man of property-第48节

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Her　eyes　followed　June　to　the　door。

It　closed。

Then　with　an　exclamation　Mrs。　Baynes　ran　forward；　wobbling　her　bulky　frame　from　side　to　side；　and　opened　it　again。

Too　late！　　She　heard　the　front　door　click；　and　stood　still；　an　expression　of　real　anger　and　mortification　on　her　face。

June　went　along　the　Square　with　her　bird…like　quickness。　　She　detested　that　woman　now　whom　in　happier　days　she　had　been　accustomed　to　think　so　kind。　　Was　she　always　to　be　put　off　thus；　and　forced　to　undergo　this　torturing　suspense？

She　would　go　to　Phil　himself；　and　ask　him　what　he　meant。　　She　had　the　right　to　know。　　She　hurried　on　down　Sloane　Street　till　she　came　to　Bosinney's　number。　　Passing　the　swing…door　at　the　bottom；　she　ran　up　the　stairs；　her　heart　thumping　painfully。

At　the　top　of　the　third　flight　she　paused　for　breath；　and　holding　on　to　the　bannisters；　stood　listening。　　No　sound　came　from　above。

With　a　very　white　face　she　mounted　the　last　flight。　　She　saw　the　door；　with　his　name　on　the　plate。　　And　the　resolution　that　had　brought　her　so　far　evaporated。

The　full　meaning　of　her　conduct　came　to　her。　　She　felt　hot　all　over；　the　palms　of　her　hands　were　moist　beneath　the　thin　silk　covering　of　her　gloves。

She　drew　back　to　the　stairs；　but　did　not　descend。　　Leaning　against　the　rail　she　tried　to　get　rid　of　a　feeling　of　being　choked；　and　she　gazed　at　the　door　with　a　sort　of　dreadful　courage。　　No！　she　refused　to　go　down。　　Did　it　matter　what　people　thought　of　her？　　They　would　never　know！　　No　one　would　help　her　if　she　did　not　help　herself！　　She　would　go　through　with　it。

Forcing　herself；　therefore；　to　leave　the　support　of　the　wall；　she　rang　the　bell。　　The　door　did　not　open；　and　all　her　shame　and　fear　suddenly　abandoned　her；　she　rang　again　and　again；　as　though　in　spite　of　its　emptiness　she　could　drag　some　response　out　of　that　closed　room；　some　recompense　for　the　shame　and　fear　that　visit　had　cost　her。　　It　did　not　open；　she　left　off　ringing；　and；　sitting　down　at　the　top　of　the　stairs；　buried　her　face　in　her　hands。

Presently　she　stole　down；　out　into　the　air。　　She　felt　as　though　she　had　passed　through　a　bad　illness；　and　had　no　desire　now　but　to　get　home　as　quickly　as　she　could。　　The　people　she　met　seemed　to　know　where　she　had　been；　what　she　had　been　doing；　and　suddenlyover　on　the　opposite　side；　going　towards　his　rooms　from　the　direction　of　Montpellier　Squareshe　saw　Bosinney　himself。

She　made　a　movement　to　cross　into　the　traffic。　　Their　eyes　met；　and　he　raised　his　hat。　　An　omnibus　passed；　obscuring　her　view；　then；　from　the　edge　of　the　pavement；　through　a　gap　in　the　traffic；　she　saw　him　walking　on。

And　June　stood　motionless；　looking　after　him。




CHAPTER　XIII

PERFECTION　OF　THE　HOUSE


'One　mockturtle；　clear；　one　oxtail；　two　glasses　of　port。'

In　the　upper　room　at　French's；　where　a　Forsyte　could　still　get　heavy　English　food；　James　and　his　son　were　sitting　down　to　lunch。

