pgw.adamselindistress-第27部分

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o　the　shelter　of　the　hedge　his　foot　seemed　aflame。　　The　only　reason　why　the　blister　on　his　left　heel　did　not　at　this　juncture　attract　his　entire　attention　was　that　he　had　bee　aware　that　there　was　another　of　equal　proportions　forming　on　his　right　heel。
　Percy　had　stopped　and　sought　cover　in　the　hedge　because；　as　he　rounded　the　bend　in　the　road；　he　perceived；　before　he　had　time　to　check　his　gallop；　that　Maud　had　also　stopped。　She　was　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　road；　looking　over　her　shoulder；　not　ten　yards　away。　Had　she　seen　him？　It　was　a　point　that　time　alone　could　solve。　No！　She　walked　on　again。　She　had　not　seen　him。　Lord　Belpher；　by　means　of　a　notable　triumph　of　mind　over　matter；　forgot　the　blisters　and　hurried　after　her。
　They　had　now　reached　that　point　in　the　road　where　three　choices　offer　themselves　to　the　wayfarer。　By　going　straight　on　he　may　win　through　to　the　village　of　Moresby…in…the…Vale；　a　charming　little　place　with　a　Norman　church；　by　turning　to　the　left　he　may　visit　the　equally　seductive　hamlet　of　Little　Weeting；　by　turning　to　the　right　off　the　main　road　and　going　down　a　leafy　lane　he　may　find　himself　at　the　door　of　Platt's　farm。　When　Maud；　reaching　the　cross…roads；　suddenly　swung　down　the　one　to　the　left；　Lord　Belpher　was　for　the　moment　pletely　baffled。　　Reason　reasserted　its　way　the　next　minute；　telling　him　that　this　was　but　a　ruse。　Whether　or　no　she　had　caught　sight　of　him；　there　was　no　doubt　that　Maud　intended　to　shake　off　any　possible　pursuit　by　taking　this　speciously　innocent　turning　and　making　a　detour。　She　could　have　no　possible　motive　in　going　to　Little　Weeting。　He　had　never　been　to　Little　Weeting　in　his　life；　and　there　was　no　reason　to　suppose　that　Maud　had　either。
　The　sign…post　informed　hima　statement　strenuously　denied　by　the　twin…blistersthat　the　distance　to　Little　Weeting　was　one　and　a　half　miles。　Lord　Belpher's　view　of　it　was　that　it　was　nearer　fifty。　He　dragged　himself　along　wearily。　It　was　simpler　now　to　keep　Maud　in　sight；　for　the　road　ran　straight：　but；　there　being　a　catch　in　everything　in　this　world；　the　process　was　also　messier。　　In　order　to　avoid　being　seen；　it　was　necessary　for　Percy　to　leave　the　road　and　tramp　along　in　the　deep　ditch　which　ran　parallel　to　it。　There　is　nothing　half…hearted　about　these　ditches　which　acpany　English　country　roads。　They　know　they　are　intended　to　be　ditches；　not　mere　furrows；　and　they　behave　as　such。　　The　one　that　sheltered　Lord　Belpher　was　so　deep　that　only　his　head　and　neck　protruded　above　the　level　of　the　road；　and　so　dirty　that　a　bare　twenty　yards　of　travel　was　sufficient　to　coat　him　with　mud。　Rain；　once　fallen；　is　reluctant　to　leave　the　English　ditch。　　It　nestles　inside　it　for　weeks；　forming　a　rich；　oatmeal…like　substance　which　has　to　be　stirred　to　be　believed。　Percy　stirred　it。　　He　churned　it。　He　ploughed　and　sloshed　through　it。　The　mud　stuck　to　him　like　a　brother。
