man of property-第30章

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Was　the　fellow　going　to　jilt　her？　　He　longed　to　go　and　say　to　him：　〃Look　here；　you　sir！　　Are　you　going　to　jilt　my　grand…　daughter？〃　　But　how　could　he？　　Knowing　little　or　nothing；　he　was　yet　certain；　with　his　unerring　astuteness；　that　there　was　something　going　on。　　He　suspected　Bosinney　of　being　too　much　at　Montpellier　Square。

'This　fellow；'　he　thought；　'may　not　be　a　scamp；　his　face　is　not　a　bad　one；　but　he's　a　queer　fish。　　I　don't　know　what　to　make　of　him。　　I　shall　never　know　what　to　make　of　him！　　They　tell　me　he　works　like　a　nigger；　but　I　see　no　good　coming　of　it。　　He's　unpractical；　he　has　no　method。　　When　he　comes　here；　he　sits　as　glum　as　a　monkey。　　If　I　ask　him　what　wine　he'll　have；　he　says：　〃Thanks；　any　wine。〃　If　I　offer　him　a　cigar；　he　smokes　it　as　if　it　were　a　twopenny　German　thing。　　I　never　see　him　looking　at　June　as　he　ought　to　look　at　her；　and　yet；　he's　not　after　her　money。　　If　she　were　to　make　a　sign；　he'd　be　off　his　bargain　to…morrow。　　But　she　won'tnot　she！　　She'll　stick　to　him！　　She's　as　obstinate　as　fateSh'ell　never　let　go！'

Sighing　deeply；　he　turned　the　paper；　in　its　columns；　perchance　he　might　find　consolation。

And　upstairs　in　her　room　June　sat　at　her　open　window；　where　the　spring　wind　came；　after　its　revel　across　the　Park；　to　cool　her　hot　cheeks　and　burn　her　heart。




CHAPTER　III

DRIVE　WITH　SWITHIN


Two　lines　of　a　certain　song　in　a　certain　famous　old　school's　songbook　run　as　follows：

'How　the　buttons　on　his　blue　frock　shone；　tra…la…la！　How　he　carolled　and　he　sang；　like　a　bird！。。。。'

Swithin　did　not　exactly　carol　and　sing　like　a　bird；　but　he　felt　almost　like　endeavouring　to　hum　a　tune；　as　he　stepped　out　of　Hyde　Park　　Mansions；　and　contemplated　his　horses　drawn　up　before　the　door。

The　afternoon　was　as　balmy　as　a　day　in　June；　and　to　complete　the　simile　of　the　old　song；　he　had　put　on　a　blue　frock…coat；　dispensing　with　an　overcoat；　after　sending　Adolf　down　three　times　to　make　sure　that　there　was　not　the　least　suspicion　of　east　in　the　wind；　and　the　frock…coat　was　buttoned　so　tightly　around　his　personable　form；　that；　if　the　buttons　did　not　shine；　they　might　pardonably　have　done　so。　　Majestic　on　the　pavement　he　fitted　on　a　pair　of　dog…skin　gloves；　with　his　large　bell…shaped　top　hat；　and　his　great　stature　and　bulk　he　looked　too　primeval　for　a　Forsyte。　His　thick　white　hair；　on　which　Adolf　had　bestowed　a　touch　of　pomatum；　exhaled　the　fragrance　of　opoponax　and　cigarsthe　celebrated　Swithin　brand；　for　which　he　paid　one　hundred　and；　forty　shillings　the　hundred；　and　of　which　old　Jolyon　had　unkindly　said；　he　wouldn't　smoke　them　as　a　gift；　they　wanted　the　stomach　of　a　horse！

〃Adolf！〃

〃Sare！〃

〃The　new　plaid　rug！

He　would　never　teach　that　fellow　to　look　smart；　and　Mrs。　Soames　he　felt　sure；　had　an　eye！

〃The　phaeton　hood　down；　I　am　goingtodrivealady！〃

A　pretty　woman　would　want　to　show　off　her　frock；　and　wellhe　was　going　to　drive　a　lady！　　It　was　like　a　new　beginning　to　the　good　old　days。

Ages　since　he　had　driven　a　woman！　　The　last　time；　if　he　remembered；　it　had　been　Juley；　the　poor　old　soul　had　been　as　nervous　as　a　cat　the　whole　time；　and　so　put　him　out　of　patience　that；　as　he　dropped　her　in　the　Bayswater　Road；　he　had　said：　〃Well　I'm　d…d　if　I　ever　drive　you　again！〃　　And　he　never　had；　not　he！

Going　up　to　his　horses'　heads；　he　examined　their　bits；　not　that　he　knew　anything　about　bitshe　didn't　pay　his　coachman　sixty　pounds　a　　year　to　do　his　work　for　him；　that　had　never　been　his　principle。　　Indeed；　his　reputation　as　a　horsey　man　rested　mainly　on　the　fact　that　once；　on　Derby　Day；　he　had　been　welshed　by　some　thimble…riggers。　　But　someone　at　the　Club；　after　seeing　him　drive　his　greys　up　to　the　doorhe　always　drove　grey　horses；　you　got　more　style　for　the　money；　some　thoughthad　called　him　'Four…　in…hand　Forsyte。'　The　name　having　reached　his　ears　through　that　fellow　Nicholas　Treffry；　old　Jolyon's　dead　partner；　the　great　driving　man　notorious　for　more　carriage　accidents　than　any　man　in　the　kingdomSwithin　had　ever　after　conceived　it　right　to　act　up　to　it。　　The　name　had　taken　his　fancy；　not　because　he　had　ever　driven　four…in…hand；　or　was　ever　likely　to；　but　because　of　something　distinguished　in　the　sound。　　Four…in…hand　Forsyte！　　Not　bad！　　Born　too　soon；　Swithin　had　missed　his　vocation。　　Coming　upon　London　twenty　years　later；　he　could　not　have　failed　to　have　become　a　stockbroker；　but　at　the　time　when　he　was　obliged　to　select；　this　great　profession　had　not　as　yet　became　the　chief　glory　of　the　upper…middle　class。　　He　had　literally　been　forced　into　land　agency。

