第46章

OnForsyte’Changenewsoftheenlistmentspreadfast，togetherwiththereportthatJune，nottobeoutdone，wasgoingtobecomeaRedCrossnurse。Theseeventsweresoextreme，sosubversiveofpureForsyteism，astohaveabindingeffectuponthefamily，andTimothy’swasthrongednextSundayafternoonbymemberstryingtofindoutwhattheythoughtaboutitall，andexchangewitheachotherasenseoffamilycredit。GilesandJesseHaymanwouldnolongerdefendthecoastbutgotoSouthAfricaquitesoon；JollyandValwouldbefollowinginApril；astoJune——well，youneverknewwhatshewouldreallydo。

TheretirementfromSpionKopandtheabsenceofanygoodnewsfromtheseatofwarimpartedanairofrealitytoallthis，clinchedinstartlingfashionbyTimothy。TheyoungestoftheoldForsytes——

scarcelyeighty，infactpopularlysupposedtoresembletheirfather，’SuperiorDosset，’eveninhisbest-knowncharacteristicofdrinkingSherry——hadbeeninvisibleforsomanyyearsthathewasalmostmythical。Alonggenerationhadelapsedsincetherisksofapublisher’sbusinesshadworkedonhisnervesattheageofforty，sothathehadgotoutwithamerethirty-fivethousandpoundsintheworld，andstartedtomakehislivingbycarefulinvestment。Puttingbyeveryyear，atcompoundinterest，hehaddoubledhiscapitalinfortyyearswithouthavingonceknownwhatitwasliketoshakeinhisshoesovermoneymatters。Hewasnowputtingasidesometwothousandayear，and，withthecarehewastakingofhimself，expected，soAuntHestersaid，todoublehiscapitalagainbeforehedied。Whathewoulddowithitthen，withhissistersdeadandhimselfdead，wasoftenmockinglyqueriedbyfreespiritssuchasFrancie，Euphemia，oryoungNicholas’second，Christopher，whosespiritwassofreethathehadactuallysaidhewasgoingonthestage。Alladmitted，however，thatthiswasbestknowntoTimothyhimself，andpossiblytoSoames，whoneverdivulgedasecret。

ThosefewForsyteswhohadseenhimreportedamanofthickandrobustappearance，notverytall，withabrown-redcomplexion，greyhair，andlittleoftherefinementoffeaturewithwhichmostoftheForsyteshadbeenendowedby’SuperiorDosset’s’wife，awomanofsomebeautyandagentletemperament。Itwasknownthathehadtakensurprisinginterestinthewar，stickingflagsintoamapeversinceitbegan，andtherewasuneasinessastowhatwouldhappeniftheEnglishweredrivenintothesea，whenitwouldbealmostimpossibleforhimtoputtheflagsintherightplaces。Astohisknowledgeoffamilymovementsorhisviewsaboutthem，littlewasknown，savethatAuntHesterwasalwaysdeclaringthathewasveryupset。Itwas，then，inthenatureofaportentwhenForsytes，arrivingontheSundayaftertheevacuationofSpionKop，becameconscious，oneaftertheother，ofapresenceseatedintheonlyreallycomfortablearmchair，backtothelight，concealingthelowerpartofhisfacewithalargehand，andweregreetedbytheawedvoiceofAuntHester：”YourUncleTimothy，mydear。”

Timothy’sgreetingtothemallwassomewhatidentical；andrather，asitwere，passedoverbyhimthanexpressed：”Howdedo?Howdedo?’Xcusemegettin’up！”

Franciewaspresent，andEustacehadcomeinhiscar；WinifredhadbroughtImogen，breakingtheiceoftherestitutionproceedingswiththewarmthoffamilyappreciationatVal’senlistment；andMarianTweetymanwiththelastn

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节