第14章

AlanandBarbarasatinMr。Champers-Haswell’sprivatesitting-roomwiththeawfuldecorations，andbeforethembythefireMr。Champers-

Haswellreclineduponhiscouch。Alaninafew，brief，soldier-likewordshadjustinformedhimofhisengagementtoBarbara。DuringtherecitalofthisinterestingfactBarbarasaidnothing，butMr。Haswellhadwhistledseveraltimes。Nowatlengthhespoke，inthattoneofforcedgenialitywhichhegenerallyadoptedtowardshiscousin。

“Youareaskingforthehandofaconsiderableheiress，Alanmyboy，“

hesaid，“butyouhaveneglectedtoinformmeofyourownposition。“

“Whereistheuseoftellingyouwhatyouknowalready，Mr。Haswell？I

haveleftthefirm，thereforeIhavepracticallynothing。“

“Youhavepracticallynothing，andyet——Well，inmyyoungdaysmenweremoredelicate，theydidnotlikebeingcalledfortune-hunters，butofcoursetimeshavechanged。“

AlanbithislipandBarbarasatupquitestraightinherchair，observingwhichindications，Mr。Haswellwentonhurriedly:

“Nowifyouhadstoppedinthefirmandearnedtheveryhandsomecompetenceinasmallwaywhichwouldhavebecomeduetoyouthisweek，insteadofthrowingusoveratthelastmomentforsomequixoticreasonsofyourown，itmighthavebeenadifferentmatter。Idonotsayitwouldhavebeen，Isayitmighthavebeen，andyoumayrememberaproverbaboutwinksandnodsandblindhorses。SoIaskyouwhetheryouareinclinedtowithdrawthatresignationofyoursandbringupthisquestionagainletussay，nextSunday？“

Alanthoughtawhilebeforeheanswered。AsheunderstoodMr。Haswellpracticallywaspromisingtoassenttotheengagementupontheseterms。Thetemptationwasenormouslygreat，thefiercestthathehadeverbeencalledupontoface。HelookedatBarbara。Shehadclosedhereyesandmadeabsolutelynosign。Forsomereasonofherownshehadelectedthatheshoulddeterminethisvitalpointwithouttheslightestassistancefromher。Anditmustbedeterminedatonce；

procrastinationwasimpossible。Foramomenthehesitated。OntheonesidewasBarbara，ontheotherhisconscience。Afterlongdoubtshehadcometoacertainconclusionwhichhequiteunderstoodtobeinconvenienttohispartners。Shouldhethrowitovernow？Shouldheeventrytomakeasureandcertainbargainasthepriceofhissurrender？Probablyhewouldnotsufferifhedid。Theflotationwasunderwrittenandboundtogothrough；thescandalwouldcomeafterwards，monthsoryearshence，longbeforewhichhemightgetout，asmostoftheothersmeanttodo。No，hecouldnot。Hisconsciencewastoomuchforhim。

“Idonotseeanyuseinreconsideringthatquestion，Mr。Haswell，“hesaidquietly；“wesettleditonFridaynight。“

Barbarareopenedherbrowneyesandstaredamiablyatthepaintedceiling，andMr。Haswellwhistled。

“ThenIamafraid，“hesaid，“thatIdonotseeanyuseindiscussingyourkindproposalformyniece’shand。Listen——Iwillbequiteopenwithyou。IhaveotherviewsforBarbara，andasithappensIhavethepowertoenforcethem，oratanyratetopreventtheirfrustrationbyyou。IfBarbaramarriesagainstmywillbeforesheisfiveandtwenty，thatiswithinthenexttwoyears，herentirefortune，withtheexceptionofapittance，goeselsewhere。ThisIamsureisafactthatwillinfluenceyou，whohavenothingandevenifitdidnot，Ipresumethatyouarescarcelysoselfishastowishtobeggarher。“

“No，“answeredAlan，“youneednotfearthat，foritwouldbewrong。I

understandthatyouabsolutelyrefusetosanctionmysuitonthegroundofmypoverty，whichunderthecircumstancesisperhapsnotwonderful。Well，theonlythingtodoistowaitfortwoyears，alongtime，butnotendless，andmeanwhileIcantrytobettermyposition。“

“Dowhatyouwill，Alan，“saidMr。Haswellharshly，fornowallhis/fauxbonhomme/mannerhadgone，leavinghimrevealedinhistruecharacterofanunscrupuloustradesmanwithdarkendsofhisowntoserve。“Dowhatyouwill，butunderstandthatIforbidallcommunicationbetweenyouandmyniece，andthatthesooneryouceasetotrespassuponahospitalitywhichyouhaveabused，thebetterI

shallbepleased。“

“Iwillgoatonce，“saidAlan，rising，“beforemytempergetsthebetterofmeandItellyousometruthsthatImightregret，forafterallyouareBarbara’suncle。ButonyourpartIaskyoutounderstandthatIrefusetocutofffrommycousin，whoisoffullageandhaspromisedtobemywife，“andheturnedtogo。

“Stopaminute，Alan，“saidBarbara，whoallthiswhilehadsatsilent。“IhavesomethingtosaywhichIwishyoutohear。Youtoldusjustnow，uncle，thatyouhaveotherviewsforme，bywhichyoumeantthatyouwishmetomarrySirRobertAylward，whom，asyouareprobablyaware，Irefuseddefinitelythisafternoon。NowIwishtomakeitclearatoncethatnoearthlypowerwillinducemetotakeasahusbandamanwhomIdislike，andwhosewealth，ofwhichyouthinksomuch，hasinmyopinionbeendishonestlyacquired。“

“Whatareyousaying？“brokeinherunclefuriously。“Hehasbeenmypartnerforyears，youarereflectinguponme。“

