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！
doubly careful not to compromise him； especially at a time like
this。〃
Mrs。 Noel smiled。 This smile startled Lady Casterley； it seemed； by
concealing everything； to reveal depths of strength and subtlety。
Would the woman never show her hand？ And she said abruptly：
〃Anything serious； of course； is out of the question。〃
〃Quite。〃
That word； which of all others seemed the right one； was spoken so
that Lady Casterley did not know in the least what it meant。 Though
occasionally employing irony； she detested it in others。 No woman
should be allowed to use it as a weapon！ But in these days； when
they were so foolish as to want votes； one never knew what women
would be at。 This particular woman； however； did not look like one
of that sort。 She was femininevery femininethe sort of creature
that spoiled men by being too nice to them。 And though she had come
determined to find out all about everything and put an end to it； she
saw Barbara re…entering the wicket gate with considerable relief。
〃I am ready to walk home now；〃 she said。 And getting up from the
rustic seat； she made Mrs。 Noel a satirical little bow。
〃Thank you for letting me rest。 Give me your arm； child。〃
Barbara gave her arm； and over her shoulder threw a swift smile at
Mrs。 Noel； who did not answer it； but stood looking quietly after
them； her eyes immensely dark and large。
Out in the lane Lady Casterley walked on； very silent； digesting her
emotions。
〃What about the 'fly；' Granny？〃
〃What 'fly'？〃
〃The one you told me to order。〃
〃You don't mean to say that you took me seriously？〃
〃No；〃 said Barbara；。
〃Ha！〃
They proceeded some little way farther before Lady Casterley said
suddenly：
〃She is deep。〃
〃And dark；〃 said Barbara。 〃I am afraid you were not good！〃
Lady Casterley glanced upwards。
〃I detest this habit；〃 she said； 〃amongst you young people； of taking
nothing seriously。 Not even bulls；〃 she added； with a grim smile。
Barbara threw back her head and sighed。
〃Nor 'flys；'〃 she said。
Lady Casterley saw that she had closed her eyes and opened her lips。
And she thought：
〃She's a very beautiful girl。 I had no idea she was so beautiful
but too big！〃 And she added aloud：
〃Shut your mouth！ You will get one down！〃
They spoke no more till they had entered the avenue； then Lady
Casterley said sharply：
〃Who is this coming down the drive？〃
〃Mr。 Courtier； I think。〃
〃What does he mean by it； with that leg？〃
〃He is coming to talk to you； Granny。〃
Lady Casterley stopped short。
〃You are a cat；〃 she said； 〃a sly cat。 Now mind； Babs； I won't have
it！〃
〃No； darling；〃 murmured Barbara； 〃you shan't have itI'll take him
off your hands。〃
〃What does your mother mean；〃 stammered Lady Casterley； 〃letting you
grow up like this！ You're as bad as she was at your age！〃
〃Worse！〃 said Barbara。 〃I dreamed last night that I could fly！〃
〃If you try that；〃 said Lady Casterley grimly； 〃you'll soon come to
grief。 Good…morning； sir； you ought to be in bed！〃
Courtier raised his hat。
〃Surely it is not for me to be where you are not！〃 And he added
gloomily： 〃The war scare's dead！〃
〃Ah！〃 said Lady Casterley： 〃your occupation's gone then。 You'll go
back to London now； I suppose。〃 Looking suddenly at Barbara she saw
that the girl's eyes were half…closed； and that she was smiling； it
seemed to Lady Casterley too or was it fancy？that she shook her
head。
CHAPTER XIII
Thanks to Lady Valleys； a patroness of birds； no owl was ever shot on
the Monkland Court estate； and those soft…flying spirits of the dusk
hooted and hunted； to the great benefit of all except the creeping
voles。 By every farm； cottage； and field； they passed invisible；
quartering the dark air。 Their voyages of discovery stretched up on
to the moor as far as the wild stone man； whose origin their wisdom
perhaps knew。 Round Audrey Noel's cottage they were as thick as
thieves； for they had just there two habitations in a long； old；
holly…grown wall； and almost seemed to be guarding the mistress of
that thatched dwellingso numerous were their fluttering rushes； so
tenderly prolonged their soft sentinel callings。 Now that the
weather was really warm； so that joy of life was in the voles； they
found those succulent creatures of an extraordinarily pleasant
flavour； and on them each pair was bringing up a family of
exceptionally fine little owls； very solemn； with big heads； bright
large eyes； and wings as yet only able to fly downwards。 There was
scarcely any hour from noon of the day （for some of them had horns）
to the small sweet hours when no one heard them； that they forgot to
salute the very large； quiet； wingless owl whom they could espy
moving about by day above their mouse…runs； or preening her white and
sometimes blue and sometimes grey feathers morning and evening in a
large square hole high up in the front wall。 And they could not
understand at all why no swift depredating graces nor any habit of
long soft hooting belonged to that lady…bird。
On the evening of the day when she received that early morning call；
as soon as dusk had fallen； wrapped in a long thin cloak； with black
lace over her dark hair； Audrey Noel herself fluttered out into the
lanes； as if to join the grave winged hunters of the invisible night。
Those far； continual sounds； not stilled in the country till long
after the sun dies； had but just ceased from haunting the air； where
the late May…scent clung as close as fragrance clings to a woman's
robe。 There was just the barking of a dog； the boom of migrating
chafers； the song of the stream； and of the owls； to proclaim the
beating in the heart of this sweet Night。 Nor was there any light by
which Night's face could be seen； it was hidden； anonymous； so that
when a lamp in a cottage threw a blink over the opposite bank； it was
as if some wandering painter had wrought a picture of stones and
leaves on the black air； framed it in purple； and left it hanging。
Yet； if it could only have been come at； the Night was as full of
emotion as this woman who wandered； shrinking away against the banks
if anyone passed； stopping to cool her hot face with the dew on the
ferns； walking swiftly to console her warm heart。 Anonymous Night
seeking for a symbol could have found none better than this errant
figure； to express its hidden longings； the fluttering； unseen rushes
of its dark wings； and all its secret passion of revolt against its
own anonymity。。。。
At Monkland Court； save for little Ann； the morning passed but
dumbly； everyone feeling that something must be done； and no one
knowing what。 At lunch； the only allusion to the situation had been
Harbinger's inquiry：
〃When does Miltoun return？〃
He had wired； it seemed； to say that he was motoring down that night。
〃The sooner the better；〃 Sir William murmured： 〃we've still a
fortnight。〃
But all had felt from the tone in which he spoke these words； how
serious was the position in the eyes of that experienced campaigner。
What with the collapse of the war scare； and this canard about Mrs。
Noel； there was indeed cause for alarm。
The afternoon post brought a lette