the unbearable bassington-第8章

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with　me；　and　I　may　have　to　content　myself　with　penurious　political　

bachelorhood。　　Anyhow；　the　present　is　still　with　us。　　We　dine　at　

Kettner's　to…night；　don't　we？〃



〃Rather；〃　said　Molly；　〃though　it　will　be　more　or　less　a　throat…

lumpy　feast　as　far　as　I　am　concerned。　　We　shall　have　to　drink　to　

the　health　of　the　future　Mrs。　Youghal。　　By　the　way；　it's　rather　

characteristic　of　you　that　you　haven't　told　me　who　she　is；　and　of　

me　that　I　haven't　asked。　　And　now；　like　a　dear　boy；　trot　away　and　

leave　me。　　I　haven't　got　to　say　good…bye　to　you　yet；　but　I'm　going　

to　take　a　quiet　farewell　of　the　Pheasantry。　　We've　had　some　jolly　

good　talks；　you　and　I；　sitting　on　this　seat；　haven't　we？　　And　I　

know；　as　well　as　I　know　anything；　that　this　is　the　last　of　them。　　

Eight　o'clock　to…night；　as　punctually　as　possible。〃



She　watched　his　retreating　figure　with　eyes　that　grew　slowly　misty；　

he　had　been　such　a　jolly　comely　boy…friend；　and　they　had　had　such　

good　times　together。　　The　mist　deepened　on　her　lashes　as　she　looked　

round　at　the　familiar　rendezvous　where　they　had　so　often　kept　tryst　

since　the　day　when　they　had　first　come　there　together；　he　a　

schoolboy　and　she　but　lately　out　of　her　teens。　　For　the　moment　she　

felt　herself　in　the　thrall　of　a　very　real　sorrow。



Then；　with　the　admirable　energy　of　one　who　is　only　in　town　for　a　

fleeting　fortnight；　she　raced　away　to　have　tea　with　a　world…faring　

naval　admirer　at　his　club。　　Pluralism　is　a　merciful　narcotic。







CHAPTER　VI







ELAINE　DE　FREY　sat　at　ease　…　at　bodily　ease　…　at　any　rate　…　in　a　

low　wicker　chair　placed　under　the　shade　of　a　group　of　cedars　in　the　

heart　of　a　stately　spacious　garden　that　had　almost　made　up　its　mind　

to　be　a　park。　　The　shallow　stone　basin　of　an　old　fountain；　on　whose　

wide　ledge　a　leaden…moulded　otter　for　ever　preyed　on　a　leaden　

salmon；　filled　a　conspicuous　place　in　the　immediate　foreground。　　

Around　its　rim　ran　an　inscription　in　Latin；　warning　mortal　man　that　

time　flows　as　swiftly　as　water　and　exhorting　him　to　make　the　most　

of　his　hours；　after　which　piece　of　Jacobean　moralising　it　set　

itself　shamelessly　to　beguile　all　who　might　pass　that　way　into　an　

abandonment　of　contemplative　repose。　　On　all　sides　of　it　a　stretch　

of　smooth　turf　spread　away；　broken　up　here　and　there　by　groups　of　

dwarfish　chestnut　and　mulberry　trees；　whose　leaves　and　branches　

cast　a　laced　pattern　of　shade　beneath　them。　　On　one　side　the　lawn　

sloped　gently　down　to　a　small　lake；　whereon　floated　a　quartette　of　

swans；　their　movements　suggestive　of　a　certain　mournful　

listlessness；　as　though　a　weary　dignity　of　caste　held　them　back　

from　the　joyous　bustling　life　of　the　lesser　waterfowl。　　Elaine　

liked　to　imagine　that　they　re…embodied　the　souls　of　unhappy　boys　

who　had　been　forced　by　family　interests　to　become　high　

ecclesiastical　dignitaries　and　had　grown　prematurely　Right　

Reverend。　　A　low　stone　balustrade　fenced　part　of　the　shore　of　the　

lake；　making　a　miniature　terrace　above　its　level；　and　here　roses　

grew　in　a　rich　multitude。　　Other　rose　bushes；　carefully　pruned　and　

tended；　formed　little　oases　of　colour　and　perfume　amid　the　restful　

green　of　the　sward；　and　in　the　distance　the　eye　caught　the　

variegated　blaze　of　a　many…hued　hedge　of　rhododendron。　　With　these　

favoured　exceptions　flowers　were　hard　to　find　in　this　well…ordered　

garden；　the　misguided　tyranny　of　staring　geranium　beds　and　be…

flowered　archways　leading　to　nowhere；　so　dear　to　the　suburban　

gardener；　found　no　expression　here。　　Magnificent　Amherst　pheasants；　

whose　plumage　challenged　and　almost　shamed　the　peacock　on　his　own　

