pgw.adamselindistress-第3部分

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　〃By　the　way；　mater；〃　said　Reggie；　〃I　forgot　to　tell　you　about　that。　It's　all　off。〃
　〃What！〃
　〃Absolutely。　You　see；　it　appears　there's　a　chappie　unknown　for　whom　Maud　has　an　absolute　pash。　It　seems　she　met　this　sportsman　up　in　Wales　last　summer。　She　was　caught　in　the　rain；　and　he　happened　to　be　passing　and　rallied　round　with　his　rain…coat；　and　one　thing　led　to　another。　Always　raining　in　Wales；　what！　Good　fishing；　though；　here　and　there。　Well；　what　I　mean　is；　this　cove　was　so　deucedly　civil；　and　all　that；　that　now　she　won't　look　at　anybody　else。　He's　the　blue…eyed　boy；　and　everybody　else　is　an　also…ran；　with　about　as　much　chance　as　a　blind　man　with　one　arm　trying　to　get　out　of　a　bunker　with　a　tooth…pick。〃
　〃What　perfect　nonsense！　I　know　all　about　that　affair。　It　was　just　a　passing　fancy　that　never　meant　anything。　Maud　has　got　over　that　long　ago。〃
　〃She　didn't　seem　to　think　so。〃
　〃Now；　Reggie；〃　said　Lady　Caroline　tensely；　〃please　listen　to　me。　You　know　that　the　castle　will　be　full　of　people　in　a　day　or　two　for　Percy's　ing…of…age；　and　this　next　few　days　may　be　your　last　chance　of　having　a　real；　long；　private　talk　with　Maud。　I　shall　be　seriously　annoyed　if　you　neglect　this　opportunity。　There　is　no　excuse　for　the　way　you　are　behaving。　Maud　is　a　charming　girl〃
　〃Oh；　absolutely！　One　of　the　best。〃
　〃Very　well；　then！〃　　〃But；　mater；　what　I　mean　to　say　is〃
　〃I　don't　want　any　more　temporizing；　Reggie！〃
　〃No；　no！　Absolutely　not！〃　said　Reggie　dutifully；　wishing　he　knew　what　the　word　meant；　and　wishing　also　that　life　had　not　bee　so　frightfully　plex。
　〃Now；　this　afternoon；　why　should　you　not　take　Maud　for　a　long　ride　in　your　car？〃
　Reggie　grew　more　cheerful。　At　least　he　had　an　answer　for　that。
　〃Can't　be　done；　I'm　afraid。　I've　got　to　motor　into　town　to　meet　Percy。　He's　arriving　from　Oxford　this　morning。　I　promised　to　meet　him　in　town　and　tool　him　back　in　the　car。〃
　〃I　see。　Well；　then；　why　couldn't　you？〃
　〃I　say；　mater；　dear　old　soul；〃　said　Reggie　hastily；　〃I　think　you'd　better　tear　yourself　away　and　what　not。　If　you're　catching　the　twelve…fifteen；　you　ought　to　be　staggering　round　to　see　you　haven't　forgotten　anything。　There's　the　car　ing　round　now。〃
　〃I　wish　now　I　had　decided　to　go　by　a　later　train。〃
　〃No；　no；　mustn't　miss　the　twelve…fifteen。　Good；　fruity　train。　Everybody　speaks　well　of　it。　Well；　see　you　anon；　mater。　I　think　you'd　better　run　like　a　hare。〃
　〃You　will　remember　what　I　said？〃
　〃Oh；　absolutely！〃
　〃Good…bye；　then。　I　shall　be　back　tomorrow。〃
　Reggie　returned　slowly　to　his　stone　seat。　He　breathed　a　little　heavily　as　he　felt　for　his　cigarette　case。　He　felt　like　a　hunted　fawn。
　Maud　came　out　of　the　house　as　the　car　disappeared　down　the　long　avenue　of　elms。　She　crossed　the　terrace　to　where　Reggie　sat　brooding　on　life　and　its　problem。
　〃Reggie！〃
　Reggie　turned。
　〃Hullo；　Maud；　dear　old　thing。　Take　a　seat。〃
　Maud　sat　down　beside　him。　There　was　a　flush　on　her　pretty　face；　and　when　she　spoke　her　voice　quivered　with　suppressed　excitement。
　〃Reggie；〃　she　said；　laying　a　small　hand　on　his　arm。　〃We're　friends；　aren't　we？〃
