man of property- 第30部分

The　ghost　of　a　smile　appeared　on　Soames'　face。　　They　had　better　hurry　up　with　their　questions！　　He　well　knew　his　uncle's　method　（the　ideal　one）　of　at　once　saying：　〃I　propose；　then；　that　the　report　and　accounts　be　adopted！〃　　Never　let　them　get　their　wind　shareholders　were　notoriously　wasteful　of　time！

A　tall；　white…bearded　man；　with　a　gaunt；　dissatisfied　face；　arose：

〃I　believe　I　am　in　order；　Mr。　Chairman；　in　raising　a　question　on　this　figure　of　　L5000　in　the　accounts。　　'To　the　widow　and　family〃'　（he　looked　sourly　round）；　〃'of　our　late　superintendent；'　who　soerill…advisedly　（I　sayill…advisedly）　committed　suicide；　at　a　time　when　his　services　were　of　the　utmost　value　to　this　Company。　　You　have　stated　that　the　agreement　which　he　has　so　unfortunately　cut　short　with　his　own　hand　was　for　a　period　of　five　years；　of　which　one　only　had　expiredI〃

Old　Jolyon　made　a　gesture　of　impatience。

〃I　believe　I　am　in　order；　Mr。　ChairmanI　ask　whether　this　amount　paid；　or　proposed　to　be　paid；　by　the　Board　to　the　erdeceased　is　for　services　which　might　have　been　rendered　to　the　Company　had　he　not　committed　suicide？〃

〃It　is　in　recognition　of　past　services；　which　we　all　knowyou　as　well　as　any　of　usto　have　been　of　vital　value。〃

〃Then；　sir；　all　I　have　to　say　is；　that　the　services　being　past；　the　amount　is　too　much。〃

The　shareholder　sat　down。

Old　Jolyon　waited　a　second　and　said：　〃I　now　propose　that　the　report　and〃

The　shareholder　rose　again：　〃May　I　ask　if　the　Board　realizes　that　it　is　not　their　money　whichI　don't　hesitate　to　say　that　if　it　were　their　money。。。。〃

A　second　shareholder；　with　a　round；　dogged　face；　whom　Soames　recognised　as　the　late　superintendent's　brother…in…law；　got　up　and　said　warmly：　〃In　my　opinion；　sir；　the　sum　is　not　enough！〃

The　Rev。　Mr。　Boms　now　rose　to　his　feet。　　〃If　I　may　venture　to　express　myself；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　say　that　the　fact　of　theer…　…deceased　having　committed　suicide　should　weigh　very　heavily　very　heavily　with　our　worthy　chairman。　　I　have　no　doubt　it　has　weighed　with　him；　forI　say　this　for　myself　and　I　think　for　everyone　present　（hear；　hear）he　enjoys　our　confidence　in　a　high　degree。　　We　all　desire；　I　should　hope；　to　be　charitable。　　But　I　feel　sure〃　（he…looked　severely　at　the　late　superintendent's　brother…in…law）　〃that　he　will　in　some　way；　by　some　written　expression；　or　better　perhaps　by　reducing　the　amount；　record　our　grave　disapproval　that　so　promising　and　valuable　a　life　should　have　been　thus　impiously　removed　from　a　sphere　where　both　its　own　interests　andif　I　may　say　soour　interests　so　imperatively　demanded　its　continuance。　　We　should　notnay；　we　may　not　countenance　so　grave　a　dereliction　of　all　duty；　both　human　and　divine。〃

The　reverend　gentleman　resumed　his　seat。　　The　late　super…　intendent's　brother…in…law　again　rose：　〃What　I　have　said　I　stick　to；〃　he　said；　〃the　amount　is　not　enough！〃

The　first　shareholder　struck　in：　〃I　challenge　the　legality　of　the　payment。　　In　my　opinion　this　payment　is　not　legal。　　The　Company's　solicitor　is　present；　I　believe　I　am　in　order　in　asking　him　the　question。〃

All　eyes　were　now　turned　upon　Soames。　　Something　had　arisen！

He　stood　up；　close…lipped　and　cold；　his　nerves　inwardly　fluttered；　his　attention　tweaked　away　at　last　from　contemplation　of　that　cloud　looming　on　the　horizon　of　his　mind。

