man of property-第5节

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Its　age　was　felt　to　be　a　comfort。　　Old　Jolyon；　in　whom　a　desperate　honesty　welled　up　at　times；　would　allude　to　his　ancestors　as：　〃YeomenI　suppose　very　small　beer。〃　　Yet　he　would　repeat　the　word　'yeomen'　as　if　it　afforded　him　consolation。

They　had　all　done　so　well　for　themselves；　these　Forsytes；　that　they　were　all　what　is　called　'of　a　certain　position。'　They　had　shares　in　all　sorts　of　things；　not　as　yetwith　the　exception　of　Timothyin　consols；　for　they　had　no　dread　in　life　like　that　of　3　per　cent。　for　their　money。　　They　collected　pictures；　too；　and　were　supporters　of　such　charitable　　institutions　as　might　be　beneficial　to　their　sick　domestics。　　From　their　father；　the　builder；　they　inherited　a　talent　for　bricks　and　mortar。　Originally；　perhaps；　members　of　some　primitive　sect；　they　were　now　in　the　natural　course　of　things　members　of　the　Church　of　England；　and　caused　their　wives　and　children　to　attend　with　some　regularity　the　more　fashionable　churches　of　the　Metropolis。　　To　have　doubted　their　Christianity　would　have　caused　them　both　pain　and　surprise。　　Some　of　them　paid　for　pews；　thus　expressing　in　the　most　practical　form　their　sympathy　with　the　teachings　of　Christ。

Their　residences；　placed　at　stated　intervals　round　the　park；　watched　like　sentinels；　lest　the　fair　heart　of　this　London；　where　their　desires　were　fixed；　should　slip　from　their　clutches；　and　leave　them　lower　in　their　own　estimations。

There　was　old　Jolyon　in　Stanhope　Place；　the　Jameses　in　Park　Lane；　Swithin　in　the　lonely　glory　of　orange　and　blue　chambers　in　Hyde　Park　Mansionshe　had　never　married；　not　hethe　Soamses　in　their　nest　off　Knightsbridge；　the　Rogers　in　Prince's　Gardens　（Roger　was　that　remarkable　Forsyte　who　had　conceived　and　carried　out　the　notion　of　bringing　up　his　four　sons　to　a　new　profession。

〃Collect　house　property；　nothing　like　it；〃　he　would　say；　〃I　never　did　anything　else〃）。

The　Haymans　againMrs。　Hayman　was　the　one　married　Forsyte　sisterin　a　house　high　up　on　Campden　Hill；　shaped　like　a　giraffe；　and　so　tall　that　it　gave　the　observer　a　crick　in　the　neck；　the　Nicholases　in　Ladbroke　Grove；　a　spacious　abode　and　a　great　bargain；　and　last；　but　not　least；　Timothy's　on　the　Bayswater　Road；　where　Ann；　and　Juley；　and　Hester；　lived　under　his　protection。

But　all　this　time　James　was　musing；　and　now　he　inquired　of　his　host　and　brother　what　he　had　given　for　that　house　in　Montpellier　Square。　　He　himself　had　had　his　eye　on　a　house　there　for　the　last　two　years；　but　they　wanted　such　a　price。

Old　Jolyon　recounted　the　details　of　his　purchase。

〃Twenty…two　years　to　run？〃　repeated　James；　〃The　very　house　I　was　afteryou've　given　too　much　for　it！〃

Old　Jolyon　frowned。

〃It's　not　that　I　want　it；〃　said　James　hastily；　it　wouldn't　suit　my　purpose　at　that　price。　　Soames　knows　the　house；　wellhe'll　tell　you　it's　too　dearhis　opinion's　worth　having。〃

〃I　don't；〃　said　old　Jolyon；　〃care　a　fig　for　his　opinion。〃

〃Well；〃　murmured　James；　〃you　will　have　your　own　wayit's　a　good　opinion。　　Good…bye！　　We're　going　to　drive　down　to　Hurlingham。　They　tell　me　June's　going　to　Wales。　　You'll　be　lonely　tomorrow。　What'll　you　do　with　yourself？　　You'd　better　come　and　dine　with　us！〃

