第53章

AndwhileIneglectedthedevelopmentofmyuncle’sfinances——andmyown，inmyscientificworkandmyabsorbingconflictwiththedifficultiesofflying，——hisschemesgrewmoreandmoreexpansiveandhazardous，andhisspendingwilderandlaxer。Ibelievethatahauntingsenseoftheintensifyingunsoundnessofhispositionaccountslargelyforhisincreasingirritabilityandhisincreasingsecretivenesswithmyauntandmyselfduringthesecrowningyears。Hedreaded，Ithink，havingtoexplain，hefearedourjestsmightpierceunwittinglytothetruth。Evenintheprivacyofhismindhewouldnotfacethetruth。Hewasaccumulatingunrealisablesecuritiesinhissafesuntiltheyhungapotentialavalancheovertheeconomicworld。Buthisbuyingbecameafever，andhisrestlessdesiretokeepitupwithhimselfthathewasmakingatriumphantprogresstolimitlesswealthgnaweddeeperanddeeper。Acuriousfeatureofthistimewithhimwashisbuyingoverandoveragainofsimilarthings。

Hisideasseemedtoruninseries。Withinatwelve-monthheboughtfivenewmotor-cars，eachmoreswiftandpowerfulthanitspredecessor，andonlytherepeatedpromptresignationofhischiefchauffeurateachmomentofdanger，preventedhisdrivingthemhimself。Heusedthemmoreandmore。Hedevelopedapassionforlocomotionforitsownsake。

ThenhebegantochafeatLadyGrove，frettedbyachancejesthehadoverheardatadinner。“Thishouse，George。”hesaid。“It’samisfit。There’snoelbow-roominit；it’schokedwitholdmemories。AndIcan’tstandallthesedamnedDurgans！

“Thatchapinthecorner，George。No！theothercorner！Themaninacherry-colouredcoat。Hewatchedyou！He’dlooksillyifI

stuckapokerthroughhisGizzard！”

“He’dlook。”Ireflected，“muchashedoesnow。Asthoughhewasamused。”

Hereplacedhisglasses，whichhadfallenathisemotion，andglaredathisantagonists。“Whatarethey？Whataretheyall，thelotof’em？DeadasMutton！Theyjuststuckinthemud。

Theydidn’tevenrisetotheReformation。Theoldout-of-dateReformation！Movewiththetimes！——theymovedagainstthetimes。

JustaFamilyofFailure，——theynevereventried！

“They’rejes’，George，exactlywhatI’mnot。Exactly。Itisn’tsuitable。AllthislivinginthePast。

“AndIwantabiggerplacetoo，George。Iwantairandsunlightandroomtomoveaboutandmoreservice。AhousewhereyoucangetaMoveonthings！Zzzz。Why！it’slikeadiscord——itjars——eventohavethetelephone。There’snothing，nothingexcepttheterrace，that’sworthaRap。It’salldarkandoldanddriedupandfullofold-fashionedthings——mustyoldidees——fitterforasilver-fishthanamodernman。Idon’tknowhowIgothere。”

Hebrokeoutintoanewgrievance。“Thatdamnedvicar。”hecomplained，“thinksIoughttothinkmyselfluckytogetthisplace！EverytimeImeethimIcanseehimthinkit。Oneofthesedays，GeorgeI’llshowhimwhataMod’unhouseislike！”

Andhedid。

Irememberthedaywhenhedeclared，asAmericanssay，forCrestHill。Hehadcomeuptoseemynewgasplant，forIwasthenonlyjustbeginningtoexperimentwithauxiliarycollapsibleballoons，andallthetimetheshineofhisglasseswaswanderingawaytotheopendownbeyond。“Let’sgobacktoLadyGroveoverthehill。”hesaid。“SomethingIwanttoshowyou。Somethingfine！”

Itwasanemptysunlitplacethatsummerevening，skyandearthwar