man of property-第69章

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eged　by　the　plaintiff　to　have　been　fixed　by　this　correspondence　as　the　maximum　sum　that　the　defendant　had　authority　to　expend。

〃The　question　for　me　to　decide　is　whether　or　no　the　defendant　is　liable　to　refund　to　the　plaintiff　this　sum。　　In　my　judgment　he　is　so　liable。

〃What　in　effect　the　plaintiff　has　said　is　this　'I　give　you　a　free　hand　to　complete　these　decorations；　provided　that　you　keep　within　a　total　cost　to　me　of　twelve　thousand　pounds。　　If　you　exceed　that　sum　by　as　much　as　fifty　pounds；　I　will　not　hold　you　responsible；　beyond　that　point　you　are　no　agent　of　mine；　and　I　shall　repudiate　liability。'　It　is　not　quite　clear　to　me　whether；　had　the　plaintiff　in　fact　repudiated　liability　under　his　agent's　contracts；　he　would；　under　all　the　circumstances；　have　been　successful　in　so　doing；　but　he　has　not　adopted　this　course。　　He　has　accepted　liability；　and　fallen　back　upon　his　rights　against　the　defendant　under　the　terms　of　the　latter's　engagement。

〃In　my　judgment　the　plaintiff　is　entitled　to　recover　this　sum　from　the　defendant。

〃It　has　been　sought；　on　behalf　of　the　defendant；　to　show　that　no　limit　of　expenditure　was　fixed　or　intended　to　be　fixed　by　this　correspondence。　　If　this　were　so；　I　can　find　no　reason　for　the　plaintiff's　importation　into　the　correspondence　of　the　figures　of　twelve　thousand　pounds　and　subsequently　of　fifty　pounds。　　The　defendant's　contention　would　render　these　figures　meaningless。　It　is　manifest　to　me　that　by　his　letter　of　May　20　he　assented　to　a　very　clear　proposition；　by　the　terms　of　which　he　must　be　held　to　be　bound。

〃For　these　reasons　there　will　be　judgment　for　the　plaintiff　for　the　amount　claimed　with　costs。〃

James　sighed；　and　stooping；　picked　up　his　umbrella　which　had　fallen　with　a　rattle　at　the　words　'importation　into　this　correspondence。'

Untangling　his　legs；　he　rapidly　left　the　Court；　without　waiting　for　his　son；　he　snapped　up　a　hansom　cab　（it　was　a　clear；　grey　afternoon）　and　drove　straight　to　Timothy's　where　he　found

Swithin；　and　to　him；　Mrs。　Septimus　Small；　and　Aunt　Hester；　he　recounted　the　whole　proceedings；　eating　two　muffins　not　altogether　in　the　intervals　of　speech。

〃Soames　did　very　well；〃　he　ended；　〃he's　got　his　head　screwed　on　the　right　way。　　This　won't　please　Jolyon。　　It's　a　bad　business　for　that　young　Bosinney；　he'll　go　bankrupt；　I　shouldn't　wonder；〃　and　then　after　a　long　pause；　during　which　he　had　stared　disquietly　into　the　fire；　he　added

〃He　wasn't　therenow　why？〃

There　was　a　sound　of　footsteps。　　The　figure　of　a　thick…set　man；　with　the　ruddy　brown　face　of　robust　health；　was　seen　in　the　back　drawing…room。　　The　forefinger　of　his　upraised　hand　was　outlined　against　the　black　of　his　frock　coat。　　He　spoke　in　a　grudging　voice。

〃Well；　James；〃　he　said；　〃I　can'tI　can't　stop；〃　and　turning　round；　he　walked　out。

It　was　Timothy。

James　rose　from　his　chair。　　〃There！〃　he　said；　〃there！　　I　knew　there　was　something　wro。。。。〃　　He　checked　himself；　and　was　silent；　staring　before　him；　as　though　he　had　seen　a　portent。




CHAPTER　VI

SOAMES　BREAKS　THE　NEWS


In　leaving　the　Court　Soames　did　not　go　straight　home。　　He　felt　disinclined　for　the　City；　and　drawn　by　need　for　sympathy　in　his　triumph；　he；　too；　made　his　way；　but　slowly　and　on　foot；　to　Timothy's　in　the　Bayswater　Road。

His　father　had　just　left；　Mrs。　Small　and　Aunt　Hester；　in　possession　of　the　whole　story；　greeted　him　warmly。　　They　were　sure　he　was　hungry　after　all　that　evidence。　　Smither　should　toast　him　some　more　muffins；　his　dear　father　had　eaten　them　all。　　He　must　put　his　legs　up　on　the　sofa；　and　he　must　have　a　glass　of　prune　brandy　too。　　It　was　so　strengthening。

Swithin　was　still　present；　having　lingered　later　than　his　wont；　for　he　felt　in　want　of　exercise。　　On　hearing　this　suggestion；　he　'pished。'　A　pretty　pass　young　men　were　coming　to！　　His　own　liver　was　out　of　order；　and　he　could　not　bear　the　thought　of　anyone　else　drinking　prune　brandy。

