the research magnificent-第70部分

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ty　thing　to　be　fooled　and　won　and　competed　for　and　fought　over。　　So　that　it　was　Amanda　he　wanted　to　reach　and　reckon　with　now；　Amanda　who　had　mated　and　ruled　his　senses　only　to　fling　him　into　this　intolerable　pit　of　shame　and　jealous　fury。　　But　the　forces　that　were　driving　him　home　now　were　the　forces　below　the　level　of　reason　and　ideas；　organic　forces　compounded　of　hate　and　desire；　profound　aboriginal　urgencies。　He　thought；　indeed；　very　little　as　he　lay　in　his　berth　or　sulked　on　deck；　his　mind　lay　waste　under　a　pitiless　invasion　of　exasperating　images　that　ever　and　again　would　so　wring　him　that　his　muscles　would　tighten　and　his　hands　clench　or　he　would　find　himself　restraining　a　snarl；　the　threat　of　the　beast；　in　his　throat。　Amanda　grew　upon　his　imagination　until　she　overshadowed　the　whole　world。　　She　filled　the　skies。　　She　bent　over　him　and　mocked　him。　She　became　a　mystery　of　passion　and　dark　beauty。　　She　was　the　sin　of　the　world。　　One　breathed　her　in　the　winds　of　the　sea。　　She　had　taken　to　herself　the　greatness　of　elemental　things。　。　。　。　So　that　when　at　last　he　saw　her　he　was　amazed　to　see　her；　and　see　that　she　was　just　a　creature　of　common　size　and　quality；　a　rather　tired　and　very　frightened…looking　white…faced　young　woman；　in　an　evening…dress　of　unfamiliar　fashion；　with　little　common　trinkets　of　gold　and　colour　about　her　wrists　and　neck。　In　that　instant's　confrontation　he　forgot　all　that　had　brought　him　homeward。　　He　stared　at　her　as　one　stares　at　a　stranger　whom　one　has　greeted　in　mistake　for　an　intimate　friend。　For　he　saw　that　she　was　no　more　the　Amanda　he　hated　and　desired　to　kill　than　she　had　ever　been　the　Amanda　he　had　loved。

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He　took　them　by　surprise。　　It　had　been　his　intention　to　take　them　by　surprise。　　Such　is　the　inelegance　of　the　jealous　state。　He　reached　London　in　the　afternoon　and　put　up　at　a　hotel　near　Charing　Cross。　　In　the　evening　about　ten　he　appeared　at　the　house　in　Lancaster　Gate。　　The　butler　was　deferentially　amazed。　　Mrs。　Benham　was；　he　said；　at　a　theatre　with　Sir　Philip　Easton；　and　he　thought　some　other　people　also。　　He　did　not　know　when　she　would　be　back。　She　might　go　on　to　supper。　　It　was　not　the　custom　for　the　servants　to　wait　up　for　her。　Benham　went　into　the　study　that　reduplicated　his　former　rooms　in　Finacue　Street　and　sat　down　before　the　fire　the　butler　lit　for　him。　He　sent　the　man　to　bed；　and　fell　into　profound　meditation。　It　was　nearly　two　o'clock　when　he　heard　the　sound　of　her　latchkey　and　went　out　at　once　upon　the　landing。　The　half…door　stood　open　and　Easton's　car　was　outside。　　She　stood　in　the　middle　of　the　hall　and　relieved　Easton　of　the　gloves　and　fan　he　was　carrying。　〃Good…night；〃　she　said；　〃I　am　so　tired。〃　〃My　wonderful　goddess；〃　he　said。　She　yielded　herself　to　his　accustomed　embrace；　then　started；　stared；　and　wrenched　herself　out　of　his　arms。　Benham　stood　at　the　top　of　the　stairs　looking　down　upon　them；　white…　faced　and　inexpressive。　　Easton　dropped　back　a　pace。　　For　a　moment　no　one　moved　nor　spoke；　and　then　very　quietly　Easton　shut　the　half…　door　and　shut　out　the　noises　of　the　road。　For　some　seconds　Benham　regarded　them；　and　as　he　did　so　his　spirit　changed。　。　。　。　Everything　he　had　thought　of　saying　and　doing　vanished　out　of　his　mind。　He　stuck　his　hands　into　his　pockets　and　descended　the　staircase。　When　he　was　five　or　six　steps　above　them；　he　spoke。　　〃Just　sit　down　here；〃　he　said；　with　a　gesture　of　one　hand；　and　sat　down　himself　upon　the　stairs。　　〃DO　sit　down；〃　he　said　with　a　sudden　testiness　as　they　continued　standing。　　〃I　know　all　about　this　affair。　　