man of property-第42章

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d；　happening　to　sit　next　at　dinner　at　Walmisley's；　the　Taxing　Master；　to　young　Chankery；　of　the　Common　Law　Bar。

The　necessity　for　talking　what　is　known　as　'shop；'　which　comes　on　all　lawyers　with　the　removal　of　the　ladies；　caused　Chankery；　a　young　and　promising　advocate；　to　propound　an　impersonal　conundrum　to　his　neighbour；　whose　name　he　did　not　know；　for；　seated　as　he　permanently　was　in　the　background；　Bustard　had　practically　no　name。

He　had；　said　Chankery；　a　case　coming　on　with　a　'very　nice　point。'　He　then　explained；　preserving　every　professional　discretion；　the　riddle　in　Soames'　case。　　Everyone；　he　said；　to　whom　he　had　spoken；　thought　it　a　nice　point。　　The　issue　was　small　unfortunately；　'though　dd　serious　for　his　client　he　believed'Walmisley's　champagne　was　bad　but　plentiful。　　A　Judge　would　make　short　work　of　it；　he　was　afraid。　　He　intended　to　make　a　big　effortthe　point　was　a　nice　one。　　What　did　his　neighbour　say？

Bustard；　a　model　of　secrecy；　said　nothing。　　He　related　the　incident　to　Soames　however　with　some　malice；　for　this　quiet　man　was　capable　of　human　feeling；　ending　with　his　own　opinion　that　the　point　was　'a　very　nice　one。'

In　accordance　with　his　resolve；　our　Forsyte　had　put　his　interests　into　the　hands　of　Jobling　and　Boulter。　　From　the　moment　of　doing　so　he　regretted　that　he　had　not　acted　for　himself。　　On　receiving　a　copy　of　Bosinney's　defence　he　went　over　to　their　offices。

Boulter；　who　had　the　matter　in　hand；　Jobling　having　died　some　years　before；　told　him　that　in　his　opinion　it　was　rather　a　nice　point；　he　would　like　counsel's　opinion　on　it。

Soames　told　him　to　go　to　a　good　man；　and　they　went　to　Waterbuck；　Q。C。；　marking　him　ten　and　one；　who　kept　the　papers　six　weeks　and　then　wrote　as　follows

'In　my　opinion　the　true　interpretation　of　this　correspondence　depends　very　much　on　the　intention　of　the　parties；　and　will　turn　upon　the　evidence　given　at　the　trial。　　I　am　of　opinion　that　an　attempt　should　be　made　to　secure　from　the　architect　an　admission　that　he　understood　he　was　not　to　spend　at　the　outside　more　than　twelve　thousand　and　fifty　pounds。　　With　regard　to　the　expression；　〃a　free　hand　in　the　terms　of　this　correspondence；〃　to　which　my　attention　is　directed；　the　point　is　a　nice　one；　but　I　am　of　opinion　that　upon　the　whole　the　ruling　in　〃Boileau　v。　The　Blasted　Cement　Co。；　Ltd。；〃　will　apply。'

Upon　this　opinion　they　acted；　administering　interrogatories；　but　to　their　annoyance　Messrs。　　Freak　and　Able　answered　these　in　so　masterly　a　fashion　that　nothing　whatever　was　admitted　and　that　without　prejudice。

It　was　on　October　1　that　Soames　read　Waterbuck's　opinion；　in　the　dining…room　before　dinner。

It　made　him　nervous；　not　so　much　because　of　the　case　of　'Boileau　v。　The　Blasted　Cement　Co。；　Ltd。；'　as　that　the　point　had　lately　begun　to　seem　to　him；　too；　a　nice　one；　there　was　about　it　just　that　pleasant　flavour　of　subtlety　so　attractive　to　the　best　legal　appetites。　　To　have　his　own　impression　confirmed　by　Waterbuck；　Q。C。；　would　have　disturbed　any　man。

He　sat　thinking　it　over；　and　staring　at　the　empty　grate；　for　though　autumn　had　come；　the　weather　kept　as　gloriously　fine　that　jubilee　year　as　if　it　were　still　high　August。　　It　was　not　pleasant　to　be　disturbed；　he　desired　too　passionately　to　set　his　foot　on　Bosinney's　neck。

Though　he　had　not　seen　the　architect　since　the　last　afternoon　at　Robin　Hill；　he　was　never　free　from　the　sense　of　his　presence　never　free　from　the　memory　of　his　worn　face　with　its　high　cheek　bones　and　enthusiastic　eyes。　　It　would　riot　be　too　much　to　say　that　he　had　never　got　rid　of　the　feeling　of　that　night　when　he　heard　the　peacock's　cry　at　dawnthe　feeling　that　Bosinney　haunted　the　house。　　And　every　man's　shape　that　he　saw　in　the　dark　evenings　walking　past；　seemed　that　of　him　whom　George　had　so　appropriately　named　the　Buccaneer。