Of　all　eating…places　James　liked　best　to　come　here；　there　was　something　unpretentious；　well…flavoured；　and　filling　about　it；　and　though　he　had　been　to　a　certain　extent　corrupted　by　the　necessity　for　being　fashionable；　and　the　trend　of　habits　keeping　pace　with　an　income　that　would　increase；　he　still　hankered　in　quiet　City　moments　after　the　tasty　fleshpots　of　his　earlier　days。　Here　you　were　served　by　hairy　English　waiters　in　aprons；　there　was　sawdust　on　the　floor；　and　three　round　gilt　looking…glasses　hung　just　above　the　line　of　sight。　　They　had　only　recently　done　away　with　the　cubicles；　too；　in　which　you　could　have　your　chop；　prime　chump；　with　a　floury…potato；　without　seeing　your　neighbours；　like　a　gentleman。

He　tucked　the　top　corner　of　his　napkin　behind　the　third　button　of　his　waistcoat；　a　practice　he　had　been　obliged　to　abandon　years　ago　in　the　West　End。　　He　felt　that　he　should　relish　his　soupthe　entire　morning　had　been　given　to　winding　up　the　estate　of　an　old　friend。

After　filling　his　mouth　with　household　bread；　stale；　he　at　once　began：　〃How　are　you　going　down　to　Robin　Hill？　　You　going　to　take　Irene？　　You'd　better　take　her。　　I　should　think　there'll　be　a　lot　that'll　want　seeing　to。〃

Without　looking　up；　Soames　answered：　〃She　won't　go。〃

〃Won't　go？　　What's　the　meaning　of　that？　　She's　going　to　live　in　the　house；　isn't　she？〃

Soames　made　no　reply。

〃I　don't　know　what's　coming　to　women　nowadays；〃　mumbled　James；　〃I　never　used　to　have　any　trouble　with　them。　　She's　had　too　much　liberty。　　She's　spoiled。。。。〃

Soames　lifted　his　eyes：　〃I　won't　have　anything　said　against　her；〃　he　said　unexpectedly。

The　silence　was　only　broken　now　by　the　supping　of　James's　soup。

The　waiter　brought　the　two　glasses　of　port；　but　Soames　stopped　him。

〃That's　not　the　way　to　serve　port；〃　he　said；　〃take　them　away；　and　bring　the　bottle。〃

Rousing　himself　from　his　reverie　over　the　soup；　James　took　one　of　his　rapid　shifting　surveys　of　surrounding　facts。

〃Your　mother's　in　bed；〃　he　said；　〃you　can　have　the　carriage　to　take　you　down。　　I　should　think　Irene'd　like　the　drive。　　This　young　Bosinney'll　be　there；　I　suppose；　to　show　you　over〃

Soames　nodded。

〃I　should　like　to　go　and　see　for　myself　what　sort　of　a　job　he's　made　finishing　off；〃　pursued　James。　　〃I'll　just　drive　round　and　pick　you　both　up。〃

〃I　am　going　down　by　train；〃　replied　Soames。　　〃If　you　like　to　drive　round　and　see；　Irene　might　go　with　you；　I　can't　tell。〃

He　signed　to　the　waiter　to　bring　the　bill；　which　James　paid。

They　parted　at　St。　Paul's；　Soames　branching　off　to　the　station；　James　taking　his　omnibus　westwards。

He　had　secured　the　corner　seat　next　the　conductor；　where　his　long　legs　made　it　difficult　for　anyone　to　get　in；　and　at　all　who　passed　him　he　looked　resentfully；　as　if　they　had　no　business　to　be　using　up　his　air。

He　intended　to　take　an　opportunity　this　afternoon　of　speaking　to　Irene。　　A　word　in　time　saved　nine；　and　now　that　she　was　going　to　live　in　the　country　there　was　a　chance　for　her　to　turn　over　a　new　leaf！　　He　could　see　that　Soames　wouldn't　stand　very　much　more　of　her　goings　on！

It　did　not　occur　to　him　to　define　what　he　meant　by　her　'goings　on'；　the　expression　was　wide；　vague；　and　suited　to　a　Forsyte。　And　James　had　more　than　his　common　share　of　courage　after　lunch。

