brideshead+revisited-第34部分

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too；　of　Sebastian's　and　Mr　Samgrass's；　whom　to　my　surprise　I　had　found　on　the　platform　when　I　arrived。
　　　　Lady　Marchmain　had　written　three　weeks　before：　'I　have　just　heard　from　Mr　Samgrass　that　he　and　Sebastian　will　be　home　for　Christmas　as　we　hoped。　I　had　not　heard　from　them　for　so　long　that　I　was　afraid　they　were　lost　and　did　not　want　to　make　any　arrangements　until　I　knew。　Sebastian　will　be　longing　to　see　you。　Do　e　to　us　for　Christmas　if　you　can　manage　it；　or　as　soon　after　as　you　can。'
　　　　Christmas　with　my　uncle　was　an　engagement　I　could　not　break；　so　I　travelled　across　country　and　joined　the　local　train　midway；　expecting　to　find　Sebastian　already　established；　there　he　was；　however；　in　the　next　carriage　to　mine；　and　when　I　asked　him　what　he　was　doing；　Mr　Samgrass　replied　with　such　glibness　and　at　such　length；　telling　me　of　mislaid　luggage　and　of　Cook's　being　shut　over　the　holidays；　that　I　was　at　once　aware　of　some　other　explanation　which　was　being　withheld。
　　　　Mr　Samgrass　was　not　at　ease；　he　maintained　all　the　physical　habits　of　self…confidence；　but　guilt　hung　about　him　like　stale　cigar　smoke；　and　in　Lady　Marchmain's　greeting　of　him　I　caught　a　note　of　anticipation。　He　kept　up　a　lively　account　of　his　tour　during　tea；　and　then　Lady　Marchmain　drew　him　away　with　her；　upstairs；　for　a　'little　talk'。　I　watched　him　go　with　something　near　passion；　it　was　plain　to　anyone　with　a　poker　sense　that　Mr　Samgrass　held　a　very　imperfect　hand　and；　as　I　watched　him　at　tea；　I　began　to　suspect　that　he　was　not　only　bluffing　but　cheating。　There　was　something　he　must　say；　did　not　want　to　say；　and　did　not　quite　know　how　to　say　to　Lady　Marchmain　about　his　doings　over　Christmas；　but；　more　than　that；　I　quessed；　there　was　a　great　deal　he　ought　to　say　and　had　no　intention　at　all　of　saying；　about　the　whole　Levantine　tour。
　　　　'e　and　see　nanny；'　said　Sebastian。
　　　　'Please；　can　I　e；　too？'　said　Cordelia。
　　　　'e　on。'
　　　　We　climbed　to　the　nursery　in　the　dome。　On　the　way　Cordelia　said：　'Aren't　you　at　all　pleased　to　be　home？'
　　　　'Of　course　I'm　pleased；'　said　Sebastian。
　　　　'Well；　you　might　show　it　a　bit。　I've　been　looking　forward　to　it　so　much。'
　　　　Nanny　did　not　particularly　wish　to　be　talked　to；　she　liked　visitors　best　when　they　paid　no　attention　to　her　and　let　her　knit　away；　and　watch　their　faces　and　think　of　them　as　she　had　known　them　as　small　children；　their　present　goings…on　did　not；　signify　much　beside　those　early　illnesses　and　crimes。
　　　　'Well；　'　she　said；　'you　are　looking　peaky。　I　expect　it's　all　that　foreign　food　doesn't　agree　with　you。　You　must　fatten　up　now　you're　back。　Looks　as　though　you'd　been　having　some　late　nights；　too；　by　the　look　of　your　eyes　…　dancing；　I　suppose。'　（It　was　ever　Nanny　Hawkins's　belief　that　the　upper　classes　spent　most　of　their　leisure　evenings　in　the　ballroom。）　'And　that　shirt　wants　darning。　Bring　it　to　me　before　it　goes　to　the　wash。'
　　　　Sebastian　certainly　did　look　ill；　five　months　had　wrought　the　change　of　years　in　him。　He　was　paler；　thinner；　pouchy　under　the　eyes；　drooping　in；　the　corners　of　his　mouth；　and　he　showed　the　scars　of　a　boil　on　the　side　of　his　chin；　his　voice　seemed　flatter　and　his　movements　alternately　listless　and　jumpy；　he　looked　down…at…heel；　too；　with　clothes　and　hair；　which　formerly　had　been　happily　negligent　now　unkempt；　worst　of　all　there　was　a　wariness　in　his　eye　which　I　had　surprised　there　at　Easter；　and　which　now　seemed　habitual　to　him。
　　　　Restrained　by　this　wariness　I　asked　him　nothing　of　himself；　but　told　him；　instead　about　my　autumn　and　winter。　I　told　him　about　my　rooms　in　the　Ile　Saint…Louis　and　the　art　school；　and　how　good　the　old　teachers　were　and　how　bad　the　students。
　　　　'They　never　go　near　the　Louvre；'　I　said；　'or；　if　they　do；　it's　only　because　one　of　their　absurd　reviews　has　suddenly　〃discovered〃　a　master　who　fits　in　with　that　month's　aesthetic　theory。　Half　of　them　are　out　to　make　a　popular　splash　like　Picabia；　the　other　half　quite　simply　want　to　earn　their　living　doing　advertisements　for　Vogue　and　decorating　night　clubs。　And　the　teachers　still　go　on　trying　to　make　them　paint　like　Delacroix。'
