the unbearable bassington-第17节

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Of　smiling　most；　when　very　sad；

A　smile　which　carried　tender　hints

Of　sun　and　spring；

And　yet；　more　than　all　other　thing；

Of　weariness　beyond　all　words。〃





And　having　satisfactorily　fitted　Lady　Veula　on　to　a　quotation　he　

dismissed　her　from　his　mind。　　With　the　constancy　of　her　sex　she　

thought　about　him；　his　good　looks　and　his　youth　and　his　railing　

tongue；　till　late　in　the　afternoon。



While　Youghal　was　putting　Joyeuse　through　his　paces　under　the　elm　

trees　of　the　Row　a　little　drama　in　which　he　was　directly　interested　

was　being　played　out　not　many　hundred　yards　away。　　Elaine　and　Comus　

were　indulging　themselves　in　two　pennyworths　of　Park　chair；　drawn　

aside　just　a　little　from　the　serried　rows　of　sitters　who　were　set　

out　like　bedded　plants　over　an　acre　or　so　of　turf。　　Comus　was；　for　

the　moment；　in　a　mood　of　pugnacious　gaiety；　disbursing　a　fund　of　

pointed　criticism　and　unsparing　anecdote　concerning　those　of　the　

promenaders　or　loungers　whom　he　knew　personally　or　by　sight。　　

Elaine　was　rather　quieter　than　usual；　and　the　grave　serenity　of　the　

Leonardo　da　Vinci　portrait　seemed　intensified　in　her　face　this　

morning。　　In　his　leisurely　courtship　Comus　had　relied　almost　

exclusively　on　his　physical　attraction　and　the　fitful　drollery　of　

his　wit　and　high　spirits；　and　these　graces　had　gone　far　to　make　him　

seem　a　very　desirable　and　rather　lovable　thing　in　Elaine's　eyes。　　

But　he　had　left　out　of　account　the　disfavour　which　he　constantly　

risked　and　sometimes　incurred　from　his　frank　and　undisguised　

indifference　to　other　people's　interests　and　wishes；　including；　at　

times；　Elaine's。　　And　the　more　that　she　felt　that　she　liked　him　the　

more　she　was　irritated　by　his　lack　of　consideration　for　her。　　

Without　expecting　that　her　every　wish　should　become　a　law　to　him　

she　would　at　least　have　liked　it　to　reach　the　formality　of　a　Second　

Reading。　　Another　important　factor　he　had　also　left　out　of　his　

reckoning；　namely　the　presence　on　the　scene　of　another　suitor；　who　

also　had　youth　and　wit　to　recommend　him；　and　who　certainly　did　not　

lack　physical　attractions。　　Comus；　marching　carelessly　through　

unknown　country　to　effect　what　seemed　already　an　assured　victory；　

made　the　mistake　of　disregarding　the　existence　of　an　unbeaten　army　

on　his　flank。



To…day　Elaine　felt　that；　without　having　actually　quarrelled；　she　

and　Comus　had　drifted　a　little　bit　out　of　sympathy　with　one　

another。　　The　fault　she　knew　was　scarcely　hers；　in　fact　from　the　

most　good…natured　point　of　view　it　could　hardly　be　denied　that　it　

was　almost　entirely　his。　　The　incident　of　the　silver　dish　had　

lacked　even　the　attraction　of　novelty；　it　had　been　one　of　a　series；　

all　bearing　a　strong　connecting　likeness。　　There　had　been　small　

unrepaid　loans　which　Elaine　would　not　have　grudged　in　themselves；　

though　the　application　for　them　brought　a　certain　qualm　of　

distaste；　with　the　perversity　which　seemed　inseparable　from　his　

doings；　Comus　had　always　flung　away　a　portion　of　his　borrowings　in　

some　ostentatious　piece　of　glaring　and　utterly　profitless　

extravagance；　which　outraged　all　the　canons　of　her　upbringing　

without　bringing　him　an　atom　of　understandable　satisfaction。　　Under　

these　repeated　discouragements　it　was　not　surprising　that　some　

small　part　of　her　affection　should　have　slipped　away；　but　she　had　

come　to　the　Park　that　morning　with　an　unconfessed　expectation　of　

being　gently　wooed　back　to　the　mood　of　gracious　forgetfulness　that　

she　was　only　too　eager　to　assume。　　It　was　almost　worth　while　being　

angry　with　Comus　for　the　sake　of　experiencing　the　pleasure　of　being　

coaxed　into　friendliness　again　with　the　charm　which　he　knew　so　well　

how　to　exert。　　It　was　delicious　here　under　the　trees　on　this　

perfect　June　morning；　and　Elaine　had　the　blessed　assurance　that　

most　of　the　women　within　range　were　envying　her　the　companionship　

of　the　handsome　merry…hearted　youth　who　sat　by　her　side。　　With　

special　complacence　she　contemplated　her　cousin　Suzette；　who　was　

self…consciously　but　not　very　elatedly　basking　in　the　attentions　of　

her　fiance；　an　earnest…looking　young　man　who　was　superintendent　of　

a　People's　something…or…other　on　the　south　side　of　the　river；　and　

whose　clothes　Comus　had　described　as　having　been　made　in　Southwark　

rather　than　in　anger。



Most　of　the　pleasures　in　life　must　be　paid　for；　and　the　chair…

ticket　vendor　in　due　time　made　his　appearance　in　quest　of　pennies。



