Пробный камень
VII
Hefeltacontradictorymovementofannoyanceatthelatter’sreadyacceptance,andthetwomendroveinsilencetothestation.Astheypassedthebookstallinthewaiting-roomFlamellingeredamomentandtheeyesofbothfellonMargaretAubyn’sname,conspicuouslydisplayedaboveacounterstackedwiththefamiliarvolumes.
“Weshallbelate,youknow,”Glennardremonstrated,pullingouthiswatch.
“Goahead,”saidFlamel,imperturbably.“Iwanttogetsomething—”
Glennardturnedonhisheelandwalkeddowntheplatform.Flamelrejoinedhimwithaninnocent-lookingmagazineinhishand;butGlennarddarednotevenglanceatthecover,lestitshouldshowthesyllableshefeared.
Thetrainwasfullofpeopletheyknew,andtheywerekeptaparttillitdroppedthematthelittlesuburbanstation.Astheystrolleduptheshadedhill,Glennardtalkedvolubly,pointingouttheimprovementsintheneighborhood,deploringthethreatenedapproachofanelectricrailway,andscreeninghimselfbyaseriesofreflexadjustmentsfromtheimminentriskofanyallusiontothe“Letters.”Flamelsufferedhisdiscoursewiththeblandinattentionthatweaccordtotheaffairsofsomeoneelse’ssuburb,andtheyreachedtheshelterofAlexa’stea-tablewithoutaperceptibleturntowardthedreadedtopic.
Thedinnerpassedoffsafely.Flamel,alwaysathisbestinAlexa’spresence,gaveherthekindofattentionwhichislikeabeaconinglightthrownonthespeaker’swords:hisanswersseemedtobringoutalatentsignificanceinherphrases,asthesculptordrawshisstatuefromtheblock.