On　reaching　home；　he　ordered　out　the　barouche；　with　special　instructions　that　the　groom　was　to　go　too。　　He　wished　to　be　kind　to　her；　and　to　give　her　every　chance。

When　the　door　of　No。62　was　opened　he　could　distinctly　hear　her　singing；　and　said　so　at　once；　to　prevent　any　chance　of　being　denied　entrance。

Yes；　Mrs。　Soames　was　in；　but　the　maid　did　not　know　if　she　was　seeing　people。

James；　moving　with　the　rapidity　that　ever　astonished　the　observers　of　his　long　figure　and　absorbed　expression；　went　forthwith　into　the　drawing…room　without　permitting　this　to　be　ascertained。　　He　found　Irene　seated　at　the　piano　with　her　hands　arrested　on　the　keys；　evidently　listening　to　the　voices　in　the　hall。　　She　greeted　him　without　smiling。

〃Your　mother…in…law's　in　bed；〃　he　began；　hoping　at　once　to　enlist　her　sympathy。　　〃I've　got　the　carriage　here。　　Now；　be　a　good　girl；　and　put　on　your　hat　and　come　with　me　for　a　drive。　　It'll　do　you　good！〃

Irene　looked　at　him　as　though　about　to　refuse；　but；　seeming　to　change　her　mind；　went　upstairs；　and　came　down　again　with　her　hat　on。

〃Where　are　you　going　to　take　me？〃　she　asked。

〃We'll　just　go　down　to　Robin　Hill；〃　said　James；　spluttering　out　his　words　very　quick；　〃the　horses　want　exercise；　and　I　should　like　to　see　what　they've　been　doing　down　there。〃

Irene　hung　back；　but　again　changed　her　mind；　and　went　out　to　the　carriage；　James　brooding　over　her　closely；　to　make　quite　sure。

It　was　not　before　he　had　got　her　more　than　half　way　that　he　began：　〃Soames　is　very　fond　of　youhe　won't　have　anything　said　against　you；　why　don't　you　show　him　more　affection？〃

Irene　flushed；　and　said　in　a　low　voice：　〃I　can't　show　what　I　haven't　got。〃

James　looked　at　her　sharply；　he　felt　that　now　he　had　her　in　his　own　carriage；　with　his　own　horses　and　servants；　he　was　really　in　command　of　the　situation。　　She　could　not　put　him　off；　nor　would　she　make　a　scene　in　public。

〃I　can't　think　what　you're　about；〃　he　said。　　〃He's　a　very　good　husband！〃

Irene's　answer　was　so　low　as　to　be　almost　inaudible　among　the　sounds　of　traffic。　　He　caught　the　words：　〃You　are　not　married　to　him！〃

〃What's　that　got　to　do　with　it？　　He's　given　you　everything　you　want。　　He's　always　ready　to　take　you　anywhere；　and　now　he's　built　you　this　house　in　the　country。　　It's　not　as　if　you　had　anything　of　your　own。〃

〃No。〃

Again　James　looked　at　her；　he　could　not　make　out　the　expression　on　her　face。　　She　looked　almost　as　if　she　were　going　to　cry；　and　yet。。。。

〃I'm　sure；〃　he　muttered　hastily；　〃we've　all　tried　to　be　kind　to　you。〃

Irene's　lips　quivered；　to　his　dismay　James　saw　a　tear　steal　down　her　cheek。　　He　felt　a　choke　rise　in　his　own　throat。

〃We're　all　fond　of　you；〃　he　said；　〃if　you'd　only〃he　was　going　to　say；　〃behave　yourself；〃　but　changed　it　to〃if　you'd　only　be　more　of　a　wife　to　him。〃

Irene　did　not　answer；　and　James；　too；　ceased　speaking。　　There　was　something　in　her　silence　which　disconcerted　him；　it　was　not　the　silence　of　obstinacy；　rather　that　of　acquiescence　in　all　that　he　could　find　to　say。　　And　yet　he　felt　as　if