brideshead+revisited-第47部分

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s　of　glasses；　the　voice　of　the　officer　in　charge　of　tombola　…　'Kelly's　eye　…　number　one；　legs；　eleven；　and　we'll　Shake　the　Bag'　…　Mrs　Stuyvesant　Oglander　in　a　paper　cap；　Mr　Kramm　and　his　bandages；　the　two　Japanese　decorously　throwing　paper　streamers　and　hissing　like　geese。
　　　　I　did　not　speak　to　Julia；　alone；　all　that　evening。
　　　　We　met　for　a　minute　next　day　on　the　starboard　side　of　the　ship　while　everyone　else　crowded　to　port　to　see　the　officials　e　aboard　and　to　gaze　at　the　green　coastline　of　Devon。
　　　　'What　are　your　plans？'
　　　　'London　for　a　bit；　'　she　said。
　　　　'Celia's　going　straight　home。　She　wants　to　see　the　children。'
　　　　'You　too？'
　　　　'No。'
　　　　'In　London　then。'

　　　　'Charles；　the　little　red…haired　man　Foulenough。　Did　you　see？　Two　plain　clothes　police　have　taken　him　off。'
　　　　'I　missed　it。　There　was　such　a　crowd　on　that　side　of　the　ship。'
　　　　'I　found　out　the　trains　and　sent　a　telegram。　We　shall　be　home　by　dinner。　The　children　will　be　asleep。　Perhaps　we　might　wake　Johnjohn　up；　just　for　once。'
　　　　'You　go　down；'　I　said。　'I　shall　have　to　stay　in　London。'
　　　　'Oh；　but　Charles；　you　must　e。　You　haven't　seen　Caroline。'
　　　　'Will　she　change　much　in　a　week　or　two？'
　　　　'Darling；　she　changes　every　day。'
　　　　'Then　what's　the　point　of　seeing　her　now？　I'm　sorry；　my　dear；　but　I　must　get　the　pictures　unpacked　and　see　how　they've　travelled。　I　must　fix　up　for　the　exhibition　right　away。'
　　　　'Must　you？'　she　said；　but　I　knew　that　her　resistance　ended　when　I　appealed　to　the　mysteries　of　my　trade。　'It's　very　disappointing。　Besides；　I　don't　know　if　Andrew　and　Cynthia　will　be　out　of　the　flat。　They　took　it　till　the　end　of　the　month。'
　　　　'I　can　go　to　an　hotel。'
　　　　'But　that's　so　grim。　I　can't　bear　you　to　be　alone　your　first　night　home。　I'll　stay　and　go　down　tomorrow。'
　　　　'You　mustn't　disappoint　the　children。'
　　　　'No。'　Her　children；　my　art；　the　two　mysteries　of　our　trades。
　　　　'Will　you　e　for　the　week…end？'
　　　　'If　I　can。'
　　　　'All　British　passports　to　the　smoking…room；　please；'　said　a　steward。
　　　　'I've　arranged　with　that　sweet　Foreign　Office　man　at　our　table　to　get　us　off　early　with　him；'　said　my　wife。

＇2＇

IT　was　my　wife's　idea　to　hold　the　private　view　on　Friday。
　　　　'We　are　out　to　catch　the　critics　this　time；　I　she　said。　'It's　high　time　they　began　to　take　you　seriously；　and　they　know　it。　This　is　their　chance。　If　you　open　on　Monday；　they'll　most　of　them　have　just　e　up　from　the　country；　and　they'll　dash　off　a　few　paragraphs　before　dinner　…　I'm　only　worrying　about　the　weeklies　of　course。　If　we　give　them　the　week…end　to　think　about　it；　we　shall　have　them　in　an　urbane　Sunday…in…the…country　mood。　They'll　settle　down　after　a　good　luncheon；　tuck　up　their　cuffs；　and　turn　out　a　nice；　leisurely　full…length　essay；　which　they'll　reprint　later　in　a　nice　little　book。　Nothing　less　will　do　this　time。'
　　　　She　was　up　and　down　from　the　Old　Rectory　several　times　during　the　month　of　preparation；　revising　the　list　of　invitations　and　helping　with　the　hanging。
　　　　On　the　morning　of　the　private　view　I　telephoned　to　Julia　and　said：　'I'm　sick　of　the　pictures　already　and　never　want　to　see　them　again；　but　I　suppose　I　shall　have　to　put　in　an　appearance。'
　　　　'D'you　want　me　to　e？'
　　　　'I'd　much　rather　you　didn't。'
　　　　'Celia　sent　a　card　with　〃Bring　everyone〃　written　across　it　in　green　ink。　When　do　we　meet？'
　　　　'In　the　train。　You　might　pick　up　my　luggage。'
