five tales-第28节

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the　unexpected　order：

〃Get　me　a　hot　bath　ready；　and　put　some　pine　stuff　in　it。〃

When　the　old　man　was　seated　there；　the　valet　asked：

〃How　long　shall　I　give　you；　sir？〃

〃Twenty　minutes。〃

〃Very　good；　sir。〃

Lying　in　that　steaming　brown　fragrant　liquid；　old　Heythorp　heaved　a　stertorous　sigh。　　By　losing　his　temper　with　that　ill…conditioned　cur　he　had　cooked　his　goose。　　It　was　done　to　a　turn；　and　he　was　a　ruined　man。　　If　onlyoh！　if　only　he　could　have　seized　the　fellow　by　the　neck　and　pitched　him　out　of　the　room！　　To　have　lived　to　be　so　spoken　to；　to　have　been　unable　to　lift　hand　or　foot；　hardly　even　his　voice　he　would　sooner　have　been　dead！　　Yessooner　have　been　dead！　　A　dumb　and　measureless　commotion　was　still　at　work　in　the　recesses　of　that　thick　old　body；　silver…brown　in　the　dark　water；　whose　steam　he　drew　deep　into　his　wheezing　lungs；　as　though　for　spiritual　relief。　　To　be　beaten　by　a　cur　like　that！　　To　have　that　common　cad　of　a　pettifogging　lawyer　drag　him　down　and　kick　him　about；　tumble　a　name　which　had　stood　high；　in　the　dust！　　The　fellow　had　the　power　to　make　him　a　byword　and　a　beggar！　　It　was　incredible！　　But　it　was　a　fact。　　And　to…　morrow　he　would　begin　to　do　itperhaps　had　begun　already。　　His　tree　had　come　down　with　a　crash！　　Eighty　years…eighty　good　years！　　He　regretted　none　of　them…regretted　nothing；　least　of　all　this　breach　of　trust　which　had　provided　for　his　grandchildrenone　of　the　best　things　he　had　ever　done。　　The　fellow　was　a　cowardly　hound；　too！　　The　way　he　had　snatched　the　bell…pull　out　of　his　reach…despicable　cur！　And　a　chap　like　that　was　to　put　〃paid〃　to　the　account　of　Sylvanus　Heythorp；　to　〃scratch〃　him　out　of　lifeso　near　the　end　of　everything；　the　very　end！　　His　hand　raised　above　the　surface　fell　back　on　his　stomach　through　the　dark　water；　and　a　bubble　or　two　rose。　Not　so　fastnot　so　fast！　　He　had　but　to　slip　down　a　foot；　let　the　water　close　over　his　head；　and　〃Good…bye〃　to　Master　Ventnor's　triumph　Dead　men　could　not　be　kicked　off　the　Boards　of　Companies。　　Dead　men　could　not　be　beggared；　deprived　of　their　independence。　　He　smiled　and　stirred　a　little　in　the　bath　till　the　water　reached　the　white　hairs　on　his　lower　lip。　　It　smelt　nice！　　And　he　took　a　long　sniff：　He　had　had　a　good　life；　a　good　life！　　And　with　the　thought　that　he　had　it　in　his　power　at　any　moment　to　put　Master　Ventnor's　nose　out　of　jointto　beat　the　beggar　after　all；　a　sense　of　assuagement　and　well…being　crept　over　him。　　His　blood　ran　more　evenly　again。　　He　closed　his　eyes。　　They　talked　about　an　after…lifepeople　like　that　holy　woman。　Gammon！　　You　went　to　sleepa　long　sleep；　no　dreams。　　A　nap　after　dinner！　　Dinner！　　His　tongue　sought　his　palate！　　Yes！　he　could　eat　a　good　dinner！　　That　dog　hadn't　put　him　off　his　stroke！　　The　best　dinner　he　had　ever　eaten　was　the　one　he　gave　to　Jack　Herring；　Chichester；　Thornworthy；　Nick　Treffry　and　Jolyon　Forsyte　at　Pole's。　Good　Lord！　　In　'sixtyyes'sixty…five？　　Just　before　he　fell　in　love　with　Alice　Larneten　years　before　he　came　to　Liverpool。　　That　was　a　dinner！　　Cost　twenty…four　pounds　for　the　six　of　themand　Forsyte　an　absurdly　moderate　fellow。　　Only　Nick　Treff'ry　and　himself　had　been　three…bottle　men！　　Dead！　　Every　jack　man　of　them。　　And　suddenly　he　thought：　'My　name's　a　good　oneI　was　never　down　beforenever　beaten！'

