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！
serious； or I should remember it。〃
His forgetfulness wounded Agatha。 〃No doubt you are well
accustomed to〃 She checked herself； and made a successful
snatch at her normal manner with gentlemen。 〃I scarcely remember
what it was； now that I begin to think。 Some trifle； I suppose。
Do you like orchids？〃
〃They have nothing to do with our affairs at present。 You are not
in earnest about the orchids； and you are trying to run away from
a mistake instead of clearing it up。 That is a short…sighted
policy； always。〃
Agatha grew alarmed； for she felt his old influence over her
returning。 〃I do not wish to speak of it；〃 she said firmly。
Her firmness was lost on him。 〃I do not even know what it means
yet；〃 he said； 〃and I want to know； for I believe there is some
misunderstanding between us； and it is the trick of your sex to
perpetuate misunderstandings by forbidding all allusions to them。
Perhaps； leaving Lyvern so hastily； I forgot to fulfil some
promise； or to say farewell； or something of that sort。 But do
you know how suddenly I was called away？ I got a telegram to say
that Henrietta was dying； and I had only time to change my
clothesyou remember my disguiseand catch the express。 And；
after all； she was dead when I arrived。〃
〃I know that；〃 said Agatha uneasily。 〃Please say no more about
it。〃
〃Not if it distresses you。 Just let me hope that you did not
suppose I blamed you for your share in the matter or that I told
the Janseniuses of it。 I did not。 Yes； I like orchids。 A plant
that can subsist on a scrap of board is an instance of natural
econ〃
〃YOU blame ME！〃 cried Agatha。 〃_I_ never told the Janseniuses。
What would they have thought of you if I had？〃
〃Far worse of you than of me； however unjustly。 You were the
immediate cause of the tragedy； I only the remote one。 Jansenius
is not far…seeing when his feelings are touched。 Few men are。〃
〃I don't understand you in the least。 What tragedy do you mean？〃
〃Henrietta's death。 I call it a tragedy conventionally。
Seriously； of course； it was commonplace enough。〃
Agatha stopped and faced him。 〃What do you mean by what you said
just now？ You said that I was the immediate cause of the tragedy；
and you say that you were talking of Henrietta'sof Henrietta。 I
had nothing to do with her illness。〃
Trefusis looked at her as if considering whether he would go any
further。 Then； watching her with the curiosity of a vivisector；
he said： 〃Strange to say； Agatha；〃 （she shrank proudly at the
word）； 〃Henrietta might have been alive now but for you。 I am
very glad she is not； so you need not reproach yourself on my
account。 She died of a journey she made to Lyvern in great
excitement and distress； and in intensely cold weather。 You
caused her to make that journey by writing her a letter which
made her jealous。〃
〃Do you mean to accuse me〃
〃No； stop！〃 he said hastily； the vivisecting spirit in him
exorcised by her shaking voice； 〃I accuse you of nothing。 Why do
you not speak honestly to me when you are at your ease？ If you
confess your real thoughts only under torture； who can resist the
temptation to torture you？ One must charge you with homicide to
make you speak of anything but orchids。〃
But Agatha had drawn the new inference from the old facts； and
would not be talked out of repudiating it。 〃It was not my fault；〃
she said。 〃It was yoursaltogether yours。〃
〃Altogether；〃 he assented； relieved to find her indignant instead
of remorseful。
She was not to be soothed by a verbal acquiescence。 〃Your
behavior was most unmanly； and I told you so； and you could not
deny it。 You pretended that youYou pretended to have
feelingsYou tried to make me believe that Oh； I am a fool to
talk to you； you know perfectly well what I mean。〃
〃Perfectly。 I tried to make you believe that I was in love with
you。 How do you know I was not？〃
She disdained to answer； but as he waited calmly she said； 〃You
had no right to be。〃
〃That does not prove that I was not。 Come； Agatha； you pretended
to like me when you did not care two straws about me。 You
confessed as much in that fatal letter； which I have somewhere at
home。 It has a great rent right across it； and the mark of her
heel； she must have stamped on it in her rage； poor girl！ So that
I can show your own hand for the very deception you accused
mewithout proofof having practiced on you。〃
〃You are clever； and can twist things。 What pleasure does it give
you to make me miserable？〃
〃Ha！〃 he exclaimed； in an abrupt； sardonic laugh。 〃I don't know；
you bewitch me； I think。〃
Agatha made no reply； but walked on quickly to the end of the
conservatory； where the others were waiting for them。
〃Where have you been； and what have you been doing all this
time？〃 said Jane； as Trefusis came up； hurrying after Agatha。 〃I
don't know what you call it； but I call it perfectly
disgraceful！〃
Sir Charles reddened at his wife's bad taste； and Trefusis
replied gravely： 〃We have been admiring the orchids； and talking
about them。 Miss Wylie takes an interest in them。〃
CHAPTER XIII
One morning Gertrude got a letter from her father：
〃My Dear Gerty： I have just received a bill for L110 from Madame
Smith for your dresses。 May I ask you how long this sort of thing
is to go on？ I need not tell you that I have not the means to
support you in such extravagance。 I am； as you know； always
anxious that you should go about in a style worthy of your
position； but unless you can manage without calling on me to pay
away hundreds of pounds every season to Madame Smith； you had
better give up society and stay at home。 I positively cannot
afford it。 As far as I can see； going into society has not done
you much good。 I had to raise L500 last month on Franklands； and
it is too bad if I must raise more to pay your dressmaker。 You
might at least employ some civil person； or one whose charges are
moderate。 Madame Smith tells me that she will not wait any
longer； and charges L50 for a single dress。 I hope you fully
understand that there must be an end to this。
〃I hear from your mother that young Erskine is with you at
Brandon's。 I do not think much of him。 He is not well off； nor
likely to get on； as he has taken to poetry and so forth。 I am
told also that a man named Trefusis visits at the Beeches a good
deal now。 He must be a fool； for he contested the last Birmingham
election； and came out at the foot of the poll with thirty…two
votes through calling himself a Social Democrat or some such
foreign rubbish； instead of saying out like a man that he was a
Radical。 I suppose the name stuck in his throat； for his mother
was one of the Howards of Breconcastle； so he has good blood in
him； though his father was nobody。 I wish he had your bills to
pay； he could buy and sell me ten times over； after all my
twenty…five years' service。
〃As I am thinking of getting something done to the house； I had
rather you did not come back this month； if you can possibly hold
on at Brandon's。 Remember me to him； and give our kind regards to
his wife。 I should be obliged if you would gather some hemlock
leaves and send them to me。 I want them for my ointment； the
stuff the che