man of property-第39章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



When　she　entered　a　room　it　was　felt　that　something　substantial　had　come　in；　which　was　probably　the　reason　of　her　popularity　as　a　patroness。　　People　liked　something　substantial　when　they　had　paid　money　for　it；　and　they　would　look　at　hersurrounded　by　her　staff　in　charity　ballrooms；　with　her　high　nose　and　her　broad；　square　figure；　attired　in　an　uniform　covered　with　sequinsas　though　she　were　a　general。

The　only　thing　against　her　was　that　she　had　not　a　double　name。　She　was　a　power　in　upper　middle…class　society；　with　its　hundred　sets　and　circles；　all　intersecting　on　the　common　battlefield　of　charity　functions；　and　on　that　battlefield　brushing　skirts　so　pleasantly　with　the　skirts　of　Society　with　the　capital　'S。'　She　was　a　power　in　society　with　the　smaller　's；'　that　larger；　more　significant；　and　more　powerful　body；　where　the　commercially　Christian　institutions；　maxims；　and　'principle；'　which　Mrs。　Baynes　embodied；　were　real　life…blood；　circulating　freely；　real　business　currency；　not　merely　the　sterilized　imitation　that　flowed　in　the　veins　of　smaller　Society　with　the　larger　'　S。'　People　who　knew　her　felt　her　to　be　sounda　sound　woman；　who　never　gave　herself　away；　nor　anything　else；　if　she　could　possibly　help　it。

She　had　been　on　the　worst　sort　of　terms　with　Bosinney's　father；　who　had　not　infrequently　made　her　the　object　of　an　unpardonable　ridicule。　　She　alluded　to　him　now　that　he　was　gone　as　her　'poor；　dear；　irreverend　brother。'

She　greeted　June　with　the　careful　effusion　of　which　she　was　a　mistress；　a　little　afraid　of　her　as　far　as　a　woman　of　her　eminence　in　the　commercial　and　Christian　world　could　be　afraid　for　so　slight　a　girl　June　had　a　great　dignity；　the　fearlessness　of　her　eyes　gave　her　that。　　And　Mrs。　Baynes；　too；　shrewdly　recognized　that　behind　the　uncompromising　frankness　of　June's　manner　there　was　much　of　the　Forsyte。　　If　the　girl　had　been　merely　frank　and　courageous；　Mrs。　Baynes　would　have　thought　her　'cranky；'　and　despised　her；　if　she　had　been　merely　a　Forsyte；　like　Francielet　us　sayshe　would　have　patronized　her　from　sheer　weight　of　metal；　but　June；　small　though　she　wasMrs。　Baynes　habitually　admired　quantitygave　her　an　uneasy　feeling；　and　she　placed　her　in　a　chair　opposite　the　light。

There　was　another　reason　for　her　respect　which　Mrs。　Baynes；　too　good　a　churchwoman　to　be　worldly；　would　have　been　the　last　to　admitshe　often　heard　her　husband　describe　old　Jolyon　as　extremely　well　off；　and　was　biassed　towards　his　granddaughter　for　the　soundest　of　all　reasons。　　To…day　she　felt　the　emotion　with　which　we　read　a　novel　describing　a　hero　and　an　inheritance；　nervously　anxious　lest；　by　some　frightful　lapse　of　the　novelist；　the　young　man　should　be　left　without　it　at　the　end。

Her　manner　was　warm；　she　had　never　seen　so　clearly　before　how　distinguished　and　desirable　a　girl　this　was。　　She　asked　after　old　Jolyon's　health。　　A　wonderful　man　for　his　age；　so　upright；　and　young　looking；　and　how　old　was　he？　　Eighty…one！　　She　would　never　have　thought　it！　　They　were　at　the　sea！　　Very　nice　for　them；　she　supposed　June　heard　from　Phil　every　day？　　Her　light　grey　eyes　became　more　prominent　as　she　asked　this　question；　but　the　girl　met　the　glance　without　flinching。

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃he　never　writes！〃

Mrs。　Baynes's　eyes　dropped；　they　had　no　intention　of　doing　so；　but　they　did。　　They　recovered　immediately。

〃Of　course　not。　　That's　Phil　all　overhe　was　always　like　that！〃

〃Was　he？〃　said　June。

The　brevity　of　the　answer　caused　Mrs。　Baynes's　bright　smile　a　moment's　hesitation；　she　disguised　it　by　a　quick　movement；　and　spreading　her　skirts　afresh；　said：　〃Why；　my　dearhe's　quite　the　most　harum…scarum　person；　one　never　pays　the　slightest　attention　to　what　he　does！〃

The　conviction　came　suddenly　to　June　that　she　was　wasting　her　time；　even　were　she　to　put　a　question　point…blank；　she　would　never　get　anything　out　of　this　woman。

