第48章

”NotsofarasIknow，”saidJolyon，consciousoftheintentwatchfulnessinSoames’face。”Well，that’sallIhadtosay。Anyonewhocomesbetweenmanandwife，youknow，incursheavyresponsibility。”Jolyonroseandmadehimaslightbow。”Good-bye，”hesaid，and，withoutofferingtoshakehands，movedaway，leavingSoamesstaringafterhim。’WeForsytes，’thoughtJolyon，hailingacab，’areverycivilised。Withsimplerfolkthatmighthavecometoarow。Ifitweren’tformyboygoingtothewar……’Thewar！Agustofhisolddoubtsweptoverhim。A

preciouswar！Dominationofpeoplesorofwomen！Attemptstomasterandpossessthosewhodidnotwantyou！Thenegationofgentledecency！Possession，vestedrights；andanyone’agin’’em——

outcast！’ThankHeaven！’hethought，’Ialwaysfelt”agin”’em，anyway！’Yes！EvenbeforehisfirstdisastrousmarriagehecouldrememberfumingoverthebludgeoningofIreland，orthematrimonialsuitsofwomentryingtobefreeofmentheyloathed。Parsonswouldhaveitthatfreedomofsoulandbodywerequitedifferentthings！Perniciousdoctrine！Bodyandsoulcouldnotthusbeseparated。Freewillwasthestrengthofanytie，andnotitsweakness。’IoughttohavetoldSoames，’hethought，’thatIthinkhimcomic。Ah！buthe’stragic，too！’Wasthereanything，indeed，moretragicintheworldthanamanenslavedbyhisownpossessiveinstinct，whocouldn’tseetheskyforit，orevenenterfullyintowhatanotherpersonfelt！’Imustwriteandwarnher，’

hethought；’he’sgoingtohaveanothertry。’AndallthewayhometoRobinHillherebelledatthestrengthofthatdutytohissonwhichpreventedhimfrompostingbacktoParis……

ButSoamessatlonginhischair，thepreyofanolessgnawingache——ajealousache，asifithadbeenrevealedtohimthatthisfellowheldprecedenceofhimself，andhadspunfreshthreadsofresistancetohiswayout。’Doesthatmeanthatyou’reagainstme?’hehadgotnothingoutofthatdisingenuousquestion。

Feminist！Phraseyfellow！’Imustn’trushthings，’hethought。

’Ihavesomebreathingspace；he’snotgoingbacktoParis，unlesshewaslying。I’llletthespringcome！’Thoughhowthespringcouldservehim，savebyaddingtohisache，hecouldnottell。

Andgazingdownintothestreet，wherefigureswerepassingfrompooltopoolofthelightfromthehighlamps，hethought：’Nothingseemsanygood——nothingseemsworthwhile。I’mloney——that’sthetrouble。’

Heclosedhiseyes；andatonceheseemedtoseeIrene，inadarkstreetbelowachurch——passing，turninghernecksothathecaughtthegleamofhereyesandherwhiteforeheadunderalittledarkhat，whichhadgoldspanglesonitandaveilhangingdownbehind。

Heopenedhiseyes——sovividlyhehadseenher！Awomanwaspassingbelow，butnotshe！Ohno，therewasnothingthere！

CHAPTERXIII

HEREWEAREAGAIN！’

Imogen’sfrocksforherfirstseasonexercisedthejudgmentofhermotherandthepurseofhergrandfatherallthroughthemonthofMarch。WithForsytetenacityWinifredquestedforperfection。Ittookhermindofftheslowlyapproachingritewhichwouldgiveherafreedombutdoubtfullydesired；tookhermind，too，offherboyandhisfastapproachingdepartureforawarfromwhichthenewsremaineddisquieting。Likebeesbusyons

后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节