five tales-第32章

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served　as　they　chose　to　serve　him；　and　wished　out　of　the　waybroken；　dishonoured！

By　money　alone　an　old　man　had　his　being！　　Meat；　drink；　movement；　breath！　　When　all　his　money　was　gone　the　holy　woman　would　let　him　know　it　fast　enough。　　They　would　all　let　him　know　it；　or　if　they　didn't；　it　would　be　out　of　pity！　　He　had　never　been　pitied　yetthank　God！　　And　he　said：

〃Get　me　up　a　bottle　of　Perrier　Jouet。　　What's　the　menu？〃

〃Germane　soup；　sir；　filly　de　sole；　sweetbread；　cutlet　soubees；　rum　souffly。〃

〃Tell　her　to　give　me　a　hors　d'oeuvre；　and　put　on　a　savoury。〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

When　the　man　had　gone；　he　thought：　'I　should　have　liked　an　oyster　too　late　now！'　and　going　over　to　his　bureau；　he　fumblingly　pulled　out　the　top　drawer。　　There　was　little　in　itJust　a　few　papers；　business　papers　on　his　Companies；　and　a　schedule　of　his　debts；　not　even　a　copy　of　his　willhe　had　not　made　one；　nothing　to　leave！　　Letters　he　had　never　kept。　　Half　a　dozen　bills；　a　few　receipts；　and　the　little　pink　note　with　the　blue　forget…me…not。　　That　was　the　lot！　　An　old　tree　gives　up　bearing　leaves；　and　its　roots　dry　up；　before　it　comes　down　in　a　wind；　an　old　man's　world　slowly　falls　away　from　him　till　he　stands　alone　in　the　night。　　Looking　at　the　pink　note；　he　thought：　'Suppose　I'd　married　Alicea　man　never　had　a　better　mistress！'　　He　fumbled　the　drawer　to；　but　still　he　strayed　feebly　about　the　room；　with　a　curious　shrinking　from　sitting　down；　legacy　from　the　quarter　of　an　hour　he　had　been　compelled　to　sit　while　that　hound　worried　at　his　throat。　　He　was　opposite　one　of　the　pictures　now。　　It　gleamed；　dark　and　oily；　limning　a　Scots　Grey　who　had　mounted　a　wounded　Russian　on　his　horse；　and　was　bringing　him　back　prisoner　from　the　Balaclava　charge。　　A　very　old　friendbought　in　'fifty…nine。　　It　had　hung　in　his　chambers　in　the　Albanyhung　with　him　ever　since。　　With　whom　would　it　hang　when　he　was　gone？　　For　that　holy　woman　would　scrap　it；　to　a　certainty；　and　stick　up　some　Crucifixion　or　other；　some　new…　fangled　high　art　thing！　　She　could　even　do　that　now　if　she　likedfor　she　owned　it；　owned　every　mortal　stick　in　the　room；　to　the　very　glass　he　would　drink　his　champagne　from；　all　made　over　under　the　settlement　fifteen　years　ago；　before　his　last　big　gamble　went　wrong。　　〃De　l'audace；　toujours　de　l'audace！〃　　The　gamble　which　had　brought　him　down　till　his　throat　at　last　was　at　the　mercy　of　a　bullying　hound。　The　pitcher　and　the　well！　　At　the　mercy…！　　The　sound　of　a　popping　cork　dragged　him　from　reverie。　　He　moved　to　his　seat；　back　to　the　window；　and　sat　down　to　his　dinner。　　By　George！　　They　had　got　him　an　oyster！　　And　he　said：

〃I've　forgotten　my　teeth！〃

While　the　man　was　gone　for　them；　he　swallowed　the　oysters；　methodically　touching　them　one　by　one　with　cayenne；　Chili　vinegar；　and　lemon。　　Ummm！　　Not　quite　what　they　used　to　be　at　Pimm's　in　the　best　days；　but　not　badnot　bad！　　Then　seeing　the　little　blue　bowl　lying　before　him；　he　looked　up　and　said：

〃My　compliments　to　cook　on　the　oysters。　　Give　me　the　champagne。〃　　And　he　lifted　his　trembling　teeth。　　Thank　God；　he　could　still　put　'em　in　for　himself！　　The　creaming　goldenish　fluid　from　the　napkined　bottle　slowly　reached　the　brim　of　his　glass；　which　had　a　hollow　stem；　raising　it　to　his　lips；　very　red　between　the　white　hairs　above　and　below；　he　drank　with　a　gurgling　noise；　and　put　the　glass　down…empty。　Nectar！　　And　just　cold　enough！

〃I　frapped　it　the　least　bit；　sir。〃

〃Quite　right。　　What's　that　smell　of　flowers？〃

〃It's　from　those　'yacinths　on　the　sideboard；　sir。　　They　come　from　Mrs。　Larne；　this　afternoon。〃

〃Put　'em　on　the　table。　　Where's　my　daughter？〃

〃She's　had　dinner；　sir；　goin'　to　a　ball；　I　think。〃

〃A　ball！〃

〃Charity　ball；　I　fancy；　sir。〃

〃Ummm！　　Give　me　a　touch　of　the　old　sherry　with　the　soup。〃

〃Yes；　sir。　　I　shall　have　to　open　a　bottle：〃

〃Very　well；　then；　do！〃

On　his　way　to　the　cellar　the　man　confided　to　Molly；　who　was　carrying　the　soup：

〃The　Gov'nor's　going　it　to…night！　　What　he'll　be　like　tomorrow　I　dunno。〃

The　girl　answered　softly：

〃Poor　old　man；　let　um　have　his　pleasure。〃　　And；　in　the　hall；　with　the　soup　tureen　against　her　bosom；　she　hummed　above　the　steam；　and　thought　of　the　ribbons　on　her　new　chemises；　bought　out　of　the　sovereign　he　had　given　her。

