man of property-第4节

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Aunt　Ann　turned　her　old　eyes　from　one　to　the　other。　　Indulgent　and　severe　was　her　look。　　In　turn　the　three　brothers　looked　at　Ann。　　She　was　getting　shaky。　　Wonderful　woman！　　Eighty…six　if　a　day；　might　live　another　ten　years；　and　had　never　been　strong。　Swithin　and　James；　the　twins；　were　only　seventy…five；　Nicholas　a　mere　baby　of　seventy　or　so。　　All　were　strong；　and　the　inference　was　comforting。　Of　all　forms　of　property　their　respective　healths　naturally　concerned　them　most。

〃I'm　very　well　in　myself；〃　proceeded　James；　〃but　my　nerves　are　out　of　order。　　The　least　thing　worries　me　to　death。　　I　shall　have　to　go　to　Bath。〃

〃Bath！〃　said　Nicholas。　　〃I've　tried　Harrogate。　　That's　no　good。　What　I　want　is　sea　air。　　There's　nothing　like　Yarmouth。　　Now；　when　I　go　there　I　sleep。。。。〃

〃My　liver's　very　bad；〃　interrupted　Swithin　slowly。　　〃Dreadful　pain　here；〃　and　he　placed　his　hand　on　his　right　side。

〃Want　of　exercise；〃　muttered　James；　his　eyes　on　the　china。　　He　quickly　added：　〃I　get　a　pain　there；　too。〃

Swithin　reddened；　a　resemblance　to　a　turkey…cock　coming　upon　his　old　face。

〃Exercise！〃　he　said。　　〃I　take　plenty：　I　never　use　the　lift　at　the　Club。〃

〃I　didn't　know；〃　James　hurried　out。　　〃I　know　nothing　about　anybody；　nobody　tells　me　anything。。。。〃

Swithin　fixed　him　with　a　stare：

〃What　do　you　do　for　a　pain　there？〃

James　brightened。

〃I　take　a　compound。。。。〃

〃How　are　you；　uncle？〃

June　stood　before　him；　her　resolute　small　face　raised　from　her　little　height　to　his　great　height；　and　her　hand　outheld。

The　brightness　faded　from　James's　visage。

〃How　are　you？〃　he　said；　brooding　over　her。　　〃So　you're　going　to　Wales　to…morrow　to　visit　your　young　man's　aunts？　　You'll　have　a　lot　of　rain　there。　　This　isn't　real　old　Worcester。〃　　He　tapped　the　bowl。　　〃Now；　that　set　I　gave　your　mother　when　she　married　was　the　genuine　thing。〃

June　shook　hands　one　by　one　with　her　three　great…uncles；　and　turned　to　Aunt　Ann。　　A　very　sweet　look　had　come　into　the　old　lady's　face；　she　kissed　the　girl's　check　with　trembling　fervour。

〃Well；　my　dear；〃　she　said；　〃and　so　you're　going　for；　a　whole　month！〃

The　girl　passed　on；　and　Aunt　Ann　looked　after　her　slim　little　figure。　　The　old　lady's　round；　steel　grey　eyes；　over　which　a　film　like　a　bird's　was　beginning　to　come；　followed　her　wistfully　amongst　the　bustling　crowd；　for　people　were　beginning　to　say　good…bye；　and　her　finger…tips；　pressing　and　pressing　against　each　other；　were　busy　again　with　the　recharging　of　her　will　against　that　inevitable　ultimate　departure　of　her　own。

'Yes；'　she　thought；　'everybody's　been　most　kind；　quite　a　lot　of　people　come　to　congratulate　her。　　She　ought　to　be　very　happy。'　Amongst　the　throng　of　people　by　the　door；　the　well…dressed　throng　drawn　from　the　families　of　lawyers　and　doctors；　from　the　Stock　Exchange；　and　all　the　innumerable　avocations　of　the　upper…middle　classthere　were　only　some　twenty　percent　of　Forsytes；　but　to　Aunt　Ann　they　seemed　all　Forsytesand　certainly　there　was　not　much　differenceshe　saw　only　her　own　flesh　and　blood。　　It　was　her　world；　this　family；　and　she　knew　no　other；　had　never　perhaps　known　any　other。　　All　their　little　secrets；　illnesses；　engagements；　and　marriages；　how　they　were　getting　on；　and　whether　they　were　making　moneyall　this　was　her　property；　her　delight；　her　life；　beyond　this　only　a　vague；　shadowy　mist　offacts　and　persons　of　no　real　significance。　　This　it　was　that　she　would　have　to　lay　down　when　it　came　to　her　turn　　to　die；　this　which　gave　to

