Читать книгу The Coward - Robert Hugh Benson - Страница 14

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He was silent at lunch; but no longer with irritation. It was rather a pregnant and a genial silence, warmed and perfumed by his imaginings. For to those who live largely in the imagination—who create rather than receive—reassurance, as well as apprehensiveness and depression, is always at their command. He had reconstructed his world now, by his earnest endeavours of the morning, and looked even upon Austin with benignity.

His geniality flowed out into words as he limped into the smoking-room afterwards and found Austin knocking the balls about.

“I’ll play you fifty up,” he said.

Austin nodded.

By the end of the game, which, although Austin won it by a final undeniable fluke, stood at “forty-eight all” before the balls, wandering about, happened to cannon, the two were talking freely again; and it was Switzerland of which they talked.

“Do tell me when you’ve done with ‘Badminton,’ ” said Val. “By the way, I’m beastly sorry about this morning. I really didn’t know it was yours, or I’d have asked you.”

“That’s all right,” murmured Austin, touched in spite of his dignity. “You can have it all to-day.” Val took his stick, helped himself to a leather couch, and curled upon it.

“Thanks awfully. I really do want to get an idea of the thing. Tom Meredith’s a regular pro., I believe.... I say, do you think we shall do the Matterhorn?”

“Matterhorn! Good Lord, no. Why——”

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t. Why, even ladies do it.”

There was a pause, while Austin made a careful stroke with the balls, and missed. He put his cue up.

“I’m going up. I’ll bring the book down if you like, if you’re lame.”

“Right. Thanks awfully.”

Tea was under the cedar in the eastern gardens, and about ten minutes past five there was still no Val. Austin shouted once or twice under the windows; and at last the other appeared, reading as he came, and carrying his crutched stick under his arm. He remembered, however, to use it coming down the steps from the house.

Conversation was extremely genial. Val now joined in it, now sat silent and smiling, with bright eyes. His imagination had been vividly inspired by his three hours’ reading; and he talked already familiarly of arêtes and chimneys and couloirs. May joined in enviously, with loud sighs; she had had her conversation, and it had proved unsatisfactory; the utmost she could get out of her mother was that if the Marjoribanks asked her for next year, and if there was nothing else particular to do, and if it was thought suitable when the time came—well, then perhaps she would be allowed to go. Meanwhile she was to remember that it was only natural that boys could do things that girls couldn’t.

Val stood, a little ostentatiously leaning on his stick, with a smiling melancholy to see the riders start. He even laid his stick aside to mount Gertie, who was riding Quentin to-day by her own special request. Then he observed the usual caperings of the horses as they set their feet on the springy grass on the other side of the drive, and presently saw them vanish one by one over the near sky-line, in a cloud of flying turfs. He noticed how extremely well Gertie sat the cob.

Then he went back again to “Badminton.”