man of property-第2节

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the　family　idea。

When　a　Forsyte　was　engaged；　married；　or　born；　the　Forsytes　were　present；　when　a　Forsyte　diedbut　no　Forsyte　had　as　yet　died；　they　did　not　die；　death　being　contrary　to　their　principles；　they　took　precautions　against　it；　the　instinctive　precautions　of　highly　vitalized　persons　who　resent　encroachments　on　their　property。

About　the　Forsytes　mingling　that　day　with　the　crowd　of　other　guests；　there　was　a　more　than　ordinarily　groomed　look；　an　alert；　inquisitive　assurance；　a　brilliant　respectability；　as　though　they　were　attired　in　defiance　of　something。　　The　habitual　sniff　on　the　face　of　Soames　Forsyte　had　spread　through　their　ranks；　they　were　on　their　guard。

The　subconscious　offensiveness　of　their　attitude　has　constituted　old　Jolyon's　'home'　the　psychological　moment　of　the　family　history；　made　it　the　prelude　of　their　drama。

The　Forsytes　were　resentful　of　something；　not　individually；　but　as　a　family；　this　resentment　expressed　itself　in　an　added　perfection　of　raiment；　an　exuberance　of　family　cordiality；　an　exaggeration　of　family　importance；　andthe　sniff。　　Dangerso　indispensable　in　bringing　out　the　fundamental　quality　of　any　society；　group；　or　individualwas　what　the　Forsytes　scented；　the　premonition　of　danger　put　a　burnish　on　their　armour。　　For　the　first　time；　as　a　family；　they　appeared　to　have　an　instinct　of　being　in　contact；　with　some　strange　and　unsafe　thing。

Over　against　the　piano　a　man　of　bulk　and　stature　was　wearing　two　waistcoats　on　his　wide　chest；　two　waistcoats　and　a　ruby　pin；　instead　of　the　single　satin　waistcoat　and　diamond　pin　of；　more　usual　occasions；　and　his　shaven；　square；　old　…face；　the　colour　of　pale　leather；　with　pale　eyes；　had　its　most　dignified　look；　above　his　satin　stock。　　This　was　Swithin　Forsyte。　　Close　to　the　window；　where　he　could　get　more　than　his　fair　share　of　fresh　air；　the　other　twin；　Jamesthe　fat　and　the　lean　of　it；　old　Jolyon　called　these　brotherslike　the　bulky　Swithin；　over　six　feet　in　height；　but　very　lean；　as　though　destined　from　his　birth　to　strike　a　balance　and　maintain　an　average；　brooded　over　the　scene　with　his　permanent　stoop；　his　grey　eyes　had　an　air　of　fixed　absorption　in　some　secret　worry；　broken　at　intervals　by　a　rapid；　shifting　scrutiny　of　surrounding　facts；　his　cheeks；　thinned　by　two　parallel　folds；　and　a　long；　clean…shaven　upper　lip；　were　framed　within　Dundreary　whiskers。　　In　his　hands　he　turned　and　turned　a　piece　of　china。　　Not　far　off；　listening　to　a　lady　in　brown；　his　only　son　Soames；　pale　and　well…shaved；　dark…haired；　rather　bald；　had　poked　his　chin　up　sideways；　carrying　his　nose　with　that　aforesaid　appearance　of　'sniff；'　as　though　despising　an　egg　which　he　knew　he　could　not　digest。　　Behind　him　his　cousin；　the　tall　George；　son　of　the　fifth　Forsyte；　Roger；　had　a　Quilpish　look　on　his　fleshy　face；　pondering　one　of　his　sardonic　jests。　　Something　inherent　to　the　occasion　had　affected　them　all。

