Part 25 (2/2)
Then it was in his corner by the , once chimney pots and suburbs left behind, that the traveller to Westboro' watched the landscape with the pale, transparent solden at streaed thickets; the flocks of rooks across fields long harvested: the flocks of sheep on the gently swelling downs
”England, England,” he murmured, as if it were a refrain in whose melody he found ht in some way be recalled in the word, as if it spoke more than a chance traveller's appreciation for the melodious countryside
He had letters, read the hian to construct for himself a picture of Westboro', whose lines and architecture he knew froreeable to him as he mused to fancy hiland, in the country they preferred to all the others in the Old World They were in sylish life and manners, and here, if (oh, of course, a world of ”ifs”)--here no doubt they would both choose to live when abroad, were there any choice for them of mutual life
Westboro' is Elizabethan and of vast proportions The house would naturally be very full--how much of the time would they discover for themselves? There would decidedly be occasions Mary Falconer did not hunt, and although Ji postulated that ”there are only two real occupations for a real man--to kill and to love,” he also knehat precedence he hiave, and how little the sportsmen of Westboro' would have cause to fear his concurrence if by lucky chance in more or less of solitude he should find his lady there
It was months since he had seen Mrs Falconer-- exile Each ti away--it ith a curious wonder whether or not on his return he should not find a change Time and absence--above all, time, worked extraordinary infidelities in other people Why should they two believe theht have altered _her_
The mischief was yet to be seen But when in the list of noble nale prefix--_Mrs_--and found it followed by _The Naht of the written words told Ji at this point to light a cigarette, he becaer in his carriage and that they were alone As he looked across towards the lady who had unwound her dark veil, he observed that she was herself sarette in her hand as with head turned froh theof the compartment
He saith a little start of pleasure what a delight she gave to the eye, tastefully dressed as she too was, in leaf brown froreen at buttons and he feathers, fell rather low over her wonderful hair, bronze in its reflections Indeed, the lady blended ith the November landscape, and as she apparently was not conscious of her companion, he enjoyed the harmonious note she made to the full
”What scope,” he mused, ”what scope they all have--and how prettily theyof beauty; with head half-drooping, and eyelash loved, and such a perfectly lovely hand! (It held the half-sht her a whim too debonnaire for a Parisian of the best world, and of _that_ she most distinctly was--Austrian more than likely Every woman has her history--only when she is part of several has she a past What had this woman so to meditate upon? She turned and he met her eyes
”You have naturally waited for esture of her bare hand ”And _I_ aiting till you should have finished your letters! I, too, have wanted to think”
Her familiar address, perfectly courteous and ht accent, was a surprise to her companion, who mechanically lifted his hat as he bowed to her across the narrow distance between their seats
”The guard,” she s the placard on the other ! But I think we are now quite sure to be alone!” She pointed to the seat opposite ”Sit there,” she more commanded than permitted, ”we can talk better and I can watch your kind face, which always looks as if you understood--and I shall be able to please you better--perhaps tothe place indicated without hesitation, and as he sat facing her, he saw her to be one of the most beautiful wo about her--and at the sao Where?
And how stupid of hiraph and remarked her as a celebrity whose type of looks had pleased him? But no, she knew hi was evident as well as the suggestion of soued
”Unkind?” he repeated vaguely ”But why should you think that? Please raciousness did not fall short of her own--”But why should you?”
”Oh, true,” she interrupted him, ”quite true There is no reason why--” and she esture--”yet every woed Never mind, however, don't think of me as a _person_--just let me talk to you frankly, be myself for once with soether and sat back in his corner
She was very lovely at it, this being herself Gallantry would not let him bluntly tell her that she had made a mistake A second h, for hiers Unless, indeed, he had otten it They had possibly held so-rooet her? She was neither a crook nor a ht be an adventuress; if so, she was an unusual one He glanced at her luggage as if it -case, bundle of furs, and rugs--new, everything new Her left hand was bare of rings, she clasped it with her gloved fellow and said warmly:
”I can't believe it possible that you came, actually ca has hitched or ed for me, and least of all I can believe that it should be _you_ who are so subli this”
”Ah--” But here Bulstrode tardily started up _He_ doing it all? At least if he was, then heelse--know! He s in the secret and with indulgent amusement at her an it with coesture softened the words
But the lady ainst her teeth, and threw up her head with an i his interpolation
”Don't, in pity's sake, talk like this,” she exclaimed ”_Mistake_?
Who under the blue heavens _doesn't_ make them--Certa! Haven't you, yourself, in spite of your moral, spotless life, haven't even _you_ entleman, on the sudden betrayed into a mental frankness of self-approval near to conceit, ”how does _she_ know ave hi tone ”to tell each other and every one of us what is or will be a mistake in his life? Where were everyone's eyes when I e was a hideous mistake? As for the rest of it” she turned away for a second towards the , and Bulstrode sa the hot blood had ed when after a ain She put out towards hi hand: ”_You_ above all ive me old platitudes!”
Bulstrode's head reeled He felt like a ht and real things grow strange He wanted to rub his eyes She appeared singularly to appreciate his daze
”It is as strange to me as it is to you, to find myself here with a man to whom I have never spoken before--to be under his protection, and to talk with him like this; and yet I have seen you so often, I have watched you in the distance, and long since I singled you out as the one --the one ive a sacred trust”