the unbearable bassington-第17章

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scrupulously　observing　her　promise；　made　earlier　on　that　eventful　

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

reaction　of　compunction　set　in；　and　she　reminded　herself　that　in　

fairness　she　ought　to　write　and　tell　her　news　in　as　friendly　a　

fashion　as　possible　to　her　dismissed　suitor　before　it　burst　upon　

him　from　some　other　quarter。　　They　had　parted　on　more　or　less　

quarrelling　terms　it　was　true；　but　neither　of　them　had　foreseen　the　

finality　of　the　parting　nor　the　permanence　of　the　breach　between　

them；　Comus　might　even　now　be　thinking　himself　half…forgiven；　and　

the　awakening　would　be　rather　cruel。　　The　letter；　however；　did　not　

prove　an　easy　one　to　write；　not　only　did　it　present　difficulties　of　

its　own　but　it　suffered　from　the　competing　urgency　of　a　desire　to　

be　doing　something　far　pleasanter　than　writing　explanatory　and　

valedictory　phrases。　　Elaine　was　possessed　with　an　unusual　but　

quite　over…mastering　hankering　to　visit　her　cousin　Suzette　

Brankley。　　They　met　but　rarely　at　each　other's　houses　and　very　

seldom　anywhere　else；　and　Elaine　for　her　part　was　never　conscious　

of　feeling　that　their　opportunities　for　intercourse　lacked　anything　

in　the　way　of　adequacy。　　Suzette　accorded　her　just　that　touch　of　

patronage　which　a　moderately　well…off　and　immoderately　dull　girl　

will　usually　try　to　mete　out　to　an　acquaintance　who　is　known　to　be　

wealthy　and　suspected　of　possessing　brains。　　In　return　Elaine　armed　

herself　with　that　particular　brand　of　mock　humility　which　can　be　so　

terribly　disconcerting　if　properly　wielded。　　No　quarrel　of　any　

description　stood　between　them　and　one　could　not　legitimately　have　

described　them　as　enemies；　but　they　never　disarmed　in　one　another's　

presence。　　A　misfortune　of　any　magnitude　falling　on　one　of　them　

would　have　been　sincerely　regretted　by　the　other；　but　any　minor　

discomfiture　would　have　produced　a　feeling　very　much　akin　to　

satisfaction。　　Human　nature　knows　millions　of　these　inconsequent　

little　feuds；　springing　up　and　flourishing　apart　from　any　basis　of　

racial；　political；　religious　or　economic　causes；　as　a　hint　perhaps　

to　crass　unseeing　altruists　that　enmity　has　its　place　and　purpose　

in　the　world　as　well　as　benevolence。



Elaine　had　not　personally　congratulated　Suzette　since　the　formal　

announcement　of　her　engagement　to　the　young　man　with　the　

dissentient　tailoring　effects。　　The　impulse　to　go　and　do　so　now；　

overmastered　her　sense　of　what　was　due　to　Comus　in　the　way　of　

explanation。　　The　letter　was　still　in　its　blank　unwritten　stage；　an　

unmarshalled　sequence　of　sentences　forming　in　her　brain；　when　she　

ordered　her　car　and　made　a　hurried　but　well…thought…out　change　into　

her　most　sumptuously　sober　afternoon　toilette。　　Suzette；　she　felt　

tolerably　sure；　would　still　be　in　the　costume　that　she　had　worn　in　

the　Park　that　morning；　a　costume　that　aimed　at　elaboration　of　

detail；　and　was　damned　with　overmuch　success。



Suzette's　mother　welcomed　her　unexpected　visitor　with　obvious　

satisfaction。　　Her　daughter's　engagement；　she　explained；　was　not　so　

brilliant　from　the　social　point　of　view　as　a　girl　of　Suzette's　

attractions　and　advantages　might　have　legitimately　aspired　to；　but　

Egbert　was　a　thoroughly　commendable　and　dependable　young　man；　who　

would　very　probably　win　his　way　before　long　to　membership　of　the　

County　Council。



〃From　there；　of　course；　the　road　would　be　open　to　him　to　higher　

things。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Elaine；　〃he　might　become　an　alderman。〃