　Reggie　patted　her　back　paternally。　There　were　few　people　he　liked　better　than　Maud。
　〃Always　have　been　since　the　dear　old　days　of　childhood；　what！〃
　〃I　can　trust　you；　can't　！？〃
　〃Absolutely！〃
　〃There's　something　I　want　you　to　do　for　me；　Reggie。　You'll　have　to　keep　it　a　dead　secret　of　course。〃
　〃The　strong；　silent　man。　That's　me。　What　is　it？〃
　〃You're　driving　into　town　in　your　car　this　afternoon；　aren't　you；　to　meet　Percy？〃
　〃That　was　the　idea。〃
　〃Could　you　go　this　morning　insteadand　take　me？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　Maud　shook　her　head。
　〃You　don't　know　what　you　are　letting　yourself　in　for；　Reggie；　or　I'm　sure　you　wouldn't　agree　so　lightly。　I'm　not　allowed　to　leave　the　castle；　you　know；　because　of　what　I　was　telling　you　about。〃
　〃The　chappie？〃
　〃Yes。　So　there　would　be　terrible　scenes　if　anybody　found　out。〃
　〃Never　mind；　dear　old　soul。　I'll　risk　it。　None　shall　learn　your　secret　from　these　lips。〃
　〃You're　a　darling；　Reggie。〃
　〃But　what's　the　idea？　Why　do　you　want　to　go　today　particularly？〃
　Maud　looked　over　her　shoulder。
　〃Because〃　She　lowered　her　voice；　though　there　was　no　one　near。　〃Because　he　is　back　in　London！　He's　a　sort　of　secretary；　you　know；　Reggie；　to　his　uncle；　and　I　saw　in　the　paper　this　morning　that　the　uncle　returned　yesterday　after　a　long　voyage　in　his　yacht。　Sohe　must　have　e　back；　too。　He　has　to　go　everywhere　his　uncle　goes。〃
　〃And　everywhere　the　uncle　went；　the　chappie　was　sure　to　go！〃　murmured　Reggie。　〃Sorry。　Didn't　mean　to　interrupt。〃
　〃I　must　see　him。　I　haven't　seen　him　since　last　summernearly　a　whole　year！　And　he　hasn't　written　to　me；　and　I　haven't　dared　to　write　to　him；　for　fear　of　the　letter　going　wrong。　So；　you　see；　I　must　go。　Today's　my　only　chance。　Aunt　Caroline　has　gone　away。　Father　will　be　busy　in　the　garden；　and　won't　notice　whether　I'm　here　or　not。　And；　besides；　tomorrow　it　will　be　too　late；　because　Percy　will　be　here。　He　was　more　furious　about　the　thing　than　anyone。〃
　〃Rather　the　proud　aristocrat；　Percy；〃　agreed　Reggie。　〃I　understand　absolutely。　Tell　me　just　what　you　want　me　to　do。〃
　〃I　want　you　to　pick　me　up　in　the　car　about　half　a　mile　down　the　road。　You　can　drop　me　somewhere　in　Piccadilly。　That　will　be　near　enough　to　where　I　want　to　go。　But　the　most　important　thing　is　about　Percy。　You　must　persuade　him　to　stay　and　dine　in　town　and　e　back　here　after　dinner。　Then　I　shall　be　able　to　get　back　by　an　afternoon　train；　and　no　one　will　know　I've　been　gone。〃
　〃That's　simple　enough；　what？　Consider　it　done。　When　do　you　want　to　start？〃
　〃At　once。〃
　〃I'll　toddle　round　to　the　garage　and　fetch　the　car。〃　Reggie　chuckled　amusedly。　〃Rum　thing！　The　mater's　just　been　telling　me　I　ought　to　take　you　for　a　drive。〃
　〃You　are　a　darling；　Reggie；　really！〃
　Reggie　gave　her　back　another　paternal　pat。
　〃I　know　what　it　means　to　be　in　love；　dear　old　soul。　I　say；　Maud；　old　thing；　do　you　find　love　puts　you　off　your　stroke？　　What　I　mean　is；　does　it　make　you　slice　your　approach…shots？〃
　Maud　laughed。
　〃No。　It　hasn't　had　any　effect　on　my　game　so　far。　I　went　round　in　eighty…six　the　other　day。〃
