the unbearable bassington-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



Golackly。



〃Oh；　yes；　it's　a　good　likeness　of　dear　Francesca；〃　admitted　Ada；　

〃of　course；　it　flatters　her。〃



〃That；　too；　is　a　fault　on　the　right　side　in　portrait　painting；〃　

said　Serena；　〃after　all；　if　posterity　is　going　to　stare　at　one　for　

centuries　it's　only　kind　and　reasonable　to　be　looking　just　a　little　

better　than　one's　best。〃



〃What　a　curiously　unequal　style　the　artist　has；〃　continued　Ada；　

almost　as　if　she　felt　a　personal　grievance　against　him；　〃I　was　just　

noticing　what　a　lack　of　soul　there　was　in　most　of　his　portraits。　　

Dear　Winifred；　you　know；　who　speaks　so　beautifully　and　feelingly　at　

my　gatherings　for　old　women；　he's　made　her　look　just　an　ordinary　

dairy…maidish　blonde；　and　Francesca；　who　is　quite　the　most　soulless　

woman　I've　ever　met；　well；　he's　given　her　quite　…　〃



〃Hush；〃　said　Serena；　〃the　Bassington　boy　is　just　behind　you。〃



Comus　stood　looking　at　the　portrait　of　his　mother　with　the　feeling　

of　one　who　comes　suddenly　across　a　once…familiar　half…forgotten　

acquaintance　in　unfamiliar　surroundings。　　The　likeness　was　

undoubtedly　a　good　one；　but　the　artist　had　caught　an　expression　in　

Francesca's　eyes　which　few　people　had　ever　seen　there。　　It　was　the　

expression　of　a　woman　who　had　forgotten　for　one　short　moment　to　be　

absorbed　in　the　small　cares　and　excitements　of　her　life；　the　money　

worries　and　little　social　plannings；　and　had　found　time　to　send　a　

look　of　half…wistful　friendliness　to　some　sympathetic　companion。　　

Comus　could　recall　that　look；　fitful　and　fleeting；　in　his　mother's　

eyes　when　she　had　been　a　few　years　younger；　before　her　world　had　

grown　to　be　such　a　committee…room　of　ways　and　means。　　Almost　as　a　

re…discovery　he　remembered　that　she　had　once　figured　in　his　boyish　

mind　as　a　〃rather　good　sort；〃　more　ready　to　see　the　laughable　side　

of　a　piece　of　mischief　than　to　labour　forth　a　reproof。　　That　the　

bygone　feeling　of　good　fellowship　had　been　stamped　out　was；　he　

knew；　probably　in　great　part　his　own　doing；　and　it　was　possible　

that　the　old　friendliness　was　still　there　under　the　surface　of　

things；　ready　to　show　itself　again　if　he　willed　it；　and　friends　

were　becoming　scarcer　with　him　than　enemies　in　these　days。　　Looking　

at　the　picture　with　its　wistful　hint　of　a　long　ago　comradeship；　

Comus　made　up　his　mind　that　he　very　much　wanted　things　to　be　back　

on　their　earlier　footing；　and　to　see　again　on　his　mother's　face　the　

look　that　the　artist　had　caught　and　perpetuated　in　its　momentary　

flitting。　　If　the　projected　Elaine…marriage　came　off；　and　in　spite　

of　recent　maladroit　behaviour　on　his　part　he　still　counted　it　an　

assured　thing；　much　of　the　immediate　cause　for　estrangement　between　

himself　and　his　mother　would　be　removed；　or　at　any　rate；　easily　

removable。　　With　the　influence　of　Elaine's　money　behind　him　he　

promised　himself　that　he　would　find　some　occupation　that　would　

remove　from　himself　the　reproach　of　being　a　waster　and　idler。　　

There　were　lots　of　careers；　he　told　himself；　that　were　open　to　a　

man　with　solid　financial　backing　and　good　connections。　　There　might　

yet　be　jolly　times　ahead；　in　which　his　mother　would　have　her　share　

of　the　good　things　that　were　going；　and　carking　thin…lipped　Henry　

Greech　and　other　of　Comus's　detractors　could　take　their　sour　looks　

and　words　out　of　sight　and　hearing。　　Thus；　staring　at　the　picture　

as　though　he　were　studying　its　every　detail；　and　seeing　really　only　

that　wistful　friendly　smile；　Comus　made　his　plans　and　dispositions　

for　a　battle　that　was　already　fought　and　lost。



The　crowd　grew　thicker　in　the　galleries；　cheerfully　enduring　an　

