brideshead+revisited-第28部分

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　　　　'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；　you　know。'
　　　　'I　didn't　know'　I　said；　adding　humbly；　'I've　only　just　e　from　Paris。'　so　as　to　avoid　giving　the　impression　that　any　trouble　she　might　be　in　was　not　widely　notorious。
　　　　It　was　an　evening　of　peculiar　gloom。　We　dined　in　the　Painted　Parlour。　Sebastian　was　late；　and　so　painfully　excited　were　we　that　I　think　it　was　in　all　our　minds　that　he　would　make　some　sort　of　low…edy　entrance；　reeling　and　hiccuping。　When　he　came　it　was；　of　course；　with　perfect　propriety；　he　apologized；　sat　in　the　empty　place；　and　allowed　Mr　Samgrass　to　resume　his　monologue；　uninterrupted　and；　it　seemed；　unheard。　Druses；　patriarchs；　icons；　bed…bugs；　Romanesque　remains；　curious　dishes　of　goat　and　sheeps'　eyes；　French　and　Turkish　officials　all　the　catalogue　of　Near　Eastern　travel　was　provided　for　our　amusement。
　　　　I　watched　the　champagne　go　round　the　table。　When　it　came　to　Sebastian　he　said：　'I'll　have　whisky；　please；'　and　I　saw　Wilcox　glance　over　his　head　to　Lady　Marchmain　and　saw　her　give　a　tiny；　hardly　perceptible　nod。　At　Brideshead　they　used　small　individual　spirit　decanters　which　held　about　a　quarter　of　a　bottle；　and　were　always　placed；　full；　before　anyone　who　asked　for　it；　the　decanter　which　Wilcox　put　before　Sebastian　was　half…empty。　Sebastian　raised　it　very　deliberately；　tilted　it；　looked　at　it；　and　then　in　silence　poured　the　liquor　into　his　glass；　where　it　covered　two　fingers。　We　all　began　talking　at　once；　all　except　Sebastian；　so　that　for　a　moment　Mr　Samgrass　found　himself　talking　to　no　one；　telling　the　candlesticks　about　the　Maronites；　but　soon　we　fell　silent　again；　and　he　had　the　table　until　Lady　Marchmain　and　Julia　left　the　room。
　　　　'Don't　be　long；　Bridey；'　she　said；　at　the　door；　as　she　always　said；　and　that　evening　we　had　no　inclination　to　delay。　Our　glasses　were　filled　with　port　and　the　decanter　was　at　once　taken　from　the　room。　We　drank　quickly　and　went　to　the　drawing…room；　where　Brideshead　asked　his　mother　to　read；　and　she　read　The　Diary　of　a　Nobody　with　great　spirit　until　ten　o'clock；　when　she　closed　the　book　and　said　she　was　unaccountably　tired；　so　tired　that　she　would　not　visit　the　chapel　that　night。
　　　　'Who's　hunting　tomorrow？'　she　asked。
　　　　'Cordelia；'　said　Brideshead。　'I'm　taking　that　young　horse　of　Julia's；　just　to　show　him　the　hounds；　I　shan't　keep　him　out　more　than　a　couple　of　hours。'
　　　　'Rex　is　arriving　some　time；'　said　Julia。　'I'd　better　stay　in　to　greet　him。'
　　　　'Where's　the　meet？'　said　Sebastian　suddenly。
　　　　'Just　here　at　Flyte　St　Mary。'
　　　　'Then　I'd　like　to　hunt；　please；　if　there's　anything　for　me。'
　　　　'Of　course。　That's　delightful。　I'd　have　asked　you；　only　you　always　used　to　plain　so　of　being　made　to　go　out。　You　can　have　Tinkerbell。　She's　been　going　very　nicely　this　season。'
　　　　Everyone　was　suddenly　pleased　that　Sebastian　wanted　to　hunt；　it　seemed　to　undo　some　of　the　mischief　of　the　evening。　Brideshead　rang　the　bell　for　whisky。
　　　　'Anyone　else　want　any？'
　　　　'Bring　me　some；　too；'　said　Sebastian；　and；　though　it　was　a　footman　this　time　and　not　Wilcox；　I　saw　the　same　exchange　of　glance　and　nod　between　the　servant　and　Lady　Marchmain。　Everyone　had　been　warned。　The　two　drinks　were　brought　in；　poured　out　already　in　the　glasses；　like　'doubles'　at　a　bar；　and　all　our　eyes　followed　the　tray；　as　though　we　were　dogs　in　a　dining…room　smelling　game。
　　　　The　good　humour　engendered　by　Sebastian's　wish　to　hunt　persisted；　however；　Brideshead　wrote　out　a　note　for　the　stables；　and　we　all　went　to　bed　quite　cheerfully。
　　　　Sebastian　got　straight　to　bed；　I　sat　by　his　fire　and　smoked　a　pipe。　I　said：　'I　rather　wish　I　was　ing　out　with　you　tomorrow。
　　　　'Well；'　he　said；　'you　wouldn't　see　much　sport。　I　can　tell　you　exactly　what　I'm　going　to　do。　I　shall　leave　Bridey　at　the　first　covert；　hack　over　to　the　nearest　good　pub；　and　spend　the　entire　day　quietly　soaking　in　the　bar　parlour。　If　they　treat　me　like　a　dipsomaniac；　they　can　bloody　well　have　a　dipsomaniac。　I　hate　hunting；　anyway。'
　　　　'Well；　I　can't　stop　you。'
