the unbearable bassington-第5章

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〃You　have　ruined　your　future。　　THE　TIMES　has　printed　that　miserable　

letter　with　your　signature。〃



A　loud　squeal　of　joy　came　from　the　bath。　　〃Oh；　Mummy！　　Let　me　see！〃



There　were　sounds　as　of　a　sprawling　dripping　body　clambering　

hastily　out　of　the　bath。　　Francesca　fled。　　One　cannot　effectively　

scold　a　moist　nineteen…year　old　boy　clad　only　in　a　bath…towel　and　a　

cloud　of　steam。



Another　messenger　arrived　before　Francesca's　breakfast　was　over。　　

This　one　brought　a　letter　from　Sir　Julian　Jull；　excusing　himself　

from　fulfilment　of　the　luncheon　engagement。







CHAPTER　IV







FRANCESCA　prided　herself　on　being　able　to　see　things　from　other　

people's　points　of　view；　which　meant；　as　it　usually　does；　that　she　

could　see　her　own　point　of　view　from　various　aspects。　　As　regards　

Comus；　whose　doings　and　non…doings　bulked　largely　in　her　thoughts　

at　the　present　moment；　she　had　mapped　out　in　her　mind　so　clearly　

what　his　outlook　in　life　ought　to　be；　that　she　was　peculiarly　

unfitted　to　understand　the　drift　of　his　feelings　or　the　impulses　

that　governed　them。　　Fate　had　endowed　her　with　a　son；　in　limiting　

the　endowment　to　a　solitary　offspring　Fate　had　certainly　shown　a　

moderation　which　Francesca　was　perfectly　willing　to　acknowledge　and　

be　thankful　for；　but　then；　as　she　pointed　out　to　a　certain　

complacent　friend　of　hers　who　cheerfully　sustained　an　endowment　of　

half…a…dozen　male　offsprings　and　a　girl　or　two；　her　one　child　was　

Comus。　　Moderation　in　numbers　was　more　than　counterbalanced　in　his　

case　by　extravagance　in　characteristics。



Francesca　mentally　compared　her　son　with　hundreds　of　other　young　

men　whom　she　saw　around　her；　steadily；　and　no　doubt　happily；　

engaged　in　the　process　of　transforming　themselves　from　nice　boys　

into　useful　citizens。　　Most　of　them　had　occupations；　or　were　

industriously　engaged　in　qualifying　for　such；　in　their　leisure　

moments　they　smoked　reasonably…priced　cigarettes；　went　to　the　

cheaper　seats　at　music…halls；　watched　an　occasional　cricket　match　

at　Lord's　with　apparent　interest；　saw　most　of　the　world's　

spectacular　events　through　the　medium　of　the　cinematograph；　and　

were　wont　to　exchange　at　parting　seemingly　superfluous　injunctions　

to　〃be　good。〃　　The　whole　of　Bond　Street　and　many　of　the　tributary　

thoroughfares　of　Piccadilly　might　have　been　swept　off　the　face　of　

modern　London　without　in　any　way　interfering　with　the　supply　of　

their　daily　wants。　　They　were　doubtless　dull　as　acquaintances；　but　

as　sons　they　would　have　been　eminently　restful。　　With　a　growing　

sense　of　irritation　Francesca　compared　these　deserving　young　men　

with　her　own　intractable　offspring；　and　wondered　why　Fate　should　

have　singled　her　out　to　be　the　parent　of　such　a　vexatious　variant　

from　a　comfortable　and　desirable　type。　　As　far　as　remunerative　

achievement　was　concerned；　Comus　copied　the　insouciance　of　the　

field　lily　with　a　dangerous　fidelity。　　Like　his　mother　he　looked　

round　with　wistful　irritation　at　the　example　afforded　by　

contemporary　youth；　but　he　concentrated　his　attention　exclusively　

on　the　richer　circles　of　his　acquaintance；　young　men　who　bought　

cars　and　polo　ponies　as　unconcernedly　as　he　might　purchase　a　

carnation　for　his　buttonhole；　and　went　for　trips　to　Cairo　or　the　

Tigris　valley　with　less　difficulty　and　finance…stretching　than　he　

encountered　in　contriving　a　week…end　at　Brighton。



Gaiety　and　good…looks　had　carried　Comus　successfully　and；　on　the　

whole；　pleasantly；　through　schooldays　and　a　recurring　succession　of　

holidays；　the　same　desirable　assets　were　still　at　his　service　to　

