five tales-第14章

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ey　the　sense　of　business　from　father　to　son　for　generations；　faces　which　make　wars；　and　passion；　and　free　thought　seem　equally　incredible；　faces　which　inspire　confidence；　and　awaken　in　one　a　desire　to　get　up　and　leave　the　room。　Mr。　Brownbee　rose；　and　said　in　a　suave　voice：

〃Mr。　Heythorp；　we　here　represent　about　L14；000。　　When　we　had　the　pleasure　of　meeting　you　last　July；　you　will　recollect　that　you　held　out　a　prospect　of　some　more　satisfactory　arrangement　by　Christmas。　We　are　now　in　January；　and　I　am　bound　to　say　we　none　of　us　get　younger。〃

》From　the　depths　of　old　Heythorp　a　preliminary　rumble　came　travelling；　reached　the　surface；　and　materialised

〃Don't　know　about　youfeel　a　boy；　myself。〃

The　eight　gentlemen　looked　at　him。　　Was　he　going　to　try　and　put　them　off　again？　　Mr。　Brownbee　said　with　unruffled　calm：

〃I'm　sure　we're　very　glad　to　hear　it。　　But　to　come　to　the　point。　　We　have　felt；　Mr。　Heythorp；　and　I'm　sure　you　won't　think　it　unreasonable；　thaterbankruptcy　would　be　the　most　satisfactory　solution。　　We　have　waited　a　long　time；　and　we　want　to　know　definitely　where　we　stand；　for；　to　be　quite　frank；　we　don't　see　any　prospect　of　improvement；　indeed；　we　fear　the　opposite。〃

〃You　think　I'm　going　to　join　the　majority。〃

This　plumping　out　of　what　was　at　the　back　of　their　minds　produced　in　Mr。　Brownbee　and　his　colleagues　a　sort　of　chemical　disturbance。　　They　coughed；　moved　their　feet；　and　turned　away　their　eyes；　till　the　one　who　had　not　risen；　a　solicitor　named　Ventnor；　said　bluffly：

〃Well；　put　it　that　way　if　you　like。〃

Old　Heythorp's　little　deep　eyes　twinkled。

〃My　grandfather　lived　to　be　a　hundred；　my　father　ninety…sixboth　of　them　rips。　　I'm　only　eighty；　gentlemen；　blameless　life　compared　with　theirs。〃

〃Indeed；〃　Mr。　Brownbee　said；　〃we　hope　you　have　many　years　of　this　life　before　you。〃

〃More　of　this　than　of　another。〃　　And　a　silence　fell；　till　old　Heythorp　added：　〃You're　getting　a　thousand　a　year　out　of　my　fees。　Mistake　to　kill　the　goose　that　lays　the　golden　eggs。　　I'll　make　it　twelve　hundred。　　If　you　force　me　to　resign　my　directorships　by　bankruptcy；　you　won't　get　a　rap；　you　know。〃

Mr。　Brownbee　cleared　his　throat：

〃We　think；　Mr。　Heythorp；　you　should　make　it　at　least　fifteen　hundred。　In　that　case　we　might　perhaps　consider〃

Old　Heythorp　shook　his　head。

〃We　can　hardly　accept　your　assertion　that　we　should　get　nothing　in　the　event　of　bankruptcy。　　We　fancy　you　greatly　underrate　the　possibilities。　　Fifteen　hundred　a　year　is　the　least　you　can　do　for　us。〃

〃See　you　d…d　first。〃

Another　silence　followed；　then　Ventnor；　the　solicitor；　said　irascibly：

〃We　know　where　we　are；　then。〃

Brownbee　added　almost　nervously：

〃Are　we　to　understand　that　twelve　hundred　a　year　is　youryour　last　word？〃

Old　Heythorp　nodded。　　〃Come　again　this　day　month；　and　I'll　see　what　I　can　do　for　you；〃　and　he　shut　his　eyes。

Round　Mr。　Brownbee　six　of　the　gentlemen　gathered；　speaking　in　low　voices；　Mr。　Ventnor　nursed　a　leg　and　glowered　at　old　Heythorp；　who　sat　with　his　eyes　closed。　　Mr。　Brownbee　went　over　and　conferred　with　Mr。　Ventnor；　then　clearing　his　throat；　he　said：

〃Well；　sir；　we　have　considered　your　proposal；　we　agree　to　accept　it　for　the　moment。　　We　will　come　again；　as　you　suggest；　in　a　month's　time。

We　hope　that　you　will　by　then　have　seen　your　way　to　something　more　substantial；　with　a　view　to　avoiding　what　we　should　all　regret；　but　which　I　fear　will　otherwise　become　inevitable。〃

Old　Heythorp　nodded。　　The　eight　gentlemen　took　their　hats；　and　went　out　one　by　one；　Mr。　Brownbee　courteously　bringing　up　the　rear。

The　old　man；　who　could　not　get　up　without　assistance；　stayed　musing　in　his　chair。　　He　had　diddled　'em　for　the　moment　into　giving　him　another　month；　and　when　that　month　was　up…he　would　diddle　'em　again！　A　month　ought　to　make　the　Pillin　business　safe；　with　all　that　hung　on　it。　　That　poor　funkey　chap　Joe　Pillin！　　A　gurgling　chuckle　escaped　his　red　lips。　　What　a　shadow　the　fellow　had　looked；　trotting　in　that　evening　just　a　month　ago；　behind　his　valet's　announcement：　〃Mr。　Pillin；　sir。〃

What　a　parchmenty；　precise；　thread…paper　of　a　chap；　with　his　bird's　claw　of　a　hand；　and　his　muffled…up　throat；　and　his　quavery：

