man of property-第63节

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nybody　here　to　dinner；　Warmson？〃

〃Nobody　but　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Dartie；　sir。〃

Again　it　seemed　to　Soames　that　the　butler　was　looking　curiously　at　him。　　His　composure　gave　way。

〃What　are　you　looking　at？〃　he　said。　　〃What's　the　matter　with　me；　eh？〃

The　butler　blushed；　hung　up　the　fur　coat；　murmured　something　that　sounded　like：　〃Nothing；　sir；　I'm　sure；　sir；〃　and　stealthily　withdrew。

Soames　walked　upstairs。　　Passing　the　drawing…room　without　a　look；　he　went　straight　up　to　his　mother's　and　father's　bedroom。

James；　standing　sideways；　the　concave　lines　of　his　tall；　lean　figure　displayed　to　advantage　in　shirt…sleeves　and　evening　waistcoat；　his　head　bent；　the　end　of　his　white　tie　peeping　askew　from　underneath　one　white　Dundreary　whisker；　his　eyes　peering　with　intense　concentration；　his　lips　pouting；　was　hooking　the　top　hooks　of　his　wife's　bodice。　　Soames　stopped；　he　felt　half…choked；　whether　because　he　had　come　upstairs　too　fast；　or　for　some　other　reason。　　Hehe　himself　had　nevernever　been　asked　to。。。。

He　heard　his　father's　voice；　as　though　there　were　a　pin　in　his　mouth；　saying：　〃Who's　that？　　Who's　there？　　What　d'you　want？〃　His　mother's：　〃Here；　Felice；　come　and　hook　this；　your　master'll　never　get　done。〃

He　put　his　hand　up　to　his　throat；　and　said　hoarsely：

〃It's　ISoames！〃

He　noticed　gratefully　the　affectionate　surprise　in　Emily's：　〃Well；　my　dear　boy？〃　and　James'；　as　he　dropped　the　hook：　〃What；　Soames！　　What's　brought　you　up？　　Aren't　you　well？〃

He　answered　mechanically：　〃I'm　all　right；〃　and　looked　at　them；　and　it　seemed　impossible　to　bring　out　his　news。

James；　quick　to　take　alarm；　began：　〃You　don't　look　well。　　I　expect　you've　taken　a　chillit's　liver；　I　shouldn't　wonder。　Your　mother'll　give　you。。。。〃

But　Emily　broke　in　quietly：　〃Have　you　brought　Irene？〃

Soames　shook　his　head。

〃No；〃　he　stammered；　〃sheshe's　left　me！〃

Emily　deserted　the　mirror　before　which　she　was　standing。　　Her　tall；　full　figure　lost　its　majesty　and　became　very　human　as　she　came　running　over　to　Soames。

〃My　dear　boy！　　My　dear　boy！〃

She　put　her　lips　to　his　forehead；　and　stroked　his　hand。

James；　too；　had　turned　full　towards　his　son；　his　face　looked　older。

〃Left　you？〃　he　said。　　〃What　d'you　meanleft　you？　　You　never　told　me　she　was　going　to　leave　you。〃

Soames　answered　surlily：　〃How　could　I　tell？　　What's　to　be　done？〃

James　began　walking　up　and　down；　he　looked　strange　and　stork…like　without　a　coat。　　〃What's　to　be　done！〃　he　muttered。　　〃How　should　I　know　what's　to　be　done？　　What's　the　good　of　asking　me？　　Nobody　tells　me　anything；　and　then　they　come　and　ask　me　what's　to　be　done；　and　I　should　like　to　know　how　I'm　to　tell　them！　　Here's　your　mother；　there　she　stands；　she　doesn't　say　anything。　　What　I　should　say　you've　got　to　do　is　to　follow　her。。〃

Soames　smiled；　his　peculiar；　supercilious　smile　had　never　before　looked　pitiable。