　　　　'If　you'll　have　it　packed　soon　I'll　pick　you　up；　too；　and　drop　you　at　the　gallery。　I've　got　a　fitting　next　door　at　twelve。'
　　　　When　I　reached　the　gallery　my　wife　was　standing　looking　through　the　window　to　the　street。　Behind　her　half　a　dozen　unknown　picture…lovers　were　moving　from　canvas　to　canvas；　catalogue　in　hand；　they　were　people　who　had　once　bought　a　wood：　cut　and　were　consequently　on　the　gallery's　list　of　patrons。
　　　　'No　one　has　e　yet；'　said　my　wife。　'I've　been　here　since　ten　and　it's　been　very　dull。　Whose　car　was　that　you　came　in？'
　　　　'Julia's。'
　　　　'Julia's？　Why　didn't；　you　bring　her　in？　Oddly　enough；　I've　just　been　talking　about　Brideshead　to　a　funny　little　man　who　seemed　to　know　us　very　well。　He　said　he　was　called　Mr　Samgrass。　Apparently　he's　one　of　Lord　Copper's　middle…aged　young　men　on　the　Daily　Beast。　I　tried　to　feed　him　some　paragraphs；　but　he　seemed　to　know　more　about　you　than　I　do。　He　said　he'd　met　me　years　ago　at　Brideshead。　I　wish　Julia　had　e　in；　then　we　could　have　asked　her　about　him。'
　　　　'I　remember　him　well。He's　a　crook。'
　　　　'Yes；　that　stuck　out　a　mile。　He's　been　talking　all　about　what　he　calls　the　〃'Brideshead　set〃；　Apparently　Rex　Mottram　has　made　the　place　a　nest　of　party　mutiny。　Did　you　know？　What　would　Teresa　Marchmain　have　thought？'
　　　　'I'm　going　there　tonight。'
　　　　'Not　tonight；　Charles；　you　can't　go　there　tonight。　You're　expected　at　home。　You　promised；　as　soon　as　the　exhibition　was　ready；　you'd　e　home。　Johnjohn　and　Nanny　have　made　a　banner　with　〃Wele〃　on　it。　And　you　haven't　seen　Caroline　yet。'
　　　　'I'm　sorry；　it's　all　settled。'
　　　　'Besides；　Daddy　will　think　it　so　odd。　And　Boy　is　home　for　Sunday。　And　you　haven't　seen　the　new　studio。　You　can't　go　tonight。　Did　they　ask　me？'
　　　　'Of　course；　but　I　knew　you　wouldn't　be　able　to　e。'
　　　　'I　can't　now。　I　could　have；　if　you'd　let　me　know　earlier。　I　should　adore　to　see　the　〃Brideshead　set〃　at　home。　I　do　think　you　re　perfectly　beastly；　but　this　is　no　time　for　a　family　rumpus。　The　Clarences　promised　to　e　in　before　luncheon；　they　may　be　here　any　minute。'
　　　　We　were　interrupted；　however；　not　by　royalty；　but　by　a　woman　reporter　from　one　of　the　dailies；　whom　the　manager　of　the　gallery　now　led　up　to　us。　She　had　not　e　to　see　the　pictures　but　to　get　a　〃human　story〃　of　the　dangers　of　my　journey。　I　left　her　to　my　wife；　and　next　day　read　in　her　paper：　'Charles　〃Stately　Homes〃　Ryder　steps　off　the　map。　That　the　snakes　and　vampires　of　the　jungle　have　nothing　on　Mayfair　is　the　opinion　of　socialite　artist　Ryder；　who　has；　abandoned　the　houses　of　the　great　for　the　ruins　of　equatorial　Africa。。。'
　　　　The　rooms　began　to　fill　and　I　was　soon　busy　being　civil。　My　wife　was　everywhere；　greeting　people；　introducing　people；　deftly　transforming　the　crowd　into　a　party。　I　saw　her　lead　friends　forward　one　after　another　to　the　subscription　list　that　had　been　opened　for　the　book　of　Ryder's　Latin　America　I　heard　her　say：　'No；　darling；　I'm　not　at　all　surprised；　but　you　wouldn't　expect　me　to　be；　would　you？　You　see　Charles　lives　for　one　thing　…　Beauty。　I　think　he　got　bored　with　finding　it　ready…made　in　England；　he　had　to　go　and　create　it　for　himself。　He　wanted　new　worlds　to　conquer。　After　all；　he　has　said　the　last　word　about　country　houses；　hasn't　he？　Not；　I　mean；　that　he's　given　that　up　altogether。　I'm　sure　he'll　always　do　one　or　two　more　for　friends。'　A　photographer　brought　us　together；　flashed　a　lamp　in　our　faces；　and　let　us　part。
