man of property-第32节

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nodded　to　Mrs。　Soames；　to　show　her　that　she　had　seen；　and；　as　she　confided；　in　talking　it　over　afterwards；　to　her　chum　Francie　（Roger's　daughter）；　〃Didn't　she　look　caught　out　just？　。。。。〃

James；　most　averse　at　the　first　blush　to　accepting　any　news　confirmatory　of　his　own　poignant　suspicions；　took　her　up　at　once。

〃Oh〃　he　said；　〃they'd　be　after　wall…papers　no　doubt。〃

Euphemia　smiled。　　〃In　the　Groceries？〃　she　said　softly；　and；　taking　'Passion　and　Paregoric'　from　the　table；　added：　〃And　so　you'll　lend　me　this；　dear　Auntie？　　Good…bye！〃　and　went　away。

James　left　almost　immediately　after；　he　was　late　as　it　was。

When　he　reached　the　office　of　Forsyte；　Bustard　and　Forsyte；　he　found　Soames；　sitting　in　his　revolving；　chair；　drawing　up　a　defence。　　The　latter　greeted　his　father　with　a　curt　good…morning；　and；　taking　an　envelope　from　his　pocket；　said：

〃It　may　interest　you　to　look　through　this。〃

James　read　as　follows：


309D；　SLOANE　STREET；　May　15。

'DEAR　FORSYTE；

'The　construction　of　your　house　being　now　completed；　my　duties　as　architect　have　come　to　an　end。　　If　I　am　to　go　on　with　the　business　of　decoration；　which　at　your　request　I　undertook；　I　should　like　you　to　clearly　understand　that　I　must　have　a　free　hand。

'You　never　come　down　without　suggesting　something　that　goes　counter　to　my　scheme。　　I　have　here　three　letters　from　you；　each　of　which　recommends　an　article　I　should　never　dream　of　putting　in。　　I　had　your　father　here　yesterday　afternoon；　who　made　further　valuable　suggestions。

'Please　make　up　your　mind；　therefore；　whether　you　want　me　to　decorate　for　you；　or　to　retire　which　on　the　whole　I　should　prefer　to　do。

'But　understand　that；　if　I　decorate；　I　decorate　alone；　without　interference　of　any　sort。

If　I　do　the　thing；　I　will　do　it　thoroughly；　but　I　must　have　a　free　hand。

'Yours　truly；

'PHILIP　BOSINNEY。'


The　exact　and　immediate　cause　of　this　letter　cannot；　of　course；　be　told；　though　it　is　not　improbable　that　Bosinney　may　have　been　moved　by　some　sudden　revolt　against　his　position　towards　Soames　that　eternal　position　of　Art　towards　Propertywhich　is　so　admirably　summed　up；　on　the　back　of　the　most　indispensable　of　modern　appliances；　in　a　sentence　comparable　to　the　very　finest　in　Tacitus：


THOS。　　T。　　SORROW；　Inventor。　BERT　M。　　PADLAND；　Proprietor。


〃What　are　you　going　to　say　to　him？〃　James　asked。

Soames　did　not　even　turn　his　head。　　〃I　haven't　made　up　my　mind；〃　he　said；　and　went　on　with　his　defence。

A　client　of　his；　having　put　some　buildings　on　a　piece　of　ground　that　did　not　belong　to　him；　had　been　suddenly　and　most　irritat…　ingly　warned　to　take　them　off　again。　　After　carefully　going　into　the　facts；　however；　Soames　had　seen　his　way　to　advise　that　his　client　had　what　was　known　as　a　title　by　possession；　and　that；　though　undoubtedly　the　ground　did　not　belong　to　him；　he　was　entitled　to　keep　it；　and　had　better　do　so；　and　he　was　now　following　up　this　advice　by　taking　steps　toas　the　sailors　say　'make　it　so。'

