english stories-london-第16部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


nothing　about　herself；　for　weeks　he　never　even　knew　her　name。

Sometimes　he　did　not　speak　at　all；　and　the　two　friends　would　work

silently　side　by　side　until　it　was　time　to　go；　and　then　he　waited

until　she　was　ready；　and　walked　with　her　across　Trafalgar　Square；

where　they　parted　and　went　their　own　ways。



But　occasionally；　when　she　least　expected　it；　he　would　speak　with

glowing　enthusiasm　on　art；　then　his　eyes　seemed　to　become　bright；　and

his　bent　figure　more　erect；　and　his　whole　bearing　proud　and　dignified。

There　were　times；　too；　when　he　would　speak　on　other　subjects：　on　the

morality　of　free　thoughton　Bruno；　of　blessed　memory；　on　him；　and

scores　of　others　too。　He　would　speak　of　the　different　schools　of

philosophy；　he　would　laugh　at　himself；　and　at　all　who；　having　given

time　and　thought　to　the　study　of　life's　complicated　problems；　had　not

reached　one　step　further　than　the　Old…World　thinkers。　Perhaps　he　would

quote　one　of　his　favourite　philosophers；　and　then　suddenly　relapse

into　silence；　returning　to　his　wonted　abstraction　and　to　his

indifference　to　his　surroundings。　Helen　Stanley　had　learned　to

understand　his　ways　and　to　appreciate　his　mind；　and；　without　intruding

on　him　in　any　manner；　had　put　herself　gently　into　his　life　as　his

quiet　champion　and　his　friend。　No　one　in　her　presence　dared　speak

slightingly　of　the　old　man；　or　to　make　fun　of　his　tumble…down

appearance；　or　of　his　worn…out　silk　hat　with　a　crack　in　the　side；　or

of　his　rag　of　a　black　tie；　which；　together　with　his　overcoat；　had

〃seen　better　days。〃　Once　she　brought　her　needle　and　thread；　and　darned

the　torn　sleeve　during　her　lunch…time；　and；　though　he　never　knew　it；

it　was　a　satisfaction　to　her　to　have　helped　him。



To…day　she　noticed　that　he　was　painting　badly；　and　that　he　seemed　to

take　no　interest　in　his　work；　but　she　went　on　busily　with　her　own

picture；　and　was　so　engrossed　in　it　that　she　did　not　at　first　observe

that　he　had　packed　up　his　brushes　and　was　preparing　to　go　home。



〃Three　more　strokes；〃　he　said；　quietly；　〃and　you　will　have　finished

your　picture。　I　shall　never　finish　mine；　perhaps　you　will　be　good

enough　to　set　it　right　for　me。　I　am　not　coming　here　again。　I　don't

seem　to　have　caught　the　true　expression；　what　do　you　think？　But　I　am

not　going　to　let　it　worry　me；　for　I　am　sure　you　will　promise　to　do

your　best　for　me。　See；　I　will　hand　over　these　colours　and　these

brushes　to　you；　and　no　doubt　you　will　accept　the　palette　as　well。　I

have　no　further　use　for　it。〃



Helen　Stanley　took　the　palette　which　he　held　out　toward　her；　and

looked　at　him　as　though　she　would　wish　to　question　him。



〃It　is　very　hot　here；〃　he　continued；　〃and　I　am　going　out。　I　am　tired

of　work。〃



He　hesitated；　and　then　added；　〃I　should　like　you　to　come　with　me；　if

you　can　spare　the　time。〃



She　packed　up　her　things　at　once；　and　the　two　friends　moved　slowly

away；　he　gazing　absently　at　the　pictures；　and　she　wondering　in　her

mind　as　to　the　meaning　of　his　strange　mood。



When　they　were　on　the　steps　inside　the　building；　he　turned　to　Helen

Stanley　and　said：



〃I　should　like　to　go　back　to　the　pictures　once　more。　I　feel　as　if　I

must　stand　among　them　just　a　little　longer。　They　have　been　my

companions　for　so　long　that　they　are　almost　part　of　myself。　I　can

