brideshead+revisited-第27部分

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　　　　'Twenty；'　I　said；　'twenty…one　in　October。'
　　　　'Is　that　all？　It　seems　much　longer。'
　　　　A　letter　from　Lady　Marchmain　pletes　this　episode。
　　　　'My　dear　Charles；'　she　wrote；　'Sebastian　left　me　this　morning　to　join　his　father　abroad。　Before　he　went　I　asked　him　if　he　had　written　to　you。　He　said　no；　so　I　must　write；　tho'　I　can　hardly　hope　to　say　in　a　letter　what　I　could　not　say　on　our　last　walk。　But　you　must　not　be　left　in　silence。
　　　　'The　college　has　sent　Sebastian　down　for　a　term　only；　and　will　take　him　back　after　Christmas　on　condition　he　goes　to　live　with　Mgr　Bell。　It　is　for　him　to　decide。　Meanwhile　Mr　Samgrass　has　very　kindly　consented　to　take　charge　of　him。　As　soon　as　his　visit　to　his　father　is　over　Mr　Samgrass　will　pick　him　up　and　the　will　go　together　to　the　Levant；　where　Mr　Samgrass　has　long　been　anxious　to　investigate　a　number　of　orthodox　monasteries。　He　hopes　this　may　be　a　new　interest　for　Sebastian。
　　　　'Sebastian's　stay　here　has　not　been　happy。
　　　　'When　they　e　home　at　Christmas　I　know　Sebastian　will　want　to　see　you；　and　so　shall　we　all。　I　hope　your　arrangements　for　next　term　have　not　been　too　much　upset　and　that　everything　will　go　well　with　you。

　　　　Yours　sincerely；
　　　　Teresa　Marchmain。

　　　　'I　went　to　the　garden…room　this　morning　and　was　so　very　sorry。'


BOOK　TWO

BRIDESHEAD　DESERTED

＇1＇

'AND　when　we　reached　the　top　of　the　pass；'　said　Mr　Samgrass；　we　heard　the　galloping　horses　behind；　and　two　soldiers　rode　up　to　the　head　of　the　caravan　and　turned　us　back。　The　General　had　sent　them；　and　they　reached　us　only　just　in　time。　There　was　a　Band；　not　a　mile　ahead。'
　　　　He　paused；　and　his　small　audience　sat　silent；　conscious　that　he　had　sought；　to　impress　them　but　in　doubt　as　to　how　they　could　politely　show　their　interest。
　　　　'A　Band？'　said　Julia。'Goodness！'
　　　　Still　he　seemed　to　expect　more。　At　last　Lady　Marchmain　said；　'I　suppose　the　sort　of　folk…music　you　get　in　those　parts　is　very　monotonous。'
　　　　'Dear　Lady　Marchmain；　a　Band　of　Brigands。　Cordelia；　beside　me　on　the　sofa；　began　to　giggle　noiselessly。　'The　mountains　are　full　of　them。　Stragglers　from　Kemal's　army；　Greeks　who　got　cut　off　in；　the　retreat。　Very　desperate　fellows；　I　assure　you。'
　　　　'Do　pinch　me'；'　whispered　Cordelia。
　　　　I　pinched　her　and　the　agitation　of　the　sofa…springs　ceased。　'Thanks；'　she　said；　wiping　her　eyes　with　the　back　of　her　hand。
　　　　'So　you　never　got　to　wherever…it…was；'　said　Julia。　'Weren't　you　terribly　disappointed；　Sebastian？'
　　　　'Me？'　said　Sebastian　from　the　shadows　beyond　the　lamplight；　beyond　the　warmth　of　the　burning　logs；　beyond　the　family　circle；　and　the　photographs　spread　out　on　the　card…table。　'Me？　Oh；　I　don't　think　I　was　there　that　day；　was　I；　Sammy？'
　　　　'That　was　the　day　you　were　ill。'
　　　　'I　was　ill；'　he　repeated　like　an　echo；　'so　I　never　should　have　got　to　wherever…it…was；　should　I；　Sammy？'
　　　　'Now　this；　Lady　Marchmain；　is　the　caravan　at　Aleppo　in　the　courtyard　of　the　inn。　That's　our　Armenian　cook；　Begedbian；　that's　me　on　the　pony；　that's　the　tent　folded　up；　that's　a　rather　tiresome　Kurd　who　would　follow　us　about　at　the　time。。。Here　I　am　in　Pontus；　Ephesus；　Trebizond；　Krak…des…chevaliers；　Samothrace；　Batum　…　of　course；　I　haven't　got　them　in　chronological　order　yet。'
　　　　'All　guides　and　ruins　and　mules；　'　said　Cordelia。　'Where's　Sebastian？'
　　　　'He；'　said　Mr　Samgrass；　with　a　hint　of　triumph　in　his　voice；　as　though　he　had　expected　the　question　and　prepared　the　answer；　'he　held　the　camera。　He　became　quite　an　expert　as　soon　as　he　learned　not　to　put　his　hand　over　the　lens；　didn't　you；　Sebastian？'　There　was　no　answer　from　the　shadows。　Mr　Samgrass　delved　again　into　his　pigskin　satchel。
　　　　'Here；'　he　said；　'is　a　group　taken　by　a　street　photographer　on　the　terrace　of　the　St　George　Hotel　at　Beirut。　There's　Sebastian。'
　　　　'Why；　'　I　said；　'there's　Anthony　Blanche　surely？'
　　　　'Yes；　we　saw　quite　a　lot　of　him；　met　him　by　chance　at　Constantinople。'　A　delightful　panion。　I　can't　think　how　I　missed　knowing　him。　He　came　with　us　all　the　way　to　Beirut。'
　　　　Tea　had　been　cleared　away　and　the　curtains　drawn。　It　was　two　days　after　Christmas；　the　first　evening　of　my　visit；　the　first；　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