第33章

Jollywasanxiousthattheyshouldseehimrowing，sotheysetforthtotheriver。Holly，betweenherbrotherandherfather，feltelatedwhenheadswereturnedandeyesrestedonher。ThattheymightseehimtothebestadvantagetheylefthimattheBargeandcrossedtherivertothetowing-path。Slightinbuild——forofalltheForsytesonlyoldSwithinandGeorgewerebeefy——Jollywasrowing’Two’inatrialeight。Helookedveryearnestandstrenuous。WithprideJolyonthoughthimthebest-lookingboyofthelot；Holly，asbecameasister，wasmorestruckbyoneortwooftheothers，butwouldnothavesaidsofortheworld。Theriverwasbrightthatafternoon，themeadowslush，thetreesstillbeautifulwithcolour。Distinguishedpeaceclungaroundtheoldcity；Jolyonpromisedhimselfaday’ssketchingiftheweatherheld。TheEightpassedasecondtime，spurtinghomealongtheBarges——Jolly’sfacewasveryset，soasnottoshowthathewasblown。Theyreturnedacrosstheriverandwaitedforhim。”Oh！”saidJollyintheChristChurchmeadows，”IhadtoaskthatchapValDartietodinewithusto-night。HewantedtogiveyoulunchandshowyouB。N。C。，soIthoughtI’dbetter；thenyouneedn’tgo。Idon’tlikehimmuch。”

Holly’srathersallowfacehadbecomesuffusedwithpink。”Whynot?””Oh！Idon’tknow。Heseemstomerathershowyandbadform。Whatarehispeoplelike，Dad?He’sonlyasecondcousin，isn’the?”

Jolyontookrefugeinasmile。”AskHolly，”hesaid；”shesawhisuncle。””IlikedVal，”Hollyanswered，staringatthegroundbeforeher；”hisunclelooked——awfullydifferent。”ShestoleaglanceatJollyfromunderherlashes。”Didyouever，”saidJolyonwithwhimsicalintention，”hearourfamilyhistory，mydears?It’squiteafairytale。ThefirstJolyonForsyte——atalleventsthefirstweknowanythingof，andthatwouldbeyourgreat-great-grandfather——dweltinthelandofDorsetontheedgeofthesea，beingbyprofessionan’agriculturalist，’asyourgreat-auntputit，andthesonofanagriculturist——farmers，infact；yourgrandfatherusedtocallthem，’Verysmallbeer，’”HelookedatJollytoseehowhislordlinesswasstandingit，andwiththeothereyenotedHolly’smaliciouspleasureintheslightdropofherbrother’sface。”Wemaysupposehimthickandsturdy，standingforEnglandasitwasbeforetheIndustrialErabegan。ThesecondJolyonForsyte——

yourgreat-grandfather，Jolly；betterknownasSuperiorDossetForsyte——builthouses，sothechronicleruns，begattenchildren，andmigratedtoLondontown。Itisknownthathedranksherry。WemaysupposehimrepresentingtheEnglandofNapoleon’swars，andgeneralunrest。TheeldestofhissixsonswasthethirdJolyon，yourgrandfather，mydears——teamerchantandchairmanofcompanies，oneofthesoundestEnglishmenwhoeverlived——andtomethedearest。”Jolyon’svoicehadlostitsirony，andhissonanddaughtergazedathimsolemnly，”Hewasjustandtenacious，tenderandyoungatheart。Yourememberhim，andIrememberhim。Passtotheothers！Yourgreat-uncleJames，that’syoungVal’sgrand-

father，hadasoncalledSoames——whereby

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节