man of property-第24章

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Irene　had　her　hand　on　the　rail；　and　at　every　lurch　she　gripped　it　tightly。　　Swithin　heard　her　ask：

〃Are　we　going　to　have　an　accident；　Uncle　Swithin？〃

He　gasped　out　between　his　pants：　〃It's　nothing；　alittle　fresh！〃

〃I've　never　been　in　an　accident。〃

Don't　you　move！〃　He　took　a　look　ather。　　She　was　smiling；　perfectly　calm。　　〃Sit　still；〃　he　repeated。　　〃Never　fear；　I'll　get　you　home！〃

And　in　the　midst　of　all　his　terrible　efforts；　he　was　surprised　to　hear　her　answer　in　a　voice　not　like　her　own：

〃I　don't　care　if　I　never　get　home！〃

The　carriage　giving　a　terrific　lurch；　Swithin's　exclamation　was　jerked　back　into　his　throat。　　The　horses；　winded　by　the　rise　of　a　hill；　now　steadied　to　a　trot；　and　finally　stopped　of　their　own　accord。

〃When〃Swithin　described　it　at　Timothy's〃I　pulled　'em　up；　there　she　was　as　cool　as　myself。　　God　bless　my　soul！　she　behaved　as　if　she　didn't　care　whether　she　broke　her　neck　or　not！　　What　was　it　she　said：　'I　don't　care　if　I　never　get　home？〃　　Leaning　over　the　handle　of　his　cane；　he　wheezed　out；　to　Mrs。　Small's　terror：　〃And　I'm　not　altogether　surprised；　with　a　finickin'　feller　like　young　Soames　for　a　husband！〃

It　did　not　occur　to　him　to　wonder　what　Bosinney　had　done　after　they　had　left　him　there　alone；　whether　he　had　gone　wandering　about　like　the　dog　to　which　Swithin　had　compared　him；　wandering　down　to　that　copse　where　the　spring　was　still　in　riot；　the　cuckoo　still　calling　from　afar；　gone　down　there　with　her　handkerchief　pressed　to　lips；　its　fragrance　mingling　with　the　scent　of　mint　and　thyme。　　Gone　down　there　with　such　a　wild；　exquisite　pain　in　his　heart　that　he　could　have　cried　out　among　the　trees。　　Or　what；　indeed；　the　fellow　had　done。　　In　fact；　till　he　came　to　Timothy's；　Swithin　had　forgotten　all　about　him。




CHAPTER　IV

JAMES　GOES　TO　SEE　FOR　HIMSELF


Those　ignorant　of　Forsyte　'Change　would　not；　perhaps；　foresee　all　the　stir　made　by　Irene's　visit　to　the　house。

After　Swithin　had　related　at　Timothy's　the　full　story　of　his　memorable　drive；　the　same；　with　the　least　suspicion　of　curiosity；　the　merest　touch　of　malice；　and　a　real　desire　to　do　good；　was　passed　on　to　June。

〃And　what　a　dreadful　thing　to　say；　my　dear！〃　ended　Aunt　Juley；　〃that　about　not　going　home。　　What　did　she　mean？〃

It　was　a　strange　recital　for　the　girl。　　She　heard　it　flushing　painfully；　and；　suddenly；　with　a　curt　handshake；　took　her　departure。

〃Almost　rude！〃　Mrs。　Small　said　to　Aunt　Hester；　when　June　was　gone。

The　proper　construction　was　put　on　her　reception　of　the　news。　She　was　upset。　　Something　was　therefore　very　wrong。　　Odd！　　She　and　Irene　had　been　such　friends！

It　all　tallied　too　well　with　whispers　and　hints　that　had　been　going　about　for　some　time　past。　　Recollections　of　Euphemia's　account　of　the　visit　to　the　theatreMr。　Bosinney　always　at　Soames's？　　Oh；　indeed！　　Yes；　of　course；　he　would　be　about　the　house！　　Nothing　open。　　Only　upon　the　greatest；　the　most　important　provocation　was　it　necessary　to　say　anything　open　on　Forsyte　'Change。　　This　machine　was　too　nicely　adjusted；　a　hint；　the　merest　trifling　expression　of　regret　or　doubt；　sufficed　to　set　the　family　soul　so　sympatheticvibrating。　　No　one　desired　that　harm　should　come　of　these　vibrationsfar　from　it；　they　were　set　in　motion　with　the　best　intentions；　with　the　feeling；　that　each　member　of　the　family　had　a　stake　in　the　family　soul。

