man of property-第60章

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It　was　not　a　subject　which　the　Forsytes　could　talk　about　even　among　themselvesto　use　the　word　Soames　had　invented　to　characterize　to　himself　the　situation；　it　was　'subterranean。'

Yet；　within　a　week　of　Mrs。　MacAnder's　encounter　in　Richmond　Park；　to　all　of　themsave　Timothy；　from　whom　it　was　carefully　keptto　James　on　his　domestic　beat　from　the　Poultry　to　Park　Lane；　to　George　the　wild　one；　on　his　daily　adventure　from　the　bow　window　at　the　Haversnake　to　the　billiard　room　at　the　'Red　Pottle；'　was　it　known　that　'those　two'　had　gone　to　extremes。

George　（it　was　he　who　invented　many　of　those　striking　expressions　still　current　in　fashionable　circles）　voiced　the　sentiment　more　accurately　than　any　one　when　he　said　to　his　brother　Eustace　that　'the　Buccaneer'　was　'going　it'；　he　expected　Soames　was　about　'fed　up。'

It　was　felt　that　he　must　be；　and　yet；　what　could　be　done？　　He　ought　perhaps　to　take　steps；　but　to　take　steps　would　be　deplorable。

Without　an　open　scandal　which　they　could　not　see　their　way　to　recommending；　it　was　difficult　to　see　what　steps　could　be　taken。　In　this　impasse；　the　only　thing　was　to　say　nothing　to　Soames；　and　nothing　to　each　other；　in　fact；　to　pass　it　over。

By　displaying　towards　Irene　a　dignified　coldness；　some　impression　might　be　made　upon　her；　but　she　was　seldom　now　to　be　seen；　and　there　seemed　a　slight　difficulty　in　seeking　her　out　on　purpose　to　show　her　coldness。　　Sometimes　in　the　privacy　of　his　bedroom　James　would　reveal　to　Emily　the　real　suffering　that　his　son's　misfortune　caused　him。

〃I　can't　tell；〃　he　would　say；　〃it　worries　me　out　of　my　life。　There'll　be　a　scandal；　and　that'll　do　him　no　good。　　I　shan't　say　anything　to　him。　　There　might　be　nothing　in　it。　　What　do　you　think？　　She's　very　artistic；　they　tell　me。　　What？　　Oh；　you're　a　'regular　Juley！　　Well；　I　don't　know；　I　expect　the　worst。　　This　is　what　comes　of　having　no　children。　　I　knew　how　it　would　be　from　the　first。　　They　never　told　me　they　didn't　mean　to　have　any　childrennobody　tells　me　anything！〃

On　his　knees　by　the　side　of　the　bed；　his　eyes　open　and　fixed　with　worry；　he　would　breathe　into　the　counterpane。　　Clad　in　his　nightshirt；　his　neck　poked　forward；　his　back　rounded；　he　resembled　some　long　white　bird。

〃Our　Father…；〃　he　repeated；　turning　over　and　over　again　the　thought　of　this　possible　scandal。

Like　old　Jolyon；　he；　too；　at　the　bottom　of　his　heart　set　the　blame　of　the　tragedy　down　to　family　interference。　　What　business　had　that　lothe　began　to　think　of　the　Stanhope　Gate　branch；　including　young　Jolyon　and　his　daughter；　as　'that　lot'to　introduce　a　person　like　this　Bosinney　into　the　family？　　（He　had　heard　George's　soubriquet；　'The　Buccaneer；'　but　he　could　make　nothing　of　thatthe　young　man　was　an　architect。）

He　began　to　feel　that　his　brother　Jolyon；　to　whom　he　had　always　looked　up　and　on　whose　opinion　he　had　relied；　was　not　quite　what　he　had　expected。

Not　having　his　eldest　brother's　force　of　character；　he　was　more　sad　than　angry。　　His　great　comfort　was　to　go　to　Winifred's；　and　take　the　little　Darties　in　his　carriage　over　to　Kensington　Gardens；　and　there；　by　the　Round　Pond；　he　could　often　be　seen　walking　with　his　eyes　fixed　anxiously　on　little　Publius　Dartie's　sailing…boat；　which　he　had　himself　freighted　with　a　penny；　as　though　convinced　that　it　would　never　again　come　to　shore；　while　little　Publiuswho；　James　delighted　to　say；　was　not　a　bit　like　his　father　skipping　along　under　his　lee；　would　try　to　get　him　to　bet　another　that　it　never　would；　having　found　that　it　always　did。　And　James　would　make　the　bet；　he　always　paidsometimes　as　many　as　three　or　four　pennies　in　the　afternoon；　for　the　game　seemed　never　to　pall　on　little　Publiusand　always　in　paying　he　said：　〃Now；　that's　for　your　money…box。　　Why；　you're　getting　quite　a　rich　man！〃　　The　thought　of　his　little　grandson's　growing　wealth　was　a　real　pleasure　to　him。　　But　little　Publius　knew　a　sweet…shop；　and　a　trick　worth　two　of　that。

And　they　would　walk　home　across　the　Park；　James'　figure；　with　high　shoulders　and　absorbed　and　worried　face；　exercising　its　tall；　lean　protectorship；　pathetically　unregarded；　over　the　robust　child…figures　of　Imogen　and　little　Publius。

