the unbearable bassington-第10节

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On　some　cushions　at　her　feet　reclined　Courtenay　Youghal；　smoothly　

preened　and　youthfully　elegant；　the　personification　of　decorative　

repose；　equally　decorative；　but　with　the　showy　restlessness　of　a　

dragonfly；　Comus　disported　his　flannelled　person　over　a　

considerable　span　of　the　available　foreground。



The　intimacy　existing　between　the　two　young　men　had　suffered　no　

immediate　dislocation　from　the　circumstance　that　they　were　tacitly　

paying　court　to　the　same　lady。　　It　was　an　intimacy　founded　not　in　

the　least　on　friendship　or　community　of　tastes　and　ideas；　but　owed　

its　existence　to　the　fact　that　each　was　amused　and　interested　by　

the　other。　　Youghal　found　Comus；　for　the　time　being　at　any　rate；　

just　as　amusing　and　interesting　as　a　rival　for　Elaine's　favour　as　

he　had　been　in　the　ROLE　of　scapegrace　boy…about…Town；　Comus　for　his　

part　did　not　wish　to　lose　touch　with　Youghal；　who　among　other　

attractions　possessed　the　recommendation　of　being　under　the　ban　of　

Comus's　mother。　　She　disapproved；　it　is　true；　of　a　great　many　of　

her　son's　friends　and　associates；　but　this　particular　one　was　a　

special　and　persistent　source　of　irritation　to　her　from　the　fact　

that　he　figured　prominently　and　more　or　less　successfully　in　the　

public　life　of　the　day。　　There　was　something　peculiarly　

exasperating　in　reading　a　brilliant　and　incisive　attack　on　the　

Government's　rash　handling　of　public　expenditure　delivered　by　a　

young　man　who　encouraged　her　son　in　every　imaginable　extravagance。　　

The　actual　extent　of　Youghal's　influence　over　the　boy　was　of　the　

slightest；　Comus　was　quite　capable　of　deriving　encouragement　to　

rash　outlay　and　frivolous　conversation　from　an　anchorite　or　an　

East…end　parson　if　he　had　been　thrown　into　close　companionship　with　

such　an　individual。　　Francesca；　however；　exercised　a　mother's　

privilege　in　assuming　her　son's　bachelor　associates　to　be　

industrious　in　labouring　to　achieve　his　undoing。　　Therefore　the　

young　politician　was　a　source　of　unconcealed　annoyance　to　her；　and　

in　the　same　degree　as　she　expressed　her　disapproval　of　him　Comus　

was　careful　to　maintain　and　parade　the　intimacy。　　Its　existence；　or　

rather　its　continued　existence；　was　one　of　the　things　that　faintly　

puzzled　the　young　lady　whose　sought…for　favour　might　have　been　

expected　to　furnish　an　occasion　for　its　rapid　dissolution。



With　two　suitors；　one　of　whom　at　least　she　found　markedly　

attractive；　courting　her　at　the　same　moment；　Elaine　should　have　had　

reasonable　cause　for　being　on　good　terms　with　the　world；　and　with　

herself　in　particular。　　Happiness　was　not；　however；　at　this　

auspicious　moment；　her　dominant　mood。　　The　grave　calm　of　her　face　

masked　as　usual　a　certain　degree　of　grave　perturbation。　　A　

succession　of　well…meaning　governesses　and　a　plentiful　supply　of　

moralising　aunts　on　both　sides　of　her　family；　had　impressed　on　her　

young　mind　the　theoretical　fact　that　wealth　is　a　great　

responsibility。　　The　consciousness　of　her　responsibility　set　her　

continually　wondering；　not　as　to　her　own　fitness　to　discharge　her　

〃stewardship；〃　but　as　to　the　motives　and　merits　of　people　with　whom　

she　came　in　contact。　　The　knowledge　that　there　was　so　much　in　the　

world　that　she　could　buy；　invited　speculation　as　to　how　much　there　

was　that　was　worth　buying。　　Gradually　she　had　come　to　regard　her　

mind　as　a　sort　of　appeal　court　before　whose　secret　sittings　were　

examined　and　judged　the　motives　and　actions；　the　motives　

especially；　of　the　world　in　general。　　In　her　schoolroom　days　she　

had　sat　in　conscientious　judgment　on　the　motives　that　guided　or　

misguided　Charles　and　Cromwell　and　Monck；　Wallenstein　and　

Savonarola。　　In　her　present　stage　she　was　equally　occupied　in　

examining　the　political　sincerity　of　the　Secretary　for　Foreign　

Affairs；　the　good…faith　of　a　honey…tongued　but　possibly　loyal…

hearted　waiting…maid；　and　the　disinterestedness　of　a　whole　circle　

of　indulgent　and　flattering　acquaintances。　　Even　more　absorbing；　

and　in　her　eyes；　more　urgently　necessary；　was　the　task　of　

dissecting　and　appraising　the　characters　of　the　two　young　men　who　

were　favouring　her　with　their　attentions。　　And　herein　lay　cause　for　

much　thinking　and　some　perturbation。　　Youghal；　for　example；　might　

have　baffled　a　more　experienced　observer　of　human　nature。　　Elaine　

was　too　clever　to　confound　his　dandyism　with　foppishness　or　self…

advertisement。　　He　admired　his　own　toilet　effect　in　a　mirror　from　a　