Seated　in　a　row　close　to　one　another　were　three　　ladiesAunts　Ann；　Hester　（the　two　Forsyte　maids）；　and　Juley　（short　for　Julia）；　who　not　in　first　youth　had　so　far　forgotten　herself　as　to　marry　Septimus　Small；　a　man　of　poor　constitution。　　She　had　survived　him　for　many　years。　　With　her　elder　and　younger　sister　she　lived　now　in　the　house　of　Timothy；　her　sixth　and　youngest　brother；　on　the　Bayswater　Road。　　Each　of　these　ladies　held　fans　in　their　hands；　and　each　with　some　touch　of　Colour；　some　emphatic　feather　or　brooch；　testified　to　the　solemnity　of　the　opportunity。

In　the　centre　of　the　room；　under　the　chandelier；　as　became　a　host；　stood　the　head　of　the　family；　old　Jolyon　himself。　　Eighty　years　of　age；　with　his　fine；　white　hair；　his　dome…like　forehead；　his　little；　dark　grey　eyes；　and　an　immense　white　moustache；　which　drooped　and　spread　below　the　level　of　his　strong　jaw；　he　had　a　patriarchal　look；　and　in　spite　of　lean　cheeks　and　hollows　at　his　temples；　seemed　master　of　perennial　youth。　　He　held　him　self　extremely　upright；　and　his　shrewd；　steady　　eyes　had　lost　none　of　their　clear　shining。　　Thus　　he　gave　an　impression　of　superiority　to　the　　doubts　and　dislikes　of　smaller　men。　　Having　had　　his　own　way　for　innumerable　years；　he　had　　earned　a　prescriptive　right　to　it。　　It　would　never　have　occurred　to　old　Jolyon　that　it　was　necessary　to　wear　a　look　of　doubt　or　of　defiance。

Between　him　and　the　four　other　brothers　who　were　present；　James；　Swithin；　Nicholas；　and　Roger；　there　was　much　difference；　much　similarity。　　In　turn；　each　of　these　four　brothers　was　very　different　from　the　other；　yet　they；　too；　were　alike。

Through　the　varying　features　and　expression　　of　those　five　faces　could　be　marked　a　certain　　steadfastness　of　chin；　underlying　surface　distinctions；　marking　a　racial　stamp；　too　prehistoric　to　trace；　too　remote　and　permanent　to　discussthe　　very　hall…mark　and　guarantee　of　the　family　for　tunes。

Among　the　younger　generation；　in　the　tall；　bull…like　George；　in　pallid　strenuous　Archibald；　in　young　Nicholas　with　his　sweet　and　tentative　obstinacy；　in　the　grave　and　foppishly　determined　Eustace；　there　was　this　same　stampless　meaningful　perhaps；　but　unmistakablea　sign　of　something　ineradicable　in　the　family　soul。　At　one　time　or　another　during　the　afternoon；　all　these　faces；　so　dissimilar　and　so　alike；　had　worn　an　expression　of　distrust；　the　object　of　which　was　undoubtedly　the　man　whose　acquaintance　they　were　thus　assembled　to　make。　　Philip　Bosinney　was　known　to　be　a　young　man　without　fortune；　but　Forsyte　girls　had　become　engaged　to　such　before；　and　had　actually　married　them。　It　was　not　altogether　for　this　reason；　therefore；　that　the　minds　of　the　Forsytes　misgave　them。　　They　could　not　have　explained　the　origin　of　a　misgiving　obscured　by　the　mist　of　family　gossip。　　A　story　was　undoubtedly　told　that　he　had　paid　his　duty　call　to　Aunts　Ann；　Juley；　and　Hester；　in　a　soft　grey　hata　soft　grey　hat；　not　even　a　new　onea　dusty　thing　with　a　shapeless　crown。　〃So；　extraordinary；　my　dearso　odd；〃　Aunt　Hester；　passing　through　the　little；　dark　hall　（she　was　rather　short…sighted）；　had　tried　to　'shoo'　it　off　a　chair；　taking　it　for　a　strange；　disreputable　catTommy　had　such　disgraceful　friends！　　She　was　disturbed　when　it　did　not　move。　　Like　an　artist　for　ever　seeking　to　discover　the　significant　trifle　which　embodies　the　whole　character　of　a　scene；　or　place；　or　person；　so　those　unconscious　artiststhe　Forsytes　had　fastened　by　intuition　on　this　hat；　it　was　their　significant　trifle；　the　detail　in　which　was　embedded　the　meaning　of　the　whole　matter；　for　each　had　asked　himself：　〃Come；　now；　should　I　have　paid　that　visit　in　that　hat？〃　and　each　had　answered　〃No！〃　and　some；　with　more　imagination　than　others；　had　added：　〃It　would　never　have　come　into　my　head！〃