〃The　point；〃　he　said　in　a　low；　thin　voice；　〃is　by　no　means　clear。　As　there　is　no　possibility　of　future　consideration　being　received；　it　is　doubtful　whether　the　payment　is　strictly　legal。　If　it　is　desired；　the　opinion　of　the　court　could　be　taken。〃

The　superintendent's　brother…in…law　frowned；　and　said　in　a　meaning　tone：　〃We　have　no　doubt　the　opinion　of　the　court　could　be　taken。　　May　I　ask　the　name　of　the　gentleman　who　has　given　us　that　striking　piece　of　information？　　Mr。　Soames　Forsyte？　　Indeed！〃　　He　looked　from　Soames　to　old　Jolyon　in　a　pointed　manner。

A　flush　coloured　Soames'　pale　cheeks；　but　his　superciliousness　did　not　waver。　　Old　Jolyon　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　speaker。

〃If；〃　he　said；　〃the　late　superintendents　brother…in…law　has　nothing　more　to　say；　I　propose　that　the　report　and　accounts。。。。〃

At　this　moment；　however；　there　rose　one　of　those　five　silent；　stolid　shareholders；　who　had　excited　Soames'　sympathy。　　He　said：

〃I　deprecate　the　proposal　altogether。　　We　are　expected　to　give　charity　to　this　man's　wife　and　children；　who；　you　tell　us；　were　dependent　on　him。　　They　may　have　been；　I　do　not　care　whether　they　were　or　not。　　I　object　to　the　whole　thing　on　principle。　　It　is　high　time　a　stand　was　made　against　this　sentimental　human…　itarianism。　　The　country　is　eaten　up　with　it。　　I　object　to　my　money　being　paid　to　these　people　of　whom　I　know　nothing；　who　have　done　nothing　to　earn　it。　　I　object　in　toto；　it　is　not　business。　　I　now　move　that　the　report　and　accounts　be　put　back；　and　amended　by　striking　out　the　grant　altogether。〃

Old　Jolyon　had　remained　standing　while　the　strong；　silent　man　was　speaking。　　The　speech　awoke　an　echo　in　all　hearts；　voicing；　as　it　did；　the　worship　of　strong　men；　the　movement　against　generosity；　which　had　at　that　time　already　commenced　among　the　saner　members　of　the　community。

The　words　'it　is　not　business'　had　moved　even　the　Board；　privately　everyone　felt　that　indeed　it　was　not。　　But　they　knew　also　the　chairman's　domineering　temper　and　tenacity。　　He；　too；　at　heart　must　feel　that　it　was　not　business；　but　he　was　committed　to　his　own　proposition。　　Would　he　go　back　upon　it？　　It　was　thought　to　be　unlikely。

All　waited　with　interest。　　Old　Jolyon　held　up　his　hand；　dark…rimmed　glasses　depending　between　his　finger　and　thumb　quivered　slightly　with　a　suggestion　of　menace。

He　addressed　the　strong；　silent　shareholder。

〃Knowing；　as　you　do；　the　efforts　of　our　late　superintendent　upon　the　occasion　of　the　explosion　at　the　mines；　do　you　seriously　wish　me　to　put　that　amendment；　sir？〃

〃I　do。〃

Old　Jolyon　put　the　amendment。

〃Does　anyone　second　this？〃　he　asked；　looking　calmly　round。

And　it　was　then　that　Soames；　looking　at　his　uncle；　felt　the　power　of　will　that　was　in　that　old　man。　　No　one　stirred。　　Looking　straight　into　the　eyes　of　the　strong；　silent　shareholder；　old　Jolyon　said：

〃I　now　move；　'That　the　report　and　accounts　for　the　year　1886　be　received　and　adopted。'　You　second　that？　　Those　in　favour　signify　the　same　in　the　usual　way。　　Contraryno。　　Carried。　　The　next　business；　gentlemen。。。。〃

Soames　smiled。　　Certainly　Uncle　Jolyon　had　a　way　with　him！

But　now　his　attention　relapsed　upon　Bosinney。

Odd　how　that　fellow　haunted　his　thoughts；　even　in　business　hours。

Irene's　visit　to　the　housebut　there　was　nothing　in　that；　except　that　she　might　have　told　him；　but　then；　again；　she　never　did　tell　him　anything。　　She　was　more　silent；　more　touchy；　every　day。　　He　wished　to　God　the　house　were　finished；　and　they　were　in　it；　away　from　London。　　Town　did　not　suit　her；　her　nerves　were　not　strong　enough。　　That　nonsense　of　the　separate　room　had　cropped　up　again！

