第41章

Thesuit——DartieversusDartie——forrestitutionofthoseconjugalrightsconcerningwhichWinifredwasatheartsodeeplyundecided，followedthelawsofsubtractiontowardsdayofjudgment。ThiswasnotreachedbeforetheCourtsroseforChristmas，butthecasewasthirdonthelistwhentheysatagain。WinifredspenttheChristmasholidaysathoughtmorefashionablythanusual，withthematterlockedupinherlow-cutbosom。JameswasparticularlyliberaltoherthatChristmas，expressingtherebyhissympathy，andrelief，attheapproachingdissolutionofhermarriagewiththat’preciousrascal，’whichhisoldheartfeltbuthisoldlipscouldnotutter。

ThedisappearanceofDartiemadethefallinConsolsacomparativelysmallmatter；andastothescandal——therealanimushefeltagainstthatfellow，andtheincreasingleadwhichpropertywasattainingoverreputationinatrueForsyteabouttoleavethisworld，servedtodrugamindfromwhichallallusionstothematter(excepthisown)werestudiouslykept。WhatworriedhimasalawyerandaparentwasthefearthatDartiemightsuddenlyturnupandobeytheOrderoftheCourtwhenmade。Thatwouldbeaprettyhow-de-do！Thefearpreyedonhiminfactsomuchthat，inpresentingWinifredwithalargeChristmascheque，hesaid：”It’schieflyforthatchapoutthere；tokeephimfromcomingback。”Itwas，ofcourse，topitchawaygoodmoney，butallinthenatureofinsuranceagainstthatbankruptcywhichwouldnolongerhangoverhimifonlythedivorcewentthrough；andhequestionedWinifredrigorouslyuntilshecouldassurehimthatthemoneyhadbeensent。

Poorwoman！——itcosthermanyapangtosendwhatmustfinditswayintothevanity-bagof’thatcreature！’Soames，hearingofit，shookhishead。TheywerenotdealingwithaForsyte，reasonablytenaciousofhispurpose。Itwasveryriskywithoutknowinghowthelandlayoutthere。Still，itwouldlookwellwiththeCourt；

andhewouldseethatDreamerbroughtitout。”Iwonder，”hesaidsuddenly，”wherethatballetgoesaftertheArgentine”；neveromittingachanceofreminder；forheknewthatWinifredstillhadaweakness，ifnotforDartie，atleastfornotlaunderinghiminpublic。Thoughnotgoodatshowingadmiration，headmittedthatshewasbehavingextremelywell，withallherchildrenathomegapinglikeyoungbirdsfornewsoftheirfather——Imogenjustonthepointofcomingout，andValveryrestiveaboutthewholething。HefeltthatValwastherealheartofthemattertoWinifred，whocertainlylovedhimbeyondherotherchildren。Theboycouldspokethewheelofthisdivorceyetifhesethismindtoit。AndSoameswasverycarefultokeeptheproximityofthepreliminaryproceedingsfromhisnephew’sears。Hedidmore。HeaskedhimtodineattheRemove，andoverVal’scigarintroducedthesubjectwhichheknewtobenearesttohisheart。”Ihear，”hesaid，”thatyouwanttoplaypoloupatOxford。”

Valbecamelessrecumbentinhischair。”Rather！”hesaid。”Well，”continuedSoames，”that’saveryexpensivebusiness。Yourgrandfatherisn’tlikelytoconsenttoitunlesshecanmakesurethathe’snotgotanyotherdrainonhim。”Andhepausedtoseewhethertheboyunderstoodhismeaning。

Val’sthickdarklashesconcealedhiseyes，butaslightgrimaceappearedonhiswidemouth，andhemuttered：”IsupposeyoumeanmyDad！””Yes，”saidSoames；”I’mafraiditdependsonwhetherhecontinuestobeadragornot；”andsaidnomore，lettingtheboydreamitover。

ButValwasalsodreaminginthosedaysofasilver-roanpalfreyandagirlridingit。ThoughCrumwasintownandanintroductiontoCynthiaDarktobehadfortheasking，Valdidnotask；indeed，heshunnedCrumandlivedalifestrangeeventohimself，exceptinsofarasaccountswithtailorandliverystablewereconcerned。

Tohismother，hissisters，hisyoungbrother，heseemedtospendthisVacationin’seeingfellows，’andhiseveningssleepilyathome。Theycouldnotproposeanythingindaylightthatdidnotmeetwiththeoneresponse：”Sorry；I’vegottoseeafellow”；andhewasputtoex

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节