amount　of　overcrowding　that　would　have　been　fiercely　resented　in　a　

railway　carriage。　　Near　the　entrance　Mervyn　Quentock　was　talking　to　

a　Serene　Highness；　a　lady　who　led　a　life　of　obtrusive　usefulness；　

largely　imposed　on　her　by　a　good…natured　inability　to　say　〃No。〃　　

〃That　woman　creates　a　positive　draught　with　the　number　of　bazaars　

she　opens；〃　a　frivolously…spoken　ex…Cabinet　Minister　had　once　

remarked。　　At　the　present　moment　she　was　being　whimsically　

apologetic。



〃When　I　think　of　the　legions　of　well…meaning　young　men　and　women　to　

whom　I've　given　away　prizes　for　proficiency　in　art…school　

curriculum；　I　feel　that　I　ought　not　to　show　my　face　inside　a　

picture　gallery。　　I　always　imagine　that　my　punishment　in　another　

world　will　be　perpetually　sharpening　pencils　and　cleaning　palettes　

for　unending　relays　of　misguided　young　people　whom　I　deliberately　

encouraged　in　their　artistic　delusions。〃



〃Do　you　suppose　we　shall　all　get　appropriate　punishments　in　another　

world　for　our　sins　in　this？〃　asked　Quentock。



〃Not　so　much　for　our　sins　as　for　our　indiscretions；　they　are　the　

things　which　do　the　most　harm　and　cause　the　greatest　trouble。　　I　

feel　certain　that　Christopher　Columbus　will　undergo　the　endless　

torment　of　being　discovered　by　parties　of　American　tourists。　　You　

see　I　am　quite　old　fashioned　in　my　ideas　about　the　terrors　and　

inconveniences　of　the　next　world。　　And　now　I　must　be　running　away；　

I've　got　to　open　a　Free　Library　somewhere。　　You　know　the　sort　of　

thing　that　happens　…　one　unveils　a　bust　of　Carlyle　and　makes　a　

speech　about　Ruskin；　and　then　people　come　in　their　thousands　and　

read　'Rabid　Ralph；　or　Should　he　have　Bitten　Her？'　　Don't　forget；　

please；　I'm　going　to　have　the　medallion　with　the　fat　cupid　sitting　

on　a　sundial。　　And　just　one　thing　more　…　perhaps　I　ought　not　to　ask　

you；　but　you　have　such　nice　kind　eyes；　you　embolden　one　to　make　

daring　requests；　would　you　send　me　the　recipe　for　those　lovely　

chestnut…and…chicken…liver　sandwiches？　　I　know　the　ingredients　of　

course；　but　it's　the　proportions　that　make　such　a　difference　…　just　

how　much　liver　to　how　much　chestnut；　and　what　amount　of　red　pepper　

and　other　things。　　Thank　you　so　much。　　I　really　am　going　now。〃



Staring　round　with　a　vague　half…smile　at　everybody　within　nodding　

distance；　Her　Serene　Highness　made　one　of　her　characteristic　exits；　

which　Lady　Caroline　declared　always　reminded　her　of　a　scrambled　egg　

slipping　off　a　piece　of　toast。　　At　the　entrance　she　stopped　for　a　

moment　to　exchange　a　word　or　two　with　a　young　man　who　had　just　

arrived。　　From　a　corner　where　he　was　momentarily　hemmed　in　by　a　

group　of　tea…consuming　dowagers；　Comus　recognised　the　newcomer　as　

Courtenay　Youghal；　and　began　slowly　to　labour　his　way　towards　him。　　

Youghal　was　not　at　the　moment　the　person　whose　society　he　most　

craved　for　in　the　world；　but　there　was　at　least　the　possibility　

that　he　might　provide　an　opportunity　for　a　game　of　bridge；　which　

was　the　dominant　desire　of　the　moment。　　The　young　politician　was　

already　surrounded　by　a　group　of　friends　and　acquaintances；　and　was　

evidently　being　made　the　recipient　of　a　salvo　of　congratulation　…　

presumably　on　his　recent　performances　in　the　Foreign　Office　debate；　

Comus　concluded。　　But　Youghal　himself　seemed　to　be　announcing　the　

event　with　which　the　congratulations　were　connected。　　Had　some　

dramatic　catastrophe　overtaken　the　Government；　Comus　wondered。　　And　

then；　as　he　pressed　nearer；　a　chance　word；　the　coupling　of　two　

names；　told　him　the　news。







CHAPTER　XI







AFTER　the　momentous　lunch　at　the　Corridor　Restaurant　Elaine　had　