　　　　'Charles；'　said　Cordelia；　'Modem　Art　is　all　bosh；　isn't　it？'
　　　　'Great　bosh。'
　　　　'Oh；　I'm　so　glad。　I　had　an　argument　with　one　of　our　nuns…　and　she　said　we　shouldn't　try　and　criticize　what　we　didn't　understand。　Now　I　shall　tell　her　I　have　had　it　straight　from　a　real　artist；　and　snubs　to　her。'
　　　　Presently　it　was　time　for　Cordelia　to　go　to　her　supper；　and　for　Sebastian　and　me　to　go　down　to　the　drawing…room　for　our　cocktails。　Brideshead　was　there　alone；　but　Wilcox　followed　on　our　heels　to　say　to　him：　'Her　Ladyship　would　like　to　speak　to　you　upstairs；　my　Lord。'
　　　　'That's　unlike　mummy；　sending　for　anyone。　She　usually　lures　them　up　herself。'
　　　　There　was　no　sign　of　the　cocktail　tray。　After　a　few　minutes　Sebastian　rang　the　bell。　A　footman　answered。　'Mr　Wilcox　is　upstairs　with　her　Ladyship。'
　　　　'Well；　never　mind；　bring　in　the　cocktail　things。'
　　　　'Mr　Wilcox　has　the　keys；　my　Lord。'
　　　　'Oh。。。well；　send　him　in　with　them　when　he　es　down。'
　　　　We　talked　a　little　abou　t　Anthony　Blanche　…　'He　had　a　beard　in　Istanbul；　but　I　made　him　take　it　off'　…　and　after　ten　minutes　Sebastian　said：　'Well；　I　don't　want　a　cocktail　anyway；　I'm　off　to　my　bath；'　and　left　the　room。
　　　　It　was　half　past　seven；　I　supposed　the　others　had　gone　to　dress；　but；　as　I　was　going　to　follow　them；　I　met　Brideshead　ing　down。
　　　　'Just　a　moment；　Charles；　there's　something　I've　got　to　explain。　My　mother　has　given　orders　that　no　drinks　are　to　be　left　in　any　of　the　rooms。　You'll　understand　why。　If　you　want　anything；　ring　and　ask　Wilcox　…　only　better　wait　until　you're　alone。　I'm　sorry；　but　there　it　is。'
　　　　'Is　that　necessary？'
　　　　'I　gather　very　necessary。　You　may　or　may　not　have　heard；　Sebastian　had　another　outbreak　as　soon　as　he　got　back　to　England。　He　was　lost　over　Christmas。　Mr　Samgrass　only　found　him　yesterday　evening。'
　　　　'I　guessed　something　of　the　kind　had　happened。　Are　you　sure　this　is　the　best　way　of　dealing　with　it？'
　　　　'It's　my　mother's　way。　Will　you　have　a　cocktail；　now　that　he's　gone　upstairs？'
　　　　'It　would　choke　me。'
　　　　I　was　always　given　the　room　I　had　on　my　first　visit；　it　was　next　to　Sebastian's；　and　we　shared　what　had　once　been　a　dressing…room　and　had　been　changed　to　a　bathroom　twenty　years　back　by　the　substitution　for　the　bed；　of　a　deep；　copper；　mahogany…framed　bath；　that　was　filled　by　pulling　a　brass　lever　heavy　as　a　piece　of　marine　engineering；　the　rest　of　the　room　remained　unchanged；　a　coal　fire　always　burned　there　in　winter。　I　often　think　of　that　bathroom　…　the　water　colours　dimmed　by　steam　and　the　huge　towel　warming　on　the　back　of　the　chintz　armchair　…　and　contrast　it　with　the　uniform；　clinical；　little　chambers；　glittering　with　chromium…plate　and　looking…glass；　which　pass　for　luxury　in　the　modern　world。
　　　　I　lay　in　the　bath　and　then　dried　slowly　by　the　fire；　thinking　all　the　time　of　my　friend's　black　home…ing。　Then　I　put　on　my　dressing　gown　and　went　to　Sebastian's　room；　entering；　as　I　always　did；　without　knocking。　He　was　sitting　by　his　fire　half…dressed；　and　he　started　angrily　when　he　heard　me　and　put　down　a　tooth　glass。
　　　　'Oh；　it's　you。　You　gave　me　a　fright。'
　　　　'So　you　got　a　drink；'　I　said。
　　　　'I　don't　know　what　you　mean。'
　　　　'For　Christ's　sake；'　I　said；　'you　don't　have　to　pretend　with　me！　'You　might　offer　me　some。'
　　　　'It's　just　something　I　had　in　my　flask。　I've　finished　it　now。'
　　　　'What's　going　on？'
　　　　'Nothing。　A　lot。　I'll　tell　you　some　time。'
　　　　I　dressed　and　called　in　for　Sebastian；　but　found　him　still　sitting　as　I　had　left　him；　half…dressed　over　his　fire。
　　　　Julia　was　alone　in　the　drawing…room。
　　　　'Well；'　I　asked；　'what's　going　on？'
　　　　'Oh；　just　another　boring　family　potin。　Sebastian　got　tight　again；　so　we've　all　got　to　keep　an　eye　on　him。　It's　too　tedious。'
　　　　'It's　pretty　boring　for　him；　too。'
　　　　'Well；　it's　his　fault。　Why　can　t　he　behave　like　anyone　else？　Talking　of　keeping　an　eye　on　people）　what　about　Mr　Samgrass？　Charles；　do　you　notice　anything　at　all　fishy　about　that　man？'
　　　　'Very　fishy。　Do　you　think　your　mother　saw　it？'
　　　　'Mummy　only　sees　what　suits　her。　She　can't　have　the　whole　household　under　surveillance。　I'm　causing　anxiety；　too；　y