man of property- 第5部分

Amongst　the　last　of　the　departing　guests　the　fourth　and　fifth　brothers；　Nicholas　and　Roger；　walked　away　together；　directing　their　steps　alongside　Hyde　Park　towards　the　Praed　Street　Station　of　the　Underground。　　Like　all　other　Forsytes　of　a　certain　age　they　kept　carriages　of　their　own；　and　never　took　cabs　if　by　any　means　they　could　avoid　it。

The　day　was　bright；　the　trees　of　the　Park　in　the　full　beauty　of　mid…June　foliage；　the　brothers　did　not　seem　to　notice　phenomena；　which　contributed；　nevertheless；　to　the　jauntiness　of　promenade　and　conversation。

〃Yes；〃　said　Roger；　〃she's　a　good…lookin'　woman；　that　wife　of　Soames's。　　I'm　told　they　don't　get　on。〃

This　brother　had　a　high　forehead；　and　the　freshest　colour　of　any　of　the　Forsytes；　his　light　grey　eyes　measured　the　street　frontage　of　the　houses　by　the　way；　and　now　and　then　he　would　level　his；　umbrella　and　take　a　'lunar；'　as　he　expressed　it；　of　the　varying　heights。

〃She'd　no　money；〃　replied　Nicholas。

He　himself　had　married　a　good　deal　of　money；　of　which；　it　being　then　the　golden　age　before　the　Married　Women's　Property　Act；　he　had　mercifully　been　enabled　to　make　a　successful　use。

〃What　was　her　father？〃

〃Heron　was　his　name；　a　Professor；　so　they　tell　me。〃

Roger　shook　his　head。

〃There's　no　money　in　that；〃　he　said。

〃They　say　her　mother's　father　was　cement。〃

Roger's　face　brightened。

〃But　he　went　bankrupt；〃　went　on　Nicholas。

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Roger；　〃Soames　will　have　trouble　with　her；　you　mark　my　words；　he'll　have　troubleshe's　got　a　foreign　look。〃

Nicholas　licked　his　lips。

〃She's　a　pretty　woman；〃　and　he　waved　aside　a　crossing…sweeper。

〃How　did　he　get　hold　of　her？〃　asked　Roger　presently。　　〃She　must　cost　him　a　pretty　penny　in　dress！〃

〃Ann　tells　me；〃　replied　Nicholas；〃　he　was　half…cracked　about　her。　She　refused　him　five　times。　　James；　he's　nervous　about　it；　I　can　see。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Roger　again；　〃I'm　sorry　for　James；　he　had　trouble　with　Dartie。〃　　His　pleasant　colour　was　heightened　by　exercise；　he　swung　his　umbrella　to　the　level　of　his　eye　more　frequently　than　ever。　Nicholas's　face　also　wore　a　pleasant　look。

〃Too　pale　for　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　her　figures　capital！〃

Roger　made　no　reply。

〃I　call　her　distinguished…looking；〃　he　said　at　lastit　was　the　highest　praise　in　the　Forsyte　vocabulary。　　〃That　young　Bosinney　will　never　do　any　good　for　himself。　　They　say　at　Burkitt's　he's　one　of　these　artistic　chapsgot　an　idea　of　improving　English　architecture；　there's　no　money　in　that！　　I　should　like　to　hear　what　Timothy　would　say　to　it。〃

They　entered　the　station。

〃What　class　are　you　going？　　I　go　second。〃

〃No　second　for　me；〃　said　Nicholas；〃you　never　know　what　you　may　catch。〃

He　took　a　first…class　ticket　to　Notting　Hill　Gate；　Roger　a　second　to　South　Kensington。　　The　train　coming　in　a　minute　later；　the　two　brothers　parted　and　entered　their　respective　compartments。　　Each　felt　aggrieved　that　the　other　had　not　modified　his　habits　to　secure　his　society　a　little　longer；　but　as　Roger　voiced　it　in　his　thoughts：　'Always　a　stubborn　beggar；　Nick！'

And　as　Nicholas　expressed　it　to　himself：

'Cantankerous　chap　Rogeralways　was！'

There　was　little　sentimentality　about　the　Forsytes。　　In　that　great　London；　which　they　had　conquered　and　become　merged　in；　what　time　had　they　to　be　sentimental？




