the unbearable bassington-第21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！



survey　her；　〃tell　me；　please；　where　is　the　girl　sitting　whom　

Courtenay　Youghal　is　engaged　to？〃



Elaine　was　pointed　out　to　her；　sitting　in　the　fourth　row　of　the　

stalls；　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　house　to　where　Comus　had　his　

seat。　　Once　during　the　interval　she　had　turned　to　give　him　a　

friendly　nod　of　recognition　as　he　stood　in　one　of　the　side　

gangways；　but　he　was　absorbed　at　the　moment　in　looking　at　himself　

in　the　glass　panel。　　The　grave　brown　eyes　and　the　mocking　green…

grey　ones　had　looked　their　last　into　each　other's　depths。



For　Comus　this　first…night　performance；　with　its　brilliant　

gathering　of　spectators；　its　groups　and　coteries　of　lively　talkers；　

even　its　counterfoil　of　dull　chatterers；　its　pervading　atmosphere　

of　stage　and　social　movement；　and　its　intruding　undercurrent　of　

political　flutter；　all　this　composed　a　tragedy　in　which　he　was　the　

chief　character。　　It　was　the　life　he　knew　and　loved　and　basked　in；　

and　it　was　the　life　he　was　leaving。　　It　would　go　on　reproducing　

itself　again　and　again；　with　its　stage　interest　and　social　interest　

and　intruding　outside　interests；　with　the　same　lively　chattering　

crowd；　the　people　who　had　done　things　being　pointed　out　by　people　

who　recognised　them　to　people　who　didn't　…　it　would　all　go　on　with　

unflagging　animation　and　sparkle　and　enjoyment；　and　for　him　it　

would　have　stopped　utterly。　　He　would　be　in　some　unheard…of　sun…

blistered　wilderness；　where　natives　and　pariah　dogs　and　raucous…

throated　crows　fringed　round　mockingly　on　one's　loneliness；　where　

one　rode　for　sweltering　miles　for　the　chance　of　meeting　a　collector　

or　police　officer；　with　whom　most　likely　on　closer　acquaintance　one　

had　hardly　two　ideas　in　common；　where　female　society　was　

represented　at　long　intervals　by　some　climate…withered　woman　

missionary　or　official's　wife；　where　food　and　sickness　and　

veterinary　lore　became　at　last　the　three　outstanding　subjects　on　

which　the　mind　settled　or　rather　sank。　　That　was　the　life　he　

foresaw　and　dreaded；　and　that　was　the　life　he　was　going　to。　　For　a　

boy　who　went　out　to　it　from　the　dulness　of　some　country　rectory；　

from　a　neighbourhood　where　a　flower　show　and　a　cricket　match　formed　

the　social　landmarks　of　the　year；　the　feeling　of　exile　might　not　be　

very　crushing；　might　indeed　be　lost　in　the　sense　of　change　and　

adventure。　　But　Comus　had　lived　too　thoroughly　in　the　centre　of　

things　to　regard　life　in　a　backwater　as　anything　else　than　

stagnation；　and　stagnation　while　one　is　young　he　justly　regarded　as　

an　offence　against　nature　and　reason；　in　keeping　with　the　perverted　

mockery　that　sends　decrepit　invalids　touring　painfully　about　the　

world　and　shuts　panthers　up　in　narrow　cages。　　He　was　being　put　

aside；　as　a　wine　is　put　aside；　but　to　deteriorate　instead　of　

gaining　in　the　process；　to　lose　the　best　time　of　his　youth　and　

health　and　good　looks　in　a　world　where　youth　and　health　and　good　

looks　count　for　much　and　where　time　never　returns　lost　possessions。　　

And　thus；　as　the　curtain　swept　down　on　the　close　of　each　act；　Comus　

felt　a　sense　of　depression　and　deprivation　sweep　down　on　himself；　

bitterly　he　watched　his　last　evening　of　social　gaiety　slipping　away　

to　its　end。　　In　less　than　an　hour　it　would　be　over；　in　a　few　

months'　time　it　would　be　an　unreal　memory。



In　the　third　interval；　as　he　gazed　round　at　the　chattering　house；　

someone　touched　him　on　the　arm。　　It　was　Lady　Veula　Croot。



〃I　suppose　in　a　week's　time　you'll　be　on　the　high　seas；〃　she　said。　　

〃I'm　coming　to　your　farewell　dinner；　you　know；　your　mother　has　just　

