The Essential W. Somerset Maugham Collection. W. Somerset MaughamЧитать онлайн книгу.
in war-paint. I assure you it was a most impressive sight.'
'My dear fellow,' Dick chuckled, 'if paint is the attraction, you really need not go much further than Mayfair.'
The scene amused him. He was deeply interested in Alec's attitude, for he knew him well enough to be convinced that his discreet gaiety was entirely assumed. It was impossible to tell by it what course he meant to adopt; and at the same time there was about him a greater unapproachableness, which warned all and sundry that it would be wiser to attempt no advance. But for his own part he did not care; he meant to have a word with Alec at the first opportunity.
Alec's quiet eyes now rested on Robert Boulger.
'Ah, there's my little friend Bobbikins. I thought you had a headache?'
Lady Kelsey remembered her nephew's broken engagement and interposed quickly.
'I'm afraid Bobbie is dreadfully dissipated. He's not looking at all well.'
'You shouldn't keep such late hours,' said Alec, good-humouredly. 'At your age one needs one's beauty sleep.'
'It's very kind of you to take an interest in me,' said Boulger, flushing with annoyance. 'My headache has passed off.'
'I'm very glad. What do you use--phenacetin?'
'It went away of its own accord after dinner,' returned Bobbie frigidly, conscious that he was being laughed at, but unable to extricate himself.
'So you resolved to give the girls a treat by coming to Lady Kelsey's dance? How nice of you not to disappoint them!'
Alec turned to Lucy, and they looked into one another's eyes.
'I sent you a paper this evening,' he said gravely.
'It was very good of you.'
There was a silence. All who were present felt that the moment was impressive, and it needed Canon Spratte's determination to allow none but himself to monopolise attention, to bring to an end a situation which might have proved awkward. He came forward and offered his arm to Lucy.
'I think this is my dance. May I take you in?'
He was trying to repeat the direct cut which he had given Alec earlier in the day. Alec looked at him.
'I saw you in Piccadilly this evening. You were dashing about like a young gazelle.'
'I didn't see you,' said the Canon, frigidly.
'I observed that you were deeply engrossed in the shop windows as I passed. How are you?'
He held out his hand. For a moment the Canon hesitated to take it, but Alec's gaze compelled him.
'How do you do?' he said.
He felt, rather than heard, Dick's chuckle, and reddening, offered his arm to Lucy.
'Won't you come, Mr. MacKenzie?' said Lady Kelsey, making the best of her difficulty.
'If you don't mind, I'll stay and smoke a cigarette with Dick Lomas. You know, I'm not a dancing man.'
It seemed that Alec was giving Dick the opportunity he sought, and as soon as they found themselves alone, the sprightly little man attacked him.
'I suppose you know we were all beseeching Providence you'd have the grace to stay away to-night?' he said.
'I confess that I suspected it,' smiled Alec. 'I shouldn't have come, only I wanted to see Miss Allerton.'
'This fellow Macinnery proposes to make things rather uncomfortable, I imagine.'
'I made a mistake, didn't I?' said Alec, with a thin smile. 'I should have dropped him in the river when I had no further use for him.'
'What are you going to do?'
'Nothing.'
Dick stared at him.
'Do you mean to say you're going to sit still and let them throw mud at you?'
'If they want to.'
'But look here, Alec, what the deuce is the meaning of the whole thing?'
Alec looked at him quietly.
'If I had intended to take the world in general into my confidence, I wouldn't have refused to see the interviewers who came to me this evening.'
'We've known one another for twenty years, Alec,' said Dick.
'Then you may be quite sure that if I refuse to discuss this matter with you, it must be for excellent reasons.'
Dick sprang up excitedly.
'But, good God! you must explain. You can't let a charge like this rest on you. After all, it's not Tom, Dick, or Harry that's concerned; it's Lucy's brother. You must speak.'
'I've never yet discovered that I must do anything that I don't choose,' answered Alec.
Dick flung himself into a chair. He knew that when Alec spoke in that fashion no power on earth could move him. The whole thing was entirely unexpected, and he was at a loss for words. He had not read the letter which was causing all the bother, and knew only what Lady Kelsey had told him. He had some hope that on a close examination various things would appear which must explain Alec's attitude; but at present it was incomprehensible.
'Has it occurred to you that Lucy is very much in love with you, Alec?' he said at last.
Alec did not answer. He made no movement.
'What will you do if this loses you her love?'
'I have counted the cost,' said Alec, coldly.
He got up from his chair, and Dick saw that he did not wish to continue the discussion. There was a moment of silence, and then Lucy came in.
'I've given my partner away to a wall-flower,' she said, with a faint smile. 'I felt I must have a few words alone with you.'
'I will make myself scarce,' said Dick.
They waited till he was gone. Then Lucy turned feverishly to Alec.
'Oh, I'm so glad you've come. I wanted so much to see you.'
'I'm afraid people have been telling you horrible things about me.'
'They wanted to hide it from me.'
'It never occurred to me that people _could_ say such shameful things,' he said gravely.
It tormented him a little because it had been so easy to care nothing for the world's adulation, and it was so hard to care as little for its censure. He felt very bitter.
He took Lucy's hand and made her sit on the sofa by his side.
'There's something I must tell you at once.'
She looked at him without answering.
'I've made up my mind to give no answer to the charges that are brought against me.'
Lucy looked up quickly, and their eyes met.
'I give you my word of honour that I've done nothing which I regret. I swear to you that what I did was right with regard to George, and if it were all to come again I would do exactly as I did before.'
She did not answer for a long time.
'I never doubted you for a single moment,' she said at last.
'That is all I care about.' He looked down, and there was a certain shyness in his voice when he spoke again. 'To-day is the first time I've wanted to be assured that I was