第7章

ThenyoungGarvell，givingwaybeforemyslogging，stumbledandfelloverabigflint，andI，stillfollowingthetraditionofmyclassandschool，promptlyflungmyselfonhimtofinishhim。Wewerebusywitheachotheronthegroundwhenwebecameawareofadreadfulinterruption。

“Shutup，youFOOL！”saidArchie。

“Oh，LadyDrew！”IheardBeatricecry。“They’refighting！

They’refightingsomethingawful！”

Ilookedovermyshoulder。Archie’swishtogetupbecameirresistible，andmyresolvetogoonwithhimvanishedaltogether。

Ibecameawareofthetwooldladies，presencesofblackandpurplesilkandfurandshiningdarkthings；theyhadwalkedupthroughtheWarren，whilethehorsestookthehilleasily，andsohadcomeuponus。Beatricehadgonetothematoncewithanairoftakingrefuge，andstoodbesideandalittlebehindthem。Webothrosedejectedly。Thetwooldladieswereevidentlyquitedreadfullyshocked，andpeeringatuswiththeirpooroldeyes；

andneverhadIseensuchatremblementinLadyDrew’slorgnettes。

“You’veneverbeenfighting？“saidLadyDrew。

“Youhavebeenfighting。”

“Itwasn’tproperfighting。”snappedArchie，withaccusingeyesonme。

“It’sMrs。Ponderevo’sGeorge！”saidMissSomerville，soaddingaconvictionforingratitudetomyevidentsacrilege。

“HowcouldheDARE？”criedLadyDrew，becomingveryawful。

“Hebroketherules“saidArchie，sobbingforbreath。“I

slipped，and——hehitmewhileIwasdown。Hekneltonme。”

“HowcouldyouDARE？”saidLadyDrew。

Iproducedanexperiencedhandkerchiefrolledupintoatightball，andwipedthebloodfrommychin，butIofferednoexplanationofmydaring。Amongotherthingsthatpreventedthat，Iwastooshortofbreath。

“Hedidn’tfightfair。”sobbedArchie。

Beatrice，frombehindtheoldladies，regardedmeintentlyandwithouthostility。Iaminclinedtothinkthemodificationofmyfacethroughthedamagetomylipinterestedher。ItbecamedimlyapparenttomyconfusedintelligencethatImustnotsaythesetwohadbeenplayingwithme。Thatwouldnotbeaftertherulesoftheirgame。Iresolvedinthisdifficultsituationuponasulkysilence，andtotakewhateverconsequencesmightfollow。

ThepowersofjusticeinBladesovermadeanextraordinarymessofmycase。

IhaveregretfullytoadmitthattheHonourableBeatriceNormandydid，attheageoften，betrayme，abandonme，andliemostabominablyaboutme。Shewas，asamatteroffact，panic-strickenaboutme，consciencestrickentoo；sheboltedfromtheverythoughtofmybeingheraffiancedloverandsoforth，fromthefaintestmemoryofkissing；shewasindeedaltogetherdisgracefulandhumaninherbetrayal。Sheandherhalf-brotherliedinperfectconcord，andIwaspresentedasawantonassailantofmysocialbetters。TheywerewaitingaboutintheWarren，whenIcameupandspoketothem，etc。

Onthewhole，InowperceiveLadyDrew’sdecisionswere，inthelightoftheevidence，reasonableandmerciful。

Theywereconveyedtomebymymother，whowas，Ireallybelieve，evenmoreshockedbythegrossnessofmysocialinsubordinationthanLadyDrew。Shedilatedonherladyship’skindnessestome，ontheeffronteryandwickednessofmyprocedure，andsocameatlasttothetermsofmypenance。“YoumustgouptoyoungMr。

Garvell，andbeghispardon。”

“Iwon’tbeghispardon。”Isaid，speakingforthefirsttime。

Mymotherpaused，incredulous。

Ifoldedmyarmsonhertable-cloth，anddeliveredmywickedlittleultimatum。“Iwon’tbeghispardonnohow。”Isaid。

“See？”

