the unbearable bassington-第5节

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nothing　about　politics；　and　merely　copied　Youghal's　waistcoats；　

and；　less　successfully；　his　conversation；　Francesca　felt　herself　

justified　in　deploring　the　intimacy。　　To　a　woman　who　dressed　well　

on　comparatively　nothing　a　year　it　was　an　anxious　experience　to　

have　a　son　who　dressed　sumptuously　on　absolutely　nothing。



The　cloud　that　had　passed　over　her　face　when　she　caught　sight　of　

the　offending　Youghal　was　presently　succeeded　by　a　smile　of　

gratified　achievement；　as　she　encountered　a　bow　of　recognition　and　

welcome　from　a　portly　middle…aged　gentleman；　who　seemed　genuinely　

anxious　to　include　her　in　the　rather　meagre　group　that　he　had　

gathered　about　him。



〃We　were　just　talking　about　my　new　charge；〃　he　observed　genially；　

including　in　the　〃we〃　his　somewhat　depressed…looking　listeners；　who　

in　all　human　probability　had　done　none　of　the　talking。　　〃I　was　just　

telling　them；　and　you　may　be　interested　to　hear　this　…　〃



Francesca；　with　Spartan　stoicism；　continued　to　wear　an　ingratiating　

smile；　though　the　character　of　the　deaf　adder　that　stoppeth　her　ear　

and　will　not　hearken；　seemed　to　her　at　that　moment　a　beautiful　one。



Sir　Julian　Jull　had　been　a　member　of　a　House　of　Commons　

distinguished　for　its　high　standard　of　well…informed　mediocrity；　

and　had　harmonised　so　thoroughly　with　his　surroundings　that　the　

most　attentive　observer　of　Parliamentary　proceedings　could　scarcely　

have　told　even　on　which　side　of　the　House　he　sat。　　A　baronetcy　

bestowed　on　him　by　the　Party　in　power　had　at　least　removed　that　

doubt；　some　weeks　later　he　had　been　made　Governor　of　some　West　

Indian　dependency；　whether　as　a　reward　for　having　accepted　the　

baronetcy；　or　as　an　application　of　a　theory　that　West　Indian　

islands　get　the　Governors　they　deserve；　it　would　have　been　hard　to　

say。　　To　Sir　Julian　the　appointment　was；　doubtless；　one　of　some　

importance；　during　the　span　of　his　Governorship　the　island　might　

possibly　be　visited　by　a　member　of　the　Royal　Family；　or　at　the　

least　by　an　earthquake；　and　in　either　case　his　name　would　get　into　

the　papers。　　To　the　public　the　matter　was　one　of　absolute　

indifference；　〃who　is　he　and　where　is　it？〃　would　have　correctly　

epitomised　the　sum　total　of　general　information　on　the　personal　and　

geographical　aspects　of　the　case。



Francesca；　however；　from　the　moment　she　had　heard　of　the　likelihood　

of　the　appointment；　had　taken　a　deep　and　lively　interest　in　Sir　

Julian。　　As　a　Member　of　Parliament　he　had　not　filled　any　very　

pressing　social　want　in　her　life；　and　on　the　rare　occasions　when　

she　took　tea　on　the　Terrace　of　the　House　she　was　wont　to　lapse　into　

rapt　contemplation　of　St。　Thomas's　Hospital　whenever　she　saw　him　

within　bowing　distance。　　But　as　Governor　of　an　island　he　would；　of　

course；　want　a　private　secretary；　and　as　a　friend　and　colleague　of　

Henry　Greech；　to　whom　he　was　indebted　for　many　little　acts　of　

political　support　（they　had　once　jointly　drafted　an　amendment　which　

had　been　ruled　out　of　order）；　what　was　more　natural　and　proper　than　

that　he　should　let　his　choice　fall　on　Henry's　nephew　Comus？　　While　

privately　doubting　whether　the　boy　would　make　the　sort　of　secretary　

that　any　public　man　would　esteem　as　a　treasure；　Henry　was　

thoroughly　in　agreement　with　Francesca　as　to　the　excellence　and　

desirability　of　an　arrangement　which　would　transplant　that　

troublesome'　young　animal　from　the　too　restricted　and　conspicuous　

area　that　centres　in　the　parish　of　St。　James's　to　some　misty　corner　

of　the　British　dominion　overseas。　　Brother　and　sister　had　conspired　

to　give　an　elaborate　and　at　the　same　time　cosy　little　luncheon　to　

Sir　Julian　on　the　very　day　that　his　appointment　was　officially　

announced；　and　the　question　of　the　secretaryship　had　been　mooted　

and　sedulously　fostered　as　occasion　permitted；　until　all　that　was　

now　needed　to　clinch　the　matter　was　a　formal　interview　between　His　

Excellency　and　Comus。　　The　boy　had　from　the　first　shewn　very　little　

gratification　at　the　prospect　of　his　deportation。　　To　live　on　a　

remote　shark…girt　island；　as　he　expressed　it；　with　the　Jull　family　

as　his　chief　social　mainstay；　and　Sir　Julian's　conversation　as　a　

daily　item　of　his　existence；　did　not　inspire　him　with　the　same　

degree　of　enthusiasm　as　was　displayed　by　his　mother　and　uncle；　who；　

after　all；　were　not　making　the　experiment。　　Even　the　necessity　for　

an　entirely　new　outfit　did　not　appeal　to　his　imagination　with　the　

