奥兰多orlando (英文版)作者:弗吉尼亚·伍尔芙-第6部分

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e　wanted　another　landscape；　and　another　tongue。　English　was　too　frank；　too　candid；　too　honeyed　a　speech　for　Sasha。　For　in　all　she　said；　however　open　she　seemed　and　voluptuous；　there　was　something　hidden；　in　all　she　did；　however　daring；　there　was　something　concealed。　So　the　green　flame　seems　hidden　in　the　emerald；　or　the　sun　prisoned　in　a　hill。　The　clearness　was　only　outward；　within　was　a　wandering　flame。　It　came；　it　went；　she　never　shone　with　the　steady　beam　of　an　Englishwoman—here；　however；　remembering　the　Lady　Margaret　and　her　petticoats；　Orlando　ran　wild　in　his　transports　and　swept　her　over　the　ice；　faster；　faster；　vowing　that　he　would　chase　the　flame；　dive　for　the　gem；　and　so　on　and　so　on；　the　words　ing　on　the　pants　of　his　breath　with　the　passion　of　a　poet　whose　poetry　is　half　pressed　out　of　him　by　pain。

But　Sasha　was　silent。　When　Orlando　had　done　telling　her　that　she　was　a　fox；　an　olive　tree；　or　a　green　hill–top；　and　had　given　her　the　whole　history　of　his　family；　how　their　house　was　one　of　the　most　ancient　in　Britain；　how　they　had　e　from　Rome　with　the　Caesars　and　had　the　right　to　walk　down　the　Corso　（which　is　the　chief　street　in　Rome）　under　a　tasselled　palanquin；　which　he　said　is　a　privilege　reserved　only　for　those　of　imperial　blood　（for　there　was　an　orgulous　credulity　about　him　which　was　pleasant　enough）；　he　would　pause　and　ask　her；　Where　was　her　own　house？　What　was　her　father？　Had　she　brothers？　Why　was　she　here　alone　with　her　uncle？　Then；　somehow；　though　she　answered　readily　enough；　an　awkwardness　would　e　between　them。　He　suspected　at　first　that　her　rank　was　not　as　high　as　she　would　like；　or　that　she　was　ashamed　of　the　savage　ways　of　her　people；　for　he　had　heard　that　the　women　in　Muscovy　wear　beards　and　the　men　are　covered　with　fur　from　the　waist　down；　that　both　sexes　are　smeared　with　tallow　to　keep　the　cold　out；　tear　meat　with　their　fingers　and　live　in　huts　where　an　English　noble　would　scruple　to　keep　his　cattle；　so　that　he　forebore　to　press　her。　But　on　reflection；　he　concluded　that　her　silence　could　not　be　for　that　reason；　she　herself　was　entirely　free　from　hair　on　the　chin；　she　dressed　in　velvet　and　pearls；　and　her　manners　were　certainly　not　those　of　a　woman　bred　in　a　cattle–shed。

What；　then；　did　she　hide　from　him？　The　doubt　underlying　the　tremendous　force　of　his　feelings　was　like　a　quicksand　beneath　a　monument　which　shifts　suddenly　and　makes　the　whole　pile　shake。　The　agony　would　seize　him　suddenly。　Then　he　would　blaze　out　in　such　wrath　that　she　did　not　know　how　to　quiet　him。　Perhaps　she　did　not　want　to　quiet　him；　perhaps　his　rages　pleased　her　and　she　provoked　them　purposely—such　is　the　curious　obliquity　of　the　Muscovitish　temperament。

To　continue　the　story—skating　farther　than　their　wont　that　day　they　reached　that　part　of　the　river　where　the　ships　had　anchored　and　been　frozen　in　midstream。　Among　them　was　the　ship　of　the　Muscovite　Embassy　flying　its　double–headed　black　eagle　from　the　main　mast；　which　was　hung　with　many–coloured　icicles　several　yards　in　length。　Sasha　had　left　some　of　her　clothing　on　board；　and　supposing　the　ship　to　be　empty　they　climbed　on　deck　and　went　in　search　of　it。　Remembering　certain　passages　in　his　own　past；　Orlando　would　not　have　marvelled　had　some　good　citizens　sought　this　refuge　before　them；　and　so　it　turned　out。　They　had　not　ventured　far　when　a　fine　young　man　started　up　from　some　business　of　his　own　behind　a　coil　of　rope　and　saying；　apparently；　for　he　spoke　Russian；　that　he　was　one　of　the　crew　and　would　help　the　Princess　to　find　what　she　wanted；　lit　a　lump　of　candle　and　disappeared　with　her　into　the　lower　parts　of　the　ship。

