'She
would
have
liked
to
come
,
'
said
he
,
trying
to
look
straight
at
the
other
,
but
only
succeeding
in
fixing
one
eye
on
the
Austrian
,
while
the
other
searched
the
depths
of
the
jam
pot
with
an
obstinacy
which
made
Vernon
,
who
had
the
same
in
hand
,
simmer
with
warm
awkwardness
.
'
She
would
have
liked
to
come
,
but
the
young
woman
as
lodges
with
us
—
that
Mrs
Let-em-off
—
is
ill
,
and
the
missus
would
n't
leave
her
.
'
'
Ah
,
Mrs
Litvinoff
,
it
is
you
mean
.
I
willed
to
ask
you
of
her
.
'
'
I
beg
your
pardon
,
'
said
Vernon
,
glad
to
join
in
the
conversation
,
as
a
means
of
getting
away
from
Toomey
's
eye
.
'
Is
that
any
relation
of
Count
Litvinoff
?
I
know
him
.
Splendid
fellow
,
is
n't
he
?
'
'
I
do
n't
think
as
she
's
a
blessed
countess
,
'
said
Toomey
doubtfully
,
while
Hirsch
cast
a
significant
glance
of
question
at
his
host
.
'
Oh
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
'
there
are
more
Litvinoffs
than
one
.
It
is
not
an
uncommon
name
.
I
myself
know
more
than
one
family
of
that
name
.
'
'
Of
course
you
know
the
Count
,
'
said
Vernon
,
turning
to
him
.
'
What
wonderful
adventures
he
has
had
.
He
seems
to
be
a
man
of
splendid
character
.
It
must
have
cost
him
something
to
give
up
his
social
position
and
go
in
for
the
Revolution
.
'
'
So
far
as
I
know
Michael
Litvinoff
,
he
has
never
done
more
than
his
clear
duty
.
'
'
What
does
he
do
for
the
Revolution
now
?
'
growled
Hirsch
.
'
Well
,
he
does
all
that
any
one
can
do
in
England
.
There
's
not
much
else
to
be
done
besides
talking
.
'
Vernon
ended
with
a
sigh
,
as
of
one
who
yearned
for
the
barricades
.
'
Oh
,
yes
;
he
'll
talk
,
'
said
Hirsch
discontentedly
,
and
took
a
large
bite
of
bread
and
butter
.
'
You
are
quite
right
,
Mr
Vernon
,
'
said
Petrovitch
.
'
He
talks
,
and
talks
well
;
and
,
as
you
say
,
there
is
here
no
other
means
of
helping
the
cause
.
And
where
you
have
such
freedom
of
speech
as
in
England
a
man
's
tongue
is
his
best
weapon
,
and
ought
,
under
existing
circumstances
,
to
be
his
only
one
.
'
'
The
great
reforms
,
'
said
Hirsch
—
'
have
they
been
carried
by
the
tongue
,
or
by
the
pike
and
the
musket
?
'
'
In
this
England
enough
has
been
carried
by
the
tongue
to
leave
good
hopes
for
the
future
,
'
said
Petrovitch
.
'
I
am
glad
to
hear
you
express
those
opinions
,
'
said
Pewtress
,
who
spoke
with
some
deliberation
,
and
chose
his
words
carefully
.
'
I
have
noticed
that
most
of
the
foreigners
I
have
had
the
pleasure
of
meeting
do
not
quite
understand
the
condition
of
affairs
here
.
'
'
Do
not
misunderstand
me
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
rising
from
the
table
.
'
I
consider
force
to
be
the
last
refuge
of
the
oppressed
and
the
wretched
—
only
to
be
tried
when
everything
else
has
failed
—
but
then
perfectly
legitimate
.
'
'
Hear
,
hear
,
'
cried
Vernon
enthusiastically
,
as
they
all
rose
;
'
that
's
more
like
yourself
,
Petrovitch
!
And
as
for
Count
Litvinoff
,
I
ca
n't
help
admiring
him
,
if
it
's
only
for
what
he
's
gone
through
.
'
'
For
that
,
'
said
Hirsch
,
who
seemed
to
have
grown
grumpier
and
grumpier
ever
since
Litvinoff
's
name
had
been
introduced
,
'
you
,
Petrovitch
,
have
had
adventures
better
to
hear
about
than
any
of
his
.
Did
Mr
Vernon
ever
hear
how
you
escaped
from
Tieff
?
'
'
If
Mr
Vernon
has
,
I
have
not
,
'
said
Pewtress
,
as
they
gathered
round
the
fire
.
'
If
our
kind
host
will
tell
us
the
story
,
I
am
sure
we
shall
all
follow
it
with
a
great
deal
of
interest
.
'
'
I
am
quite
willing
to
tell
you
about
that
little
affair
,
but
I
fancy
I
've
told
it
once
or
twice
before
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
handing
round
a
box
of
thick
,
short
Russian
cigarettes
,
to
which
his
friends
all
helped
themselves
;
'
and
there
is
no
greater
bore
than
the
man
who
will
always
be
telling
of
his
own
deeds
and
adventures
.
'
'
You
,
at
any
rate
,
never
speak
of
yours
,
'
said
Vernon
,
fixing
his
large
eyes
on
Petrovitch
;
'
do
tell
us
,
please
.
'
'
I
assure
you
I
was
not
refusing
"
pour
me
faire
prier
,
"
and
if
we
are
all
comfortable
I
will
tell
you
with
pleasure
the
little
there
is
to
tell
.
Toomey
,
you
have
no
light
.
'
'
All
right
,
sir
,
'
said
Toomey
,
picking
up
a
hot
coal
in
his
fingers
and
lighting
his
cigarette
therefrom
as
his
host
began
.
'
During
the
year
or
so
that
I
was
in
the
fortress
of
Petro-Paolovski
I
never
encouraged
the
slightest
hopes
of
escape
,
for
in
the
first
place
I
,
for
a
long
time
,
suffered
from
a
bad
gunshot
wound
,
and
,
secondly
,
because
it
is
known
only
too
well
among
us
that
escape
from
Petro-Paolovski
is
impossible
.
When
,
for
some
unknown
reason
,
the
Government
sent
me
to
Tieff
,
my
health
was
improved
,
and
so
were
my
chances
of
getting
away
,
and
from
the
moment
I
entered
the
prison
doors
I
never
lost
an
opportunity
of
making
and
maturing
a
plan
of
escape
.
Escaping
from
a
Russian
prison
is
not
quite
such
a
desperate
business
for
one
of
us
as
it
would
be
for
one
of
you
,
for
you
would
be
like
a
blind
man
in
a
strange
house
;
but
those
of
us
who
are
judged
to
be
the
most
likely
subjects
for
arrest
make
it
a
rule
to
have
the
plan
of
every
prison
and
fortress
at
our
finger-tips
.
'
'
What
a
marvellous
organisation
yours
is
,
'
said
the
stone-mason
,
more
as
an
excuse
for
escaping
a
moment
from
the
martyrdom
of
the
unaccustomed
cigarette
than
by
way
of
saying
anything
original
.
'
Yes
,
the
war
is
fairly
well
organised
on
both
sides
,
'
Petrovitch
replied
;
'
but
at
present
they
have
the
big
battalions
.
'
'
But
your
plans
,
'
struck
in
Vernon
,
impatient
of
the
interruption
.
'
Yes
.
Well
,
my
knowledge
of
Tieff
told
me
that
there
was
one
way
,
and
one
way
only
,
of
leaving
it
,
and
that
was
by
the
way
I
had
come
in
—
by
the
front
gate
,
and
to
get
to
the
front
gate
one
had
to
cross
the
courtyard
,
and
between
my
cell
and
the
courtyard
lay
obstacles
too
many
to
be
calculated
and
dangers
too
great
to
be
faced
.
