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the unbearable bassington-第8章

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influence; setting before her son an example of showy ambition that 

he was not in the least likely to follow; and providing him with a 

model of extravagant dandyism that he was only too certain to copy。  

In her heart she knew that Comus would have embarked just as surely 

on his present course of idle self…indulgence if he had never known 

of the existence of Youghal; but she chose to regard that young man 

as her son's evil genius; and now he seemed likely to justify more 

than ever the character she had fastened on to him。  For once in 

his life Comus appeared to have an idea of behaving sensibly and 

making some use of his opportunities; and almost at the same moment 

Courtenay Youghal arrived on the scene as a possible and very 

dangerous rival。  Against the good looks and fitful powers of 

fascination that Comus could bring into the field; the young 

politician could match half…a…dozen dazzling qualities which would 

go far to recommend him in the eyes of a woman of the world; still 

more in those of a young girl in search of an ideal。  Good…looking 

in his own way; if not on such showy lines as Comus; always well 

turned…out; witty; self…confident without being bumptious; with a 

conspicuous Parliamentary career alongside him; and heaven knew 

what else in front of him; Courtenay Youghal certainly was not a 

rival whose chances could be held very lightly。  Francesca laughed 

bitterly to herself as she remembered that a few hours ago she had 

entertained the idea of begging for his good offices in helping on 

Comus's wooing。  One consolation; at least; she found for herself: 

if Youghal really meant to step in and try and cut out his young 

friend; the latter at any rate had snatched a useful start。  Comus 

had mentioned Miss de Frey at luncheon that day; casually and 

dispassionately; if the subject of the dinner guests had not come 

up he would probably not have mentioned her at all。  But they were 

obviously already very good friends。  It was part and parcel of the 

state of domestic tension at Blue Street that Francesca should only 

have come to know of this highly interesting heiress by an 

accidental sorting of guests at a dinner party。



Lady Caroline's voice broke in on her reflections; it was a gentle 

purring voice; that possessed an uncanny quality of being able to 

make itself heard down the longest dinner table。



〃The dear Archdeacon is getting so absent…minded。  He read a list 

of box…holders for the opera as the First Lesson the other Sunday; 

instead of the families and lots of the tribes of Israel that 

entered Canaan。  Fortunately no one noticed the mistake。〃







CHAPTER V







ON a conveniently secluded bench facing the Northern Pheasantry in 

the Zoological Society's Gardens; Regent's Park; Courtenay Youghal 

sat immersed in mature flirtation with a lady; who; though 

certainly young in fact and appearance; was some four or five years 

his senior。   When he was a schoolboy of sixteen; Molly McQuade had 

personally conducted him to the Zoo and stood him dinner afterwards 

at Kettner's; and whenever the two of them happened to be in town 

on the anniversary of that bygone festivity they religiously 

repeated the programme in its entirety。  Even the menu of the 

dinner was adhered to as nearly as possible; the original selection 

of food and wine that schoolboy exuberance; tempered by schoolboy 

shyness; had pitched on those many years ago; confronted Youghal on 

those occasions; as a drowning man's past life is said to rise up 

and parade itself in his last moments of consciousness。



The flirtation which was thus perennially restored to its old…time 

footing owed its longevity more to the enterprising solicitude of 

Miss McQuade than to any conscious sentimental effort on the part 

of Youghal himself。  Molly McQuade was known to her neighbours in a 

minor hunting shire as a hard…riding conventionally unconventional 

type of young woman; who came naturally into the classification; 〃a 

good sort。〃  She was just sufficiently good…looking; sufficiently 

reticent about her own illnesses; when she had any; and 

sufficiently appreciative of her neighbours' gardens; children and 

hunters to be generally popular。  Most men liked her; and the 

percentage of women who disliked her was not inconveniently high。  

One of these days; it was assumed; she would marry a brewer or a 

Master of Otter Hounds; and; after a brief interval; be known to 

the world as the mother of a boy or two at Malvern or some similar 

seat of learning。  The romantic side of her nature was altogether 

unguessed by the country…side。



Her romances were mostly in serial form and suffered perhaps in 

fervour from their disconnected course what they gained in length 

of days。  Her affectionate interest in the several young men who 

figured in her affairs of the heart was perfectly honest; and she 

certainly made no attempt either to conceal their separate 

existences; or to play them off one against the other。  Neither 

could it be said that she was a husband hunter; she had made up her 

mind what sort of man she was likely to marry; and her forecast did 

not differ very widely from that formed by her local acquaintances。  

If her married life were eventually to turn out a failure; at least 

she looked forward to it with very moderate expectations。  Her love 

affairs she put on a very different footing and apparently they 

were the all…absorbing element in her life。  She possessed the 

happily constituted temperament which enables a man or woman to be 

a 〃pluralist;〃 and to observe the sage precaution of not putting 

all one's eggs into one basket。  Her demands were not exacting; she 

required of her affinity that he should be young; good…looking; and 

at least; moderately amusing; she would have preferred him to be 

invariably faithful; but; with her own example before her; she was 

prepared for the probability; bordering on certainty; that he would 

be nothing of the sort。  The philosophy of the 〃Garden of Kama〃 was 

the compass by which she steered her barque and thus far; if she 

had encountered some storms and buffeting; she had at least escaped 

being either shipwrecked or becalmed。



Courtenay Youghal had not been designed by Nature to fulfil the 

ROLE of an ardent or devoted lover; and he scrupulously respected 

the limits which Nature had laid down。  For Molly; however; he had 

a certain responsive affection。  She had always obviously admired 

him; and at the same time she never beset him with crude flattery; 

the principal reason why the flirtation had stood the test of so 

many years was the fact that it only flared into active existence 

at convenient intervals。  In an age when the telephone has 

undermined almost every fastness of human privacy; and the sanctity 

of one's seclusion depends often on the ability for tactful 

falsehood shown by a club pageboy; Youghal was duly appreciative of 

the circumstance that his lady fair spent a large part of the year 

pursuing foxes; in lieu of pursuing him。  Also the honestly 

admitted fact that; in her human hunting; she rode after more than 

one quarry; made the inevitable break…up of the affair a matter to 

which both could look forward without a sense of coming 

embarrassment and recrimination。  When the time for gathering ye 

rosebuds should be over; neither of them could accuse the other of 

having wrecked his or her entire life。  At the most they would only 

have disorganised a week…end。



On this particular afternoon; when old reminiscences had been gone 

through; and the intervening gossip of past months duly recounted; 

a lull in the conversation made itself rather obstinately felt。  

Molly had already guessed that matters were about to slip into a 

new phase; the affair had reached maturity long ago; and a new 

phase must be in the nature of a wane。



〃You're a clever brute;〃 she said; suddenly; with an air of 

affectionate regret; 〃I always knew you'd get on in the House; but 

I hardly expected you to come to the front so soon。〃



〃I'm coming to the front;〃 admitted Youghal; judicially; 〃the 

problem is; shall I be able to stay there。  Unless something 

happens in the financial line before long; I don't see how I'm to 

stay in Parliament at all。  Economy is out of the question。  It 

would open people's eyes; I fancy; if they knew how little I exist 

on as it is。  And I'm living so far beyond my income that we may 

almost be said to be living apart。〃



〃It will have to be a rich wife; I suppose;〃 said Molly; slowly; 

〃that's the worst of success; it imposes so many conditions。  I 

rather knew; from something in your manner; that you were drifting 

that way。〃



Youghal said nothing in the way of contradiction; he gazed 

steadfastly at the aviary in front of him as though exotic 

pheasants were for the moment the most absorbing study in the 

world。  
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