the unbearable bassington-第29节

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indefinite　expansion。



〃Do　those　people　think　of　nothing　but　their　food？〃　asked　Elaine；　as　

the　virtues　of　roasted　mutton　suddenly　came　to　the　fore　and　

received　emphatic　recognition；　even　the　absent　and　youthful　Jerome　

being　quoted　in　its　favour。



〃On　the　contrary；〃　said　Courtenay；　〃they　are　a　widely…travelled　

set；　and　the　man　has　had　a　notably　interesting　career。　　It　is　a　

form　of　home…sickness　with　them　to　discuss　and　lament　the　cookery　

and　foods　that　they've　never　had　the　leisure　to　stay　at　home　and　

digest。　　The　Wandering　Jew　probably　babbled　unremittingly　about　

some　breakfast　dish　that　took　so　long　to　prepare　that　he　had　never　

time　to　eat　it。〃



A　waiter　deposited　a　dish　of　Wiener　Nierenbraten　in　front　of　

Elaine。　　At　the　same　moment　a　magic　hush　fell　upon　the　three　German　

ladies　at　the　adjoining　table；　and　the　flicker　of　a　great　fear　

passed　across　their　eyes。　　Then　they　burst　forth　again　into　

tumultuous　chatter。　　Courtenay　had　proved　a　reliable　prophet。



Almost　at　the　same　moment　as　the　luncheon…dish　appeared　on　the　

scene；　two　ladies　arrived　at　a　neighbouring　table；　and　bowed　with　

dignified　cordiality　to　Elaine　and　Courtenay。　　They　were　two　of　the　

more　worldly　and　travelled　of　Elaine's　extensive　stock　of　aunts；　

and　they　happened　to　be　making　a　short　stay　at　the　same　hotel　as　

the　young　couple。　　They　were　far　too　correct　and　rationally　minded　

to　intrude　themselves　on　their　niece；　but　it　was　significant　of　

Elaine's　altered　view　as　to　the　sanctity　of　honeymoon　life　that　she　

secretly　rather　welcomed　the　presence　of　her　two　relatives　in　the　

hotel；　and　had　found　time　and　occasion　to　give　them　more　of　her　

society　than　she　would　have　considered　necessary　or　desirable　a　few　

weeks　ago。　　The　younger　of　the　two　she　rather　liked；　in　a　

restrained　fashion；　as　one　likes　an　unpretentious　watering…place　or　

a　restaurant　that　does　not　try　to　give　one　a　musical　education　in　

addition　to　one's　dinner。　　One　felt　instinctively　about　her　that　

she　would　never　wear　rather　more　valuable　diamonds　than　any　other　

woman　in　the　room；　and　would　never　be　the　only　person　to　be　saved　

in　a　steamboat　disaster　or　hotel　fire。　　As　a　child　she　might　have　

been　perfectly　well　able　to　recite　〃On　Linden　when　the　sun　was　

low；〃　but　one　felt　certain　that　nothing　ever　induced　her　to　do　so。　　

The　elder　aunt；　Mrs。　Goldbrook；　did　not　share　her　sister's　

character　as　a　human　rest…cure；　most　people　found　her　rather　

disturbing；　chiefly；　perhaps；　from　her　habit　of　asking　unimportant　

questions　with　enormous　solemnity。　　Her　manner　of　enquiring　after　a　

trifling　ailment　gave　one　the　impression　that　she　was　more　

concerned　with　the　fortunes　of　the　malady　than　with　oneself；　and　

when　one　got　rid　of　a　cold　one　felt　that　she　almost　expected　to　be　

given　its　postal　address。　　Probably　her　manner　was　merely　the　

defensive　outwork　of　an　innate　shyness；　but　she　was　not　a　woman　who　

commanded　confidences。



〃A　telephone　call　for　Courtenay；〃　commented　the　younger　of　the　two　

women　as　Youghal　hurriedly　flashed　through　the　room；　〃the　telephone　

system　seems　to　enter　very　largely　into　that　young　man's　life。〃



〃The　telephone　has　robbed　matrimony　of　most　of　its　sting；〃　said　the　

elder；　〃so　much　more　discreet　than　pen　and　ink　communications　which　

get　read　by　the　wrong　people。〃



Elaine's　aunts　were　conscientiously　worldly；　they　were　the　natural　

outcome　of　a　stock　that　had　been　conscientiously　straight…laced　for　

many　generations。



Elaine　had　progressed　to　the　pancake　stage　before　Courtenay　

returned。



〃Sorry　to　be　away　so　long；〃　he　said；　〃but　I've　arranged　something　

rather　nice　for　to…night。　　There's　rather　a　jolly　masquerade　ball　

on。　　I've　'phoned　about　getting　a　costume　for　you　and　it's　alright。　　

It　will　suit　you　beautifully；　and　I've　got　my　harlequin　dress　with　

me。　　Madame　Kelnicort；　excellent　soul；　is　going　to　chaperone　you；　

and　she'll　take　you　back　any　time　you　like；　I'm　quite　unreliable　

when　I　get　into　fancy　dress。　　I　shall　probably　keep　going　till　some　

unearthly　hour　of　the　morning。〃



A　masquerade　ball　in　a　strange　city　hardly　represented　Elaine's　

idea　of　enjoyment。　　Carefully　to　disguise　one's　identity　in　a　

neighbourhood　where　one　was　entirely　unknown　seemed　to　her　rather　

meaningless。　　With　Courtenay；　of　course；　it　was　different；　he　

seemed　to　have　friends　and　acquaintances　everywhere。　　However；　the　