Do　please　sit　down　and　let　us　talk。　。　。　。　　Everybody's　gone　to　bed　long　ago。〃　〃Cheetah！〃　she　said。　　〃Why　have　you　come　back　like　this？〃　Then　at　his　mute　gesture　she　sat　down　at　his　feet。　〃I　wish　you　would　sit　down；　Easton；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　of　subdued　savagery。　〃Why　have　you　come　back？〃　Sir　Philip　Easton　found　his　voice　to　ask。　〃SIT　down；〃　Benham　spat；　and　Easton　obeyed　unwillingly。　〃I　came　back；〃　Benham　went　on；　〃to　see　to　all　this。　　Why　else？　　I　don'tnow　I　see　youfeel　very　fierce　about　it。　　But　it　has　distressed　me。　　You　look　changed；　Amanda；　and　fagged。　　And　your　hair　is　untidy。　　It's　as　if　something　had　happened　to　you　and　made　you　a　stranger。　。　。　。　　You　two　people　are　lovers。　　Very　natural　and　simple；　but　I　want　to　get　out　of　it。　　Yes；　I　want　to　get　out　of　it。　That　wasn't　quite　my　idea；　but　now　I　see　it　is。　　It's　queer；　but　on　the　whole　I　feel　sorry　for　you。　　All　of　us；　poor　humans。　　There's　reason　to　be　sorry　for　all　of　us。　　We're　full　of　lusts　and　uneasiness　and　resentments　that　we　haven't　the　will　to　control。　What　do　you　two　people　want　me　to　do　to　you？　　Would　you　like　a　divorce；　Amanda？　　It's　the　clean；　straight　thing；　isn't　it？　　Or　would　the　scandal　hurt　you？〃　Amanda　sat　crouched　together；　with　her　eyes　on　Benham。　〃Give　us　a　divorce；〃　said　Easton；　looking　to　her　to　confirm　him。　Amanda　shook　her　head。　〃I　don't　want　a　divorce；〃　she　said。　〃Then　what　do　you　want？〃　asked　Benham　with　sudden　asperity。　〃I　don't　want　a　divorce；〃　she　repeated。　　〃Why　do　you；　after　a　long　silence；　come　home　like　this；　abruptly；　with　no　notice？〃　〃It　was　the　way　it　took　me；〃　said　Benham；　after　a　little　interval。　〃You　have　left　me　for　long　months。〃　〃Yes。　　I　was　angry。　　And　it　was　ridiculous　to　be　angry。　　I　thought　I　wanted　to　kill　you；　and　now　I　see　you　I　see　that　all　I　want　to　do　is　to　help　you　out　of　this　miserable　messand　then　get　away　from　you。　You　two　would　like　to　marry。　　You　ought　to　be　married。〃　〃I　would　die　to　make　Amanda　happy；〃　said　Easton。　〃Your　business；　it　seems　to　me；　is　to　live　to　make　her　happy。　　That　you　may　find　more　of　a　strain。　　Less　tragic　and　more　tiresome。　　I；　on　the　other　hand；　want　neither　to　die　nor　live　for　her。〃　　Amanda　moved　sharply。　　〃It's　extraordinary　what　amazing　vapours　a　lonely　man　may　get　into　his　head。　　If　you　don't　want　a　divorce　then　I　suppose　things　might　go　on　as　they　are　now。〃　〃I　hate　things　as　they　are　now；〃　said　Easton。　　〃I　hate　this　falsehood　and　deception。〃　〃You　would　hate　the　scandal　just　as　much；〃　said　Amanda。　〃I　would　not　care　what　the　scandal　was　unless　it　hurt　you。〃　〃It　would　be　only　a　temporary　inconvenience；〃　said　Benham。　　〃Every　one　would　sympathize　with　you。　。　。　。　　The　whole　thing　is　so　natural。　。　。　。　　People　would　be　glad　to　forget　very　soon。　　They　did　with　my　mother。〃　〃No；〃　said　Amanda；　〃it　isn't　so　easy　as　that。〃　She　seemed　to　come　to　a　decision。　〃Pip；〃　she　said。　　〃I　want　to　talk　toHIMalone。〃　Easton's　brown　eyes　were　filled　with　distress　and　perplexity。　　〃But　why？〃　he　asked。　〃I　do；〃　she　said。　〃But　this　is　a　thing　for　US。〃　〃Pip；　I　want　to　talk　to　him　alone。　　There　is　somethingsomething　I　can't　say　before　you。　。　。　。〃　Sir　Philip　rose　slowly　to　his　feet。　〃Shall　I　wait　outside？〃　〃No；　Pip。　　Go　home。　　Yes；there　are　some　things　you　must　leave　to　me。〃　She　stood　up　too　and　turned　so　that　she　and　Benham　both　faced　the　younger　man。　　The　strangest　uneasiness　mingled　with　his　resolve　to　be　at　any　cost　splendid。　　He　feltand　it　was　a　most　unexpected　and　disconcerting　feelingthat　he　was　no　longer　confederated　with　Amanda；　that　prior；　more　fundamental　and　greater　associations　prevailed　over　his　little　new　grip　upon　her　mind　and　senses。　　He　stared　at　husband　and　wife　aghast　in　this　realization。　　Then　his　resolute