man of property-第18章

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ed　that　Miss　Forsyte　had　passed　away　in　her　sleep。

Aunts　Juley　and　Hester　were　overwhelmed　by　the　shock。　　They　had　never　imagined　such　an　ending。　　Indeed；　it　is　doubtful　whether　they　had　ever　realized　that　an　ending　was　bound　to　come。　Secretly　they　felt　it　unreasonable　of　Ann　to　have　left　them　like　this　without　a　word；　without　even　a　struggle。　　It　was　unlike　her。

Perhaps　what　really　affected　them　so　profoundly　was　the　thought　that　a　Forsyte　should　have　let　go　her　grasp　on　life。　　If　one；　then　why　not　all！

It　was　a　full　hour　before　they　could　make　up　their　minds　to　tell　Timothy。　　If　only　it　could　be　kept　from　him！　　If　only　it　could　be　broken　to　him　by　degrees！

And　long　they　stood　outside　his　door　whispering　together。　　And　when　it　was　over　they　whispered　together　again。

He　would　feel　it　more；　they　were　afraid；　as　time　went　on。　　Still；　he　had　taken　it　better　than　could　have　been　expected。　　He　would　keep　his　bed；　of　course！

They　separated；　crying　quietly。

Aunt　Juley　stayed　in　her　room；　prostrated　by　the　blow。　　Her　face；　discoloured　by　tears；　was　divided　into　compartments　by　the　little　ridges　of　pouting　flesh　which　had　swollen　with　emotion。　　It　was　impossible　to　conceive　of　life　without　Ann；　who　had　lived　with　her　for　seventy…three　years；　broken　only　by　the　short　interregnum　of　her　married　life；　which　seemed　now　so　unreal。　　At　fixed　intervals　she　went　to　her　drawer；　and　took　from　beneath　the　lavender　bags　a　fresh　pocket…handkerchief。　　Her　warm　heart　could　not　bear　the　thought　that　Ann　was　lying　there　so　cold。

Aunt　Hester；　the　silent；　the　patient；　that　backwater　of　the　family　energy；　sat　in　the　drawing…room；　where　the　blinds　were　drawn；　and　she；　too；　had　wept　at　first；　but　quietly；　without　visible　effect。　　Her　guiding　principle；　the　conservation　of　energy；　did　not　abandon　her　in　sorrow。　　She　sat；　slim；　motionless；　studying　the　grate；　her　hands　idle　in　the　lap　of　her　black　silk　dress。　　They　would　want　to　rouse　her　into　doing　something；　no　doubt。　　As　if　there　were　any　good　in　that！　　Doing　something　would　not　bring　back　Ann！　　Why　worry　her？

Five　o'clock　brought　three　of　the　brothers；　Jolyon　and　James　and　Swithin；　Nicholas　was　at　Yarmouth；　and　Roger　had　a　bad　attack　of　gout。　　Mrs。　Hayman　had　been　by　herself　earlier　in　the　day；　and；　after　seeing　Ann；　had　gone　away；　leaving　a　message　for　Timothy　which　was　kept　from　himthat　she　ought　to　have　been　told　sooner。　In　fact；　there　was　a　feeling　amongst　them　all　that　they　ought　to　have　been　told　sooner；　as　though　they　had　missed　something；　and　James　said：

〃I　knew　how　it'd　be；　I　told　you　she　wouldn't　last　through　the　summer。〃

Aunt　Hester　made　no　reply；　it　was　nearly　October；　but　what　was　the　good　of　arguing；　some　people　were　never　satisfied。

She　sent　up　to　tell　her　sister　that　the　brothers　were　there。　Mrs。　Small　came　down　at　once。　　She　had　bathed　her　face；　which　was　still　swollen；　and　though　she　looked　severely　at　Swithin's　trousers；　for　they　were　of　light　bluehe　had　come　straight　from　the　club；　where　the　news　had　reached　him　she　wore　a　more　cheerful　expression　than　usual；　the　instinct　for　doing　the　wrong　thing　being　even　now　too　strong　for　her。

Presently　all　five　went　up　to　look　at　the　body。　　Under　the　pure　white　sheet　a　quilted　counter…pane　had　been　placed；　for　now；　more　than　ever；　Aunt　Ann　had　need　of　warmth；　and；　the　pillows　removed；　her　spine　and　head　rested　flat；　with　the　semblance　of　their　life…long　inflexibility；　the　coif　banding　the　top　of　her　brow　was　drawn　on　either　side　to　the　level　of　the　ears；　and　between　it　and　the　sheet　her　face；　almost　as　white；　was　turned　with　closed　eyes　to　the　faces　of　her　brothers　and　sisters。　　In　its　extraordinary　peace　the　face　was　stronger　than　ever；　nearly　all　bone　now　under　the　scarce…wrinkled　parchment　of　skinsquare　jaw　and　chin；　cheekbones；　forehead　with　hollow　temples；　chiselled　nosethe　fortress　of　an　unconquerable　spirit　that　had　yielded　to　death；　and　in　its　upward　sightlessness　seemed　trying　to　regain　that　spirit；　to　regain　the　guardianship　it　had　just　laid　down。