He　had　a　distinct　reputation　for　sound　advice；　people　saying　of　him：　〃Go　to　young　Forsytea　long…headed　fellow！〃　and　he　prized　this　reputation　highly。

His　natural　taciturnity　was　in　his　favour；　nothing　could　be　more　calculated　to　give　people；　especially　people　with　property　（Soames　had　no　other　clients）；　the　impression　that　he　was　a　safe　man。　　And　he　was　safe。　　Tradition；　habit；　education；　inherited　aptitude；　native　caution；　all　joined　to　form　a　solid　professional　honesty；　superior　to　temptationfrom　the　very　fact　that　it　was　built　on　an　innate　avoidance　of　risk。　　How　could　he　fall；　when　his　soul　abhorred　circumstances　which　render　a　fall　possiblea　man　cannot　fall　off　the　floor！

And　those　countless　Forsytes；　who；　in　the　course　of　innumerable　transactions　concerned　with　property　of　all　sorts　（from　wives　to　water　　rights）；　had　occasion　for　the　services　of　a　safe　man；　found　it　both　reposeful　and　profitable　to　confide　in　Soames。　That　slight　superciliousness　of　his；　combined　with　an　air　of　mousing　amongst　precedents；　was　in　his　favour　tooa　man　would　not　be　supercilious　unless　he　knew！

He　was　really　at　the　head　of　the　business；　for　though　James　still　came　nearly　every　day　to；　see　for　himself；　he　did　little　now　but　sit　in　his　chair；　twist　his　legs；　slightly　confuse　things　already　decided；　and　presently　go　away　again；　and　the　other　partner；　Bustard；　was　a　poor　thing；　who　did　a　great　deal　of　work；　but　whose　opinion　was　never　taken。

So　Soames　went　steadily　on　with　his　defence。　　Yet　it　would　be　idle　to　say　that　his　mind　was　at　ease。　　He　was　suffering　from　a　sense　of　impending　　trouble；　that　had　haunted　him　for　some　time　past。　　He　tried　to　think　it　physicala　condition　of　his　liver　but　knew　that　it　was　not。

He　looked　at　his　watch。　　In　a　quarter　of　an　hour　he　was　due　at　the　General　Meeting　of　the　New　Colliery　Companyone　of　Uncle　Jolyon's　concerns；　he　should　see　Uncle　Jolyon　there；　and　say　something　to　him　about　Bosinneyhe　had　not　made　up　his　mind　what；　but　somethingin　any　case　he　should　not　answer　this　letter　until　he　had　seen　Uncle　Jolyon。　　He　got　up　and　methodically　put　away　the　draft　of　his　defence。　　Going　into　a　dark　little　cupboard；　he　turned　up　the　light；　washed　his　hands　with　a　piece　of　brown　Windsor　soap；　and　dried　them　on　a　roller　towel。　　Then　he　brushed　his　hair；　paying　strict　attention　to　the　parting；　turned　down　the　light；　took　his　hat；　and　saying　he　would　be　back　at　half…past　two；　stepped　into　the　Poultry。

It　was　not　far　to　the　Offices　of　the　New　Colliery　Company　in　Ironmonger　Lane；　where；　and　not　at　the　Cannon　Street　Hotel；　in　accordance　with　the　more　ambitious　practice　of　other　companies；　the　General　Meeting　was　always　held。　　Old　Jolyon　had　from　the　first　set　his　face　against　the　Press。　　What　businesshe　said　had　the　Public　with　his　concerns！

Soames　arrived　on　the　stroke　of　time；　and　took　his　seat　alongside　the　Board；　who；　in　a　row；　each　Director　behind　his　own　ink…pot；　faced　their　Shareholders。

In　the　centre　of　this　row　old　Jolyon；　conspicuous　in　his　black；　tightly…buttoned　frock…coat　and　his　white　moustaches；　was　leaning　back　with　finger　tips　crossed　on　a　copy　of　the　Directors'　report　and　accounts。