　　　　Presently　there　was　the　slight　hush　and　edging　away　which　follows　the　entry　of　a　royal　party。　I　saw　my　wife　curtsey　and　heard　her　say：　'Oh；　sir；　you　are　sweet'；　then　I　was　led　into　the　clearing　and　the　Duke　of　Clarence　said：　'Pretty　hot　out　there　I　should　think。'
　　　　'It　was；　sir。'
　　　　'Awfully　clever　the　way　you've　hit　off　the　impression　of　heat。　Makes　me　feel　quite　unfortable　in　my　greatcoat。'
　　　　'Ha；　ha。'
　　　　When　they　had　gone　my　wife　said：　'Goodness；　we're　late　for　lunch。　Margot's　giving　a　party　in　your　honour；　and　in　the　taxi　she　said：　'I've　just　thought　of　something。　Why　don't　you　write　and　ask　the　Duchess　of　Clarence's　permission　to　dedicate　Latin　America　to　her？'
　　　　'Why　should　I？'
　　　　'She'd　love　it　so。'
　　　　'I　wasn't　thinking　of　dedicating　it　to　anyone。'
　　　　'There　you　are；　that's　typical　of　you；　Charles。　Why　miss　an　opportunity　to　give　pleasure？'
　　　　There　were　a　dozen　at　luncheon；　and　though　it　pleased　my　hostess　and　my　wife　to　say　that　they　were　there　in　my　honour；　it　was　plain　to　me　that　half　of　them　did　not　know　of　my　exhibition　and　had　e　because　they　had　been　invited　and　had　no　other　engagement。　Throughout　luncheon　they　talked；　without　stopping；　of　Mrs　Simpson；　but　they　all；　or　nearly　all；　came　back　with　us　to　the　gallery。
　　　　The　hour　after　luncheon　was　the　busiest　time。　There　were　representatives　of　the　Tate　Gallery　and　the　National　Art　Collections　Fund；　who　all　promised　to　return　shortly　with　colleagues　and；　in　the　meantime；　reserved　certain　pictures　for　further　consideration。　The　most　influential　critic；　who　in　the　past　had　dismissed　me　with　a　few　wounding　mendations；　peered　out　at　me　from　between　his　slouch　hat　and　woollen　muffler；　gripped　my　arm；　and　said：　'I　knew　you　had　it。　I　saw　it　there。　I've　been　waiting　for　it。'
　　　　From　fashionable　and　unfashionable　lips　alike　I　heard　fragments　of　praise。　'If　you'd　asked　me　to　guess；'　I　overheard；　'Ryder's　is　the　last　name　would　have　occurred　to　me。　They're　so　virile；　so　passionate。'
　　　　They　all　thought　they　had　found　something　new。　It　had　not　been　thus　at　my　last　exhibition　in　these　same　rooms；　shortly　before　my　going　abroad。　Then　there　had　been　an　unmistakable　note　of　weariness。　Then　the　talk　had　been　less　of　me　than　of　the　houses；　anecdotes　of　their　owners。　That　same　woman；　it　came　back　to　me；　who　now　applauded　my　virility　and　passion；　had　stood　quite　near　me；　before　a　painfully　laboured　canvas；　and　said；　'So　facile。'
　　　　I　remembered　the　exhibition；　too；　for　another　reason；　it　was　the　week　I　detected　my　wife　in　adultery。　Then；　as　now；　she　was；　a　tireless　hostess；　and　I　heard　her　say：　'Whenever　I　see　anything　lovely　nowadays　…　a　building　or　a　piece　of　scenery　…　I　think　to　myself；　〃that's　by　Charles〃。　I　see　everything　through　his　eyes。　He　is　England　to　me。'
　　　　I　heard　her　say　that；　it　was　the　sort　of　thing　she　had　the　habit　of　saying。　Throughout　our　married　life；　again　and　again；　I　had　felt　my　bowels　shrivel　within　me　at　the　things　she　said。　But　that　day；　in　this　gallery；　I　heard　her　unmoved；　and　suddenly　realized　that　she　was　powerless　to　hurt　me　any　more；　I　was　a　free　man；　she　had　given　me　my　manumission　in　that　brief；　sly　lapse　of　hers；　my　cuckold's　horns　made　me　lord　of　the　forest。
　　　　At　the　end　of　the　day　my　wife　said：　'Darling；　I　must　go。　It's　been　a　terrific　success；　hasn't　it？　I'll　think　of　something　to　tell　them　at　home；　but　I　wish　it　hadn't　got　to　happen　quite　this　way。'
　　　　'So　she　knows；'　I　thought。　'She'