the unbearable bassington-第19节

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brave　woman　weeping　at　a　private　view　in　the　Rutland　Galleries　

would　have　been　so　sensational。　　It　would　certainly　have　been　

reproduced　in　the　next　Drury　Lane　drama。　　And　I'm　so　unlucky；　I　

never　see　these　sensational　events。　　I　was　ill　with　appendicitis；　

you　know；　when　Lulu　Braminguard　dramatically　forgave　her　husband；　

after　seventeen　years　of　estrangement；　during　a　State　luncheon　

party　at　Windsor。　　The　old　queen　was　furious　about　it。　　She　said　it　

was　so　disrespectful　to　the　cook　to　be　thinking　of　such　a　thing　at　

such　a　time。〃



Lady　Caroline's　recollections　of　things　that　hadn't　happened　at　the　

Court　of　Queen　Victoria　were　notoriously　vivid；　it　was　the　very　

widespread　fear　that　she　might　one　day　write　a　book　of　

reminiscences　that　made　her　so　universally　respected。



〃As　for　his　full…length　picture　of　Lady　Brickfield；〃　continued　Ada；　

ignoring　Lady　Caroline's　commentary　as　far　as　possible；　〃all　the　

expression　seems　to　have　been　deliberately　concentrated　in　the　

feet；　beautiful　feet；　no　doubt；　but　still；　hardly　the　most　

distinctive　part　of　a　human　being。〃



〃To　paint　the　right　people　at　the　wrong　end　may　be　an　eccentricity；　

but　it　is　scarcely　an　indiscretion；〃　pronounced　Lady　Caroline。



One　of　the　portraits　which　attracted　more　than　a　passing　flutter　of　

attention　was　a　costume　study　of　Francesca　Bassington。　　Francesca　

had　secured　some　highly　desirable　patronage　for　the　young　artist；　

and　in　return　he　had　enriched　her　pantheon　of　personal　possessions　

with　a　clever　piece　of　work　into　which　he　had　thrown　an　unusual　

amount　of　imaginative　detail。　　He　had　painted　her　in　a　costume　of　

the　great　Louis's　brightest　period；　seated　in　front　of　a　tapestry　

that　was　so　prominent　in　the　composition　that　it　could　scarcely　be　

said　to　form　part　of　the　background。　　Flowers　and　fruit；　in　exotic　

profusion；　were　its　dominant　note；　quinces；　pomegranates；　passion…

flowers；　giant　convolvulus；　great　mauve…pink　roses；　and　grapes　that　

were　already　being　pressed　by　gleeful　cupids　in　a　riotous　Arcadian　

vintage；　stood　out　on　its　woven　texture。　　The　same　note　was　struck　

in　the　beflowered　satin　of　the　lady's　kirtle；　and　in　the　

pomegranate　pattern　of　the　brocade　that　draped　the　couch　on　which　

she　was　seated。　　The　artist　had　called　his　picture　〃Recolte。〃　　And　

after　one　had　taken　in　all　the　details　of　fruit　and　flower　and　

foliage　that　earned　the　composition　its　name；　one　noted　the　

landscape　that　showed　through　a　broad　casement　in　the　left…hand　

corner。　　It　was　a　landscape　clutched　in　the　grip　of　winter；　naked；　

bleak；　black…frozen；　a　winter　in　which　things　died　and　knew　no　

rewakening。　　If　the　picture　typified　harvest；　it　was　a　harvest　of　

artificial　growth。



〃It　leaves　a　great　deal　to　the　imagination；　doesn't　it？〃　said　Ada　

Spelvexit；　who　had　edged　away　from　the　range　of　Lady　Caroline's　

tongue。



〃At　any　rate　one　can　tell　who　it's　meant　for；〃　said　Serena　

Golackly。



〃Oh；　yes；　it's　a　good　likeness　of　dear　Francesca；〃　admitted　Ada；　

〃of　course；　it　flatters　her。〃



〃That；　too；　is　a　fault　on　the　right　side　in　portrait　painting；〃　

said　Serena；　〃after　all；　if　posterity　is　going　to　stare　at　one　for　

centuries　it's　only　kind　and　reasonable　to　be　looking　just　a　little　

better　than　one's　best。〃



〃What　a　curiously　unequal　style　the　artist　has；〃　continued　Ada；　

almost　as　if　she　felt　a　personal　grievance　against　him；　〃I　was　just　

noticing　what　a　lack　of　soul　there　was　in　most　of　his　portraits。　　

Dear　Winifred；　you　know；　who　speaks　so　beautifully　and　feelingly　at　

my　gatherings　for　old　women；　he's　made　her　look　just　an　ordinary　

dairy…maidish　blonde；　and　Francesca；　who　is　quite　the　most　soulless　

woman　I've　ever　met；　well；　he's　given　her　quite　…　〃



〃Hush；〃　said　Serena；　〃the　Bassington　boy　is　just　behind　you。〃



Comus　stood　looking　at　the　portrait　of　his　mother　with　the　feeling　

of　one　who　comes　suddenly　across　a　once…familiar　half…forgotten　

acquaintance　in　unfamiliar　surroundings。　　The　likeness　was　

undoubtedly　a　good　one；　but　the　artist　had　caught　an　expression　in　

Francesca's　eyes　which　few　people　had　ever　seen　there。　　It　was　the　

expression　of　a　woman　who　had　forgotten　for　one　short　moment　to　be　

absorbed　in　the　small　cares　and　excitements　of　her　life；　the　money　

worries　and　little　social　plannings；　and　had　found　time　to　send　a　

look　of　half…wistful　friendliness　to　some　sympathetic　companion。　　