'
'
And
you
at
once
began
to
calculate
them
and
to
face
them
,
'
cried
Vernon
admiringly
.
'
Rather
to
elude
them
,
'
Petrovitch
went
on
,
ignoring
the
boy
's
compliment
.
'
As
I
could
not
meet
them
in
detail
I
thought
it
better
to
surmount
them
in
"
the
lump
,
"
as
I
think
I
have
heard
you
call
it
in
England
.
Now
the
thing
that
had
given
me
most
hope
when
I
heard
I
was
coming
to
Tieff
was
that
I
happened
to
know
that
the
resident
doctor
of
the
prison
was
,
not
exactly
one
of
us
,
but
one
who
sympathised
with
us
secretly
—
there
are
many
such
,
who
are
unwilling
to
take
an
active
part
in
the
struggle
,
but
who
,
short
of
that
,
help
us
in
many
ways
—
for
instance
,
with
money
,
and
especially
by
hiding
those
of
us
who
happen
to
be
"
wanted
.
"
We
call
them
the
Ukrivatelli
—
the
concealers
.
'
'
I
hope
there
's
lots
of
them
sort
,
sir
,
'
said
Toomey
,
surreptitiously
abandoning
his
cigarette
in
favour
of
the
more
familiar
but
slightly
stronger
smelling
'
cutty
.
'
'
But
do
n't
they
get
theirselves
into
trouble
?
'
'
Yes
,
if
they
are
found
out
,
'
answered
Petrovitch
;
'
but
they
seldom
are
.
They
are
a
very
large
class
,
and
are
often
men
whose
official
rank
or
social
position
places
them
beyond
suspicion
.
My
wound
still
needed
attention
,
and
I
soon
managed
to
convey
to
the
doctor
a
suggestion
that
daily
exercise
in
a
prison
courtyard
was
a
first-rate
specific
for
gunshot
wounds
.
He
seemed
to
think
so
too
,
and
before
the
end
of
the
week
I
was
told
that
I
should
have
to
walk
every
day
for
an
hour
in
the
only
place
where
a
walk
of
a
dozen
consecutive
yards
was
possible
—
in
the
courtyard
.
'
'
It
was
no
use
getting
into
the
courtyard
unless
I
had
some
prospect
of
getting
out
of
it
,
and
straight
into
some
perfectly
safe
refuge
.
This
was
a
matter
that
took
some
weeks
to
arrange
,
and
during
that
time
I
never
turned
my
eyes
to
the
gate
.
The
doctor
,
though
he
was
willing
to
help
me
,
was
not
willing
to
risk
his
own
safety
by
carrying
too
many
letters
,
and
a
whole
code
of
signals
had
to
be
arranged
.
Luck
seldom
favours
the
right
side
;
but
I
think
I
was
certainly
lucky
,
for
just
when
I
began
to
take
my
daily
exercise
the
right
wing
of
the
prison
had
to
be
repaired
,
and
consequently
the
gates
of
the
courtyard
were
open
all
day
for
the
carts
of
building
materials
,
etc.
,
which
had
to
come
in
and
out
.
This
must
have
seemed
tolerably
safe
to
the
authorities
,
as
I
was
the
only
prisoner
who
"
took
exercise
,
"
and
there
were
two
sentries
to
whom
was
allotted
the
pleasing
duty
of
watching
me
.
They
had
a
pretty
easy
time
of
it
for
these
three
weeks
,
for
I
used
to
crawl
up
and
down
the
yard
in
a
feeble
and
dejected
sort
of
way
,
as
though
I
had
hardly
the
strength
to
put
one
foot
before
the
other
.
I
always
leaned
on
a
stick
,
and
did
my
best
to
appear
to
be
at
my
last
gasp
.
I
was
well-nigh
tired
of
waiting
,
so
often
my
escape
seemed
almost
close
at
hand
,
and
then
something
happened
,
and
all
our
plans
had
to
be
made
over
again
.
Innumerable
ideas
were
suggested
,
but
abandoned
for
one
reason
or
another
.
At
last
it
was
definitely
settled
that
at
a
certain
signal
I
was
to
make
for
the
gate
and
rush
out
—
that
a
carriage
was
to
be
waiting
just
outside
,
and
that
one
or
two
of
our
friends
were
to
be
there
promiscuously
,
to
give
false
information
in
judicious
doses
,
as
it
might
be
called
for
.
The
gate
was
almost
exactly
in
the
middle
of
the
courtyard
,
and
the
beat
of
sentry
No.
1
was
from
the
gate
to
the
end
of
the
yard
and
back
,
and
that
of
sentry
No.
2
from
the
other
end
of
the
yard
to
the
gate
and
back
—
thus
the
face
of
one
of
them
was
always
towards
the
gate
.
At
length
the
day
came
when
I
might
expect
the
signal
—
this
was
to
be
nothing
more
dramatic
and
startling
than
the
smallest
piece
of
paper
that
could
well
be
seen
—
stuck
on
the
shaft
of
one
of
the
builder
's
carts
.
Cart
after
cart
went
by
,
my
hour
was
nearly
up
,
and
I
began
to
feel
pretty
sure
that
either
the
signal
was
not
to
be
given
that
morning
,
or
else
that
it
had
been
given
and
I
had
missed
seeing
it
.
This
last
alternative
was
becoming
a
maddening
certainty
,
when
yet
another
cart
came
crawling
in
,
and
on
the
shaft
,
luckily
on
the
side
to
which
my
walk
had
now
brought
me
,
was
lightly
stuck
a
little
piece
of
white
paper
.
Once
more
luck
was
my
friend
,
for
the
sentry
on
the
same
side
of
the
gate
as
myself
was
marching
from
the
gate
,
and
between
me
and
the
one
walking
towards
the
gate
was
the
cart
.
Had
any
one
not
in
the
secret
been
watching
me
from
one
of
the
prison
windows
at
that
moment
he
would
certainly
have
thought
that
I
was
the
subject
of
a
miraculous
cure
,
for
in
what
seemed
to
me
about
half-a-dozen
bounds
I
was
at
the
side
of
the
cart
,
out
of
the
gate
,
and
in
one
of
two
carriages
which
were
passing
at
the
time
.
'
'
And
what
steps
did
the
authorities
take
?
'
asked
Pewtress
,
in
the
perfectly
unexcited
and
matter-of-fact
tone
of
a
School
Board
inspector
.
'
Well
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
laughing
a
little
,
'
I
was
not
there
at
the
time
,
but
my
friends
told
me
that
what
followed
was
well
worth
seeing
.
A
few
seconds
after
my
disappearance
the
two
sentries
and
the
whole
of
the
guard
from
the
guard-room
inside
the
prison
came
swarming
into
the
street
,
and
there
was
a
most
delightful
hue-and-cry
and
clamour
.
About
a
hundred
yards
away
to
the
right
a
carriage
was
making
off
at
a
mad
pace
,
and
after
this
went
the
whole
posse
;
with
the
lieutenant
of
the
guard
at
their
head
.
They
must
have
been
immensely
relieved
when
they
saw
it
pull
up
opposite
the
house
of
a
well-known
and
irreproachable
doctor
.
When
,
panting
and
exultant
,
they
surrounded
the
carriage
,
they
found
inside
it
a
surprised
and
indignant
gentleman
,
who
had
driven
in
hot
haste
to
fetch
Dr.
Seroff
to
his
sick
daughter
,
who
had
taken
a
turn
for
the
worse
.
'
'
And
were
you
under
the
seat
,
Mr
Peter
Hitch
?
'
inquired
the
interested
Toomey
.
'
Not
exactly
.
