man of property-第10章

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at　such　a　contingency　had　occurred　to　him。　　And　he　noticed　with　sour　disfavour　that　June　had　left　her　wine…glasses　full　of　wine。

'That　little；　thing's　at　the　bottom　of　it　all；'　he　mused；　'Irene'd　never　have　thought　of　it　herself。'　　James　was　a　man　of　imagination。

The　voice　of　Swithin　roused　him　from　his　reverie。

〃I　gave　four　hundred　pounds　for　it；〃　he　was　saying。　　〃Of　course　it's　a　regular　work　of　art。〃

〃Four　hundred！　　H'm！　that's　a　lot　of　money！〃　chimed　in　Nicholas。

The　object　alluded　to　was　an　elaborate　group　of　statuary　in　Italian　marble；　which；　placed　upon　a　lofty　stand　（also　of　marble）；　diffused　an　atmosphere　of　culture　throughout　the　room。　The　subsidiary　figures；　of　which　there　were　six；　female；　nude；　and　of　highly　ornate　workmanship；　were　all　pointing　towards　the　central　figure；　also　nude；　and　female；　who　was　pointing　at　herself；　and　all　this　gave　the　observer　a　very　pleasant　sense　of　her　extreme　value。　　Aunt　Juley；　nearly　opposite；　had　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　not　looking；　at　it　all　the　evening。

Old　Jolyon　spoke；　it　was　he　who　had　started　the　discussion。；

〃Four　hundred　fiddlesticks！　　Don't　tell　me　you　gave　four　hundred　for　that？〃

Between　the　points　of　his　collar　Swithin's　chin　made　the　second　painful　oscillatory　movement　of　the　evening。〃

Four…hundred…pounds；　of　English　money；　not　a　farthing　less。　　I　don't　regret　it。　　It's　not　common　Englishit's　genuine　modern　Italian！〃

Soames　raised　the　comer　of　his　lip　in　a　smile；　and　looked　across　at　Bosinney。　　The　architect　was　grinning　behind　the　fumes　of　his　cigarette。　　Now；　indeed；　he　looked　more　like　a　buccaneer。

〃There's　a　lot　of　work　about　it；〃　remarked　James　hastily；　who　was　really　moved　by　the　size　of　the　group。　　〃It'd　sell　well　at　Jobson's。〃

〃The　poor　foreign　dey…vil　that　made　it；　〃went　on　Swithin；〃　asked　me　five　hundredI　gave　him　four。　　It's　worth　eight。　　Looked　half…starved；　poor　dey…vil！

〃Ah！〃　chimed　in　Nicholas　suddenly；　〃poor；　seedy…lookin'　chaps；　these　artists；　it's　a　wonder　to　me　how　they　live。　　Now；　there's　young　Flageoletti；　that　Fanny　and　the　girls　are　always　hav'in'　in；　to　play　the　fiddle；　if　he　makes　a　hundred　a　year　it's　as　much　as　ever　he　does！〃

James　shook　his　head。　　〃Ah！〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　know　how　they　live！〃

Old　Jolyon　had　risen；　and；　cigar　in　mouth；　went　to　inspect　the　group　at　close　quarters。

〃Wouldn't　have　given　two　for　it！〃　he　pronounced　at　last。

Soames　saw　his　father　and　Nicholas　glance　at　each　other　anxiously；　and；　on　the　other　side　of　Swithin；　Bosinney；　still　shrouded　in　smoke。

'I　wonder　what　he　thinks　of　it？'　thought　Soames；　who　knew　well　enough　that　this　group　was　hopelessly　vieux　jeu；　hopelessly　of　the　last　generation。　　There　was　no　longer　any　sale　at　Jobson's　for　such　works　of　art。

Swithin's　answer　came　at　last。　　〃You　never　knew　anything　about　a　statue。　　You've　got　your　pictures；　and　that's　all！〃

Old　Jolyon　walked　back　to　his　seat；　puffing　his　cigar。　　It　was　not　likely　that　he　was　going　to　be　drawn　into　an　argument　with　an　obstinate　beggar　like　Swithin；　pig…headed　as　a　mule；　who　had　never　known　a　statue　from　a…straw　hat。

〃Stucco！〃　was　all　he　said。

It　had　long　been　physically　impossible　for　Swithin　to　start；　his　fist　came　down　on　the　table。

〃Stucco！　　I　should　like　to　see　anything　you've　got　in　your　house　half　as　good！〃

And　behind　his　speech　seemed　to　sound　again　that　rumbling　violence　of　primitive　generations。

It　was　James　who　saved　the　situation。

〃Now；　what　do　you　say；　Mr。　Bosinney？　　You're　an　architect；　you　ought　to　know　all　about　statues　and　things！〃

