the unbearable bassington-第10章

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attained　to　the　proportions　of　a　human　bluebottle。　　Lady　Caroline　

Benaresq　had　openly　predicted　that　a　special　fly…paper　was　being　

reserved　for　her　accommodation　in　another　world；　others；　however；　

held　the　opinion　that　she　would　be　miraculously　multiplied　in　a　

future　state；　and　that　four　or　more　Merla　Blathlingtons；　according　

to　deserts；　would　be　in　perpetual　and　unremitting　attendance　on　

each　lost　soul。



〃Here　we　are；〃　she　cried；　with　a　glad　eager　buzz；　〃popping　in　and　

out　of　shops　like　rabbits；　not　that　rabbits　do　pop　in　and　out　of　

shops　very　extensively。〃



It　was　evidently　one　of　her　bluebottle　days。



〃Don't　you　love　Bond　Street？〃　she　gabbled　on。　　〃There's　something　

so　unusual　and　distinctive　about　it；　no　other　street　anywhere　else　

is　quite　like　it。　　Don't　you　know　those　ikons　and　images　and　things　

scattered　up　and　down　Europe；　that　are　supposed　to　have　been　

painted　or　carved；　as　the　case　may　be；　by　St。　Luke　or　Zaccheus；　or　

somebody　of　that　sort；　I　always　like　to　think　that　some　notable　

person　of　those　times　designed　Bond　Street。　　St。　Paul；　perhaps。　　He　

travelled　about　a　lot。〃



〃Not　in　Middlesex；　though；〃　said　Francesca。



〃One　can't　be　sure；〃　persisted　Merla；　〃when　one　wanders　about　as　

much　as　he　did　one　gets　mixed　up　and　forgets　where　one　HAS　been。　　I　

can　never　remember　whether　I've　been　to　the　Tyrol　twice　and　St。　

Moritz　once；　or　the　other　way　about；　I　always　have　to　ask　my　maid。　　

And　there's　something　about　the　name　Bond　that　suggests　St。　Paul；　

didn't　he　write　a　lot　about　the　bond　and　the　free？〃



〃I　fancy　he　wrote　in　Hebrew　or　Greek；〃　objected　Francesca；　〃the　

word　wouldn't　have　the　least　resemblance。〃



〃So　dreadfully　non…committal　to　go　about　pamphleteering　in　those　

bizarre　languages；〃　complained　Merla；　〃that's　what　makes　all　those　

people　so　elusive。　　As　soon　as　you　try　to　pin　them　down　to　a　

definite　statement　about　anything　you're　told　that　some　vitally　

important　word　has　fifteen　other　meanings　in　the　original。　　I　

wonder　our　Cabinet　Ministers　and　politicians　don't　adopt　a　sort　of　

dog…Latin　or　Esperanto　jargon　to　deliver　their　speeches　in；　what　a　

lot　of　subsequent　explaining　away　would　be　saved。　　But　to　go　back　

to　Bond　Street　…　not　that　we've　left　it　…　〃



〃I'm　afraid　I　must　leave　it　now；〃　said　Francesca；　preparing　to　turn　

up　Grafton　Street；　〃Good…bye。〃



〃Must　you　be　going？　　Come　and　have　tea　somewhere。　　I　know　of　a　cosy　

little　place　where　one　can　talk　undisturbed。〃



Francesca　repressed　a　shudder　and　pleaded　an　urgent　engagement。



〃I　know　where　you're　going；〃　said　Merla；　with　the　resentful　buzz　of　

a　bluebottle　that　finds　itself　thwarted　by　the　cold　unreasoning　

resistance　of　a　windowpane。　　〃You're　going　to　play　bridge　at　Serena　

Golackly's。　　She　never　asks　me　to　her　bridge　parties。〃



Francesca　shuddered　openly　this　time；　the　prospect　of　having　to　

play　bridge　anywhere　in　the　near　neighbourhood　of　Merla's　voice　was　

not　one　that　could　be　contemplated　with　ordinary　calmness。



〃Good…bye；〃　she　said　again　firmly；　and　passed　out　of　earshot；　it　

was　rather　like　leaving　the　machinery　section　of　an　exhibition。　　

Merla's　diagnosis　of　her　destination　had　been　a　correct　one；　

Francesca　made　her　way　slowly　through　the　hot　streets　in　the　

direction　of　Serena　Golackly's　house　on　the　far　side　of　Berkeley　

Square。　　To　the　blessed　certainty　of　finding　a　game　of　bridge；　she　

hopefully　added　the　possibility　of　hearing　some　fragments　of　news　

which　might　prove　interesting　and　enlightening。　　And　of　

enlightenment　on　a　particular　subject；　in　which　she　was　acutely　and　