〃I　don't　know　where　she's　gone；〃　he　said。

〃Don't　know　where　she's　gone！〃　said　James。　　〃How　d'you　mean；　don't　know　where　she's　gone？　　Where　d'you　suppose　she's　gone？　She's　gone　after　that　young　Bosinney；　that's　where　she's　gone。　　I　knew　how　it　would　be。〃

Soames；　in　the　long　silence　that　followed；　felt　his　mother　pressing　his　hand。　　And　all　that　passed　seemed　to　pass　as　though　his　own　power　of　thinking　or　doing　had　gone　to　sleep。

His　father's　face；　dusky　red；　twitching　as　if　he　were　going　to　cry；　and　words　breaking　out　that　seemed　rent　from　him　by　some　spasm　in　his　soul。

〃There'll　be　a　scandal；　I　always　said　so。〃　　Then；　no　one　saying　anything：　〃And　there　you　stand；　you　and　your　mother！〃

And　Emily's　voice；　calm；　rather　contemptuous：　〃Come；　now；　James！　Soames　will　do　all　that　he　can。〃

And　James；　staring　at　the　floor；　a　little　brokenly：　〃Well；　I　can't　help　you；　I'm　getting　old。　　Don't　you　be　in　too　great　a　hurry；　my　boy。〃

And　his　mother's　voice　again：　〃Soames　will　do　all　he　can　to　get　her　back。　　We　won't　talk　of　it。　　It'll　all　come　right；　I　dare　say。〃

And　James：　〃Well；　I　can't　see　how　it　can　come　right。　　And　if　she　hasn't　gone　off　with　that　young　Bosinney；　my　advice　to　you　is　not　to　listen　to　her；　but　to　follow　her　and　get　her　back。〃

Once　more　Soames　felt　his　mother　stroking　his　hand；　in　token　of　her　approval；　and　as　though　repeating　some　form　of　sacred　oath；　he　muttered　between　his　teeth：　〃I　will！〃

All　three　went　down　to　the　drawing…room　together。　　There；　were　gathered　the　three　girls　and　Dartie；　had　Irene　been　present；　the　family　circle　would　have　been　complete。

James　sank　into　his　armchair；　and　except　for　a　word　of　cold　greeting　to　Dartie；　whom　he　both　despised　and　dreaded；　as　a　man　likely　to　be　always　in　want　of　money；　he　said　nothing　till　dinner　was　announced。　　Soames；　too；　was　silent；　Emily　alone；　a　woman　of　cool　courage；　maintained　a　conversation　with　Winifred　on　trivial　subjects。　　She　was　never　more　composed　in　her　manner　and　conversation　than　that　evening。

A　decision　having　been　come　to　not　to　speak　of　Irene's　flight；　no　view　was　expressed　by　any　other　member　of　the　family　as　to　the　right　course　to　be　pursued；　there　can　be　little　doubt；　from　the　general　tone　adopted　in　relation　to　events　as　they　afterwards　turned　out；　that　James's　advice：　〃Don't　you　listen　to　her；　follow…her　and　get　her　back！〃　would；　with　here　and　there　an　exception；　have　been　regarded　as　sound；　not　only　in　Park　Lane；　but　amongst　the　Nicholases；　the　Rogers；　and　at　Timothy's。　　Just　as　it　would　surely　have　been　endorsed　by　that　wider　body　of　Forsytes　all　over　London；　who　were　merely　excluded　from　judgment　by　ignorance　of　the　story。

In　spite　then　of　Emily's　efforts；　the　dinner　was　served　by　Warmson　and　the　footman　almost　in　silence。　　Dartie　was　sulky；　and　drank　all　he　could　get；　the　girls　seldom　talked　to　each　other　at　any　time。　　James　asked　once　where　June　was；　and　what　she　was　doing　with　herself　in　these　days。　　No　one　could　tell　him。　　He　sank　back　into　gloom。　　Only　when　Winifred　recounted　how　little　Publius　had　given　his　bad　penny　to　a　beggar；　did　he　brighten　up。

〃Ah！〃　he　said；　〃that's　a　clever　little　chap。　　I　don't　know　what'll　become　of　him；　if　he　goes　on　like　this。　　An　intelligent　little　chap；　I　call　him！〃　But　it　was　only　a　flash。

