man of property-第15章

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er　arms。　　He　could　see　her　face　bent　over　the　little　beast；　which　was　purring　against　her　neck。　　Why　couldn't　she　look　at　him　like　that？

Suddenly　she　saw　him；　and　her　face　changed。

〃Any　letters　for　me？〃　he　said。

〃Three。〃

He　stood　aside；　and　without　another　word　she　passed　on　into　the　bedroom。




CHAPTER　VII

OLD　JOLYON'S　PECCADILLO


Old　Jolyon　came　out　of　Lord's　cricket　ground　that　same　afternoon　with　the　intention　of　going　home。　　He　had　not　reached　Hamilton　Terrace　before　he　changed　his　mind；　and　hailing　a　cab；　gave　the　driver　an　address　in　Wistaria　Avenue。　　He　had　taken　a　resolution。

June　had　hardly　been　at　home　at　all　that　week；　she　had　given　him　nothing　of　her　company　for　a　long　time　past；　not；　in　fact；　since　she　had　become　engaged　to　Bosinney。　　He　never　asked　her　for　her　company。　　It　was　not　his　habit　to　ask　people　for　things！　　She　had　just　that　one　idea　nowBosinney　and　his　affairsand　she　left　him　stranded　in　his　great　house；　with　a　parcel　of　servants；　and　not　a　soul　to　speak　to　from　morning　to　night。　　His　Club　was　closed　for　cleaning；　his　Boards　in　recess；　there　was　nothing；　therefore；　to　take　him　into　the　City。　　June　had　wanted　him　to　go　away；　she　would　not　go　herself；　because　Bosinney　was　in　London。

But　where　was　he　to　go　by　himself？　　He　could　not　go　abroad　alone；　the　sea　upset　his　liver；　he　hated　hotels。　　Roger　went　to　a　hydropathiche　wasnot　going　to　begin　that　at　his　time　of　life；　those　new…fangled　places　we're　all　humbug！

With　such　formulas　he　clothed　to　himself　the　desolation　of　his　spirit；　the　lines　down　his　face　deepening；　his　eyes　day　by　day　looking　forth　with　the　melancholy　which　sat　so　strangely　on　a　face　wont　to　be　strong　and　serene。

And　so　that　afternoon　he　took　this　journey　through　St。　　John's　Wood；　in　the　golden…light　that　sprinkled　the　rounded　green　bushes　of　the　acacia's　before　the　little　houses；　in　the　summer　sunshine　that　seemed　holding　a　revel　over　the　little　gardens；　and　he　looked　about　him　with　interest；　for　this　was　a　district　which　no　Forsyte　entered　without　open　disapproval　and　secret　curiosity。

His　cab　stopped　in　front　of　a　small　house　of　that　peculiar　buff　colour　which　implies　a　long　immunity　from　paint。　　It　had　an　outer　gate；　and　a　rustic　approach。

He　stepped　out；　his　bearing　extremely　composed；　his　massive　head；　with　its　drooping　moustache　and　wings　of　white　hair；　very　upright；　under　an　excessively　large　top　hat；　his　glance　firm；　a　little　angry。　　He　had　been　driven　into　this！

〃Mrs。　Jolyon　Forsyte　at　home？〃

〃Oh；　yes　sir！what　name　shall　I　say；　if　you　please；　sir？〃

Old　Jolyon　could　not　help　twinkling　at　the　little　maid　as　he　gave　his　name。　　She　seemed　to　him　such　a　funny　little　toad！

And　he　followed　her　through　the　dark　hall；　into　a　small　double；　drawing…room；　where　the　furniture　was　covered　in　chintz；　and　the　little　maid　placed　him　in　a　chair。

〃They're　all　in　the　garden；　sir；　if　you'll　kindly　take　a　seat；　I'll　tell　them。〃

Old　Jolyon　sat　down　in　the　chintz…covered　chair；　and　looked　around　him。　　The　whole　place　seemed　to　him；　as　he　would　have　expressed　it；　pokey；　there　was　a　certainhe　could　not　tell　exactly　whatair　of　shabbiness；　or　rather　of　making　two　ends　meet；　about　everything。　　As　far　as　he　could　see；　not　a　single　piece　of　furniture　was　worth　a　five…pound　note。　　The　walls；　distempered　rather　a　long　time　ago；　were　decorated　with　water…colour　sketches；　across　the　ceiling　meandered　a　long　crack。

These　little　houses　were　all　old；　second…rate　concerns；　he　should　hope　the　rent　was　under　a　hundred　a　year；　it　hurt　him　more　than　he　could　have　said；　to　think　of　a　Forsytehis　own　son　living　in　such　a　place。

The　little　maid　came　back。　　Would　he　please　to　go　down　into　the　garden？

Old　Jolyon　marched　out　through　the　French　windows。　　In　descending　the　steps　he　noticed　that　they　wanted　painting。

