man of property- 第60部分

But　in　spite　of　his　calmness；　he　too　was　ill　at　ease。

At　the　end　of　ten　minutes　old　Jolyon　came　in。　　He　walked　up　to　the　table；　and　stood　there　perfectly　silent　pulling　at　his　long　white　moustaches。　　James　gazed　up　at　him　with　opening　mouth；　he　had　never　seen　his　brother　look　like　this。

Old　Jolyon　raised　his　hand；　and　said　slowly：

〃Young　Bosinney　has　been　run　over　in　the　fog　and　killed。〃

Then　standing　above　his　brother　and　his　nephew；　and　looking　down　at　him　with　his　deep　eyes：

〃There'ssometalkofsuicide；〃　he　said。

James'　jaw　dropped。　　〃Suicide！　　What　should　he　do　that　for？〃

Old　Jolyon　answered　sternly：　〃God　knows；　if　you　and　your　son　don't！〃

But　James　did　not　reply。

For　all　men　of　great　age；　even　for　all　Forsytes；　life　has　had　bitter　experiences。　　The　passer…by；　who　sees　them　wrapped　in　cloaks　of　custom；　wealth；　and　comfort；　would　never　suspect　that　such　black　shadows　had　fallen　on　their　roads。　　To　every　man　of　great　ageto　Sir　Walter　Bentham　himselfthe　idea　of　suicide　has　once　at　least　been　present　in　the　ante…room　of　his　soul；　on　the　threshold；　waiting　to　enter；　held　out　from　the　inmost　chamber　by　some　chance　reality；　some　vague　fear；　some　painful　hope。　　To　Forsytes　that　final　renunciation　of　property　is　hard。　　Oh！　it　is　hard！　　Seldomperhaps　nevercan　they　achieve；　it；　and　yet；　how　near　have　they　not　sometimes　been！

So　even　with　James！　　Then　in　the　medley　of　his　thoughts；　he　broke　out：　〃Why　I　saw　it　in　the　paper　yesterday：　'Run　over　in　the　fog！'　They　didn't　know　his　name！〃　He　turned　from　one　face　to　the　other　in　his　confusion　of　soul；　but　instinctively　all　the　time　he　was　rejecting　that　rumour　of　suicide。　　He　dared　not　entertain　this　thought；　so　against　his　interest；　against　the　interest　of　his　son；　of　every　Forsyte。　　He　strove　against　it；　and　as　his　nature　ever　unconsciously　rejected　that　which　it　could　not　with　safety　accept；　so　gradually　he　overcame　this　fear。　　It　was　an　accident！　It　must　have　been！

Old　Jolyon　broke　in　on　his　reverie。

〃Death　was　instantaneous。　　He　lay　all　day　yesterday　at　the　hospital。　　There　was　nothing　to　tell　them　who　he　was。　　I　am　going　there　now；　you　and　your　son　had　better　come　too。〃

No　one　opposing　this　command　he　led　the　way　from　the　room。

The　day　was　still　and　clear　and　bright；　and　driving　over　to　Park　Lane　from　Stanhope　Gate；　old　Jolyon　had　had　the　carriage　open。　Sitting　back　on　the　padded　cushions；　finishing　his　cigar；　he　had　noticed　with　pleasure　the　keen　crispness　of　the　air；　the　bustle　of　the　cabs　and　people；　the　strange；　almost　Parisian；　alacrity　that　the　first　fine　day　will　bring　into　London　streets　after　a　spell　of　fog　or　rain。　　And　he　had　felt　so　happy；　he　had　not　felt　like　it　for　months。　　His　confession　to　June　was　off　his　mind；　he　had　the　prospect　of　his　son's；　above　all；　of　his　grandchildren's　company　in　the　future（he　had　appointed　to　meet　young　Jolyon　at　the　Hotch　Potch　that　very　manning　todiscuss　it　again）；　and　there　was　the　pleasurable　excitement　of　a　coming　encounter；　a　coming　victory；　over　James　and　the　'man　of　property'　in　the　matter　of　the　house。

He　had　the　carriage　closed　now；　he　had　no　heart　to　look　on　gaiety；　nor　was　it　right　that　Forsytes　should　be　seen　driving　with　an　Inspector　of　Police。