I
had
been
driven
off
in
the
other
carriage
,
which
went
at
a
quiet
trot
,
eminently
suited
to
my
delicate
state
of
health
.
'
'
The
gentleman
who
went
for
the
doctor
,
I
presume
,
was
"
one
of
you
"
?
'
put
in
Vernon
.
'
He
was
of
the
Ukrivatelli
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
'
and
I
am
afraid
he
had
a
bad
time
of
it
for
a
day
or
two
.
He
was
promptly
taken
where
I
had
come
from
,
and
I
fear
the
young
lady
's
sick-room
was
invaded
by
a
corporal
's
guard
,
but
our
friend
and
his
family
were
so
evidently
innocent
that
the
authorities
had
nothing
left
but
to
put
up
with
their
loss
,
and
to
grin
and
bear
it
,
as
you
say
.
'
'
But
where
did
the
other
carriage
take
you
?
'
'
Into
the
next
street
,
to
the
most
orthodox
house
in
the
town
,
the
residence
of
a
district
judge
,
whence
after
spending
a
week
I
made
for
the
frontier
with
passport
quite
in
order
,
a
clean
chin
,
a
strong
French
accent
,
and
very
black
eyebrows
.
So
ends
the
story
,
which
I
am
afraid
has
n't
been
a
very
exciting
one
.
'
'
The
quite
truth
of
it
is
its
interest
,
'
said
Hirsch
;
'
to
Count
Litvinoff
must
you
go
for
pure
excitement
.
'
'
You
do
n't
seem
to
like
this
Count
Let-em-off
,
Mr
Hearse
,
'
said
Toomey
curiously
;
'
I
thought
he
was
a
rare
good
'
un
.
'
'
You
're
right
,
Toomey
.
He
's
done
us
good
service
.
'
This
Petrovitch
spoke
with
a
certain
emphasis
,
and
with
his
eyes
not
on
Toomey
,
but
on
Hirsch
.
'
I
do
n't
know
whether
it
's
indiscreet
to
ask
,
'
said
Vernon
,
'
but
I
wish
you
would
tell
us
how
it
was
you
got
arrested
.
'
'
Ah
!
that
's
a
long
story
,
'
returned
Petrovitch
,
'
and
one
which
,
as
it
concerns
others
beside
myself
,
I
do
n't
feel
justified
in
telling
.
'
Then
as
the
boy
coloured
and
looked
embarrassed
,
he
added
kindly
,
'
There
was
n't
the
slightest
indiscretion
in
the
question
,
and
some
other
time
,
perhaps
,
I
shall
be
able
to
answer
it
.
But
,
since
adventures
are
the
order
of
the
evening
,
you
should
get
Hirsch
to
tell
you
some
of
his
.
He
has
had
more
than
Othello
.
'
The
Austrian
was
beginning
to
protest
that
nothing
had
ever
happened
to
him
,
when
a
rustle
of
silk
on
the
stairs
outside
silenced
him
,
and
the
men
all
looked
at
each
other
inquiringly
in
the
moment
that
elapsed
before
the
door
was
opened
and
disclosed
the
velvet
bonnet
and
abundant
flounces
of
Mrs
Quaid
.
Mr
Quaid
was
there
,
too
,
but
he
did
not
take
the
eye
or
captivate
the
attention
.
That
was
Mrs
Quaid
's
department
.
'
My
dear
Mr
Petrovitch
,
how
can
I
apologise
enough
for
our
intrusion
?
The
maid
gave
us
no
idea
that
you
were
entertaining
.
Ah
!
here
's
Mr
Pewtress
.
How
do
you
do
?
And
Mr
Vernon
,
too
.
How
delightful
!
Why
,
we
're
all
among
friends
.
And
you
wo
n't
think
me
quite
an
old
marplot
if
I
stay
for
a
few
moments
,
for
I
really
have
something
special
to
say
to
you
.
'
'
It
's
very
good
of
you
to
honour
me
with
a
call
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
wondering
intensely
what
had
brought
her
there
.
'
We
have
been
to
see
some
friends
at
Regent
's
Park
,
and
we
are
going
on
to
dine
with
the
Pagets
—
(
you
know
the
Pagets
,
Mr
Petrovitch
?
No
!
Ah
,
I
must
introduce
you
;
they
are
such
sweet
people
,
quite
devoted
to
our
side
)
—
and
so
we
thought
we
would
call
as
we
passed
to
ask
you
if
you
will
come
and
dine
with
us
on
Tuesday
.
You
'll
excuse
an
informal
invitation
,
I
know
.
I
thought
if
we
came
ourselves
to
ask
you
we
should
be
more
likely
to
succeed
.
'
'
You
are
very
kind
,
'
said
Petrovitch
,
wondering
whether
he
could
find
any
means
of
evading
an
acceptance
.
'
I
had
hoped
to
have
had
your
fellow-countryman
,
Count
Litvinoff
,
there
to
meet
you
;
but
I
hear
he
has
just
gone
to
Derbyshire
;
so
unfortunate
.
I
suppose
he
has
gone
to
stay
with
the
Stanleys
.
He
saved
Mr
Stanley
's
life
,
you
know
—
Mr
Stanley
—
perhaps
you
remember
his
daughter
,
the
sweet
girl
who
sat
next
you
at
our
house
.
'
It
appeared
that
Petrovitch
did
remember
the
lady
in
question
.
The
other
men
had
formed
a
knot
at
the
other
side
of
the
fire
.
'
You
know
,
'
said
Mrs
Quaid
,
lowering
her
voice
discreetly
,
as
she
glanced
at
them
,
'
my
daughter
Cora
thinks
that
there
will
be
a
match
there
before
long
.
I
do
so
hope
that
dear
interesting
Count
has
not
lost
all
his
property
.
From
what
I
hear
he
is
very
well
off
.
'
'
Gentlemen
of
your
opinions
ought
not
to
marry
,
'
said
Mr
Quaid
,
striking
in
,
much
to
his
wife
's
surprise
.
He
did
not
usually
advance
independent
opinions
,
being
emphatically
'
Mrs
Quaid
's
husband
,
'
and
nothing
more
.
'
Why
?
'
asked
Petrovitch
,
amused
.
'
Because
your
lives
are
so
constantly
in
danger
.
'
'
There
's
not
much
danger
in
Derbyshire
,
'
broke
in
Hirsch
,
in
spite
of
Petrovitch
's
restraining
eye
.
'
Ah
,
well
,
'
said
Mrs
Quaid
,
'
I
do
hope
,
if
anything
does
come
of
it
,
that
he
will
settle
down
quietly
in
England
.
There
is
so
much
that
wants
doing
here
.
We
want
good
,
brave
workers
to
strive
to
bridge
over
the
terrible
gulf
between
the
classes
.
'
Toomey
,
suddenly
recalled
to
a
sense
of
the
'
gulf
'
—
which
he
had
quite
lost
sight
of
under
the
influence
of
Petrovitch
's
tact
—
felt
a
painfully
renewed
consciousness
of
his
boots
,
his
hands
,
and
his
Sunday
clothes
.
Vernon
,
who
knew
Mrs
Quaid
,
and
delighted
to
'
draw
'
her
,
would
not
for
the
world
have
missed
such
an
opportunity
of
amusing
himself
and
his
friends
.
By
a
skilful
question
or
two
he
led
the
lady
on
to
her
favourite
subject
—
that
of
education
.
She
could
discuss
this
question
with
eloquence
,
and
at
any
length
;
but
no
matter
how
her
discussions
began
,
they
always
ended
by
placing
her
and
her
hearers
in
a
difficulty
.
She
was
quite
clear
that
before
we
could
educate
our
children
we
must
be
educated
ourselves
,
which
,
on
the
face
of
it
,
seemed
reasonable
;
but
,
then
,
who
was
there
to
educate
us
?