close　my　eyes　and　recall　them　faithfully。　But　I　want　to　take　a　last

look　at　them；　I　want　to　feel　once　more　the　presence　of　the　great

masters；　and　to　refresh　my　mind　with　their　genius。　When　I　look　at

their　work　I　think　of　their　life；　and　can　only　wonder　at　their　death。

It　was　so　strange　that　they　should　die。〃



They　went　back　together；　and　he　took　her　to　his　favourite　pictures；

but　remained　speechless　before　them；　and　she　did　not　disturb　his

thoughts。　At　last　he　said：



〃I　am　ready　to　go。　I　have　said　farewell　to　them　all。　I　know　nothing

more　wonderful　than　being　among　a　number　of　fine　pictures。　It　is

almost　overwhelming。　Once　expects　nature　to　be　grand；　but　one　does　not

expect　man　to　be　grand。〃



〃You　know　we　don't　agree　there；〃　she　answered。　〃/I/　expect　everything

grand　and　great　from　man。〃



They　went　out　of　the　gallery；　and　into　Trafalgar　Square。　It　was　a

scorching　afternoon　in　August；　but　there　was　some　cooling　comfort　in

seeing　the　dancing　water　of　the　fountains　sparkling　so　brightly　in　the

sunshine。



〃Do　you　mind　stopping　here　a　few　minutes？〃　he　said。　〃I　should　like　to

sit　down　and　watch。　There　is　so　much　to　see。〃



She　led　the　way　to　a　seat；　one　end　of　which　was　occupied　by　a　workman；

who　was　sleeping　soundly；　and　snoring　too；　his　arms　folded　tightly

together。　He　had　a　little　clay　pipe　in　the　corner　of　his　mouth；　it

seemed　to　be　tucked　in　so　snugly　that　there　was　not　much　danger　of　its

falling　to　the　ground。　At　last　Helen　spoke　to　her　companion。



〃What　do　you　mean　by　saying　that　you　will　not　be　able　to　finish　your

picture？　Perhaps　you　are　not　well。　Indeed；　you　don't　look　well。　You

make　me　anxious；　for　I　have　a　great　regard　for　you。〃



〃I　am　ill　and　suffering；〃　he　answered；　quietly。　〃I　thought　I　should

have　died　yesterday；　but　I　made　up　my　mind　to　live　until　I　saw　you

again；　and　I　thought　I　would　ask　you　to　spend　the　afternoon　with　me；

and　go　with　me　to　Westminster　Abbey；　and　sit　with　me　in　the　cloisters。

I　do　not　feel　able　to　go　by　myself；　and　I　know　of　no　one　to　ask　except

you；　and　I　believed　you　would　not　refuse　me；　for　you　have　been　very

kind　to　me。　I　do　not　quite　understand　why　you　have　been　kind　to　me；

but　I　am　wonderfully　grateful　to　you。　Today　I　heard　some　one　in　the

gallery　say　that　you　were　plain。　I　turned　round　and　I　said；　'I　beg

your　pardon；　/I/　think　she　is　very　beautiful。'　I　think　they　laughed；

and　that　puzzled　me；　for　you　have　always　seemed　to　me　a　very　beautiful

person。〃



At　that　moment　the　little　clay　pipe　fell　from　the　workman's　mouth　and

was　broken　into　bits。　He　awoke　with　a　start；　gazed　stupidly　at　the　old

man　and　his　companion；　and　at　the　broken　clay　pipe。



〃Curse　my　luck！〃　he　said；　yawning。　〃I　was　fond　of　that　damned　little

pipe。〃



The　old　man　drew　his　own　pipe　and　his　own　tobacco…pouch　from　his

pocket。



〃Take　these；　stranger；〃　he　said。　〃I　don't　want　them。　And　good　luck　to

you。〃



The　man's　face　brightened　up　as　he　took　the　pipe　and　pouch。



〃You're　uncommon　kind；〃　he　said。　〃Can　you　spare　them？〃　he　added；

holding　them　out　half　reluctantly。



〃Yes；〃　answered　the　old　man；　〃I　shall　not　smoke　again。　You　may　as　well

have　these　matches　too。〃



The　labourer　put　them　in　his　pocket；　smiled　his　thanks；　and　walked

some　little　distance　off；　and　Helen　watched　him　examine　his　new　pipe；