Irene　still　met　him；　he　was　certain；　where；　or　how；　he　neither　knew；　nor　asked；　deterred　by　a　vague　and　secret　dread　of　too　much　knowledge。　　It　all　seemed　subterranean　nowadays。

Sometimes　when　he　questioned　his　wife　as　to　where　she　had　been；　which　he　still　made　a　point　of　doing；　as　every　Forsyte　should；　she　looked　very　strange。　　Her　self…possession　was　wonderful；　but　there　were　moments　when；　behind　the　mask　of　her　face；　inscrutable　as　it　had　always　been　to　him；　lurked　an　expression　he　had　never　been　used　to　see　there。

She　had　taken　to　lunching　out　too；　when　he　asked　Bilson　if　her　mistress　had　been　in　to　lunch；　as　often　as　not　she　would　answer：　〃No；　sir。〃

He　strongly　disapproved　of　her　gadding　about　by　herself；　and　told　her　so。　　But　she　took　no　notice。　　There　was　something　that　angered；　amazed；　yet　almost　amused；　him　about　the　calm　way　in　which　she　disregarded　his　wishes。　　It　was　really　as　if　she　were　hugging　to　herself　the　thought　of　a　triumph　over　him。

He　rose　from　the　perusal　of　Waterbuck；　Q。C。's　opinion；　and；　going　upstairs；　entered　her　room；　for　she　did　not　lock　her　doors　till　bed…timeshe　had　the　decency；　he　found；　to　save　the　feelings　of　the　servants。　　She　was　brushing　her　hair；　and　turned　to　him　with　strange　fierceness。

〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　said。　　〃Please　leave　my　room！〃

He　answered：　〃I　want　to　know　how　long　this　state　of　things　between　us　is　to　last？　　I　have　put　up　with　it　long　enough。〃

〃Will　you　please　leave　my　room？〃

〃Will　you　treat　me　as　your　husband？〃

〃No。〃

〃Then；　I　shall　take　steps　to　make　you。〃

〃Do！〃

He　stared；　amazed　at　the　calmness　of　her　answer。　　Her　lips　were　compressed　in　a　thin　line；　her　hair　lay　in　fluffy　masses　on　her　bare　shoulders；　in　all　its　strange　golden　contrast　to　her　dark　eyesthose　eyes　alive　with　the　emotions　of　fear；　hate；　contempt；　and　odd；　haunting　triumph。

〃Now；　please；　will　you　leave　my　room？〃　He　turned　round；　and　went　sulkily　out。

He　knew　very　well　that　he　had　no　intention　of　taking　steps；　and　he　saw　that　she　knew　tooknew　that　he　was　afraid　to。

It　was　a　habit　with　him　to　tell　her　the　doings　of　his　day：　how　such　and　such　clients　had　called；　how　he　had　arranged　a　mortgage　for　Parkes；　how　that　long…standing　suit　of　Fryer　v。　Forsyte　was　getting　on；　which；　arising　in　the　preternaturally　careful　disposition　of　his　property　by　his　great　uncle　Nicholas；　who　had　tied　it　up　so　that　no　one　could　get　at　it　at　all；　seemed　likely　to　remain　a　source　of　income　for　several　solicitors　till　the　Day　of　Judgment。

And　how　he　had　called　in　at　Jobson's；　and　seen　a　Boucher　sold；　which　he　had　just　missed　buying　of　Talleyrand　and　Sons　in　Pall　Mall。

He　had　an　admiration　for　Boucher；　Watteau；　and　all　that　school。　It　was　a　habit　with　him　to　tell　her　all　these　matters；　and　he　continued　to　do　it　even　now；　talking　for　long　spells　at　dinner；　as　though　by　the　volubility　of　words　he　could　conceal　from　himself　the　ache　in　his　heart。

Often；　if　they　were　alone；　he　made　an　attempt　to　kiss　her　when　she　said　good…night。　　He　may　have　had　some　vague　notion　that　some　night　she　would　let　him；　or　perhaps　only　the　feeling　that　a　husband　ought　to　kiss　his　wife。　　Even　if　she　hated　him；　he　at　all　events　ought　not　to　put　himself　in　the　wrong　by　neglecting　this　ancient　rite。

And　why　did　she　hate　him？　　Even　now　he　could　not　altogether　believe　it。　　It　was　strange　to　be　hated！the　emotion　was　too　extreme；　yet　he　hated　Bosinney；　that　Buccaneer；　that　prowling　vagabond；　that　night…wanderer。　　For　in　his　thoughts　Soames　always　saw　him　lying　in　waitwandering。　　Ah；　but　he　must　be　in　very　low　water！　　Young　Burkitt；　the　architect；　had　seen　him　coming　out　of　a　third…rate　restaurant；　looking　terribly　down　in　the　mouth！

