man of property-第31章

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Fitted　her　like　a　skintight　as　a　drum；　that　was　how　he　liked　'em；　all　of　a　piece；　none　of　your　daverdy；　scarecrow　women！　　He　gazed　at　Mrs。　Septimus　Small；　who　took　after　Jameslong　and　thin。

〃There's　style　about　her；〃　he　went　on；　〃fit　for　a　king！　　And　she's　so　quiet　with　it　too！〃

〃She　seems　to　have　made　quite　a　conquest　of　you；　any　way；〃　drawled　Aunt　Hester　from　her　corner。

Swithin　heard　extremely　well　when　anybody　attacked　him。

〃What's　that？〃　he　said。　　〃I　know　aprettywoman　when　I　see　one；　and　all　I　can　say　is；　I　don't　see　the　young　man　about　that's　fit　for　her；　but　perhapsyoudo；　come；　perhapsyou　…do！〃

〃Oh？〃　murmured　Aunt　Hester；　〃ask　Juley！〃

Long　before　they　reached　Robin　Hill；　however；　the　unaccustomed　airing　had　made　him　terribly　sleepy；　he　drove　with　his　eyes　closed；　a　life…time　of　deportment　alone　keeping　his　tall　and　bulky　form　from　falling　askew。

Bosinney；　who　was　watching；　came　out　to　meet　them；　and　all　three　entered　the　house　together；　Swithin　in　front　making　play　with　a　stout　gold…mounted　Malacca　cane；　put　into　his　hand　by　Adolf；　for　his　knees　were　feeling　the　effects　of　their　long　stay　in　the　same　position。　　He　had　assumed　his　fur　coat；　to　guard　against　the　draughts　of　the　unfinished　house。

The　staircasehe　saidwas　handsome！　the　baronial　style！　　They　would　want　some　statuary　about！　　He　came　to　a　standstill　between　the　columns　of　the　doorway　into　the　inner　court；　and　held　out　his　cane　inquiringly。

What　was　this　to　bethis　vestibule；　or　whatever　they　called　it？　But　gazing　at　the　skylight；　inspiration　came　to　him。

〃Ah！　the　billiard…room！〃

When　told　it　was　to　be　a　tiled　court　with　plants　in　the　centre；　he　turned　to　Irene：

〃Waste　this　on　plants？　　You　take　my　advice　and　have　a　billiard　table　here！〃

Irene　smiled。　　She　had　lifted　her　veil；　banding　it　like　a　nun's　coif　across　her　forehead；　and　the　smile　of　her　dark　eyes　below　this　seemed　to　Swithin　more　charming　than　ever。　　He　nodded。　　She　would　take　his　advice　he　saw。

He　had　little　to　say　of　the　drawing　or　dining…rooms；　which　he　described　as　'spacious〃；　but　fell　into　such　raptures　as　he　permitted　to　a　man　of　his　dignity；　in　the　wine…cellar；　to　which　he　descended　by　stone　steps；　Bosinney　going　first　with　a　light。

〃You'll　have　room　here；〃　he　said；　〃for　six　or　seven　hundred。　dozena　very　pooty　little　cellar！〃

Bosinney　having　expressed　the　wish　to　show　them　the　house　from　the　copse　below；　Swithin　came　to　a　stop。

〃There's　a　fine　view　from　here；〃　he　remarked；　〃you　haven't　such　a　thing　as　a　chair？〃

A　chair　was　brought　him　from　Bosinney's　tent。

〃You　go　down；〃　he　said　blandly；　〃you　two！　　I'll　sit　here　and　look　at　the　view。〃

He　sat　down　by　the　oak　tree；　in　the　sun；　square　and　upright；　with　one　hand　stretched　out；　resting　on　the　nob　of　his　cane；　the　other　planted　on　his　knee；　his　fur　coat　thrown　open；　his　hat；　roofing　with　its　flat　top　the　pale　square　of　his　face；　his　stare；　very　blank；　fixed　on　the　landscape。

He　nodded　to　them　as　they　went；　off　down　through　the　fields。　　He　was；　indeed；　not　sorry　to　be　left　thus　for　a　quiet　moment　of　reflection。　　The　air　was　balmy；　not　too　much　heat　in　the　sun；　the　prospect　a　fine　one；　a　remarka。。。。　　His　head　fell　a　little　to　one　side；　he　jerked　it　up　and　thought：　Odd！　　Heah！　　They　were　waving　to　him　from　the　bottom！　　He　put　up　his　hand；　and　moved　it　more　than　once。　　They　were　activethe　prospect　was　remar。。。。　His　head　fell　to　the　left；　he　jerked　it　up　at　once；　it　fell　to　the　right。　　It　remained　there；　he　was　asleep。

And　asleep；　a　sentinel　on　thetop　of　the　rise；　he　　appeared　to　rule　over　this　prospectremarkablelike　some　image　blocked　out　by　the　special　artist；　of　primeval　Forsytes　in　pagan　days；　to　record　the　domination　of　mind　over　matter！

And　all　the　unnumbered　generations　of　his　yeoman　ancestors；　wont　of　a　Sunday　to　stand　akimbo　surveying　their　little　plots　of　land；　their　grey　unmoving　eyes　hiding　their　instinct　with　its　hidden　roots　of　violence；　their　instinct　for　possession　to　the　exclusion　of　all　the　worldall　these　unnumbered　generations　seemed　to　sit　there　with　him　on　the　top　of　the　rise。