To
that
question
no
answer
could
ever
be
found
;
and
in
the
meantime
,
what
was
to
become
of
the
rising
generation
?
She
had
nearly
reached
this
point
when
her
husband
,
who
had
been
present
before
when
she
trotted
round
this
circle
of
argument
,
and
for
whom
the
repetition
of
the
performance
had
no
charms
,
brought
the
conversation
back
to
the
world
of
possibilities
by
renewing
the
invitation
for
Tuesday
,
which
Petrovitch
,
after
a
little
hesitation
,
accepted
.
When
the
gros
grain
silk
had
swept
down
the
uncarpeted
stairs
,
and
Petrovitch
had
accompanied
it
to
the
front
door
and
received
the
last
nod
of
farewell
from
the
imposing
plume
in
the
velvet
bonnet
,
he
returned
to
his
room
,
to
find
the
spirits
of
his
friends
visibly
higher
,
except
those
of
Vernon
,
who
felt
that
he
had
been
done
out
of
the
cream
of
his
proposed
joke
.
The
evening
slipped
by
pleasantly
enough
,
but
there
were
no
more
adventures
told
,
nor
was
Count
Litvinoff
mentioned
again
,
until
one
by
one
all
the
guests
had
departed
except
Hirsch
.
He
stayed
on
,
smoking
in
silence
,
and
his
host
,
equally
silent
,
sat
on
the
opposite
side
of
the
fire
,
regarding
it
fixedly
.
'
Well
,
'
said
Hirsch
,
at
last
turning
his
eyes
towards
the
other
,
'
what
of
this
marriage
that
the
large
lady
speaks
of
so
confidently
—
this
"
sweet
Clare
"
who
is
to
be
the
Countess
Litvinoff
?
That
also
is
to
be
for
the
cause
?
With
that
also
you
are
satisfied
?
That
also
is
to
be
permitted
,
sanctioned
,
what
you
call
approved
?
'
'
No
,
'
said
Petrovitch
slowly
.
'
No
;
that
is
not
to
be
.
'
AN
HONEST
MAN
AND
A
BRAVE
ONE
THANK
God
!
'
was
Count
Litvinoff
's
inward
ejaculation
,
as
,
followed
by
Roland
,
he
sprang
through
the
laurel
bushes
into
the
gravel
path
that
skirted
the
lawn
.
For
what
he
saw
was
not
what
he
had
feared
to
see
.
Clare
was
safe
.
She
was
standing
on
the
last
of
the
stone
steps
that
led
down
from
the
verandah
,
her
hands
clasped
over
her
eyes
,
as
if
to
shut
out
some
intolerable
sight
.
On
the
lawn
before
her
,
half-a-dozen
yards
off
,
in
brown
shooting
suit
and
gaiters
,
lay
her
father
,
face
downwards
,
on
the
grass
,
his
gun
beside
him
,
and
his
two
sporting
dogs
sniffing
round
the
hand
that
had
held
it
.
The
two
young
men
were
at
his
side
in
an
instant
,
and
had
half
raised
him
by
the
time
Clare
had
shaken
off
the
horror
that
had
paralysed
her
and
had
sprung
towards
them
.
Roland
glanced
at
Mr
Stanley
's
face
,
and
,
passing
his
arm
round
the
old
man
's
neck
,
drew
his
head
towards
him
,
and
bent
over
it
in
such
a
manner
as
to
keep
it
from
her
eyes
.
'
Take
her
in
,
Litvinoff
,
'
he
said
,
still
bending
forward
;
'
make
her
go
in
.
'
'
Come
in
,
Miss
Stanley
;
you
can
do
no
good
here
,
'
said
Litvinoff
,
rising
and
taking
the
girl
by
the
arm
.
She
shook
him
off
.
'
Let
me
alone
,
'
she
cried
.
'
How
dare
you
interfere
?
Let
me
go
to
my
father
.
'
'
Miss
Stanley
,
be
reasonable
.
You
can
do
much
more
good
in
the
house
.
Do
n't
you
know
we
must
bring
your
father
in
?
—
and
your
mother
must
be
told
.
'
But
Mrs
Stanley
needed
no
telling
.
From
the
window
she
had
seen
—
when
the
barking
of
the
dogs
told
of
Mr
Stanley
's
near
approach
—
how
Clare
had
run
out
bareheaded
to
meet
him
—
how
he
had
stopped
in
the
middle
of
the
lawn
,
as
if
expecting
her
to
come
to
him
—
how
he
had
taken
his
gun
from
his
shoulder
,
and
dropped
the
butt
on
the
ground
—
how
there
had
been
a
flash
,
a
report
,
and
how
he
had
fallen
.
Now
she
came
out
.
'
Go
in
,
'
she
said
to
Clare
,
'
and
send
for
Doctor
Bailey
.
Thomas
can
go
on
Red
Robin
.
'
By
this
time
the
servants
were
gathering
from
all
directions
.
'
Come
,
'
Litvinoff
spoke
in
a
low
voice
,
but
a
voice
of
authority
,
and
led
her
towards
the
stable-yard
.
Coming
round
the
corner
they
met
Thomas
.
'
Oh
,
Thomas
—
'
she
began
,
when
Litvinoff
interrupted
.
'
Saddle
Red
Robin
,
and
ride
for
Doctor
Bailey
—
ride
fast
for
your
life
!
Now
,
Miss
Stanley
,
for
Heaven
's
sake
do
n't
give
way
;
keep
up
.
They
may
want
linen
for
bandages
,
and
brandy
.
'
She
looked
at
him
with
wide-open
,
frightened
eyes
,
but
she
obeyed
him
;
and
when
those
things
were
brought
she
stood
looking
mutely
at
him
,
like
a
child
asking
for
directions
.
'
Sit
down
,
'
he
said
;
and
,
pouring
out
some
brandy-and-water
,
held
it
to
her
lips
.
'
Drink
,
and
then
you
will
be
able
,
perhaps
,
to
be
of
some
use
.
'
They
were
in
the
drawing-room
.
Litvinoff
noticed
,
even
at
that
moment
,
the
hundred
dainty
tokens
of
a
cultivated
woman
's
daily
presence
.
As
he
set
down
the
glass
,
past
the
closed
door
came
the
heavy
tread
of
the
men
who
were
bringing
the
master
back
to
his
home
.
Then
Clare
rose
up
.
'
I
will
go
to
my
father
,
'
she
said
,
turning
a
white
,
resolute
face
towards
the
door
.
'
Twenty
of
you
shall
not
stop
me
!
'
Litvinoff
caught
her
two
hands
and
held
them
tightly
.
'
Wait
,
wait
;
they
are
getting
him
to
his
bed
.
You
would
only
be
in
the
way
.
Trust
me
,
Miss
Stanley
.
I
would
not
keep
you
from
him
if
you
could
be
of
any
use
to
him
.
You
may
be
of
real
service
by-and-by
.
'
'
Very
well
,
'
she
said
;
'
I
will
do
what
you
tell
me
.
But
,
oh
,
tell
me
all
you
know
;
tell
me
where
he
's
hurt
;
did
you
see
?
Will
it
be
dangerous
?
For
pity
's
sake
tell
me
what
you
saw
,
whether
—
'
Here
the
door
opened
,
and
Roland
came
in
.
Her
eyes
searched
his
face
for
re-assurance
,
but
found
there
something
more
terrible
than
her
worst
fears
,
and
as
he
opened
his
lips
to
speak
she
cried
in
a
high-pitched
voice
,
quite
unlike
her
own
,
as
she
held
out
her
hands
as
if
to
keep
off
something
,
'
Do
n't
tell
me
—
do
n't
tell
me
anything
—
let
me
go
!
