the patrician-第1节

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　The　Patrician

by　John　Galsworthy








CHAPTER　I

Light；　entering　the　vast　rooma　room　so　high　that　its　carved　ceiling
refused　itself　to　exact　scrutinytravelled；　with　the　wistful；　cold
curiosity　of　the　dawn；　over　a　fantastic　storehouse　of　Time。　　Light；
unaccompanied　by　the　prejudice　of　human　eyes；　made　strange　revelation
of　incongruities；　as　though　illuminating　the　dispassionate　march　of
history。

For　in　this　dining　hallone　of　the　finest　in　Englandthe　Caradoc
family　had　for　centuries　assembled　the　trophies　and　records　of　their
existence。　　Round　about　this　dining　hall　they　had　built　and　pulled
down　and　restored；　until　the　rest　of　Monkland　Court　presented　some
aspect　of　homogeneity。　　Here　alone　they　had　left　virgin　the　work　of
the　old　quasi…monastic　builders；　and　within　it　unconsciously
deposited　their　souls。　　For　there　were　here；　meeting　the　eyes　of
light；　all　those　rather　touching　evidences　of　man's　desire　to　persist
for　ever；　those　shells　of　his　former　bodies；　the　fetishes　and　queer
proofs　of　his　faiths；　together　with　the　remorseless　demonstration　of
their　treatment　at　the　hands　of　Time。

The　annalist　might　here　have　found　all　his　needed　confirmations；　the
analyst　from　this　material　formed　the　due　equation　of　high　birth；　the
philosopher　traced　the　course　of　aristocracy；　from　its　primeval　rise
in　crude　strength　or　subtlety；　through　centuries　of　power；　to
picturesque　decadence；　and　the　beginnings　of　its　last　stand。　　Even
the　artist　might　here；　perchance；　have　seized　on　the　dry　ineffable
pervading　spirit；　as　one　visiting　an　old　cathedral　seems　to　scent　out
the　constriction　of　its　heart。

》From　the　legendary　sword　of　that　Welsh　chieftain　who　by　an　act　of
high；　rewarded　treachery　had　passed　into　the　favour　of　the　conquering
William；　and　received；　with　the　widow　of　a　Norman；　many　lands　in
Devonshire；　to　the　Cup　purchased　for　Geoffrey　Caradoc；　present　Earl
of　Valleys；　by　subscription　of　his　Devonshire　tenants　on　the　occasion
of　his　marriage　with　the　Lady　Gertrude　Semmeringno　insignia　were
absent；　save　the　family　portraits　in　the　gallery　of　Valleys　House　in
London。　　There　was　even　an　ancient　duplicate　of　that　yellow　tattered
scroll　royally；　reconfirming　lands　and　title　to　John；　the　most
distinguished　of　all　the　Caradocs；　who　had　unfortunately　neglected　to
be　born　in　wedlock；　by　one　of　those　humorous　omissions　to　be　found　in
the　genealogies　of　most　old　families。　　Yes；　it　was　there；　almost
cynically　hung　in　a　corner；　for　this　incident；　though　no　doubt　a
burning　question　in　the　fifteenth　century；　was　now　but　staple　for　an
ironical　little　tale；　in　view　of　the　fact　that　descendants　of　John's
'own'　brother　Edmund　were　undoubtedly　to　be　found　among　the　cottagers
of　a　parish　not　far　distant。

Light；　glancing　from　the　suits　of　armour　to　the　tiger　skins　beneath
them；　brought　from　India　but　a　year　ago　by　Bertie　Caradoc；　the
younger　son；　seemed　recording；　how　those；　who　had　once　been　foremost
by　virtue　of　that　simple　law　of　Nature　which　crowns　the　adventuring
and　strong；　now　being　almost　washed　aside　out　of　the　main　stream　of
national　life；　were　compelled　to　devise　adventure；　lest　they　should
lose　belief　in　their　own　strength。