Old　Jolyon　refused。　　He　went　down　to　the　front　door　and　saw　them　into　their　barouche；　and　twinkled　at　them；　having　already　forgotten　his　spleenMrs。　James　facing　the　horses；　tall　and　majestic　with　auburn　hair；　on　her　left；　Irenethe　two　husbands；　father　and　son；　sitting　forward；　as　though　they　expected　something；　opposite　their　wives。　　Bobbing　and　bounding　upon　the

spring　cushions；　silent；　swaying　to　each　motion　of　their　chariot；　old　Jolyon　watched　them　drive　away　under　the　sunlight。

During　the　drive　the　silence　was　broken　by　Mrs。　James。

〃Did　you　ever　see　such　a　collection　of　rumty…too　people？〃

Soames；　glancing　at　her　beneath　his　eyelids；　nodded；　and　he　saw　Irene　steal　at　him　one　of　her　unfathomable　looks。　　It　is　likely　enough　that　each　branch　of　the　Forsyte　family　made　that　remark　as　they　drove　away　from　old　Jolyon's　'At　Home！'

Amongst　the　last　of　the　departing　guests　the　fourth　and　fifth　brothers；　Nicholas　and　Roger；　walked　away　together；　directing　their　steps　alongside　Hyde　Park　towards　the　Praed　Street　Station　of　the　Underground。　　Like　all　other　Forsytes　of　a　certain　age　they　kept　carriages　of　their　own；　and　never　took　cabs　if　by　any　means　they　could　avoid　it。

The　day　was　bright；　the　trees　of　the　Park　in　the　full　beauty　of　mid…June　foliage；　the　brothers　did　not　seem　to　notice　phenomena；　which　contributed；　nevertheless；　to　the　jauntiness　of　promenade　and　conversation。

〃Yes；〃　said　Roger；　〃she's　a　good…lookin'　woman；　that　wife　of　Soames's。　　I'm　told　they　don't　get　on。〃

This　brother　had　a　high　forehead；　and　the　freshest　colour　of　any　of　the　Forsytes；　his　light　grey　eyes　measured　the　street　frontage　of　the　houses　by　the　way；　and　now　and　then　he　would　level　his；　umbrella　and　take　a　'lunar；'　as　he　expressed　it；　of　the　varying　heights。

〃She'd　no　money；〃　replied　Nicholas。

He　himself　had　married　a　good　deal　of　money；　of　which；　it　being　then　the　golden　age　before　the　Married　Women's　Property　Act；　he　had　mercifully　been　enabled　to　make　a　successful　use。

〃What　was　her　father？〃

〃Heron　was　his　name；　a　Professor；　so　they　tell　me。〃

Roger　shook　his　head。

〃There's　no　money　in　that；〃　he　said。

〃They　say　her　mother's　father　was　cement。〃

Roger's　face　brightened。

〃But　he　went　bankrupt；〃　went　on　Nicholas。

〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　Roger；　〃Soames　will　have　trouble　with　her；　you　mark　my　words；　he'll　have　troubleshe's　got　a　foreign　look。〃

Nicholas　licked　his　lips。

〃She's　a　pretty　woman；〃　and　he　waved　aside　a　crossing…sweeper。

〃How　did　he　get　hold　of　her？〃　asked　Roger　presently。　　〃She　must　cost　him　a　pretty　penny　in　dress！〃

〃Ann　tells　me；〃　replied　Nicholas；〃　he　was　half…cracked　about　her。　She　refused　him　five　times。　　James；　he's　nervous　about　it；　I　can　see。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Roger　again；　〃I'm　sorry　for　James；　he　had　trouble　with　Dartie。〃　　His　pleasant　colour　was　heightened　by　exercise；　he　swung　his　umbrella　to　the　level　of　his　eye　more　frequently　than　ever。　Nicholas's　face　also　wore　a　pleasant　look。