George；　on　hearing　the　story；　grinned。　　The　hat　had　obviously　been　worn　as　a　practical　joke！　　He　himself　was　a　connoisseur　of　such。　〃Very　haughty！〃　he　said；　〃the　wild　Buccaneer。〃

And　this　mot；　the　'Buccaneer；'　was　bandied　from　mouth　to　mouth；　till　it　became　the　favourite　mode　of　alluding　to　Bosinney。

Her　aunts　reproached　June　afterwards　about　the　hat。

〃We　don't　think　you　ought　to　let　him；　dear！〃　they　had　said。

June　had　answered　in　her　imperious　brisk　way；　like　the　little　embodiment　of　will　she　was：　　〃Oh！　what　does　it　matter？　　Phil　never　knows　what　he's　got　on！〃

No　one　had　credited　an　answer　so　outrageous。　　A　man　not　to　know　what　he　had　on？　　No；　no！　　What　indeed　was　this　young　man；　who；　in　becoming　engaged　to　June；　old　Jolyon's　acknowledged　heiress；　had　done　so　well　for　himself？　　He　was　an　architect；　not　in　itself　a　sufficient　reason　for　wearing　such　a　hat。　　None　of　the　Forsytes　happened　to　be　architects；　but　one　of　them　knew　two　architects　who　would　never　have　worn　such　a　hat　upon　a　call　of　ceremony　in　the　London　season。

Dangerousah；　dangerous！　　June；　of　course；　had　not　seen　this；　but；　though　not　yet　nineteen；　she　was　notorious。　　Had　she　not　said　to　Mrs。　Soameswho　was　always　so　beautifully　dressedthat　feathers　were　vulgar？　　Mrs。　Soames　had　actually　given　up　wearing　feathers；　so　dreadfully　downright　was　dear　June！

These　misgivings；　this　disapproval；　and　perfectly　genuine　distrust；　did　not　prevent　the　Forsytes　from　gathering　to　old　Jolyon's　invitation。　　An　'At　Home'　at　Stanhope　Gate　was　a　great　rarity；　none　had　been　held　for　twelve　years；　not　indeed；　since　old　Mrs。　Jolyon　had　died。

Never　had　there　been　so　full　an　assembly；　for；　mysteriously　united　in　spite　of　all　their　differences；　they　had　taken　arms　against　a　common　peril。　　Like　cattle　when　a　dog　comes　into　the　field；　they　stood　head　to　head　and　shoulder　to　shoulder；　prepared　to　run　upon　and　trample　the　invader　to　death。　　They　had　come；　too；　no　doubt；　to　get　some　notion　of　what　sort　of　presents　they　would　ultimately　be　expected　to　give；　for　though　the　question　of　wedding　gifts　was　usually　graduated　in　this　way：　'What　are　you　givin？　　Nicholas　is　givin'　spoons！〃so　very　much　depended　on　the　bridegroom。　　If　he　were　sleek；　well…brushed；　prosperous…looking；　it　was　more　necessary　to　give　him　nice　things；　he　would　expect　them。　　In　the　end　each　gave　exactly　what　was　right　and　proper；　by　a　species　of　family　adjustment　arrived　at　as　prices　are　arrived　at　on　the　Stock　Exchangethe　exact　niceties　being　regulated　at　Timothy's　commodious；　red…brick　residence　in　Bayswater；　overlooking　the　Park；　where　dwelt　Aunts　An