advance　him　along　his　road；　but　it　was　a　disconcerting　experience　

to　find　that　they　could　not　be　relied　on　to　go　all　distances　at　all　

times。　　In　an　animal　world；　and　a　fiercely　competitive　animal　world　

at　that；　something　more　was　needed　than　the　decorative　ABANDON　of　

the　field　lily；　and　it　was　just　that　something　more　which　Comus　

seemed　unable　or　unwilling　to　provide　on　his　own　account；　it　was　

just　the　lack　of　that　something　more　which　left　him　sulking　with　

Fate　over　the　numerous　breakdowns　and　stumbling…blocks　that　held　

him　up　on　what　he　expected　to　be　a　triumphal　or；　at　any　rate；　

unimpeded　progress。



Francesca　was；　in　her　own　way；　fonder　of　Comus　than　of　anyone　else　

in　the　world；　and　if　he　had　been　browning　his　skin　somewhere　east　

of　Suez　she　would　probably　have　kissed　his　photograph　with　genuine　

fervour　every　night　before　going　to　bed；　the　appearance　of　a　

cholera　scare　or　rumour　of　native　rising　in　the　columns　of　her　

daily　news…sheet　would　have　caused　her　a　flutter　of　anxiety；　and　

she　would　have　mentally　likened　herself　to　a　Spartan　mother　

sacrificing　her　best…beloved　on　the　altar　of　State　necessities。　　

But　with　the　best…beloved　installed　under　her　roof；　occupying　an　

unreasonable　amount　of　cubic　space；　and　demanding　daily　sacrifices　

instead　of　providing　the　raw　material　for　one；　her　feelings　were　

tinged　with　irritation　rather　than　affection。　　She　might　have　

forgiven　Comus　generously　for　misdeeds　of　some　gravity　committed　in　

another　continent；　but　she　could　never　overlook　the　fact　that　out　

of　a　dish　of　five　plovers'　eggs　he　was　certain　to　take　three。　　The　

absent　may　be　always　wrong；　but　they　are　seldom　in　a　position　to　be　

inconsiderate。



Thus　a　wall　of　ice　had　grown　up　gradually　between　mother　and　son；　a　

barrier　across　which　they　could　hold　converse；　but　which　gave　a　

wintry　chill　even　to　the　sparkle　of　their　lightest　words。　　The　boy　

had　the　gift　of　being　irresistibly　amusing　when　he　chose　to　exert　

himself　in　that　direction；　and　after　a　long　series　of　moody　or　

jangling　meal…sittings　he　would　break　forth　into　a　torrential　flow　

of　small　talk；　scandal　and　malicious　anecdote；　true　or　more　

generally　invented；　to　which　Francesca　listened　with　a　relish　and　

appreciation；　that　was　all　the　more　flattering　from　being　so　

unwillingly　bestowed。



〃If　you　chose　your　friends　from　a　rather　more　reputable　set　you　

would　be　doubtless　less　amusing；　but　there　would　be　compensating　

advantages。〃



Francesca　snapped　the　remark　out　at　lunch　one　day　when　she　had　been　

betrayed　into　a　broader　smile　than　she　considered　the　circumstances　

of　her　attitude　towards　Comus　warranted。



〃I'm　going　to　move　in　quite　decent　society　to…night；〃　replied　Comus　

with　a　pleased　chuckle；　〃I'm　going　to　meet　you　and　Uncle　Henry　and　

heaps　of　nice　dull　God…fearing　people　at　dinner。〃



Francesca　gave　a　little　gasp　of　surprise　and　annoyance。



〃You　don't　mean　to　say　Caroline　has　asked　you　to　dinner　to…night？〃　

she　said；　〃and　of　course　without　telling　me。　　How　exceedingly　like　

her！〃



Lady　Caroline　Benaresq　had　reached　that　age　when　you　can　say　and　do　

what　you　like　in　defiance　of　people's　most　sensitive　feelings　and　

most　cherished　antipathies。　　Not　that　she　had　waited　to　attain　her　

present　age　before　pursuing　that　line　of　conduct；　she　came　of　a　

family　whose　individual　members　went　through　life；　from　the　nursery　

to　the　grave；　with　as　much　tact　and　consideration　as　a　cactus…hedge　

might　show　in　going　through　a　crowded　bathing　tent。　　It　was　a　

compensating　mercy　that　they　disagreed　rather　more　among　themselves　

