Читать книгу Galahad - John Erskine - Страница 11

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“Elaine,” said King Pelles, “this ill-advised behavior of yours is beginning to have results. Sir Lancelot, I believe, has heard from Bromel.”

“I’m not responsible for Bromel, father—he’s not part of my conduct.”

“Perhaps he is, after all. Very much a part of it. He represents or misrepresents you, running through the country with his version of your wild talk. I have just received from Sir Lancelot a message which seems to refer to you. He’s to be here in two days on another errand, and he begs that we may meet alone.”

“Private business, obviously,” said Elaine.

“Perhaps—but I strongly suspect he doesn’t wish to be further—I may say implicated or entangled.”

“Poor man!” said Elaine. “Why does he run into this peril?”

“The king sends him. The business is not private—the trouble is with you, Elaine. It’s an extraordinary message; they never send word in advance.”

“The last time he came, you knew in advance—you got the castle ready.”

“Only by accident. I happened to hear of it.”

“Well,” said Elaine, “there’s no use guessing. I’ll ask him why he wanted to meet you alone.”

“On the contrary,” said her father, “I take his wish as a command. To-morrow you will go to our castle at Case. It’s not far, and I’ll send a few of the servants over to make you comfortable. Amuse yourself there till Lancelot is gone, and if he asks for you I’ll say you are traveling at some distance. Bromel will have no further occasion to talk.”

“He wouldn’t, in any case,” said Elaine. “Thank you for the prudent arrangement, father.”

“You’d better go in the morning,” said Pelles.

“I’m not going at all,” said Elaine. “It wouldn’t be safe. I’d behave much better here, with you to watch me.”

“I’ve watched you for some time, with deplorable results,” said Pelles. “Be ready to-morrow morning.”

“You don’t mean you will turn me out of the house, just because Lancelot is coming?”

“That’s what I mean.”

“Well, I won’t go!”

“As you prefer,” said Pelles. “In that event I will entertain Lancelot at the other castle myself. This is more comfortable, but the other is possible.”

“You intend to send me away every time he comes here?”

“I’m discussing this particular visit. You go or I go.”

“If you respect the family reputation so much,” said Elaine, “can’t you see that your precautions are ridiculous? I’ll make a bargain with you, father—let me stay, and I promise not to say a word to him.”

“Impossible! If he were here he would speak to you.”

“Do you think he really would?”

“Now don’t make me angry, daughter. He’d have to address you, out of courtesy, and once you got started, I couldn’t stop you.”

“If you were my mother,” said Elaine, “I could tell you everything that’s in my heart. You’d see that I ought not to go away.”

“I’m not your mother,” said Pelles. “But stay if you wish. I’ll go.”

“I get down on my knees to you,” she cried. “Let me stay and see him, with you beside me. I know better than you how much safer I’d be that way.”

“To-morrow morning, I said.” He looked down at her. “You might as well get off your knees. I’ve made up my mind.”

She got up quite cheerfully. “You’ve made up my mind, too. I was in some doubt, but now I know what I want. I’ll go. You really should have let me stay to redeem myself by good behavior in Lancelot’s presence. But now I don’t wish to behave myself. I want to be as different as possible from you. I dare say I can manage it. I want—”

“Stop talking to me that way,” said Pelles. “You have lost your self-control absolutely.”

“Oh no, not entirely,” said Elaine. “But it wouldn’t matter. You are going to control me, if I understand you.”

“I am.”

“By force. Your wits against mine.”

“Exactly.”

“My poor mother!” said Elaine. “Well, it’s not such a bad prospect, after all.”