'Do　you　see　him？'　she　asked；　her　face　crimsoning。

The　perspiration　broke　out　on　Mrs。　Baynes'　forehead　beneath　the　powder。

〃Oh；　yes！　　I　don't　remember　when　he　was　here　lastindeed；　we　haven't　seen　much　of　him　lately。　　He's　so　busy　with　your　cousin's　house；　I'm　told　it'll　be　finished　directly。　　We　must　organize　a　little　dinner　to　celebrate　the　event；　do　come　and　stay　the　night　with　us！〃

〃Thank　you；〃　said　June。　　Again　she　thought：　'I'm　only　wasting　my　time。　　This　woman　will　tell　me　nothing。'

She　got　up　to　go。　　A　change　came　over　Mrs。　Baynes。　　She　rose　too；　her　lips　twitched；　she　fidgeted　her　hands。　　Something　was　evidently　very　wrong；　and　she　did　not　dare　to　ask　this　girl；　who　stood　there；　a　slim；　straight　little　figure；　with　her　decided　face；　her　set　jaw；　and　resentful　eyes。　　She　was　not　accustomed　to　be　afraid　of　asking　question'sall　organization　was　based　on　the　asking　of　questions！

But　the　issue　was　so　grave　that　her　nerve；　normally　strong；　was　fairly　shaken；　only　that　morning　her　husband　had　said：　〃Old　Mr。　Forsyte　must　be　worth　well　over　a　hundred　thousand　pounds！〃

And　this　girl　stood　there；　holding　out　her　handholding　out　her　hand！

The　chance　might　be　slipping　awayshe　couldn't　tellthe　chance　of　keeping　her　in　the　family；　and　yet　she　dared　not　speak。

Her　eyes　followed　June　to　the　door。

It　closed。

Then　with　an　exclamation　Mrs。　Baynes　ran　forward；　wobbling　her　bulky　frame　from　side　to　side；　and　opened　it　again。

Too　late！　　She　heard　the　front　door　click；　and　stood　still；　an　expression　of　real　anger　and　mortification　on　her　face。

June　went　along　the　Square　with　her　bird…like　quickness。　　She　detested　that　woman　now　whom　in　happier　days　she　had　been　accustomed　to　think　so　kind。　　Was　she　always　to　be　put　off　thus；　and　forced　to　undergo　this　torturing　suspense？

She　would　go　to　Phil　himself；　and　ask　him　what　he　meant。　　She　had　the　right　to　know。　　She　hurried　on　down　Sloane　Street　till　she　came　to　Bosinney's　number。　　Passing　the　swing…door　at　the　bottom；　she　ran　up　the　stairs；　her　heart　thumping　painfully。

At　the　top　of　the　third　flight　she　paused　for　breath；　and　holding　on　to　the　bannisters；　stood　listening。　　No　sound　came　from　above。

With　a　very　white　face　she　mounted　the　last　flight。　　She　saw　the　door；　with　his　name　on　the　plate。　　And　the　resolution　that　had　brought　her　so　far　evaporated。

The　full　meaning　of　her　conduct　came　to　her。　　She　felt　hot　all　over；　the　palms　of　her　hands　were　moist　beneath　the　thin　silk　covering　of　her　gloves。

She　drew　back　to　the　stairs；　but　did　not　descend。　　Leaning　against　the　rail　she　tried　to　get　rid　of　a　feeling　of　being　choked；　and　she　gazed　at　the　door　with　a　sort　of　dreadful　courage。　　No！　she　refused　to　go　down。　　Did　it　matter　what　people　thought　of　her？　　They　would　never　know！　　No　one　would　help　her　if　she　did　not　help　herself！　　She　would　go　through　with　it。

Forcing　herself；　therefore；　to　leave　the　support　of　the　wall；　she　rang　the　bell。　　The　door　did　not　open；　and　all　her　shame　and　fear　suddenly　abandoned　her；　she　rang　again　and　again；　as　though　in　spite　of　its　emptiness　she　could　drag　some　response　out　of　that　closed　room；　some　recompense　for　the　shame　and　fear　that　visit　had　cost　her。　　It　did　not　open；　she　left　off　ringing；　and；　sitting　down　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　buried　her　face　in　her　hands。

Presently　she　stole　down；　out　into　the　air。　　She　felt　as　though　she　had　passed　through　a　bad　illness；　and　had　no　desire　now　but　to　get　home　as　quickly　as　she　could。　　The　people　she　met　seemed　to　know　where　she　had　been；　what　she　had　been　doing；　and　suddenlyover　on　the　opposite　side；　going　towards　his　rooms　from　the　direction　of　Montpellier　Squareshe　saw　Bosinney　himself。