〃Have　you　seen　their　photographs；　taken　together？〃　asked　Mrs。　

Brankley；　abandoning　the　subject　of　Egbert's　prospective　career。



〃No；　do　show　me；〃　said　Elaine；　with　a　flattering　show　of　interest；　

〃I've　never　seen　that　sort　of　thing　before。　　It　used　to　be　the　

fashion　once　for　engaged　couples　to　be　photographed　together；　

didn't　it？〃



〃It's　VERY　much　the　fashion　now；〃　said　Mrs。　Brankley　assertively；　

but　some　of　the　complacency　had　filtered　out　of　her　voice。　　Suzette　

came　into　the　room；　wearing　the　dress　that　she　had　worn　in　the　Park　

that　morning。



〃Of　course；　you've　been　hearing　all　about　THE　engagement　from　

mother；〃　she　cried；　and　then　set　to　work　conscientiously　to　cover　

the　same　ground。



〃We　met　at　Grindelwald；　you　know。　　He　always　calls　me　his　Ice　

Maiden　because　we　first　got　to　know　each　other　on　the　skating　rink。　　

Quite　romantic；　wasn't　it？　　Then　we　asked　him　to　tea　one　day；　and　

we　got　to　be　quite　friendly。　　Then　he　proposed。〃



〃He　wasn't　the　only　one　who　was　smitten　with　Suzette；〃　Mrs。　

Brankley　hastened　to　put　in；　fearful　lest　Elaine　might　suppose　that　

Egbert　had　had　things　all　his　own　way。　　〃There　was　an　American　

millionaire　who　was　quite　taken　with　her；　and　a　Polish　count　of　a　

very　old　family。　　I　assure　you　I　felt　quite　nervous　at　some　of　our　

tea…parties。〃



Mrs。　Brankley　had　given　Grindelwald　a　sinister　but　rather　alluring　

reputation　among　a　large　circle　of　untravelled　friends　as　a　place　

where　the　insolence　of　birth　and　wealth　was　held　in　precarious　

check　from　breaking　forth　into　scenes　of　savage　violence。



〃My　marriage　with　Egbert　will；　of　course；　enlarge　the　sphere　of　my　

life　enormously；〃　pursued　Suzette。



〃Yes；〃　said　Elaine；　her　eyes　were　rather　remorselessly　taking　in　

the　details　of　her　cousin's　toilette。　　It　is　said　that　nothing　is　

sadder　than　victory　except　defeat。　　Suzette　began　to　feel　that　the　

tragedy　of　both　was　concentrated　in　the　creation　which　had　given　

her　such　unalloyed　gratification；　till　Elaine　had　come　on　the　

scene。



〃A　woman　can　be　so　immensely　helpful　in　the　social　way　to　a　man　who　

is　making　a　career　for　himself。　　And　I'm　so　glad　to　find　that　we've　

a　great　many　ideas　in　common。　　We　each　made　out　a　list　of　our　idea　

of　the　hundred　best　books；　and　quite　a　number　of　them　were　the　

same。〃



〃He　looks　bookish；〃　said　Elaine；　with　a　critical　glance　at　the　

photograph。



〃Oh；　he's　not　at　all　a　bookworm；〃　said　Suzette　quickly；　〃though　

he's　tremendously　well…read。　　He's　quite　the　man　of　action。〃



〃Does　he　hunt？〃　asked　Elaine。



〃No；　he　doesn't　get　much　time　or　opportunity　for　riding。〃



〃What　a　pity；〃　commented　Elaine；　〃I　don't　think　I　could　marry　a　man　

who　wasn't　fond　of　riding。〃



〃Of　course　that's　a　matter　of　taste；〃　said　Suzette；　stiffly；　

〃horsey　men　are　not　usually　gifted　with　overmuch　brains；　are　they？〃



〃There　is　as　much　difference　between　a　horseman　and　a　horsey　man　as　

there　is　between　a　well…dressed　man　and　a　dressy　one；〃　said　Elaine；　

judicially；　〃and　you　may　have　noticed　how　seldom　a　dressy　woman　

really　knows　how　to　dress。　　As　an　old　lady　of　my　acquaintance　

observed　the　other　day；　some　people　are　born　with　a　sense　of　how　to　

clothe　themselves；　others　acquire　it；　others　look　as　if　their　

clothes　had　been　thrust　upon　them。〃



She　gave　Lady　Caroline　her　due　quotation　marks；　but　the　sudden　

tactfulness　with　which　she　looked　away　from　her　cousin's　frock　was　

entirely　her　own　idea。



A　young　man　entering　the　room　at　this　moment　caused　a　diversion　

that　was　rather　welcome　to　Suzette。



〃Here　comes　Egbert；〃　she　announced；　with　an　air　of　subdued　triumph；　

it　was　at　least　a　satisfaction　to　be　able　to　produce　the　captive　of　