“ThenyouwillhavetogoofftoyouruncleFrappatChatham。”

“Idon’tcarewhereIhavetogoorwhatIhavetodo，Iwon’tbeghispardon。”Isaid。

AndIdidn’t。

AfterthatIwasoneagainsttheworld。Perhapsinmymother’shearttherelurkedsomepityforme，butshedidnotshowit。

Shetookthesideoftheyounggentleman；shetriedhard，shetriedveryhard，tomakemesayIwassorryIhadstruckhim。

Sorry！

Icouldn’texplain。

SoIwentintoexileinthedog-carttoRedwoodstation，withJukesthecoachman，coldlysilent，drivingme，andallmypersonalbelongingsinasmallAmericanclothportmanteaubehind。

IfeltIhadmuchtoembitterme；thegamehadandthebeginningsoffairnessbyanystandardsIknew。ButthethingthatembitteredmemostwasthattheHonourableBeatriceNormandyshouldhaverepudiatedandfledfrommeasthoughIwassomesortofleper，andnotevenhavetakenachanceorso，togivemeagood-bye。Shemighthavedonethatanyhow！SupposingIhadtoldonher！Butthesonofaservantcountsasaservant。Shehadforgottenandnowremembered。

IsolacedmyselfwithsomeextraordinarydreamofcomingbacktoBladesover，stern，powerful，afterthefashionofCoriolanus。I

donotrecallthedetails，butIhavenodoubtIdisplayedgreatmagnanimity。

Well，anyhowIneversaidIwassorryforpoundingyoungGarvell，andIamnotsorrytothisday。

WhenIwasthusbanishedfromBladesoverHouse，asitwasthenthoughtforgoodandall，Iwassentbymymotherinavindictivespirit，firsttohercousinNicodemusFrapp，andthen，asafullyindenturedapprentice，tomyunclePonderevo。

IranawayfromthecareofmycousinNicodemusbacktoBladesoverHouse。

MycousinNicodemusFrappwasabakerinabackstreet——aslumrather——justoffthatmiserablenarrowmeanhighroadthatthreadsthoseexquisitebeads，RochesterandChatham。Hewas，I

mustadmit，ashocktome，muchdominatedbyayoung，plump，prolific，malingeringwife；abent，slow-moving，unwillingdarkmanwithflourinhishairandeyelashes，inthelinesofhisfaceandtheseamsofhiscoat。I’veneverhadachancetocorrectmyearlyimpressionofhim，andhestillremainsanalmostdreadfulmemory，asortofcaricatureofincompetentsimplicity。AsIrememberhim，indeed，hepresentedtheserviletraditionperfected。Hehadnoprideinhisperson；fineclothesanddressingupwasn’t“forthelikesof“him，sothathegothiswife，whowasnoartistatit，tocuthisblackhairatirregularintervals，andlethisnailsbecomedisagreeabletothefastidiouseye；hehadnoprideinhisbusinessnoranyinitiative；hisonlyvirtueswerenotdoingcertainthingsandhardwork。“Youruncle。”saidmymother——allgrown-upcousinswereunclesbycourtesyamongtheVictorianmiddle-class——“isn’tmuchtolookatortalkto，buthe’saGoodHard-WorkingMan。”

Therewasasortofbasehonourablenessabouttoil，howeverneedless，inthatsystemofinversion。Anotherpointofhonourwastoriseatorbeforedawn，andthenlaboriouslymuddleabout。

ItwasverydistinctlyimpressedonmymindthattheGoodHard-WorkingManwouldhavethoughtit“fal-lallish“toownapockethandkerchief。PooroldFrapp——dirtyandcrushedby，productof，Bladesover’smagnificence！Hemadenofightagainsttheworldatall，hewasflounderinginsmalldebtsthatwerenotsosmallbutthatfinallytheyoverwhelmedhim，whenevertherewasoccasionforanyexertionhiswifefellbackuponpainsandher“condition。”andGodsentthemmanychildren，mostofwhomdied，andso，bytheircomingandgoing，gaveadoubleexerciseinthevirtuesofsubmission。