brideshead+revisited-第7部分

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what　it　says　is　very　nice。　〃The　lovely　daughter　whom　Lady　Marchmain　is　bringing　out　this　season。。。witty　as　well　as　ornamental。。。the　most　popular　d閎utante〃；　well　that's　no　more　than　the　truth；　though　it　was　a　shame　to　cut　her　hair；　such　a　lovely　head　of　hair　she　had；　just　like　her　Ladyship's。　I　said　to　Father　Phipps　it's　not　natural。　He　said：　〃Nuns　do　it；〃　and　I　said；　〃Well；　surely；　father；　you　aren't　going　to　make　a　nun　out　of　Lady　Julia？　The　very　idea！〃'
　　　　Sebastian　and　the　old　woman　talked　on。　It　was　a　charming　room；　oddly　shaped　to　conform　with　the　curve　of　the　dome。　The　walls　were　papered　in　a　pattern　of　ribbon　and　roses。　There　was　a　rocking　horse　in　the　corner　and　an　oleograph　of　the　Sacred　Heart　over　the　mantelpiece；　the　empty　grate　was　hidden　by　a　bunch　of　pampas　grass　and　bulrushes；　laid　out　on　the　top　of　the　chest　of　drawers　and　carefully　dusted；　were　the　collection　of　small　presents　which　had　been　brought　home　to　her　at　various　times　by　her　children；　carved　shell　and　lava；　stamped　leather；　painted　wood；　china；　bog…oak；　damascened　silver；　blue…john；　alabaster；　coral；　the　souvenirs　of　many　holidays。
　　　　Presently　nanny　said：　'Ring　the　bell；　dear；　and　we'll　have　some　tea。　I　usually　go　down　to　Mrs　Chandler；　but　we'll　have　it　up　here　today。　My　usual　girl　has　gone　to　London　with　the　others。　The　new　one　is　just　up　from　the　village。　She　didn't　know　anything　at　first；　but　she's　ing　along　nicely。　Ring　the　bell。'
　　　　But　Sebastian　said　we　had　to　go。
　　　　'And　miss　Julia？　She　will　be　upset　when　she　hears。　It　would　have　been　such　a　surprise　for　her。'
　　　　'Poor　nanny；'　said　Sebastian　when　we　left　the　nursery。　'She　does　have　such　a　dull　life。　I've　a　good　mind　to　bring　her　to　Oxford　to　live　with　me；　only　she'd　always　be　trying　to　send　me　to　church。　We　must　go　quickly　before　my　sister　gets　back。'
　　　　'Which　are　you　ashamed　of；　her　or　me？'
　　　　'I'm　ashamed　of　myself；'　said　Sebastian　gravely。　'I'm　not　going　to　have　you　get　mixed　up　with　my　family。　They're　so　madly　charming。　All　my　life　they've　been　taking　things　away　from　me。　If　they　once　got　hold　of　you　with　their　charm；　they'd　make　you　their　friend　not　mine；　and　I　won't　let　them。'
　　　　'All　right；'　I　said。　'I'm　perfectly　content。　But　am　I　not　going　to　be　allowed　to　see　any　more　of　the　house？'
　　　　'It's　all　shut　up。　We　came　to　see　nanny。　On　Queen　Alexandra's　day　it's　all　open　for　a　shilling。　Well；　e　and　look　if　you　want　to。。。'
　　　　He　led　me　through　a　baize　door　into　a　dark　corridor；　I　could　dimly　see　a　gilt…cornice　and　vaulted　plaster　above；　then；　opening　a　heavy；　smooth…swinging；　mahogany　door；　he　led　me　into　a　darkened　hall。　Light　streamed　through　the　cracks　in　the　shutters。　Sebastian　unbarred　one；　and　folded　it　back；　the　mellow　afternoon　sun　flooded　in；　over　the　bare　floor；　the　vast；　twin　fireplaces　of　sculptured　marble；　the　coved　ceiling　frescoed　with　classic　deities　and　heroes；　the　gilt　mirrors　and　scagliola　pilasters；　the　islands　of　sheeted　furniture。　It　was　a　glimpse　only；　such　as　might　be　had　from　the　top　of　an　omnibus　into　a　lighted　ballroom；　then　Sebastian　quickly　shut　out　the　sun。　'You　see；'　he　said；　'it's　like　this。'
　　　　His　mood　had　changed　since　we　had　drunk　our　wine　under　the　elm　trees；　since　we　had　turned　the　er　of　the　drive　and　he　had　said：　'Well？'
　　　　'You　see；　there's　nothing　to　see。　A　few　pretty　things　I'd　like　to　show；　you　one　day　…　not　now。　But　there's　the　chapel。　You　must　see　that。　It's　a　monument　of　art　nouveau。'