'
And
as
Roland
stood
aside
she
rushed
from
the
room
.
Litvinoff
closed
the
door
.
'
He
's
dead
,
'
said
Roland
.
'
I
know
.
I
knew
that
directly
I
put
my
hand
on
him
.
I
have
had
my
hand
on
a
man
shot
dead
before
to-day
.
'
Roland
sat
down
on
a
low
chair
.
It
was
the
one
Clare
had
occupied
half-an-hour
before
.
There
on
the
little
table
by
it
lay
her
work-basket
,
and
some
pretty
useless
bit
of
sewing
,
and
all
the
little
gilt
working
implements
which
she
had
put
down
when
she
went
to
meet
her
father
.
Roland
's
eye
fell
on
them
,
and
he
groaned
.
'
Good
God
,
Litvinoff
,
what
a
terrible
thing
!
What
a
frightful
blow
for
them
!
'
'
Does
Mrs
Stanley
know
?
'
'
Yes
.
'
'
How
soon
can
the
doctor
be
here
?
'
'
In
half-an-hour
;
but
he
'll
be
no
good
when
he
does
come
.
'
'
Not
for
him
,
but
Miss
Stanley
may
need
him
.
Her
face
as
she
passed
out
of
the
door
was
not
reassuring
.
'
Roland
groaned
again
.
'
What
a
horrible
world
it
is
!
'
he
said
.
His
father
dead
,
his
brother
estranged
,
his
sweetheart
lost
to
him
,
and
now
this
new
calamity
had
fallen
near
him
.
'
It
never
rains
but
it
pours
.
'
And
it
seemed
to
be
raining
misfortunes
in
Firth
Vale
.
'
It
is
a
horrible
world
,
'
said
the
other
;
'
but
reflecting
on
that
truth
will
not
aid
anyone
just
now
.
Is
there
nothing
we
can
do
?
'
'
Not
that
I
know
of
,
but
we
wo
n't
go
till
the
doctor
comes
.
'
'
Certainly
not
;
and
in
the
meantime
let
me
suggest
that
a
little
of
this
brandy
would
not
be
amiss
,
if
you
do
n't
want
him
to
find
a
patient
in
you
.
You
look
uncommonly
shaky
.
'
Roland
accepted
the
suggestion
and
the
proffered
glass
.
'
Miss
Stanley
's
mother
seems
to
have
her
wits
about
her
?
'
'
Yes
,
Mrs
Stanley
's
a
sensible
woman
—
but
she
's
not
Miss
Stanley
's
mother
.
Mr
Stanley
was
married
twice
.
'
'
There
are
no
other
children
?
'
'
No
.
'
'
Poor
woman
,
'
said
Litvinoff
,
sincerely
enough
,
though
for
a
certain
reason
he
was
not
displeased
to
hear
that
Clare
was
an
only
child
.
'
He
seems
to
have
been
a
rich
man
,
'
went
on
Litvinoff
,
glancing
round
the
room
.
'
Yes
,
he
had
more
than
he
knew
what
to
do
with
.
It
seems
hard
that
he
should
have
had
to
leave
it
all
so
suddenly
,
'
said
Roland
,
growing
sentimental
.
'
It
is
a
great
pity
men
have
to
leave
their
wealth
behind
them
.
If
they
could
only
take
it
with
them
,
there
would
not
be
so
many
young
people
growing
up
in
vicious
idleness
.
'
Then
,
as
it
suddenly
occurred
to
him
that
this
might
possibly
be
considered
personal
,
he
went
on
in
his
most
approved
didactic
manner
,
—
'
Since
death
is
inevitable
,
how
lucky
we
ought
to
think
it
that
so
few
people
have
anything
to
live
for
.
I
believe
to
a
great
many
people
the
best
thing
in
life
is
the
certainty
that
some
day
or
other
they
'll
get
out
of
it
.
'
Roland
did
not
answer
.
There
are
moments
when
moral
reflections
are
particularly
hateful
.
The
doctor
arrived
sooner
than
they
had
hoped
,
the
man-servant
having
met
him
about
half-way
between
Aspinshaw
and
his
own
house
,
but
of
course
he
could
only
confirm
what
they
all
knew
.
The
whole
contents
of
the
gun
had
lodged
in
the
lungs
,
and
death
must
have
been
instantaneous
.
He
asked
the
two
young
men
a
good
many
questions
as
to
the
manner
of
the
accident
,
but
of
course
they
had
not
seen
it
,
and
were
unable
to
throw
any
light
on
the
cause
of
the
disaster
.
He
must
have
been
carrying
the
gun
full-cock
,
and
the
concussion
,
when
he
brought
the
butt
down
on
the
ground
,
must
have
started
it
.
'
Mrs
Stanley
bears
up
wonderfully
well
.
'
'
And
his
daughter
?
'
put
in
Litvinoff
.
'
Well
,
the
poor
child
's
crushed
at
present
,
but
she
'll
soon
be
all
right
.
Young
hearts
soon
throw
off
their
troubles
,
thank
Heaven
!
I
shall
have
to
trouble
you
two
gentlemen
at
the
inquest
,
'
he
said
,
as
he
got
into
his
gig
and
was
driven
off
.
Roland
Ferrier
and
Michael
Litvinoff
walked
home
almost
in
silence
,
consumed
a
dinner
enlivened
by
Miss
Letitia
's
comments
on
the
events
of
the
day
,
and
,
when
she
had
retired
in
tears
,
passed
one
of
the
most
melancholy
evenings
in
the
recollection
of
either
.
Roland
did
his
best
to
perform
the
difficult
part
of
genial
host
to
the
guest
who
had
been
introduced
to
Thornsett
under
such
inauspicious
circumstances
;
but
he
was
a
young
man
who
had
not
that
within
him
which
enables
men
to
resist
the
influence
of
the
immediately
surrounding
circumstances
,
and
his
attempt
was
a
dead
failure
.
Litvinoff
could
,
perhaps
,
have
succeeded
with
a
desperate
effort
in
raising
the
cloud
of
gloom
that
hung
over
them
both
,
but
it
did
not
seem
to
him
that
the
game
was
quite
worth
the
candle
,
and
he
let
it
alone
.
Under
the
circumstances
there
could
be
no
shooting
,
and
none
of
such
social
entertainments
as
would
certainly
otherwise
have
enlivened
his
visit
,
and
the
prospect
of
his
first
Christmas
in
an
English
country-house
looked
very
bleak
.
'
I
suppose
one
must
n't
smoke
here
,
'
he
said
aloud
to
himself
,
when
,
the
long
evening
over
,
he
reached
his
bedroom
,
and
sank
down
into
an
easy-chair
before
the
brightly-burning
fire
.
'
That
antiquated
lady
is
the
sort
of
person
who
would
go
mad
if
she
smelt
smoke
in
one
of
the
bedrooms
.
It
is
a
great
bore
.
I
want
to
think
—
and
how
the
deuce
am
I
to
think
if
I
ca
n't
smoke
!
—
and
I
must
think
.
Yes
,
it
must
be
done
;
they
must
put
it
down
to
my
foreign
ways
,
'
he
added
,
as
he
drew
out
his
cigar-case
and
lighted
up
.
Something
in
his
surroundings
reminded
him
of
that
night
in
October
when
he
had
saved
the
life
of
the
man
who
was
now
lying
dead
at
Aspinshaw
.
'
Poor
old
boy
,
'
he
said
,
'
I
did
n't
renew
his
lease
of
life
for
very
long
,
after
all
;
but
I
expect
he
lived
long
enough
to
have
done
almost
as
much
for
me
as
he
could
have
done
had
he
lived
longer
.