than　they　did　with　the　outside　world；　every　known　variety　and　shade　

of　religion　and　politics　had　been　pressed　into　the　family　service　

to　avoid　the　possibility　of　any　agreement　on　the　larger　essentials　

of　life；　and　such　unlooked…for　happenings　as　the　Home　Rule　schism；　

the　Tariff…Reform　upheaval　and　the　Suffragette　crusade　were　

thankfully　seized　on　as　furnishing　occasion　for　further　differences　

and　sub…divisions。　　Lady　Caroline's　favourite　scheme　of　

entertaining　was　to　bring　jarring　and　antagonistic　elements　into　

close　contact　and　play　them　remorselessly　one　against　the　other。　　

〃One　gets　much　better　results　under　those　circumstances〃　she　used　

to　observe；　〃than　by　asking　people　who　wish　to　meet　each　other。　　

Few　people　talk　as　brilliantly　to　impress　a　friend　as　they　do　to　

depress　an　enemy。〃



She　admitted　that　her　theory　broke　down　rather　badly　if　you　applied　

it　to　Parliamentary　debates。　　At　her　own　dinner　table　its　success　

was　usually　triumphantly　vindicated。



〃Who　else　is　to　be　there？〃　Francesca　asked；　with　some　pardonable　

misgiving。



〃Courtenay　Youghal。　　He'll　probably　sit　next　to　you；　so　you'd　

better　think　out　a　lot　of　annihilating　remarks　in　readiness。　　And　

Elaine　de　Frey。〃



〃I　don't　think　I've　heard　of　her。　　Who　is　she？〃



〃Nobody　in　particular；　but　rather　nice…looking　in　a　solemn　sort　of　

way；　and　almost　indecently　rich。〃



〃Marry　her〃　was　the　advice　which　sprang　to　Francesca's　lips；　but　

she　choked　it　back　with　a　salted　almond；　having　a　rare　perception　

of　the　fact　that　words　are　sometimes　given　to　us　to　defeat　our　

purposes。



〃Caroline　has　probably　marked　her　down　for　Toby　or　one　of　the　

grand…nephews；〃　she　said；　carelessly；　〃a　little　money　would　be　

rather　useful　in　that　quarter；　I　imagine。〃



Comus　tucked　in　his　underlip　with　just　the　shade　of　pugnacity　that　

she　wanted　to　see。



An　advantageous　marriage　was　so　obviously　the　most　sensible　course　

for　him　to　embark　on　that　she　scarcely　dared　to　hope　that　he　would　

seriously　entertain　it；　yet　there　was　just　a　chance　that　if　he　got　

as　far　as　the　flirtation　stage　with　an　attractive　（and　attracted）　

girl　who　was　also　an　heiress；　the　sheer　perversity　of　his　nature　

might　carry　him　on　to　more　definite　courtship；　if　only　from　the　

desire　to　thrust　other　more　genuinely　enamoured　suitors　into　the　

background。　　It　was　a　forlorn　hope；　so　forlorn　that　the　idea　even　

crossed　her　mind　of　throwing　herself　on　the　mercy　of　her　BETE　

NOIRE；　Courtenay　Youghal；　and　trying　to　enlist　the　influence　which　

he　seemed　to　possess　over　Comus　for　the　purpose　of　furthering　her　

hurriedly　conceived　project。　　Anyhow；　the　dinner　promised　to　be　

more　interesting　than　she　had　originally　anticipated。



Lady　Caroline　was　a　professed　Socialist　in　politics；　chiefly；　it　

was　believed；　because　she　was　thus　enabled　to　disagree　with　most　of　

the　Liberals　and　Conservatives；　and　all　the　Socialists　of　the　day。　　

She　did　not　permit　her　Socialism；　however；　to　penetrate　below　

stairs；　her　cook　and　butler　had　every　encouragement　to　be　

Individualists。　　Francesca；　who　was　a　keen　and　intelligent　food　

critic；　harboured　no　misgivings　as　to　her　hostess's　kitchen　and　

cellar　departments；　some　of　the　human　side…dishes　at　the　feast　gave　

her　more　ground　for　uneasiness。　　Courtenay　Youghal；　for　instance；　

would　probably　be　brilliantly　silent；　her　brother　Henry　would　

almost　certainly　be　the　reverse。



The　dinner　party　was　a　large　one　and　Francesca　arrived　late　with　

little　time　to　take　preliminary　stock　of　the　guests；　a　card　with　

the　name；　〃Miss　de　Frey；〃　immediately　opposite　her　own　place　at　the　

other　side　of　the　table；　indicated；　however；　the　whereabouts