〃How　do　you　do；　Sylvanus？　　I'm　afraid　you're　not〃

〃First　rate。　　Sit　down。　　Have　some　port。〃

〃Port！　　I　never　drink　it。　　Poison　to　me！　　Poison！〃

〃Do　you　good！〃

〃Oh！　　I　know；　that's　what　you　always　say。

You've　a　monstrous　constitution；　Sylvanus。　　If　I　drank　port　and　smoked　cigars　and　sat　up　till　one　o'clock；　I　should　be　in　my　grave　to…morrow。　　I'm　not　the　man　I　was。　　The　fact　is；　I've　come　to　see　if　you　can　help　me。　　I'm　getting　old；　I'm　growing　nervous。。。。〃

〃You　always　were　as　chickeny　as　an　old　hen；　Joe。〃

〃Well；　my　nature's　not　like　yours。　　To　come　to　the　point；　I　want　to　sell　my　ships　and　retire。　　I　need　rest。　　Freights　are　very　depressed。　I've　got　my　family　to　think　of。〃

〃Crack　on；　and　go　broke；　buck　you　up　like　anything！〃

〃I'm　quite　serious；　Sylvanus。〃

〃Never　knew　you　anything　else；　Joe。〃

A　quavering　cough；　and　out　it　had　come：

〃Nowin　a　wordwon't　your　'Island　Navigation　Company'　buy　my　ships？〃

A　pause；　a　twinkle；　a　puff　of　smoke。　　〃Make　it　worth　my　while！〃　　He　had　said　it　in　jest；　and　then；　in　a　flash；　the　idea　had　come　to　him。　Rosamund　and　her　youngsters！　　What　a　chance　to　put　something　between　them　and　destitution　when　he　had　joined　the　majority！　　And　so　he　said：〃　We　don't　want　your　silly　ships。〃

That　claw　of　a　hand　waved　in　deprecation。　　〃They're　very　good　ships　doing　quite　well。　　It's　only　my　wretched　health。　　If　I　were　a　strong　man　I　shouldn't　dream。。。。〃

〃What　d'you　want　for'em？〃　　Good　Lord！　　how　he　jumped　if　you　asked　him　a　plain　question。　　The　chap　was　as　nervous　as　a　guinea…fowl！

〃Here　are　the　figuresfor　the　last　four　years。　　I　think　you'll　agree　that　I　couldn't　ask　less　than　seventy　thousand。〃

Through　the　smoke　of　his　cigar　old　Heythorp　had　digested　those　figures　slowly；　Joe　Pillin　feeling　his　teeth　and　sucking　lozenges　the　while；　then　he　said：

〃Sixty　thousand！　　And　out　of　that　you　pay　me　ten　per　cent。；　if　I　get　it　through　for　you。　　Take　it　or　leave　it。〃

〃My　dear　Sylvanus；　that's　almost…cynical。〃

〃Too　good　a　priceyou'll　never　get　it　without　me。〃

〃But　abut　a　commission！　　You　could　never　disclose　it！〃

〃Arrange　that　all　right。　　Think　it　over。　　Freights'll　go　lower　yet。　Have　some　port。〃

〃No；　no！　　Thank　you。　　No！　　So　you　think　freights　will　go　lower？〃

〃Sure　of　it。〃

〃Well；　I'll　be　going。　　I'm　sure　I　don't　know。　　It'sit'sI　must　think。〃

〃Think　your　hardest。〃

〃Yes；　yes。　　Good…bye。　　I　can't　imagine　how　you　still　go　on　smoking　those　things　and　drinking　port。

〃See　you　in　your　grave　yet；　Joe。〃　　What　a　feeble　smile　the　poor　fellow　had！　　Laugh…he　couldn't！　　And；　alone　again；　he　had　browsed；　developing　the　idea　which　had　come　to　him。

Though；　to　dwell　in　the　heart　of　shipping；　Sylvanus　Heythorp　had　lived　at　Liverpool　twenty　years；　he　was　from　the　Eastern　Counties；　of　a　family　so　old　that　it　professed　to　despise　the　Conquest。　　Each　of　its　generations　occupied　nearly　twice　as　long　as　those　of　less　tenacious　men。　　Traditionally　of　Danish　origin；　its　men　folk　had　as　a　rule　bright　reddish…brown　hair；　red　cheeks；　large　round　heads；　excellent　teeth　and　poor　morals。　　They　had　done　their　best　for　the　population　of　any　county　in　which　they　had　settled；　their　offshoots　swarmed。　　Born　in　the　early　twenties　of　the　nineteenth　century；　Sylvanus　Heythorp；　after　an　education　broken　by　escapades　both　at　school　and　college；　had　fetched　up　in　that　simple　London　of　the　late　forties；　where　claret；　opera；　and　eight　per　cent。　for　your　money　ruled　a　cheery　roost。　　Made　partner　in　his　shipping　firm　well　before　he　was　thirty；　he　had　sailed　with　a　wet　sheet　and　a　flowing　tide；　dancers；　claret；　Cliquot；　and　piquet；　a　cab　with　a　tiger；　some　travelall　that　delicious　early…Victorian　consciousness　of　nothing　save　a　golden　time。　　It　was　all　so　full　and　mellow　that　he　was　forty　before　he　had　his　only　love　affair　of　any　depthwith　the　daughter　of　one　of　his　own　clerks；　a　liaison　so　awkward　as　to　necessitate　a　sedulous　concealment。　　The　death　of　that　girl；　after　three　years；　leaving　him　a；　natural　son；　had　been　the　chief；　perhaps　the　only　real；　sorrow