Every　eye　was　turned　upon　Bosinney；　all　waited　with　a　strange；　suspicious　look　for　his　answer。

And　Soames；　speaking　for　the　first　time；　'asked：

〃Yes；　Bosinney；　what　do　you　say？〃

Bosinney　replied　coolly：

〃The　work　is　a　remarkable　one。〃

His　words　were　addressed　to　Swithin；　his　eyes　smiled　slyly　at　old　Jolyon；　only　Soames　remained　unsatisfied。

〃Remarkable　for　what？〃

〃For　its　naivete〃

The　answer　was　followed　by　an　impressive　silence；　Swithin　alone　was　not　sure　whether　a　compliment　was　intended。




CHAPTER　IV

PROJECTION　OF　THE　HOUSE


Soames　Forsyte　walked　out　of　his　green…painted　front　door　three　days　after　the　dinner　at　Swithin's；　and　looking　back　from　across　the　Square；　confirmed　his　impression　that　the　house　wanted　painting。

He　had　left　his　wife　sitting　on　the　sofa　in　the　drawing…room；　her　hands　crossed　in　her　lap；　manifestly　waiting　for　him　to　go　out。　This　was　not　unusual。　　It　happened；　in　fact；　every　day。

He　could　not　understand　what　she　found　wrong　with　him。　　It　was　not　as　if　he　drank！　　Did　he　run　into　debt；　or　gamble；　or　swear；　was　he　violent；　were　his　friends　rackety；　did　he　stay　out　at　night？　　On　the　contrary。

The　profound；　subdued　aversion　which　he　felt　in　his　wife　was　a　mystery　to　him；　and　a　source　of　the　most　terrible　irritation。　That　she　had　made　a　mistake；　and　did　not　love　him；　had　tried　to　love　him　and　could　not　love　him；　was　obviously　no　reason。

He　that　could　imagine　so　outlandish　a　cause　for　his　wife's　not　getting　on　with　him　was　certainly　no　Forsyte。

Soames　was　forced；　therefore；　to　set　the　blame　entirely　down　to　his　wife。　　He　had　never　met　a　woman　so　capable　of　inspiring　affection。　　They　could　not　go　anywhere　without　his　seeing　how　all　the　men　were　attracted　by　her；　their　looks；　manners；　voices；　betrayed　it；　her　behaviour　under　this　attention　had　been　beyond　reproach。　　That　she　was　one　of　those　womennot　too　common　in　the　Anglo…Saxon　raceborn　to　be　loved　and　to　love；　who　when　not　loving　are　not　living；　had　certainly　never　even　occurred　to　him。　Her　power　of　attraction；　he　regarded　as　part　of　her　value　as　his　property；　but　it　made　him；　indeed；　suspect　that　she　could　give　as　well　as　receive；　and　she　gave　him　nothing！　　'Then　why　did　she　marry　me？'　　was　his　continual　thought。　　He　had；　forgotten　his　courtship；　that　year　and　a　half　when　he　had　besieged　and　lain　in　wait　for　her；　devising　schemes　for　her　entertainment；　giving　her　presents；　proposing　to　her　periodically；　and　keeping　her　other　admirers　away　with　his　perpetual　presence。　　He　had　forgotten　the　day　when；　adroitly　taking　advantage　of　an　acute　phase　of　her　dislike　to　her　home　surroundings；　he　crowned　his　labours　with　success。　　If　he　remembered　anything；　it　was　the　dainty　capriciousness　with　which　the　gold…haired；　dark…eyed　girl　had　treated　him。　　He　certainly　did　not　remember　the　look　on　her　face…　…strange；　passive；　appealingwhen　suddenly　one　day　she　had　yielded；　and　said　that　she　would　marry　him。

It　had　been　one　of　those　real　devoted　wooings　which　books　and　people　praise；　when　the　lover　is　at　length　rewarded　for　hammering　the　iron　till　it　is　malleable；　and　all　must　be　happy　ever　after　as　the　wedding　bells。

Soames　walked　eastwards；　mousing　doggedly　along　on　the　shady　side。

The　house　wanted　doing；　up；　unless　he　decided　to　move　into　the　country；　and　build。

For　the　hundredth　time　that　month　he　turned　over　this　problem。　There　was　no　use　in　rushing　into　things！　　He　was　very　comfortably　off；　with　an　increasing　income　getting　on　for　three　thousand　a　year；　but　his　invested　capital　was　not　perhaps　so　large　as　his　father　believedJames　had　a　tendency　to　expect　that　his　children　should　be　better　off　than　they　were。　　'I　can　manage　eight　thousand　easily　enough；'　he　thought；　'without　calling　in　either

Robertson's　or　Nicholl's。'