The　unsparing　light　of　that　first　half…hour　of　summer　morning
recorded　many　other　changes；　wandering　from　austere　tapestries　to　the
velvety　carpets；　and　dragging　from　the　contrast　sure　proof　of　a
common　sense　which　denied　to　the　present　Earl　and　Countess　the
asceticisms　of　the　past。　　And　then　it　seemed　to　lose　interest　in　this
critical　journey；　as　though　longing　to　clothe　all　in　witchery。　　For
the　sun　had　risen；　and　through　the　Eastern　windows　came　pouring　its
level　and　mysterious　joy。　　And　with　it；　passing　in　at　an　open
lattice；　came　a　wild　bee　to　settle　among　the　flowers　on　the　table
athwart　the　Eastern　end；　used　when　there　was　only　a　small　party　in
the　house。　　The　hours　fled　on　silent；　till　the　sun　was　high；　and　the
first　visitors　camethree　maids；　rosy；　not　silent；　bringing　brushes。
They　passed；　and　were　followed　by　two　footmenscouts　of　the
breakfast　brigade；　who　stood　for　a　moment　professionally　doing
nothing；　then　soberly　commenced　to　set　the　table。　　Then　came　a　little
girl　of　six；　to　see　if　there　were　anything　excitinglittle　Ann
Shropton；　child　of　Sir　William　Shropton　by　his　marriage　with　Lady
Agatha；　and　eldest　daughter　of　the　house；　the　only　one　of　the　four
young　Caradocs　as　yet　wedded。　　She　came　on　tiptoe；　thinking　to
surprise　whatever　was　there。　　She　had　a　broad　little　face；　and　wide
frank　hazel　eyes　over　a　little　nose　that　came　out　straight　and
sudden。　　Encircled　by　a　loose　belt　placed　far　below　the　waist　of　her
holland　frock；　as　if　to　symbolize　freedom；　she　seemed　to　think
everything　in　life　good　fun。　　And　soon　she　found　the　exciting　thing。

〃Here's　a　bumble　bee；　William。　　Do　you　think　I　could　tame　it　in　my
little　glass　bog？〃

〃No；　I　don't；　Miss　Ann；　and　look　out；　you'll　be　stung！〃

〃It　wouldn't　sting　me。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Because　it　wouldn't。〃

〃Of　courseif　you　say　so〃

〃What　time　is　the　motor　ordered？〃

〃Nine　o'clock。〃

〃I'm　going　with　Grandpapa　as　far　as　the　gate。〃

〃Suppose　he　says　you're　not？〃

〃Well；　then　I　shall　go　all　the　same。〃

〃I　see。〃

〃I　might　go　all　the　way　with　him　to　London！　　Is　Auntie　Babs　going？〃

〃No；　I　don't　think　anybody　is　going　with　his　lordship。〃

〃I　would；　if　she　were。　　　William！〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Is　Uncle　Eustace　sure　to　be　elected　？〃

〃Of　course　he　is。〃

〃Do　you　think　he'll　be　a　good　Member　of　Parliament？〃

〃Lord　Miltoun　is　very　clever；　Miss　Ann。〃

〃Is　he？〃

〃Well；　don't　you　think　so？〃

〃Does　Charles　think　so？〃

〃Ask　him。〃

〃William！〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I　don't　like　London。　　I　like　here；　and　I　like　Cotton；　and　I　like
home　pretty　well；　and　I　love　PendridnyandI　like　Ravensham。〃

〃His　lordship　is　going　to　Ravensham　to…day　on　his　way　up；　I　heard
say。〃

〃Oh！　then　he'll　see　great…granny。　　William〃

〃Here's　Miss　Wallace。〃

》From　the　doorway　a　lady　with　a　broad　pale　patient　face　said：

〃Come；　Ann。〃

〃All　right！　　Hallo；　Simmons！〃

The　entering　butler　replied：

〃Hallo；　Miss　Ann！〃

〃I've　got　to　go。〃

〃I'm　sure　we're　very　sorry。〃

〃Yes。〃

The　door　banged　faintly；　and　in　the　great　room　rose　the　busy　silence
of　those　minutes　which　precede　repasts。　　Suddenly　the　four　men　by　the
breakfast　fable　stood　back。　　Lord　Valleys　had　come　in。

