man of property-第14节

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　came　to　an　end　at　last；　and　Bosinney　rose。

〃I　dare　say　you've　got　business　to　talk　over；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　just　go　and　nose　about　a　bit。〃　Without　waiting　for　a　reply　he　strolled　out。

Soames　was　solicitor　to　this　estate；　and　he　spent　nearly　an　hour　in　the　agent's　company；　looking　at　ground…plans　and　discussing　the　Nicholl　and　other　mortgages；　it　was　as　it　were　by　an　afterthought　that　he　brought　up　the　question　of　the　building　site。

〃Your　people；〃　he　said；　〃ought　to　come　down　in　their　price　to　me；　considering　that　I　shall　be　the　first　to　build。〃

Oliver　shook　his　head。

The　site　you've　fixed　on；　Sir；　he　said；　〃is　the　cheapest　we've　got。　　Sites　at　the　top　of　the　slope　are　dearer　by　a　good　bit。〃

〃Mind；〃　said　Soames；〃　I've　not　decided；　it's　quite　possible　I　shan't　build　at　all。　　The　ground　rent's　very　high。〃

〃Well；　Mr。　Forsyte；　I　shall　be　sorry　if　you　go　off；　and　I　think　you'll　make　a　mistake；　Sir。　　There's　not　a　bit　of　land　near　London　with　such　a　view　as　this；　nor　one　that's　cheaper；　all　things　considered；　we've　only　to　advertise；　to　get　a　mob　of　people　after　it。〃

They　looked　at　each　other。　　Their　faces　said　very　plainly：　'I　respect　you　as　a　man　of　business；　　and　you　can't　expect　me　to　believe　a　word　you　say。'

Well；　repeated　Soames；　〃I　haven't　made　up　my　mind；　the　thing　will　very　likely　go　off！〃　　With　these　words；　taking　up　his　umbrella；　he　put　his　chilly　hand　into　the　agent's；　withdrew　it　without　the　faintest　pressure；　and　went　out　into　the　sun。

He　walked　slowly　back　towards　the　site　in　deep　thought。　　His　instinct　told　him　that　what　the　agent　had　said　was　true。　　A　cheap　site。　　And　the　beauty　of　it　was；　that　he　knew　the　agent　did　not　really　think　it　cheap；　so　that　his　own　intuitive　knowledge　was　a　victory　over　the　agent's。

'Cheap　or　not；　I　mean　to　have　it；'　　he　thought。

The　larks　sprang　up　in　front　of　his　feet；　the　air　was　full　of　butterflies；　a　sweet　fragrance　rose　from　the　wild　grasses。　　The　sappy　scent　of　the　bracken　stole　forth　from　the　wood；　where；　hidden　in　the　depths；　pigeons　were　cooing。；　and　from　afar　on　the　warm　breeze；　came　the　rhythmic　chiming　of　church　bells。

Soames　walked　with　his　eyes　on　the　ground；　his　lips　opening　and　closing　as　though　in　anticipation　of　a　delicious　morsel。　　But　when　he　arrived　at　the　site；　Bosinney　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。　After　waiting　some　little　time；　he　crossed　the　warren　in　the　direction　of　the　slope。　　He　would　have　shouted；　but　dreaded　the　sound　of　his　voice　。

The　warren　was　as　lonely　as　a　prairie；　its　silence　only　broken　by　the　rustle　of　rabbits　bolting　to　their　holes；　and　the　song　of　the　larks。

Soames；　the　pioneer…leader　of　the　great　Forsyte　army　advancing　to　the　civilization　of　this　wilderness；　felt　his　spirit　daunted　by　the　loneliness；　by　the　invisible　singing；　and　the　hot；　sweet　air。　He　had　begun　to　retrace　his　steps　when　he　at　last　caught　sight　of　Bosinney。

The　architect　was　sprawling　under　a　large　oak　tree；　whose　trunk；　with　a　huge　spread　of　bough　and　foliage；　ragged　with　age；　stood　on　the　verge　of　the　rise。