And　much　kindness　lay　at　the　bottom　of　the　gossip；　it　would　frequently　result　in　visits　of　condolence　being　made；　in　accordance　with　the　customs　of　Society；　thereby　conferring　a　real　benefit　upon　the　sufferers；　and　affording　consolation　to　the　sound；　who　felt　pleasantly　that　someone　at　all　events　was　suffering　from　that　from　which　they　themselves　were　not　suffering。　　In　fact；　it　was　simply　a　desire　to　keep　things　well…aired；　the　desire　which　animates　the　Public　Press；　that　brought　James；　for　instance；　into　communication　with　Mrs。　Septimus；　Mrs。　Septimus；　with　the　little　Nicholases；　the　little　Nicholases　with　who…knows…whom；　and　so　on。　　That　great　class　to　which　they　had　risen；　and　now　belonged；　demanded　a　certain　candour；　a　still　more　certain　reticence。　　This　combination　guaranteed　their　membership。

Many　of　the　younger　Forsytes　felt；　very　naturally；　and　would　openly　declare；　that　they　did　not　want　their　affairs　pried　into；　but　so　powerful　was　the　invisible；　magnetic　current　of　family　gossip；　that　for　the　life　of　them　they　could　not　help　knowing　all　about　everything。　　It　was　felt　to　be　hopeless。

One　of　them　（young　Roger）　had　made　an　heroic　attempt　to　free　the　rising　generation；　by　speaking　of　Timothy　as　an　'old　cat。'　The　effort　had　justly　recoiled　upon　himself；　the　words；　coming　round　in　the　most　delicate　way　to　Aunt　Juley's　ears；　were　repeated　by　her　in　a　shocked　voice　to　Mrs。　Roger；　whence　they　returned　again　to　young　Roger。

And；　after　all；　it　was　only　the　wrong…doers　who　suffered；　as；　for　instance；　George；　when　he　lost　all　that　money　playing　billiards；　or　young　Roger　himself；　when　he　was　so　dreadfully　near　to　marrying　the　girl　to　whom；　it　was　whispered；　he　was　already　married　by　the　laws　of　Nature；　or　again　Irene；　who　was　thought；　rather　than　said；　to　be　in　danger。

All　this　was　not　only　pleasant　but　salutary。　　And　it　made　so　many　hours　go　lightly　at　Timothy's　in　the　Bayswater　Road；　so　many　hours　that　must　otherwise　have　been　sterile　and　heavy　to　those　three　who　lived　there；　and　Timothy's　was　but　one　of　hundreds　of　such　homes　in　this　City　of　Londonthe　homes　of　neutral　persons　of　the　secure　classes；　who　are　out　of　the　battle　themselves；　and　must　find　their　reason　for　existing；　in　the　battles　of　others。

But　for　the　sweetness　of　family　gossip；　it　must　indeed　have　been　lonely　there。　　Rumours　and　tales；　reports；　surmiseswere　they　not　the　children　of　the　house；　as　dear　and　precious　as　the　prattling　babes　the　brother　and　sisters　had　missed　in　their　own　journey？　　To　talk　about　them；　was　as　near　as　they　could　get　to　the　possession　of　all　those　children　and　grandchildren；　after　whom　their　soft　hearts　yearned。　　For　though　it　is　doubtful　whether　Timothy's　heart　yearned；　it　is　indubitable　that　at　the　arrival　of　each　fresh　Forsyte　child　he　was　quite　upset。

Useless　for　young　Roger　to　say；　〃Old　cat！〃　for　Euphemia　to　hold　up　her　hands　and　cry：　〃Oh！　those　three！〃　and　break　into　her　silent　laugh　with　the　squeak　at　the　end。　　Useless；　and　not　too　kind。

The　situation　which　at　this　stage　might　seem；　and　especially　to　Forsyte　eyes；　strangenot　to　　say　'impossible'was；　in　view　of　certain　facts；　not　so　strange　after　all。　　Some　things　had　been　lost　sight　of。　　And　first；　in　the　security　bred　of　many　harmless　marriages；　it　had　been　forgotten　that　Love　is　no　hot…house　flower；　but　a　wild　plant；　born　of　　a　wet　night；　born　of　an　hour　of　sunshine；　sprung　　from　wild　seed；　blown　along　the　road　by　a　wild　wind。　　A　wild　plant　that；　when　it　blooms　by　chance　within　the　hedge　of　our　gardens；　we　call　a　flower；　and　when　it　blooms　outside　we　call　a　　weed；　but；　flower　or　weed；　whose　scent　and　colour　　are　always；　wild！　　And　furtherthe　facts　and　figures　of　their　own　lives　being　against　the　perception　of　this　truthit　was　not　generally　recognised　by　Forsytes　that；　where；　this　wild　plant　springs；　men　and　women　　are　but　moths　around　the　pale；　flame…like　　blossom。

It　was　long　since　young　Jolyon's　escapadethere　was　danger　of　a　tradition　again　arising　that　people　in　their　position　never　cross　the　hedge　to　pluck　that　flower；　that　one　could　reckon　on　having　love；　like　measles；　once　in　due　season；　and　getting　over　it　comfortably　for　all　timeas　with　measles；　on　a　soothing　mixture　of　butter　and　honeyin　the　arms　of　wedlock。