　　　　The　last　architect　to　work　at　Brideshead　had　added　a　colonnade　and　flanking　pavilions。　One　of　these　was　the　chapel。　We　entered　it　by　the　public　porch　（another　door　led　direct　to　the　house）；　Sebastian　dipped　his　fingers　in　the　water　stoup；　crossed　himself；　and　genuflected；　I　copied　him。　'Why　do　you　do　that？'　he　asked　crossly。
　　　　'Just　good　manners。'
　　　　'Well；　you　needn't　on　my　account。　You　wanted　to　do　sight…seeing；　how　about　this？'
　　　　The　whole　interior　had　been　gutted；　elaborately　refurnished　and　redecorated　in　the　arts…and…crafts　style　of　the　last　decade　of　the　nineteenth　century。　Angels　in　printed　cotton　smocks；　rambler…roses；　flower…spangled　meadows；　frisking　lambs；　texts　in　Celtic　script；　saints　in　armour；　covered　the　walls　in　an　intricate　pattern　of　clear；　bright　colours。　There　was　a　triptych　of　pale　oak；　carved　so　as　to　give　it　the　peculiar　property　of　seeming　to　have　been　moulded　in　Plasticine。　The　sanctuary　lamp　and　all　the　metal　furniture　were　of　bronze；　hand…beaten　to　the　patina　of　a　pock…marked　skin；　the　altar　steps　had　a　carpet　of　grass…green；　strewn　with　white　and　gold　daisies。
　　　　'Golly；'　I　said。
　　　　'It　was　papa's　wedding　present　to　mama。　Now；　if　you've　seen　enough；　we'll　go。'
　　　　On　the　drive　we　passed　a　closed　Rolls…Royce　driven　by　a　chauffeur；　in　the　back　was　a　vague；　girlish　figure　who　looked　round　at　us　through　the　window。
　　　　'Julia；'　said　Sebastian。　'We　only　just　got　away　in　time。'
　　　　We　stopped　to　speak　to　a　man　with　a　bicycle　…　'That　was　old　Bat；'　said　Sebastian　…　and　then　were　away；　past　the　wrought　iron；gates；　past　the　lodges；　and　out　on　the　road　heading　back　to　Oxford。
　　　　'I'm　sorry　said　Sebastian　after　a　time。　'I'm　afraid　I　wasn't　very　nice　this　afternoon。　Brideshead　often　has　that　effect　on　me。　But　I　had　to　take　you　to　see　nanny。'
　　　　Why？　I　wondered；　but　said　nothing　…　Sebastian's　life　was　governed　by　a　code　of　such　imperatives。　'I　must　have　pillar…box　red　pyjamas；'　'I　have　to　stay　in　bed　until　the　sun　works　round　to　the　windows；'　'I've　absolutely　got　to　drink　champagne　tonight！'　…　except；　'It　had　quite　the　reverse　effect　on　me。'
　　　　After　a　long　pause　he　said　petulantly；　'I　don't　keep　asking　you　questions　about　your　family。'
　　　　'Neither　do　I　about　yours。'
　　　　'But　you　look　inquisitive。'
　　　　'Well；　you're　so　mysterious　about　them。'
　　　　'I　hoped　I　was　mysterious　about　'everything。'
　　　　'Perhaps　I　am　rather　curious　about　people's　families　…　you　see；　it's　not　a　thing　I　know　about。　There　is　only　my　father　and　myself。　An　aunt　kept　an　eye　on　me　for　a　time　but　my　father　drove　her　abroad。　My　mother　was　killed　in　the　war。'
　　　　'Oh。。。how　very　unusual。'
　　　　'She　went　to　Serbia　with　the　Red　Cross。　My　father　has　been　rather　odd　in　the　head　ever　since。　He　just　lives　alone　in　London　with　no　friends　and　footles　about　collecting　things。'
　　　　Sebastian　said；　'You　don't　know　what　you've　been　saved。　There　are　lots　of　us。　Look　them　up　in　Debrett。'
　　　　His　mood　was　lightening；　now。　The　further　we　drove　from　Brideshead；　the　more　he　seemed　to　cast　off　his　uneasiness　…　the　almost　furtive　restlessness　and　irritability　that　had　possessed　him。　The　sun　was　behind　us　as　we　drove；　so　that　we　seemed　to　be　in　pursuit　of　our　own　shadows。
　　　　'It's　half　past　five。　We'll　get　to　Godstow　in　time　for　dinner；　drink　at　the　Trout；　leave　Hardcastle's　motor…car；　and　walk　back　by　the　river。　Wouldn't　that　be　best？'