Soames　had　to　touch　him　on　the　shoulder　before　he　looked　up。

〃Hallo！　　Forsyte；〃　he　said；　〃I've　found　the　very　place　for　your　house！　　Look　here！〃

Soames　stood　and　looked；　then　he　said；　coldly：

〃You　may　be　very　clever；　but　this　site　will　cost　me　half　as　much　again。〃

〃Hang　the　cost；　man。　　Look　at　the　view！〃

Almost　from　their　feet　stretched　ripe　corn；　dipping　to　a　small　dark　copse　beyond。　　A　plain　of　fields　and　hedges　spread　to　the　distant　grey…bluedowns。　　In　a　silver　streak　to　the　right　could　be　seen　the　line　of　the　river。

The　sky　was　so　blue；　and　the　sun　so　bright；　that　an　eternal　summer　seemed　to　reign　over　this　prospect。　　Thistledown　floated　round　them；　enraptured　by　the　serenity；　of　the　ether。　　The　heat　danced　over　the　corn；　and；　pervading　all；　was　a　soft；　insensible　hum；　like　the　murmur　of　bright　minutes　holding　revel　between　earth　and　heaven。

Soames　looked。　　In　spite　of　himself；　something　swelled　in　his　breast。　　To　live　here　in　sight　of　all　this；　to　be　able　to　point　it　out　to　his　friends；　to　talk　of　it；　to　possess　it！　　His　cheeks　flushed。　　The　warmth；　the　radiance；　the　glow；　were　sinking　into　his　senses　as；　four　years　before；　Irene's　beauty　had　sunk　into　his　senses　and　made　him　long　for　her。　　He　stole　a　glance　at　Bosinney；　whose　eyes；　the　eyes　of　the　coachman's　'half…tame　leopard；'　seemed　running　wild　over　the　landscape。　　The　sunlight　had　caught　the　promontories　of　the　fellow〃s　face；　the　bumpy　cheekbones；　the　point　of　his　chin；　the　vertical　ridges　above　his　brow；　and　Soames　watched　this　rugged；　enthusiastic；　careless　face　with　an　unpleasant　feeling。

A　long；　soft　ripple　of　wind　flowed　over　the　corn；　and　brought　a　puff　of　warm　air　into　their　faces。

〃I　could　build　you　a　teaser　here；〃　said　Bosinney；　breaking　the　silence　at　last。

〃I　dare　say；〃　replied　Soames；　drily。　　〃You　haven't　got　to　pay　for　it。〃

〃For　about　eight　thousand　I　could　build　you　a　palace。〃

Soames　had　become　very　palea　struggle　was　going　on　within　him。　He　dropped　his　eyes；　and　said　stubbornly：

〃I　can't　afford　it。〃

And　slowly；　with　his　mousing　walk；　he　led　the　way　back　to　the　first　site。

They　spent　some　time　there　going　into　particulars　of　the　projected　house；　and　then　Soames　returned　to　the　agent's　cottage。

He　came　out　in　about　half　an　hour；　and；　joining　Bosinney；　started　for　the　station。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　hardly　opening　his　lips；　〃I've　taken　that　site　of　yours；　after　all。〃

And　again　he　was　silent；　confusedly　debating　how　it　was　that　this　fellow；　whom　by　habit　he　despised；　should　have　overborne　his　own　decision。




CHAPTER　V

A　FORSYTE　MENAGE


Like　the　enlightened　thousands　of　his　class　and　generation　in　this　great　city　of　London；　who　no　longer　believe　in　red　velvet　chairs；　and　know　that　groups　of　modern　Italian　marble　are　'vieux　jeu；'　Soames　Forsyte　inhabited　a　house　which　did　what　it　could。　It　owned　a　copper　door　knocker　of　individual　design；　windows　which　had　been　altered　to　open　outwards；　hanging　flower　boxes　filled　with　fuchsias；　and　at　the　back　（a　great　feature）　a　little　court　tiled　with　jade…green　tiles；　and　surrounded　by　pink　hydrangeas　in　peacock…blue　tubs。　　Here；　under　a　parchment…　coloured　Japanese　sunshade　covering　the　whole　end；　inhabitants　or　visitors　could　be　screened　from　the　eyes　of　the　curious　while　they　drank　tea　and　examined　at　their　leisure　the　latest　of　Soames's　little　silver　boxes。。