personally　interested；　she　stood　in　some　need。　　Comus　of　late　had　

been　provokingly　reticent　as　to　his　movements　and　doings；　partly；　

perhaps；　because　it　was　his　nature　to　be　provoking；　partly　because　

the　daily　bickerings　over　money　matters　were　gradually　choking　

other　forms　of　conversation。　　Francesca　had　seen　him　once　or　twice　

in　the　Park　in　the　desirable　company　of　Elaine　de　Frey；　and　from　

time　to　time　she　heard　of　the　young　people　as　having　danced　

together　at　various　houses；　on　the　other　hand；　she　had　seen　and　

heard　quite　as　much　evidence　to　connect　the　heiress's　name　with　

that　of　Courtenay　Youghal。　　Beyond　this　meagre　and　conflicting　and　

altogether　tantalising　information；　her　knowledge　of　the　present　

position　of　affairs　did　not　go。　　If　either　of　the　young　men　was　

seriously　〃making　the　running；〃　it　was　probable　that　she　would　hear　

some　sly　hint　or　open　comment　about　it　from　one　of　Serena's　gossip…

laden　friends；　without　having　to　go　out　of　her　way　to　introduce　the　

subject　and　unduly　disclose　her　own　state　of　ignorance。　　And　a　game　

of　bridge；　played　for　moderately　high　points；　gave　ample　excuse　for　

convenient　lapses　into　reticence；　if　questions　took　an　

embarrassingly　inquisitive　turn；　one　could　always　find　refuge　in　a　

defensive　spade。



The　afternoon　was　too　warm　to　make　bridge　a　generally　popular　

diversion；　and　Serena's　party　was　a　comparatively　small　one。　　Only　

one　table　was　incomplete　when　Francesca　made　her　appearance　on　the　

scene；　at　it　was　seated　Serena　herself；　confronted　by　Ada　

Spelvexit；　whom　everyone　was　wont　to　explain　as　〃one　of　the　

Cheshire　Spelvexits；〃　as　though　any　other　variety　would　have　been　

intolerable。　　Ada　Spelvexit　was　one　of　those　naturally　stagnant　

souls　who　take　infinite　pleasure　in　what　are　called　〃movements。〃　　

〃Most　of　the　really　great　lessons　I　have　learned　have　been　taught　

me　by　the　Poor；〃　was　one　of　her　favourite　statements。　　The　one　

great　lesson　that　the　Poor　in　general　would　have　liked　to　have　

taught　her；　that　their　kitchens　and　sickrooms　were　not　unreservedly　

at　her　disposal　as　private　lecture　halls；　she　had　never　been　able　

to　assimilate。　　She　was　ready　to　give　them　unlimited　advice　as　to　

how　they　should　keep　the　wolf　from　their　doors；　but　in　return　she　

claimed　and　enforced　for　herself　the　penetrating　powers　of　an　east　

wind　or　a　dust　storm。　　Her　visits　among　her　wealthier　acquaintances　

were　equally　extensive　and　enterprising；　and　hardly　more　welcome；　

in　country…house　parties；　while　partaking　to　the　fullest　extent　of　

the　hospitality　offered　her；　she　made　a　practice　of　unburdening　

herself　of　homilies　on　the　evils　of　leisure　and　luxury；　which　did　

not　particularly　endear　her　to　her　fellow　guests。　　Hostesses　

regarded　her　philosophically　as　a　form　of　social　measles　which　

everyone　had　to　have　once。



The　third　prospective　player；　Francesca　noted　without　any　special　

enthusiasm；　was　Lady　Caroline　Benaresq。　　Lady　Caroline　was　far　from　

being　a　remarkably　good　bridge　player；　but　she　always　managed　to　

domineer　mercilessly　over　any　table　that　was　favoured　with　her　

presence；　and　generally　managed　to　win。　　A　domineering　player　

usually　inflicts　the　chief　damage　and　demoralisation　on　his　

partner；　Lady　Caroline's　special　achievement　was　to　harass　and　

demoralise　partner　and　opponents　alike。



〃Weak　and　weak；〃　she　announced　in　her　gentle　voice；　as　she　cut　her　

hostess　for　a　partner；　〃I　suppose　we　had　better　play　only　five　

shillings　a　hundred。〃



Francesca　wondered　at　the　old　woman's　moderate　assessment　of　the　

stake；　knowing　her　fondness　for　highish　play　and　her　usual　good　

