the unbearable bassington-第23节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



by　the　resourceful　influence　of　an　ambitious　wife；　into　a　man　with　

some　definite　purpose　in　life。　　The　prospect　had　vanished　with　

cruel　suddenness；　and　the　anxieties　were　crowding　back　again；　more　

insistent　than　ever。　　The　boy　had　had　his　one　good　chance　in　the　

matrimonial　market　and　missed　it；　if　he　were　to　transfer　his　

attentions　to　some　other　well…dowered　girl　he　would　be　marked　down　

at　once　as　a　fortune…hunter；　and　that　would　constitute　a　heavy　

handicap　to　the　most　plausible　of　wooers。　　His　liking　for　Elaine　

had　evidently　been　genuine　in　its　way；　though　perhaps　it　would　have　

been　rash　to　read　any　deeper　sentiment　into　it；　but　even　with　the　

spur　of　his　own　inclination　to　assist　him　he　had　failed　to　win　the　

prize　that　had　seemed　so　temptingly　within　his　reach。　　And　in　the　

dashing　of　his　prospects；　Francesca　saw　the　threatening　of　her　own。　　

The　old　anxiety　as　to　her　precarious　tenure　of　her　present　quarters　

put　on　again　all　its　familiar　terrors。　　One　day；　she　foresaw；　in　

the　horribly　near　future；　George　St。　Michael　would　come　pattering　

up　her　stairs　with　the　breathless　intelligence　that　Emmeline　

Chetrof　was　going　to　marry　somebody　or　other　in　the　Guards　or　the　

Record　Office　as　the　case　might　be；　and　then　there　would　be　an　

uprooting　of　her　life　from　its　home　and　haven　in　Blue　Street　and　a　

wandering　forth　to　some　cheap　unhappy　far…off　dwelling；　where　the　

stately　Van　der　Meulen　and　its　companion　host　of　beautiful　and　

desirable　things　would　be　stuffed　and　stowed　away　in　soulless　

surroundings；　like　courtly　emigres　fallen　on　evil　days。　　It　was　

unthinkable；　but　the　trouble　was　that　it　had　to　be　thought　about。　　

And　if　Comus　had　played　his　cards　well　and　transformed　himself　from　

an　encumbrance　into　a　son　with　wealth　at　his　command；　the　tragedy　

which　she　saw　looming　in　front　of　her　might　have　been　avoided　or　at　

the　worst　whittled　down　to　easily　bearable　proportions。　　With　money　

behind　one；　the　problem　of　where　to　live　approaches　more　nearly　to　

the　simple　question　of　where　do　you　wish　to　live；　and　a　rich　

daughter…in…law　would　have　surely　seen　to　it　that　she　did　not　have　

to　leave　her　square　mile　of　Mecca　and　go　out　into　the　wilderness　of　

bricks　and　mortar。　　If　the　house　in　Blue　Street　could　not　have　been　

compounded　for　there　were　other　desirable　residences　which　would　

have　been　capable　of　consoling　Francesca　for　her　lost　Eden。　　And　

now　the　detested　Courtenay　Youghal；　with　his　mocking　eyes　and　air　

of　youthful　cynicism；　had　stepped　in　and　overthrown　those　golden　

hopes　and　plans　whose　non…fulfilment　would　make　such　a　world　of　

change　in　her　future。　　Assuredly　she　had　reason　to　feel　bitter　

against　that　young　man；　and　she　was　not　disposed　to　take　a　very　

lenient　view　of　Comus's　own　mismanagement　of　the　affair；　her　

greeting　when　he　at　last　arrived；　was　not　couched　in　a　sympathetic　

strain。



〃So　you　have　lost　your　chance　with　the　heiress；〃　she　remarked　

abruptly。



〃Yes；〃　said　Comus；　coolly；　〃Courtenay　Youghal　has　added　her　to　his　

other　successes。〃



〃And　you　have　added　her　to　your　other　failures；〃　pursued　Francesca；　

relentlessly；　her　temper　had　been　tried　that　day　beyond　ordinary　

limits。



〃I　thought　you　seemed　getting　along　so　well　with　her；〃　she　

continued；　as　Comus　remained　uncommunicative。



〃We　hit　it　off　rather　well　together；〃　said　Comus；　and　added　with　

deliberate　bluntness；　〃I　suppose　she　got　rather　sick　at　my　

borrowing　money　from　her。　　She　thought　it　was　all　I　was　after。〃



〃You　borrowed　money　from　her！〃　said　Francesca；　〃you　were　fool　

enough　to　borrow　money　from　a　girl　who　was　favourably　disposed　

towards　you；　and　with　Courtenay　Youghal　in　the　background　waiting　

to　step　in　and　oust　you！〃



Francesca's　voice　trembled　with　misery　and　rage。　　This　great　stroke　

of　good　luck　that　had　seemed　about　to　fall　into　their　laps　had　been　

thrust　aside　by　an　act　or　series　of　acts　of　wanton　paltry　folly。　　

The　good　ship　had　been　lost　for　the　sake　of　the　traditional　

ha'porth　of　tar。　　Comus　had　paid　some　pressing　tailor's　or　

tobacconist's　bill　with　a　loan　unwillingly　put　at　his　disposal　by　

the　girl　he　was　courting；　and　had　flung　away　his　chances　of　

securing　a　wealthy　and　in　every　way　desirable　bride。　　Elaine　de　

Frey　and　her　fortune　might　have　been　the　making　of　Comus；　but　he　

had　hurried　in　as　usual　to　effect　his　own　undoing。　　Calmness　did　

