brideshead+revisited-第61部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


wever。。。Ryder；　you　will　find　a　party　of　fifty　and　report　to　the　Quartering　andant　at　the　house　at　1045　hours；　he'll　show　you　what　we're　taking　over。'
　　　　'Very　good；　sir。'
　　　　'Our　predecessors　do　not　seem　to　have　been　very　enterprising。　The　valley　has　great　potentialities　for　an　assault　course　and　a　mortar　range。　Weapon…training　officer；　make　a　recce　this　morning　and　get　something　laid　on　before　Brigade　arrives。'
　　　　'Very　good；　sir。'
　　　　'I'm　going　out　myself　with　the　adjutant　to　recce　training　areas。　Anyone　happen　to　know　this　district？'
　　　　I　said　nothing。
　　　　'That's　all　then；　get　cracking。'
　　　　'Wonderful　old　place　in　its　way；'　said　the　Quartering　mandant；　'pity　to　knock　it　about　too　much。'
　　　　He　was　an　old；　retired；　re…appointed　lieutenant…colonel　from　some　miles　away。　We　met　in　the　space　before　the　main　doors；　where　I　had　my　half…pany　fallen…in；　waiting　for　orders。　'e　in。　I'll　soon　show　you　over。　It's　a　great　warren　of　a　place；　but　we've　only　requisitioned　the　ground　floor　and　half　a　dozen　bedrooms。　Everything　else　upstairs　is　still　private　property；　mostly　cram…full　of　furniture；　you　never　saw　such　stuff；　priceless　some　of　it。
　　　　'There's　a　caretaker　and　a　couple　of　old　servants　live　at　the　top　…　they　won't　be　any　trouble　to　you　…　and　a　blitzed　R。C。　padre　whom　Lady　Julia　gave　a　home　to　…jittery　old　bird；　but　no　trouble。　He's　opened　the　chapel；　that's　in　bounds　for　the　troops；　surprising　lot　use　it；　too。
　　　　'The　place　belongs　to　Lady　Julia　Flyte；　as　she　calls　herself　now。　She　was　married　to　Mottram；　the　Minister　of…whatever…it…is。　She's　abroad　in　some　woman's　service；　and　I　try　to　keep　an　eye　on　things　for　her。　Queer　thing　the　old　marquis　leaving　everything　to　her　…　rough　on　the　boys。
　　　　'Now　this　is　where　the　last　lot　put　the　clerks；　plenty　of　room；　anyway。　I've　had　the　walls　and　fireplaces　boarded　up　you　see　valuable　old　work　underneath。　Hullo；　someone　seems　to　have　been　making　a　beast　of　himself　here；　destructive　beggars；　soldiers　are！　Lucky　we　spotted　it；　or　it　would　have　been　charged　to　you　chaps。
　　　　'This　is　another　good…sized　room；　used　to　be　full　of　tapestry。　I'd　advise　you　to　use　this　for　conferences。'
　　　　'I'm　only　here　to　clean　up；　sir。　Someone　from　Brigade　will　allot　the　rooms。'
　　　　'Oh；　well；　you've　got　an　easy　job。　Very　decent　fellows　the　last　lot。　They　shouldn't　have　done　that　to　the　fireplace　though。　How　did　they　manage　it？　Looks　solid　enough。　I　wonder　if　it　can　be　mended？
　　　　'I　expect　the　brigadier　will　take　this　for　his　office；　the　last　did。　It's　got　a　lot　of　painting　that　can't　be　moved；　done　on　the　walls。　As　you　see；　I've　covered　it　up　as　best　I　can；　but　soldiers　get　through　anything　…　as　the　brigadier's　done　in　the　corner。　There　was　another　painted　room；　outside　under　pillars　…　modern　work　but；　if　you　ask　me；　the　prettiest　in　the　place；　it　was　the　signal　office　and　they　made　absolute　hay　of　it；　rather　a　shame。
　　　　'This　eyesore　is　what　they　used　as　the　mess；　that's　why　I　didn't　cover　it　up；　not　that　it　would　matter　much　if　it　did　get　damaged；　always　reminds　me　of　one　of　the　costlier　knocking…shops；　you　know　…　〃　Maison　Japonaise〃。。。and　this　was　the　ante…room。。。'
　　　　It　did　not　take　us　long　to　make　our　tour　of　the　echoing　rooms。　Then　we　went　outside　on　the　terrace。
