the unbearable bassington-第15部分

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imports。〃



Lady　Veula　looked　at　Youghal　and　his　mount　with　slow　critical　

appraisement；　and　there　was　a　note　of　blended　raillery　and　

wistfulness　in　her　voice。



〃You　two　dear　things；　I　should　love　to　stroke　you　both；　but　I'm　not　

sure　how　Joyeuse　would　take　it。　　So　I'll　stroke　you　down　verbally　

instead。　　I　admired　your　attack　on　Sir　Edward　immensely；　though　of　

course　I　don't　agree　with　a　word　of　it。　　Your　description　of　him　

building　a　hedge　round　the　German　cuckoo　and　hoping　he　was　

isolating　it　was　rather　sweet。　　Seriously　though；　I　regard　him　as　

one　of　the　pillars　of　the　Administration。〃



〃So　do　I；〃　said　Youghal；　〃the　misfortune　is　that　he　is　merely　

propping　up　a　canvas　roof。　　It's　just　his　regrettable　solidity　and　

integrity　that　makes　him　so　expensively　dangerous。　　The　average　

Briton　arrives　at　the　same　judgment　about　Roan's　handling　of　

foreign　affairs　as　Omar　does　of　the　Supreme　Being　in　his　dealings　

with　the　world：　He's　a　good　fellow　and　'twill　all　be　well。'〃



Lady　Veula　laughed　lightly。　　〃My　Party　is　in　power　so　I　may　

exercise　the　privilege　of　being　optimistic。　　Who　is　that　who　bowed　

to　you？〃　she　continued；　as　a　dark　young　man　with　an　inclination　to　

stoutness　passed　by　them　on　foot；　〃I've　seen　him　about　a　good　deal　

lately。　　He's　been　to　one　or　two　of　my　dances。〃



〃Andrei　Drakoloff；〃　said　Youghal；　〃he's　just　produced　a　play　that　

has　had　a　big　success　in　Moscow　and　is　certain　to　be　extremely　

popular　all　over　Russia。　　In　the　first　three　acts　the　heroine　is　

supposed　to　be　dying　of　consumption；　in　the　last　act　they　find　she　

is　really　dying　of　cancer。〃



〃Are　the　Russians　really　such　a　gloomy　people？〃



〃Gloom…loving　but　not　in　the　least　gloomy。　　They　merely　take　their　

sadness　pleasurably；　just　as　we　are　accused　of　taking　our　pleasures　

sadly。　　Have　you　noticed　that　dreadful　Klopstock　youth　has　been　

pounding　past　us　at　shortening　intervals。　　He'll　come　up　and　talk　

if　he　half　catches　your　eye。〃



〃I　only　just　know　him。　　Isn't　he　at　an　agricultural　college　or　

something　of　the　sort？〃



〃Yes；　studying　to　be　a　gentleman　farmer；　he　told　me。　　I　didn't　ask　

if　both　subjects　were　compulsory。〃



〃You're　really　rather　dreadful；〃　said　Lady　Veula；　trying　to　look　as　

if　she　thought　so；　〃remember；　we　are　all　equal　in　the　sight　of　

Heaven。〃



For　a　preacher　of　wholesome　truths　her　voice　rather　lacked　

conviction。



〃If　I　and　Ernest　Klopstock　are　really　equal　in　the　sight　of　

Heaven；〃　said　Youghal；　with　intense　complacency；　〃I　should　

recommend　Heaven　to　consult　an　eye　specialist。〃



There　was　a　heavy　spattering　of　loose　earth；　and　a　squelching　of　

saddle…leather；　as　the　Klopstock　youth　lumbered　up　to　the　rails　and　

delivered　himself　of　loud；　cheerful　greetings。　Joyeuse　laid　his　

ears　well　back　as　the　ungainly　bay　cob　and　his　appropriately　

matched　rider　drew　up　beside　him；　his　verdict　was　reflected　and　

endorsed　by　the　cold　stare　of　Youghal's　eyes。



〃I've　been　having　a　nailing　fine　time；〃　recounted　the　newcomer　with　

clamorous　enthusiasm；　〃I　was　over　in　Paris　last　month　and　had　lots　

of　strawberries　there；　then　I　had　a　lot　more　in　London；　and　now　

I've　been　having　a　late　crop　of　them　in　Herefordshire；　so　I've　had　

