man of property-第58节

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ske；　the　junior　counsel；　and　Waterbuck；　Q。C。；　himself。

The　case　of　Forsyte　v。　Bosinney　was　expected　to　be　reached　on　the　morrow；　before　Mr。　Justice　Bentham。

Mr。　Justice　Bentham；　a　man　of　common…sense　rather　than　too　great　legal　knowledge；　was　considered　to　be　about　the　best　man　they　could　have　to　try　the　action。　　He　was　a　'strong'　Judge。

Waterbuck；　Q。C。；　in　pleasing　conjunction　with　an　almost　rude　neglect　of　Boulter　and　Fiske　paid　to　Soames　a　good　deal　of　attention；　by　instinct　or　the　sounder　evidence　of　rumour；　feeling　him　to　be　a　man　of　property。

He　held　with　remarkable　consistency　to　the　opinion　he　had　already　expressed　in　writing；　that　the　issue　would　depend　to　a　great　extent　on　the　evidence　given　at　the　trial；　and　in　a　few　well　directed　remarks　he　advised　Soames　not　to　be　too　careful　in　giving　that　evidence。　　〃A　little　bluffness；　Mr。　Forsyte；〃　he　said；　〃a　little　bluffness；〃　and　after　he　had　spoken　he　laughed　firmly；　closed　his　lips　tight；　and　scratched　his　head　just　below　where　he　had　pushed　his　wig　back；　for　all　the　world　like　the　gentleman…　farmer　for　whom　he　loved　to　be　taken。　　He　was　considered　perhaps　the　leading　man　in　breach　of　promise　cases。

Soames　used　the　underground　again　in　going　home。

The　fog　was　worse　than　ever　at　Sloane　Square　station。　　Through　the　still；　thick　blur；　men　groped　in　and　out；　women；　very　few；　grasped　their　reticules　to　their　bosoms　and　handkerchiefs　to　their　mouths；　crowned　with　the　weird　excrescence　of　the　driver；　haloed　by　a　vague　glow　of　lamp…light　that　seemed　to　drown　in　vapour　before　it　reached　the　pavement；　cabs　loomed　dimshaped　ever　and　again；　and　discharged　citizens；　bolting　like　rabbits　to　their　burrows。

And　these　shadowy　figures；　wrapped　each　in　his　own　little　shroud　of　fog；　took　no　notice　of　each　other。　　In　the　great　warren；　each　rabbit　for　himself；　especially　those　clothed　in　the　more　expensive　fur；　who；　afraid　of　carriages　on　foggy　days；　are　driven　underground。

One　figure；　however；　not　far　from　Soames；　waited　at　the　station　door。

Some　buccaneer　or　lover；　of　whom　each　Forsyte　thought：　'Poor　devil！　looks　as　if　he　were　having　a　bad　time！'　　Their　kind　hearts　beat　a　stroke　faster　for　that　poor；　waiting；　anxious　lover　in　the　fog；　but　they　hurried　by；　well　knowing　that　they　had　neither　time　nor　money　to　spare　for　any　suffering　but　their　own。

Only　a　policeman；　patrolling　slowly　and　at　intervals；　took　an　interest　in　that　waiting　figure；　the　brim　of　whose　slouch　hat　half　hid　a　face　reddened　by　the　cold；　all　thin；　and　haggard；　over　which　a　hand　stole　now　and　again　to　smooth　away　anxiety；　or　renew　the　resolution　that　kept　him　waiting　there。　　But　the　waiting　lover　（if　lover　he　were）　was　used　to　policemen's　scrutiny；　or　too　absorbed　in　his　anxiety；　for　he　never　flinched。　　A　hardened　case；　accustomed　to　long　trysts；　to　anxiety；　and　fog；　and　cold；　if　only　his　mistress　came　at　last。　　Foolish　lover！　　Fogs　last　until　the　spring；　there　is　also　snow　and　rain；　no　comfort　anywhere；　gnawing　fear　if　you　bring　her　out；　gnawing　fear　if　you　bid　her　stay　at　home！

