when the world shook-第3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！



a　balance　at　the　end　of　it；　I　found　that　on　the　most　conservative

estimate　I　was　the　owner　of　a　million　and　a　half　in　hard　cash；　or

its　equivalent。　I　was　so　tired　out　that　I　remember　this　discovery

did　not　excite　me　at　all。　I　felt　utterly　weary　of　all　wealth…

hunting　and　of　the　City　and　its　ways。　Moreover　my　old

fastidiousness　and　lack　of　perseverance　re…asserted　themselves。　I

reflected；　rather　late　in　the　day　perhaps；　on　the　ruin　that　this

speculation　was　bringing　to　thousands；　of　which　some　lamentable

instances　had　recently　come　to　my　notice；　and　once　more

considered　whether　it　were　a　suitable　career　for　an　upright　man。

I　had　wealth；　why　should　I　not　take　it　and　enjoy　life？



Alsoand　here　my　business　acumen　came　in；　I　was　sure　that

these　times　could　not　last。　It　is　easy　to　make　money　on　a　rising

market；　but　when　it　is　falling　the　matter　is　very　different。　In

five　minutes　I　made　up　my　mind。　I　sent　for　my　junior　partners；

for　I　had　taken　in　two；　and　told　them　that　I　intended　to　retire

at　once。　They　were　dismayed　both　at　my　loss；　for　really　I　was　the

firm；　and　because；　as　they　pointed　out；　if　I　withdrew　all　my

capital；　there　would　not　be　sufficient　left　to　enable　them　to

carry　on。



One　of　them；　a　blunt　and　honest　man；　said　to　my　face　that　it

would　be　dishonourable　of　me　to　do　so。　I　was　inclined　to　answer

him　sharply；　then　remembered　that　his　words　were　true。



〃Very　well；〃　I　said；　〃I　will　leave　you　？00；000　on　which　you

shall　pay　me　five　per　cent　interest；　but　no　share　of　the

profits。〃



On　these　terms　we　dissolved　the　partnership　and　in　a　year　they

had　lost　the　？00；000；　for　the　slump　came　with　a　vengeance。　It

saved　them；　however；　and　to…day　they　are　earning　a　reasonable

income。　But　I　have　never　asked　them　for　that　？00；000。







Chapter　II



Bastin　and　Bickley





Behold　me　once　more　a　man　without　an　occupation；　but　now　the

possessor　of　about　？00；000。　It　was　a　very　considerable　fortune；

if　not　a　large　one　in　England；　nothing　like　the　millions　of　which

I　had　dreamed；　but　still　enough。　To　make　the　most　of　it　and　to

be　sure　that　it　remained；　I　invested　it　very　well；　mostly　in

large　mortgages　at　four　per　cent　which；　if　the　security　is　good；

do　not　depreciate　in　capital　value。　Never　again　did　I　touch　a

single　speculative　stock；　who　desired　to　think　no　more　about

money。　It　was　at　this　time　that　I　bought　the　Fulcombe　property。

It　cost　me　about　？20；000　of　my　capital；　or　with　alterations；

repairs；　etc。；　say　？50；000；　on　which　sum　it　may　pay　a　net　two

and　a　half　per　cent；　not　more。



This　？；700　odd　I　have　always　devoted　to　the　upkeep　of　the

place；　which　is　therefore　in　first…rate　order。　The　rest　I　live

on；　or　save。



These　arrangements；　with　the　beautifying　and　furnishing　of　the

house　and　the　restoration　of　the　church　in　memory　of　my　father；

occupied　and　amused　me　for　a　year　or　so；　but　when　they　were

finished　time　began　to　hang　heavy　on　my　hands。　What　was　the　use

of　possessing　about　？0；000　a　year　when　there　was　nothing　upon

which　it　could　be　spent？　For　after　all　my　own　wants　were　few　and

simple　and　the　acquisition　of　valuable　pictures　and　costly

furniture　is　limited　by　space。　Oh！　in　my　small　way　I　was　like

the　weary　King　Ecclesiast。　For　I　too　made　me　great　works　and　had

possessions　of　great　and　small　cattle　（I　tried　farming　and　lost

money　over　it！）　and　gathered　me　silver　and　gold　and　the　peculiar

treasure　of　kings；　which　I　presume　means　whatever　a　man　in

authority　chiefly　desires；　and　so　forth。　But　〃behold　all　was

vanity　and　vexation　of　spirit；　and　there　was　no　profit　under　the