Young　Jolyon；　his　wife；　his　two　children；　and　his　dog　Balthasar；　were　all　out　there　under　a　pear…tree。

This　walk　towards　them　was　the　most　courageous　act　of　old　Jolyon's　life；　but　no　muscle　of　his　face　moved；　no　nervous　gesture　betrayed　him。　　He　kept　his　deep…set　eyes　steadily　on　the　enemy。

In　those　two　minutes　he　demonstrated　to　perfection　all　that　unconscious　soundness；　balance；　and　vitality　of　fibre　that　made；　of　him　and　so　many　others　of　his　class　the　core　of　the　nation。　In　the　unostentatious　conduct　of　their　own　affairs；　to　the　neglect　of　everything　else；　they　typified　the　essential　individualism；　born　in　the　Briton　from　the　natural　isolation　of　his　country's　life。

The　dog　Balthasar　sniffed　round　the　edges　of　his　trousers；　this　friendly　and　cynical　mongrel　offspring　of　a　liaison　between　a　Russian　poodle　and　a　fox…terrierhad　a　nose　for　the　unusual。

The　strange　greetings　over；　old　Jolyon　seated　himself　in　a　wicker　chair；　and　his　two　grandchildren；　one　on　each　side　of　his　knees；　looked　at　him　silently；　never　having　seen　so　old　a　man。

They　were　unlike；　as　though　recognising　the　difference　set　between　them　by　the　circumstances　of　their　births。　　Jolly；　the　child　of　sin；　pudgy…faced；　with　his　tow…coloured　hair　brushed　off　his　forehead；　and　a　dimple　in　his　chin；　had　an　air　of　stubborn　amiability；　and　the　eyes　of　a　Forsyte；　little　Holly；　the　child　of　wedlock；　was　a　dark…skinned；　solemn　soul；　with　her　mother's；　grey　and　wistful　eyes。

The　dog　Balthasar；　having　walked　round　the　three　small　flower…　beds；　to　show　his　extreme　contempt　for　things　at　large；　had　also　taken　a　seat　in　front　of　old　Jolyon；　and；　oscillating　a　tail　curled　by　Nature　tightly　over　his　back；　was　staring　up　with　eyes　that　did　not　blink。

Even　in　the　garden；　that　sense　of　things　being　pokey　haunted　old　Jolyon；　the　wicker　chair　creaked　under　his　weight；　the　garden…beds　looked　'daverdy'；　on　the　far　side；　under　the　smut…　stained　wall；　cats　had　made　a　path。

While　he　and　his　grandchildren　thus　regarded　each　other　with　the　peculiar　scrutiny；　curious　yet　trustful；　that　passes　between　the　very　young　and　the　very　old；　young　Jolyon　watched　his　wife。

The　colour　had　deepened　in　her　thin；　oval　face；　with　its　straight　brows；　and　large；　grey　eyes。　　Her　hair；　brushed　in　fine；　high　curves　back　from　her　forehead；　was　going　grey；　like　his　own；　and　this　greyness　made　the　sudden　vivid　colour　in　her　cheeks　painfully　pathetic。

The　look　on　her　face；　such　as　he　had　never　seen　there　before；　such　as　she　had　always　hidden　from　him；　was　full　of　secret　resentments；　and　longings；　and　fears。　　Her　eyes；　under　their　twitching　brows；　stared　painfully。　　And　she　was　silent。

Jolly　alone　sustained　the　conversation；　he　had　many　possessions；　and　was　anxious　that　his　unknown　friend　with　extremely　large　moustaches；　and　hands　all　covered　with　blue　veins；　who　sat　with　legs　crossed　like　his　own　father　（a　habit　he　was　himself　trying　to　acquire）；　should　know　it；　but　being　a　Forsyte；　though　not　yet　quite　eight　years　old；　he　made　no　mention　of　the　thing　at　the　moment　dearest　to　his　hearta　camp　of　soldiers　in　a　shop…window；　which　his　father　had　promised　to　buy。　　No　doubt　it　seemed　to　him　too　precious；　a　tempting　of　Providence　to　mention　it　yet。

And　the　sunlight　played　through　the　leaves　on　that　little　party　of　the　three　generations　grouped　tranquilly　under　the　pear…tree；　which　had　long　borne　no　fruit。

Old　Jolyon's　furrowed　face　was　reddening　patchily；　as　old　men's　faces　redden　in　the　sun。　　He　took　one　of　Jolly's　hands　in　his　own；　the　boy　climbed　on　to　his　knee；　and　little　Holly；　mesmerized　by　this　sight；　crept　up　to　them；　the　sound　of　the　dog　Balthasar's　scratching　arose　rhythmically。