not　in　this　case　come　with　reflection；　the　more　Francesca　thought　

about　the　matter；　the　more　exasperated　she　grew。　　Comus　threw　

himself　down　in　a　low　chair　and　watched　her　without　a　trace　of　

embarrassment　or　concern　at　her　mortification。　　He　had　come　to　her　

feeling　rather　sorry　for　himself；　and　bitterly　conscious　of　his　

defeat；　and　she　had　met　him　with　a　taunt　and　without　the　least　hint　

of　sympathy；　he　determined　that　she　should　be　tantalised　with　the　

knowledge　of　how　small　and　stupid　a　thing　had　stood　between　the　

realisation　and　ruin　of　her　hopes　for　him。



〃And　to　think　she　should　be　captured　by　Courtenay　Youghal；〃　said　

Francesca；　bitterly；　〃I've　always　deplored　your　intimacy　with　that　

young　man。〃



〃It's　hardly　my　intimacy　with　him　that's　made　Elaine　accept　him；〃　

said　Comus。



Francesca　realised　the　futility　of　further　upbraiding。　　Through　the　

tears　of　vexation　that　stood　in　her　eyes；　she　looked　across　at　the　

handsome　boy　who　sat　opposite　her；　mocking　at　his　own　misfortune；　

perversely　indifferent　to　his　folly；　seemingly　almost　indifferent　

to　its　consequences。



〃Comus；〃　she　said　quietly　and　wearily；　〃you　are　an　exact　reversal　

of　the　legend　of　Pandora's　Box。　　You　have　all　the　charm　and　

advantages　that　a　boy　could　want　to　help　him　on　in　the　world；　and　

behind　it　all　there　is　the　fatal　damning　gift　of　utter　

hopelessness。〃



〃I　think；〃　said　Comus；　〃that　is　the　best　description　that　anyone　

has　ever　given　of　me。〃



For　the　moment　there　was　a　flush　of　sympathy　and　something　like　

outspoken　affection　between　mother　and　son。　　They　seemed　very　much　

alone　in　the　world　just　now；　and　in　the　general　overturn　of　hopes　

and　plans；　there　flickered　a　chance　that　each　might　stretch　out　a　

hand　to　the　other；　and　summon　back　to　their　lives　an　old　dead　love　

that　was　the　best　and　strongest　feeling　either　of　them　had　known。　　

But　the　sting　of　disappointment　was　too　keen；　and　the　flood　of　

resentment　mounted　too　high　on　either　side　to　allow　the　chance　more　

than　a　moment　in　which　to　flicker　away　into　nothingness。　　The　old　

fatal　topic　of　estrangement　came　to　the　fore；　the　question　of　

immediate　ways　and　means；　and　mother　and　son　faced　themselves　again　

as　antagonists　on　a　well…disputed　field。



〃What　is　done　is　done；〃　said　Francesca；　with　a　movement　of　tragic　

impatience　that　belied　the　philosophy　of　her　words；　〃there　is　

nothing　to　be　gained　by　crying　over　spilt　milk。　　There　is　the　

present　and　the　future　to　be　thought　about；　though。　　One　can't　go　

on　indefinitely　as　a　tenant…for…life　in　a　fools'　paradise。〃　　Then　

she　pulled　herself　together　and　proceeded　to　deliver　an　ultimatum　

which　the　force　of　circumstances　no　longer　permitted　her　to　hold　in　

reserve。



〃It's　not　much　use　talking　to　you　about　money；　as　I　know　from　long　

experience；　but　I　can　only　tell　you　this；　that　in　the　middle　of　the　

Season　I'm　already　obliged　to　be　thinking　of　leaving　Town。　　And　

you；　I'm　afraid；　will　have　to　be　thinking　of　leaving　England　at　

equally　short　notice。　　Henry　told　me　the　other　day　that　he　can　get　

you　something　out　in　West　Africa。　　You've　had　your　chance　of　doing　

something　better　for　yourself　from　the　financial　point　of　view；　and　

you've　thrown　it　away　for　the　sake　of　borrowing　a　little　ready　

money　for　your　luxuries；　so　now　you　must　take　what　you　can　get。　　

The　pay　won't　be　very　good　at　first；　but　living　is　not　dear　out　

there。〃



〃West　Africa；〃　said　Comus；　reflectively；　〃it's　a　sort　of　modern　

substitute　for　the　old…fashioned　OUBLIETTE；　a　convenient　depository　

for　tiresome　people。　　Dear　Uncle　Henry　may　talk　lugubriously　about　

the　burden　of　Empire；　but　he　evidently　recognises　its　uses　as　a　

refuse　consumer。〃



〃My　dear　Comus；　you　are　talking　of　the　West　Africa　of　yesterday。　　

While　you　have　been　wasting　your　time　at　school；　and　worse　than　

wasting　your　time　in　the　West　End；　other　people　have　been　grappling　

with　the　study　of　tropical　diseases；　and　the　West　African　coast　

country　is　being　rapidly　transformed　from　a　lethal　chamber　into　a　

sanatorium。〃



Comus　laughed　mockingly。



〃What　a　beautiful　bit　of　persuasive　prose；　it　reminds　one　of　the　

Psalms　and　even　more　of　a　company　prospectus。　　If　you　were　honest　

you'd　confess　that　you　lifted　it　straight　out　of　a　rubber　or　

railway　promotion　scheme。　　Seriously；　mother；　if　I　must　grub　about　

for　a　living；　why　can't　I　do　it　in　England？　　I　could　go　into　a　

brewery　for　instance。〃



Francesca　shook　her　head　decisively；　she　could　foresee　the　sort　of　

steady　work　Comus　was　l