the unbearable bassington-第13章

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outside　their　own　bickering　wars　and　hates；　the　grim　enemies　that　

come　up　against　them　from　the　woodlands；　the　hawk　that　dashes　among　

the　coops　like　a　moss…trooper　raiding　the　border；　knowing　well　that　

a　charge　of　shot　may　tear　him　to　bits　at　any　moment。　　And　the　

stoat；　a　creeping　slip　of　brown　fur　a　few　inches　long；　intently　and　

unstayably　out　for　blood。　　And　the　hunger…taught　master　of　craft；　

the　red　fox；　who　has　waited　perhaps　half　the　afternoon　for　his　

chance　while　the　fowls　were　dusting　themselves　under　the　hedge；　and　

just　as　they　were　turning　supper…ward　to　the　yard　one　has　stopped　a　

moment　to　give　her　feathers　a　final　shake　and　found　death　springing　

upon　her。　　Do　you　know；〃　he　continued；　as　Elaine　fed　herself　and　

the　mare　with　morsels　of　currant…loaf；　〃I　don't　think　any　tragedy　

in　literature　that　I　have　ever　come　across　impressed　me　so　much　as　

the　first　one；　that　I　spelled　out　slowly　for　myself　in　words　of　

three　letters：　the　bad　fox　has　got　the　red　hen。　　There　was　

something　so　dramatically　complete　about　it；　the　badness　of　the　

fox；　added　to　all　the　traditional　guile　of　his　race；　seemed　to　

heighten　the　horror　of　the　hen's　fate；　and　there　was　such　a　

suggestion　of　masterful　malice　about　the　word　'got。'　　One　felt　that　

a　countryside　in　arms　would　not　get　that　hen　away　from　the　bad　fox。　　

They　used　to　think　me　a　slow　dull　reader　for　not　getting　on　with　my　

lesson；　but　I　used　to　sit　and　picture　to　myself　the　red　hen；　with　

its　wings　beating　helplessly；　screeching　in　terrified　protest；　or　

perhaps；　if　he　had　got　it　by　the　neck；　with　beak　wide　agape　and　

silent；　and　eyes　staring；　as　it　left　the　farm…yard　for　ever。　　I　

have　seen　blood…spillings　and　down…crushings　and　abject　defeat　here　

and　there　in　my　time；　but　the　red　hen　has　remained　in　my　mind　as　

the　type　of　helpless　tragedy。〃　　He　was　silent　for　a　moment　as　if　he　

were　again　musing　over　the　three…letter　drama　that　had　so　dwelt　in　

his　childhood's　imagination。　　〃Tell　me　some　of　the　things　you　have　

seen　in　your　time；〃　was　the　request　that　was　nearly　on　Elaine's　

lips；　but　she　hastily　checked　herself　and　substituted　another。



〃Tell　me　more　about　the　farm；　please。〃



And　he　told　her　of　a　whole　world；　or　rather　of　several　intermingled　

worlds；　set　apart　in　this　sleepy　hollow　in　the　hills；　of　beast　lore　

and　wood　lore　and　farm　craft；　at　times　touching　almost　the　border　

of　witchcraft　…　passing　lightly　here；　not　with　the　probing　

eagerness　of　those　who　know　nothing；　but　with　the　averted　glance　of　

those　who　fear　to　see　too　much。　　He　told　her　of　those　things　that　

slept　and　those　that　prowled　when　the　dusk　fell；　of　strange　hunting　

cats；　of　the　yard　swine　and　the　stalled　cattle；　of　the　farm　folk　

themselves；　as　curious　and　remote　in　their　way；　in　their　ideas　and　

fears　and　wants　and　tragedies；　as　the　brutes　and　feathered　stock　

that　they　tended。　　It　seemed　to　Elaine　as　if　a　musty　store　of　old…

world　children's　books　had　been　fetched　down　from　some　cobwebbed　

lumber…room　and　brought　to　life。　　Sitting　there　in　the　little　

paddock；　grown　thickly　with　tall　weeds　and　rank　grasses；　and　

shadowed　by　the　weather…beaten　old　grey　barn；　listening　to　this　

chronicle　of　wonderful　things；　half　fanciful；　half　very　real；　she　

could　scarcely　believe　that　a　few　miles　away　there　was　a　garden…

party　in　full　swing；　with　smart　frocks　and　smart　conversation；　

fashionable　refreshments　and　fashionable　music；　and　a　fevered　

undercurrent　of　social　strivings　and　snubbings。　　Did　Vienna　and　the　

Balkan　Mountains　and　the　Black　Sea　seem　as　remote　and　hard　to　