her　that　importance；　that　secret　self…importance；　without　which　none　of　us　can　bear　to　live；　and　to　this　she　clung　wistfully；　with　a　greed　that　grew　each　day！　　If　life　were　slipping　away　from　her；　this　she　would　retain　to　the　end。

She　thought　of　June's　father；　young　Jolyon；　who　had　run　away　with　that　foreign　girl。　　And　what　a　sad　blow　to　his　father　and　to　them　all。　　Such　a　promising　young　fellow！　　A　sad　blow；　though　there　had　been　no　public　scandal；　most　fortunately；　Jo's　wife　seeking　for　no　divorce！　　A　long　time　ago！　　And　when　June's　mother　died；　six　years　ago；　Jo　had　married　that　woman；　and　they　had　two　children　now；　so　she　had　heard。　　Still；　he　had　forfeited　his　right　to　be　there；　had　cheated　her　of　the　complete　fulfilment　of　her　family　pride；　deprived　her　of　the　rightful　pleasure　of　seeing　and　kissing　him　of　whom　she　had　been　so　proud；　such　a　promising　young　fellow！　　The　thought　rankled　with　the　bitterness　of　a　long…inflicted　injury　in　her　tenacious　old　heart。　　A　little　water　stood　in　her　eyes。　　With　a　handkerchief　of　the　finest　lawn　she　wiped　them　stealthily。

〃Well；　Aunt　Ann？〃　said　a　voice　behind。

Soames　Forsyte；　flat…shouldered；　clean…shaven；　flat…cheeked；　flat…waisted；　yet　with　something　round　and　secret　about　his　whole　appearance；　looked　downwards　and　aslant　at　Aunt　Ann；　as　though　trying　to　see　through　the　side　of　his　own　nose。

〃And　what　do　you　think　of　the　engagement？〃　he　asked。

Aunt　Ann's　eyes　rested　on　him　proudly；　of　all　the　nephews　since　young　Jolyon's　departure　from　the　family　nest；　he　was　now　her　favourite；　for　she　recognised　in　him　a　sure　trustee　of　the　family　soul　that　must　so　soon　slip　beyond　her　keeping。

〃Very　nice　for　the　young　man；〃　she　said；　〃and　he's　a　good…looking　young　fellow；　but　I　doubt　if　he's　quite　the　right　lover　for　dear　June。〃

Soames　touched　the　edge　of　a　gold…lacquered　lustre。

〃She'll　tame　him；〃　he　said；　stealthily　wetting　his　finger　and　rubbing　it　on　the　knobby　bulbs。　　〃That's　genuine　old　lacquer；　you　can't　get　it　nowadays。　　It'd　do　well　in　a　sale　at　Jobson's。〃　He　spoke　with　relish；　as　though　he　felt　that　he　was　cheering　up　his　old　aunt。　　It　was　seldom　he　was　so　confidential。　　〃I　wouldn't　mind　having　it　myself；〃　he　added；　〃you　can　always　get　your　price　for　old　lacquer。〃

〃You're　so　clever　with　all　those　things；〃　said　Aunt　Ann。　　〃And　how　is　dear　Irene？〃

Soames's　smile　died。

〃Pretty　well；〃　he　said。　　〃Complains　she　can't　sleep；　she　sleeps　a　great　deal　better　than　I　do；〃　and　he　looked　at　his　wife；　who　was　talking　to　Bosinney　by　the　door。

Aunt　Ann　sighed。

〃Perhaps；〃　she　said；　〃it　will　be　just　as　well　for　her　not　to　see　so　much　of　June。　　She's　such　a　decided　character；　dear　June！〃