　Reggie　sighed　enviously。
　〃Women　are　wonderful！〃　he　said。　〃Well；　I'll　be　legging　it　and　fetching　the　car。　When　you're　ready；　stroll　along　down　the　road　and　wait　for　me。〃
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　　　*　　　*
　When　he　had　gone　Maud　pulled　a　small　newspaper　clipping　from　her　pocket。　She　had　extracted　it　from　yesterday's　copy　of　the　Morning　Post's　society　column。　It　contained　only　a　few　words：
　　　　　〃Mr。　Wilbur　Raymond　has　returned　to　his　residence　at　　　　　No。　11a　Belgrave　Square　from　a　prolonged　voyage　in　his　　　　　yacht；　the　Siren。〃
　Maud　did　not　know　Mr。　Wilbur　Raymond；　and　yet　that　paragraph　had　sent　the　blood　tingling　through　every　vein　in　her　body。　For　as　she　had　indicated　to　Reggie；　when　the　Wilbur　Raymonds　of　this　world　return　to　their　town　residences；　they　bring　with　them　their　nephew　and　secretary；　Geoffrey　Raymond。　And　Geoffrey　Raymond　was　the　man　Maud　had　loved　ever　since　the　day　when　she　had　met　him　in　Wales。
　
　CHAPTER　2。
　
　The　sun　that　had　shone　so　brightly　on　Belpher　Castle　at　noon；　when　Maud　and　Reggie　Byng　set　out　on　their　journey；　shone　on　the　West…End　of　London　with　equal　pleasantness　at　two　o'clock。　In　Little　Gooch　Street　all　the　children　of　all　the　small　shopkeepers　who　support　life　in　that　backwater　by　selling　each　other　vegetables　and　singing　canaries　were　out　and　about　playing　curious　games　of　their　own　invention。　Cats　washed　themselves　on　doorsteps；　preparatory　to　looking　in　for　lunch　at　one　of　the　numerous　garbage　cans　which　dotted　the　sidewalk。　　Waiters　peered　austerely　from　the　windows　of　the　two　Italian　restaurants　which　carry　on　the　Lucretia　Borgia　tradition　by　means　of　one　shilling　and　sixpenny　table　d'hote　luncheons。　The　proprietor　of　the　grocery　store　on　the　corner　was　bidding　a　silent　farewell　to　a　tomato　which　even　he；　though　a　dauntless　optimist；　had　been　pelled　to　recognize　as　having　outlived　its　utility。　　On　all　these　things　the　sun　shone　with　a　genial　smile。　Round　the　corner；　in　Shaftesbury　Avenue；　an　east　wind　was　doing　its　best　to　pierce　the　hardened　hides　of　the　citizenry；　but　it　did　not　penetrate　into　Little　Gooch　Street；　which；　facing　south　and　being　narrow　and　sheltered；　was　enabled　practically　to　bask。
　Mac；　the　stout　guardian　of　the　stage　door　of　the　Regal　Theatre；　whose　gilded　front　entrance　is　on　the　Avenue；　emerged　from　the　little　glass　case　in　which　the　management　kept　him；　and　came　out　to　observe　life　and　its　phenomena　with　an　indulgent　eye。　Mac　was　feeling　happy　this　morning。　His　job　was　a　permanent　one；　not　influenced　by　the　success　or　failure　of　the　productions　which　followed　one　another　at　the　theatre　throughout　the　year；　but　he　felt；　nevertheless；　a　sort　of　proprietary　interest　in　these　ventures；　and　was　pleased　when　they　secured　the　approval　of　the　public。　　Last　night's　opening；　a　musical　piece　by　an　American　author　and　poser；　had　undoubtedly　made　a　big　hit；　and　Mac　was　glad；　because　he　liked　what　he　had　seen　of　the　pany；　and；　in　the　brief　time　in　which　he　had　known　him；　had　e　to　entertain　a　warm　regard　for　George　Bevan；　the　poser；　who　had　travelled　over　from　New　York　to　help　with　the　Lo