按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
imports。〃
Lady Veula looked at Youghal and his mount with slow critical
appraisement； and there was a note of blended raillery and
wistfulness in her voice。
〃You two dear things； I should love to stroke you both； but I'm not
sure how Joyeuse would take it。 So I'll stroke you down verbally
instead。 I admired your attack on Sir Edward immensely； though of
course I don't agree with a word of it。 Your description of him
building a hedge round the German cuckoo and hoping he was
isolating it was rather sweet。 Seriously though； I regard him as
one of the pillars of the Administration。〃
〃So do I；〃 said Youghal； 〃the misfortune is that he is merely
propping up a canvas roof。 It's just his regrettable solidity and
integrity that makes him so expensively dangerous。 The average
Briton arrives at the same judgment about Roan's handling of
foreign affairs as Omar does of the Supreme Being in his dealings
with the world： He's a good fellow and 'twill all be well。'〃
Lady Veula laughed lightly。 〃My Party is in power so I may
exercise the privilege of being optimistic。 Who is that who bowed
to you？〃 she continued； as a dark young man with an inclination to
stoutness passed by them on foot； 〃I've seen him about a good deal
lately。 He's been to one or two of my dances。〃
〃Andrei Drakoloff；〃 said Youghal； 〃he's just produced a play that
has had a big success in Moscow and is certain to be extremely
popular all over Russia。 In the first three acts the heroine is
supposed to be dying of consumption； in the last act they find she
is really dying of cancer。〃
〃Are the Russians really such a gloomy people？〃
〃Gloom…loving but not in the least gloomy。 They merely take their
sadness pleasurably； just as we are accused of taking our pleasures
sadly。 Have you noticed that dreadful Klopstock youth has been
pounding past us at shortening intervals。 He'll come up and talk
if he half catches your eye。〃
〃I only just know him。 Isn't he at an agricultural college or
something of the sort？〃
〃Yes； studying to be a gentleman farmer； he told me。 I didn't ask
if both subjects were compulsory。〃
〃You're really rather dreadful；〃 said Lady Veula； trying to look as
if she thought so； 〃remember； we are all equal in the sight of
Heaven。〃
For a preacher of wholesome truths her voice rather lacked
conviction。
〃If I and Ernest Klopstock are really equal in the sight of
Heaven；〃 said Youghal； with intense complacency； 〃I should
recommend Heaven to consult an eye specialist。〃
There was a heavy spattering of loose earth； and a squelching of
saddle…leather； as the Klopstock youth lumbered up to the rails and
delivered himself of loud； cheerful greetings。 Joyeuse laid his
ears well back as the ungainly bay cob and his appropriately
matched rider drew up beside him； his verdict was reflected and
endorsed by the cold stare of Youghal's eyes。
〃I've been having a nailing fine time；〃 recounted the newcomer with
clamorous enthusiasm； 〃I was over in Paris last month and had lots
of strawberries there； then I had a lot more in London； and now
I've been having a late crop of them in Herefordshire； so I've had
quite a lot this year。〃 And he laughed as one who had deserved
well and received well of Fate。
〃The charm of that story；〃 said Youghal； 〃is that it can be told in
any drawing…room。〃 And with a sweep of his wide…brimmed hat to
Lady Veula he turned the impatient Joyeuse into the moving stream
of horse and horsemen。
〃That woman reminds me of some verse I've read and liked；〃 thought
Youghal； as Joyeuse sprang into a light showy canter that gave full
recognition to the existence of observant human beings along the
side walk。 〃Ah； I have it。〃
And he quoted almost aloud； as one does in the exhilaration of a
canter：
〃How much I loved that way you had
Of smiling most； when very sad；
A smile which carried tender hints
Of sun and spring；
And yet； more than all other thing；
Of weariness beyond all words。〃
And having satisfactorily fitted Lady Veula on to a quotation he
dismissed her from his mind。 With the constancy of her sex she
thought about him； his good looks and his youth and his railing
tongue； till late in the afternoon。
While Youghal was putting Joyeuse through his paces under the elm
trees of the Row a little drama in which he was directly interested
was being played out not many hundred yards away。 Elaine and Comus
were indulging themselves in two pennyworths of Park chair； drawn
aside just a little from the serried rows of sitters who were set
out like bedded plants over an acre or so of turf。 Comus was； for
the moment； in a mood of pugnacious gaiety； disbursing a fund of
pointed criticism and unsparing anecdote concerning those of the
promenaders or loungers whom he knew personally or by sight。
Elaine was rather quieter than usual； and the grave serenity of the
Leonardo da Vinci portrait seemed intensified in her face this
morning。 In his leisurely courtship Comus had relied almost
exclusively on his physical attraction and the fitful drollery of
his wit and high spirits； and these graces had gone far to make him
seem a very desirable and rather lovable thing in Elaine's eyes。
But he had left out of account the disfavour which he constantly
risked and sometimes incurred from his frank and undisguised
indifference to other people's interests and wishes； including； at
times； Elaine's。 And the more that she felt that she liked him the
more she was irritated by his lack of consideration for her。
Without expecting that her every wish should become a law to him
she would at least have liked it to reach the formality of a Second
Reading。 Another important factor he had also left out of his
reckoning； namely the presence on the scene of another suitor； who
also had youth and wit to recommend him； and who certainly did not
lack physical attractions。 Comus； marching carelessly through
unknown country to effect what seemed already an assured victory；
made the mistake of disregarding the existence of an unbeaten army
on his flank。
To…day Elaine felt that； without having actually quarrelled； she
and Comus had drifted a little bit out of sympathy with one
another。 The fault she knew was scarcely hers； in fact from the
most good…natured point of view it could hardly be denied that it
was almost entirely his。 The incident of the silver dish had
lacked even the attraction of novelty； it had been one of a series；
all bearing a strong connecting likeness。 There had been small
unrepaid loans which Elaine would not have grudged in themselves；
though the application for them brought a certain qualm of
distaste； with the perversity which seemed inseparable from his
doings； Comus had always flung away a portion of his borrowings in
some ostentatious piece of