force　that　might　have　been　expected。　　But；　however　lukewarm　his　

adhesion　to　the　project　might　be；　Francesca　and　her　brother　were　

clearly　determined　that　no　lack　of　deft　persistence　on　their　part　

should　endanger　its　success。　　It　was　for　the　purpose　of　reminding　

Sir　Julian　of　his　promise　to　meet　Comus　at　lunch　on　the　following　

day；　and　definitely　settle　the　matter　of　the　secretaryship　that　

Francesca　was　now　enduring　the　ordeal　of　a　long　harangue　on　the　

value　of　the　West　Indian　group　as　an　Imperial　asset。　　Other　

listeners　dexterously　detached　themselves　one　by　one；　but　

Francesca's　patience　outlasted　even　Sir　Julian's　flow　of　

commonplaces；　and　her　devotion　was　duly　rewarded　by　a　renewed　

acknowledgment　of　the　lunch　engagement　and　its　purpose。　　She　pushed　

her　way　back　through　the　throng　of　starling…voiced　chatterers　

fortified　by　a　sense　of　well…earned　victory。　　Dear　Serena's　absurd　

SALONS　served　some　good　purpose　after　all。



Francesca　was　not　an　early　riser　and　her　breakfast　was　only　just　

beginning　to　mobilise　on　the　breakfast…table　next　morning　when　a　

copy　of　THE　TIMES；　sent　by　special　messenger　from　her　brother's　

house；　was　brought　up　to　her　room。　　A　heavy　margin　of　blue　

pencilling　drew　her　attention　to　a　prominently…printed　letter　which　

bore　the　ironical　heading：　〃Julian　Jull；　Proconsul。〃　　The　matter　of　

the　letter　was　a　cruel　dis…interment　of　some　fatuous　and　forgotten　

speeches　made　by　Sir　Julian　to　his　constituents　not　many　years　ago；　

in　which　the　value　of　some　of　our　Colonial　possessions；　

particularly　certain　West　Indian　islands；　was　decried　in　a　medley　

of　pomposity；　ignorance　and　amazingly　cheap　humour。　　The　extracts　

given　sounded　weak　and　foolish　enough；　taken　by　themselves；　but　the　

writer　of　the　letter　had　interlarded　them　with　comments　of　his　own；　

which　sparkled　with　an　ironical　brilliance　that　was　Cervantes…like　

in　its　polished　cruelty。　　Remembering　her　ordeal　of　the　previous　

evening　Francesca　permitted　herself　a　certain　feeling　of　amusement　

as　she　read　the　merciless　stabs　inflicted　on　the　newly…appointed　

Governor；　then　she　came　to　the　signature　at　the　foot　of　the　letter；　

and　the　laughter　died　out　of　her　eyes。　　〃Comus　Bassington〃　stared　

at　her　from　above　a　thick　layer　of　blue　pencil　lines　marked　by　

Henry　Greech's　shaking　hand。



Comus　could　no　more　have　devised　such　a　letter　than　he　could　have　

written　an　Episcopal　charge　to　the　clergy　of　any　given　diocese。　　It　

was　obviously　the　work　of　Courtenay　Youghal；　and　Comus；　for　a　

palpable　purpose　of　his　own；　had　wheedled　him　into　foregoing　for　

once　the　pride　of　authorship　in　a　clever　piece　of　political　

raillery；　and　letting　his　young　friend　stand　sponsor　instead。　　It　

was　a　daring　stroke；　and　there　could　be　no　question　as　to　its　

success；　the　secretaryship　and　the　distant　shark…girt　island　faded　

away　into　the　horizon　of　impossible　things。　　Francesca；　forgetting　

the　golden　rule　of　strategy　which　enjoins　a　careful　choosing　of　

ground　and　opportunity　before　entering　on　hostilities；　made　

straight　for　the　bathroom　door；　behind　which　a　lively　din　of　

splashing　betokened　that　Comus　had　at　least　begun　his　toilet。



〃You　wicked　boy；　what　have　you　done？〃　she　cried；　reproachfully。



〃Me　washee；〃　came　a　cheerful　shout；　〃me　washee　from　the　neck　all　

the　way　down　to　the　merrythought；　and　now　washee　down　from　the　

merrythought　to　…　〃



〃You　have　ruined　your　future。　　THE　TIMES　has　printed　that　miserable　

letter　with　your　signature。〃



A　loud　squeal　of　joy　came　from　the　bath。　　〃Oh；　Mummy！　　Let　me　see！〃



There　were　sounds　as　of　a　sprawling　dripping　body　clambering　

hastily　out　of　the　bath。　　Francesca　fled。　　One　cannot　effectively　

scold　a　moist　nineteen…year　old　boy　clad　only　in　a　bath…towel　and　a　

cloud　of　steam。



Another　messenger　arrived　before　Francesca's　breakfast　was　over。　　

This　one　brought　a　letter　from　Sir　Julian　Jull；　excusing　himself　

from　fulfilment　of　the　luncheon　engagement。







CHAPTER　IV







FRANCESCA　prided　herself　on　being　able　to　see　things　from　other　

people's　points　of　view；　which　meant；　as　it　usually　does；　that　she　

could　see　her　own　point　of　view　from　various　aspects。　　As　regards　

Comus；　whose　doings　and　non…doings　bulked　largely　in　her　thoughts　

at　the　present　moment；　she　had　mapped　out　in　her　mind　so　clearly　

what　his　outlook　in　life　ought　to　be；　that　she　was　peculiarly　

unfitted　to　understand　the　drift　of　his　feelings　or　the　impulses　

that　governed　them。　　Fate　had　endo