Comus　could　recall　that　look；　fitful　and　fleeting；　in　his　mother's　

eyes　when　she　had　been　a　few　years　younger；　before　her　world　had　

grown　to　be　such　a　committee…room　of　ways　and　means。　　Almost　as　a　

re…discovery　he　remembered　that　she　had　once　figured　in　his　boyish　

mind　as　a　〃rather　good　sort；〃　more　ready　to　see　the　laughable　side　

of　a　piece　of　mischief　than　to　labour　forth　a　reproof。　　That　the　

bygone　feeling　of　good　fellowship　had　been　stamped　out　was；　he　

knew；　probably　in　great　part　his　own　doing；　and　it　was　possible　

that　the　old　friendliness　was　still　there　under　the　surface　of　

things；　ready　to　show　itself　again　if　he　willed　it；　and　friends　

were　becoming　scarcer　with　him　than　enemies　in　these　days。　　Looking　

at　the　picture　with　its　wistful　hint　of　a　long　ago　comradeship；　

Comus　made　up　his　mind　that　he　very　much　wanted　things　to　be　back　

on　their　earlier　footing；　and　to　see　again　on　his　mother's　face　the　

look　that　the　artist　had　caught　and　perpetuated　in　its　momentary　

flitting。　　If　the　projected　Elaine…marriage　came　off；　and　in　spite　

of　recent　maladroit　behaviour　on　his　part　he　still　counted　it　an　

assured　thing；　much　of　the　immediate　cause　for　estrangement　between　

himself　and　his　mother　would　be　removed；　or　at　any　rate；　easily　

removable。　　With　the　influence　of　Elaine's　money　behind　him　he　

promised　himself　that　he　would　find　some　occupation　that　would　

remove　from　himself　the　reproach　of　being　a　waster　and　idler。　　

There　were　lots　of　careers；　he　told　himself；　that　were　open　to　a　

man　with　solid　financial　backing　and　good　connections。　　There　might　

yet　be　jolly　times　ahead；　in　which　his　mother　would　have　her　share　

of　the　good　things　that　were　going；　and　carking　thin…lipped　Henry　

Greech　and　other　of　Comus's　detractors　could　take　their　sour　looks　

and　words　out　of　sight　and　hearing。　　Thus；　staring　at　the　picture　

as　though　he　were　studying　its　every　detail；　and　seeing　really　only　

that　wistful　friendly　smile；　Comus　made　his　plans　and　dispositions　

for　a　battle　that　was　already　fought　and　lost。



The　crowd　grew　thicker　in　the　galleries；　cheerfully　enduring　an　

amount　of　overcrowding　that　would　have　been　fiercely　resented　in　a　

railway　carriage。　　Near　the　entrance　Mervyn　Quentock　was　talking　to　

a　Serene　Highness；　a　lady　who　led　a　life　of　obtrusive　usefulness；　

largely　imposed　on　her　by　a　good…natured　inability　to　say　〃No。〃　　

〃That　woman　creates　a　positive　draught　with　the　number　of　bazaars　

she　opens；〃　a　frivolously…spoken　ex…Cabinet　Minister　had　once　

remarked。　　At　the　present　moment　she　was　being　whimsically　

apologetic。



〃When　I　think　of　the　legions　of　well…meaning　young　men　and　women　to　

whom　I've　given　away　prizes　for　proficiency　in　art…school　

curriculum；　I　feel　that　I　ought　not　to　show　my　face　inside　a　

picture　gallery。　　I　always　imagine　that　my　punishment　in　another　

world　will　be　perpetually　sharpening　pencils　and　cleaning　palettes　

for　unending　relays　of　misguided　young　people　whom　I　deliberately　

encouraged　in　their　artistic　delusions。〃



〃Do　you　suppose　we　shall　all　get　appropriate　punishments　in　another　

world　for　our　sins　in　this？〃　asked　Quentock。



〃Not　so　much　for　our　sins　as　for　our　indiscretions；　they　are　the　

things　which　do　the　most　harm　and　cause　the　greatest　trouble。　　I　

feel　certain　that　Christopher　Columbus　will　undergo　the　endless　

torment　of　being　discovered　by　parties　of　American　tourists。　　You　

see　I　am　quite　old　fashioned　in　my　ideas　about　the　terrors　and　

inconveniences　of　the　next　world。　　And　now　I　must　be　running　away；　

I've　got　to　open　a　Free　Library　somewhere。　　You　know　the　sort　of　

thing　that　happens　…　one　unveils　a　bust　of　Carlyle　and　makes　a　

speech　about　Ruskin；　and　then　people　come　in　their　thousands　and　

read　'Rabid　Ralph；　or　Should　he　have　Bitten　Her？'　　Don't　forget；　

please；　I'm　going　to　have　the　medallion　with　the　fat　cupid　sitting　

on　a　sundial。　　And　just　one　thing　more　…　perhaps　I　ought　not　to　ask　

you；　but　you　have　such　nice　kind　eyes；　you　embolden　one　to　make　

daring　requests；　would　you　send　me　the　recipe　for　those　lovely　

chestnut…and…chicken…liver　sandwiches？　　I　know　the　ingredients　of　

course；　but　it's　the　proportions　that　make　such　a　difference　…　just　

how　much　liver　to　how　much　chestnut；　and　what　amount　of　red　pepper　

and　other　things。　　Thank　you　so　much。　　I　really　am　going　now。〃



Staring　round　with　a　vague　half…smile　at　everybody　within　nodding　

distance；　Her　Serene　Highness　made　one　of　her　characteristic　exits；　

which　Lady　Caroline　declared　alw