her　charms；　alive　and　in　good　condition；　on　the　scene。　　Elaine　

might　be　as　critical　as　she　pleased；　but　a　live　lover　outweighed　

any　number　of　well…dressed　straight…riding　cavaliers　who　existed　

only　as　a　distant　vision　of　the　delectable　husband。



Egbert　was　one　of　those　men　who　have　no　small　talk；　but　possess　an　

inexhaustible　supply　of　the　larger　variety。　　In　whatever　society　he　

happened　to　be；　and　particularly　in　the　immediate　neighbourhood　of　

an　afternoon…tea　table；　with　a　limited　audience　of　womenfolk；　he　

gave　the　impression　of　someone　who　was　addressing　a　public　meeting；　

and　would　be　happy　to　answer　questions　afterwards。　　A　suggestion　of　

gas…lit　mission…halls；　wet　umbrellas；　and　discreet　applause　seemed　

to　accompany　him　everywhere。　　He　was　an　exponent；　among　other　

things；　of　what　he　called　New　Thought；　which　seemed　to　lend　itself　

conveniently　to　the　employment　of　a　good　deal　of　rather　stale　

phraseology。　　Probably　in　the　course　of　some　thirty　odd　years　of　

existence　he　had　never　been　of　any　notable　use　to　man；　woman；　child　

or　animal；　but　it　was　his　firmly…announced　intention　to　leave　the　

world　a　better；　happier；　purer　place　than　he　had　found　it；　against　

the　danger　of　any　relapse　to　earlier　conditions　after　his　

disappearance　from　the　scene；　he　was；　of　course；　powerless　to　

guard。　　'Tis　not　in　mortals　to　insure　succession；　and　Egbert　was　

admittedly　mortal。



Elaine　found　him　immensely　entertaining；　and　would　certainly　have　

exerted　herself　to　draw　him　out　if　such　a　proceeding　had　been　at　

all　necessary。　　She　listened　to　his　conversation　with　the　

complacent　appreciation　that　one　bestows　on　a　stage　tragedy；　from　

whose　calamities　one　can　escape　at　any　moment　by　the　simple　process　

of　leaving　one's　seat。　　When　at　last　he　checked　the　flow　of　his　

opinions　by　a　hurried　reference　to　his　watch；　and　declared　that　he　

must　be　moving　on　elsewhere；　Elaine　almost　expected　a　vote　of　

thanks　to　be　accorded　him；　or　to　be　asked　to　signify　herself　in　

favour　of　some　resolution　by　holding　up　her　hand。



When　the　young　man　had　bidden　the　company　a　rapid　business…like　

farewell；　tempered　in　Suzette's　case　by　the　exact　degree　of　tender　

intimacy　that　it　would　have　been　considered　improper　to　omit　or　

overstep；　Elaine　turned　to　her　expectant　cousin　with　an　air　of　

cordial　congratulation。



〃He　is　exactly　the　husband　I　should　have　chosen　for　you；　Suzette。〃



For　the　second　time　that　afternoon　Suzette　felt　a　sense　of　waning　

enthusiasm　for　one　of　her　possessions。



Mrs。　Brankley　detected　the　note　of　ironical　congratulation　in　her　

visitor's　verdict。



〃I　suppose　she　means　he's　not　her　idea　of　a　husband；　but；　he's　good　

enough　for　Suzette；〃　she　observed　to　herself；　with　a　snort　that　

expressed　itself　somewhere　in　the　nostrils　of　the　brain。　　Then　with　

a　smiling　air　of　heavy　patronage　she　delivered　herself　of　her　one　

idea　of　a　damaging　counter…stroke。



〃And　when　are　we　to　hear　of　your　engagement；　my　dear？〃



〃Now；〃　said　Elaine　quietly；　but　with　electrical　effect；　〃I　came　to　

announce　it　to　you　but　I　wanted　to　hear　all　about　Suzette　first。　　

It　will　be　formally　announced　in　the　papers　in　a　day　or　two。〃



〃But　who　is　it？　　Is　it　the　young　man　who　was　with　you　in　the　Park　

this　morning？〃　asked　Suzette。



〃Let　me　see；　who　was　I　with　in　the　Park　this　morning？　　A　very　good…

looking　dark　boy？　　Oh　no；　not　Comus　Bassington。　　Someone　you　know　

by　name；　anyway；　and　I　expect　you've　seen　his　portrait　in　the　

papers。〃



〃A　flying…man？〃　asked　Mrs。　Brankley。



〃Courtenay　Youghal；〃　said　Elaine。



Mrs。　Brankley　and　Suzette　had　often　rehearsed　in　the　privacy　of　

their　minds　the　occasi