brideshead+revisited-第5部分

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f　her　summer　days　…　such　as　that　day　…　when　the　chestnut　was　in　flower　and　the　bells　rang　out　high　and　clear　over　her　gables　and　cupolas　exhaled　the　soft　airs　of　centuries　of　youth。　It　was　this　cloistral　hush　which　gave　our　laughter　its　resonance；　and　carried　it　still；　joyously；　…over　the　intervening　clamour。　Here；　discordantly；　in　Eights　Week；　came　a　rabble　of　womankind；　some　hundreds　strong；　twittering　and　fluttering　over　the　cobbles　and　up　the　steps；　sight…seeing　and　pleasure…seeking；　drinking　claret　cup；　eating　cucumber　sandwiches；　pushed　in　punts　about　the　river；　herded　in　droves　to　the　college　barges；　greeted　in　the　Isis　and　in　the　Union　by　a　sudden　display　of　peculiar；　facetious；　wholly　distressing　Gilbert…and…Sullivan　badinage；　and　by　peculiar　choral　effects　in　the　College　chapels。　Echoes　of　the　intruders　penetrated　every　corner；　and　in　my　own　College　was　no　echo；　but　an　original　fount　of　the　grossest　disturbance。　We　were　giving　a　ball。　The　front　quad；　where　I　lived；　was　floored　and　tented；　palms　and　azaleas　were　banked　round　the　porter's　lodge；　worst　of　all；　the　don　who　lived　above　me；　a　mouse　of　a　man　connected　with　the　Natural　Sciences；　had　lent　his　rooms　for　a　Ladies'　Cloakroom；　and　a　printed　notice　proclaiming　this　outrage　hung　not　six　inches　from　my　oak。
　　　　No　one　felt　more　strongly　about　it　than　my　scout。
　　　　'Gentlemen　who　haven't　got　ladies　are　asked　as　far　as　possible　to　take　their　meals　out　in　the　next　few　days；'　he　announced　despondently。　'Will　you　be　lunching　in？'
　　　　'No；　Lunt。'
　　　　'So　as　to　give　the　servants　a　chance；　they　say。　What　a　chance！　I've　got　to　buy　a　pin…cushion　for　the　Ladies'　Cloakroom。　What　do　they　want　with　dancing？　I　don't　see　the　reason　in　it。　There　never　was　dancing　before　in　Eights　Week。　mem。　now　is　another　matter　being　in　the　vacation；　but　not　in　Eights　Week；　as　if　teas　and　the　river　wasn't　enough。　If　you　ask　me；　sir；　it's　all　on　account　of　the　war。　It　couldn't　have　happened　but　for　that。'　For　this　was　1923　and　for　Lunt；　as　for　thousands　of　others；　things　could　never　be　the　same　as　they　had　been　in　1914。　'Now　wine　in　the　evening；　he　continued；　as　was　his　habit　half　in　and　half　out　of　the　door'　Cor　one　or　two　gentlemen　to　luncheon；　there's　reason　in。　But　not　dancing。　It　all　came　in　with　the　men　back　from　the　war。　They　were　too　old　and　they　didn't　know　and　they　wouldn't　learn。　That's　the　truth。　And　there's　some　even　goes　dancing　with　the　town　at　the　Masonic　…　but　the　proctors　will　get　them；　you　see　。　。　。　Well；　here's　Lord　Sebastian。　I　mustn't　stand　here　talking　when　there's　pin…cushions　to　get。'
　　　　Sebastian　entered　…　dove…grey　flannel；　white　crepe　de　Chine；　a　Charvet　tie；　my　tie　as　it　happened；　a　pattern　of　postage　stamps　'Charles　…　what　in　the　world's　happening　at　your　college？　Is　there　a　circus？　I've　seen　everything　except　elephants。　I　must　say　the　whole　of　Oxford　has　bee　most　peculiar　suddenly。　Last　night　it　was　pullulating　with　women。　You're　to　e　away　at　once；　out　of　danger。　I've　got　a　motor…car　and　a　basket　of　strawberries　and　a　bottle　of　Chateau　Peyraguey　…　which　isn't　a　wine　you've　ever　tasted；　so　don't　pretend。　It's　heaven　with　strawberries。'
　　　　'Where　are　we　going？'
　　　　'To　see　a　friend。'
　　　　'Who？'
　　　　'Name　of　Hawkins。　Bring　some　money　in　case　we　see　anything　we　want　to　buy。　The　motor…car　is　the　property　of　a　man　called　Hardcastle。　Return　the　bits　to　him　if　I　kill　myself；　I'm　not　very　good　at　driving。
　　　　Beyond　the　gate；　beyond　the　winter　garden　that　was　once　the　lodge；　stood　an　open　two…seater　Morris…Cowley。　Sebastian's　teddy　bear　sat　at　the　wheel。　We　put　him；　between　us　…　'Take　care　he's　not　sick'　…and　drove　off。　The　bells　of　St　Mary's　were　chiming　nine；　we　escaped　collision　with　a　clergyman；　blackstraw…hatted；　white…bearded）　pedalling　quietly　down　the　wrong　side　of　the　High　Street；　crossed　Carfax；　passed　the　station；　and　were　soon　in　open　country　on　the　Botley　Road；　open　country　was　easily　reached　in　those　days。
　　　　（'Isn't　it　early？'　said　Sebastian。　'The　women　are　still　doing　whatever　women　do　to　themselves　before　they　e　downstairs。　Sloth　has　undone　them。　We're　away。　God　bless　Hardcastle。'