But　from　him；　thus　slumbering；　his　jealous　Forsyte　spirit　travelled　far；　into　God…knows…what　jungle　of　fancies；　with　those　two　young　people；　to　see　what　they　were　doing　down　there　in　the　copsein　the　copse　where　the　spring　was　running　riot　with　the　scent　of　sap　and　bursting　buds；　the　song　of　birds　innumerable；　a　carpet　of　bluebells　and　sweet　growing　things；　and　the　sun　caught　like　gold　in　the　tops　of　the　trees；　to　see　what　they　were　doing；　walking　along　there　so　close　together　on　the　path　that　was　too　narrow；　walking　along　there　so　close　that　they　were　always　touching；　to　watch　Irene's　eyes；　like　dark　thieves；　stealing　the　heart　out　of　the　spring。　　And　a　great　unseen　chaperon；　his　spirit　was　there；　stopping　with　them　to　look　at　the　little　furry　corpse　of　a　mole；　not　dead　an　hour；　with　his　mushroomand　silver　coat　untouched　by　the　rain　or　dew；　watching　over　Irene's　bent　head；　and　the　soft　look　of　her　pitying　eyes；　and　over　that　young　man's　head；　gazing　at　her　so　hard；　so　strangely。　　Walking　on　with　them；　too；　across　the　open　space　where　a　wood…cutter　had　been　at　work；　where　the　bluebells　were　trampled　down；　and　a　trunk　had　swayed　and　staggered　down　from　its　gashed　stump。　　Climbing　it　with　them；　over；　and　on　to　the　very　edge　of　the　copse；　whence　there　stretched　an　undiscovered　country；　from　far　away　in　which　came　the　sounds；　'Cuckoo…cuckoo！'

Silent；　standing　with　them　there；　and　uneasy　at　their　silence！　Very　queer；　very　strange！

Then　back　again；　as　though　guilty；　through　the　woodback　to　the　cutting；　still　silent；　amongst　the　songs　of　birds　that　never　ceased；　and　the　wild　scenthum！　what　was　itlike　that　herb　they　put　inback　to　the　log　across　the　path。。。。

And　then　unseen；　uneasy；　flapping　above　them；　trying　to　make　noises；　his　Forsyte　spirit　watched　her　balanced　on　the　log；　her　pretty　figure　swaying；　smiling　down　at　that　young　man　gazing　up　with　such　strange；　shining　eyes；　slipping　nowaah！　falling；　ooh！　　slidingdown　his　breast；　her　soft；　warm　body　clutched；　her　head　bent　back　from　his　lips；　his　kiss；　her　recoil；　his　cry：　〃You　must　knowI　love　you！〃　Must　knowindeed；　a　pretty。。。？　Love！　　Hah！

Swithin　awoke；　virtue　had　gone　out　of　him。　　He　had　a　taste　in　his　mouth。　　Where　was　he？

Damme！　　He　had　been　asleep！

He　had　dreamed　something　about　a　new　soup；　with　a　taste　of　mint　in　it。

Those　young　peoplewhere　had　they　got　to？　　His　left　leg　had　pins　and　needles。

〃Adolf！〃　　The　rascal　was　not　there；　the　rascal　was　asleep　somewhere。

He　stood　up；　tall；　square；　bulky　in　his　fur；　looking　anxiously　down　over　the　fields；　and　presently　he　saw　them　coming。

Irene　was　in　front；　that　young　fellowwhat　had　they　nicknamed　him'The　Buccaneer？'　looked　precious　hangdog　there　behind　her；　had　got　a　flea　in　his　ear；　he　shouldn't　wonder。　　Serve　him　right；　taking　her　down　all　that　way　to　look　at　the　house！　　The　proper　place　to　look　at　a　house　from　was　the　lawn。

They　saw　him。　　He　extended　his　arm；　and　moved　it　spasmodically　to　encourage　them。　　But　they　had　stopped。　　What　were　they　standing　there　for；　talkingtalking？　　They　came　on　again。　　She　had　been；　giving　him　a　rub；　he　had　not　the　least　doubt　of　it；　and　no　wonder；　over　a　house　like　thata　great　ugly　thing；　not　the　sort　of　house　be　was　accustomed　to。

He　looked　intently　at　their　faces；　with　his　pale；　immovable　stare。　　That　young　man　looked　very　queer！

〃You'll　never　make　anything　of　this！〃　he　said　tartly；　pointing　at　the　mansion；〃too　newfangled！〃

Bosinney　gazed　at　him　as　though　he　had　not　heard；　and　Swithin　afterwards　described　him　to；　Aunt　Hester　as　〃an　extravagant　sort　of　fellow　very　odd　way　of　looking　at　youa　bumpy　beggar！〃

What　gave　rise　to　this　sudden　piece　of　psychology　he　did　not　state；　possibly　Bosinney's；　prominent　forehead　and　cheekbones　and　chin；　or　something　hungry　in　his　face；　which　quarrelled　with　Swithin's　conception　of　the　calm　satiety　that　should　characterize　the　perfect　gentleman。

He　brightened　up　at　the　mention　of　tea。　　He　had　a　contempt　for　teahis　brother　Jolyon　had　been　in　tea；　made　a　lot　of　money　by　itbut　he　was　so　thirsty；　and　had　such　a　taste　in　his　mouth；　that　he　was　prepared　to　drink　anything。　　He　longed　to　inform　Irene　of　th