brideshead+revisited-第13部分

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nection　with　a　highly　talented　dancer。　There　are　a　thousand　such　cases。　She　refuses　to　divorce　him　because　she　is　so　pious。　Well；　there　have　been　cases　of　that　before。　Usually；　it　arouses　sympathy　for　the　adulterer；　not　for　Lord　Marchmain　though。　You　would　think　that　the　old　reprobate　had　tortured　her；　stolen　her　patrimony；　flung　her　out　of　doors；　roasted；　stuffed；　and　eaten　his　children；　and　gone　frolicking　about　wreathed　in　all　the　flowers　of　Sodom　and　Gomorrah；　instead　of　what？　Begetting　four　splendid　children　by　her；　handing　over　to　her　Brideshead　and　Marchmain　House　in　St　James's　and　all　the　money　she　can　possibly　want　to　spend；　while　he　sits　with　a　snowy　shirt　front　at　Larue's　with　a　personable；　middle…aged　lady　of　the　theatre；　in　most　conventional　Edwardian　style。　And　she　meanwhile　keeps　a　small　gang　of　enslaved　and　emaciated　prisoners　for　her　exclusive　enjoyment。　She　sucks　their　blood。　You　can　see　the　tooth　marks　all　Adrian　Porson's　shoulders　when　he　is　bathing　。　And　he；　my　dear；　was　the　greatest；　the　only；　poet　of　our　time。　He's　bled　dry；　there's　nothing　left　of　him。　There　are　five　or　is　others　of　all　ages　and　sexes；　like　wraiths　following　her　around。　They　never　escape　once　she's　had　her　teeth　into　them。　It　is　　withcraft。　There's　no　other　explanation。
　　　　'So　you　see　we　mustn't　blame　Sebastian　if　at　times　he　seems　a　little　insipid　…　but　then　you　don't　blame　him；　do　you；　Charles？　With　that　very　murky　background；　what　could　he　do　except　set　up　as　being　simple　and　charming；　particularly　as　he　isn't　very　well　endowed　in　the　Top　Storey。　We　couldn't　claim　that　for　him；　could　we；　much　as　we　love　him？
　　　　'Tell　me　candidly；　have　you　ever　heard　Sebastian　say　anything　you　have　remembered　for　five　minutes？　You　know；　when　I　hear　him　talk；　I　am　reminded　of　that　in　some　ways　nauseating　picture　of　〃Bubbles〃。　Conversation　should　be　like　juggling；　up　go　the　balls　and　the　plates；　up　and　over；　in　and　out；　good　solid　objects　that　glitter　in　the　footlights　'and　fall　with　a　bang　if　you　miss　them。　But　when　dear　Sebastian　speaks　it　is　like　a　little　sphere　of　soapsud　drifting　off　the　end　of　an　old　clay　pipe；　anywhere；　full　of　rainbow　light　for　a　second　and　then　phut！　vanished；　with　nothing　left　at　all；　nothing。'
　　　　And　then　Anthony　spoke　of　the　proper　experiences　of　an　artist；　of　the　appreciation　and　criticism　and　stimulus　he　should　expect　from　his　friends；　of　the　hazards　he　should　take　in　the　pursuit　of　emotion；　of　one　thing　and　another　while　I　fell　drowsy　and　let　my　mind　wander　a　little。　So　we　drove　home；　but　his　words；　as　we　swung　over　Magdalen　Bridge；　recalled　the　central　theme　of　our　dinner。　'Well；　my　dear；　I've　no　doubt　that　first　thing　tomorrow　you'll　trot　round　to　Sebastian　and　tell　him　everything　　I've　said　about　him。　And；　I　will　tell　you　two　things；　one；　that　it　will　not　make　the　slightest　difference　to　Sebastian's　feeling　for　me　and　secondly；　my　dear　…　and　I　beg　you　to　remember　this　though　I　have　plainly　bored　you　into　condition　of　a；　…　that　he　will　immediately　start　talking　about　that　amusing　bear　of　his。　Good　night。　Sleep　innocently。'

　　　　But　I　slept　ill。　Within　an　hour　of　tumbling　drowsily　to　bed　I　was　awake　again；　thirsty；　restless；　hot　and　cold　by　turns；　and　unnaturally　excited。　I　had　drunk　a　lot；　but　neither　the　mixture　nor　the　Chartreuse；　nor　the　Mavrodaphne　Trifle　nor　even　the　fact　that　I　had　sat　immobile　and　almost　silent　throughout　the　evening　instead　of　clearing　the　fumes；　as　we　normally　did；　in　puppyish　romps　and　tumbles；　explains　the　distress　of　that　hagridden　night。　No　dream　distorted　the　images　of　the　evening　into　horrific　shapes。　I　lay　awake　and　clear…headed。　I　repeated　to　myself　Anthony's　words；　catching　his　accent；　soundlessly；　and　the　stress　and　cadence　of　his　speech；　while　under　my　closed　lids　I　saw　his　pale；　candle…lit　face　as　it　had　fronted　me　across　the　dinner　table。　Once　during　the　hours　of　darkness　I　brought　to　light　the　drawings　in　my　sitting…room　and　sat　at　the　open　window；　turning　them　over。　Everything　was　black　and　dead…still　in　the　quadrangle；　only　at　the　quarter…hours　the　bells　awoke　and　sang　over　the　gables。　I　drank　soda…Water　and　smoked　and　fretted；　until　light　began　to　break　and　the　rustle　of　a　rising　breeze　turned　me　back　to　my　bed。