“Iamsorry，uncle，butIwithdrawnothing。EvenifAlanhereweredead，Iwouldnotmarrythatman，andperhapsyouwillmakehimunderstandthis，“sheaddedwithemphasis。“IndeedIhadsoonerdiemyself。YoutoldusalsothatifImarryagainstyourwill，youcantakeawayallthepropertythatmyfatherlefttome。Uncle，Ishallnotgiveyouthatsatisfaction。IshallwaituntilIamtwenty-fiveanddowhatIpleasewithmyselfandmyfortune。Lastly，yousaidthatyouforbadeustoseeeachotherortocorrespond。IanswerthatI

shallbothwritetoandseeAlanasoftenasIlike。Ifyouattempttopreventmefromdoingso，IshallgototheCourtofChancery，layallthefactsbeforeit，asIhavebeenadvisedthatIcando——notbyAlan——pleaseremember，/all/thefacts，andaskforitsprotectionandforaseparatemaintenanceoutofmyestateuntilIamtwenty-five。IamsurethattheCourtwouldgrantmethisandwoulddeclarethatconsideringhisdistinguishedfamilyandrecordAlanisaperfectlyproperpersontobemyaffiancedhusband。IthinkthatisallIhavetosay。“

“Allyouhavetosay！“gaspedMr。Haswell，“allyouhavetosay，youimpertinentandungratefulminx！“Thenhefellintoafuriousfitofrageandinlanguagethatneednotberepeated，pouredastreamofthreatsandabuseuponAlanandherself。Barbarawaiteduntilheceasedfromexhaustion。

“Uncle，“shesaid，“youshouldrememberthatyourheartisweakandyoumustnotoverexciteyourself，alsowhenyouarecalmer，thatifyouspeaktomelikethatagain，IshallgototheCourtatonce，forIwillnotbeswornatbyyouorbyanyotherman。Iapologizetoyou，Alan；IamafraidIhavebroughtyouintostrangecompany。Come，mydear，wewillgoandorderyourdogcart，“andputtingherarmaffectionatelythroughhis，shewentwithhimfromtheroom。

“Iwonderwhoputheruptoallthis？“gaspedHaswell，asthedoorclosedbehindthem。“Someinfernallawyer，I’llbebound。Well，shehasgotthewhiphandofme，andIcan’tfaceaninvestigationinChancery，especiallyastheonlythingagainstVernonisthatthevalueofhislandhasfallen。ButIswearthatsheshallnevermarryhimwhileIlive，“heendedinakindofshoutandthedomedandpaintedceilingechoedbackhiswords——“/whileIlive/“afterwhichtheroomwassilent，savefortheheavythumpingofhisheart。

WhenAlanreachedhomethatnightafterhisten-miledrivehesentJeekietotellthehousekeepertofindhimsomefood。InhismysteriousAfricanfashionthenegrohadalreadycollectedmuchintelligenceastotheeventsoftheday，mostlyintheservants’

hall，andmoreparticularlyfromthetwogolf-caddies，sonsofoneofthegardeners，whoitseemedinsteadofretiringwiththeclubs，hadtakenshelterinsometallwhinsandthencefollowedtheinterviewbetweenBarbaraandSirRobertwiththeintensestinterest。Reflectingthatthiswasnotthetimetosatisfyhisburningcuriosity，Jeekiewentandinduecoursereturnedwithsomecoldmuttonandabottleofclaret。Thencamehischance，forAlancouldscarcelytouchthemuttonanddemandedtoastandbutter。

“Veryinferiorchop“——thatwashisWestAfricanwordforfood——“foragentleman，Major，“hesaid，shakinghiswhiteheadsympatheticallyandpointingtothemutton，——“speciallywhenhehasunexpectedlydepartedfrommagnificenteatingofTheCourt。Whydidyounotwaittillafterdinner，Major，beforeretiring？“

Alanlaughedattheman’sinflatedEnglish，andansweredinamorenervousandcolloquialstyle:

“BecauseIwaskickedout，Jeekie。“

“Ah！Igatheredthatkickingwasinthewind，Major。SirRobertAylward，Bart。，healsowaskickedout，butbysmallertoe。“

AgainAlanlaughedand，asitwasarelieftotalkeventoJeekie，askedhim:

“Howdoyouknowthat？“

“Igathereditoutofatmosphere，Major；fromSirRobert’sgentleman，fromtwoyouthswhowatchSirRobertandMissBarbaratalkingupongolfgreenNo。9，fromthemachinedriverofSirRobertwhoseeyeshedamninpublic，andlastbutnotleastfromhisownnoblecountenance。“

“Iseethatyouareobservant，Jeekie。“

“Observation，Major，itisartoflife。IseeMissBarbara’seyesredlikemorningskyandIdeduct。Iseeyoushotoutandgloomylikeeveningcloud，andIdeduct。IlistenatdoorofMr。Haswell’sroom，I

hearhimcurseandswearlikeholysaintinBook，andyouandMissBarbaraanswerhimnotlikesaint，thoughwhatyouspeakIcannothear，andIdeduct。Jeekiedeductthis——thatyoumakelovetoMissBarbarainpropergentlemanlike，’nogamous，ChristianfashionsuchasyourlateReverendUncleapprove，andMissBarbara，shemakelovetoyouwithtenpercent。compoundinterest，butoldgentwithwhistle，he/not/approve；hesay，’Wherecorrespondingcash！’Hesay’NobleSirRoberthavemuchcashandinterestedinidenticalbusiness。I

preferSirRobert。Getout，youCashless。’OftenIseethissamethingwhenboyinWestAfrica，verycommonwhereversunshine。InoteallthesemattersandIdeduct——thatJeekie’swayandJeekieseldomwrong。“

Alanlaughedforthethirdtime，untilthetearsrandownhisfaceindeed。