matter　had　progressed　to　a　point　which　would　have　made　a　refusal　to　

go　seem　rather　ungracious。　　Elaine　finished　her　pancake　and　began　

to　take　a　polite　interest　in　her　costume。



〃What　is　your　character？〃　asked　Madame　Kelnicort　that　evening；　as　

they　uncloaked；　preparatory　to　entering　the　already　crowded　ball…

room。



〃I　believe　I'm　supposed　to　represent　Marjolaine　de　Montfort；　

whoever　she　may　have　been；〃　said　Elaine。　　〃Courtenay　declares　he　

only　wanted　to　marry　me　because　I'm　his　ideal　of　her。〃



〃But　what　a　mistake　to　go　as　a　character　you　know　nothing　about。　　

To　enjoy　a　masquerade　ball　you　ought　to　throw　away　your　own　self　

and　be　the　character　you　represent。　　Now　Courtenay　has　been　

Harlequin　since　half…way　through　dinner；　I　could　see　it　dancing　in　

his　eyes。　　At　about　six　o'clock　to…morrow　morning　he　will　fall　

asleep　and　wake　up　a　member　of　the　British　House　of　Parliament　on　

his　honeymoon；　but　to…night　he　is　unrestrainedly　Harlequin。〃



Elaine　stood　in　the　ball…room　surrounded　by　a　laughing　jostling　

throng　of　pierrots；　jockeys；　Dresden…china　shepherdesses；　Roumanian　

peasant…girls　and　all　the　lively　make…believe　creatures　that　form　

the　ingredients　of　a　fancy…dress　ball。　　As　she　stood　watching　them　

she　experienced　a　growing　feeling　of　annoyance；　chiefly　with　

herself。　　She　was　assisting；　as　the　French　say；　at　one　of　the　

gayest　scenes　of　Europe's　gayest　capital；　and　she　was　conscious　of　

being　absolutely　unaffected　by　the　gaiety　around　her。　　The　costumes　

were　certainly　interesting　to　look　at；　and　the　music　good　to　listen　

to；　and　to　that　extent　she　was　amused；　but　the　ABANDON　of　the　scene　

made　no　appeal　to　her。　　It　was　like　watching　a　game　of　which　you　

did　not　know　the　rules；　and　in　the　issue　of　which　you　were　not　

interested。　　Elaine　began　to　wonder　what　was　the　earliest　moment　at　

which　she　could　drag　Madame　Kelnicort　away　from　the　revel　without　

being　guilty　of　sheer　cruelty。　　Then　Courtenay　wriggled　out　of　the　

crush　and　came　towards　her；　a　joyous　laughing　Courtenay；　looking　

younger　and　handsomer　than　she　had　ever　seen　him。　　She　could　

scarcely　recognise　in　him　to…night　the　rising　young　debater　who　

made　embarrassing　onslaughts　on　the　Government's　foreign　policy　

before　a　crowded　House　of　Commons。　　He　claimed　her　for　the　dance　

that　was　just　starting；　and　steered　her　dexterously　into　the　heart　

of　the　waltzing　crowd。



〃You　look　more　like　Marjolaine　than　I　should　have　thought　a　mortal　

woman　of　these　days　could　look；〃　he　declared；　〃only　Marjolaine　did　

smile　sometimes。　　You　have　rather　the　air　of　wondering　if　you'd　

left　out　enough　tea　for　the　servants'　breakfast。　　Don't　mind　my　

teasing；　I　love　you　to　look　like　that；　and　besides；　it　makes　a　

splendid　foil　to　my　Harlequin　…　my　selfishness　coming　to　the　fore　

again；　you　see。　　But　you　really　are　to　go　home　the　moment　you're　

bored；　the　excellent　Kelnicort　gets　heaps　of　dances　throughout　the　

winter；　so　don't　mind　sacrificing　her。〃



A　little　later　in　the　evening　Elaine　found　herself　standing　out　a　

dance　with　a　grave　young　gentleman　from　the　Russian　Embassy。



〃Monsieur　Courtenay　enjoys　himself；　doesn't　he？〃　he　observed；　as　

the　youthful…looking　harlequin　flashed　past　them；　looking　like　some　

restless　gorgeous…hued　dragonfly；　〃why　is　it　that　the　good　God　has　

given　your　countrymen　the　boon　of　eternal　youth？　　Some　of　your　

countrywomen；　too；　but　all　of　the　men。〃



Elaine　could　think　of　many　of　her　countrymen　who　were　not　and　never　

could　have　been　youthful；　but　as　far　as　Courtenay　was　concerned　she　

recognised　the　fitness　of　the　remark。　　And　the　recognition　carried　

with　it　a　sense　of　depression。　　Would　he　always　remain　youthful　and　

keen　on　gaiety　and　revelling　while　she　grew　staid　and　retiring？　　

She　had　thrust　the　lively　intractable　Comus　out　of　her　mind；　as　by　

his　perverseness　he　had　thrust　himself　out　of　her　heart；　and　she　

had　chosen　the　brilliant　young　man　of　affairs　as　her　husband。　　He　

had　honestly　let　her　see　the　selfish　side　of　his　character　while　he　

was　courting　her；　but　she　had　been　prepared　to　make　due　sacrifices　

to　the　selfishness　of　a　public　man　who　had　his　career　to　consider　

above　all　other　things。　　Would　she　also　have　to　make　sacrifices　to　

the　harlequin　spirit　which　was　now　revealing　itself　as　an　

undercurrent　in　his　nature？　　When　one　has　inured　oneself　to　the　

idea　of　a　particular　form　of　victimisation　it　is　disconcerting　to　

be　confronted　with　another。　　Many　a　man　who　would　patiently　undergo　

martyrdom　for　religion