five tales-第57章

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real　throb　of　pleasure　went　through　him。　　That　meant　one　or　two　poor　creatures　helped　a　little；　and　it　meant　that　she　would　come　again。　　He　put　his　hand　in　at　the　window　and　grasped　hers　once　more。　The　carriage　rolled　away。　　He　stood　looking　at　the　moon　and　the　shadows　of　the　trees；　and　thought：　'A　sweet　night！　She　。。。！'




II


Two　days　of　rain；　and　summer　set　in　bland　and　sunny。　　Old　Jolyon　walked　and　talked　with　Holly。　　At　first　he　felt　taller　and　full　of　a　new　vigour；　then　he　felt　restless。　　Almost　every　afternoon　they　would　enter　the　coppice；　and　walk　as　far　as　the　log。　　'Well；　she's　not　there！'　he　would　think；　'of　course　not！'　　And　he　would　feel　a　little　shorter；　and　drag　his　feet　walking　up　the　hill　home；　with　his　hand　clapped　to　his　left　side。　　Now　and　then　the　thought　would　move　in　him：　'Did　she　comeor　did　I　dream　it？'　and　he　would　stare　at　space；　while　the　dog　Balthasar　stared　at　him。　　Of　course　she　would　not　come　again！　　He　opened　the　letters　from　Spain　with　less　excitement。　　They　were　not　returning　till　July；　he　felt；　oddly；　that　he　could　bear　it。　Every　day　at　dinner　he　screwed　up　his　eyes　and　looked　at　where　she　had　sat。　　She　was　not　there；　so　he　unscrewed　his　eyes　again。

On　the　seventh　afternoon　he　thought：　'I　must　go　up　and　get　some　boots。'　　He　ordered　Beacon；　and　set　out。　　Passing　from　Putney　towards　Hyde　Park　he　reflected：　'I　might　as　well　go　to　Chelsea　and　see　her。'　And　he　called　out：　〃Just　drive　me　to　where　you　took　that　lady　the　other　night。〃　　The　coachman　turned　his　broad　red　face；　and　his　juicy　lips　answered：　〃The　lady　in　grey；　sir？〃

〃Yes；　the　lady　in　grey。〃　　What　other　ladies　were　there！　　Stodgy　chap！

The　carriage　stopped　before　a　small　three…storied　block　of　flats；　standing　a　little　back　from　the　river。　　With　a　practised　eye　old　Jolyon　saw　that　they　were　cheap。　　'I　should　think　about　sixty　pound　a　year；'　　he　mused；　and　entering；　he　looked　at　the　name…board。　　The　name　'Forsyte'　was　not　on　it；　but　against　'First　Floor；　Flat　C'　were　the　words：　'Mrs。　Irene　Heron。'　　Ah！　She　had　taken　her　maiden　name　again！　　And　somehow　this　pleased　him。　　He　went　upstairs　slowly；　feeling　his　side　a　little。　　He　stood　a　moment；　before　ringing；　to　lose　the　feeling　of　drag　and　fluttering　there。　　She　would　not　be　in！　And　then　Boots！　　The　thought　was　black。　　What　did　he　want　with　boots　at　his　age？　He　could　not　wear　out　all　those　he　had。

〃Your　mistress　at　home？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Say　Mr。　Jolyon　Forsyte。〃

〃Yes；　sir；　will　you　come　this　way？〃

Old　Jolyon　followed　a　very　little　maidnot　more　than　sixteen　one　would　sayinto　a　very　small　drawing…room　where　the　sun…blinds　were　drawn。　　It　held　a　cottage　piano　and　little　else　save　a　vague　fragrance　and　good　taste。　　'He　stood　in　the　middle；　with　his　top　hat　in　his　hand；　and　thought：　'I　expect　she's　very　badly　off！'　There　was　a　mirror　above　the　fireplace；　and　he　saw　himself　reflected。　　An　old…looking　chap！　　He　heard　a　rustle；　and　turned　round。　　She　was　so　close　that　his　moustache　almost　brushed　her　forehead；　just　under　her　hair。

〃I　was　driving　up；〃　he　said。　　〃Thought　I'd　look　in　on　you；　and　ask　you　how　you　got　up　the　other　night。〃

And；　seeing　her　smile；　he　felt　suddenly　relieved。　　She　was　really　glad　to　see　him；　perhaps。

〃Would　you　like　to　put　on　your　hat　and　come　for　a　drive　in　the　Park？〃

But　while　she　was　gone　to　put　her　hat　on；　he　frowned。　　The　Park！　James　and　Emily！　　Mrs。　Nicholas；　or　some　other　member　of　his　precious　family　would　be　there　very　likely；　prancing　up　and　down。　　And　they　would　go　and　wag　their　tongues　about　having　seen　him　with　her；　afterwards。　　Better　not！　　He　did　not　wish　to　revive　the　echoes　of　the　past　on　Forsyte　'Change。'　　He　removed　a　white　hair　from　the　lapel　of　his　closely…buttoned…up　frock　coat；　and　passed　his　hand　over　his　cheeks；　moustache；　and　square　chin。　　It　felt　very　hollow　there　under　the　cheekbones。　　He　had　not　been　eating　much　latelyhe　had　better　get　that　little　whippersnapper　who　attended　Holly　to　give　him　a　tonic。　　But　she　had　come　back　and　when　they　were　in　the　carriage；　he　said：

〃Suppose　we　go　and　sit　in　Kensington　Gardens　instead？〃　and　added　with　a　twinkle：　〃No　prancing　up　and　down　there；〃　as　if　she　had　been　in　the　secret　of　his　thoughts。