She　made　a　movement　to　cross　into　the　traffic。　　Their　eyes　met；　and　he　raised　his　hat。　　An　omnibus　passed；　obscuring　her　view；　then；　from　the　edge　of　the　pavement；　through　a　gap　in　the　traffic；　she　saw　him　walking　on。

And　June　stood　motionless；　looking　after　him。




CHAPTER　XIII

PERFECTION　OF　THE　HOUSE


'One　mockturtle；　clear；　one　oxtail；　two　glasses　of　port。'

In　the　upper　room　at　French's；　where　a　Forsyte　could　still　get　heavy　English　food；　James　and　his　son　were　sitting　down　to　lunch。

Of　all　eating…places　James　liked　best　to　come　here；　there　was　something　unpretentious；　well…flavoured；　and　filling　about　it；　and　though　he　had　been　to　a　certain　extent　corrupted　by　the　necessity　for　being　fashionable；　and　the　trend　of　habits　keeping　pace　with　an　income　that　would　increase；　he　still　hankered　in　quiet　City　moments　after　the　tasty　fleshpots　of　his　earlier　days。　Here　you　were　served　by　hairy　English　waiters　in　aprons；　there　was　sawdust　on　the　floor；　and　three　round　gilt　looking…glasses　hung　just　above　the　line　of　sight。　　They　had　only　recently　done　away　with　the　cubicles；　too；　in　which　you　could　have　your　chop；　prime　chump；　with　a　floury…potato；　without　seeing　your　neighbours；　like　a　gentleman。

He　tucked　the　top　corner　of　his　napkin　behind　the　third　button　of　his　waistcoat；　a　practice　he　had　been　obliged　to　abandon　years　ago　in　the　West　End。　　He　felt　that　he　should　relish　his　soupthe　entire　morning　had　been　given　to　winding　up　the　estate　of　an　old　friend。

After　filling　his　mouth　with　household　bread；　stale；　he　at　once　began：　〃How　are　you　going　down　to　Robin　Hill？　　You　going　to　take　Irene？　　You'd　better　take　her。　　I　should　think　there'll　be　a　lot　that'll　want　seeing　to。〃

Without　looking　up；　Soames　answered：　〃She　won't　go。〃

〃Won't　go？　　What's　the　meaning　of　that？　　She's　going　to　live　in　the　house；　isn't　she？〃

Soames　made　no　reply。

〃I　don't　know　what's　coming　to　women　nowadays；〃　mumbled　James；　〃I　never　used　to　have　any　trouble　with　them。　　She's　had　too　much　liberty。　　She's　spoiled。。。。〃

Soames　lifted　his　eyes：　〃I　won't　have　anything　said　against　her；〃　he　said　unexpectedly。

The　silence　was　only　broken　now　by　the　supping　of　James's　soup。

The　waiter　brought　the　two　glasses　of　port；　but　Soames　stopped　him。

〃That's　not　the　way　to　serve　port；〃　he　said；　〃take　them　away；　and　bring　the　bottle。〃

Rousing　himself　from　his　reverie　over　the　soup；　James　took　one　of　his　rapid　shifting　surveys　of　surrounding　facts。

〃Your　mother's　in　bed；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　have　the　carriage　to　take　you　down。　　I　should　think　Irene'd　like　the　drive。　　This　young　Bosinney'll　be　there；　I　suppose；　to　show　you　over〃

Soames　nodded。

〃I　should　like　to　go　and　see　for　myself　what　sort　of　a　job　he's　made　finishing　off；〃　pursued　James。　　〃I'll　just　drive　round　and　pick　you　both　up。〃

〃I　am　going　down　by　train；〃　replied　Soames。　　〃If　you　like　to　drive　round　and　see；　Irene　might　go　with　you；　I　can't　tell。〃

He　signed　to　the　waiter　to　bring　the　bill；　which　James　paid。

They　parted　at　St。　Paul's；　Soames　branching　off　to　the　station；　James　taking　his　omnibus　westwards。

He　had　secured　the　corner　seat　next　the　conductor；　where　his　long　legs　made　it　difficult　for　anyone　to　get　in；　and　at　all　who　passed　him　he　looked　resentfully；　as　if　they　had　no　business　to　be　using　up　his　air。

He　intended　to　take　an　opportunity　this　afternoon　of　speaking　to　Irene。　　A　word　in　time　saved　nine；　and　now　that　she　was　going　to　live　in　the　country　there　was　a　chance　for　her　to　turn　over　a　new　leaf！　　He　could　see　that　Soames　wouldn't　stand　very　much　more　of　her　goings　on！

It　did　not　occur　to　him　to　define　what　he　meant　by　her　'goings　on'；　the　expression　was　wide；　vague；　and　suited　to　a　Forsyte。　And