the research magnificent-第38部分

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in。　　When　he　looked　back　at　the　corner　of　the　road　to　Petersfield　she　was　still　at　the　door　and　waved　farewell　to　him。　He　only　saw　a　light　slender　figure；　but　when　she　came　back　into　the　sitting…room　Mr。　Rathbone…Sanders　noted　the　faint　flush　in　her　cheek　and　an　unwonted　abstraction　in　her　eye。　And　in　the　evening　she　tucked　her　feet　up　in　the　armchairSanders；　and　she　had　sent　it　to　Benham　as　she　might　have　sent　him　a　flower。

6

Benham　re…entered　the　flat　from　which　he　had　fled　so　precipitately　with　three　very　definite　plans　in　his　mind。　　The　first　was　to　set　out　upon　his　grand　tour　of　the　world　with　as　little　delay　as　possible；　to　shut　up　this　Finacue　Street　establishment　for　a　long　time；　and　get　rid　of　the　soul…destroying　perfections　ofenly；　〃Mrs。　Fly…by…Night；　or　some　such　name；　who　rings　you　up　on　the　telephone？〃　Benham　hesitaon't　start　saying　things　like　a　moral　windmill　in　a　whirlwind。　　It's　all　a　muddle。　　I　suppose　every　one　in　London　is　getting　in　or　out　of　these　entanglementsor　something　of　the　sort。　　And　this　seems　a　comparatively　slight　one。　I　wish　it　hadn't　happened。　　They　do　happen。〃　An　expression　of　perplexity　came　into　her　face。　　She　looked　at　him。　〃Why　do　you　want　to　throw　her　over？〃　〃I　WANT　to　throw　her　over；〃　said　Benham。　He　stood　up　and　went　to　the　hearthrug；　and　his　mother　reflected　that　this　was　exactly　what　all　men　did　at　just　this　phase　of　a　discussion。　　Then　things　ceased　to　be　sensible。　From　overhead　he　said　to　her：　〃I　want　to　get　away　from　this　complication；　this　servitude。　　I　want　to　do　somesome　work。　　I　want　to　get　my　mind　clear　and　my　hands　clear。　　I　want　to　study　government　and　the　big　business　of　the　world。〃　〃And　she's　in　the　way？〃　He　assented。　〃You　men！〃　said　Lady　Marayne　after　a　little　pause。　　〃What　queer　beasts　you　are！　　Here　is　a　woman　who　is　kind　to　you。　　She's　fond　of　you。　　I　could　tell　she's　fond　of　you　directly　I　heard　her。　　And　you　amuse　yourself　with　her。　　And　then　it's　Gobble；　Gobble；　Gobble；　Great　Work；　Hands　Clear；　Big　Business　of　the　World。　　Why　couldn't　you　think　of　that　before；　Poff？　　Why　did　you　begin　with　her　Merkle。　　The　second　was　to　end　his　ill…advised　intimacy　with　little　Mrs。　Skelmersdale　as　generously　and　cheerfully　as　possible。　　The　third　was　to　bring　Lady　Marayne　into　social　relations　with　the　Wilder　and　Morris　MENAGE　at　South　Harting。　　It　did　not　strike　him　that　there　was　any　incompatibility　among　these　projects　or　any　insurmountable　difficulty　in　any　of　them　until　he　was　back　in　his　flat。　The　accumulation　of　letters；　packages　and　telephone　memoranda　upon　his　desk　included　a　number　of　notes　and　slips　to　remind　him　that　both　Mrs。　Skelmersdale　and　his　mother　were　ladies　of　some　determination。　　Even　as　he　stood　turning　over　the　pile　of　documents　the　mechanical　vehemence　of　the　telephone　filled　him　with　a　restored　sense　of　the　adverse　will　in　things。　　〃Yes；　mam；〃　he　heard　Merkle's　voice；　〃yes；　mam。　　I　will　tell　him；　mam。　　Will　you　keep　possession；　mam。〃　　And　then　in　the　doorway　of　the　study；　〃Mrs。　Skelmersdale；　sir。　　Upon　the　telephone；　sir。〃　Benham　reflected　with　various　notes　in　his　hand。　　Then　he　went　to　the　telephone。　〃You　Wicked　Boy；　where　have　you　been　hiding？〃　〃I've　been　away。　　I　may　have　to　go　away　again。〃　〃Not　before　you　have　seen　me。　　Come　round　and　tell　me　all　about　it。〃　Benham　lied　about　an　engagement。　〃Then　to…morrow　in　the　morning。〃　。　。　。　　Impossible。　〃In　the　afternoon。　　You　don't　WANT　to　see　me。〃　　Benham　did　want　to　see　her。　〃Come　round　and　have　a　jolly　little　evening　to…morrow　night。　　I've　got　some　more　of　that　harpsichord　music。　　And　I'm　dying　to　see　you。　Don't　you　understand？〃　Further　lies。　　〃Look　here；〃　said　Benham；　〃can　you　come　and　have　a　talk　in　Kensington　Gardens？　　You　know　the　place；　near　that　Chinese　garden。　　Paddington　Gate。　。　。　。〃　The　lady's　voice　fell　to　flatness。　　She　agreed。　　〃But　why　not　come　to　see　me　HERE？〃　she　asked。　Benham　hung　up　the　receiver　abruptly。　He　walked　slowly　back　to　his　study。　　〃Phew！〃　he　whispered　to　himself。　　It　was　like　hitting　her　in　the　face。　　He　didn't　want　to　be　a　brute；　but　short　of　being　a　brute　there　was　no　way　out　for　him　from　this　entanglement。　　Why；　oh！　why　the　devil　had　he　gone　there　to　lunch？　。　。　。　He　resumed　his　examination　of　the　waiting　letters　with　a　ruffled　mind。　　The　most　urgent　thing　about　them　was　the　clear　evidence　of　gathering　anger　on　the　part　of　his　mother。　　He　had　missed　a　lunch　party　at　Sir　Godfrey's　on　Tuesday　and　a　dinner　engagement　at　Philip　Magnet's；　quite　an　important　dinner　in　its　way；　with　various　promising　young　Liberals；　on　Wednesday　evening。　　And　she　was　furious　at　〃this　stupid　mystery。　　Of　course　you're　bound　to　be　found　out；　and　of　course　there　will　be　a　scandal。〃　。　。　。　　He　perceived　that　this　last　note　was　written　on　his　own　paper。　　〃Merkle！〃　he　cried　sharply。　〃Yessir！〃　Merkle　had　been　just　outside；　on　call。　〃Did　my　mother　write　any　of　these　notes　here？〃　he　asked。　〃Two；　sir。　　Her　ladyship　was　round　here　three　times；　sir。〃　〃Did　she　see　all　these　letters？〃　〃Not　the　telephone　calls；　sir。　　I　‘ad　put　them　on　one　side。　But。　。　。　。　　It's　a　little　thing；　sir。〃　He　paused　and　came　a　step　nearer。　　〃You　see；　sir；〃　he　explained　with　the　faintest　flavour　of　the　confidential　softening　his　mechanical　respect；　〃yesterday；　when　‘er　ladyship　was　‘ere；　sir；　some　one　rang　up　on　the　telephone〃　〃But　you；　Merkle〃　〃Exactly；　sir。　　But　‘er　ladyship　said　‘I'LL　go　to　that；　Merkle；'　and　just　for　a　moment　I　couldn't　exactly　think　‘ow　I　could　manage　it；　sir；　and　there　‘er　ladyship　was；　at　the　telephone。　　What　passed；　sir；　I　couldn't　‘ear。　　I　‘eard　her　say；　‘Any　message？'　　And　I　FANCY；　sir；　I　‘eard　‘er　say；　‘I'm　the　‘ousemaid；'　but　that；　sir；　I　think　must　have　been　a　mistake；　sir。〃　〃Must　have　been；〃　said　Benham。　　〃Certainlymust　have　been。　　And　the　call　you　think　came　from？〃　〃There　again；　sir；　I'm　quite　in　the　dark。　　But　of　course；　sir；　it's　usually　Mrs。　Skelmersdale；　sir。　　Just　about　her　time　in　the　afternoon。　　On　an　average；　sir。　。　。　。〃