genuine　sense　of　pleasure　in　a　thing　good　to　look　upon；　just　as　he　

would　feel　a　sensuous　appreciation　of　the　sight　of　a　well…bred；　

well…matched；　well…turned…out　pair　of　horses。　　Behind　his　careful　

political　flippancy　and　cynicism　one　might　also　detect　a　certain　

careless　sincerity；　which　would　probably　in　the　long　run　save　him　

from　moderate　success；　and　turn　him　into　one　of　the　brilliant　

failures　of　his　day。　　Beyond　this　it　was　difficult　to　form　an　exact　

appreciation　of　Courtenay　Youghal；　and　Elaine；　who　liked　to　have　

her　impressions　distinctly　labelled　and　pigeon…holed；　was　

perpetually　scrutinising　the　outer　surface　of　his　characteristics　

and　utterances；　like　a　baffled　art　critic　vainly　searching　beneath　

the　varnish　and　scratches　of　a　doubtfully　assigned　picture　for　an　

enlightening　signature。　　The　young　man　added　to　her　perplexities　by　

his　deliberate　policy　of　never　trying　to　show　himself　in　a　

favourable　light　even　when　most　anxious　to　impart　a　favourable　

impression。　　He　preferred　that　people　should　hunt　for　his　good　

qualities；　and　merely　took　very　good　care　that　as　far　as　possible　

they　should　never　draw　blank；　even　in　the　matter　of　selfishness；　

which　was　the　anchor…sheet　of　his　existence；　he　contrived　to　be　

noted；　and　justly　noted；　for　doing　remarkably　unselfish　things。　　As　

a　ruler　he　would　have　been　reasonably　popular；　as　a　husband　he　

would　probably　be　unendurable。



Comus　was　to　a　certain　extent　as　great　a　mystification　as　Youghal；　

but　here　Elaine　was　herself　responsible　for　some　of　the　perplexity　

which　enshrouded　his　character　in　her　eyes。　　She　had　taken　more　

than　a　passing　fancy　for　the　boy　…　for　the　boy　as　he　might　be；　that　

was　to　say　…　and　she　was　desperately　unwilling　to　see　him　and　

appraise　him　as　he　really　was。　　Thus　the　mental　court　of　appeal　was　

constantly　engaged　in　examining　witnesses　as　to　character；　most　of　

whom　signally　failed　to　give　any　testimony　which　would　support　the　

favourable　judgment　which　the　tribunal　was　so　anxious　to　arrive　at。　　

A　woman　with　wider　experience　of　the　world's　ways　and　shortcomings　

would　probably　have　contented　herself　with　an　endeavour　to　find　out　

whether　her　liking　for　the　boy　out…weighed　her　dislike　of　his　

characteristics；　Elaine　took　her　judgments　too　seriously　to　

approach　the　matter　from　such　a　simple　and　convenient　standpoint。　　

The　fact　that　she　was　much　more　than　half　in　love　with　Comus　made　

it　dreadfully　important　that　she　should　discover　him　to　have　a　

lovable　soul；　and　Comus；　it　must　be　confessed；　did　little　to　help　

forward　the　discovery。



〃At　any　rate　he　is　honest；〃　she　would　observe　to　herself；　after　

some　outspoken　admission　of　unprincipled　conduct　on　his　part；　and　

then　she　would　ruefully　recall　certain　episodes　in　which　he　had　

figured；　from　which　honesty　had　been　conspicuously　absent。　　What　

she　tried　to　label　honesty　in　his　candour　was　probably　only　a　

cynical　defiance　of　the　laws　of　right　and　wrong。



〃You　look　more　than　usually　thoughtful　this　afternoon；〃　said　Comus　

to　her；　〃as　if　you　had　invented　this　summer　day　and　were　trying　to　

think　out　improvements。〃



〃If　I　had　the　power　to　create　improvements　anywhere　I　think　I　

should　begin　with　you；〃　retorted　Elaine。



〃I'm　sure　it's　much　better　to　leave　me　as　I　am；〃　protested　Comus；　

〃you're　like　a　relative　of　mine　up　in　Argyllshire；　who　spends　his　

time　producing　improved　breeds　of　sheep　and　pigs　and　chickens。　　So　

patronising　and　irritating　to　the　Almighty　I　should　think；　to　go　

about　putting　superior　finishing　touches　to　Creation。〃



Elaine　frowned；　and　then　laughed；　and　finally　gave　a　little　sigh。



〃It's　not　easy　to　talk　sense　to　you；〃　she　said。



〃Whatever　else　you　take　in　hand；〃　said　Youghal；　〃you　must　never　

improve　this　garden。　　It's　what　our　idea　of　Heaven　might　be　like　if　

the　Jews　hadn't　invented　one　for　us　on　totally　different　lines。　　

It's　dreadful　that　we　should　accept　them　as　the　impresarios　of　our　

religious　dreamland　instead　of　the　Greeks。〃



〃You　are　not　very　fond　of　the　Jews；〃　said　Elaine。



〃I've　travelled　and　lived　a　good　deal　in　Eastern　Europe；〃　said　

Youghal。



〃It　seems　largely　a　question　of　geography；〃　said　Elaine；　〃in　

England　no　one　really　is　anti…Semitic。〃



Youghal　shook　his　head。　　〃I　know　a　great　many　Jews　who　are。〃



Servants　had　quietly；　almost　reverently；　placed　tea　and　its　

accessories　on　the　wicker　table；　and　quietly　receded　from　the　

landscape。　　Elaine　sat　like　a　grave　young　goddess　about　to