man of property-第46章

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an；　it　eludes　him；　slips　away；　as　the　glow　of　the　wine　he　has　drunk　is　slipping　away；　leaving　him　cross；　and　conscious　of　his　liver。　　He　feels　that　he　has　been　extravagant；　prodigal　of　something；　virtue　has　gone　out　of　him。　He　did　not　desire　this　glimpse　of　what　lay　under　the　three　stars　of　his　catalogue。　　God　forbid　that　he　should　know　anything　about　the　forces　of　Nature！　　God　forbid　that　he　should　admit　for　a　moment　that　there　are　such　things！　　Once　admit　that；　and　where　was　he？　　One　paid　a　shilling　for　entrance；　and　another　for　the　programme。

The　look　which　June　had　seen；　which　other　Forsytes　had　seen；　was　like　the　sudden　flashing　of　a　candle　through　a　hole　in　some　imaginary　canvas；　behind　which　it　was　being　movedthe　sudden　flaming…out　of　a　vague；　erratic　glow；　shadowy　and　enticing。　　It　brought　home　to　onlookers　the　consciousness　that　dangerous　forces　were　at　work。　　For　a　moment　they　noticed　it　with　pleasure；　with　interest；　then　felt　they　must　not　notice　it　at　all。

It　supplied；　however；　the　reason　of　June's　coming　so　late　and　disappearing　again　without　dancing；　without　even　shaking　hands　with　her　lover。　　She　was　ill；　it　was　said；　and　no　wonder。

But　here　they　looked　at　each　other　guiltily。　　They　had　no　desire　to　spread　scandal；　no　desire　to　be　ill…natured。　　Who　would　have？　And　to　outsiders　no　word　was　breathed；　unwritten　law　keeping　them　silent。

Then　came　the　news　that　June　had　gone　to　the　seaside　with　old　Jolyon。

He　had　carried　her　off　to　Broadstairs；　for　which　place　there　was　just　then　a　feeling；　Yarmouth　having　lost　caste；　in　spite　of　Nicholas；　and　no　Forsyte　going　to　the　sea　without　intending　to　have　an　air　for　his　money　such　as　would　render　him　bilious　in　a　week。　　That　fatally　aristocratic　tendency　of　the　first　Forsyte　to　drink　Madeira　had　left　his　descendants　undoubtedly　accessible。

So　June　went　to　the　sea。　　The　family　awaited　developments；　there　was　nothing　else　to　do。

But　how　farhow　far　had　'those　two'　gone？　　How　far　were　they　going　to　go？　　Could　they　really　be　going　at　all？　　Nothing　could　surely　come　of　it；　for　neither　of　them　had　any　money。　　At　the　most　a　flirtation；　ending；　as　all　such　attachments　should；　at　the　proper　time。

Soames'　sister；　Winifred　Dartie；　who　had　imbibed　with　the　breezes　of　Mayfairshe　lived　in　Green　Streetmore　fashionable　principles　in　regard　to　matrimonial　behaviour　than　were　current；　for　instance；　in　Ladbroke　Grove；　laughed　at　the　idea　of　there　being　anything　in　it。　　The　'little　thing'Irene　was　taller　than　herself；　and　it　was　real　testimony　to　the　solid　worth　of　a　Forsyte　that　she　should　always　thus　be　a　'little　thing'the　little　thing　was　bored。　　Why　shouldn't　she　amuse　herself？　　Soames　was　rather　tiring；　and　as　to　Mr。　Bosinneyonly　that　buffoon　George　would　have　called　him　the　Buccaneershe　maintained　that　he　was　very　chic。

This　dictumthat　Bosinney　was　chiccaused　quit　a　sensation。　　It　failed　to　convince。　　That　he　was　'good…looking　in　a　way'　they　were　prepared　to　admit；　but　that　anyone　could　call　a　man　with　his　pronounced　cheekbones；　curious　eyes；　arid　soft　felt　hats　chic　was　only　another　instance　of　Winifred's　extravagant　way　of　running　after　something　new。

It　was　that　famous　summer　when　extravagance　was　fashionable；　when　the　very　earth　was　extravagant；　chestnut…trees　spread　with　blossom；　and　flowers　drenched　in　perfume；　as　they　had　never　been　before；　when　roses　blew　in　every　garden；　and　for　the　swarming　stars　the　nights　had　hardly　space；　when　every　day　and　all　day　long　the　sun；　in　full　armour；　swung　his　brazen　shield　above　the　Park；　and　people　did　strange　things；　lunching　and　dining　in　the　open　air。　　Unprecedented　was　the　tale　of　cabs　and　carriages　that　streamed　across　the　bridges　of　the　shining　river；　bearing　the　upper…middle　class　in　thousands　to　the　green　glories　of　Bushey；　Richmond；　Kew；　and　Hampton　Court。　　Almost　every　family　with　any　pretensions　to　be　of　the　carriage…class　paid　one　visit　that　year　to　the　horse…chestnuts　at　Bushey；　or　took　one　drive　amongst　the　Spanish　chestnuts　of　Richmond　Park。　　Bowling　smoothly；　if　dustily；　along；　in　a　cloud　of　their　own　creation；　they　would　stare　fashionably　at　the　antlered　heads　which　the　great　slow　deer　raised　out　of　a　forest　of　bracken　that　promised　to　autumn　lovers　such　cover　as　was　never　seen　before。　　And　now　and　again；　as　the　amorous　perfume　of　chestnut　flowers　and　of　fern　was　drifted　too　near；　one　would　say　to　the　other：　〃My　dear！　　What　a　peculiar　scent！〃