sun。〃



So；　notwithstanding　my　wealth　and　health　and　the　deference

which　is　the　rich　man's　portion；　especially　when　the　limit　of　his

riches　is　not　known；　it　came　about　that　I　too　〃hated　life；〃　and

this　when　I　was　not　much　over　thirty。　I　did　not　know　what　to　do；

for　Society　as　the　word　is　generally　understood；　I　had　no　taste；

it　bored　me；　horse…racing　and　cards　I　loathed；　who　had　already

gambled　too　much　on　a　big　scale。　The　killing　of　creatures　under

the　name　of　sport　palled　upon　me；　indeed　I　began　to　doubt　if　it

were　right；　while　the　office　of　a　junior　county　magistrate　in　a

place　where　there　was　no　crime；　only　occupied　me　an　hour　or　two　a

month。



Lastly　my　neighbours　were　few　and　with　all　due　deference　to

them；　extremely　dull。　At　least　I　could　not　understand　them

because　in　them　there　did　not　seem　to　be　anything　to　understand；

and　I　am　quite　certain　that　they　did　not　understand　me。　More；

when　they　came　to　learn　that　I　was　radical　in　my　views　and　had

written　certain　〃dreadful〃　and　somewhat　socialistic　books　in　the

form　of　fiction；　they　both　feared　and　mistrusted　me　as　an　enemy

to　their　particular　section　of　the　race。　As　I　had　not　married　and

showed　no　inclination　to　do　so；　their　womenkind　also；　out　of

their　intimate　knowledge；　proclaimed　that　I　led　an　immoral　life；

though　a　little　reflection　would　have　shown　them　that　there　was

no　one　in　the　neighbourhood　which　for　a　time　I　seldom　left；　who

could　possibly　have　tempted　an　educated　creature　to　such　courses。



Terrible　is　the　lot　of　a　man　who；　while　still　young　and

possessing　the　intellect　necessary　to　achievement；　is　deprived　of

all　ambition。　And　I　had　none　at　all。　I　did　not　even　wish　to

purchase　a　peerage　or　a　baronetcy　in　this　fashion　or　in　that；

and；　as　in　my　father's　case；　my　tastes　were　so　many　and　so

catholic　that　I　could　not　lose　myself　in　any　one　of　them。　They

never　became　more　than　diversions　to　me。　A　hobby　is　only　really

amusing　when　it　becomes　an　obsession。



At　length　my　lonesome　friendliness　oppressed　me　so　much　that　I

took　steps　to　mitigate　it。　In　my　college　life　I　had　two

particular　friends　whom　I　think　I　must　have　selected　because　they

were　so　absolutely　different　from　myself。



They　were　named　Bastin　and　Bickley。　BastinBasil　was　his

Christian　namewas　an　uncouth；　shock…headed；　flat…footed　person

of　large；　rugged　frame　and　equally　rugged　honesty；　with　a　mind

almost　incredibly　simple。　Nothing　surprised　him　because　he　lacked

the　faculty　of　surprise。　He　was　like　that　kind　of　fish　which　lies

at　the　bottom　of　the　sea　and　takes　every　kind　of　food　into　its

great　maw　without　distinguishing　its　flavour。　Metaphorically

speaking；　heavenly　manna　and　decayed　cabbage　were　just　the　same

to　Bastin。　He　was　not　fastidious　and　both　were　mental　pabulumof

a　sorttogether　with　whatever　lay　between　these　extremes。　Yet　he

was　good；　so　painfully　good　that　one　felt　that　without　exertion

to　himself　he　had　booked　a　first…class　ticket　straight　to　Heaven；

indeed　that　his　guardian　angel　had　tied　it　round　his　neck　at

birth　lest　he　should　lose　it；　already　numbered　and　dated　like　an

identification　disc。



I　am　bound　to　add　that　Bastin　never　went　wrong　because　he　never

felt　the　slightest　temptation　to　do　so。　This　I　suppose

constitutes　real　virtue；　since；　in　view　of　certain　Bible　sayings；

the　person　who　is　tempted　and　would　like　to　yield　to　the

temptation；　is　equally　a　sinner　with　the　person　who　does　yield。

To　be　truly　good　one　should　be　too　good　to　be　tempted；　or　too

weak　to　make　the　effort　worth　the　tempter's　whilein　short　not

deserving　of　his　powder　and　shot。



I　need　hardly　add　that　Bastin　went　into　the　Church；　indeed；　he

