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第4部分（第2页）

There　was　charm　in　it　…　there　had　always　been　charm　in　it。　He　looked　piercingly　at　his　son…in…law。　Derek　Kettering　was　thirty…four；　lean　of　build；　with　a　dark；　narrow　face；　which　had　even　now　something　indescribabiy　boyish　in　it。

〃e　in；〃　said　Van　Aldin　curtly。　〃Sit　down。〃

Kettering　flung　himself　lightly　into　an　armchair。　He　looked　at　his　father…in…law　with　a　kind　of　tolerant　amusement。

〃Not　seen　you　for　a　long　time；　sir；〃　he　remarked　pleasantly。　〃About　two　years；　I　should　say。　Seen　Ruth　yet？〃

〃I　saw　her　last　night；〃　said　Van　Aldin。

〃Looking　very　fit；　isnt　she？〃　said　the　other　lightly。

〃I　didnt　know　you　had　had　much　opportunity　of　judging；〃　said　Van　Aldin　drily。

Derek　Kettering　raised　his　eyebrows。

〃Oh；　we　sometimes　meet　at　the　same　night　club；　you　know；〃　he　said　airily。

〃I　am　not　going　to　beat　about　the　bush；〃　Van　Aldin　said　curtly。　〃I　have　advised　Ruth　to　file　a　petition　for　divorce。〃

Derek　Kettering　seemed　unmoved。

〃How　drastic！〃　he　murmured。　〃Do　you　mind　if　I　smoke；　sir？〃

He　lit　a　cigarette；　and　puffed　out　a　cloud　of　smoke　as　he　added　nonchalantly：

〃And　what　did　Ruth　say？〃

〃Ruth　proposes　to　take　my　advice；〃　said　her　father。

〃Does　she　really？〃

〃Is　that　all　you　have　got　to　say？〃　demanded　Van　Aldin　sharply。

Kettering　flicked　his　ash　into　the　grate。

〃I　think；　you　know；〃　he　said；　with　a　detached　air；　〃that　shes　making　a　great　mistake。〃

〃From　your　point　of　view　she　doubtless　is；〃　said　Van　Aldin　grimly。

〃Oh；　e　now；〃　said　the　other；　〃dont　lets　be　personal。　I　really　wasnt　thinking　of　myself　at　the　moment。　I　was　thinking　of　Ruth。　You　know　my　poor　old　Governor　really　cant　last　much　longer；　all　the　doctors　say　so。　Ruth　had　better　give　it　a　couple　more　years；　then　I　shall　be　Lord　Leconbury；　and　she　can　be　chatelaine　of　Leconbury；　which　is　what　she　married　me　for。〃

〃I　wont　have　any　of　your　darned　impudence；〃　roared　Van　Aldin。

Derek　Kettering　smiled　at　him　quite　unmoved。

〃I　agree　with　you。　Its　an　obsolete　idea；〃　he　said。　〃Theres　nothing　in　a　title　nowadays。　Still；　Leconbury　is　a　very　fine　old　place；　and；　after　all；　we　are　one　of　the　oldest　families　in　England。　It　will　be　very　annoying　for　Ruth　if　she　divorces　me　to　find　me　marrying　again；　and　some　other　woman　queening　it　at　Leconbury　instead　of　her。〃

〃I　am　serious；　young　man；〃　said　Van　Aldin。

〃Oh；　so　am　I；〃　said　Kettering。　〃I　am　in　very　low　water　financially；　it　will　put　me　in　a　nasty　hole　if　Ruth　divorces　me；　and；　after　all；　if　she　has　stood　it　for　ten　years；　why　not　stand　it　a　little　longer？　I　give　you　my　word　of　honour　that　the　old　man　cant　possibly　last　out　another　eighteen　months；　and；　as　I　said　before；　its　a　pity　Ruth　shouldnt　get　what　she　married　me　for。〃

〃You　suggest　that　my　daughter　married　you　for　your　title　and　position？〃

Derek　Kettering　laughed　a　laugh　that　was　not　all　amusement。

〃You　dont　think　it　atch？〃　he　asked。

〃I　know；〃　said　Van　Aldin　slowly；　〃that　you　spoke　very　differently　in　Paris　ten　years　ago。〃

〃Did　I？　Perhaps　I　did。　Ruth　was　very　beautiful；　you　know　…　rather　like　an　angel　or　a　saint；　or　something　that　had　stepped　down　from　a　niche　in　a　church。　I　had　fine　ideas；　I　remember；　of　turning　over　a　new　leaf；　of　settling　down　and　living　up　to　the　highest　traditions　of　English　home…life　with　a　beautiful　wife　who　loved　me。〃

He　laughed　again；　rather　more　discordantly。

〃But　you　dont　believe　that；　I　suppose？〃　he　said。

〃I　have　no　doubt　at　all　that　you　married　Ruth　for　her　money；〃　said　Van　Aldin　unemotionally。

〃And　that　she　married　me　for　love？〃　asked　the　other　ironically。

〃Certainly；〃　said　Van　Aldin。

Derek　Kettering　stared　at　him　for　a　minute　or　two；　then　he　nodded　reflectively。

〃I　see　you　believe　that；〃　he　said。　〃So　did　I　at　the　time。　I　can　assure　you；　my　dear　father…in…law；　I　was　very　soon　undeceived。〃