Perhaps
my
"
views
,
"
as
he
would
have
called
them
,
will
not
stand
so
much
in
the
way
now
.
My
crushed
young
host
told
me
that
she
is
beginning
to
share
those
views
and
to
be
enthusiastic
—
thanks
to
that
mysterious
entity
,
Petrovitch
.
I
owe
him
that
;
I
wonder
if
I
owe
him
anything
else
?
I
do
owe
many
sums
to
many
people
.
He
had
me
for
ten
pounds
,
though
,
any
way
.
Pardieu
!
I
hope
he
wo
n't
try
that
again
,
or
I
shall
have
to
stay
down
here
permanently
.
I
shall
attend
a
funeral
in
a
few
days
,
I
suppose
.
I
wonder
when
I
shall
attend
a
marriage
?
She
was
obedient
to-day
—
a
good
sign
.
Things
will
go
smoother
so
.
'
He
puffed
at
his
cigar
in
silence
a
few
minutes
,
then
he
spoke
aloud
again
,
'
And
so
that
was
John
Hatfield
,
and
he
is
one
of
us
—
or
half
one
of
us
.
By
Jove
!
that
makes
me
feel
a
cursed
traitor
—
that
merits
death
.
Well
,
I
'm
not
afraid
of
that
,
anyhow
,
nor
of
anything
that
may
come
after
.
I
've
got
memories
enough
to
make
a
hell
of
my
own
here
,
and
death
would
be
the
end
of
them
,
at
any
rate
,
not
the
beginning
.
And
yet
one
must
live
,
I
suppose
,
though
I
do
n't
feel
so
sure
of
that
to-night
.
Poor
little
girl
—
dear
little
girl
!
I
wish
you
were
the
heiress
of
Aspinshaw
.
The
real
heiress
is
pretty
and
charming
,
and
a
lady
,
'
with
a
rather
bitter
laugh
,
'
and
she
is
beginning
to
have
"
views
;
"
but
somehow
I
ca
n't
get
you
out
of
my
head
to-night
.
'
He
moved
his
hand
to
and
fro
before
his
eyes
,
as
though
to
clear
away
the
smoke
.
Then
he
rose
.
'
Curses
on
conscience
—
curses
on
principle
!
'
he
said
;
'
I
must
see
if
sleep
will
do
it
;
'
and
he
went
to
bed
.
During
the
next
few
days
there
was
nothing
to
do
except
to
call
at
Aspinshaw
every
day
and
ask
after
Mrs
and
Miss
Stanley
.
This
was
an
obvious
duty
,
but
as
an
occupation
it
was
not
engrossing
.
On
the
second
day
,
young
Ferrier
offered
to
'
show
his
guest
over
'
the
mill
,
and
Litvinoff
,
always
glad
of
a
new
experience
,
joyfully
consented
.
The
mill
was
charmingly
situated
in
a
little
hollow
in
the
hills
,
with
a
big
reservoir
above
it
and
a
little
stream
below
.
On
one
side
was
a
wood
,
where
a
good
many
hollies
kept
up
the
impression
of
greenness
,
though
all
the
other
trees
were
sere
and
brown
.
On
the
other
side
was
a
very
steep
incline
which
shot
up
almost
like
a
high
wall
,
and
was
bare
and
rugged
and
rocky
,
and
from
the
top
some
rude
steps
cut
out
of
the
grey
rock
led
down
to
the
mill
.
While
the
workings
of
the
machinery
were
being
explained
,
and
the
various
processes
exhibited
,
it
did
not
escape
the
Count
's
observation
that
the
men
looked
particularly
discontented
,
and
that
there
was
none
of
that
deferential
submission
in
their
manner
to
Roland
which
he
had
been
accustomed
to
see
in
the
manner
of
workmen
towards
their
masters
.
'
What
's
the
matter
with
the
men
?
'
Litvinoff
asked
,
as
they
walked
back
to
Thornsett
.
'
They
looked
uncommonly
disagreeable
.
My
friend
John
Hatfield
does
n't
appear
to
be
the
only
one
who
is
dissatisfied
with
the
munificent
two
pounds
a
week
.
'
'
John
Hatfield
!
What
a
memory
you
have
for
names
.
Oh
,
they
're
not
dissatisfied
with
the
amount
of
their
wages
.
On
the
contrary
,
they
only
wish
they
could
go
on
at
the
same
rate
.
But
they
soon
wo
n't
have
any
at
all
from
me
.
The
mill
stops
working
at
the
end
of
the
year
,
and
they
've
somehow
got
it
into
their
heads
that
I
'm
responsible
for
it
,
whereas
it
's
just
about
as
much
my
fault
as
it
is
that
tree
's
.
'
'
Is
it
any
one
's
fault
?
'
'
You
know
that
it
is
my
brother
's
.
He
made
the
quarrel
,
and
forced
it
on
me
,
knowing
what
the
results
would
be
.
'
'
And
the
results
to
these
men
will
be
—
'
'
Starvation
,
I
'm
afraid
,
for
some
of
them
,
poor
fellows
,
and
very
short
commons
for
them
all
;
but
it
's
rather
hard
that
I
should
be
blamed
for
it
.
'
'
Oh
,
beautiful
system
!
'
said
Litvinoff
;
'
splendid
organisation
of
industry
!
Two
brothers
quarrel
about
nothing
in
particular
,
and
a
hundred
men
and
their
families
have
to
starve
in
consequence
.
'
'
It
's
not
the
fault
of
the
system
,
but
of
my
father
's
will
and
my
brother
's
mad
temper
;
but
anyhow
it
is
not
my
fault
.
'
'
Well
,
your
father
's
will
is
distinctly
part
of
the
system
;
but
,
as
you
say
,
you
are
not
to
blame
.
No
,
Ferrier
;
you
are
certainly
the
most
hardly
done
by
.
As
to
these
"
hands
,
"
as
you
call
them
,
qu'importe
?
It
is
you
who
are
to
be
pitied
.
It
is
so
much
harder
to
be
blamed
than
to
starve
.
'
'
What
a
cool
fellow
you
are
,
Litvinoff
!
'
Roland
laughed
,
but
was
yet
a
little
nettled
too
,
for
,
like
all
Englishmen
,
he
hated
irony
.
'
You
're
always
mocking
at
something
or
somebody
.
But
perhaps
you
forget
that
I
shall
have
hardly
anything
to
live
on
either
—
a
wretched
hundred
a
year
or
so
.
'
'
A
hundred
a
year
,
'
said
the
Count
,
in
the
tone
of
one
who
is
dealing
with
a
difficult
arithmetical
problem
,
'
is
just
about
two
pounds
a
week
.
Now
the
other
day
you
said
that
two
pounds
a
week
was
"
not
so
bad
"
for
a
man
with
a
family
;
and
,
with
all
your
misfortunes
,
you
are
not
what
you
English
people
call
"
a
family
man
.
"
'
'
But
then
you
must
remember
how
differently
those
sort
of
people
are
brought
up
.
'
'
I
do
remember
it
.
'
'
They
do
n't
have
the
same
needs
as
we
do
.
'
'
Do
n't
they
?
'
'
No
.
What
do
they
care
about
music
or
art
or
poetry
or
travelling
?
Fortunately
for
them
they
have
n't
the
tastes
that
run
away
with
money
.
'
'
They
have
a
taste
for
food
and
for
warmth
,
I
suppose
,
'
the
Count
was
beginning
,
when
Roland
interrupted
him
.
'
There
,
Litvinoff
,
it
's
no
good
;
you
'll
never
convert
me
.
I
'm
a
Radical
,
not
a
Socialist
.
Let
's
talk
about
something
else
.
'
'
By
all
means
.
