calling it a mistake. Yet, day in and day out, I think we get along as well together as do most couples; and it is wasting time to cry over spilt milk. Instead, it rests with us, the two men who love her, to decide what is best for Patricia. It is she and only she we must consider."
"Ah, you are right!" said Charteris, and his eyes grew tender. "She must have what she most desires; and all must be sacrificed to that." He turned and spoke50 as simply as a child. "Of course, you know, I shall be giving up a great deal for love of her, but—I am willing."
Musgrave looked at him for a moment. "H'm doubtless," he assented51. "Why, then, we won't consider the others. We will not consider your wife, who—who worships you. We won't consider the boy. I, for my part, think it is a mother's duty to leave an unsullied name to her child, but, probably, my ideas are bourgeois52. We won't consider Patricia's relatives, who, perhaps, will find it rather unpleasant. In short, we must consider no one save Patricia."
"Of course, one cannot make an omelet without breaking a few eggs."
"No; the question is whether it is absolutely necessary to make the omelet. I say no."
"And I," quoth Charteris smiling gently, "say yes."
"For Patricia," Musgrave went on, as in meditation, but speaking very clearly, "it means giving up—everything. It means giving up her friends and the life to which she is accustomed; it means being ashamed to face those who were formerly53 her friends. We, the world, our world of Lichfield, I mean—are lax enough as to the divorce question, heaven knows, but we can't pardon immorality54 when coupled with poverty. And you would be poor, you know. Your books are tremendously clever, Jack, but—as I happen to know—the proceeds from them would not support two people in luxury; and Patricia has nothing. That is a sordid55 detail, of course, but it is worth considering. Patricia would never be happy in a three-pair back."
Mr. Charteris was frankly surprised. "Patricia has—nothing?"
"Bless your soul, of course not! Her father left the greater part of his money to our boy, you know. Most of it is still held in trust for our boy, who is named after him. Not a penny of it belongs to Patricia, and even I cannot touch anything but a certain amount of interest."
Mr. Charteris looked at the colonel with eyes that were sad and hurt and wistful. "I am perfectly56 aware of your reason for telling me this," he said, candidly57. "I know I have always been thought a mercenary man since my marriage. At that time I fancied myself too much in love with Anne to permit any sordid considerations of fortune to stand in the way of our union. Poor Anne! she little knows what sacrifices I have made for her! She, too, would be dreadfully unhappy if I permitted her to realize that our marriage was a mistake."
"And as concerns Patricia, you are entirely59 right. It would be hideously60 unfair to condemn61 her to a life of comparative poverty. My books sell better than you think, Rudolph, but still an author cannot hope to attain62 affluence63 so long as he is handicapped by any reverence64 for the English language. Yes, I was about to do Patricia a great wrong. I rejoice that you have pointed65 out my selfishness. For I have been abominably66 selfish. I confess it."
"I think so," assented Musgrave, calmly. "But, then, my opinion is, naturally, rather prejudiced."
"Yes, I can understand what Patricia must mean to you"—Mr. Charteris sighed, and passed his hand over his forehead in a graceful67 fashion,—"and I, also, love her far too dearly to imperil her happiness. I think that heaven never made a woman more worthy to be loved. And I had hoped—ah, well, after all, we cannot utterly68 defy society! Its prejudices, however unfounded, must be respected. What would you have? This dunderheaded giantess of a Mrs. Grundy condemns69 me to be miserable70, and I am powerless. The utmost I can do is to refrain from whining71 over the unavoidable. And, Rudolph, you have my word of honor that henceforth I shall bear in mind more constantly my duty toward one of my best and oldest friends. I have not dealt with you quite honestly. I confess it, and I ask your pardon." Mr. Charteris held out his hand to seal the compact.
"Word of honor?" queried72 Colonel Musgrave, with an odd quizzing sort of fondness for the little novelist, as the colonel took the proffered73 hand. "Why, then, that is settled, and I am glad of it. I told you, you know, it wouldn't do. See you at supper, I suppose?"
And Rudolph Musgrave glanced at the bath-house, turned on his heel, and presently plunged74 into the beech40 plantation75, whistling cheerfully. The effect of the melody was somewhat impaired76 by the apparent necessity of breaking off, at intervals, in order to smile.
The comedy had been admirably enacted77, he considered, on both sides; and he did not object to Jack Charteris's retiring with all the honors of war.
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interval
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| n.间隔，间距；幕间休息，中场休息 | |
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meditation
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| n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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luncheon
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| n.午宴，午餐，便宴 | |
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thicket
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| n.灌木丛，树林 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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jack
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| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
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protrusion
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| n.伸出，突出 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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rant
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| v.咆哮；怒吼；n.大话；粗野的话 | |
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grimaced
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| v.扮鬼相，做鬼脸( grimace的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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immunity
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| n.优惠；免除；豁免，豁免权 | |
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dreads
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| n.恐惧，畏惧( dread的名词复数 )；令人恐惧的事物v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的第三人称单数 ) | |
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commendably
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| 很好地 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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puff
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| n.一口(气)；一阵(风)；v.喷气，喘气 | |
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smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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artistic
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| adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的 | |
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temperament
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inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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radically
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| ad.根本地，本质地 | |
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hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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prattle
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| n.闲谈；v.（小孩般）天真无邪地说话；发出连续而无意义的声音 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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smeared
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| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
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dubious
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| adj.怀疑的，无把握的；有问题的，靠不住的 | |
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transparent
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sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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winked
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| v.使眼色( wink的过去式和过去分词 )；递眼色（表示友好或高兴等）；（指光）闪烁；闪亮 | |
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gaped
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| v.目瞪口呆地凝视( gape的过去式和过去分词 )；张开，张大 | |
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drowsy
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| adj.昏昏欲睡的，令人发困的 | |
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beeches
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| n.山毛榉( beech的名词复数 )；山毛榉木材 | |
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beech
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| n.山毛榉；adj.山毛榉的 | |
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intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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peevish
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| adj.易怒的，坏脾气的 | |
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primal
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| adj.原始的；最重要的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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euphemism
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| n.婉言，委婉的说法 | |
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shrugged
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| vt.耸肩（shrug的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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worthy
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| adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的 | |
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appraise
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| v.估价，评价，鉴定 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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51
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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bourgeois
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| adj./n.追求物质享受的(人)；中产阶级分子 | |
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53
formerly
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| adv.从前，以前 | |
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immorality
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| n. 不道德, 无道义 | |
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sordid
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| adj.肮脏的，不干净的，卑鄙的，暗淡的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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candidly
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| adv.坦率地，直率而诚恳地 | |
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58
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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hideously
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| adv.可怕地，非常讨厌地 | |
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61
condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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attain
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| vt.达到，获得，完成 | |
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affluence
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| n.充裕，富足 | |
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reverence
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| n.敬畏，尊敬，尊严；Reverence:对某些基督教神职人员的尊称；v.尊敬，敬畏，崇敬 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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abominably
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| adv. 可恶地，可恨地，恶劣地 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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condemns
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| v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的第三人称单数 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地 | |
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miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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whining
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| n. 抱怨，牢骚 v. 哭诉，发牢骚 | |
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72
queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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proffered
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| v.提供，贡献，提出( proffer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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plantation
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| n.种植园，大农场 | |
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76
impaired
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| adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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