　　　　That　is　the　full　account　of　my　first　brief　visit　to　Brideshead；　could　I　have　known　then　that　it；　would　one　day　be　remembered　with　tears　by　a　middle…aged　captain　of　infantry？

＇2＇

TOWARDS　the　end　of　that　summer　term　I　received　the　last　visit　and　Grand　Remonstrance　of　my　cousin　Jasper。　I　was　just　free　of　the　schools；　having　taken　the　last　paper　of　History　Previous　on　the　afternoon　before；　Jasper's　subfuse　suit　and　white　tie　proclaimed　him　still　in　the　thick　of　it；　he　had；　too；　the　exhausted　but　resentful　air　of　one　who　fears　he　has　failed　to　do　himself　full　justice　on　the　subject　of　Pindar's　Orphism。　Duty　alone　had　brought　him　to　my　rooms；　that　afternoon　at　great　inconvenience　to　himself　and；　as　it　happened；　to　me；　who；　when　he　caught　me　in　the　door；　was　on　my　way　to　make　final　arrangements　about　a　dinner　I　was　giving　that　evening。　It　was　one　of　several　parties　designed　to　fort　Hardcastle　…　one　of　the　tasks　that　had　lately　fallen　to　Sebastian　and　me　since；　by　leaving　his　car　out；　we　had　got　him　into　grave　trouble　with　the　proctors。
　　　　Jasper　would　not　sit　down；　this　was　to　be　no　cosy　chat；　he　stood　with　his　back　to　the　fireplace　and；　in　his　own　phrase；　talked　to　me　'like　an　uncle'。
　　'。。。I've　tried　to　get　in　touch　with　you　several　times　in　the　last　week　or　two。　In　fact；　I　have　the　impression　you　are　avoiding　me。　If　that　is　so；　Charles；　I　can't　say　I'm　surprised。
　　'You　may　think　it　none　of　my　business；　but　I　feel　a　sense　of　responsibility。　You　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　since　your　…　well；　since　the　war；　your　father　has　not　been　really　in　touch　with　things　lives　in　his　own　world。　I　don't　want　to　sit　back　and　see　you　making　mistakes　which　a　word　in　season　might　save　you　from。
　　'I　expected　you　to　make　mistakes　your　first　year。　We　all　do。　I　got　in　with　some　thoroughly　objectionable　O。S。C。U。　men　who　ran　a　mission　to　hop…pickers　during　the　long　vac。　But　you；　my　dear　Charles；　whether　you　realize　it　or　not；　have　gone　straight；　hook　line　and　sinker；　into　the　very　worst　set　in　the　University。　You　may　think　that；　living　in　digs；　I　don't　know　what　goes　on　in　college；　but　I　hear　things。　In　fact；　I　hear　all　too　much。　I　find　that　I've　bee　a　figure　of　mockery　on　your　account　at　the　Dining　Club。　There's　that　chap　Sebastian　Flyte　you　seem　inseparable　from。　He　may　be　all　right；　I　don't　know。　His　brother　Brideshead　was　a　very　sound　fellow。　But　this　friend　of　yours　looks　odd　to　me　and　he　gets　himself　talked　about。　Of　course；　they're　an　odd　family。　The　Marchmains　have　lived　apart　since　the　war；　you　know。　An　extraordinary　thing；　everyone　thought　they　were　a　devoted　couple。　Then　he　went　off　to　France　with　his　Yeomanry　and　just　never　came；　back。　It　was　as　if　he'd　been　killed。　She's　a　Roman　Catholic；　so　she　can't　get　a　divorce　…　or　won't；　I　expect。　You　can　do　anything　at　Rome　with　money；　and　they're　enormously　rich。　Flyte；　may　be　all　right；　but　Anthony　Blanche　…　now　there's　a　man　there's　absolutely　no　excuse　for。'
　　　　'I　don't；　particularly　like　him　myself；'　I　said。
　　　　'Well；　he's　always　hanging　round　here；　and　the　stiffer　element　in　college　don't　like　it。　They　can't　stand　him　at　the　House。　He　was　in　Mercury　again　last　night。　None　of　these　people　you　go　about　with　pull　any　weight　in　their　own　colleges；　and　that's　the　real　test。　They　think　because　they've　got　a　lot　of　money　to　throw　about；　they　can　do　anything。
　　　　'And　that's　another　thing。　I　don't　know　what　allowance　my　uncle　makes　you；　but　I　don't　mind　betting　you're　spending　double。