He　went　away　almost　immediately；　saying　to　Soames：　〃And　how's　your　wife？　　You　tell　her　from　me　that　if　she's　dull；　and　likes　to　come　and　dine　with　me　quietly；　I'll　give　her　such　a　bottle　of　champagne　as　she　doesn't　get　every　day。〃　　Staring　down　from　his　height　on　Soames　he　contracted　his　thick；　puffy；　yellow　hand　as　though　squeezing　within　it　all　this　small　fry；　and　throwing　out　his　chest　he　waddled　slowly　away。

Mrs。　Small　and　Aunt　Hester　were　left　horrified。　　Swithin　was　so　droll！

They　themselves　were　longing　to　ask　Soames　how　Irene　would　take　the　result；　yet　knew　that　they　must　not；　he　would　perhaps　say　something　of　his　own　accord；　to　throw　some　light　on　this；　the　present　burning　question　in　their　lives；　the　question　that　from　necessity　of　silence　tortured　them　almost　beyond　bearing；　for　even　Timothy　had　now　been　told；　and　the　effect　on　his　health　was　little　short　of　alarming。　　And　what；　too；　would　June　do？　　This；　also；　was　a　most　exciting；　if　dangerous　speculation！

They　had　never　forgotten　old　Jolyon's　visit；　since　when　he　had　not　once　been　to　see　them；　they　had　never　forgotten　the　feeling　it　gave　all　who　were　present；　that　the　family　was　no　longer　what　it　had　beenthat　the　family　was　breaking　up。

But　Soames　gave　them　no　help；　sitting　with　his　knees　crossed；　talking　of　the　Barbizon　school　of　painters；　whom　he　had　just　discovered。　　These　were　the　coming　men；　he　said；　he　should　not　wonder　if　a　lot　of　money　were　made　over　them；　he　had　his　eye　on　two　pictures　by　a　man　called　Corot；　charming　things；　if　he　could　get　them　at　a　reasonable　price　he　was　going　to　buy　themthey　would；　he　thought；　fetch　a　big　price　some　day。

Interested　as　they　could　not　but　be；　neither　Mrs。　Septimus　Small　nor　Aunt　Hester　could　entirely　acquiesce　in　being　thus　put　off。

It　was　interestingmost　interestingand　then　Soames　was　so　clever　that　they　were　sure　he　would　do　something　with　those　pictures　if　anybody　could；　but　what　was　his　plan　now　that　he　had　won　his　case；　was　he　going　to　leave　London　at　once；　and　live　in　the　country；　or　what　was　he　going　to　do？

Soames　answered　that　he　did　not　know；　he　thought　they　should　be　moving　soon。　　He　rose　and　kissed　his　aunts。

No　sooner　had　Aunt　Juley　received　this　emblem　of　departure　than　a　change　came　over　her；　as　though　she　were　being　visited　by　dreadful　courage；　every　little　roll　of　flesh　on　her　face　seemed　trying　to　escape　from　an　invisible；　confining　mask。

She　rose　to　the　full　extent　of　her　more　than　medium　height；　and　said：　〃It　has　been　on　my　mind　a　long　time；　dear；　and　if　nobody　else　will　tell　you；　I　have　made　up　my　mind　that。。。。〃

Aunt　Hester　interrupted　her：　〃Mind；　Julia；　you　do　it。。。。〃　she　gasped〃on　your　own　responsibility！〃

Mrs。　Small　went　on　as　though　she　had　not　heard：　〃I　think　you　ought　to　know；　dear；　that　Mrs。　MacAnder　saw　Irene　walking　in　Richmond　Park　with　Mr。　Bosinney。〃

Aunt　Hester；　who　had　also　risen；　sank　back　in　her　chair；　and　turned　her　face　away。　　Really　Juley　was　tooshe　should　not　do　such　things　when　sheAunt　Hester；　was　in　the　room；　and；　breathless　with　anticipation；　she　waited　for　what　Soames　would　answer。

He　had　flushed　the　peculiar　flush　which　always　centred　between　his　eyes；　lifting　his　hand；　and；　as　it　were；　selecting　a　finger；　he　bit　a　nail　delicately；　then；　drawling　it　out　between　set　lips；　he　said：　〃Mrs。　MacAnder　is　a　cat！〃

Without　waiting　for　any　reply；　he　left　the　room。

When　he　went　into　Timothy's　he　had　made　up　his　mind　what　course　to　pursue　on　getting　home。　　He　would　go　up　to　Irene　and　say：

〃Well；　I've　won　my　case；　and　there's　an　end　of　it！　　I　don't　want　to　be　hard　on　Bosinney；　I'll　see　if　we　can't　come　to　some　arrangement；　he　shan't　be　pressed。　　And　now　let's　turn　over　a　new　leaf！　　We'll　let　the　house；　and　get　out　of　these　fogs。　　We'll　go　down　to　Robin　Hill　at　once。　　II　never　meant　to　be　rough　with　you！　　Let's　shake　handsand〃　　Perhaps　she　would　let　him　kiss　her；　and　forget！

When　he　came　out　of　Timothy's　his　intentions　were　no　longer　so　simple。　　The　smouldering　jealousy　and　suspicion　of　months　blazed　up　within　him。　　He　would　put　an　end　to　that　sort　of　thing　once　and　for　all；　he　would　not　have　her　drag　his　name　in　the　dirt！　　If　she　could　not　or　would　not　love　him；　as　was　her　duty　and　his　rightshe　should　not　play　him　tricks　with　anyone　else！　　He　would　tax　her　with　it；　threaten　to　divor