And　the　lime…flowers　that　year　were　of　rare　prime；　near　honey…coloured。　　At　the　corners　of　London　squares　they　gave　out；　as　the　sun　went　down；　a　perfume　sweeter　than　the　honey　bees　had　takena　perfume　that　stirred　a　yearning　unnamable　in　the　hearts　of　Forsytes　and　their　peers；　taking　the　cool　after　dinner　in　the　precincts　of　those　gardens　to　which　they　alone　had　keys。

And　that　yearning　made　them　linger　amidst　the　dim　shapes　of　flower…beds　in　the　failing　daylight；　made　them　turn；　and　turn；　and　turn　again；　as　though　lovers　were　waiting　for　themwaiting　for　the　last　light　to　die　away　under　the　shadow　of　the　branches。

Some　vague　sympathy　evoked　by　the　scent　of　the　limes；　some　sisterly　desire　to　see　for　herself；　some　idea　of　demonstrating　the　soundness　of　her　dictum　that　there　was　'nothing　in　it'；　or　merely　the　craving　to　drive　down　to　Richmond；　irresistible　that　summer；　moved　the　mother　of　the　little　Darties　（of　little

Publius；　of　Imogen；　Maud；　and　Benedict）　to　write　the　following　note　to　her　sister…in…law：


'DEAR　IRENE；　'June　30。

'I　hear　that　Soames　is　going　to　Henley　tomorrow　for　the　night。　　I　thought　it　would　be　great　fun　if　we　made　up　a　little　party　and　drove　down　to；　Richmond。　　Will　you　ask　Mr。　Bosinney；　and　I　will　get　young　Flippard。

'Emily　（they　called　their　mother　Emilyit　was　so　chic）　will　lend　us　the　carriage。　　I　will　call　for　you　and　your　young　man　at　seven　o'clock。

'Your　affectionate　sister；

'WINIFRED　DARTIE。

'Montague　believes　the　dinner　at　the　Crown　and　Sceptre　to　be　quite　eatable。'


Montague　was　Dartie's　second　and　better　known　namehis　first　being　Moses；　for　he　was　nothing　if　not　a　man　of　the　world。

Her　plan　met　with　more　opposition　from　Providence　than　so　benevolent　a　scheme　deserved。　　In　the　first　place　young　Flippard　wrote：


'DEAR　Mrs。　DARTIE；

'Awfully　sorry。　　Engaged　two　deep。

'Yours；

'AUGUSTUS　FLIPPARD。'


It　was　late　to　send　into　the　byeways　and　hedges　to　remedy　this　misfortune。　　With　the　promptitude　and　conduct　of　a　mother；　Winifred　fell　back　on　her　husband。　　She　had；　indeed；　the　decided　but　tolerant　temperament　that　goes　with　a　good　deal　of　profile；　fair　hair；　and　greenish　eyes。　　She　was　seldom　or　never　at　a　loss；　or　if　at　a　loss；　was　always　able　to　convert　it　into　a　gain。

Dartie；　too；　was　in　good　feather。　　Erotic　had　failed　to　win　the　Lancashire　Cup。　　Indeed；　that　celebrated　animal；　owned　as　he　was　by　a　pillar　of　the　turf；　who　had　secretly　laid　many　thousands　against　him；　had　not　even　started。　　The　forty…eight　hours　that　followed　his　scratching　were　among　the　darkest　in　Dartie's　life。

Visions　of　James　haunted　him　day　and　night。　　Black　thoughts　about　Soames　mingled　with　the　faintest　hopes。　　On　the　Friday　night　he　got　drunk；　so　greatly　was　he　affected。　　But　on　Saturday　morning　the　true　Stock　Exchange　instinct　triumphed　within　him。　　Owing　some　hundreds；　which　by　no　possibility　could　he　pay；　he　went　into　town　and　put　them　all　on　Concertina　for　the　Saltown　Borough　Handicap。

As　he　said　to　Major　Scrotton；　with　whom　he　lunched　at　the　Iseeum：　〃That　little　Jew　boy；　Nathans；　had　given　him　the　tip。　　He　didn't　care　a　cursh。　　He　wash　ina　mucker。　　If　it　didn't　come　upwell　then；　damme；　the　old　man　would　have　to　pay！〃

A　bottle　of　Pol　Roger　to　his　own　cheek　had　given　him　a　new　contempt　for　James。

It　came　up。　　Concertina　was　squeezed　home　by　her　necka　terrible　squeak！　　But；　as　Dartie　said：　There　was　nothing　like　pluck！

He　was　by　no　means　averse　to　the　expedition　to　Richmond。　　He　would　'stand'　it　himself！　　He　cherished　an　admiration　for　Irene；　and　wished　to　be　on　more　playful　terms　with　her。

At　half…past　five　the　Park　Lane　footman　came　round　to　say：　Mrs。　Forsyte　was　very　sorry；　but　one　of　the　horses　was　coughing！

Undaunted　by　this　further　blow；　Winifred　at　once　despatched　little　Publius　（now　aged　s