the unbearable bassington-第22章

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

gilt…work。　　The　laughing；　chattering；　yawning　throng　had　filtered　

out　of　the　vestibule；　and　was　melting　away　in　final　groups　from　the　

steps　of　the　theatre。　　An　impatient　attendant　gave　him　his　coat　and　

locked　up　the　cloak　room。　　Comus　stepped　out　under　the　portico；　he　

looked　at　the　posters　announcing　the　play；　and　in　anticipation　he　

could　see　other　posters　announcing　its　200th　performance。　　Two　

hundred　performances；　by　that　time　the　Straw　Exchange　Theatre　would　

be　to　him　something　so　remote　and　unreal　that　it　would　hardly　seem　

to　exist　or　to　have　ever　existed　except　in　his　fancy。　　And　to　the　

laughing　chattering　throng　that　would　pass　in　under　that　portico　to　

the　200th　performance；　he　would　be；　to　those　that　had　known　him；　

something　equally　remote　and　non…existent。　　〃The　good…looking　

Bassington　boy？　　Oh；　dead；　or　rubber…growing　or　sheep…farming　or　

something　of　that　sort。〃







CHAPTER　XIV







THE　farewell　dinner　which　Francesca　had　hurriedly　organised　in　

honour　of　her　son's　departure　threatened　from　the　outset　to　be　a　

doubtfully　successful　function。　　In　the　first　place；　as　he　observed　

privately；　there　was　very　little　of　Comus　and　a　good　deal　of　

farewell　in　it。　　His　own　particular　friends　were　unrepresented。　　

Courtenay　Youghal　was　out　of　the　question；　and　though　Francesca　

would　have　stretched　a　point　and　welcomed　some　of　his　other　male　

associates　of　whom　she　scarcely　approved；　he　himself　had　been　

opposed　to　including　any　of　them　in　the　invitations。　　On　the　other　

hand；　as　Henry　Greech　had　provided　Comus　with　this　job　that　he　was　

going　out　to；　and　was；　moreover；　finding　part　of　the　money　for　the　

necessary　outfit；　Francesca　had　felt　it　her　duty　to　ask　him　and　his　

wife　to　the　dinner；　the　obtuseness　that　seems　to　cling　to　some　

people　like　a　garment　throughout　their　life　had　caused　Mr。　Greech　

to　accept　the　invitation。　　When　Comus　heard　of　the　circumstance　he　

laughed　long　and　boisterously；　his　spirits；　Francesca　noted；　seemed　

to　be　rising　fast　as　the　hour　for　departure　drew　near。



The　other　guests　included　Serena　Golackly　and　Lady　Veula；　the　

latter　having　been　asked　on　the　inspiration　of　the　moment　at　the　

theatrical　first…night。　　In　the　height　of　the　Season　it　was　not　

easy　to　get　together　a　goodly　selection　of　guests　at　short　notice；　

and　Francesca　had　gladly　fallen　in　with　Serena's　suggestion　of　

bringing　with　her　Stephen　Thorle；　who　was　alleged；　in　loose　

feminine　phrasing；　to　〃know　all　about〃　tropical　Africa。　　His　

travels　and　experiences　in　those　regions　probably　did　not　cover　

much　ground　or　stretch　over　any　great　length　of　time；　but　he　was　

one　of　those　individuals　who　can　describe　a　continent　on　the　

strength　of　a　few　days'　stay　in　a　coast　town　as　intimately　and　

dogmatically　as　a　paleontologist　will　reconstruct　an　extinct　mammal　

from　the　evidence　of　a　stray　shin　bone。　　He　had　the　loud　

penetrating　voice　and　the　prominent　penetrating　eyes　of　a　man　who　

can　do　no　listening　in　the　ordinary　way　and　whose　eyes　have　to　

perform　the　function　of　listening　for　him。　　His　vanity　did　not　

necessarily　make　him　unbearable；　unless　one　had　to　spend　much　time　

in　his　society；　and　his　need　for　a　wide　field　of　audience　and　

admiration　was　mercifully　calculated　to　spread　his　operations　over　

a　considerable　human　area。　　Moreover；　his　craving　for　attentive　

listeners　forced　him　to　interest　himself　in　a　wonderful　variety　of　

subjects　on　which　he　was　able　to　discourse　fluently　and　with　a　

certain　semblance　of　special　knowledge。　　Politics　he　avoided；　the　