On　his　right　hand；　always　a　little　larger　than　life；　sat　the　Secretary；　'Down…by…the…starn'　Hemmings；　an　all…too…sad　sadness　beaming　in　his　fine　eyes；　his　iron…grey　beard；　in　mourning　like　the　rest　of　him；　giving　the　feeling　of　an　all…too…black　tie　behind　it。

The　occasion　indeed　was　a　melancholy　one；　only　six　weeks　having　elapsed　since　that　telegram　had　come　from　Scorrier；　the　mining　expert；　on　a　private　mission　to　the　Mines；　informing　them　that　Pippin；　their　Superintendent；　had　committed　suicide　in　endeavouring；　after　his　extraordinary　two　years'　silence；　to　write　a　letter　to　his　Board。　　That　letter　was　on　the　table　now；　it　would　be　read　to　the　Shareholders；　who　would　of　course　be　put　into　possession　of　all　the　facts。

Hemmings　had　often　said　to　Soames；　standing　with　his　coat…tails　divided　before　the　fireplace：

〃What　our　Shareholders　don't　know　about　our　affairs　isn't　worth　knowing。　　You　may　take　that　from　me；　Mr。　Soames。〃

On　one　occasion；　old　Jolyon　being　present；　Soames　recollected　a　little　unpleasantness。　　His　uncle　had　looked　up　sharply　and　said：　〃Don't　talk　nonsense；　Hemmings！　　You　mean　that　what　they　do　know　isn't　worth　knowing！〃　Old　Jolyon　detested　humbug。

Hemmings；　angry…eyed；　and　wearing　a　smile　like　that　of　a　trained　poodle；　had　replied　in　an　outburst　of　artificial　applause：　〃Come；　now；　that's　good；　sirthat's　very　good。　　Your　uncle　will　have　his　joke！〃

The　next　time　he　had　seen　Soames：　he　had　taken　the　opportunity　of　saying　to　him：　〃The　chairman's　getting　very　old！I　can't　get　him　to　understand　things；　and　he's　so　wilfulbut　what　can　you　expect；　with　a　chin　like　his？〃

Soames　had　nodded。

Everyone　knew　that　Uncle　Jolyon's　chin　was　a　caution。　　He　was　looking　worried　to…day；　in　spite　of　his　General　Meeting　look；　he　（Soames）　should　certainly　speak　to　him　about　Bosinney。

Beyond　old　Jolyon　on　the　left　was　little　Mr。　Booker；　and　he；　too；　wore　his　General　Meeting　look；　as　though　searching　for　some　particularly　tender　shareholder。　　And　next　him　was　the　deaf　director；　with　a　frown；　and　beyond　the　deaf　director；　again；　was　old　Mr。　Bleedham；　very　bland；　and　having　an　air　of　conscious　virtueas　well　he　might；　knowing　that　the　brown…paper　parcel　he　always　brought　to　the　Board…room　was　concealed　behind　his　hat　（one　of　that　old…fashioned　class；　of　flat…brimmed　top…hats　which　go　with　very　large　bow　ties；　clean…shaven　lips；　fresh　cheeks；　and　neat　little；　white　whiskers）。

Soames　always　attended　the　General　Meeting；　it　was　considered　better　that　he　should　do　so；　in　case　'anything　should　arise！'　He　glanced　round　with　his　close；　supercilious　air　at　the　walls　of　the　room；　where　hung　plans　of　the　mine　and　harbour；　together　with　a　large　photograph　of　a　shaft　leading　to　a　working　which　had　proved　quite　remarkably　unprofitable。　　This　photographa　witness　to　the　eternal　irony　underlying　commercial　enterprise　till　retained　its　position　on　thewall；　an　effigy　of　the　directors'　pet；　but　dead；　lamb。

And　now　old　Jolyon　rose；　to　present　the　report　and　accounts。

Veiling　under　a　Jove…like　serenity　that　perpetual　antagonism　deep…seated　in　the　bosom　of　a　director　towards　his