CHAPTER　II

OLD　JOLYON　GOES　TO　THE　OPERA


At　five　o'clock　the　following　day　old　Jolyon　sat　alone；　a　cigar　between　his　lips；　and　on　a　table　by　his　side　a　cup　of　tea。　　He　was　tired；　and　　before　he　had　finished　his　cigar　he　fell　asleep。　A　fly　settled　on　his　hair；　his　breathing　sounded　heavy　in　the　drowsy　silence；　his　upper　lip　under　the　white　moustache　puffed　in　and　out。　　From　between　the　fingers　of　his　veined　and　wrinkled　hand　the　'cigar；　dropping　on　the　empty　hearth；　burned　itself　out。

The　gloomy　little；　study；　with　windows　of　stained　glass　to　exclude　the　view；　was　full　of　dark　green　velvet　and　heavily…carved　mahoganya　suite　of　which　old　Jolyon　was　wont　to　say：　'Shouldn't　wonder　if　it　made　a　big　price　some　day！'

It　was　pleasant　to　think　that　in　the　after　life　he　could　get　more　for　things　than　he　had　given。

In　the　rich　brown　atmosphere　peculiar　to　back　rooms　in　the　mansion　of　a　Forsyte；　the　Rembrandtesque　effect　of　his　great　head；　with　its　white　hair；　against　the　cushion　of　his　high…backed　seat；　was　spoiled　by　the　moustache；　which　imparted　a　somewhat　military　look　to　his　face。　　An　old　clock　that　had　been　with　him　since　before　his　marriage　forty　years　ago　kept　with　its　ticking　a　jealous　record　of　the　seconds　slipping　away　forever　from　its　old　master。

He　had　never　cared　for　this　room；　hardly　going　into　it　from　one　year's　end　to　another；　except　to　take　cigars　from　the　Japanese　cabinet　in　the　corner；　and　the　room　now　had　its　revenge。

His　temples；　curving　like　thatches　over　the　hollows　beneath；　his　cheek…bones　and　chin；　all　were　sharpened　in　his　sleep；　and　there　had　come　upon　his　face　the　confession　that　he　was　an　old　man。

He　woke。　　June　had　gone！　　James　had　said　he　would　be　lonely。　James　had　always　been　a　poor　thing。　　He　recollected　with　satisfaction　that　he　had　bought　that　house　over　James's　head。

Serve　him　right　for　sticking　at　the　price；　the　only　thing　the　fellow　thought　of　was　money。　　Had　he　given　too　much；　though？　　It　wanted　a　lot　of　doing　toHe　dared　say　he　would　want　all　his　money　before　he　had　done　with　this　affair　of　June's。　　He　ought　never　to　have　allowed　the　engagement。　　She　had　met　this　Bosinney　At　the　house　of　Baynes；　Baynes　and　Bildeboy；　the　architects。　　He　believed　that　Baynes；　whom　he　knewa　bit　of　an　old　womanwas　the　young　man's　uncle　by　marriage。　　After　that　she'd　been　always　running　after　him；　and　when　she　took　a　thing　into　her　head　there　was　no　stopping　her。　　She　was　continually　taking　up　with　'lame　ducks'　of　one　sort　or　another。　　This　fellow　had　no　money；　but　she　must　needs　become　engaged　to　hima　harumscarum；　unpractical　chap；　who　would　get　himself　into　no　end　of　difficulties。

She　had　come　to　him　one　day　in　her　slap…dash　way　and　told　him；　and；　as　if　it　were　any　consolation；　she　had　added：

〃He's　so　splendid；　he's　often　lived　on　cocoa　for　a　week！〃

〃And　he　wants　you　to　live　on　cocoa　too？〃

〃Oh　no；　he　is　getting　into　the　swim　now。〃

Old　Jolyon　had　taken　his　cigar　from　under　his　white　moustaches；　stained　by　coffee　at　the　edge；　and　looked　at　her；　that　little　slip　of　a　thing　who　had　got　such　a　grip　of　his　heart。　　He　knew　more　about　'swims'　than　his　granddaughter。　　But　she；　having　clasped　her　hands　on　his　knees；　rubbed　her　chin　against　him；　making　a　sound　like　a　purring　cat。　　And；　knocking　the　ash　off　his　cigar；　he　had　exploded　in　nervous　desperation：

〃You're　all　alike：　you　won't　be　satisfied　till　you've　got　what　you　want。　　If　you　must　come　to　grief；　you　must；　I　wash　my　hands　of　it。〃

So；　he　had　washed　his　hands　of　it；　making　the　condition　that　they　should　not　marry　until　Bosinney　had　at　least　four　hundred　a　year。

