Part 37 (1/2)
The endless files of lean pack-horses, laden with bags of rice and other provisions, the ruddy s.e.xless girls who lead them, and the women who have been foraging for wood and come down from the mountain with enormous f.a.ggots on their bent shoulders, provide a foreground for the Chuzenji landscape.
Geoffrey was sleeping upstairs in his bedroom. Yae was sleeping downstairs on the sofa. He had expected her to return to the hotel after lunch, but her att.i.tude was that of ”_J'y suis, j'y reste_.”
He awoke with a start to find the girl standing beside his bed.
Afterwards he became sure that he had been awakened by the touch of soft fingers on his face.
”Wake up, big captain,” she was saying. ”It is four o'clock, and the Ark's coming.”
”What Ark?” he yawned.
”Why, the Emba.s.sy boat.”
Out of sheer devilry, Miss Smith waited for the arrival of Lady Cynthia. The great lady paid no more attention to her existence than if she had been a piece of the house. But she greeted Geoffrey most cordially.
”Come for a walk,” she said in her abrupt way.
As they turned down the village street she announced:
”The worst has happened--I suppose you know?”
”About Reggie?”
”Yes; he's actually engaged to be married to the creature. Has he told you?”
”In the greatest confidence.”
”Well, he forgot to bind his young lady to secrecy. She has told everybody.”
”Can't he be recalled to London?”
”The old man says that would just push him over the edge. He has talked of resigning from the service.”
”Is there anything to be done?”
”Nothing! Let him marry her. It will spoil his career in diplomacy, of course. But he will soon get tired of her fooling him. He will divorce her, and will give up his life to music to which, of course, he belongs. People like Reggie Forsyth have no right to marry at all.”
”But are you sure that she wants to marry him?” said his friend; and he related his conversation with Yae that morning.
”That's very interesting and encouraging,” said Her Excellency. ”So she has been trying her hand on you already.”
”I never thought of that,” exclaimed Geoffrey. ”Why, she knows that Reggie is my best friend; and that I am married.”
The judicial features of Lady Cynthia lightened with a judicial smile.
”You have been through so many London seasons, Captain Barrington, and there is still no guile in you!”
They walked on in silence past the temple terraces down a winding country lane.