man of property-第33节

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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　shareholders；　he　faced　them　calmly。　　Soames　faced　them　too。　　He　knew　most　of　them　by　sight。　　There　was　old　Scrubsole；　a　tar　man；　who　always　came；　as　Hemmings　would　say；　'　to　make　himself　nasty；'　a　cantankerous…looking　old　fellow　with　a　red　face；　a　jowl；　and　an　enormous　low…crowned　hat　reposing　on　his　knee。　　And　the　Rev。　Mr。　Boms；　who　always　proposed　a　vote　of　thanks　to　the　chairman；　in　which　he　invariably　expressed　the　hope　that　the　Board　would　not　forget　to　elevate　their　employees；　using　the　word　with　a　double　e；　as　being　more　vigorous　and　Anglo…Saxon　（he　had　the　strong　Imperialistic　tendencies　of　his　cloth）。　　It　was　his　salutary　custom　to　buttonhole　a　director　afterwards；　and　ask　him　whether　he　thought　the　coming　year　would　be　good　or　bad；　and；　according　to　the　trend　of　the　answer；　to　buy　or　sell　three　shares　within　the　ensuing　fortnight。

And　there　was　that　military　man；　Major　O'Bally；　who　could　not　help　speaking；　if　only　to　second　the　re…election　of　the　auditor；　and　who　sometimes　caused　serious　consternation　by　taking　toasts　proposals　ratherout　of　the　hands　of　persons　who　had　been　flattered　with　little　slips　of　paper；　entrusting　the　said　proposals　to　their　care。

These　made　up　the　lot；　together　with　four　or　five　strong；　silent　shareholders；　with　whom　Soames　could　sympathizemen　of　business；　who　liked　to　keep　an　eye　on　their　affairs　for　themselves；　without　being　fussygood；　solid　men；　who　came　to　the　City　every　day　and　went　back　in　the　evening　to　good；　solid　wives。

Good；　solid　wives！　　There　was　something　in　that　thought　which　roused　the　nameless　uneasiness　in　Soames　again。

What　should　he　say　to　his　uncle？　　What　answer　should　he　make　to　this　letter？

。　　。　　。　　。　　〃If　any　shareholder　has　any　question　to　put；　I　shall　be　glad　to　answer　it。〃　A　soft　thump。　　Old　Jolyon　had　let　the　report　and　accounts　fall；　and　stood　twisting　his　tortoise…shell　glasses　between　thumb　and　forefinger。

The　ghost　of　a　smile　appeared　on　Soames'　face。　　They　had　better　hurry　up　with　their　questions！　　He　well　knew　his　uncle's　method　（the　ideal　one）　of　at　once　saying：　〃I　propose；　then；　that　the　report　and　accounts　be　adopted！〃　　Never　let　them　get　their　wind　shareholders　were　notoriously　wasteful　of　time！

A　tall；　white…bearded　man；　with　a　gaunt；　dissatisfied　face；　arose：

〃I　believe　I　am　in　order；　Mr。　Chairman；　in　raising　a　question　on　this　figure　of　　L5000　in　the　accounts。　　'To　the　widow　and　family〃'　（he　looked　sourly　round）；　〃'of　our　late　superintendent；'　who　soerill…advisedly　（I　sayill…advisedly）　committed　suicide；　at　a　time　when　his　services　were　of　the　utmost　value　to　this　Company。　　You　have　stated　that　the　agreement　which　he　has　so　unfortunately　cut　short　with　his　own　hand　was　for　a　period　of　five　years；　of　which　one　only　had　expiredI〃

Old　Jolyon　made　a　gesture　of　impatience。

〃I　believe　I　am　in　order；　Mr。　ChairmanI　ask　whether　this　amount　paid；　or　proposed　to　be　paid；　by　the　Board　to　the　erdeceased　is　for　services　which　might　have　been　rendered　to　the　Company　had　he　not　committed　suicide？〃