　　　　'You　can；　as　a　matter　of　fact　…　by　not　giving　me　any　money。　They　stopped　my　banking　account；　you　know；　in　the　summer。　It's　been　one　of　my　chief　difficulties。　I　pawned　my　watch　and　cigarette　case　to　ensure　a　happy　Christmas；　so　I　shall　have　to　e　to　you　tomorrow　for　my　day's　expenses。'
　　　　'I　won't。　You　know　perfectly　well　I　can't。'
　　　　'Won't　you；　Charles？　Well；　I　daresay　I　shall　manage　on　my　own　somehow。　I've　got　rather　clever　at　that　lately　…　managing　on　my　own。　I've　had　to。'
　　　　'Sebastian；　what　have　you　and　Mr　Samgrass　been　up　to？'
　　　　'He　told　you　at　dinner　…　ruins　and　guides　and　mules；　that's　what　Sammy's　been　up　to。　We　decided　to　go　our　own　ways；　that's　all。　Poor　Sammy's　really　behaved　rather　well　so　far。　I　hoped　he　would　keep　it　up；　but　he　seems　to　have　been　very　indiscreet　about　my　happy　Christmas。　I　suppose　he　thought　if　he　gave　too　good　an　account　of　me；　he　might　lose　his　job　as　keeper。
　　　　'He　makes　quite　a　good　thing　out　of　it；　you　know。　I　don't　mean　that　he　steals。　I　should　think　he's　fairly　honest　about　money。　He　certainly　keeps　an　embarrassing　little　note…book　in　which　he　puts　down　the　travellers'　cheques　he　cashes　and　what　he　spends　it　on；　for　mummy　and　the　lawyer　to　see。　But　he　wanted　to　go　to　all　these　places；　and　it's　very　convenient　for　him　to　have　me　to　take　him　in　fort；　instead　of　going　as　dons　usually　do。　The　only　disadvantage　was　having　to　put　up　with　my　pany；　and　we　soon　solved　that　for　him。
　　　　'We　began　very　much　on　a　Grand　Tour；　you　know；　with　letters　to　all　the　chief　people　everywhere；　and　stayed　with　the　Military　Governor　at　Rhodes　and　the　Ambassador　at　Constantinople。　That　was　what　Sammy　had　signed　on　for　in　the　first　place。　Of　course；　he　had　his　work　cut　out　keeping　his　eye　on　me；　but　he　warned　all　our　hosts　beforehand　that　I　was　not　responsible。'
　　　　'Sebastian。'
　　　　'Not　quite　responsible　…　and　as　I　had　no　money　to　spend　I　couldn't　get　away　very　much。　He　even　did　the　tipping　for　me；　put　the　note　into　the　man's　hand　and　jotted　the　amount　down　then　and　there　in　his　note…book。　My　lucky　time　was　at　Constantinople。　I　managed　to　make　some　money　at　cards　one　evening　when　Sammy　wasn't　looking。　Next　day　I　gave　him　the　slip　and　was　having　a　very　happy　hour　in　the　bar　at　the　Tokatlian　when　who　should　e　in　but　Anthony　Blanche　with　a　beard　and　a　Jew　boy。　Anthony　lent　me　a　tenner　just　before　Sammy　came　panting　in　and　recaptured　me。　After　that　I　didn't　get　a　minute　out　of　sight；　the　Embassy　staff　put　us　in　the　boat　to　Piraeus　and　watched　us　sail　away。　But　in　Athens　it　was　easy。　I　simply　walked　out　of　the　Legation　one　day　after　lunch；　changed　my　money　at　Cook's；　and　asked　about　sailings　to　Alexandria　just　to　fox　Sammy；　then　went　down　to　the　port　in　a　bus；　found　a　sailor　who　spoke　American；　lay　up　with　him　till　his　ship　sailed；　and　popped　back　to　Constantinople；　and　that　was　that。
　　　　'Anthony　and　the　Jew　boy　shared　a　very　nice；　tumbledown　house　near　the　bazaars。　I　stayed　there　till　it　got　too　cold；　then　Anthony　and　I　drifted　south　till　we　met　Sammy　by　appointment　in　Syria　three　weeks　ago。'
　　　　'Didn't　Sammy　mind？'
　　　　'Oh；　I　think　he　quite　enjoyed　himself　in　his　own　ghastly　way　only　of　course　there　was　no　more　high　life　for　him。　I　think　he　was　a　bit　anxious　at　first。　I　didn't　want　him　to　get　the　whole　Mediterranean　Fleet　out；　so　I　cabled　him　from　Constantinople　that　I　was　quite　well　and　would　he　send　money　to　the　Ottoman　Bank。　He　came　hopping　over　as　soon　as　he　got　my　cable。　Of　course　he　was　in　a　difficult　position；　because　I'm　of　age　and　not　certified　yet；　so　he　couldn't　have　me　arrested。　He　couldn't　leave　me　to　starve　while　he　was　living　on　my　money；　and　he　couldn't　tell　mummy　without　looking　pretty　silly。　I　had　him　all　ways；　poor　Sammy。　My　original　idea　had　been　to　leave　him　flat；　but　Anthony　was　very　helpful　about　that；　and　said　it　was　far　better　to　arrange　things　amicably；　and　he　did　arrange　things　very　amicably。　So　here　I　am。'
　　　　'After　Christmas。'
　　　　'Yes；　I　was　determined　to　have　a　happy　Christmas。'
　　　　'Did　you？'
　　　　'I　think　so。　I　don't　remember　it　much；　and　that's　always　a　good　sign；　isn't　it