He　had　stopped　to　look　in　at　a　picture　shop；　for　Soames　was　an　'amateur'　of　pictures；　and　had　a　little…room　in　No。　　62；　Montpellier　Square；　full　of　canvases；　stacked　against　the　wall；　which　he　had　no　room　to　hang。　　He　brought　them　home　with　him　on　his　way　back　from　the　City；　generally　after　dark；　and　would　enter　this　room　on　Sunday　afternoons；　to　spend　hours　turning　the　pictures　to　the　light；　examining　the　marks　on　their　backs；　and　occasionally　making　notes。

They　were　nearly　all　landscapes　with　figures　in　the　foreground；　a　sign　of　some　mysterious　revolt　against　London；　its　tall　houses；　its　interminable　streets；　where　his　life　and　the　lives　of　his　breed　and　class　were　passed。　　Every　now　and　then　he　would　take　one　or　two　pictures　away　with　him　in　a　cab；　and　stop　at　Jobson's　on　his　way　into　the　City。

He　rarely　showed　them　to　anyone；　Irene；　whose　opinion　he　secretly　respected　and　perhaps　for　that　reason　never　solicited；　had　only　been　into　the　room　on　rare　occasions；　in　discharge　of　some　wifely　duty。　　She　was　not　asked　to　look　at　the　pictures；　and　she　never　did。　　To　Soames　this　was　another　grievance。　　He　hated　that　pride　of　hers；　and　secretly　dreaded　it。

In　the　plate…glass　window　of　the　picture　shop　his　image　stood　and　looked　at　him。

His　sleek　hair　under　the　brim　of　the　tall　hat　had　a　sheen　like　the　hat　itself；　his　cheeks；　pale　and　flat；　the　line　of　his　clean…shaven　lips；　his　firm　chin　with　its　greyish　shaven　tinge；　and　the　buttoned　strictness　of　his　black　cut…away　coat；　conveyed　an　appearance　of　reserve　and　secrecy；　of　imperturbable；　enforced　composure；　but　his　eyes；　cold；grey；　strainedlooking；　with　a　line　in　the　brow　between　them；　examined　him　wistfully；　as　if　they　knew　of　a　secret　weakness。

He　noted　the　subjects　of　the　pictures；　the　names　of　the　painters；　made　a　calculation　of　their　values；　but　without　the　satisfaction　he　usually　derived　from　this　inward　appraisement；　and　walked　on。

No。　62　would　do　well　enough　for　another　year；　if　he　decided　to　build！　　The　times　were　good　for　building；　money　had　not　been　so　dear　for　years；　and　the　site　he　had　seen　at　Robin　Hill；　when　he　had　gone　down　there　in　the　spring　to　inspect　the　Nicholl　mortgagewhat　could　be　better！　　Within　twelve　miles　of　Hyde　Park　Corner；　the　value　of　the　land　certain　to　go　up；　would　always　fetch　more　than　he　gave　for　it；　so　that　a　house；　if　built　in　really　good　style；　was　a　first…class　investment。

The　notion　of　being　the　one　member　of　his　family　with　a　country　house　weighed　but　little　with　him；　for　to　a　true　Forsyte；　sentiment；　even　the　sentiment　of　social　position；　was　a　luxury　only　to　be　indulged　in　after　his　appetite　for　more　material　pleasure　had　been　satisfied。

To　get　Irene　out　of　London；　away　from　opportunities　of　going　about　and　seeing　people；　away　from　her　friends　and　those　who　put　ideas　into　her　head！　　That　was　the　thing！　　She　was　too　thick　with　June！　　June　disliked　him。　　He　returned　the　sentiment。　　They　were　of　the　same　blood。

It　would　be　everything　to　get　Irene　out　of　town。　　The　house　would　please　her　she　would　enjoy　messing　about　with　the　decoration；　she　was　very　artistic！

The　house　must　be　in　good　style；　something　that　would　always　be　certain　to　command　a　price；　something　unique；　like　that　last　house　of　Parkes；　which　had　a　tower；　but　Parkes　had　himself　said　that　his　architect　was　ruinous。　　You　never　knew　where　you　were　with　those　fellows；　if　they　had　a　name　they　ran　you　into　no　end　of　expense　and　were　conceited　into　the　bargain。

And　a　common　architect　was　no　goodthe　memory　of　Parkes'　tower　precluded　the　employment　of　a　common　architect：

This　was　why　he　had　thought　of　Bosinney。　　Since　the　dinner　at　Swithin's　he　had　made　enquiries；　the　result　of　which　had　been　meagre；　but　encouraging：　〃One　of　the　new　school。〃

〃Clever？〃

〃As　clever　as　you　likea　bita　bit　up　in　the　air！〃

He　had　not　been　able　to　discover　what　houses　Bosinney　had　built；　nor　what　his　charges　were。　　The　impression　he　gath