ground；　stepped　to　and　fro　over　the　emerald　turf　with　the　assured　

self…conscious　pride　of　reigning　sultans。　　It　was　a　garden　where　

summer　seemed　a　part…proprietor　rather　than　a　hurried　visitor。



By　the　side　of　Elaine's　chair　under　the　shadow　of　the　cedars　a　

wicker　table　was　set　out　with　the　paraphernalia　of　afternoon　tea。　　

On　some　cushions　at　her　feet　reclined　Courtenay　Youghal；　smoothly　

preened　and　youthfully　elegant；　the　personification　of　decorative　

repose；　equally　decorative；　but　with　the　showy　restlessness　of　a　

dragonfly；　Comus　disported　his　flannelled　person　over　a　

considerable　span　of　the　available　foreground。



The　intimacy　existing　between　the　two　young　men　had　suffered　no　

immediate　dislocation　from　the　circumstance　that　they　were　tacitly　

paying　court　to　the　same　lady。　　It　was　an　intimacy　founded　not　in　

the　least　on　friendship　or　community　of　tastes　and　ideas；　but　owed　

its　existence　to　the　fact　that　each　was　amused　and　interested　by　

the　other。　　Youghal　found　Comus；　for　the　time　being　at　any　rate；　

just　as　amusing　and　interesting　as　a　rival　for　Elaine's　favour　as　

he　had　been　in　the　ROLE　of　scapegrace　boy…about…Town；　Comus　for　his　

part　did　not　wish　to　lose　touch　with　Youghal；　who　among　other　

attractions　possessed　the　recommendation　of　being　under　the　ban　of　

Comus's　mother。　　She　disapproved；　it　is　true；　of　a　great　many　of　

her　son's　friends　and　associates；　but　this　particular　one　was　a　

special　and　persistent　source　of　irritation　to　her　from　the　fact　

that　he　figured　prominently　and　more　or　less　successfully　in　the　

public　life　of　the　day。　　There　was　something　peculiarly　

exasperating　in　reading　a　brilliant　and　incisive　attack　on　the　

Government's　rash　handling　of　public　expenditure　delivered　by　a　

young　man　who　encouraged　her　son　in　every　imaginable　extravagance。　　

The　actual　extent　of　Youghal's　influence　over　the　boy　was　of　the　

slightest；　Comus　was　quite　capable　of　deriving　encouragement　to　

rash　outlay　and　frivolous　conversation　from　an　anchorite　or　an　

East…end　parson　if　he　had　been　thrown　into　close　companionship　with　

such　an　individual。　　Francesca；　however；　exercised　a　mother's　

privilege　in　assuming　her　son's　bachelor　associates　to　be　

industrious　in　labouring　to　achieve　his　undoing。　　Therefore　the　

young　politician　was　a　source　of　unconcealed　annoyance　to　her；　and　

in　the　same　degree　as　she　expressed　her　disapproval　of　him　Comus　

was　careful　to　maintain　and　parade　the　intimacy。　　Its　existence；　or　

rather　its　continued　existence；　was　one　of　the　things　that　faintly　

puzzled　the　young　lady　whose　sought…for　favour　might　have　been　

expected　to　furnish　an　occasion　for　its　rapid　dissolution。



With　two　suitors；　one　of　whom　at　least　she　found　markedly　

attractive；　courting　her　at　the　same　moment；　Elaine　should　have　had　

reasonable　cause　for　being　on　good　terms　with　the　world；　and　with　

herself　in　particular。　　Happiness　was　not；　however；　at　this　

auspicious　moment；　her　dominant　mood。　　The　grave　calm　of　her　face　

masked　as　usual　a　certain　degree　of　grave　perturbation。　　A　

succession　of　well…meaning　governesses　and　a　plentiful　supply　of　

moralising　aunts　on　both　sides　of　her　family；　had　impressed　on　her　

young　mind　the　theoretical　fact　that　wealth　is　a　great　

responsibility。　　The　consciousness　of　her　responsibility　set　her　

continually　wondering；　not　as　to　her　own　fitness　to　discharge　her　

〃stewardship；〃　but　as　to　the　motives　and　merits　of　people　with　whom　

she　came　in　contact。　　The　knowledge　that　there　was　so　much　in　the　

world　that　she　could　buy；　invited　speculation　as　to　how　much　there　