The　courses　succeeded　one　another　solemnly；　under　the　electric　light；　which　glared　down　onto　the　table；　but　barely　reached　the　principal　ornament　of　the　walls；　a　so…called　'Sea　Piece　by　Turner；'　almost　entirely　composed　of　cordage　and　drowning　men。

Champagne　was　handed；　and　then　a　bottle　of　James'　prehistoric　port；　but　as　by　the　chill　hand　of　some　skeleton。

At　ten　o'clock　Soames　left；　twice　in　reply　to　questions；　he　had　said　that　Irene　was　not　well；　he　felt　he　could　no　longer　trust　himself。　　His　mother　kissed　him　with　her　large　soft　kiss；　and　he　pressed　her　hand；　a　flush　of　warmth　in　his　cheeks。　　He　walked　away　in　the　cold　wind；　which　whistled　desolately　round　the　corners　of　the　streets；　under　a　sky　of　clear　steel…blue；　alive　with　stars；　he　noticed　neither　their　frosty　greeting；　nor　the　crackle　of　the　curled…up　plane…leaves；　nor　the　night…women　hurrying　in　their　shabby　furs；　nor　the　pinched　faces　of　vagabonds　at　street　corners。　　Winter　was　come！　　But　Soames　hastened　home；　oblivious；　his　hands　trembled　as　he　took　the　late　letters　from　the　gilt　wire　cage　into　which　they　had　been　thrust　through　the　slit　in　the　door。'

None　from　Irene！

He　went　into　the　dining…room；　the　fire　was　bright　there；　his　chair　drawn　up　to　it；　slippers　ready；　spirit　case；　and　carven　cigarette　box　on　the　table；　but　after　staring　at　it　all　for　a　minute　or　two；　he　turned　out　the　light　and　went　upstairs。　There　was　a　fire　too　in　his　dressing…room；　but　her　room　was　dark　and　cold。　　It　was　into　this　room　that　Soames　went。

He　made　a　great　illumination　with　candles；　and　for　a　long　time　continued　pacing　up　and　down　between　the　bed　and　the　door。　　He　could　not　get　used　to　the　thought　that　she　had　really　left　him；　and　as　though　still　searching　for　some　message；　some　reason；　some　reading　of　all　the　mystery　of　his　married　life；　he　began　opening　every　recess　and　drawer。

There　were　her　dresses；　he　had　always　liked；　indeed　insisted；　that　she　should　be　well…dressedshe　had　taken　very　few；　two　or　three　at　most；　and　drawer　after　drawer；　full　of　linen　and　silk　things；　was　untouched。

Perhaps　after　all　it　was　only　a　freak；　and　she　had　gone　to　the　seaside　for　a　few　days'　change。　　If　only　that　were　so；　and　she　were　really　coming　back；　he　would　never　again　do　as　he　had　done　that　fatal　night　before　last；　never　again　run　that　riskthough　it　was　her　duty；　her　duty　as　a　wife；　though　she　did　belong　to　himhe　would　never　again　run　that　risk；　she　was　evidently　not　quite　right　in　her　head！

He　stooped　over　the　drawer　where　she　kept　her　jewels；　it　was　not　locked；　and　came　open　as　he　pulled；　the　jewel　box　had　the　key　in　it。　　This　surprised　him　until　he　remembered　that　it　was　sure　to　be　empty。　　He　opened　it。

It　was　far　from　empty。　　Divided；　in　little　green　velvet　compartments；　were　all　the　things　he　had　given　her；　even　her　watch；　and　stuck　into　the　recess　that　containedthe　watch　was　a　three…cornered　note　addressed　'Soames　Forsyte；'　in　Irene's　handwriting：

'I　think　I　have　taken　nothing　that　you　or　your　people　have　given　me。'　　And　that　was　all。

He　looked　at　the　clasps　and　bracelets　of　diamonds　and　pearls；　at　the　lit