luck　in　card　holding。



〃I　don't　mind　what　we　play；〃　said　Ada　Spelvexit；　with　an　incautious　

parade　of　elegant　indifference；　as　a　matter　of　fact　she　was　

inwardly　relieved　and　rejoicing　at　the　reasonable　figure　proposed　

by　Lady　Caroline；　and　she　would　certainly　have　demurred　if　a　higher　

stake　had　been　suggested。　　She　was　not　as　a　rule　a　successful　

player；　and　money　lost　at　cards　was　always　a　poignant　bereavement　

to　her。



〃Then　as　you　don't　mind　we'll　make　it　ten　shillings　a　hundred；〃　

said　Lady　Caroline；　with　the　pleased　chuckle　of　one　who　has　spread　

a　net　in　the　sight　of　a　bird　and　disproved　the　vanity　of　the　

proceeding。



It　proved　a　tiresome　ding…dong　rubber；　with　the　strength　of　the　

cards　slightly　on　Francesca's　side；　and　the　luck　of　the　table　going　

mostly　the　other　way。　　She　was　too　keen　a　player　not　to　feel　a　

certain　absorption　in　the　game　once　it　had　started；　but　she　was　

conscious　to…day　of　a　distracting　interest　that　competed　with　the　

momentary　importance　of　leads　and　discards　and　declarations。　　The　

little　accumulations　of　talk　that　were　unpent　during　the　dealing　of　

the　hands　became　as　noteworthy　to　her　alert　attention　as　the　play　

of　the　hands　themselves。



〃Yes；　quite　a　small　party　this　afternoon；〃　said　Serena；　in　reply　to　

a　seemingly　casual　remark　on　Francesca's　part；　〃and　two　or　three　

non…players；　which　is　unusual　on　a　Wednesday。　　Canon　Besomley　was　

here　just　before　you　came；　you　know；　the　big　preaching　man。〃



〃I've　been　to　hear　him　scold　the　human　race　once　or　twice；〃　said　

Francesca。



〃A　strong　man　with　a　wonderfully　strong　message；〃　said　Ada　

Spelvexit；　in　an　impressive　and　assertive　tone。



〃The　sort　of　popular　pulpiteer　who　spanks　the　vices　of　his　age　and　

lunches　with　them　afterwards；〃　said　Lady　Caroline。



〃Hardly　a　fair　summary　of　the　man　and　his　work；〃　protested　Ada。　　

〃I've　been　to　hear　him　many　times　when　I've　been　depressed　or　

discouraged；　and　I　simply　can't　tell　you　the　impression　his　words　

leave　…　〃



〃At　least　you　can　tell　us　what　you　intend　to　make　trumps；〃　broke　in　

Lady　Caroline；　gently。



〃Diamonds；〃　pronounced　Ada；　after　a　rather　flurried　survey　of　her　

hand。



〃Doubled；〃　said　Lady　Caroline；　with　increased　gentleness；　and　a　few　

minutes　later　she　was　pencilling　an　addition　of　twenty…four　to　her　

score。



〃I　stayed　with　his　people　down　in　Herefordshire　last　May；〃　said　

Ada；　returning　to　the　unfinished　theme　of　the　Canon；　〃such　an　

exquisite　rural　retreat；　and　so　restful　and　healing　to　the　nerves。　　

Real　country　scenery；　apple　blossom　everywhere。〃



〃Surely　only　on　the　apple　trees；〃　said　Lady　Caroline。



Ada　Spelvexit　gave　up　the　attempt　to　reproduce　the　decorative　

setting　of　the　Canon's　homelife；　and　fell　back　on　the　small　but　

practical　consolation　of　scoring　the　odd　trick　in　her　opponent's　

declaration　of　hearts。



〃If　you　had　led　your　highest　club　to　start　with；　instead　of　the　

nine；　we　should　have　saved　the　trick；〃　remarked　Lady　Caroline　to　

her　partner　in　a　tone　of　coldly；　gentle　reproof；　〃it's　no　use；　my　

dear；〃　she　continued；　as　Serena　flustered　out　a　halting　apology；　

〃no　earthly　use　to　attempt　to　play　bridge　at　one　table　and　try　to　

see　and　hear　what's　going　on　at　two　or　three　other　tables。〃



〃I　can　generally　manage　to　attend　to　more　than　one　thing　at　a　

time；〃　said　Serena；　rashly；　〃I　think　I　must　have　a　sort　of　double　

brain。〃



〃Much　better　to　economise　and　have　one　really　good　one；〃　observed　

Lady　Caroline。



〃LA　BELLE　DAME　SANS　MERCI　scoring　a　verbal　trick　or　two　as　usual；〃　

said　a　player　at　another　table　in　a　discreet　undertone。



〃Did　I　tell　you　Sir　Edward　Ro