was　that　was　worth　buying。　　Gradually　she　had　come　to　regard　her　

mind　as　a　sort　of　appeal　court　before　whose　secret　sittings　were　

examined　and　judged　the　motives　and　actions；　the　motives　

especially；　of　the　world　in　general。　　In　her　schoolroom　days　she　

had　sat　in　conscientious　judgment　on　the　motives　that　guided　or　

misguided　Charles　and　Cromwell　and　Monck；　Wallenstein　and　

Savonarola。　　In　her　present　stage　she　was　equally　occupied　in　

examining　the　political　sincerity　of　the　Secretary　for　Foreign　

Affairs；　the　good…faith　of　a　honey…tongued　but　possibly　loyal…

hearted　waiting…maid；　and　the　disinterestedness　of　a　whole　circle　

of　indulgent　and　flattering　acquaintances。　　Even　more　absorbing；　

and　in　her　eyes；　more　urgently　necessary；　was　the　task　of　

dissecting　and　appraising　the　characters　of　the　two　young　men　who　

were　favouring　her　with　their　attentions。　　And　herein　lay　cause　for　

much　thinking　and　some　perturbation。　　Youghal；　for　example；　might　

have　baffled　a　more　experienced　observer　of　human　nature。　　Elaine　

was　too　clever　to　confound　his　dandyism　with　foppishness　or　self…

advertisement。　　He　admired　his　own　toilet　effect　in　a　mirror　from　a　

genuine　sense　of　pleasure　in　a　thing　good　to　look　upon；　just　as　he　

would　feel　a　sensuous　appreciation　of　the　sight　of　a　well…bred；　

well…matched；　well…turned…out　pair　of　horses。　　Behind　his　careful　

political　flippancy　and　cynicism　one　might　also　detect　a　certain　

careless　sincerity；　which　would　probably　in　the　long　run　save　him　

from　moderate　success；　and　turn　him　into　one　of　the　brilliant　

failures　of　his　day。　　Beyond　this　it　was　difficult　to　form　an　exact　

appreciation　of　Courtenay　Youghal；　and　Elaine；　who　liked　to　have　

her　impressions　distinctly　labelled　and　pigeon…holed；　was　

perpetually　scrutinising　the　outer　surface　of　his　characteristics　

and　utterances；　like　a　baffled　art　critic　vainly　searching　beneath　

the　varnish　and　scratches　of　a　doubtfully　assigned　picture　for　an　

enlightening　signature。　　The　young　man　added　to　her　perplexities　by　

his　deliberate　policy　of　never　trying　to　show　himself　in　a　

favourable　light　even　when　most　anxious　to　impart　a　favourable　

impression。　　He　preferred　that　people　should　hunt　for　his　good　

qualities；　and　merely　took　very　good　care　that　as　far　as　possible　

they　should　never　draw　blank；　even　in　the　matter　of　selfishness；　

which　was　the　anchor…sheet　of　his　existence；　he　contrived　to　be　

noted；　and　justly　noted；　for　doing　remarkably　unselfish　things。　　As　

a　ruler　he　would　have　been　reasonably　popular；　as　a　husband　he　

would　probably　be　unendurable。



Comus　was　to　a　certain　extent　as　great　a　mystification　as　Youghal；　

but　here　Elaine　was　herself　responsible　for　some　of　the　perplexity　

which　enshrouded　his　character　in　her　eyes。　　She　had　taken　more　

than　a　passing　fancy　for　the　boy　…　for　the　boy　as　he　might　be；　that　

was　to　say　…　and　she　was　desperately　unwilling　to　see　him　and　

appraise　him　as　he　really　was。　　Thus　the　mental　court　of　appeal　was　

constantly　engaged　in　examining　witnesses　as　to　character；　most　of　

whom　signally　failed　to　give　any　testimony　which　would　support　the　

favourable　judgment　which　the　tribunal　was　so　anxious　to　arrive　at。　　

A　woman　with　wider　experience　of　the　world's　ways　and　shortcomings　

would　probably　have　contented　herself　with　an　endeavour　to　find　out　

whether　her　liking　for　the　boy　out…weighed　her　dislike　of　his　

characteristics；　Elaine　took　her　judgments　too　seriously　to　

approach　the　matter　from　such　a　simple　and　convenient　standpoint。　　

The　fact　that　she　was　much　more　than　half　in　love　with　Comus　made　

it　dreadfully　important　that　she　should　discover　him　to　have　a　

lovable　soul；　and　Co