〃It　is　in　recognition　of　past　services；　which　we　all　knowyou　as　well　as　any　of　usto　have　been　of　vital　value。〃

〃Then；　sir；　all　I　have　to　say　is；　that　the　services　being　past；　the　amount　is　too　much。〃

The　shareholder　sat　down。

Old　Jolyon　waited　a　second　and　said：　〃I　now　propose　that　the　report　and〃

The　shareholder　rose　again：　〃May　I　ask　if　the　Board　realizes　that　it　is　not　their　money　whichI　don't　hesitate　to　say　that　if　it　were　their　money。。。。〃

A　second　shareholder；　with　a　round；　dogged　face；　whom　Soames　recognised　as　the　late　superintendent's　brother…in…law；　got　up　and　said　warmly：　〃In　my　opinion；　sir；　the　sum　is　not　enough！〃

The　Rev。　Mr。　Boms　now　rose　to　his　feet。　　〃If　I　may　venture　to　express　myself；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　say　that　the　fact　of　theer…　…deceased　having　committed　suicide　should　weigh　very　heavily　very　heavily　with　our　worthy　chairman。　　I　have　no　doubt　it　has　weighed　with　him；　forI　say　this　for　myself　and　I　think　for　everyone　present　（hear；　hear）he　enjoys　our　confidence　in　a　high　degree。　　We　all　desire；　I　should　hope；　to　be　charitable。　　But　I　feel　sure〃　（he…looked　severely　at　the　late　superintendent's　brother…in…law）　〃that　he　will　in　some　way；　by　some　written　expression；　or　better　perhaps　by　reducing　the　amount；　record　our　grave　disapproval　that　so　promising　and　valuable　a　life　should　have　been　thus　impiously　removed　from　a　sphere　where　both　its　own　interests　andif　I　may　say　soour　interests　so　imperatively　demanded　its　continuance。　　We　should　notnay；　we　may　not　countenance　so　grave　a　dereliction　of　all　duty；　both　human　and　divine。〃

The　reverend　gentleman　resumed　his　seat。　　The　late　super…　intendent's　brother…in…law　again　rose：　〃What　I　have　said　I　stick　to；〃　he　said；　〃the　amount　is　not　enough！〃

The　first　shareholder　struck　in：　〃I　challenge　the　legality　of　the　payment。　　In　my　opinion　this　payment　is　not　legal。　　The　Company's　solicitor　is　present；　I　believe　I　am　in　order　in　asking　him　the　question。〃

All　eyes　were　now　turned　upon　Soames。　　Something　had　arisen！

He　stood　up；　close…lipped　and　cold；　his　nerves　inwardly　fluttered；　his　attention　tweaked　away　at　last　from　contemplation　of　that　cloud　looming　on　the　horizon　of　his　mind。

〃The　point；〃　he　said　in　a　low；　thin　voice；　〃is　by　no　means　clear。　As　there　is　no　possibility　of　future　consideration　being　received；　it　is　doubtful　whether　the　payment　is　strictly　legal。　If　it　is　desired；　the　opinion　of　the　court　could　be　taken。〃

The　superintendent's　brother…in…law　frowned；　and　said　in　a　meaning　tone：　〃We　have　no　doubt　the　opinion　of　the　court　could　be　taken。　　May　I　ask　the　name　of　the　gentleman　who　has　given　us　that　striking　piece　of　information？　　Mr。　Soames　Forsyte？　　Indeed！〃　　He　looked　from　Soames　to　old　Jolyon　in　a　pointed　manner。

A　flush　coloured　Soames'　pale　cheeks；　but　his　superciliousness　did　not　waver。　　Old　Jolyon　fixed　his　eyes　on　the　speaker。

〃If；〃　he　said；　〃the　late　superintendents　brother…in…law　has　nothing　more　to　say；　I　propose　that　the　report　and　accounts。。。。〃