　　　　When　I　awoke　Lunt　was　at　the　open　door。　'I　let　you　lie；'　he　said。　'I　didn't　think　you'd　be　going　to　the　Corporate　munion。'
　　　　'You　were　quite　right'
　　　　'Most　of　the　freshmen　went　and　quite　a　few　second　and　third　year　men。　It's　all　on　account　of　the　new　chaplain。　There　was　never　Corporate　munion　before　just　Holy　munion　for　those　that　wanted　it　and　Chapel　and　Evening　Chapel。'
　　　　It　was　the　last　Sunday　of　term；　the　last　of　the　year。　As　I　went　to　my　bath；　the　quad　filled　with　gowned　and　surpliced　undergraduates　drifting　from　chapel　to　hall。　As　I　came　back　they　standing　in　groups；　smoking；　Jasper　had　bicycled　in　from　his　digs　to　be　among　them。
　　　　I　walked　down　the　empty　Broad　to　breakfast　as　I　often　did　on　Sundays　at　a　tea…shop　opposite　Balliol。　The　air　was　full　of　bells　from　the　surrounding　spires　and　the　sun；　casting　long　shadows　across　the　open　spaces；　dispelled　the　fears　of　night。　The　tea…shop　was　hushed　as　a　library；　a　few　solitary　men　in　bedroom　slippers　from　Balliol　and　Trinity　looked　up　as　I　entered；　then　turned　back　to　their　Sunday　newspapers。　I　ate　my　scrambled　eggs　and　bitter　marmalade　with　the　zest　which　in　youth　follows　a　restless　night。　I　lit　a　cigarette　and　sat　on；　while　one　by　one　the　Balliol　and　Trinity　men　paid　their　bills　and　shuffled　away；　slip…slop；　across　the　street　to　their　colleges。　It　was　nearly　eleven　when　I　left；　and　during　my　walk　I　heard　the　change…ringing　cease　and；　all　over　the　town；　give　place　to　the　single　chime　which　warned　the　city　that　service　was　about　to　start。
　　　　None　but　churchgoers　seemed　abroad　that　morning；　undergraduates　and　graduates　and　wives　and　tradespeople；　walking　with　that　unmistakable　English　church…going　pace　which　eschewed　equally　both　haste　and　idle　sauntering；　holding；　bound　in　black　lamb…skin　and　white　celluloid；　the　liturgics　of　half　a　dozen　conflicting　sects；　on　their　way　to　St　Barnabas；　St　Columba；　St　Aloysius；　St　Mary's；　Pusey　House；　Blackfriars；　and　heaven　knows　where　besides；　to　restored　Norman　and　revived　Gothic；　to　travesties　of；Venice　and　Athens；　all　in　the　summer　sunshine　going　to　the　temples　of　their　race。　Four　proud　infidels　alone　proclaimed　their　dissent；　four　Indians　from　the　gates　of　Balliol；　in　freshly…laundered　white　flannels　and　neatly　pressed　blazers　with　snow…white　turbans　on　their；　heads；　and　in　their　plump；　brown　hands　bright　cushions；　a　picnic　basket　and　the　Plays　Unpleasant　of　Bernard　Shaw；　making　for　the　river。
　　　　In　the　Cornmarket　a　party　of　tourists　stood　on　the　steps　of　the　Clarendon　Hotel　discussing　a　road　map　with　their　chauffeur；　while　opposite；　through　the　venerable　arch　of　the　Golden　Cross；　I　greeted　a　group　of　undergraduates　from　my　college　who　had　breakfasted　there　and　now　lingered　with　their　pipes　in　the　creeper…hung　courtyard。　A　troop　of　boy　scouts；　church…bound；　too；　bright　with　Coloured　ribbons　and　badges；　loped　past　in　unmilitary　array；　and　at　Carfax　I　met　the　Mayor　and　corporation；　in　scarlet　gowns　and　gold　chains；　preceded　by　wand…bearers　and　followed　by　no　curious　glances；　in　procession　to　the　preaching　at　the　City　Church。　In　St　Aldates　I　passed　a　crocodile　of　choir　boys；　in　starched　collars　and　peculiar　caps；　on　their　way　to　Tom　Gate　and　the　Cathedral。　So　through　a　world　of　piety　I　made　my　way　to　Sebastian。
　　　　He　was　out。　I　read　the　letters；　none　of　them　very　revealing；　that　littered　his　writing　table　and　scrutinized　the　invitation　cards　on　his　chimney…piece　…　there　were　no　new　additions。　Then　I　read　Lady　into　Fox　until　he　returned。
　　　　'I've　been　to　at　the　Old　Palace；'　he　said。　'I　haven't　been　all　this　term；　and　Monsignor　Bell　asked　me　to　dinner　twice　last　week；　and　I　know　what　that　means。　Mummy's　been　writing　to　him。　So　I　sat　bang　in　front　where　he　couldn't　help　seeing　me　and　absolutely　shouted　the　Hail　Marys　at　the　end　so　that's　over。　How　was　dinner　with　Antoine？　What　did　you　talk　about？　'
　　　　'Well；　he　did　most　of　the　talking。　Tell　me；　did　you　know　him　at　Eton？'
　　　　'He　was　sacked　my　first　half。　I　remember　seeing　him　about。　He　always　has　been　a　not