　　　　'Whoever　he　may　be。'
　　　　'He　thought　he　was　ing　with　us。　Sloth；　undid　him　too。　Well；　I　did　tell　him　ten。　He's　a　very　gloomy　man　in　my　college。　He　leads　a　double　life。　At　least　I　assume　he　does。　He　couldn't　go　on　being　Hardcastle；　day　and　night；　always；　could　he？　…　or　he'd　die　of　it。　He　says　he　knows　my　father；　which　is　impossible。'
　　　　'Why？'
　　　　'No　one　knows　papa。　He's　a　social　leper。　Hadn't　you　heard？'
　　　　'It's　a　pity　neither　of　us　can　sing；'　I　said。
　　　　At　Swindon　we　turned　off　the　main　road　and；　as　the　sun　mounted　high；　we　were　among　dry…stone　walls　and　ashlar　houses。　It　was　about　eleven　when　Sebastian；　without　warning；　turned　the　car　into　a　cart　track　and　stopped。　It　was　hot　enough　now　to　make　us　seek　the　shade。　On　a　sheep…cropped　knoll　under　a　clump　of　elms　we　ate　the　strawberries　and　drank　the　wine　…　as　Sebastian　promised；　they　were　delicious　together　…　and　we　lit　fat；　Turkish　cigarettes　and　lay　on　our　backs；　Sebastian's　eyes　on　the　leaves　above　him；　mine　on　his　profile；　while　the　blue…grey　smoke　rose；　untroubled　by　any　wind；　to　the　blue…green　shadows　of　foliage'；　and　the　sweet　scent　of　the　tobacco；　merged　with　the　sweet　summer　scents　around　us　and　the　fumes　of　the　sweet　golden　wine　seemed　to　lift　us　a　finger's　breadth　above　the　turf　and　hold　us　suspended。
　　　　'Just　the　place　to　bury　a　crock　of　gold；　'　said　Sebastian。　'I　should　like　to　bury　something　precious　in　every　place　where　I've　been　happy　and　then　when　I　was　old　and　ugly　and　miserable；　…I　could　e　back　and　dig　it　up　and　remember。'

　　　　This　was　my　third　term　since　matriculation；　but　I　date　my　Oxford　life　from　my　first　meeting　with　Sebastian；　which　had　happened；　by　chance；　in　the　middle　of　the　term　before。　We　were　in　different　colleges　and　came　from　different　schools；　I　might　well　have　spent　my　three　or　four　years　in　the　University　and　never　have　met　him；　but　for　the　chance　of　his　getting　drunk　one　evening　in　my　college　and　of　my　having　ground…floor　rooms　in　。the　front　quadrangle。
　　　　I　had　been　warned　against　the　dangers　of　these　rooms　by　my　cousin　Jasper；　who　alone；　when　I　first　came　up；　thought　me　a　suitable　subject　for　detailed　guidance。　My　father　offered　me　none。　Then；　as　always；　he　eschewed　serious　conversation　with　me。　It　was　not　until　I　was　within　a　fortnight　of　going　up　that　he　mentioned　the　subject　at　all；　then　he　said；　shyly　and　rather　slyly：　'I've　been…　talking　about　you。　I　met　…your　future　Warden　at　the　Athenaeum。　I　wanted　to　talk　about　Etruscan　notions　of　immortality；　he　wanted　to　talk　about　extension　lectures　for　the　working…class；　so　we　promised　and　talked　about　you。　I　asked　him　what　your　allowance　should　be。　He　said；　〃Three　hundred　a　year；　on　no　account　give　him　more；　that's　all　most　men　have。〃　I　thought　that　a　deplorable　answer。　I　had　more　than　most　men　when　I　was　up；　and　my　recollection　is　that　nowhere　else　in　the　world　and　at　no　other　time；　do　a　few　hundred　pounds；　one　way　or　the　other；　makee　so　much　difference　to　one's　importance；　and　popularity。　I　toyed　with　the　idea　of　giving　you　six　hundred；'　said　my　father；　snuffling　a　little；　as　he　did　when　he　was　amused；　'but　I　reflected　that；　should　the　Warden　e　to　hear　of　it；　it　might　sound　deliberately　impolite。　So　I　shall　e　you　five　hundred　and　fifty。'
　　　　I　thanked　him。
　　　　Yes；　it's　indulgent　of　me；　but　it　all　es　out　of　capital；　you　know。　I　suppose　this　is　the　time　I　should　give　you　advice。　I　never　had　any　myself　except　once　from　your　cousin　Alfred。　Do　you　know；　in　the　summer　before　I　was　going　up；　your　cousin　Alfred　rode　over　to　Boughton　especially　to　give　me　a　piece　of　advice？　And　do　you　know　what　the　advice　was？　〃Ned；〃　he　said；　〃there's　one　thing　I　must　beg　of　you。　Always　wear　a　tall　hat　on　Sundays　during　term。　It　is　by　that；　more　than　anything；　that　a　man　is　judged。〃　And　do　you　know；'　continued　my　father；　snuffling　deeply；　'I　always　did？　Some　men　did；　some　didn't。　I　never　saw　any　difference　between　them　or　heard　it　mented　on；　but　I　always　wore　mine。　It　only　shows　what　effect　judicious　advice　can　have；　properly　delivered　at　the　right　moment。　I　wish　I　had　some　for　you；　but　I　haven't。'
　　　　My　cousin　Jasper　made　good　the　loss；　he　wa