To
return
to
John
Hatfield
.
I
noticed
in
the
mill
to-day
that
he
did
not
participate
in
the
general
scowl
.
'
'
No
.
I
do
n't
think
he
bears
me
any
ill-will
.
Our
rela
tions
with
the
Hatfields
are
peculiar
.
When
my
mother
died
—
it
was
before
my
aunt
came
to
live
with
us
—
Mrs
Hatfield
took
charge
of
my
brother
and
me
,
and
was
a
sort
of
foster-mother
to
us
.
Her
daughter
Alice
was
our
playfellow
,
and
a
dear
little
girl
she
was
.
'
'
Was
that
the
girl
you
said
had
—
well
,
not
acted
very
wisely
?
'
asked
the
Count
,
feeling
an
insensate
longing
to
talk
about
Alice
,
or
to
hear
some
one
else
do
so
.
'
Yes
;
that
was
the
girl
,
'
said
Roland
.
'
She
was
as
sweet
a
little
girl
as
you
would
wish
to
see
.
'
Litvinoff
mentally
endorsed
this
statement
to
the
full
.
Aloud
he
said
,
—
'
What
was
it
—
the
old
story
?
'
'
Yes
.
She
met
some
fellow
at
Liverpool
;
I
suppose
lost
her
heart
to
him
,
and
gave
the
world
for
love
,
and
considered
it
well
lost
,
as
they
say
.
Damn
the
brute
!
I
wish
I
had
the
handling
of
him
.
I
should
like
to
have
half
an
hour
with
him
without
the
gloves
.
'
Litvinoff
was
conscious
of
an
insane
desire
to
give
Roland
his
wish
,
and
try
which
was
the
better
man
,
but
he
said
quietly
,
—
'
You
do
n't
know
him
,
then
?
I
suppose
nothing
has
been
heard
or
seen
of
her
?
'
'
No
,
only
—
it
's
rather
funny
—
when
I
went
to
the
Agora
that
night
I
fancied
I
saw
her
face
,
but
it
must
have
been
fancy
.
'
'
Of
course
;
unless
,
'
added
the
other
,
goaded
by
the
Imp
of
the
Perverse
—
'
unless
her
lover
was
a
gentleman
interested
in
social
reform
.
'
'
Not
he
,
'
said
Roland
contemptuously
;
'
more
likely
some
fool
of
a
counter-jumper
or
clerk
.
You
know
I
looked
upon
her
quite
as
my
sister
,
and
I
was
very
fond
of
her
,
and
all
that
.
'
'
Yes
?
'
interrogatively
.
Roland
had
not
meant
to
say
anything
more
;
but
after
that
'
yes
'
he
found
himself
going
on
,
—
'
And
that
's
why
it
's
so
deuced
hard
that
my
brother
should
blame
me
for
it
.
Upon
my
soul
,
I
seem
fated
to
be
blamed
by
everybody
I
know
for
everything
any
one
else
has
done
!
'
'
That
,
then
,
was
your
brother
's
accusation
?
'
'
Yes
.
At
least
if
it
was
n't
I
can
make
neither
head
nor
tail
of
anything
he
said
.
But
I
did
n't
mean
to
have
said
anything
about
it
—
it
's
too
preposterous
!
I
do
n't
know
how
it
is
,
but
I
'm
always
finding
myself
telling
you
things
that
I
did
n't
mean
to
tell
any
one
.
I
wonder
how
it
is
?
Natural
affinity
,
I
suppose
.
'
'
I
suppose
it
's
because
you
know
I
am
interested
in
you
,
'
said
Litvinoff
cordially
,
as
they
turned
in
at
the
gate
of
Thornsett
Edge
.
'
It
will
be
very
dull
for
you
here
,
'
said
Roland
,
beating
the
shrubs
lightly
with
his
ash
stick
as
they
walked
up
the
path
;
'
and
,
I
am
sorry
to
say
I
shall
have
to
be
out
this
evening
.
I
must
go
down
to
our
solicitor
to
arrange
about
several
things
.
You
wo
n't
think
me
an
awful
bear
?
'
'
Do
n't
mention
it
;
I
shall
be
very
well
amused
,
I
doubt
not
.
I
can
take
a
walk
if
I
find
I
miss
you
very
much
,
and
then
I
shall
be
sure
to
lose
myself
,
and
there
is
some
excitement
to
be
got
out
of
that
.
'
That
evening
John
Hatfield
was
sitting
on
the
oak
settle
by
his
hearth
,
his
wife
with
her
knitting
in
the
substantial
rocking-chair
opposite
.
The
interior
was
cosy
and
bright
enough
.
A
high
wooden
screen
protected
the
inmates
from
any
cold
air
that
might
else
have
come
through
the
door
,
which
opened
straight
from
the
house-place
into
the
street
.
A
short
red
curtain
hung
in
front
of
the
long
low
window
,
that
was
nearly
as
wide
as
the
room
itself
.
There
was
a
chintz
flounce
to
the
chimney-piece
,
and
a
bright
round
table
,
on
three
legs
,
in
the
middle
of
the
room
.
There
was
a
good
deal
of
shining
brass
about
,
and
a
few
pieces
of
old
china
.
Mrs
Hatfield
,
a
small
fair
woman
,
with
grey
,
short-sighted
eyes
,
had
more
lines
in
her
face
than
her
years
should
have
traced
there
.
But
the
poor
age
much
more
rapidly
than
the
rich
.
Significant
reflection
.
And
every
trouble
leaves
its
signet
on
our
faces
,
and
Mrs
Hatfield
's
trouble
had
been
a
heavy
one
,
and
its
traces
were
easily
discernible
.
So
thought
Count
Litvinoff
,
as
he
tapped
at
the
door
and
entered
John
Hatfield
's
house
,
and
the
thought
was
not
a
pleasant
one
.
Derbyshire
was
certainly
not
the
place
to
come
to
for
pleasant
thoughts
,
or
pleasant
incidents
either
.
'
Is't
thee
,
man
?
'
said
Hatfield
,
leaning
forward
to
discern
the
features
of
his
visitor
in
the
comparative
gloom
by
the
door
where
he
stood
.
'
Come
in
—
come
to
the
fire
.
Here
,
lass
,
this
is
the
chap
I
telled
ye
on
.
'
As
Litvinoff
held
out
his
hand
to
Mrs
Hatfield
her
husband
went
on
,
—
'
Ay
,
shake
his
hand
,
lass
;
you
do
n't
so
often
get
to
shake
hands
wi
'
an
honest
man
,
and
a
brave
man
—
'
Alice
's
father
speaking
of
him
to
Alice
's
mother
!
Another
pleasant
incident
for
Count
Litvinoff
!
IMPROVING
PROSPECTS
CLARE
STANLEY
was
the
mistress
of
Aspinshaw
,
and
of
a
good
deal
of
bricks
and
mortar
,
stocks
and
shares
,
and
Three
per
Cent
.
Consols
besides
.
Mrs
Stanley
was
comfortably
provided
for
,
but
it
was
Clare
who
was
to
profit
by
the
hard
work
,
the
self-denial
and
forethought
of
some
three
generations
of
Stanleys
,
or
,
as
some
might
think
,
of
their
greed
,
their
grasping
,
and
their
over-reaching
of
their
less
crafty
fellow-men
.
The
will
that
had
laid
the
burden
of
wealth
upon
her
,
at
an
age
when
most
young
women
of
her
class
are
engaged
in
constant
differences
with
their
parents
and
guardians
on
the
subject
of
pin-money
,
had
been
the
one
act
of
eccentricity
of
Mr
Stanley
's
whole
life
.