Time　went　by；　and　Orlando；　wrapped　in　his　own　dreams；　thought　only　of　the　pleasures　of　life；　of　his　jewel；　of　her　rarity；　of　means　for　making　her　irrevocably　and　indissolubly　his　own。　Obstacles　there　were　and　hardships　to　overe。　She　was　determined　to　live　in　Russia；　where　there　were　frozen　rivers　and　wild　horses　and　men；　she　said；　who　gashed　each　other’s　throats　open。　It　is　true　that　a　landscape　of　pine　and　snow；　habits　of　lust　and　slaughter；　did　not　entice　him。　Nor　was　he　anxious　to　cease　his　pleasant　country　ways　of　sport　and　tree–planting；　relinquish　his　office；　ruin　his　career；　shoot　the　reindeer　instead　of　the　rabbit；　drink　vodka　instead　of　canary；　and　slip　a　knife　up　his　sleeve—for　what　purpose；　he　knew　not。　Still；　all　this　and　more　than　all　this　he　would　do　for　her　sake。　As　for　his　marriage　to　the　Lady　Margaret；　fixed　though　it　was　for　this　day　sennight；　the　thing　was　so　palpably　absurd　that　he　scarcely　gave　it　a　thought。　Her　kinsmen　would　abuse　him　for　deserting　a　great　lady；　his　friends　would　deride　him　for　ruining　the　finest　career　in　the　world　for　a　Cossack　woman　and　a　waste　of　snow—it　weighed　not　a　straw　in　the　balance　pared　with　Sasha　herself。　On　the　first　dark　night　they　would　fly。　They　would　take　ship　to　Russia。　So　he　pondered；　so　he　plotted　as　he　walked　up　and　down　the　deck。

He　was　recalled；　turning　westward；　by　the　sight　of　the　sun；　slung　like　an　orange　on　the　cross　of　St　Paul’s。　It　was　blood–red　and　sinking　rapidly。　It　must　be　almost　evening。　Sasha　had　been　gone　this　hour　and　more。　Seized　instantly　with　those　dark　forebodings　which　shadowed　even　his　most　confident　thoughts　of　her；　he　plunged　the　way　he　had　seen　them　go　into　the　hold　of　the　ship；　and；　after　stumbling　among　chests　and　barrels　in　the　darkness；　was　made　aware　by　a　faint　glimmer　in　a　corner　that　they　were　seated　there。　For　one　second；　he　had　a　vision　of　them；　saw　Sasha　seated　on　the　sailor’s　knee；　saw　her　bend　towards　him；　saw　them　embrace　before　the　light　was　blotted　out　in　a　red　cloud　by　his　rage。　He　blazed　into　such　a　howl　of　anguish　that　the　whole　ship　echoed。　Sasha　threw　herself　between　them；　or　the　sailor　would　have　been　stifled　before　he　could　draw　his　cutlass。　Then　a　deadly　sickness　came　over　Orlando；　and　they　had　to　lay　him　on　the　floor　and　give　him　brandy　to　drink　before　he　revived。　And　then；　when　he　had　recovered　and　was　sat　upon　a　heap　of　sacking　on　deck；　Sasha　hung　over　him；　passing　before　his　dizzied　eyes　softly；　sinuously；　like　the　fox　that　had　bit　him；　now　cajoling；　now　denouncing；　so　that　he　came　to　doubt　what　he　had　seen。　Had　not　the　candle　guttered；　had　not　the　shadows　moved？　The　box　was　heavy；　she　said；　the　man　was　helping　her　to　move　it。　Orlando　believed　her　one　moment—for　who　can　be　sure　that　his　rage　has　not　painted　what　he　most　dreads　to　find？—the　next　was　the　more　violent　with　anger　at　her　deceit。　Then　Sasha　herself　turned　white；　stamped　her　foot　on　deck；　said　she　would　go　that　night；　and　called　upon　her　Gods　to　destroy　her；　if　she；　a　Romanovitch；　had　lain　in　the　arms　of　a　mon　seaman。　Indeed；　looking　at　them　together　（which　he　could　hardly　bring　himself　to　do）　Orlando　was　outraged　by　the　foulness　of　his　imagination　that　could　have　painted　so　frail　a　creature　in　the　paw　of　that　hairy　sea　brute。　The　man　was　huge；　stood　six　feet　four　in　his　stockings；　wore　mon　wire　rings　in　his　ears；　and　looked　like　a　dray　horse　upon　which　some　wren　or　robin　has　perched　in　its　flight。　So　he　yielded；　believed　her；　and　asked　her　pardon。　Yet　when　they　were　going　down　the　ship’s　side；　lovingly　again；　Sasha　paused　with　her　hand　on　the　ladder；　and　called　back　to　this　tawny　wide–cheeked　monster　a　volley　of　Russian　greetings；　jests；　or　endearments；　not　a　word　of　which　Orlando　could　understand。　But　there　was　something　in　her　tone　（it　might　be　the　fault　of　the　Russian　consonants）　that　reminded　Orlando　of　a　scene　some　nights　since；　when　he　had　e　upon　her　in　secret　gnawing　a　candle–end　in　a　corner；　which　she　had　picked　from　the　floor。　True；　it　was　pink；　it　was　gilt；　and　it　was　from　the　King’s　table；　but　it　was　tallow；　and　she　gnawed　it。　Was　there　not；　he　thought；　handing　her　on　to　the　ice；　something　rank　in　her；　something　coarse　flavoured；　something　peasant　born？　And　he　fancied　her　at　forty　grown　unwieldy　though　she　was　now　slim　as　a　reed；　and　lethargic　though　she　was　now　blithe　as　a　lark。　But　again　as　they　skated　towards　London　such　suspicions　melted　in　his　breast；　and　he　felt　as　if　he　had　been　hooked　by　a　great　fish　through　the　nose　and　rushed　through　the　waters　unwillingly；　yet　with　his　own　consent。

