man of property-第55节

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and　he　noted　with　disapproval　their　furtive　stares　of　admiration。　　A　loitering　gardener　halted　to　do　something　unnecessary　to　a　clump　of　pampas　grass；　he；　too；　wanted　an　excuse　for　peeping。　　A　gentleman；　old；　and；　by　his　hat；　a　professor　of　horticulture；　passed　three　times　to　scrutinize　her　long　and　stealthily；　a　queer　expression　about　his　lips。

With　all　these　men　young　Jolyon　felt　the　same　vague　irritation。　She　looked　at　none　of　them；　yet　was　he　certain　that　every　man　who　passed　would　look　at　her　like　that。

Her　face　was　not　the　face　of　a　sorceress；　who　in　every　look　holds　out　to　men　the　offer　of　pleasure；　it　had　none　of　the　'devil's　beauty'　so　highly　prized　among　the　first　Forsytes　of　the　land；　neither　was　it　of　that　type；　no　less　adorable；　associated　with　the　box　of　chocolate；　it　was　not　of　the　spiritually　passionate；　or　passionately　spiritual　order；　peculiar　to　house…decoration　and　modern　poetry；　nor　did　it　seem　to　promise　to　the　playwright　material　for　the　production　of　the　interesting　and　neurasthenic　figure；　who　commits　suicide　in　the　last　act。

In　shape　and　colouring；　in　its　soft　persuasive　passivity；　its　sensuous　purity；　this　woman's　face　reminded　him　of　Titian's　'Heavenly　Love；'　a　reproduction　of　which　hung　over　the　sideboard　in　his　dining…room。　　And　her　attraction　seemed　to　be　in　this　soft　passivity；　in　the　feeling　she　gave　that　to　pressure　she　must　yield。

For　what　or　whom　was　she　waiting；　in　the　silence；　with　the　trees　dropping　here　and　there　a　leaf；　and　the　thrushes　strutting　close　on　grass；　touched　with　the　sparkle　of　the　autumn　rime？　　Then　her　charming　face　grew　eager；　and；　glancing　round；　with　almost　a　lover's　jealousy；　young　Jolyon　saw　Bosinney　striding　across　the　grass。

Curiously　he　watched　the　meeting；　the　look　in　their　eyes；　the　long　clasp　of　their　hands。　　They　sat　down　close　together；　linked　for　all　their　outward　discretion。　　He　heard　the　rapid　murmur　of　their　talk；　but　what　they　said　he　could　not　catch。

He　had　rowed　in　the　galley　himself！　　He　knew　the　long　hours　of　waiting　and　the　lean　minutes　of　a　half…public　meeting；　the　tortures　of　suspense　that　haunt　the　unhallowed　lover。

It　required；　however；　but　a　glance　at　their　two　faces　to　see　that　this　was　none　of　those　affairs　of　a　season　that　distract　men　and　women　about　town；　none　of　those　sudden　appetites　that　wake　up　ravening；　and　are　surfeited　and　asleep　again　in　six　weeks。　　This　was　the　real　thing！　　This　was　what　had　happened　to　himself！　　Out　of　this　anything　might　come！

Bosinney　was　pleading；　and　she　so　quiet；　so　soft；　yet　immovable　in　her　passivity；　sat　looking　over　the　grass。

Was　he　the　man　to　carry　her　off；　that　tender；　passive　being；　who　would　never　stir　a　step　for　herself？　　Who　had　given　him　all　herself；　and　would　die　for　him；　but　perhaps　would　never　run　away　with　him！

It　seemed　to　young　Jolyon　that　he　could　hear　her　saying：　〃But；　darling；　it　would　ruin　you！〃　　For　he　himself　had　experienced　to　the　full　the　gnawing　fear　at　the　bottom　of　each　woman's　heart　that　she　is　a　drag　on　the　man　she　loves。

