第12章
thoughtthatitbroughtusluck，swimacrossthefloorofourroomandlookfirstintoyourfaceandthenintomine。Well，thenextnightthatnegrotellshisstory。WhatamItomakeofit？“
“Can’ttellyou，“answeredMr。Champers-Haswellwithagroan。“AllI
knowisthatitnearlymadeacorpseofme。Iamnotlikeyou，Aylward，IwasbroughtupasanEvangelical，andalthoughIhaven’tgivenmuchthoughttothesemattersoflateyears——well，wedon’tshakethemoffinahurry。Idaresaythereissomethingsomewhere，andwhentheblackmanwasspeaking，thatsomethingseemeduncommonlynear。Itgotupandgrippedmebythethroat，shakingthemortalbreathoutofme，anduponmyword，Aylward，IhavebeenwishingallthemorningthatIhadledadifferentkindoflife，asmyoldparentsandmybrotherJohn，Barbara’sfather，whowasaveryreligiouskindofman，didbeforeme。“
“Itisratherlatetothinkofallthatnow，Haswell，“saidSirRobert，shrugginghisshoulders。“Onetakesone’slineandthere’sanend。PersonallyIbelievethatweareoverstrainedwiththefearfulandanxiousworkofthisflotation，andhavebeenthevictimsofanhallucinationandacoincidence。AlthoughIconfessthatIcametolookuponthethingasakindofmascot，Iputnotrustinanyfetish。
Howcanabitofgoldmove，andhowcanitknowthefuture？Well，I
havewrittentothemtoclearitoutoftheofficeto-morrow，soitwon’ttroubleusanymore。AndnowIhavecometospeaktoyouonanothermatter。“
“Notbusiness，“saidMr。Haswellwithasigh。“WehavethatalltheweekandtherewillbeenoughofitonMonday。“
“No，“heanswered，“somethingmoreimportant。AboutyournieceBarbara。“
Mr。Haswellglancedathimwiththoselittleeyesofhiswhichweresosharpthattheyseemedtoborelikegimlets。
“Barbara？“hesaid。“WhatofBarbara？“
“Can’tyouguess，Haswell？Youareprettygoodatit，generally。Well，itisnousebeatingaboutthebush；Iwanttomarryher。“
Atthissuddenannouncementhispartnerbecameexceedinglyinterested。
Leaningbackinthechairhestaredatthedecoratedceiling，andutteredhisfavouritewind-in-the-wireswhistle。
“Indeed，“hesaid。“Ineverknewthatmatrimonywasinyourline，Aylward，anymorethanithasbeeninmine，especiallyasyouarealwayspreachingagainstit。Well，hastheyoungladygivenherconsent？“
“No，Ihavenotspokentoher。Imeanttodosothismorning，butshehasslippedoffsomewhere，withVernon，Isuppose。“
Mr。Haswellwhistledagain，butonanewnote。
“Praydostopthatnoise，“saidSirRobert；“itgetsuponmynerves，whichareshakythismorning。Listen:Itisacuriousthing，onelesstobeunderstoodeventhanthecoincidenceoftheYellowGod，butatmypresentageofforty-four，forthefirsttimeinmylifeIhavecommittedthefollyofwhatiscalledfallinginlove。Itisnotthecaseofasuccessful，middle-agedmanwishingto/ranger/himselfandsettledownwithadesirable/partie/，butofsheer，starkinfatuation。IadoreBarbara；theworseshetreatsmethemoreIadoreher。IhadratherthattheSaharaflotationshouldfailthanthatsheshouldrefuseme。Iwouldratherlosethree-quartersofmyfortunethanloseher。Doyouunderstand？“
Hispartnerlookedathim，purseduphislipstowhistle，thenrememberedandshookhisheadinstead。
“No，“heanswered。“Barbaraisanicegirl，butIshouldnothaveimaginedhercapableofinspiringsuchsentimentsinamanalmostoldenoughtobeherfather。Ithinkthatyouarethevictimofakindofmania，whichIhaveheardofbutneverexperienced。Venus——orisitCupid？——hasnettedyou，mydearAylward。“
“Oh！prayleavegodsandgoddessesoutofit，wehavehadenoughofthemalready，“heanswered，exasperated。“Thatismycaseatanyrate，andwhatIwanttoknownowisifIhaveyoursupportinmysuit。
Remember，Ihavesomethingtooffer，Haswell，forinstance，alargefortuneofwhichIwillsettlehalf——itisagoodthingtodoinourbusiness，——andabaronetcythatwillbeapeeragebeforelong。“
“Apeerage！Haveyousquaredthat？“
“Ithinkso。TherewillbeaGeneralElectionwithinthenextthreemonths，andonsuchoccasionsacoupleofhundredthousandincoolcashcomeinusefultoaPartythatisshortofreadymoney。IthinkI
maysaythatitissettled。ShewillbetheLadyAylward，oranyothernameshemayfancy，andoneoftherichestwomeninEngland。NowhaveIyoursupport？“
“Yes，mydearfriend，whynot，thoughBarbaradoesnotwantmoney，forshehasplentyofherown，infirst-classsecuritiesthatIcouldneverpersuadehertovary，forsheisshrewdinthatwayandsteadilyrefusestosignanything。Alsoshewillprobablybemyheiress——and，Aylward，“hereasicklylookofalarmspreaditselfoverhisface，“I