and　then　fill　it　with　tobacco　and　light　it。



Mr。　Lindall　proposed　that　they　should　be　getting　on　their　way　to

Westminster；　and　they　soon　found　themselves　in　the　abbey。　They　sat

together　in　the　Poets'　Corner；　a　smile　of　quiet　happiness　broke　over

the　old　man's　tired　face　as　he　looked　around　and　took　in　all　the

solemn　beauty　and　grandeur　of　the　resting…place　of　the　great。



〃You　know；〃　he　said；　half　to　himself；　half　to　his　companion；　〃I　have

no　belief　of　any　kind；　and　no　hopes　and　no　fears；　but　all　through　my

life　it　has　been　a　comfort　to　me　to　sit　quietly　in　a　church　or　a

cathedral。　The　graceful　arches；　the　sun　shining　through　the　stained

windows；　the　vaulted　roof；　the　noble　columns；　have　helped　me　to

understand　the　mystery　which　all　our　books　of　philosophy　cannot　make

clear；　though　we　bend　over　them　year　after　year；　and　grow　old　over

them；　old　in　age　and　in　spirit。　Though　I　myself　have　never　been

outwardly　a　worshipper；　I　have　never　sat　in　a　place　of　worship　but

that；　for　the　time　being；　I　have　felt　a　better　man。　But　directly　the

voice　of　doctrine　or　dogma　was　raised　the　spell　was　broken　for　me；　and

that　which　I　hoped　was　being　made　clear　had　no　further　meaning　for　me。

There　was　only　one　voice　which　ever　helped　me；　the　voice　of　the　organ；

arousing　me；　thrilling　me；　filling　me　with　strange　longing；　with

welcome　sadness；　with　solemn　gladness。　I　have　always　thought　that

music　can　give　an　answer　when　everything　else　is　of　no　avail。　I　do　not

know　what　you　believe。〃



〃I　am　so　young　to　have　found　out；〃　she　said；　almost　pleadingly。



〃Don't　worry　yourself；〃　he　answered；　kindly。　〃Be　brave　and　strong；　and

let　the　rest　go。　I　should　like　to　live　long　enough　to　see　what　you

will　make　of　your　life。　I　believe　you　will　never　be　false　to　yourself

or　to　any　one。　That　is　rare。　I　believe　you　will　not　let　any　lower

ideal　take　the　place　of　your　high　ideal　of　what　is　beautiful　and　noble

in　art；　in　life。　I　believe　that　you　will　never　let　despair　get　the

upper　hand　of　you。　If　it　does　you　may　as　well　die；　yes；　you　may　as

well。　And　I　entreat　you　not　to　lose　your　entire　faith　in　humanity。

There　is　nothing　like　that　for　withering　up　the　very　core　of　the

heart。　I　tell　you；　humanity　and　nature　have　so　much　in　common　with

each　other　that　if　you　lose　part　of　your　pleasure　in　the　latter；　you

will　see　less　beauty　in　the　trees；　the　flowers；　and　the　fields；　less

grandeur　in　the　mighty　mountains　and　the　sea。　The　seasons　will　come

and　go；　and　you　will　scarcely　heed　their　coming　and　going：　winter　will

settle　over　your　soul；　just　as　it　settled　over　mine。　And　you　see　what

I　am。〃



They　had　now　passed　into　the　cloisters；　and　they　sat　down　in　one　of

the　recesses　of　the　windows；　and　looked　out　upon　the　rich　plot　of

grass　which　the　cloisters　enclose。　There　was　not　a　soul　there　except

themselves；　the　cool　and　the　quiet　and　the　beauty　of　the　spot

refreshed　these　pilgrims；　and　they　rested　in　calm　enjoyment。



Helen　was　the　first　to　break　the　silence。



〃I　am　glad　you　have　brought　me　here；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　never　grumble

now　at　not　being　able　to　afford　a　fortnight　in　the　country。　This　is

better　than　anything　else。〃



〃It　has　always　been　my　summer　holiday　to　come　here；〃　he　said。　〃When　I

first　came　I　was　like　you；　young　and　hopeful；　and　I　had　wonderful

visions　of　what　I　intended　to　d