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！
〃I will not sign； simply because I do not choose to；〃 said
Erskine warmly。
〃My dear fellow；〃 said Trefusis； almost affectionately； 〃if a man
has a conscience he can have no choice in matters of conviction。
I have read somewhere in your book that the man who will not shed
his blood for the liberty of his brothers is a coward and a
slave。 Will you not shed a drop of inkmy ink； toofor the
right of your brothers to the work of their hands？ I at first
sight did not care to sign this petition； because I would as soon
petition a tiger to share his prey with me as our rulers to relax
their grip of the stolen labor they live on。 But Donovan Brown
said to me； 'You have no choice。 Either you believe that the
laborer should have the fruit of his labor or you do not。 If you
do； put your conviction on record； even if it should be as
useless as Pilate's washing his hands。' So I signed。〃
〃Donovan Brown was right；〃 said Sir Charles。 〃I will sign。〃 And
he did so with a flourish。
〃Brown will be delighted；〃 said Trefusis。 〃I will write to him
to…day that I have got another good signature for him。〃
〃Two more；〃 said Sir Charles。 〃You shall sign； Erskine； hang me
if you shan't！ It is only against rascals that run away without
paying their men their wages。〃
〃Or that don't pay them in full；〃 observed Trefusis； with a
curious smile。 〃But do not sign if you feel uncomfortable about
it。〃
〃If you don't sign after me； you are a sneak； Chester；〃 said Sir
Charles。
〃I don't know what it means；〃 said Erskine； wavering。 〃I don't
understand petitions。〃
〃It means what it says； you cannot be held responsible for any
meaning that is not expressed in it；〃 said Trefusis。 〃But never
mind。 You mistrust me a little； I fancy； and would rather not
meddle with my petitions； but you will think better of that as
you grow used to me。 Meanwhile； there is no hurry。 Don't sign
yet。〃
〃Nonsense！ I don't doubt your good faith；〃 said Erskine； hastily
disavowing suspicions which he felt but could not account for。
〃Here goes！〃 And he signed。
〃Well done！〃 said Trefusis。 〃This will make Brown happy for the
rest of the month。〃
〃It is time for us to go now；〃 said Erskine gloomily。
〃Look in upon me at any time； you shall be welcome；〃 said
Trefusis。 〃You need not stand upon any sort of ceremony。〃
Then they parted； Sir Charles assuring Trefusis that he had never
spent a more interesting morning； and shaking hands with him at
considerable length three times。 Erskine said little until he was
in the Riverside Road with his friend； when he suddenly burst
out：
〃What the devil do you mean by drinking two tumblers of such
staggering stuff at one o'clock in the day in the house of a
dangerous man like that？ I am very sorry I went into the fellow's
place。 I had misgivings about it； and they have been fully borne
out。〃
〃How so？〃 said Sir Charles； taken aback。
〃He has overreached us。 I was a deuced fool to sign that paper；
and so were you。 It was for that that he invited us。〃
〃Rubbish； my dear boy。 It was not his paper； but Donovan
Brown's。〃
〃I doubt it。 Most likely he talked Brown into signing it just as
he talked us。 I tell you his ways are all crooked； like his
ideas。 Did you hear how he lied about Miss Lindsay？〃
〃Oh； you were mistaken about that。 He does not care two straws
for her or for anyone。〃
〃Well； if you are satisfied； I am not。 You would not be in such
high spirits over it if you had taken as little wine as I。〃
〃Pshaw！ you're too ridiculous。 It was capital wine。 Do you mean
to say I am drunk？〃
〃No。 But you would not have signed if you had not taken that
second goblet。 If you had not forced meI could not get out of
it after you set the exampleI would have seen him dd sooner
than have had anything to do with his petition。〃
〃I don't see what harm can come of it；〃 said Sir Charles； braving
out some secret disquietude。
〃I will never go into his house again；〃 said Erskine moodily。 〃We
were just like two flies in a spider's web。〃
Meanwhile； Trefusis was fulfilling his promise to write to
Donovan Brown。
〃Sallust's House。
〃Dear Brown： I have spent the forenoon angling for a couple of
very young fish； and have landed them with more trouble than they
are worth。 One has gaudy scales： he is a baronet； and an amateur
artist； save the mark。 All my arguments and my little museum of
photographs were lost on him； but when I mentioned your name； and
promised him an introduction to you； he gorged the bait greedily。
He was half drunk when he signed； and I should not have let him
touch the paper if I had not convinced myself beforehand that he
means well； and that my wine had only freed his natural
generosity from his conventional cowardice and prejudice。 We must
get his name published in as many journals as possible as a
signatory to the great petition； it will draw on others as your
name drew him。 The second novice； Chichester Erskine； is a young
poet。 He will not be of much use to us； though he is a devoted
champion of liberty in blank verse； and dedicates his works to
Mazzini； etc。 He signed reluctantly。 All this hesitation is the
uncertainty that comes of ignorance；they have not found out the
truth for themselves； and are afraid to trust me； matters having
come to the pass at which no man dares trust his fellow。
〃I have met a pretty young lady here who might serve you as a
model for Hypatia。 She is crammed with all the prejudices of the
peerage； but I am effecting a cure。 I have set my heart on
marrying her to Erskine； who； thinking that I am making love to
her on my own account； is jealous。 The weather is pleasant here；
and I am having a merry life of it； but I find myself too idle。
Etc。； etc。； etc。〃
CHAPTER XVI
One sunny forenoon； as Agatha sat reading on the doorstep of the
conservatory； the shadow of her parasol deepened； and she；
looking up for something denser than the silk of it； saw
Trefusis。
〃Oh！〃
She offered him no further greeting； having fallen in with his
habit of dispensing； as far as possible； with salutations and
ceremonies。 He seemed in no hurry to speak； and so； after a
pause； she began； 〃Sir Charles〃
〃Is gone to town；〃 he said。 〃Erskine is out on his bicycle。 Lady
Brandon and Miss Lindsay have gone to the village in the
wagonette； and you have come out here to enjoy the summer sun and
read rubbish。 I know all your news already。〃
〃You are very clever； and； as usual； wrong。 Sir Charles has not
gone to town。 He has only gone to the railway station for some
papers； he will be back for luncheon。 How do you know so much of
our affairs？〃
〃I was on the roof of my house with a field…glass。 I saw you come
out and sit down here。 Then Sir Charles passed。 Then Erskine。
Then Lady Brandon； driving with great energy； and presenting a
remarkable contrast to the disdainful repose of Gertrude。〃
〃Gertrude！ I like your cheek。〃
〃You mean that you dislike my presumption。〃
〃No； I think cheek a more expressive word than presumption； and I
mean that I like itthat it amuses me。〃
〃Really！ What are you reading？〃
〃Rubbish； you said just now。 A novel。〃
〃That is； a lying story of two people who never existed