In　that　carriage　the　Inspector　spoke　again　of　the　death：

〃It　was　not　so　very　thickJust　there。　　The　driver　says　the　gentleman　must　have　had　time　to　see　what　he　was　about；　he　seemed　to　walk　right　into　it。　　It　appears　that　he　was　very　hard　up；　we　found　several　pawn　tickets　at　his　rooms；　his　account　at　the　bank　is　overdrawn；　and　there's　this　case　in　to…day's　papers；〃　his　cold　blue　eyes　travelled　from　one　to　another　of　the　three　Forsytes　in　the　carriage。

Old　Jolyon　watching　from　his　corner　saw　his　brother's　face　change；　and　the　brooding；　worried；　look　deepen　on　it。　　At　the　Inspector's　words；　indeed；　all　James'　doubts　and　fears　revived。　Hard…uppawn…ticketsan　overdrawn　account！　　These　words　that　had　all　his　life　been　a　far…off　nightmare　to　him；　seemed　to　make　uncannily　real　that　suspicion　of　suicide　which　must　on　no　account　be　entertained。　　He　sought　his　son's　eye；　but　lynx…eyed；　taciturn；　immovable；　Soames　gave　no　answering　look。　　And　to　old　Jolyon　watching；　divining　the　league　of　mutual　defence　between　them；　there　came　an　overmastering　desire　to　have　his　own　son　at　his　side；　as　though　this　visit　to　the　dead　man's　body　was　a　battle　in　which　otherwise　he　must　single…handed　meet　those　two。　And　the　thought　of　how　to　keep　June's　name　out　of　the　business　kept　whirring　in　his　brain。　　James　had　his　son　to　support　him！　Why　should　he　not　send　for　Jo？

Taking　out　his　card…case；　he　pencilled　the　following　message：

'Come　round　at　once。　　I've　sent　the　carriage　for　you。'

On　getting　out　he　gave　this　card　to　his　coachman；　telling　him　to　driveas　fast　as　possible　to　the　Hotch　Potch　Club；　and　if　Mr。　Jolyon　Forsyte　were　there　to　give　him　the　card　and　bring　him　at　once。　　If　not　there　yet；　he　was　to　wait　till　he　came。

He　followed　the　others　slowly　up　the　steps；　leaning　on　his　umbrella；　and　stood　a　moment　to　get　his　breath。　　The　Inspector　said：　〃This　is　the　mortuary；　sir。　　But　take　your　time。〃

In　the　bare；　white…walled　room；　empty　of　all　but　a　streak　of　sunshine　smeared　along　the　dustless　floor；　lay　a　form　covered　by　a　sheet。　　With　a　huge　steady　hand　the　Inspector　took　the　hem　and　turned　it　back。　　A　sightless　face　gazed　up　at　them；　and　on　either　side　of　that　sightless　defiant　face　the　three　Forsytes　gazed　down；　in　each　one　of　them　the　secret　emotions；　fears；　and　pity　of　his　own　nature　rose　and　fell　like　the　rising；　falling　waves　of　life；　whose　wish　those　white　walls　barred　out　now　for　ever　from　Bosinney。　　And　in　each　one　of　them　the　trend　of　his　nature；　the　odd　essential　spring；　which　moved　him　in　fashions　minutely；　unalterably　different　from　those　of　every　other　human　being；　forced　him　to　a　different　attitude　of　thought。　　Far　from　the　others；　yet　inscrutably　close；　each　stood　thus；　alone　with　death；　silent；　his　eyes　lowered。

The　Inspector　asked　softly：

〃You　identify　the　gentleman；　sir？〃

Old　Jolyon　raised　his　head　and　nodded。　　He　looked　at　his　brother　opposite；　at　that　long　lean　figure　brooding　over　the　dead　man；　with　face　dusky　red；　and　strained　grey　eyes；　and　at　the　figure　of　Soames　white　and　still　by　his　father's　side。　　And　all　that　he　had　felt　against　those　two　was　gone　like　smoke　in　the　long　white　presence　of　Death。　　Whence　comes　it；　how　comes　itDeath？　　Sudden　reverse　of　all　that　goes　before；　blind　setting　forth　on　a　path　that　leads　to　where？　　Dark　quenching　of　the　fire！　　The　heavy；　brutal　crushingout　that　all　men　must　go　through；　keeping　their　eyes　clear　and　brave　unto　the　end！　　Small　and　of　no　import；　insects　though　they　are！　　And　across　old　Jolyon's　face　there　flitted　a　gleam；　for　Soames；　murmuring　to　the　Inspector；　crept　noiselessly　away。

