the secret places of the heart-第24章

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to　learn　what　happens。〃　〃But　if　you　won't　stay　to　see！〃　〃Now　Sir；　please；〃　said　the　guard　respectfully　but　firmly；　and　Dr。　Martineau　got　in。　Sir　Richmond　walked　thoughtfully　down　the　platform　towards　the　exit。　〃What　else　could　I　do？〃　he　asked　aloud　to　nobody　in　particular。　For　a　little　while　he　thought　confusedly　of　the　collapse　of　his　expedition　into　the　secret　places　of　his　own　heart　with　Dr。　Martineau；　and　then　his　prepossession　with　Miss　Grammont　resumed　possession　of　his　mind。　Dr。　Martineau　was　forgotten。　Section　2　For　the　better　part　of　forty　hours；　Sir　Richmond　had　either　been　talking　to　Miss　Grammont；　or　carrying　on　imaginary　conversations　with　her　in　her　absence；　or　sleeping　and　dreaming　dreams　in　which　she　never　failed　to　play　a　part；　even　if　at　times　it　was　an　altogether　amazing　and　incongruous　part。　And　as　they　were　both　very　frank　and　expressive　people；　they　already　knew　a　very　great　deal　about　each　other。　For　an　American　Miss　Grammont　was　by　no　means　autobiographical。　She　gave　no　sketches　of　her　idiosyncrasies；　and　she　repeated　no　remembered　comments　and　prophets　of　her　contemporaries　about　herself。　She　either　concealed　or　she　had　lost　any　great　interest　in　her　own　personality。　But　she　was　interested　in　and　curious　about　the　people　she　had　met　in　life；　and　her　talk　of　them　reflected　a　considerable　amount　of　light　upon　her　own　upbringing　and　experiences。　And　her　liking　for　Sir　Richmond　was　pleasingly　manifest。　She　liked　his　turn　of　thought；　she　watched　him　with　a　faint　smile　on　her　lips　as　he　spoke；　and　she　spread　her　opinions　before　him　carefully　in　that　soft　voice　of　hers　like　a　shy　child　showing　its　treasures　to　some　suddenly　trusted　and　favoured　visitor。　Their　ways　of　thought　harmonized。　They　talked　at　first　chiefly　about　the　history　of　the　world　and　the　extraordinary　situation　of　aimlessness　in　a　phase　of　ruin　to　which　the　Great　War　had　brought　all　Europe；　if　not　all　mankind。　The　world　excited　them　both　in　the　same　way；　as　a　crisis　in　which　they　were　called　upon　to　do　somethingthey　did　not　yet　clearly　know　what。　Into　this　topic　they　peered　as　into　some　deep　pool；　side　by　side；　and　in　it　they　saw　each　other　reflected。　The　visit　to　Avebury　had　been　a　great　success。　It　had　been　a　perfect　springtime　day；　and　the　little　inn　had　been　delighted　at　the　reappearance　of　Sir　Richmond's　car　so　soon　after　its　departure。　Its　delight　was　particularly　manifest　in　the　cream　and　salad　it　produced　for　lunch。　Both　Miss　Grammont　and　Miss　Seyffert　displayed　an　intelligent　interest　in　their　food。　After　lunch　they　had　all　gone　out　to　the　stones　and　the　wall。　Half　a　dozen　sunburnt　children　were　putting　one　of　the　partially　overturned　megaliths　to　a　happy　use　by　clambering　to　the　top　of　it　and　sliding　on　their　little　behinds　down　its　smooth　and　sloping　side　amidst　much　mirthful　squealing。　Sir　Richmond　and　Miss　Grammont　had　walked　round　the　old　circumvallation　together；　but　Belinda　Seyffert　had　strayed　away　from　them；　professing　an　interest　in　flowers。　