During　all　the　hours　he　lay　awake；　thinking　over　the　situation；　which　seemed　to　have　no　endunless　she　should　suddenly　come　to　her　sensesnever　once　did　the　thought　of　separating　from　his　wife　seriously　enter　his　head。。。。

And　the　Forsytes！　　What　part　did　they　play　in　this　stage　of　Soames'　subterranean　tragedy？

Truth　to　say；　little　or　none；　for　they　were　at　the　sea。

》From　hotels；　hydropathics；　or　lodging…houses；　they　were　bathing　daily；　laying　in　a　stock　of　ozone　to　last　them　through　the　winter。

Each　section；　in　the　vineyard　of　its　own　choosing；　grew　and　culled　and　pressed　and　bottled　the　grapes　of　a　pet　sea…air。

The　end　of　September　began　to　witness　their　several　returns。

In　rude　health　and　small　omnibuses；　with　considerable　colour　in　their　cheeks；　they　arrived　daily　from　the　various　termini。　　The　following　morning　saw　them　back　at　their　vocations。

On　the　next　Sunday　Timothy's　was　thronged　from　lunch　till　dinner。

Amongst　other　gossip；　too　numerous　and　interesting　to　relate；　Mrs。　Septimus　Small　mentioned　that　Soames　and　Irene　had　not　been　away。

It　remained　for　a　comparative　outsider　to　supply　the　next　evidence　of　interest。

It　chanced　that　one　afternoon　late　in　September；　Mrs。　MacAnder；　Winifred　Dartie's　greatest　friend；　taking　a　constitutional；　with　young　Augustus　Flippard；　on　her　bicycle　in　Richmond　Park；　passed　Irene　and　Bosinney　walking　from　the　bracken　towards　the　Sheen　Gate。

Perhaps　the　poor　little　woman　was　thirsty；　for　she　had　ridden　long　on　a　hard；　dry　road；　and；　as　all　London　knows；　to　ride　a　bicycle　and　talk　to　young　Flippard　will　try　the　toughest　constitution；　or　perhaps　the　sight　of　the　cool　bracken　grove；　whence　'those　two'　were　coming　down；　excited　her　envy。　　The　cool　bracken　grove　on　the　top　of　the　hill；　with　the　oak　boughs　for　roof；　where　the　pigeons　were　raising　an　endless　wedding　hymn；　and　the　autumn；　humming；　whispered　to　the　ears　of　lovers　in　the　fern；　while　the　deer　stole　by。　　The　bracken　grove　of　irretrievable　delights；　of　golden　minutes　in　the　long　marriage　of　heaven　and　earth！　　The　bracken　grove；　sacred　to　stags；　to　strange　tree…stump　fauns　leaping　around　the　silver　whiteness　of　a　birch…tree　nymph　at　summer　dusk

This　lady　knew　all　the　Forsytes；　and　having　been　at　June's　'at　home；'　was　not　at　a　loss　to　see　with　whom　she　had　to　deal。　　Her　own　marriage；　poor　thing；　had　not　been　successful；　but　having　had　the　good　sense　and　ability　to　force　her　husband　into　pronounced　error；　she　herself　had　passed　through　the　necessary　divorce　proceedings　without　incurring　censure。

She　was　therefore　a　judge　of　all　that　sort　of　thing；　and　lived　in　one　of　those　large　buildings；　where　in　small　sets　of　apartments；　are　gathered　incredible　quantities　of　Forsytes；　whose　chief　recreation　out　of　business　hours　is　the　discussion　of　each　other's　affairs。

Poor　little　woman；　perhaps　she　was　thirsty；　certainly　she　was　bored；　for　Flippard　was　a　wit。　　To　see　'those　two'　in　so　unlikely　a　spot　was　quite　a　merciful　'pick…me…up。'

At　the　MacAnder；　like　all　London；　Time　pauses。

This　small　but　remarkable　woman　merits　attention；　her　all…seeing　eye　and　shrewd　tongue　were　inscrutably　the　means　of　furthering　the　ends　of　Providence。

With　an　air　of　being　in　at　the　death；　she　had　an　almost　distressing　power　of　taking　care　of　herself。　　She　had　done　more；　perhaps；　in　her　way　than　any　woman　about　town　to　destroy　the　sense　of　chivalry　which　still　clogs　the　wheel　of　civilization。　So　smart　she　was；　and　spoken　of　endearingly　as　'the　little　MacAnder！'

Dressing　tightly　and　well；　she　belonged　to　a　Woman's　Club；　but　was　by　no　means　the　neurotic　and　dismal　type　of　member　who　was　always　thinking　of　her　rights。　　She　took　her　rights　unconsciously；　they　came　natural　to　her；　and　she　knew　exactly　how　to　make　the　most　of　them　wit