the research magnificent-第17部分

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contrast　in　his　social　quality。　　But　he　could　not　be　sure。　　One　never　could　be　sure　with　Lady　Marayne。　　It　might　be　just　that　she　did　not　understand　the　sort　of　man　he　was。　And　in　that　case　ought　he　to　maintain　the　smooth　social　surface　unbroken　by　pretending　as　far　as　possible　to　be　this　kind　of　person；　or　ought　he　to　make　a　sudden　gap　in　it　by　telling　his　realities。　　He　evaded　the　shooting　question　anyhow。　　He　left　it　open　for　Lady　Marayne　and　the　venerable　butler　and　Sir　Godfrey　and　every　one　to　suppose　he　just　happened　to　be　the　sort　of　gentleman　of　leisure　who　doesn't　shoot。　　He　disavowed　hunting；　he　made　it　appear　he　travelled　when　he　travelled　in　directions　other　than　Scotland。　　But　the　fourth　question　brought　him　to　bay。　　He　regarded　his　questioner　with　his　small　rufous　eye。　〃I　have　never　been　across　a　horse　in　my　life；　Lady　Marayne。〃　〃Tut；　tut；〃　said　Sir　Godfrey。　　〃Why！it's　the　best　of　exercise。　Every　man　ought　to　ride。　　Good　for　the　health。　　Keeps　him　fit。　Prevents　lodgments。　　Most　trouble　due　to　lodgments。〃　〃I've　never　had　a　chance　of　riding。　　And　I　think　I'm　afraid　of　horses。〃　〃That's　only　an　excuse；〃　said　Lady　Marayne。　　〃Everybody's　afraid　of　horses　and　nobody's　really　afraid　of　horses。〃　〃But　I'm　not　used　to　horses。　　You　seeI　live　on　my　mother。　　And　she　can't　afford　to　keep　a　stable。〃　His　hostess　did　not　see　his　expression　of　discomfort。　　Her　pretty　eyes　were　intent　upon　the　peas　with　which　she　was　being　served。　〃Does　your　mother　live　in　the　country？〃　she　asked；　and　took　her　peas　with　fastidious　exactness。　Prothero　coloured　brightly。　　〃She　lives　in　London。〃　〃All　the　year？〃　〃All　the　year。〃　〃But　isn't　it　dreadfully　hot　in　town　in　the　summer？〃　Prothero　had　an　uncomfortable　sense　of　being　very　red　in　the　face。　This　kept　him　red。　　〃We're　suburban　people；〃　he　said。　〃But　I　thoughtisn't　there　the　seaside？〃　〃My　mother　has　a　business；〃　said　Prothero；　redder　than　ever。　〃O…oh！〃　said　Lady　Marayne。　　〃What　fun　that　must　be　for　her？〃　〃It's　a　real　business；　and　she　has　to　live　by　it。　　Sometimes　it's　a　worry。〃　〃But　a　business　of　her　own！〃　　She　surveyed　the　confusion　of　his　visage　with　a　sweet　intelligence。　　〃Is　it　an　amusing　sort　of　business；　Mr。　Prothero？〃　Prothero　looked　mulish。　　〃My　mother　is　a　dressmaker；〃　he　said。　　〃In　Brixton。　　She　doesn't　do　particularly　badlyor　well。　　I　live　on　my　scholarship。　　I　have　lived　on　scholarships　since　I　was　thirteen。　And　you　see；　Lady　Marayne；　Brixton　is　a　poor　hunting　country。〃　Lady　Marayne　felt　she　had　unmasked　Prothero　almost　indecently。　Whatever　happened　there　must　be　no　pause。　　There　must　be　no　sign　of　a　hitch。　〃But　it's　good　at　tennis；〃　she　said。　　〃You　DO　play　tennis；　Mr。　Prothero？〃　〃II　gesticulate；〃　said　Prothero。　Lady　Marayne；　still　in　flight　from　that　pause；　went　off　at　a　tangent。　〃Poff；　my　dear；〃　she　said；　〃I've　had　a　diving…board　put　at　the　deep　end　of　the　pond。〃　The　remark　hung　unanswered　for　a　moment。　　The　transition　had　been　too　quick　for　Benham's　state　of　mind。　〃Do　you　swim；　Mr。　Prothero？〃　the　lady　asked；　though　a　moment　before　she　had　determined　that　she　would　never　ask　him　a　question　again。　But　this　time　it　was　a　lucky　question。　〃Prothero　mopped　up　the　lot　of　us　at　Minchinghampton　with　his　diving　and　swimming；〃　Benham　explained；　and　the　tension　was　relaxed。　Lady　Marayne　spoke　of　her　own　swimming；　and　became　daring　and　amusing　at　her　difficulties　with　local　feeling　when　first　she　swam　in　the　pond。　　The　high　road　ran　along　the　far　side　of　the　pond〃And　it　didn't　wear　a　hedge　or　anything；〃　said　Lady　Marayne。　　〃That　was　what　they　didn't　quite　like。　　Swimming　in　an　undraped　pond。　。　。　。〃　Prothero　had　been　examined　enough。　　Now　he　must　be　entertained。　　She　told　stories　about　the　village　people　in　her　brightest　manner。　　The　third　story　she　regretted　as　soon　as　she　was　fairly　launched　upon　it；　it　was　how　she　had　interviewed　the　village　dressmaker；　when　Sir　Godfrey　insisted　upon　her　supporting　local　industries。　　It　was　very　amusing　but　technical。　　The　devil　had　put　it　into　her　head。　　She　had　to　go　through　with　it。　　She　infused　an　extreme　innocence　into　her　eyes　and　fixed　them　on　Prothero；　although　she　felt　a　certain　deepening　pinkness　in　her　cheeks　was　betraying　her；　and　she　did　not　look　at　Benham　until　her　unhappy；　but　otherwise　quite　amusing　anecdote；　was　dead　and　gone　and　safely　buried　under　another。　。　。　。　But　people　ought　not　to　go　about　having　dressmakers　for　mothers。　。　。　。　And　coming　into　other　people's　houses　and　influencing　their　sons。　。　。　。