Suddenly　young　Mrs。　Jolyon　got　up　and　hurried　indoors。　　A　minute　later　her　husband　muttered　an　excuse；　and　followed。　　Old　Jolyon　was　left　alone　with　his　grandchildren。

And　Nature　with　her　quaint　irony　began　working　in　him　one　of　her　strange　revolutions；　following　her　cyclic　laws　into　the　depths　of　his　heart。　　And　that　tenderness　for　little　children；　that　passion　for　the　beginnings　of　life　which　had　once　made　him　forsake　his　son　and　follow　June；　now　worked　in　him　to　forsake　June　and　follow　these　littler　things。　　Youth；　like　a　flame；　burned　ever　in　his　breast；　and　to　youth　he　turned；　to　the　round　little　limbs；　so　reckless；　that　wanted　care；　to　the　small　round　faces　so　unreasonably　solemn　or　bright；　to　the　treble　tongues；　　and　the　shrill；　chuckling　laughter；　to　the　insistent　tugging　hands；　and　the　feel　of　small　bodies　against　his　legs；　to　all　that　was　young　and　young；　and　once　more　young。　　And　his　eyes　grew　soft；　his　voice；　and　thin…veined　hands　soft；　and　soft　his　heart　within　him。　And　to　those　small　creatures　he　became　at　once　a　place　of　pleasure；　a　place　where　they　were　secure；　and　could　talk　and　laugh　and　play；　till；　like　sunshine；　there　radiated　from　old　Jolyon's　wicker　chair　the　perfect　gaiety　of　three　hearts。

But　with　young　Jolyon　following　to　his　wife's　room　it　was　different。

He　found　her　seated　on　a　chair　before　her　dressing…glass；　with　her　hands　before　her　face。

Her　shoulders　were　shaking　with　sobs。　　This　passion　of　hers　for　suffering　was　mysterious　to　him。　　He　had　been　through　a　hundred　of　these　moods；　how　he　had　survived　them　he　never　knew；　for　he　could　never　believe　they　were　moods；　and　that　the　last　hour　of　his　partnership　had　not　struck。

In　the　night　she　would　be　sure　to　throw　her　o　arms　round；　his　neck　and　say：　〃Oh！　Jo；　how　I　make　you　suffer！〃　as　she　had　done　a　hundred　times　before。

He　reached　out　his　hand；　and；　unseen；　slipped　his　razor…case　into　his　pocket。　'I　cannot　stay　here；'　he　thought；　'I　must　go　down！'　　Without　a　word　he　left　the　room；　and　went　back　to　the　lawn。

Old　Jolyon　had　little　Holly　on　his　knee；　she　had　taken　possession　of　his　watch；　Jolly；　very　red　in　the　face；　was　trying　to　show　that　he　could　stand　on　his　head。　　The　dog　Balthasar；　as　close　as　he　might　be　to　the　tea…table；　had　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　cake。

Young　Jolyon　felt　a　malicious　desire　to　cut　their　enjoyment　short。

What　business　had　his　father　to　come　and　upset　his　wife　like　this？　　It　was　a　shock；　after　all　these　years！　　He　ought　to　have　known；　he　ought　to　have　given　them　warning；　but　when　did　a　Forsyte　ever　imagine　that　his　conduct　could　upset　anybody！　　And　in　his　thoughts　he　did　old　Jolyon　wrong。

He　spoke　sharply　to　the　children；　and　told　them　to　go　in　to　their　tea。　　Greatly　surprised；　for　they　had　never　heard　their　father　speak　sharply　before；　they　went　off；　hand　in　hand；　little　Holly　looking　back　over　her　shoulder。

Young　Jolyon　poured　out　the　tea。

〃My　wife's　not　the　thing　today；〃　he　said；　but　he　knew　well　enough　that　his　father　had　penetrated　the　cause　of　that　sudden　withdrawal；　and　almost　hated　the　old　man　for　sitting　there　so　calmly。

〃You've　got　a　nice　little　house　here；〃　said　old　Jolyon　with　a　shrewd　look；　〃I　suppose　you've　taken　a　lease　of　it！〃

Young　Jolyon　nodded。

〃I　don't　like　the　neighbourhood；〃　said　old　Jolyon；　〃a　ramshackle　lot。〃

Young　Jolyon　replied：　〃Yes；　we're　a　ramshackle　lot。〃'

The　silence　was　now　only　broken　by　the　sound　of　the　dog　Balthasar's　scratching。

Old　Jolyon　said　simply：　〃I　suppose　I　oughtn't　to　have　come　here；　Jo；　but　I　get　so　lonely！〃

At　these　words　young　Jolyon　got　up　and　put　his　hand　on　his　father's　shoulder。

In　the　next　house　someone　was　playing　over　and　over　again：　'La　Donna　　mobile'　on　an　untuned　piano；　and　the　little　garden　had　fallen　into　shade；　the　sun　now　on