man of property-第5章

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　slip　beyond　her　keeping。

〃Very　nice　for　the　young　man；〃　she　said；　〃and　he's　a　good…looking　young　fellow；　but　I　doubt　if　he's　quite　the　right　lover　for　dear　June。〃

Soames　touched　the　edge　of　a　gold…lacquered　lustre。

〃She'll　tame　him；〃　he　said；　stealthily　wetting　his　finger　and　rubbing　it　on　the　knobby　bulbs。　　〃That's　genuine　old　lacquer；　you　can't　get　it　nowadays。　　It'd　do　well　in　a　sale　at　Jobson's。〃　He　spoke　with　relish；　as　though　he　felt　that　he　was　cheering　up　his　old　aunt。　　It　was　seldom　he　was　so　confidential。　　〃I　wouldn't　mind　having　it　myself；〃　he　added；　〃you　can　always　get　your　price　for　old　lacquer。〃

〃You're　so　clever　with　all　those　things；〃　said　Aunt　Ann。　　〃And　how　is　dear　Irene？〃

Soames's　smile　died。

〃Pretty　well；〃　he　said。　　〃Complains　she　can't　sleep；　she　sleeps　a　great　deal　better　than　I　do；〃　and　he　looked　at　his　wife；　who　was　talking　to　Bosinney　by　the　door。

Aunt　Ann　sighed。

〃Perhaps；〃　she　said；　〃it　will　be　just　as　well　for　her　not　to　see　so　much　of　June。　　She's　such　a　decided　character；　dear　June！〃

Soames　flushed；　his　flushes　passed　rapidly　over　his　flat　cheeks　and　centered　between　his　eyes；　where　they　remained；　the　stamp　of　disturbing　thoughts。

〃I　don't　know　what　she　sees　in　that　little　flibbertigibbet；〃　he　burst　out；　but　noticing　that　they　were　no　longer　alone；　he　turned　and　again　began　examining　the　lustre。

〃They　tell　me　Jolyon's　bought　another　house；〃　said　his　father's　voice　close　by；　〃he　must　have　a　lot　of　moneyhe　must　have　more　money　than　he　knows　what　to　do　with！　　Montpellier　Square；　they　say；　close　to　Soames！　　They　never　told　me；　Irene　never　tells　me　anything！〃

〃Capital　position；　not　two　minutes　from　me；〃　said　the　voice　of　Swithin；　〃and　from　my　rooms　I　can　drive　to　the　Club　in　eight。〃

The　position　of　their　houses　was　of　vital　importance　to　the　Forsytes；　nor　was　this　remarkable；　since　the　whole　spirit　of　their　success　was　embodied　therein。

Their　father；　of　farming　stock；　had　come　from　Dorsetshire　near　the　beginning　of　the　century。

'Superior　Dosset　Forsyte；　as　he　was　called　by　his　intimates；　had　been　a　stonemason　by　trade；　and　risen　to　the　position　of　a　master…builder。

Towards　the　end　of　his　life　he　moved　to　London；　where；　building　on　until　he　died；　he　was　buried　at　Highgate。　　He　left　over　thirty　thousand　pounds　between　his　ten　children。　　Old　Jolyon　alluded　to　him；　if　at　all；　as　'A　hard；　thick　sort　of　man；　not　much　refinement　about　him。'　The　second　generation　of　Forsytes　felt　indeed　that；　he　was　not　greatly　to　their　credit。　　The　only　aristocratic　trait　they　could　find　in　his　character　was　a　habit　of　drinking　Madeira。

Aunt　Hester；　an　authority　on　family　history；　described　him　thus：　〃I　don't　recollect　that　he　ever　did　anything；　at　least；　not　in　my　time。　　He　was　　eran　owner　of　houses；　my　dear。　　His　hair　about　your　Uncle　Swithin's　colour；　rather　a　square　build。　　Tall？　　No　not　very　tall〃　（he　had　been　five　feet；　five；　with　a　mottled　face）；　〃a　fresh…coloured　man。　　I　remember　he　used　to　drink　Madeira；　but　ask　your　Aunt　Ann。　　What　was　his　father？　　Heer　had　to　do　with　the　land　down　in　Dorsetshire；　by　the　sea。〃

James　once　went　down　to　see　for　himself　what　sort　of　place　this　was　that　they　had　come　from。　　He　found　two　old　farms；　with　a　cart　track　rutted　into　the　pink　earth；　leading　down　to　a　mill　by　the　beach；　a　little　grey　church　with　a　buttressed　outer　wall；　and　a　smaller　and　greyer　chapel。　　The　stream　which　worked　the　mill　came　bubbling　down　in　a　dozen　rivulets；　and　pigs　were　hunting　round　that　estuary。　　A　haze　hovered　over　the　prospect。　　Down　this　hollow；　with　their　feet　deep　in　the　mud　and　their　faces　towards　the　sea；　it　appeared　that　the　primeval　Forsytes　had　been　content　to　walk　Sunday　after　Sunday　for　hundreds　of　years。

Whether　or　no　James　had　cherished　hopes　of　an　inheritance；　or　of　something　rather　distinguished　to　be　found　down　there；　he　came　back　to　town　in　a　poor　way；　and　went　about　with　a　pathetic　attempt　at　making　the　best　of　a　bad　job。

〃There's　very　little　to　be　had　out　of　that；〃　he　said；　〃regular　country　little　place；　old　as　the　hills。。。。〃