returned　to　Manchester　Square　（where　she　was　staying　with　one　of　

her　numerous　aunts）　in　a　frame　of　mind　that　embraced　a　tangle　of　

competing　emotions。　　In　the　first　place　she　was　conscious　of　a　

dominant　feeling　of　relief；　in　a　moment　of　impetuosity；　not　wholly　

uninfluenced　by　pique；　she　had　settled　the　problem　which　hours　of　

hard　thinking　and　serious　heart…searching　had　brought　no　nearer　to　

solution；　and；　although　she　felt　just　a　little　inclined　to　be　

scared　at　the　headlong　manner　of　her　final　decision；　she　had　now　

very　little　doubt　in　her　own　mind　that　the　decision　had　been　the　

right　one。　　In　fact　the　wonder　seemed　rather　that　she　should　have　

been　so　long　in　doubt　as　to　which　of　her　wooers　really　enjoyed　her　

honest　approval。　　She　had　been　in　love；　these　many　weeks　past　with　

an　imaginary　Comus；　but　now　that　she　had　definitely　walked　out　of　

her　dreamland　she　saw　that　nearly　all　the　qualities　that　had　

appealed　to　her　on　his　behalf　had　been　absent　from；　or　only　

fitfully　present　in；　the　character　of　the　real　Comus。　　And　now　that　

she　had　installed　Youghal　in　the　first　place　of　her　affections　he　

had　rapidly　acquired　in　her　eyes　some　of　the　qualities　which　ranked　

highest　in　her　estimation。　　Like　the　proverbial　buyer　she　had　the　

happy　feminine　tendency　of　magnifying　the　worth　of　her　possession　

as　soon　as　she　had　acquired　it。　　And　Courtenay　Youghal　gave　Elaine　

some　justification　for　her　sense　of　having　chosen　wisely。　　Above　

all　other　things；　selfish　and　cynical　though　he　might　appear　at　

times；　he　was　unfailingly　courteous　and　considerate　towards　her。　　

That　was　a　circumstance　which　would　always　have　carried　weight　with　

her　in　judging　any　man；　in　this　case　its　value　was　enormously　

heightened　by　contrast　with　the　behaviour　of　her　other　wooer。　　And　

Youghal　had　in　her　eyes　the　advantage　which　the　glamour　of　combat；　

even　the　combat　of　words　and　wire…pulling；　throws　over　the　fighter。　　

He　stood　well　in　the　forefront　of　a　battle　which　however　carefully　

stage…managed；　however　honeycombed　with　personal　insincerities　and　

overlaid　with　calculated　mock…heroics；　really　meant　something；　

really　counted　for　good　or　wrong　in　the　nation's　development　and　

the　world's　history。　　Shrewd　parliamentary　observers　might　have　

warned　her　that　Youghal　would　never　stand　much　higher　in　the　

political　world　than　he　did　at　present；　as　a　brilliant　Opposition　

freelance；　leading　lively　and　rather　meaningless　forays　against　the　

dull　and　rather　purposeless　foreign　policy　of　a　Government　that　was　

scarcely　either　to　be　blamed　for　or　congratulated　on　its　handling　

of　foreign　affairs。　　The　young　politician　had　not　the　strength　of　

character　or　convictions　that　keeps　a　man　naturally　in　the　

forefront　of　affairs　and　gives　his　counsels　a　sterling　value；　and　

on　the　other　hand　his　insincerity　was　not　deep　enough　to　allow　him　

to　pose　artificially　and　successfully　as　a　leader　of　men　and　shaper　

of　movements。　　For　the　moment；　however；　his　place　in　public　life　

was　sufficiently　marked　out　to　give　him　a　secure　footing　in　that　

world　where　people　are　counted　individually　and　not　in　herds。　　The　

woman　whom　he　would　make　his　wife　would　have　the　chance；　too；　if　

she　had　the　will　and　the　skill；　to　become　an　individual　who　

counted。



There　was　balm　to　Elaine　in　this　reflection；　yet　it　did　not　wholly　

suffice　to　drive　out　the　feeling　of　pique　which　Comus　had　called　

into　being　by　his　slighting　view　of　her　as　a　convenient　cash　supply　

in　moments　of　emergency。　　She　found　a　certain　satisfaction　in　

scrupulously　observing　her　promise；　made　earlier　on　that　eventful　

day；　and　sent　off　a　messenger　with　the　stipulated　loan。