Swithin　took　but　one　look　at　the　face；　and　left　the　room；　the　sight；　he　said　afterwards；　made　him　very　queer。　　He　went　downstairs　shaking　the　whole　house；　and；　seizing　his　hat；　clambered　into　his　brougham；　without　giving　any　directions　to　the　coachman。　　He　was　driven　home；　and　all　the　evening　sat　in　his　chair　without　moving。

He　could　take　nothing　for　dinner　but　a　partridge；　with　an　imperial　pint　of　champagne。。。。

Old　Jolyon　stood　at　the　bottom　of　the　bed；　his　hands　folded　in　front　of　him。　　He　alone　of　those　in　the　room　remembered　the　death　of　his　mother；　and　though　he　looked　at　Ann；　it　was　of　that　he　was　thinking。　　Ann　was　an　old　woman；　but　death　had　come　to　her　at　lastdeath　came　to　all！　　His　face　did　not　move；　his　gaze　seemed　travelling　from　very　far。

Aunt　Hester　stood　beside　him。　　She　did　not　cry　now；　tears　were　exhaustedher　nature　refused　to　permit　a　further　escape　of　force；　she　twisted　her　hands；　looking　not　at　Ann；　but　from　side　to　side；　seeking　some　way　of　escaping　the　effort　of　realization。

Of　all　the　brothers　and　sisters　James　manifested　the　most　emotion。　　Tears　rolled　down　the　parallel　furrows　of　his　thin　face；　where　he　should　go　now　to　tell　his　troubles　he　did　not　know；　Juley　was　no　good；　Hester　worse　than　useless！　　He　felt　Ann's　death　more　than　he　had　ever　thought　he　should；　this　would　upset　him　for　weeks！

Presently　Aunt　Hester　stole　out；　and　Aunt　Juley　began　moving　about；　doing　'what　was　necessary；'　so　that　twice　she　knocked　against　something。　　Old　Jolyon；　roused　from　his　reverie；　that　reverie　of　the　long；　long　past；　looked　sternly　at　her；　and　went　away。　　James　alone　was　left　by　the　bedside；　glancing　stealthily　round；　to　see　that　he　was　not　observed；　he　twisted　his　long　body　down；　placed　a　kiss　on　the　dead　forehead；　then　he；　too；　hastily　left　the　room。　　Encountering　Smither　in　the　hall；　he　began　to　ask　her　about　the　funeral；　and；　finding　that　she　knew　nothing；　complained　bitterly　that；　if　they　didn't　take　care；　everything　would　go　wrong。　　She　had　better　send　for　Mr。　Soameshe　knew　all　about　that　sort　of　thing；　her　master　was　very　much　upset；　he　supposedhe　would　want　looking　after；　as　for　her　mistresses；　they　were　no　goodthey　had　no　gumption！　　They　would　be　ill　too；　he　shouldn't　wonder。　　She　had　better　send　for　the　doctor；　it　was　best　to　take　things　in　time。　　He　didn't　think　his　sister　Ann　had　had　the　best　opinion；　if　she'd　had　Blank　she　would　have　been　alive　now。　　Smither　might　send　to　Park　Lane　any　time　she　wanted　advice。　　Of　course；　his　carriage　was　at　their　service　for　the　funeral。　　He　supposed　she　hadn't　such　a　thing　as　a　glass　of　claret　and　a　biscuithe　had　had　no　lunch！

The　days　before　the　funeral　passed　quietly。　　It　had　long　been　known；　of　course；　that　Aunt　Ann　had　left　her　little　property　to　Timothy。　　There　was；　therefore；　no　reason　for　the　slightest　agitation。　　Soames；　who　was　sole　executor；　took　charge　of　all　arrangements；　and　in　due　course　sent　out　the　following　invitation　to　every　male　member　of　the　family：


To。。。。。。。。。。。

Your　presence　is　requested　at　the　funeral　of　Miss　Ann　Forsyte；　in　Highgate　Cemetery；　at　noon　of　Oct。　1st。　　Carriages　will　meet　at　〃The　Bower；〃　Bayswater　Road；　at　10。45。　　No　flowers　by　request。

'R。S。V。P。'