〃Too　pale　for　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　her　figures　capital！〃

Roger　made　no　reply。

〃I　call　her　distinguished…looking；〃　he　said　at　lastit　was　the　highest　praise　in　the　Forsyte　vocabulary。　　〃That　young　Bosinney　will　never　do　any　good　for　himself。　　They　say　at　Burkitt's　he's　one　of　these　artistic　chapsgot　an　idea　of　improving　English　architecture；　there's　no　money　in　that！　　I　should　like　to　hear　what　Timothy　would　say　to　it。〃

They　entered　the　station。

〃What　class　are　you　going？　　I　go　second。〃

〃No　second　for　me；〃　said　Nicholas；〃you　never　know　what　you　may　catch。〃

He　took　a　first…class　ticket　to　Notting　Hill　Gate；　Roger　a　second　to　South　Kensington。　　The　train　coming　in　a　minute　later；　the　two　brothers　parted　and　entered　their　respective　compartments。　　Each　felt　aggrieved　that　the　other　had　not　modified　his　habits　to　secure　his　society　a　little　longer；　but　as　Roger　voiced　it　in　his　thoughts：　'Always　a　stubborn　beggar；　Nick！'

And　as　Nicholas　expressed　it　to　himself：

'Cantankerous　chap　Rogeralways　was！'

There　was　little　sentimentality　about　the　Forsytes。　　In　that　great　London；　which　they　had　conquered　and　become　merged　in；　what　time　had　they　to　be　sentimental？




CHAPTER　II

OLD　JOLYON　GOES　TO　THE　OPERA


At　five　o'clock　the　following　day　old　Jolyon　sat　alone；　a　cigar　between　his　lips；　and　on　a　table　by　his　side　a　cup　of　tea。　　He　was　tired；　and　　before　he　had　finished　his　cigar　he　fell　asleep。　A　fly　settled　on　his　hair；　his　breathing　sounded　heavy　in　the　drowsy　silence；　his　upper　lip　under　the　white　moustache　puffed　in　and　out。　　From　between　the　fingers　of　his　veined　and　wrinkled　hand　the　'cigar；　dropping　on　the　empty　hearth；　burned　itself　out。

The　gloomy　little；　study；　with　windows　of　stained　glass　to　exclude　the　view；　was　full　of　dark　green　velvet　and　heavily…carved　mahoganya　suite　of　which　old　Jolyon　was　wont　to　say：　'Shouldn't　wonder　if　it　made　a　big　price　some　day！'

It　was　pleasant　to　think　that　in　the　after　life　he　could　get　more　for　things　than　he　had　given。

In　the　rich　brown　atmosphere　peculiar　to　back　rooms　in　the　mansion　of　a　Forsyte；　the　Rembrandtesque　effect　of　his　great　head；　with　its　white　hair；　against　the　cushion　of　his　high…backed　seat；　was　spoiled　by　the　moustache；　which　imparted　a　somewhat　military　look　to　his　face。　　An　old　clock　that　had　been　with　him　since　before　his　marriage　forty　years　ago　kept　with　its　ticking　a　jealous　record　of　the　seconds　slipping　away　forever　from　its　old　master。

He　had　never　cared　for　this　room；　hardly　going　into　it　from　one　year's　end　to　another；　except　to　take　cigars　from　the　Japanese　cabinet　in　the　corner；　and　the　room　now　had　its　revenge。

His　temples；　curving　like　thatches　over　the　hollows　beneath；　his　cheek…bones　and　chin；　all　were　sharpened　in　his　sleep；　and　there　had　come　upon　his　face　the　confession　that　he　was　an　old　man。

He　woke。　　June　had　gone！　　James　had　said　he　would　be　lonely。　James　had　always　been　a　poor　thing。　　He　recollected　with　satisfaction　that　he　had　bought　that　house　over　James's　head。

Serve　him　right　for　sticking　at　the　price；　the　only　thing　the　fellow　thought　of　was　money。