man of property-第68章

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；　he　would　at　once　call　Mr。　Forsyte。

Soames　then　went　into　the　box。　　His　whole　appearance　was　striking　in　its　composure。　　His　face；　just　supercilious　enough；　pale　and　clean…shaven；　with　a　little　line　between　the　eyes；　and　compressed　lips；　his　dress　in　unostentatious　order；　one　hand　neatly　gloved；　the　other　bare。　　He　answered　the　questions　put　to　him　in　a　somewhat　low；　but　distinct　voice。　　His　evidence　under　cross…　examination　savoured　of　taciturnity。

Had　he　not　used　the　expression；　〃a　free　hand〃？　　No。

〃Come；　come！〃

The　expression　he　had　used　was　'a　free　hand　in　the　terms　of　this　correspondence。'

〃Would　you　tell　the　Court　that　that　was　English？〃

〃Yes！〃

〃What　do　you　say　it　means？〃

〃What　it　says！〃

〃Are　you　prepared　to　deny　that　it　is　a　contradiction　in　terms？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃You　are　not　an　Irishman？〃

〃No。〃

〃Are　you　a　well…educated　man？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃And　yet　you　persist　in　that　statement？〃

〃Yes。〃

Throughout　this　and　much　more　cross…examination；　which　turned　again　and　again　around　the　'nice　point；'　James　sat　with　his　hand　behind　his　ear；　his　eyes　fixed　upon　his　son。

He　was　proud　of　him！　　He　could　not　but　feel　that　in　similar　circumstances　he　himself　would　have　been　tempted　to　enlarge　his　replies；　but　his　instinct　told　him　that　this　taciturnity　was　the　very　thing。　　He　sighed　with　relief；　however；　when　Soames；　slowly　turning；　and　without　any　change　of　expression；　descended　from　the　box。

When　it　came　to　the　turn　of　Bosinney's　Counsel　to　address　the　Judge；　James　redoubled　his　attention；　and　he　searched　the　Court　again　and　again　to　see　if　Bosinney　were　not　somewhere　concealed。

Young　Chankery　began　nervously；　he　was　placed　by　Bosinney's　absence　in　an　awkward　position。　　He　therefore　did　his　best　to　turn　that　absence　to　account。

He　could　not　but　fearhe　saidthat　his　client　had　met　with　an　accident。　　He　had　fully　expected　him　there　to　give　evidence；　they　had　sent　round　that　morning　both　to　Mr。　Bosinney's　office　and　to　his　rooms　（though　he　knew　they　were　one　and　the　same；　he　thought　it　was　as　well　not　to　say　so）；　but　it　was　not　known　where　he　was；　and　this　he　considered　to　be　ominous；　knowing　how　anxious　Mr。　Bosinney　had　been　to　give　his　evidence。　　He　had　not；　however；　been　instructed　to　apply　for　an　adjournment；　and　in　default　of　such　instruction　he　conceived　it　his　duty　to　go　on。　　The　plea　on　which　he　somewhat　confidently　relied；　and　which　his　client；　had　he　not　unfortunately　been　prevented　in　some　way　from　attending；　would　have　supported　by　his　evidence；　was　that　such　an　expression　as　a　'free　hand'　could　not　be　limited；　fettered；　and　rendered　unmeaning；　by　any　verbiage　which　might　follow　it。　　He　would　go　further　and　say　that　the　correspondence　showed　that　whatever　he　might　have　said　in　his　evidence；　Mr。　Forsyte　had　in　fact　never　contemplated　repudiating　liability　on　any　of　the　work　ordered　or　executed　by　his　architect。　　The　defendant　had　certainly　never　contemplated　such　a　contingency；　or；　as　was　demonstrated　by　his　letters；　he　would　never　have　proceeded　with　the　worka　work　of　extreme　delicacy；　carried　out　with　great　care　and　efficiency；　to　meet　and　satisfy　the　fastidious　taste　of　a　connoisseur；　a　rich　man；　a　man　of　property。　　He　felt　strongly　on　this　point；　and　feeling　strongly　he　used；　perhaps；　rather　strong　words　when　he　said　that　this　action　was　of　a　most　unjustifiable；　unexpected；　indeedunprecedented　character。　　If　his　Lordship　had　had　the　opportunity　that　he　himself　had　made　it　his　duty　to　take；　to　go　over　this　very　fine　house　and　see　the　great　delicacy　and　beauty　of　the　decorations　executed　by　his　clientan　artist　in　his　most　honourable　professionhe　felt　convinced　that　not　for　one　moment　would　his　Lordship　tolerate　this；　he　would　use　no　stronger　word　than；　daring　attempt　to　evade　legitimate　responsibility。