　　　　'Those　are　the　other　ranks'　latrines　and　wash…house；　can't　think　why　they　built　them　just　there；　it　was　done　before　I　took　the　job　over。　All　this　used　to　be　cut　off　from　the　front。　We　laid　the　road　through　the　trees　joining　it　up　with　the　main　drive；　unsightly　but　very　practical；　awful　lot　of　transport　es　in　and　out；　cuts　the　place　up；　too。　Look　where　one　careless　devil　went　smack　through　the　box…hedge　and　carried　away　all　that　balustrade；　did　it　with　a　three…ton　lorry；　too；　you'd　think　he　had　a　Churchill　tank　at　least。
　　　　'That　fountain　is　rather　a　tender　spot　with　our　landlady；　the　young　officers　used　to　lark　about　in　it　on　guest　nights　and　it　was　looking　a　bit　the　worse　for　wear；　so　I　wired　it　in　and　turned　the　water　off。　Looks　a　bit　untidy　now；　all　the　drivers　throw　their　cigarette…ends　and　the　remains　of　the　sandwiches　there；　and　you　can't　get　to　it　to　clean　it　up；　since　I　put　the　wire　round　it。　Florid　great　thing；　isn't　it？。。。
　　　　'Well；　if　you've　seen　everything　I'll　push　off。　Good　day　to　you。'
　　　　His　driver　threw　a　cigarette　into　the　dry　basin　of　the　fountain；　saluted　and　opened　the　door　of　the　car。　I　saluted　and　the　Quartering　mandant　drove　away　through　the　new；　metalled　gap　in　the　lime　trees。
　　　　'Hooper；'　I　said；　when　I　had　seen　my　men　started；　'do　you　think　I　can　safely　leave　you　in　charge　of　the　work…party　for　half　an　hour？'
　　　　'I　was　just　wondering　where　we　could　scrounge　some　tea。'
　　　　'For　Christ's　sake；'　I　said；　'they've　only　just　begun　work。'
　　　　'They're　awfully　browned　off。'
　　　　'Keep　them　at　it。'
　　　　'Rightyoh。'
　　　　I　did　not　spend　long　in　the　desolate　ground…floor　rooms；　but　went　upstairs　and　wandered　down　the　familiar　corridors；　trying　doors　that　were　locked；　opening　doors　into　rooms　piled　to　the　ceiling　with　furniture。　At　length　I　met　an　old　housemaid　carrying　a　cup　of　tea。　'Why；'　she　said；　'isn't　it　Mr　Ryder？'
　　　　'It　is。　I　was　wondering　when　I　should　meet　someone　I　know。'
　　　　'Mrs　Hawkins　is　up　in　her　old　room。　I　was　just　taking　her　some　tea。'
　　　　'I'll　take　it　for　you；　I　said；　and　passed　through　the　baize　doors；　up　the　uncarpeted　stairs；　to　the　nursery。
　　　　Nanny　Hawkins　did　not　recognize　me　until　I　spoke；　and　my　arrival　threw　her　into　some　confusion；　it　was　not　until　I　had　been　sitting　some　time　by　her　fireside　that　she　recovered　her　old　calm。　She；　who　had　changed　so　little　in　all　the　years　I　knew　her；　had　lately　bee　greatly　aged。　The　changes　of　the　last　years　had　e　too　late　in　her　life　to　be　accepted　and　understood；　her　sight　was　failing；　she　told　me；　and　she　could　see　only　the　coarsest　needlework。　Her　speech；　sharpened　by　years　of　gentle　conversation；　had　reverted　now　to　the　soft；　peasant　tones　of　its　origin。
　　　　'。。。only　myself　here　and　the　two　girls　and　poor　Father　Membling　who　was　blown　up；　not　a　roof　to　his　head　nor　a　stick　of　furniture　till　Julia　took　him　in　with　the　kind　heart　she's　got；　and　his　nerves　something　shocking。。。Lady　Brideshead；　too；　Marchmain　it　is　now；　who　I　ought　by　rights　to　call　her　Ladyship　now；　but　it　doesn't　e　natural；　it　was　the　same　with　her。　First；　when　Julia　and　Cordelia　left　to　the　war；　she　came　here　with　the　two　boys　and　then　the　military　turned　them　out；　so　they　went　to　London；　nor　they　hadn't　been　in　their　house　not　a　month；　and　Bridey　away　with　the　yeomanry　the　same　as　his　poor　Lordship；　when　they　were　blown　up　too；　everything　gone；　all　the　furniture　she　brought　here　and　kept　in　the　coach…house。　Then　she　had　another　house　outside　London；　and　the　military　took　that；　too；　and　there　she　is　now；　when　I　last　heard；　in　a　hotel　at　the　seaside；　which　isn't　the　same　as　your　own　home；　is　it？　It　doesn't　seem　right。