And　old　Heythorp；　digesting　his　osyters；　snuffed　the　scent　of　the　hyacinths；　and　thought　of　the　St。　Germain；　his　favourite　soup。　　It　would　n't　be　first…rate；　at　this　time　of　yearshould　be　made　with　little　young　home…grown　peas。　　Paris　was　the　place　for　it。　　Ah！　　The　French　were　the　fellows　for　eating；　andlooking　things　in　the　face！　Not　hypocritesnot　ashamed　of　their　reason　or　their　senses！

The　soup　came　in。　　He　sipped　it；　bending　forward　as　far　as　he　could；　his　napkin　tucked　in　over　his　shirt…front　like　a　bib。　　He　got　the　bouquet　of　that　sherry　to　a　This　sense　of　smell　was　very　keen　to…　night；　rare　old　stuff　it　wasmore　than　a　year　since　he　had　tasted　itbut　no　one　drank　sherry　nowadays；　hadn't　the　constitution　for　it！　The　fish　came　up；　and　went　down；　and　with　the　sweetbread　he　took　his　second　glass　of　champagne。　　Always　the　best；　that　second　glassthe　stomach　well　warmed；　and　the　palate　not　yet　dulled。　　Umm！　　So　that　fellow　thought　he　had　him　beaten；　did　he？　　And　he　said　suddenly：

〃The　fur　coat　in　the　wardrobe；　I've　no　use　for　it。　　You　can　take　it　away　to…night。〃

With　tempered　gratitude　the　valet　answered：

〃Thank　you；　sir；　much　obliged；　I'm　sure。〃　　So　the　old　buffer　had　found　out　there　was　moth　in　it！

〃Have　I　worried　you　much？〃

〃No；　sir；　not　at　all；　sirthat　is；　no　more　than　reason。〃

〃Afraid　I　have。　　Very　sorrycan't　help　it。　　You'll　find　that；　when　you　get　like　me。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　I've　always　admired　your　pluck；　sir。

〃Um！　　Very　good　of　you　to　say　so。〃

〃Always　think　of　you　keepin'　the　flag　flying'；　sir。〃

Old　Heythorp　bent　his　body　from　the　waist。

〃Much　obliged　to　you。〃

〃Not　at　all；　sir。　　Cook's　done　a　little　spinach　in　cream　with　the　soubees。〃

〃Ah！　　Tell　her　from　me　it's　a　capital　dinner；　so　far。〃

〃Thank　you；　sir。〃

Alone　again；　old　Heythorp　sat　unmoving；　his　brain　just　narcotically　touched。　　〃The　flag　flyin'the　flag　flyin'！〃　　He　raised　his　glass　and　sucked。　　He　had　an　appetite　now；　and　finished　the　three　cutlets；　and　all　the　sauce　and　spinach。　　Pity！　　he　could　have　managed　a　snipe　fresh　shot！　　A　desire　to　delay；　to　lengthen　dinner；　was　strong　upon　him；　there　were　but　the　souffle'　and　the　savoury　to　come。　　He　would　have　enjoyed；　too；　someone　to　talk　to。　　He　had　always　been　fond　of　good　companybeen　good　company　himself；　or　so　they　saidnot　that　he　had　had　a　chance　of　late。　　Even　at　the　Boards　they　avoided　talking　to　him；　he　had　noticed　for　a　long　time。　　Well！　　that　wouldn't　trouble　him　againhe　had　sat　through　his　last　Board；　no　doubt。　　They　shouldn't　kick　him　off；　though；　he　wouldn't　give　them　that　pleasure　had　seen　the　beggars　hankering　after　his　chairman's　shoes　too　long。　The　souffle　was　before　him　now；　and　lifting　his　glass；　he　said：

〃Fill　up。〃

〃These　are　the　special　glasses；　sir；　only　four　to　the　bottle。〃

〃Fill　up。〃

The　servant　filled；　screwing　up　his　mouth。

Old　Heythorp　drank；　and　put　the　glass　down　empty　with　a　sigh。　　He　had　been　；faithful　to　his　principles；　finished　the　bottle　before　touching　the　sweeta　good　bottleof　a　good　brand！　　And　now　for　the　souffle！　Delicious；　flipped　down　with　the　old　sherry！　　So　that　holy　woman　was　going　to　a　ball；　was　she！　　How　deuced　funny！　　Who　would　dance　with　a　dry　stick　like　that；　all　eaten　up　with　a　piety　which　was　just　sexual　disappointment？　　Ah！　yes；　lots　of　women　like　thathad　often　noticed　'empitied　'em　too；　until　you　had　to　do　with　them　and　they　made　you　as　unhappy　as　themselves；　and　were　tyrants　into　the　bargain。　　And　he　asked：

〃What's　the　savoury？〃

〃Cheese　remmykin；　sir。〃

His　favourite。

〃I'll　have　my　port　with　itthe　'sixty…eight。〃　　The　man　stood　gazing　with　evident　stupefaction。　　He　had　not　expected　this。　　The　old　man's　face　was　very　flushed；　but　that　might　be　the　bath。　　He　said　feebly：

〃Are　you　sure　you　ought；　sir？〃

〃No；　but　I'm　going　to。〃

〃Would　you　mind　if　I　spoke　to　Miss　Heythorp；　Sir？〃

〃If　you　do；　you　can　leave　my　service。〃

〃Well；　Sir；　I　don't　accept　the　responsibility。〃

〃Who　asked　you　to？〃

〃No；　Sir。。。