But　those　Gardens　and　that　Park　were　not　sacred　to　James。　Forsytes　and　tramps；　children　and　lovers；　rested　and　wandered　day　after　day；　night　after　night；　seeking　one　and　all　some　freedom　from　labour；　from　the　reek　and　turmoil　of　the　streets。

The　leaves　browned　slowly；　lingering　with　the　sun　and　summer…like　warmth　of　the　nights。

On　Saturday；　October　5；　the　sky　that　had　been　blue　all　day　deepened　after　sunset　to　the　bloom　of　purple　grapes。　　There　was　no　moon；　and　a　clear　dark；　like　some　velvety　garment；　was　wrapped　around　the　trees；　whose　thinned　branches；　resembling　plumes；　stirred　not　in　the　still；　warm　air。　　All　London　had　poured　into　the　Park；　draining　the　cup　of　summer　to　its　dregs。

Couple　after　couple；　from　every　gate；　they　streamed　along　the　paths　and　over　the　burnt　grass；　and　one　after　another；　silently　out　of　the　lighted　spaces；　stole　into　the　shelter　of　the　feathery　trees；　where；　blotted　against　some　trunk；　or　under　the　shadow　of　shrubs；　they　were　lost　to　all　but　themselves　in　the　heart　of　the　soft　darkness。

To　fresh…comers　along　the　paths；　these　forerunners　formed　but　part　of　that　passionate　dusk；　whence　only　a　strange　murmur；　like　the　confused　beating　of　hearts；　came　forth。　　But　when　that　murmur　reached　each　couple　in　the　lamp…light　their　voices　wavered；　and　ceased；　their　arms　enlaced；　their　eyes　began　seeking；　searching；　probing　the　blackness。　　Suddenly；　as　though　drawn　by　invisible　hands；　they；　too；　stepped　over　the　railing；　and；　silent　as　shadows；　were　gone　from　the　light。

The　stillness；　enclosed　in　the　far；　inexorable　roar　of　the　town；　was　alive　with　the　myriad　passions；　hopes；　and　loves　of　multitudes　of　struggling　human　atoms；　for　in　spite　of　the　disapproval　of　that　great　body　of　Forsytes；　the　Municipal　Councilto　whom　Love　had　long　been　considered；　next　to　the　Sewage　Question；　the　gravest　danger　to　the　communitya　process　was　going　on　that　night　in　the　Park；　and　in　a　hundred　other　parks；　without　which　the　thousand　factories；　churches；　shops；　taxes；　and　drains；　of　which　they　were　custodians；　were　as　arteries　without　blood；　a　man　without　a　heart。

The　instincts　of　self…forgetfulness；　of　passion；　and　of　love；　hiding　under　the　trees；　away　from　the　trustees　of　their　remorseless　enemy；　the　'sense　of　property；'　were　holding　a　stealthy　revel；　and　Soames；　returning　from　Bayswater　for　he　had　been　alone　to　dine　at　Timothy's　walking　home　along　the　water；　with　his　mind　upon　that　coming　lawsuit；　had　the　blood　driven　from　his　heart　by　a　low　laugh　and　the　sound　of　kisses。　　He　thought　of　writing　to　the　Times　the　next　morning；　to　draw　the　attention　of　the　Editor　to　the　condition　of　our　parks。　　He　did　not；　however；　for　he　had　a　horror　of　seeing　his　name　in　print。

But　starved　as　he　was；　the　whispered　sounds　in　the　stillness；　the　half…seen　forms　in　the　dark；　acted　on　him　like　some　morbid　stimulant。　　He　left　the　path　along　the　water　and　stole　under　the　trees；　along　the　deep　shadow　of　little　plantations；　where　the　boughs　of　chestnut　trees　hung　their　great　leaves　low；　and　there　was　blacker　refuge；　shaping　his　course　in　circles　which　had　for　their　object　a　stealthy　inspection　of　chairs　side　by　side；　against　tree…trunks；　of　enlaced　lovers；　who　stirred　at　his　approach。

Now　he　stood　still　on　the　rise　overlooking　the　Serpentine；　where；　in　full　lamp…light；　black　against　the　silver　water；　sat　a　couple　who　never　moved；　the　woman's　face　buried　on　the　man's　necka　single　form；　like　a　carved　emblem　of　passion；　silent　and　unashamed。

And；　stung　by　the　sight；　Soames　hurried　on　deeper　into　the　shadow　of　the　trees。

In　this　search；　who　knows　what　he　thought　and　what　he　sought？　Bread　for　hungerlight　in　darkness？　　Who　knows　what　he　expected　to　findimpersonal　knowledge　of　the　human　heartthe　end　of　his　private　subterranean　tragedyfor；　again；　who　knew；　but　that　each　dark　couple；　unnamed；　unnameable；　might　not　be　he　and　she？

But　it　could　not　be　such　knowledge　as　this　that　he　was　seeking　the　wife　of　Soames　Forsyte　sitting　in　the　Park　like　a　common　wench！　　Such　thoughts　were　inconceivable；　and　from　tree　to　tree；　with　his　noiseless　step