asked　me。　　I'm　not　going　to　talk　the　usual　rot　to　you　about　how　

much　you　will　like　it　and　so　on。　　I　sometimes　think　that　one　of　the　

advantages　of　Hell　will　be　that　no　one　will　have　the　impertinence　

to　point　out　to　you　that　you're　really　better　off　than　you　would　be　

anywhere　else。　　What　do　you　think　of　the　play？　　Of　course　one　can　

foresee　the　end；　she　will　come　to　her　husband　with　the　announcement　

that　their　longed…for　child　is　going　to　be　born；　and　that　will　

smooth　over　everything。　　So　conveniently　effective；　to　wind　up　a　

comedy　with　the　commencement　of　someone　else's　tragedy。　　And　every　

one　will　go　away　saying　'I'm　glad　it　had　a　happy　ending。'〃



Lady　Veula　moved　back　to　her　seat；　with　her　pleasant　smile　on　her　

lips　and　the　look　of　infinite　weariness　in　her　eyes。



The　interval；　the　last　interval；　was　drawing　to　a　close　and　the　

house　began　to　turn　with　fidgetty　attention　towards　the　stage　for　

the　unfolding　of　the　final　phase　of　the　play。　　Francesca　sat　in　

Serena　Golackly's　box　listening　to　Colonel　Springfield's　story　of　

what　happened　to　a　pigeon…cote　in　his　compound　at　Poona。　　Everyone　

who　knew　the　Colonel　had　to　listen　to　that　story　a　good　many　times；　

but　Lady　Caroline　had　mitigated　the　boredom　of　the　infliction；　and　

in　fact　invested　it　with　a　certain　sporting　interest；　by　offering　a　

prize　to　the　person　who　heard　it　oftenest　in　the　course　of　the　

Season；　the　competitors　being　under　an　honourable　understanding　not　

to　lead　up　to　the　subject。　　Ada　Spelvexit　and　a　boy　in　the　Foreign　

Office　were　at　present　at　the　top　of　the　list　with　five　recitals　

each　to　their　score；　but　the　former　was　suspected　of　doubtful　

adherence　to　the　rules　and　spirit　of　the　competition。



〃And　there；　dear　lady；〃　concluded　the　Colonel；　〃were　the　eleven　

dead　pigeons。　　What　had　become　of　the　bandicoot　no　one　ever　knew。〃



Francesca　thanked　him　for　his　story；　and　complacently　inscribed　the　

figure　4　on　the　margin　of　her　theatre　programme。　　Almost　at　the　

same　moment　she　heard　George　St。　Michael's　voice　pattering　out　a　

breathless　piece　of　intelligence　for　the　edification　of　Serena　

Golackly　and　anyone　else　who　might　care　to　listen。　　Francesca　

galvanised　into　sudden　attention。



〃Emmeline　Chetrof　to　a　fellow　in　the　Indian　Forest　Department。　　

He's　got　nothing　but　his　pay　and　they　can't　be　married　for　four　or　

five　years；　an　absurdly　long　engagement；　don't　you　think　so？　　All　

very　well　to　wait　seven　years　for　a　wife　in　patriarchal　times；　when　

you　probably　had　others　to　go　on　with；　and　you　lived　long　enough　to　

celebrate　your　own　tercentenary；　but　under　modern　conditions　it　

seems　a　foolish　arrangement。〃



St。　Michael　spoke　almost　with　a　sense　of　grievance。　　A　marriage　

project　that　tied　up　all　the　small　pleasant　nuptial　gossip…items　

about　bridesmaids　and　honeymoon　and　recalcitrant　aunts　and　so　

forth；　for　an　indefinite　number　of　years　seemed　scarcely　decent　in　

his　eyes；　and　there　was　little　satisfaction　or　importance　to　be　

derived　from　early　and　special　knowledge　of　an　event　which　loomed　

as　far　distant　as　a　Presidential　Election　or　a　change　of　Viceroy。　　

But　to　Francesca；　who　had　listened　with　startled　apprehension　at　

the　mention　of　Emmeline　Chetrof's　name；　the　news　came　in　a　flood　of　

relief　and　thankfulness。　　Short　of　entering　a　nunnery　and　taking　

celibate　vows；　Emmeline　could　hardly　have　behaved　more　conveniently　

than　in　tying　herself　up　to　a　lover　whose　circumstances　made　it　

necessary　to　relegate　marriage　to　the　distant　future。　　For　four　or　

five　years　Francesca　was　assured　of　undisturbed　possession　of　the　

house　in　Blue　Street；　and　after　that　period　who　knew　what　might　

