brideshead+revisited-第28部分

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lliant　future　at　the　University　was　in　jeopardy。　The　papers　took　hold　of　this　too　…　'Model　Student's　Career　at　Stake。　But　for　Mr　Samgrass's　evidence；　said　the　magistrate；　he　would　have　been　disposed　to　give　an　exemplary　sentence；　the　law　was　the　same　for　an　Oxford　undergraduate　as　for　any　young　hooligan；　indeed　the　better　the　home　the　more　shameful　the　offence。。。
　　　　It　was　not　only　at　Bow　Street　that　Mr　Samgrass　was　of　value。　At　Oxford　he　showed　all　the　zeal　and　acumen　which　were　Rex　Mottram's　in　London。　He　interviewed　the　college　authorities；　the　proctors；　the　Vice…Chancellor；　he　induced　Mgr　Bell　to　call　on　the　Dean　of　Christ　Church；　he　arranged　for　Lady　Marchmain　to　talk　to　the　Chancellor　himself；　and；　as　a　result　of　all　this；　the　three　of　us　were　gated　for　the　rest　of　the　term。　Hardcastle；　for　no　clear　reason；　was　again　deprived　of　the　use　of　his　car；　and　the　affair　blew　over。　The　most　lasting　penalty　we　suffered　was　our　intimacy　with　Rex　Mottram　and　Mr　Samgrass；　but　since　Rex's　life　was　in　London　in　a　world　of　politics　and　high　finance　and　Mr　Samgrass's　nearer　to　our　own　at　Oxford；　it　was　from　him　we　suffered　the　more。
　　　　For　the　rest　of　that　term　he　haunted　us。　Now　that　we　were　'gated'　we　could　not　spend　our　evenings　together；　and　from　nine　0'clock　onwards　were　alone　and　at　Mr　Samgrass's　mercy。　Hardly　an　evening　seemed　to　paw　but　he　called　on　one　o　r　the　other　of　us。　He　spoke　of　'our　little　escapade'　as　though　he；　too；　had　been　in　the　cells；　and　had　that　bond　with　us。。。Once　I　climbed　out　of　college　and　Mr　Samgrass　found　me　in　Sebastian's　rooms　after　the　gate　was　shut　and　that；　too；　he　made　into　a　bond。　It　did　not　surprise　me；　therefore；　when　I　arrived　at　Brideshead；　after　Christmas；　to　find　Mr　Samgrass；　as　though　in　wait　for　me；　sitting　alone　before　the　fire　in　the　room　they　called　the　'Tapestry　Hall'。
　　　　'You　find　me　in　solitary　possession；'　he　said；　and　indeed　he　seemed　to　possess　the　hall　and　the　sombre　scenes　of　venery　that　hung　round　it；　to　possess　the　caryatids　on　either　side　of　the　fireplace；　to　possess　me；　as　he　rose　to　take　my　hand　and　greet　me　like　a　host：　'This　morning；'　he　continued；　'we　had　a　lawn　meet　of　the　Marchmain　Hounds　…　a　deliciously　archaic　spectacle　and　all　our　young　friends　are　fox…hunting；　even　Sebastian　who；　you　will　not　be　surprised　to　hear；　looked　remarkably　elegant　in　his　pink　coat。　Brideshead　was　impressive　rather　than　elegant；　he　is　joint…master　with　a　local　figure　of　fun　named　Sir　Walter　Strickland…Venables。　I　wish　the　two　of　them　could　be　included　in　these　rather　humdrum　tapestries　…　they　would　give　a　note　of　fantasy。
　　　　'Our　hostess　remained　at　home；　also　a　convalescent　Dominican　who　has　read　too　much　Maritain　and　too　little　Hegel；　Sir　Adrian　Porson；　of　course；　and　two　rather　forbidding　Magyar　cousins　…　I　have　tried　them　in　German　and　in　French；　but　in　neither　tongue　are　they　diverting。　All　these　have　now　driven　off　to　visit　a　neighbour。　I　have　been　spending　a　cosy　afternoon　before　the　fire　with　the　inparable　Charlus。　Your　arrival　emboldens　me　to　ring　for　some　tea。　How　can　I　prepare　you　for　the　party？　Alas；　it　breaks　up　tomorrow。　Lady　Julia　departs　to　celebrate　the　New　Year　elsewhere；　and　takes　the　beau…monde　with　her。　I　shall　miss　the　pretty　creatures　about　the　house　…　particularly　one　Celia；　she　is　the　sister　of　our　old　panion　in　adversity；　Boy　Mulcaster；　and　wonderfully　unlike；　him。　She　has　a　bird…like　style　of　conversation；　pecking　away　at　the　subject　in　a　way　I　find　most　engaging；　and　a　school…monitor　style　of　dress　which　I　can　only　call　〃saucy〃。　I　shall　miss　her；　for　I　do　not　go　tomorrow。　Tomorrow　I　start　work　in　earnest　on　our　hostess's　book　…　which；　believe　me；　is　a　treasure…house　of　period　gems；　pure　authentic　I9I4。'