The　morning　came；　cold；　with　a　high；　grey；　London　sky；　and　at　half…past　ten　the　first　carriage；　that　of　James；　drove　up。　　It　contained　James　and　his　son…in…law　Dartie；　a　fine　man；　with　a　square　chest；　buttoned　very　tightly　into　a　frock　coat；　and　a　sallow；　fattish　face　adorned　with　dark；　well…curled　moustaches；　and　that　incorrigible　commencement　of　whisker　which；　eluding　the　strictest　attempts　at　shaving；　seems　the　mark　of　something　deeply　ingrained　in　the　personality　of　the　shaver；　being　especially　noticeable　in　men　who　speculate。

Soames；　in　his　capacity　of　executor；　received　the　guests；　for　Timothy　still　kept　his　bed；　he　would　get　up　after　the　funeral；　and　Aunts　Juley　and　Hester　would　not　be　coming　down　till　all　was　over；　when　it　was　understood　there　would　be　lunch　for　anyone　who　cared　to　come　back。　　The　next　to　arrive　was　Roger；　still　limping　from　the　gout；　and　encircled　by　three　of　his　sonsyoung　Roger；　Eustace；　and　Thomas。　　George；　the　remaining　son；　arrived　almost　immediately　afterwards　in　a　hansom；　and　paused　in　the　hall　to　ask　Soames　how　he　found　undertaking　pay。

They　disliked　each　other。

Then　came　two　HaymansGiles　and　Jesse　perfectly　silent；　and　very　well　dressed；　with　special　creases　down　their　evening　trousers。　Then　old　Jolyon　alone。　　Next；　Nicholas；　with　a　healthy　colour　in　his　face；　and　a　carefully　veiled　sprightliness　in　every　movement　of　his　head　and　body。　　One　of　his　sons　followed　him；　meek　and　subdued。　　Swithin　Forsyte；　and　Bosinney　arrived　at　the　same　moment；and　stoodbowing　precedence　to　each　other；but　on　the　door　opening　they　tried　to　enter　together；　they　renewed　their　apologies　in　the　hall；　and；　Swithin；　settling　his　stock；　which　had　become　disarranged　in　the　struggle；　very　slowly　mounted　the　stairs。　　The　other　Hayman；　two　married　sons　of　Nicholas；　together　with　Tweetyman；　Spender；　and　Warry；　the　husbands　of　married　Forsyte　and　Hayman　daughters。　　The　company　was　then　complete；　twenty…one　in　all；　not　a　male　member　of　the　family　being　absent　but　Timothy　and　young　Jolyon。

Entering　the　scarlet　and　green　drawing…room；　whose　apparel　made　so　vivid　a　setting　for　their　unaccustomed　costumes；　each　tried　nervously　to　find　a　seat；　desirous　of　hiding　the　emphatic　blackness　of　his　trousers。　　There　seemed　a　sort　of　indecency　in　that　blackness　and　in　the　colour　of　their　glovesa　sort　of　exaggeration　of　the　feelings；　and　many　cast　shocked　looks　of　secret　envy　at　'the　Buccaneer；'　who　had　no　gloves；　and　was　wearing　grey　trousers。　　A　subdued　hum　of　conversation　rose；　no　one　speaking　of　the　departed；　but　each　asking　after　the　other；　as　though　thereby　casting　an　indirect　libation　to　this　event；　which　they　had　come　to　honour。

And　presently　James　said：

〃Well；　I　think　we　ought　to　be　starting。〃

They　went　downstairs；　and；　two　and　two；　as　they　had　been　told　off　in　strict　precedence；　mounted　the　carriages。

The　hearse　started　at　a　foot's　pace；　the　carriages　moved　slowly　after。　　In　the　first　went　old　Jolyon　with　Nicholas；　in　the　second；　the　twins；　Swithin　and　James；　in　the　third；　Roger　and　young　Roger；　Soames；　young　Nicholas；　George；　and　Bosinney　followed　in　the　fourth。　　Each　of　the　other　carriages；　eight　in　all；　held　three　or　four　of　the　family；　behind　them　came　the　doctor's　brougham；　then；　at　a　decent　interval；　cabs　containing　family　clerks　and　servants；　and　at　the　very　end；　one　containing　nobody　at　all；　but　bringing　the　total　cortege　up　to　the　number　of　thirteen。

So　long　as　the　procession　kept　to　the　highway　of　the　Bayswater　Road；　it　retained　the　foot's…pace；　but；　turning　into　less　important　thorough…fares；　it　soon　broke　into　a　trot；　and　so　proceeded；　with　intervals　of　walking　in　the　more　fashionable　streets；　until　it　arrived。　　In　the　first　carriage　old　Jolyon　and　Nicholas　were　talking　of　their　wills。　　In　the　second　the　twins；　after　a　single　attempt；　had　lapsed　into　complete　silence；　both　were　rather　deaf；　and　the　exertion　of　making　themselves　heard　was　too　great。　　Only　once　James　broke　this　silence：

〃I　shall　have　to　be　looking　about　for　some　ground　somewhere。　What　arrangements　have