And　he　peeped　at　them　no　more；　but　their　soft；　rapid　talk　came　to　his　ears；　with　the　stuttering　song　of　some　bird　who　seemed　trying　to　remember　the　notes　of　spring：　Joytragedy？　　Whichwhich？

And　gradually　their　talk　ceased；　long　silence　followed。

'And　where　does　Soames　come　in？'　young　Jolyon　thought。　　'People　think　she　is　concerned　about　the　sin　of　deceiving　her　husband！　Little　they　know　of　women！　　She's　eating；　after　starvation　taking　her　revenge！　　And　Heaven　help　herfor　he'll　take　his。'

He　heard　the　swish　of　silk；　and；　spying　round　the　laurel；　saw　them　walking　away；　their　hands　stealthily　joined。。。。

At　the　end　of　July　old　Jolyon　had　taken　his　grand…daughter　to　the　mountains；　and　on　that　visit　（the　last　they　ever　paid）　June　recovered　to　a　great　extent　her　health　and　spirits。　　In　the　hotels；　filled　with　British　Forsytesfor　old　Jolyon　could　not　bear　a　'set　of　Germans；'　as　he　called　all　foreignersshe　was　looked　upon　with　respectthe　only　grand…daughter　of　that　fine…　looking；　and　evidently　wealthy；　old　Mr。　Forsyte。　　She　did　not　mix　freely　with　peopleto　mix　freely　with　people　was　not　June's　habitbut　she　formed　some　friendships；　and　notably　one　in　the　Rhone　Valley；　with　a　French　girl　who　was　dying　of　consumption。

Determining　at　once　that　her　friend　should　not　die；　she　forgot；　in　the　institution　of　a　campaign　against　Death；　much　of　her　own　trouble。

Old　Jolyon　watched　the　new　intimacy　with　relief　and　disapproval；　for　this　additional　proof　that　her　life　was　to　be　passed　amongst　'lame　ducks'　worried　him。　　Would　she　never　make　a　friendship　or　take　an　interest　in　something　that　would　be　of　real　benefit　to　her？

'Taking　up　with　a　parcel　of　foreigners；'　he　called　it。　　He　often；　however；　brought　home　　grapes　or　roses；　and　presented　them　to　'Mam'zelle'　with　an　ingratiating　twinkle。

Towards　the　end　of　September；　in　spite　of　June's　disapproval；　Mademoiselle　Vigor　breathed　her　last　in　the　little　hotel　at　St。　Luc；　to　which　they　had　moved　her；　and　June　took　her　defeat　so　deeply　to　heart　that　old　Jolyon　carried　her　away　to　Paris。　　Here；　in　contemplation　of　the　'Venus　de　Milo'　and　the　'Madeleine；'　she　shook　off　her　depression；　and　when；　towards　the　middle　of　October；　they　returned　to　town；　her　grandfather　believed　that　he　had　effected　a　cure。

No　sooner；　however；　had　they　established　themselves　in　Stanhope　Gate　than　he　perceived　to　his　dismay　a　return　of　her　old　absorbed　and　brooding　manner。　　She　would　sit；　staring　in　front　of　her；　her　chin　on　her　hand；　like　a　little　Norse　spirit；　grim　and　intent；　while　all　around　in　the　electric　light；　then　just　installed；　shone　the　great；　drawing…room　brocaded　up　to　the　frieze；　full　of　furniture　from　Baple　and　Pullbred's。　　And　in　the　huge　gilt　mirror　were　reflected　those　Dresden　china　groups　of　young　men　in　tight　knee　breeches；　at　the　feet　of　full…bosomed　ladies　nursing　on　their　laps　pet　lambs；　which　old　Jolyon　had　bought　when　he　was　a　bachelor　and　thought　so　highly　of　in　these　days　of　degenerate　taste。　　He　was　a　man　of　most　open　mind；　who；　more　than　any　Forsyte　of　them　all；　had　moved　with　the　times；　but　he　could　never　forget　that　he　had　bought　these　groups　at　Jobson's；　and　given　a　lot　of　money　for　them。　　He　often　said　to　June；　with　a　sort　of　disillusioned　contempt：