It　was　not　so　much　that　she　felt　they　had　to　be　left　together　that　made　her　do　this　as　her　own　consciousness　of　being　possessed　by　a　devil　who　interrupted　conversations。　When　Miss　Grammont　was　keenly　interested　in　a　conversation；　then　Belinda　had　learnt　from　experience　that　it　was　wiser　to　go　off　with　her　devil　out　of　the　range　of　any　temptation　to　interrupt。　〃You　really　think；〃　said　Miss　Grammont；　〃that　it　would　be　possible　to　take　this　confused　old　world　and　reshape　it；　set　it　marching　towards　that　new　world　of　yoursof　two　hundred　and　fifty　million　fully　developed；　beautiful　and　happy　people？〃　〃Why　not？　Nobody　is　doing　anything　with　the　world　except　muddle　about。　Why　not　give　it　a　direction？　〃　〃You'd　take　it　in　your　hands　like　clay？〃　〃Obdurate　clay　with　a　sort　of　recalcitrant；　unintelligent　life　of　its　own。〃　Her　imagination　glowed　in　her　eyes　and　warmed　her　voice。　〃I　believe　what　you　say　is　possible。　If　people　dare。〃　〃I　am　tired　of　following　little　motives　that　are　like　flames　that　go　out　when　you　get　to　them。　I　am　tired　of　seeing　all　the　world　doing　the　same。　I　am　tired　of　a　world　in　which　there　is　nothing　great　but　great　disasters。　Here　is　something　mankind　can　attempt；　that　we　can　attempt。〃　〃And　will？　〃　〃I　believe　that　as　Mankind　grows　up　this　is　the　business　Man　has　to　settle　down　to　and　will　settle　down　to。〃　She　considered　that。　〃I've　been　getting　to　believe　something　like　this。　But　。　。　。　it　frightens　me。　I　suppose　most　of　us　have　this　same　sort　of　dread　of　taking　too　much　upon　ourselves。〃　〃So　we　just　live　like　pigs。　Sensible　little　piggywiggys。　I've　got　a　Committee　full　of　that　sort　of　thing。　We　live　like　little　modest　pigs。　And　let　the　world　go　hang。　And　pride　ourselves　upon　our　freedom　from　the　sin　of　presumption。　〃Not　quite　that！〃　〃Well！　How　do　you　put　it？〃　〃We　are　afraid；〃　she　said。　〃It's　too　vast。　We　want　bright　little　lives　of　our　own。　〃　〃Exactlysensible　little　piggy…wiggys。〃　〃We　have　a　right　to　lifeand　happiness。　〃First；〃　said　Sir　Richmond；　〃as　much　right　as　a　pig　has　to　food。　But　whether　we　get　life　and　happiness　or　fail　to　get　them　we　human　beings　who　have　imaginations　want　something　more　nowadays。　。　。　。　Of　course　we　want　bright　lives；　of　course　we　want　happiness。　Just　as　we　want　food；　just　as　we　want　sleep。　But　when　we　have　eaten；　when　we　have　slept；　when　we　have　jolly　things　about　usit　is　nothing。　We　have　been　made　an　exception　ofand　got　our　rations。　The　big　thing　confronts　us　still。　It　is　vast；　I　agree；　but　vast　as　it　is　it　is　the　thing　we　have　to　think　about。　I　do　not　know　why　it　should　be　so；　but　I　am　compelled　by　something　in　my　nature　to　want　to　serve　this　idea　of　a　new　age　for　mankind。　I　want　it　as　my　culminating　want。　I　want　a　world　in　order；　a　disciplined　mankind　going　on　to　greater　things。　Don't　you？〃　〃Now　you　tell　me　of　it；〃　she　said　with　a　smile；　〃I　do。〃　〃But　before？〃　〃No。　You've　made　it　clear。　It　wasn't　clear　before。〃　〃I've　been　talking　of　this　sort　of　thing　with　my　friend　Dr。　Martineau。　And　I've　been　thinking　as　well　as　talking。　That　perhaps　is　why　I'm　so　clear　and　positive。〃　〃I　don't　complain　that　you　are　clear　and　positive。　I've　been　coming　along　the　same　way。　。　。　。　It's　refreshing　to　meet　you。