7

〃I　went　out　of　London　to　think　about　my　life。〃　It　was　manifest　that　Lady　Marayne　did　not　believe　him。　〃Alone？〃　she　asked。　〃Of　course　alone。〃　〃STUFF！〃　said　Lady　Marayne。　She　had　taken　him　into　her　own　little　sitting…room；　she　had　thrown　aside　gloves　and　fan　and　theatre　wrap；　curled　herself　comfortably　into　the　abundantly　cushioned　corner　by　the　fire；　and　proceeded　to　a　mixture　of　cross…examination　and　tirade　that　he　found　it　difficult　to　make　head　against。　　She　was　vibrating　between　distressed　solicitude　and　resentful　anger。　　She　was　infuriated　at　his　going　away　and　deeply　concerned　at　what　could　have　taken　him　away。　　〃I　was　worried；〃　he　said。　　〃London　is　too　crowded　to　think　in。　　I　wanted　to　get　myself　alone。〃　〃And　there　I　was　while　you　were　getting　yourself　alone；　as　you　call　it；　wearing　my　poor　little　brains　out　to　think　of　some　story　to　tell　people。　　I　had　to　stuff　them　up　you　had　a　sprained　knee　at　Chexington；　and　for　all　I　knew　any　of　them　might　have　been　seeing　you　that　morning。　　Besides　what　has　a　boy　like　you　to　worry　about？　It's　all　nonsense；　Poff。〃　She　awaited　his　explanations。　　Benham　looked　for　a　moment　like　his　father。　〃I'm　not　getting　on；　mother；〃　he　said。　　〃I'm　scattering　myself。　　I'm　getting　no　grip。　　I　want　to　get　a　better　hold　upon　life；　or　else　I