At　this　moment；　however；　there　rose　one　of　those　five　silent；　stolid　shareholders；　who　had　excited　Soames'　sympathy。　　He　said：

〃I　deprecate　the　proposal　altogether。　　We　are　expected　to　give　charity　to　this　man's　wife　and　children；　who；　you　tell　us；　were　dependent　on　him。　　They　may　have　been；　I　do　not　care　whether　they　were　or　not。　　I　object　to　the　whole　thing　on　principle。　　It　is　high　time　a　stand　was　made　against　this　sentimental　human…　itarianism。　　The　country　is　eaten　up　with　it。　　I　object　to　my　money　being　paid　to　these　people　of　whom　I　know　nothing；　who　have　done　nothing　to　earn　it。　　I　object　in　toto；　it　is　not　business。　　I　now　move　that　the　report　and　accounts　be　put　back；　and　amended　by　striking　out　the　grant　altogether。〃

Old　Jolyon　had　remained　standing　while　the　strong；　silent　man　was　speaking。　　The　speech　awoke　an　echo　in　all　hearts；　voicing；　as　it　did；　the　worship　of　strong　men；　the　movement　against　generosity；　which　had　at　that　time　already　commenced　among　the　saner　members　of　the　community。

The　words　'it　is　not　business'　had　moved　even　the　Board；　privately　everyone　felt　that　indeed　it　was　not。　　But　they　knew　also　the　chairman's　domineering　temper　and　tenacity。　　He；　too；　at　heart　must　feel　that　it　was　not　business；　but　he　was　committed　to　his　own　proposition。　　Would　he　go　back　upon　it？　　It　was　thought　to　be　unlikely。

All　waited　with　interest。　　Old　Jolyon　held　up　his　hand；　dark…rimmed　glasses　depending　between　his　finger　and　thumb　quivered　slightly　with　a　suggestion　of　menace。

He　addressed　the　strong；　silent　shareholder。

〃Knowing；　as　you　do；　the　efforts　of　our　late　superintendent　upon　the　occasion　of　the　explosion　at　the　mines；　do　you　seriously　wish　me　to　put　that　amendment；　sir？〃

〃I　do。〃

Old　Jolyon　put　the　amendment。

〃Does　anyone　second　this？〃　he　asked；　looking　calmly　round。

And　it　was　then　that　Soames；　looking　at　his　uncle；　felt　the　power　of　will　that　was　in　that　old　man。　　No　one　stirred。　　Looking　straight　into　the　eyes　of　the　strong；　silent　shareholder；　old　Jolyon　said：

〃I　now　move；　'That　the　report　and　accounts　for　the　year　1886　be　received　and　adopted。'　You　second　that？　　Those　in　favour　signify　the　same　in　the　usual　way。　　Contraryno。　　Carried。　　The　next　business；　gentlemen。。。。〃

Soames　smiled。　　Certainly　Uncle　Jolyon　had　a　way　with　him！

But　now　his　attention　relapsed　upon　Bosinney。

Odd　how　that　fellow　haunted　his　thoughts；　even　in　business　hours。

Irene's　visit　to　the　housebut　there　was　nothing　in　that；　except　that　she　might　have　told　him；　but　then；　again；　she　never　did　tell　him　anything。　　She　was　more　silent；　more　touchy；　every　day。　　He　wished　to　God　the　house　were　finished；　and　they　were　in　it；　away　from　London。　　Town　did　not　suit　her；　her　nerves　were　not　strong　enough。　　That　nonsense　of　the　separate　room　had　cropped　up　again！

The　meeting　was　breaking　up　now。　　Underneath　the　photograph　of　the　lost　shaft　Hemmings　was　buttonholed　by　the　Rev。　Mr。　Boms。　Little　Mr。　Booker；　his　bristling　eyebrows　wreathed　in　angry　smiles；　was　having　a　parting　turn…up　with　ol