The　inner　decoration　favoured　the　First　Empire　and　William　Morris。　　For　its　size；　the　house　was　commodious；　there　were　countless　nooks　resembling　birds'　nests；　and　little　things　made　of　silver　were　deposited　like　eggs。

In　this　general　perfection　two　kinds　of　fastidiousness　were　at　war。　　There　lived　here　a　mistress　who　would　have　dwelt　daintily　on　a　desert　island；　a　master　whose　daintiness　was；　as　it　were；　an　investment；　cultivated　by　the　owner　for　his　advancement；　in　accordance　with　the　laws　of　competition。　　This　competitive　daintiness　had　caused　Soames　in　his　Marlborough　days　to　be　the　first　boy　into　white　waistcoats　in　summer；　and　corduroy　waistcoats　in　winter；　had　prevented　him　from　ever　appearing　in；　public　with　his　tie　climbing　up　his　collar；　and　induced　him　to　dust　his　patent　leather　boots　before　a　great　multitude　assembled　on　Speech　Day　to　hear　him　recite　Moliere。

Skin…like　immaculateness　had　grown　over　Soames；　as　over　many　Londoners；　impossible　to　conceive　of　him　with　a　hair　out　of　place；　a　tie　deviating　one…eighth　of　an　inch　from　the　perpendicular；　a　collar　unglossed！　　He　would　not　have　gone　without　a　bath　for　worldsit　was　the　fashion　to　take　baths；　and　how　bitter　was　his　scorn　of　people　who　omitted　them！

But　Irene　could　be　imagined；　like　some　nymph；　bathing　in　wayside　streams；　for　the　joy　of　the　freshness　and　of　seeing　her　own　fair　body。

In　this　conflict　throughout　the　house　the　woman　had　gone　to　the　wall。　　As　in　the　struggle　between　Saxon　and　Celt　still　going　on　within　the　nation；　the　more　impressionable　and　receptive　temperament　had　had　forced　on　it　a　conventional　superstructure。

Thus　the　house　had　acquired　a　close　resemblance　to　hundreds　of　other　houses　with　the　same　high　aspirations；　having　become：　'That　very　charming　little　house　of　the　Soames　Forsytes；　quite　individual；　my　dearreally　elegant。'

For　Soames　Forsyteread　James　Peabody；　Thomas　Atkins；　or　Emmanuel　Spagnoletti；　the　name　in　fact　of　any　upper…middle　class　Englishman　in　London　with　any　pretensions　to　taste；　and　though　the　decoration　be　different；　the　phrase　is　just。

On　the　evening　of　August　8；　a　week　after　the　expedition　to　Robin　Hill；　in　the　dining…room　of　this　house'quite　individual；　my　dearreally　elegant'…　Soames　and　Irene　were　seated　at　dinner。　　A　hot　dinner　on　Sundays　was　a　little　distinguishing　elegance　common　to　this　house　and　many　others。　　Early　in　married　life　Soames　had　laid　down　the　rule：　'The　servants　must　give　us　hot　dinner　on　Sundaysthey've　nothing　to　do　but　play　the　concertina。'

The　custom　had　produced　no　revolution。　　Forto　Soames　a　rather　deplorable　signservants　were　devoted　to　Irene；　who；　in　defiance　of　all　safe　tradition；　appeared　to　recognise　their　right　to　a　share　in　the　weaknesses　of　human　nature。

The　happy　pair　were　seated；　not　opposite　each　other；　but　rectangularly；　at　the　handsome　rosewood　tabl