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第54章

villa rubein and other stories-第54章

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doctor told me to make my will;〃 he said; 〃I hate a fellow who tells

you to make your will。  My appetite's good; I ate a partridge last

night。  I'm all the better for eating。  He told me to leave off

champagne!  I eat a good breakfast。  I'm not eighty。  You're the same

age; James。  You look very shaky。〃



James Forsyte said: 〃You ought to have another opinion。  Have Blank;

he's the first man now。  I had him for Emily; cost me two hundred

guineas。  He sent her to Homburg; that's the first place now。  The

Prince was thereeverybody goes there。〃



Swithin Forsyte answered: 〃I don't get any sleep at night; now I

can't get out; and I've bought a new carriagegave a pot of money

for it。  D' you ever have bronchitis?  They tell me champagne's

dangerous; it's my belief I couldn't take a better thing。〃



James Forsyte rose。



〃You ought to have another opinion。  Emily sent her love; she would

have come in; but she had to go to Niagara。  Everybody goes there;

it's the place now。  Rachel goes every morning: she overdoes it

she'll be laid up one of these days。  There's a fancy ball there to…

night; the Duke gives the prizes。〃



Swithin Forsyte said angrily: 〃I can't get things properly cooked

here; at the club I get spinach decently done。〃  The bed…clothes

jerked at the tremor of his legs。



James Forsyte replied: 〃You must have done well with Tintos; you must

have made a lot of money by them。  Your ground…rents must be falling

in; too。  You must have any amount you don't know what to do with。〃

He mouthed the words; as if his lips were watering。



Swithin Forsyte glared。  〃Money!〃 he said; 〃my doctor's bill's

enormous。〃



James Forsyte stretched out a cold; damp hand 〃Goodbye! You ought to

have another opinion。  I can't keep the horses waiting: they're a new

pairstood me in three hundred。  You ought to take care of yourself。

I shall speak to Blank about you。  You ought to have himeverybody

says he's the first man。  Good…bye!〃



Swithin Forsyte continued to stare at the ceiling。  He thought: 'A

poor thing; James! a selfish beggar!  Must be worth a couple of

hundred thousand!'  He wheezed; meditating on life。。。。



He was ill and lonely。  For many years he had been lonely; and for

two years ill; but as he had smoked his first cigar; so he would live

his life…stoutly; to its predestined end。  Every day he was driven to

the club; sitting forward on the spring cushions of a single

brougham; his hands on his knees; swaying a little; strangely solemn。

He ascended the steps into that marble hallthe folds of his chin

wedged into the aperture of his collarwalking squarely with a

stick。  Later he would dine; eating majestically; and savouring his

food; behind a bottle of champagne set in an ice…pailhis waistcoat

defended by a napkin; his eyes rolling a little or glued in a stare

on the waiter。  Never did he suffer his head or back to droop; for it

was not distinguished so to do。



Because he was old and deaf; he spoke to no one; and no one spoke to

him。  The club gossip; an Irishman; said to each newcomer: 〃Old

Forsyte!  Look at 'um!  Must ha' had something in his life to sour

'um!〃  But Swithin had had nothing in his life to sour him。



For many days now he had lain in bed in a room exuding silver;

crimson; and electric light; smelling of opopanax and of cigars。  The

curtains were drawn; the firelight gleamed; on a table by his bed

were a jug of barley…water and the Times。  He made an attempt to

read; failed; and fell again to thinking。  His face with its square

chin; looked like a block of pale leather bedded in the pillow。  It

was lonely!  A woman in the room would have made all the difference!

Why had he never married?  He breathed hard; staring froglike at the

ceiling; a memory had come into his mind。  It was a long time ago

forty odd yearsbut it seemed like yesterday。。。。



It happened when he was thirty…eight; for the first and only time in

his life travelling on the Continent; with his twin…brother James and

a man named Traquair。  On the way from Germany to Venice; he had

found himself at the Hotel Goldene Alp at Salzburg。  It was late

August; and weather for the gods: sunshine on the walls and the

shadows of the vine…leaves; and at night; the moonlight; and again on

the walls the shadows of the vine…leaves。  Averse to the suggestions

of other people; Swithin had refused to visit the Citadel; he had

spent the day alone in the window of his bedroom; smoking a

succession of cigars; and disparaging the appearance of the passers…

by。  After dinner he was driven by boredom into the streets。  His

chest puffed out like a pigeon's; and with something of a pigeon's

cold and inquiring eye; he strutted; annoyed at the frequency of

uniforms; which seemed to him both needless and offensive。  His

spleen rose at this crowd of foreigners; who spoke an unintelligible

language; wore hair on their faces; and smoked bad tobacco。  'A queer

lot!' he thought。  The sound of music from a cafe attracted him; he

walked in; vaguely moved by a wish for the distinction of adventure;

without the trouble which adventure usually brought with it; spurred

too; perhaps; by an after…dinner demon。  The cafe was the bier…halle

of the 'Fifties; with a door at either end; and lighted by a large

wooden lantern。  On a small dais three musicians were fiddling。

Solitary men; or groups; sat at some dozen tables; and the waiters

hurried about replenishing glasses; the air was thick with smoke。

Swithin sat down。  〃Wine!〃 he said sternly。  The astonished waiter

brought him wine。  Swithin pointed to a beer glass on the table。

〃Here!〃 he said; with the same ferocity。  The waiter poured out the

wine。  'Ah!' thought Swithin; 'they can understand if they like。'  A

group of officers close by were laughing; Swithin stared at them

uneasily。  A hollow cough sounded almost in his ear。  To his left a

man sat reading; with his elbows on the corners of a journal; and his

gaunt shoulders raised almost to his eyes。  He had a thin; long nose;

broadening suddenly at the nostrils; a black…brown beard; spread in a

savage fan over his chest; what was visible of the face was the

colour of old parchment。  A strange; wild; haughty…looking creature!

Swithin observed his clothes with some displeasurethey were the

clothes of a journalist or strolling actor。  And yet he was

impressed。  This was singular。  How could he be impressed by a fellow

in such clothes!  The man reached out a hand; covered with black

hairs; and took up a tumbler that contained a dark…coloured fluid。

'Brandy!' thought Swithin。  The crash of a falling chair startled

himhis neighbour had risen。  He was of immense height; and very

thin; his great beard seemed to splash away from his mouth; he was

glaring at the group of officers; and speaking。  Swithin made out two

words: 〃Hunde! Deutsche Hunde!〃 'Hounds! Dutch hounds!' he thought:

'Rather strong!'  One of the officers had jumped up; and now drew his

sword。  The tall man swung his chair up; and brought it down with a

thud。  Everybody round started up and closed on him。  The tall man

cried out; 〃To me; Magyars!〃



Swithin grinned。  The tall man fighting such odds excited his

unwilling admiration; he had a momentary impulse to go to his

assistance。  'Only get a broken nose!' he thought; and looked for a

safe corner。  But at that moment a thrown lemon struck him on the

jaw。  He jumped out of his chair and rushed at the officers。  The

Hungarian; swinging his chair; threw him a look of gratitudeSwithin

glowed with momentary admiration of himself。  A sword blade grazed

hisarm; he felt a sudden dislike of the Hungarian。  'This is too

much;' he thought; and; catching up a chair; flung it at the wooden

lantern。  There was a crashfaces and swords vanished。  He struck a

match; and by the light of it bolted for the door。  A second later he

was in the street。









II



A voice said in English; 〃God bless you; broth

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