Leaving　the　carriage；　they　entered　those　select　precincts；　and　strolled　towards　the　water。

〃You've　gone　back　to　your　maiden　name；　I　see；〃　he　said：　〃I'm　not　sorry。〃

She　slipped　her　hand　under　his　arm：　〃Has　June　forgiven　me；　Uncle　Jolyon？〃

He　answered　gently：　〃Yesyes；　of　course；　why　not？〃

〃And　have　you？〃

〃I？　　I　forgave　you　as　soon　as　I　saw　how　the　land　really　lay。〃　　And　perhaps　he　had；　his　instinct　had　always　been　to　forgive　the　beautiful。

She　drew　a　deep　breath。　　〃I　never　regrettedI　couldn't。　　Did　you　ever　love　very　deeply；　Uncle　Jolyon？〃

At　that　strange　question　old　Jolyon　stared　before　him。　　Had　he？　　He　did　not　seem　to　remember　that　he　ever　had。　　But　he　did　not　like　to　say　this　to　the　young　woman　whose　hand　was　touching　his　arm；　whose　life　was　suspended；　as　it　were；　by　memory　of　a　tragic　love。　　And　he　thought：　'If　I　had　met　you　when　I　was　young　II　might　have　made　a　fool　of　myself；　perhaps。'　　And　a　longing　to　escape　in　generalities　beset　him。

〃Love's　a　queer　thing；〃　he　said；　〃fatal　thing　often。　　It　was　the　Greekswasn't　it？made　love　into　a　goddess；　they　were　right；　I　dare　say；　but　then　they　lived　in　the　Golden　Age。〃

〃Phil　adored　them。〃

Phil！　The　word　jarred　him；　for　suddenlywith　his　power　to　see　all　round　a　thing；　he　perceived　why　she　was　putting　up　with　him　like　this。　　She　wanted　to　talk　about　her　lover！　　Well！　　If　it　was　any　pleasure　to　her！　　And　he　said：　〃Ah！　There　was　a　bit　of　the　sculptor　in　him；　I　fancy。〃

〃Yes。　　He　loved　balance　and　symmetry；　he　loved　the　whole…hearted　way　the　Greeks　gave　themselves　to　art。〃

Balance！　The　chap　had　no　balance　at　all；　if　he　remembered；　as　for　symmetryclean…built　enough　he　was；　no　doubt；　but　those　queer　eyes　of　his；　and　high　cheek…bonesSymmetry？

〃You're　of　the　Golden　Age；　too；　Uncle　Jolyon。

Old　Jolyon　looked　round　at　her。　　Was　she　chaffing　him？　　No；　her　eyes　were　soft　as　velvet。　　Was　she　flattering　him？　　But　if　so；　why？　　There　was　nothing　to　be　had　out　of　an　old　chap　like　him。

〃Phil　thought　so。　　He　used　to　say：　'But　I　can　never　tell　him　that　I　admire　him。〃'

Ah！　There　it　was　again。　　Her　dead　lover；　her　desire　to　talk　of　him！　And　he　pressed　her　arm；　half　resentful　of　those　memories；　half　grateful；　as　if　he　recognised　what　a　link　they　were　between　herself　and　him。

〃He　was　a　very　talented　young　fellow；〃　he　murmured。　　〃It's　hot；　I　feel　the　heat　nowadays。　　Let's　sit　down。〃

They　took　two　chairs　beneath　a　chestnut　tree　whose　broad　leaves　covered　them　from　the　peaceful　glory　of　the　afternoon。　　A　pleasure　to　sit　there　and　watch　her；　and　feel　that　she　liked　to　be　with　him。　　And　the　wish　to　increase　that　liking；　if　he　could；　made　him　go　on：

〃I　expect　he　showed　you　a　side　of　him　I　never　saw。　　He'd　be　at　his　best　with　you。　　His　ideas　of　art　were　a　little　newto　me　〃he　had　stiffed　the　word　'fangled。'

〃Yes：　but　he　used　to　say　you　had　a　real　sense　of　beauty。〃　　Old　Jolyon　thought：　'The　devil　he　did！'　but　answered　with　a　twinkle：　〃Well；　I　have；　or　I　shouldn't　be　sitting　here　with　you。〃　　She　was　fascinating　when　she　smiled　with　her　eyes；　like　that！

〃He　thought　you　had　one　of　those　hearts　that　never　grow　old。　　Phil　had　real　insight。〃

He　was　not　taken　in　by　this　flattery　spoken　out　of　the　past；　out　of　a　longing　to　talk　of　her　dead　lovernot　a　bit；　and　yet　it　was　precious　to　hear；　because　she　pleased　his　eyes　and　heart　which　quite　true！　had　never　grown　old。　　Was　that　becauseunlike　her　and　her　dead　lover；　he　had　never　loved　to　desperation；　had　always　kept　his　balance；　his　sense　of　symmetry。　　Well！　It　had　left　him　power；　at　eighty…four；　to　admire　beauty。　　And　he　thought；　'If　I　were　a　painter　or　a　sculptor！　　But　I'm　an　old　chap。　　Make　hay　while　the　sun　shines。'

A　couple　with　arms　entwined　crossed　on　the　grass　before　them；　at　the　edge　of　the　shadow　from　their　tree。　　The　sunlight　fell　cruelly　on　their　pale；　squashed；　unkempt　young　faces。　　〃We're　an　ugly　lot！〃　said　old　Jolyon　suddenly。　　〃It　amazes　me　to　see　howlove　triumphs　over　that。〃

〃Love　triumphs　over　everything！〃

〃The　young　think　so；〃　he　muttered。

〃L