Indian Summer of a Forsyte

第33章

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第33章

Indian Summer of a Forsyte John Galsworthy THE FORSYTE SA

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Indian Summer of a Forsyte
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  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——wherebyhangsataleofnolovelost,andIdon’tthinkI’lltellityou。Jamesandtheothereightchildrenof’SuperiorDosset,’ofwhomtherearestillfivealive,maybesaidtohaverepresentedVictorianEngland,withitsprinciplesoftradeandindividualismatfivepercent。andyourmoneyback——ifyouknowwhatthatmeans。Atalleventsthey’veturnedthirtythousandpoundsintoacoolmillionbetweentheminthecourseoftheirlonglives。Theyneverdidawildthing——

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