〃Serve　him　right；　he　should　arrange　his　affairs　better！〃

So　any　respectable　Forsyte。　　Yet；　if　that　sounder　citizen　could　have　listened　at　the　waiting　lover's　heart；　out　there　in　the　fog　and　the　cold；　he　would　have　said　again：　〃Yes；　poor　devil　he's　having　a　bad　time！〃

Soames　got　into　his　cab；　and；　with　the　glass　down；　crept　along　Sloane　Street；　and　so　along　the　Brompton　Road；　and　home。　　He　reached　his　house　at　five。

His　wife　was　not　in。　　She　had　gone　out　a　quarter　of　an　hour　before。　　Out　at　such　a　time　of　night；　into　this　terrible　fog！　What　was　the　meaning　of　that？

He　sat　by　the　dining…room　fire；　with　the　door　open；　disturbed　to　the　soul；　trying　to　read　the　evening　paper。　　A　book　was　no　good　in　daily　papers　alone　was　any　narcotic　to　such　worry　as　his。　》From　the　customary　events　recorded　in　the　journal　he　drew　some　comfort。　　'Suicide　of　an　actress''Grave　indisposition　of　a　Statesman'　（that　chronic　sufferer）'Divorce　of　an　army　officer'　'Fire　in　a　colliery'he　read　them　all。　　They　helped　him　a　littleprescribed　by　the　greatest　of　all　doctors；　our　natural　taste。

It　was　nearly　seven　when　he　heard　her　come　in。

The　incident　of　the　night　before　had　long　lost　its　importance　under　stress　of　anxiety　at　her　strange　sortie　into　the　fog。　　But　now　that　Irene　was　home；　the　memory　of　her　broken…hearted　sobbing　came　back　to　him；　and　he　felt　nervous　at　the　thought　of　facing　her。

She　was　already　on　the　stairs；　her　grey　fur　coat　hung　to　her　knees；　its　high　collar　almost　hid　her　face；　she　wore　a　thick　veil。

She　neither　turned　to　look　at　him　nor　spoke。　　No　ghost　or　stranger　could　have　passed　more　silently。

Bilson　came　to　lay　dinner；　and　told　him　that　Mrs。　Forsyte　was　not　coming　down；　she　was　having　the　soup　in　her　room。

For　once　Soames　did　not　'change'；　it　was；　perhaps；　the　first　time　in　his　life　that　he　had　sat　down　to　dinner　with　soiled　cuffs；　and；　not　even　noticing　them；　he　brooded　long　over　his　wine。　　He　sent　Bilson　to　light　a　fire　in　his　picture…room；　and　presently　went　up　there　himself。

Turning　on　the　gas；　he　heaved　a　deep　sigh；　as　though　amongst　these　treasures；　the　backs　of　which　confronted　him　in　stacks；　around　the　little　room；　he　had　found　at　length　his　peace　of　mind。　He　went　straight　up　to　the　greatest　treasure　of　them　all；　an　undoubted　Turner；　and；　carrying　it　to　the　easel；　turned　its　face　to　the　light。　　There　had　been　a　movement　in　Turners；　but　he　had　not　been　able　to　make　up　his　mind　to　part　with　it。　　He　stood　for　a　long　time；　his　pale；　clean…shaven　face　poked　forward　above　his　stand…up　collar；　looking　at　the　picture　as　though　he　were　adding　it　up；　a　wistful　expression　came　into　his　eyes；　he　found；　perhaps；　that　it　came　to　too　little。　　He　took　it　down　from　the　easel　to　put　it　back　against　the　wall；　but；　in　crossing　the　room；　stopped；　for　he　seemed　to　hear　sobbing。

It　was　nothingonly　the　sort　of　thing　that　had　been　bothering　him　in　the　morning。　　And　soon　after；　putting　the　high　guard　before　the　blazing　fire；　he　stole　downstairs。

