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！
〃Of course I can。〃 He felt larger and more protective than ever。 〃Put
your arms round my neck；〃 he ordered。 She did so and； stooping； he
picked her up under the knees and lifted her from the ground。 Good
heavens； what a weight！ He took five staggering steps up the slope； then
almost lost his equilibrium； and had to deposit his burden suddenly； with
something of a bump。
Anne was shaking with laughter。 〃I said You couldn't； my poor
Denis。〃
〃I can；〃 said Denis； without conviction。 〃I'll try again。〃
〃It's perfectly sweet of you to offer； but I'd rather walk； thanks。〃 She
laid her hand on his shoulder and； thus supported； began to limp slowly up
the hill。
〃My poor Denis！〃 she repeated； and laughed again。 Humiliated； he
was silent。 It seemed incredible that； only two minutes ago； he should
have been holding her in his embrace； kissing her。 Incredible。 She was
helpless then； a child。 Now she had regained all her superiority； she was
once more the far…off being； desired and unassailable。 Why had he been
such a fool as to suggest that carrying stunt？ He reached the house in a
91
… Page 92…
CROME YELLOW
state of the profoundest depression。
He helped Anne upstairs； left her in the hands of a maid； and came
down again to the drawing…room。 He was surprised to find them all
sitting just where he had left them。 He had expected that； somehow；
everything would be quite differentit seemed such a prodigious time
since he went away。 All silent and all damned； he reflected； as he looked
at them。 Mr。 Scogan's pipe still wheezed； that was the only sound。
Henry Wimbush was still deep in his account books； he had just made the
discovery that Sir Ferdinando was in the habit of eating oysters the whole
summer through； regardless of the absence of the justifying R。 Gombauld；
in horn…rimmed spectacles； was reading。 Jenny was mysteriously
scribbling in her red notebook。 And； seated in her favourite arm…chair at
the corner of the hearth； Priscilla was looking through a pile of drawings。
One by one she held them out at arm's length and； throwing back her
mountainous orange head； looked long and attentively through half…closed
eyelids。 She wore a pale sea…green dress； on the slope of her mauve…
powdered decolletage diamonds twinkled。 An immensely long cigarette…
holder projected at an angle from her face。 Diamonds were embedded in
her high…piled coiffure； they glittered every time she moved。 It was a
batch of Ivor's drawingssketches of Spirit Life； made in the course of
tranced tours through the other world。 On the back of each sheet
descriptive titles were written： 〃Portrait of an Angel； 15th March '20；〃
〃Astral Beings at Play； 3rd December '19；〃 〃A Party of Souls on their
Way to a Higher Sphere； 21st May '21。〃 Before examining the drawing
on the obverse of each sheet； she turned it over to read the title。 Try as she
couldand she tried hardPriscilla had never seen a vision or succeeded
in establishing any communication with the Spirit World。 She had to be
content with the reported experiences of others。
〃What have you done with the rest of your party？〃 she asked； looking
up as Denis entered the room。
He explained。 Anne had gone to bed； Ivor and Mary were still in the
garden。 He selected a book and a comfortable chair； and tried； as far as
the disturbed state of his mind would permit him； to compose himself for
an evening's reading。 The lamplight was utterly serene； there was no
92
… Page 93…
CROME YELLOW
movement save the stir of Priscilla among her papers。 All silent and all
damned； Denis repeated to himself； all silent and all damned。。。
It was nearly an hour later when Ivor and Mary made their appearance。
〃We waited to see the moon rise；〃 said Ivor。
〃It was gibbous； you know；〃 Mary explained； very technical and
scientific。
〃It was so beautiful down in the garden！ The trees； the scent of the
flowers； the stars。。。〃 Ivor waved his arms。 〃And when the moon came
up； it was really too much。 It made me burst into tears。〃 He sat down at
the piano and opened the lid。
〃There were a great many meteorites；〃 said Mary to anyone who
would listen。 〃The earth must just be coming into the summer shower of
them。 In July and August。。。〃
But Ivor had already begun to strike the keys。 He played the garden；
the stars； the scent of flowers； the rising moon。 He even put in a
nightingale that was not there。 Mary looked on and listened with parted
lips。 The others pursued their occupations； without appearing to be
seriously disturbed。 On this very July day； exactly three hundred and
fifty years ago； Sir Ferdinando had eaten seven dozen oysters。 The
discovery of this fact gave Henry Wimbush a peculiar pleasure。 He had a
natural piety which made him delight in the celebration of memorial feasts。
The three hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the seven dozen oysters。。。He
wished he had known before dinner； he would have ordered champagne。
On her way to bed Mary paid a call。 The light was out in Anne's
room； but she was not yet asleep。
〃Why didn't you come down to the garden with us？〃 Mary asked。
〃I fell down and twisted my ankle。 Denis helped me home。〃
Mary was full of sympathy。 Inwardly； too； she was relieved to find
Anne's non…appearance so simply accounted for。 She had been vaguely
suspicious； down there in the gardensuspicious of what； she hardly knew；
but there had seemed to be something a little louche in the way she had
suddenly found herself alone with Ivor。 Not that she minded； of course； far
from it。 But she didn't like the idea that perhaps she was the victim of a
put…up job。
93
… Page 94…
CROME YELLOW
〃I do hope you'll be b