　Nevertheless；　being　a　determined　young　man；　he　did　not　give　in。　Once　he　lost　a　shoe；　but　a　little　searching　recovered　that。　　On　another　occasion；　a　passing　dog；　seeing　things　going　on　in　the　ditch　which　in　his　opinion　should　not　have　been　going　onhe　was　a　high…strung　dog；　unused　to　ing　upon　heads　moving　along　the　road　without　bodies　attachedacpanied　Percy　for　over　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　causing　him　exquisite　disfort　by　making　sudden　runs　at　his　face。　A　well…aimed　stone　settled　this　little　misunderstanding；　and　Percy　proceeded　on　his　journey　alone。　　He　had　Maud　well　in　view　when；　to　his　surprise　she　left　the　road　and　turned　into　the　gate　of　a　house　which　stood　not　far　from　the　church。
　Lord　Belpher　regained　the　road；　and　remained　there；　a　puzzled　man。　A　dreadful　thought　came　to　him　that　he　might　have　had　all　this　trouble　and　anguish　for　no　reason。　This　house　bore　the　unmistakable　stamp　of　a　vicarage。　Maud　could　have　no　reason　that　was　not　innocent　for　going　there。　Had　he　gone　through　all　this；　merely　to　see　his　sister　paying　a　visit　to　a　clergyman？　Too　late　it　occurred　to　him　that　she　might　quite　easily　be　on　visiting　terms　with　the　clergy　of　Little　Weeting。　He　had　forgotten　that　he　had　been　away　at　Oxford　for　many　weeks；　a　period　of　time　in　which　Maud；　finding　life　in　the　country　weigh　upon　her；　might　easily　have　interested　herself　charitably　in　the　life　of　this　village。　　He　paused　irresolutely。　He　was　baffled。
　Maud；　meanwhile；　had　rung　the　bell。　Ever　since；　looking　over　her　shoulder；　she　had　perceived　her　brother　Percy　dodging　about　in　the　background；　her　active　young　mind　had　been　busying　itself　with　schemes　for　throwing　him　off　the　trail。　She　must　see　George　that　morning。　She　could　not　wait　another　day　before　establishing　munication　between　herself　and　Geoffrey。　But　it　was　not　till　she　reached　Little　Weeting　that　there　occurred　to　her　any　plan　that　promised　success。
　A　trim　maid　opened　the　door。
　〃Is　the　vicar　in？〃
　〃No；　miss。　He　went　out　half　an　hour　back。〃
　Maud　was　as　baffled　for　the　moment　as　her　brother　Percy；　now　leaning　against　the　vicarage　wall　in　a　state　of　advanced　exhaustion。
　〃Oh；　dear！〃　she　said。
　The　maid　was　sympathetic。
　〃Mr。　Ferguson；　the　curate；　miss；　he's　here；　if　he　would　do。〃
　Maud　brightened。
　〃He　would　do　splendidly。　Will　you　ask　him　if　I　can　see　him　for　a　moment？〃
　〃Very　well；　miss。　What　name；　please？〃
　〃He　won't　know　my　name。　Will　you　please　tell　him　that　a　lady　wishes　to　see　him？〃
　〃Yes；　miss。　Won't　you　step　in？〃
　The　front　door　closed　behind　Maud。　She　followed　the　maid　into　the　drawing…room。　Presently　a　young　small　curate　entered。　　He　had　a　willing；　benevolent　face。　He　looked　alert　and　helpful。
　〃You　wished　to　see　me？〃
　〃I　am　so　sorry　to　trouble　you；〃　said　Maud；　rocking　the　young　man　in　his　tracks　with　a　smile　of　dazzling　brilliancy（〃No　trouble；　I　assure　you；〃　said　the　curate　dizzily）〃but　there　is　a　man　following　me！〃
　The　curate　clicked　his　tongue　indignantly。
　〃A　rough　sort　of　a　tramp　kind　of　man。　He　has　been　following　me　for　miles；　and　I'm　frightened。〃
　〃Brute！〃
　〃I　think　he's　outside　now。　I　can't　think　what　he　wants。　　Would　youwould　you　mind　being　kind　enough　to　go　and　send　him　away？〃