It　was　an　evening　of　astonishing　beauty。　As　the　sun　sank；　all　the　domes；　spires；　turrets；　and　pinnacles　of　London　rose　in　inky　blackness　against　the　furious　red　sunset　clouds。　Here　was　the　fretted　cross　at　Charing；　there　the　dome　of　St　Paul’s；　there　the　massy　square　of　the　Tower　buildings；　there　like　a　grove　of　trees　stripped　of　all　leaves　save　a　knob　at　the　end　were　the　heads　on　the　pikes　at　Temple　Bar。　Now　the　Abbey　windows　were　lit　up　and　burnt　like　a　heavenly；　many–coloured　shield　（in　Orlando’s　fancy）；　now　all　the　west　seemed　a　golden　window　with　troops　of　angels　（in　Orlando’s　fancy　again）　passing　up　and　down　the　heavenly　stairs　perpetually。　All　the　time　they　seemed　to　be　skating　in　fathomless　depths　of　air；　so　blue　the　ice　had　bee；　and　so　glassy　smooth　was　it　that　they　sped　quicker　and　quicker　to　the　city　with　the　white　gulls　circling　about　them；　and　cutting　in　the　air　with　their　wings　the　very　same　sweeps　that　they　cut　on　the　ice　with　their　skates。

Sasha；　as　if　to　reassure　him；　was　tenderer　than　usual　and　even　more　delightful。　Seldom　would　she　talk　about　her　past　life；　but　now　she　told　him　how；　in　winter　in　Russia；　she　would　listen　to　the　wolves　howling　across　the　steppes；　and　thrice；　to　show　him；　she　barked　like　a　wolf。　Upon　which　he　told　her　of　the　stags　in　the　snow　at　home；　and　how　they　would　stray　into　the　great　hall　for　warmth　and　be　fed　by　an　old　man　with　porridge　from　a　bucket。　And　then　she　praised　him；　for　his　love　of　beasts；　for　his　gallantry；　for　his　legs。　Ravished　with　her　praises　and　shamed　to　think　how　he　had　maligned　her　by　fancying　her　on　the　knees　of　a　mon　sailor　and　grown　fat　and　lethargic　at　forty；　he　told　her　that　he　could　find　no　words　to　praise　her；　yet　instantly　bethought　him　how　she　was　like　the　spring　and　green　grass　and　rushing　waters；　and　seizing　her　more　tightly　than　ever；　he　swung　her　with　him　half　across　the　river　so　that　the　gulls　and　the　cormorants　swung　too。　And　halting　at　length；　out　of　breath；　she　said；　panting　slightly；　that　he　was　like　a　million–candled　Christmas　tree　（such　as　they　have　in　Russia）　hung　with　yellow　globes；　incande