believe　in；　she　wondered；　to　the　man　sitting　by　her　side；　who　had　

discovered　or　invented　this　wonderful　fairyland？　　Was　it　a　true　and　

merciful　arrangement　of　fate　and　life　that　the　things　of　the　moment　

thrust　out　the　after…taste　of　the　things　that　had　been？　　Here　was　

one　who　had　held　much　that　was　priceless　in　the　hollow　of　his　hand　

and　lost　it　all；　and　he　was　happy　and　absorbed　and　well…content　

with　the　little　wayside　corner　of　the　world　into　which　he　had　

crept。　　And　Elaine；　who　held　so　many　desirable　things　in　the　hollow　

of　her　hand；　could　not　make　up　her　mind　to　be　even　moderately　

happy。　　She　did　not　even　know　whether　to　take　this　hero　of　her　

childhood　down　from　his　pedestal；　or　to　place　him　on　a　higher　one；　

on　the　whole　she　was　inclined　to　resent　rather　than　approve　the　

idea　that　ill…health　and　misfortune　could　so　completely　subdue　and　

tame　an　erstwhile　bold　and　roving　spirit。



The　mare　was　showing　signs　of　delicately…hinted　impatience；　the　

paddock；　with　its　teasing　insects　and　very　indifferent　grazing；　had　

not　thrust　out　the　image　of　her　own　comfortable　well…foddered　

loose…box。　　Elaine　divested　her　habit　of　some　remaining　crumbs　of　

bun…loaf　and　jumped　lightly　on　to　her　saddle。　　As　she　rode　slowly　

down　the　lane；　with　Keriway　escorting　her　as　far　as　its　gate；　she　

looked　round　at　what　had　seemed　to　her；　a　short　while　ago；　just　a　

picturesque　old　farmstead；　a　place　of　bee…hives　and　hollyhocks　and　

gabled　cart…sheds；　now　it　was　in　her　eyes　a　magic　city；　with　an　

under…current　of　reality　beneath　its　magic。



〃You　are　a　person　to　be　envied；〃　she　said　to　Keriway；　〃you　have　

created　a　fairyland；　and　you　are　living　in　it　yourself。〃



〃Envied？〃



He　shot　the　question　out　with　sudden　bitterness。　　She　looked　down　

and　saw　the　wistful　misery　that　had　come　into　his　face。



〃Once；〃　he　said　to　her；　〃in　a　German　paper　I　read　a　short　story　

about　a　tame　crippled　crane　that　lived　in　the　park　of　some　small　

town。　　I　forget　what　happened　in　the　story；　but　there　was　one　line　

that　I　shall　always　remember：　'it　was　lame；　that　is　why　it　was　

tame。'〃



He　had　created　a　fairyland；　but　assuredly　he　was　not　living　in　it。







CHAPTER　IX







IN　the　warmth　of　a　late　June　morning　the　long　shaded　stretch　of　

raked　earth；　gravel…walk　and　rhododendron　bush　that　is　known　

affectionately　as　the　Row　was　alive　with　the　monotonous　movement　

and　alert　stagnation　appropriate　to　the　time　and　place。　　The　

seekers　after　health；　the　seekers　after　notoriety　and　recognition；　

and　the　lovers　of　good　exercise　were　all　well　represented　on　the　

galloping　ground；　the　gravel…walk　and　chairs　and　long　seats　held　a　

population　whose　varied　instincts　and　motives　would　have　baffled　a　

social　catalogue…maker。　　The　children；　handled　or　in　perambulators；　

might　be　excused　from　instinct　or　motive；　they　were　brought。



Pleasingly　conspicuous　among　a　bunch　of　indifferent　riders　pacing　

along　by　the　rails　where　the　onlookers　were　thickest　was　Courtenay　

Youghal；　on　his　handsome　plum…roan　gelding　Anne　de　Joyeuse。　　That　

delicately　stepping　animal　had　taken　a　prize　at　Islington　and　

nearly　taken　the　life　of　a　stable…boy　of　whom　he　disapproved；　but　

his　strongest　claims　to　distinction　were　his　good　looks　and　his　

high　opinion　of　himself。　　Youghal　evidently　believed　in　thorough　

accord　between　horse　and　rider。



〃Please　stop　and　talk　to　me；〃　said　a　quiet　beckoning　voice　from　the　

other　side　of　the　rails；　and　Youghal　drew　rein　and　greeted　Lady　

Veula　Croot。　　Lady　Veula　had　married　into　a　family　of　commercial　

solidity　and　enterprising　political　nonentity。　　She　had　a　devoted　