A　voice　above　the　steam　said：

〃The　twenty　minutes　is　up；　sir。〃

〃All　right；　I'll　get　out。　　Evening　clothes。〃

And　Meller；　taking　out　dress　suit　and　shirt；　thought：　'Now；　what　does　the　old　bloomer　want　dressin'　up　again　for；　why　can't　he　go　to　bed　and　have　his　dinner　there？　　When　a　man's　like　a　baby；　the　cradle's　the　place　for　him。'。。。。

An　hour　later；　at　the　scene　of　his　encounter　with　Mr。　Ventnor；　where　the　table　was　already　laid　for　dinner；　old　Heythorp　stood　and　gazed。　The　curtains　had　been　drawn　back；　the　window　thrown　open　to　air　the　room；　and　he　could　see　out　there　the　shapes　of　the　dark　trees　and　a　sky　grape…coloured；　in　the　mild；　moist　night。　　It　smelt　good。　　A　sensuous　feeling　stirred　in　him；　warm　from　his　bath；　clothed　from　head　to　foot　in　fresh　garments。　　Deuce　of　a　time　since　he　had　dined　in　full　fig！　　He　would　have　liked　a　woman　dining　oppositebut　not　the　holy　woman；　no；　by　George！would　have　liked　to　see　light　falling　on　a　woman's　shoulders　once　again；　and　a　pair　of　bright　eyes！　　He　crossed；　snail…like；　towards　the　fire。　　There　that　bullying　fellow　had　stood　with　his　back　to　itconfound　his　impudence！as　if　the　place　belonged　to　him。　　And　suddenly　he　had　a　vision　of　his　three　secretaries'　facesespecially　young　Farney's　as　they　would　look；　when　the　pack　got　him　by　the　throat　and　pulled　him　down。　　His　co…　directors；　too！　Old　Heythorp！　　How　are　the　mighty　fallen！　　And　that　hound　jubilant！

His　valet　passed　across　the　room　to　shut　the　window　and　draw　the　curtains。　　This　chap　too！　　The　day　he　could　no　longer　pay　his　wages；　and　had　lost　the　power　to　say　〃Shan't　want　your　services　any　more〃　when　he　could　no　longer　even　pay　his　doctor　for　doing　his　best　to　kill　him　off！　　Power；　interest；　independence；　allgone！　　To　be　dressed　and　undressed；　given　pap；　like　a　baby　in　arms；　served　as　they　chose　to　serve　him；　and　wished　out　of　the　waybroken；　dishonoured！

By　money　alone　an　old　man　had　his　being！　　Meat；　drink；　movement；　breath！　　When　all　his　money　was　gone　the　holy　woman　would　let　him　know　it　fast　enough。　　They　would　all　let　him　know　it；　or　if　they　didn't；　it　would　be　out　of　pity！　　He　had　never　been　pitied　yetthank　God！　　And　he　said：

〃Get　me　up　a　bottle　of　Perrier　Jouet。　　What's　the　menu？〃

〃Germane　soup；　sir；　filly　de　sole；　sweetbread；　cutlet　soubees；　rum　souffly。〃

〃Tell　her　to　give　me　a　hors　d'oeuvre；　and　put　on　a　savoury。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