〃You　don't　care　about　them！　　They're　not　the　gimcrack　things　you　and　your　friends　like；　but　they　cost　me　seventy　pounds！〃　　He　was　not　a　man　who　allowed　his　taste　to　be　warped　when　he　knew　for　solid　reasons　that　it　was　sound。

One　of　the　first　things　that　June　did　on　getting　home　was　to　go　round　to　Timothy's。　　She　persuaded　herself　that　it　was　her　duty　to　call　there；　and　cheer　him　with　an　account　of　all　her　travels；　but　in　reality　she　went　because　she　knew　of　no　other　place　where；　by　some　random　speech；　or　roundabout　question；　she　could　glean　news　of　Bosinney。

They　received　her　most　cordially：　And　how　was　her　dear　grand…　father？　　He　had　not　been　to　see　them　since　May。　　Her　Uncle　Timothy　was　very　poorly；　he　had　had　a　lot　of　trouble　with　the　chimney…sweep　in　his　bedroom；　the　stupid　man　had　let　the　soot　down　the　chimney！　　It　had　quite　upset　her　uncle。

June　sat　there　a　long　time；　dreading；　yet　passionately　hoping；　that　they　would　speak　of　Bosinney。

But　paralyzed　by　unaccountable　discretion；　Mrs。　Septimus　Small　let　fall　no　word；　neither　did　she　question　June　about　him。　　In　desperation　the　girl　asked　at　last　whether　Soames　and　Irene　were　in　townshe　had　not　yet　been　to　see　anyone。

It　was　Aunt　Hester　who　replied：　Oh；　yes；　they　were　in　town；　they　had　not　been　away　at　all。　　There　was　some　little　difficulty　about　the　house；　she　believed。　　June　had　heard；　no　doubt！　　She　had　better　ask　her　Aunt　Juley！

June　turned　to　Mrs。　Small；　who　sat　upright　in　her　chair；　her　hands　clasped；　her　face　covered　with　innumerable　pouts。　　In　answer　to　the　girl's　look　she　maintained　a　strange　silence；　and　when　she　spoke　it　was　to　ask　June　whether　she　had　worn　night…　socks　up　in　those　high　hotels　where　it　must　be　so　cold　of　a　night。

June　answered　that　she　had　not；　she　hated　the　stuffy　things；　and　rose　to　leave。

Mrs。　Small's　infallibly　chosen　silence　was　far　more　ominous　to　her　than　anything　that　could　have　been　said。

Before　half　an　hour　was　over　she　had　dragged　the　truth　from　Mrs。　Baynes　in　Lowndes　Square；　that　Soames　was　bringing　an　action　against　Bosinney　over　the　decoration　of　the　house。

Instead　of　disturbing　her；　the　news　had　a　strangely　calming　effect；　as　though　she　saw　in　the　prospect　of　this　struggle　new　hope　for　herself。　　She　learnt　that　the　case　was　expected　to　come　on　in　about　a　month；　and　there　seemed　little　or　no　prospect　of　Bosinney's　success。

〃And　whatever　he'll　do　I　can't　think；〃　said　Mrs。　Baynes；　〃it's　very　dreadful　for　him；　you　knowhe's　got　no　moneyhe's　very　hard　up。　　And　we　can't　help　him；　I'm　sure。　　I'm　told　the　money…lenders　won't　lend　if　you　have　no　security；　and　he　has　nonenone　at　all。〃

Her　embonpoint　had　increased　of　late；　she　was　in　the　full　swing　of　autumn　organization；　her　writing…table　literally　strewn　with　the　menus　of　charity　functions。　　She　looked　meaningly　at　June；　with　her　round　eyes　of　parrot…grey。

The　sudden　flush　that　rose　on　the　girl's　intent　young　faceshe　must　have　seen　spring　up　before　her　a　great　hope