quite　a　lot　this　year。〃　　And　he　laughed　as　one　who　had　deserved　

well　and　received　well　of　Fate。



〃The　charm　of　that　story；〃　said　Youghal；　〃is　that　it　can　be　told　in　

any　drawing…room。〃　　And　with　a　sweep　of　his　wide…brimmed　hat　to　

Lady　Veula　he　turned　the　impatient　Joyeuse　into　the　moving　stream　

of　horse　and　horsemen。



〃That　woman　reminds　me　of　some　verse　I've　read　and　liked；〃　thought　

Youghal；　as　Joyeuse　sprang　into　a　light　showy　canter　that　gave　full　

recognition　to　the　existence　of　observant　human　beings　along　the　

side　walk。　　〃Ah；　I　have　it。〃



And　he　quoted　almost　aloud；　as　one　does　in　the　exhilaration　of　a　

canter：





〃How　much　I　loved　that　way　you　had

Of　smiling　most；　when　very　sad；

A　smile　which　carried　tender　hints

Of　sun　and　spring；

And　yet；　more　than　all　other　thing；

Of　weariness　beyond　all　words。〃





And　having　satisfactorily　fitted　Lady　Veula　on　to　a　quotation　he　

dismissed　her　from　his　mind。　　With　the　constancy　of　her　sex　she　

thought　about　him；　his　good　looks　and　his　youth　and　his　railing　

tongue；　till　late　in　the　afternoon。



While　Youghal　was　putting　Joyeuse　through　his　paces　under　the　elm　

trees　of　the　Row　a　little　drama　in　which　he　was　directly　interested　

was　being　played　out　not　many　hundred　yards　away。　　Elaine　and　Comus　

were　indulging　themselves　in　two　pennyworths　of　Park　chair；　drawn　

aside　just　a　little　from　the　serried　rows　of　sitters　who　were　set　

out　like　bedded　plants　over　an　acre　or　so　of　turf。　　Comus　was；　for　

the　moment；　in　a　mood　of　pugnacious　gaiety；　disbursing　a　fund　of　

pointed　criticism　and　unsparing　anecdote　concerning　those　of　the　

promenaders　or　loungers　whom　he　knew　personally　or　by　sight。　　

Elaine　was　rather　quieter　than　usual；　and　the　grave　serenity　of　the　

Leonardo　da　Vinci　portrait　seemed　intensified　in　her　face　this　

morning。　　In　his　leisurely　courtship　Comus　had　relied　almost　

exclusively　on　his　physical　attraction　and　the　fitful　drollery　of　

his　wit　and　high　spirits；　and　these　graces　had　gone　far　to　make　him　

seem　a　very　desirable　and　rather　lovable　thing　in　Elaine's　eyes。　　

But　he　had　left　out　of　account　the　disfavour　which　he　constantly　

risked　and　sometimes　incurred　from　his　frank　and　undisguised　

indifference　to　other　people's　interests　and　wishes；　including；　at　

times；　Elaine's。　　And　the　more　that　she　felt　that　she　liked　him　the　

more　she　was　irritated　by　his　lack　of　consideration　for　her。　　

Without　expecting　that　her　every　wish　should　become　a　law　to　him　

she　would　at　least　have　liked　it　to　reach　the　formality　of　a　Second　

Reading。　　Another　important　factor　he　had　also　left　out　of　his　

reckoning；　namely　the　presence　on　the　scene　of　another　suitor；　who　

also　had　youth　and　wit　to　recommend　him；　and　who　certainly　did　not　

lack　physical　attractions。　　Comus；　marching　carelessly　through　

unknown　country　to　effect　what　seemed　already　an　assured　victory；　

made　the　mistake　of　disregarding　the　existence　of　an　unbeaten　army　

on　his　flank。



To…day　Elaine　felt　that；　without　having　actually　quarrelled；　she　

and　Comus　had　drifted　a　little　bit　out　of　sympathy　with　one　

another。　　The　fault　she　knew　was　scarcely　hers；　in　fact　from　the　

most　good…natured　point　of　view　it　could　hardly　be　denied　that　it　

was　almost　entirely　his。　　The　incident　of　the　silver　dish　had　

lacked　even　the　attraction　of　novelty；　it　had　been　one　of　a　series；　