When　the　man　had　gone；　he　thought：　'I　should　have　liked　an　oyster　too　late　now！'　and　going　over　to　his　bureau；　he　fumblingly　pulled　out　the　top　drawer。　　There　was　little　in　itJust　a　few　papers；　business　papers　on　his　Companies；　and　a　schedule　of　his　debts；　not　even　a　copy　of　his　willhe　had　not　made　one；　nothing　to　leave！　　Letters　he　had　never　kept。　　Half　a　dozen　bills；　a　few　receipts；　and　the　little　pink　note　with　the　blue　forget…me…not。　　That　was　the　lot！　　An　old　tree　gives　up　bearing　leaves；　and　its　roots　dry　up；　before　it　comes　down　in　a　wind；　an　old　man's　world　slowly　falls　away　from　him　till　he　stands　alone　in　the　night。　　Looking　at　the　pink　note；　he　thought：　'Suppose　I'd　married　Alicea　man　never　had　a　better　mistress！'　　He　fumbled　the　drawer　to；　but　still　he　strayed　feebly　about　the　room；　with　a　curious　shrinking　from　sitting　down；　legacy　from　the　quarter　of　an　hour　he　had　been　compelled　to　sit　while　that　hound　worried　at　his　throat。　　He　was　opposite　one　of　the　pictures　now。　　It　gleamed；　dark　and　oily；　limning　a　Scots　Grey　who　had　mounted　a　wounded　Russian　on　his　horse；　and　was　bringing　him　back　prisoner　from　the　Balaclava　charge。　　A　very　old　friendbought　in　'fifty…nine。　　It　had　hung　in　his　chambers　in　the　Albanyhung　with　him　ever　since。　　With　whom　would　it　hang　when　he　was　gone？　　For　that　holy　woman　would　scrap　it；　to　a　certainty；　and　stick　up　some　Crucifixion　or　other；　some　new…　fangled　high　art　thing！　　She　could　even　do　that　now　if　she　likedfor　she　owned　it；　owned　every　mortal　stick　in　the　room；　to　the　very　glass　he　would　drink　his　champagne　from；　all　made　over　under　the　settlement　fifteen　years　ago；　before　his　last　big　gamble　went　wrong。　　〃De　l'audace；　toujours　de　l'audace！〃　　The　gamble　which　had　brought　him　down　till　his　throat　at　last　was　at　the　mercy　of　a　bullying　hound。　The　pitcher　and　the　well！　　At　the　mercy…！　　The　sound　of　a　popping　cork　dragged　him　from　reverie。　　He　moved　to　his　seat；　back　to　the　window；　and　sat　down　to　his　dinner。　　By　George！　　They　had　got　him　an　oyster！　　And　he　said：

〃I've　forgotten　my　teeth！〃

While　the　man　was　gone　for　them；　he　swallowed　the　oysters；　methodically　touching　them　one　by　one　with　cayenne；　Chili　vinegar；　and　lemon。　　Ummm！　　Not　quite　what　they　used　to　be　at　Pimm's　in　the　best　days；　but　not　badnot　bad！　　Then　seeing　the　little　blue　bowl　lying　before　him；　he　looked　up　and　said：

〃My　compliments　to　cook　on　the　oysters。　　Give　me　the　champagne。〃　　And　he　lifted　his　trembling　teeth。　　Thank　God；　he　could　still　put　'em　in　for　himself！　　The　creaming　goldenish　fluid　from　the　napkined　bottle　slowly　reached　the　brim　of　his　glass；　which　had　a　hollow　stem；　raising　it　to　his　lips；　very　red　between　the　white　hairs　above　and　below；　he　drank　with　a　gurgling　noise；　and　put　the　glass　down…empty。　Nectar！　　And　just　cold　enough！

〃I　frapped　it　the　least　bit；　sir。〃

〃Quite　right。　　What's　that　smell　of　flowers？〃

〃It's　from　those　'yacinths　on　the　sideboard；　sir。　　They　come　from　Mrs。　Larne；　this　afternoon。〃

〃Put　'em　on　the　table。　　Where's　my　daughter？〃

〃She's　had　dinner；　sir；　goin'　to　a　ball；　I　think。〃

〃A　ball！〃

〃Charity　ball；　I　fancy；　sir。〃

〃Ummm！　　Give　me　a　touch　of　the　old　sherry　with　the　soup。〃

〃Yes；　sir。　　I　shall　have　to　open　a　bottle：〃

〃Very　well；　then；　do！〃

On　his　way　to　the　cellar　the　man　confided　to　Molly；　who　was　carrying　the　soup：

〃The　Gov'nor's　going　it　to…night！　　What　he'll　be　like　tomorrow　I　dunno。〃

The　girl　answered　softly：

〃Poor　old　man；　let　um　have　his　pleasure。〃　　And；　in　the　hall；　with　the　soup　tureen　against　her　bosom；　she　hummed　above　the　steam；　and　though