Comus　paid　him　from　out　of　a　varied　assortment　of　coins　and　then　

balanced　the　remainder　in　the　palm　of　his　hand。　　Elaine　felt　a　

sudden　foreknowledge　of　something　disagreeable　about　to　happen　and　

a　red　spot　deepened　in　her　cheeks。



〃Four　shillings　and　fivepence　and　a　half…penny；〃　said　Comus；　

reflectively。　　〃It's　a　ridiculous　sum　to　last　me　for　the　next　three　

days；　and　I　owe　a　card　debt　of　over　two　pounds。〃



〃Yes？〃　commented　Elaine　dryly　and　with　an　apparent　lack　of　interest　

in　his　exchequer　statement。　　Surely；　she　was　thinking　hurriedly　to　

herself；　he　could　not　be　foolish　enough　to　broach　the　matter　of　

another　loan。



〃The　card　debt　is　rather　a　nuisance；〃　pursued　Comus；　with　

fatalistic　persistency。



〃You　won　seven　pounds　last　week；　didn't　you？〃　asked　Elaine；　〃don't　

you　put　by　any　of　your　winnings　to　balance　losses？〃



〃The　four　shillings　and　the　fivepence　and　the　halfpenny　represent　

the　rearguard　of　the　seven　pounds；〃　said　Comus；　〃the　rest　have　

fallen　by　the　way。　　If　I　can　pay　the　two　pounds　to…day　I　daresay　I　

shall　win　something　more　to　go　on　with；　I'm　holding　rather　good　

cards　just　now。　　But　if　I　can't　pay　it　of　course　I　shan't　show　up　

at　the　club。　　So　you　see　the　fix　I　am　in。〃



Elaine　took　no　notice　of　this　indirect　application。　　The　Appeal　

Court　was　assembling　in　haste　to　consider　new　evidence；　and　this　

time　there　was　the　rapidity　of　sudden　determination　about　its　

movement。



The　conversation　strayed　away　from　the　fateful　topic　for　a　few　

moments　and　then　Comus　brought　it　deliberately　back　to　the　danger　

zone。



〃It　would　be　awfully　nice　if　you　would　let　me　have　a　fiver　for　a　

few　days；　Elaine；〃　he　said　quickly；　〃if　you　don't　I　really　don't　

know　what　I　shall　do。〃



〃If　you　are　really　bothered　about　your　card　debt　I　will　send　you　

the　two　pounds　by　messenger　boy　early　this　afternoon。〃　　She　spoke　

quietly　and　with　great　decision。　　〃And　I　shall　not　be　at　the　

Connor's　dance　to…night；〃　she　continued；　〃it's　too　hot　for　dancing。　　

I'm　going　home　now；　please　don't　bother　to　accompany　me；　I　

particularly　wish　to　go　alone。〃



Comus　saw　that　he　had　overstepped　the　mark　of　her　good　nature。　　

Wisely　he　made　no　immediate　attempt　to　force　himself　back　into　her　

good　graces。　　He　would　wait　till　her　indignation　had　cooled。



His　tactics　would　have　been　excellent　if　he　had　not　forgotten　that　

unbeaten　army　on　his　flank。



Elaine　de　Frey　had　known　very　clearly　what　qualities　she　had　wanted　

in　Comus；　and　she　had　known；　against　all　efforts　at　self…deception；　

that　he　fell　far　short　of　those　qualities。　　She　had　been　willing　to　

lower　her　standard　of　moral　requirements　in　proportion　as　she　was　

fond　of　the　boy；　but　there　was　a　point　beyond　which　she　would　not　

go。　　He　had　hurt　her　pride　besides　alarming　her　sense　of　caution。



Suzette；　on　whom　she　felt　a　thoroughly　justified　tendency　to　look　

down；　had　at　any　rate　an　attentive　and　considerate　lover。　　Elaine　

walked　towards　the　Park　gates　feeling　that　in　one　essential　Suzette　

possessed　something　that　had　been　denied　to　her；　and　at　the　gates　

she　met　Joyeuse　and　his　spruce　young　rider　preparing　to　turn　

homeward。



〃Get　rid　of　Joyeuse　and　come　and　take　me　out　to　lunch　somewhere；〃　

demanded　Elaine。



〃How　jolly；〃　said　Youghal。　　〃Let's　go　to　the　Corridor　Restaurant。　　

The　head　waiter　there　is　an　old　Viennese　friend　of　mine　and　looks　

after　me　beautifully。　　I've　never　been　there　with　a　lady　before；　

and　he's　sure　to　ask　me　afterwards；　in　his　fatherly　way；　if　we're　

engaged。〃



The　lunch　was　a　success　in　every　way。　　There　was　just　enough　

orchestral　effort　to　immerse　the　conversation　without　drowning　it；　

and　Youghal　was　an　attentive　and　inspired　host。　　Through　an　open　

doorway　Elaine　could　see　the　cafe　reading…room；　with　its　imposing　

array　of　NEUE　FREIE　PRESSE；　BERLINER　TAGEBLATT；　and　other　exotic　

newspapers　hanging　on　the　wall。　　She　looked　across　at　the　young　man　

seated　opposite　her；　who　gave　one　the　impression　of　having　centred　

the　most　serious　efforts　of　his　brain　on　his　toilet　and　his　food；　

and　recalled　some　of　the　flattering　remarks　that　the　press　had　

bestowed　on　his　recent　speeches。



〃Doesn't　it　make　you　conceited；　Courtenay；〃　she　asked；　〃to　look　at　

all　those　foreign　newspapers　hanging　there　and　know　that　most　of　

them　have　got　paragraphs　and　articles　about　your　Persian　speech？〃



Youghal　laughed。



〃There's　always　a　chastening　corrective　in　the　thought　that　some　of　

them　may