He　approached　slowly；　reading　a　blue　paper；　with　his　level　grey　eyes
divided　by　a　little　uncharacteristic　frown。　　He　had　a　tanned　yet
ruddy；　decisively　shaped　face；　with　crisp　hair　and　moustache
beginning　to　go　iron…greythe　face　of　a　man　who　knows　his　own　mind
and　is　contented　with　that　knowledge。　　His　figure　too；　well…braced
and　upright；　with　the　back　of　the　head　carried　like　a　soldier's；
confirmed　the　impression；　not　so　much　of　self…sufficiency；　as　of　the
sufficiency　of　his　habits　of　life　and　thought。　　And　there　was
apparent　about　all　his　movements　that　peculiar　unconsciousness　of　his
surroundings　which　comes　to　those　who　live　a　great　deal　in　the　public
eye；　have　the　material　machinery　of　existence　placed　exactly　to　their
hands；　and　never　need　to　consider　what　others　think　of　them。　　Taking
his　seat；　and　still　perusing　the　paper；　he　at　once　began　to　eat　what
was　put　before　him；　then　noticing　that　his　eldest　daughter　had　come
in　and　was　sitting　down　beside　him；　he　said：

〃Bore　having　to　go　up　in　such　weather！〃

〃Is　it　a　Cabinet　meeting？〃

〃Yes。　　This　confounded　business　of　the　balloons。〃　　　But　the　rather
anxious　dark　eyes　of　Agatha's　delicate　narrow　face　were　taking　in　the
details　of　a　tray　for　keeping　dishes　warm　on　a　sideboard；　and　she　was
thinking：　〃I　believe　that　would　be　better　than　the　ones　I've　got；
after　all。　　If　William　would　only　say　whether　he　really　likes　these
large　trays　better　than　single　hot…water　dishes！〃　　She　contrived　how…
ever　to　ask　in　her　gentle　voicefor　all　her　words　and　movements　were
gentle；　even　a　little　timid；　till　anything　appeared　to　threaten　the
welfare　of　her　husband　or　children：

〃Do　you　think　this　war　scare　good　for　Eustace's　prospects；　Father？〃

But　her　father　did　not　answer；　he　was　greeting　a　new…comer；　a　tall；
fine…looking　young　man；　with　dark　hair　and　a　fair　moustache；　between
whom　and　himself　there　was　no　relationship；　yet　a　certain　negative
resemblance。　　Claud　Fresnay；　Viscount　Harbinger；　was　indeed　also　a
little　of　what　is　called　the　'Norman'　typehaving　a　certain　firm
regularity　of　feature；　and　a　slight　aquilinity　of　nose　high　up　on　the
bridgebut　that　which　in　the　elder　man　seemed　to　indicate　only　an
unconscious　acceptance　of　self　as　a　standard；　in　the　younger　man　gave
an　impression　at　once　more　assertive　and　more　uneasy；　as　though　he
were　a　little　afraid　of　not　chaffing　something　all　the　time。

Behind　him　had　come　in　a　tall　woman；　of　full　figure　and　fine
presence；　with　hair　still　brownLady　Valleys　herself。　　Though　her
eldest　son　was　thirty；　she　was；　herself；　still　little　more　than
fifty。　　From　her　voice；　manner；　and　whole　personality；　one　might
suspect　that　she　had　been　an　acknowledged　beauty；　but　there　was　now
more　than　a　suspicion　of　maturity　about　her　almost　jovial　face；　with
its　full　grey…blue　eyes；　and　coarsened　complexion。　　G