Of　all　those　whom　this　strange　rumour　about　Bosinney　and　Mrs。　Soames　reached；　James　was　the　most　affected。　　He　had　long　forgotten　how　he　had　hovered；　lanky　and　pale；　in　side　whiskers　of　chestnut　hue；　round　Emily；　in　the　days　of　his　own　courtship。　　He　had　long　forgotten　the　small　house　in　the　purlieus　of　Mayfair；　where　he　had　spent　the　early　days　of　his　married　life；　or　rather；　he　had　long　forgotten　the　early　days；　not　the　small　house；a　Forsyte　never　forgot　a　househe　had　afterwards　sold　it　at　a　clear　profit　of　four　hundred　pounds。

He　had　long；　forgotten　those　days；　with　their　hopes　and　fears　and

doubts　about　the　prudence　of　the　match　（for　Emily；　though　pretty；　had　nothing；　and　he　himself　at　that　time　was　making　a　bare　thousand　a　year）；　and　that　strange；　irresistible　attraction　which　had　drawn　him　on；　till　he　felt　he　must　die　if　he　could　not　marry　the　girl　with　the　fair　hair；　looped　so　neatly　back；　the　fair　arms　emerging　from　a　skin…tight　bodice；　the　fair　form　decorously　shielded　by　a　cage　of　really　stupendous　circumference。

James　had　passed　through　the　fire；　but　he　had　passed　also　through　the　river　of　years　which　washes　out　the　fire；　he　had　experienced　the　saddest　experience　of　allforgetfulness　of　what　it　was　like　to　be　in　love。

Forgotten！　　Forgotten　so　long；　that　he　had　forgotten　even　that　he　had　forgotten。

And　now　this　rumour　had　come　upon　him；　this　rumour　about　his　son's　wife；　very　vague；　a　shadow　dodging　among　the　palpable；　straightforward　appearances　of　things；　unreal；　unintelligible　as　a　ghost；　but　carrying　with　it；　like　a　ghost；　inexplicable　terror。

He　tried　to　bring　it　home　to　his　mind；　but　it　was　no　more　use　than　trying　to　apply　to　himself　one　of　those　tragedies　he　read　of　daily　in　his　evening　paper。　　He　simply　could　not。　　There　could　be　nothing　in　it。　　It　was　all　their　nonsense。　　She　didn't　get　on　with　Soames　as　well　as　she　might；　but　she　was　a　good　little　thinga　good　little　thing！

Like　the　not　inconsiderable　majority　of　men；　James　relished　a　nice　little　bit　of　scandal；　and　would　say；　in　a　matter…of…fact　tone；　licking　his　lips；　〃Yes；　yesshe　and　young　Dyson；　they　tell　me　they're　living　at　Monte　Carlo！〃

But　the　significance　of　an　affair　of　this　sortof　its　past；　its　present；　or　its　futurehad　never　struck　him。　　What　it　meant；　what　torture　and　raptures　had　gone　to　its　construction；　what　slow；　overmastering　fate　had　lurked　within　the　facts；　very　naked；　sometimes　sordid；　but　generally　spicy；　presented　to　his　gaze。　　He　was　not　in　the　habit　of　blaming；　praising；　drawing　deductions；　or　generalizing　at　all　about　such　things；　he　simply　listened　rather　greedily；　and　repeated　what　he　was　told；　finding　considerable　benefit　from　the　practice；　as　from　the　consumption　of　a　sherry　and　bitters　before　a　meal。

Now；　however；　that　such　a　thingor　rather　the　rumour；　the　breath　of　ithad　come　near　him　personally；　he　felt　as　in　a　fog；　which　filled　his　mouth　full　of　a　bad；　thick　flavour；　and　made　it　difficult　to　draw　breath。

A　scandal！　　A　possible　scandal！

To　repeat　this　word　to　himself　thus　was　the　only　way　in　which　he　could　focus　or　make　it　thinkable。　　He　had　forgotten　the　sensations　necessary　for　understanding　the　progress；　fate；　or　meaning　of　any　such　business；　he　simply　could　no　longer　grasp　the　possibilities　of　people　running　any　risk　for　the　sake　of　passion。

Amongst　all　those　persons　of　his　acquaintance；　who　went　into　the　City　day　after　day　and　did　their　business　there；　whatever　it　was；　and　in　their　leisure　moments　bought　shares；　and　houses；　and　ate　dinners；　and　played　games；　as　he　was　told；　it　would　have　seemed　to　him　ridiculous　to　suppose　that　there　were　any　who　would　run　risks　for　the　sake　of　anything　so　recondite；　so　f