all　bearing　a　strong　connecting　likeness。　　There　had　been　small　

unrepaid　loans　which　Elaine　would　not　have　grudged　in　themselves；　

though　the　application　for　them　brought　a　certain　qualm　of　

distaste；　with　the　perversity　which　seemed　inseparable　from　his　

doings；　Comus　had　always　flung　away　a　portion　of　his　borrowings　in　

some　ostentatious　piece　of　glaring　and　utterly　profitless　

extravagance；　which　outraged　all　the　canons　of　her　upbringing　

without　bringing　him　an　atom　of　understandable　satisfaction。　　Under　

these　repeated　discouragements　it　was　not　surprising　that　some　

small　part　of　her　affection　should　have　slipped　away；　but　she　had　

come　to　the　Park　that　morning　with　an　unconfessed　expectation　of　

being　gently　wooed　back　to　the　mood　of　gracious　forgetfulness　that　

she　was　only　too　eager　to　assume。　　It　was　almost　worth　while　being　

angry　with　Comus　for　the　sake　of　experiencing　the　pleasure　of　being　

coaxed　into　friendliness　again　with　the　charm　which　he　knew　so　well　

how　to　exert。　　It　was　delicious　here　under　the　trees　on　this　

perfect　June　morning；　and　Elaine　had　the　blessed　assurance　that　

most　of　the　women　within　range　were　envying　her　the　companionship　

of　the　handsome　merry…hearted　youth　who　sat　by　her　side。　　With　

special　complacence　she　contemplated　her　cousin　Suzette；　who　was　

self…consciously　but　not　very　elatedly　basking　in　the　attentions　of　

her　fiance；　an　earnest…looking　young　man　who　was　superintendent　of　

a　People's　something…or…other　on　the　south　side　of　the　river；　and　

whose　clothes　Comus　had　described　as　having　been　made　in　Southwark　

rather　than　in　anger。



Most　of　the　pleasures　in　life　must　be　paid　for；　and　the　chair…

ticket　vendor　in　due　time　made　his　appearance　in　quest　of　pennies。



Comus　paid　him　from　out　of　a　varied　assortment　of　coins　and　then　

balanced　the　remainder　in　the　palm　of　his　hand。　　Elaine　felt　a　

sudden　foreknowledge　of　something　disagreeable　about　to　happen　and　

a　red　spot　deepened　in　her　cheeks。



〃Four　shillings　and　fivepence　and　a　half…penny；〃　said　Comus；　

reflectively。　　〃It's　a　ridiculous　sum　to　last　me　for　the　next　three　

days；　and　I　owe　a　card　debt　of　over　two　pounds。〃



〃Yes？〃　commented　Elaine　dryly　and　with　an　apparent　lack　of　interest　

in　his　exchequer　statement。　　Surely；　she　was　thinking　hurriedly　to　

herself；　he　could　not　be　foolish　enough　to　broach　the　matter　of　

another　loan。



〃The　card　debt　is　rather　a　nuisance；〃　pursued　Comus；　with　

fatalistic　persistency。



〃You　won　seven　pounds　last　week；　didn't　you？〃　asked　Elaine；　〃don't　

you　put　by　any　of　your　winnings　to　balance　losses？〃



〃The　four　shillings　and　the　fivepence　and　the　halfpenny　represent　

the　rearguard　of　the　seven　pounds；〃　said　Comus；　〃the　rest　have　

fallen　by　the　way。　　If　I　can　pay　the　two　pounds　to…day　I　daresay　I　

shall　win　something　more　to　go　on　with；　I'm　holding　rather　good　

cards　just　now。　　But　if　I　can't　pay　it　of　course　I　shan't　show　up　

at　the　club。　　So　you　see　the　fix　I　am　in。〃



Elaine　took　no　notice　of　this　indirect　application。　　The　Appeal　

Court　was　assembling　in　haste　to　consider　new　evidence；　and　this　

time　there　was　the　rapidity　of　sudden　determination　about　its　

movement。



The　conversation　strayed　away　from　the　fateful　topic　for　a　few　

moments　and　then　Comus　brought　it　d