8

That　night　when　everything　was　over　Billy　sat　at　the　writing…table　of　his　sumptuous　bedroomthe　bed　was　gilt　wood；　the　curtains　of　the　three　great　windows　were　tremendous；　and　there　was　a　cheval　glass　that　showed　the　full　length　of　him　and　seemed　to　look　over　his　head　for　more；and　meditated　upon　this　visit　of　his。　　It　was　more　than　he　had　been　prepared　for。　　It　was　going　to　be　a　great　strain。　　The　sleek　young　manservant　in　an　alpaca　jacket；　who　said　〃Sir〃　whenever　you　looked　at　him；　and　who　had　seized　upon　and　unpacked　Billy's　most　private　Gladstone　bag　without　even　asking　if　he　might　do　so；　and　put　away　and　displayed　Billy's　things　in　a　way　that　struck　Billy　as　faintly　ironical；　was　unexpected。　　And　it　was　unexpected　that　the　brown　suit；　with　its　pockets　stuffed　with　Billy's　personal　and　confidential　sundries；　had　vanished。　　And　apparently　a　bath　in　a　bathroom　far　down　the　corridor　was　prescribed　for　him　in　the　morning；　he　hadn't　thought　of　a　dressing…gown。　　And　after　one　had　dressed；　what　did　one　do？　　Did　one　go　down　and　wander　about　the　house　looking　for　the　breakfast…room　or　wait　for　a　gong？　　Would　Sir　Godfrey　read　Family　Prayers？　　And　afterwards　did　one　go　out　or　hang　about　to　be　entertained？　　He　knew　now　quite　clearly　that　those　wicked　blue　eyes　would　mark　his　every　slip。　　She　did　not　like　him。　She　did　not　like　him；　he　supposed；　because　he　was　common　stuff。　　He　didn't　play　up　to　her　world　and　her。　　He　was　a　discord　in　this　rich；　cleverly　elaborate　household。　　You　could　see　it　in　the　servants'　attitudes。　　And　he　was　committed　to　a　week　of　this。　Billy　puffed　out　his　cheeks　to　blow　a　sigh；　and　then　decided　to　be　angry　and　say　〃Damn！〃　This　way　of　living　which　made　him　uncomfortable　was　clearly　an　irrational　and　objectionable　way　of　living。　　It　was；　in　a　cumbersome　way；　luxurious。　　But　the　waste　of　life　of　it；　the　servants；　the　observances；　all　concentrated　on　the　mere　detail　of　existence？　There　came　a　rap　at　the　door。　　Benham　appeared；　wearing　an　expensive…looking　dressing…jacket　which　Lady　Marayne　had　bought　for　him。　　He　asked　if　he　might　talk　for　a　bit　and　smoke。　　He　sat　down　in　a　capacious　chintz…covered　easy　chair　beside　Prothero；　lit　a　cigarette；　and　came　to　the　point　after　only　a　trivial　hesitation。　〃Prothero；〃　he　said；　〃you　know　what　my　father　is。〃　〃I　thought　he　ran　a　preparatory　school。〃　There　was　the　profoundest　resentment　in　Prothero'　s　voice。　〃And；　all　the　same；　I'm　going　to　be　a　rich　man。〃　〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Prothero；　without　any　shadow　of　congratulation。　Benham　told　Prothero　as　much　as　his　mother　had　conveyed　to　him　of　the　resources　of　his　wealth。　　Her　version　had　been　adapted　to　his　tender　years　and　the　delicacies　of　her　position。　　The　departed　Nolan　had　become　an　eccentric　godfather。　　Benham's　manner　was　apologetic；　a