could　not　have　gone　anywhere　else；　it　absorbed　him　naturally；　as

doubtless　Heaven　will　do　in　due　course。　Only　I　think　it　likely

that　until　they　get　to　know　him　he　will　bore　the　angels　so　much

that　they　will　continually　move　him　up　higher。　Also　if　they　have

any　susceptibilities　left；　probably　he　will　tread　upon　their

toesan　art　in　which　I　never　knew　his　equal。　However；　I　always

loved　Bastin；　perhaps　because　no　one　else　did；　a　fact　of　which　he

remained　totally　unconscious；　or　perhaps　because　of　his　brutal

way　of　telling　one　what　he　conceived　to　be　the　truth；　which；　as

he　had　less　imagination　than　a　dormouse；　generally　it　was　not。

For　if　the　truth　is　a　jewel；　it　is　one　coloured　and　veiled　by

many　different　lights　and　atmospheres。



It　only　remains　to　add　that　he　was　learned　in　his　theological

fashion　and　that　among　his　further　peculiarities　were　the　slow；

monotonous　voice　in　which　he　uttered　his　views　in　long　sentences；

and　his　total　indifference　to　adverse　argument　however　sound　and

convincing。



My　other　friend；　Bickley；　was　a　person　of　a　quite　different

character。　Like　Bastin；　he　was　learned；　but　his　tendencies　faced

another　way。　If　Bastin's　omnivorous　throat　could　swallow　a　camel；

especially　a　theological　camel；　Bickley's　would　strain　at　the

smallest　gnat；　especially　a　theological　gnat。　The　very　best　and

most　upright　of　men；　yet　he　believed　in　nothing　that　he　could　not

taste；　see　or　handle。　He　was　convinced；　for　instance；　that　man　is

a　brute…descended　accident　and　no　more；　that　what　we　call　the

soul　or　the　mind　is　produced　by　a　certain　action　of　the　grey

matter　of　the　brain；　that　everything　apparently　inexplicable　has

a　perfectly　mundane　explanation；　if　only　one　could　find　it；　that

miracles　certainly　never　did　happen；　and　never　will；　that　all

religions　are　the　fruit　of　human　hopes　and　fears　and　the　most

convincing　proof　of　human　weakness；　that　notwithstanding　our

infinite　variations　we　are　the　subjects　of　Nature's　single　law

and　the　victims　of　blind；　black　and　brutal　chance。



Such　was　Bickley　with　his　clever；　well…cut　face　that　always

reminded　me　of　a　cameo；　and　thoughtful　brow；　his　strong；　capable

hands　and　his　rather　steely　mouth；　the　mere　set　of　which

suggested　controversy　of　an　uncompromising　kind。　Naturally　as　the

Church　had　claimed　Bastin；　so　medicine　claimed　Bickley。



Now　as　it　happened　the　man　who　succeeded　my　father　as　vicar　of

Fulcombe　was　given　a　better　living　and　went　away　shortly　after　I

had　purchased　the　place　and　with　it　the　advowson。　Just　at　this

time　also　I　received　a　letter　written　in　the　large；　sprawling

hand　of　Bastin　from　whom　I　had　not　heard　for　years。　It　went

straight　to　the　point；　saying　that　he；　Bastin；　had　seen　in　a

Church　paper　that　the　last　incumbent　had　resigned　the　living　of

Fulcombe　which　was　in　my　gift。　He　would　therefore　be　obliged　if　I

would　give　it　to　him　as　the　place　he　was　at　in　Yorkshire　did　not

suit　his　wife's　health。



Here　I　may　state　that　afterwards　I　learned　that　what　did　not

suit　Mrs。　Bastin　was　the　organist；　who　was　pretty。　She　was　by

nature　a　woman　with　a　temperament　so　insanely　jealous　that

actually　she　managed　to　be　suspicious　of　Bastin；　whom　she　had

captured　in　an　unguarded　moment　when　he　was　thinking　of　something

else　and　who　would　as　soon　have　thought　of　even　looking　at　any

woman　as　he　would　of　worshipping　Baal。　As　a　matter　of　fact　it

took　him　months　to　know　one　female　from　another。　Except　as

possible　providers　of　subscriptions　and　props　of　Mothers'

Meetings；　women　had　no　interest　for　him。



To　returnwith　that　engaging　honesty　which　I　have　mentioned

Bastin's　letter　went　on　to　set　out　all　his　own　di