〃　〃I　found　it　refreshing　to　meet　Martineau。〃　A　twinge　of　conscience　about　Dr。　Martineau　turned　Sir　Richmond　into　a　new　channel。　〃He's　a　most　interesting　man；〃　he　said。　〃Rather　shy　in　some　respects。　Devoted　to　his　work。　And　he's　writing　a　book　which　has　saturated　him　in　these　ideas。　Only　two　nights　ago　we　stood　here　and　talked　about　it。　The　Psychology　of　a　New　Age。　The　world；　he　believes；　is　entering　upon　a　new　phase　in　its　history；　the　adolescence；　so　to　speak；　of　mankind。　It　is　an　idea　that　seizes　the　imagination。　There　is　a　flow　of　new　ideas　abroad；　he　thinks；　widening　realizations；　unprecedented　hopes　and　fears。　There　is　a　consciousness　of　new　powers　and　new　responsibilities。　We　are　sharing　the　adolescence　of　our　race。　It　is　giving　history　a　new　and　more　intimate　meaning　for　us。　It　is　bringing　us　into　directer　relation　with　public　affairs；making　them　matter　as　formerly　they　didn't　seem　to　matter。　That　idea　of　the　bright　little　private　life　has　to　go　by　the　board。〃　〃I　suppose　it　has；〃　she　said；　meditatively；　as　though　she　had　been　thinking　over　some　such　question　before。　〃The　private　life；〃　she　said；　〃has　a　way　of　coming　aboard　again。〃　Her　reflections　travelled　fast　and　broke　out　now　far　ahead　of　him。　〃You　have　some　sort　of　work　cut　out　for　you；〃　she　said　abruptly。　〃Yes。　Yes；　I　have。〃　〃I　haven't；〃　she　said。　〃So　that　I　go　about；〃　she　added；　like　someone　who　is　looking　for　something。　I'd　like　to　know　if　it's　not　jabbing　too　searching　a　question　at　youwhat　you　have　found。〃　Sir　Richmond　considered。　〃Incidentally；〃　he　smiled；　〃　I　want　to　get　a　lasso　over　the　neck　of　that　very　forcible　and　barbaric　person；　your　father。　I　am　doing　my　best　to　help　lay　the　foundation　of　a　scientific　world　control　of　fuel　production　and　distribution。　We　have　a　Fuel　Commission　in　London　with　rather　wide　powers　of　enquiry　into　the　whole　world　problem　of　fuel。　We　shall　come　out　to　Washington　presently　with　proposals。　〃　Miss　Grammont　surveyed　the　landscape。　〃I　suppose；〃　she　said；　〃poor　father　IS　rather　like　an　unbroken　mule　in　business　affairs。　So　many　of　our　big　business　men　in　America　are。　He'll　lash　out　at　you。〃　〃I　don't　mind　if　only　he　lashes　out　openly　in　the　sight　of　all　men。〃　She　considered　and　turned　on　Sir　Richmond　gravely。　〃Tell　me　what　you　want　to　do　to　him。　You　find　out　so　many　things　for　me　that　I　seem　to　have　been　thinking　about　in　a　sort　of　almost　invisible　half…conscious　way。　I've　been　suspecting　for　a　long　time　that　Civilization　wasn't　much　good　unless　it　got　people　like　my　father　under　some　sort　of　control。　But　controlling　fatheras　distinguished　from　managing　him！〃　She　reviewed　some　private　and　amusing　memories。　〃He　is　a　most　intractable　man。〃　Section　3　They　had　gone　on　to　talk　of　her　father　and　of　the　types　of　men　who　controlled　international　business。　She　had　had　plentiful　opportunities　for　observation　in　their　homes　and　her　own。　Gunter　Lake；　the　big　banker；　she　knew　particularly　well；　because；　it　seemed；　she　had　been　engaged　or　was　engaged　to　marry　him。　〃All　these　people；〃　she　said；　〃are　pushing　things　about；　affecting　millions　of　lives；　hurting　and　disordering　hundreds　of　thousands　o