For
some
days
her
grief
for
her
father
's
loss
had
been
too
absorbing
to
permit
of
her
thinking
of
much
else
besides
,
but
on
this
first
day
of
the
new
year
she
felt
more
able
to
think
,
and
as
she
sat
alone
by
the
drawing-room
fire
she
began
for
the
first
time
to
realise
her
position
.
About
one
thing
she
had
made
up
her
mind
;
she
must
leave
this
horrible
house
,
where
the
shadow
had
fallen
on
her
which
she
felt
just
then
could
never
be
lifted
again
.
Between
Clare
and
her
father
's
second
wife
there
had
always
been
perfectly
cordial
relations
,
but
they
were
not
bound
together
by
any
ties
of
love
.
Mrs
Stanley
had
always
done
her
duty
to
her
husband
and
his
child
,
but
hers
was
a
cold
nature
,
and
not
one
which
had
drawn
out
Clare
's
heart
towards
itself
.
She
was
now
going
to
stay
with
her
own
relatives
,
and
was
perfectly
willing
to
take
her
step-daughter
with
her
;
but
the
girl
decided
,
without
much
need
for
reflection
,
that
there
would
be
many
things
better
than
to
be
buried
alive
in
a
Yorkshire
village
,
with
no
one
more
congenial
to
talk
to
than
Mrs
Stanley
or
Mrs
Stanley
's
relations
,
whom
Clare
had
been
wont
to
term
'
the
fossils
.
'
An
unposted
letter
lay
on
the
little
table
at
her
elbow
,
in
which
she
had
accepted
an
invitation
to
spend
an
indefinite
time
with
the
Quaids
.
She
thought
that
in
London
,
away
from
the
associations
of
the
recent
past
,
she
would
be
better
able
to
plan
out
the
course
of
her
future
life
.
She
knew
that
that
course
would
now
be
a
very
different
one
from
what
it
would
have
been
had
she
had
the
planning
of
it
three
months
ago
,
before
she
met
Count
Litvinoff
or
spent
that
evening
at
the
Cleon
.
She
was
sorrowfully
glad
that
her
father
's
will
was
what
it
was
,
for
she
was
conscious
in
a
vague
sort
of
way
that
wealth
meant
power
,
and
she
was
determined
that
in
her
hands
it
should
mean
power
to
do
good
and
to
make
others
happy
.
Her
plans
went
no
further
than
this
at
present
,
and
she
knew
that
even
to
carry
this
out
she
would
need
teaching
and
help
and
counsel
from
those
who
had
more
experience
of
the
world
and
its
needs
than
she
had
.
It
was
,
perhaps
,
this
thought
that
had
mainly
influenced
her
in
her
acceptance
of
Mrs
Quaid
's
very
kind
and
cordial
invitation
,
for
Marlborough
Villa
was
not
the
most
unlikely
place
in
the
world
at
which
to
meet
some
one
who
had
just
that
which
she
lacked
.
There
she
had
first
been
forced
to
think
;
perhaps
there
she
would
first
be
taught
how
to
act
.
Why
does
one
never
learn
at
school
the
things
one
needs
when
one
leaves
it
?
'
How
much
there
is
to
know
—
how
much
there
is
for
me
to
learn
,
'
she
said
to
herself
,
with
a
little
sigh
,
leaning
forward
and
gazing
into
the
glowing
fire
,
resting
her
elbow
on
her
knee
and
her
cheek
on
her
clasped
hands
.
She
started
and
rose
at
a
loud
,
clanging
ring
of
the
door-bell
.
As
she
had
expected
,
the
servant
announced
'
Count
Litvinoff
.
'
He
came
forward
with
a
low
and
deferential
bow
.
'
You
must
forgive
me
,
'
he
said
,
'
for
calling
on
you
on
Sunday
afternoon
,
which
,
I
believe
,
is
not
the
rule
in
England
;
but
I
heard
that
you
were
leaving
Aspinshaw
to-morrow
,
and
I
could
not
run
the
risk
of
not
seeing
you
again
.
'
'
We
are
always
pleased
to
see
you
,
'
said
Clare
;
'
but
I
am
not
going
to
London
for
some
time
yet
.
There
will
be
a
good
deal
of
law
business
,
I
suppose
,
and
it
is
not
fair
to
carry
the
trouble
of
that
to
my
friend
's
house
.
Is
Mr
Roland
well
?
'
'
He
is
on
duty
,
'
said
Litvinoff
;
'
he
has
gone
to
a
chapel
with
his
aunt
,
which
is
good
of
him
,
as
his
views
are
not
that
way
.
'
Clare
drew
a
breath
of
relief
.
She
had
not
felt
comfortable
in
Roland
's
presence
since
that
interview
with
Litvinoff
in
the
National
Gallery
.
'
I
myself
shall
be
returning
to
London
in
a
few
weeks
,
'
the
young
man
went
on
.
'
I
have
already
stayed
as
long
as
I
at
first
intended
to
do
,
but
now
Ferrier
is
good
enough
to
wish
me
to
stay
until
the
household
at
Thornsett
Edge
is
broken
up
.
'
'
Ah
,
yes
,
I
had
forgotten
that
.
What
a
horrible
thing
!
What
are
they
going
to
do
?
'
'
I
believe
Mr
Roland
will
live
with
his
aunt
at
Chelsea
.
'
'
We
seem
to
be
all
going
to
London
,
'
said
Clare
,
with
an
effort
to
be
as
cheerful
as
possible
.
'
True
;
but
London
is
so
vast
,
and
in
it
I
know
so
few
people
whom
you
are
likely
to
know
,
that
I
feel
I
might
as
well
be
going
back
to
Siberia
for
any
chance
I
shall
have
of
seeing
you
.
'
This
with
the
air
of
one
who
would
as
soon
go
to
Siberia
as
not
while
he
was
about
it
.
'
Oh
,
I
daresay
we
shall
see
each
other
,
'
she
answered
,
leaning
back
in
her
chair
and
trifling
with
a
big
screen
of
peacock
's
feathers
,
which
she
had
idly
taken
up
.
'
I
'm
going
to
stay
with
a
lady
who
is
madly
anxious
to
know
you
.
'
Count
Litvinoff
looked
intensely
surprised
,
as
though
that
had
been
almost
impossible
.
'
I
think
I
told
you
about
her
,
'
she
continued
;
'
Mrs
Quaid
,
who
belongs
to
the
Cleon
,
you
know
,
where
I
heard
all
about
Socialism
,
you
remember
?
'
'
Oh
,
yes
,
I
remember
,
'
said
Litvinoff
,
which
was
true
.
He
did
.
'
I
do
hope
I
shall
see
you
again
,
because
you
and
Mr
Petrovitch
are
the
only
two
people
I
know
who
can
help
me
.
'
'
It
is
a
great
privilege
my
fellow-countryman
shares
with
me
,
Miss
Stanley
.
May
I
be
the
first
to
hear
of
what
help
you
stand
in
need
?
'
'
I
daresay
you
have
heard
,
'
she
answered
,
'
that
my
father
'
—
here
her
voice
trembled
a
little
—
'
has
left
me
nearly
all
his
money
,
and
it
is
mine
now
,
though
I
am
not
of
age
.
'
Ah
,
no
,
Count
Litvinoff
had
certainly
not
heard
that
.
'
And
then
,
you
see
,
'
she
went
on
,
knitting
her
brows
under
the
stress
of
the
difficulty
she
found
in
putting
her
thoughts
into
words
,
'
the
question
is
,
what
am
I
to
do
with
it
?
A
little
time
ago
I
should
have
found
it
easy
enough
to
do
with
it
what
every
one
else
does
;
but
I
have
been
thinking
a
great
deal
—
a
very
great
deal
lately
—
ever
since
I
heard
Mr
Petrovitch
;