don’tknowhowlongIhavetolive。Thatinfernaldoctorexaminedmyheartthismorningandtoldmethatitwasweak。Weakwashisword，butfromthetoneinwhichhesaidit，Ibelievethathemeantmore。
Aylward，IgatherthatImaydieanyday。“
“Nonsense，Haswell，somayweall，“hereplied，withanaffectationofcheerfulnesswhichfailedtocarryconviction。
PresentlyMr。Haswell，whohadhiddenhisfaceinhishand，lookedupwithasighandsaid:
“Oh！yes，ofcourseyouhavemysupport，forafterallsheismyonlyrelationandIshouldbegladtoseehersafelymarried。Also，asithappens，shecan’tmarryanyonewithoutmyconsent，atanyrateuntilsheisfiveandtwenty，forifshedoes，underherfather’swillallherpropertygoesaway，mostofittocharities，exceptabeggarly￡200ayear。YouseemybrotherJohnhadagreathorrorofimprudentmarriagesandastillgreaterbeliefinme，whichasitchances，isagoodthingforyou。“
“Hadhe？“saidSirRobert。“Andpraywhyisitagoodthingforme？“
“Because，mydearAylward，unlessmyobservationisatfault，thereisanotherRichardinthefield，ourlatepartner，Vernon，ofwhom，bytheway，Barbaraisextremelyfond，thoughitmayonlybeinafriendlyfashion。Atanyrateshepaysmoreattentiontohiswishesandopinionsthantomineandyoursputtogether。“
AtthementionofAlan’snameAylwardstartedviolently。
“Ifearedit，“hesaid，“andheismorethantenyearsmyjuniorandasoldier，notamanofbusiness。Alsothereisnousedisguisingthetruth，althoughIamabaronetandshallbeapeerandheisnothingbutabeggarlycountrygentlemanwithaD。S。O。tackedontohisname，hebelongstoadifferentclasstous，asshedoestooonhermother’sside。Well，Icansmashhimup，foryourememberItookoverthatmortgageonYarleys，andI’lldoitifnecessary。Practicallyourfriendhasnotashillingthathecancallhisown。Therefore，Haswell，unlessyouplaymefalse，whichIdon’tthinkyouwill，forI
canbeanastyenemy，“headdedwithathreatinhisvoice，“AlanVernonhasn’tmuchchanceinthatdirection。“
“Idon’tknow，Aylward，Idon’tknow，“repliedHaswell，shakinghiswhitehead。“Barbaraisastrong-willedwomanandshemightchoosetotakethemanandletthemoneygo，andthen——whocanstopher？AlsoI
don’tlikeyourideaofsmashingVernon。Itisn’tright，anditmaycomebackonourownheads，especiallyyours。Iamsorrythathehasleftus，asyouwereonFridaynight，forsomehowhewasagood，honeststicktoleanon，andwewantsuchastick。ButIamtirednow，Ireallycan’ttalkanymore。Thedoctorwarnedmeagainstexcitement。
Getthegirl’sconsent，Aylward，andwe’llsee。Ah！herecomesmysoup。Good-byeforthepresent。“
WhenSirRobertcamedowntoluncheonhefoundBarbaralookingparticularlyradiantandcharming，alreadypresidingatthatmealandconversinginherbestFrenchtotheforeigngentlemen，whowerepayinghercompliments。
“Forgivemeforbeinglate，“hesaid；“firstofallIhavebeentalkingtoyouruncle，andafterwardsskimmingthroughthearticlesinyesterday’spapersonourlittleventurewhichcomesoutto-morrow。A
cheerfuloccupationonthewhole，forwithoneortwoexceptionstheyareallfavourable。“
“MonDieu，“saidtheFrenchgentlemenontheright，“seeingwhattheydidcost，thatisnotstrange。YourEnglishpaperstheyaresoexpensive；inPariswehavedoneitforhalfthemoney。“
Barbaraandsomeoftheguestslaughedoutright，findingthisfranknesscharming。
“Butwherehaveyoubeen，MissChampers？Ithoughtthatweweregoingtohavearoundofgolftogether。Thecaddieswerethere，Iwasthere，thegreenshadbeenspeciallyrolledthismorning，buttherewasnoYou。“
“No，“sheanswered，“becauseMajorVernonandIwalkedtochurchandheardaverygoodsermonupontheobservanceoftheSabbath。“
“Youaresevere，“hesaid。“DoyouthinkitwrongformenwhoworkhardalltheweektoplayaharmlessgameonSunday？“
“Notatall，SirRobert。“Thenshelookedathimand，comingtoasuddendecision，added，“IfyoulikeIwillplayyounineholesthisafternoonandgiveyouastrokeahole，orwouldyoupreferafoursome？“
“No，letusfightaloneandletthebestplayerwin。“
“Verywell，SirRobert；butyoumustn’tforgetthatIamhandicapped。“
“Don’tlookangry，“shewhisperedtoAlanastheystrolledoutintothegardenafterlunch，“Imustclearthingsupandknowwhatwehavetoface。I’llbebackbytea-time，andwewillhaveitoutwithmyuncle。“