The Essential G. B. Shaw: Celebrated Plays, Novels, Personal Letters, Essays & Articles. GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

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      “Oh, certainly. Fire away!”

      “Thank you. I must then tell you that the relations between you and Lady Constance are a source of anxiety to her brother. You know the way men feel bound to look after their sisters. You have, I believe, sisters of your own?”

      Marmaduke nodded, and stole a doubtful glance at Conolly’s face.

      “It appears that Lord Carbury has all along considered your courtship too cool to be genuine. In this view he was quite unsupported, the Countess being strongly in your favor, and the young lady devoted to you.”

      “Well, I knew all that. At least, I suspected it. What is up now?”

      “This. The fact of your having taken a villa here has reached the ears of the family at Carbury. They are, not unnaturally, curious to know what use a bachelor can have for such an establishment.”

      “But I have my rooms in Clarges Street still. This is not my house. It was taken for another person.”

      “Precisely what they seem to think. But, to be brief with you, Miss Lind thinks that unless you wish to break with the Earl, and quarrel with your family, you should go down to Towers Cottage at once.”

      “But I cant go away just now. There are reasons.”

      “Miss Lind is fully acquainted with your reasons. They are her reasons for wishing you to leave London immediately. And now, having executed my commission, I must ask you to excuse me. My time is much occupied.”

      “Well, I am greatly obliged to you for coming all this way out of town to give me the straight tip,” said Marmaduke, relieved at the prospect of getting rid of his visitor without alluding to Susanna. “It is very good of you; and I am very glad to see you. Jolly place, Carbury Park is, isnt it? How will the shooting be?”

      “First rate, I am told. I do not know much about it myself.” They had risen, and were strolling along the path leading to the gate.

      “Shall I see you down there — if I go?”

      “Possibly. I shall have to go down for a day at least, to get my luggage, in case I decide not to renew my engagement with Lord Jasper.”

      “I hope so,” said Marmaduke. Then, as they reached the gate, he proffered his hand, in spite of an inward shrinking, and said heartily, “Goodbye, old fellow. Youre looking as well as possible.”

      Conolly took his hand, and retained it whilst he said: “Goodbye, Mr.

       Lind. I am quite well, thank you. If I may ask — how is Susanna?”

      Marmaduke was prevented by a spasm of the throat from replying. Before he recovered, Susanna herself, attired for her proposed trip to Hampton, emerged from the shrubbery and stood before them, confounded. Conolly, still wearing the cordial expression with which he had shaken Marmaduke’s hand, looked at her, then at her protector, and then at her again.

      “I have been admiring the villa, Susanna,” said he, after an emphatic silence. “It is better than our place at Lambeth. You wont mind my hurrying away: I have a great deal to do in town. Goodbye. Goodbye, Mr. Lind.”

      Susanna murmured something. Marmaduke, after making an effort to bid his guest goodbye genially, opened the gate, and stood for a minute watching him as he strode away.

      “What does he care what becomes of me, the selfish brute!” cried

       Susanna, passionately.

      “He didnt complain: he has nothing to complain of,” said Marmaduke.

       “Anyhow, why didnt he stay at home and look after you? By George,

       Susanna, he is the coolest card I ever came across.”

      “What brought him here?” she demanded, vehemently.

      “That reminds me. I am afraid I must go down to Carbury for a few days.”

      “And what am I to do here alone? Are you going to leave me too?”

      “Well, I cannot be in two places at the same time. I suppose you can manage to get on without me for a few days.”

      “I will go home. I can get on without you altogether. I will go home.”

      “Come, Susanna! what is the use of kicking up a row? I cant afford to quarrel with all my people because you choose to be unreasonable.”

      “What do I care about your people, or about you either?”

      “Very well, then,” said Marmaduke, offended, “you can go home if you like. Perhaps your brother appreciates this sort of thing. I dont.”

      “Ah, you coward! You taunt me because you think I have no home. Do you flatter yourself that I am dependent on you?”

      “Hold your tongue,” said Marmaduke, fiercely. “Dont you turn on me in that fashion. Keep your temper if you want me to keep mine.”

      “You have ruined me,” said Susanna, sitting down on the grass, and beginning to cry.

      “Oh, upon my soul, this is too much,” said Marmaduke, with disgust. “Get up out of that and dont make a fool of yourself. Ruined indeed! Will you get up?”

      “No!” screamed Susanna.

      “Then stay where you are and be damned,” retorted Marmaduke, turning on his heel and walking toward the house. In the hall he met a maid carrying an empty champagne bottle and goblet.

      “Missis is looking for you, sir,” said the maid.

      “All right,” said Marmaduke, “I have seen her. Listen to me. I am going to the country. My man Mason will come here to-day to pack up my traps, and bring them after me. You had better take a note of my address from the card in the strap of my valise.”

      “Yes, sir,” said the maid. “Any message for missis?”

      “No,” said Marmaduke. He then changed his coat and hat, and went out again. As he approached the gate he met Susanna, who had risen and was walking toward the house.

      “I am going to Carbury,” he said. “I dont know when I shall be back.”

      She passed on disdainfully, as if she had not heard him.

      CHAPTER VI

       Table of Contents

      Three days later Lord Carbury came to luncheon with a letter in his hand. Marian had not yet come in; and the Rev. George was absent, his place being filled by Marmaduke.

      “Good news for you and Constance, mother.”

      “Indeed?” said the Countess, smiling.

      “Yes. Conolly is coming down this afternoon to collect his traps and leave you forever.”

      “Really, СКАЧАТЬ