Then　suddenly　James　raised　his　eyes。　　There　was　a　queer　appeal　in　that　suspicious　troubled　look：　〃I　know　I'm　no　match　for　you；〃　it　seemed　to　say。　　And；　hunting　for　handkerchief　he　wiped　his　brow；　then；　bending　sorrowful　and　lank　over　the　dead　man；　he　too　turned　and　hurried　out。

Old　Jolyon　stood；　still　as　death；　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　body。　Who　shall　tell　of　what　he　was　thinking？　　Of　himself；　when　his　hair　was　brown　like　the　hair　of　that　young　fellow　dead　before　him？　　Of　himself；　with　his　battle　just　beginning；　the　long；　long　battle　he　had　loved；　the　battle　that　was　over　for　this　young　man　almost　before　it　had　begun？　　Of　his　grand…daughter；　with　her　broken　hopes？　　Of　that　other　woman？　　Of　the　strangeness；　and　the　pity　of　it？　　And　the　irony；　inscrutable；　and　bitter　of　that　end？　Justice！　　There　was　no　justice　for　men；　for　they　were　ever　in　the　dark！

Or　perhaps　in　his　philosophy　he　thought：　Better　to　be　out　of；　it　all！　　Better　to　have　done　with　it；　like　this　poor　youth。。。。

Some　one　touched　him　on　the　arm。

A　tear　started　up　and　wetted　his　eyelash。　　〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　no　good　here。　　I'd　better　be　going。　　You'll　come　to　me　as　soon　as　you　can；　Jo；〃　and　with　his　head　bowed　he　went　away。

It　was　young　Jolyon's　turn　to　take　his　stand　beside　the　dead　man；　round　whose　fallen　body　he　seemed　to　see　all　the　Forsytes　breathless；　and　prostrated。　　The　stroke　had　fallen　too　swiftly。

The　forces　underlying　every　tragedyforces　that　take　no　denial；　working　through　cross　currents　to　their　ironical　end；　had　met　and　fused　with　a　thunder…clap；　flung　out　the　victim；　and　flattened　to　the　ground　all　those　that　stood　around。

Or　so　at　all　events　young　Jolyon　seemed　to　see　them；　lying　around　Bosinney's　body。

He　asked　the　Inspector　to　tell　him　what　had　happened；　and　the　latter；　like　a　man　who　does　not　every　day　get　such　a　chance；　again　detailed　such　facts　as　were　known。

〃There's　more　here；　sir；　however；〃　he　said；　〃than　meets　the　eye。　I　don't　believe　in　suicide；　nor　in　pure　accident；　myself。　　It's　more　likely　I　think　that　he　was　suffering　under　great　stress　of　mind；　and　took　no　notice　of　things　about　him。　　Perhaps　you　can　throw　some　light　on　these。〃

He　took　from　his　pocket　a　little　packet　and　laid　it　on　the　table。　Carefully　undoing　it；　he　revealed　a　lady's　handkerchief；　pinned　through　the　folds　with　a　pin　of　discoloured　Venetian　gold；　the　stone　of　which　had　fallen　from　the　socket。　　A　scent　of　dried　violets　rose　to　young　Jolyon's　nostrils。

〃Found　in　his　breast　pocket；〃　said　the　Inspector；　〃the　name　has　been　cut　away！〃

Young　Jolyon　with　difficulty　answered：　〃I'm　afraid　I　cannot　help　you！〃　　But　vividly　there　rose　before　him　the　face　he　had　seen　light　up；　so　tremulous　and　glad；　at　Bosinney's　coming！　　Of　her　he　thought　more　than　of　his　own　daughter；　more　than　of　them　allof　her　with　the　dark；　soft　glance；　the　delicate　passive　face；　waiting　for　the　dead　man；　waiting　even　at　that　moment；　perhaps；　still　and　patient　in　the　sunlight。

He　walked　sorrowfully　away　from　the　hospital　towards　his　father's　house；　reflecting　that　this　death　would　break　up　the　Forsyte　family。　　The　stroke　had　indeed　slipped　past　their　defences　into　the　very　wood　of　their　tree。　　They　might　flourish　to　all　appearance　as　before；　preserving　a　brave　show　before　the　eyes　of　London；　but　the　trunk　was　dead；　withered　by　the　same　flash　that　had　stricken　down　Bosinney。　　And　now　the　saplings　would　take　its　place；　each　one　a　new　custodian　of　the　sense　of　pro