Once　in　the　driving　seat；　with　the　reins　handed　to　him；　and　blinking　over　his　pale　old　cheeks　in　the　full　sunlight；　he　took　a　slow　look　roundAdolf　was　already　up　behind；　the　cockaded　groom　at　the　horses'　heads　stood　ready　to　let　go；　everything　was　prepared　for　the　signal；　and　Swithin　gave　it。　　The　equipage　dashed　forward；　and　before　you　could　say　Jack　Robinson；　with　a　rattle　and　flourish　drew　up　at　Soames'　door。

Irene　came　out　at　once；　and　stepped　inhe　afterward　described　it　at　Timothy's〃as　light　aserTaglioni；　no　fuss　about　it；　no　wanting　this　or　wanting　that；〃　and　above　all；　Swithin　dwelt　on　this；　staring　at　Mrs。　Septimus　in　a　way　that　disconcerted　her　a　good　deal；　〃no　silly　nervousness！〃　　To　Aunt　Hester　he　portrayed　Irene's　hat。　　〃Not　one　of　your　great　flopping　things；　sprawling　about；　and　catching　the　dust；　that　women　are　so　fond　of　nowadays；　but　a　neat　little〃he　made　a　circular　motion　of　his　hand；　〃white　veilcapital　taste。〃

〃What　was　it　made　of？〃　inquired　Aunt　Hester；　who　manifested　a　languid　but　permanent　excitement　at　any　mention　of　dress。

〃Made　of？〃　returned　Swithin；　〃now　how　should　I　know？〃

He　sank　into　silence　so　profound　that　Aunt　Hester　began　to　be　afraid　he　had　fallen　into　a　trance。　　She　did　not　try　to　rouse　him　herself；　it　not　being　her　custom。

'I　wish　somebody　would　come；'　she　thought；　'I　don't　like　the　look　of　him！'

But　suddenly　Swithin　returned　to　life。　　〃Made　of〃　he　wheezed　out　slowly；　〃what　should　it　be　made　of？〃

They　had　not　gone　four　miles　before　Swithin　received　the　impression　that　Irene　liked　driving　with　him。　　Her　face　was　so　soft　behind　that　white　veil；　and　her　dark　eyes　shone　so　in　the　spring　light；　and　whenever　he　spoke　she　raised　them　to　him　and　smiled。

On　Saturday　morning　Soames　had　found　her　at　her　writing…table　with　a　note　written　to　Swithin；　putting　him　off。　　Why　did　she　want　to　put　him　off？　he　asked。　　She　might　put　her　own　people　off　when　she　liked；　he　would　not　have　her　putting　off　his　people！

She　had　looked　at　him　intently；　had　torn　up　the　note；　and　said：　〃Very　well！〃

And　then　she　began　writing　another。　　He　took　a　casual　glance　presently；　and　saw　that　it　was　addressed　to　Bosinney。

〃What　are　you　writing　to　him　about？〃　he　asked。

Irene；　looking　at　him　again　with　that　intent　look；　said　quietly：　〃Something　he　wanted　me　to　do　for　him！〃

〃Humph！〃　said　Soames；〃Commissions！〃

〃You'll　have　your　work　cut　out　if　you　begin　that　sort　of　thing！〃　He　said　no　more。

Swithin　opened　his　eyes　at　the　mention　of　Robin　Hill；　it　was　a　long　way　for　his　horses；　and　he　always　dined　at　half…past　seven；　before　the　rush　at　the　Club　began；　the　new　chef　took　more　trouble　with　an　early　dinnera　lazy　rascal！

He　would　like　to　have　a　look　at　the　house；　however。　　A　house　appealed　to　any　Forsyte；　and　especially　to　one　who　had　been　an　auctioneer。　　After　all　he　said　the　distance　was　nothing。　　When　he　was　a　younger　man　he　had　had　rooms　at　Richmond　for　many　years；　kept　his　carriage　and　pair　there；　and　drove　them　up　and　down　to　business　every　day　of　his　life。

Four…in…hand　Forsyte　they　called　him！　　His　T…cart；　his　horses　had　been　known　from　Hyde　Park　Corner　to　the　Star　and　Garter。　　The　Duke　of　Z。。。。　　wanted　to　get　hold　of　them；　would　have　given　him　double　the　money；　but　he　had　kept　them；　know　a　good　thing　when　you　have　it；　eh？　　A　look　of　solemn　pride　came　portentously　on　his　shaven　square　old　face；　he　rolled　his　head　in　his　stand…up　collar；　like　a　turkey…cock　preening　himself。

She　was　reallya　charming　woman！　　He　enlarged　upon　her　frock　afterwards　to　Aunt　Juley；　who　held　up　her　hands　at　his　way　of　putting　it。

Fitted　her　like　a　skintight　as　a　drum；　that　was　how　he　liked　'em；　all　of　a　piece；　none　of　your　d