　　　　'。。。Did　you　listen　to　Mr　Mottram　last　night？　Very　nasty　he　was　about　Hitler。　I　said　to　the　girl　Effie　who　does　for　me：　〃If　Hitler　was　listening；　and　if　he　understands　English；　which　I　doubt；　he　must　feel　very　small。〃　Who　would　have　thought　of　Mr　Mottram　doing　so　well？　And　so　many　of　his　friends；　too；　that　used　to　stay　here？　I　said　to　Mr　Wilcox；　who　es　to　see　me　regular　on　the　bus　from　Melstead　twice　a　month；　which　is　very　good　of　him　and　I　appreciate　it；　I　said：　〃We　were　entertaining　angels　unawares；〃　because　Mr　Wilcox　never　liked　Mr　Mottram's　friends；　which　I　never　saw；　but　used　to　hear　about　from　all　of　you；　nor　Julia　didn't　like　them；　but　they've　done　very　well；　haven't　they？'
　　　　At　last　I　asked　her：　'Have　you　heard　from　Julia？'
　　　　'From　Cordelia；　only　last　week；　and　they're　together　still　as　they　have　been　all　the　time；　and　Julia　sent　me　love　at　the　bottom　of　the　page。　They're　both　very　well；　though　they　couldn't　say　where；　but　Father　Membling　said；　reading　between　the　lines；　it　was　Palestine；　which　is　where　Bridey's　yeomanry　is；　so　that's　very　nice　for　them　all。　Cordelia　said　they　were　looking　forward　to　ing　home　after　the　war；　which　I　am　sure　we　all　are；　though　whether　I　live　to　see　it；　is　another　story。'
　　　　I　stayed　with　her　for　half　an　hour；　and　left　promising　to　return　often。　When　I　reached　the　hall　I　found　no　sign　of　work　and　Hooper　looking　guilty。
　　　　'They　had　to　go　off　to　draw　the　bed…straw。　I　didn't　know　till　Sergeant　Block　told　me。　I　don't　know　whether　they're　ing　back。'
　　　　'Don't　know？　What　orders　did　you　give？'
　　　　'Well；　I　told　Sergeant　Block　to　bring　them　back　if　he　thought　it　was　worthwhile；　I　mean　if　there　was　time　before　dinner。'
　　　　It　was　nearly　twelve。　'You've　been　hotted　again；　Hooper。　That　straw　was　to　be　drawn　any　time　before　six　tonight。'
　　　　'Oh　Lor；　sorry；　Ryder。　Sergeant　Block　…　'
　　　　'It's　my　own　fault　for　going　away。。。Fall　in　the　same　party　immediately　after　dinner；　bring　them　back　here　and　keep　them　here　till　the　job's　done。'
　　　　'Rightyoh。　I　say；　did　you　say　you　knew　this　place　before？'
　　　　'Yes；　very　well。　It　belongs　to　friends　of　mine；'　and　as　I　said　the　words　they　sounded　as　odd　in　my　I　ears　as　Sebastian's　had　done；　when；　instead　of　saying；　'It　is　my　home；'　he　said；　'It　is　where　my　family　live。'
　　　　'It　doesn't　seem　to　make　any　sense　…　one　family　in　a　place　this　size。　What's　the　use　of　it？'
　　　　'Well；　I　suppose　Brigade　are　finding　it　useful。'
　　　　'But　that's　not　what　it　was　built　for；　is　it？'
　　　　'No；'　I　said；　'not　what　it　was　built　for。　Perhaps　that's　one　of　the　pleasures　of　building；　like　having　a　son；　wondering　how　he'll　grow　up。　I　don't　know；　I　never　built　anything；　and　I　forfeited　the　right　to　watch　my　son　grow　up。　I'm　homeless；　childless；　middle…aged；　loveless；　Hooper。'　He　looked　to　see　if　I　was　being　funny；　decided　that　I　was；　and　laughed。　'Now　go　back　to　camp；　keep　out　of　the　C。O。's　way；　if　he's　back　from　his　recce；　and　don't　let　on　to　anyone　that　we've　made　a　nonsense　of　the　morning。'
　　　　'Okey；　Ryder。'
　　　　There　was　one　part　of　the　house　I　had　not　yet　visited；　and　I　went　there　now。　The　chapel　showed　no　ill…effects　of　its　long　neglect；　the　art…nouveau　paint　was　as　fresh　and　bright　as　ever；　the　art…nouveau　lamp　burned　once　more　before　the　altar。　I　said　a　prayer；　an　ancient；　newly…learned　form　of　words；　and　left；　turning　towards　the　camp；　and　as　I　walked　back；　and　the　cook…hou