Soames　flushed；　his　flushes　passed　rapidly　over　his　flat　cheeks　and　centered　between　his　eyes；　where　they　remained；　the　stamp　of　disturbing　thoughts。

〃I　don't　know　what　she　sees　in　that　little　flibbertigibbet；〃　he　burst　out；　but　noticing　that　they　were　no　longer　alone；　he　turned　and　again　began　examining　the　lustre。

〃They　tell　me　Jolyon's　bought　another　house；〃　said　his　father's　voice　close　by；　〃he　must　have　a　lot　of　moneyhe　must　have　more　money　than　he　knows　what　to　do　with！　　Montpellier　Square；　they　say；　close　to　Soames！　　They　never　told　me；　Irene　never　tells　me　anything！〃

〃Capital　position；　not　two　minutes　from　me；〃　said　the　voice　of　Swithin；　〃and　from　my　rooms　I　can　drive　to　the　Club　in　eight。〃

The　position　of　their　houses　was　of　vital　importance　to　the　Forsytes；　nor　was　this　remarkable；　since　the　whole　spirit　of　their　success　was　embodied　therein。

Their　father；　of　farming　stock；　had　come　from　Dorsetshire　near　the　beginning　of　the　century。

'Superior　Dosset　Forsyte；　as　he　was　called　by　his　intimates；　had　been　a　stonemason　by　trade；　and　risen　to　the　position　of　a　master…builder。

Towards　the　end　of　his　life　he　moved　to　London；　where；　building　on　until　he　died；　he　was　buried　at　Highgate。　　He　left　over　thirty　thousand　pounds　between　his　ten　children。　　Old　Jolyon　alluded　to　him；　if　at　all；　as　'A　hard；　thick　sort　of　man；　not　much　refinement　about　him。'　The　second　generation　of　Forsytes　felt　indeed　that；　he　was　not　greatly　to　their　credit。　　The　only　aristocratic　trait　they　could　find　in　his　character　was　a　habit　of　drinking　Madeira。

Aunt　Hester；　an　authority　on　family　history；　described　him　thus：　〃I　don't　recollect　that　he　ever　did　anything；　at　least；　not　in　my　time。　　He　was　　eran　owner　of　houses；　my　dear。　　His　hair　about　your　Uncle　Swithin's　colour；　rather　a　square　build。　　Tall？　　No　not　very　tall〃　（he　had　been　five　feet；　five；　with　a　mottled　face）；　〃a　fresh…coloured　man。　　I　remember　he　used　to　drink　Madeira；　but　ask　your　Aunt　Ann。　　What　was　his　father？　　Heer　had　to　do　with　the　land　down　in　Dorsetshire；　by　the　sea。〃

James　once　went　down　to　see　for　himself　what　sort　of　place　this　was　that　they　had　come　from。　　He　found　two　old　farms；　with　a　cart　track　rutted　into　the　pink　earth；　leading　down　to　a　mill　by　the　beach；　a　little　grey　church　with　a　buttressed　outer　wall；　and　a　smaller　and　greyer　chapel。　　The　stream　which　worked　the　mill　came　bubbling　down　in　a　dozen　rivulets；　and　pigs　were　hunting　round　that　estuary。　　A　haze　hovered　over　the　prospect。　　Down　this　hollow；　with　their　feet　deep　in　the　mud　and　their　faces　towards　the　sea；　it　appeared　that　the　primeval　Forsytes　had　been　content　to　walk　Sunday　after　Sunday　for　hundreds　of　years。

Whether　or　no　James　had　cherished　hopes　of　an　inheritance；　or　of　something　rather　distinguished　to　be　found　down　there；　he　came　back　to　town　in　a　poor　way；　and　went　about　with　a　pathetic　attempt　at　making　the　best　of　a　bad　job。

〃There's　very　little　to　be　had　out　of　that；〃　he　said；　〃regular　country　little　place；　old　as　the　hills。。。。〃

Its　age　was　felt　to　be　a　comfort。　　Old　Jolyon；　in　whom　a　desperate　hone