ground　was　too　well　known；　and　there　was　a　definite　no　to　every　

definite　yes　that　could　be　put　forward。　　Moreover；　argument　was　not　

congenial　to　his　disposition；　which　preferred　an　unchallenged　flow　

of　dissertation　modified　by　occasional　helpful　questions　which　

formed　the　starting　point　for　new　offshoots　of　word…spinning。　　The　

promotion　of　cottage　industries；　the　prevention　of　juvenile　street　

trading；　the　extension　of　the　Borstal　prison　system；　the　

furtherance　of　vague　talkative　religious　movements　the　fostering　of　

inter…racial　ENTENTES；　all　found　in　him　a　tireless　exponent；　a　

fluent　and　entertaining；　though　perhaps　not　very　convincing；　

advocate。　　With　the　real　motive　power　behind　these　various　causes　

he　was　not　very　closely　identified；　to　the　spade…workers　who　

carried　on　the　actual　labours　of　each　particular　movement　he　bore　

the　relation　of　a　trowel…worker；　delving　superficially　at　the　

surface；　but　able　to　devote　a　proportionately　far　greater　amount　of　

time　to　the　advertisement　of　his　progress　and　achievements。　　Such　

was　Stephen　Thorle；　a　governess　in　the　nursery　of　Chelsea…bred　

religions；　a　skilled　window…dresser　in　the　emporium　of　his　own　

personality；　and　needless　to　say；　evanescently　popular　amid　a　wide　

but　shifting　circle　of　acquaintances。　　He　improved　on　the　record　of　

a　socially　much…travelled　individual　whose　experience　has　become　

classical；　and　went　to　most　of　the　best　houses　…　twice。



His　inclusion　as　a　guest　at　this　particular　dinner…party　was　not　a　

very　happy　inspiration。　　He　was　inclined　to　patronise　Comus；　as　

well　as　the　African　continent；　and　on　even　slighter　acquaintance。　　

With　the　exception　of　Henry　Greech；　whose　feelings　towards　his　

nephew　had　been　soured　by　many　years　of　overt　antagonism；　there　was　

an　uncomfortable　feeling　among　those　present　that　the　topic　of　the　

black…sheep　export　trade；　as　Comus　would　have　himself　expressed　it；　

was　being　given　undue　prominence　in　what　should　have　been　a　festive　

farewell　banquet。　　And　Comus；　in　whose　honour　the　feast　was　given；　

did　not　contribute　much　towards　its　success；　though　his　spirits　

seemed　strung　up　to　a　high　pitch　his　merriment　was　more　the　

merriment　of　a　cynical　and　amused　onlooker　than　of　one　who　responds　

to　the　gaiety　of　his　companions。　　Sometimes　he　laughed　quietly　to　

himself　at　some　chance　remark　of　a　scarcely　mirth…provoking　nature；　

and　Lady　Veula；　watching　him　narrowly；　came　to　the　conclusion　that　

an　element　of　fear　was　blended　with　his　seemingly　buoyant　spirits。　　

Once　or　twice　he　caught　her　eye　across　the　table；　and　a　certain　

sympathy　seemed　to　grow　up　between　them；　as　though　they　were　both　

consciously　watching　some　lugubrious　comedy　that　was　being　played　

out　before　them。



An　untoward　little　incident　had　marked　the　commencement　of　the　

meal。　　A　small　still…life　picture　that　hung　over　the　sideboard　had　

snapped　its　cord　and　slid　down　with　an　alarming　clatter　on　to　the　

crowded　board　beneath　it。　　The　picture　itself　was　scarcely　damaged；　

but　its　fall　had　been　accompanied　by　a　tinkle　of　broken　glass；　and　

it　was　found　that　a　liqueur　glass；　one　out　of　a　set　of　seven　that　

would　be　impossible　to　match；　had　been　shivered　into　fragments。　　

Francesca's　almost　motherly　love　for　her　possessions　made　her　

peculiarly　sensible　to　a　feeling　of　annoyance　and　depression　at　the　

accident；　but　she　turned　politely　to　listen　to　Mrs。　Greech's　

account　of　a　misfortune　in　which　four　soup…plates　were　involved。　　

Mrs。　Henry　was　not　a　brilliant　conversationalist；　and　her　flank　was　

speedily　turned　by　Stephen　Thorle；　who　recounted　a　slum　experience　