husband；　some　blonde　teachable　children；　and　a　look　of　unutterable　

weariness　in　her　eyes。　　To　see　her　standing　at　the　top　of　an　

expensively　horticultured　staircase　receiving　her　husband's　guests　

was　rather　like　watching　an　animal　performing　on　a　music…hall　

stage。



One　always　tells　oneself　that　the　animal　likes　it；　and　one　always　

knows　that　it　doesn't。



〃Lady　Veula　is　an　ardent　Free　Trader；　isn't　she？〃　someone　once　

remarked　to　Lady　Caroline。



〃I　wonder；〃　said　Lady　Caroline；　in　her　gently　questioning　voice；　〃a　

woman　whose　dresses　are　made　in　Paris　and　whose　marriage　has　been　

made　in　Heaven　might　be　equally　biassed　for　and　against　free　

imports。〃



Lady　Veula　looked　at　Youghal　and　his　mount　with　slow　critical　

appraisement；　and　there　was　a　note　of　blended　raillery　and　

wistfulness　in　her　voice。



〃You　two　dear　things；　I　should　love　to　stroke　you　both；　but　I'm　not　

sure　how　Joyeuse　would　take　it。　　So　I'll　stroke　you　down　verbally　

instead。　　I　admired　your　attack　on　Sir　Edward　immensely；　though　of　

course　I　don't　agree　with　a　word　of　it。　　Your　description　of　him　

building　a　hedge　round　the　German　cuckoo　and　hoping　he　was　

isolating　it　was　rather　sweet。　　Seriously　though；　I　regard　him　as　

one　of　the　pillars　of　the　Administration。〃



〃So　do　I；〃　said　Youghal；　〃the　misfortune　is　that　he　is　merely　

propping　up　a　canvas　roof。　　It's　just　his　regrettable　solidity　and　

integrity　that　makes　him　so　expensively　dangerous。　　The　average　

Briton　arrives　at　the　same　judgment　about　Roan's　handling　of　

foreign　affairs　as　Omar　does　of　the　Supreme　Being　in　his　dealings　

with　the　world：　He's　a　good　fellow　and　'twill　all　be　well。'〃



Lady　Veula　laughed　lightly。　　〃My　Party　is　in　power　so　I　may　

exercise　the　privilege　of　being　optimistic。　　Who　is　that　who　bowed　

to　you？〃　she　continued；　as　a　dark　young　man　with　an　inclination　to　

stoutness　passed　by　them　on　foot；　〃I've　seen　him　about　a　good　deal　

lately。　　He's　been　to　one　or　two　of　my　dances。〃



〃Andrei　Drakoloff；〃　said　Youghal；　〃he's　just　produced　a　play　that　

has　had　a　big　success　in　Moscow　and　is　certain　to　be　extremely　

popular　all　over　Russia。　　In　the　first　three　acts　the　heroine　is　

supposed　to　be　dying　of　consumption；　in　the　last　act　they　find　she　

is　really　dying　of　cancer。〃



〃Are　the　Russians　really　such　a　gloomy　people？〃



〃Gloom…loving　but　not　in　the　least　gloomy。　　They　merely　take　their　

sadness　pleasurably；　just　as　we　are　accused　of　taking　our　pleasures　

sadly。　　Have　you　noticed　that　dreadful　Klopstock　youth　has　been　

pounding　past　us　at　shortening　intervals。　　He'll　come　up　and　talk　

if　he　half　catches　your　eye。〃



〃I　only　just　know　him。　　Isn't　he　at　an　agricultural　college　or　

something　of　the　sort？〃



〃Yes；　studying　to　be　a　gentleman　farmer；　he　told　me。　　I　didn't　ask　

if　both　subjects　were　compulsory。〃



〃You're　really　rather　dreadful；〃　said　Lady　Veula；　trying　to　look　as　

if　she　thought　so；　〃remember；　we　are　all　equal　in　the　sight　of　

Heaven。〃



For　a　preacher　of　wholesome　truths　her　voice　rather　lacked　

conviction。



〃If　I　and　Ernest　Klopstock　are　really　equal　in　the　sight　of　

Heaven；〃　said　Youghal；　with　intense　complacency；　〃I　should　

recommend　Heaven　to　consult　an　eye　specialist。〃



There　was　a　heavy　spattering　of　loose　earth；　and　a　squelching　of　

saddle…leather；　as　the　Klopstock　youth　lumbered　up　to　the　rails　and　

delivered　himself　of　loud；　cheerful　greetings。　Joyeuse　laid　his　

ears　well　back　as　the　ungainly　bay　cob　and　his　appropriately　

matched　rider　drew　up　beside　him；　his　verdict　was　reflected　and　

endorsed　by　the　cold　stare　of　Youghal's　eyes。



〃I've　been　having　a　nailing　fine　time；〃　recounted