The　meeting　was　breaking　up　now。　　Underneath　the　photograph　of　the　lost　shaft　Hemmings　was　buttonholed　by　the　Rev。　Mr。　Boms。　Little　Mr。　Booker；　his　bristling　eyebrows　wreathed　in　angry　smiles；　was　having　a　parting　turn…up　with　old　Scrubsole。　　The　two　hated　each　other　like　poison。　　There　was　some　matter　of　a　tar…contract　between　them；　little　Mr。　Booker　having　secured　it　from　the　Board　for　a　nephew　of　his；　over　old　Scrubsole's　head。　Soames　had　heard　that　from　Hemmings；　who　liked　a　gossip；　more　especially　about　his　directors；　except；　indeed；　old　Jolyon；　of　whom　he　was　afraid。

Soames　awaited　his　opportunity。　　The　last　shareholder　was　vanishing　through　the　door；　when　he　approached　his　uncle；　who　was　putting　on　his　hat。

〃Can　I　speak　to　you　for　a　minute；　Uncle　Jolyon？〃

It　is　uncertain　what　Soames　expected　to　get　out　of　this　interview。

Apart　from　that　somewhat　mysterious　awe　in　which　Forsytes：　in　general　held　old　Jolyon；　due　to　his　philosophic　twist；　or　perhapsas　Hemmings　would　doubtless　have　saidto　his　chin；　there　was；　and　always　had　been；　a　subtle　antagonism　between　the　younger　man　and　the　old。　　It　had　lurked　under　their　dry　manner　of　greeting；　under　their　non…committal　allusions　to　each　other；　and　arose　perhaps　from　old　Jolyon's　perception　of　the　quiet　tenacity　（'obstinacy；'　he　rather　naturally　called　it）　of　the　young　man；　of　a　secret　doubt　whether　he　could　get　his　own　way　with　him。

Both　these　Forsytes；　wide　asunder　as　the　poles　in　many　respects；　possessed　in　their　different　waysto　a　greater　degree　than　the　rest　of　the　familythat　essential　quality　of　tenacious　and　prudent　insight　into　'affairs；'　which　is　the　highwater　mark　of　their　great　class。　　Either　of　them；　with　a　little　luck　and　opportunity；　was　equal　to　a　lofty　career；　either　of　them　would　have　made　a　good　financier；　a　great　contractor；　a　statesman；　though　old　Jolyon；　in　certain　of　his　moods　when　under　the　influence　of　a　cigar　or　of　Naturewould　have　been　capable　of；　not　perhaps　despising；　but　certainly　of　questioning；　his　own　high　position；　while　Soames；　who　never　smoked　cigars；　would　not。

Then；　too；　in　old　Jolyon's　mind　there　was　always　the　secret　ache；　that　the　son　of　Jamesof　James；　whom　he　had　always　thought　such　a　poor　thing；　should　be　pursuing　the　paths　of　success；　while　his　own　son。。。！

And　last；　not　leastfor　he　was　no　more　outside　the　radiation　of　family　gossip　than　any　other　Forsyte　he　had　now　heard　the　sinister；　indefinite；　but　none　the　less　disturbing　rumour　about　Bosinney；　and　his　pride　was　wounded　to　the　quick。

Characteristically；　his　irritation　turned　not　against　Irene　but　against　Soames。　　The　idea　that　his　nephew's　wife　（why　couldn't　the　fellow　take　better　care　of　herOh！　　quaint　injustice！　　as　though　Soames　could　possibly　take　more　care！）should　be　drawing　to　herself　June's　lover；　was　intolerably　humiliating。　　And　seeing　the　danger；　he　did　not；　like　James；　hide　it　away　in　sheer　nervousness；　but　owned　with　the　dispassion　of　his　broader　outlook；　that　it　was　not　unlikely；　there　was　something　very　attractive　about　Irene！

He　had　a　presentiment　on　the　subject；　of　Soames'　communication　as　they　left　the　Board　Room　together；　and　went　out　into　the　noise　and　hurry　of　Cheapside。　　They　walked　together　a　good　minute　without　speaking；　Soames　with　his　mousing；　mincing　step；　and　old　Jolyon　upright　and　using　his　umbrel