Taking　the　text　of　Soames'　letters；　he　lightly　touched　on　'Boileau　v。　The　Blasted　Cement　Company；　Limited。'　　〃It　is　doubtful；〃　he　said；　〃what　that　authority　has　decided；　in　any　case　I　would　submit　that　it　is　just　as　much　in　my　favour　as　in　my　friend's。〃　　He　then　argued　the　'nice　point'　closely。　　With　all　due　deference　he　submitted　that　Mr。　Forsyte's　expression　nullified　itself。　　His　client　not　being　a　rich　man；　the　matter　was　a　serious　one　for　him；　he　was　a　very　talented　architect；　whose　professional　reputation　was　undoubtedly　somewhat　at　stake。　He　concluded　with　a　perhaps　too　personal　appeal　to　the　Judge；　as　a　lover　of　the　arts；　to　show　himself　the　protector　of　artists；　from　what　was　occasionallyhe　said　occasionallythe　too　iron　hand　of　capital。　　〃What；〃　he　said；　〃will　be　the　position　of　the　artistic　professions；　if　men　of　property　like　this　Mr。　Forsyte　refuse；　and　are　allowed　to　refuse；　to　carry　out　the　obligations　of　the　commissions　which　they　have　given。〃　　He　would　now　call　his　client；　in　case　he　should　at　the　last　moment　have　found　himself　able　to　be　present。

The　name　Philip　Baynes　Bosinney　was　called　three　times　by　the　Ushers；　and　the　sound　of　the　calling　echoed　with　strange　melancholy　throughout　the　Court　and　Galleries。

The　crying　of　this　name；　to　which　no　answer　was　returned；　had　upon　James　a　curious　effect：　it　was　like　calling　for　your　lost　dog　about　the　streets。　　And　the　creepy　feeling　that　it　gave　him；　of　a　man　missing；　grated　on　his　sense　of　comfort　and　security…on　his　cosiness。　　Though　he　could　not　have　said　why；　it　made　him　feel　uneasy。

He　looked　now　at　the　clocka　quarter　to　three！　　It　would　be　all　over　in　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　Where　could　the　young　fellow　be？

It　was　only　when　Mr。　Justice　Bentham　delivered　judgment　that　he　got　over　the　turn　he　had　received。

Behind　the　wooden　erection；　by　which　he　was　fenced　from　more　ordinary　mortals；　the　learned　Judge　leaned　forward。　　The　electric　light；　just　turned　on　above　his　head；　fell　on　his　face；　and　mellowed　it　to　an　orange　hue　beneath　the　snowy　crown　of　his　wig；　the　amplitude　of　his　robes　grew　before　the　eye；　his　whole　figure；　facing　the　comparative　dusk　of　the　Court；　radiated　like　some　majestic　and　sacred　body。　　He　cleared　his　throat；　took　a　sip　of　water；　broke　the　nib　of　a　quill　against　the　desk；　and；　folding　his　bony　hands　before　him；　began。

To　James　he　suddenly　loomed　much　larger　than　he　had　ever　thought　Bentham　would　loom。　　It　was　the　majesty　of　the　law；　and　a　person　endowed　with　a　nature　far　less　matter…of…fact　than　that　of　James　might　have　been　excused　for　failing　to　pierce　this　halo；　and　disinter　therefrom　the　somewhat　ordinary　Forsyte；　who　walked　and　talked　in　every…day　life　under　the　name　of　Sir　Walter　Bentham。

He　delivered　judgment　in　the　following　words：

〃The　facts　in　this　case　are　not　in　dispute。　　On　May　15　last　the　defendant　wrote　to　the　plaintiff；　requesting　to　be　allowed　to　withdraw　from　his　professional　position　in　regard　to　the　decoration　of　the　plaintiff's　house；　unless　he　were　given　'a　free　hand。'　　The　plaintiff；　on　May　17；　wrote　back　as　follows：　'In　giving　you；　in　accordance　with　your　request；　this　free　hand；　I　wish　you　to　clearly　understand　that　the　total　cost　of　the　house　as　handed　over　to　me　completely　decorated；　inclusive　of　your　fee　（as　arranged　between　us）　must　not　exceed　twelve　thousand　pounds。'　To　this　letter　the　defendant　replied　on　May　18：　'If　you　think

that　in　such　a　delicate　matter　as　decoration　I　can　bind　myself　to　the　exact　pound；　I　am　afraid　you　are　mistaken。'　　On　May　19　the　plaintiff　wrote　as　follows：　'I　did　not　mean　to　say　that　if　you　should　exceed　the　sum　named　in　my　letter　to　you　by　ten　or　twenty　or　even　fifty　pounds　there　would　be　any　difficulty　between　us。　You　have　a　free　hand　in　the　terms　of　this　correspondence；　and　I　hope　you　will　see　your　way　to　completing　the　decorations。'　　On　May　20　the　defendant　replied　thus　shortly：　'Very　well。'

〃In　completing　these　decorations；　the　defendant　incurred　liabilities　and　expenses　which　brought　the　total　cost　of　this　house　up　to　the　sum　of　twelve　thousand　four　hundred　pounds；　all　of　which　expenditure　has　been　defrayed　by　the　plaintiff。　　This　action　has　been　brought　by　the　plaintiff　to　recover　from　the　defendant　the　sum　of　three　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　expended　by　him　in　excess　of　a　sum　of　twelve　thousand　and　fifty　pounds；　alleged　by　the　plaintiff　to　have　been　fixed　by　this　correspondence　as　the　maximum　sum　that　the　defendan