Fresh　for　the　morrow！　　was　his　thought。　　It　was　long　before　he　went　to　sleep。。。。

It　is　now　to　George　Forsyte　that　the　mind　must　turn　for　light　on　the　events　of　that　fog…engulfed　afternoon。

The　wittiest　and　most　sportsmanlike　of　the　Forsytes　had　passed　the　day　reading　a　novel　in　the　paternal　mansion　at　Princes'　Gardens。　　Since　a　recent　crisis　in　his　financial　affairs　he　had　been　kept　on　parole　by　Roger；　and　compelled　to　reside　'at　home。'

Towards　five　o'clock　he　went　out；　and　took　train　at　South　Kensington　Station　（for　everyone　to…day　went　Underground）。　　His　intention　was　to　dine；　and　pass　the　evening　playing　billiards　at　the　Red　Pottlethat　unique　hostel；　neither　club；　hotel；　nor　good　gilt　restaurant。

He　got　out　at　Charing　Cross；　choosing　it　in　preference　to　his　more　usual　St。　　James's　Park；　that　he　might　reach　Jermyn　Street　by　better　lighted　ways。

On　the　platform　his　eyesfor　in　combination　with　a　composed　and　fashionable　appearance；　George　had　sharp　eyes；　and　was　always　on　the　look…out　for　fillips　to　his　sardonic　humourhis　eyes　were　attracted　by　a　man；　who；　leaping　from　a　first…class　compartment；　staggered　rather　than　walked　towards　the　exit。

'So　ho；　my　bird！'　said　George　to　himself；　'why；　it's　〃the　Buccaneer！〃'　and　he　put　his　big　figure　on　the　trail。　　Nothing　afforded　him　greater　amusement　than　a　drunken　man。

Bosinney；　who　wore　a　slouch　hat；　stopped　in　front　of　him；　spun　around；　and　rushed　back　towards　the　carriage　he　had　just　left。　He　was　too　late。　　A　porter　caught　him　by　the　coat；　the　train　was　already　moving　on。

George's　practised　glance　caught　sight　of　the　face　of　a　lady　clad　in　a　grey　fur　coat　at　the　carriage　window。　　It　was　Mrs。　Soames　and　George　felt　that　this　was　interesting！

And　now　he　followed　Bosinney　more　closely　than　everup　the　stairs；　past　the　ticket　collector　into　the　street。　　In　that　progress；　however；　his　feelings　underwent　a　change；　no　longer　merely　curious　and　amused；　he　felt　sorry　for　the　poor　fellow　he　was　shadowing。　　'The　Buccaneer'　was　not　drunk；　but　seemed　to　be　acting　under　the　stress　of　violent　emotion；　he　was　talking　to　himself；　and　all　that　George　could　catch　were　the　words　〃Oh；　God！〃　　Nor　did　he　appear　to　know　what　he　was　doing；　or　where　going；　but　stared；　hesitated；　moved　like　a　man　out　of　his　mind；　and　from　being　merely　a　joker　in　search　of　amusement；　George　felt　that　he　must　see　the　poor　chap　through。

He　had　'taken　the　knock''taken　the　knock！'　　And　he　wondered　what　on　earth　Mrs。　Soames　had　been　saying；　what　on　earth　she　had　been　telling　him　in　the　railway　carriage。　　She　had　looked　bad　enough　herself！　　It　made　George　sorry　to　think　of　her　travelling　on　with　her　trouble　all　alone。

He　followed　close　behind　Bosinney's　elbowtall；　burly　figure；　saying　nothing；　dodging　warilyand　shadowed　him　out　into　the　fog。

There　was　something　here　beyond　a　jest！　　He　kept　his　head　admirably；　in　spite　of　some　excitement；　for　in　addition　to　compassion；　the　instincts　of　the　chase　were　roused　within　him。

Bosinney　walked　right　out　into　the　thoroughfarea　vast　muffled　blackness；　where　a　man　could　not　see　six　paces　before　him；　where；　all　around；　voices　or　whistles　mocked　the　sense　of　direction；　and　sudden　shapes　came　rolling　slow　upon　them