按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
thought of Mrs。 Moreen； desperate for sixty francs。
〃I shall become an homme fait。〃 And then as if he recognised all
the bearings of Pemberton's allusion： 〃I shall get on with them
better when you're not here。〃
〃Ah don't say that … it sounds as if I set you against them！〃
〃You do … the sight of you。 It's all right； you know what I mean。
I shall be beautiful。 I'll take their affairs in hand； I'll marry
my sisters。〃
〃You'll marry yourself！〃 joked Pemberton； as high； rather tense
pleasantry would evidently be the right； or the safest； tone for
their separation。
It was； however； not purely in this strain that Morgan suddenly
asked： 〃But I say … how will you get to your jolly job？ You'll
have to telegraph to the opulent youth for money to come on。〃
Pemberton bethought himself。 〃They won't like that； will they？〃
〃Oh look out for them！〃
Then Pemberton brought out his remedy。 〃I'll go to the American
Consul； I'll borrow some money of him … just for the few days； on
the strength of the telegram。〃
Morgan was hilarious。 〃Show him the telegram … then collar the
money and stay！〃
Pemberton entered into the joke sufficiently to reply that for
Morgan he was really capable of that； but the boy； growing more
serious； and to prove he hadn't meant what he said； not only
hurried him off to the Consulate … since he was to start that
evening； as he had wired to his friend … but made sure of their
affair by going with him。 They splashed through the tortuous
perforations and over the humpbacked bridges； and they passed
through the Piazza； where they saw Mr。 Moreen and Ulick go into a
jeweller's shop。 The Consul proved accommodating … Pemberton said
it wasn't the letter； but Morgan's grand air … and on their way
back they went into Saint Mark's for a hushed ten minutes。 Later
they took up and kept up the fun of it to the very end； and it
seemed to Pemberton a part of that fun that Mrs。 Moreen； who was
very angry when he had announced her his intention； should charge
him； grotesquely and vulgarly and in reference to the loan she had
vainly endeavoured to effect； with bolting lest they should 〃get
something out〃 of him。 On the other hand he had to do Mr。 Moreen
and Ulick the justice to recognise that when on coming in they
heard the cruel news they took it like perfect men of the world。
CHAPTER VIIII
When he got at work with the opulent youth； who was to be taken in
hand for Balliol； he found himself unable to say if this aspirant
had really such poor parts or if the appearance were only begotten
of his own long association with an intensely living little mind。
From Morgan he heard half a dozen times： the boy wrote charming
young letters； a patchwork of tongues； with indulgent postscripts
in the family Volapuk and； in little squares and rounds and
crannies of the text； the drollest illustrations … letters that he
was divided between the impulse to show his present charge as a
vain； a wasted incentive； and the sense of something in them that
publicity would profane。 The opulent youth went up in due course
and failed to pass； but it seemed to add to the presumption that
brilliancy was not expected of him all at once that his parents；
condoning the lapse； which they good…naturedly treated as little as
possible as if it were Pemberton's； should have sounded the rally
again； begged the young coach to renew the siege。
The young coach was now in a position to lend Mrs。 Moreen three
louis； and he sent her a post…office order even for a larger
amount。 In return for this favour he received a frantic scribbled
line from her： 〃Implore you to come back instantly … Morgan dread
fully ill。〃 They were on there rebound； once more in Paris … often
as Pemberton had seen them depressed he had never seen them crushed
… and communication was therefore rapid。 He wrote to the boy to
ascertain the state of his health； but awaited the answer in vain。
He accordingly； after three days； took an abrupt leave of the
opulent youth and； crossing the Channel； alighted at the small
hotel； in the quarter of the Champs Elysees； of which Mrs。 Moreen
had given him the address。 A deep if dumb dissatisfaction with
this lady and her companions bore him company： they couldn't be
vulgarly honest； but they could live at hotels； in velvety
entresols； amid a smell of burnt pastilles； surrounded by the most
expensive city in Europe。 When he had left them in Venice it was
with an irrepressible suspicion that something was going to happen；
but the only thing that could have taken place was again their
masterly retreat。 〃How is he？ where is he？〃 he asked of Mrs。
Moreen； but before she could speak these questions were answered by
the pressure round hid neck of a pair of arms； in shrunken sleeves；
which still were perfectly capable of an effusive young foreign
squeeze。
〃Dreadfully ill … I don't see it！〃 the young man cried。 And then
to Morgan： 〃Why on earth didn't you relieve me？ Why didn't you
answer my letter？〃
Mrs。 Moreen declared that when she wrote he was very bad； and
Pemberton learned at the same time from the boy that he had
answered every letter he had received。 This led to the clear
inference that Pemberton's note had been kept from him so that the
game practised should not be interfered with。 Mrs。 Moreen was
prepared to see the fact exposed； as Pemberton saw the moment he
faced her that she was prepared for a good many other things。 She
was prepared above all to maintain that she had acted from a sense
of duty； that she was enchanted she had got him over； whatever they
might say； and that it was useless of him to pretend he didn't know
in all his bones that his place at such a time was with Morgan。 He
had taken the boy away from them and now had no right to abandon
him。 He had created for himself the gravest responsibilities and
must at least abide by what he had done。
〃Taken him away from you？〃 Pemberton exclaimed indignantly。
〃Do it … do it for pity's sake； that's just what I want。 I can't
stand THIS … and such scenes。 They're awful frauds … poor dears！〃
These words broke from Morgan； who had intermitted his embrace； in
a key which made Pemberton turn quickly to him and see that he had
suddenly seated himself； was breathing in great pain； and was very
pale。
〃NOW do you say he's not in a state； my precious pet？〃 shouted his
mother； dropping on her knees before him with clasped hands； but
touching him no more than if he had been a gilded idol。 〃It will
pass … it's only for an instant； but don't say such dreadful
things！〃
〃I'm all right … all right；〃 Morgan panted to Pemberton； whom he
sat looking up at with a strange smile； his hands resting on either
side of the sofa。
〃Now do you pretend I've been dishonest； that I've deceived？〃 Mrs。
Moreen flashed at Pemberton as she got up。
〃It isn't HE says it； it's I！〃 the boy returned； appar