　The　eyes　that　had　settled　George's　fate　for　all　eternity　flashed　upon　the　curate；　who　blinked。　He　squared　his　shoulders　and　drew　himself　up。　He　was　perfectly　willing　to　die　for　her。
　〃If　you　will　wait　here；〃　he　said；　〃I　will　go　and　send　him　about　his　business。　It　is　disgraceful　that　the　public　highways　should　be　rendered　unsafe　in　this　manner。〃
　〃Thank　you　ever　so　much；〃　said　Maud　gratefully。　〃I　can't　help　thinking　the　poor　fellow　may　be　a　little　crazy。　It　seems　so　odd　of　him　to　follow　me　all　that　way。　Walking　in　the　ditch　too！〃
　〃Walking　in　the　ditch！〃
　〃Yes。　He　walked　most　of　the　way　in　the　ditch　at　the　side　of　the　road。　He　seemed　to　prefer　it。　I　can't　think　why。〃
　Lord　Belpher；　leaning　against　the　wall　and　trying　to　decide　whether　his　right　or　left　foot　hurt　him　the　more　excruciatingly；　became　aware　that　a　curate　was　standing　before　him；　regarding　him　through　a　pair　of　gold…rimmed　pince…nez　with　a　disapproving　and　hostile　expression。　Lord　Belpher　returned　his　gaze。　　Neither　was　favourably　impressed　by　the　other。　Percy　thought　he　had　seen　nicer…looking　curates；　and　the　curate　thought　he　had　seen　more　prepossessing　tramps。
　〃e；　e！〃　said　the　curate。　〃This　won't　do；　my　man！〃　A　few　hours　earlier　Lord　Belpher　had　been　startled　when　addressed　by　George　as　〃sir〃。　To　be　called　〃my　man〃　took　his　breath　away　pletely。
　The　gift　of　seeing　ourselves　as　others　see　us　is；　as　the　poet　indicates；　vouchsafed　to　few　men。　Lord　Belpher；　not　being　one　of　these　fortunates；　had　not　the　slightest　conception　how　intensely　revolting　his　personal　appearance　was　at　that　moment。　　The　red…rimmed　eyes；　the　growth　of　stubble　on　the　cheeks；　and　the　thick　coating　of　mud　which　had　resulted　from　his　rambles　in　the　ditch　bined　to　render　him　a　horrifying　object。
　〃How　dare　you　follow　that　young　lady？　I've　a　good　mind　to　give　you　in　charge！〃
　Percy　was　outraged。
　〃I'm　her　brother！〃　He　was　about　to　substantiate　the　statement　by　giving　his　name；　but　stopped　himself。　He　had　had　enough　of　letting　his　name　e　out　on　occasions　like　the　present。　　When　the　policeman　had　arrested　him　in　the　Haymarket；　his　first　act　had　been　to　thunder　his　identity　at　the　man：　and　the　policeman；　without　saying　in　so　many　words　that　he　disbelieved　him；　had　hinted　scepticism　by　replying　that　he　himself　was　the　king　of　Brixton。　〃I'm　her　brother！〃　he　repeated　thickly。
　The　curate's　disapproval　deepened。　In　a　sense；　we　are　all　brothers；　but　that　did　not　prevent　him　from　considering　that　this　mud…stained　derelict　had　made　an　impudent　and　abominable　mis…statement　of　fact。　Not　unnaturally　he　came　to　the　conclusion　that　he　had　to　do　with　a　victim　of　the　Demon　Rum。
　〃You　ought　to　be　ashamed　of　yourself；〃　he　said　severely。　　〃Sad　piece　of　human　wreckage　as　you　are；　you　speak　like　an　educated　man。　Have　you　no　self…respect？　Do　you　never　search　your　heart　and　shudder　at　the　horrible　degradation　which　you　have　brought　on　yourself　by　sheer　weakness　of　will？〃
　He　raise　his　voice。　The　subject　of　Temperance　was　one　very　near　to　the　curate's　heart。　The　vicar　himself　had　plimented　him　only　yesterday　on　the　good　his　sermons　against　the　drink　evil　were　doing　in　the　village；　and　the　landlord　of　the　Thre