in　which　two　entire　families　did　all　their　feeding　out　of　one　

damaged　soup…plate。



〃The　gratitude　of　those　poor　creatures　when　I　presented　them　with　a　

set　of　table　crockery　apiece；　the　tears　in　their　eyes　and　in　their　

voices　when　they　thanked　me；　would　be　impossible　to　describe。〃



〃Thank　you　all　the　same　for　describing　it；〃　said　Comus。



The　listening　eyes　went　swiftly　round　the　table　to　gather　evidence　

as　to　how　this　rather　disconcerting　remark　had　been　received；　but　

Thorle's　voice　continued　uninterruptedly　to　retail　stories　of　East…

end　gratitude；　never　failing　to　mention　the　particular　deeds　of　

disinterested　charity　on　his　part　which　had　evoked　and　justified　

the　gratitude。　　Mrs。　Greech　had　to　suppress　the　interesting　sequel　

to　her　broken…crockery　narrative；　to　wit；　how　she　subsequently　

matched　the　shattered　soup…plates　at　Harrod's。　　Like　an　imported　

plant　species　that　sometimes　flourishes　exceedingly；　and　makes　

itself　at　home　to　the　dwarfing　and　overshadowing　of　all　native　

species；　Thorle　dominated　the　dinner…party　and　thrust　its　original　

purport　somewhat　into　the　background。　　Serena　began　to　look　

helplessly　apologetic。　　It　was　altogether　rather　a　relief　when　the　

filling　of　champagne　glasses　gave　Francesca　an　excuse　for　bringing　

matters　back　to　their　intended　footing。



〃We　must　all　drink　a　health；〃　she　said；　〃Comus；　my　own　dear　boy；　a　

safe　and　happy　voyage　to　you；　much　prosperity　in　the　life　you　are　

going　out　to；　and　in　due　time　a　safe　and　happy　return　…　〃



Her　hand　gave　an　involuntary　jerk　in　the　act　of　raising　the　glass；　

and　the　wine　went　streaming　across　the　tablecloth　in　a　froth　of　

yellow　bubbles。　　It　certainly　was　not　turning　out　a　comfortable　or　

auspicious　dinner　party。



〃My　dear　mother；〃　cried　Comus；　〃you　must　have　been　drinking　healths　

all　the　afternoon　to　make　your　hand　so　unsteady。〃



He　laughed　gaily　and　with　apparent　carelessness；　but　again　Lady　

Veula　caught　the　frightened　note　in　his　laughter。　　Mrs。　Henry；　with　

practical　sympathy；　was　telling　Francesca　two　good　ways　for　getting　

wine　stains　out　of　tablecloths。　　The　smaller　economies　of　life　were　

an　unnecessary　branch　of　learning　for　Mrs。　Greech；　but　she　studied　

them　as　carefully　and　conscientiously　as　a　stay…at…home　plain…

dwelling　English　child　commits　to　memory　the　measurements　and　

altitudes　of　the　world's　principal　mountain　peaks。　　Some　women　of　

her　temperament　and　mentality　know　by　heart　the　favourite　colours；　

flowers　and　hymn…tunes　of　all　the　members　of　the　Royal　Family；　Mrs。　

Greech　would　possibly　have　failed　in　an　examination　of　that　nature；　

but　she　knew　what　to　do　with　carrots　that　have　been　over…long　in　

storage。



Francesca　did　not　renew　her　speech…making；　a　chill　seemed　to　have　

fallen　over　all　efforts　at　festivity；　and　she　contented　herself　

with　refilling　her　glass　and　simply　drinking　to　her　boy's　good　

health。　　The　others　followed　her　example；　and　Comus　drained　his　

glass　with　a　brief　〃thank　you　all　very　much。〃　　The　sense　of　

constraint　which　hung　over　the　company　was　not；　however；　marked　by　

any　uncomfortable　pause　in　the　conversation。　　Henry　Greech　was　a　

fluent　thinker；　of　the　kind　that　prefer　to　do　their　thinking　aloud；　

the　silence　that　descended　on　him　as　a　mantle　in　the　House　of　

Commons　was　an　official　livery　of　which　he　divested　himself　as　

thoroughly　as　possible　in　private　life。　　He　did　not　propose　to　sit　

through　dinner　as　a　mere　listener　to　Mr。　Thorle's　personal　

narrative　of　philanthropic　movements　and　experiences；　and　took　the　

first　opportunity　of　launching　himself　into　a　flow　of　satirical　

observations　on　current　political　affairs。