happen？　　The　engagement　might　stretch　on　indefinitely；　it　might　

even　come　to　nothing　under　the　weight　of　its　accumulated　years；　as　

sometimes　happened　with　these　protracted　affairs。　　Emmeline　might　

lose　her　fancy　for　her　absentee　lover；　and　might　never　replace　him　

with　another。　　A　golden　possibility　of　perpetual　tenancy　of　her　

present　home　began　to　float　once　more　through　Francesca's　mind。　　As　

long　as　Emmeline　had　been　unbespoken　in　the　marriage　market　there　

had　always　been　the　haunting　likelihood　of　seeing　the　dreaded　

announcement；　〃a　marriage　has　been　arranged　and　will　shortly　take　

place；〃　in　connection　with　her　name。　　And　now　a　marriage　had　been　

arranged　and　would　not　shortly　take　place；　might　indeed　never　take　

place。　　St。　Michael's　information　was　likely　to　be　correct　in　this　

instance；　he　would　never　have　invented　a　piece　of　matrimonial　

intelligence　which　gave　such　little　scope　for　supplementary　detail　

of　the　kind　he　loved　to　supply。　　As　Francesca　turned　to　watch　the　

fourth　act　of　the　play；　her　mind　was　singing　a　paean　of　

thankfulness　and　exultation。　　It　was　as　though　some　artificer　sent　

by　the　Gods　had　reinforced　with　a　substantial　cord　the　horsehair　

thread　that　held　up　the　sword　of　Damocles　over　her　head。　　Her　love　

for　her　home；　for　her　treasured　household　possessions；　and　her　

pleasant　social　life　was　able　to　expand　once　more　in　present　

security；　and　feed　on　future　hope。　　She　was　still　young　enough　to　

count　four　or　five　years　as　a　long　time；　and　to…night　she　was　

optimistic　enough　to　prophesy　smooth　things　of　the　future　that　lay　

beyond　that　span。　　Of　the　fourth　act；　with　its　carefully　held　back　

but　obviously　imminent　reconciliation　between　the　leading　

characters；　she　took　in　but　little；　except　that　she　vaguely　

understood　it　to　have　a　happy　ending。　　As　the　lights　went　up　she　

looked　round　on　the　dispersing　audience　with　a　feeling　of　

friendliness　uppermost　in　her　mind；　even　the　sight　of　Elaine　de　

Frey　and　Courtenay　Youghal　leaving　the　theatre　together　did　not　

inspire　her　with　a　tenth　part　of　the　annoyance　that　their　entrance　

had　caused　her。　　Serena's　invitation　to　go　on　to　the　Savoy　for　

supper　fitted　in　exactly　with　her　mood　of　exhilaration。　　It　would　

be　a　fit　and　appropriate　wind…up　to　an　auspicious　evening。　　The　

cold　chicken　and　modest　brand　of　Chablis　waiting　for　her　at　home　

should　give　way　to　a　banquet　of　more　festive　nature。



In　the　crush　of　the　vestibule；　friends　and　enemies；　personal　and　

political；　were　jostled　and　locked　together　in　the　general　effort　

to　rejoin　temporarily　estranged　garments　and　secure　the　attendance　

of　elusive　vehicles。　　Lady　Caroline　found　herself　at　close　quarters　

with　the　estimable　Henry　Greech；　and　experienced　some　of　the　joy　

which　comes　to　the　homeward　wending　sportsman　when　a　chance　shot　

presents　itself　on　which　he　may　expend　his　remaining　cartridges。



〃So　the　Government　is　going　to　climb　down；　after　all；〃　she　said；　

with　a　provocative　assumption　of　private　information　on　the　

subject。



〃I　assure　you　the　Government　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　replied　

the　Member　of　Parliament　with　befitting　dignity；　〃the　Prime　

Minister　told　me　last　night　that　under　no　circumstances　…　〃



〃My　dear　Mr。　Greech；〃　said　Lady　Caroline；　〃we　all　know　that　Prime　

Ministers　are　wedded　to　the　truth；　but　like　other　wedded　couples　

they　sometimes　live　apart。〃



For　her；　at　any　rate；　the　comedy　had　had　a　happy　ending。



Comus　made　his　way　slowly　and　lingeringly　from　the　stalls；　so　

slowly　that　the　lights　were　already　being　turned　down　and　great　

shroud…like　dust…cloths　were　being　swaythed　over　the　ornamental　

gilt…work。