　　　　Tea　was　brought　and；　soon　after　it；　Sebastian　returned；　he　had　lost　the　hunt　early；　he　said；　and　hacked　home；　the　others　were　not　long　after　him；　having　been　fetched　by　car　at　the　end　of　the　day；　Brideshead　was　absent；　he　had　business　at　the　kennels　and　Cordelia　had　gone　with　him。　The　rest　filled　the　hall　and　were　soon　eating　scrambled　eggs　and　crumpets；　and　Mr　Samgrass；　who　had　lunched　at　home　and　dozed　all　the　afternoon　before　the　fire；　ate　eggs　and　crumpets　with　them。　Presently　Lady　Marchmain's　party　returned；　and　when；　before　we　went　upstairs　to　dress　for　dinner；　she　said　'Who's　ing　to　chapel　for　the　Rosary？'　and　Sebastian　and　Julia　said　they　must　have　their　baths　at　once；　Mr　Samgrass　went　with　her　and　the　friar。
　　　　'I　wish　Mr　Samgrass　would　go；'　said　Sebastian；　in　his　bath；　'I'm　sick　of　being　grateful　to　him。'
　　　　In　the　course　of　the　next　fortnight　distaste　for　Mr　Samgrass　came　to　be　a　little　unspoken　secret　throughout　the　house；　in　his　presence　Sir　Adrian　Porson's　fine　old　eyes　seemed　to　search　a　distant　horizon　and　his　lips　set　in　classic　pessimism。　Only　the　Hungarian　cousins　who；　mistaking　the　status　of　tutor；　took　him　for　an　unusually　privileged　upper　servant；　were　unaffected　by　his　presence。

　　　　Mr　Samgrass；　Sir　Adrian　Porson；　the　Hungarians；　the　friar；　Brideshead；　Sebastian；　Cordelia　were　all　who　remained　of　the　Christmas　party。
　　　　Religion　predominated　in…the　house；　not　only　in　its　practices　…　the　daily　mass　and　Rosary；　morning　and　evening　in　the　chapel　…　but　in　all　its　intercourse。　'We　must　make　a　Catholic　of　Charles；'　Lady　Marchmain　said；　and　we　had　many　little　talks　together　during　my　visits　when　she　delicately　steered　the　subject　into　a　holy　quarter。　After　the　first　of　these　Sebastian　said：　'Has　mummy　been　having　one　of　her　〃little　talks〃　with　you？　She's　always　doing　it。　I　wish　to　hell　she　wouldn't。'
　　　　One　was　never　summoned　for　a　little　talk；　or　consciously　led　to　it；　it　merely　happened；　when　she　wished　to　speak　intimately；　that　one　found　oneself　alone　with　her；　if　it　was　summer；　in　a　secluded　walk　by　the　lakes　or　in　a　corner　of　the　walled　rose…gardens；　if　it　was　winter；　in　her　sitting…room　on　the　first　floor。
　　　　This　room　was　all　her　own；　she　had　taken　it　for　herself　and　changed　it　so　that；　entering；　one　seemed　to　be　in　another　house。　She　had　lowered　the　ceiling　and　the　elaborate　cornice　which；　in　one　form　or　another；　graced　every　room　was　lost　to　view；　the　walls；　one　panelled　in　brocade；　were　stripped　and　washed　blue　and　spotted　with　innumerable　little　water…colours　of　fond　association；　the　air　was　sweet　with　the　fresh　scent　of　flowers　and　musty　potpourri；　her　library　in　soft　leather　covers；　well…read　works　of　poetry　and　piety；　filled　a　small　rosewood　bookcase；　the　chimney…piece　was　covered　with　small　personal　treasures　…　an　ivory　Madonna；　a　plaster　St　Joseph；　posthumous　miniatures　of　her　three　soldier　brothers。　When　Sebastian　and　I　lived　alone　at　Brideshead　during　that　brilliant　August　we　had　kept　out　of　his　mother's　room。
　　　　Scraps　of　conversation　e　back　to　me　with　the　memory　of　her　room。　I　remember　her　saying：　'When　I　was　a　girl　we　were　paratively　poor；　but　still　richer　than　most　of　the　world；　and　when　I　married　I　became　very　rich。　It　used　to　worry　me；　and　I　thought　it　wrong　to　have　so　many　beautiful　things　when　others　had　nothing。　Now　I　realize　that　it　is　possible　for　the　rich　to　sin　by　coveting　the　privileges　of　the　poor。　The　poor　have　always　been　the　favourites　of　God　and　his　saints；　but　I　believe　that　it　is　one　of　the　special　achievements　of　Grace　to　sanctify　the　whole　of　life；　riches　included。　Wealth　in　pagan　Rome　was　necessarily　something　cruel；　it's　not　any　more。'
　　　　I　said　something　about　a　camel　and　the　eye　of　a　needle　and　she　rose　happily　to　the　point。
　　　　'But　of　course；'　she　said；　'it's　very　unexpected　for　a　camel　to　go　through　the　eye　of　a　needle；　but　the　gospel　is　simply　a　catalogue　of　unexpected　things。　It's　not　to　be　expected　that　an　ox　and　an　ass　should　worship　at　the　crib。　Animals　are　always　doing　the　oddest　things　in　the　lives　of　the　saints。　It's　all　part　of　the　poetry；　the　Alice…in…Wonderland　side；　of　religion。'
　　　　But　I　was　as　untouched　by　her　faith　as　I　was　by　her　charm：　or；　rather；　I　was　touched　by　both　alike。　I　had　no　mind　then　for　anything　except　Sebastian；　and　I　saw　him　already　as　being　threatened；　though　I　did　not　yet　know　how　black　was　the　threat。　His　constant；　despairing　prayer　was　to　be　let　alone。　By　the　blue　waters　and　rustling　palms　of　his　own　mind　he　was　happy　and　harmless　as　a　Polynesia