〃I　shan't　be　able　to　give　you　very　much；〃　he　had　said；　a　formula　to　which　June　was　not　unaccustomed。〃　　Perhaps　this　What's…his…　name　will　provide　the　cocoa。〃

He　had　hardly　seen　anything　of　her　since　it　began。　　A　bad　business！　　He　had　no　notion　of　giving　her　a　lot　of　money　to　enable　a　fellow　he　knew　nothing　about　to　live　on　in　idleness。　He　had　seen　that　sort　of　thing　before；　no　good　ever　came　of　it。　Worst　of　all；　he　had　no　hope　of　shaking　her　resolution；　she　was　as　obstinate　as　a　mule；　always　had　been　from　a　child。　　He　didn't　see　where　it　was　to　end。　　They　must　cut　their　coat　according　to　their　cloth。　　He　would　not　give　way　till　he　saw　young　Bosinney

with　an　income　of　his　own。　　That　June　would　have　trouble　with　the　fellow　was　as　plain　as　a　pikestaff；　he　had　no　more　idea　of　money　than　a　cow。　　As　to　this　rushing　down　to　Wales　to　visit　the　young　man's　aunts；　he　fully　expected　they　were　old　cats。

And；　motionless；　old　Jolyon　stared　at　the　wall；　but　for　his　open　eyes；　he　might　have　been　asleep。。。。　　The　idea　of　supposing　that　young　cub　Soames　could　give　him　advice！　　He　had　always　been　a　cub；　with　his　nose　in　the　air！　　He　would　be　setting　up　as　a　man　of　property　next；　with　a　place　in　the　country！　　A　man　of　property！　　H'mph！　Like　his　father；　he　was　always　nosing　out　bargains；　a　cold…blooded　young　beggar！

He　rose；　and；　going　to　the　cabinet；　began　methodically　stocking　his；　cigar…case　from　a　bundle　fresh　in。　　They　were　not　bad　at　the　price；　but　you　couldn't　get　a　good　cigar；　nowadays；　nothing　to　hold　a　candle　to　those　old　Superfinos　of　Hanson　and　Bridger's。　That　was　a　cigar！

The　thought；　like　some　stealing　perfume；　carried　him　back　to　those　wonderful　nights　at　Richmond　when　after　dinner　he　sat　smoking　on　the　terrace　of　the　Crown　and　Sceptre　with　Nicholas　Treffry　and　Traquair　and　Jack　Herring　and　Anthony　Thornworthy。　How　good　his　cigars　were　then！　　Poor　old　Nick！dead；　and　Jack　Herringdead；　and　Traquairdead　of　that　wife　of　his；　and　Thornworthyawfully　shaky　（no　wonder；　with　his　appetite）。

Of　all　the　company　of　those　days　he　himself　alone　seemed　left；　except　Swithin；　of　course；　and　he　so　outrageously　big　there　was　no　doing　anything　with　him。

Difficult　to　believe　it　was　so　long　ago；　he　felt　young　still！　　Of　all　his　thoughts；　as　he　stood　there　counting　his　cigars；　this　was　the　most　poignant；　the　most　bitter。　　With　his　white　head　and　his　loneliness　he　had　remained　young　and　green　at　heart。　　And　those　Sunday　afternoons　on　Hampstead　Heath；　when　young　Jolyon　and　he　went　for　a　stretch　along　the　Spaniard's　Road　to　Highgate；　to　Child's　Hill；　and　back　over　the　Heath　again　to　dine　at　Jack　Straw's　Castlehow　delicious　his　cigars　were　then！　　And　such　weather！　　There　was　no　weather　now。

When　June　was　a　toddler　of　five；　and　every　other　Sunday　he　took　her　to　the　Zoo；　away　from　the　society　of　those　two　good　women；　her　mother　and　her　grandmother；　and　at　the　top　of　the　bear　den　baited　his　umbrella　with　buns　for　her　favourite　bears；　how　sweet　his　cigars　were　then！

Cigars！　　He　had　not　even　succeeded　in　out…living　his　palatethe　famous　palate　that　in　the　fifties　men　swore　by；　and　speaking　of　him；　said：　〃Forsyte=s　the　best　palate　in　London！〃　The　palate　that　in　a　sense　had　made　his　fortunethe　fortune　of　the　celebrated　tea　men；　Forsyte　and　Treffry；　whose　tea；　like　no　other　man's　tea；　had　a　romantic　aroma；　the　charm　of　a　quite　sing