Its　age　was　felt　to　be　a　comfort。　　Old　Jolyon；　in　whom　a　desperate　honesty　welled　up　at　times；　would　allude　to　his　ancestors　as：　〃YeomenI　suppose　very　small　beer。〃　　Yet　he　would　repeat　the　word　'yeomen'　as　if　it　afforded　him　consolation。

They　had　all　done　so　well　for　themselves；　these　Forsytes；　that　they　were　all　what　is　called　'of　a　certain　position。'　They　had　shares　in　all　sorts　of　things；　not　as　yetwith　the　exception　of　Timothyin　consols；　for　they　had　no　dread　in　life　like　that　of　3　per　cent。　for　their　money。　　They　collected　pictures；　too；　and　were　supporters　of　such　charitable　　institutions　as　might　be　beneficial　to　their　sick　domestics。　　From　their　father；　the　builder；　they　inherited　a　talent　for　bricks　and　mortar。　Originally；　perhaps；　members　of　some　primitive　sect；　they　were　now　in　the　natural　course　of　things　members　of　the　Church　of　England；　and　caused　their　wives　and　children　to　attend　with　some　regularity　the　more　fashionable　churches　of　the　Metropolis。　　To　have　doubted　their　Christianity　would　have　caused　them　both　pain　and　surprise。　　Some　of　them　paid　for　pews；　thus　expressing　in　the　most　practical　form　their　sympathy　with　the　teachings　of　Christ。

Their　residences；　placed　at　stated　intervals　round　the　park；　watched　like　sentinels；　lest　the　fair　heart　of　this　London；　where　their　desires　were　fixed；　should　slip　from　their　clutches；　and　leave　them　lower　in　their　own　estimations。

There　was　old　Jolyon　in　Stanhope　Place；　the　Jameses　in　Park　Lane；　Swithin　in　the　lonely　glory　of　orange　and　blue　chambers　in　Hyde　Park　Mansionshe　had　never　married；　not　hethe　Soamses　in　their　nest　off　Knightsbridge；　the　Rogers　in　Prince's　Gardens　（Roger　was　that　remarkable　Forsyte　who　had　conceived　and　carried　out　the　notion　of　bringing　up　his　four　sons　to　a　new　profession。

〃Collect　house　property；　nothing　like　it；〃　he　would　say；　〃I　never　did　anything　else〃）。

The　Haymans　againMrs。　Hayman　was　the　one　married　Forsyte　sisterin　a　house　high　up　on　Campden　Hill；　shaped　like　a　giraffe；　and　so　tall　that　it　gave　the　observer　a　crick　in　the　neck；　the　Nicholases　in　Ladbroke　Grove；　a　spacious　abode　and　a　great　bargain；　and　last；　but　not　least；　Timothy's　on　the　Bayswater　Road；　where　Ann；　and　Juley；　and　Hester；　lived　under　his　protection。

But　all　this　time　James　was　musing；　and　now　he　inquired　of　his　host　and　brother　what　he　had　given　for　that　house　in　Montpellier　Square。　　He　himself　had　had　his　eye　on　a　house　there　for　the　last　two　years；　but　they　wanted　such　a　price。

Old　Jolyon　recounted　the　details　of　his　purchase。

〃Twenty…two　years　to　run？〃　repeated　James；　〃The　very　house　I　was　afteryou've　given　too　much　for　it！〃

Old　Jolyon　frowned。

〃It's　not　that　I　want　it；〃　said　James　hastily；　it　wouldn't　suit　my　purpose　at　that　price。　　Soames　knows　the　house；　wellhe'll　tell　you　it's　too　dearhis　opinion's　worth　having。〃

〃I　don't；〃　said　old　Jolyon；　〃care　a　fig　for　his　opinion。〃

〃Well；〃　murmured　James；　〃you　will　have　your　own　wayit's　a　good　opinion。　　Good…bye！　　We're　going　to　drive　down　to　Hurlingham。　They　tell　me　June's　going　to　Wales。　　You'll　be　lonely　tomorrow。　What'll　you　do　with　yourself？　　You'd　better　come　and　dine　with　us！〃

Old　Jolyon　refused。　　He　went　down　to　the　front　door　and　saw　them　into　their　barouche；　and　twinkled　at　them；　having　already　forgotten　his　spleenMrs。　James　facing　the　horses；　tall　and　majestic　with　auburn　hair；　on　her　left；　Irenethe　two　husbands；　father　and　son；　sitting　forward；　as　though　they　expected　something；　opposite　their　wives。　　Bobbing　and　bounding　upon　the

spring　cushions；　silent；　swaying　to　each　motion　of　their　chariot；　old　Jolyon　watched　them　drive　away　under　the　sunlight。

During　the　drive　the　silence　was　broken　by　Mrs。　James。

〃Did　you　ever　see　such　a　collection　of　rumty…too　people？〃

Soames；　glancing　at　her　beneath　his　eyelids；　nodded；　and　he　saw　Irene　steal　at　him　one　of　her　unfathomable　looks。　　It　is　likely　enough　that　each　branch　of　the　Forsyte　family　made　that　remark　as　they　drove　away　from　old　Jolyon's　'At　Home！'

Amongst　the　last　of　the　departing　guests　the　fourth　and　fifth　brothers；　Nicholas　and　Roger；　walked　away　together；　directing　their　steps　alongside　Hyde